# comic strips question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2006, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834 "2006-07-17T10:08:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shizaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shizaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shizaru)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/1 "2006-07-17T10:08:33Z")
As an aspiring comic strip cartoonist I’m usually dismayed by some of the strips that seem to stay way past thier prime. Beetle Bailey, The Born Loser, Garfield…I’m not saying that they _suck._ But they haven’t been funny for a long time. (Well, Garfield always sucked) Its a shame because there are realy good strips out there, like Frazz, Pearls before the swine and Jump start and dozens of strips that won’t get space until some of the older ones go out to pasture. I’ve read that Berk Breathed (Bloom County, Outland, Opus) had commented on Jim Davis’ Garfield factory, but I can’t find anything online. I was wondering if anyone here may know where I can read about it. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/2 "2006-07-17T12:49:14Z")
It was in an interview with The Comics Journal, circa 1988, and it wasn’t archived online. He made similar comments [here.](http://www.avclub.com/content/node/22724/) ---
**Author:** ![shizaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shizaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shizaru)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/3 "2006-07-17T14:45:23Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > It was in an interview with The Comics Journal, circa 1988, and it wasn’t archived online. > > He made similar comments [here.](http://www.avclub.com/content/node/22724/) Too bad, and I’ll admit its too bad because I can’t stand Garfield. I would have loved to have read it. I don’t think Garfield is funny, and I think the assembly line way in which it is done is disturbing but I cna’t argue with success. Davis has made a shitload of money with Garfield. But its even more depressing to see some strips that aren’t even being done by the original creators anymore…or some that are completely soulless. _The Wizard of Id_ is so predictable you usually only have to read the first panel to know what the punchline is going to be, \*BC \* stopped being funny some time ago and is **Blondie** still so popular? I understand that syndicates are trying to make money and older strips like those command a bigger chunk of change than some new one starting out would, but do readers actually get upset if a newspaper, say, pulled _Hi and Lois_ to try a newer strip? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/4 "2006-07-17T14:52:03Z")
> [@shizaru](#): > > I understand that syndicates are trying to make money and older strips like those command a bigger chunk of change than some new one starting out would, but do readers actually get upset if a newspaper, say, pulled _Hi and Lois_ to try a newer strip? In a word, yes. Most younger newspaper readers don’t write letters to the editor, and don’t read the comics. Older readers do. You risk losing a very vocal segment of your readership if you mess with the comics too much. The newer strips talk about themes and situations older readers either don’t get or are uncomfortable with, so they bitch. Also add to the mix the fact that a number of the newer strips are too niche oriented, or are just plain stupid. ---
**Author:** ![shizaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shizaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shizaru)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/5 "2006-07-17T15:24:33Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > In a word, yes. > > Most younger newspaper readers don’t write letters to the editor, and don’t read the comics. Older readers do. You risk losing a very vocal segment of your readership if you mess with the comics too much. The newer strips talk about themes and situations older readers either don’t get or are uncomfortable with, so they bitch. Also add to the mix the fact that a number of the newer strips are too niche oriented, or are just plain stupid. I understand that. My grandfather died in 1980, but he used to read the comics with me as a kid. He thought beetle Bailey, and Hagar the Horrible were hilarious but he didn’t get “Funky Winkerbean”. There are a number of strips that are niche oriented as you say…Dilbert is one…but Dilbert is funny to people that understand the corporate drone culture. (I think its funny, myself though I’m probably not in the demographic) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/6 "2006-07-17T15:38:54Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > In a word, yes. > > Most younger newspaper readers don’t write letters to the editor, and don’t read the comics. Older readers do. You risk losing a very vocal segment of your readership if you mess with the comics too much. The newer strips talk about themes and situations older readers either don’t get or are uncomfortable with, so they bitch. Also add to the mix the fact that a number of the newer strips are too niche oriented, or are just plain stupid. Of course, most younger people don’t read the papers at all. Newspapers tennd to respond to this by clinging to older readers, older formats, older features. They are very likely doing themselves out of existence. Try online-only comics, like _Sluggy Freelance_, or _Kevin & Kell_. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/7 "2006-07-17T15:51:29Z")
> [@shizaru](#): > > As an aspiring comic strip cartoonist What strip(s) do you draw? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/8 "2006-07-17T15:56:19Z")
What’s worse is strips that are repeats. Snoopy has been 100% repeats since Shultz died. And the San Jose Murky runs a lot of repeats- like Boondocks :mad: . Look, if a cartoonists goes on vacation, give some new dude a shot, eh? ---
**Author:** ![shizaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shizaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shizaru)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/9 "2006-07-17T16:09:26Z")
> [@bup](#): > > What strip(s) do you draw? None that you’ve probably seen. 🙂 In high school and college, which are admittedly a very long time ago for me, I had strip that saw print. Bt being a broke college graduate later on I joined the army…as a military graphics artist. (Yep, thats really a job in the military) I’ve seen print in the civilian world from time to time, but now I’m nearing the end of my stint. I’ve been working on another strip for a few years, I know its not that easy to get syndication, but its my dream. I don’t pin my hopes on it, but you gotta dream. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/10 "2006-07-17T16:14:15Z")
> [@shizaru](#): > > None that you’ve probably seen. 🙂 > > In high school and college, which are admittedly a very long time ago for me, I had strip that saw print. Bt being a broke college graduate later on I joined the army…as a military graphics artist. (Yep, thats really a job in the military) I’ve seen print in the civilian world from time to time, but now I’m nearing the end of my stint. I’ve been working on another strip for a few years, I know its not that easy to get syndication, but its my dream. I don’t pin my hopes on it, but you gotta dream. Try publishing your strip **online**! Build up a fanbase _without a syndicate_ first! Bill Holbrook, of _Safe Havens_ did this. It works. And you can get help. There are firms that help set up comics websites. And you can sell t-shirts/mugs/mousepads & printed collections through those firms to cover your costs, & perhaps even turn a humble profit. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/11 "2006-07-17T16:15:22Z")
Dr Deth: > [@](#): > > What’s worse is strips that are repeats. Snoopy has been 100% repeats since Shultz died. And the San Jose Murky runs a lot of repeats- like Boondocks . Look, if a cartoonists goes on vacation, give some new dude a shot, eh? You said it! I’ll be happy to admit that a strip I think stinks could have its fans somewhere else and vice versa. One example is “Mutts.” Maybe I’d find it totally precious if I owned pets, but I don’t and I think it’s dumb and repetetive…which could very well be how childless people feel about “Baby Blues.” But at least give us original material on our comics pages! Charles Schulz was a genius in many ways, but please, he’s dead, stop giving us re-runs (even if they do feature a character called Rerun)! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/12 "2006-07-17T16:19:53Z")
[What does it take to kill off an unfunny comic strip?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=378171) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/13 "2006-07-17T17:07:46Z")
> [@shizaru](#): > > None that you’ve probably seen. 🙂 > > In high school and college, which are admittedly a very long time ago for me, I had strip that saw print. Bt being a broke college graduate later on I joined the army…as a military graphics artist. (Yep, thats really a job in the military) I’ve seen print in the civilian world from time to time, but now I’m nearing the end of my stint. I’ve been working on another strip for a few years, I know its not that easy to get syndication, but its my dream. I don’t pin my hopes on it, but you gotta dream. I would also suggest publishing online. You can get support, exposure, enough $$ to pay for materials. What you _cannot_ get, unfortunately, is honest criticism of your strip - at least, not easily. Everybody’s too nice, and you can believe your strip is the greatest thing ever without ever hearing about glaring problems. [ComicGenesis.com](http://ComicGenesis.com) offers free hosting tailored to comics. Other collectives and publishers are available after you get established. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/14 "2006-07-17T17:24:39Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > What’s worse is strips that are repeats. Snoopy has been 100% repeats since Shultz died. And the San Jose Murky runs a lot of repeats- like Boondocks :mad: . Look, if a cartoonists goes on vacation, give some new dude a shot, eh? The Washington Post has been running a series of strips during the Boondocks sabbatical. They’ve all been bad. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/15 "2006-07-17T19:54:18Z")
Some years back, the _Army Times_, which published a weeks worth of _Beetle Bailey_ strips in each issue, announced that it was considering dropping the strip. The response from the readers was quick, definitive, and to-the-fuckin’-point: “Like hell you will.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-strips-question/364834/16 "2006-07-17T20:19:41Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > The Washington Post has been running a series of strips during the Boondocks sabbatical. They’ve all been bad. Which, in a way, is a GOOD thing. Shows you what’s out there, “waiting in the wings” so to speak. And, maybe somebody might just love one of those new strips, and search the artist down on-line, and so forth. **Kizarvexius** - as bad as Beetle Bailey is nowadays, I kinda think it’s a must for the _Army Times_, eh?