The Second Herman Treasury

Herman Treasuries #2

by Jim Unger

A collection of more than 500 humorous daily panels and Sunday cartoons includes twenty-four poster-sized cartoons of Herman, who has a little bit of everyone in him

Genres: Comics, Humor, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

James Frederick Unger was a British-born Canadian cartoonist, best known for his syndicated comic strip Herman which ran for 18 years in 600 newspapers in 25 countries.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of the Herman comic strip, from back in the days when comics were supposed to be funny. A concept that has fallen out of fashion lately.

[Neil Pasricha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you know ‘Herman’? Did you read ‘Herman’? If so ... then you know. And if not ... welcome. Welcome to ‘Herman’! We’re glad you're here. Herman, btw, isn’t a character but… a vibe. Unger himself says: “His wife’s named Herman. The dog’s Herman. The kid is Herman, too. Herman is not anybody’s name. Herman is a state of mind.” And what's the state? Some combination of acidity, anger, and absurdity that uniquely pokes at life. The strip ran 1975 to 1992 and was syndicated across 600 newspapers at its peak. I say one of the best things you can do in your life is treat yourself to a pile of ‘Hermans’. Helps unfry the brain a little.

[spike marlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herman! What can you say? Unger’s cartoons are timeless and funny. Still relevant after all these years.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I miss Herman. It was a simple one-panel comic that had dependable laughs. But it also had an edge unlike most of its contemporaries. There was a lot of selfish mean-spirited banter in these strips. Most of the characters don't care if they hurt someone else's feeling, or are being cruel, or if they cut through someone else's wall, or any of the other ridiculous things that occur in these strips. And that's what sets Herman apart.

Also in this are bits written by the author (in very large print) discussing how he feels he really can't draw and that lead to there being no real main character. So the titular Herman is everyone, a person who is fed up with life and has no problem spreading their misery in the world.

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Second Herman Treasury by Jim Unger (Andrews and McMeel Inc. 1980) (741.5971)(3630).

This is another outstanding collection of cartoons from the twisted mind of Jim Unger. Title character Herman is still looking for some luck or sunshine to come into his sad life. All of these cartoons are funny, and several of these are priceless.

This is the second Herman compilation of three that I recently picked up as used copies in like-new condition at our local McKay’s Books for a quarter each on 11/20/21. The first two have been great, and I have one left to savor.

My rating: 7.25/10, finished 3/15/22 (3630).

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[Conan Tigard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herman is not for everybody, but can be enjoyed by most. Almost all of the comic strips deal with relationships. If you understands the relationships that a husband a wife have, then you will enjoy the dark humor of Jim Unger. The other strips generally revolve around human beings just trying to get along with each other; whether it be son and father or consumer and seller.

Although I generally do not laugh out loud when I am reading Herman, Unger's dry sense of humor can make me smile. Isn't that all that really matters?

[David Erkale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this collection of gag cartoons and they are perfect for anyone, with a humorous look into Unger's life in each chapter.