Hagar the Horrible

Hagar the Horrible broke all records when it was launched on Feb. 4, 1973, becoming the fasting growing comic strip ever.  

The strip was created by Hi and Lois artist, Dik Browne, in his basement art studio/laundry room in Connecticut.  The strip’s title was the family nickname for Dik Browne and the characters were loosely based on Dik’s family and friends.

The little red-bearded Viking has appeared in advertisements for IBM, Mug Root Beer, Skol Ale and in the opening titles for the TV show Caroline in the City, which starred actress Lea Thompson as a successful female cartoonist.  Hagar has appeared on his own CBS special and is featured in Universal’s Islands of Adventure: Toon Lagoon theme park.

The strip now appears in about 1,900 newspapers around the world.  It appears in 45 countries and is translated into 13 languages and is now drawn by Dik’s son, Chris Browne.

The Creators

Chris Browne

Chris Browne was born in South Orange, NJ, in 1952 and grew up in suburban Wilton, CT. The son of award-winning cartoonist Dik Browne, he assisted his father on the comic strips Hi and Lois and Hagar the Horrible. He contributed gag writing to Hagar the Horriblefrom its inception in 1972.

With his father, Chris co-authored Hagar the Horrible's Very Nearly Complete Viking Handbook in 1985. When Dik Browne retired in 1988, Chris continued to write and draw the strip.

In addition to Hagar the Horrible, Chris Browne has contributed cartoons to National Lampoon, Playboy, Esquire, Heavy Metal and The New Yorker.  He created the comic strip Raising Duncan and he was a contributing editor to Sarasota Magazine.  

Chris' brother Chance Browne draws Hi and Lois and his son-in-law, Dan Piraro writes and draws the King Features panel cartoon Bizarro.

Chris Browne now lives in Sioux Falls, SD, with his wife Carroll Browne and three ultra cute dogs- two Chihuahuas and a Scotty!