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Richard F. Outcault

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Artist

The Resume

    (January 14, 1863-September 25, 1928)
    Born in Lancaster, Ohio
    Created the comics 'Hogan's Alley,' 'The Yellow Kid' and 'Buster Brown'

Why he might be annoying:

    His 'Yellow Kid' got his distinctive color not from Outcault, but from a New York World printer who decided to use the strip to experiment with a new fast-drying yellow ink.
    He jumped ship from Joseph Pulitzer's 'New York World' to William Randolph Hearst's 'New York Journal.' (1896)
    Because he had never copyrighted the character, both papers ran competing 'Yellow Kid' strips, inspiring the phrase 'yellow journalism.'
    He used Buster Brown to advertise not just shoes, but also whiskey and cigars.
    He was a heavy drinker and died of cirrhosis of the liver.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Before becoming a cartoonist, he was a technical illustrator for Thomas Edison.
    He is considered the father of the modern comic strip.
    Although a cartoon, the humor and social commentary in 'The Yellow Kid' was aimed at an adult readership.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 142 Votes: 64.08% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying