This is an installment of 2019 Newspaper Comics: Debuts, Departures, and the Dearly Departed.
(part 1: Debuts – – part 2: Departures – – part 3: Dearly Departed – – part 4: Detours/Deviations)
2019 Departures
These comics ceased production for U. S. newspapers in 2019
ROSY’S DINER
Charlie Daniel
November(?), 2006 – February 3. 2019
weekly
Knoxville News Sentinel
[First appeared as part of Charlie’s editorial cartoons in 2006,
then appeared as a separate entity in November(?), 2006.
The 2007 run was Jan. 10, Feb. 8, Mar. 29, Apr. 4, and Apr. 12;
with the April 22, 2007 issue it began running weekly.]
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
by Stan Lee, John Romita, Larry Lieber, Flor Dery, Fred Kida, Dan Barry,
Paul Ryan, Joe Sinnott, Alex Saviuk, Roy Thomas, others
January 3, 1977 – March 23, 2019
Register & Tribune Synd./Cowles Synd./King Features Syndicate
[The strip continued in syndication with reruns beginning March 24, 2019.
On March 18, 2019 KFS, in announcing the reruns, stated:
“We’ll be back soon with great new stories and art.”]
GET FUZZY
by Darby Conley
dailies: September 6, 1999 – November 9, 2013
Sundays: September 12, 1999 – March 31, February 3, 2019
United Feature Syndicate/Universal Uclick-Andrews McMeel Syndication
[Around 2009/2010 Get Fuzzy began a pattern of daily and Sunday reruns,
by 2013 the strip was more rerun than original.
The last original daily was November 9, 2013,
at which time the strip became Sunday-only for originals and daily reruns.
Around 2016/2017 the pattern began to repeat as reruns began to dominate Sundays.
By 2018 the Sundays were more rerun than original,
in 2019 there were only three two original Sundays (January 20, February 3, and March 31).
So I’m calling it.]
PRAIRIE POTHOLE
by John Porcellino
January 10, 2019 – May 2, 2019
weekly strip
Chicago Reader
VIOLET, PRIVATE EYE
by Melissa Mendes
January 10, 2019 – May 2, 2019
weekly strip
Chicago Reader
P. L. DERMES
by Mike Centeno
January 10, 2019 – May 2, 2019
weekly strip
Chicago Reader
BALLARD STREET
by Jerry Van Amerongen
dailies: March 4, 1991 – March 30, 2019
Sundays: March 10, 1991* – October 17, 2010
panel
Creators Syndicate
[began as a daily strip, went panel only in early 1994]
*unconfirmed – Sundays began in L. A. Times on March 24, 1991
ODDITIES
Hunter Wooldridge
May 23, 2019 – June 8, 2019
3 x week
Frankfurt State Journal
THE KNIGHT LIFE
by Keith Knight (as “Keef”)
May 5, 2008 – September 15, 2019
United Feature Syndicate/Universal Uclick-Andrews McMeel Syndicate
LONG STORY SHORT
by Daniel Beyer
?August 11, 2014? – October 5, 2019
daily only panel
Creators Syndicate
[First appeared as webcomic in 2010 (Comics Sherpa).]
additions and corrections
welcomed and encouraged
Did Ballard Street originally start under the name of “The Neighborhood”?
Ballard Street and The Neighborhood are different features with different syndicates, separated by about a year. Same great Van Amerongen humor.
That is a lot of talent. I have been a huge Get Fuzzy fan since the debut.I hated seeing that one leave. Darby’s strip’s layouts were a HUGE inspiration to me. I love using Darby’s camera angle techniques in my strip. Panels need to change so the look is fresh as the reader follows the story. The extra work makes for some amazing art!
I know the struggles. My strip only runs in two weekly newspapers so the motivation level is low, I make comic con appearances to “stroke the ego” and that helps with the motivation. The fan base at these shows is amazingly supportive of my cartooning dream and help with the art supply and SEO funding.
I thank everyone who worked so hard on the strips mentioned above. I know how hard this game is! I also wish you the best of luck with your next projects. If you have any advice for those of us struggling with getting the attention of the syndicates, please pass along any advice you may have. 🙂
– Davy Jones creator of Charmy’s Army
As for Get Fuzzy, Andrews-McMeel hasn’t declared the end though a large handful of papers are still carrying the reruns.
I know 2020 has the first newspaper comic strip to end officially that year: The Pajama Diaries.