The 46-year-old University of Virginia graduate started with the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1992, and left six years later. Since then, he’s worked in syndication. His work has been featured in many magazines and has appeared in more than 400 newspapers nationwide.

The new position with AOL isn’t much different than the syndicated work, he says. But it will give him a wider, more interactive platform for his art. And, he says, it will be nonstop.

He’s not bothered by the quick pace of online work. “A little deadline pressure can pump up your creativity and focus the mind,” Gorrell says.

The main difference with his new job, Gorrell says, is that it will be seen by a bigger audience, and one that can talk back.

“There’s a more immediate response available,” Gorrell says. “It’s nothing but a positive to get reader reaction, whether it’s praise or contempt. The [AOL bulletin] boards are one way I can connect with my readers, and I’ve used them in the past to respond to questions, explain ambiguous cartoons, or answer criticism. I have the advantage of voicing my opinion every day. The boards give my readers that same sort of platform.”

— Chris