Corpus Christi Comic Cancellation Stirs Reader Reaction

By: Dave Astor When a newspaper drops a comic, fans of that comic might contact the paper. In this case, some also contacted E&P.

The Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times announced Jan. 7 that it was dropping "For Better or For Worse," the 1979-launched strip now in a hybrid form that mixes old and new material.

After the announcement, a number of "FBorFW" fans who read the comic in the Caller-Times contacted the paper, and a couple of them also e-mailed E&P (having seen past "FBorFW" stories on this Web site).

So E&P today called Caller-Times Vice President/Editor Libby Averyt to see what the status of "FBorFW" might be.

Averyt reported that reaction to the dropping of "FBorFW" has not been unusually larger than past reaction to the dropping of other strips by the paper. "What I'm telling the readers is that we'll continue to monitor the feedback we're getting and take it into consideration," the editor said. "We'll wait at least a month or so to see if the reaction continues."

She added that the Caller-Times "doesn't make decisions with a plan to reverse them, but we do try to be responsive."

Averyt said she likes "FBorFW," but noted that it now partly consists of flashbacks. "And we try to have a good mix of comics, including newer and edgier strips," she told E&P.

When one comic is added another one has to be dropped, Averyt continued, because the paper has budget considerations and a finite number of slots in its two daily comics pages.

The Caller-Times replaced "FBorFW" with "Family Tree," a new comic that humorously focuses on family life, the environment, and more. Averyt said that strip has gotten some positive reader comments, too.

"For Better or For Worse," which runs in more than 2,000 newspapers via Universal Press Syndicate, is by Lynn Johnston. "Family Tree," launched Jan. 7 by United Media, is by Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Signe Wilkinson of The Philadelphia Daily News and the Washington Post Writers Group.