BC cartoonist dies while drawing

BBC ^ | Monday, April 9, 2007

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Cartoonist Johnny Hart, who won awards and acclaim for creating the BC comic strip, has died at the age of 76.

BC, which depicts a world populated by cavemen and dinosaurs, first appeared in 1958 and eventually reached more than 100 million people.

Mr Hart also co-created The Wizard of Id, the story of a run-down kingdom ruled by a tyrannical monarch.

Mr Hart's wife, Bobby, said he died of a stroke on Saturday while working at his New York home.

"He died at his storyboard," she told the Associated Press.

Richard Newcombe, the founder and president of Creators Syndicate, which syndicates both BC and The Wizard of Id, said both cartoons would continue.

Family members have been helping produce the strips for years, and they have an extensive computer archive of drawings to work with, he told AP.

Mr Hart won numerous awards for his work, including the National Cartoonist Society's prestigious Reuben Award twice for Cartoonist of the Year.

In his later year, Mr Hart's Christianity began to play a more prominent role in his cartoons, courting some controversy.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

He was very brave for publishing his Easter cartoon of a menorah turning into a cross--illustrating that Christianity is the same religion of the adherents of God as Judaism was in the past.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

A local newspaper stopped showing his cartoons after that one.

[Ancient Drive]

How many people get to die while doing what they love?

[JohnnyZ]

A local newspaper stopped showing his cartoons after that one.

Why, were the Muslims and French offended by the Menorah?

[jdm]

Some of these guys died drawing too.

[Cheapskate]

Yup, it’s about all you can ask for in life!

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Controversial strips (from Wikipedia).

Apparently, the term is "replacement theology," according to Wikipedia.

[mainepatsfan]

Dale Earnhardt for one.

[rottndog]

"He died at his storyboard," she told the Associated Press.

Good for him--Dying doing what you love...

[mass55th]

Rest in Peace Mr. Hart. You will be missed.

[geezerwheezer]

B.C. and the Wizard of Id will contnue to be two of my favorite cartoons. Mr. Hart had a way to bring humor to life and life to humor. He was one of a kind and I pray his family will find peace and happiness soon. He will be missed by a lot of us.

[The KG9 Kid]

"... How many people get to die while doing what they love?

That's the same thing my Uncle Carl said right before he passed away. It's a beautiful way to go.

... Well, not for Uncle Carl, actually. He died during a bank shootout after some teller pressed the silent alarm on him during his getaway.

[JZelle]

Thousands of muslim suicide bombers

[bray]

One of the greatst cartoonists of all time. Prayers for his family and friends’ comfort and strength.

[Ciexyz]

I didn't know that he was a Christian, but I was most impressed by a Christian-themed "Wizard of Id" from a number of years ago. A peasant goes to the king's clerk and says he's looking for a job. "I want to work for the most revered King who ever lived." The clerk thinks a minute and says, "The monastery is down the street."

[MHGinTN]

Ping-a-ling-a-ling

[Ciexyz]

He died with his boots on.

[mission9]

How do we know he wasn’t raptured?

[Wormwood]

How many people get to die while doing what they love?

Elvis, for one.

Lenny Bruce, John Belushi and Chris Farley also leap to mind.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Here's the strip, courtesy of the Jewish Defense League's website (obviously, the accompanying article is critical of the strip):

[Rummyfan]

And his I - SLAM cartoon ... I’m sure some Freeper can dig it up

[joebuck]

"Well, not for Uncle Carl, actually. He died during a bank shootout after some teller pressed the silent alarm on him during his getaway."

I want to die peacefully and in my sleep like my grandfather; not screaming and full of fear like the three guys who were passengers in his car at the time.

[andy58-in-nh]

How many people get to die while doing what they love?

Nelson Rockefeller comes to mind.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

...’In his later year, Mr Hart’s Christianity began to play a more prominent role in his cartoons, courting some controversy’.....And what was the point of including that statement in the article?

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Finding religion is controversial?...L.O.L.

[BelegStrongbow]

I have a sneaking feeeling that he has been greeted by choirs of angels. He bore witness to his Lord and I love him for it.

Requiscat in pace, Johnny.

[brotherWesUpNorth]

Didn’t he do one about the group that decides whether Jesus really said or did certain things in the bible by casting colored stones into a hat? As I recall they were standing in front of God on judgemnent day and said they had voted that “He didn’t really excist.”

[Wormwood]

And what was the point of including that statement in the article?

Because it is factually true.

His 'menorah to cross' strip, for example, was extremely controversial

[thackney]

R.I.P.

[Homeschool Christian Mom of 5]

How beautiful. Thank you for posting that!

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

At least the BBC viewership seems to have heard of Hart; it’s currently the second most popular article read on the site, second only to Iran’s producing nuclear fuel at an industrial level.

[Uncle Miltie]

Ask, and ye shall receive.

[infidel29]

Say it ain't so!!

[bigfootbob]

yes, and rolling it into little balls

[Ingtar]

Hart got wings!

[Moonman62]

Charles Schulz died the evening before his last strip was published.

[ALASKA]

Elvis’ last words............”Corn? I don’t remember corn..........”

[ALASKA]

Reminds me of the scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail...........

[oldbill]

Johnny Hart lived in Endicott, NY all his life. It is a declining factory town, but even with his fame and wealth he never left his roots. You could run into him around town and he would have no airs about him.

Most of his characters were based on guys he had worked with in his early days when he worked at a local comapny as a design artist.

It is sad that hate-mongering artists like the nameless clowns of Doonesbury and Boondocks and their ilk are celebrated, while those like Hart and Mel Lazuras are dissed by the left-wing syndicates. Charles Schultz would be a barber in his dad’s shop if he was born 40 years later.

[BRITinUSA]

At least the BBC viewership seems to have heard of Hart; it’s currently the second most popular article read on the site, second only to Iran’s producing nuclear fuel at an industrial level.

They may be thinking of Tony Hart a children's tv presenter from years ago.., very talented artist and must-see TV when I was a kid.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

That could be, but the title of the article (even in the "Most Popular" section) is "BC cartoonist dies while drawing."

[Lazamataz]

This is sad, not only was he a great cartoonist, but he was reliably religious and fairly politically conservative.

[ArmstedFragg]

His best Wizard of Id was actually a counterpoint to that Easter cartoon. The Wiz is conjuring up a spell, and says, “oh great spirit, give me the potion that will cure the ills of all mankind”. There’s a poof, and a goblet appears. He tastes it and says, ‘this tastes like chicken soup’, and a voice from the heavens says, “Eat... Enjoy.... Later we’ll talk”.

[TruthConquers]

Steve Irwin

[the OlLine Rebel]

Great guy to dare publish Christ-oriented comics.

[Spyder]

Just dam*. I’m glad to hear the family will carry on, though. I hope they’re as good at it as Jeff McNelly’s family and friends have been at continuing Shoe.

[NCLaw441]

You said: How many people get to die while doing what they love?
Elvis, for one.
***

Elvis’ great love was sitting on the toilet???

[SixIron]

Johnny Hart lived in Endicott, NY all his life.......

Yes, and I understand he personally wrote the check to keep the PGA Tour coming to town for the BC Open. Too bad the tournament went away this year. At least I have a wonderful collection of hats and shirts to commemorate the event where the locals all came out to support the tourney.