L.A. 'Daily News' to Reinstate at Least Three Comics

By: E&P Staff The Daily News of Los Angeles is bringing back at least three of the 10 comics it recently dropped.

They are "Funky Winkerbean" by Tom Batiuk of King Features Syndicate, "For Better or For Worse" by Lynn Johnston of Universal Press Syndicate, and "Mallard Fillmore" by Bruce Tinsley of King, according to ComicsReporter.com and DailyCartoonist.com.

"Funky" is in the midst of a story line that will reportedly result in the Lisa character dying of cancer this fall, and "For Better" is winding its way to an autumn transformation that will freeze its characters in time and make the strip a new/old hybrid.

The Daily News had dropped the 10 comics and added a number of others in an effort to bring newer features to its pages. But many of the readers who contacted the paper didn't like it.

"We literally received thousands of calls and e-mails," Daily News Editor Ron Kaye wrote on the paper's Web site.

Six of the other seven comics reportedly dropped included "Beetle Bailey," "Hagar the Horrible," "Garfield," "Willy 'n Ethel," "The Dinette Set," and "One Big Happy." Among the comics reportedly added were "F Minus," "Guys & Sports," "Pardon My Planet," and "Tina's Groove."

A Daily News editor contacted by E&P referred questions to a vice president responsible for content in various papers. But the v.p. was not available for comment.

Not all Daily News readers were unhappy with the changes. One wrote: "It's about time those stale, old comics got the boot and new, fresh comics got a chance."