Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Blog

Once again, we’re happy to be sharing another old unsung cartoonist of the newspaper pages from over 100 years ago. Little is known about Leighton Budd, whose boneless and clean characters can be seen in the features below. “Why Peter Puff Swore Off” ran in the New York Herald 110 years ago today, December 7, 1902.

Leighton Budd’s “Why Peter Puff Swore Off” tearsheet from December 7, 1902. From the San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

Leighton Budd’s style was before his time, and some of his most beautiful work can be seen in the short-running feature Every Move a Picture, Yours Truly the Tumblebug Brothers, of which we unfortunately do not have any tearsheets of in our San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection. Budd’s work has the feel of some of the finer German Invasion cartoonists, who would be emerging on the scene in America a few years later, as well as some of the Mexican cartoonists of Multicolor.

Leighton Budd’s “Something Doing In the Art World” tearsheet from June 29, 1902. From The San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

Budd had a solid stint at Puck magazine during this time and would later go on to work for one of the earliest American animation studios, Bray Studio.

Leighton Budd’s “Barney’s Bubble Trip” tearsheet from May 25, 1902. From the San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

Unfortunately, Budd was a noted alcoholic, and there is not much to be traced of him beyond the 1930s. If you have any more information about the man, please let us know!

Leighton Budd’s “Little Johnny” tearsheet from November 25, 1900. From the San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.