Christian Headlines Blog Christian Blog and Commentary

Get guidance on Bible study from C.S. Lewis - Free Course!

Christian Cartoonist Jack Chick Dies at 92

  • Veronica Neffinger

    Veronica Neffinger wrote her first poem at age seven and went on to study English in college, focusing on 18th century literature. When she is not listening to baseball games, enjoying the…

    More
  • Updated Oct 25, 2016

Jack Chick, the creator and publisher of over 150 often controversial Christian tracts, passed away Sunday at the age of 92.

According to Christianity Today, Chick distributed more than 500 million evangelism tracts during his lifetime. The tracts were known as “chicklets.”

Chick came to faith after World War II listening to Charles E. Fuller’s “Old Fashioned Revival Hour” radio program.

He began to use his illustrating skills to create his own comic books and pocket-sized tracts. In the 1970’s, the print shop he opened began to take off.

Although revered by many who love his work, Chick is also a controversial figure due to the nature of some of his tracts. He was known for unashamedly targeting groups he believed were not true to the gospel.

His 150-plus tracts focus on distinguishing the “saved” from the “lost.” Chick included various groups within the “lost” category, including Muslims and Catholics.

His most popular track was titled This Was Your Life! and it was translated into over 60 languages.

In the 1990’s, a media watchdog site summed up Chick’s influence: “To some, Chick tracts are American folk art, or even a form of religious pornography, titillating and somewhat dangerous. Chick is the ultimate underground artist: single-minded and self-published, passionately committed to his message without regard for external social forces.”

 

Publication date: October 25, 2016