Christmas shopping early? You could buy from this guy

COEUR d’ALENE — You don’t have to wait ‘til tomorrow to buy Rann Haight’s book.

You can buy “Tomorrow is...The First Year” today.

The architect and artist also known locally for his joyful Christmas cards has been drawing a comic strip for The Press that appears daily on page two. His book contains the first year of work, sells for $14.95 and is available at The Press, 215 N. Second St. in downtown Coeur d’Alene, and at The Coeur d’Alene Resort gift shop.

It features a character standing at a bus stop — that’s Tom — and a woman he calls Ethel talking on a cellphone while pumping gas (get it? ethel?) into her van.

“This book shows the evolution of the strip and those characters, from being a novice to where I am now, an intern,” Haight said.

The intern has rejected advice from syndicates that sell the most popular comic strips to newspapers across the country.

“They’re all saying the writing’s more important than the artwork,” he said. “I’ve ignored all of it and I’m pushing what I like to do, which is what readers seem to respond to.”

That, he said, is the drawing. Haight unleashes more than an understated commuter and exaggerated matron.

Many of his cartoon panels reflect historic characters and other interesting facts, all tied to the next day on the calendar. He’s not alone in being unable to put his finger on the category his work falls into.

“Even Jeff said he didn’t know what to call this,” Haight said of his longtime friend, Jeff Keane, son of the late Family Circle cartoonist Bil Keane and perpetuator of one of America’s favorite comics. “He said it’s unique, and I think that’s the best thing it’s got going for it.”

Haight’s book is a limited edition, with just 500 hand-numbered copies available. Asked what he’s going to do if it doesn’t sell out, Haight hardly hesitated.

“I’ve got an attic,” he said.

Then he added, “Either that or everybody knows what they’re getting for Christmas.”