George Herriman’s Followers (46)

George Herriman

Born

in New Orleans, Louisiana, The United States

August 22, 1880

Died

April 25, 1944

Genre

Comics & Graphic Novels

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George Herriman was an American cartoonist celebrated for creating the groundbreaking comic strip Krazy Kat, a work widely regarded as one of the most inventive, poetic, and influential achievements in the history of comics. Raised in a culturally diverse environment and navigating complex racial identities throughout his life, Herriman developed a singular artistic voice that combined humor, surrealism, philosophical reflection, and emotional nuance. He began his career as a newspaper illustrator and political cartoonist before transitioning fully into comic strips, producing several short-lived features and experiments that helped him refine his sense of rhythm, timing, and visual storytelling. Krazy Kat, which emerged from an earlier str George Herriman was an American cartoonist celebrated for creating the groundbreaking comic strip Krazy Kat, a work widely regarded as one of the most inventive, poetic, and influential achievements in the history of comics. Raised in a culturally diverse environment and navigating complex racial identities throughout his life, Herriman developed a singular artistic voice that combined humor, surrealism, philosophical reflection, and emotional nuance. He began his career as a newspaper illustrator and political cartoonist before transitioning fully into comic strips, producing several short-lived features and experiments that helped him refine his sense of rhythm, timing, and visual storytelling. Krazy Kat, which emerged from an earlier strip called The Dingbat Family, became his defining work and ran for decades in newspapers across the United States. The strip centered on a triangular relationship among three main characters: Krazy, a blissfully optimistic and androgynous cat; Ignatz Mouse, who continually expressed his contempt or affection by throwing bricks; and Offisa Pupp, a dutiful dog who sought to protect Krazy and maintain order. What might have been a simple gag became, in Herriman’s hands, a lyrical exploration of love, longing, misunderstanding, and the complexities of emotional connection, articulated through shifting perspectives, inventive language, and a dreamlike visual landscape inspired by the American Southwest. Herriman developed a distinctive style that blended loose, expressive brushwork with carefully considered composition, often altering backgrounds from panel to panel to evoke mood rather than physical continuity. His dialogue employed dialects, puns, poetic phrasing, and playful linguistic invention, creating a voice for Krazy Kat that felt both musical and deeply human. The strip attracted a passionate following among intellectuals, writers, and artists, including figures such as Gilbert Seldes, E.E. Cummings, Willem de Kooning, and many others who recognized its sophistication and emotional resonance. However, Krazy Kat never achieved the widespread commercial popularity of contemporaries like Popeye or Li’l Abner and often relied on the support of influential newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who admired Herriman’s work and insisted it remain in publication despite fluctuating readership. Herriman also produced the comic strip Baron Bean, as well as numerous illustrations, editorial drawings, and commercial work throughout his career, but it was Krazy Kat that defined his legacy and shaped the development of visual narrative art. The strip influenced generations of cartoonists and graphic storytellers, contributing to a lineage that includes artists working in newspaper strips, comic books, underground comix, graphic novels, animation, and contemporary experimental media. Herriman maintained a private, quiet personal life, working diligently and steadily, drawing inspiration from the landscapes of California, Arizona, and New Mexico, which he visited frequently and often featured in his art as stylized mesas, desert plateaus, and open skies. His deep engagement with the American Southwest brought texture, symbolism, and environmental presence to Krazy Kat, making setting an integral emotional and thematic component rather than a mere backdrop. Although widely honored posthumously, his work was recognized during his lifetime by peers and critics who understood the originality of his vision. Today, he is acknowledged as one of the key figures who expanded the expressive potential of the comic strip form, demonstrating that sequential art could convey subtle emotional states, philosophical ideas, and complex storytelling with elegance and humor. Herriman’s legacy endures in the ongoing study, republication, and celebration of Krazy Kat, which continues to be admired for its innovation, sensitivity, and unique artistic spirit. ...more

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George Herriman’s books

Average rating: 4.41 · 4,795 ratings · 355 reviews · 222 distinct works • Similar authors

	Krazy Kat: The Comic Art of George Herriman by George Herriman, Patrick McDonnell (Goodreads Author), Karen O'Connell 4.38 avg rating — 794 ratings — published 1975 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy and Ignatz, 1925-1926: There is a Heppy Land Furfur A-waay by George Herriman, Chris Ware (Cover Art), Bill Blackbeard (Editor) 4.43 avg rating — 406 ratings — published 2002 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy and Ignatz, 1927 Through 1928: Love Letters in Ancient Brick by George Herriman, Bill Blackbeard (Editor) 4.49 avg rating — 257 ratings — published 2002 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy and Ignatz, 1929-1930: A Mice, a Brick, a Lovely Night by George Herriman, Bill Blackbeard 4.54 avg rating — 201 ratings — published 2003 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy & Ignatz, 1931-1932: A Kat a'Lilt with Song by George Herriman, Bill Blackbeard (Editor), Derya Ataker (Editor) 4.64 avg rating — 184 ratings — published 2004 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy and Ignatz, 1916-1918: Love in a Kestle or Love in a Hut 4.43 avg rating — 191 ratings — published 2010 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy & Ignatz by George Herriman, Bill Blackbeard (Editor) 4.54 avg rating — 177 ratings — published 2005 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy and Ignatz, 1933-1934: Necromancy by the Blue Bean Bush by George Herriman, Chris Ware (Designer), Bill Blackbeard (Editor) 4.60 avg rating — 167 ratings — published 2004 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy and Ignatz, 1937-1938: Shifting Sands Dusts Its Cheeks in Powdered Beauty 4.60 avg rating — 153 ratings — published 2006 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Krazy and Ignatz, 1919-1921: A Kind, Benevolent, and Amiable Brick 4.57 avg rating — 106 ratings — published 2010 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by George Herriman…

Series by George Herriman

Krazy and Ignatz (31 books)
by

George Herriman

4.52 avg rating — 2,473 ratings

Fantagraphics Krazy and Ignatz (13 books)
by

George Herriman,

Bill Blackbeard (Editor),

Derya Ataker (Editor)

4.52 avg rating — 2,204 ratings

Krazy and Ignatz: the Complete Sunday Strips (3 books)
by

George Herriman,

Bill Blackbeard (editor),

Chris Ware (designer)

4.39 avg rating — 31 ratings

Krazy Kat - French edition (4 books)
by

George Herriman

4.46 avg rating — 13 ratings

Quotes by George Herriman (?)

“Knature is kwite kweer.”
― George Herriman

3 likes

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George Herriman’s Followers (46)

George Herriman

Combine EditionsGeorge Herriman’s books

Series by George Herriman

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
George Herriman’s books