Cartoonist Bill Griffith: Creator of Zippy the Pinhead
William Henry Jackson Griffith (b.1944) is a cartoonist who signs his work BILL GRIFFITH and Griffy. He is best known for his surreal daily comic strip ZIPPY THE PINHEAD. The catchphrase “Are we having fun yet?” is credited to Griffith.
Over his career, which started in the underground comix era, Griffith has worked with the industry’s leading underground/alternative publishers, including Print Mint, Last Gasp, Rip Off Press, Kitchen Sink, and Fantagraphics Books. He co-edited the notable comics anthologies Arcade and Young Lust and has contributed comics and illustrations to a variety of publications, including National Lampoon, High Times, The New Yorker, The Village Voice and The New York Times.
For a short period in the late 1960s, Griffith joined a team of artists that included Kim Deitch, Drew Friedman, Jay Lynch, Norman Saunders, Bhob Stewart, Tom Sutton, and Art Spiegelman. Watch our ArtSpeak video conversation with Pulitzer Prize recipient Art Spiegelman.
In 1969, Griffith began making underground comix. His first comic strips, which appeared in the East Village Other and Screw magazine, featured an angry amphibian named Mr. The Toad, who showed up later in a solo comics series and then as a recurring character in Zippy.
Griffith moved to San Francisco, California in 1970 to join its burgeoning underground comix movement. He quickly gained a reputation for his willingness to collaborate and organize. One of his first acts upon arriving in San Francisco was to help form the United Cartoon Workers of America, along with Robert Crumb, Justin Green, Art Spiegelman, Spain Rodriguez, Roger Brand, Michele Brand, and Griffith’s sister Nancy.
Griffith has created several graphic novels. Hi first graphic novel, “Invisible Ink,” is based on his late mother’s unpublished autobiography. His most recent graphic novel is “THREE ROCKS: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy”
Griffith graduated with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Graphic Design from Pratt in 1964. He currently teaches at the School of Visual Art in New York.
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The videos below are organized by Success Factor and run between 30 seconds and 6 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.
EXPOSURE TO BROAD INFLUENCES: 5:51 min.
OVERCOMES CHALLENGES TO SUCCEED: 4:24 min.
CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND: 3:42 min.
EMPATHY: 2:18 min.
INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 0:43 sec.
