Cartoonists plan Sept. 11 anniversary tribute

PHILADELPHIA — Sept. 11 is etched in the memories of millions, and with the 10th anniversary today, cartoonists are etching their thoughts and emotions about 9/11 into comic strips.

With the anniversary falling on a Sunday, more than 90 cartoonists with five different syndicates have banded together to dedicate their strips on Sept. 11 to those whose lives were lost in the attacks. Sept. 11-themed strips appear from the writers and artists of "Family Circus," "Mallard Fillmore," "Candorville," "Doonesbury" and "Pluggers," among others.

Jeff Keane, who co-authors "The Family Circus," was immediately sold on the idea when approached by King Features, his syndicate.

"I knew that it was something that I think would work for 'Family Circus' if I could find the approach for it," he told The Associated Press. "Because 'Family Circus' is more of a realistic look at family, and I don't necessarily have a cartoon that is a 'joke a day,' but more sentimental and more emotional, it was easier for me to look at it that way."

Jim Borgman, the co-creator of "Zits" with Jerry Scott, about a permanent teenager and his parents, called the anniversary something that cannot be ignored.

"As a cartoonist we would have all been wondering 'Is it OK to deal with this topic in our work?' Of course you can, but there is something comforting about the thought that a bunch of us are going to be struggling to say something on that day," he said. "My colleagues — cartoonists — are an astonishingly varied and talented group of people. I fully expect we'll see a broad range of approaches that day."

It's not the first time that cartoonists have banded together. Previous efforts have included topics such as Earth Day or breast cancer awareness. But the scope of this endeavor is unprecedented, with five syndicates and the newspapers they serve participating: King Features, Creators Syndicate, Tribune Media Services, Universal Press Syndicate and Washington Post Writers Group — and the strips they provide to newspapers participating. The artists produce the strips independently.

The comics, each produced independently by the artists, will be featured in a separate, full-color pullout section and online the same day at www.cartoonistsremember911.com. Afterward, exhibits on the strips are planned for the Newseum in Washington, San Francisco's Cartoon Art Museum, the Toonseum in Pittsburgh and the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in New York.

The tone of the strips are varied, said Brendan Burford, comics editor at King Features Syndicate, with some taking a sentimental tack, while others may try to make a reader laugh.