Lynch was born in East Orange, New Jersey, in 1945 and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. The best-remembered issue was probably the full-color #8, which featured a cover by Harvey Kurtzman and parodies of underground comics in the manner of the early Mad. Bijou’s Funnies, which he edited, was second only to Zap as an underground anthology. Jay Lynch held down the Chicago end of the underground comics movement. Some characters appear courtesy of King Features Syndicate, Inc.From the TCJ Archives The Jay Lynch Interview, 1987įrom The Comics Journal #114 (February 1987) Illustration: Modified from All the Funny Folks: The Wonder Tale of How the Comic-Strip Characters Live and Love 'Behind the Scenes.' Illustrations by Louis Biedermann, story by Jack Lait. Rob Stolzer, comic arts collector and Professor of Art and Design, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point In terms of sheer knowledge and accuracy of information, few comic art historians are Allan Holtz's equal.' Some earlier references contain a good deal of misinformation, where authors have gathered bits of information from secondary sources and written about strips that do not exist. 'There have been other books about the history of the comic strip, but nothing as accurate and exhaustive as this book. Harvey, cartoonist, historian, and author of The Art of the Funnies I expect to use it on an almost daily basis.' His reference guide, an expertly researched and arrayed resource, is badly needed. 'Allan Holtz is one of the most knowledgeable researchers in newspaper comic strip and panel cartoon history alive today. In addition, the book includes a CD with samples of more than 2,000 cartoon features, including some that may be new to even the most ardent fan or collector.

The book also includes handy cross-indexes and a guide to book-length compilations of newspaper cartoons and comics. While previous books have typically concentrated on the most popular comic strips and panel cartoon series, American Newspaper Comics is designed to be all-inclusive, providing detailed information on important but previously overlooked artists and features. The result of more than twenty years of meticulous research, American Newspaper Comics provides the most complete picture to date of the evolution of newspaper cartoon features and corrects misinformation that has circulated for years in other references.Īmerican Newspaper Comics offers a wealth of information, including the start and end dates of features, their format, frequency, creators, and distribution companies.

American Newspaper Comics is the first comprehensive, authoritative reference work to document this fascinating history, listing over 7,000 different comic strip and cartoon features from American newspapers. From its earliest appearance in the 1890s, the newspaper comic strip has told the story of America, from the Irish ghetto of the Yellow Kid to flappers, war heroes, hippies, and today's office drones and soccer moms.

All the Funny Folks by Jack Lait