For a long time now it's been pretty much standard operating procedure for editorial cartoonists to attempt to supplement their incomes by moonlighting with a comic strip feature. Wayne Stayskal, editorial cartoonist for the Tampa Tribune, made his latest attempt with Ralph, a daily panel/Sunday strip feature syndicated by King Features.Ralph is an everyman schlub who can't catch a break. The feature was similar to many others in the same vein -- Herman, Big George, Frank & Ernest and others all plowed much the same turf. Although Stayskal's entry was well done, it didn't sufficiently set itself apart from these other features and got lost in the crowd. The feature began on January 2 1995 and ended sometime in 2001.
It's not even Stayskal's first comic. He did a strip for a brief time called "Balderdash."
ReplyDeleteDidn't say it was. He's actual done at least three - can you name the other?
ReplyDelete--Allan
The only one I've actual got tearsheets of...Trim's Arena.
ReplyDeleteGive that man a seegar!
ReplyDelete--Allan
You should see how many he submitted before Balderdash and Ralph were finally accepted. Many, many, many. Wayne was a persistent and patient man.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the final "Ralph" comic appeared on 2/24/2001. Here's a clipping of it:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/17944548/the_tampa_tribune/
Thanks Ed, great to have the Tampa Trib online! Looks like the final Sunday was 2/18.
ReplyDelete--Allan
"Trim's Arena" could be a future OBSCURITY OF THE DAY!
ReplyDelete