Top Ten lists like this are unfair! There’s no way I can stick to just ten. And this is limiting it to just the old Car Comics like CARtoons, Hot Rod Cartoons, CYCLEtoons, and DRAG Cartoons.

Well, I’m not gonna play by the rules. So far, I’ve chosen my personal 13 Top Ten CAR-toonists. There are many more talented automotive cartoonists that I could have added, but I have to stop somewhere. These guys are the ones who came to mind right away, as the cartoonists who had the strongest influence on my cartooning (and writing). They’re the ones I admired for their drawing abilities, their story-telling abilities… and their general outside-the-lines wackiness that really resonated with my own strange sense of humor.

So, here, in no particular order — my top 10 –er– 13:

Jim Grube, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Jim and I had running references about each other in our pages. He has one of the best ears for dialog — I just loved to read whatever bizarre plots he’d concoct — and he’s a real draftsman.

Hank Hinton, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Never got to meet Hank, but I always admired his ability to create and draw those strange characters! So much detail and depth in those thin lines and hatching.

Alex Toth, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Alex was big in all kinds of comic books, newspaper strips, and animation. He did a lot of the Big Daddy Roth comics for Pete Millar’s Drag Cartoons, as well as Granny McGo here, for HRC. Another draftsman, he could give a scene such realism with just the right lines.

Bil Stout, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Bil’s work in the car comix was delightful to look at. Lots of wacky details. And his stuff just keeps getting better! Bil’s website

Terry Gilliam, Top 10 CARtoonist

Terry is another CAR-toonist I didn’t get to meet. (I’d still love to!) I liked his quiet but devious stories and simple but detailed art. When I first saw Monty Python on TV, I thought, gee, that art looks oddly familiar. I searched through my old copies of the ‘Toons comics, and sure enough — the same Terry Gilliam! I hear he gave up the cartooning, but his story-telling is still mind-boggling.

George "Pappy" Lemmons, Top 10 CAR-toonist

George was a real nuts-and-bolts cartoonist. He built and drove the cars, and wrote with insider’s knowledge. We became good friends, and shared an interest in boats, as well as cars and cartooning.

Dave Deal, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Never met Dave, either — but couldn’t turn around without bumping into something with one of his wonderful cartoons on or in it.

Fred Boatman, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Got acquainted with Fred later on… via the internet! Always beautiful artwork — clean and so much fun to study.

Errol McCarthy, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Errol is a master of shading and highlighting. His cars always seemed right-on… yet somehow off-kilter. In a good way! He takes draftsmanship to a new level.

Marty Murphy, Top 10 CAR-toonist

I was just getting re-acquainted with Marty, when he passed away a short time ago. A truly nice guy, he had a great career in animation and magazine cartooning (a long-time Playboy regular) and was a great CAR-toonist.

Dennis Ellefson, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Dennis worked for Pete Millar before coming to the ‘Toon comics. He was an interesting character, always with a new story to tell. Never knew what to expect when I’d walk into his office.

Robert Williams, Top 10 CAR-toonist

You think Robert’s stuff in the car comix is weird — check out what he’s doing now! (Robert’s website) I remember looking at his cartoons and wondering how he managed some of the things he’d draw. And I do love what he’s doing now.

George Trosley, Top 10 CAR-toonist

Anyone out there who doesn’t know Krass and Bernie?

George once told me (if my memory hasn’t failed me) that some of my early cartoons inspired him. If that’s so, I’m flattered, because he’s certainly put it to good use. He’s been drawing superbly and consistently for a lot of years — probably the number one guy at CARtoons and the other car comix, for consistency and longevity.

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So, that’s my personal, very subjective, Top Ten list… stretched to 13. I loved to spend hours poring over their artwork, studying how they achieved their masterpieces. And I still do; looking through my back issues is fun and inspiring! Thanks, guys!

I can think of dozens of other cartoonists who were every bit as talented, and no doubt would be on others’ lists. I’ll be highlighting as many as I can in blogs to come.

Please — don’t be bashful! Add your comments — and your own top ten — I’m sure you’ll have your own favorites! Click the little word-balloon icon up at the top left of the page… Or you could click here…

Cartoons are from various issues of CARtoons, Hot Rod Cartoons, and CYCLEtoons magazines. Copyrights © the respective artists.