Do Cartoonists Make Comics? Understanding the Roles and Overlaps in Comic Art

Do cartoonists make comics? The short answer is yes—but the long answer reveals a complex, nuanced creative field with many overlapping roles, evolving formats, and specialized styles. While "cartoonist" and "comic artist" are often used interchangeably, their meanings and responsibilities can vary significantly depending on the context. This article explores what it means to be a cartoonist, how cartoonists relate to comics, and how the roles differ—or blend—in practice.

What Is a Cartoonist?

A cartoonist is generally defined as an artist who creates cartoons. These can include:

• Editorial cartoons in newspapers and magazines

• Gag cartoons—single-panel humorous images with a punchline

• Political satire or social commentary

• Comic strips—short sequential art found in newspapers

• Webcomics—a modern evolution of comic strips, distributed online

• Graphic narratives or comics in a broader sense

The key feature that distinguishes a cartoonist from other visual artists is the integration of text and image to communicate humor, critique, or storytelling. Unlike a fine artist or painter, a cartoonist often relies on concise visual storytelling and punchy captions or dialogue.

What Are Comics?

Comics are a storytelling medium that uses sequential art—a series of images arranged to convey a narrative. Comics can appear in various forms:

• Comic strips (e.g., Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes)

• Comic books (e.g., Batman, Spider-Man)

• Graphic novels (e.g., Persepolis, Maus)

• Webcomics (e.g., xkcd, Sarah's Scribbles)

Comics typically involve multiple panels and may be serialized or stand-alone. They rely on the interplay between visuals and text over time, distinguishing them from single-panel cartoons, though the line is often blurred.

Do Cartoonists Make Comics?

Yes, many cartoonists make comics, especially in formats like:

• Comic strips: Traditional cartoonists such as Charles M. Schulz (Peanuts), Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), and Jim Davis (Garfield) are both cartoonists and comic creators.

• Webcomics: Modern cartoonists often maintain blogs or platforms where they publish serialized content (e.g., Nathan W. Pyle's Strange Planet).

• Graphic novels: Some cartoonists evolve into graphic novelists. Lynda Barry and Art Spiegelman are great examples of artists who began as cartoonists and later authored full-length graphic narratives.

In essence, a cartoonist can be a comic creator, especially if they work in a narrative, sequential format. However, not all cartoonists make comics in the traditional sense. Some focus exclusively on single-panel works or editorial content.

Distinguishing Cartoonists from Comic Artists

While there's considerable overlap, it's useful to note differences in emphasis:

Role	Focus Area	Common Formats
Cartoonist	Combines art and writing, often working solo	Editorial cartoons, gag panels, strips
Comic Artist	Primarily responsible for artwork	Comic books, graphic novels
Comics Writer	Writes scripts or story outlines	Serialized comics, graphic novels
Graphic Novelist	Tells extended stories via sequential art	Graphic novels

In many cases, cartoonists write and draw their own material, offering a complete vision—this is less common in mainstream superhero comics, where artists and writers typically work as a team.

Famous Cartoonists Who Make Comics

Here are a few celebrated cartoonists whose work straddles both fields:

• Bill Watterson: Creator of Calvin and Hobbes, a quintessential newspaper comic strip known for its wit and artistic quality.

• Matt Groening: Before The Simpsons, he drew Life in Hell, a comic strip that ran for over 30 years.

• Allie Brosh: Known for Hyperbole and a Half, which blends autobiographical comic storytelling with a uniquely crude art style.

• Kate Beaton: Creator of Hark! A Vagrant, a historical and literary comic strip popular online and in print.

• Aaron McGruder: Creator of The Boondocks, which began as a comic strip and later became an animated series.

The Cartoonist’s Comic Connection

So, do cartoonists make comics? Absolutely—many of them do. Cartooning is often the entry point into the larger world of comics, and many of the most celebrated comics in history were written and illustrated by cartoonists. The cartoonist’s ability to blend humor, satire, and art allows them to create content that spans both single-panel gags and long-form narratives.

Whether working with one image or many, cartoonists play a crucial role in shaping the world of comics—and in making us laugh, think, and see the world through a sharper, more imaginative lens.