Sometimes a little editing goes a long way to maintaining a comic's intended message to the masses. Continue reading

Learn how to do Festivus... GoComics style! Continue reading

John Glynn celebrates the creator cameos in Brad and Toni's 'Luann' wedding. Continue reading

This holiday season, Mark Parisi's 'Off the Mark' makes John Glynn's naughty list for its fabulous flatulence. Continue reading

Celebrate National Puzzle Week with these a-maze-ing comic recommendations. Continue reading

Now I know a lot of you are unhappy with some shocking recent results in one the most important competitions in America ... but don't blame me, I hate the Cubs too. (Zing!) If you are feeling down, I'd insist that the only way through it is through laughter. You know that kind of laughter I'm talking about: like when a flying fish crashes into a window, or a child wears a hat that's too big or maybe a donkey bites someone who was being real bossy to you all the time. But stay tuned for me to tell you that there's an even better way to laughter! It's the newest collection from Pearls Before Swine and the comics literally (not literally) jump off the page and into your heart. Sometimes it's humor that is lowest-common denominator, but I happen to love those sort of laughs. It's available for pre-order over at the Amazon and comes out on November 22. Stephan always gives "value add" to his collections by writing great introductory stories and this book is no different. I've taken the liberty of titling it "The Day the Children's Laughter Died." It's amazing. Go get the book! Do it now! Continue reading

1 "Stranger Things" meets "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Thanks to the Travis Hilton for the heads up. Continue reading

Mercy. Forty-six years ago (October 26, 1970) Doonesbury debuted in 29 newspapers. Andrews McMeel Universal co-founder John McMeel often tells the story of being in the office of The Baltimore Sun pitching Doonesbury to the editor. The editor read through the first six weeks, dropped the sales kit to his desk and paused for a moment to look down his glasses at John. After another moment, the editor asked, "What's a good Catholic boy like you doing selling crap like this?" One Pulitzer Prize, 1,400 newspapers, a Broadway play, an NBC TV special, A Reuben award, dozens of controversies and pulled strips later, Doonesbury has lived to tell one of the longest narratives in the history of humankind. Garry Trudeau is "one hell of a cartoonist, but he is also one hell of a guy" (John McMeel's words). When more established and deeper-pocketed syndicates came calling, Garry stayed loyal to Universal. And Garry's latest Doonesbury book Yuge! is still lighting up the best seller lists. Yuge is a spot-on chronicle of Donald Trump that covers more than two decades and will blow you away with its dead-on accuracy of this remarkable presidential candidate. We could not be prouder that Doonesbury was the first comic launched by Universal Press Syndicate. It established the company as a syndicate that did things decidedly different than the other syndicates at the time (and mostly attached to large media corporations). So today we say thank you and happy birthday to the strip and the man that helped make us who we are today. HBD, GBT! Viva La Doonesbury! Viva La Trudeau! Continue reading

Pop on your porkpies! It's time for another installment of "Mayonnaise Monday!"* Today we're highlighting a young upstart on the scene by the name of Stephan T. Pastis (aka STP). In his LOL-take above, Stephan takes mayonnaise and weaponizes it ... which is something I've dreamt about since the 7th grade. Let's flashback to 1980, yes? Setting: JG's room. He's alone and wearing a cape. It's too small for him but he doesn't seem to mind. JG: How 'bout I blast you with my mayonnaise magma canon? How does the steel-eggy goodness of my Mayo Saber taste! Perhaps a 'Naissy Bomb dropped on your town square? Look on my works, ye Mayo and despair! ... and Scene! Now back to 2016. Stephan's patented brand of painfully hysterical puns and pushing the "good taste envelope"** have lead him to awards nominations out the ying-yang and a client list of more than 800 newspapers. He's also one of the most popular features on GoComics and in quiet times will often reflect he thinks that wearing black clothes helps accentuate his facial hair. Stephan is also releasing another wonderful collection later this fall. It's called "Stephan's Web of Lies" and it's chock full of Pearls humor and the cover is just a sensational parody of Charlotte's Web. Donna Oatney over at Andrews McMeel Publishing was instrumental in getting it to pop off the page and into our hearts. Thanks, Donna! Thanks STP! * PS: (c) 2016 J.Glynndustries ** PPS: Look for my new character "The Good Taste Envelope" coming soon! Continue reading

Fresh and hot off the presses like a delicious huckleberry pie, cartoonist and author extraordinaire Jim Benton has a new book out from our pals at Andrews McMeel Publishing. It's called "I Hate Cursive" and it made me laugh like no one was watching. And we all know that's not true as I can feel the eyes of demons lemons on me at all times. So thank you, Jim, for that brief respite. Jim's an incredibly prolific New York Times best-selling writer and artist and you know him already from his Happy Bunny, Franny K. Stein and/or Dear Dumb Diary book series. Jim is also one of the most upvoted users on all of reddit. And they hate everything! Of course, that's nowhere near the limit of JB's resume. In fact several sources close to the situation have told me that he may or may not be a very big fan of Tony Danza. Continue reading

"Hee Haw!" is what you'll shout when you realize that Lincoln Peirce's Big Nate has been around for 25 years. You: 25? Really? What year is this? I know, right? Doesn't it seem like such a young, fresh strip? But I'd suggest we cast off our velvet cloak of surprise and drink heartily from the Grand Chalice of Big Nate Celebrating its Silver Anniversary. I would like to note that there is no truth to the rumor that Lincoln based Coach John's (pictured above with Nate) look and feel on yours truly. We didn't even know each other when he introduced Coach John in the strip. But maybe Lincoln could feel me in his heart? Maybe he felt that a man of my carriage and bombast was to play an integral part in his future? Too wild to consider? Perhaps. Per-haps. Meanwhile, our pals over at Andrews McMeel Publishing thought it would be a great opportunity to release a collection celebrating those 25 years and I agreed with them by drinking from the Grand Chalice of Agreement. Check it out ... Epic Big Nate. It's out October 25th and it features Lincoln's work from 1991 to 2015 and will make you smile in your mouth and your heart like you were drinking from the Grand Chalice of Happiness. Continue reading

So true about the old cliche that the camera adds three chins and thins/greys your hair. Continue reading

Our pal Richard Thompson would have been 59 last Saturday. But typical of him, he's the one who keeps giving us the gifts. I'll just leave this one here. You should check out all the Richard's Poor Almanacs and Cul De Sacs because they'll brighten up even your darkest night. Continue reading

It's Monday, so we all know what that means! Mayonnaise Monday. Just to be frank, I feel like Mayo Monday may be getting a bit stale. And we all know that stale mayonnaise is not only bad tasting but dangerous to your health. But you people are NOT releasing your grip on Mayonnaise Monday. Your strong, irrational and loving arms won't let it go. It's like your arms were made from some strong, irrational and loving oak tree. So (for you) I will press on! And I can already hear the relieved reader responses: "Why?" "Don't." "Are those pants velvet?" And I'd like to respond to those very fair inquiries, but the light is fading and this post is already too long. So let's move on ... Today's Mayonnaise Monday is by the original UUC! UUC = "Universal Uclick Comic" ... Doonesbury. Garry Trudeau's Pulitzer Prize-winning 46-year-storytelling masterpiece may yet challenge Charles Schulz's 50-year run as the longest story ever told by a single voice (no laryngitis jokes here, please). So no more holding the mayo! Here's Doonesbury from May 27, 1986. Are you as tickled as I am to see that any comic would start with the dialogue, "So, how'd the mayonnaise get on my Monet, Curtis?" You should also know that Garry's latest Donald Trump-themed book Yuge! has been burning up the bookstore checkout aisles. Digital sales too, I saw it as high as #3 overall on Amazon over the summer. I was (and you'll be) astonished how accurately Garry captured Donald even all the way back in the '80s. It's spot on. You should check it out. Warmly, JG Continue reading

I am seething! Our dog has been stolen and I won't sleep until the perpetrators are punished and Marmaduke is back home and safe and resting in his most oversized way. If you have any information as to the whereabouts of Marmaduke, for the love of Pete, call today. Call now. If you've seen anyone suspicious around our building (Joel Friday doesn't count), please, please, please let us know. Crime scene photo. The criminals sliced off two of Marmaduke's fingers and left at the scene as a warning. Continue reading

(above: GoComics HQs in better times) Now comics are a laughing matter, but this is not. Late last night, some debris came crumbling off of the side of our GoComics HQs building. We were lucky it was so late and no one got hurt. The person who first called 911 actually said the building was "collapsing." But he was overreacting like how when I read a funny comic and slap my knee and say softly to myself, "now that was a humdinger." http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article106069062.html http://www.kctv5.com/story/33320091/downtown-streets-closed-after-debris-falls-from-building Hidden in plain sight: If you look closely in the windows in the photo above, you can see me practicing some marshall arts. Continue reading

It's October again and we all know what that means. The pumpkin-spice spigot opens up and the treats and the references will come blasting at us from everywhere. Just like that time Matt LaFramboise opened the fire hydrant with his dad's big wrench or whatever and you were standing directly in front of it and the great force of water just knocked you back down onto the street and you were stunned and hurt and everyone was laughing but you couldn't have anyone see you cry so you ran home and went in the basement and boy oh boy did the tears fall. Then your mom calls down and asks, "Is everything OK down there?" And you just say, "I am FINE, MOTHER! Leave me alone with my stuffed animals." Well, I could have used a funny comic or three to cheer me up back then, so what do you say we just throw chum in the ocean and round up some of last year's most-celebrated Pumpkin Spice jokes? Because if I can cheer up even just two kids who are having a bad day, it will all be worth it. Sarah's Scribbles Garfield The Duplex The Argyle Sweater Read this pumpkin spice post from comics editor Reed Jackson from a few years ago too! Continue reading

I lean heavily on comic strips for all my major life decisions: Hyundai or Kia, porkpie or tin foil, Tupac or Two-Ply ... all the classic debates. So when I happened across this Richard's Poor Almanac, I knew my decision was going to be made for me on November 8th. So there is now no reasonable debate, comics strips have all the answers, you only need to look in the right place. The whole factory is yours Charlie. Now if you'll excuse me it's the time of day I like to simultaneously read some Glenn McCoy editorials and some Doonesburys. Continue reading

Today's Mayonnaise Monday (patent pending) is courtesy of Reality Check from Canada's Dave Whamond. Canada's Dave has won a bunch of NCS awards and he's a great children's book author as well. He's won the Silver Birch, the Blue Spruce and the Red Cedar awards which are either book awards or some type of odd vandalism against trees. LOL! Dave's character Oddrey from his book series is below. Isn't she adorable? Dave is also hopeful that the NHL puts a team back in Edmonton very soon. Zing Zing! Incidentally, did you know the Mayo Clinic was named after frontier and Civil War doctor William Worrall Mayo? Golly! I once put on a mayo clinic when my family was gone for the weekend and I had a large spoon and a jar of the good stuff all to myself. Though whatever sense of accomplishment I might have felt was short-lived. It was hellman. Continue reading

One of my favorite quotes/maxims is "thank the heavens we don't say everything we think." Imagine if you told your coworkers/spouse/bookie/llama wrangler what you really thought of them? Oh, mercy! I know I can think some pretty dark thoughts when someone cuts me in line or tells me my "slacks are too tight again." But here's a curveball! If you're in tune with those things that you're holding back -- those times when you don't say everything you think -- it can help develop good comic characters. You: What the heck are you talking about? Me: Read the rest of the post. You: OK. But your slacks are too tight again. Me: I am as God made me! Experts agree, writing a comic is not easy: no actors to give emphasis to your words, no laugh track, no musical score and you get maybe 100 words to get your point across ... maybe. Former UU president and editor Lee Salem would famously (and illegibly) scrawl on comic submissions from even professional comedy writers, "not as easy as it looks." But back to your unedited "dark side," Louis CK recently revealed that in his delicious "everything's amazing and nobody's happy" piece there was not actually a guy sitting next to him on the plane who said, "this is BS." He said those were the dark thoughts HE was having and he invented the guy next to him for the bit. He also said this was the case for most of his comedy. Louis CK is clearly in tune with the jerk inside him. Isn't that true in comics too? Look at these comics: Peanuts, Pearls Before Swine, Get Fuzzy, Dilbert. All of them quite successful and all have a character or two who could be charitably characterized as a jerk who says whatever comes to mind: Lucy, Rat, Bucky, Pointy-Haired Boss. Are these characters just the darker sides of their creators? I can't find the source but I swore I read where Charles Schulz said that each one of his characters was an aspect of his own personality. Stephan Pastis said that very thing in this interview. Dark/mean characters provide conflict and when you have conflict you can have fertile ground for humor. You can always dial it back if you get too cruel or offensive ... but there is value in that journey ... what will you find? Who will you see? Uncle Al? What are you doing in here? So, yes, by looking deep inside and listening to your small, charcoal heart, you could find some amazing material. Continue reading

The weather here was great this weekend. And anyone who knows me well knows that when the weather is right, I like to fill my days with long bouts of rollerblading, eating taffy and jazz dancing. All that action burns a heckuva lot of calories so I have to be sure to keep my nutrition levels in check. I do a modified Paleo diet which keeps me in tip-top shape but doesn't necessarily translate to weight loss or a fit figure. It's the "mayonnaise first/last" regiment made famous by Dr. Mantis Toboggan. "What does this have to do with GoComics?" Is probably what you're asking yourself right now. And let me say, I love your curiosity! I thought we could do a regular "Mayonnaise Monday" feature here on the blog. Mayonnaise is the world's most favorite egg-oil-lemon based condiment and it's about time somebody gave it its proper recognition! Let's start this regular feature with the sublime Cul De Sac. Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson Continue reading

I was recently minding my own business at the local book store searching for "Microwave Cooking For One" when I spotted some sensational new books. Life of Zarf: Troll Overboard is Rob Harrell's third installment of the best selling Zarf series. You might remember Rob as the cartoonist behind Big Top and Adam @ Home. Rob's a real crackerjack when it comes to storytelling and his wonderful art just flows out of him like icing onto a birthday cake. I was so excited to see Rob's book that I did a celebratory spin, only I used too much thigh power and I did a 540 which left me face-to-face with Mark Pett's latest. It's called "This is My Book" and it's got a panda and some pop-ups and a painter who looks a little like bit like the author. Great for people who like fun. Mark, of course, is the mistermind behind the Lucky Cow and Mr. Lowe comics that can be seen every day at the GoComics. And then, last but unleashed, is Lucas "Imagine This" Turnbloom's newest. Lucas co-authored the book with noted Hollywood person Greg Grunberg. Certainly we all remember Greg from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," "Heroes" and most memorably as Gatman in "Melrose Place." As to the book. I'll let my Amazon review speak for itself: I read Dream Jumper with a large smile on my face and a tumbler full of buttermilk on my nightstand. I've been saying for years that Lucas Turnbloom was going to touch the stars and then land his space rocket on a barge in the ocean. Which is harder to do than it sounds. This book is as beautifully and lovingly done as Turnbloom's hair. It's a good read that says something about life but also about those of us who aren't afraid to be loved and also those of us have adventures with large birds like my dad used to. I predict a major breakthrough for Turnbloom and all his great cartooning and hair combing. And FWIW, if you ever get to see him performing live on his cor anglais do not miss it. Those are magic fingers! ** That's three great new books by three great GoComics cartoonists. What a world we live in! Related articles Meet Your Creator: Lucas Turnbloom (Imagine This) Continue reading

If you're like me and you love web sites, you may have spent some time over on reddit.com. Reddit is an interesting place and has lots of different subjects to read about and pictures to enjoy and/or be horrified from. One section I love to read is www.reddit.com/r/comics. If you go there on any random day, the odds are She-Hulk-strong that there will be at least one comic in the Top 10 from noted Michigander Jim Benton. Jim is one of the top posters on the comics' subreddit and last summer he sent more than 550,000 pageviews to GoComics in a single day (see below for the comic that drove all that traffic). That's pretty amazing considering we do between two million and three million pageviews on an average day. Thanks, Jim! Jim has a new book that collects all his best gag comics from the last few years and it made me laugh until every last piece of my jewelry fell off (even the oversized medallion). It's called "Man, I Hate Cursive" and it's available for presale now. Even the book cover is a humdinger! And that's one cute lemon! I'm giving it my highest rating = FIVE STARS (out of four). Continue reading

Yep. New Facebook and Twitter profile picture. Initially, I was scared of the change, but the reception has been amazing. One person I know summed up the deafeningly positive public sentiment on the subject when they said 'What the?" Other folks had inquisitive questions about the art. So I decided to assemble a handy FAQ. Here are the Top 10 questions following my desperate, delightful and inexplicable change of my FB and twitter profile pics. 10) Did you draw that? And if so, could you draw me shooting a flame thrower at a centaur? 9) Why did you draw yourself so much skinnier than in real life? 8) You cannot possibly jump that high. 7) You look like the chubbiest baby I've ever wanted to kiss. 6) Is that cheese shirt edible? 5) Did you have a bad relationship with your dad too? 4) What is the jaw dropping association between dry cleaning and Scientology? 3) Is it false advertising to call them jalapeño "poppers"? I've never seen a single one of them "pop." 2) Is Wiley Miller as charming in real life? 1) What hair products does Stephan Pastis recommend? Good luck! Continue reading

Hello, folks, great to be back blogging regularly again. It feels quite real to the touch. So thank you for all your kind notes and limited booing. Did you know we have an open submissions policy at GoComics/Universal Uclick? Well let me just say it makes for some interesting mail. Here are 10 friendly suggestions of things NOT to include in your next comic submission. 10) The best kind of Lasers. 9) Jon Bon Jovi ... in person ... duh! 8) Richie Sambora's wig is really convincing. 7) Singing along to "Living on a Prayer" but instead saying "lemon on a pear" like we did when we were all still friends. 6) A light show that will knock your socks off. 5) $12 domestic mass-market beer? $13.50 jalapeño poppers? WTH! 4) That stoner from high school who still owes you money. What's his name again? Toby? Todd? 3) Thinking to yourself, "There is absolutely no question that Lara in accounting would finally go out with me if I were to get a 'Slippery When Wet' tattoo on my neck." 2) Drum solos that don't go on long enough, Tico. 1) Wishing they'd turn up the fog machine so I could convincingly pretend I was Sherlock Holmes. I didn't lug a Meerschaum pipe through all these crowds for nothing! Good luck! Continue reading