ome would say it's an odd formula for success -- a nerdy engineer with a lame social life and an overactive tie. But for cartoonist Scott Adams, his everyman creation named Dilbert has rung true with office workers everywhere, making Scott one of the most successful cartoonists to hit the media in years.
The comic strip is now carried in more than 900 newspapers around the world, and his book has already hit the New York Times bestseller list. But Dilbert's popularity goes beyond the printed page. Online versions of the Dilbert strip are to web-surfing office workers everywhere what the 'Far Side' desk calendars are to desktops across the globe.
Scott also credits email contributions from readers and fans as key to his inspiration. "I've gotten about 15,000 messages from readers since I started including my email address in the strip," notes Scott. Many messages include ideas for future Dilbert strips. Scott applies what he calls the "two company rule," meaning if the suggested corporate situation exists in more than one company, then it's a good scenario for Dilbert.
The remainder of the messages are inquiries from fans, the most frequent question being whether or not Dilbert is a virgin. According to Scott, the answer is: "Sadly, yes." "If Dilbert gets lucky, I'll draw the strip one day with his necktie hanging flat. That's how you'll know," says Scott.
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