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Cartoon County: My Father and His Friends in the Golden Age of Make-Believe
A poignant history of the cartoonists and illustrators from the Connecticut School
For a period of about fifty years, right in the middle of the American Century, many of the the nation's top comic-strip cartoonists, gag cartoonists, and magazine illustrators lived within a stone's throw of one another in the southwestern corner of Connecticut--a bit of bohemia in the middle of those men in their gray flannel suits.
Cullen Murphy's father, John Cullen Murphy, drew the wildly popular comic strips Prince Valiant and Big Ben Bolt, and was at the heart of this artistic milieu. Comic strips and gag cartoons read by hundreds of millions were created in this tight-knit group--Superman, Beetle Bailey, Snuffy Smith, Rip Kirby, Hagar the Horrible, Hi and Lois, Nancy, Sam & Silo, Amy, The Wizard of Id, The Heart of Juliet Jones, Family Circus, Joe Palooka, and The Lockhorns, among others. Cartoonists and their art were a pop-cultural force in a way that few today remember. Anarchic and deeply creative, the cartoonists were independent spirits whose artistic talents had mainly been forged during service in World War II.
Illustrated with never-before-seen photographs, cartoons, and drawings, Cartoon County brings the postwar American era alive, told through the relationship of a son to his father, an extraordinarily talented and generous man who had been trained by Norman Rockwell. Cartoon County gives us a glimpse into a very special community--and of an America that used to be.
For a period of about fifty years, right in the middle of the American Century, many of the the nation's top comic-strip cartoonists, gag cartoonists, and magazine illustrators lived within a stone's throw of one another in the southwestern corner of Connecticut--a bit of bohemia in the middle of those men in their gray flannel suits.
Cullen Murphy's father, John Cullen Murphy, drew the wildly popular comic strips Prince Valiant and Big Ben Bolt, and was at the heart of this artistic milieu. Comic strips and gag cartoons read by hundreds of millions were created in this tight-knit group--Superman, Beetle Bailey, Snuffy Smith, Rip Kirby, Hagar the Horrible, Hi and Lois, Nancy, Sam & Silo, Amy, The Wizard of Id, The Heart of Juliet Jones, Family Circus, Joe Palooka, and The Lockhorns, among others. Cartoonists and their art were a pop-cultural force in a way that few today remember. Anarchic and deeply creative, the cartoonists were independent spirits whose artistic talents had mainly been forged during service in World War II.
Illustrated with never-before-seen photographs, cartoons, and drawings, Cartoon County brings the postwar American era alive, told through the relationship of a son to his father, an extraordinarily talented and generous man who had been trained by Norman Rockwell. Cartoon County gives us a glimpse into a very special community--and of an America that used to be.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published November 21, 2017
5 people are currently reading
504 people want to read
About the author
Cullen Murphy
32 books33 followersJohn Cullen Murphy, Jr. (born September 1, 1952) is an American writer and editor probably best known for his work at The Atlantic, where he served as managing editor (1985–2002) and editor (2002-2006).
He was born in New Rochelle, New York, and grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was educated at Amherst College, from which he graduated with honors in medieval history in 1974. Murphy's first magazine job was in the paste-up department of Change, a magazine devoted to higher education.
He became an editor of The Wilson Quarterly in 1977. Murphy, along with his father, John Cullen Murphy, wrote the comic strip Prince Valiant from the mid 70s to 2004. He is also the author of The Word According to Eve: Women and the Bible in Ancient Times and Our Own (1999) and Are We Rome? (2007), which compares the politics and culture of Ancient Rome with that of the contemporary United States.
He currently serves as editor at large for Vanity Fair and lives in Massachusetts.
He was born in New Rochelle, New York, and grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was educated at Amherst College, from which he graduated with honors in medieval history in 1974. Murphy's first magazine job was in the paste-up department of Change, a magazine devoted to higher education.
He became an editor of The Wilson Quarterly in 1977. Murphy, along with his father, John Cullen Murphy, wrote the comic strip Prince Valiant from the mid 70s to 2004. He is also the author of The Word According to Eve: Women and the Bible in Ancient Times and Our Own (1999) and Are We Rome? (2007), which compares the politics and culture of Ancient Rome with that of the contemporary United States.
He currently serves as editor at large for Vanity Fair and lives in Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 6, 2018
Somehow this book ended up on my hold shelf, I know I must have ordered it but had forgotten all about it. What a wonderful surprise this book was to me! I love comics and this was a look at a slice of life that is disappearing. Cullen Murphy, the author and comic strip artist; writes of the heydey of print comic strips and the artists that lived in Connecticut including his father, John Cullen Murphy who drew the Prince Valiant comic for a time. If you love comics, I think you will enjoy this look back at the wonderful artists and the work they did.
February 23, 2018
Cullen Murphy lived a life most kids would love, if they were addicted to the daily & Sunday comics strips in the 50s/60s/70s. He lived in Connecticut where many of the artists on these strips congregated, living a nice suburban family life but still within an hour commute of New York City. In those days the artists had to hand deliver most of their artwork and generally keep in touch with the comics syndicates. Some of the people the Murphy's knew were Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey, Hi & Lois), Dik Browne (Hagar the Horrible), Stan Drake (Juliet Jones) and more. So many of the kids in these families thought everyone's dad should be working from home on a drawing table. Murphy goes into detail about what made these guys great. In particular his father had classical art training, as did most of the other cartoonists, and they were not limited to just comic strips for art. They had all served in WW2, came home and were part of a suburban migration to Connecticut, as a plus at that time, there were no state income taxes. Murphy's father had lived 2 doors down from Norman Rockwell and was used as the subject for one of his Saturday Evening Post covers. This is a great remembrance of this time, chalk full of little details, such as an artist working during the great depression era at a rate of $100k a year, a fortune back then. If you love comic strips then you should definitely read this.
November 27, 2017
For anyone who is a fan of classic comic strips and/or the creative process, this is a must read. I wanted to be a cartoonist as a kid and had read about all of the artists whom Mr. Murphy references. This brought them to life and was a funny, touching memoir of a time that has sadly passed.
January 25, 2018
Cartoon County is a scintillating volume. I received this book as a Christmas gift, largely inspired by my interest in comic books. My knowledge of the history of comic strips was far less solid. In the end, the stories of the lives of comic strip artists in the golden age of the medium was perhaps not as interesting as many of the other aspects of the book. In particular, this autobiographical piece becomes something of a bildungsroman, tracing the author's development into an adult through the influences of the artists who surrounding him as he grew up. The usefulness of this book as a work of history is probably not great. If you are looking for an exhaustive history of the Connecticut cartoonists, this is not the book. If you are looking for a book that rebuilds memories in beautiful prose of some prolific American artists, including the famous (like Norman Rockwell) and the less celebrated (like "Hagar the Horrible"'s Did Browne), this is a true gem. Even if you have no particular interest in the history of comic strips, there is much to enthrall.
April 21, 2018
A sweet, tender ode to a father and the neighborhood men of the author's childhood.
Also fun and informative background, on the famous cartoons of the past and life in the Connecticut suburbs in the 1950's-1960's.
Never did understand Prince Valiant--what was its point? Where was it going? was it supposed to be about an actual Arthurian figure? etc. Better understand that now.
Who knew that Lois of Hi and Lois was Beetle Bailey's sister?
Funny to think of all those comics of yore that were so integral to life and now have largely faded. But time, as life, must move on of course.
Two big take aways:
1. The father, with all his documenting of himself and his great artistic talent, deserves a book like this. Yet the book feels that it would have better honored the father if it could have peen written thirty years ago when the work of the father, and the people who knew the work of the father, were more well known. Also, so many elements of the father's life have changed with time that the story of his life feels like it comes from a much more ancient time. There is of course, the iPhone replacement of the Polaroid, the Internet eliminating the need to rush to New York on the train or even to live near near New York and, perhaps, most significantly, the role of the wife.
2. Here again we have a situation where the career man could not have done his job if there had not been someone without a career taking care of all the home needs. And this mom not only raises eight children but also handles all the contracts and financial dealings and probably all the home problems that might arise.
This situation also highlights that while women were barred from office careers--sometimes officially as with Macy's policy that its adverting women had to leave their jobs when they had a child--one would think a home based career might have worked. And several women writers did manage this like Beverley Clearly, Elizabeth Enright and Kathleen Norris (though Norris had the help of a husband who handled all the background stuff and sent the kids off to boarding school and ensured that she stayed at her desk to churn out one or two books per year.)
However, it seems, a woman would have had a hard time being an illustrator--even if if was a home based job--and raising a family if the husband was also working at some career.
Also fun and informative background, on the famous cartoons of the past and life in the Connecticut suburbs in the 1950's-1960's.
Never did understand Prince Valiant--what was its point? Where was it going? was it supposed to be about an actual Arthurian figure? etc. Better understand that now.
Who knew that Lois of Hi and Lois was Beetle Bailey's sister?
Funny to think of all those comics of yore that were so integral to life and now have largely faded. But time, as life, must move on of course.
Two big take aways:
1. The father, with all his documenting of himself and his great artistic talent, deserves a book like this. Yet the book feels that it would have better honored the father if it could have peen written thirty years ago when the work of the father, and the people who knew the work of the father, were more well known. Also, so many elements of the father's life have changed with time that the story of his life feels like it comes from a much more ancient time. There is of course, the iPhone replacement of the Polaroid, the Internet eliminating the need to rush to New York on the train or even to live near near New York and, perhaps, most significantly, the role of the wife.
2. Here again we have a situation where the career man could not have done his job if there had not been someone without a career taking care of all the home needs. And this mom not only raises eight children but also handles all the contracts and financial dealings and probably all the home problems that might arise.
This situation also highlights that while women were barred from office careers--sometimes officially as with Macy's policy that its adverting women had to leave their jobs when they had a child--one would think a home based career might have worked. And several women writers did manage this like Beverley Clearly, Elizabeth Enright and Kathleen Norris (though Norris had the help of a husband who handled all the background stuff and sent the kids off to boarding school and ensured that she stayed at her desk to churn out one or two books per year.)
However, it seems, a woman would have had a hard time being an illustrator--even if if was a home based job--and raising a family if the husband was also working at some career.
March 22, 2024
A very well done book that is partially a memoir of Cullen Murphy growing up in Fairfield County Connecticut amongst Cartoonists and children of Cartoonists and partially a biography of his Father John Cullen Murphy.
John Cullen Murphy has a very interesting life, his World War Two exploits are quite interesting, his numerous portraits of the McArthurs to attending Mass with President Osmena but most of the book is on his life of cartooning.
From having JCM’s Boxing strip, Big Ben Bolt being one of the last strips picked up by William Randolph Hearst to eventually being tapped to take over the reigns of drawing Prince Valiant from Hal Foster and eventually drawing it until shortly before he died at age 85 while his Son wrote the Scripts, it is a very interesting tale and Cullen Murphy tells it well.
John Cullen Murphy has a very interesting life, his World War Two exploits are quite interesting, his numerous portraits of the McArthurs to attending Mass with President Osmena but most of the book is on his life of cartooning.
From having JCM’s Boxing strip, Big Ben Bolt being one of the last strips picked up by William Randolph Hearst to eventually being tapped to take over the reigns of drawing Prince Valiant from Hal Foster and eventually drawing it until shortly before he died at age 85 while his Son wrote the Scripts, it is a very interesting tale and Cullen Murphy tells it well.
September 23, 2020
A memoir of privilege and the oddest industry told with a lot of fun and useless detail and stories, papering over a lot of the darkness, and only hinting at scandal.
It's exactly the sort of New England memoir you'd expect from the editor of The Atlantic, with an acknowledgment of the exclusivity and whiteness of it really only confronted in the afterword at the end.
But in its narrow aims, detailing the white male personalities and their art and the bygone histories of the newspaper comics era, it's tremendously entertaining. Murphy is a good writer and raconteur and you find yourself charmed.
It's esoteric and informative and a bit blinkered (admitting all the affairs and drink and exclusion only at the end) but it's a very in-group picture of a slice of life that feels very homey.
It's exactly the sort of New England memoir you'd expect from the editor of The Atlantic, with an acknowledgment of the exclusivity and whiteness of it really only confronted in the afterword at the end.
But in its narrow aims, detailing the white male personalities and their art and the bygone histories of the newspaper comics era, it's tremendously entertaining. Murphy is a good writer and raconteur and you find yourself charmed.
It's esoteric and informative and a bit blinkered (admitting all the affairs and drink and exclusion only at the end) but it's a very in-group picture of a slice of life that feels very homey.
March 5, 2018
I heard about this book only when the author's brother was being interviewed about his book by Terry Gross on Fresh Air. It was something I had an interest in. I had long wondered how comic strip artists get their ideas and create a strip year after year. This is a fascinating story by a son who watched his father and then worked with him as an adult doing exactly that. I never thought of the artistry required would be so intricate but indeed it is, to say nothing of coming up with a storyline or a punchline or motivation to continue the strip. If you're a lifetime reader of the "funny" pages, you would enjoy this book
February 23, 2018
When I saw this reviewed a few months back, I was pretty excited to read about these comics creators and learn their history. This book is mostly about John Cullen Murphy who worked on Prince Valiant for many years. But the fact that so many comics creators lived in this small area in and around Greenwich, CT in the 1950s and beyond is fascinating to me. This is a well-told story with lots of illustrations and photos.
June 11, 2018
What an interesting story of the mostly men and his family in the cartoon world. Interesting stories of the many cartoonist clustered in Connecticut. A look into life as it was from WWII through the end of their lives. I very much enjoyed the story and wish we could return to the generally good natured times compared to the current uncivil world we live in today in the US. Enjoyable read, well written.
October 3, 2019
A good book that I so wanted to love. It is about the authors father who drew Prince Valiant and Big Ben Bolt. He lived around a lot of other cartoonists. It had some nice details and vignettes, but I didn't get a real sense of that community and I also feel that some of the biography of the father was rushed. I wanted to know more about him as a working cartoonist. I didn't get it as much as I desired but it is still a lovely looking, a decent book
May 31, 2024
A pleasant read. It’s not any type of comprehensive tome and doesn’t follow any particular narrative arc, just some history and tidbits about this particular school of cartoonists (with the emphasis on Murphy’s father), with an emphasis on setting the context (e.g., they were largely WWII vets) for their work. The book itself is quite lavish, with lots of strips, photos, and doodles. Nothing particularly earth-shattering, but certainly a nice read if you have an interest in this kind of thing.
December 9, 2017
Cullen Murphy's loving tribute to renowned post WWII newspaper comic writers/illustrators who lived and worked out of one small Connecticut county. It's also a biography of his father, John Cullen Murphy, long time "Prince Valiant" writer/ illustrator. Ample photographs and reproductions of comics, letters, sketches, and other ephemera. An awesome read.
May 23, 2018
This book really speaks to the geek in me. The author grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, home to more than a hundred cartoonists who drew for New York magazines and newspapers. A great history of cartoon culture, from before World War Two until the decline of newspapers and magazines as the internet gained prominence. There are lots of details about how cartoons were drawn.
February 27, 2018
Although few of the comics mentioned here ever held my attention, I admired the stories of these cartoonists at work in creating a world of imagination, even as the reach of daily comics was fading. This book is a lovely letter from son to father.
March 29, 2018
I really wanted to like this book. The newspaper comic strips were such favorites of mine. But, these comic strips were just a little before my time and I couldn't get into the book. I didn't finish it. Maybe I'll try again later.
September 5, 2018
So great
The book manages at the same time to celebrate the genius behind these cartoonists and their work but also explain their lifestyles and ambitions as working class people just trying to make their deadlines.
The book manages at the same time to celebrate the genius behind these cartoonists and their work but also explain their lifestyles and ambitions as working class people just trying to make their deadlines.
January 1, 2019
I enjoyed this book immensely, it describes a world long gone and a profession that is on the wane. It drips of nostalgia and is a fascinating look into the world of the Sunday Comics section that we grew up on.
March 16, 2019
Well-written, engaging slice of American suburban life and media history. I read the funnies each day (and you should too), and I'm familiar with the NYC suburban geography so the book was particularly resonant with me.
September 17, 2020
A great book that doubles as a biography of Murphy's Father, who was a cartoonist, and a history of comic strips, especially those that were created by many comic strip artists who happened to live in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in the southwest part of the state.
January 25, 2022
All in all, this is a charming remembrance of the time when the comic strips were in their predominance, and when the state of Connecticut was basically one big colony for many of the practitioners. If you ever cared about the newspaper comics, or pre-digital media, you'll enjoy this book.
March 2, 2018
One of the best memoirs I have ever read.
March 3, 2018
I highly highly recommend this one. Very sweet and evocative. Nicely written with a good flow and plenty of illustrations.
April 15, 2018
A treasure for old school comics lovers, like me, who grew up on Prince Valiant.
November 1, 2023
there was some interesting info
Want to read
November 23, 2017Sounds very interesting: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertain...
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews