| Jim Unger | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 21, 1940 London, England |
| Occupation | Cartoonist |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Period | 1974 – 1992 |
| Genres | Comic strips |
Jim Unger (born 21 January 1940) is a Canadian cartoonist, best known for his syndicated comic strip Herman which ran for eighteen years in 600 newspapers in 25 countries.[1]
Born in London, England, Unger began his career as a cartoonist at the Mississauga Times newspaper in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. In 1974, Unger moved to Ottawa, Ontario, where Herman became popular.[1]
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Unger moved to the Bahamas in 1984 and retired as a cartoonist in 1992.
Unger's friends encouraged him to give up retirement. He said he would not have suggested it himself, but he liked the idea. On June 2, 1997, Herman made a comeback under the United Media umbrella. "It gives me the opportunity to bring them up to date and to introduce Herman to a new generation," he said in the May 31, 1997, edition of the Detroit News. He did not expect to return to full-time cartooning but planned to add new material. Unger signed a long-term contract to bring ten years of classic Herman back to newspapers.[2]
Unger is a co-founder of Intraca with David Waisglass, creator of Farcus. Intraca uses the humor of popular cartoons and motivational quotes to inform and boost employees with "positive daily business messages" on their computers. Herman characters are also found on workplace posters promoting safety and improved production.[1]
In 1990, Unger achieved a rewarding place in cartoon history when Herman became the first newspaper cartoon syndicated in communist East Germany. Shortly afterward, Unger produced a new book, Herman: Over the Wall. He joked that, "Six months later the (Berlin) Wall came down; I think that's what did it." [1]
Unger is now retired, living in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
He received the National Cartoonists Society Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award twice (1982, 1987).