Famous comic strip artists, The recent death of "Family Circus" creator Bil Keane reminds us how the pen-and-ink antics of our favorite comic characters have brought mirth to our mornings, and inspired postage stamps and even public art.
Find out more about the artists behind the newspaper comic strips, past and present.comic strip classics stamps."B.C." Johnny Hart introduced his award-winning cast of smart-aleck cavemen in 1958 and cranked out the strip until his final day in 2007. Mason Mastroianni + Johnny Hart's grandson + B.C. Johnny Hart + comic artist, B.C. Best Newspaper Comic strip National Cartoonist Society 1989, Johnny Hart + died at drawing board,
"Blondie" comic Chic Young drew beautiful Blondie and her bumbling Dagwood from 1930 until his death in 1973. Chic Young's son Dean + John Marshall + Blondie,
"Bloom County" Berkeley Breathed's spastic Bill the Cat and pensive Opus the Penguin ran in papers from 1980 to 1989. Berkeley Breathed + Flawed Dogs book + Dreamworks motion picture,
"Boondocks" comic Aaron McGruder's incendiary comic about square-peg suburbanites Huey and Riley had collegiate roots and ran in major papers from 1999 to 2006. Aaron McGruder + screenwriter + Red Tails + George Lucas,
"Calvin & Hobbes" Bill Watterson led these partners in crime through one backyard escapade after another from 1985 to his last original strip in December 1995. Bill Watterson + reclusive lifestyle
"Cathy" Working women across the country related to Cathy Guisewite's strip throughout its 34-year run, which ended in October 2010. "An Evening With Cathy Guisewite" + October 7 + Midland Center for the Arts,
"Dick Tracy" comic Chester Gould had his fedora-clad gumshoe solve cartoonish crimes until his retirement in 1977 (he watched his legacy continue until his 1985 passing). Mike Curtis + Joe Staton + Dick Tracy comic, dick tracy's 80th birthday oct 4, 2011,
"The Far Side" Gary Larson explored nature's funny side until his retirement ended the single-panel strips in 1995. Gary Larson + The Simpsons,
"For Better or For Worse" The chronicles of a growing Canadian family were Lynn Johnston's bread and butter from 1979 until her retirement in July 2010. In the Beginning There Was Chaos + by author Lynn Johnston,
"Mark Trail" comic Ed Dodd created these wilderness adventures in 1946 and wrote them until retiring in 1980. Jack Elrod + Mark Trail cartoonist, Ed Dodd Mark Trail cartoonist congestive heart failure 1991
"Peanuts" comic Charles "Sparky" Schulz gained international fame with his troop of precocious kids and iconic beagle, who debuted in 1950 and ran for 50 years. Peanuts Gang + Got Milk? campaign, Schulz died day before last original Peanuts strip