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The Phantom is the greatest comic evarrr! Disregard the horrible movie with Billy Zane, here's the comic: http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/phantom/about.htm

...for the comic strip, Barney Google.

His use of bold makes me feel like I'm reading Zippy . I find it highly annoying.

One of the writer's theses was that part of what put an end to the initial flowering of scientific and medical research was the Islamic ban on any images of the human body. This puts a severe limit on how far you can go with medical texts. It's a conventional explanation of why, though the Arabs were ahead of Europe in medical knowledge 1000 years ago, the Europeans eventually caught up and passed them. You really can't have good medical texts without lots of images. There was also resistance to medical texts in Europe for a long time, due to all the "pornographic" images. But eventually this was ended and medical texts were made exceptions from the porn laws, to everyone's benefit.

In Saudi Arabia, the Beetle Bailey newspaper comic strip is censored daily by someone with a felt-tip pen who gives the general's secretary a long-sleeved floor-length dress. If the answer to a crossword puzzle clue is something like "wine" or "beer", the clue itself is blacked out. This is clearly a nation that takes its censorship seriously.

But you can go to any large Riyadh bookstore in the evening and observe red-faced Saudi teenagers giggling over the anatomical images in the medical text section. So if there is such a prohibition, it's expired.

This USA Today article is almost as bad as reading the comics.

Power from Spinach

You have Got To Be Kidding Me

(I can't believe that strip is still around! Do comic strips ever stop? Does anyone still read Barney Google or Rex Morgan?)

BTW, a somewhat more timeless mandrake reference is Genesis 30:14.

"When the Phantom moves, lightning stands still."
-Old jungle saying-

So all that is needed is:

1. Hire Phantom
2. Wait for lightning to strike charging equipment
3. Make Phantom move indefinitely
4. ???
5. Profit!

Not saying this lawsuit has any grounds, but the origins of "googol" are well known.

Maybe the origins of the mispelling.

"Barney Google and Snuffy Smith" was first published in 1919. Maybe King Features shuld sue Google first.

Yeah, sure this makes sense...

I'm always confusing the search engine, with the mathematical concept.

How about King Features Syndicate suing Google instead. At least their character is spelled the same (Barney Google), had been around since 1919 and appeared on USPS stamps starting in 1995, in time for those evil Google search engine folks to cash in on Barney's famous name!

Barney Google - page down a bit.

The running gag on Ernie now is the comic strip.

Try my translation:

All your name are belong to us

Mandrake the Magician has been running continuously since 1934. I used to read it in my childhood in the 60s and 70s.

"The dapper, mustached magician remains one of the most famous characters in the comic strip medium, his adventures appearing in newspapers worldwide. Mandrake uses his legendary powers of hypnotism and illusion to combat crime, and has worked his debonair magic to find a place in the hearts of comic strip fans everywhere.

"[Lee] Falk originally drew the Mandrake strip, but soon turned the job over to artist Phil Davis, who illustrated the silken illusionist's doings for more than 30 years. When Davis passed away, Falk recruited current Mandrake artist Fred Fredericks.

"Lee Falk passed away in March of 1999, but his legacy lives on with Mandrake the Magician."

Lee Falk also created the Phantom.

Anyway, it's quite obvious that Mandrake Linux used the name because of the comic strip, not the mandrake herb. Maybe they could change their name to "Mandragora", which does mean the plant only. Unlike "Windows" which does have a long history as a software term, "Mandrake" has not such defence.

Mandrake the Magician has been running continuously since 1934. I used to read it in my childhood in the 60s and 70s.

"The dapper, mustached magician remains one of the most famous characters in the comic strip medium, his adventures appearing in newspapers worldwide. Mandrake uses his legendary powers of hypnotism and illusion to combat crime, and has worked his debonair magic to find a place in the hearts of comic strip fans everywhere.

"[Lee] Falk originally drew the Mandrake strip, but soon turned the job over to artist Phil Davis, who illustrated the silken illusionist's doings for more than 30 years. When Davis passed away, Falk recruited current Mandrake artist Fred Fredericks.

"Lee Falk passed away in March of 1999, but his legacy lives on with Mandrake the Magician."

Lee Falk also created the Phantom.

Anyway, it's quite obvious that Mandrake Linux used the name because of the comic strip, not the mandrake herb. Maybe they could change their name to "Mandragora", which does mean the plant only. Unlike "Windows" which does have a long history as a software term, "Mandrake" has not such defence.

Hey Mandrake guys,

Watch out!

I don't know no Paris talk, but you gotta watch out for King Features so they don't get you by the pate de foie gras again.

In particular, avoid the following King Features names when branding:

Anything 3G, Baby Blues, Barney Google, Snuffy Smith, Beetle Bailey, Betty Boop, Bizarro, Blondie, Buckles, CowParade, Curtis, Dennis the Menace, Flash Gordon, Funky Winkerbean, Hagar the Horrible, Hazel, Henry, Judge Parker, Katzenjammer Kids, Mallard Fillmore, Mark Trail, Marvin, Mary Worth, Moose, Molly, Mother Goose, The Phantom, Popeye, Prince Valiant, Redeye, Rex Morgan, Sally Forth, Sam, Silo, Sherman, Slylock Fox, Spiderman, Steve Roper, Mike Nomad, Tiger, Trudy, Tumbleweeds, Zippy, Zits.

Merci beaucoup.

A star could mean lots of things. And after a brief search over the Mandrake the magician website I could find no star or other image even vaguely similar to the Mandrakesoft star. If you can find one I'll gladly stand corrected, but as I see it there's really no relation..

That King Features site is a hoot. I can't believe the the Katzenjammer Kids is still in syndication ...

But I found a working link to a Mandrake character: Mandrake the Magician. Dating from 1934 (!).

This being such a Linux-loving community, I'm surprised that a link to Mandrake the magician wasn't placed in the news story itself to give it a good hard slashdoting.

You, sir, have just proven that all Russell Spragues are criminals and must be locked up! By using the alias "Kingfox," you've infringed upon the trademarks of not one but two media companies. Don't relax just yet, the FBI is investigating anyone named Russell Sprague and your flagrant trademark violations have surely put you on their radar!

A true classic and a standard among comic strips, Mandrake the Magician has been mystifying readers since 1934!

Mandrake the Magician was created by Lee Falk during the Great Depression, a time in our nation's history when adventurous comic strips became popular for their morale-building appeal.

The dapper, mustached magician remains one of the most famous characters in the comic strip medium, his adventures appearing in newspapers worldwide. Mandrake uses his legendary powers of hypnotism and illusion to combat crime, and has worked his debonair magic to find a place in the hearts of comic strip fans everywhere.

Many comic strips and comic books throughout the history of the medium have starred mystics and magicians. Over the years, characters such as Merzah the Mystic, Sargon the Sorcerer and Zanzibar the Magician have worked their magic, but none have displayed the longevity of the Mandrake the Magician comic strip.

Mandrake is also the first comic strip with a racially integrated cast of crime-fighters. Mandrake's partner in adventure is the gigantic Lothar, and the two of them have been fighting evildoers for decades! Mandrake is also aided by his girlfriend, the lovely and exotic Princess Narda.

Falk originally drew the Mandrake strip, but soon turned the job over to artist Phil Davis, who illustrated the silken illusionist's doings for more than 30 years. When Davis passed away, Falk recruited current Mandrake artist Fred Fredericks.

Lee Falk passed away in March of 1999, but his legacy lives on with Mandrake the Magician.

No, Mandrake the Magician is a comic strip hero: http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/mandra ke/about.htm or http://www.toonopedia.com/mandrake.htm

I have to disagree. "Beetle":"Dilbert" :: "Military":"Corporate life".

There are some great modern cartoons, though:

• Zits is a great look at adolescent life. I don't think I was Jeremy, but I certainly hung out with him.
• If you have kids, Baby Blues is hilarious. My wife and I take turns pestering each other with "did you see it? That's us, isn't it?"
• I've grown up with Michael from For Better Or For Worse. Seeing his wedding was almost like going to one of my friends'.

None of those are cutting-edge political satires like Bloom County often was, or like Doonesbury used to be, but they're funny. In general, today's comics do suck, but there are certainly a few gems out there.

I have to disagree. "Beetle":"Dilbert" :: "Military":"Corporate life".

There are some great modern cartoons, though:

• Zits is a great look at adolescent life. I don't think I was Jeremy, but I certainly hung out with him.
• If you have kids, Baby Blues is hilarious. My wife and I take turns pestering each other with "did you see it? That's us, isn't it?"
• I've grown up with Michael from For Better Or For Worse. Seeing his wedding was almost like going to one of my friends'.

None of those are cutting-edge political satires like Bloom County often was, or like Doonesbury used to be, but they're funny. In general, today's comics do suck, but there are certainly a few gems out there.

Yes, Frazz is very good.

I also detect a strong Watterson influence in the style of Zits which could almost be Calvin as a teenager.

Oh come on. Have you actually read the comic? Get Fuzzy is to Garfield as Non Sequitur is to Family Circus.

Go to this page http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/bbaile y/aboutMaina.php

and get the June 10th comic.

Kevin and Kell creator Bill Holbrook still has mainstream strips running; On The Fastrack and Safe Havens.

Kevin and Kell creator Bill Holbrook still has mainstream strips running; On The Fastrack and Safe Havens.

The key scientists behind this project are Dr. Bartholemew J. Simpson and Dr. Dennis "The Menace" Mitchell.

Mike

All my old favorites are here.
Katzenjammer Kids are still running after over 100 years.

But what about something like the Katzenjammer Kids (for a comic from about the same time as the first mickey shorts) that aren't being actively used by anyone.

It seems they are still used by somebody.

Spider-man, the Animated Series.

PS - If you really want to be True Believers, then the plot has to move slowly.

At that glacier rate, the movie would take,.... um.... about 27 years.

What about Carol in Wildwood? (formerly Bobo's Progress)

Since Breathed admits he doesn't read the comics, how would he know what's out there? (or what's funny)

The funniest & well drawn strip out there right now is Mutts.

As mentioned in the first reply to the One Handed Food suggestion, there's prior art on that one. It was the theme of a week's worth of the Sally Forth newspaper comic in early October. In fact, that's the batch that's in "2-week delay mode" as I write this...

• sporange - another word for sporangium, a part of the fungal reproductive system
• doorhinge

Oh Yes I dig the Mandrake too. Here is a link for Mandrake the Magician.