Photo: Guillaume Paumier / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Lynda Barry was born on January 2, 1956 in Richland Center, Wisconsin, United States and is credited as a cartoonist, university teacher and comics artist. That puts Lynda Barry at 70 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Roosevelt High School and Evergreen State College. Awards on record include MacArthur Fellows Program (2019), Reuben Award (2019), Will Eisner Hall of Fame (2016) and 1 more.
My Take
Lynda Barry is, to my mind, one of those rare figures who quietly redrew the boundaries of an entire medium. I admire how Ernie Pook's Comeek and illustrated novels like The Good Times Are Killing Me carried real emotional weight while looking deceptively loose and hand-drawn. The honors speak volumes: an Inkpot Award, an Eisner Hall of Fame induction, and a MacArthur Fellowship, the so-called genius grant. What moves me most is her turn toward teaching. She did not just make great work; she devoted herself to unlocking creativity in others. That generosity, paired with her unmistakable line, makes her a genuine original I keep returning to.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Lynda Barry
- Name (Japanese)
- リンダ・バリー
- Reading
- りんだ・ばりー
- Born
- January 2, 1956 (age 70)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Monkey
- Origin
- Richland Center, Wisconsin, United States
- Occupation
- cartoonist / university teacher / comics artist / illustrator
2. Background
- High school
- Roosevelt High School
- University
- Evergreen State College
Awards & achievements
- 2019 MacArthur Fellows Program
- 2019 Reuben Award
- 2016 Will Eisner Hall of Fame
- 1988 Inkpot Award
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynda%20Barry
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3269500
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Lynda Barry born?
Born January 2, 1956 (age 70).
Where is Lynda Barry from?
Lynda Barry is from Richland Center, Wisconsin, United States.
What does Lynda Barry do?
Lynda Barry works as cartoonist, university teacher, comics artist, illustrator.
Cartoonist — see all → · University teacher — see all → · More people from the United States →