Nicole Hollander facts for kids

Nicole Marilyn Hollander (born Garrison; April 25, 1939 – April 23, 2026) was an American cartoonist and writer. She was best known for her popular daily comic strip, Sylvia. This comic strip appeared in newspapers across the country. It was distributed by Tribune Media Services.

Who Was Nicole Hollander?

Her Early Life and Creative Start

Nicole Hollander was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 25, 1939. Her parents were Shirley Mazur Garrison and Henry Garrison. Her father was a labor activist, which means he worked to improve conditions for workers. Nicole grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Chicago. She attended public schools there.

She studied art in college. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1960. Later, she received a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1966. In 1962, she married Paul Hollander. They divorced four years later.

Creating Sylvia and Other Works

In the 1970s, Nicole worked as a graphic designer for a publication called The Spokeswoman. This magazine focused on women's rights. She helped turn the newsletter into a monthly magazine. While designing, she often added her own political drawings.

Around 1978, she created a comic strip called The Feminist Funnies. This is where the character Sylvia first appeared. Some of these early comics were published in a calendar and a book. The book, I'm in Training to Be Tall and Blonde, was very successful. Because of this, her Sylvia comic strip began appearing in newspapers daily in 1981. Later, in the 1980s and early 1990s, Nicole also drew comics for Mother Jones magazine. Many of these did not feature Sylvia.

Sharing Her Talents and Ideas

Nicole Hollander gave her collection of work to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. This museum is at Ohio State University. Many of her drawings are also kept at the Library of Congress. She was a teacher at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2011, she taught a class on writing graphic novels.

She also led workshops and taught at other places. These included Ohio State University and Columbia College Chicago. Nicole often spoke to the public about her work. She appeared at places like The New School and Loyola University Chicago. In 2009, she organized an art show in Chicago. It featured humor from about 50 women artists.

The World of Sylvia

Nicole Hollander's Sylvia from The Whole Enchilada (1982)

Sylvia was Nicole Hollander's most famous creation. It was a daily comic strip that appeared in many newspapers. The strip was known for its clever humor and observations about everyday life. Sylvia often shared her thoughts on society, politics, and personal experiences. The comic strip was very popular with readers for many years.

Her Later Years

Stepping Back and Her Passing

On March 26, 2012, Nicole Hollander announced her retirement. She stopped creating new Sylvia strips for newspaper syndication. However, she continued to share old strips on her blog. She noted that many of them were still relevant. She also posted new strips occasionally.

Nicole Hollander passed away in Chicago on April 23, 2026. She was 86 years old. She had been living in an assisted living facility. She experienced dementia and respiratory issues.

Nicole Hollander's Books

Nicole Hollander published 19 collections of her Sylvia comic strip. Some of these include The Whole Enchilada (1982) and Tales from the Planet Sylvia (1990). Another well-known collection is The Sylvia Chronicles: 30 Years of Graphic Misbehavior from Reagan to Obama (2010).

She also wrote Tales of Graceful Aging from the Planet Denial (2007). Nicole illustrated many books for other writers. These included children's books by Robie Harris and books about cats. She also helped edit Drawn Together: Relationships Lampooned, Harpooned, & Cartooned (1983). Her work was featured in Choices (1990), a comic book about important social topics. Nicole Hollander also worked with Gina Barreca on An ABC of Vice: An Insatiable Woman's Guide (2003). This book combined Barreca's writing with Hollander's cartoons.

For a complete list of her works, you can visit List of works by Nicole Hollander.

We Ate Wonder Bread: A Special Memoir

In 2018, Nicole Hollander published her graphic memoir, We Ate Wonder Bread: Growing Up on Chicago's West Side. A graphic memoir is like a autobiography told through drawings and words. She started this project during an artist residency. She drew on large paper with charcoal, letting the story of her childhood flow freely.

Cartoonist Alison Bechdel called We Ate Wonder Bread a "superhero origin story". She noted that Sylvia had special powers. Nicole explained that she learned a lot from listening to the women around her as a child. She said their stories and language helped shape her humor. Videos of her performances as a memoirist can be found on the YouTube channel Louder Than a Mom.

Awards and Achievements

Nicole Hollander's work inspired several musicals. These included Female Problems and Sylvia's Real Good Advice. The latter won a Joseph Jefferson Award in 1991. She also received the Wonder Woman Foundation Award in 1983. In 1985, she was given Yale's Chubb Fellowship for Public Service.

See also

• List of female comics creators