How does writing for the weekly strip differ than writing for comics?
AG: The main difference is the format. A strip needs to be a self contained and yet continuous. In the Sunday format, you have somewhere in the neighborhood of six to eight panels to tell your story. Unfortunately, most papers don’t run the first two panels (to save space) so these are usually reserved for a review of what happened last week or some nonessential embellishment of the story. I have to remember that most readers will not have the advantage of seeing these panels. So, I’m usually left with four to six panels to make an interesting strip with a dramatic punch line and a set up for the next week. I have written all of my stories in sixteen week segments. By the way, currently, the Lowell Sun in Massachusetts is the only paper that runs the full strip (about 80% of the time). I should add that we owe them a debt of gratitude for doing this and that they are willing to send the paper or comics section to fans who want to subscribe. BB: Talk about Gray Morrow and you. You menti
