Herman
By Jim Unger | 20.5K FollowersAbout Herman
"Herman," the hilarious cartoon feature that appears in hundreds of newspapers worldwide, continues despite the passing of creator Jim Unger in June 2012. Unger left a legacy of more than 8,000 "Herman" comics and a large following. Unger’s outrageous humor and distinct illustrative style led millions of fans to buy "Herman" book collections in more than 25 countries.
To keep the laughs coming, Unger passed the comedic torch to cartoonist David Waisglass and illustrator Roly Wood. Waisglass had been working closely with Unger on "Herman" since 1997, when he stopped work on his own syndicated comic, "Farcus," to assist his mentor and manage “Herman.” In 2010, Wood joined the team to create new Sunday strips with Waisglass and Unger. Unger told friends and family that he'd never met anyone who could draw "Herman" as well as, if not better than, himself! Unger kept contributing new gags until his death.
Although Unger wanted to publicly credit his creative partners, Waisglass and Wood believed the focus should remain on the work and its originator.
"Roly and I are deeply committed to honoring Jim's comic legacy and his original brand of cartoon humor," says Waisglass. "It was his greatest wish that 'Herman' live on and continue to make us laugh."
Universal Uclick distributes Unger's classic cartoons along with new "Herman" material.
Meet Jim Unger
Born in London, England, Jim Unger floated from job to job—including soldier, policeman, office clerk, and repo man—before emigrating to Canada, where he worked at a weekly newspaper in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga. As an amateur artist, Unger was asked to fill in briefly for the editorial cartoonist at the paper, which earned him a few awards and recognition. Universal Press Syndicate (a.k.a. Andrews McMeel Syndication) recognized his phenomenal talent and launched him into comedic stardom. "Herman" exploded onto the comic pages in 1974 to quickly become a classic feature that inspired a generation of cartoonists.
Despite his “retirement” from the pressure of newspaper deadlines in 1992, Unger never stopped writing comic gags. Assisted by his close personal friend, syndicated cartoonist David Waisglass (creator of "Farcus"), the cartoonists worked to restore, update, color, and digitally remaster the "Herman" archive. Waisglass continues to update and manage "Herman," including a growing collection of e-books, for his old friend through their company, LaughingStock.
"Jimmy was as funny in person as he was on the comic page," said Waisglass. "He loved to share a laugh. He'd be thrilled to see his comic continue to be enjoyed by both die-hard fans and millennials discovering 'Herman' for the first time."