On Katzenjammer

There are a lot of strips out there that should've came to an end years ago. Typically it's because their original creator has passed away and the strip is only a shadow of its former self. Very rarely do strips make a rebound after hitting a low point. We're used to see so-called "Legacy strips" just languish on the vine because comic strips polls in newspapers are mainly filled out by older people who like their comics to remain the same and don't understand why that Mouse is so mean to that cute pig. Typically, sooner or later a strips get what it deserves and is sent off to the comic strips graveyard where comic strips enthusiasts and historians can determine if the strip can hold up to other generations. But what if that strip is 114 years old and shows no sign of ending? The Katzenjammer Kids started in 1897 and continues to this day. When its creator, Rudolph Dirks, wanted a vacation after 15 years, The New York Journal refused to let him go. Dirks left anyway and the Journal replaced him with Harold Knerr. Dirks sued the Journal for his creation and in 1914 was granted permission to continue the strip he created, just with a different title. So from 1914 until 1979, Dirks (and later his son John Dirks) wrote and illustrated The Captain and the Kids. They were essentially the same comic strips just owned by different syndicates.

I bring this up because I've read the recent strips. The Katzenjammer Kids is only syndicated to about 50 newspapers and magazines and its current creator, Hy Eisman (who also does the Popeye Sunday strip), is pushing 90. When Eisman decides to call it quits, will The Kids fade into the comic strips graveyard or will King Features keep it going just continue having the longest-running, still-in-syndication newspaper comic strip in the world?

Here is today's strip which I feel is actually better than some of the other strips I've read.

Daddy's Home

The thought of President Obama stealing someone's wallet and watch made me chuckle.

Baby Blues

I read in OK! Magazine that the Kardashian sisters grocery shop like Zoe and Hammie.

Get Fuzzy

Get Fuzzy lately has been pretty hit and miss. At least they still have the occasional strip (like this one) that can still get me to laugh.

Momma

Now, his face indicates that he is awake and just thinking this but I think he is actually dreaming and Mell just forgot that Francis was dreaming. Either way, it's pretty pathetic that Francis sucks at women both in his thoughts and his dreams.

Blondie

Gotta love a boss who comes over to your house, uninvited, just to fire you and humiliate you in front of your family, friends and neighbors.

Mark Trail

Yeah. Peppers are good and all for forcing criminals out of their hideouts but Mark still prefers to use his fists.

Born Loser

My local baseball team is the Kansas City Royals. Interesting fact: Alex Rodriguez makes almost as much as the Royals, combined. A-Rod makes $32 million while the Royals make a combined $36.1 million. It is any wonder that we suck?