The L.A. Times’ Comics Tryout Goes Into Overtime

The L.A. Times today will introduce another contender to fill its comic strip void, as it struggles to figure out whether to replace “For Better or For Worse.” “For Better or For Worse” — better known to its detractors as “FOOB” — has been reconfigured into an odd hybrid of old strips from the early 1980s and new strips drawn to fit into that style and era, leading some papers to drop it.

Most recently, the Times tried out the new strip “Home and Away.”

Created by Steve Sicula, the recently launched strip revolves around Sam, a stay-at-home dad who attempts to juggle his home office with his family duties. “Home and Away” is one of several strips the Times is giving a tryout to, which has also included Luann and Between Friends.

“Home and Away” is harmless enough, but it doesn’t exactly break any new ground or offer up much in the way of laughs. It would be the ultimate safe choice for the paper.

Perhaps the paper hasn’t been too impressed with its candidates so far: According to the Times’ readers’ representative, the paper originally planned to test three new strips there. But with “Home and Away” finishing up, the paper has decided to test a fourth — which will begin on Monday.

Apparently L.A. Times readers agree: The choices have been terrible so far. A few comments from the paper’s readers’ representative site:

I agree with others that all of the strips presented so far are inferior to “For Better or For Worse.” If this is the best that’s out there, either keep “For Better or For Worse,” or donate the money for this space to the California section so they can keep Al Martinez. (Posted by: Anabel Adams | January 16, 2009 at 01:33 PM)

None of the comics that have been sampled are any good. Keep For Better or For Worse. So many comics keep replaying the same year of it’s characters lives, over and over and over again. At least For Better or For Worse is original and the characters grow, are interesting and are funny and sometimes inspirational! (Posted by: Karen Rapelje | January 15, 2009 at 11:11 PM)

Why are you putting us through this? Between Friends and Home and Away are (were) torture! Not funny and stupid. I used to read LuAnn in other papers and thought it was dumb but occasionally OK. It’s easily the best so far, which isn’t saying much. How long can this take? Back in the day, people like you got paid to make decisions. So make a decision! Hagar the Horrible, Beetle Bailey, anything. (Posted by: Jim Ruggirello | January 15, 2009 at 02:55 PM)

Oh, dear God, not “Beetle Bailey” or “Hagar.” There are plenty of newish, great strips out there. Get to it, Times!

The L.A. Times Comics Calvacade Continues; Next Up: "Luann"

In its ongoing quest to either keep or replace the revamped comic strip “For Better or For Worse,” the L.A. Times is testing out a handful of potential replacement strips. Next up: “Luann.”

Greg Evans is behind “Luann,” about a suburban 16-year-old high school girl and her family. “Luann” is actually an aging strip, having been started in 1985. I’m actually surprised the Times included this one in their mix; the paper has been pretty good at focusing on mostly new comics for its auditions (granted, that hasn’t gone so well… last time the paper tried out a bunch of strips, during a “Doonesbury” hiatus, none were selected).

Before “Luann,” the L.A. Times was testing out “Between Friends,” a strip that happened to be focusing on a storyline about spousal abuse during its LAT run. Uh, ha-ha?

Newspaper readers take their comics seriously — and unfortunately the most vocal ones tend to get pissed off when mediocre strips are banished. Take this comment on a recent L.A. Times Readers’ Representative blog post about the comics changes:

I have been reading the Times comics for over 30 years. I don’t know how you choose a strip but it must not be by reading them first. Between Friends is just awful.

Luann use to be in this paper and it’s better that what you tried so far.

And while I’m at it has anyone ever in the history of time actually laughed at Ballard Street? That strip is just not funny.

Bring back Mother Goose. That is one clever cartoon strip. Or Garfield. Why did you cut those?

You may as well get rid of Prickly City, La Cucaracha and Candorville while your at it. They suck.

Posted by: Jerry Shain | November 12, 2008 at 11:00 AM

Wait, is that you, Lee Abrams?

It’s Not "Funny, Ha-Ha," It’s "Funny, the L.A. Times Is Considering a Comic Strip About Domestic Violence"

The Los Angeles Times is trying out another round of comic strip contenders, as it mulls where to keep or dump “For Better or For Worse.” Now that “For Better” artist Lynn Johnston has decided to re-tell her strip back from the beginning, papers like the LAT aren’t so sure readers will be interested.

But is this a better replacement? Between Friends, “a contemporary comic strip that celebrates the essence and angst of three forty-something women friends.”

A strip that, at least this week, is centering on an abusive husband and his tortured wife, along with the conflicted friend who’s in the middle? People, it’s called the “funnies.”

Another L.A. Times Comics Conundrum

Now that comic strip artist Lynn Johnston has ended her creation, “For Better or For Worse,” after 29 years, she’s taking an unconventional approach: Rather than retire, she’s revisiting the strip from the beginning. Starting Monday the strip regressed back to 1979, and will now include a mix of old strips and new ones (drawn to match her style from that era).

The L.A. Times, like other papers across the country, isn’t necessarily keen on the idea. The Times plans to run the new “FBOFW” (or “FOOB,” as the strip’s many detractors call it) for five weeks, then rotate in a new crop of three new comics. The paper will then ask readers to choose between the old vs. the new.

What’s the big deal about a hokey comic strip? Turns out people aren’t just passionate about which comics appear in their local newspaper, but there’s a whole legion of readers who love to hate “FBOFW.” (Most of them congregate at the Comics Curmudgeon.) As a Washington Post reporter recently wrote:

These are the many millions who live to despise every last thing about the comic strip and, as such, have never missed a day. For them, “Foob” has never been worse — worse puns, worse sap, even worse life choices. (Which, in a sick way, means “For Better or for Worse” has never been better!)

I, for one, don’t get why, if she’s going to expend the effort anyway, Johnston didn’t just decide to stick with the comic as is. Otherwise, it is time to move on. I do hope the L.A. Times’ next batch of comic contenders are better than the last ones, which ran during a “Doonesbury” hiatus earlier this year (none made the cut).