A Little Bit Of History
In 1972, while still a high school student and already a familiar name in the local paper for his comic strips, Brian Lucas embarked on a new creative adventure. He dreamed up what would eventually become Sage & Mort, though it started life as The Inheritors.
The tale began with a single, unassuming hero: Billy Bug, a simple green insect destined to become Frege. Over the next two years, Brian’s imagination
blossomed, welcoming Gail (Sage), Sam (Mort), and
Doffy (Iggie) into his growing cast of characters. By 1980, Brian eagerly mailed The Inheritors comic strips to syndicates, hoping to see his work in print. Each one turned him down, claiming they could not market his unique vision. Undeterred, Brian poured his passion into drawing and perfecting his creation, shaping it into the comic it has become today.
The Inheritors
Billy Bug
Sigmund
Frege
Sage
Gail
Abigail
Mort
Sam
Sigmund
Iggie
Carl
Doffy
Frege’s story started with the humble name Billy Bug, a would-be politician with big dreams. Soon, his identity transformed, and he took on the name Sigmund, channeling the probing spirit of Freud. At last, he emerged as the resident philosopher, adopting the name Frege in tribute to the legendary German logician Gottlob Frege.
Sage stands out as the strip’s most divisive character. Formerly Abigail, she has always been the unwavering woman who turned down Mort time and again. Her name shifted to Gail, then finally to Sage, a name that suggests wisdom and a gift for offering profound guidance to those around her. But behind this aura of insight is a clear-eyed realist, convinced that endings are absolute and that humanity’s stubbornness would only lead to repeating old mistakes.
Mort began his journey as Sigmund, a nod to Freud, but he was never destined to embody the father of psychoanalysis. Instead, Mort emerged as the underdog in Sage & Mort, his identity shifting from Sigmund to Sam and, finally, to Mort—short for Mortimer. He is a dreamer, clinging to political ambitions that clash with Sage's cynical take on politicians. Though often seen as a loser, Mort refuses to abandon his quest for political relevance or his pursuit of Sage.
Iggie started out as Doffy, Mort’s ever-faithful sidekick. But as the story unfolded, he morphed into a key player in the Sage & Mort universe, channeling Mort’s subconscious quirks. His name took a detour as Carl, tipping a hat to Carl Jung, before landing on Iggie, a cheeky wink to Sigmund. Now, as Mort’s inner voice, Iggie is on a never-ending mission to save Mort from blunders and embarrassment, but his well-meaning plans always unravel in the most comical ways.
We hope you get as much joy from these comic strips as we do creating them for you. Maybe you'll even spot a bit of yourself in our zany cast, whose daily antics and banter shine a light on the little things we often overlook in our busy lives. Keep an eye out for animated shorts coming soon to Sage & Mort's YouTube channel, and thank you for being part of our community.
In 1982, while still a high school student and already a familiar name in the local paper for his comic strips, Brian Lucas embarked on a new creative adventure. He dreamed up what would eventually become Sage & Mort, though it started life as The Inheritors.
The tale began with a single, unassuming hero: Billy Bug, a simple green insect destined to become Frege. Over the next two years, Brian’s imagination blossomed, welcoming Gail (Sage), Sam (Mort), and Doffy (Iggie) into his growing cast of characters. By 1986, Brian eagerly mailed The Inheritors comic strips to syndicates, hoping to see his work in print. Each one turned him down, claiming they could not market his unique vision. Undeterred, Brian poured his passion into drawing and perfecting his creation, shaping it into the comic it has become today.
Frege’s story started with the humble name Billy Bug, a would-be politician with big dreams. Soon, his identity transformed, and he took on the name Sigmund, channeling the probing spirit of Freud. At last, he emerged as the resident philosopher, adopting the name Frege in tribute to the legendary German logician Gottlob Frege.
Sage stands out as the strip’s most divisive character. Formerly Abigail, she has always been the unwavering woman who turned down Mort time and again. Her name shifted to Gail, then finally to Sage, a name that suggests wisdom and a gift for offering profound guidance to those around her. But behind this aura of insight is a clear-eyed realist, convinced that endings are absolute and that humanity’s stubbornness would only lead to repeating old mistakes.
Mort began his journey as Sigmund, a nod to Freud, but he was never destined to embody the father of psychoanalysis. Instead, Mort emerged as the underdog in Sage & Mort, his identity shifting from Sigmund to Sam and finally to Mort, short for Mortimer. He is a grounded dreamer, clinging to political ambitions that clash with Sage's cynical take on politicians. Though often seen as a loser, Mort refuses to abandon his quest for political relevance or his pursuit of Sage, whose sole mission is to ensure humanity's survival.
Iggie started out as Doffy, Mort’s ever-faithful sidekick. But as the story unfolded, he morphed into a key player in the Sage & Mort universe, channeling Mort’s subconscious quirks. His name took a detour as Carl, tipping a hat to Carl Jung, before landing on Iggie, a cheeky wink to Sigmund. Now, as Mort’s inner voice, Iggie is on a never-ending mission to save Mort from blunders and embarrassment, but his well-meaning plans always unravel in the most comical ways.
