Chris Browne, the persevering with cartoonist of the common ongoing Hägar the Horrible syndicated cartoon – and son of the collection’ unique creator Dik Browne – has died following a long sickness. He was 70 years previous. The information broke mere days after the strip handed its landmark fiftieth anniversary.
The information broke through a publish on social media from the National Cartoonists Society:
“We are sad to announce the passing of one of our longtime valued members of the NCS community, Chris Browne. Hagar had only just celebrated his 50th anniversary the day before.”
The publish included a press release from Chris Browne’s sister, Tsuiwen Browne-Boeras, saying:
“With a lot disappointment, I’m right here to announce, my brother Christopher Browne handed away peacefully in Sioux Falls, SD after a long-term sickness.
“After our father handed away, he was the face of our household’s cartoon strip Hagar the Horrible. Besides drawing Hagar, Chris drew and illustrated kids’s books. He all the time had a sketchbook in hand and beloved to attract for individuals. He can be very a lot missed by his household and pals in addition to his followers all through the world.
“We will miss his talent and his gentle and kind soul.”
Hägar the Horrible, which satirised modern American society below the guise of its fake Viking-era setting, started February 4, 1973. It was created by Richard Arthur Allan “Dik” Browne for the King Features Syndicate. The strip proved immensely common and is syndicated in roughly 1900 newspapers, throughout 56 international locations, round the globe. A framed copy of the cartoon was even noticed in the background of President Joe Biden’s Oval Office at the White House.
Following the retirement and demise of its creator, Dik’s sons Chris and Chance Browne – plus illustrator and cartoonist Gary Hallgren who has drawn the collection since 2015 – took over the reins. Chris’ thirty-plus 12 months tenure on the character (his brother Chance works primarily on the continuation of their father’s different collection Hi and Lois however assisted with edits) – from 1989 to 2023 – makes him the strip’s longest serving cartoonist (his father retired in 1988, accumulating 16 years of materials).
Born May 16, 1952, Chris served as an assistant to his father on Hägar the Horrible and Dik Browne’s different syndicated strip Hi and Lois (which Dik co-created with Mort “Beetle Bailey” Walker in 1954). His first professionally revealed gag strips in the early ‘70s appeared in National Lampoon, where he would become a mainstay for a decade. He also become a contributor to Playboy Magazine. As well as continuing his father’s legacy with Hägar, Chris additionally had his personal unique syndicated strip – the semi-autobiographical Raising Duncan (2000-2005).
In a 2002 Washington Post Q&A with readers, Chris spoke about how laborious his father would push him as an assistant:
“For years I’ve had on my desk a quote of my father’s that says simply, “My son can do better than this.” which is one thing my father mentioned to me after I’d labored actually laborious on a set of Hagar dailies, and after I handed it into him, he mentioned “If anyone else had given me this work, I would say it was terrific. But, you’re my son, and my son can do better than this.” It was an actual problem, however it has actually helped me on elevating the bar on myself.”
He additionally spoke about persevering with his father’s legacy with the strip:
“I worked side by side with my father from the very beginning of Hagar. Some of the earliest gags were mine. When we lost Dad in 1989, I was devastated and the only thing that got me through was the love of my wife, Carroll, and the idea that I could stay in touch with my dad’s spirit by getting up every day and continuing his work on Hagar.”
Header picture from thecartoonistgroup.org.
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