View source for Lincoln Peirce

{{short description|American cartoonist (born 1963)}}
{{Multiple issues|{{BLP sources|date=May 2021}}
{{Cleanup|date=May 2021|reason=specific information about "Big Nate" outside of the dedicated section}}}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Lincoln Peirce
| image       = Lincoln Peirce.jpg
| caption     = Peirce in 2019
| image_size  = 
| birth_name  = 
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1963|10|23}}
| birth_place = [[Ames, Iowa]], U.S.
| spouse      = Jessica Gandolf
| known_for   = ''[[Big Nate]]'' comic strip<br/>(1991–present)
| occupation  = [[Cartoonist]], [[animator]], writer
| education   = [[Colby College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Brooklyn College]] ([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]])
}}
'''Lincoln Peirce''' (pronounced "purse", born October 23, 1963)<ref>{{Cite web |title=TeachingBooks Audio Name Pronunciation &#124; Lincoln Peirce |url=https://school.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?pid=1270 |website=school.teachingbooks.net}}</ref> is an American [[cartoonist]] and [[animator]], best known as the creator of the successful ''[[Big Nate]]'' comic strip and as the author/illustrator of a series of ''Big Nate'' novels for young readers.<ref name="WashingtonPost">{{Cite news |last=Peirce |first=Lincoln |date=August 27, 2004 |title=Comics: Meet the Artist |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19352-2004Aug20.html |access-date=2023-08-05 |work=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> He has also written a number of [[animated short]]s that have appeared on [[Cartoon Network]] and [[Nickelodeon]]. Peirce is the creator of the [[Big Nate (TV series)|animated series]] based on his aforementioned book and comic strip series. The series premiered on the [[Paramount+]] streaming service.<ref name="Paramount Plus" />

==Early life==
Peirce was born on October 23, 1963, in the city of [[Ames, Iowa]], of French descent. His family moved east in 1964, and Peirce grew up in [[Durham, New Hampshire]]. He developed a fascination with comic strips at a young age and often cites [[Charles M. Schulz|Charles Schulz]]'s ''[[Peanuts]]'' as his greatest inspiration. At [[Colby College]] in [[Waterville, Maine]], he studied art and art history. During his four years at Colby, he produced a weekly comic strip called ''Third Floor,'' featuring an ensemble cast of student and faculty characters. From 1985 to 1987, he studied at [[Brooklyn College]] in [[BROOKLYN, New York|New York]], where he earned an MFA in studio art. He attended the [[Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture]], and then worked for three years at [[Xavier High School (New York City)|Xavier High School]] in [[New York City]], where he was an art teacher and [[baseball]] coach.

==Career==
Peirce is the creator of the comic strip ''Big Nate''. The strip debuted in 1991 in 135 newspapers, and currently has a client list of over 400 newspapers worldwide. ''Big Nate'' is also available online at [[gocomics.com]], where in 2019 it was the site's second most-viewed feature, ranking behind only ''[[Calvin and Hobbes|Calvin & Hobbes]]''. The popular children's website [[poptropica.com]] has included ''Big Nate'' since 2009. In 2010, Peirce wrote the first of eight ''Big Nate'' novels for young readers. Published by [[HarperCollins]], each book in the series was a ''[[New York Times]]'' bestseller. In 2011, [[Andrews McMeel Publishing]] began a series of ''Big Nate'' compilations. The series consists of 22 books to date and every one of them has been on the [[The New York Times Best Seller list|New York Times bestseller list]]. Under the AMP! Comics for Kids imprint, 20 collections have been released. ''Epic Big Nate'', a coffee table book celebrating the strip's first 25 years, was published in 2016. ''Big Nate'' books appear in 33 different languages and have sold over 20 million copies.

Peirce has also written for television, contributing to [[Cartoon Network]]'s shorts program and [[Nickelodeon]]'s [[Random Cartoons]]. He created two ''Uncle Gus'' stories ("For The Love of Monkeys" and "Not So Fast") for [[Cartoon Network]], and later wrote a series of 2-minute shorts called ''The Brothers Pistov'' for the short-lived series ''Sunday Pants''. At [[Nickelodeon]], Peirce wrote and storyboarded "Super John Doe Junior," about the son of a beloved crimefighter who has inherited none of his father's super powers.

==''Big Nate''==
{{main|Big Nate}}

''Big Nate'' debuted in newspapers on January 7, 1991. The strip's main character is Nate Wright, an irrepressible sixth grader with a native and inflated sense of his own greatness. Peirce has said that ''Big Nate'', which featured only six characters when it started, originated as a "domestic humor" strip, and that he intended to focus on Nate's family life. Soon, however, Peirce realized that "the gags I enjoyed writing most were the school jokes. Nate's life in middle school was where all the funny stuff was happening." Nate's school, P.S. 38, became the narrative center of the strip, and Peirce has added dozens of characters to the cast of classmates and teachers during the strip's run. Among the recurring characters are:<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About the Author |url=http://www.bignatebooks.com/about-the-author |access-date=February 17, 2016 |website=BigNateBooks.com}}</ref>

* Francis and Teddy, Nate's closest friends
* Gina, an annoying teacher's pet
* Chad, a lovable and guileless sidekick
* Dee Dee, president of the Drama Club
* Mrs. Godfrey, Nate's social studies teacher and nemesis
* Mr. Rosa, a kind-hearted but overworked art teacher

Peirce describes ''Big Nate'' as a "modest success" for its first 19 years of existence. The beginning of the novel series introduced ''Big Nate'' to a generation of young readers and enhanced the comic strip's profile. The novels include:

*''[[Big Nate: In a Class by Himself]]'' (2010)
*''[[Big Nate: Strikes Again|Big Nate Strikes Again]]'' (2010)
*''[[Big Nate: On a Roll|Big Nate On a Roll]]'' (2011)
*''[[Big Nate Goes for Broke]]'' (2012)
*''[[Big Nate: Flips Out|Big Nate Flips Out]]'' (2013)
*''[[Big Nate: In the Zone|Big Nate In the Zone]]'' (2014)
*''[[Big Nate: Lives It Up|Big Nate Lives It Up]]'' (2015)
*''[[Big Nate: Blasts Off|Big Nate Blasts Off]]'' (2016)

In May 2013 ''Big Nate: the Musical''  had its world premiere at [[Adventure Theatre]] MTC in [[Glen Echo, Maryland]]. The music was written by Christopher Youstra, with lyrics by Christopher Youstra and Jason Loewith.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cavna |first=Michael |date=May 4, 2013 |title='Big Nate' Musical Debuts: Encouraged by 'Peanuts,' Lincoln Peirce's Comic-Strip Hit Comes to the Maryland Stage |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/big-nate-musical-debuts-encouraged-by-peanuts-lincoln-peirces-comic-strip-hit-comes-to-the-maryland-stage/2013/05/04/229d7b90-b4c3-11e2-9a98-4be1688d7d84_blog.html |work=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>

On February 19, 2020, a [[Big Nate (TV series)|''Big Nate'' animated series]] was announced to be greenlit, with Peirce serving as a consultant, beginning with the 26-episode Season 1.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Avalos |first=Regina |date=February 23, 2020 |title=Big Nate: Nickelodeon Orders Animated Series Based on Best-Selling Book |url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/big-nate-nickelodeon-orders-animated-series-based-on-best-selling-book/ |website=TV Series Finale}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Keyes |first=Bob |date=February 19, 2020 |title=Portland Cartoonist's Big Nate Gets Own Show on Nickelodeon |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2020/02/19/portland-cartoonists-big-nate-gets-own-show-on-nickelodeon/ |website=Portland Press Herald}}</ref> Originally planned to premiere on [[Nickelodeon]], and developed by Mitch Watson, the series instead debuted on February 17, 2022, on the [[Paramount+]] streaming service.<ref name="Paramount Plus">{{Cite web |last=Cordero |first=Rosy |date=December 14, 2021 |title=''Big Nate'' Animated Series Set At Paramount+ Starring Ben Giroux, Dove Cameron, Rob Delaney, More |url=https://deadline.com/2021/12/big-nate-animated-series-paramount-ben-giroux-dove-cameron-rob-delaney-1234890935/ |access-date=December 14, 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref> The series eventually premiered on Nickelodeon on September 5, 2022.

==''Max & the Midknights''==
After completing the ''Big Nate'' novel series in 2016, Peirce began work on ''Max & the Midknights'', a comedic adventure story set in the Middle Ages. It is the first in a projected three-book series published by [[Crown Books]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Novel Coming from 'Big Nate' Author Lincoln Peirce |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/76575-new-novel-coming-from-big-nate-author-lincoln-peirce.html |access-date=April 24, 2018 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> for Young Readers. ''Max & the Midknights'' was published on January 8, 2019, and went on to spend sixteen weeks on the [[The New York Times Best Seller list|New York Times Bestseller]] list, peaking at #2. The second book in the series, ''Max & the Midknights: Battle of the Bodkins'' was released on December 1, 2020. The third and final book in the series, ''Max & the Midknights: The Tower of Time'',<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 19, 2020 |title=Lincoln Peirce on "Max & the Midknights" and "Big Nate" |url=https://www.readbrightly.com/lincoln-peirce-on-max-the-midknights-and-big-nate/ |access-date=April 23, 2021 |website=readbrightly.com}}</ref> was released on March 1, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Max and the Midknights: The Tower of Time By Lincoln C. Peirce |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/670625/max-and-the-midknights-the-tower-of-time-by-lincoln-peirce/ |access-date=November 16, 2021}}</ref> Similarly to ''Big Nate'', on November 16, 2021, ''[[Max & the Midknights (TV series)|Max & the Midknights]]'' has been greenlit for an animated series on [[Nickelodeon]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alexandra Del Rosario |date=November 16, 2021 |title=Nickelodeon Orders ''Max & The Midknights'', ''Rock, Paper, Scissors'' Animated Series |url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/nickelodeon-orders-max-the-midknights-rock-paper-scissors-series-1234874845/ |access-date=November 16, 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref> The first two episodes were released on the Nicktoons YouTube channel on June 9 and July 8, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 9, 2024 |title=New Series Premiere: Max & The Midknights - Fighting a Dragon 🐲🔥 &#124; Full Episode (S1E1) &#124; Nickelodeon |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBkEiXHBVSs |website=YouTube}}</ref> The series premiered on Nickelodeon on October 30, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Danoff |first=Owen |date=September 11, 2024 |title=Nickelodeon Reveals the Trailer, Cast & Premiere Date for Its Max & the Midknights Series |url=https://screenrant.com/max-and-the-midknights-nickelodeon-cast-premiere-trailer/ |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.bignatebooks.com/ Big Nate Book Series Website]
* [http://www.gocomics.com/bignate/ Big Nate on GoComics.com]
* [http://scottnickel.blogspot.com/2009/06/20-questions-with-lincoln-peirce.html 20 Questions with Lincoln Peirce at A Nickel's Worth]
*[https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/nickelodeon-slates-big-nate-series-kamp-koral-cast-loud-house-live-action-movie/ Animated Magazine Big Nate Animated Series Announcement]
*[https://www.harpercollins.com/author/cr-105084/lincoln-peirce/ Harper Collins: Lincoln Peirce]
*[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-york-times-bestselling-author-lincoln-peirce-and-harpercollins-break-guinness-world-records-title-for-worlds-longest-cartoon-strip-by-a-team-254893781.html World Records® Title For World's Longest Cartoon Strip By A Team]
*{{IMDb name|2029156|Lincoln Peirce}}

{{Big Nate}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peirce, Lincoln}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American artists]]
[[Category:20th-century American male artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American male artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:American children's writers]]
[[Category:American comic strip cartoonists]]
[[Category:American male novelists]]
[[Category:American people of French descent]]
[[Category:Animators from Iowa]]
[[Category:Brooklyn College alumni]]
[[Category:Colby College alumni]]
[[Category:Novelists from Iowa]]
[[Category:Artists from Ames, Iowa]]
[[Category:Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture alumni]]