Richard Stevens has posted on his blog that his web comic Diesel Sweeties will be syndicated through United Media starting on January 8, 2007.

Toward the end of Mike Peters column that I referenced in an earlier post, was this line:

The folks over at the For Better Or For Worse web site have posted a 42 part slideshow on the production of Lynn Johnston’s feature.  Some of the highlights include how many people work the feature (it’s no longer a one-woman job); what tools they use (they’re pretty specific on the type of pens, markers, inks that are used) and the total amount of time it takes for each strip to go down the “assembly line” (about 6 hours per strip).

The Peoria Journal Star has dropped Mark Tatulli’s Lio this week citing complaints from readers of its “lack of taste and sometimes cruel nature.”  The editor wrote that they felt that the promotional strips were more Calvin and Hobbesque (my new word) in nature, but the actual strips were different that what was marketed. They’ve opted to replace Mark’s work with Frazz by Jef Mallett.

Awhile ago, I pointed out a new site called the Silent Penultimate Panel Watch which posted on a daily basis how many comic strips used a silent second to the latest panel.  Most days there is at least one.

Several cartoonists will be speaking at an upcoming Charles M. Schulz Museum event on the October 21st on the topic of how Peanuts has influenced their work.  According to E&P, Darrin Bell Candorville, Paige Braddock Jane’s World, Michael Jantze The Norm, and Keith Knight The K Chronicles are the invited cartoonists. Lee Mendelson, the producer of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown will also speak.

Mike Lester, editorial cartoonist for The Rome News-Tribune, already has a goodly sum of book titles in his portfolio that he’s illustrated.  The latest book is called “Ninety-Three in My Family” and is written by Erica S. Perl.  The book’s release date was September 1 and is published by Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Next week I’ll be taking a much anticipated vacation as my wife and I celebrate our 10 year anniversary. I’m completely okay with leaving the kids behind for 10 days, but leaving the blog unattended is putting a twist my knickers. I’ve asked Aaron Taylor to help things going, but not wanting to place too much burden on him, I’m opening the door to others who would like to take a turn behind the reporters desk of the Daily Cartoonist. Read on for details on how to register to post news on the Daily Cartoonist.

The Dallas Morning News has run four comics in the vacated space left by Aaron McGruder’s Boondocks these last six months and now it is time to vote on the new favorite.  Up for a vote are:

I reported last week of a University of Virginia student who had two highly controversial cartoons published in the student paper – the Cavalier Daily.  The cartoonist has issued an apology and has asked that the cartoons be removed from the paper’s web site.

Dan Piraro was the special guest during an assembly recently at Lee Elementary School to urge kids to read and don’t eat meat (Dan is a vegetarian).

Earlier this week, I told you that a Baldo creators Carlos Castellanos and Hector Cantu inserted the likeness of one of their fans into their feature as part of a fund raising effort.  In a very familiar story out of the Toledo Blade – Neal Rubin, a Detroit News columnist who writes Gil Thorp, was contacted by an individual asking him to use the likeness of an area high school coach Chris Hardman.

Two editorial cartoonist are getting into football fever this year. Mike Lester, editorial cartoonist for the Rome News-Tribune is designing t-shrits for the Auburn University Tigers football team and Joe Heller, Green Bay Press-Gazette editorial cartoonist is drawing placards for the Green Bay Packers.

The National Cartoon Musuem will not be opening next spring in the Empire State Building in downtown Manhattan according to Comic Reporter Tom Spurgeon.

Keith Knight, who does the K Chronicles, will give a special presentation to the Great Lakes Chapter of the NCS on October 7th.  Visit the GLC web site for more info on the chapter meeting.