Comic Strips

The Weatherbird is 125

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D. D. Degg Published: February 11, 2026 Updated: February 11, 2026 1 minute 1 comment

The world’s oldest continuously published newspaper comic is 125. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Weatherbird first appeared on the paper’s front page on February 11, 1901. Created by staff cartoonist Harry B. Martin a prototype first appeared in The Post-Dispatch’s classifieds on February 2 before debuting on the front page as The Weatherbird nine days later.

The Weatherbird’s appearances were spotty during the rest of February 1901 – the 13th, 14th, 16th, 18th (page 2), 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 26th, and March 1 – but beginning March 4 the Weatherbird began its non-stop daily run (it would be a couple years before he started appearing regularly on Sundays).

The first use of the name Weatherbird (as “Weather Bird”) was in a story on August 22, 1901 proving the early popularity and knowledge of the Post-Dispatch mascot.

The ‘Bird’s popularity was such that for a few months in 1903 (May 3-July 26) it was featured as a Sunday strip by Oscar Chopin on the front page of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s color comic supplement.

There have been 6 cartoonists who have drawn The Weatherbird over the course of his run.

1. Harry B. Martin (1901 – 1903)
2. Oscar Chopin (1903 – 1910)
3. S. Carlisle Martin (1910 – 1932)
4. Amadee Wohlschlaeger (1932 – 1981)
5. Albert Schweitzer (1981 – 1986)
6. Dan Martin (1986 – present)

Amadee Wohlschlaeger and currently Dan Martin have been responsible for 90 of the 125 years.

We join The Post-Dispatch and Dan Martin in celebrating the bird’s quasquicentennial anniversary.