THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 18, 1995 TAG: 9504180005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
What is happening on the comics page? With the front page and most of the reminder of your newspaper usually filled with tragedy and bad news, the comics used to be the one place we could count on for a smile and maybe even a laugh to start our day. But now it seems the syndicated cartoonists think we need violence, death and other ``downer'' continuing story lines on the comics page as well.
In recent weeks the expectant mother in ``Curtis'' and her youngest son were mugged in the street with the mother suffering a midterm miscarriage.
Aaron Hill, the teenage boy ``Luann'' dreams of someday marrying, was in a drunken driving accident that we only later discover results in a concussion rather than death.
April, the toddler in ``For Better or For Worse'' has fallen into a raging flooded ditch (will their shaggy dog save her?).
Even perpetual loser/victim Charlie Brown in ``Peanuts'' has turned into the avenging ``Cool Thumb'' Brown to recover the marbles taken from his friends by a kid who first says he is not ``playing for keeps,'' then changes his story and takes all the marbles.
If this trend continues, the only laughs we'll get from the newspaper will be from reading about the escapades of local-government officials.
BRYAN BROWER
Chesapeake, April 11, 1995 by CNB