List_of_comic_strip_syndicates
This is a list of comic strip syndicates. Over the years, many syndicates have been acquired and otherwise absorbed by competitors; this list attempts to illustrate that.
- Andrews McMeel Syndication (est. 2009) — formed by merger of Universal Press Syndicate and Uclick;[1] formerly called Universal Uclick; includes GoComics
- Uclick (1996–2009; merged with Universal Press Syndicate to form Universal Uclick) — formerly named Universal New Media[2]
- Universal Press Syndicate (1970–2009; merged with Uclick to form Universal Uclick) — former names include Universal New Media
- Washington Star Syndicate (1965–1979)[3]
- George Matthew Adams Service (c. 1916–1965; acquired by The Washington Star Syndicate) — formerly known as the Adams Newspaper Service
- Chronicle Features (1962–1998; acquired by Universal Press Syndicate in 1997)
- Editors Press Service (1933–2010; acquired by Universal Press Syndicate in 2004 and renamed Atlantic Syndication)
- Washington Star Syndicate (1965–1979)[3]
- United Media (1978–2011; formed from the consolidation of United Feature and Newspaper Enterprise Association; eventually acquired by Universal Uclick)
- Newspaper Enterprise Association (c. 1909–1978; merged into United Media Enterprises)[4]
- United Feature Syndicate (1919–1978; merged into United Media Enterprises)[4]
- Metropolitan Newspaper Service (1919–1932; owned by the Bell Syndicate from 1920–1930;[5] acquired an eventually absorbed by United Features)[6]
- Press Publishing Co. (c.1910–1931; acquired by E. W. Scripps Company)[7]
- World Feature Service (c. 1905–1931; acquired by E. W. Scripps Company)[7]
- Bell Syndicate (1916–1972; acquired by United Features)[8] — known as the Bell-McClure Syndicate from 1930 to 1972
- Associated Newspapers (1912–c. 1966; acquired by Bell Syndicate in 1930)[9]
- McClure Newspaper Syndicate (1884–1952; absorbed into Bell-McClure Syndicate)[10] — began syndicating comic strips c. 1903
- Wheeler Syndicate (1913–1916; acquired by McClure Syndicate) — syndicated the work of Bud Fisher and Fontaine Fox
- Creators Syndicate (est. 1987) — formed in reaction to King Features' acquisition of the Register and Tribune Syndicate and News America Syndicate[11]
- King Features Syndicate (est. 1914)[12]
- Central Press Association (1910–1971; acquired and eventually absorbed by King Features)[13] until ceasing operations in 1971)[14]
- North American Press Syndicate (?–1912; acquired by and absorbed into Central Press Association)[15]
- Editors Feature Service (?–1927; acquired by and absorbed into Central Press Association)[16]
- Register and Tribune Syndicate (1922–1986; acquired by Hearst / King Features),[17]
- Field Newspaper Syndicate (1941–1984; acquired by News Corporation[18] and then King Features)[19] — former names include the Chicago Sun Syndicate, the Field Enterprises Syndicate, and the Chicago Sun-Times Syndicate; later renamed News America Syndicate and then North America Syndicate
- Chicago Times Syndicate (c. 1935-1948; acquired by Field Enterprises with the merger of the Chicago Sun and the Chicago Daily Times)
- Publishers Syndicate (1925–1967; acquired by Field Enterprises)[20] — became Publishers-Hall
- Publishers-Hall Syndicate (1944–1975; merged into Field Newspaper Syndicate)[21] — former names include Hall Syndicate, New York Post Syndicate, Post-Hall Syndicate, Inc., Hall Syndicate
- New York Herald Tribune Syndicate (c. 1920–1966) — remaining strips taken over by Publishers-Hall[22]
- Central Press Association (1910–1971; acquired and eventually absorbed by King Features)[13] until ceasing operations in 1971)[14]
- Royal Comics Syndicate (Finland) (est. 2004)
- Torstar Syndication Services (Canada) (est. 1930) — King Features Syndicate's distribution partner in Canada; former names include Toronto Star Syndicate
- Tribune Content Agency (est. 1918)[23] — former names include Tribune-New York (Daily) News Syndicate, Chicago Tribune Syndicate, the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate, Tribune Company Syndicate, and Tribune Media Services
- Los Angeles Times Syndicate (c. 1949–2000; acquired by Tribune Media Services)[24] — former names include Mirror Enterprises Syndicate and Los Angeles Times Mirror Syndicate
- General Features Corp. (1937–1974; acquired by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate in 1967[25] and absorbed into its operations in 1974)
- Los Angeles Times Syndicate (c. 1949–2000; acquired by Tribune Media Services)[24] — former names include Mirror Enterprises Syndicate and Los Angeles Times Mirror Syndicate
- The Washington Post Writers Group (est. 1973)[26]
Defunct comic strip syndicates
- Al Smith Feature Service (1951–c. 1999) — mainly weekly strips
- AP Newsfeatures (1930–1961) — owned by the Associated Press[27]
- Columbia Features (1953–1994)
- Comx Box Comics Syndicate (2014–2018) — distributed webcomics
- Frank Jay Markey Syndicate (c. 1936–c. 1950) — Markey was originally an executive at the McNaught Syndicate[28]
- Lafave Newspaper Features (1931–1963)
- Ledger Syndicate (1915[7]–c. 1950) — outlived its corporate owner, the Philadelphia Public Ledger
- Ledger Syndicate (1966–c. 1973) — second iteration of the syndicate
- McNaught Syndicate (1922–1989)[29]
- New York City Central Press Association (1920–1922; absorbed into McNaught Syndicate)[23]
- National Newspaper Syndicate (1917–c. 1984) — formerly known as the John F. Dille Co.
- Uncle Ray Syndicate (?–1922; acquired by National Newspaper Syndicate)[30]
- "Washington Star Syndicate Sold To Kansas City's Universal Press," New York Times (May 20, 1979), p. 37.
- "News Features Services Merge As United Media". United Press International. May 19, 1978. Retrieved 2015-02-23.
- "Feature Services Merged: Bell Syndicate Takes Over Metropolitan Newspaper Service," Editor & Publisher (April 3, 1920).
- "United Feature Syndicate Buys Metropolitan Service From Elser: Both Firms Will Retain Separate Identities, With Elser Remaining as Vice-President — Monte Bourjaily to Direct Both Organizations," Editor & Publisher (March 15, 1930). Archived at "News of Yore 1930: Another Syndicate Gobbled," Stripper's Guide (May 4, 2010).
- Hudson, Frederic, Alfred McClung Lee, and Frank Luther Mott. American Journalism 1690-1940, Volume 4 (Psychology Press, 2000), p. 591.
- Astor, Dave. "Goldberg To Retire From United Media," Editor & Publisher (December 17, 2001): "The executive joined United in 1972 when it bought Bell McClure Syndicate and North American Newspaper Alliance, where Goldberg was president."
- Saunders, David. "SAMUEL S. McCLURE (1857-1949)," Field Guide to Wild American Pulp Artists. Accessed Nov. 1, 2018.
- Knoll, Erwin. "McClure Syndicate Sold to Bell-NANA". Editor & Publisher (September 6, 1952).
- Katina Alexander (June 14, 1987). "A Superhero For Cartoonists?". The New York Times. p. 34. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
- Ron Goulart, "The 30s – Boomtime for SF Heroes". Starlog magazine, January 1981 (pp. 31–35).
- "Walter Johns". The Nevada Daily Mail. August 27, 2002.
- Mark S. Monmonier (1989). Maps With the News: The Development of American Journalistic Cartography. University of Chicago Press. p. 83. ISBN 0-226-53411-1.
- Watson, Elmo Scott. "CHAPTER VIII: Recent Developments in Syndicate History 1921-1935," A History Of Newspaper Syndicates In The United States, 1865-1935 (Western Newspaper Union, 1936). Archived at Stripper's Guide.
- Strentz, Herb. "John Cowles," Cowles Family Publishing Legacy: Drake University, Cowles Library. Accessed Jan. 3, 2018.
- Friendly, Jonathan. "Murdoch Buys Chicago Sun-Times," The New York Times, 2 November 1983, page D1.
- United Press International (October 21, 1986). "2 New York Papers Deny Merger Rumor". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. p. 2D. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
- Stetson, Damon. "Herald Tribune Is Closing Its News Service: But Meyer Says Columns That Appeared in Paper Will Be in Merged Publication," New York Times (June 24, 1966).
- Riley, Sam G.Biographical Dictionary of American Newspaper Columnists (Greenwood Publishing Group, 1995), p. 191.
- "Herald Tribune Is Closing Its News Service; But Meyer Says Columns That Appeared in Paper Will Be in Merged Publication". The New York Times. 1966-06-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
- Watson, Elmo Scott. "The Era of Consolidation, 1890-1920" (Chapter VII), in A History Of Newspaper Syndicates In The United States, 1865-1935 (Western Newspaper Union, 1936), archived at Stripper's Guide
- Barringer, Felicity; Holson, Laura M. (2000-03-14). "MULTIMEDIA DEAL: THE DEAL; Tribune Company Agrees to Buy Times Mirror". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
- "Times Mirror Company And General Features," New York Times (January 4, 1967), p. 84.
- "About Us". Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- Goulart, Ron. Comic Book Culture: An Illustrated History (Collectors Press, Inc., 2000), p. 85.
- "Family offers plenty of fodder to journalist's quick wit". Ohio University Today. 1998. Archived from the original on 2006-09-08. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
- "Uncle Ray Syndicate is Absorbed by Chicago Newspaper Service," Fourth Estate (August 26, 1922).