St. Stephen cartoonist's latest book tackles small-town quirks

While nowhere in New Brunswick could rightly be considered a metropolis, there is a difference between living in the city and the more rural areas.

That's something cartoonist Brandon Hicks discovered when he moved from his uptown Saint John apartment to St. Stephen.

It was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic whenthose differences became the focus of his art, which is now collected in his new book On The Border.

Hicks said he noticed a difference right away. He said while living in Saint John he would go a long time without anyone saying as much as hello to him. Not in St. Stephen.

"Within the first week I was handed rhubarb. I was offered a drive every single time I went for a walk," said Hicks.

Besides the offers of produce and lifts, there have been a fewother quirks Hicks has caught on to.

One of them is the celebratory atmosphere that comes during high school graduation, when lampposts in the community are adorned with the pictures of the graduating class.

"They're really proud of the graduates," said Hicks.

"Everybody's rooting for everybody, and that's just great to see."

Another thing Hicks has had to come to terms with is rural New Brunswick's love of huntingand some of the sights that brings.

"I saw my neighbour just skinning and gutting a deer in his open garage, which is something you don't really see in uptown Saint John," said Hicks.

But he was curious about hunting and became friends with the hunter, who remembered his interest when bear season rolled around.

"He's taken me on a bear hunt, which was terrifying," said Hicks.

The whole country mouse/city mouse archetype has been used in art and literature over the ages.

But it can be somewhat insulting, especially to people in rural areas who may view comments about a slower, quieter, simpler life as condescending.

But Hicks said he always wanted to make sure his cartoons were "funny and never upsetting."

"At this point I kind of know everyone in my community and people are pretty excited. Just to be in comics," said Hicks.