Richard Thompson

The Greatest, Least Known Cartoonist

As everything, it seems, with me, revolves around the comic strip. I grew up loving Peanuts, graduated to Bloom County, The Far Side, and Calvin and Hobbes. After that, it seems there was a drop off of strips that I found interesting. I’m sure there were some good ones, but nothing that obsessed me like those. But I view my world through the lens of comic strips.

These days there is a strip called Wallace the Brave that I love. It’s got a unique voice that’s silly, kind, and bizarre at times. You should really check it out.

But, in between, I discovered another unique and brilliant strip called “Cul de Sac” by Richard Thompson. Again, it had it’s own voice and look. It has this sketchy, dashed-off quality to it and I love it. I didn’t know much about Richard, but over the years Iearned he had so many styles of art. He drew hilarious spot illustrations, a delightfully bizarre feature in the Washington Post called “Richard’s Poor Almanac” as well as being a breathtaking caricaturist. In short, the man was a genius.

Back in the day, as happened, we followed each other on Twitter (when it wasn’t a cesspool) and would go back and forth once in a while. He even recommended I go to the National Gallery when I was visiting Washington D.C. But, we never met in person or had an actual conversation. A real regret, because, as we discovered, he had Parkinson’s Disease and first his career ended, then we lost the man. Way too young. But I made it a point to find and pick up as many books by him as I could find.

If you want to learn about the man, The Art of Richard Thompson is a fabulous book showcasing his art and accompanied by interviews. And, for those who might like an idea about his life and work in video form, you can watch THIS video.

Finally, it took a while, but I was able to find and purchase an original. It currently hangs right above my computer so I can look at it every day. It focuses on my favorite character, Petey, a neurotic and anxious boy. Also, it references Lord of the Rings.

You can find the Cul de Sac strips and Richard’s Poor Almanac on Go Comics and also, if you’re inclined, donate to Team Cul de Sac, which raises money to go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation (another hero of mine) and help find a cure for that horrible disease.

I hope more people learn of Richard’s work and keep it alive!