'Prickly City' Strip Will Pay Tribute to Bob Thaves

By: E&P Staff Scott Stantis' Sept. 10 "Prickly City" comic will pay tribute to "Frank & Ernest" creator Bob Thaves, who died last week at the age of 81.

"I had assisted Bob on his strip 'King Baloo' many years ago." Stantis told E&P. "He was a good one to learn from."

Stantis added that he thinks Thaves -- who began "Frank & Ernest" in 1972 -- helped "pave the way" for comics such as "The Far Side," "Mother Goose and Grimm," and "Non Sequitur." In the Sept. 10 "Prickly City," a character calls Thaves "one of the great cartoonists."

"Prickly City" is distributed by Universal Press Syndicate, while "Frank & Ernest" is syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association. Thaves' comic is being continued by his son Tom.