After 86 years in publication, Tribune Media Services announced the cancellation of the “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip. On June 13, Sunday papers will showcase the last strip featuring America’s favorite redheaded orphan. 

Harold Gray’s “Little Orphan Annie” was once published in hundreds of newspapers, but is now seen in fewer than twenty. The strip will end on a cliffhanger, with Daddy Warbucks wondering what happened to Annie during her latest encounter with the Butcher of the Balkans.

Steve Tippie, TMS’s vice president of licensing, said that while Ted Slampyak and Jay Maeder, the artist and writer of “Little Orphan Annie,” produced terrific story strips, there weren’t enough resources to keep the comic syndicated.

Annie has had a hard knock life, surviving the Great Depression, World War II, and countless adventures. Despite the comic strip’s cancellation, this is not the last we’ll see of Annie and her canine companion, Sandy. Tippie said that while it is very unlikely “Little Orphan Annie” will be revived in newspapers, “that doesn’t mean that Annie won’t come back … whether it’s [in] comic
books, graphic novels, in print, electronic. It’s just too rich a vein
[not] to mine.”

In fact, Annie will return to the limelight much sooner than some may have expected.

Producer Arielle Tepper Madover announced that she will bring the musical Annie back to Broadway in the fall of 2012. Madover said that Thomas Meehan, who wrote the book for the 1977 Annie musical, will update the script to accommodate modern audiences. In 1997, Annie returned to Broadway but was ill received, and failed. Though she didn’t give an explanation as to why the 1997 Annie failed, Madover believes her musical will succeed because Meehan and her creative team will modernize the show, and will more likely resonate with audiences.

The 1977 musical Annie, which lasted six years on Broadway and won a Tony Award for best musical, was based off Gray’s “Little Orphan Annie.” With the comic strip ending this week, it is encouraging to see that Gray’s redheaded legacy will continue to charm audiences for years to come.

Hear ye, hear ye! WYSBR is now in session! I hope everyone has been keeping up with their webcomic reading. There are many webcomics to explore and rave about, so lets not waste any time. We’ll start this segment with a personal favorite of mine: Lackadaisy.

Created by Tracy J. Butler, this webcomic takes place in St. Louis during the 1920’s Prohibition. Lackadaisy focuses on the adventures that ensue when running a speakeasy, an establishment that illegally serves alcohol. The stakes are high as characters risk everything to save their cherished speakeasy from being crushed by the competition.

You may be wondering why the characters are a bit on the furry side. Butler’s characters are all anthropomorphic cats, but don’t let that give you the wrong impression. These aren’t the type of furries that make you wonder what the heck “yiffing” is. You can’t help but be charmed by these fluffy cats. Each character has a unique personality that is projected through smart, snappy dialogue and wonderfully detailed expressions.

Speaking of details, Butler never holds back when it comes to detailing every aspect of Lackadaisy. Clothes, furniture, vehicles, and architecture are exquisitely designed to capture an American 1920’s atmosphere. The talented Ms. Butler sucks readers into Lackadaisy‘s lively St. Louis, which is fine with me because it’s an exciting, dramatic place full of colorful characters.

For the past few years, Lackadaisy has gained attention, praise, and thousands of fans. Butler’s webcomic won her the 2007 Webcartoonists’ Choice Awards for Outstanding Newcomer, Artist, Character Rendering, and Anthropomorphic Comic. More trophies were added to Butler’s cabinet after winning the 2008 Webcartoonists’ Choice Awards for Outstanding Artist, Black and White Art, Character Rendering, and Website Design. Many people would agree: Lackadaisy is full of win.

If you like the roaring 20’s, cool cats, or impressive webcomics in general, then give Lackadaisy a read. Chances are you’ll find something you love about it.