Midway through Catland Empire, the most recent book by Toronto cartoonist Keith Jones, two elemental beings called Mr. Space and Mr. Time create dozens of wieners from the aether for some talking felines: “You will receive further instructions in the form of telepathic communication in a couple minutes. In the meantime, enjoy the hot dogs.” Jones has found himself drawing street meat again lately—all over the walls of the Hot ‘n Dog, a tiny Parkdale takeaway he just bought.
Hanging around a comic book shop is what led to the artist’s sudden side career. He often visits Kensington Comics, a store owned by Hot ‘n Dog founder George Karpouzis, who eventually decided to focus on selling ink and pulp. “He just didn’t have time to be here as much now, he likes being at the comic shop more, so he was trying to sell this place. I was there the whole time, and then one day I woke up and I was like, ‘I should just buy that,’ because I only live a block away…So the first thing I thought about doing was obviously decorating it all.”
