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):