''The Wizard of Id'' is a daily newspaper
comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions. Traditionally, throughout the 20th and into the 21st ...
created by American
cartoonists
A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary a ...
Brant Parker
Brant Julian Parker (August 26, 1920 – April 15, 2007) was an American cartoonist. He co-created and drew ''The Wizard of Id'' comic strip until passing the job on to his son, Jeff Parker, in 1997. Cartoonist Johnny Hart, his co-creator, ...
and
Johnny Hart
John Lewis Hart (February 18, 1931 – April 7, 2007) was an American cartoonist noted as the creator of the comic strips '' B.C.'' and ''The Wizard of Id''. Brant Parker co-produced and illustrated ''The Wizard of Id''. Hart was recognized ...
. Beginning November 16, 1964,
the strip follows the antics of a large cast of characters in a shabby
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
kingdom called "Id". The title is a play on ''
The Wizard of Oz'', combined with the
Freudian
Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts i ...
psychological term ''
id'', which represents the instinctive and primal part of the
human psyche.
In 1997, Brant Parker passed his illustrator's duties on to his son, Jeff Parker, who had already been involved with creating ''Id'' for a decade. In 2002, the strip appeared in some 1,000 newspapers all over the world, syndicated by
North America Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editoria ...
. Hart's grandson
Mason Mastroianni
Mason Mastroianni is an American comic artist and the grandson of Johnny Hart, creator of the comic strips ''B.C. (comic strip), B.C.'' and ''Wizard of Id''.
Mastroianni took over artist's duties on ''B.C.'' after Hart's death in 2007. "''B.C.'' ...
took over writing duties on the strip after Hart's death in 2007. The new byline, "
B.C
BC most often refers to:
* Before Christ, a calendar era based on the traditionally reckoned year of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth
* British Columbia, the westernmost province of Canada
* Baja California, a state of Mexico
BC may also refer to: ...
. by Mastroianni and Hart," appeared for the first time in another of their strips on January 3, 2010. On December 14, 2015, Jeff Parker also passed his duties on to Mastroianni.
Overview
History
In the early 1960s,
Johnny Hart
John Lewis Hart (February 18, 1931 – April 7, 2007) was an American cartoonist noted as the creator of the comic strips '' B.C.'' and ''The Wizard of Id''. Brant Parker co-produced and illustrated ''The Wizard of Id''. Hart was recognized ...
, having already created the successful ''
B.C.'', began collaborating with his friend, then-unpublished cartoonist
Brant Parker
Brant Julian Parker (August 26, 1920 – April 15, 2007) was an American cartoonist. He co-created and drew ''The Wizard of Id'' comic strip until passing the job on to his son, Jeff Parker, in 1997. Cartoonist Johnny Hart, his co-creator, ...
, on a new comic strip. (Parker would later create or co-create the strips ''Goosemyer'', ''
Crock'' and ''
Out of Bounds
In sports, out of bounds (or out-of-bounds) refers to being outside the playing boundaries of the field. Due to the chaotic nature of play, it is normal in many sports for players and/or the ball to go out of bounds frequently during a game. T ...
''.) Having already drawn cartoons about the
Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
, Hart advanced through time to the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, taking the idea from a deck of
playing cards
A playing card is a piece of specially prepared card stock, heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic that is marked with distinguishing motifs. Often the front (face) and back of each card has a fi ...
. ''The Wizard of Id'' was first syndicated on November 16, 1964, drawn by Parker and co-written by Parker and Hart.
On November 17, 2014, the strip formally celebrated its 50th anniversary, and a number of other strips, including ''
Beetle Bailey
''Beetle Bailey'' is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Mort Walker, published since September 4, 1950. It is set on a fictional United States Army post. In the years just before Walker's death in 2018 (at age 94), it was among the old ...
'', ''
BC'', ''
Ballard Street
''Ballard Street'' was an American comic panel created by Jerry Van Amerongen and distributed by Creators Syndicate that ran between 1991 and 2019.
About the comic
The panel featured numerous characters; some recurring faces are Dottie and Will ...
'', ''
Dennis the Menace'', ''
Garfield
''Garfield'' is an American comic strip created by Jim Davis. Originally published locally as ''Jon'' in 1976, then in nationwide syndication from 1978 as ''Garfield'', it chronicles the life of the title character Garfield the cat, his human ...
'', ''
Mother Goose and Grimm
]
A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gesta ...
'', ''
Pickles (comic strip), Pickles'', ''
Mutts'', ''
Pooch Café'', ''
The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'', and ''
Barney Google and Snuffy Smith
''Barney Google and Snuffy Smith'', originally ''Take Barney Google, F'rinstance'', is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Billy DeBeck. Since its debut on June 17, 1919, the strip has gained a large international readership, appea ...
'' ran special 50th anniversary commemorative strips (e.g., Beetle called Sarge "a fink," and ended up sharing a dungeon cell with Spookingdorf). ''
Hi and Lois
''Hi and Lois'' is an American comic strip about a suburban family. Created by Mort Walker and illustrated by Dik Browne, both of whose offspring currently work on the strip, it debuted on October 18, 1954, distributed by King Features Syndicate.R ...
'' ran an otherwise-ordinary strip with a portrait of the Wizard in the last panel, while ''
Speed Bump
Speed bumps (also called traffic thresholds, speed breakers or sleeping policemen) are the common name for a class of traffic calming devices that use vertical deflection to slow motor-vehicle traffic in order to improve safety conditions. Varia ...
'' ran a cartoon of Harry Potter in a Wizard of Id T-shirt, ''
Family Circus
''The Family Circus'' (originally ''The Family Circle'', also ''Family-Go-Round'') is a syndicated comic strip created by cartoonist Bil Keane and, since Bil's death in 2011, is currently written, inked, and rendered (colored) by his son, Jef ...
'' put a greeting on a book (being held upside down), and ''
Blondie'' showed a greeting written on a cake in the first panel.
Setting
''The Wizard of Id'' deals with the goings-on of the rundown and oppressed mythical kingdom of Id. It follows people from all corners of the kingdom, but concentrates on the court of a tyrannical,
dwarfish monarch known only as "the King". The strip's humor occasionally satirizes modern American culture, and deliberate
anachronism
An anachronism (from the Ancient Greek, Greek , 'against' and , 'time') is a chronology, chronological inconsistency in some arrangement, especially a juxtaposition of people, events, objects, language terms and customs from different time per ...
s are rampant. Technology changes to suit whatever a gag requires; a battle with spears and arrows might be followed by a peasant using an
ATM.
In some strips the king is
elected Elected may refer to:
* "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973
* ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008
*The Elected, an American indie rock band
See also
*Election
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population ...
to his monarchial position (albeit through rigged ballots). The aspects that stay the same, however, are that Id is in the middle of nowhere, home to a large castle surrounded by a
moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...
. The king and his subjects run an inept army perpetually at war with "the
Huns
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part ...
", while the unhappy, overtaxed peasants (or "Idiots") make little money as farmers and stablehands to keep modest lifestyles.
Format
''The Wizard of Id'' follows a
gag-a-day
A gag-a-day comic strip is the style of writing comic cartoons such that every installment of a strip delivers a complete joke or some other kind of artistic statement. It is opposed to story or continuity strips, which rely on the development of ...
format, plus a color Sunday page. There are
running gags
Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...
relating to the main cast, to a variety of secondary, continuing characters, and to the kingdom itself. Occasionally it will run an extended sequence on a given theme over a week or two.
Style
According to
Don Markstein
Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonop ...
's ''
Toonopedia
Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonop ...
'' "The strip's humor style—quite contemporary, in contrast to its medieval setting—ranges from
broad and low to pure
black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
".
The style in which certain characters are drawn has changed from the early years of the strip to today. For example, the old style of the King's head was more rectangular, he had a crown with identifiable card suits on it (club, diamond, heart), his mustache and beard always hid his mouth, and his beard frequently extended to a curved point when the King was shown in profile (see ''The Wondrous Wizard of Id'', 1970,
Fawcett Publications
Fawcett Publications was an American publishing company founded in 1919 in Robbinsdale, Minnesota by Wilford Hamilton "Captain Billy" Fawcett (1885–1940).
It kicked off with the publication of the bawdy humor magazine ''Captain Billy's Whiz B ...
). In the new style, the King's head is more trapezoidal with a slightly smaller and undecorated crown, he has a huge nose (even bigger than Rodney's) which covers his mouth and chin, and when he opens his mouth it appears that his beard has been shaved off. Like Sir Rodney and other large-nosed characters in the comic, he often "breaks the fourth wall" and stares directly at the audience in the final frame of the strip to indicate disgust or embarrassment when the punchline is spoken, accentuating the huge bulbous shape of his nose.
On December 14, 2015,
Mason Mastroianni
Mason Mastroianni is an American comic artist and the grandson of Johnny Hart, creator of the comic strips ''B.C. (comic strip), B.C.'' and ''Wizard of Id''.
Mastroianni took over artist's duties on ''B.C.'' after Hart's death in 2007. "''B.C.'' ...
took over the strip from Jeff Parker.
Cast of characters
Main characters
* The King: A pint-sized
despot modeled after
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
; like many characters in the strip, the king is named simply after his role. Occasionally, his name is given as "Id". "Sire" to his subjects, he is greedy, petty and vindictive, but he maintains a sense of humor. Jokes are often centered on his height (about three feet). He wears a crown and cape that makes him look like a playing card (and in the 1960's and 1970 he did resemble the Jack Card with his crown decorated with the four card suits). From his throne room he hands out terrible,
Draconian
Draconian is an adjective meaning "of great severity", that derives from Draco, an Athenian law scribe under whom small offenses had heavy punishments ( Draconian laws).
Draconian may also refer to:
* Draconian (band), a death/doom metal band fro ...
punishments for crimes (executions being quite common). He is only ever looking to win votes, power and money. He has a thin skin and a short temper (especially about his height), and main characters often find themselves chained to the wall or
the rack
The rack is a torture device consisting of a rectangular, usually wooden frame, slightly raised from the ground, with a roller at one or both ends. The victim's ankles are fastened to one roller and the wrists are chained to the other. As the in ...
if they thoughtlessly insult the king. He is hated by the peasants, who to his dismay often proclaim "The king is a
fink!" On one occasion the King calls himself a "fink." However, he is occasionally shown to have a quirky softer side, and it is mentioned his only friends are the moat monsters. His "pets" are a dragon and a
St. Bernard dog
The Saint Bernard or St. Bernard (, ) is a breed of very large working dog from the Western Alps in Italy and Switzerland. They were originally bred for rescue work by the hospice of the Great St Bernard Pass on the Italian-Swiss border. The ho ...
named Bonapart; he rides Bonapart in
fox hunt
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of hou ...
s - although he can ride horses as well. An ancestor of the King - who resembles his descendant - was King of Id II who was beheaded by his successor King of Id III. In regard to the King's parents: his father, who was king until his son overthrew him, is kept in a tower surrounded by "The King of Id"
jack-in-the-box
A jack-in-the-box is a children's toy that outwardly consists of a box with a crank. When the crank is turned, a music box mechanism in the toy plays a melody. After the crank has been turned a sufficient number of times (such as at the end ...
toys — the only gifts his son gives him; he also calls his son "A Fink". His mother works as a
charwoman
A charwoman (also chargirl, charlady or char) is an old-fashioned occupational term, referring to a paid part-time worker who comes into a house or other building to clean it for a few hours of a day or week, as opposed to a maid, who usually ...
and routinely complains and scolds her son — the only person who ever does so. He has a brother named Cyril. His
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
is a picture of his head on the body of a bull. The only time the King has ever won anything honestly is when he found out he was going to be selected to appear on
bubble gum
Bubble gum or bubblegum is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble.
Bubble gum flavor
While there is a bubble gum "flavor" – which various artificial flavorings including esters are mixed to obtain – it ...
"Tyrant Cards" series. When the King was unmarried, he did once ask
Snow White
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as Ta ...
to introduce him to the
Evil Queen
The Evil Queen, also called the Wicked Queen, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of "Snow White", a German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm; similar stories exist worldwide. Other versions of the Queen appear in subsequent ...
so he could date the Queen; however by February 2016 the King has a Queen named Fanabella and a mother-in-law as well. In a comic crossover in connection with the 75th anniversary of the comic strip "Blondie" the King and Julius Dithers were soul brothers. A
running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...
is that at Christmas the King tries to get presents from
Santa Claus
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...
and always fails.
* The Wizard: The title character, he is the king's royal wielder of
magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
, sometimes nicknamed "Wiz". He is smart but
sarcastic
Sarcasm is the caustic use of words, often in a humorous way, to mock someone or something. Sarcasm may employ ambivalence, although it is not necessarily ironic. Most noticeable in spoken word, sarcasm is mainly distinguished by the inflection ...
, good-natured but
cynical
Cynicism is an attitude characterized by a general distrust of the motives of "others". A cynic may have a general lack of faith or hope in people motivated by ambition, desire, greed, gratification, materialism, goals, and opinions that a cynic ...
, and is constantly dominated by his wife, Blanch. He wears a traditional pointed wizards' cap festooned with stars and crescent moons, like
Merlin
Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
. From his basement he works over a vat, where his
spirit familiar lives. He is capable of powerful spells, but often his plans backfire on him. One time on the day of the Royal picnic a heavy rainstorm broke out. The Wizard tried to dispel the rain by repeating a spell for the rain to go away and to come again some other day; too late he remembers the last time it rained he recited this spell and that the other day is now the Royal picnic day; the angry king has him chained up in the dungeon under a perpetual shower of water! He is friendly to all the king's subjects, but like most of them, he secretly considers the king to be a creep (or a fink). Both his parents are involved with magic-his father can turn himself invisible; his 800-year-old mother is also a sorceress; every Mother's Day she receives a cat from her son.
* Blanch: The Wizard's worse half; his domineering, meddlesome harridan of a wife. It has been said the Wizard married Blanch for her money, for she is considered extremely ugly by everyone in the kingdom. She nags at Wiz every day, and her cooking is awful. Her mother (who is never seen) is apparently just as bad. Occasionally though, she looks to him for romance, which he is hesitant to offer. She also heads the Women's Liberation front in Id. One time the Wizard make a foolish comment to Blanch not to stand too long in a antique store else someone would hang a "For Sale" sign on her; Blance put him into a vase; another time Gwen asked the Wizard why he did not marry a witch; he did not answer because as Blanch explained his teeth will not allow his tongue to give an answer. Once two Huns decided to Attack the Kingdom of ID-until they saw Blance and lost heart for doing so!
* Sir Rodney (Beakmeister) aka "Chicken-Hearted" : His father was Sir Francis Beakmeister. Usually just called "Rodney", he is the king's chief
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
and head of the hapless royal army and the Admiral of the Kingdom's Navy. His standard is that of a yellow chicken on a white background. He is a tall, lanky man of dopey intelligence who wears blue
chainmail
Chain mail (properly called mail or maille but usually called chain mail or chainmail) is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was in common military use between the 3rd century BC and ...
and carries a spear. He is hopeless as a warrior, and his troops are just as incompetent. Rodney is at heart a coward; he is terrified of fighting and often pretends to be good at slaying
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
s, while in fact he once bribed one, (known as "Dragy"). He has an enormous nose, the source of many jokes—and is always trying to win the King's attention. He occasionally works as a spy, wearing a tree costume with a large hole to accommodate his nose. His horse is just as much a coward as Rodney is.
* Gwen: A beautiful but frustrated fair maiden who, as her blonde stereotype suggests, is quite clueless. She is adored by all but is in love only with Rodney. They sometimes date, but in his non-macho way he is usually too dense to return the romantic feelings she has for him. She often spends time commiserating with Blanch, or conversing with frogs who claim to be enchanted princes. On February 14, 2016, Rodney arranged with Cupid to give a "Love hit" on Gwen.
* Wellington J. Fransworth Spookingdorf III: Usually just called "Spook", he is a miserable, comically destitute prisoner who for many years has lived in the
dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period. An oubliette (from ...
s beneath the castle. He is covered from head to hip with hair, sometimes being likened to a
giant rat. His crime was one of a few mentioned things (when a visiting earl expressed an interest in meeting the only person to beat the king at croquet, he is introduced to the Spook, or when he called the King a "two bit, four flushing, dirty, lowdown, indiscriminate clod" in an early strip), but most of the time it is accepted that the king sentenced Spook to a lifetime in the dungeon for calling him a fink. He is treated poorly by the system, but his best friend is the warder Turnkey, posted outside his cell. He lives beneath the level of the moat, eating "swill," a bland, disgusting slop similar to garbage. For a hobby, he attempts to escape frequently. He normally tunnels under the walls, only to have his plans ironically cut short. His favorite book is "History's Great Escapes" (coincidentally his own autobiography) (strip of June 28, 1967, also published in ''Remember The Golden Rule''). It is mentioned that his full name is Wellington J. Fransworth Spookingdorf the Third in the strip of August 20, 1970, featured in Volume No. 10 of the series. One time the King actually let the Spook out of his dungeon- but only to be the "fox" in a fox hunt. Another time the King let the Spook out to vote- the Spook voted for the king's opponent-and ended up falling into his dungeon again. On the 50th anniversary of the "Wizard of ID"
Beetle Bailey
''Beetle Bailey'' is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Mort Walker, published since September 4, 1950. It is set on a fictional United States Army post. In the years just before Walker's death in 2018 (at age 94), it was among the old ...
called Sgt Snorkel a "Fink" and ended up beaten up and in the dungeon beside the Spook. As of November 29, 2016, the Spook had failed in his 500th escape attempt.
* Turnkey: The guard who runs the dungeons but spends all his time sitting outside the Spook's cell. In a way their lives are similar—he is stuck in the same place all day and he does not have an important place in the world. He sometimes expresses frustration about this to the Spook.
* Bung: The court
jester
A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...
, a chronic alcoholic who spends little time entertaining and most of his time in saloons or the royal wine cellar. He wears traditional jester's garb with bells on the bonnet, but he is rarely seen to perform. Frequently drunk, he once declared, "I've learned the secret to avoiding hangovers: Don't sober up!" (A "
bung
A stopper or cork is a cylindrical or conical Closure (container), closure used to seal a container, such as a bottle, tube or barrel (storage), barrel. Unlike a Lid (container), lid or bottle cap, which encloses a container from the outside wit ...
" is a cork in a barrel or bottle of an alcoholic beverage.) In cartoon tradition, his intoxicated state is portrayed by a prominent red nose surrounded by tiny, fizzing bubbles.
* Larsen E. Pettifogger: Attorney-at-law in the kingdom of Id. An unscrupulous, incompetent shyster with a big pretentious nose and stovepipe hat, he lies and cheats to protect criminals. While inept as a lawyer, he is
greed
Greed (or avarice) is an uncontrolled longing for increase in the acquisition or use of material gain (be it food, money, land, or animate/inanimate possessions); or social value, such as Social status, status, or Power (social and politica ...
y and selfish (a common catchphrase of his is "every man is innocent until proven broke"), and does not mind imbibing alcohol at his clients' expense. Although it is generally accepted that he has never won a case, there have been a few occasions when his clients have been acquitted by chance. For example, once upon exiting the court, he remarked to the defendant, "That was a close one. Once or twice there I thought the judge was going to wake up." On two occasions because of Pettifogger pleading, the King gave each of Pettifogger's clients a "suspended" sentence-one executed by hanging and the other ended up hanging by his thumbs. Pettifogger has been the Spook's lawyer on several occasions and is also the King's stockbroker and is singularly unsuccessful. His appearance and manner are patterned directly after
W.C. Fields
WC or wc may refer to:
* Water closet or flush toilet
Arts and entertainment
* ''W.C.'' (film), an Irish feature film
* WC (band), a Polish punk rock band
* WC (rapper), a rapper from Los Angeles, California
* Westside Connection, former ...
, one of whose film and radio characters was named "Larson E. Whipsnade". ("Larsen E." is a pun on
larceny
Larceny is a crime involving the unlawful taking or theft of the personal property of another person or business. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of Engla ...
while the word "pettifogger" means a less-than-scrupulous attorney.)
* Evil Spirit: An
apparition who lives in the Wizard's vat and takes form as a smoky puff of gas. He keeps the Wizard company while at work, but he is more childish and gullible than evil. It is sometimes mentioned he has a "sewer wisp" for a girlfriend.
* The Doc: The royal physician, the subject of many doctor jokes. He plays golf, for instance, charges outrageous fees, and is indifferent to the health and welfare of his patients. His name was only revealed once (in a strip reprinted in ''Strike The Sot!'')—Dr. Puckerstein.
* The Duke: A vain, toadying nobleman who helps the King run the castle and shares in the duties of the government. He wears an
Elizabethan
The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personifi ...
ruff collar and a
pageboy
The pageboy or page boy is a past hairstyle named after what was believed to be the haircut of a late medieval page boy. It has straight hair hanging to below the ear, where it usually turns under. There is often a fringe (bangs) in the front. T ...
hairdo, is pompous and self-admiring, and he never likes to get his hands dirty. Like Rodney, he strives to impress the King at all times. He is often cited as the King's "
P.R. man". His full title, according to a letter he once signed to a peasant requesting an autograph, is "The Duke of Marinello".
* Lackey: The king's personal servant. He never says much, but is loyal enough to stand by the throne and await the King's every order. He is therefore often overworked. However, Lackey has displayed occasional resentment about his position; in one strip, when he informs the king that a vendor has arrived selling
slaves
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
, the indignant King orders Lackey to tell the visitor that the King does not believe in slavery. After confirming that the king is serious about this proclamation ("You're darned right!"), Lackey leaves the room, remarking "Tell him yourself, shorty."
Supporting characters
In addition to the main cast, several recurring jokes have run throughout the life of the comic strip for which certain characters come back from time to time.
* The Night Sentry: Ralph, a formerly unnamed tower guard who cries "Twelve o'clock and all's well", etc., but cannot resist ad libbing sarcastic commentary—much to the annoyance of the King, who suffers from
insomnia
Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, ...
.
* The Stablehands: Two unnamed peasants, invariably holding pitchforks and shovels, and unhappy in their work. Hart and Parker would cut to them whenever they had a "dung" joke. The peasants and their work are also used as an analogy for low-level paper pushing bureaucrats.
* Robbing Hood: A forest-dweller who, unlike the
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...
character he parodies, "takes from the wretch and gives to the peer", (usually himself).
* The Lone Haranguer: A phantom heckler who frequently rides past the King's window to shout "The King is a fink!" The King has suffered anxiety over the stranger, but he and Rodney have never succeeded in capturing or identifying him, their plans constantly backfiring on themselves. The name is a play on ''
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture.
He first appeared in 1933 in ...
''.
* Troob: A local
minstrel
A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. It originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer who ...
and poet, (a "troubadour") who travels the kingdom writing songs and commentary on Id's ways of life. He sometimes entertains the King on his
lute
A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.
More specifically, the term "lute" can ref ...
, but his music is uninviting. He is one of the few people in Id to be streetwise enough to see the bigger picture of the state of the kingdom. His song describes the place well: "The land of Id, 'tis such delight, the land of milk and honey / No need to lock your doors at night, the King has all the money!"
* Yodey: A stable boy whom Rodney is training to become a knight. He is a gigantic oaf, very strong but stupid and gullible. He looks up to Rodney to teach him, even though he is already more capable than Rodney is.
* Abra Cadaver: A
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ex ...
-like monster the Wizard built out of old body parts. He is deranged but obedient, and is twice the size of the Wizard. The name is a play on "
abracadabra
''Abracadabra'' is a magic word, historically used as an incantation on amulets and common today in stage magic.
Etymology
''Abracadabra'' is of unknown origin, but according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', its first known occurrence ...
" and "
cadaver
A cadaver or corpse is a dead human body that is used by medical students, physicians and other scientists to study anatomy, identify disease sites, determine causes of death, and provide tissue to repair a defect in a living human being. Stud ...
".
* Bernie the Torch: An accident-prone peasant so unlucky that when he came out of hospital after being run over by a steamroller, a
gargoyle
In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry walls ...
fell on him. He was once hit by a
meteorite
A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or Natural satellite, moon. When the ...
during surgery, after getting run over by a horse.
* Magic Mirror: A talking mirror that lives to insult whoever happens to be addressing it, (usually either the King or Blanch).
* Henry: The Wizard's pet dragon. The running gag is that keeping a dragon as a pet causes a lot of problems for the Wizard and Blanch, such as badly scratched doors, visits to the vet, or things that Henry might bring home.
* The Finks: Name of the Kingdom of Id basketball team
* The Huns: A tribe of raiders that often attack Id. They are depicted as large men completely covered in body hair like the Spook, with shaggy beards and horned "Viking-style" helmets, and armed with spears.
In other media
In 1969,
Jim Henson
James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...
and
Don Sahlin
Donald George Sahlin (June 19, 1928 – May 29, 1978) was a Muppet designer and builder who worked for Jim Henson from 1962 to 1977.
Sahlin began making puppets at age 11, initially building a shadow theater and cardboard figurines. As an a ...
produced a test pilot for ''The Wizard of Id''. By the time interest was expressed in the concept Henson was deeply involved in other projects and decided to not pursue it any further.
The comic was also adapted into a cartoon short in 1970, produced by
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin Jones (September 21, 1912 – February 22, 2002) was an American animator, director, and painter, best known for his work with Warner Bros. Cartoons on the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of shorts. He wrote, produ ...
, directed by
Abe Levitow
Abraham Levitow (July 2, 1922 – May 8, 1975) was an American animator who worked at Warner Bros. Cartoons, UPA and MGM Animation/Visual Arts. He is best known for his work under Chuck Jones' direction.
Career
Levitow was born in Los Angeles ...
and with voices from
Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell (''né'' Wilchinsky; December 21, 1922 – June 24, 2005) was an American actor, comedian, humanitarian, inventor and ventriloquist whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s. From 1950 to 1954, he hosted ''The Paul Winchell S ...
and
Don Messick
Donald Earle Messick (September 7, 1926 – October 24, 1997) was an American voice actor. He was best known for his performances in Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
His best-remembered vocal creations include Scooby-Doo, Bamm-Bamm Rubble and Hoppy in ...
.
Paul Williams in the early 1980s touted an Id feature film as upcoming in talk show appearances. "I wanted to do The Wizard of Id as a feature. I went up to
Endicott, New York
Endicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,392 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B. Endicott, a founding member of the End ...
and stayed with Johnny Hart, who became a really good friend, and actually made a deal with
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
to do Wizard of Id as a feature. I was going to play the king. Then that whole
David Begelman
David Begelman (August 26, 1921 – August 7, 1995) was an American film producer, film executive and talent agent who was involved in a studio embezzlement scandal in the 1970s.
Life and career
Begelman was born to a Jewish family in New Yo ...
thing happened and it all fell apart."
Characters from the comic were featured in two educational computer games released in 1984, ''The Wizard of Id's WizMath'' and ''The Wizard of Id's WizType''.
Awards
''The Wizard of Id'' was named best humor strip by the
National Cartoonists Society
The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the ...
in 1971, 1976, 1980, 1982 and 1983. In 1984, Parker received a
Reuben Award
The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the ...
for his work on the strip. Dozens of paperback collections have been published since 1965, and some of the older titles were still in print as of 2010. In 2009, Titan Books began re-publishing the strips and is printing the complete daily and Sunday strips starting with 1971, publishing one annual collection per year.
Collections and reprints
Fawcett Gold Medal
*''The King Is a Fink!'' (1969)
*''The Wondrous Wizard of Id'' (1970)
*''The Peasants Are Revolting!'' (1971)
*''Remember the Golden Rule!'' (1971)
*''There's a Fly in My Swill!'' (1973)
*''The Wizard's Back'' (1973)
*''Yield'' (1974)
*''Frammin' at the Jim-Jam, Frippin' in the Krotz!'' (1974)
*''Long Live the King!'' (1975)
*''We've Got to Stop Meeting Like This'' (1975)
*''I'm Off to See the Wizard'' (1976)
*''Every Man is Innocent Until Proven Broke'' (1976)
*''Let There Be Reign'' (1977)
*''Help Stamp Out Grapes'' (1978)
*''Charge!'' (1978)
*''Ala Ka-Zot!'' (1979)
*''Well, This Is Another Fine How Do You Do'' (1982)
*''The Lone Haranguer Rides Again!'' (1982)
*''Abra Cadaver!'' (1983)
*''My Kingdom for a Horsie!'' (1984)
*''Suspended Sentence Indeed!'' (1984)
*''The Fing Is a Kink!'' (1985)
*''I Dig Freedom'' (1985)
*''Pick a Card, Any Card'' (1986)
Andrews McMeel
*''Strike the Sot!: A Wizard of Id Collection'' (1988)
*''My Vat Runneth Over!: A Wizard of Id Collection'' (1989)
*''Ta-Da!: A Wizard of Id Collection'' (1990)
Titan Books
*''The Best of The Wizard of Id: 40 Years of Mirth, Merriment and Mayhem'' (2009) Titan Books,
*''The Wizard of Id: Daily and Sunday Strips, 1971'' (2011) Titan Books,
*''The Wizard of Id: Daily and Sunday Strips, 1972'' (2012) Titan Books,
*''The Wizard of Id: Daily and Sunday Strips, 1973'' (2013) Titan Books,
International syndication
*The strip has been translated into
Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
as ''Velho'', meaning "wizard". A version in the
Kainuu dialect called ''Näläkämoan noeta – Veleho kaenuuks'' was published in 2001.
*In Denmark it is called ''Troldkarlen Kogle'' and has previously appeared in the comic magazine ''Basserne''
*In Italy, ''The Wizard of Id'' is known as ''Mago Wiz'' (''Wiz The Sorcerer'') and has been published in the comics magazines ''
Il Mago'' and ''
Linus
Linus, a male given name, is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Linos''. It's a common given name in Sweden. The origin of the name is unknown although the name appears in antiquity both as a musician who taught Apollo and as a son of Apollo who di ...
'', and in the science fiction magazine ''
Urania
Urania ( ; grc, , Ouranía; modern Greek shortened name ''Ránia''; meaning "heavenly" or "of heaven") was, in Greek mythology, the muse of astronomy, and in later times, of Christian poetry. Urania is the goddess of astronomy and stars, he ...
'', plus several hardcover editions also by
Mondadori
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore () is the biggest publishing company in Italy.
History
The company was founded in 1907 in Ostiglia by 18-year-old Arnoldo Mondadori who began his publishing career with the publication of the magazine ''Luce!''. In 1 ...
.
*The German version is called ''Magnus der Magier'' (''Magnus the Magician'').
*In Sweden it is called ''Trollkarlen från id''.
*In the Netherlands it is called ''De Tovenaar van Fop''. (''The Wizard of Fool'', "fool" in the sense of "to trick".)
*The strip is known in many Spanish-speaking countries as ''El Mago Fedor''. However, it is only published nowadays online on
GoComics.com, under its English title, and has not been syndicated in South American newspapers since the mid-1990s (by that time practically all newspapers in the continent dropped them, as tastes began to change to more locally originated fare).
*In India it is published in English in the comics section of the English daily newspaper ''
Deccan Chronicle
''Deccan Chronicle'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded by Rajagopal Mudaliar in the 1930s & currently owned by Samagrah Commercial Pvt Limited. It is published in Hyderabad, Telangana, by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited ( ...
'' and ''
The Times of India
''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...
''.
*In Pakistan it is published daily in the English newspaper 'Dawn'.
*Treatment of the comic strip varies in individual countries, especially in monarchies. In
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
, references to the king are deleted and replaced with "the boss".
References
External links
John Hart Studios– official website for John Hart Studios
The Wizard of Id– official site from Creators Syndicate
NCS AwardsHenson ''Wizard of Id'' test pilot
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wizard Of Id, The
1964 comics debuts
American comics characters
American comic strips
Comics characters who use magic
Comics set in the Middle Ages
Gag-a-day comics