Rune T. Kidde

Rune Torstein Kidde (27 September 1957 – 21 October 2013) was a Danish writer, storyteller, musician and artist. He was the son of illustrator and painter Thormod Kidde (19 July 1925 – 19 February 1996) and ceramist Ragnhild Kidde (6 March 1929 – 16 September 1997). He graduated from Vestfyns Gymnasium in 1976 and has studied theology for short while. Rune T. Kidde was a multi-talented artist and has released both humorous cartoons, poems, novels, children's books and biographies. Additionally, he made radio features to the Danish Children's Radio and was a folk singer, poet and dramatic.

Rune T. Kidde was a prominent member of 1970s Danish cartoon underground. He published "Fields'isten" and fanzines such as "Blomstrende Spaghetti" (Flowering Spaghetti), "Knulp" and "Kong Knud" (King Canute). In 1977 he co-founded the publishing company Baldur og Brage who published the first Danish underground periodical with comics "På Stribe". In 1979 he co-founded the cartoon studio Gimle together with fellow cartoonist Peter Madsen and in 1984 was a founding member of Tegneserieværkstedet (the comics workshop). Rune T. Kiddes own debut as cartoonist was the albums "Rune T. Kidde" and "De siger så meget" (They say so much) in 1980 and up through the 1980s he released a number of comics, as well as the illustrated handbook "Øldrikkerens Lille Grønne" (The Beer Drinker's Little Green – a pun on chairman Mao's Little Red Book). In 1975 Rune T. Kidde founded Folkebevægelsen for W. C. Fields (The People's Movement for W. C. Fields) – one of his great idols. He also made himself honorary member of the movement. In 1990 he lost his eyesight, which was difficult to combine with cartoon production. Still, Rune T. Kidde continued to produce comics and picture books, where other artists – especially Jørgen Mogensen – drew according to his directives.

From 1980–1981 he worked as an editor at the comic book publishing company Interpresse, where he edited The Phantom, Beetle Bailey, Komix and Underground. During this time he worked with leading cartoonists such as Mort Walker, Will Eisner and Gilbert Shelton. Throughout the 1980s he worked as an illustrator and writer for Danish newspapers and magazines such as Ekstrabladet, Politiken, Svikmøllen, Euroman and many fanzines.