Richard Felton Outcault (1863-1928): Pioneering American Cartoonist

Richard Felton Outcault, born on January 14, 1863, in Lancaster, Ohio, is synonymous with the early days of American comic strips. He made significant contributions to the World of comics and is best known for creating iconic characters like “The Yellow Kid” and “Buster Brown.” His work revolutionized the comic strip industry and is regarded as a key pioneer of the modern comic strip.

Early Life and Education

Richard Outcault was born to Catherine Davis and Jesse P. Outcalt in Lancaster, Ohio. Interestingly, the ‘u’ in his surname was added later in life. He attended McMicken University’s School of Design in Cincinnati from 1878 to 1881, where he honed his artistic skills. After completing his education, Outcault ventured into commercial painting, initially working for the Hall Safe and Lock Company.

Early Career and Artistic Ventures

Outcault’s career took an intriguing turn when he started painting electric light displays for Edison Laboratories, particularly for the 1888 Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Middle Atlantic States in Cincinnati. This experience led to a full-time position with Edison in West Orange, New Jersey, where he focused on mechanical drawings and illustrations.

In 1889–90, Edison appointed Outcault as the official artist for the company’s traveling exhibition, including overseeing installations at the prestigious Exposition Universelle in Paris. During his time in Paris, Outcault furthered his art education in the Latin Quarter and added the ‘u’ to his surname.

Returning to the United States in 1890, Outcault settled in Flushing, New York City. He began creating technical drawings for publications like “Street Railway Journal” and “Electrical World,” a magazine owned by one of Thomas Edison’s acquaintances. Besides his technical work, Outcault started contributing cartoons to humor magazines like “Truth,” “Puck,” “Judge,” and “Life.”

The Birth of “The Yellow Kid”

Outcault’s most significant breakthrough came in 1894 when the New York World newspaper began publishing cartoons. In 1892, the Chicago Inter Ocean added the first color supplement in the United States, prompting Joseph Pulitzer, the publisher of the New York World, to follow suit. Outcault was offered a full-time position with the World, which marked the beginning of his groundbreaking career in comic strips.

On September 16, 1894, Outcault’s first cartoon for the New York World was published, titled “Uncle Eben’s Ignorance of the City.” This six-panel, full-page comic strip was among the earliest to employ multi-panel narratives. His primary subjects in these early strips were African Americans living in Possumville and Irish immigrants in tenement slums.

However, one cartoon from June 2, 1894, featured a big-eared, bald street kid wearing a gown. This character became an instant hit and debuted in the New York World on January 13, 1895. Initially appearing in black and white, the character donned a bright yellow gown in the January 5 episode of the series. This character, “Mickey Dugan,” became known as “The Yellow Kid.”

The Yellow Kid’s popularity soared, and the character’s dialogue began to appear in the iconic yellow gown. This marked a turning point in comic strip history, as The Yellow Kid’s success significantly increased the World’s circulation. The character’s merchandise further boosted its fame. However, Outcault might not have benefitted much from the merchandise revenue due to copyright issues, as was common practice at the time.

The Rise of “Yellow Journalism”

The success of The Yellow Kid played a pivotal role in the rise of “yellow journalism.” William Randolph Hearst, a California newspaperman, had set up offices in New York after purchasing the failing New York Morning Journal. He aimed to compete with Pulitzer’s World. Hearst bought a color press and hired several staff members from the World, including Outcault, at substantially higher salaries.

Hearst’s newspaper introduced a color humor supplement named “The American Humorist,” advertised as “eight pages of polychromatic effulgence that make the rainbow look like a lead pipe.” This supplement debuted on October 18, 1896, and featured Outcault’s strip titled “McFadden’s Row of Flats,” as the World claimed the rights to the “Hogan’s Alley” title. This marked the beginning of the rivalry between Hearst and Pulitzer, eventually leading to the term “yellow journalism” due to their sensational reporting styles.

One notable development during this period was the introduction of speech balloons in the comic strips, as seen in the October 25, 1896 installment titled “The Yellow Kid and his New Phonograph.” Outcault’s strips began appearing twice a week in the New York Journal and adopted a format characterized by multi-panel strips where images and text were intricately linked. This format laid the foundation for the standard in comic strips. As a comics historian, Bill Blackbeard referred to The Yellow Kid as “nothing less than the first definitive comic strip in history.”

From January to May 1897, Hearst sent Outcault and the editor of “The American Humorist,” Rudolph Block, to Europe, creating the “Around the World with the Yellow Kid” strip. This trip was documented through a mock Yellow Kid diary.

The Decline of The Yellow Kid

As with many popular comic strips, the fame of The Yellow Kid began to wane, and the last strip featuring the character was published on January 23, 1898. George Luks, who had previously worked on the strip, replaced Outcault at the World. The character of The Yellow Kid made sporadic appearances after that.

Richard Outcault’s career took another turn when Hearst launched the New York Evening Journal. He appointed Outcault as the editor of the daily comics page, giving him creative freedom. Outcault introduced “Casey’s Corner,” a strip featuring African-American characters, which debuted on February 13, 1898, in the World and later moved to the Evening Journal on April 8, 1898. This strip was groundbreaking as it was the first newspaper strip to feature continuity.

Buster Brown and Continued Success

While The Yellow Kid was no longer in the spotlight, Outcault introduced another iconic character, “Buster Brown,” to the New York Herald on May 4, 1902. Buster Brown was a mischievous, well-to-do boy dressed in the style of Little Lord Fauntleroy, accompanied by his loyal pit bull terrier, Tige.

Buster Brown’s adventures became immensely popular, surpassing The Yellow Kid’s success. Outcault capitalized on this popularity by licensing the character’s name for a wide range of consumer products, including children’s shoes manufactured by the Brown Shoe Company. In 1904, Outcault sold advertising licenses to over 200 companies at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. His annual earnings from merchandising reached an impressive $75,000.

Throughout his career, Outcault’s creative endeavors were not without legal challenges. The Herald continued to publish Buster Brown strips by other cartoonists, leading to legal disputes. While Outcault had not secured a copyright for Buster Brown, he asserted a “common-law title,” laying one of the earliest claims to creators’ rights. Eventually, it was determined that Outcault owned all rights to Buster Brown except for the name itself.

Outcault continued to create Buster Brown strips until 1921, although much of the work was done by assistants. During this period, he shifted his focus towards merchandising and established an advertising agency in Chicago to manage it. In 1914, he proposed the creation of a “Buster Brown League” for boys who were too young to join the Boy Scouts, although this idea was not realized.

Retirement and Legacy

After he retired from newspapers, Richard Outcault spent the last decade pursuing his passion for painting. Sadly, he passed away on September 25, 1928, in Flushing, New York, after a ten-week illness. His ashes were interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Personal Life

Richard Outcault married Mary Jane Martin, the granddaughter of a Lancaster banker, on Christmas Day in 1890. The couple had two children together.

Richard Felton Outcault’s impact on the World of comics cannot be overstated. He introduced iconic characters, pioneered comic strip formats, and played a crucial role in developing the comic strip as a mass medium. The Yellow Kid and Buster Brown remain enduring symbols of early comic strip history, and Outcault’s contributions continue to influence the World of comics and popular culture to this day.

Read also: The Yellow Kid (1894-1898): Pioneering American Comic Strip and the Birth of Yellow Journalism and Buster Brown: The Iconic American Comic-Strip Character and Shoe Mascot

FAQs about Richard Felton Outcault

1. Who was Richard Felton Outcault, and why is he significant in the World of comics?

Richard Felton Outcault was an American cartoonist known for creating iconic comic strip characters like The Yellow Kid and Buster Brown. He is considered a vital pioneer of the modern comic strip.

2. When and where was Richard Felton Outcault born?

Richard Felton Outcault was born in Lancaster, Ohio, on January 14, 1863.

3. What was Outcault’s educational background and early career before entering the World of comics?

Outcault attended McMicken University’s School of Design in Cincinnati from 1878 to 1881. After graduating, he worked in commercial painting, including jobs for the Hall Safe and Lock Company.

4. How did Richard Felton Outcault transition into the field of comics?

He began his career in comics by painting electric light displays for Edison Laboratories in Cincinnati. Later, he worked for Edison in New Jersey, creating mechanical drawings and illustrations.

5. What was the significance of the “The Yellow Kid” comic strip?

“The Yellow Kid” was one of Richard Felton Outcault’s most famous creations. It featured characters from Possumville (African Americans) and tenement slums (Irish immigrants). The character, The Yellow Kid, became immensely popular and is considered a landmark in developing the comic strip as a mass medium.

6. What led to the coining of the term “yellow journalism,” and how was it related to “The Yellow Kid”?

“The Yellow Kid” was associated with sensational journalism, particularly after William Randolph Hearst hired Outcault to work for his New York Journal. The term “yellow journalism” was coined due to the sensational style of journalism employed by newspapers featuring “The Yellow Kid.”

7. What happened to “The Yellow Kid” comic strip, and why did its popularity decline?

“The Yellow Kid” experienced a decline in popularity, and the last strip was published on January 23, 1898. This decline led to the character making rare appearances after that.

8. Who is Buster Brown, and what was his significance in Outcault’s career?

Buster Brown was another famous character created by Richard Felton Outcault. Buster Brown was a mischievous, well-to-do boy who wore Little Lord Fauntleroy-style clothing. This character’s popularity surpassed “The Yellow Kid,” Outcault licensed the name for various consumer products.

9. How did the legal battles surrounding Buster Brown impact Outcault’s career?

Legal disputes arose regarding the Buster Brown character’s copyright and trademark. While Outcault did not apply for copyright initially, he asserted “common-law title” rights and subsequent court cases established his ownership of all other rights to Buster Brown.

10. How did Richard Felton Outcault spend his later years, and when did he pass away?

In his later years, Outcault focused on merchandising related to Buster Brown and set up an advertising agency in Chicago. He retired from newspapers and spent the last decade as a painter. He passed away on September 25, 1928, in Flushing, New York.

11. Did Richard Felton Outcault have a family?

Yes, Outcault married Mary Jane Martin, and they had two children.

12. What is Richard Felton Outcault’s legacy in comics and illustration?

Richard Felton Outcault is remembered as a pioneering figure in the comic strip industry. His creations, such as “The Yellow Kid” and Buster Brown, impacted popular culture and comic art.