Spinnerette.Anagram Challenge: 05.05.25
2 companies w/ +1.19 CHG
INGR + LULU
deciphered
GURU NILL
RING LULU
Today’s spinnerette has given me the opportunity to celebrate one of my longtime favorite artistic mediums: Newspaper COMIC STRIPS - affectionately known to generations of readers as the funnies. When I was young, one of my fondest memories was sitting with my father as he unfolded the Sunday newspaper and read the colorful Sunday Comics to me. Those Sunday mornings led to a lifelong appreciation for the artistry, wit, and storytelling found within those illustrated panels.
Some of my favorites were:
Little Nemo in Slumberland created by Winsor McCay [1905]
Mutt and Jeff created by Bud Fisher [1907]
Krazy Kat created by George Herriman [1913]
Popeye created by E. C. Segar [1929] a character from Thimble Theatre [1919]
Blondie created by Chic Young [1930]
Dick Tracy created by Chester Gould [1931]
Little Lulu created by Marge [1935]
Brenda Starr, Reporter created by Dale Messick [1940]
Nancy created by Ernie Bushmiller a spin-off from Fritzi Ri [1938]
Archie was created by a team for Comic books including artist Bob Montana who drew the characters for the Newspapers [1946]
Peanuts created by Charles M. Schulz [1950]
Beetle Bailey created by Mort Walker [1950]
Dennis the Menace created by Hank Ketcham [1951]
B. C. created by Johnny Hart [1958]
The Family Circus created by Bil Keane [1960]
Doonesbury created by Garry Trudeau [1970]
Ziggy created by Tom Wilson [1971]
Garfield created by Jim Davis [1978]
This list is far from complete; there were many many more…
Years after my father passed my mother gave me a Christmas present; I still cherish toady. The Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics. Today’s spinnerette is dedicated to all the cartoonist past and present. Thank you for your artistry, wit and relevant influence.
Even now, when I receive my Wall Street Journal each day, I still turn to the Pepper… and Salt comic of the day. Although it lacks the vibrant colors of the Sunday funnies, I still appreciate the creative process it delivers. While some newspapers still publish a small section of comic strips, they no longer enjoy the widespread circulation and prominent place they once held. This Spinnerette encouraged me to reflect on the decline of an art form that once brought joy to millions.
First, the history of Newspaper comics…
Newspaper comics emerged in the late 19th century as newspapers competed fiercely for readers. One of the earliest and most influential examples was ‘The Yellow Kid,’ created by Richard F. Outcault and first published in the 1890s in New York World. Its popularity played a key role in initiating the rise of color printing in Sunday supplements and demonstrated that illustrated humor could drive circulation. Rival publishers like William Randolph Hearst quickly adopted comics as a key feature, fueling what became known as the era of yellow journalism. This period ushered in a style of reporting that lent itself to dramatic exaggerated stories to enhance readership rather than relying on verified facts.
In the early 20th century, newspaper comics evolved into a wide range of genres and storytelling styles. Strips such as ‘Little Nemo’ by Winsor McCay showcased surreal, artistic innovation, while ‘Krazy Kat’ by George Herriman pushed narrative boundaries with poetic humor and experimental layouts. Meanwhile, adventure strips like ‘Tarzan’ illustrated by Hal Foster and humor strips like ‘Popeye’ created by
E. C. Segar broadened appeal, making comics a staple of daily and Sunday newspapers for readers of all ages.
By the mid-20th century, comics had become deeply embedded in American culture. Syndication allowed popular strips to appear in newspapers nationwide, and iconic works like ‘Peanuts’ by Charles M. Schulz and ‘Beetle Bailey’ created by Mort Walker reached millions of readers daily. These comics often reflected everyday life, social norms, and subtle political commentary, helping shape public discourse while maintaining broad, family-friendly appeal. The comics page became a shared cultural space, where generations grew up following the same characters.
When did the ever-popular Sunday Colorful Comics begin their exit from most Newspapers?
In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, newspaper comics faced a steady decline. As print circulation dropped and advertising revenue shrank, many newspapers reduced the size of comic sections or eliminated them altogether. The rise of the internet shifted audiences toward digital formats, where webcomics and social media offered new platforms for cartoonists outside traditional syndication.
Furthermore, there isn’t a single year when most newspapers stopped printing colorful Sunday comics because they never disappeared all at once. The shift began around the early 2000’s with the biggest decline happening between 2008-2020. The Good News is that they didn’t vanish completely; many were scaled back, though some newspapers eliminated them entirely.
Further reflection…
I grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs. As stated in my website, my mother was an academic, we received four newspapers daily. One was our local newspaper while the other three were national publications. The two newspapers I especially remember for printing my treasured comics were The Evening Bulletin and the Philadelphia Inquirer. The fourth was my mother’s favorite - the Wall Street Journal which did not print the colorful funnies.
My favorite was The Evening Bulletin [formally The Philadelphia Bulletin] It was once one of the most powerful and widely read newspapers in the United States. For decades, it dominated Philadelphia’s media landscape, especially as an afternoon paper. The paper closed its doors in January 1982. The reasons cited were:
Shifting reader habits 1960s–1970s
The Bulletin was an afternoon newspaper, designed for people to read after work.
Television news also began replacing the need for an afternoon paper.
Rising competition
Its main rival, The Philadelphia Inquirer strengthened as a morning paper, aligning better with changing modern habits.
The Inquirer gradually gained readers while the Bulletin declined.
Declining financially
Circulation dropped through the 1970s.
Advertising revenue especially from department stores fell sharply.
As for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Sunday comics still exist but their presents is smaller and less prominent.
Unfortunately, the colorful Sunday comics required extra paper, ink, and printing expenses, making them an easy target for reduction or removal. At the same time, more readers began accessing comics online through websites, apps, and social media, lowering demand for a separate print section. Sadly, the diminishing Sunday comics mirrors the broader decline of print newspapers and the move toward digital media.
As stated above, I grew up with newspapers, and I still enjoy holding them and following the day-to-day articles. Yes, it is true that one can absorb the news digitally, but something is often lost in translation. There is still something meaningful about holding a physical paper and trusting in those printed words.
I am particularly sensitive to the decline of newspapers because my word-play game relies on the daily printout of the top 1,000 stocks, receiving my Wall Street Journal has become essential.
Today’s Spinnerette has brought me back to the early days of listening to my father’s voice as he read the newest adventures of my favorite characters, while I savored the vibrant artwork created by the artists of the funnies.
Stock Market Weaver…
NWSA/NWS - News Corporation [owner of Wall Street Journal] NASDAQ
NYT - The New York Times Company - NYSE
LEE - Lee Enterprises - NASDAQ
TDAY - USA Today Co. - NYSE
AHC - A.H. Belo - NYSE
Private Newspaper Companies to mention:
The Washington Post - Owned by Amazon mogal - Jeff Bezos
Bloomberg L.P. - Majority owned by Michael Bloomberg
The Philadelphia Inquirer - The newspaper is operated by The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC, a for-profit public benefit corporation [sometimes called a B-Corp]. The newspaper's owner is the nonprofit The Lenfest Institute for Journalism which became involved in 2016 to help ensure the long-term sustainability and editorial independence of the paper.
*A nod to The Philadelphia Inquirer for its continued commitment to editorial independence in the City of Brotherly Love - home of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
The companies that created Today’s spinnerette.anagram are:
INGR is Ingredion Incorporated a leading global provider of ingredient solutions, producing starches, sweeteners, nutrition ingredients, and biomaterials for the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and industrial sectors worldwide. The companies roots began as Corn Products Co. in 1906 and has had many spin-offs through the century.
Headquarters: Winchester, IL
Industry: Food, Beverage and Ingredient Manufacturing
Revenue is more than US $6.8 BILLION and employs approx. 12,000.
Traded Today @ $133.63
NYSE
website: ingredion.com
LULU is Lululemon Athletica Inc. a global athletic apparel company specializing in premium activewear, footwear, and wellness-inspired products designed for an active lifestyle. The company was founded by Chip Wilson in 1999.
Headquarters: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Industry: Clothing
Revenue is more than US$2.5 BILLION and employs approx. 39,000.
Traded Today @ $278.55
NASDAQ
website: lululemon.com
company/corporation and spinnerette information is from google wikipedia and chatgpt