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'''King Features Syndicate''' is a print syndication company that distributes comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and game to newspapers around the world.  
'''King Features Syndicate''' is a print syndication company that distributes comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and game to newspapers around the world.  


== History ==
It started in 1895 when newspapers own by William Randolph Hearst began syndicating material. In 1914 all of Hearst's syndication enterprises were consolidated under one banner, "King Features Syndicate".  
William Randolph Hearst was an American newspaper publisher. In 1895 his newspapers began syndicating material, and in 1914 all of Hearst's syndication enterprises were consolidated under one banner, "King Features Syndicate". The name was taken from Hearst's manager, Moses Koenigsberg (koenig=king).


The Foreign Sales Department of KFS, INS<ref group="footnotes">INS - International News Service</ref> and INP<ref group="footnotes">INP - International News Photos</ref> was<ref name="ep85-35">"KFS Foreign Sales Staff To Convene in New York", ''Editor & Publisher'' 13 Sep 1952, Vol 85 Iss 38, p 70</ref> the idea of J. D. Gortatowsky, King's business manager. He brought back the idea returning<ref>"Gortatowsky Returns", ''Editor and Publisher'', 14 Jul 1928, Vol 61 Iss 8, p 30</ref> from a vacation in Paris in 1928, where he had<ref>"King Features to honor pioneer in international sales arena", ''Editor and Publisher'', 7 Oct 1978, vol 111 iss 40, p 42</ref> meet the young journalist [[Paul Winkler]].
Gortatowsky became<ref name="ep85-35">"KFS Foreign Sales Staff To Convene in New York", ''Editor & Publisher'' 13 Sep 1952, Vol 85 Iss 38, p 70</ref>  president of the three Hearst divisions and John A. Brogan, Jr. became vicepresident and director of foreign sales for all three divisions. At the time of its organization the department had seven foreign clients, all but two of them in Latin America. In the beginning the marked was limited to text features.
==Newspaper Comics==
===Distribution and licensing outside the U.S.===
===Distribution and licensing outside the U.S.===
====Americas====
====Europe====
====Europe====
Summer 1928 J. D. Gortatowsky, King's business manager, was vacationing in Paris and was tracked down by the young journalist [[Paul Winkler]]. Winkler asked<ref name="ep78">"King Features to honor pioneer in international sales arena", ''Editor and Publisher'', 7 Oct 1978 (vol 111 iss 40), p 42</ref> for rights to distribute through his newly formed [[Opera Mundi]] pre-fight stories about the Gene Tunney and Tom Heeny heavyweight championship fight, and 24 four hours later Winkler had sold the stories to newspapers in France, Belgium and Holland.
*[[Bull's Presstjänst]]
*[[Opera Mundi]]
====Other ====


Back home Gortatowsky suggested to King’s president, [[Joseph Vincent Connolly|Joe Connolly]], that a foreign sales department should be organized. John A. Brogan. Jr. was named as its head and tartet to work with Winkler to establish Opera Mundi as the flagship of King’s foreign representation. Winkler began adapting and translating King material for all of Western Europe. In the beginning the marked was limited to text features, since comic strips was unknown in the daily press in Europe. The first ''Bande Desinée''<ref group="footnotes">Bande Desinée - literally, band drawing, an ide for translating comic strip into French by Winkler</ref> was "Bonzo" in the ''Le Meuse'' (Belgium) and ''Le Petit Gironde'' (Bordeaux, France) in 1929. 
===Notes===
<references group="footnotes" />


Then, in 1939, "Mickey Mouse" appeared in ''Le Petit Parisien'' (Paris, France). By the outbreak of WW2 comics from King in Western European newspapers included also "Bringing up Father", "Blondie" and "Mandrake the Magician".
===References===
 
<references />
*[[Bull's Presstjänst]]
*[[Opera Mundi]]


==Comic books==
==Comic books==
Line 87: Line 93:
===Various Documentation===
===Various Documentation===
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:At-KFS-party.png|''Lee Falk with Jimmy Hatlo, creator of the comic strip "They'll Do It Every Time", at a KFS party.''
Image:At-KFS-party.jpeg|''Lee Falk with Jimmy Hatlo, creator of the comic strip "They'll Do It Every Time", at a KFS party.''
Image:KFS-1945 ceremony.png|''Newspaper article / Tribute to KFS ex-Président, with drawing presentation held on July 9, 1945''  
Image:KFS-1945 ceremony.png|''Newspaper article / Tribute to KFS ex-Président, with drawing presentation held on July 9, 1945''  
Image:1947 ad.jpg|1947 Ad.
Image:1947 ad.jpg|1947 Ad.
Line 101: Line 107:
Image:program Friars ceremony.jpg|''page from the program of May 13, 1972 "Friars Ceremony" honoring Jack Benny and George Burns''
Image:program Friars ceremony.jpg|''page from the program of May 13, 1972 "Friars Ceremony" honoring Jack Benny and George Burns''
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Notes==
<references group="footnotes" />
==References==
<references />


==External links==
==External links==

Latest revision as of 17:34, 20 July 2025

King Features Syndicate is a print syndication company that distributes comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and game to newspapers around the world.

It started in 1895 when newspapers own by William Randolph Hearst began syndicating material. In 1914 all of Hearst's syndication enterprises were consolidated under one banner, "King Features Syndicate".

The Foreign Sales Department of KFS, INS[footnotes 1] and INP[footnotes 2] was[1] the idea of J. D. Gortatowsky, King's business manager. He brought back the idea returning[2] from a vacation in Paris in 1928, where he had[3] meet the young journalist Paul Winkler.

Gortatowsky became[1] president of the three Hearst divisions and John A. Brogan, Jr. became vicepresident and director of foreign sales for all three divisions. At the time of its organization the department had seven foreign clients, all but two of them in Latin America. In the beginning the marked was limited to text features.

Newspaper Comics

Distribution and licensing outside the U.S.

Americas

Europe

Other

Notes

  1. ↑ INS - International News Service
  2. ↑ INP - International News Photos

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "KFS Foreign Sales Staff To Convene in New York", Editor & Publisher 13 Sep 1952, Vol 85 Iss 38, p 70
  2. ↑ "Gortatowsky Returns", Editor and Publisher, 14 Jul 1928, Vol 61 Iss 8, p 30
  3. ↑ "King Features to honor pioneer in international sales arena", Editor and Publisher, 7 Oct 1978, vol 111 iss 40, p 42

Comic books

KFS made an effort to publish comic books of its own by establishing the publishing company King Comics in 1967. This short-lived comic book line showcased King's best-known characters in seven titles: Beetle Bailey, Blondie, Flash Gordon, Jungle Jim, Mandrake the Magician, The Phantom and Popeye.

  • promotional poster
    promotional poster
  • King Comics vignette for postage sending
    King Comics vignette for postage sending

Promotional material

Blue Books

The "KFS Blue Books" (first edition published in 1943) were sent out to newspaper editors only, not the general public. It was used to promote all of the daily and Sunday comic strips available from King Features as well as other columns, articles and puzzles. The books contains black and white daily strips and full page, colour Sunday samples for every comic character available at the time as well as samples of other articles and columns.

  • Blue Book (1943)
    Blue Book (1943)
  • Blue Book (1946)
    Blue Book (1946)
  • Blue Book (1949)
    Blue Book (1949)
  • Blue Book (1954)
    Blue Book (1954)
  • Blue Book (1955)
    Blue Book (1955)
  • Blue Book (1961)
    Blue Book (1961)

Famous Artists & Writers

"Famous Artists & Writers of King features syndicate" is a limited distribution as sent to newspaper comic editors. It was copyrighted by Melvin Leighton Heimer on April 22, 1946 (second time on February 12, 1947). The promotional book measures about 18x25.5 cm and has a five page introduction thoroughly detailing KFS, followed by short bios for 50 comic strip artist and 17 feature writers, in total of 129 pages. Each bio spanning two pages and includes a photo of the artist as well as a specialty art piece. The five page introduction and the bio pages are written by Mel Heimer, television and New York columnist for King Features Syndicate,

A second edition of "Famous Artists & Writers of King features syndicate" was printed in 1949. It is a bit larger (about 21.5x28 cm) and has 172 pages in total. Comparing the Phil Davis bio, the 1949 edition has a different photo, sample of art and the text is also rewritten.

Among the cartoonist featured are: Milton Caniff, Roy Crane, Phil Davis, Walt Disney, Lee Falk, Charles Flanders, Hal Foster, Frank Godwin, Fanny Cory, Mel Graff, Jimmy Hatlo, Syd Hoff, Fred Lasswell, Otto Messmer, George McManus, Frank Miller, Ray Moore, Mac Raboy, Alex Raymond, Bob Ripley, Otto Soglow, Walter Winchell, Chic Young, Bill Zaboly and others.

  • Famous Artists & Writers (1946)
    Famous Artists & Writers (1946)
  • Lee Falk
    Lee Falk
  • Phil Davis
    Phil Davis
  • Famous Artists & Writers (1949)
    Famous Artists & Writers (1949)
  • Lee Falk
    Lee Falk
  • Phil Davis
    Phil Davis

The World's Greatest Comics

These spiral bound books contain a number of KFS's famous cartoons: Beetle Bailey, Betty Boop, Blondie, Boner’s Ark, Bringing Up Father, Dooley’s World, Felix the Cat, Flash Gordon, Hagar The Horrible, Hi and Lois, The Katzenjammer Kids, Mandrake the Magician, Nubbin, The Phantom, Prince Valiant, Quincy, Redeye, Rip Kirby, Secret Agent Corrigan, Tiger, Tumbleweed and Wee Pals.

There are two different editions of this book, which measures approx 21.5 x 28 cm. The first is believed to be from 1974 and has 22 pages. The other containing 26 pages and has copyright information and the year 1975 printed on the inside front cover.

  • 1974
    1974
  • Mandrake
    Mandrake
  • 1975
    1975
  • Mandrake
    Mandrake

Promo Booklets

  • 1961
    1961
  • 1961 inside
    1961 inside
  • 1966
    1966
  • 1969
    1969
  • 1969 inside
    1969 inside

Christmas Presents - Promotional Items

Every year, KFS sent out a small Christmas present to newspaper editors and other customers. Many of their most famous cartoons were depicted on these gifts, a few also "Mandrake the Magician".

The Christmas card sets from 1939 and 1951 both contain a card with a picture of Mandrake. "A Christmas Carol", the 159 page book from 1946 has illustrations by Hal Foster, where Mandrake is part of a larger drawing with many KFS characters. "Sing with King at Christmas" from 1949 has 16 pages with carol music and lyrics. Mandrake only appears on the cover and inside each page has color art with various characters. In 1962 the Christmas gift was a mini-stapler with a blue thumb tip and enameled on the top with the characters: Dagwood, Beetle Bailey, Popeye, Donald Duck, Jiggs and Snuffy Smith. Mandrake only appears on the lid of the box.

Various Documentation

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