op Herman cartoons are the antidote to boring timelines and dry days. This review rounds up 20 panels from Jim Unger’s iconic series—each one a perfect snapshot of oddball humor, everyday absurdity, and the timeless charm of newspaper comics. If you love punchy gags and unforgettable characters, these classics belong in your regular scroll.
About the Artist: Jim Unger
Jim Unger (1937–2012) was a British-Canadian cartoonist who forever changed the funny pages with Herman. Debuting in 1974, Herman became a worldwide phenomenon—syndicated in over 600 newspapers and translated into 25 languages. Unger’s unique blend of deadpan wit, doughy character designs, and sly social observations earned him two National Cartoonists Society awards and a spot in the Comic Strip Hall of Fame. His visual style? Instantly recognizable: chunky noses, balding heads, and a glorious lack of glamour.
#1. The Office Motivator:
Unger’s perfect shot at corporate culture: a fully bandaged employee (leg in the air!) gets zero sympathy from the boss. Dark humor meets real-world “sick day” guilt. Your HR manager could never.
#2. Hospital Tech Support:
A patient at death’s door—and treating it like he’s troubleshooting a printer. If you ever needed proof that ignorance is bliss, this panel is Exhibit A.
#3. Shot in the Dark:
Herman at his most sinister and slapstick. The nurse preps a comically huge injection, the patient is already halfway out the window. You’ve never seen bedside manner quite like this.
#4. Lost in Translation:
A historical zinger straight from ancient Rome. No one mangles Hannibal’s campaign quite like Unger—and nobody else would try.
#5. Sugar Rush:
Aliens in a café, asking directions like confused tourists. Just another day in Herman’s universe, where the truly bizarre is just part of breakfast.
#6. Festive Scheming:
Paranoia in a suit. Herman turns a simple holiday greeting into a full-blown conspiracy theory. Suspicion: level expert.
#7. Wake-Up Call:
A wife rings an industrial bell to wake her husband—because alarm clocks are for amateurs. Herman’s solution: go big or sleep in.
#8. The Looker:
A department store rookie takes customer service way too literally—and physically detains a “looker.” Only in Herman.
#9. Time’s Up:
A woman on a rowboat delivers the world’s most literal time warning—by arrow. This is what happens when you combine extreme sports with punctuality.
#10. Doing Time:
Medieval punishment meets modern comedy. Prisoner in the stocks gets “solitary”—with his best friend as his only neighbor. Justice, Herman-style.
#11. Miracle Cure:
Cowboy, arrows in his back, grinning from ear to ear—suddenly mobile and pain-free. Who knew the Wild West had such medical breakthroughs?
#12. Pirate Prospects
Walking the plank and still trying to network your way into a new job. In Herman, even doom gets a punchline.
#13. Heart to Heart:
A man’s heart has literally been wound up like a toy. Herman makes medical miracles look hilariously low-tech.
#14. Welcome Party:
A dark, pointed jab at history—delivered with the world’s most clueless optimism. Unger nails the tragic comedy of “temporary guests.”
#15. Cat Money:
A classic joke about inheritance, twisted by Unger’s love for selfish humans and undeserving cats. Don’t worry, the cat’s getting a yacht.
#16. The Cat’s Revenge:
A doctor explains animal logic with deadpan honesty. In Herman, pets always win the argument.
#17. Hospital Maze:
Hospital directions so complicated, you’ll wish you stayed sick. Only Jim Unger could turn healthcare navigation into comedy gold.
#18. Egg-cellent Advice:
Safari gone wrong. The bigger the egg, the better the punchline. Science teachers, take notes.
#19. Practice Makes Perfect:
Every parent’s musical nightmare: send your kid to practice their violin—preferably on another planet.
#20. Selective Hearing: “I sometimes wonder if you hear one word I say!”
Marital communication, Herman-style: the husband’s arms and newspaper are the only things present. Every couple’s breakfast table, perfectly skewered.
Final Thoughts
Top Herman cartoons are a hilarious reminder that life’s chaos deserves a laugh. Jim Unger’s genius is in turning ordinary disasters and daily absurdities into punchlines you’ll remember for years. From office life to pirates, cats to cowboys, every panel is a snapshot of pure comic brilliance. Relatable, ridiculous, and always a little bit wicked—there’s a reason Herman is still beloved decades later.
Credit:
All comics featured are the creative work of Jim Unger, legendary creator of Herman. His wit, expressive characters, and fearless humor have made Herman a worldwide favorite.
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