Picture yourself leafing through your favourite comic strip and coming across a wild jumble of symbols like %&^%@ instead of a well-known swear word. If you have ever binge-watched a retro cartoon or flipped through a vintage comic strip and noticed a jumble of symbols such as %&^%@ or #$!& plastered over a character’s furious speech bubble or replacing a forbidden word, you have encountered what the world calls today a “Grawlix”. These chaotic squiggles are known as grawlixes.

Cartoonist Mort Walker

Behind that playful façade lies a clever workaround for censorship that has been delighting readers for decades. They are the unsung heroes of comic censorship in the realm of cartoons and comics. These quirky clusters of characters have become a creative tool for sidestepping censorship while still conveying the full force of a character’s emotions. Imagine this – a disgruntled office worker, steam practically whistling from their ears, lets loose a torrent of symbols — %$@!& — in a speech bubble. No words needed. You feel their rage.

But this isn’t just a tale of asterisks and ampersands. It’s a saga of creativity, censorship and how a doodler from Missouri accidentally created a universal language for fury. This typographical mischief carries a story as colourful as the Sunday funnies themselves – starring a legendary cartoonist, a master of linguistic genius and a scandal or two for good measure. Buckle up, dear reader because this is the saga of how Mort Walker turned rage into art. We will explore the history, evolution and cultural impact of grawlixes with a particular focus on the ingenious cartoonist Mort. We will examine how a simple yet ingenious idea transformed the way cartoonists express raw emotion, added a dash of humour to everyday dialogue and even influenced modern communication in the digital age.

What is a grawlix?

At it’s simplest, a grawlix is a series of typographical symbols used to represent swear words or strong emotions. Instead of printing a profane word, a cartoonist may replace it with a string of characters such as %&^%@. This practice not only allows the artist to bypass strict publishing guidelines but also adds a layer of humour and visual wit to the artwork. The term itself was born in the creative mind of Mort Walker who is widely credited with coining it in an article written for the National Cartoonists Society back in 1964.

But why the #^&@!?

Long before the era of digital filters and smartphones, cartoonists faced a formidable challenge of conveying the explosive emotion of a character without breaching strict censorship rules. In the early days of comic strips, explicit language was often forbidden by publishers and advertisers alike. It was in this climate of restraint that Mort Walker, the brilliant creator behind the long-running Beetle Bailey, recognised the need for a creative solution. Rather than diluting the impact of a character’s anger or frustration, Walker devised a method that replaced explicit words with a series of seemingly random symbols. Thus, the grawlix was born.

Mort Walker's Beetle Bailey statue

Walker first introduced the concept in an article for the National Cartoonists Society in 1964 which was a period when comic artists were starting to push the boundaries of what was acceptable in mainstream media. Walker later expanded on his ideas in his seminal work called ‘The Lexicon of Comicana’ which was published in 1980. He provided a playful yet systematic explanation of the various symbols that populate the world of cartoons. The book catalogued the symbols and the visual gags endemic to cartoons. In this book, he not only explained the concept of the grawlix but also introduced a host of other quirky terms used by cartoonists.

Why grawlix? Walker never clarified it’s etymology but fans speculate it’s a playful mashup of grawl (an old Scots term for growl) and ix (a nonsensical suffix). Fittingly, the word itself sounds like a sound effect from a superhero brawl. Or maybe just Mort’s way of trolling linguists. Either way, it stuck like gum to a park bench. He was creating an entire language dedicated to the art of visual expression. He revolutionised how we see humour. Walker’s inventive spirit continues to influence cartoonists and comic enthusiasts around the globe to this day.

The #^&@! maker

Before grawlixes became the hieroglyphs of frustration, there was a man named Addams Mortimer Walker. The name is so posh that it’s practically a Regency-era lord. Born in 1923, Mort cut his teeth drawing for ‘Child Life’ magazine at 9 years old. By the 1950s, he’d launched Beetle Bailey who was this lazy Army private whose antics dodged more responsibility than a politician in a scandal. But Mort’s true genius wasn’t just in drawing gags but also was in codifying them. In 1980, he penned The Lexicon of Comicana that was a tongue-in-cheek guide to cartooning’s visual shorthand.

Walker, who passed away in 2018 (aged 94), was more than a cartoonist — he was a maestro of mischief. In a 2003 interview, he quipped…

“I’ve spent my life making people laugh without getting arrested. Grawlixes are my get-out-of-jail-free card”.

His son Brian Walker is a cartoonist too. He recently revealed that Mort kept a swear ledger of grawlix combinations to avoid repeats.

“Dad thought $%& was overused. He preferred mixing in musical notes or zodiac signs for flair”.

But Walker’s legacy wasn’t without drama. In the 1990s, Beetle Bailey faced backlash for outdated tropes, prompting Mort to modernise characters. Yet, the grawlixes remained timeless.

“They’re the great equaliser!”

Brian mused in a 2023 ComicCon panel. Whether you’re a general or a goofball, everyone curses in symbols.

A lexicon of ingenuity

The Lexicon of Comicana is far more than a humorous catalogue of cartoon jargon; it is a testament to the inventive spirit that characterises the comic art form. In addition to grawlix, Walker introduced a host of other colourful terms designed to capture the visual shorthand of cartoon expression.

Words such as briffit’s (puffs of dust indicating speed), hites (motion lines for panic), jarns (spirals that indicate rapid motion), nittles (star-like symbols that suggest intensity or shock), plewds (droplets of sweat conveying stress) and squeans (those twinkly stars around a tipsy character’s head) entered the comic artist’s vocabulary. Each term is a playful blend of meaning and sound carefully crafted to evoke both abstract emotion and literal image.

He christened the jumble of symbols replacing curses as grawlixes. Although some have speculated that the term itself may have been inspired by or even borrowed from earlier slang invented by Charles D Rice, Walker’s wit and charm ensured that the word grawlix would take on a life of it’s own.

From Mort Walker's collection, this was published in Chicago Herald

Walker’s system of nomenclature not only helped cartoonists communicate complex ideas with a single panel but also gave readers a glimpse into an entire subculture of visual language. This lexicon quickly spread among comic artists and enthusiasts that formed the basis of an insider vocabulary even in use today. The grawlix, in particular, transcended it’s humble origins to become synonymous with the act of censoring profanity in a way that is both creative and effective.

A censorship tool with personality

The impact of the grawlix can be seen throughout the history of comics. Long before digital keyboards and modern censorship guidelines, early comic strips embraced the use of typographical symbols in order to mask taboo language. Some of the first recorded uses of these characters date back to the early 1900s. Before grawlixes, comics relied on blanks, dashes or mild substitutions (darn, heck) to dodge prudish editors. Comic characters censored swears with timid dashes like “d--n or bl—dy”. Prudish? Absolutely. Boring? Criminally.

Pic credit - WSJ

But Walker’s grawlixes were different. They weren’t just censorship. They were character. Walker’s grawlixes revolutionised censorship by making it funny. A well-placed $%&! wasn’t just a placeholder. It was a wink or a middle finger wrapped in whimsy. A chaotic burst of symbols could convey frustration, outrage or sheer absurdity without uttering a word. Imagine Snoopy’s Red Baron cursing in Wingdings or Popeye muttering sailorman obscenities as @ $%&! — it’s censorship with panache. Walker’s innovation caught on faster than a viral meme (pre-internet, mind you).

By the 1970s, grawlixes were a staple in comics worldwide from Dennis the Menace to Mad Magazine. Even British tabloids who are never the ones to shy from cheeky humour, adopted them for saucy headlines. British comics like ‘The Beano’ adopted them for Dennis the Menace’s tantrums while Viz magazine cranked them up to eleven with absurd strings like £$%^&!!!. Even the Daily Mail, in a rare moment of levity, used grawlixes to censor a politician’s expletive-laden rant about NHS queues.

Over time, the grawlix evolved from a mere workaround to a celebrated aspect of comic artistry. Modern comic creators still rely on grawlixes to inject energy and humour into their work. The symbols have transcended the page to become a part of everyday language. Grawlixes keep symbolising the frustration, excitement or shock of a character. In many ways, a grawlix is more than just a string of random characters. It is a visual metaphor that encapsulates the very essence of expressive art.

The golden age of %$ @!

In the early decades of the 20^th century, comic strips were establishing themselves as a dominant form of popular entertainment. Artists experimented with visual metaphors, exaggerated facial expressions and inventive sound effects to convey action and emotion. It was during this formative period that the practical need for censorship collided with a burgeoning culture of comic artistry. Instead of leaving readers to wonder what unspeakable word might be hidden behind a string of symbols, cartoonists embraced the grawlix as a means of inviting the audience to use their imagination.

Pic credit - Sockrotation

One can trace early examples of symbol substitution back to the very beginnings of comic art. As comics evolved into a respected medium, the grawlix became a beloved tool in the artist’s arsenal. It became a playful nod to the constraints imposed by society and the publishers of the day. Walker’s introduction of the term and his subsequent celebration of these symbols not only legitimised their use but also elevated them to a level of cultural significance that endures to this day.

From comics to crypto-swear | From manga to memes – Grawlixes go global

The grawlix isn’t just a relic of ink-and-paper humour. It’s infiltrated digital culture and is evolving into a lingua franca for the internet age. In recent years, the influence of the grawlix has extended far beyond the confines of comic strips. It is remarkable to consider how a concept born from the confines of American comic strips has grown to achieve global recognition. Grawlixes have seeped into everyday language and pop culture. They have adopted this visual language to suggest what cannot be spoken aloud. Movies, television shows and even music have borrowed from this art form to create clever censored titles and dialogue. Twitter rants, memes and even auto-censored gaming chats now deploy grawlixes to dodge algorithms while preserving the oomph of a good friction.

A grawlix meme

One notable example is the CBS sitcom that famously used a grawlix in it’s title to hint at it’s irreverent humour or as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the unspoken profanity it had implied. This trend shows how the grawlix has become a cultural shorthand and is instantly recognisable to audiences around the world. Such references have solidified the grawlix as a cultural icon and a symbol of rebellion against the strictures of polite society.

The grawlix isn’t just a Western quirk. In countries as diverse as Brazil, Germany and Japan, local adaptations of the grawlix have taken root by each adding it’s own cultural flavour to the original idea. Artists in these regions have embraced the concept and keep blending it with traditional artistic symbols or linguistic quirks to create something uniquely their own. This international exchange not only enriches the tradition of the grawlix but also demonstrates the universal appeal of a simple visually engaging method of expression. Japan’s manga artists use clouds of katakana symbols or gomu gomu (rubber-rubber) effects to mask curses in ‘One Piece’. Meanwhile in Spain, Mortadelo y Filemón comics deploy ¡¿@!%¡ for slapstick spies.

Spain's Mortadelo y Filemón comic

Evolution of the grawlix in the digital era

The advent of digital communication has breathed new life into the grawlix. Today, these clusters of symbols are not confined to the printed page and they have become an integral part of our online lexicon. Internet memes, social media platforms and text messages frequently feature grawlixes as a playful alternative to explicit language. In this way, the grawlix has adapted to the modern world, serving as both a creative outlet and a form of digital rebellion.

Across the globe, artists and writers are reinventing the grawlix for the digital age. In some non-English speaking countries, local adaptations have emerged. They feature traditional symbols with region-specific characters. This cross-cultural exchange has enriched the visual language of censorship and further established the grawlix as a universal means of expression.

As our means of communication continue to evolve, it is likely that the grawlix will adapt alongside them by finding new forms and meanings in an ever-changing world.

When symbols sparked outrage – The great grawlix scandals!

But not all was rosy. Of course, no cultural phenomenon is without it’s share of controversy and the grawlix is no exception.

In the year 1997, Walker faced backlash when Beetle Bailey introduced a female soldier called Lt. Flo. Traditionalists howled but Mort stood firm and kept updating his strips while keeping grawlixes gloriously unchanged. Symbols don’t discriminate. He quipped in a 2005 Guardian interview...

“A $@! is a $@! whether you’re a sergeant or a suffragette”.

From a museum in Brussels

In recent years, a few cartoonists have found themselves embroiled in scandals for overusing grawlixes in their work. There have been moments when it’s creative use has sparked heated debates among both comic professionals and the general public. Some critics argue that an excessive reliance on these symbols can detract from the narrative and turn what was once a clever device into a visual crutch. It was reducing a cleverly crafted line of dialogue to a mere placeholder for unspeakable language. They claim that excessive use of grawlixes may lead to a loss of subtlety, turning what should be an artful nod to censorship into a lazy crutch for uninspired writing.

Then came the 2020s. Heated debates have erupted on online forums with some veteran artists lamenting the loss of subtlety in modern comics while others defend the grawlix as a playful and essential part of the comic tradition. Linguists began debating whether grawlixes perpetuate ‘lazy censorship’ or empower creativity. Dr. Priya Shah of Oxford University argued in ‘The Times’ that grawlixes let readers project their own naughtiness and makes them complicit in the joke. Take that, Shakespeare.

One memorable interview with a long-time cartoonist who found himself at the centre of a scandal after a prominent publisher publicly denounced his latest series. He revealed that he once received a letter from a publisher, chiding him for what was described as an ‘veritable barrage of symbols’ in his latest strip. The artist retorted that each grawlix was chosen with care and intended to evoke a specific emotion. The ensuing uproar ignited a passionate debate within the comic community. Supporters of the artist argued that each grawlix was a deliberate artful choice that is intended to encapsulate the raw emotion of the moment. Detractors, however, maintained that the overuse of symbols compromised the integrity of the work and undermined the narrative. This clash between commercial pressures and creative expression serves as a microcosm of the broader struggle between artistic freedom and the constraints of commercial publishing. They remind us that art is often a battleground for differing opinions where debates continue to shape the world of comics today.

Recent news and updates

In November of the year 2022, a landmark moment occurred when both Merriam-Webster and a leading board game manufacturer Hasbro decided to include the word in the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary. This inclusion not only validates the grawlix as a recognised part of modern lexicon but also highlights it’s enduring relevance in an era where language is constantly evolving. The fact that a term born in the drawing rooms of cartoonists now appears alongside everyday words in mainstream dictionaries is a testament to it’s transformative power.

But not everyone’s a fan. The term has even sparked lively debates on blogs and social media platforms. In the same year of 2022, linguist Dr. Eleanor Griggs sparked debate by calling grawlixes lazy censorship in a Guardian op-ed.

“Why let symbols do the heavy lifting when creativity thrives under constraints?”

She argued. Cue outrage from cartoon purists, memelords and Walker’s estate who fired back with…

“Grawlixes aren’t lazy — they’re the Swiss Army knife of comedic expression”.

However, it is not every day that a piece of cartoon slang finds a home in such an esteemed reference work which makes this news a landmark moment for fans of comic art and language enthusiasts alike.

As censorship debates rage, grawlixes had even become protest tools. Artists use them in political cartoons to mock censorship. In the year 2023, artist Banksy-Esque collective ‘The Censor’s Anarchists’ projected a giant $%&!s onto the Parliament in order to mock speech laws.

An art by Banksy-Esque and nobody knows who he/she is

Even emojis have joined the fray! From the year 2021, TikTok trends have donated this modern hieroglyphic meltdown. In the year 2023, TikTok’s #GrawlixChallenge saw users “translate” symbols into 🔥💩🤬 or %&!@ becoming 🔥💢🗯️. It created a visual scream which even hieroglyph enthusiasts would applaud. But the digital age brings new headaches. In 2022, an AI-generated comic by The Pigeon Gazette accidentally turned a grawlix into a barcode that prompted Reddit threads titled ‘Can Robots Swear?’. Spoiler – Not convincingly.

Furthermore, the influence of the grawlix has even seeped into the realm of academia. Scholars of linguistics and visual communication study the evolution of the grawlix as a fascinating example of how language adapts to societal pressures. It is now recognised as a legitimate form of visual rhetoric and one that encapsulates the interplay between language, art and culture.

Comic enthusiasts and linguists alike discuss whether alternative names such as maledicta or obscenicon might better describe the practice. Despite the discussions, grawlix remains the term that has captured the collective imagination much like the colourful characters who use it on the pages of our favourite comics. The grawlix stands as a prime example of how a seemingly frivolous invention can have profound implications for our understanding of communication.

The future of @ $%&! – Grawlixes in the age of AI and cancel culture

In an era of cancel culture and content filters, grawlixes have become subversive tools. Gen Z repurposes them as ironic decor (Etsy sells Grawlix Throw Pillows). Gen Z sells Grawlix Merch on Depop — think tote bags reading ‘Keep Calm and %$ @! On’.

A grawlix T-shirt on sale

Yet, AI still stumbles. Even AI art generators like DALL-E struggle to render them correctly that often produces benign squiggles. When asked to draw a grawlix, DALL-E 3 produced a polite row of 🌸🍄🌈.

“Machines don’t get anger. They’ve never had a printer jam at 2 AM”.

Sighed Brian Walker at London’s 2023 Cartoon Museum exhibit.

It’s a proof that human mischief still outwits machines. As Brian Walker aptly put it later on…

“Dad’s grawlixes are like the Beatles of comics. Everyone copies them but nobody does it better”.

Mort Walker's son Brian Walker

Looking ahead, the grawlix appears set to remain a staple in the language of comics and beyond. As digital media continues to evolve and new media platforms emerge while censorship rules are constantly renegotiated, artists are finding innovative ways to incorporate grawlixes multimedia formats and into their works. From animated webcomics to interactive graphic novels and even augmented reality projects, the grawlix is adapting to the modern age while staying true to it’s roots in cartoon satire.

Moreover, the rise of global communication and technological advances has led to interesting cross-cultural interpretations of the grawlix. They are providing artists with new tools for creative expression. Customisable digital fonts, dynamic text effects and even user-generated grawlix generators are empowering a new wave of creators to experiment with this age-old technique. With every innovation, the humble cluster of symbols takes on new life.

Japan's gomu gomu | Pic credit - DeviantArt

In some non-English speaking countries, local adaptations of the grawlix have emerged. This dynamic evolution only adds to the term’s appeal and ensures that it will continue to spark creative debate for years to come. It is clear that the grawlix is not a relic of the past but a dynamic evolving symbol that will continue to influence the world of communication. Grawlixes aren’t going anywhere.

A new generation of grawlix enthusiasts

As the digital revolution continues to reshape the way we interact with language, a new generation of grawlix enthusiasts is emerging. Young cartoonists, meme creators and social media influencers are reimagining the classic grawlix who are infusing it with experimental design and modern sensibilities.

In creative communities and online forums, discussions about the perfect sequence of symbols to capture a particular emotion are both fervent and frequent. The debate over whether a string of @$%& should end with an exclamation mark or a question mark is a topic of playful yet passionate discussion.

One particularly amusing example comes from a recent online interview with a budding cartoonist who declared that every grawlix should be treated like a signature. It had to be a unique mark that not only hides a profanity but also tells a story. In his view, a well-crafted grawlix is akin to a secret handshake among those ‘in the know’ which is a clever nod to the rich history of comic artistry and a symbol of creative defiance in the face of censorship.

Mort’s secret swear ledger — Because knowledge is power (and great pub chat)

A webcomic titled ‘The Oatmeal’ once used a 47-symbol string to censor antidisestablishmentarianism (arguably a swear word if you’re a tired student).
Japan’s gomu gomu substitute – Manga uses katakana symbols (e.g., グミグミ) or mosaic boke effects for censorship which show grawlixes have global cousins.
AI struggles – When asked to generate grawlixes, ChatGPT once outputted $^ @%&?¿ that prompted Reddit threads debating robotic profanity.
The Swear Vault – Brian Walker (Mort’s son) revealed in a 2023 podcast that his dad kept a grawlix ledger to avoid repetition. He’d jot down combos like %$!£? for “blimey” and &@ !+ for “cor blimey”.
Guinness glory – Webcomic ‘Cyanide & Happiness’ holds the record for the longest grawlix. It had a 63-symbol monstrosity censoring floccinaucinihilipilification (the act of deeming something worthless). Ironic? Absolutely.
Royal approval – Rumour has it that Prince Philip once sent Mort a fan letter praising grawlixes as the only acceptable way to swear in front of corgis.

How to grawlix like a pro

Want to channel Mort Walker’s genius? Follow these tips…

Mix & match – Combine symbols ($, !, &) with emojis (💥🤬) for hybrid fury.
Context is king – Use ¥ in Japan, € in Europe or 🌶️ in foodie rants. Context is key.
Go meta – Use a grawlix to censor grawlix itself. It’s censorship inception.
Less is more…or not – A single grawlix can hint at mild irritation. But why stop there? A full £$%^&!!! screams that I’ve just stepped on Lego .
Cultural savvy – A grawlix over a tea-sipping grandma hit’s different than one over a raging dragon.
Subvert expectations – Place a grawlix over a nun’s speech bubble. Comedy gold.

Personal reflections on grawlix

Many of us can recall the first time we encountered a grawlix in a comic strip. On a personal note, I recall the first time when I encountered a grawlix in a comic strip. I remember as a youngster sitting cross-legged on the living room floor with eyes wide in anticipation as a character’s speech bubble erupted in a cascade of symbols. I was mesmerised by how a simple cluster of symbols could convey the intensity of a character’s emotion without uttering a single explicit word. There was a sense of secret delight as if I had been let in on a private joke that adults were too prudish to reveal. It was as if I had been let in on a secret code, one that only the truly observant could decipher.

Over the years, that sense of mischief and tricky subversion has remained with me. Grawlixes have become a source of both amusement and inspiration in my own creative endeavours. I have often joked about a well-placed grawlix. It signals to the reader that something explosive is happening beneath the surface.

In interviews with fellow comic enthusiasts, many have confessed that they sometimes use the term as a badge of honour in proudly declaring their love for the artistry behind these symbolic swears.

Conclusion

The journey of the grawlix from a simple tool for circumventing censorship to a celebrated element of modern pop culture is a testament to the creative ingenuity of Mort Walker and countless comic artists who followed in his footsteps. With it’s roots firmly planted in the history of comics and it’s branches reaching out to influence modern language, the grawlix remains an enduring symbol of artistic rebellion and humour. The grawlix invites you to look beyond the surface. It challenges us to appreciate the art of suggestion and the power of visual language.

As the world continues to change, one thing is certain: the grawlix will forever be a quirky colourful reminder that even our most profane thoughts can be expressed with a wink and a nod to the art of comic satire. For anyone keen to explore the whimsical world of comic artistry, a deeper dive into Mort Walker’s work is highly recommended. His legacy not only includes a beloved comic strip but also an entire lexicon that has enriched the language of visual storytelling.

The next time you spot a %&^%@ anywhere or you unleash a mental %$@! in a work email, tip your hat to Mort Walker – the man who taught us that sometimes, the best way to express rage isn’t with words but with a beautifully chaotic jumble of symbols. And if anyone questions your newfound grawlix expertise, just hit them with a well-placed $%&@!. Join the conversation, share your favourite grawlix moments and let us celebrate the enduring charm of this brilliant invention.

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