Five New Strips Join Sunday Comics

Today the Sunday comics section takes on a new look with five strips designed for kids, young families and women.

“Katie’s Wee Do Puzzle,” “Mutts” and “Rhymes with Orange” will appear Sundays only. “Us & Them” and “Baby Blues” were added last week to the daily comics page and continue on Sunday.

A Sacramento judge, Barry Loncke, and his family create “Katie’s Wee Do Puzzle.” Loncke began writing word puzzles at home for his own daughter. The anagrams that delighted Katie have evolved into a feature designed for kids and parents to solve together.

Patrick McDonnell’s “Mutts” features the adventures of a dog named Earl and his next-door neighbor, a cat named Mooch. “Rhymes with Orange,” drawn by a 25-year-old female cartoonist named Hilary Price, brings a Generation X-style of humor to the comics.

“Baby Blues,” by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott, features the MacPherson family’s exploits with toddler Zoe and baby Hamish. “Us & Them” is drawn on alternating days by Susan Dewar and Wiley Miller, and has separate casts of characters.

The new strips replace “Marvin,” “Hare Brained Hobbies,” “Beakman,” “Close to Home,” “Real Life Adventures,” and Sunday’s “Mallard Fillmore.” Daily “Mallard” has moved to the editorial pages. “Close to Home” and “Real Life Adventures” still appear daily.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo