Outcault, << OWT kawlt, >> Richard Felton (1863-1928), was an American cartoonist. He created the first comic strip that gained widespread popularity. This weekly strip, called “Hogan’s Alley,” first appeared in 1895 in The New York World, a New York City newspaper.
The main character of “Hogan’s Alley,” a boy named Mickey Dugan, wore a long gown that soon was colored yellow. As a result, the character became known as the Yellow Kid. He was known for the words that appeared on his shirt, a new phrase or snippet of commentary with every strip. In 1896, “Hogan’s Alley” was renamed “The Yellow Kid.” Still later that year, Outcault accepted an enormous salary from the New York Journal to draw the strip for it. The New York World hired another artist to draw “The Yellow Kid,” and the papers began a sensational rivalry. Other newspapers called them the “Yellow Kid journals.” The term yellow journalism, meaning a highly sensational kind of newspaper writing, was symbolized by “The Yellow Kid” comic strip. In 1898, Outcault quit drawing his most popular creation. In 1902, he created “Buster Brown,” a strip about an angelic-faced boy who still had nasty intentions. “Buster Brown” was one of the most popular newspaper features of its time and a merchandising sensation, best known for Buster Brown shoes. Outcault became wealthy and retired in 1921.
Outcault was born on Jan. 14, 1863, in Lancaster, Ohio. He died on Sept. 25, 1928.
