Even Marmaduke Got Rejected
Brad Anderson Rejection Note
I found this note attached with a rusty staple to a completely finished Marmaduke daily from 1958, and thought I would share it with you. The unassuming square of paper is a rejection note from an unknown syndicate editor giving the man behind Marmaduke, Brad Anderson, a kick in his acorns for his “preposterous” comic strip submission. Anderson began his strip in 1954, so this strip was created four years into its run, a run that has lasted almost 60 years and continues to this day. It just goes to show that no matter how high up into the mountains you climb, you still have to deal with a few critical Yetis along the way! I know this editor was just doing his job, but I have to say Mr. Anderson probably knows a thing or two about squeezing the juice out of a gag, and I thought the strip was perfectly fine as it was. Still, it’s a fun find, something you don’t see every day.
Discussion (21) ¬
WHERE do you WORK that you get to see all of this?! Lucky.
Yeah, it’s a great job.
Need an assistant? I’m cheap! [just ask my wife (badda BING)] Seriously though, these things you post turn me green! o.O
It’s pretty amazing some of the stuff I get to see, for real. It’s kind of sad when great work winds up in a private collection only seen by its owner and a few select people.
I wonder if Brad sent that big Dane around there to pee on his car tyres
That would be a great start! I’d hate to be the guy Marmaduke is mad at!
I really liked the early Marmaduke when he was kind of mean and tough. 🙂 I think if the creative and the talented actually made the entertainment decisions we’d all be a lot more entertained. I guess having someone else to handle the drudgery is the trade off, but they shouldn’t also be in charge.
Or something. 🙂
In this case Brad Anderson had submitted a completely finished strip, but the editor shot it down. I guess if he decides not to pay for it, it doesn’t run. Seems maybe in a strip’s early days the syndicate has a lot more say in what goes through.
It’s comforting to see that even the biggies got rejected.
I guess it happens to all of us sometimes.
Wow, that is an amazing find.
Almost threw it away (rusty paper clips are bad for original art) and then thought maybe someone would want to see it…
Thank you for shearing this with us.
You’re welcome, Hjortur. It made me realize that no one is immune to criticism and rejection. If top name artists can experience it, it can happen to everyone. That’s why it’s so important to believe in yourself and your work and persevere. No one will ever believe in you more than you believe in yourself.
Wow, I hope that note will stay with the comic strip. Certainly adds to its value!
Actually no, it was removed because the paper clip was rusting and the art was being affected. Was going into the trash, but I rescued it.
Gosh, did they sell it already?
Yeah, Leroy, it’s been sold. I can publish a copy of the final art if you’re interested in seeing the rejected piece.
sure that would be great– I wonder if the new owner is aware of the fact that it was rejected?
I’m going to put the rejected strip in my blog and let you know when it’s up. As for the strip’s owner, I really don’t know who that is, but I could probably find out.