E&P Mystery Strips: Letter ‘S’

 I stalled out on this series with letter ‘R’ in 2013, but here are the ‘S’es and all it took was slightly less than a decade! 

Okay, here’s how this works, for those who haven’t been keeping up with the whirlwind pace. The Editor & Publisher Syndicate Yearbooks, published from 1924 until 2010, listed theoretically all the available syndicated features, including comic strips and panels. Those listings often included features that I’ve never been able to locate. Some of them, no doubt, never appeared anywhere and were just wishful thinking. But if you look at previous letters, and the later exclamations of discovery from myself and others, some of these features can and do let themselves be found by the most intrepid researchers.

Therefore your task, if you wish to accept it, is to go forth on a hard target search of every research library, online digital newspaper archive and the material in your own collection, and report back to Stripper’s Guide Central with your discoveries. 

Title

Creator(s)

Syndicate

Advertised Format/Frequency

Years Advertised

Notes/Status (blank means still a mystery)

Saddle Sore

Frank Barnett

American International

Daily panel

1989-91

 

Saddle Sores

George Alblitz

Trans World News

Daily strip

1976-78

 

Saint Paul & Duncan

David Watkins, Wayne Dunifon

Suzerain

Daily panel

1992-95

 

Saltwood

D. Leahy, Piper

Columbia Features

Daily

1988-89

 

Sam & Max, Freelance Police

Steve Purcell

At Large Features

Weekly strip

2001-02

No mention of a newspaper series on the charcaters’ Wikipedia page.

Sam Mantics

Carey Orr Cook

Sam Mantics Enterprises

Twice weekly strip

1990-93

 

Sam Scout

W.Clay, Len Glasgow, Lane, Mead, Warkentin

World News Syndicate

Daily/Sunday strip

1972-77

 

Sampson

Ken and Lorretta Bank

Dickson-Bennett

Daily panel

1984

 

San Victorino

Gamez

Colombian Comics

Daily/Sunday strip

1990-96

 

Sandcastles

Greg Curfman

Sandcastles Syndicate

Weekly strip

1976

 

Sandlot Sammy

Harry E. Godwin

Quaker Features

Daily strip

1925

 

Sandy’s World

Roy Doty

Paradigm-TSA

Daily/Sunday strip

1999

 

Santigwar

R. Lee

American International

Daily strip

1987-89

 

Sargent MacDoogle

Rick Wilson

Wilson Syndicate

Daily panel

1975-76

 

Sassafrass Tea

Bob Howard

Bob Howard Enterprises

Weekly panel

1973

 

Sassy Makes Three

Arlene Rowles, Ann Mace

Cascade Features

Weekly

1990

 

Saturn Against The Earth

Uncredited

Press Alliance

Weekly strip

1940

 

School Daze

John Owens

American International

Daily panel

1993-94

 

Scientific Sam

Maurice Beam

Universal Press

Daily strip

1935

 

Scoop Roundtree

Nathan Diggs, J. Anderson

Amadou Features

Weekly strip

1973

 

Scorer

John Gillatt, Barrie Tomlinson

North America Syndicate

Daily strip

1992-98

Well-known British strip, but did it appear in US newspapers?

Scotty the Wonder Dog

E.I. Reed

Miller Features

Daily strip

1939-40

 

Scrappy

Charles Mintz

Eisner-Iger Associates

Daily/weekly strip

1937

Is this the same as the known “Scrappy Sayings” panels?

Scraps

Michael Wakinyan

United Cartoonist Syndicate

Daily

1987-88

 

Screams

Guy Gilchrist, Ralph Hagen

DBR Media

Weekly panel

2002-2000s

 

Scroll of Fame

A.S. Curtis

Self-syndicated

Sunday strip

1951-61

 

Scruffles

Uncredited

TV Compulog

Weekly strip

1976

 

The Sea Hawk

Uncredited

Eric Jon Inc.

Weekly strip

1955-61

 

Sea Rations

James Estes

Star-Telegram Syndicate

Daily strip

1974

 

Seaweed

Johnny Sajem

Trans World News/Allied Press

Daily strip

1977-81

 

Sebastian

Alex Stefanson

Dickson-Bennett/Weekly Features

Daily panel

1984-85

 

See For Yourself

Uncredited

Associated Press

Weekly

1946

 

Seems Funny But It’s True

Ralph S. Matz

Matz Features/Unique Features

Daily strip

1936-39

 

Seven Errors

F. Hays

BP Singer

Weekly

1976-78

 

Shakespeare Plays

Luzny

Canada Wide Features

Daily strip

1947-48

Any distribution in US?

Shamrocks

Kessler, McCarty

Kay Features

Daily panel

1932-33

 

Shanghai Lil

Sarge O’Neill

Southern Cartoon Syndicate

Daily panel

1970-78

 

Sheena, Queen of the Jungle

W. Morgan Thomas

Eisner-Iger Associates

Weekly strip

1938-39

 

Sheriff of Pina Coda

Mike Moen

Suzerain

Daily strip

1986

 

Sherlock Home

Bob Goodbread

Dickson-Bennett

Daily panel

1984

 

Sheroderfield

Jeff Koterba

Dickson-Bennett

Weekly strip

1980-81

 

Sherwood

Robert Nunn

Weekly Features/American Way Features

Daily strip

1986-88

 

Sherwood Forest

Mike Bannon, Dave Gregory

Dickson-Bennett

Daily/weekly strip

1981-84

 

Short Cake

Pedro Moreno

United Cartoonist Syndicate

Daily panel

1982

 

Short Stuff

Jack Flynn

Trans World/Dickson-Bennett

Daily strip

1978-84

 

Short Short Stories

Charles Hendrick Jr.

Continental Features

Weekly panel

1998-2000s

 

Showcase for New Cartoonists

John Shepherd

Self-syndicated

Weekly strip

1993

 

Side Laughs

William Ferguson

NEA

Weekly strip

1937

 

Side Show

Oz Black, E.H. Peterson

Inter-American Newspaper/Thompson Service

Daily panel

1934-36

 

Sideline

Rick Goldsberry

American International

Daily panel

1990-91

 

Sign-o-Rama

M.W. Martin

Self-syndicated

Daily panel

1970-79

 

Silent Sam

Kern Pederson

American International

Daily strip

1988-98

 

Silky ‘n Vixen

Russ De Marks

Russell Enterprises

Daily strip

1969-71

 

Silly Dillies

Bob Lagers

Ledger Syndicate

Daily panel

1967-70

 Found! by Charles Brubaker in Pittsburgh Press.

Simon Cool

Jerry Breen

Allied Press

Daily strip

1980

 

Simple Interest

Anthony Schultz

J Features

Weekly panel

1998-2000s

 

Simpleman

Wim Van Wieringen

Douglas Whiting Limited

Unstated

1959

Dutch – appeared in US?

Single Again

Michael Byrne

Allied Press

Daily strip

1980-81

 

Single Again

Evan Diamond

Miller Features

Daily strip

2000

 

Sister Anne

Peter John Fugere

Trans World

Daily/weekly panel

1976-78

 

Six-Gun Days

Reg Manning

McClure

Daily/weekly

1931

 

Sketch Book

Gaylord,Zibellie

United Feature

Daily panel

1946

 

Sketches

Lambert Guenther

T-Bean Syndicate

?

1926

 

Sketches

George Spohn

Matz Features

Daily strip

1934

 

Sketches From Life

Joseph Buresch

Unique Features

Weekly strip

1938

 

Sketches From The War Front/Sketches From Life

Ralph Matz

Matz Features

Weekly strip

1939,1941

 

Skip Logan

Al Fagaly

Thompson Service

Daily strip

1937-41

 

Skipper Windward

P.J. Kuhn

Douglas Whiting Ltd

Daily strip

1961-64

 

The Skipper

Ron W. Stanfield

Trans World

Daily panel

1977-79

 

Skippy

Percy Crosby

Winford Co.

Daily/Sunday strip

1971-72

Re-run syndication.

Sky Capers

Joel Shalit

Dickson-Bennett

Weekly panel

1980-81

 

Sky Pirates

Uncredited

Allied Press

Weekly strip

1940

 

Skyrocket Steele

William Everett

Watkins Syndicate

Weekly strip

1939

 

Slangy Seth

Maurice Beam

Universal Press

Daily/weekly panel

1935

 

Slapsic

Tom Hickey

McNaught

Daily panel

1958

 

Slewfoot

Nellis Johnson

Dickson-Bennett

Daily/weekly strip

1981-82

 

Small Potatoes

John Barclay

American International

Daily strip

1989

 

Small Shots

Bill Johnson

Richmond Syndicate

Daily/Sunday panel

1979

 

Small Talk

Allan H. Kelly Jr.

Self-syndicated

Daily panel

1983-2000s

The copyrighted logo was dregistered as abandoned as of 1985.

Small World

Don Roberts

United Press International

Daily strip

1984

 

Smile Awhile

Dave Allen

Worldwide Media

Weekly panel

2000-03

 

Smile A While

Joe Buresch

Newspaper Art Features

Daily panel/Sunday strip

1939

 

Smiles

Frank Chapman

International Syndicate

Daily panel

1924-39

 

Smiling Out Loud

Sarge O’Neill

Southern Cartoon Syndicate

Daily panel

1970-76

 

Smitty

Don Gibbons

Weekly Features

Daily strip

1986-87

 

Snapper Smith

Uncredited

Beacon Newspaper Svc

Daily strip

1940

 

Snappy Grampy

Lyle Sterrett

Trans World

Daily panel

1976-78

 

Snojoe

George Donison

Canada Wide Features

Daily strip

1970-71

Appeared in US?

Snubby

Reg Manning

Bell Syndicate

Daily strip

1946

 

The Soaps

Joan Altabe

Dickson Features

Weekly strip

1980

 

Socko the Sea Dog

“Teddy” (Jack Kirby)

Keystone Press/Lincoln Features

Daily strip

1938-40

 

The Solar Legion

Uncredited

Beacon Newspaper Svs

Daily/Sunday strip

1940

 

Soldier Comic

Max Milians

Minority Features

Weekly strip

1942

 

Solve This Crime

Philip Nowlan

National Newspaper Svc

Daily panel

1931

 

Some Things Never Change

Stephen Templeton

American International

Sunday panel

1995

 

Something New For Tots To Do

Frank Hopkins

Audio Service

Daily panel

1926

 

Son & Co.

John Roman

King Features

Daily/Sunday strip

2000

 Found by Henkster in Detroit Free Press on a trial basis on a few dates; Salt Lake Tribune ran it for a few months

Sophisticated Lady

Dorothy Mylria

National Newspaper Svc

Daily panel

1957-59

 

Sorry About That

Joe Capelini

Community Features

Daily/weekly panel

1981

 

Sourdough

Robert Tremblay

United Cartoonist Syndicate

Daily

1986-88

 

South Sea Girl

Thorne Stevenson (and John Forte)

Phoenix Features

Daily strip

1974

Have seem much original art from the early 50s but never anything in newspapers.

Space Case

Hoey Morris

Callie-Pearl International

Daily strip

1983-84

 

The Space Frontier

James V. Johnson

Sun News Features

Daily strip

1960-63

 

Space Shots

Emil V. Abrahamian

Trans World

Daily panel

1978

 

Space-Nuts

Pedro Moreno

United Cartoonist Syndicate

Daly strip

1982-84

 

Spaced Out

Keith M. Manzella

Newspaper Features

Daily strip

1988-94

 

The Spacers

Emil V. Abrahamian

Trans World

Daily/weekly strip

1978-98

 

The Spacians

Larz Borne

Ledger Syndicate

Daily strip

1965

 

Sparky

Bob Larsen

Dickson-Bennett

Daily strip

1984-85

 

Special Ed

Pedro Moreno

Comic Art Therapy

Daily

1993-94

 

The Specialists

Bill Barry

Adventure Features

Daily/Sunday strip

1994-95

 

Speed Centaur

Malcolm Kildale

Watkins Syndicate

Weekly strip

1939

 

Spencer Steel

Dennis Colebrook

Eisner-Iger Associates

Weekly strip

1937-39

 

Sport Day

Bill Morgan

Columbia Features

Daily panel

1981-84

 

Sport Snickers

Lenny Hollreiser

Hayden-Kennedy Syndicate

Daily strip

1950

 

Sport-Spots

Brook Slover

R-GAB Features

Daily/weekly panel

1980

 

The Sporting Thing

 

Joe E. Buresch

Self-syndicated

Weekly panel

1959

 

Sportoons

Cliff Johnson, Bill Mittlebeeler, Jim Richardson

Dickson-Bennett

Daily/weekly panel

1980-84

 

Sports Cars Speed

Judd Burrow

B&B

Weekly panel

1960-63

 

Sports Chuckles

Al Leiderman

American International

Daily panel

1992

 

The Sports File

Emil V. Abrahamian

Trans World

Daily panel

1978-97

 

Sports Woman

Sandy Dean

Dickson-Bennett

Daily/weekly panel

1984-85

 

Sportsfun

Merve Magus

Dickson-Bennett

Daily/weekly strip

1982-84

 

Sportsville

Thomas E. Moran

Trans World

Daily/weekly panel

1976-78

 

Spot

Donald Vanozzi, Joe Zeis

Sparks Syndicate

Weekly

1991

 

Spy Hunters

Lochlan Field

Watkins Syndicate

Weekly strip

1939

 

Squeegee

Ken Muse

Community Features/Dickson-Bennett

Daily/weekly panel

1980-95

 

Squeeky Break

Ray Rubbin

Dickson-Bennett

Daily panel

1983-84

 

Squiggles

Grace Lee Richardson

Dickson-Bennett

Daily strip

1980-81

 

St. Peter’s Gate

Pedro Moreno

United Cartoonist Syndicate

Daily panel

1980-84

 

Stacy

Randy Bisson

Dickson-Bennett

Daily/weekly strip

1981-98

 

Stained Glass

Jonny Hawkins

Davy Associates

Weekly panel

1998-2000s

 

Standouts

Mal Eno

Atlas Features

Weekly panel

1949-50

 

Stanislaus

Dan Nevins

Chicago Tribune-NY News

Weekly strip

1980

 

Stanley & Decker

Roger Kliesh

Wade’s Cartoon Svc

Weekly strip

1991

 

Star Points

Carl Kuhn

Thompson Service

Daily/weekly panel

1935

 

Star Warriors

F. Treadgold

BP Singer Features

Weekly strip

1978

 

Star Weevils

J. Michael Leonard

Rip-Off Press

Weekly strip

1978

 

Startling Facts

Ferd Himme

Lowery Cartoons

Weekly panel

1932

 

The State of Georgia

R. David Boyd

Mark Morgan Inc

Weekly

1993-2000s

 

Static

B.W. Depew

Register & Tribune Syndicate

Daily panel

1928

 

Station I-M-D-Z

Jack Jay

Paramount Syndicate

Daily strip

1937

 

Status Quo

Charlie Wible

Richard Lynn Enterprises

Daily panel

1978-79

 

Stella Starlet

Martin, Stone

Dickson-Bennett

Daily panel

1984

 

Still Waiting

Bryan Ubaghs

At Large Features

Daily strip

2001-02

 

Stitch In Time

James Janeway

American International

Daily strip

1992

 

Stories of Real People

Vernon Rieck

Velerie Productions

?

1961

 

Stories of the Opera

Bernard Baily

Bell Syndicate

Daily

1949

 

Strange Accidents

Bunny Hogarth

Leeds Features

Daily panel

1933

 

Strange Encounters of the Unexplained and Bizarre

Fred Hull, Bill Barry

Adventure Features

Daily/Sunday strip

1981-83

 

Strangely Enough

John Duncan

JAD’s Service

Weekly panel

1938

 

Stranger Than Fiction

Ralph Matz

Matz Features

Daily strip

1939

 

The Strangest Thing

Everett Erwin

Western Newspaper Union

Weekly panel

1946

 

Strike Out

Martin Grodt

Editors Syndicate

Daily panel

1949-50

 

Stromboli

Mario Risso

Trans World

Daily/weekly panel

1976

 

Strongman

Uncredited

Beacon Newspaper Syndicate

Daily/Sunday strip

1940

 

Stump The Ump

Dywelska, Kent

Liberty Features

Weekly strip

1991-94

 

Stumpy Stumbler

Emil V. Abrahamian

Self-syndicated

Daily/weekly strip

1983-2002

 

Sub Rosa

Mimi

Bell Syndicate

Daily strip

1925

 

Subito

Bozz

Press Alliance

Daily/Occasional (!)

1950-52

 

Suburbia

Don Raden

Suburban Features

Weekly panel

1976-85

 

Sugar

Jack Fitch

A.S. Curtis Features

Daily strip

1949-61

 

Suggestion Box

Steve Moore

Star Group

Weekly

1984-85

 

Sunday Laughs/Sunday Laugh Male Cartoons

Paul Swede

BP Singer

Weekly strip

1973-93

 

Sunday at the Movies with Louie Loophole

Joe Gurrera

Comic Art Therapy

Sunday

1994-95

 

Sunny Side Up

Frank Drake

United Cartoonist Syndicate

Daily

1985

 

Sunny Sue

Jack Fitch, Edna Markham

A.S. Curtis

Daily strip

1950-61

 

Sunset Park

Ralph Aspinwall

Dickson-Bennett

Daily/weekly strip

1981-82

 

Super Kat

William L. Harper

Palestine Herald Press

Daily/weekly strip

1975-78

 

Super Shrink

Edward Stark

Trans World

Daily panel

1977-79

 

Super And Pals

Blackburn, Thomas

Trans World

Daily panel

1977-78

 

Suzerain’s Wildlife

Joe Fahey

Suzerain

Daily

1986

 

The Swingers

Barbara Jones

Allied Feature

Daily panel

1969

 

Swoosh Morgan

Rolland Lynch

N.E.W.S.

Daily/Sunday strip

1949

 

Sycamore Center

Graham Hunter

Oklahoman & Times

Weekly strip

1965-66

 

 

14 comments on “E&P Mystery Strips: Letter ‘S’

  1. As "Anonymous" pointed out, "Saturn Against the Earth" is a translation of a strip which appeared in an Italian weekly comics magazine. So is "Sky Pirates" ("Il Pirata del Cielo"). Both features found a home in short-lived American comic books: "Saturn" in McKay's "Future Comics" and "Pirates" in Hawley's "Sky Blazers" (both 1940). The E&P listing may have been a trial balloon to judge syndicate interest in the features. Maybe the owners didn't get the desired result and decided to go with comic books instead.

    I've seen (but unfortunately don't have) a trade display ad urging editors to buy these two titles as well as a third, "Zorro of the Metropolis." "Zorro" doesn't seem to have appeared anywhere. The McKay and Hawley books only lasted a couple of issues each, taking the Italian strips down with them. I speculate that the buildup to World War II put an end to this international venture.

  2. Since posting above I ran across an Italian essay shedding a bit more light on the issue. According to the article, the success of "Saturno Contro la Terra" (1936-1938) in Italy inspired its publisher, Mondadori, to try selling Mondadori strips to English language markets. "Through La Helicon Italiana, an organization created in the 1930s to promote national comics abroad" they pitched Mondadori product in England and the United States as well as in Europe and Latin America. The project was blocked by "Italian foreign policy" in regards to the War. Little information about Helicon Italiana exists because their headquarters were bombed out in 1944.

    It's interesting that "Saturn" and other Mondadori comic projects were conceived and plotted by Cesare Zavattini, who after the war found fame as a screenwriter of neorealist classics such as "Bicycle Thieves" and "Umberto D."

  3. "The Strangest Thing" by Everett Erwin appeared in "The Virden (Ills.) Recorder" from 18 July 1946 to 18 September 1947.
    "The Spacians" by animation great Larz Bourne would've been interesting, but I was told by people involved in the project that though the "ledger Syndicate" (or, "The NEW Ledger Syndicate" announced several titles, including a revival of the original Ledger's star feature, Hairbreadth Harry, they only managed to get one strip launched, "Batman". This was in 1966, where you'd think the hottest property on TV would be a smash, but the new Ledger was even worse run than it's inspiration, and flopped.
    "Scorer" was handled by us at KFS/NAS for several years, along with the London Mirror's other offerings like "The Perishers" and "Millie", but we really couldn't get US papers to touch anything but Andy Capp. So As far as I know, no US Scorer sales.

  4. The feature listed as "Slapsic" is "Slapsie," based on boxer and character actor Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom. It's mentioned in many online bios of the artist, Tom Hickey…though, in Internet fashion, they may all be quoting a single source. I've never seen an example. I have posted a request on a Facebook page run by someone trying to do a Rosenbloom documentary. Maybe that will turn up something.

  5. Here's a random addition for you-
    I see in your book you have no end date for the panel THAT'S THE STORY OF MY LIFE by Wm. Box. It ends with a special kiss-off episode on 30 September 1961. (Windsor (PO) Star)

  6. Hi Mark — You must have a better source for that paper. On Google News Archive, that date is missing pages, including the one with the final TTSOML 🙁

    –Allan

  7. Hello Allan-
    It IS in the Google Windsor Star file-
    Page 45 in the 28 September entry, it has a lot of pages from the 30th's ish.

  8. Silly Dillies is a particularly exciting find as it has long been assumed that the revived Ledger Syndicate that distributed Batman never successfully launched any of their other offerings. Not true it turns out.

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