Prickly City and the Unamused Editor

If you've read today's Prickly City already you've noticed that the last two panels aren't there. That's not a production error, it's a clever commentary (IMHO) by Scott Stantis on the impact of cuts being made in American businesses. Now, I thought it was inspired and not too difficult to figure out (but again, remember I am known for my high intelijence). A newspaper editor in the Southeast was not so amused. Here's a portion of her note to me:

  Don't know about other editors, but I'm not amused.

   If we run blank comic strips our readers just think we are stupid and screwed up. Then we get angry phone calls.

   Given the current post-election, miserable economic conditions atmosphere in which we are operating, the last thing I need is angry reader phone calls.

   So, if there are substitute panels you can make available, we definitely want them!

   You might also share with the artist the notion that now is probably not a good time to be quite so clever. Every editor in America is under incredible pressure to cut the budget, layout workers, drop features, save money, etc. The features and people who give us the most headache will be first to go.

Now before you think I'm being supercilious, I understand her point. I sympathize. Newspapers are resource strapped and answering e-mails and phone calls from readers who think the newspapers have made an error is not an exciting prospect. They do not have time to add this to their "to do" list.

The other side, and as Scott and I discussed, is that publishing a newspaper and hoping no one notices may not be the best business model. And asking cartoonists to be less clever? Well, I can't speak for the other syndicates, but UPS just can't endorse that.

So you have two different perspectives ... the newspaper views the comics page as a thing to be begrudgingly dealt with ... the cartoonist views it as the place to express his/her ideas. The syndicate walks the line in between them.

EPILOGUE/REFLECTIONS: In my humble view, ideas and analysis will be the future of print newspapers ... information can be had too many other places including the newspaper Web sites. So, if I were "King of Newspapers" I'd put in content that might rile people up, make the product important again. Make it vital! I read columns by writers who do NOT share my worldview all the time ... those are fun. Get people talking and interested in your product by giving it a distinctive voice. Who's with me!

Disregard above. I got a little out of control.

-JG

Comments

[Mike Peterson]

I think a tattered edge might have helped. I almost hit "reload" this morning until I (A) got the joke and almost simultaneously (B) realized a half-loaded strip would be missing the bottom half, not the right half.

Newspapers get frequent requests from advertisers to run their ads upside down to "get attention." They generally refuse because it just makes their backshops look incompetent.

However, in this case, I'm bright enough to be able to write an editor's note that says, "You may have noticed ... " It helps me to save my outrage for more outrageous things.

[Lucas -- Imagine THIS]

I thought the past few 40% strips were funny as hell. Nice work, Scott.

[dan reynolds]

I would have (just to dummy proof it) put a note, in the empty space, saying something to the effect, in scribbled crayon, that the other 60% will restored upon improved economic conditions. It sometimes a fine line for cartoonists when it comes to deciding what the majority of the masses will understand.

I agree, though, it's dumb for the editor to suggest a creator become LESS creative. I think he might mean he wants the cartoonist to become a newspaper editor, like himself.