Born on St. Paul Island, Alaska, Virgil "VIP" Partch (1916-1984) was one of the most successful cartoonists in American history. I suppose it's a technicality that he could be labeled an expat, but still pretty cool to claim him as an Alaskan. Jonathan Barli author of "VIP: The Mad World of Virgil Partch" (2013 Fantagraphics) attributes his work as by a "mid-century cartoonist who revitalized the gag cartoon."
He starting his career in 1937 illustrating at Disney, then later with Walter Lantz on Woody Woodpecker, he then served as art director/cartoonist for the US Army’s “Panorama” magazine. Starting with a sale to Collier's in 1942, he began freelancing his single-panel gag panels to magazines like Playboy and The New Yorker, and “also published 19 books of cartoons and illustrated 12 others, including the two children's books, The Dog Who Snored Symphonies and The Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snatcher” (UC Irvine archives).
From 1960-90 he created the popular syndicated feature “Big George” which appearing in around 300 newspapers, as well as the strip “The Captain’s Gig” in the 70’s. Partch is one of the historical giants whose stupendous output, insightful commentary and clean lines continue to be an artistic inspiration even today.
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