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Two new features launch this week

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Two more features have been launched.

“On a Claire Day” was launched Monday. This new feature is by Carla Ventresca and Henry Beckett and is distributed through Creators. I’ve not seen a press release or much in the way of a description of the feature. You can see samples of the strip on their web site.

King Features launches its second feature (I think) of the year with “The Pajama Diaries” by Terri Libenson. The Pajama Diaries centers on an “introspective suburban mother, as she balances her career as a freelance graphic artist and family life with her husband Rob and their two young daughters, Amy and Jess.” King has yet to post samples of the new feature.

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Comments 33

  1. ?On a Claire Day” reminds me of “Rhymes With Orange”

  2. ?On a Claire Day” reminds me of “Rhymes With Orange”

  3. I’ve forgotten about Rhymes With Orange, but that may answer a question I’ve had regarding ‘Claire Day.’ Since Carla is a King Feature cartoonist (Six Chix), and presumably King has a right of first refusal provision in her contract – why didn’t they pick up this feature? The answer may be that it is too close to RWO and they didn’t want to have two similar features competing. Hmmmmmmmm.

  4. I’ve forgotten about Rhymes With Orange, but that may answer a question I’ve had regarding ‘Claire Day.’ Since Carla is a King Feature cartoonist (Six Chix), and presumably King has a right of first refusal provision in her contract – why didn’t they pick up this feature? The answer may be that it is too close to RWO and they didn’t want to have two similar features competing. Hmmmmmmmm.

  5. The Pajama Diaries, by Terri Libenson, is the single worst comic strip ever in the history of comics.

    It is so far below the level of “unimaginative trash” there isn’t a word in the English language to accurately describe it.

    It requires a new word: Garbosious, rectastic, vomitacular.

    Something.

  6. The Pajama Diaries, by Terri Libenson, is the single worst comic strip ever in the history of comics.

    It is so far below the level of “unimaginative trash” there isn’t a word in the English language to accurately describe it.

    It requires a new word: Garbosious, rectastic, vomitacular.

    Something.

  7. Sean, those are some pretty crass words. Just by the tone of your review – I can guarantee that strips about mothers juggling work, family, etc. are not your thing – and that’s fine. Comics are written for a wide spectrum of audiences – what doesn’t connect with you, does with others.

    With a new feature like this, it will either succeed or fail within the first 2-3 years. So if you’re right about it’s quality being sub-par, then it will disappear soon enough. If you’re wrong (or in the simple minority), then you’ll have to learn to skip over the features you don’t like and enjoy the ones that you do.

    I highly suggest trying out the subscription services like “DailyInk,” “Mycomics,” and “My Comics Page” as you get to pick and choose the features that are worthy of YOUR time. Check them out. They’re very inexpensive for what you get.

  8. Sean, those are some pretty crass words. Just by the tone of your review – I can guarantee that strips about mothers juggling work, family, etc. are not your thing – and that’s fine. Comics are written for a wide spectrum of audiences – what doesn’t connect with you, does with others.

    With a new feature like this, it will either succeed or fail within the first 2-3 years. So if you’re right about it’s quality being sub-par, then it will disappear soon enough. If you’re wrong (or in the simple minority), then you’ll have to learn to skip over the features you don’t like and enjoy the ones that you do.

    I highly suggest trying out the subscription services like “DailyInk,” “Mycomics,” and “My Comics Page” as you get to pick and choose the features that are worthy of YOUR time. Check them out. They’re very inexpensive for what you get.

  9. Pajama Diaries by Terri Libenson just replaced Cathy by Cathy Guisewite. As Alan said, there are just some comics you have to live with and skip over if it doesn’t suit you. Cathy was that comic for me. Having that comic replaced by P.D. makes me so happy. It’s a woman’s view comic that makes me smile and occasionally laugh. Just my 2 cents.

  10. Pajama Diaries by Terri Libenson just replaced Cathy by Cathy Guisewite. As Alan said, there are just some comics you have to live with and skip over if it doesn’t suit you. Cathy was that comic for me. Having that comic replaced by P.D. makes me so happy. It’s a woman’s view comic that makes me smile and occasionally laugh. Just my 2 cents.

  11. Comics, often the best part of the Sacramento Bee, have added Pajama Diaries. Perhaps not as appealing as Dilbert or Calvin & Hobbes, Terri Libenson’s work is amusing and NOT distasteful to a nerdy grandfather.

  12. Comics, often the best part of the Sacramento Bee, have added Pajama Diaries. Perhaps not as appealing as Dilbert or Calvin & Hobbes, Terri Libenson’s work is amusing and NOT distasteful to a nerdy grandfather.

  13. I cannot imagine why someone would single out “The Pajama Diaries,” which is well drawn and unusual, as the worst of the worst. There are so many tired, tired old strips that apparently can never be cancelled that deserve that description. (Any strip now supposedly drawn by the son of the original artist, just for starters.) Congrats to any newspaper that takes a chance on “Pajama Diaries.” Now please get “Mutts,” “Candorville,” “Brewster Rockit,” “Non Sequiter” etc., etc. & show the world that THIS is the golden age of newspaper comics.

  14. I cannot imagine why someone would single out “The Pajama Diaries,” which is well drawn and unusual, as the worst of the worst. There are so many tired, tired old strips that apparently can never be cancelled that deserve that description. (Any strip now supposedly drawn by the son of the original artist, just for starters.) Congrats to any newspaper that takes a chance on “Pajama Diaries.” Now please get “Mutts,” “Candorville,” “Brewster Rockit,” “Non Sequiter” etc., etc. & show the world that THIS is the golden age of newspaper comics.

  15. I agree with Andy. Everyone always complains about the lack of good new strips but I think it’s because editors don’t have the nerve to make the change. I think this is the Golden Age. Even some strips in the last 5-ish years are among my all-time favs.

    Pooch Cafe
    Get Fuzzy
    Pearls Before Swine
    Lio
    Ink Pen

  16. I agree with Andy. Everyone always complains about the lack of good new strips but I think it’s because editors don’t have the nerve to make the change. I think this is the Golden Age. Even some strips in the last 5-ish years are among my all-time favs.

    Pooch Cafe
    Get Fuzzy
    Pearls Before Swine
    Lio
    Ink Pen

  17. I haven’t seen that strip but I agree with Andy and Anon, that some strips are tired and need to be replaced. Is there anyone that actually reads The Born Loser and laughs? Or Crock? I’d like to meet ’em.

  18. I haven’t seen that strip but I agree with Andy and Anon, that some strips are tired and need to be replaced. Is there anyone that actually reads The Born Loser and laughs? Or Crock? I’d like to meet ’em.

  19. I’m a fan of Pajama Diaries. I think it’s a good strip. I’m a work-at-home parent of two young children, so the content of Libenson’s strip is very relevant to me. In the age of computers, more and more people are able to work from home and a lot of them are watching their children while they do it … it’s an undeniablly growing demographic.

    Of course, there will always be people who think that their demographic is the only one that matters, but I think any thoughtful person can see that PJ Diaries is a decent strip … whether it speaks to them or not.

  20. I’m a fan of Pajama Diaries. I think it’s a good strip. I’m a work-at-home parent of two young children, so the content of Libenson’s strip is very relevant to me. In the age of computers, more and more people are able to work from home and a lot of them are watching their children while they do it … it’s an undeniablly growing demographic.

    Of course, there will always be people who think that their demographic is the only one that matters, but I think any thoughtful person can see that PJ Diaries is a decent strip … whether it speaks to them or not.

  21. I don’t dispute that Norm. I was only commenting on the strips that are depressingly unfunny (that I know of). I’m no fan of “Cathy” but in some areas it might have a good audience. I can understand why its in that paper even though I don’t like it. But there are some strips that I can’t get my head around. Who actually thinks that “Crock” or dare-I-say-it, “BC” is funny?

  22. I don’t dispute that Norm. I was only commenting on the strips that are depressingly unfunny (that I know of). I’m no fan of “Cathy” but in some areas it might have a good audience. I can understand why its in that paper even though I don’t like it. But there are some strips that I can’t get my head around. Who actually thinks that “Crock” or dare-I-say-it, “BC” is funny?

  23. I was actually rebutting the comments made by “sean”. “Worst comic ever” and “unimaginative trash” are grotesque mischaracterizations. I could see how PJD might not speak to some, but to rank on it like I think is clearly unfair.

    As far as your comments go Mike, I agree. There are plenty of strips that are waaaaaaaay past their prime that should qualify as “unimaginative” way before anything current that’s being syndicated.

  24. I was actually rebutting the comments made by “sean”. “Worst comic ever” and “unimaginative trash” are grotesque mischaracterizations. I could see how PJD might not speak to some, but to rank on it like I think is clearly unfair.

    As far as your comments go Mike, I agree. There are plenty of strips that are waaaaaaaay past their prime that should qualify as “unimaginative” way before anything current that’s being syndicated.

  25. Ah, I just noticed that “sean’s” comments were made 6 months ago, which would explain your confusion.

    I guess I’m a bit late 🙂

  26. Ah, I just noticed that “sean’s” comments were made 6 months ago, which would explain your confusion.

    I guess I’m a bit late 🙂

  27. Oops. Looking at the dtaes I am very late! Sorry about that! I just discovered this site recently!

    Man, thats my life….always a day late and a dollar short….:(

  28. Oops. Looking at the dtaes I am very late! Sorry about that! I just discovered this site recently!

    Man, thats my life….always a day late and a dollar short….:(

  29. I’m a guy [with a grown family], and I think the PD is a great new strip. Well drawn and humerous insights and situations any family person can identify with. I thought the panel with the neighbor keeping the “secret” she found “in the sock drawer” was clever, funny, adult, and true to life.

  30. I’m a guy [with a grown family], and I think the PD is a great new strip. Well drawn and humerous insights and situations any family person can identify with. I thought the panel with the neighbor keeping the “secret” she found “in the sock drawer” was clever, funny, adult, and true to life.

  31. Both of these comics sound boring and unoriginal.

  32. Both of these comics sound boring and unoriginal.

  33. I have to agree with Sean. PD really is a terrible comic. I think it’s worse than Cathy. However, I’ve noticed that most mothers seem to find it funny. And I’m a kid, and find it highly insulting. I think there may be a connection.

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