Comments on: United Media to launch new comic feature by Signe Wilkinson

By: Chuck Sommers

Chuck Sommers — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:12:02 +0000

I stand corrected…thanks, Ted, for setting me straight…it’s nice to hear directly from the source…

By: Lucas Turnbloom

Lucas Turnbloom — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 05:52:25 +0000

That invite goes out to you too, Wiley. We can discuss how the new Ordinary Basil series will end — over a supersized diet coke, with two straws.

By: Lucas Turnbloom

Lucas Turnbloom — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 05:50:25 +0000

Ha! Excellent suggestion, Wiley.
Alright, Ted — Dinner? You, me, McDonalds? Sky’s the limit.

By: Tom Racine

Tom Racine — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 18:45:07 +0000

That $#@!% jerk Ted! I’ve been having an affair with him for a year and I’m STILL not syndicated! And he never sends flowers anymore! Sigh…maybe my affair with Donald Trump will bear more fruit…

By: Wiley Miller

Wiley Miller — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:27:10 +0000

Ok, here’s the real reason Ted has United syndicating a strip by Signe Wilkinson.
They’ve been having a torrid affair for the past year! I heard they meet on the train between New York and Philadelphia and go non-stop, if you know what I mean.

Let that be a lesson to everyone. If you REALLY want to get syndicated, you’ve gotta get a little dirty with syndicate executives! How else can anyone possibly break in? It’s GOTTA be underhanded dealings if you’re passed over.

By: Ted Rall

Ted Rall — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 00:45:16 +0000

To Chuck and everyone reading this,
As Matt wrote, I’m no ageist. Please rest assured that I, and United Media, doesn’t turn to any “old boys (girls?) network” when it comes to searching for new comic strips. It’s true that cartooning is a relatively small world, so I know a lot of cartoonists. But nothing is more exciting than coming across great work by an artist I’ve never heard of before.
I approached Signe because I thought she’d be right for the genre of comic strip we were looking for at that time. But if someone had submitted something great in that category, I might not have talked to her.
Also, it’s not up to us to “make room for” new comic strips. That decision falls to individual newspapers. My job is to find comics that newspapers want to publish, and that readers enjoy reading. In short: if you have a great comic strip proposal, don’t just sit on it. Send it in!

By: Lucas Turnbloom

Lucas Turnbloom — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:16:23 +0000

23? Dang Matt, you’re old!
;)

By: Matt Bors

Matt Bors — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:53:22 +0000

Well Chuck, The last artist they launched was me. I signed the deal when I was 23 years old. Should they go younger? United has also launched Richard Stevens and Tak Toyoshima into syndication–they could hardly be considered part of the “good ole boys network” you mention.

Signe is a good cartoonist. And if you bothered to read the E&P article you would see she has tried a few different comic strips in recent years, so this could hardly be described as being dropped in her lap.

I wish her luck. The comics page needs new talent.

By: Lucas Turnbloom

Lucas Turnbloom — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:46:36 +0000

But Chuck, Signe is a woman.

By: Alan Gardner

Alan Gardner — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:45:55 +0000

I don’t know if this is a case of “good ole boys network” or not, but maybe, just maybe this is a case of a syndicate gravitating toward cartooning talent that has a consistent track record – something that younger artists may not have.