Cavna on the late Lee Salem

The legendary editor who discovered 'Cathy' and 'The Boondocks'
— and guided 'Doonesbury'

By Michael Cavna

Washington Post September 4 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/09/04/legendary-editor-who-discovered-cathy-boondocks-guided-doonesbury/

Brave New Comic Strips panel at SPX audio is online

I had a good time doing this, and I think everyone was happy with it, so here's my recording for those who couldn't make it.

Brave New Comic Strips (September 12, 2010)


Small Press Expo panel from September 12, 2010.

The newspaper industry, long the home of American comics first popular dedicated format, faces an existential crisis presented by the emergence and proliferation of digital media. Against all odds, artists interested in the daily strip format continue to produce work with an eye for print. Mike Rhode will discuss the present and the future of the newspaper comic strip with Marguerite Dabaie, Keith Knight, and Richard Thompson.

Comic Riffs on Peanuts syndication move

These are strange times...

Good grief: 'PEANUTS' will leave syndicate in February for Universal [UPDATED]
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog September 9, 2010

Self-syndication seminar in Vegas features Amy Lago

Alan Gardner is reporting a self-syndication seminar in Las Vegas that will feature the Post's Am Lago, among others. My own 2 cents, which is worth 2 cents, is that self-syndication, at least for newspapers, is collapsing around the ears of the alternate cartoonists. On the other hand, this has some successful strip and webcomics cartoonists who are making a living without being with a syndicate.

Tatulli of Lio interviewed by his syndicate

Lio's one of my favorite strips in the Post. Universal editor John Glynn just posted 14 questions in "And now ... a very special interview with Mark "Lio/Heart of the City" Tatulli," December 8 2008. Tatulli speaks very well of Our Man Thompson's Cul de Sac therein.

Universal Press Syndicate starts a blog, emails me about it eventually

Got this today from Kathie Kerr who does PR for Universal (the blog started in early November so we have to play catch-up) presumably due to my continued mentioning of their client, Our Man Thompson:

Inside the doors of Universal Press Syndicate are a lot of smart people, but they’re busy, so the rest of us have started a blog on the inside workings of a syndicate. While that might sound as exciting as a digestive disorder, the blog may be of some actual value to cartoonists looking for tips on how to become syndicated and for die-hard comic fans who want behind-the-scene glimpses of today’s comics. Go to http://gocomics.typepad.com/editors/ and the next sound you hear will be that of an UPS editor giving you the uncensored truth about comics and the syndicate, while giving thanks for his/her job.

I like the idea of this, as let's face it, Comics Syndicates are strange and mysterious places - they're called Syndicates after all. Has anything light and open ever been called a Syndicate? No.

One complaint - the posts don't identify who they're by so you have no idea whose brother is buying Johnny Ryan Garfield art. [update: Alan at the Daily Cartoonist says it's all by comics editor John Glynn].

Update 2: KK, I was just kidding about the late notice!!! Come back!