The Peoria Journal Star has dropped Mark Tatulli’s Lio this week citing complaints from readers of its “lack of taste and sometimes cruel nature.” The editor wrote that they felt that the promotional strips were more Calvin and Hobbesque (my new word) in nature, but the actual strips were different that what was promised. They’ve opted to replace Mark’s work with Frazz by Jef Mallett.
The Witchita Eagle (KS) received over 2000 votes in a recent comic survey of eight strips strips. As a result, Slylock Fox, Shoe, One Big Happy, and Peanuts are out. Replacing the outgoing are Pearls Before Swine, Mother Goose & Grimm, Sherman’s Lagoon and Bizarro.
Before Mark gets too upset at the loss of the Peoria Journal Star, he might find some consolation that Lio was picked up by the The Press of Atlantic City. Also joining Lio on the comics page is Paul Gilligan’s Pooch Cafe. The Press reports that they didn’t drop any features to make room for the two new arrivals.