Cartoon strips that survived after their originators

[Stephen Tashi]

The drawing styles in newspaper cartoon strips are as distinct as handwriting. What are cartoon strips that have (or have not) survived longer than their originator's? How much of the survival was based on drawing style and how much on the content?

I recall that the strip "Peanuts" continued for a short time after the death of Charles Shulz, but it looked different and was soon replaced by re-publication of old Peanuts cartoons.

The originator of "Dilbert" occasionally has the strip drawn by guest artists.

Several artists draw the cartoon strip "Blondie". I notice slight differences in their styles, but the differences aren't jarring. It think this is remarkable given the idiosyncrasies involved in drawing Blondie's hair and eyes.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm not sure that's due to other artists. Charlie Brown's head turned from oblate to spherical while Schultz was drawing it.

 

[cybernetichero]

Dik Browne passed Hagar the Horrible on to his son who has been doing the strip since '89.

 

[sandy stone]

I think you can add "Prince Valiant" and "Beetle Bailey" to that list. I have noticed a distinct change in tone of "Wizard of Id" and "B. C.", but I don't know for sure that another person has taken over either of those strips.

 

[Klystron]

Though rarely seen in strips these days, the original Marvel pantheon including the Incredible Hulk, Amazing Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Doctor Strange, The Avengers and old Captain Marvel, himself; survive the passing of their originators.

The FF are actually an amalgam of individual old-time comic strips Plastic Man, the Human Torch, Invisible Girl ('cause, ya' know, no clothes while sleuthing) teamed with a "more likable" Hulk; according to Stan Lee.

On firmer ground the Detective Comics (DC) sci-fi superheroes Superman, Batman and Catwoman, Flash and company appeared as individual strips and books at least back to the 1930's. BTW the label 'detective' refers to the nature of the typical adventure comic strip as well as actual detectives such as Dick Tracy. Also common to mystery novels, a main character becomes 'our detective' in order to solve the mystery.

Back to modern comic strips, the entertaining 'suburbs through the eye of a child' and endearing comic strip Cul de Sac outlives its creator Richard Thompson.

 

[Keith_McClary]

Piraro is turning Bizarro over to Wayno.

 

[Algr]

I recall that the strip "Peanuts" continued for a short time after the death of Charles Shultz, but it looked different and was soon replaced by re-publication of old Peanuts cartoons.

Are you sure of this? Shultz didn't want anyone else drawing his strip. Shultz's art looked different in the last year or so due to his stroke. Could it have been this you saw?