One of the founding fathers of American cartooning, Rudolph Dirks was hired by William Randolph Hearst in 1897 to create a new feature to compete with rival Joseph Pulitzer's successful comic features. The result, based on Wilhelm Busch's MAX AND MORITZ, was entitled THE KATZENJAMMER KIDS, and starred the equally mischievous Hans and Fritz. Dirks was the first newspaper cartoonist to regularly use speech balloons and the comic strip panel format, innovations that are now standard practices in the field. In 1912, after taking some time off, Dirks was fired by Hearst, who brought in Harold Knerr to draw THE KATZENJAMMER KIDS. Dirks went on to win a famous court battle to continue his creation under the name THE CAPTAIN AND THE KIDS, which he did until his son, John, took over in 1958. During WW1- Nationality of the kids was changed to Dutch
R.F. Outcault (1863 - 1928)- The Yellow Kid in Hogan’s Alley
Richard Outcault is credited with the
creation of the first newspaper comic strip superstar --
a nightshirted street urchin known as the Yellow Kid. The
Yellow Kid, who debuted in the NEW YORK WORLD in 1895,
was the first successful character to appear in color,
with a regular supporting cast, in a continuing titled
series, with the written word integrated into the
picture. The combination of these important elements in
Outcault's creation dramatically proved that comics could
sell newspapers. The Yellow Kid's success launched a
publishing war between William Randolph Hearst and Joseph
Pulitzer, giving birth to the term "yellow
journalism." In 1902, Outcault further distinguished
himself by creating a second successful comic feature,
BUSTER BROWN, which he produced until 1920. Outcault also creates Buster Brown which paves the way for later strips like Dennis the Menace
LITTLE NEMO IN
SLUMBERLAND is universally acclaimed as one of
the true inspirational masterpieces of comic art. The
fantastic imagery and superb draftsmanship that Winsor
McCay lavished on his brainchild has rarely been equaled
in the art form. He created numerous other memorable
features including DREAMS OF THE RAREBIT FIEND, HUNGRY
HENRIETTA and LITTLE SAMMY SNEEZE. McCay was
also an early pioneer in the field of animation,
producing the historic film, GERTIE THE DINOSAUR,
in 1909. Late in his career this prolific and versatile
artist went on to become an influential editorial
cartoonist for the Hearst newspapers, while continuing
his comic strip andanimation. McCay penned his own
epitaph when he wrote, "Simply, I could not keep
myself from drawing." 
In 1924, Gilbert Seldes, the noted art
critic, praised the comic strip KRAZY KAT as
"the most amusing, fantastic and satisfactory work
of art produced in America today." George Herriman,
the modest creator of this poetic masterpiece, responded
to Seldes by complaining that, "now I've got an
inflated 'mouse' -- a 'kop' busing with Ego -- and a
'kat' gone clean Kookoo -- on my hands." Although
Herriman was, and still remains, the darling of the
intellectuals, his strip -- which first appeared
regularly in 1913 -- was never a commercial success. By
1944, it could be found in only 35 newspapers.
Fortunately for future generations of comic lovers,
Herriman's greatest fan was his publisher, William
Randolph Hearst, who put aside financial considerations
and allowed one of America's truly gifted graphic
geniuses a forum to express his unique fantasies. 
Perhaps the most successful comic strip
of all time, BLONDIE was created by Murat (Chic)
Young in 1930. In the early years, Blondie Boopadoop, a
bird-brained flapper, was pursued by Dagwood Bumstead, a
tycoon's bungling son. When Dagwood married Blondie in
1933, his father disinherited him. He was condemned to a
life of middle-class drudgery, chasing buses, getting
chewed out by his boss and grabbing lunch in a greasy
diner. The Bumstead family has delighted generations of
readers, inspiring film television and book adaptations.
The strip won Young the Reuben Award as the best
cartoonist of the year in 1948. Today, Chic Young's son
Dean and artist Stan Drake continue BLONDIE which
remains among the very top strips in the comic business. 
Legendary for his
difficulties in meeting deadlines and for his uncanny resemblance
to his main character, George McManus was also among the most
prolific of the early cartoonists. The most notable of his many
experiments on the comics pages were: THE NEWLYWEDS, one
of the first family features; ROSIE'S BEAU, a prototype of
the popular pretty-girl strip; and SPARE RIBS AND GRAVY, a
classic of pure slapstick. The stars of these pioneering
creations were ultimately overshadowed by the popularity of
Maggie and Jiggs, the chief protagonists of BRINGING UP FATHER,
which debuted in 1913. Maggie and Jiggs, rags-to-riches Irish
immigrants, were the first in a long line of squabbling couples
in t he eternal battle of the sexes fought out on the funnies
pages.
The feisty, red-headed
Little Orphan Annie first appeared in the funnies August 5, 1924.
She's gone on to become one of the most popular cartoon
characters of all time. Harold Gray's creation inspired movie
adaptations, a radio serial and an award-winning stage play.
Frequently using the strip to express his conservative political
views, Gray is still regarded by both his critics and his fans as
a master storyteller and a creator of powerful characters. Orphan
Annie and her wealthy benefactor, Daddy Warbucks, were more than
just vehicles for Gray's gripping tales. Over the course of the
last seven decades, they have transcended newspaper ink to become
heroic figures in the legacy of modern American Mythology.