About The Lockhorns

The Lockhorns gently pokes fun at any two people living together in committed partnerships through the antics of married couple Loretta and Leroy Lockhorn. The panel displays the foibles of both partners; their snappy repartee and witty banter belies the couple’s deep love and commitment to one another. Readers recognize the dialogue and illustrations as completely relatable — a window into their own lives or the lives of their family and friends. No matter what problems come their way, through thick and thin, through couples counselling and trips to the bar (for Leroy), Loretta and Leroy realize that they’re together “’til death do us part.” And they wouldn’t have it any other way.

With an estimated 200 million readers each week, The Lockhorns has accumulated a broad fan base, ranging from long-married couples and those merely dating to marriage counselors and people in Alcoholics Anonymous, who use her cartoons in their meetings. Bunny Hoest loves knowing that she's helping others.

The panel began in 1968 with the comic vision of prolific cartoonist Bill Hoest. With his wife, Bunny, he also produced Laugh Parade and Howard Huge for Parade magazine, Bumper Snickers for The National Inquirer and the syndicated newspaper features Agatha Crumm, What A Guy!, and Hunny Bunny’s Short Tales. Since the death of her husband in 1988, Bunny Hoest feels lucky to have been able to continue the laughter with talented artist John Reiner.


Meet the Creators


Bunny Hoest


Bunny Hoest is one of the most widely read cartoonists today, reaching nearly 200 million diverse readers around the world every week. In addition to The Lockhorns, she has produced Laugh Parade and Howard Huge (based on a beloved family pet), Bumper Snickers, and the newspaper features Agatha Crumm, What A Guy!, and Hunny Bunny’s Short Tales. Assisted by artist John Reiner, Bunny handles the writing, editing, layout selection, organization, business and promotion of her studio’s features.

Known as The Cartoon Lady, the dynamic and versatile talent has 25 bestselling anthologies and a host of exciting new projects in the works. In 2013, Bunny Hoest and John Reiner were honored with the Golden Key Award and inducted into the National Cartoonists Society Hall of Fame. Bunny has recently donated her archived original artwork to her alma mater, Adelphi University, on Long Island, where you can research the 50+ years of the extensive and brilliant work of the Hoest studio.


John Reiner

John Reiner, who started out as an assistant to the late Bill Hoest, is the illustrator and collaborator-in-chief with Bunny in the production of Hoest's classic comic panel, The Lockhorns.

Born in 1956 in New York City, Reiner was raised on Long Island, graduating from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1978. In 1974, he met MAD magazine artist Mort Drucker, who encouraged him to pursue cartooning as a career. The next year, Reiner was hired by Captain America creator Joe Simon to work on his humor magazines. He also worked for Marvel Comics and did freelance advertising art, humor illustrations and political caricatures. In 1986, Bill Hoest hired Reiner, and by 1988, Reiner was working on all the Hoest features. Reiner won the 1994 National Cartoonists Society award for Best Gag Cartoons. In 2013, Bunny Hoest and John Reiner were honored with the Golden Key Award and inducted into the National Cartoonists Society Hall of Fame. 



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