2025: Debuts, Departures, and the Dearly Departed – Part One: Debuts and Departures

Comments ¹⁸

1. Brian Henke

   No new syndicated comics debuting in 2025.

   I miss the days when E&P would tell us what strips would be starting.

   1. Grant

      Will there be anything in 2026?

2. Grant

   If I remember, there was a February 9th Candorville. I think it ran in the Washington Post.

   1. D. D. Degg  (admin)

      I added the February 9, 2025 Candorville comic strip to the entry. It was The Washington Post that printed that last Candorville as confirmed by Mike Rhode https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2025/02/11/a-darrin-bell-comics-timeline/ but left out of my notebook. Thanks for the correction.

      1. George Mathews

         I loved Candorville, but it went away when Mr. Bell was busted. No one wants to be associated with him anymore

3. Jay Omega

   The Scary Gary selection is especially unfunny on this day of the horrific fire in Switzerland.

   1. D. D. Degg  (admin)

      Yeah the post featured the first and last of the strips, that was the last new Scary Gary.

4. Darryl Heine

   My guesses for newspaper comic strips to end in 2026:
   DeFlocked
   The Born Loser
   Arlo and Janis
   Gasoline Alley

   1. CrosswalkX

      I would like it if the Born loser comic strip really ended. I never liked the outdated women stereotype jokes and the constant negative storyline with Brutus getting bullied over his weight or getting hurt physically and verbally especially with rancid the greedy boss bullying Brutus and the coworkers based on the 1960s. I would be happy if Chip Samson decided to retire the outdated 1960s problematic comic strip. besides that Chip Samson is out of touch with the 2020s time.

      Gasoline Alley I think needs to come to an end as it’s no longer the 1930s and I haven’t read it and while they’re at it have alley oop end since the stories drag too long.

      I would like to see Dennis the menace USA come to an end since it’s no longer the 1950s as I didn’t like Dennis harassing Mr Wilson and Margaret being an outdated stereotype girl and the fact that cowboy shows are no longer popular.

      Another comic strip I want to see end is The Lockhorns since it’s so negative and depressing to see them whine all the time.

      Also I want Andy Capp to come to an end since Andy Capp is always rude to everyone around him and his wife since it’s based on 1950s time period and I would like the hot fries and onion rings chips to pick a mascot replacement.

      Yes I would like to see the family circus to end. it’s so boring and tedious to read, also it only focuses on the white family and never shows diverse families or talks about real life issues.

      Also I want brand new modern 21st comic strips to be the norm rather than outdated mid 20th century comic strips that ran for decades and instead become reruns.

      1. Darryl Heine

         Dennis the Menace shouldn’t come to an end.

         And Family Circus is mostly recycled Bil Keane art a la help from Jeff Keane!

   2. Grant

      Gasoline Alley I don’t read, but at this point, I think it will run until it’s beaten Katzenjammer Kids, at least. Something to remember is that I think it still runs in about 100 papers(mostly international, I suspect). Arlo N Janis I see possibly heading toward some kind of conclusion. DeFlocked I have no idea on(I don’t read it either). Born Loser I believe will keep going on as long Chip Sansom can keep doing it. A quick trip to Wikipedia says he’s 74. Even if he does stop, I expect it to probably go to Eternal Rerun Land.

   3. Grant

      Gasoline Alley I don’t read, but at this point, I think it will run until it’s beaten Katzenjammer Kids, at least. Something to remember is that I think it still runs in about 100 papers(mostly international, I suspect). Arlo N Janis I see possibly heading toward some kind of conclusion. DeFlocked I have no idea on(I don’t read it either). Born Loser I believe will keep going on as long Chip Sansom can keep doing it. A quick trip to Wikipedia says he’s 74. Even if it does stop, I expect it to probably go to Eternal Rerun Land. It’s in too many papers.

      1. Darryl Heine

         Was it in late 2017 to mid 2018 and again in late Spring/early Summer 2020 when Gasoline Alley temporary went into rerun arcs and we thought it would be the end of the strip even before it reached 2 milestones (100th. anniversary in 2018, 100th. anniversary of Skezzix’s debut in 2021), but it went on with new story arcs and made those milestones! Let’s hope Jim S. keeps doing it as long as he continues the strip at least 1 more year more or less.

      2. D. D. Degg  (admin)

         If my arithmetic holds up Gasoline Alley passed The Katz Kids as the longest running newspaper comic last year. Katz Kids started December 1897 and ran new Sundays until June 2006 equaling 106½ years. Gasoline Alley first appeared November 24, 1918 and hit 106½ years at the end of May 2025.
         We should have noted that milestone. Think I’ll add it to the 2025 deviations list.

5. Frank Mariani

   I survived a night of sharing a hotel room with the creator of Scary Gary, Mark Buford. Considering Leopold sprang from Mark’s gift for the macabre, I should have received a medal or something.

6. Abraham

   ah, Candorville got a worse faith than Dilbert, Darrin Bell should clean his computer instead of ripping comic strips

   meanwhile I’m happy with my 2026 calendar, it may be the last one done by Scott Adams considering his health

7. John Hines

   Apparently, the syndicates dearly love their nostalgia porn. And why not? Grabbing money for serving up reheated leftovers is something greasy spoons do…

8. Darryl Heine

   I wish VeeFriends expanded to other newspapers outside of Lee Enterprises (but not the ones owned by Advance Publishing or Gannett which use unified comic pages)