Tom Wilson II: Getting 'Ziggy' With It
Over the years, Ziggy has sold tens of millions of greeting cards, he’s appeared in more than 600 newspapers, and he has reached over 75 million faithful readers who identify with his hopes, worries, and inspirations. His cartoon clippings cover refrigerator doors, computer screens, and desktops around the world. Ziggy’s character has consistently personified kindness, perseverance, and a loving nature.
Tom’s father, also called Tom, started drawing Ziggy more than 35 years ago. Tom created Ziggy to be clumsy and unsure, yet wide-eyed and full of wonder. He wanted Ziggy to be loved by everyone, so Tom designed him to be rounded, like a teddy bear, to make him more huggable. Most people love Ziggy because his character depicts many of life’s daily mishaps. Son Tom (Tom II) says, “Ziggy is general in his goodness and kindness.”
Initially, Tom II started writing and then he began illustrating. Since 1987, Tom II has been drawing Ziggy when father Tom's health began to suffer and he retired. The cartoon has been in syndication since 1971. Nearly everyone is familiar with this lonely, insecure cartoon character who encourages us to laugh at ourselves and take everything in stride in his own optimistic style. Ziggy is a beacon of hope when life seems difficult and reminds us not to take life too seriously.
Tom II says much of Ziggy’s character is drawn from his own personal experiences and passions. When Tom II’s wife died four years ago from breast cancer, he dedicated a cartoon to her memory (see page 49 in Character Matters). “The one thing that Ziggy reminds us is that all of life’s things happen to each of us,” says Tom. “Ziggy reflects in a hopefully humorous way the negative things that happen to us.”
What a Character
Tom II says, “I think Ziggy is first a wonderful communicator and, second, a great symbol for personal projection and reflection.” He believes the reason people have grown to care about Ziggy is that while many cartoon characters are funny, few have come to occupy such an important place in the hearts and lives of people. Some readers have told Tom II that Ziggy has helped them see the bigger picture of problems they are dealing with in their lives.
“Ziggy and I have grown from our many years together,” says Tom II. “He’s taken us through smiley faces, disco, bad hair days, and cyberspace. And Ziggy will take us into the new millennium with equal finesse.”
Tom II recently started a business called Character Matters, which has been a dream of his for a long time. The company specializes in creating and developing original characters for brands, products, and services. Tom II says Ziggy has a lot of personality but he is surrounded by characters that stand out because of their unique qualities. “In recognizing the strength of the characters, I realized how much character matters, which formed the idea for the book title and the new company,” says Tom II.
