The Cartoon History of the Universe

Since 1990, Larry Gonick has been single-handedly producing The Cartoon History of the Universe for Bantam Doubleday Dell, a sprawling, witty comics series that reimagines all of human history as a single, continuous narrative. Running for just one issue (though spanning multiple volumes), Gonick serves as both writer and artist, blending meticulous research with a playful, cartoonish visual style to make the epic sweep of civilization accessible and entertaining. It matters as a landmark in educational comics, proving that the medium can tackle serious scholarship with humor and clarity.