| 1 | Before the Internet and {{Webcomics}}, the only place to find daily, serialized comic strips was (and for many people, still is) the back page of your local mainstream or alternative newspaper. |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Comic strips can cover a wide range of formats, topics, characters and artistic styles. ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' and ''ComicStrip/TheFamilyCircus'' are one-panel gag strips. ''ComicStrip/BloomCounty'' and ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'', while light-hearted on the surface, were thick with {{Story Arc}}s and [[StrawCharacter political commentary]]. Other strips, like ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' and ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', delightfully portray the experiences of childhood, and thus have broad, long-term appeal. There have been countless serialized adventure strips like ''ComicStrip/ThePhantom,'' ''ComicStrip/FlashGordon,'' ''ComicStrip/PrinceValiant'' and ''ComicStrip/DickTracy''; soap opera/slice-of-life strips like ''ComicStrip/GasolineAlley'' and ''ComicStrip/RexMorganMD'', and strips that fall in between, like ''ComicStrip/LittleOrphanAnnie''. |
| 4 | |
| 5 | Compared to other media, newspaper comics can have incredibly [[LongRunners long tenures]]. New ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' strips appeared daily for over 49 years. ''ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}}'' has been running since 1970 and ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' has been coming out since 1978. Neither show any signs of stopping. Even more impressively, ''ComicStrip/Blondie1930'' has run ''since 1930'', ''ComicStrip/GasolineAlley'' has run '''since 1918''', and ''ComicStrip/TheKatzenjammerKids'' ran for '''''109 years''''' (from 1897 to 2006)! While traditionally, a 10-year run was considered tremendous for a television show, when ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'', ''ComicStrip/BloomCounty'' and ''ComicStrip/TheBoondocks'' each ended production after around a decade, it seemed far too soon (let alone ''ComicStrip/CulDeSac'', which ran for ''barely five years''). |
| 6 | |
| 7 | Actually, one of the reasons why {{Webcomics}} have gotten a lead over Web-based indie music distribution (let alone non-corporate Web movies) is that "making it big" in SequentialArt has been traditionally defined as "being able to support a middle-class lifestyle without a day job". Actually, many top cartoonists got stinking rich (for instance, ''Bringing Up Father'''s George [=MacManus=] was able to make a fortune, lose it after the 1929 crash, and become even richer) and even reached ''stardom'' in some cases, at the same time keeping a degree of anonymity most celebs wouldn't dream of. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | The downside is that, since the 1990s, newspaper comics went from being an American institution read by millions to become a byword for stodgy humor mainly read (at least as the stereotype goes) by the old fogeys who still read newspapers these days (particularly in the Web, including ''Blog/TheComicsCurmudgeon'', ''WebVideo/ThePunchline'' and Wondermark's Comic Strip Doctor), with LongRunners being regarded as [[JumpTheShark not being funny anymore, if they ever were]], derisively described as "zombie strips". One of the chief reasons comics haven't adapted to [[ValuesDissonance the more cynical comedy tastes of the 21st century (or non-English-speaking countries)]], being seemingly stuck with the tired jokes and premises associated with 50s/60s-era sitcoms lies in the fact newspapers see features as a means of attracting readers in general (while, since the 1990s, the rule has been [[PanderingToTheBase the exact opposite]], especially as comedy goes). Thus, DarkerAndEdgier humor, political- and/or current-events-based humor must be handled carefully, lest they cost more subscriptions than they gain (this counts for both the paper ''and'' the artist), especially considering that in the English-speaking world, newspapers are forbidden by stylebook from printing anything more "offensive" than "hell" (except in special cases, but these ''never'' apply to the funnies). And, like in the case of animated shows, a newspaper strip can be written even ten ''months'' in advance of print date, which doesn't help topical humor (political strips are often done six weeks in advance, although it's still a long time). Ironically, in its early years (1890s-1910s), the medium was associated with the raucous "yellow journalism" of Hearst and Pulitzer[[note]]This was the key reason ''[[UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers The New York Times]]'' never ran "funny pages"--unless you count a short-lived section on their Sunday magazine called ''The Funny Pages''--ironically, all of the featured works were incredibly tragic[[/note]]. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | As a result of their financial woes, newspapers have also been cutting down on the amount of space that comic strip artists are given in which to practice their visual, art-based medium, resulting in simpler art and abbreviated storytelling.[[note]]As Bill Watterson of ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' fame [[http://ignatz.brinkster.net/ccomicsjournal.html said]] of the space restrictions way back in 1989: "A beautiful strip like ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' would be impossible to read at today's sizes." Things only got worse after 1990 with the decline of the medium's popularity (in the 1970s and 80s, Sunday comic sections had at least eight pages, while by the 2010s, most Sunday funnies have only four pages, ''less than a quarter'' than the average 16-page comic section big newspapers had in 1940, for modern papers are quite scrawny compared to their mid-century counterparts), becoming one of the factors that led to Watterson's decision to stop doing the strip. Along with a lot of the other stuff mentioned here.[[/note]] Compare and contrast the InfiniteCanvas and complete lack of censorship offered by WebComics as a medium. And the newspaper itself has become a victim of the Information Age; not only can consumers get the news online, they can get ''comics'' online too. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | Successful newspaper comics usually find their way into [[AnimatedShows other]] [[ComicBooks media]], but are most fondly remembered as simple pen-and-ink drawings on cheap newsprint. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Sometimes you'll hear the term [[UndergroundComics "Underground Comix"]]; in the USA, at least, this term refers to pen-and-ink comics not distributed by a syndicate and normally published in "alternative" papers, 'zines, etc. {{Webcomics}} and the consolidation of the [[InNameOnly supposedly "Alternative"]] newsweekly industry have put a dint in their circulation, but ''ComicBook/CerebusTheAardvark'' and ''Webcomic/AmericanElf'' among others started out this way, and the latter still appears in alternative weeklies, or at least the one in the author's hometown. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | Also, these have a very high chance of BreakingTheFourthWall, but ''only'' when they do a very common "[[AsideGlance look at the reader in resignation at some other person's comedy or comedy failure]]". |
| 18 | |
| 19 | See BornInTheFunnyPapers for tropes from newspaper comics. See also MilitaryAndWarfareComics. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | ---- |
| 22 | !!Formats |
| 23 | [[index]] |
| 24 | * Daily Strip (or Panel): A small piece published between Monday and Saturday, often in black-and-white. |
| 25 | * SundayStrip: A larger version (often in color) published on Sundays hence their name. Known as "weekend comics" in Canada as they are traditionally published on Saturday. |
| 26 | ** TopperStrip: A now-disappeared variation, consisting of a smaller feature accompanying the main comic, often by the same artist. You are probably most familiar with this through ''ComicBook/TheFabulousFurryFreakBrothers''. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | ---- |
| 29 | !!By decade: |
| 30 | * ComicStripsOfThe2000s |
| 31 | [[/index]] |
| 32 | |
| 33 | ---- |
| 34 | !!Newspaper Syndicates: |
| 35 | [[index]] |
| 36 | * Creator/AndrewsMcMeelPublishing[[note]]formerly Universal Press Syndicate and Universal Uclick[[/note]] |
| 37 | ** Creator/UnitedFeatureSyndicate |
| 38 | [[/index]] |
| 39 | * Bell Syndicate |
| 40 | * Creators Syndicate |
| 41 | [[index]] |
| 42 | * Creator/KingFeaturesSyndicate |
| 43 | [[/index]] |
| 44 | ** North America Syndicate[[note]]formerly Field Syndicate, Chicago Sun-Times Syndicate, Publishers-Hall Syndicate and News America Syndicate[[/note]] |
| 45 | ** Register and Tribune Syndicate |
| 46 | * [=MacNaught=] Syndicate |
| 47 | * [=McClure=] Syndicate |
| 48 | * New York Tribune |
| 49 | * Post-Hall Syndicste |
| 50 | * Publishers Syndicate |
| 51 | [[index]] |
| 52 | * Creator/TribuneMediaServices |
| 53 | [[/index]] |
| 54 | * Washington Post Writers Group |
| 55 | |
| 56 | ---- |
| 57 | !!Newspaper Comics with pages: |
| 58 | [[index]] |
| 59 | * ComicStrip/NineChickweedLane |
| 60 | * ComicStrip/AdamAtHome |
| 61 | * ComicStrip/TheAddamsFamily |
| 62 | * ComicStrip/TheAdventuresOfJeremiah |
| 63 | * ComicStrip/TheAdventuresOfPrudencePrim |
| 64 | * ComicStrip/AgathaCrumm |
| 65 | * ComicStrip/{{Agnes}} |
| 66 | * ComicStrip/{{Alex}} |
| 67 | * ComicStrip/AlleyOop |
| 68 | * ComicStrip/AndyCapp |
| 69 | * ComicStrip/AngusOg |
| 70 | * ComicStrip/Apartment3G |
| 71 | * ComicStrip/{{Arnold}} |
| 72 | * ComicStrip/{{Axa}} |
| 73 | * ComicStrip/BabyBlues |
| 74 | * ComicStrip/{{Baldo}} |
| 75 | * ComicStrip/{{Barnaby}} |
| 76 | * ComicStrip/BarneyAndClyde |
| 77 | * ComicStrip/{{BC}} |
| 78 | * ComicStrip/BeauPeep |
| 79 | * ComicStrip/BeetleBailey |
| 80 | * ComicStrip/BettyBoopAndFelix |
| 81 | * ComicStrip/BetweenFriends |
| 82 | * ComicStrip/BetweenTheLines2011 |
| 83 | * ComicStrip/BigNate |
| 84 | * ComicStrip/{{Bizarro}} |
| 85 | * ComicStrip/{{Blondie|1930}} |
| 86 | * ComicStrip/BloomCounty |
| 87 | * ComicStrip/BonersArk |
| 88 | * ComicStrip/TheBoondocks |
| 89 | * ComicStrip/BrendaStarr |
| 90 | * ComicStrip/BrewsterRockitSpaceGuy |
| 91 | * ComicStrip/BringingUpFather |
| 92 | * ComicStrip/BroomHilda |
| 93 | * ComicStrip/TheBroons |
| 94 | * ComicStrip/{{Buckles}} |
| 95 | * ComicStrip/BuckRogers |
| 96 | * ComicStrip/BusStop |
| 97 | * ComicStrip/BusterBrown |
| 98 | * ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes |
| 99 | * ComicStrip/{{Candorville}} |
| 100 | * ComicStrip/CarlGiles |
| 101 | * ComicStrip/{{Cathy}} |
| 102 | * ComicStrip/ChelseaBoys |
| 103 | * ComicStrip/ChubbAndChauncey |
| 104 | * ComicStrip/CitizenDog |
| 105 | * ComicStrip/{{Conchy}} |
| 106 | * ComicStrip/ACoupleOfGuys |
| 107 | * ComicStrip/{{Crabgrass}} |
| 108 | * ComicStrip/{{Crankshaft}} |
| 109 | * ComicStrip/CulDeSac |
| 110 | * ComicStrip/{{Curtis}} |
| 111 | * ComicStrip/{{Deflocked}} |
| 112 | * ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS |
| 113 | * ComicStrip/DickTracy |
| 114 | * ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}} |
| 115 | * ComicStrip/DogsOfCKennel |
| 116 | * ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} |
| 117 | * ComicStrip/DreamOfTheRarebitFiend |
| 118 | * ComicStrip/{{Dustin}} |
| 119 | * ComicStrip/DykesToWatchOutFor |
| 120 | * ComicStrip/{{Elvie}} |
| 121 | * ComicStrip/{{Elvis|2000}} |
| 122 | * ComicStrip/TheFamilyCircus |
| 123 | * ComicStrip/TheFamilyUpstairs |
| 124 | * ComicStrip/TheFarSide |
| 125 | * ComicStrip/FelixTheCat |
| 126 | * ComicStrip/FlashGordon |
| 127 | * ComicStrip/{{Fleep}} |
| 128 | * ComicStrip/FootrotFlats |
| 129 | * ComicStrip/ForBetterOrForWorse |
| 130 | * ComicStrip/TheFortunesOfFlossie |
| 131 | * ComicStrip/TheFosdykeSaga |
| 132 | * ComicStrip/FoxTrot |
| 133 | * ComicStrip/FrankAndErnest |
| 134 | * ComicStrip/{{Frazz}} |
| 135 | * ComicStrip/FredBasset |
| 136 | * ComicStrip/FrumpyTheClown |
| 137 | * ComicStrip/FunkyWinkerbean |
| 138 | * ComicStrip/GallosHumor |
| 139 | * ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} |
| 140 | * ComicStrip/GasolineAlley |
| 141 | * ComicStrip/{{Gaturro}} |
| 142 | * ComicStrip/GeorgeAndLynne |
| 143 | * ComicStrip/GetFuzzy |
| 144 | * ComicStrip/{{Gil}} |
| 145 | * ComicStrip/GilThorp |
| 146 | * ComicStrip/GnormGnat |
| 147 | * ComicStrip/HagarTheHorrible |
| 148 | * ComicStrip/{{Herman}} |
| 149 | * ComicStrip/HeartOfTheCity |
| 150 | * ComicStrip/{{Heathcliff}} |
| 151 | * ComicStrip/HiAndLois |
| 152 | * ComicStrip/IceScreamDeepSeaPrisoner |
| 153 | * ComicStrip/{{If}} |
| 154 | * ComicStrip/InkPen |
| 155 | * ComicStrip/InSecurity |
| 156 | * ComicStrip/InsideWoodyAllen |
| 157 | * ComicStrip/{{Jon}} |
| 158 | * ComicStrip/{{Jucika}} |
| 159 | * ComicStrip/JudgeParker |
| 160 | * ComicStrip/{{Jump Start|RobbArmstrong}} |
| 161 | * ComicStrip/JungleJim |
| 162 | * ComicStrip/TheKatzenjammerKids |
| 163 | * ComicStrip/TheKChronicles |
| 164 | * ComicBook/DeKiekeboes |
| 165 | * ComicStrip/KingOfTheRoyalMounted |
| 166 | * ComicStrip/TheKnightLife |
| 167 | * ComicStrip/KrazyKat |
| 168 | * Webcomic/{{Kurami}} (originally a webcomic, now runs in author's local paper) |
| 169 | * ComicStrip/{{Kudzu}} |
| 170 | * ComicStrip/KylesBedAndBreakfast |
| 171 | * ComicStrip/LanceLawson |
| 172 | * ComicBook/LeChat |
| 173 | * ComicStrip/LibertyMeadows |
| 174 | * ComicStrip/LifeInHell |
| 175 | * ComicStrip/LilAbner |
| 176 | * ComicStrip/LilFolks |
| 177 | * ComicStrip/{{Lio}} |
| 178 | * ComicStrip/LittleLulu |
| 179 | * ComicStrip/LittleNemo |
| 180 | * ComicStrip/LittleOrphanAnnie |
| 181 | * ComicStrip/TheLockhorns |
| 182 | * ComicStrip/LoveIs |
| 183 | * ComicStrip/LucyAndSophieSayGoodBye |
| 184 | * ComicStrip/{{Luann}} |
| 185 | * ComicStrip/MadamAndEve |
| 186 | * ComicStrip/{{Mafalda}} (see also Creator/{{Quino}}) |
| 187 | * ComicStrip/MallardFillmore |
| 188 | * ComicStrip/MandrakeTheMagician |
| 189 | * ComicStrip/MarkTrail |
| 190 | * ComicStrip/{{Marmaduke}} |
| 191 | * ComicStrip/{{Marvin}} |
| 192 | * ComicStrip/MaryWorth |
| 193 | * ComicStrip/MigraineBoy |
| 194 | * ComicStrip/MinimumSecurity |
| 195 | * ComicStrip/ModestyBlaise |
| 196 | * ComicStrip/{{Moomin}} |
| 197 | * ComicStrip/{{Mopsy}} |
| 198 | * ComicStrip/MotherGooseAndGrimm |
| 199 | * ComicStrip/MrPotatoHead |
| 200 | * ComicStrip/MuttAndJeff |
| 201 | * ComicStrip/{{Mutts}} |
| 202 | * ComicStrip/MyCage |
| 203 | * ComicStrip/{{Nancy}} |
| 204 | ** ''Literature/HowToReadNancy'' |
| 205 | * ComicStrip/ElNegroBlanco |
| 206 | * ComicStrip/{{Nero}} |
| 207 | * ComicStrip/{{Nemi}} |
| 208 | * ComicStrip/NickCarter |
| 209 | * ComicStrip/NonSequitur |
| 210 | * ''ComicStrip/NorthernOverexposure'' |
| 211 | * ComicStrip/{{Nuts}} |
| 212 | * ComicStrip/OffTheMark |
| 213 | * ComicStrip/OneBigHappy |
| 214 | * ComicStrip/OnTheFastrack |
| 215 | * ComicStrip/TheOptimist |
| 216 | * ComicStrip/TheOutburstsOfEverettTrue |
| 217 | * ComicStrip/OverTheHedge |
| 218 | * ComicStrip/{{Palomita}} |
| 219 | * ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} |
| 220 | * ComicStrip/PearlsBeforeSwine |
| 221 | * ComicStrip/ThePerishers |
| 222 | * ComicStrip/ThePerryBibleFellowship |
| 223 | * ComicStrip/ThePertwillabyPapers |
| 224 | * ComicStrip/ThePhantom |
| 225 | * ComicStrip/PhoebeAndHerUnicorn (originally a webcomic, syndicated in 2015) |
| 226 | * ComicStrip/{{Pickles}} |
| 227 | * ComicStrip/PiranhaClub |
| 228 | * ComicStrip/{{Pluggers}} |
| 229 | * ComicStrip/{{Pogo}} |
| 230 | * ComicStrip/{{Pondus}} |
| 231 | * ComicStrip/PoochCafe |
| 232 | * ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} |
| 233 | * ComicStrip/PreTeena |
| 234 | * ComicStrip/PricklyCity |
| 235 | * ComicStrip/PrinceValiant |
| 236 | * ComicStrip/PriscillasPop |
| 237 | * ComicStrip/{{Psychobevo}} |
| 238 | * ComicStrip/PugadBaboy |
| 239 | * ComicStrip/PVTMurphysLaw |
| 240 | * Creator/{{Quino}} |
| 241 | * ComicStrip/RasmusKlump |
| 242 | * ComicStrip/RedAndRover |
| 243 | * Webcomic/RestauranteMacoatl started as one, and still continues to be printed every friday. |
| 244 | * ComicStrip/{{Retail}} |
| 245 | * ComicStrip/RexMorganMD |
| 246 | * ComicStrip/RickOShay |
| 247 | * ComicStrip/RightAroundHome |
| 248 | * Webcomic/RipHaywire (Webcomic parody of a newspaper comic strip.) |
| 249 | * ComicStrip/RipKirby |
| 250 | * ComicStrip/RobotmanAndMonty |
| 251 | * ComicStrip/RoseIsRose |
| 252 | * ComicStrip/RupertBear |
| 253 | * ComicStrip/SafeHavens |
| 254 | * [[ComicStrip/SallyForthHoward Sally Forth]] (the contemporary strip by Greg Howard) |
| 255 | * [[ComicStrip/SallyForthWood Sally Forth]] (the military strip by Wally Wood) |
| 256 | * ComicStrip/SamsStrip |
| 257 | * ComicStrip/{{Scamp}} |
| 258 | * ComicStrip/ShermansLagoon |
| 259 | * ComicStrip/{{Shoe}} |
| 260 | * ComicStrip/SlylockFox |
| 261 | * ComicStrip/SnuffySmith |
| 262 | * ComicStrip/{{Sovisa}} |
| 263 | * ComicStrip/SpiderMan |
| 264 | * ComicStrip/SteveCanyon |
| 265 | * ComicStrip/StoneSoup |
| 266 | * ComicStrip/{{Striker}} |
| 267 | * ComicStrip/{{Strizz}} |
| 268 | * ComicStrip/Tank[=McNamara=] |
| 269 | * ComicStrip/TerryAndThePirates |
| 270 | * ComicStrip/ThisModernWorld |
| 271 | * ComicStrip/TomTheDancingBug |
| 272 | * ComicStrip/TootsAndCasper |
| 273 | * ComicStrip/{{Tumbleweeds}} |
| 274 | * ComicStrip/TwistedToyfareTheatre |
| 275 | * ComicStrip/USAcres |
| 276 | * ComicStrip/VaterUndSohn |
| 277 | * ComicStrip/WallaceTheBrave |
| 278 | * ComicStrip/TheWackyAdventuresOfPedro |
| 279 | * ComicStrip/WhatTheDuck |
| 280 | * ComicStrip/TheWizardOfId |
| 281 | * ComicStrip/TheWorldOfLilyWong |
| 282 | * Webcomic/TheWorldIsFlat |
| 283 | * ComicStrip/TheYellowKid (the first one created) |
| 284 | * ComicStrip/{{Yenny}} |
| 285 | * ComicStrip/{{Zbeng}} |
| 286 | * ComicStrip/{{Ziggy}} |
| 287 | * ComicStrip/ZippyThePinhead |
| 288 | * ComicStrip/{{Zits}} |
| 289 | |
| 290 | !!Magazine Comics with pages: |
| 291 | * ComicStrip/{{Arrowhead}} |
| 292 | * ComicBook/GorillaGorilla |
| 293 | * [[ComicBook/JimmyTornado Jimmy & Lupe Tornado]] |
| 294 | * ComicBook/TheLegendOfTheChaosGod |
| 295 | * ComicStrip/MaxFinderMystery |
| 296 | * Webcomic/{{Mulberry}} (originally a webcomic, started appearing in ''BANG! Magazine'' in 2012) |
| 297 | * ComicStrip/TheOutrageousWorldOfAlexAndCharlie |
| 298 | * ComicStrip/PrehistoricPeeps (appeared in ''Magazine/{{Punch}}'' in the 1890s) |
| 299 | * ComicStrip/SouthernFriedFugitives (appeared in ''Magazine/{{Nickelodeon Magazine}}'') |
| 300 | * ComicStrip/StarFox (published in ''Magazine/NintendoPower'') |
| 301 | * ComicStrip/SpyVsSpy |
| 302 | * ComicStrip/WhatsNewWithPhilAndDixie |
| 303 | [[/index]] |
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