Hamster Sam Comics published by DM Creative Publishing, 817 Stockbridge Road, #417, Fort Mill, South Carolina 29708. Copyright © 2008 by Dave McDonald. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. Printed in Hong Kong. First printing.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2007907407
ISBN-13: 978-0-9798445-0-8 (hardcover) ISBN-10: 0-9798445-0-9 (hardcover)
Author/Illustrator/Design/Colors Dave McDonald Editor Gaston County Museum of Art & History Dallas, NC
Historic (public domain) images used in this publication were digitally enhanced by the artist. Original images used with permission of The Gaston County Museum of Art & History, Dallas, NC.
Historic Images: Page 14: Exterior, Modena Cotton Mills, Gastonia, NC; founded 1893. Page 15: Carding Room, Loray Mills(later became Firestone Mills), Gastonia, NC; founded 1900. Page 16: Gray Manufacturing Co., Gastonia, NC; founded 1904. Page 17: Spinning Room, Dilling Cotton Mills, Kings Mountain, NC; founded circa 1919. Page 29: Woodlawn Factory(Pinhook Mill), South Fork River, NC; founded 1852.
The Secret Adventures of
Hamster Sam Attack of the Evil Boll Weevils! by Dave McDonald Edited by: The Gaston County Museum of Art & History, Dallas, NC Elizabeth E. Dampier, M.P.A. - Museum Director Aimee K. Russell, M.A. - Curator of Collections Arlena Meek, M.E.D. - Educator
Dedications: To my dad, whose “humor” runs through my veins; my mom for supporting my “creativity”; my wife Laurie and daughters Lindsay and Maddy for their patience and support; to my 5th grade teacher Mrs. Freed for her heaps of praise and encouragement; and to the memory of thousands of mill workers and their families for their hard work, sacrifice and dedication to their craft. The author would like to acknowledge the following individuals and groups for their feedback and generous support: Nancy Edmiston, Quentin Pickup, Tina McClanahan, Ann Lamba, Joy Price, Drew Allison, Jim & Kate Salley Palmer, Theresa Lubbers, Kim Likins, Greg Russell, Al Bigley, Sally Hoynacki, the entire “By George” Cartoonist Group (Charlotte, NC), The Southeast Chapter of the National Cartoonist Society, and especially the staff of The Gaston County Museum of Art & History for their enthusiastic participation.
DM Creative Publishing Fort Mill, SC
hamstersam.com
The Gaston County Museum of Art & History, accredited by the American Association of Museums, is located in the old Hoffman Hotel on the historic square in Dallas, North Carolina. Built in the Greek revival style in 1852, the building operated as a hotel for its first sixty years. The building opened as a museum in 1984.
The Gaston County Museum features the Carolinas Textile Exhibit: The Ties that Bind, which opened in 2002 as a permanent exhibit to document the historical significance of the County’s cotton textile industry and the unique regional communities it spawned. At one point in its textile history, it was said that Gaston County had the largest number of running spindles in the entire world! Divided into four main areas; community, economy, technology and a hands-on area, the exhibit presents the development of the textile industry in Gaston County and illustrates its effect on the American textile industry as well as the world market. Visitors to the exhibit will see the 1946 Maid of Cotton dress, several patent models on loan from the Smithsonian Institution, and a hydroelectric dynamo generator developed by Thomas Edison and used in McAden Mills. This was the longest running generator of its kind in the world. The museum is open to the public year round. Visit us on the web at www.gastoncountymuseum.org.
Hamster Sam takes a peek at the Carolinas Textile Exhibit at the museum!
Dave McDonald has been bringing humorous characters to life for over 25 years through television programming, theme park entertainment and puppet shows. He has been nominated a dozen times and has won 2 CableAce Awards for children’s programming as a television producer, writer & director. He served as head writer at Paramount Parks and has toured the Southeast with the internationally recognized Grey Seal Puppets, performing his show, “Snuckleby and his Tales from KudzuLand” in schools and libraries. This is his first graphic novel.