Early Influences:
* Rodolphe Töpffer: A Swiss artist and writer considered the "father of the graphic novel" for his illustrated narratives like "The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck" (1837).
* Wilhelm Busch: A German artist and writer who used humorous illustrations and dialogue to create popular characters like "Max and Moritz" (1865).
The Emergence of Comic Strips:
* Richard F. Outcault: Credited with creating the first comic strip in the modern sense, "The Yellow Kid" (1895), which featured a yellow-clothed child in a world of humor and satire.
* James Swinnerton: Another influential figure who created "Little Nemo in Slumberland" (1905), a fantasy strip known for its innovative visual style and storytelling.
The Golden Age of Comic Strips:
* Winsor McCay: Creator of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" and the groundbreaking "Dream of a Rarebit Fiend" (1904), which showcased surreal and imaginative storytelling.
* George Herriman: Known for his innovative use of humor and surrealism in "Krazy Kat" (1913), which was considered one of the most influential comic strips ever.
* Rudolph Dirks: Creator of "The Katzenjammer Kids" (1897), a comic strip that popularized the use of children as protagonists and the "funny animals" genre.
In Summary:
The comic strip is a product of various artistic and cultural influences, with several key figures contributing to its development and evolution. While Richard F. Outcault's "The Yellow Kid" is often cited as the first true comic strip, the art form was influenced by earlier works and continued to evolve through the contributions of many talented creators.