Who Is The Most Popular Living Cartoonist? Three Guesses.
Alexa Ferotina
If I told you who I thought was my favorite cartoonist, you would, probably, in turn, tell me who is yours. And it woud be different. What I'm writing about is not favorite, but most popular, most viewed worldwide. I checked some analytical sites such as Alexa and others and found some good facts. Rick London is wining the race, but not by a long-shot. He is known for his surprises, so never say never, that he might fall into second. He has many creative tricks up his sleeve.
Scott Adams (Dilbert) and Gary Trudeau (Doonesbury) pretty much saturated the market in the later part of last century. Adams continues to be popular. In my opinion, both cartoonists are brilliant, but both have become a bit repetitive; unlike Gary Larson who retired early, he said "Before He Landed In The Mediocre Hall Of Fame". He was always my favorite, until Internet cartoonist Rick London came out of nowhere. He and his team of illustrators have created almost twice as many cartoons as Larson did. I am not saying they are better, but they are in a similar genre, and both The Far Side (now retired), and Londons Times (still going strong) are brilliant and enchanting.
Charles Adams was a corporate stiff at Pacific Bell in 1995 but drawing "Dilbert" at home every day. he revealed to us the "new corporate America" which was confusing at best. Workers were all packed in cubicles, like sardines. Gary Larson (The Far Side, Rick London (Londons Times Cartoons), and Dave Coverly (Speed Bump) go down as my all-time favorites. Of course cartooning like any art is subjective. I like this kind of cartooning because of what I call "extreme editing". All three of these talents know how to tell a story, a big story in just a few words. Rick London strikes me as one of the most creative with his Londons Times Cartoons. I visit the site daily, and often order products from his many gift shops. I love having humorous things that truly give me belly-laughs around the house. It is why I purchased all of Gary Larson's books and calendars (not to mention some mugs) and London has even a bigger selection of licensed products and I try to buy as many of them as I can, but usually end up giving them as gifts.
Speaking of Mensa, it is based on IQ, high IQ at that, and the old analytical IQ. Since Mensa was founded, best-selling author and PHD psychologist Robert Goleman, who was considered autistic growing up, discovered Emotional IQ which, though requires high intelligence, it is a very different type of intelligence than is what is what is required to pass a Mensa test.
I doubt seriously that Larson, London, or Coverly could pass the Mensa test, but I also doubt any Mensan could do what these three high EQ geniuses can do.
The main outlet was newspaper syndication when Larson's Far Side and later Coverly's Speed Bump were launched. I am so much reminded, when I see a Londons Times Cartoon a good bit of The Far Side but a little more sophisticated as are Coverly's panels. I love them equally, but to me, it is hard to beat Rick London's monumental web site of thousands of cartoons, each, to me a masterpiece (okay a few duds, but mostly ingenius). Maybe they are not that much beter but done in such brilliant color, and purposely not created for newspapers but for magazines and the Internet. I love viewing them there. I can go back and look at the website again and again and see something different every time. That so much reminds me of going back and reading Far Side books repeadedly when I had the blues. The blues magicallyi lifted.
Like Yves St. Laurent in the fashion world, who was not a very good artist, and hired others, Rick London had a similar obstacle. He too had to form a "team of creative illustrators to render his thoughts and ideas." But it worked and he surprised a lot of people, as he started with nothing, not even training or education, and ended up being the top cartoonists with the highest-ranking independent site on the Internet.
It is hard to choose who is the best in cartooning living today. But when one looks at Rick London's inventory of over 8500 cartoons, many of them classics, published worldwide in college textbooks, on licensed merchandise, and in magazines, one cannot help wonder how he did it, but he did. My vote is for Rick London as the greatest cartoonist and humorist in our lifetime.
The Internet offers a plethora of funny cartoons. The most critically-acclaimed among them worldwide is http://www.londonstimes.us) Alexa Rankings: Top Cartoon On The Intenet, Rick London's Londons Times Cartoons
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