Jay Lynch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jay Lynch |
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Lynch at the 2014 New York Comic Con
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| Born | Jay Patrick Lynch January 7, 1945 Orange, New Jersey |
| Died | March 5, 2017 (aged 72) Candor, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist, Writer, Editor |
| Pseudonym(s) | Jayzee Lynch Ray Finch |
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Notable works
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Bijou Funnies Phoebe and the Pigeon People Nard n' Pat Bazooka Joe |
Jay Patrick Lynch (born January 7, 1945 – died March 5, 2017) was an American cartoonist. He was a very important person in the world of "underground comix." These were independent comic books that were often more experimental.
Jay Lynch is famous for his comic books like Bijou Funnies. He also created the comic strip Nard n' Pat. You might also know his work from Bazooka Joe comics. He wrote these comics for many years. He also worked for Mad and wrote books for children.
Contents
The Early Life of a Cartoonist
Jay Lynch was born in Orange, New Jersey. He grew up in a town called Belmar, New Jersey. Later, his family moved to Florida.
In 1963, when he was 17, Jay moved to Chicago. He went to art school at night to learn more about drawing. During the day, he worked many different jobs. One of his jobs was at a famous comedy club called The Second City.
Creating Comics and Cartoons
Jay Lynch's first published cartoons appeared in a college humor magazine. It was called the Aardvark. He also drew for other college humor papers. Soon, he started working for professional humor magazines. These included Sick and Cracked.
In the mid-1960s, a new type of newspaper started. It was called the "underground press." Jay became a regular artist for these papers. He drew for the Chicago Seed and others. From 1967 to 1990, Jay Lynch was the main writer for the Bazooka Joe comics. These comics came with bubble gum.
Bijou Funnies and Underground Comix
In 1967, Jay Lynch worked with another artist, Skip Williamson. They started an underground newspaper. It was called The Chicago Mirror. In 1968, they changed it into a comic book. This new comic book was called Bijou Funnies.
Bijou Funnies became a very important underground comic. It was like Chicago's answer to Robert Crumb's Zap Comix. Many famous artists drew for it, including Jay Lynch himself. Bijou Funnies was inspired by Mad. It helped start the whole underground comix movement. The comic ran for 8 issues, from 1968 to 1973.
Nard n' Pat: A Man and His Cat
Jay Lynch's most famous comic characters are Nard n' Pat. They are a human and a talking cat. Nard is a bald, older man who likes things to be traditional. Patrick is his cat, who is more modern and cool.
Nard n' Pat appeared often in Bijou Funnies. They also had two of their own comic books. The first one came out in 1974. The second one was published in 1981.
Phoebe and the Pigeon People
Jay Lynch also created a weekly comic strip. It was called Phoebe and the Pigeon People. He worked on this strip with artist Gary Whitney. It ran in the Chicago Reader newspaper for 17 years. This was during the late 1970s and 1980s. Some of these strips were collected into comic books.
Fun with Trading Cards
Starting in 1968, Jay Lynch became a big part of Topps company's humor products. He helped create the funny Wacky Packages trading cards. He also worked on the popular Garbage Pail Kids cards. These cards were known for their silly and sometimes gross humor.
Writing for Mad and Children's Books
In the 1990s, Jay Lynch started writing for Mad magazine. He also helped create products for Mad to sell.
Jay Lynch wrote two children's books for Toon Books. These books came out in 2008 and 2009. One was called Otto's Orange Day. It was illustrated by Frank Cammuso. The other book was Mo and Jo Fighting Together Forever. Dean Haspiel drew the pictures for that one.
Later Life and Passing
Jay Lynch passed away on March 5, 2017. He died in Candor, New York, due to complications from an illness.
Awards and Recognition
In June 2009, Jay Lynch was nominated for a Harvey Award. This is a special award for comic book artists. He was nominated for "Best Cover Artist" for his work on a magazine cover.
Images for kids
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Jay Lynch self-portrait for The Comics Journal #114 (February 1987)
