For a feature built upon tall-tales, the story line this week has been the truth. Hollis Brown and Wes Hargis have decided to end the strip. Starting Monday, the strip has featured its characters talking about the impending end of the strip – even making fun of it’s attempt to reinvent it’s premise in June. According to Rose M. McAllister, Marketing Manager at King Features, the two cartoonists have terminated the strip due to lack of subscribing newspapers.
Little Fibbs was launched in September of 2004 entitled Franklin Fibbs. Earlier this year, the feature was renamed and changed its premise from that of an older gentleman who spun tall tales to that of a young boy with a big imagination.
UPDATE: The last daily strip runs this Saturday (Oct 8) and the last Sunday is, well, this Sunday (Oct. 9).
UPDATE: When I spoke with Rose yesterday, I asked her how many papers ‘Fibbs’ was in currently and perhaps at the peak of its run. She responded back today that ‘Fibbs’ had maintained about a dozen papers throughout its two year span. With those numbers, it’s not that hard to see why continuing the feature would have been difficult.
Too bad. I liked Franklin Fibbs.
Too bad. I liked Franklin Fibbs.
That’s sad to hear. Do you know when the last strip will appear?
That’s sad to hear. Do you know when the last strip will appear?
Okay, I see the edit.
Since King Features only posts the first seven strips of the month on their site for free, can anyone who has DailyInk post the last two strips, if possible?
Okay, I see the edit.
Since King Features only posts the first seven strips of the month on their site for free, can anyone who has DailyInk post the last two strips, if possible?
I liked the “old man” version better, but only by a hair. I’ll be sorry to see this one go. It has been a fresh voice on the comics page.
I liked the “old man” version better, but only by a hair. I’ll be sorry to see this one go. It has been a fresh voice on the comics page.
I also preferred the older Fibbs. It was a mistake to revert to childhood.
Sorry to see the strip go. It was my new favorite.
I also preferred the older Fibbs. It was a mistake to revert to childhood.
Sorry to see the strip go. It was my new favorite.
This is a shame. This strip is so superior to so many of the old dinosaurs which don’t even have to be named because we all know who they are. I weep for the these creators and the industry.
This is a shame. This strip is so superior to so many of the old dinosaurs which don’t even have to be named because we all know who they are. I weep for the these creators and the industry.
The only thing I’d found this strip to be superior to is several of its cruder contemporaries.
If a feature has fewer than twenty clients 18 months into syndication, it’s hard to call changing the concept a mistake.
Kudos to King Features for backing this strip for as long as they did, and congratulations to Brown and Hargis for a fine run.
If a feature has fewer than twenty clients 18 months into syndication, it’s hard to call changing the concept a mistake.
Kudos to King Features for backing this strip for as long as they did, and congratulations to Brown and Hargis for a fine run.
I’ve been reading Fibbs for the last year or so through Daily Ink. Too bad that subscription model isn’t paying the cartoonists enough to keep going.
I’ve been reading Fibbs for the last year or so through Daily Ink. Too bad that subscription model isn’t paying the cartoonists enough to keep going.
I can’t think of a still-running strip created before 1970 that this strip is NOT superior to.
I can’t think of a still-running strip created before 1970 that this strip is NOT superior to.
Hey Charles Brubaker – yea you.
Elsewhere you asked where a non DailyInk subscriber could see the last Little Fibbs.
I hope Alan doesn’t mind my going through his forum to post a link to this site which gives an illustrated history of the strip.
http://www.clownsaround.com/2006/10/06/rip-franklin-little-fibbs-2004-2006/
Hey Charles Brubaker – yea you.
Elsewhere you asked where a non DailyInk subscriber could see the last Little Fibbs.
I hope Alan doesn’t mind my going through his forum to post a link to this site which gives an illustrated history of the strip.
http://www.clownsaround.com/2006/10/06/rip-franklin-little-fibbs-2004-2006/
Degg,
Thanks for the link.
Degg,
Thanks for the link.
Thanks Degg for the link. I’m a couple of weeks behind on my daily DailyInk reading, so I’ve not seen the final strip until tonight. The writer called the last strip “underwhelming,” but I thought it was quite clever and it got a chuckle out of me.
Thanks Degg for the link. I’m a couple of weeks behind on my daily DailyInk reading, so I’ve not seen the final strip until tonight. The writer called the last strip “underwhelming,” but I thought it was quite clever and it got a chuckle out of me.