The World of BUSHY TALES

Where in the World Can a Wombat Go?

In recent times I have enjoyed taking Doug the Wombat out of the Aussie bush and into some other, more exotic, locations. It is not an easy thing to do and usually requires the "mechanism" of a dream sequence, or something similar.

The most recent example of this was drawn as a Sunday strip a couple of weeks ago.....

I had a lot of fun drawing this particular strip....I have been fortunate to have travelled extensively throughout the world, including many times in Turkey (it is one of my favourite countries) and I revelled in the opportunity of this idea coming together in the way it did.

And, whilst I was drawing this strip the thought occurred to me that some of the fans and followers of BUSHY TALES might have some ideas of places, or situations, that might possibly be suitable for a similar departure from the norm for Doug and his furry friends from BUSHY TALES.

So, here is my little challenge/request for you all......

If you can think of a place, or a situation, that you would like to see incorporated somehow into a BUSHY TALES strip, let me know your idea in the comments section of this blog below (or on the BT Facebook page....www.facebook.com/BushyTalesComicStrip). 

I cannot guarantee that I will be able to use your idea, but I can guarantee that I will read and consider all of your suggestions.
(If I do happen to use an idea suggested in this way, I will also credit that person in the strip. Woohoo!) 

So put your thinking caps on and let me know what you come up with. 

I look forward to seeing your ideas.

Until next time....

Joyfully yours,

Ian 

COMIC STRIPS & PANELS IN US PAPERS

A small sampling from my recent trip.

The first time I went to the USA was back in 1993 and I have visited there several times since. On each of my trips I have been a very enthusiastic collector of American newspapers, particularly so I can see, and enjoy, what comic strips are included in their pages.

The first thing you notice about American papers and their comic strip page is just how many strips and panels are included. Over the years the number of strips and the size of their reproduction in the paper, may have decreased....but the number of strips in each paper far exceeds that which we have in Australian papers. More about this later.

Another thing you notice is the size and shape of the newspapers. To my recollection, this has also changed over the years. Not just from a broadsheet to tabloid format, as we have seen in Australia but, it seems, the common size for newspapers these days is, if you can imagine it, a broadsheet cut in half vertically. So an unopened newspaper, say the Los Angeles Times, is 58cms long/high and 28cms wide. Some papers, for example the St Louis Post-Dispatch, are even longer (60cms). 

And a third thing (well, really, it is a continuation of the first thing) you notice about the comic strip page is that it is, in most cases, an actual PAGE FULL OF COMICS!
Some daily papers even have more than one page of comics! 

And as for Sunday papers, well they can have multiple pages for their comic strip section.

To my knowledge, the most comic strips that any Australian daily newspaper has is the standardized (unfortunately) selection of the News Ltd metropolitan papers.
These capital city papers have 8 strips together (1/2 page) plus DILBERT in the business section. The eight strips featured in these papers are: HAGAR, FRED BASSET, THE PHANTOM, GINGER MEGGS, CALVIN & HOBBS, INSANITY STREAK, SNAKE and GARFIELD.

So, our largest circulation Australian daily newspapers have 9 (8 + Dilbert) strips.

Compare that to American newspapers....the smallest circulation daily paper that I picked up (the Sandusky Register...I'm sure you've all heard of it!) has eleven comics (11) every day!

Equivalent circulation American papers (to our Aussie metropolitan dailies) carry, on average, 3-4 times as many cartoons! 

For example, the Kansas City Star features 33 strips/panels in its daily edition.
The Chicago Tribune features 21 strips.

And Sundays?...
The Miami Herald has 35 strips in its Sunday edition! That is serious column space!
Even the Pharos Tribune (out of Logansport) with a Sunday circulation of just over 10,200, features 23 strips/panels!

Anyway, enough of my commentary.
Whilst in Canada and the US recently I picked up 17 newspapers (a mix of daily and Sunday editions).
For those interested in checking out what, and how many, strips appear in these papers, my summary below shows the paper's name, town, publication frequency and circulation.

USA/CANADA NEWSPAPERS & COMICS

MIAMI HERALD (Sunday - colour) - 190,751
PEANUTS, ZITS, WUMO, GARFIELD, DILBERT, BLONDIE, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, DENNIS THE MENACE, HAGAR, MARMADUKE, TAKE IT FROM THE TINKERSONS, THE FLYING McCOYS, BIZARRO, LUANN, BARNEY & CLYDE, DOONESBURY, BEETLE BAILEY, WIZARD OF ID, STONE SOUP, RHYMES WITH ORANGE, DUSTIN, DEFLOCKED, THE ARGYLE SWEATER, PICKLES, REALITY CHECK, GET FUZZY, CLOSE TO HOME, JUMP START, ROSE IS ROSE, FOXTROT, NON SEQUITUR, BALDO, BABY BLUES, FAMILY CIRCUS, CURTIS

CHICAGO TRIBUNE (Daily - B&W) - 448,930
DILBERT, BABY BLUES, ZITS, MR BOFFO, FRAZZ, PEANUTS, PICKLES, DICK TRACEY, ANIMAL CRACKERS, PRICKLY CITY,
THE ARGYLE SWEATER, BLISS, DUSTIN, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, BLONDIE, HAGAR, MUTTS, WUMO, SHERMAN’S LAGOON, BREWSTER ROCKIT: SPACE GUY, BROOM HILDA

CHICAGO TRIBUNE (Sunday - colour) - 853,324
DILBERT, BABY BLUES, ZITS, PICKLES, WUMO, FRAZZ, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, MISTER BOFFO, BREWSTER ROCKIT, TAKE IT FROM THE TINKERSONS, NON SEQUITUR, FOXTROT, DOGS OF C-KENNEL, CLASSIC PEANUTS, BLONDIE, BROOM HILDA, DUSTIN, THE LOCKHORNS, HAGAR, SHERMAN’S LAGOON, MUTTS, DICK TRACCEY, DOONESBURY, PRICKLY CITY

THE PROVINCE, Vancouver (DAILY - B&W) - 144,537
GET FUZZY, THE OTHER COAST, ROSE IS ROSE, HAGAR, GRAND AVENUE, HERMAN, PARDON MY PLANET, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, RUDY PARK, TINA’S GROOVE, SHERMAN’S LAGOON, DILBERT, BLONDIE, ONE BIG HAPPY, ZACK HILL,
ZITS, HEART OF THE CITY, BABY BLUES, LUANN, DOG EAT DOUG, GARFIELD

VANCOUVER SUN (daily - colour) - 156,158
ADAM, REX MORGAN MD, MONTY, REPLY ALL, SALLY FORTH, OVERBOARD, MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM, BIZARRO, TUNDRA, BETTY, MISTER BOFFO, BEN, FLYING McCOYS, RUBES, SPEEDBUMP, FAMILY CIRCUS

THE PHAROS TRIBUNE, Logansport (Sunday - colour) - 10,259
CLASSIC PEANUTS, DILBERT, HAGAR, THE BORN LOSER, GARFIELD, BEETLE BAILEY, HI AND LOIS, DOONESBURY, FRANK AND  ERNEST, FAMILY CIRCUS, ZITS, BLONDIE, PICKLES, NON SEQUITUR, CRANKSHAFT, FOXTROT, SLYLOCK FOX, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, GET FUZZY, THE LOCKHORNS, DENNIS THE MENACE, BABY BLUES, MUTTS

RENO GAZETTE - JOURNAL (daily - B&W) - 146,442
BC, THE BORN LOSER, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, BEETLE BAILEY, ZITS, GARFIELD, BALDO, PICKLES, DOONESBURY, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, DILBERT, PEANUTS, GET FUZZY, BLONDIE, WIZARD OF ID, BABY BLUES, NON SEQUITUR, THE FLYING McCOYS, DENNIS THE MENACE

THE STATE JOURNAL REGISTER, Springfield (Sunday - colour) -
PICKLES, FAMILY CIRCUS, ZITS, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, BIZARRO, DILBERT, MARY WORTH, BEETLE BAILEY, GET FUZZY, WILL ‘N ETHEL SHERMAN’S LAGOON, DOONESBURY, BLONDIE, HI AND LOIS, LUANN, FRANK AND ERNEST, FOXTROT, DENNIS THE MENACE, THE DUPLEX, STONE SOUP, BABY BLUES, THE BORN LOSER, FORT KNOX, IN THE BLEACHERS, MALLARD FILLMORE, MUTTS

THE STATE JOURNAL REGISTER, Springfield (Daily - B&W) - 40,753
FRAZZ, BEETLE BAILEY, MARY WORTH, SHERMAN’S LAGOON, DENNIS THE MENACE, BLONDIE, DILBERT, LUANN, GET FUZZY, MUTTS, FRANK AND ERNEST, FAMILY CIRCUS, BIZARRO, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, HI AND LOIS, BABY BLUES, PICKLES, THE BORN LOSER, MALLARD FILLMORE, DOONESBURY, ZITS

LA TIMES (Sunday - colour) - 954,010
DILBERT, DOONESBURY, GET FUZZY, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, LA CUCARACHA, LIO, MUTTS, ZITS, BLONDIE, BABY BLUES, MARMADUKE, PRICKLY CITY, DRABBLE, PEANUTS, SLYLOCK FOX, FOXTROT, JUMP START, IN THE BLEACHERS, CANDORVILLE, NON SEQUITUR, FRAZZ, BIZARRO

LA TIMES (Daily - colour) - 653,858
DOONESBURY, LA CUCARACHA, CANDORVILLE, HALF FULL, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, NON SEQUITUR, LIO, ZITS, TUNDRA, PRICKLY CITY, FRAZZ, DILBERT, BABY BLUES, CRANKSHAFT, JUMP START, 9 CHICKWEED LANE, BLONDIE, GET FUZZY, BIZARRO, DRABBLE, MUTTS, PEANUTS

ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH (Sunday - colour) - 223,826
FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, DILBERT, NON SEQUITUR, ZITS, BABY BLUES, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, MUTTS, BLONDIE, DOONESBURY, FUNKY WINKERBEAN, PICKLES, FOXTROT, SALLY FORTH, SLYLOCK FOX, HI AND LOIS, GARFIELD, BEETLE BAILEY, FAMILY CIRCUS, RHYMES WITH ORANGE, MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH (Daily - colour) - 137,380
DUSTIN, SALLY FORTH , PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM, DEFLOCKED, PICKLES, RHYMES WITH ORANGE, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, THE PAJAMA DIARIES, DILBERT, BABY BLUES, GARFIELD, MUTTS, PRICKLY CITY, HI AND LOIS, BEETLE BAILEY, FAMILY CIRCUS, SPEED BUMP, CORNERED, MARMADUKE, DRABBLE, ZIGGY, THE ARGYLE SWEATER, ZITS, FUNKY WINKERBEAN, BIZARRO, NON SEQUITUR, THE DUPLEX, TINA’S GROOVE, MARK TRAIL, LOLA, THE OTHER COAST, TAKE IT FROM THE TINKERSONS, BLONDIE

KANSAS CITY STAR (Sunday - colour) - 310,487
DILBERT, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, GARFIELD, BABY BLUES, GET FUZZY, ZITS, FOXTROT, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, NON SEQUITUR, BLONDIE, BEETLE BAILEY, ZIGGY, DOONESBURY, DENNIS THE MENACE, FAMILY CIRCUS, WUMO, WIZARD OF ID, DOODLES

KANSAS CITY STAR (Daily - B&W) - 200,365
DILBERT, BLONDIE, HAGAR, GARFIELD, BEETLE BAILEY, BC, WUMO, NON SEQUITUR, DIAMOND LIL, DENNIS THE MENACE, THE DUPLEX, LIO, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, ZITS, PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN, RHYMES WITH ORANGE, BABY BLUES, SALLY FORTH, WIZARD OF ID, FAMILY CIRCUS, MARMADUKE, ZIGGY, THE ARGYLE SEWATER, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, CURTIS, POOCH CAFÉ, RED AND ROVER, PICKLES, DUSTIN, CANDORVILLE, PRICKLY CITY, DOONESBURY, ZIPPY THE PINHEAD

THE REGISTER, Sandusky (daily - B&W) - 23,217
BEETLE BAILEY, BLONDIE, CRANKSHAFT, DILBERT, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, FUNKY WINKERBEAN, GARFIELD, GET FUZZY, NON SEQUITUR, PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN, ZITS

SUNDAY COMICS - LA newspaper Group
DRABBLE, PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, DILBERT, GET FUZZY, PICKLES, BIZARRO, F-MINUS, WUMO, THE BORN LOSER, ROSE IS ROSE, PAJAMA DIARIES, FOXTROT, RUBES, FAMILY CIRCUS, LUANN, BALDO, GARFIELD, TINA’S GROOVE, SHERMAN’S LAGOON, MARMADUKE, OFF THE MARK, FRANK AND ERNEST

2016 BUSHY TALES Calendar

A special Limited Edition A4 Wall Calendar for 2016 is now available for purchase.

This great gift idea is packed with the following features....

• A4 size - with hole punched for wall hanging
• 12 BT Sunday strips
• 6 BT daily strips
• 43 other pieces of BT art
• Many Australian and Internationally significant dates highlighted
• 12 "Wombat Words of Wisdom" quotable quotes
• A 2017 calendar page
• A special "Notes" page 

Here is a sample/typical month.....

AND THE COST?.....

For Australian orders, the calendar costs just $16.50 (postage included).

For international orders, the calendar costs just $22.00 (postage included).

This is great value!

HOW DO YOU ORDER?
The 2016 BUSHY TALES calendar is not available in any retail outlets....it can only be ordered from the BUSHY TALES website.

Go to www.bushytales.com/2016Calendar.html to place your order.

As soon as we receive confirmation of your order we will mail you your calendar(s). Simple as that!

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Till next time.....

Joyfully yours,

Ian 

SUNDAY STRIP TITLE FRAME ART

When I started drawing BUSHY TALES it was initially in the Sunday strip format. It wasn't long before the daily strip was introduced, but right from the start the Sunday strip has always had a special focus for me.
There are many reasons for this....the extra space to develop a gag, the enhanced opportunity to create something aesthetically pleasing....and the BT title frame!

Different cartoonists have different approaches to their Sunday strip title frame. Some have a set panel/frame in which nothing ever changes, whilst others play around with their title and its placement quite a bit.

With BUSHY TALES, I have kept the frame size and the hand-drawn title lettering the same, but every week the background image is different.

From the very beginning I have loved having the opportunity to create a title frame that is eye-catching and artistically pleasing. Often, it takes me as long to draw (and colour) the title frame as it does the rest of the strip. 

The title frame sometimes alludes to the content of the strip, or sets the scene for it, but not always. Sometimes the title frame works just as a beautiful background scene before the story/gag starts in the next panel.
I also put a lot of time into working on the colours in the title frame so that they complement the colours of the rest of the strip. Usually, I colour the title frame last of all so that I can best achieve this effect.

Overall, I am very proud of the BT title frames. In fact, I have used them as page headers on the BUSHY TALES website to good effect, changing them every now and again for variety.
You can check out the BUSHY TALES website at www.bushytales.com

Here are some of my personal favourite BT title frames from the last few years. I hope you like them, too.

Until next week......

Joyfully yours!

Ian

ian@bushytales.com

www.bushytales.com