Published: February 09, 2007 09:54 am      

'One Big Happy,' 'On a Claire Day' top picks

By TOM LAVIS

TLAVIS@TRIBDEM.COM

Readers of The Tribune-Democrat take their funnies seriously.

A monthlong survey concerning the revision of our comics page has generated a lot of reader involvement.

During the past four Sundays, The Tribune-Democrat has published samples of five new comic strips for readers’ consideration.

We also asked which current strips people read regularly – to give editors an idea of the popularity of each.

Tribune-Democrat Editor Chip Minemyer is pleased to receive valued input from readers.

“It’s exciting that so many people were interested enough in our comics page to participate in our surveys,” Minemyer said.

“There are so many good strips out there, and we want to continue to give our readers a comics page that is interesting, humorous and thoughtful.”

Readers were encouraged to vote for their favorites by submitting a ballot or responding online.

About 1,800 readers responded online while nearly 500 people clipped and mailed coupons conveying their picks.

The surveyed comic strips are “The Flying McCoys,” by brothers Glenn and Gary McCoy; “On a Claire Day,” by Carla Ventresca and Henry Beckett; “Baby Blues,” by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott; “One Big Happy,” by Rick Detorie; and “Pooch Café,” by Paul Gilligan.

The top two choices by coupon submissions were “Blondie” and “Beetle Bailey,” while “For Better or For Worse” and “Hagar the Horrible” ran neck and neck for third place in the balloting.

Online, the top three vote-getters were “Wizard of Id,” “For Better or For Worse” and “Dilbert.”

At the bottom of the list are the biting commentaries of Garry Trudeau’s “Doonesbury” and “Magic Eye,” a 3-D puzzle.

Not surprisingly, the older comics that have generated a loyal following for decades remain popular.

“Blondie,” by the late Chic Young, debuted in 1930. Young’s son, Dean, and John Marshall continue the popular strip featuring the Bumsteads.

Despite running only the classic panels by the late Charles Schulz, “Peanuts” finished in the top five.

Schulz died in 2000, but readers remain faithful.

Of the new comics that readers reviewed, “One Big Happy” and “On a Claire Day” intrigued them the most.

“One Big Happy” is about the relationships among kids, parents, grandparents and in-laws.

“On a Claire Day” is about a woman who finally moves out of her parents’ house only to discover the real world is a lot harder than she thought.

Vying for third were “Baby Blues,” a strip that examines the surprises and predicaments of parenthood, and “Pooch Café,” the story of a cheese-loving, toilet-water drinking mutt named Poncho.

“Family Circus,” by Bill Keane, only appears on Sundays but generates an allegiance, finishing among the top-10 vote-getters.

Readers also expressed opinions on certain strips.

Joe Dremely, 77, of Conemaugh Borough, called new comic strips “a bunch of stick figures with no heart.”

Another reader said, “No more talking animals.”

The new comics will be unveiled in March.