→2020→09→27→Comic strips→GoComics Dropping Frog Applause, The Conjurers, others; Connie to the Wonnie Drops GoComics
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GoComics Dropping Frog Applause, The Conjurers, others; Connie to the Wonnie Drops GoComics

1 minute 20 comments

In the month since we last reported that GoComics was reducing the 500+ roster of its site, a dozen more comics have been dropped. September has seen the following comics no longer appearing on GoComics:

Angry Birds, BFGF Syndrome, Bewly, The Best Medicine Cartoon, The Conjurers, The Creeps, Dragon Girl, The Gentleman’s Armchair, The Lost Bear, Lost Side of Suburbia, Microcosm, Pictures in Boxes, and Pie Comic.

To be honest I am not familiar with most of these comics, but a couple comments…


above: Angry Birds © Rovio

Surprising since Angry Birds is a popular multi-media property. But, as far as I can determine (the archives disappear with the comics) the strip hasn’t been updated in months. But still a popular game would bring eyes and clicks to the site. (Maybe it was Rovio’s decision?)

 


above: The Conjurers © Brian Anderson

My understanding is that the loss of The Conjurers is basically “no harm no foul.” GoComics wanted to reduce the roll call and Brian Anderson’s publisher wanted the free content removed.

edit: Brian sends word that The Conjurers webcomic “will be available again soon and will always be free.” Adding: “People can sign up for my newsletter at my site. I’ll be offering free collected editions to everyone on my list.”

 

On the flip side is Connie Sun deciding to take her characters into a different format, not leaving her time to continue a thrice-weekly comic strip.


above: Connie to the Wonnie © Connie Sun (via GoComics)

For the moment the Connie to the Wonnie archives remain at GoComics.

 

From the other end of the scale is Frog Applause by Teresa Burritt. It seems GoComics has sent her a notice saying they will be removing her strip and the archives on October 9, 2020.


above: Frog Applause © Teresa Burritt (via GoComics)

As seen in the comments for September 21, 2020:

“It has come to my attention that GC intends to cancel the strip Frog Applause. The reasoning behind this decision is unclear.

This strip is entertaining, thought-provoking, unconventional, and followed by many faithful readers- many of whom only come to GC for Frog Applause.

i most emphatically urge the directors of the GoComics site to reconsider their decision.

Any response by the directorate will be appreciated.

Thank you.”

Teresa’s collaborator on Shoecabbage is supporting the effort to keep FA on GC.

Even Andrews McMeel Syndicate honcho John Glynn has encouraged readers to implore GoComics to keep the strip on the site.

https://www.gocomics.com/help/contact

816.581.7500

Andrews McMeel Universal
1130 Walnut St.
Kansas City, MO 64106 USA

This is an oddity to me. On the GoComics site are a number of features with a few hundred “followers.” Frog Appluase has been at GoComics for 14 years and has tens of thousands of followers, more than some (read: a lot) of the syndicated comics. But those with 1/100th of the followers remain (for now) on the site. It makes little sense.

GoComics is Teresa’s only outlet for her comic creativity – no website, no Patreon.
Maybe your (polite) letter will help Teresa remain on GoComics.

disclosure: both GoComics and The Daily Cartoonist are subsidiaries of Andrews McMeel Universal

UPDATE:
Frog Applause will remain on GoComics.

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Comments 20

  1. It’s just too regrettable that GoComics has decided to drop “Frog Applause.” I know AMU cares little or nothing for the close, personal, and highly diverting community which has grown up around it. Eliminating that group’s conversations is one thing.

    But I would bet money that AMU cares even less for creator Teresa Burritt and her contribution. It’s too regrettable, hard to figure, and impossible to justify.

    It’s the end of an era. It makes me very sad.

  2. I can’t see why GoComics would drop Frog Applause. It’s popular and active, which alone makes it good for their business. It attracts a group of fans who otherwise might not look at GoComics, which only increases GoComic’s business. Its appeal to Teresa Burritt’s fans is in its difference; it provokes thoughts and feelings that might otherwise never come to light. It gets us directly involved in whatever subject Teresa addresses, which is a mental and emotional exercise we all need. GoComics should take pride in displaying a strip such as this.

  3. I became a premium member of GoComics primarily because of Frog Applause. I found it to be original, creative, and thought provoking. I discovered many creative ideas of my own from the artwork. Teresa Burritt herself has real humanity, not an anonymous author or cyberbot. I am disappointed that GC is dropping this feature. They don’t even bother to offer an explanation to readers and fans. I will no longer be a premium member.

  4. When I first encountered Frog Applause on GC, I was thrilled to see there was a unique cartoon that actually made you pause and think. Unlike the others, I would spend more time contemplating my response. It’s ingenious, original, humorous, thought provoking and I do hope GC keeps this strip! It a great display of a brainy creator and deserves all the respect!

  5. Frog Applause has been as ubiquitous as my morning cup of coffee for some thirteen years, and from the beginning, my primary reason for visiting the GoComics site.

    Through power outages from hurricanes Ike and Harvey, besides getting in touch with friends once power was restored, finding out what I’d missed on FA, while not an absolute priority, was one of those things I did on my way back to normalcy following these disasters.

    It’s shocking to me that CoComics’ own counters show some 31,203 followers for Frog Applause, yet they are considering removing it from their line-up with no explanation. Clearly, lack of popularity is not the issue, so why the need to trim it when “The Comic Strip That Has A Finale Every Day…” which has not had a new strip since it’s first one in January 2015 continues to ‘take up space’ on GoCo?

    Truly, I am bummed by the Lameness of it all.

  6. Initially I started reading comics on GoComics because my hometown newspaper dropped a number of strips I enjoyed reading every morning. GoComics aggregation feature was a wonderful substitute.

    Somehow I stumbled upon Frog Applause and Teresa (I frankly believe it had something to do with our mutual obsession with sporks). I decided to become a paying subscriber because I wanted to financially support her work and the work of the other artists whose work I had been enjoying for free.

    I guess we all believe our favorite anything is unique and worthy of special dispensation. But who can deny Frog Applause is in fact unique? I defy anyone to identify a single comic that combines Teresa’s special gifts for wordplay, eccentricity, causticness (I could go on and on – thesuaras.com is a free website), and dark humor are unmatched on GoComics or in any other corner of the Internet.

    I very much hope GoComics will reassess its decision to terminate its contract with Teresa for Frog Applause. Fortunately for me my Premium subscribership expires just after the day the GoComics’ death penalty is to be imposed. If my voice vote counts for nothing (and so far its hasn’t even been acknowledged must less given its due) then I’ll spend my $14.88 on the cost of a Hendrix martini at my favorite bar (when/if it reopens) (damn COVID-19).

  7. I echo the above sentiments, with resounding lame enthusiasm.
    It makes no sense to me. Frog Applause is a fresh inventive departure from the typical line up, it has a robust community with lively dialog/ comment section, and a huge following, especially compared to, as has been mentioned, other comics there which haven’t updated in months or years, or only very occasionally updated. Doesn’t more traffic mean more clicks, better bottom line. It is hard to imagine that that isn’t their only concern, given their obvious disdain for their users and their poor, bordering on heartless treatment of Teresa) For Shame GoComics!

    I have watched GoComics whittle away at their content over the years. It is really sad to watch them become a soulless, faceless monolith of a company, sacrificing a robust creative artist line up and equally robust community, for what end I am not sure. Are they trying to go the way of newspapers?

    I came to GoComics solely for Frog Applause, but I frequent many other comics there and engage with the community ( which translates into many many many clicks for them)

    When Frog Applause is no more on their site, GoComics no longer exists for me, and I plan to delete my account.

  8. I agree, it’s not logical for GoComics to remove a strip which is both active and creates plenty of traffic. I read 7 comics a day on GoComics, but can find 5 of these on either ArcaMax, Comics Kingdom or Canoe. I never searched for these elsewhere, but which of these may be gone from GoComics next? I’m glad to switch to ArcaMax, the ads are a lot less obtrusive, and Comics Kingdom doesn’t have ads except for their own.

    The one strip besides Frog Applause I have not found is the beloved re-run of Calvin and Hobbes. But I have all the the books, so it’s just up to me to try to read only one per day: Ha! This makes me think the missing GoComics revenue stream from Frog Applause is via Andrews McMeel: Publishing and merchandise. I think AMU/GoComics should realize the traffic Frog Applause generates to their site goes well beyond the FA page, and can in fact impact their income from 30K viewers discovering other comics (books, merch…) we might like.

  9. Frog Applause is quirky, sometimes annoying, and clearly brilliant.
    If Dick Tracy can stick around with recycled plots, guest star artists, transparently derivative plot lines, then why can’t Frog Applause? FA is one of the reasons I have remained a paying customer for several years now. Reading my daily selection early in morning is one of the real pleasures in this dreadful dark age. Frog Applause is among the best and certainly most unique.
    Please keep it running.

  10. I can only echo what has been said above about Frog Applause and add two things: first, that the online community that has gathered around Teresa and her work at GoComics is one of the few places on the internet where the admonition, “Never read the comments, ” emphatically does not apply. It is an entirely accidental, unique, nurturing, and creative place; and second, I sometimes dream I am reading Frog Applause, and it is difficult to distinguished those I have dreamed from those Teresa has dreamed up. As Dali one said, “The difference between me and other Surrealists is that I am a Surrealist.” So is she.

  11. Please add my name to the list of Frog Applause readers who are confused and heartbroken by the news this wonderful art experience is being cancelled.

    GoComic, are you listening?

    People will be studying and talking about Teresa Burrit’s art years from now.

    You should keep Frog Applause on your site.

  12. I am also a Frog Applause fan and GoComics subscriber. Very disappointed to see that they want to drop FA. The strip is unique, often odd and thought provoking. FA seems similar to some of the best off-the-wall humor, such as the Pythons and Firesign Theatre – different media, but original with new ways of looking at and presenting things. Yes there are days when I am very puzzled — but always still entertained. Creator Teresa Burritt must have an encyclopedic well to draw upon — I often find myself searching down an unknown word or term she drops and learning about something (many TIL moments). And always in service of humor. Hoping they will reverse their decision and keep the gem that is FA.

  13. To the powers that be: *please* keep Frog Applause alive at GoComics. It may seem nonsensical to some, but its whimsy and phantasmagoria is often joined by strips that powerfully address critical social issues, such as child abuse (among others.) It has a huge following, and dropping it seems to be a capricious and ill-considered decision. Respectfully submitted.

  14. Kudos to all the above comment authors … they eloquently and accurately express my feelings to a “T.” Teresa Burritt’s excellent work (Frog Applause) cannot be found anywhere else than GoComics (as yet) despite what GC is telling everyone who communicates with them in protest over their “streamlining”. Their response to my own personal protests can only be described as disingenuous, patronizing, and dismissive. Let’s hope they see the light and keep FA .

    Thank you, TDC, for providing this platform …!

  15. I hate to hear that both “Frog Applause” and “Connie to the Wonnie” are leaving GoComics. “Frog” is a fun strip with lots of followers, so I hope it stays. I hope to follow “Connie” in its new format.C’mon, GoComics–keep “Frog”!

  16. Gentlemen and Ladies;
    .
    I am heartened, somewhat, that even ‘non spaceman’, John Glynn, has expressed support for Teresa’ and her curiously interesting, ‘makes its own path’ strip, Frog Applause. I enjoy the commentary by people who are obviously educated, but who see fit to indulge in fits of silly and wacky while showing an obvious erudition in their nature.

    SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID:
    .
    I feel like GoComics is just toying with their readers. They have turned
    our love for a particular comic into a cruel waiting game and they don’t
    seem to care about the people who visit their site at all. They don’t feel
    obligated to explain anything and pretty much blow off all complaints.
    If you don’t agree with their process or the vague, form-letter reply you
    receive, tough toenails. If GoComics had intended to do something–
    ANYTHING– they have had plenty of time to think and to act. It would
    be disingenuous of them to claim otherwise now. They know what readers
    are respectfully asking (Please don’t remove Frog Applause) yet they
    just ignore us. And this is after J. Francis Glynn told us “YOUR VOICE
    DOES COUNT. WRITE/EMAIL/CALL!!!”
    .
    On the ADVERTISING page of the GoComics website, GoComics
    talks about how “it’s all about relationships… and GoComics
    has the solution for you.” Really? You should reread what you are
    supposed to be all about. I thought it was to “refresh the mind with
    daily laughter and enlightenment.” Well, you plan to take anyway
    a big part of MY DAILY LAUGHTER AND ENLIGHTENMENT
    when you remove Frog Applause from your website.
    .
    Something else: GoComics needs a face. They need someone onboard
    who is not afraid to stand out front and represent their website and their
    company. As it is now, GoComics is a faceless, humorless, and soulless
    entity. If GoComics can’t find a real-life person, create a cartoon character
    to fulfill this role. This person/character should possess a thick skin, have
    a magnetic presence, be quick-witted, and be ready to interact with
    diverse personalities in a spirited and self-effacing manner. In a nutshell,
    GoComics needs to at least try to bring some zing to their lackluster and
    impersonable image.
    .

    Do readers really count, GoComics? Or are those just words…just like
    the empty words in your form letters to readers who write to your
    CONTACT US link.
    .
    ######
    An upfront reason for removing these strips would give at least some degree of clean closure and measure of respect for what were probably in some cases hard decisions. I personally respect logic and forthrightness even if I don’t agree with the content or outcome.

    .
    Respectfully and sadly, Mr. Gordon Heavern

  19. Please keep Frog Applause.

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