Lynda Barry
by Jessie Howell
Fall 2004

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Lynda Barry was born in 1956 in Seattle, Washington.  She attended Evergreen State University, where she became good friends with Simpson’s creator Matt Groening, and was not formally trained as an artist.  According to Barry “she accidentally started drawing comics when her boyfriend left her for a blond” while she was in college. Her weekly strip “Ernie Pook’s Comeek” started in the 1980’s and is published in alternative weeklies across the country.  Her strip is drawn from a child’s perspective, presenting both humorous and harsh aspects of being a kid.  Her most recent work, One Hundred Demons contains a series of semi-autobiographical stories.

Barry is an interesting author because she has published novels (such as The Good Times are Killing Me and Cruddy) as well as comic strips.  While some cartoonists only work in graphic novel form, she is able to do a single-panel strips, as well as longer works, and have both be equally interesting.  Her work is also unique in its ability to seem completely innocent and childlike, but present a sophisticated (and often sad) view of the world.  Considering that she cites both Dr. Seuss and R. Crumb as influences, this element of her comics makes sense.

“Common Scents” from One Hundred Demons, by Lynda Barry, p. 52
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