Henning Dahl Mikkelsen, who uses the pseudonym Mik, spent two years as painter's apprentice after he graduated from high school. He moved to Copenhagen and found a job with an animation studio. In 1935, he moved to London, where he worked at an English film company. On 3 May 1937, he launched the newspaper strip 'Ferd'nand' for the Danish agency P.I.B., which was soon distributed to Danish and European newspapers.
Following the success of 'Ferd'nand', Mik was assigned to do the double strip 'Familien Hansen', based on Jens Locher's popular radio show. It was published in the magazine Landet with Mik as the artist from 1942 until 1946 (he was succeeded by Chris, Helge Hau and Holger Philipsen). Other work by Mik for Landet includes 'De Gamle Guder' ('The Old Gods', 1941), a caricatural series about Nordic mythology, and the children's series 'Lise og Lasse' (1944-46, scripts by Harald H. Lund). The latter was continued by Ib Steinaa until 1950.
After World War II, Mik moved to America, where his silent 'Ferd'nand' strip had also become immensely popular. He continued to work on the strip for the United Feature Syndicate. By 1955, he handed over the art duties to his assistant Frank Thomas, and later Al Plastino, who signed with Al Mik, in 1970. Plastino continued the strip after Mikkelsen's death, until he was succeeded himself by Danish artist Henrik Rehr in 1989.
