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Friday, December 8, 2006

The L.A. Times Comic Strip Pool



Bill Amend, the artist/writer behind the FoxTrot comic strip, recently announced that he will suspend daily production at the end of the year, going to a Sunday-only format (similar to "Opus"):

“After spending close to half of my life writing and drawing FoxTrot cartoons, I think it’s time I got out of the house and tried some new things,” said Amend. “I love cartooning and I absolutely want to continue doing the strip, just not at the current all-consuming pace."

Amend, who started the strip in April, 1988, and who has more than 1,000 client newspapers, is taking time to pursue other creative outlets.

So that begs the question: What should the L.A. Times replace "FoxTrot" with? Other than their terrible choice in "Mallard Fillmore" (why? why? It's not funny!), the LAT actually boasts one of the nation's better comics selections -- consistently introducing new up-and-coming strips while showing the courage to cut popular but over-the-hill entries like "Garfield." (And staying away from tired has-beens like "Beetle Bailey" and "B.C." all together.)

With the "FoxTrot" hole coming in just a few weeks, hopefully the LAT won't repeat its recent decision to simply space out some of its strips more rather than replace the now-retired "Boondocks." Instead, let's come up with a strip that should fill the void. Post your suggestions in the comments below.

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