Comic Strips

Lincoln Logs in 35 Years of Nate

Big Nate title panel by Lincoln Peirce

After 35 years Lincoln Peirce slowed down on the his Big Nate comic strip output, now it is a Sunday-only project instead of having an everyday deadline. In an interview with Rob Tornoe of Editor and Publisher he says the plan is to continue Big Nate as a Sunday strip for many more years.

Peirce also opines on his decision not to offer weekday comic strips to newspapers and other matters:

“Even though I love some of the strips that are in rerun, like “Peanuts” and “For Better or For Worse,” I’m just opposed to it. I think you’re taking a spot that could be filled by a young, up-and-coming cartoonist who might have something great to offer.“

On adults versus kids discovering comics:

“’Calvin and Hobbes’ is a classic example. I think the adults who love ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ knew it from newspapers, but I think kids largely discovered it through reprint books.“

Advice to editors about the funny pages:

“[G]o look for what’s new. It may be a shock to the system for readers who are used to seeing the same strip for 40 or 50 years, but from a content standpoint, it’s going to make your comics pages more readable.“

Read the entire interview here.

Big Nate title panel by Lincoln Peirce
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Comments 3

  1. So the dream for cartoonists used to be a daily strip.
    Now it’s a Sunday strip — or a ten-years’-worth-of-daily-reruns-plus-new-Sundays strip.

    1. The dream of many cartoonists is to get a popular syndicated comic strip. The daily grind can get wearisome if the compensation coming in is barely above poverty level. As Lincoln mentioned getting the recognition to be placed on bookshelves is also a goal.

  2. Big Nate truly is one of the greatest comics! Big Nate depicted what most comic strips couldn’t, which is to depict the life of the average middle school student in a way that was truly iconic. Lincoln Peirce’s work inspired me to make comics and actually inspired my art style! Anyways, congratulations for 35 years, Big Nate!

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