Comic history Comic strips

First and Last – Professor Doodles

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D. D. Degg September 12, 2021 1 minute 2 comments

Today saw the Doodles Sunday page go to rerun following the death of cartoonist Chris Foote.

Doodles began on Sunday October 19, 1986 as a kid’s activity/gag page titled Professor Doodles – Just For Kids Corner created by Steve Sack and Craig MacIntosh.

From a Daily Cartoonist article last year:

In an early (1987) interview Craig MacIntosh described the collaboration:

Steve gives me a list of ideas for the large panel and I work out the small panels. I pencil in the drawings and he inks them.

In 2009 the arrangement was described:

Sack handles the main panel.
MacIntosh [handles the] three smaller panels.

In an early introduction to the feature:

On July 12, 1998 the honorific Professor was dropped from the title.

The creative team continued working the feature, signing either “Sack & Mac” or “Mac & Sack,” until Craig stepped away from the page in 2012.

The last Mac & Sack teamup was December 30, 2012.
On January 6, 2013 the teamup changed to Foote & Sack.

Steve Sack stayed with Doodles until January 26, 2020.
Beginning February 2, 2020 it was a solo effort by Chris Foote.

New Doodles by Chris continued until last week, September 5, 2021.

Creators Syndicate began running efforts from the past today, September 12, 2021.
It is unknown if this is temporary until a new cartoonist is found or if reruns will now be the norm.
Creators ran old Foote & Sack Sunday pages until October 17, 2021 then shut down the feature.

Professor Doodles/Doodles was syndicated by Tribune Media Sevices until January 1, 2006.
Since January 8, 2006 Doodles is syndicated and copyright Creators Syndicate.

For a dozen years, 1986 to 1998 per Allan Holtz, there was a daily version of Doodles.