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Sift through the comics survey results to see how your interests compare
You like "Baby Blues."
You really, really like "Baby Blues."
And "Pickles." And "Foxtrot." And "Sherman's Lagoon."
On the other hand, a lot of you really didn't like "Rex Morgan, M.D.," "Prince Valiant" and "Six Chix."
That's what you told us when we tallied the results of the Deseret News comics survey. And a lot of you cared enough about the comics to vote — more than 3,200 of you, which would be an amazing number if the Deseret News had five times the circulation that it does.
And those of you who voted clearly chose "Baby Blues" as the comic you love and "Rex Morgan" as the comic you hate.
" 'Baby Blues' is the best," commented one voter. "That's the comic strip that has earned a place under a refrigerator magnet on a regular basis."
"Whatever you do, do not take out either 'Fox Trot' or 'Baby Blues,' " wrote another. "They are simply the best, funniest and most relatable."
Another wrote, simply, " 'Baby Blues' rules."
We asked you to name your five favorite and five least-favorite comics, then assigned each first-place vote 5 points, second-place 4, third-place 3, fourth-place 2 and fifth-place 1. And did so for both the favorites and your least favorites.
We then totaled those points to give us the final standings. (See the accompanying charts.)
Not that there was unanimity of opinion on any of this. Even "Baby Blues" has its detractors — it finished 32nd (out of 35) on the most-hated list.
"I have never found myself consistently amused or entertained by . . . 'Baby Blues,' " wrote one reader.
There was a much wider divergence of opinion about "Rex Morgan." It was on top of the hate list, but it was also 23rd on the love list — ranking it higher than a dozen other strips.
" 'Rex Morgan, M.D.' is so painful to read it should be called 'Rex Morgan, D.D.S.,' " commented one reader.
"Are you SURE someone must read . . . 'Rex Morgan'?" asked another. "I don't know of anyone (except maybe my husband, when he's in the bathroom and has run out of reading material)."
On the other hand, there were a lot of comments like this: " 'Rex Morgan' is the biggest reason to take the paper."
Which, frankly, is why "Rex" isn't going anywhere. It's not that we're taking your opinions lightly — on the contrary, the decisions we're making (both now and in the future) are based on the results of this survey.
But we also told you coming in that our goal is to have a lineup that includes something for everyone. Sure, 73 percent of you said you don't read "Rex," but 27 percent said you did. And it ranked relatively high among our older readers. (Which is the same reason we're keeping "Prince Valiant" on Sundays.)
Additions and subtractions
We here at the Deseret News couldn't change everything on our comics page overnight, even if we wanted to. Before we can eliminate a strip, we have to have something — hopefully something better — to replace it.
You will, however, see some immediate changes to the our comics pages. Three strips will be dropped, including "Six Chix," which ranked third on the hated list and a very weak 32nd on the love list.
The two others that will disappear — "Bound and Gagged" and "Real Life Adventures" — barely registered on either list, indicating that not many voters care one way or the other.
And, beginning Monday, we're adding "Rugrats," a promising new strip based on the incredibly popular animated cable-television series, and two entries that elicited positive response when they ran as rookies — "Rhymes With Orange" and "Rubes." On Sundays, we'll be adding "Rugrats," "Rose Is Rose" and "Rhymes with Orange."
We'll also be moving a few strips around, with the goal of giving more emphasis to the more popular entries. But we won't be eliminating any strips to increase the size of those that remain. A huge majority of the voters — 83 percent — voted that proposal down.
"In the Bleachers," the second-most popular rookie comic strip on the survey, will appear in the Sports section beginning in September.
Comments
A sampling of our readers' sometimes passionate responses:"PRINCE VALIANT"
"The only person I know who reads 'Prince Valiant' is my mom, and even she only reads it when she's incredibly bored."
" 'Prince Valiant' takes up a lot of room, and yet it's incredibly boring."
"I don't personally read 'Prince Valiant,' but there is this old man in my ward that has read it forever and talks about it every week in church. He's always quoting it and stuff."
"If you get rid of 'Prince Valiant,' I will have to change to a paper that carries the strip. I haven't missed a strip since I was 12! And I served a mission!"
"I'm the only person I know who reads 'Prince Valiant.' "
"Do not ever stop 'Prince Valiant.' To do so would be a felony."
"I especially like and want you to keep my all-time favorite comic strip — '(Prince) Valiant'!!!! Yes, I'm a fan of the medieval dude with the pageboy haircut."
"Keep 'Prince Valiant.' It is just a fun roam through some strange history. It is easy to follow each week."
"When you drop 'Prince Valiant,' I drop the D.N."
"I have loved 'Prince Valiant' since 1945. Don't you dare take it out!! It not only entertains, it also teaches."
"I am one of those people who have read 'Prince Valiant' for longer than some of you have been alive."
" 'Prince Valiant' is the best-drawn strip ever!"
"Please DO NOT get rid of 'Prince Valiant'! I have been reading it for over 40 years (love the history and the constancy, knowing it hasn't changed in over a half-century and that it will be there every Sunday)! The same goes for 'Rex Morgan.' "
"REX MORGAN, M.D."
"The soap opera comics suck (i.e. 'Rex Morgan')."
" 'Rex Morgan' is the BOMB! It's actually kind of funny because it tries to be so serious."
"The funnies are the most important page in the news if you ask me. I read them every day, with the exception of 'Rex Morgan M.D.' "
"I like 'Rex Morgan M.D.' Yes it is kind of soap opera-ish, but once you start reading you do get hooked."
" 'Rex Morgan, M.D.' is so painful to read it should be called 'Rex Morgan, D.D.S.' It is nice to have a doctor in the newspaper though. Ol' Rex could start his own geriatrics practice with the likes of 'Dennis the Menace,' 'Family Circus,' 'Garfield,' 'Blondie,' 'Peanuts' . . . and the list goes on."
"Maybe don't get rid of 'Rex Morgan' for the benefit of my Grandma. She loves it."
"I think 'Rex Morgan' is a soap opera for comic strips, but I've read it for years. I'm about ready to quit though, I've hated the artist change. What, did they think no one would notice? It's not the same."
"I hope that you keep the comic strip, 'Rex Morgan, M.D.' I have read it for years and would miss seeing it in the Deseret News."
"I've read Dr. Morgan since I was small — have never missed reading it. But I'm not enamored anymore since it's gotten a new writer."
"I hate 'Rex Morgan M.D,'! I mean, who reads it any way!"
"While I read 'Rex Morgan,' I wouldn't scream and stop the paper if you discontinued it."
"Back in the old days, before TV, I would lie on the floor in front of the radio and read the comics. I grew up with the likes of 'Rex Morgan,' 'Kerry Drake' and 'Dick Tracy,' some of whom are no longer around, so 'Rex Morgan' is an old friend to me."
COMICAL COMMENTS
" 'Baby Blues' (is) very good . . . for now, anyway. I don't know if it has a future. How many more kids can they have?"
"Some of the comics (i.e. 'Garfield,' 'Family Circus,' 'Ziggy,' 'Dennis,' etc.) are totally redundant and asinine. I'd rather rip out my brain stem and stand in the middle of the University Parkway onramp intersection than read some of the mindless and humorless, pathetic excuses for newspaper entertainment that some people may pass off as sweet and classic."
"My parents are making me do this. Everyone at my house thinks that you guys should remove 'Slylock Fox' and comics for kids and replace it with more and better comics."
"Please, please, please! Get rid of that monstrosity 'Sally Forth,' and I can die in peace!! I'm begging you people!"
"If you get rid of 'Sherman's Lagoon,' 'Fox Trot,' 'Baby Blues,' 'Drabble', 'Mother Goose & Grimm' or 'Herman,' I will hunt you for the rest of your life, and if I ever find you I will destroy you and all of your family."
" 'Family Circus' has got to go. Those 'cute' little things kids say are only cute in real life, and they get old if they do them every five minutes. That comic strip has been around forever, don't you think those kids would have aged by now? Maybe even be close to death. I know it's a comic strip, but people who are almost dead don't say and do cute things."
" 'Mutts' is the dumbest thing on this earth. It's not a comic, it's an animal rights campaign."
"I love Mutts! It's really cute and has a good message about being kind to animals."
" 'Mutts is about the stupidest comic strip I've ever seen. When I read that it was a favorite of your staff, I laughed out loud, which is more than I can say I ever did for the strip itself."
"Before you change any comics in the future, replace the staffers. They are out of touch."
"Some people will scream bloody murder if you ax 'Family Circus.' They obviously haven't noticed that Bil Keane has been on autopilot for the last 10 years. So how about saving money by just running the same 10 panels over and over?"
"If you remove 'Family Circus' from your paper, you will have a revolt on your hands!"
"Although I love 'Herman' and have been a Jim Unger fan for many years, all of his work is available in collections and nothing new is coming out, so, alas, you should remove it."
"The ugly figures in 'Mother Goose & Grimm' cause me to shut my eyes as I go by."
"Please add comics with normal-looking people."
"The new comics — cartoon figures and animals — are an insult to the human race."
"I dislike animals talking like they were humans."
"Keep all the ones with the cute animals and get rid of ones with fat humans."
"We should let Mr. Schultz live in peace. He is one of the greatest cartoonists and as he did not want anyone else drawing (his strip), it is time 'Peanuts' is retired."
" 'Baby Blues' and 'Family Circus' portray real life. There are many readers who readily relate to them because they reflect what happens in their own homes. It is nice to laugh at ourselves and, at the same time, reaffirm that we are normal."
"I get enough soap-opera junk on TV. Comics are supposed to be funny."
"When you took 'Rose is Rose' out (temporarily), I went through withdrawals. Don't ever do that again! I need my fix."
"Get rid of the comics which degrade people. 'Pickles' is such a negative one that portrays such indecent behavior between spouses. We have enough of that going on in society. Our children and we adults could use more uplifting, positive comics which encourage good in our society."
"Put the comics in alphabetical order."
"MALLARD" MOVEMENT
"I see 'Mallard Fillmore' as the Marianne Jennings of the comics. While I often agree with the author's sentiments, I find the expression of them to be rude, inflammatory and irritating, emerging from an inflated sense of personal pride and self-righteousness, as opposed to humble study, reason and personal values."
"Move 'Mallard Fillmore' back to the comics page. It's my favorite, and it's annoying trying to find it in the classifieds every day."
" 'Mallard Fillmore' is mean-spirited and distasteful. Get rid of it, please."
"Please put 'Mallard Fillmore' in with the rest of the comics. I stumbled on it by accident. Is this political correctness run amok?"
"I only started reading 'Mallard Fillmore' when it showed up next to the crossword puzzle, but I found I really enjoy it."
"I was really ticked off when you hid 'Mallard Fillmore' in the classifieds. Too political for you?"
"I think that Mallard Fillmore should be with the rest of the comics or on the editorial page. I really like it but usually don't look it up in the classified section."
"Remove 'Mallard Fillmore.' It is atrocious. The politics expressed are offensive and the humor is weak at best."
"Put 'Mallard Fillmore' back on the comics page so I don't have to hunt for it every day. I know it offends liberals, but that's life. "
"Put 'Mallard Fillmore' on the comics page! It is a hassle to search the classified section for him!"
"Why not move 'Mallard Fillmore' to the editorial page?"
" 'Mallard Fillmore' is the best part of the whole paper. He should be on the front page."
HATING "SIX CHIX"
"Please tell me, how did 'Six Chix' even make it into the newspaper? I can draw better than that, and am twice as funny,"
" 'Six Chix' is the worst comic strip I have ever read. I would not recommend it to anyone and it blows my mind that you even print it in the comic section, seeing that it is not funny. Whoever liked that comic must have been under the influence of something powerful."
"Can't begin to explain how much I despise 'Six Chix.' The artwork is terrible and childish, while the strips are not remotely funny. They do not represent women, as advertised when you first started running the strip. I would have used up all five of the 'hate' column votes on 'Six Chix,' except that I really didn't want to waste my votes."
"Please drop 'Six Chix.' It is evil incarnate."
"Please, please, please get rid of 'Six Chix' before I slit my wrists. Either that or just print a big black blob where it usually goes. My 10-year-old could write funnier stuff than that."
"Please get rid of 'Sick Chix.' "
COMICAL SIDE OF LIFE
"Reading the comics is the highlight of my day! I love the humor."
"I am from Utah, and grew up reading the comics every single day. In fact, I couldn't eat dinner if I didn't have the comics in front of me to read while I ate. I had been doing this for 20 years, at which time, last year, I joined the United States Coast Guard. I am about to be transferred, but as soon as I get settled at my new station I will be ordering the print edition of Deseret News, and I hope that the comics will still bring the joy at dinner time they did this time last year."
"Less comics; more news."
"First thing to read in the paper."
"I use the comics in my classroom so I feel they are a valuable tool."
"My Dad taught me to read using the Deseret News comics and I've been reading them for the last 60 years."
"I get the paper for three reasons: 1. New York Times crossword; 2. comics; 3. news. (I don't watch TV news.)"
"Let's admit it — we read the comics first, the obituaries next and then turn to the headlines."
"Basically, I buy the paper for the funnies!!!!"
"I love the comics! That is the only thing I read in the paper."
"In general, we enjoy the Deseret News. The comic strips are not really essential to us."
"One of my sons asked us to save the Sunday comics page for the two years he was on a mission so he could read them when he returned from Korea. Which he did! . . . Yeah, yeah, I know how passionate some folks get about the comics pages. But, hey, if we wanted to get a life, we could."
"I never skip the comics section — that may be the only chuckle I get all day! Comics are not just for kids and often only make sense to educated adults."
"The reason I get the Sunday paper is, first, the comics, and then everything else."
"I have been reading the Deseret News comics since I was a young boy (about 1930). Some have a deeper message and some are for entertainment. I read every comic daily."
"If my newspaper had nothing more than two pages of comics, Dear Abby, and the TV section I would be more than happy."
"I enjoy the family-oriented comics that I can relate to in my life. I get enough political nonsense in the regular paper."
HUH?
"I think it's really a rotten deal that you took the TV week guide out of the Sunday paper and put it in the Saturday paper."
"This has nothing to do with the comics, but you guys can send fewer bills. I must get one every two days, so if you are that bored, then find something else to do . . . sending bills as often as you do is real wasteful."
"Get rid of the Tribune so you can get 'Dilbert.' "
"Is there any way to get a survey on the weather page? It could use some improvements."
DOES SIZE MATTER?
"Please make them bigger. Older people like to read the comics, too."
"Fewer comics in bigger print won't help anyone!"
"I think it would be a mistake . . . to print fewer (comics) larger. I would hate to see one of my favorites get voted away, and I recognize that some of the ones I personally would get rid of may be well-read by others."
"It is getting so I have to use a magnifying glass at times."
"The size is good; when I lose my eyesight, I can get a magnifying glass and still enjoy them all."
HATE THE AD
"Besides "Prince Valiant" simply killing trees, the most annoying thing about the Sunday comics are the half-page ads."
"I'd like to whack whoever is responsible for that quarter-page (ad) attached to the Sunday comics. I make it a point to not shop at stores advertised thereon."
"No more ads in the comics! Is nothing sacred anymore?"
I haven't even read the comics since the ads were included. I was actually offended by the advertisements in the comics. I mean. come on guys, give us a break!"
"Get rid of the quarter-page ad that is attached to the edge of the comics front page. I just rip that thing off and throw it away every week without looking at it. It's just an irritant."
"Get rid of the stinkin' half-page auto-parts ad that makes my comics section fall apart when I try and pick it up and hold it like a traditional newspaper. If you must advertise in the comics, put 'em on full sheets."
US VS. THEM
"I think the Tribune has a much better comic selection than we do."
"Yours are far superior to the Tribune's."
"The Tribune has a better group of comics than the Deseret News."
"Of course the DesNews is the best Salt Lake City paper, and part of that is the excellent comics."
"I buy the DN principally for the comics. There's only a couple I never read. The Trib, on the other hand, has about seven I never read."
"You have the worst comics page I've ever seen!!!"
"I really love your comics! Don't get rid of any of them.
"I have written before to encourage you to drop most everything on the comics page."
"Been reading DesNews comics for nearly 70 years. They are still the best."
ROOKIE OR NOT ROOKIE
"I think the rookie comic strips stink. Don't waste time with them."
"I think it is great to allow new talent to show their stuff."
"Your current run of rookies are very poor selections."
"I enjoyed the rookie comic strips."
E-MAIL: features@desnews.com