Michael Cavna has a round up of tributes from fellow cartoonists as Richard Thompson?s Cul de Sac takes a graceful exit from the syndication stage due to Richard?s health.
Michael:
To mark Thompson?s five-year run with ?Cul de Sac,? which won the esteemed Reuben Award last year and has received Ignatz and Harvey awards this month, Comic Riffs asked some of Thompson?s cartooning colleagues for their reactions about the end of the strip, and their thoughts of his challenges as he battles Parkinson?s.
Cartooninsts quoted include: Bill Watterson, Jen Sorensen, Jerry Scott, Lincoln Peirce, Lynn Johnston, Mark Tatulli, Nate Beeler, Scott Adams, and Stephan Pastis.
Wonderful tributes and I was glad to see Cavna use the drawing of Petey and his upside-down backpack. I already have an enlarged version of it on my bulletin board as I think it reveals Petey’s personality so well and shows how well Thompson understood him. For the rest of us, accidentally putting on a backpack upside down so the contents then fall out would be just one more frustrating event of the day. But I think Petey’s expression shows he feels this is just one more sign that the world is somehow out to get him. I will miss Richard Thompson and the Otterloops so much.
I have some early confirmations on “Cul de Sac” replacements:
Marysville-Yuba City (CA) Appeal-Democrat: Grand Avenue
Knoxville News-Sentinel: Rhymes With Orange
Lewiston (ID) Morning Tribune: Vote between “The Duplex”, “Big Nate” and “Non Sequitur”. Winner debuts 10/1
Myrtle Beach (SC) Sun-News: Stone Soup
That’s all for now. More to come.
The San Antonio Express-News will not be replacing “Cul De Sac” (it ran only on Sundays). They said they will expand “Dilbert” to fill the void.
Union City (TN) Messenger already replaced Cul de Sac with “Stone Soup” (they never got around running the final week)
Other confirms
Hendersonville (NC) Times-News: “Cul de Sac” replaced by “Classic Peanuts”
Detroit Free-Press: Stone Soup
Winston-Salem (NC) Journal: Rhymes With Orange
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Mallard Fillmore
Bakersfield Californian: Get Fuzzy
Two more reports:
Daily Breeze (Torrence CA): “Cul De Sac” replaced by “Big Nate”
Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter is replacing “Cul De Sac” with “Pearls Before Swine”.
While I have not had the good fortune of getting to know Richard very well, our few brief exchanges made me smile. He’s a class act! While I will miss Cul de Sac, I’m hopeful that with the pressure of a daily comic strip lifted, he will be able to focus on his health and family.
Thinking of you, Richard.
More confirms:
The Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) will add two comics: “Big Nate” will be in “Cul de Sac”‘s spot while “Dustin” has also been added; it replaces “Daddy’s Home”
Kansas City Star: Pooch Cafe
Scranton (PA) Times-Tribune: Big Nate
Long Beach (CA) Press-Telegram: Big Nate
Northwest Herald (IL): Stone Soup
Another confirm:
The Deseret News (UT) will add FOUR comics: “Big Nate” replaces “Cul De Sac”; In addition the News has added “Home And Away”, “F Minus” and “Bleeker, the Rechargable Dog” replace “Thatababy”, “Mutts” and “Dustin” respectively.
Also, the Daily Progress (VA) is replacing “Cul De Sac” with “Big Nate”.
All the best to you, Richard. We hope to hear from you soon and frequently. Thank you for a wonderful comic strip.