Jimmy Kugler Art Exhibit: "Into the Jungle!"

A Boy’s Comic Strip History of World War II

“Into the Jungle!” features artwork by the late Jimmy Kugler, who was originally from Lexington, Nebraska. The show opens Jan. 9 and closes March 3. A reception will be held Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Te Paske Gallery. Dr. Michael Kugler will present his father’s work, within the historical context of World War II, and discuss the book he published of Jimmy’s comics.

Kugler is the father of  Dr. Michael Kugler, a professor of history at Northwestern College. As a high school student between the years of 1946 and 1950, the elder Kugler drew more than 100 double-sided comic strips and cartoons. More than half a century later, his son gathered and published them in a book that retells the story of World War II using animals, “Frogs” versus “Toads.” The exhibit in Te Paske Gallery will include a selection of the cartoons, along with photographs from Jimmy Kugler’s town and high school days.