Milton Caniff, who was born and raised in Ohio and spent his early career years in Columbus, was a seminal cartoonist of the 20th century best known for Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon, popular comic strips from the mid-1930s through the late 1950s. Visitors to the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus can now get to know the man behind the cartoons with Spotlight on Milton Caniff, an exhibit which highlights the cartoonist's life during what would have been his centennial year, through March 1, 2009.

On display will be artifacts of his childhood and artist's studio from the Ohio Historical Society's and The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library's collections, including photographs, toys, furniture, an extensive weapons collection, and art supplies. Visitors also can watch Caniff tell his life story through his art as frames from an auto-biographical cartoon are shown on video.

Caniff, known as the "Rembrandt of the Comic Strip," is remembered for his accurate background research, excellent writing, attention to detail and his innovative use of graphic techniques, according to Cheryl Straker, curator of the exhibit.

"Milton Caniff is one of the most honored cartoonists in history," Straker said. "His comic strips Terry and the Pirates, Male Call, and Steve Canyon were immensely popular. By 1947, Steve Canyon had estimated daily readership of 30 million people worldwide. However, Caniff was caught in the Generation Gap of the 1960s and lost audience, largely because his cartoons reflected militarism, sexism, violence, and racism."

Although he moved to New York early in his career, Caniff always stayed true to his Ohio roots. In 1954, Ohio awarded him a Career Medal as a "distinguished son of Ohio."