I think you're confusing his magazine cartoon submissions with his syndicate submissions. He submitted DILBERT as a one-panel gag cartoon to magazines but was rejected by all (see here), so he tried submitting it to the syndicates as a comic strip and was picked up immediately by United Media (see here). He was rejected by every syndicate but United Media (see here).
That's not true, actually. DILBERT was syndicated by United Media (aka United Features Syndicate) in 1989, and all it took was one submissions package in the mail. DILBERT didn't appear on the web until the early 1990s. The web played a part in its success, but its expanded focus on office-related humor was probably a big factor, too. If you look at the first few years of the strip, Dilbert spends much less time in the office than he does today. The office humor market was a niche he was able to fill on the comics page.
UF's Dust Puppy appeared in a storyline called "Dust Puppy Power" (http://www.superosity.com/d/19991129.html ) in my comic strip SUPEROSITY (http://www.superosity.com) last November, and it was approved and edited by Illiad. But nobody really seemed to care about it very much. I probably should've drawn Bill Gates getting beat over the head with a bat at some point in the story.:) Your Pal, Chris Crosby
"Being a cartoonist, I read comics differently than other people. I end up absorbing them or analyzing them. Does that make sense. I can't get past the craft sometimes. I'm too busy saying "I wish I had thought of that." or "I like the way he draws hands." Superosity is the only strip (including newspaper strips) that I can get lost in. It's the only strip right now that makes me actually laugh out loud. It simply is my favorite strip online."
Anonymous Coward said: "And (sorry, Chris), it's not really that funny."
I'm sorry you don't find it funny, but many people do (or they say they do, at least). Have you read through the archives? I didn't think my favorite strips were good until I read a big chunk of them at once.
I think DustPuppy2000 might've specifically mentioned the "Chris Geeks Out" storyline (in which Chris learns he may be a geek and "Slashdot dot org" is mentioned) in her story submission. "New" is a relative turn, though. My eight+ months of SUPEROSITY is nothing compared to PEANUTS' fifty+ years. Not that I'm comparing SUPEROSITY to PEANUTS. Though I guess I am in a way.:) I'm just glad to be mentioned. Thanks, Cmdr! I can use all the new readers I can get. 2,000+ Slashdotters have checked the strip out in the past four hours, more than tripling our average daily hitcounts. Chris Crosby "It'd be nice if some of 'em sticked around, too..." http://www.superosity.com Your Pal, Chris Crosby
Any customization of slashdot should definitely include a link to SUPEROSITY (http://www.superosity.com), the daily full color comic strip. Why? Because USER FRIENDLY creator Illiad likes SUPEROSITY! And what Illiad likes, Illiad gets. On the slashdot customization list.
Slashdot Mirror
If I have to sit through a Pepsi ad, I want to be able to sit through an all-new 7-minute cartoon short, too.
I think you're confusing his magazine cartoon submissions with his syndicate submissions. He submitted DILBERT as a one-panel gag cartoon to magazines but was rejected by all (see here), so he tried submitting it to the syndicates as a comic strip and was picked up immediately by United Media (see here). He was rejected by every syndicate but United Media (see here).
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
That's not true, actually. DILBERT was syndicated by United Media (aka United Features Syndicate) in 1989, and all it took was one submissions package in the mail. DILBERT didn't appear on the web until the early 1990s. The web played a part in its success, but its expanded focus on office-related humor was probably a big factor, too. If you look at the first few years of the strip, Dilbert spends much less time in the office than he does today. The office humor market was a niche he was able to fill on the comics page.
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
Thanks!
I also co-founded Keenspot and Keenspace (and came up with the names). Didn't get mentioned in the article, though... *sniff*
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
UF's Dust Puppy appeared in a storyline called "Dust Puppy Power" (http://www.superosity.com/d/19991129.html ) in my comic strip SUPEROSITY (http://www.superosity.com) last November, and it was approved and edited by Illiad. But nobody really seemed to care about it very much. I probably should've drawn Bill Gates getting beat over the head with a bat at some point in the story. :)
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
He was screenwriter of the PEANUTS feature films.
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
-Scott Kurtz, PvP
SUPEROSITY is located at http://www.superosity.com
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
Thanks, NME!
That quote is from the strip that's located at http://superosity.bigpanda.net/d/990625.html if anybody wants to check it out.
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
Anonymous Coward said:
"And (sorry, Chris), it's not really that funny."
I'm sorry you don't find it funny, but many people do (or they say they do, at least). Have you read through the archives? I didn't think my favorite strips were good until I read a big chunk of them at once.
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
I think DustPuppy2000 might've specifically mentioned the "Chris Geeks Out" storyline (in which Chris learns he may be a geek and "Slashdot dot org" is mentioned) in her story submission. "New" is a relative turn, though. My eight+ months of SUPEROSITY is nothing compared to PEANUTS' fifty+ years. Not that I'm comparing SUPEROSITY to PEANUTS. Though I guess I am in a way. :) I'm just glad to be mentioned. Thanks, Cmdr! I can use all the new readers I can get. 2,000+ Slashdotters have checked the strip out in the past four hours, more than tripling our average daily hitcounts. Chris Crosby "It'd be nice if some of 'em sticked around, too..." http://www.superosity.com
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
Well, she IS. Chris Crosby Fun Fun Comic Strip: http://www.superosity.com
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby
Your Pal,
Chris Crosby