Rupert Bear

Rupert Bear, also known as Rupert the Bear or simply Rupert, is an English children's comic strip character and franchise created by Herbert Tourtel and illustrated by his wife, the artist Mary Tourtel, first appearing in the Daily Express newspaper on 8 November 1920. The initial purpose of the strip was to win sales from the rival Daily Mail and Daily Mirror. In 1935, the stories and artwork were both taken over by Alfred Bestall, previously an illustrator for Punch and other glossy magazines. Bestall proved successful in the field of children's literature and worked on Rupert stories and artwork into his nineties. Various other artists and writers have since continued the series. About 50 million copies have been sold worldwide. The comic strip is published in the Daily Express, with many of the stories later appearing in books. A Rupert annual has been released since 1936. Rupert Bear is part of children's culture in the United Kingdom, and there are four television shows based on the character.