News Release

UPS Cartoonists Rally Around ill Cartoonist by Being Guest Artists for “Big Top”

Kansas City, MO  (02/23/2006)  This is a story about cartoonists who aren't drawing controversial prophets, unless you count a poodle who started his own religion.

While Rob Harrell recuperates from surgery that removed a cancerous tumor from his right eye, 15 fellow Universal Press Syndicate cartoonists are guest drawing his comic strip, "Big Top." The strip is well-know for its cast member, Dusty, a narcissist and enterprising poodle, who not long ago began his own religion, Dustocity.

The strips began appearing on Monday, March 6, and will continue through March 22, with such guest artists as Jim Davis of Garfield and Tom Wilson of Ziggy. They will be putting their own particular spin on Harrell’s strip about an unusual cast of circus animals and their friends.

As one cartoonist said, “That’s what a family is for.”

Writing and drawing the strip will be (in order) Mark Pett, Lucky Cow; Glenn McCoy, The Duplex; Jan Eliot, Stone Soup; Bill Hinds, Cleats; Mike Baldwin, Cornered; Phil Dunlap, Ink Pen; Jim Davis, Garfield; Mark Tatulli, Heart of the City; Paul Gilligan, Pooch Café; Gary McCoy, The Flying McCoys; Karen Montague Reyes, Clear Blue Water and Chip Dunham, Overboard. New volunteers are Ruben Bolling of Tom the Dancing Bug fame, Scott Stantis who draws Prickly City and Tom Wilson Jr., cartoonist for Ziggy. Their version of Big Top will follow March 20, 21 and 22, respectively. Harrell will pick up the comic strip on March 23. Sunday’s strips will be classic original Big Top.

Harrell is undergoing treatment for a cancer behind his right eye. The prognosis is good, and Harrell will be returning after his two weeks off to once again entertain fans of Dusty, Wink, Kingston and Pete. Big Top appears in about 40 newspapers nationwide, including the Boston Herald and the Detroit Free Press.

“I’ve really been overwhelmed by the kindness and the support of all the creators and the syndicate,” said Harrell. “It really shows me it’s not just a business relationship. We all have each other’s back.”

“One of the things that endears readers to Big Top is the underlying affection all of the characters have for each other -- the "family" feeling the strip exudes,” says Big Top’s editor Lisa Tarry. “Universal Press Syndicate has prided itself for 35 years on a similarly familial atmosphere, both inside our organization and with our creators. The Universal family is rallying around Harrell.”

Creator(s): Rob Harrell

Contact(s): Kathie Kerr

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