As we continually see the Phantom comic strip being dropped by editors from our newspaper comic sections, Jönköpings-Posten (published in Jönköping, Sweden, since 1865 with a circulation of roughly 32,000) asked it’s reading public to vote on which comic strips they should continue to publish. The results were interesting.

The following is written by Marie J Flyckt for Jönköpings-Posten...

The words were uttered many, many years ago by an editor with us at Hall Media and say something about how much our series engages, both employees and readers. And despite the clear message from the editor, Laban remained – he is not just a dog, he is loved too – nor when we redo our series offer in your new county newspaper will the old editor get what he wanted. You readers have said in a vote, running for two weeks in December what you want, and Laban will continue to be a part of your everyday life.

It is said in the newspaper industry that whoever removes the Phantom from the range has planted their last potato. I don’t really think it’s that serious, but it was with some excitement that I followed my own compilation of the many hundreds of votes that came into the mailbox. The Phantom hung on a brittle thread for a while, but was saved at the last moment by deciding that we should have five strips instead of four as it was intended from the beginning. The Phantom thus came fifth, and got to see himself beaten with only a few voices by the aforementioned basset-dog.

Thank you for your commitment, and I hope that everyone – even you who do not get the series you most wanted – will continue to have good morning laughs and some excitement in everyday life with us: Hälge, Hagbard, Zits, Laban and Phantom.

Read the full article HERE