Tom Batiuk

It was his teaching experiences as a high school art teacher that inspired him to create Funky Winkerbean in 1972. His comics began as a gag-a-day strip about high school life evolved with Batiuk, as he introduces real-life issues such as dyslexia, teen suicide, guns in the classroom, racial discrimination, teen-dating abuse, breast cancer and alcoholism in Funky Winkerbean. Batiuk has won accolades and awards from his peers as well as from educators and professional and civic organizations across the country for his outstanding treatment of serious social issues. His other cartoon strips include: John Darling and Crankshaft.