'Boondocks' Comic Strip Going on Hiatus

AP ^ | 2/28/6 | MATT SEDENSKY

[SmithL]

Kansas City, Mo. -- The Boondocks, the black comic-strip family living in white suburbia, are going on vacation.

Aaron McGruder, the cartoonist behind the strip syndicated in about 350 American newspapers, said Tuesday he would take about six months off beginning in March.

"Every well needs occasional refreshing," he wrote in a letter to be sent to editors of newspapers carrying the strip. "I hope that this fall you will agree that the time away from the demands of deadlines has served the strip, your readers and me."

McGruder offered no further explanation and declined interviews. He has been doing double duty on "Boondocks" since last fall when he brought it to the Cartoon Network as a weekly show.

His editor at Universal Press Syndicate, Greg Melvin, said McGruder simply needed a break.

"Deadlines are hard on everybody, but deadlines are especially hard on creative people," Melvin said. "When six months have passed, hopefully his batteries will be recharged."

The last new comic before the hiatus will appear March 26. Papers can run old "Boondocks" strips or a replacement until it returns in October.

"The Boondocks" has been distributed by Kansas City-based Universal Press since April 1999. It touches on racial issues, pop culture and politics as it chronicles the lives of Huey Freeman, his little brother, Riley, and their eccentric grandfather, who moved them from south Chicago to the suburbs.

The strip's frequent criticism of everything from the Bush administration and post-9/11 policies to black television network BET has made it a source of controversy.

[SmithL]

Boondocks is as funny as Doonsbury.

[cripplecreek]

Boondocks is as funny as Doonsbury.

LOL

[carlr]

"Deadlines are hard on everybody, but deadlines are especially hard on creative people," Melvin said. "When six months have passed, hopefully his batteries will be recharged."

Gee,how do the rest of us make it through our year after year,all year jobs?

[southernerwithanattitude]

I'm a creative person and I think my batteries need recharging. I wonder what my boss would say if I told him I needed six months off?

[SmithL]

Sure, take a few months or even years. And Good Luck on finding that new job, whenever your batteries have been recharged.
; )

[martin_fierro]

Good riddance. What crap.

[ziggygrey]

I'm a creative person and I think my batteries need recharging. I wonder what my boss would say if I told him I needed six months off?

Guess you need to be a successful cartoonist..

[Mr. Blonde]

I saw the cartoon on Adult Swim. It's no Aqua Teen Hunger Force to be sure, but it had its moments. I am almost tempted to watch it just as part of my support for non-anime Adult Swim shows.

[Choose Ye This Day]

"Every well needs occasional refreshing,"

Even a poisoned well, apparently.

[Starter]

Aaron, do you even draw the strip any more?

[JRios1968]

I saw the cartoon on Adult Swim. It's no Aqua Teen Hunger Force to be sure, but it had its moments. I am almost tempted to watch it just as part of my support for non-anime Adult Swim shows.

I make it a point to avoid watching Boondocks. Give me some Family Guy or Futurama any day...also, have to love ATHF and SeaLab...recently, my TiVo decided to start recording Home Movies, which I also love.

[NYCVirago]

"Deadlines are hard on everybody, but deadlines are especially hard on creative people," Melvin said. "When six months have passed, hopefully his batteries will be recharged."

He doesn't even draw the cartoon anymore. How much recharging does he need?

[blake6900]

Aaron McGruder, the cartoonist behind the strip syndicated in about 350 American newspapers, said Tuesday he would take about six months off beginning in March.

And for the next six months it'll be just as funny as it ever was.

[Vision]

Wow, he need six months off to refuel his blatant racist PC hate. What a hard working "artist".

Sometimes I think America is too wealthy

[RayChuang88]

I'm not surprised this happens every now and then. After all, Doonesbury creator Gerry Trudeau went on a long hiatus during the early 1980's, and Bill Watterson went on hiatus several times when he was doing Calvin and Hobbes.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Racist cartoonist takes sabbatical.

[nickcarraway]

Youy don't think it's easy to come up with witty banter every day? (apparently neither does he)

[dfwgator]

What's a "Boondocks?"

[Tijeras_Slim]

Cartoon hater.

[Dog Gone]

Brilliant. Creative. Hysterically funny.