Published: January 22, 2007 01:10 am         

COMICS COLUMN: New page hits today

You might notice a few additions to our comics page today, but trust us: It wasn’t a change we took lightly.

We put a lot of thought into changing this page, as comics and horoscope pages typically are one of the most popular pages in newspapers across the country.

Through reader surveys, informal polls and our Reader Advisory Board meetings, you told us exactly what you liked and didn’t like about the old page, and we took your responses as a basis for the changes you’ll see today.

Here are the new comics we’ll be offering:

n Between Friends: This is a comic by Sandra Bell-Lundy that follows the lives of three women as they raise families, work and maintain their close bond with each other. It explores their relationships and other issues such as aging, motherhood and self-esteem.

n PreTeenacq: Preteena is a comic by Allison Barrows about 11-year-old Teena and her life during her “tween” years, that awkward time when she’s part child, part teenager. Parents might be interested in encouraging their 9- to 12-year-old child to read this comic strip, as comics are a good way to get your child into the habit of reading the newspaper every day.

n Mother Goose AND GRIMM: This reader-favorite comic by Mike Peters appears in more than 500 newspapers, according to its syndicate Web site, kingfeatures.com. It features a bull terrier named Grimmy, his absentminded caretaker Mother Goose and their storybook friends. If you haven’t seen it before, don’t miss it now.

Based on the feedback we received, the comics that will no longer appear include Rugrats, Fox Trot and Cats With Hands.

Our Reader Advisory Boards meet once a month to discuss ways we can make your hometown paper better for you. If you would like to participate, call me at 693-1000, Ext. 116.

As always, thank you for your responses, and thanks for reading.

Contact Laura Wahler at 693-1000, Ext. 116.