Russ Cochran, a pioneer of deluxe comic reprints through his past efforts reprinting classic comics of the ’50s, has just launched a new publication called SUNDAY FUNNIES, which will reprint classic Sunday comic strips in full color:
THE SUNDAY FUNNIES is a monthly 32 page full size comic section, containing historic Sunday pages from as far back as 1895, and including favorites such as GASOLINE ALLEY, LITTLE NEMO, KRAZY KAT, and many other classic Sunday pages that you’ve probably never seen before.
Each issue of THE SUNDAY FUNNIES will be a full size 22″x16″ comic section, containing full page Sunday comics in full color. These pages are coming from the archives of Ohio State University, which, thanks to Bill Blackbeard, has the largest and most comprehensive collection of Sunday comics in existence. The retail price will be $10 and I will be selling subscriptions, 12 monthly issues for $100. My print runs for these historic sections will be low and I expect to sell out the first few issues, so get your order in now before it’s too late.
The first three issues are available and can be purchased for $30 plus $9 ($21 outside US) shipping. A subscription is $100 plus $25 shipping ($55 outside US).
Several alternative newspapers featuring comics have ended their runs lately — including POOD — but maybe the classic model of newspaper strips in an actual newspaper will find enough patrons to continue.
Okay, I know what I want for Christmas now.
Lance Roger Axt
The AudioComics Company
It would help to know a little more about the strips. Are they being printed sequentially? Is there a theme in each issue? Are the same strips in each issue?
This is a Great Idea for a publication. Actually getting back to having Real Sunday newspaper comics available again is a dream. Sunday Newspaper Comics have been seriously hurting since 1996. The current trend of publishers putting out hard back editions of complete runs of Dick Tracy, Peanuts, Buck Rogers, Pogo, Flash Gordon, Orphan Annie, Lil Abner and Blondie is refreshing and way past due. And kinda expensive. I also enjoy the over sized editions of Little Nemo, Krazy Kat, Polly and Her Pals and the Forgotten Fantasy odds and ends.
It’s terrific that Sunday Funnies is reprinting the early strips for Gasoline Alley, Alley Oop and Tarzan but I really appreciate seeing lesser known titles like Stumble Inn, Crazy Quilt and Bronc Peeler.
Some strips I would love to see in future issues, because they are not available anywhere, would be The Katzenjammer Kids, Happy Hooligan, Barney Google and Spark Plug, Bringing Up Father – Maggie and Jiggs, Slim Jim, Hawkshaw The Detective, Baron Bean, Mutt and Jeff and maybe Buster Brown.
But the one strip I’ve wanted to read for years is Old Doc Yak. That would be Epic. Some Pogo pages would be cool too.