If it were possible to make CompuSoft books more fun, they would include cartoons by Bob Stevens. And that’s just what we did. Below are only a few single-panel illustrations readers enjoyed about every five pages. Stevens’ caricatures depicted him as the bumbling BASIC programmer, with occasional supporting characters resembling our dear Dr. Lien.
Legendary test pilot and aviation icon Chuck Yeager—the first person to break the sound barrier—was a devoted fan of Stevens’ work in Air Force Magazine for 25 years. He once remarked,
“Any guy who can make something humorous out of a gear-up landing has my vote as a first-class cartoonist.” —Chuck Yeager
Fellow CompuSoft writer and co-author, Dan Gookin, writes about this topic in this Wamblog article. In his blog post, Dan reflects on his initial reluctance and eventual appreciation for the cartoons in the “For Dummies” books, contrasting them with earlier, less well-received cartoons from his time at CompuSoft. I can confirm his reluctance, as I had also heard similar comments from CompuSoft employees about some of Stevens’ caricatures. Dan laments the decision to remove the cartoons from the “For Dummies” series, arguing that it diminishes the books’ unique appeal and value.
I met Bob Stevens in my first year at CompuSoft. He died in 1994 at the age of 71 after battling cancer.