Stephen R. Bissette Named Vermont’s Sixth Cartoonist Laureate

Windsor, Vermont – Stephen R. Bissette, a renowned cartoonist celebrated for his contributions to the comic book industry, has been appointed as Vermont’s sixth Cartoonist Laureate. The announcement was made on March 7, 2026, by The Center for Cartoon Studies [1], with a formal appointment ceremony scheduled for Thursday, April 9, at the Vermont Statehouse [1].

A Legacy in Comics

Bissette is best known as the co-creator of the critically acclaimed graphic novel series, The Saga of the Swamp Thing, alongside writer Alan Moore and illustrator John Totleben [1]. His work on Swamp Thing in the 1980s is credited with revitalizing the DC Comics series and establishing it as a horror classic [1]. He also created the comic book S.R. Bissette’s Tyrant and adapted the Steven Spielberg film 1941 into a graphic novel [1].

Champion of Artists’ Rights

Beyond his artistic achievements, Bissette has been a vocal advocate for the rights of comic book creators. In 1988, he helped write the Creator’s Bill of Rights, a landmark document that articulated comic book artists’ ownership and control over their work [1]. He also edited and published the anthology comic Taboo, which featured works like Lost Girls by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie, and From Hell by Moore and Eddie Campbell [1]. From Hell was later adapted into a 2001 feature film starring Johnny Depp.

A Distinguished Career

A 1978 graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in New Jersey, Bissette has also illustrated books by prominent authors including Neil Gaiman, Douglas E. Winter, Rick Hautala, Joe R. Lansdale, and Vermont’s own Joseph A. Citro [1]. He was a founding faculty member at The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, where he taught from 2005 to 2020 [1]. In 2025, Bissette was inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame, a prestigious honor within the comic book industry [1].

Vermont’s Commitment to Cartooning

Vermont is unique in its regular appointment of a Cartoonist Laureate [3]. Bissette will serve a three-year term [1], succeeding Tillie Walden of Norwich as the state’s sixth Cartoonist Laureate [3]. Previous Vermont Cartoonist Laureates include James Kochalka, Alison Bechdel, Rick Veitch, and the late Ed Koren [3].