Buster Brown

Buster Brown
Buster Brown
Publication information
Publisher	New York Herald
First appearance	May 4, 1902
Created by	Richard F. Outcault
In-story information
Team affiliations	Mary Jane, Tige

Buster Brown
Richard F. Outcault's Buster Brown (1917)
Author(s)	Richard F. Outcault
Current status / schedule	Concluded
Launch date	May 4, 1902
End date	c. 1921
Syndicate(s)	New York Herald (1902–1906) Hearst Corporation (1906–c. 1921)
Genre(s)	humor

Buster Brown was a comic strip character created in 1902 by Richard F. Outcault. Adopted as the mascot of the Brown Shoe Company in 1904, Buster Brown, his sweetheart Mary Jane, and his dog Tige, an American Pit Bull Terrier, were well-known to the American public in the early 20th century. The character's name was also used to describe a popular style of suit for young boys, the Buster Brown suit, that echoed his own outfit.

The character of Buster Brown was loosely based on Granville Hamilton Fisher, a son of Charles and Anna Fisher of Flushing, New York. Fisher's physical appearance, including the characteristic pageboy haircut, was copied by Outcault and given to Buster Brown. The name "Buster" came directly or indirectly from the popularity of Buster Keaton, then a child actor in vaudeville.

The character of Mary Jane was also drawn from real life, as she was also Outcault's daughter of the same name. In Outcault's own words—and his daughter's—she was the only character drawn from life in the Buster Brown strip, although "Mrs. Brown" did resemble Outcault's wife.

The comic strip began in the New York Herald on May 4, 1902. Outcault left for William Randolph Hearst's employ in 1906, and after a court battle, Outcault continued his strip, now nameless, in Hearst papers, while the Herald continued their own version of Buster Brown with other artists. The latter lasted until 1911 or so, and Outcault's version until at least 1921.

The character of Buster Brown inspired many imitators, including Perry Winkle from the Winnie Winkle newspaper strip, and the Bobby Bumps animated film series.

The series was translated into Portuguese and published in the Brazilian children's magazine O Tico-Tico (where Buster Brown was known as Chiquinho); its stories were loosely adapted by Brazilian writers.