Minority cartoonists say they are tired of being lumped together on America’s comic strip pages and this Sunday plan to “mock the idea that their work is interchangeable” by using an identical strip.
In each strip, the artists will portray a white reader grousing about a minority-drawn strip, complaining that it’s a “Boondocks” rip-off and blaming it on “tokenism.” [WP]
Most newspapers don’t have room for more than two comic strips by writers of color, according to the writers. But industry folks cite a number reasons for the difference, such as pleasing a particular demographic, a resistance to change among editors, and an aging audience.
Aaron McGruder told the Washington Post that he doesn’t think it’s a “purely racial or racist issue.”
“I’m sure it’s a factor. But I’m not convinced. Despite the hurdles and the issues of race, I was given more than a fair shot. Nobody ever mistook my strip for ‘Curtis.’
“The industry itself is struggling. It’s like they’re the black passengers on the Titanic protesting to get to the top deck, and overlooking the fact that the whole ship is sinking.”
