comic strips
early days
The first comic strips were adventure stories with well-known examples being Buck Rogers, Tarzan and The Adventures of Tintin the earliest of which started appearing during the 1930s. However, in the 18th century, the UK’s William Hogarth produced a series of sequential paintings with a satirical theme, The Rakes Progress and The Harlot’s Progress, which may lay claim to pioneering the genre.
the subversive element
The wide ranging possibilities of content in comic strips quickly led to subversive subject matter, especially in the sixties with prime examples being Robert Crumb’s Fritz the Cat and The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. Doonesbury, by Garry Trudeau, was another overtly political strip which was mirrored in the UK by Steve Bell’s Maggie’s Farm followed by If… just shortly before he moved onto become The Guardian’s main political cartoonist.
syndicate your way to riches
Through worldwide syndication some cartoonists become well-known and considerably well-off by having their strips printed in newspapers all over the globe. Charles M Schulz’s Peanuts is a good American example while Reg Smyth’s Andy Capp and Alex Graham’s Fred Bassett were produced in the UK.
we just keep on giving!
The London International Cartoon Festival will showcase some of the best comic strip art in the world including presentations from some of our most prominent satirical publications.
