About dizABLED
- Claire & John Lytle
The concept of Leeder O. Men was born in 1985 while I was a teacher’s assistant at an adaptive weight training class at Santa Barbara City College. When I started to lift grown men with their wheelchairs buckled to their bodies up to the chin-up bar for fifty pull-ups, I became irreversibly involved. Leeder’s first stunt emerged in my sketch book shortly after.
I published early cartoons as editor of my own small skateboard magazine called Naughty Nomads. Leeder’s cartoon family were all skateboarders, so he soon learned to defy gravity with his own unique brand of ramp riding. Leeder went on to acquire a cult following in the underground skateboard zine trading phenomena of the late 80s and early 90s (many NN followers have since rediscovered Leeder in vivid color right here), paving the way for his inevitable return when he reappeared in ’94 with stronger wheels and a web site. In 1995, I married Claire Le Guern-Lytle, Leeder’s assistant mouthpiece and visual consultant. She also happened to be a writer for paraplegic students at the University of Paris Dauphine while she was a law student at the University of Paris Pantheon Sorbonne.
With the 2006 arrival of Aaron Fotheringham and friends, a non-fictional level of achievement was realized and it is very exciting to see Leeder’s forcast becoming a living, breathing reality. We are extremely proud and honored to work closely with Aaron. He is truly beyond amazing.
If you like our cartoons, we’re happy you made the visit. If not, please compare notes with the Leeder O. Phobes and then head over to the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. They can better explain some of the reasons why we choose to be involved.