Funny Pages

I am a “comics guy” and I love the art form of the comic strip, so it was not only disappointing to see The Register-Guard canceling one of the best comic strips ever written, Non-Sequitur, but, yeah, even worse to see their pathetic excuse for doing so.

They want us to believe that this corporate media company somehow lost the “trust” of our community because of this one comic strip.

Editor Alison Bath calls for sending a clear, discernible message that they [RG] will not tolerate actions that could “potentially” erode the confidence of our readers, etc.

Too late, RG, you already have proven that you are not a community newspaper — what a pathetic way to treat the readers of this community, and then to have the temerity to say that you will not tolerate something you don’t like. This community is built on tolerance. Take a look at the Eugene Weekly if you want community.

My real grievance with the new corporate media thing here in Eugene is that they have decimated the comics. The old RG knew the value of a rigorous comics section. Sunday morning just isn’t the same without the six pages of comics in the Guard.

Now, of course, it is down to four pages, and it just doesn’t have the same vibrancy. And if you want to get rid of comic strips, then get rid of Beetle Bailey and Dagwood and Family Circus, because they haven’t been funny for years, nay, decades.

Richard Blackstone

Creswell