Dav Pilkey
A mischievous cartoonist who turned childhood struggles with ADHD and dyslexia into a global empire of toilet humor and creative rebellion.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American cartoonist and author·Birthday: March 4·Generation X
Biography
Dav Pilkey’s journey from a hyperactive, often-troubled kid in Ohio to a publishing phenomenon is a story of defiant creativity. Diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, he spent much of his elementary school time banished to the hallway, where he first dreamed up a superhero in tighty-whities. That spark, born from frustration with the system, became 'Captain Underpants,' a series that spoke directly to kids with its subversive humor and comic-within-a-comic format. Pilkey’s work, often co-created under the pseudonyms of his own characters George and Harold, champions the underdog and validates the restless, imaginative child. His later series 'Dog Man' continued this legacy, blending heartfelt themes with slapstick. More than just books, his creations are a lifeline for reluctant readers, making him one of the most influential and commercially successful children’s authors of his generation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Dav was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dav Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Dav's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored the 'Captain Underpants' series, which has sold over 90 million copies worldwide.
- Created the 'Dog Man' graphic novel series, which consistently tops bestseller lists and dominates children's publishing charts.
- His books have been frequently targeted for censorship, making him a prominent figure in debates over intellectual freedom and children's literature.
- Awarded the Children's Choice Book Award for Author of the Year in 2006.
Did You Know?
He created his first Captain Underpants comic book in second grade.
Pilkey's pen names, George Beard and Harold Hutchins, are the names of the main characters in Captain Underpants.
He is a vegan and often incorporates messages of kindness to animals in his books.
The name 'Dog Man' came from a childhood drawing he made of a dog's head on a human body.
““The simple truth is that I make books to entertain myself. I have to laugh at every joke, and I have to like the drawings, or I won’t finish the book.””
