Slylock Fox Gets Animated and Retitled

King Features Syndicate has launched development on a new animated feature inspired by the interactive children’s comic strip, Slylock Fox — having renewed its representation agreement for the property, previously known as Slylock Fox and Comics for Kids.

 
© King Features Syndicate

The film in development will follow the Sherlock-Holmes-esque detective Slylock Fox and his devoted sidekick, Max Mouse, as they match wits against a cast of eccentric villains. Evan Daugherty — writer of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Divergent and Snow White and the Huntsman — is on board to write and produce, with the design and animation studio Chromosphere having come aboard for art direction. King Features’ President C.J. Kettler will serve as the project’s executive producer.

Deadline reports on a Slylock Fox film has gotten a development deal.

Slylock Fox is one of several properties King Features is currently developing for television and film, as it looks to both adapt its comic strip IP for today’s culture and build out the portfolio of properties it represents outside of the core comic strip arena.

“It has been a true joy creating Slylock Fox over the years to bring readers of the comic pages something fun and different with interactive activities centered around core education themes,” added [Bob] Weber [Jr.] “We look forward to the next Slylock Fox project and know that King Features, along with Chromosphere and Evan Daugherty, will create an exciting, animated adaptation that is sure to captivate our current fans and also reach a whole new audience.”

But what grabbed my attention was “King Features Syndicate … Slylock Fox — having renewed its representation agreement for the property, previously known as Slylock Fox and Comics for Kids.”

Previously known as…??

Seems Bob Weber, Jr. and King Features have dropped the “and Comics for Kids” portion of the title.

But when did this take place?

The feature began 35 (and a half) years ago on March 29, 1987 with Slylock Fox being one of a few different activities on a Sunday page titled Comics for Kids.

That remained the title of both the Sunday and the daily until January 2, 1994 when the popular Slylock Fox was added to the name of the comic. (Not sure when the “Bob Weber Jr.’s” was added to the logo.)

But now the original title of the feature is being dropped. Sometime.

As of this writing the Sunday page title panel still reads Slylock Fox and Comics for Kids.
(I can tell you when the “Bob Weber Jr. and Sr.’s” was added to the logo.)

As does the title at the top of that page.

But in mid-August Comics Kingdom dropped the Comics for Kids from the title in their listings.

Above, via the Wayback Machine, is Slylock Fox and Comics for Kids from August 12, 2022;
below is Slylock Fox from August 18, 2022.

So when did/does the title change go into effect?