Gary Larson’s net worth, Li’l Sparky calendar, Max & the Midknights TV, public domain Buck Rogers, Jef Mallett interviewed, Warner Bros. theatrical cartoons coming (or not), and a warning about tomorrow from a turtle.
Gary Larson Net Worth 2024: The Far Side of Success
Sazadul Islam Saju at Surprise Sports puts cartoonist Gary Larson’s current net worth at $24,000,000.00.
The Far Side Comic Strip
The primary source of Larson’s wealth comes from “The Far Side,” which ran from 1980 to 1995. At its peak, the comic was syndicated in nearly 2,000 newspapers worldwide, providing a steady stream of income.
Book Sales
Larson has published numerous collections of his comics, with 23 “The Far Side” books to his name. These books have been incredibly popular, with over 45 million copies sold.
While not occupying as many slots in Amazon’s Top Sellers in Comic Strips list as Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side always has a few slots in their Top 20, currently it is his 2025 Calendar occupying a top spot.
A faraway kingdom holds fantastical, heartfelt, and humorous journeys in Nickelodeon’s all-new CG-animated series Max & the Midknights, making its television debut on Wednesday, October 30 at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT). Nickelodeon today revealed the trailer, key art, and voice cast for the original series.
Based on the best-selling children’s books by acclaimed author and cartoonist Lincoln Peirce (Big Nate), the show follows an adventurous 10-year-old named Max who embarks on a quest with her newfound friends to save the Kingdom of Byjovia from ominous forces…
The First Public Domain Buck Rogers Comic In 2025 From Array Comics
The character of Buck Rogers, a man from the present who travels to the far future, first appeared in the novel Armageddon 2419 A.D. by Phillip Nowlan, published in 1928 in the anthology magazine Amazing Stories, which saw the character under a different name, wnter the US public domain last year. However, the more familiar use of the character, the cartoon strip Buck Rogers in the 25th Century A.D. written by Nowlan and drawn by Dick Calkins, from which most iterations since have been drawn and which inspired many, was published on the 7th of January, 1929, and will be public domain in January 2025. The whole first year of strips. And that’s the one that people will want.
And as if by magic, new publisher Array Comics announced the publication of a new comic book series.Buck Rogers 2425[emphasis added], for January 2025, intends to be one that “merges the spirit of classic sci-fi adventures with original narratives for today’s readers.”
…Buck Rogers 2425 from Array Comics on the 8th of January 2025… creators currently unknown…
Yeah, a couple things. First, it doesn’t sound like it will be out in early January if they haven’t even got writers and artists lined up yet. As much as the Dille family likes to bicker I think they will all come together to sue Array if they put the trademarked Buck Rogers on the cover of an unauthorized comic.
A Later-That-Same-Day Edit:
From the Array Comics press release:
Array Comics is proud to announce the upcoming release of Buck Rogers 2425, a new comic series that reimagines one of sci-fi’s most influential space-faring heroes. With the first issue slated for release in January 2025, the series merges the spirit of classic sci-fi adventures with original narratives for today’s readers.
The story begins with Deering, a resilient teenager in a post-apocalyptic Earth of the year 2425. She encounters a mysterious youth who claims to have awakened from a 500-year sleep. Together, they must decide whether to trust each other as they navigate the remnants of human civilization and battle vicious alien invaders in a fight for survival.
A Hero Reborn for a New Generation
The first space hero of comics, who captured imaginations in the 1920s, reawakens in this thrilling new adventure for both longtime fans and newcomers, breathing new life into a classic icon while breaking free from the constraints of the past.
In this new vision of the 25th century, humanity teeters on the edge of extinction after a prolonged dark age. Deering’s discovery of the enigmatic boy from the past may hold the key to salvation—or destruction. With action, intrigue, and suspense, readers will be immersed in a high-stakes post-apocalyptic struggle.
The Comic Obsessive: Frazz Edition with Jef Mallett
Warner Bros. Plans To Relaunch Looney Tunes Theatrically In 2028
Warner Bros. has a plan to bring its Looney Tunes stable back to the theatrical format beginning in 2028, according to a new report by Matthew Belloni in the Puck newsletter.
Belloni’s report focused on “non-core assets” that Warner Bros. Discovery might sell to help shore up the company’s finances and reduce its debt load. According to the report, selling the Looney Tunes characters remains an option though the likelihood of such a sale is low…
Amid’s Take: It’s incredibly difficult to envision how WBD might resurrect the Looney Tunes franchise in theatrical form, as long as the company is being led by Zaslav. WBD’s current approach to these prized characters is utterly incomprehensible as the company has recently produced two Looney Tunes films and chosen to release neither of them…
I still don’t quite understand this PD’ing of characters as opposed to specific stories featuring those characters. The Buck Rogers character may have originated in 1928, but what about all the material written (and drawn) about him from years to which the copyright still holds sway. How does someone say that they are lawfully using the PD Buck Rogers, who is indistinguishable from the non-PD Buck Rogers. Same for Mickey Mouse — just because Steamboat Willie goes PD, how can someone use his likeness and character, which for at least some years afterward was the same as in that cartoon. I’ve been reading about this subject, but I just can’t get it through my thick skull.
Yeah, try putting “Mickey Mouse” as a title or on the cover of a book featuring the 1928 public domain character and see how long before Disney Corp. hauls your butt into court. So I asked Array Comics about them putting Buck Rogers on the cover as a title and the possible trademark complications. They replied “We’ve worked closely with our legal team to make sure that our comic book complies with copyright law and that no rights are infringed.” That response ignored my asking if they had licensed “Buck Rogers” from one or more of the Dille family.
Bodacious thanks for featuring our 2025 Li’l Sparky Calendar, D.D.! I really appreciate it!
I still don’t quite understand this PD’ing of characters as opposed to specific stories featuring those characters. The Buck Rogers character may have originated in 1928, but what about all the material written (and drawn) about him from years to which the copyright still holds sway. How does someone say that they are lawfully using the PD Buck Rogers, who is indistinguishable from the non-PD Buck Rogers. Same for Mickey Mouse — just because Steamboat Willie goes PD, how can someone use his likeness and character, which for at least some years afterward was the same as in that cartoon. I’ve been reading about this subject, but I just can’t get it through my thick skull.
Yeah, try putting “Mickey Mouse” as a title or on the cover of a book featuring the 1928 public domain character and see how long before Disney Corp. hauls your butt into court. So I asked Array Comics about them putting Buck Rogers on the cover as a title and the possible trademark complications. They replied “We’ve worked closely with our legal team to make sure that our comic book complies with copyright law and that no rights are infringed.” That response ignored my asking if they had licensed “Buck Rogers” from one or more of the Dille family.