Born and raised in San Diego, California, Bob Penuelas learned to draw at an early age from his father, a technical illustrator. In his youth, he was heavily influenced by the satirical humor of MAD Magazine. In his early teens, he learned to surf and soon began combining his artistic talent with his love of the sport. During this time, he drew inspiration from Rick Griffin, whose artwork regularly appeared in Surfer Magazine.
Penuelas began his career as a comic strip artist in 1980 with the creation of Maynard and the Rat for Surfer Magazine. Between 1980 and 1985, he produced twenty-five two-page episodes for the publication. In 1985, while working on a Maynard strip, he introduced a dorky little character named Wilbur. The hapless beginner surfer struck a chord with readers and generated an overwhelmingly positive response. By 1986, Wilbur had eclipsed the original strip, which was subsequently retitled Wilbur Kookmeyer.
A lifelong surfer, Penuelas continually found limitless inspiration for fresh ideas and characters while out in the water. The driving force behind the strip’s success was his ability to satirize the style and personalities he knew so well. During this period, he also supplemented his income as a surfboard airbrush artist for major San Diego surfboard brands, keeping his finger on the pulse of the industry and gaining unique insight into the ebb and flow of surfing culture.
Over the years, Wilbur Kookmeyer developed a strong underground following and became the unofficial mascot for surfers around the world.
In 2006, after twenty years and seventy-four episodes, Penuelas decided it was time for Wilbur to paddle into the sunset. Although the comic strip was retired as a regular feature in Surfer Magazine, the name and legend of Wilbur Kookmeyer continue to live on among the pantheon of surf legends and heroes.
In 2009, feeling that Wilbur still had more to say, Penuelas began creating full-color, single-panel comic images for social media and the Wilbur Kookmeyer website. Between 2010 and 2016, he produced a wide array of surf-related images, each featuring a humorous punchline.
Over the years, he also sold tens of thousands of bendable Wilbur toys, along with The Best of Wilbur Kookmeyer comic books.
Today, Penuelas has turned the page once again, ushering Wilbur into a new and evolving era.
