Hägar the Horrible explained

Hägar the Horrible
Creator:Dik Browne (1973–88)
Current:Chris Browne (1989–2023)
Status:Running
Syndicate:King Features Syndicate
Genre:Humor, Gag-a-day

Hägar the Horrible is the title and main character of an American comic strip created by cartoonist Dik Browne and syndicated by King Features Syndicate. It first appeared on February 4, 1973 [1] (in Sunday papers) and the next day in daily newspapers, and was an immediate success. Following Browne's retirement in 1988, his son Chris Browne (May 16, 1952–February 5, 2023) continued the strip until his own death, with artwork by Gary Hallgren.[2], Hägar is distributed to 1,900 newspapers in 56 countries and translated into 12 languages.[3] The strip is a caricature commenting on modern-day life in the United States through a loose interpretation of Viking Age Scandinavian life.

Overview

"Hagar the Terrible" was the nickname given to the late Dik Browne by his sons; Browne adapted the name to Hägar the Horrible for the purposes of alliteration. After his death, Dik Browne's sons changed the title of the strip to Dik Browne's Hägar the Horrible in tribute.[4] [2] The name is pronounced Hay-gar according to Chris Browne.[5]

Hägar (sometimes written "Hagar") is a shaggy, scruffy, overweight, red-bearded Viking.[6] He regularly raids England and sometimes France. Animation-industry writer Terence J. Sacks notes the juxtaposition of contrary qualities that make Hägar endearing to the reader: "Hägar's horned helmet, rough beard and shaggy tunic make him look somewhat like a caveman or Opera-Viking, but you also know Hägar has a soft underbelly occasionally exposed."

Setting and format

The strip is set in the Middle Ages in an unnamed coastal village somewhere in Norway. Hägar's Norwegian lineage was revealed at least once in a daily strip (July 18, 1984). Hamlet asks Hägar if he can tell people they're Norwegian. Hägar replies that it isn't necessary: "It might sound like bragging."

Although anachronisms occur, they are not deliberate mainstays of the strip, as in other period burlesque strips like The Wizard of Id. The strip follows a standard gag-a-day daily format with an extended color sequence on Sundays.

Much of the humor centers around Hägar's interactions with his longship crew, especially "Lucky Eddie" (when on voyages or during periodic sacking and looting raids). Sometimes the humor would be at the tavern with the other Vikings, or Hagar dealing with his family, who are not like stereotypical Vikings. Supporting characters include his overbearing, nagging and occasionally jealous wife, Helga; their brilliant and sensitive son, Hamlet; their pretty but domestically hopeless daughter, Honi; Helga's pet duck, Kvack; Hägar's loyal and clever dog, Snert, and other secondary, recurring characters.

Illustration style

Hägar the Horrible uses a clear, sparse editorial-style line drawing, with minimal foreground or background detail, shading or embellishment. Observers argue this is likely derived from Dik Browne's experience as a courtroom illustrator and illustrator of maps of important World War II battles before 1942, plus his experience as an illustrator (Staff Sergeant) attached to a U.S. Army Engineer unit where he drew technical diagrams, maps, and other documents requiring very clear depictions.[7] Before Hägar, Browne was best known for co-creating the comic strip Hi and Lois with his partner, Beetle Bailey creator Mort Walker. Browne was reportedly the real-life inspiration for the character Plato, the intellectual private in Beetle Bailey.

Cast of characters

Dik Browne based the characters on his family. His son Chris said, "And he was a big man like me. He was three hundred pounds and six feet two and had a flaming red beard."[8]

Other recurring minor characters include an unnamed psychic or soothsayer, whom Honi and Hägar regularly consult, a balding waiter at Helga's favorite restaurant, "The King of England", and various Anglo-Saxon raiders who serve as Hägar's friends and rivals, such as Dirty Dirk and Mean Max.

An example of one strip highlighting Hägar's good intentions but cluelessness: Hägar returns from looting Paris with a present for his wife, Helga. He tells her it was ripped off a tub in a palace. He then turns on the faucet and eagerly encourages her to watch. When nothing happens, Hägar comments, "That's funny, when I turned it on in the palace, water came out."

Licensing

TV guest appearances

Hägar made his first animated appearance in a brief sketch paired with an interview with creator Dik Browne in the special The Fantastic Funnies broadcast on CBS May 15, 1980. Scott Beach (uncredited) provided the voice while the animation was produced by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson.[16]

A live-action Hägar sketch was included in the special Mother's Day Sunday Funnies broadcast May 8, 1983 on NBC.[17]

TV special

On November 1st, 1989, an animated television special, Hägar the Horrible: Hägar Knows Best, produced by Hanna-Barbera, aired on CBS, based on the strip's first plotline in 1973. Hägar returns home from two years of battles—and faces a major culture shock. His son Hamlet has flunked from the Viking Academy, and his daughter Honi is dating a minstrel named Lute instead of Olaf, because unlike Lute, Olaf is a true Viking. Hägar blames Helga for allowing Honi to date Lute and being okay with Hamlet reading books and doing homework. Hägar breaks up Honi and Lute, and trains Hamlet in archery and other Viking venues in a single day. However, after seeing how unhappy his children have become, as well as other Vikings calling Honi and Hamlet weird, Hägar immediately takes charge and sets things right again, with Helga as his somewhat silent, but kind, supporter.The special starred the voices of Peter Cullen as Hägar, Lainie Kazan as Helga, Lydia Cornell as Honi, Josh Rodine as Hamlet, Jeff Doucette as Lucky Eddie, Don Most as Lute and Frank Welker as Snert, the Narrator, and the Viking Academy's Principal.It is available on DVD within the "Advantage Cartoon Mega Pack" set.

Movie project

Variety reported in 2003 that Abandon Pictures had acquired the film rights to the comic strip and planned a live-action theatrical feature based on the character.[18] In late 2014, Chris Browne confirmed that a deal was made with Sony Pictures to produce a film based on the character.[19]

Animated sitcom

On November 10, 2020, it was announced a CGI animated series co-produced by King Features and The Jim Henson Company is currently in the works. The series will be animated by Henson Digital Puppetry Studio.[20] [21]

Video games

Hägar the Horrible, a scrolling platform game, was released by Kingsoft for the Amiga in 1991.[22] It was ported to Commodore 64 for the German market.

Book collections and reprints

All titles are mass-market paperbacks by Dik Browne, unless otherwise noted.

Theme park

Hägar the Horrible is featured in the Universal Studios Florida theme park Islands of Adventure, seen on a boat on top of Toon Extra in Toon Lagoon.

External links

Notes and References

  1. "Hagar the Horrible Press Debut Today", Sunday Press (Atlantic City NJ), February 4, 1973, p.A1
  2. William B. Jones, Classics illustrated: a cultural history, with illustrations, McFarland: 2002,, 267 pages, pp:171, 229–230
  3. http://kingfeatures.com/comics/comics-a-z/?id=Hagar_The_Horrible King Features Syndicate: Hägar the Horrible
  4. Terence J. Sacks, Opportunities in Cartooning and Animation Careers, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2007,,, 160 pages, pp 71
  5. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/liveonline/02/style/comics083002.htm "Comics: Meet the Artist with Chris Browne", Washington Post, August 30, 2002.
  6. Web site: Hägar the Horrible . 2008-10-23 . Seattle Post-Intelligencer . October 19, 2008 .
  7. Dik Browne, Brian Walker, The Best of Hägar, Henry Holt & Co: 1985,, page 171
  8. News: Sioux Falls cartoonist of Hägar the Horrible has died. Newton. Jacob. Groten. Perry. KELO-TV. 2023-02-10. 2023-02-16.
  9. Book: Browne, Dik. Hagar the Horrible's very nearly complete Viking handbook. 1985. Workman Pub.. New York. 0-89480-937-7. Christopher Browne. 40.
  10. Also gløg
  11. Web site: Hagar the Horrible . March 4, 2012 . Chris . Browne . King Features . https://archive.today/20120915094544/http://www.thecomicstrips.com/store/add_strip.php?iid=76510 . dead . September 15, 2012 .
  12. Book: Hendon, Donald W. . Classic Failures in Product Marketing: Marketing Principles Violations and How to Avoid Them . 1989 . Quorum Books . New York . 0899303048 . 3 .
  13. Book: M. Keith Booker. Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas [4 volumes]: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. 28 October 2014. ABC-CLIO. 978-0-313-39751-6. 1063.
  14. YouTube copies of advertisements https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK7n1Q-fDeAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6z-daQea_4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdSf5e-WfU4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIbrnokd8bMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYk7EUh2n6g.
  15. Web site: IBM "Hagar the Horrible" campaign. January 2013 . Behance. Lisa. Rothstein.
  16. Web site: The Fantastic Funnies (1980). Aug 6, 2015. Cartoon Research. Charles. Brubaker.
  17. Book: Terrace, Vincent. Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012. 2nd. 264. McFarland & Company. June 19, 2013. 978-0-7864-7444-8 .
  18. Dunkley, Cathy. "Barbarian at gate: Abandon angles 'Hägar' for bigscreen pic", Variety, July 16, 2003
  19. News: Snyder. Alana. Hagar the Horrible Author Releases One Monster of a Children's Book. 605 Magazine. December 1, 2014. August 21, 2015. Browne revealed that Hagar the Horrible, a famous comic strip featured in about 2,000 newspapers worldwide loosely based on Browne’s family, is getting a movie deal with Sony Pictures.. https://web.archive.org/web/20150928005438/http://605magazine.com/2014/12/01/monster-state/. 2015-09-28. dead.
  20. Web site: King Features, Henson prep Horrible adaptation. KidScreen. Ryan. Tuchow. Nov 10, 2020.
  21. Web site: 'Hägar the Horrible': King Features & the Jim Henson Company Developing Animated TV Series Based on Comic Strip, Eric Ziobrowski to Write. 10 November 2020. Peter. White. Deadline.
  22. Web site: Hägar . Lemon Amiga.