tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30504207694461170642011-12-14T19:45:19.032-07:00Zingerdinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14778649309868052618noreply@blogger.comBlogger611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-86770739659672122662007-12-22T20:20:00.000-07:002007-12-22T20:38:19.511-07:00

Egads! Has it been since July that I last posted?! Where have the months gone? Fear not, readers - the Zingerding Blog is coming back in January 2008. Readers? Do we still have readers? Is this thing on? Hello?What's on the horizon, you ask? Hank and I have been developing a new strategy for the blog. Zingerding.com has been in development and is making headway. In preparation for the

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-89495307889207892002007-07-03T11:50:00.000-06:002007-07-03T11:59:38.843-06:00

Don't worry Zingerfans, we're still here. Yeah, yeah, Hank and I haven't posted anything in a while. Give an alligator a break. I've been working on the Zingerding website and Hank had to go do this family migration thing.Anyway, we'll be revving up the blog again shortly with more comic strip reviews, featured new talent and updates about the development of the site with our vision of the

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-80912465936507903812007-05-14T08:20:00.000-06:002007-05-14T08:33:18.491-06:00

Well Zingerfans, I have to admit that we've been holding out on you. Zingerding is not merely a blog. It's a plot to change the face of the funny pages forever. Today we announce Zingerding.com, a new website that will push the boundaries of what the internet can do for comic strips.Click here to check out Zingerding.com!We're still working on the main site so after you get all zinged up,

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-78177268128000033772007-05-11T09:41:00.000-06:002007-05-11T09:47:42.343-06:00

Yo Zingerfans! A while back I featured a Pepsi and Pete comic strip advertisement for Pepsi Cola from 1941. Here is a modern comic form ad for Alaskan Summer Ale. They similarly end with drawings of the bottled beverages. Not much has changed there.-- Click to enlarge.I'd like to point out a few interesting zings about this strip. If you look at the five panels in the center, they are

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-51278504252270490132007-05-09T00:22:00.000-06:002007-05-09T00:28:56.677-06:00

Yo Zingerfans! On Monday I pointed out the need for more bird comic strips. I mean, we all agree that there aren't enough birds in comics, right? It's a universal understanding I am sure. So today I bring you The Boids comic strip by cartoonists Campbell and Merrill, first names Larry and Steve (though I couldn't find who goes with which last name).It's a pretty zing new strip about a robotic

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-4794027859325006372007-05-07T10:32:00.000-06:002007-05-07T10:35:58.898-06:00

Yo Zingerfans! This one reminded me of a dog I had years ago. (Actually, he was my roommate but it was like having a dog. A bird with a dog? Ha ha!) This Dog Eat Doug comic strip by cartoonist Brian Anderson made me laugh. Dogs love the smell of all kinds of things I would never put my beak to.-- Click to enlargeThere are soooo many zinging dog strips out there! How do they compete? Well,

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-22082474748963456802007-05-02T12:44:00.000-06:002007-05-02T12:49:47.182-06:00

Yo zingerfans! Marilla and I are back from our little jaunt to the Pacific Northwest. Boy, moss grows on everything up there - trees, brickwork, signposts, cats. Now back at Zingerding HQ, we're refreshed and ready to bring you some more comic strips!We'll start out with the syndicated strip, Prickly City, about a girl named Carmen and her friend Winslow, a coyote pup. Created by conservative

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-9368645378452472712007-04-25T11:28:00.000-06:002007-04-25T11:36:39.158-06:00

Yo! Here's a comic strip called Squinkers by cartoonist Sandra Lamb. This one features a couple of flirtatious pigs but that's not what the strip is really about. Squinkers centers on a young girl, her mother and grandpa who live and work on a farm/bed & breakfast. It's a well-drawn strip with engaging characters and storylines. The zingers are sometimes too pun-based for my taste but the

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-84673974850785543752007-04-23T09:18:00.000-06:002007-04-23T09:25:21.198-06:00

Yo! Here's a spoof comic by cartoonist Mark Tatulli, creator of Liō, a syndicated strip about a strange young boy. The regular strip is quite offbeat and one of the best new strips to zing into the newspapers. It is told in pantomime, thus having already hit an international audience with relative ease. The humor is dark, often involving strange creatures and questionable situations.Now check

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-38917715896491650022007-04-20T10:37:00.000-06:002007-04-20T10:51:05.231-06:00

Only eight days after Johnny Hart's death, Brant Parker, the cartoonist behind 'The Wizard of Id' passed away last Sunday. The two were co-creators of the strip and longtime friends. Parker also collaborated with cartoonists Bill Rechin and Don Wilder on their comic strips, Out of Bounds and Crock. Let's hope their days are not numbered now.Brant Parker started The Wizard of Id in 1964 with

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-29175147447787114082007-04-18T07:09:00.000-06:002007-04-18T07:13:20.945-06:00

The two basic types of humor found in comic strips are situational and character-driven. What does that mean? Simply put, situational humor comes from what happens in a comic strip. Character-driven humor relates to how the characters react to what happens.Situational is where it starts. This is the basic premise of any comic strip, the core of the cartoonist's idea. The zinger in the last

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-75960489613380066092007-04-16T11:18:00.000-06:002007-04-16T11:24:55.488-06:00

Here's a Mutt and Jeff comic strip from 1913 drawn by the original creator, Bud Fisher who drew it from 1907 to 1932, which at that time it was taken over by cartoonist Al Smith. Here we have Mutt (Jeff is not in this one) applying for a job as a motorcycle cop. What I like about it is that he shows up decked out in his modern 1913 motorcycle gear, goggles and all. What's he got wrapped around

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-51196670314037489632007-04-12T09:18:00.000-06:002007-04-12T11:05:24.671-06:00

This comic strip from 1929 is called 'Merely Margy' by illustrator, John Held Jr., well-known for capturing and defining the "roaring 20s". His flappers became synonymous with the times and 'Merely Margy' is no exception. She embodied the care-free attitude of the era, lounging around teasing her numerous, mindless suitors.The strip first appeared in 1927 and lasted into the early-1930s when he

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-48126343762851045272007-04-11T08:37:00.000-06:002007-04-11T08:39:58.091-06:00

Yo! So there's this Finnish company called Futuremark Corporation which does some sort of computer technology stuff, blah blah blah. For some reason they spun a comic strip competition into their marketing efforts. Heck, why not?!Here's the 1st place winner, an 'Unsolved Mysteries' strip by Uros Jojic and Borislav Grabovic. It's pretty good and gave us here at Zingerding a good laugh. You

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-32923836987295622452007-04-10T09:05:00.000-06:002007-04-10T09:11:02.332-06:00

In comic strip news, Johnny Hart, creator of B.C. and co-creator of The Wizard of Id passed away a few days ago on the 7th. He was drawing in his studio when he suffered a stroke. Hart was an old-time player in the industry, having started B.C. in 1958. He also was one of the rare cartoonists who single-handedly wrote and drew every single strip throughout the decades.-- Click to enlarge.As

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-86999057243988416722007-04-09T08:44:00.000-06:002007-04-09T08:57:16.168-06:00

Yo! Here is a new comic strip to hit the web in the last few months, Bleeker: the Rechargeable Dog by cartoonist Jonathan Mahood. Starring the dog Bleeker and his kid, Skip. Bleeker is today's do-all electronic gadget - email, digital camera, daily planner, printer, GPS and more.It's a good strip, well drawn and very enjoyable. I don't think the humor is all that... yet. This is the kinda

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-3367853768274075932007-04-07T10:09:00.000-06:002007-04-07T10:25:06.073-06:00

Yo, friends. This is one bizarre comic strip advertisement for Pepsi, from May 1941. Read it and let me dissect this one for you. Sorry for the poor quality scan but that's how these rare ones often are.-- Click to enlargePanel 2, the opening of the story. Pepsi (the bigger fat one) and Pete fall from the sky after passing through "the wrong door" into a magical tropical world of speed-planes

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-90785372143063738172007-04-04T09:11:00.000-06:002007-04-04T09:22:41.175-06:00

Here's the first Garfield comic strip to feature lasagna, dated 7-15-1978, about a month after the debut of the first strip. Upon reading it, it's not really that funny. But try to erase your mind of the fact that popular culture has known about Garfield and lasagna for almost 30 years. If this was the first time you saw a cat have a thing for a pasta dish, maybe you'd laugh. I mean, the

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-47750792610499462182007-04-03T08:40:00.000-06:002007-04-04T09:25:46.093-06:00

Yo! I introduced the 'Krazy Kat' komic to you yesterday. Here's another one to wet your whistle with some odd facts about the strip.Krazy has no specified gender and has been referred to as both male and female throughout the life of the strip. Ignatz the mouse and Officer Pupp have generally been konsidered male.Strangely koincidental, it was for a while unknown of kartoonist George

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-58255495414075368892007-04-02T10:16:00.000-06:002007-04-04T09:26:15.311-06:00

Yo! One of this bird's faves is George Herriman's 'Krazy Kat' komic strip which ran from 1913 to 1944. The strip focuses on a relationship triangle between Krazy Kat, Ignatz the mouse and Officer Pupp, a dog. Here's the rundown. Krazy is in love with Ignatz. Ignatz acts as his nemesis by throwing bricks at Krazy which the kat takes as a sign of affection. Officer Pupp tries to keep order by

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-495163415852939212007-03-30T08:27:00.000-06:002007-03-30T08:36:34.463-06:00

Yo! To join yesterday's post, here's another Hubert and Abby comic strip from this past week. I thought I'd post one again to give cartoonist Mel Henze a little boost. We're all about helping the little guy here at Zingerding. Strips like Garfield don't need the extra buzz.-- Click to enlarge.What's with that bottle of "Fiz?" Did Hubert spill it so he can stand in it? Did he pee on the

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-25422454786761199312007-03-29T08:38:00.000-06:002007-03-29T08:52:14.220-06:00

Yo, here's a comic strip called Hubert and Abby by Mel Henze. Hubert is a hamster or guinea pig or some sort of house rodent. Abby, well she's a nurse. I just began reading the strip and so far, so good. Abby seems to just float by in life doing the best she can. Hubert causes trouble around the house more out of ignorance than rebellion. He is always giving his two cents that Abby at least

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-81512584692603096892007-03-28T14:02:00.000-06:002007-03-30T08:49:12.332-06:00

Last month, I blogged about newspaper syndication, explaining what it is and giving them some praise. However, the system is faulty more than it is supportive of the cartoonist, the newspaper and the syndicate itself. Why is this? Simply because the business of newspapers comic strips has changed over the decades, even before the internet. Syndication was in fact a pretty good system at one

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-64530240836527128942007-03-27T09:30:00.000-06:002007-03-27T09:37:36.514-06:00

Yo! I've introduced Pogo to you before. This Pogo comic strip is perhaps the most famous of all the work by cartoonist, Walt Kelly. It was done for Earth Day in 1971. I'm not going to talk about this one today. I'll just let the strip speak for itself. Click it to enlarge and see the amazing artistry.

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-62614566538275873322007-03-26T08:19:00.000-06:002007-03-27T09:30:49.891-06:00

Yo. About a week ago, I blogged about several snowman-themed comic strips. Here is one more from a strip called 'Off The Mark' by cartoonist Mark Parisi. He actually has a bunch of snowman comics on his site under the winter category. His differ from the other ones I posted earlier in that his jokes aren't about the snowman being built by someone (though maybe they are) but rather they have

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-83262765131634473282007-03-24T06:40:00.000-06:002007-03-25T15:25:46.149-06:00

This is the final post on our series of WWII anti-Japanese comics. Check out Terry and Pat strip searching a Japanese POW. That's right, have the juvenile Terry be the one to remove the guy's "g-string". There's nothing weird about that!-- Click them to enlarge.Then we get a nice little summary of military propaganda with a humiliated Japanese man in his g-string. Also mentioned is the "short

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-35614548918204257242007-03-23T07:57:00.000-06:002007-03-23T08:10:07.121-06:00

Yesterday we introduced this series to you drawn by famous adventure strip cartoonist Milton Caniff. This is part of a guide for American soldiers to be able to tell the allied Chinese from the Japanese enemy. These comics are absurdly racist.Did you know that all Japanese people have buck teeth? Did you know that they all shuffle when they walk? Did you know they all wore wooden sandals

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-73647016888324731462007-03-22T08:48:00.000-06:002007-03-22T09:10:00.770-06:00

Let's now jump from discussing sexism to racism in comics. Today we're showcasing a series from cartoonist Milton Caniff who drew the famed adventure strip, Terry and the Pirates. This series was drawn for the U.S. Military and printed the "Pocket Guide to China" which was given to soldiers during their stay in China.Remember, Japan was a political enemy and the derogatory term "Jap", was not

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-77613350922616081012007-03-21T08:03:00.000-06:002007-03-21T08:13:29.396-06:00

Yesterday we discussed the common sexism seen in Andy Capp. This Andy Capp comic strip was printed the following day in the papers. Here, read it. Click it to enlarge.I cannot even tell if this strip is sexist or not. On one hand, Flo is making a stand by pointing out how wrong it is that cake cutting is "women's work" eluding to the mindset of women belonging in the kitchen. On the other

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-14669211880040236802007-03-20T08:59:00.000-06:002007-03-21T11:30:48.483-06:00

Yo. Andy Capp is still running after all these years. Started in 1957 by British cartoonist Reg Smythe who died in 1998, the comic strip is now created by Rogers Mahoney and Kettle. This is one of those unfortunate instances where comics are kept going for too long.Check this one out. Click it to enlarge.Aren't we past the time where sexism equals humor? Is this funny? I'm a guy and I'm

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-72402539500168272572007-03-17T05:30:00.000-06:002007-03-17T05:37:33.353-06:00

Yo, here's a twisted snowman comic strip by artist Katie Skelly. Here's why this one is so great. The visual joke itself is funny but the the line in the last panel makes it downright hilarious. It makes you wonder what kind of "issues" Teresa has.-- Click to enlarge.

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-87486249378219140112007-03-16T11:07:00.000-06:002007-03-16T11:14:00.516-06:00

Yo! Here''s another comic strip in our Snowman Series. Yes, I didn't realize we'd be doing a snowman series either. It is mid-March and spring is upon us so enjoy these comics before they melt.This Foxtrot strip by Bill Amend was printed around Valentine's Day. I think it makes more sense when you know it's a v-day comic. Otherwise, it's just odd for a Foxtrot. It's not in Jason's character

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-30565068385652032552007-03-15T09:14:00.000-06:002007-03-15T09:27:16.704-06:00

Yesterday Hank posted a baffling strip involving a creepy looking snowman and small boys. Does this sound familiar? The specific origin of when funny snowmen first made their appearance in the humor pages is unknown, but this comic strip device was made famous by cartoonist Bill Waterson of Calvin and Hobbes. He even named a book after it. There are numerous ways in which Calvin has expressed

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-43258775988184157302007-03-14T09:27:00.000-06:002007-03-14T20:29:53.600-06:00

Yo! Check out this comic strip, 44 Union Avenue by Mike Witmer. First of all, I don't get this one. I think I understand what the joke is supposed to be. The kid is scared of the snowman and it reminds him of his nightmares or he just doesn't want the snowman in his nightmares. I think.-- Click to enlargeIf he's so freaked out, then why does he stand and stare up at it for two whole panels

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-24832105642197484172007-03-13T12:40:00.000-06:002007-03-13T12:44:45.185-06:00

Yo, here's a unique new strip called Yenny by David Alvarez. Yenny is a Puerto Rican wanna-be supermodel with oversized feet. I've read a few weeks of this strip and from what I can tell, her train doesn't run on rails. She drives off to modeling college, crashes the car, hitchhikes on an ice cream truck, makes out with the ice cream guy, befriends other models at school and struggles with a

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-81469085565841827612007-03-12T08:32:00.000-06:002007-03-12T08:39:03.133-06:00

Yo. I dig the modern comic strip, On a Claire Day by Carla Ventresca and Henry Beckett. The strip is about Claire (duh) who recently moved into her first apartment and learns to adjust to the real world. She still has close ties with her parents as seen in these two examples.It is a very simple comic strip in writing, art and humor. The cartoonist, Carla, comes from a greeting card background

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-33813285302124907922007-03-10T07:08:00.000-07:002007-03-10T07:17:42.774-07:00

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Charles Schulz died on Feb. 12, 2000. He personally wrote and drew every single Peanuts comic strip without an assistant for nearly 50 years. His death should have marked the end of Peanuts' syndication.Now I know what you're asking. "But Marilla, don't lots of comics continue after an artist's death?" Yes they do and unfortunately, it is quite common.

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-47174386347139633362007-03-09T10:25:00.000-07:002007-03-09T10:29:32.953-07:00

Yo! You shoulda heard Marilla griping last night about "Classic Peanuts" being printed in the papers these days. She was so fired up she wrote a blog post about it for tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll wet your whistle with a good 'ol Peanuts comic strip from 1961. This one made me laugh.-- Click it to enlarge.

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-10568754369998217572007-03-08T09:35:00.000-07:002007-03-08T09:47:26.149-07:00

Yo... To illustrate Marilla's point from yesterday's post, here are two Dick Tracy strips. The first is from Sept. 23, 1944 and when printed, spanned the width of the newspaper page. The second strip is from Feb. 20, 2007. Look in your paper and see how small they are printed today. There are commonly two rows of comics with ads or puzzles along the side of the page. The modern comic strip

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-5442692478158500312007-03-07T09:00:00.000-07:002007-03-07T09:03:46.319-07:00

They used to be quite popular but the genre has been slowly dying out. Several factors affected the staying power of adventure strips, or any other kind of the more serious "continuity comic strips".When the adventure strip was born in the 1930s, comics were not the small strips you see today. They were printed larger, across the entire width of the newspaper page and artists had more space

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-87566528254308213112007-03-06T09:09:00.000-07:002007-03-06T09:21:43.660-07:00

Yo! As explained yesterday, 'Rip Haywire' is an homage to the adventure strips of the 1940s and 50s. So today I thought I'd bring you 'Steve Canyon' by Milton Caniff.I don't have a date on this one but it looks to be the late 40s. The chick in the strip is Copper Calhoon, a villain/love interest. As in all adventure strips, this one is plucked right out of an ongoing storyline. The previous

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-67341372374363932292007-03-05T13:56:00.000-07:002007-03-05T14:03:25.018-07:00

Yo! Here's the first internet-only comic strip (a.k.a. webcomic) we're featuring here at Zingerding. It's called 'Rip Haywire' by cartoonist Dan Thompson. The strip is both an homage and a spoof of classic adventure strips like 'Steve Canyon' or 'Captain Easy' mixed with a contemporary edge and sense of humor. Plus it's beautifully drawn!Rip is the captain of a cargo plane and his dog/

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-31469886353534149642007-03-02T13:05:00.000-07:002007-03-02T13:08:03.648-07:00

Yo! Here's a weird Willie the Penguin comic strip advertising Kool cigarettes. I don't have a date on this strip but I do know they were printed in comic sections of the paper along with the regular strips. Something tells me that wouldn't fly these days.I've heard stories about Willie from some of the old-timer comic characters. They say he was a sellout and once he got hooked on nicotine,

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-21467406882303985182007-03-01T08:10:00.000-07:002007-03-01T08:19:49.828-07:00

You know, I got to meet Hobbes once at a comic strip character conference. Let me tell you, that is one cool cat. After the keynote speaker, a Mr. Dagwood Bumstead, finished his speech I was flying about the cheese table when Hobbes strolled up. This was the winter of 1994 when he was at the top of his game, appearing in nearly 2,400 newspapers! I was nervous with flustered feathers but I had

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-58415398337313608362007-02-28T07:33:00.000-07:002007-02-28T07:41:08.405-07:00

I recently posted about getting to know characters in comic strips. What happens when you know them is that you can predict how they will react in certain situations, especially the ones they've been in before. Like when Calvin steps up to the door and announces that he is home while Hobbes is poised on the inside ready to pounce. The situation is predictable and yet it's repeatedly funny! Or

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-83594800989631415462007-02-27T09:41:00.000-07:002007-03-29T08:49:50.153-06:00

Yo, fine-feathered readers! Oh, wait. Google Analytics says I have more than a bird readership now. Well, it's time ol' Hank introduces you to his all-time most favorite comic strip ever! Meet Pogo. Created and drawn by Walt Kelly, it ran from 1948 to 1975 and is named for the main character, Pogo Possum. Its setting is the beautifully drawn Okeefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia.The strip's

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-55290434622584793712007-02-25T23:40:00.000-07:002007-02-28T07:54:51.457-07:00

I've explained recently what is a newspaper syndicate. Born from the need to distribute comics to multiple papers, it has since become an antiquated system catering to a struggling market. Newspaper circulation is falling as readers take to the internet for news and inadvertently leave comic strips behind. What's an alligator to do?In reviewing the syndication process, I see primarily faults,

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-48553570202689104812007-02-24T10:32:00.000-07:002007-02-24T10:41:11.225-07:00

Yo, here's a Non-Sequitur strip with a poignant social message. I like to see when cartoonists use the power of their medium to make a point about a larger issue than the daily laugh. The artform of comic strips lends itself to a whole range of subjects and genres, not just humor.The freakin' vertically formated strip makes it hard to layout the blog. Click it to read it!

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-5444406966149938622007-02-23T08:58:00.000-07:002007-02-23T09:12:29.233-07:00

Yo! I thought I'd vanilla it down for today's comic. Here's a sweet, charming, oh-kids-are-so-cute, little Family Circus by Bill Keane.I've got a bit of cartoonist trivia to go with it. Bill's son, Glen Keane, is one of Disney's top directing animators and the man behind the character of Tarzan, as seen in today's comic. That might make this the most interesting Family Circus comic ever.Click

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-26718124027286521702007-02-22T17:26:00.000-07:002007-02-22T17:32:48.959-07:00

Disclaimer: We don't condone the use of illegal substances here at Zingerding. Our position is strictly about the publishability of the comic strip.In the last several posts, Hank posed the question of whether those Get Fuzzy strips are appropriate for the mainstream press. We believe they are. Why? Two reasons.First, although the humor is centered around marijuana, the strip isn't taking a

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-63410305594123944722007-02-22T07:45:00.000-07:002007-02-22T07:49:13.785-07:00

Yo, here's the latest installment of the controversial Get Fuzzy series from the past two days. Today is your last chance folks, to give us your opinion of these strips! Never again will I ask you about them. Are they acceptable? Click on 'comments'.Click to enlarge.

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-69443094764658964472007-02-21T07:20:00.000-07:002007-02-21T13:29:35.630-07:00

Yo! These two comics are a continuation of the Get Fuzzy series first posted yesterday. Marilla and I want to know your opinion. Regardless of whether you like the strip or its humor, do you think these specific comics are acceptable in the mainstream press? Please leave a comment. We've got one more from the series coming tomorrow!Click them to enlarge.

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-43401663199334053962007-02-20T09:11:00.000-07:002007-02-20T09:31:25.432-07:00

Yo, here's a recent series of Get Fuzzy strips by Darby Conley from January 23rd - 27th of this year. The marijuana humor got this series banned from newspapers all across the country including the Boston Globe, Arizona Republic and the liberal-minded Washington Post. In situations like this, editors commonly choose to print reruns of older strips in their place. Here are the first two and

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-70599536875067606162007-02-19T09:43:00.000-07:002007-02-19T10:12:39.480-07:00

Simply put, the newspaper syndicate is the business partner for the cartoonist. Here is the way it works:The aspiring comic strip creator submits a comic strip to the syndicate. The syndicate reviews it to judge whether they a.) think it meets the standards of comic readers and b.) think it will sell to the newspapers. They also take into account things like competition. How many comics about

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-48307560989137891652007-02-18T20:06:00.000-07:002007-02-18T20:20:03.438-07:00

Yo, here's a strip from the vault of time - the first Garfield from June 19, 1978. Click it to enlarge it if you want.Now I'll admit to being a fan of the fat cat for decades. But in all those years, I had no freakin' idea Jon was supposed to be a cartoonist! When I recently came across this debut strip, I was floored by this fact. My only knowledge of the blue shirt-wearing lame-o is that he

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-14302568426801641292007-02-17T13:01:00.000-07:002007-02-17T13:04:54.345-07:00

Yo readers! I always like comic strips about comic strips. Here's a syndicated strip called Red and Rover by Brian Basset.

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-61079245102580629912007-02-17T12:26:00.000-07:002007-02-17T12:30:34.231-07:00

One of several reasons why you people love comic strips is the characters. Take me for example, my alligatory eyes, my alligatory disposition, you love me!Ahem, seriously now. When you first begin reading a specific comic strip, you find humor in it or you like the drawings or you relate to the situation somehow. But at first, you don't truly know the characters. Sure you might be able to

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-52981520948344944782007-02-16T10:42:00.000-07:002007-02-16T12:29:37.811-07:00

To follow with the "Mutt" theme, here's a more contemporary classic from the strip Mutts by Patrick McDonnell. This one dates back to 1994, when it was a new strip just gaining momentum in the papers. Comics about pets can get very popular pretty fast because readers begin to love them like they love their own four-legged roommates. Or they see their own pets in the characters. For many

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-3725511924639781172007-02-15T21:09:00.000-07:002007-02-16T10:58:38.418-07:00

Newspaper barons, 1890s, salaries, blah blah blah. We'll be sure to bring you some great comics too!To start you off, here's an old-school Mutt and Jeff strip from the early part of the last century. Click it to enlarge it.

Hank the Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547139772563408109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-36153965281148946402007-02-15T20:21:00.000-07:002007-02-15T20:28:52.170-07:00

Oh, oh, I know! Why at the beginning of course! Comic strips were born in very rudimentary form in American newspapers of the 1870s. The invention of photoengraving in 1873 made newspaper illustration inexpensive to reproduce and papers everywhere took advantage of the medium to gain readership. Comics were in their infancy, having not yet adopted panels in sequence to portray time and merely

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3050420769446117064.post-10732215074483837382007-02-06T23:36:00.000-07:002007-02-08T09:52:46.749-07:00

Greetings! I'm Marilla and my fine-feathered blogging associate is Hank. Together we're the cartoon universe's leading authority on comic strips. Here at Zingerding, we'll be discussing the ins and outs of our favorite medium. Stay tuned to hear more about the art of comic strips, learn about its history and maybe peek into its future. And of course, we'll be meeting many great characters

Marilla P. Alligatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10168343687345806527noreply@blogger.com1