Loose Parts | |
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![]() The cover of the first Loose Parts collection, 2001. | |
Author(s) | Dave Blazek |
Illustrator(s) |
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Current status/schedule | ongoing, daily |
Launch date | April 20, 1998 |
Syndicate(s) |
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Publisher(s) | Dave Blazek |
Genre(s) | Gag, humor |
Loose Parts is a daily single-panel comic strip by Dave Blazek. [1] It is similar in tone, content, and style to Gary Larson's The Far Side , involving Theatre of the Absurd-style themes and characters. Loose Parts is currently syndicated by Andrews McMeel Syndication [2] and appears in newspapers across the country and overseas.
Loose Parts was nominated for Best Newspaper Panel Cartoon division award in the 2010 National Cartoonists Society Reuben Awards. [3] After being nominated an additional three more times, [4] it won the award in 2019, [4] repeating in 2020. [5] [4]
Loose Parts began in 1998 as a collaborative effort between Dave Blazek (the writer) and John Gilpin (the illustrator). Both men worked in the marketing department at The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News .
The strip was originally syndicated by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate; it moved to Tribune Media Services in late December 2000 when Tribune Publishing bought the Los Angeles Times . [6]
In 2001 Gilpin stopped drawing for the single-panel cartoon and Blazek took up those duties as well; he now writes and draws Loose Parts. [7]
Blazek moved Loose Parts to The Washington Post Writers Group (WPWG) starting with the September 25, 2014 cartoon. [6] In early 2022, the WPWG announced it was winding down its comic strip syndication service; [2] soon afterward, Blazek moved Loose Parts to Andrews McMeel Syndication. [8]
...joins 'Loose Parts' and 'Pickles' as stablemates since those two had moved from Washington Post Writers Group to Andrews McMeel earlier this year (June 1 and July 1 respectively).