King Features comic editor Brendan Burford, Zippy The Pinhead creator Bill Griffith, The Simpsons creator Matt Groening and Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell were brought together to pay tribute to the late Jay Kennedy who passed away in the spring of 2007.
- Brendan Burford, Bill Griffith, Matt Groening and Patrick McDonnell are paneling a tribute to the late Jay Kennedy.
- Brendan Burford: In Jay Kennedy’s tenure at King, he launched a strong number of features. Also well known for his underground comic collection
- Pat McDonnell: One of the things that make Jay such a successful editor is that he was an artist too.
- Jay and Patrick went to the same art college. Patrick went into illustration, Jay dropped out and when to a university.
- Patrick McDonnell: “Jay Kennedy was a generous individual who put his own artistic endeavors on hold to help so many others achieve theirs.”
- Bill Griffith also knew Jay Kennedy during Jay’s hippy years. Jay loved underground comics, but not for hippy reasons.
- Bill Griffith: Jay Kennedy gravitated to King Features because King was syndicating Zippy and Jay thought that was bold.
- Bill Griffith: “I felt much more secure in my career longevity because I knew Jay was an ally inside King.”
- Bill Griffiths: “Jay Kennedy wasn’t a collector, he was an appreciator.”
- Matt Groening: “I agree, Zippy is one of the weirdest comics…”
- Matt Groening: I became a great friends with Jay Kennedy because of mutual interest in obscure underground comics.
- Jay told Matt that he needed to stop drawing rabbits if he wanted to be successful. Simpsons are human based on that advice.