Chicagoan Nicole Hollander became a feminist icon and pioneer when her syndicated comic strip "Sylvia" hit newspapers in 1980, introducing millions to the wise-cracking, cigarette-smoking, bathtub-soaking, cat-loving, middle-aged freelance writer who called 'em like she saw 'em.
Her comics were published in a number of newspapers, including the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune, until Hollander retired in 2012.
Many women saw their own lives reflected in Sylvia's commentary about daily life, politics and relationships between the sexes.
In one signature strip, Sylvia is in conversation with a male friend who tells her "Admit it Syl ... you need us. Can you imagine a world without men?" to which Sylvia responds: "No crime and lots of happy fat women."
In another comic, Sylvia is working away on her typewriter as an ad from a nearby television proclaims "For feminine protection every day use ..." to which Sylvia fills in the blank: "A hand grenade."
"She had a radical feminist perspective, and Sylvia was the most loved and most hated comic strip in many newspapers," said her friend Tom Greensfelder, who also designed the layout for several books Ms. Hollander wrote.
"The feminist movement was often saddled with the idea that they didn't have a sense of humor, and the fact that Nicole was a feminist and was so funny put her in a very unique position within the movement," Greensfelder said.
"She kind of embodied feminism, and if you read Sylvia, one of the main points is this kind of sardonic look at relations between the sexes, but she was by no means anti-guy. She just was not afraid to call stuff out," said her friend and author Audrey Niffenegger.
"I always thought, 'Wow, she's getting away with a lot,' and she deliberately pushed the envelope," Niffenegger said. "She would find the line and step right over it. She got right in there and wasn't afraid to approach controversial issues."<
