PreTeena

Last updated
PreTeena
Author(s)Allison Barrows
Website www.gocomics.com/preteena
Current status/scheduleConcluded daily strip
Launch dateApril 23, 2001
End dateMay 18, 2008
Syndicate(s) Universal Press Syndicate
Genre(s)Humor

PreTeena, sometimes spelled Preteena, was a daily American comic strip written and drawn by Allison Barrows and syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate from April 23, 2001, through May 18, 2008. It concerned the daily life of 10-year-old girl Teena Keene, and her interactions with her family, friends, and teachers. Although Teena was the main character, centers often switched for days at a time to the supporting cast.

Contents

Teena frequently played the role of the straight man in the strip's humor, seeming down-to-earth compared to the odd characters around her, in particular her weird best friend Stick and ditzy sister Jeri. In many strips, Teena narrowed her eyes and placed increasing emphasis on her sarcasm, only to have her meaning lost on the other party. Teena's identity as the apparently only sane person in an crazy world was underlined by her red hair, a distinctive physical trait that set her apart from the others. Promotional materials from Universal Press Syndicate position the strip for its appeal to the preteen market, stating in part the portrayal of a pre-adolescent as the most sensible character.

Professional cartoonist Barrows based the strip on her unused concept for a children's book. She named the Keene family after her adoptive hometown of Keene, New Hampshire. Her artistic style varies in dissimilar perspectives, such as giving her characters circular eyes in close-up, but mere dots when drawn at a distance.

The strip ended its run in May 2008 following a sequence in which Teena relates a dream to Stick where the primary characters have grown up; Stick is now a fashion model. Jeri is the best-selling author of the fictional book Your Life is Worth Something (Even Though You're Not Me). Johnson is a hunky movie star who now has a production company and is directing his first movie. Goose has invented sophisticated spy technology that can also be used as X-ray specs. And Gordo and Teena, after dating in college, are married and live in a small town with their two children.

Characters

Main

Supporting

Quotations

Book

TitlePublication DateISBNPublisher
PreTeena: The Paperback2007none Universal Press Syndicate. Only available through Lulu.com

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <i>Andy Capp</i> British comic strip

    Andy Capp is a British comic strip created by cartoonist Reg Smythe, seen in the Daily Mirror and the Sunday Mirror newspapers since 5 August 1957. Originally a single-panel cartoon, it was later expanded to four panels.

    <i>Boy on a Stick and Slither</i>

    Boy on a Stick and Slither is a webcomic by Steven L. Cloud. Strips usually feature a short, pithy and sometimes surreal exchange between the title characters. The strip is characterized by dry and cynical humor.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Peppermint Patty</span> Peanuts comic strip character

    Peppermint Patty is a fictional character featured in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. Her full name, very rarely used in the strip, is Patricia Reichardt. She is one of a small group in the strip who live across town from Charlie Brown and his school friends. She has freckles and "mousy-blah" hair, and generally displays the characteristics of a tomboy, while also being shown to not be a strict complier. She made her first appearance on August 22, 1966. The following year she made her animated debut in the TV special You're in Love, Charlie Brown and began coaching a baseball team that played against Charlie Brown, and thereafter had other adventures with him. Uniquely, she refers to Charlie Brown and Lucy as "Chuck" and "Lucille", respectively. In most of her appearances, she is attracted to Charlie Brown, based on her reactions. Her birthday is October 4.

    <i>Lady Susan</i> Novel by Jane Austen

    Lady Susan is an epistolary novella by Jane Austen, possibly written in 1794 but not published until 1871. This early complete work, which the author never submitted for publication, describes the schemes of the title character.

    <i>Josie and the Pussycats</i> (comics) Teen-oriented comic book

    Josie and the Pussycats is a teen-humor comic book about a fictional rock band, created by Dan DeCarlo and published by Archie Comics. It was published from 1963 until 1982; since then, one-shot issues have appeared on an irregular basis. A second series, set in the New Riverdale universe, launched in September 2016.

    <i>Non Sequitur</i> (comic strip) American comic strip

    Non Sequitur is a comic strip created by Wiley Miller starting February 16, 1992 and syndicated by Andrews McMeel Syndication to over 700 newspapers. It is also published on gocomics.com and distributed via email.

    <i>Scary Go Round</i> 2002 webcomic by John Allison

    Scary Go Round is a webcomic by John Allison. Running from 2002 to 2009, it is set in the fictional North Yorkshire town of Tackleford and follows university students battling fantasy and science fiction threats to the town. The comic was a successor to Allison's first comic, Bobbins, and was followed by Bad Machinery, all of which take place in the same general setting.

    <i>Miss Peach</i> American comic strip by Mell Lazarus

    Miss Peach was a syndicated comic strip created by American cartoonist Mell Lazarus. It ran for 45 years, from February 4, 1957, to September 8, 2002.

    Stone Soup is an American newspaper comic strip. It was created by cartoonist Jan Eliot as Sister City, and was renamed after being syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate in 1995. The strip originally ran daily until 2015, when it switched to Sunday strips only before ending in 2020. The strip centers on a single mother named Valerie Stone, and her struggles to raise her daughters Alix and Holly.

    <i>Momma</i> American comic strip

    Momma is an American comic strip by Mell Lazarus that ran from October 26, 1970, to July 10, 2016.

    <i>Piranha Club</i> Comic strip

    Piranha Club was a comic strip written and illustrated by Bud Grace. It was originally called Ernie, but the title was changed in 1998. The club is meant as a parody on Lions Club International, and the strip made its debut in February 1988. In 1989, the Swedish Academy of Comic Art awarded Bud Grace with the Adamson Statuette. Grace received the 1993 National Cartoonists Society's Newspaper Comic Strip Award for his work on the strip.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Buchanan</span> Soap opera character

    Jessica Eugenia Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. She is the daughter of Victoria Lord and Clint Buchanan. She is the fraternal twin sister of Natalie Buchanan, and is born on-screen in the episode first-run on September 23, 1986, with the birth year later revised to 1978.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Teresa Bell</span> Soap opera character

    Teresa "Tess" Bell is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Krista Vendy. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 September 1999 and departed on 18 September 2001. In 2023, Vendy reprised the role.

    <i>One Big Happy</i> (comic strip) Comic strip

    One Big Happy is an American daily comic strip written and illustrated by Rick Detorie, detailing the daily adventures of a six-year-old girl named Ruthie. The strip also features her eight-year-old brother Joe, their parents Frank and Ellen, and their grandparents Nick and Rose, who live next door. The strip's title is a takeoff on the phrase "One big happy family." It debuted on September 11, 1988. The strip takes place on Buena Vista Avenue in an unspecified city based on Baltimore, Maryland, where the creator grew up. It is syndicated by Creators Syndicate.

    Tess Gallagher is a fictional character from the Australian police procedural television series Blue Heelers, portrayed by Caroline Craig. She made her debut in the seventh series episode "On the Road", broadcast on 24 May 2000.

    <i>Heart of the City</i> (comic strip) American comic strip

    Heart of the City is a comic strip created by Mark Tatulli and currently drawn by Christina "Steenz" Stewart that began syndication by Universal Press Syndicate on November 23, 1998. It is currently syndicated by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.

    <i>Etta Kett</i> Comic strip by Paul Robinson

    Etta Kett is a long-running comic strip created by Paul Robinson, which ran from December 7, 1925 to November 9, 1974.

    Cul de Sac is an American comic strip created by Richard Thompson. It was distributed by Universal Press Syndicate/Universal Uclick to 150 worldwide newspapers from 2004 to 2012.

    <i>Teena</i> (comic strip) Comic strip about a teenage girl, created by Hilda Terry

    Teena is a comic strip about a teenage girl, created by Hilda Terry. It ran from July 1, 1944, to 1963, distributed by King Features Syndicate.

    Although, traditionally, female comics creators have long been a minority in the industry, they have made a notable impact since the very beginning, and more and more female artists are getting recognition along with the maturing of the medium. Women creators have worked in every genre, from superheroes to romance, westerns to war, crime to horror.