List of comic strip syndicates

This is a list of comic strip syndicates. Over the years, many syndicates have been acquired and otherwise absorbed by competitors; this list attempts to illustrate that.

Comic strip syndicates

• Andrews McMeel Syndication (est. 2009) — formed by merger of Universal Press Syndicate and Uclick;^[1] formerly called Universal Uclick; includes GoComics
  • Uclick (1996–2009; merged with Universal Press Syndicate to form Universal Uclick) — formerly named Universal New Media^[2]
  • Universal Press Syndicate (1970–2009; merged with Uclick to form Universal Uclick) — former names include Universal New Media
    • Washington Star Syndicate (1965–1979)^[3]
      • George Matthew Adams Service (c. 1916–1965; acquired by The Washington Star Syndicate) — formerly known as the Adams Newspaper Service
    • Chronicle Features (1962–1998; acquired by Universal Press Syndicate in 1997)
    • Editors Press Service (1933–2010; acquired by Universal Press Syndicate in 2004 and renamed Atlantic Syndication)
  • United Media (1978–2011; formed from the consolidation of United Feature and Newspaper Enterprise Association; eventually acquired by Universal Uclick)
    • Newspaper Enterprise Association (c. 1909–1978; merged into United Media Enterprises)^[4]
    • United Feature Syndicate (1919–1978; merged into United Media Enterprises)^[4]
      • Metropolitan Newspaper Service (1919–1932; owned by the Bell Syndicate from 1920–1930;^[5] acquired an eventually absorbed by United Features)^[6]
      • Press Publishing Co. (c.1910–1931; acquired by E. W. Scripps Company)^[7]
      • World Feature Service (c. 1905–1931; acquired by E. W. Scripps Company)^[7]
      • Bell Syndicate (1916–1972; acquired by United Features)^[8] — known as the Bell-McClure Syndicate from 1930 to 1972
        • Associated Newspapers (1912–c. 1966; acquired by Bell Syndicate in 1930)^[9]
        • McClure Newspaper Syndicate (1884–1952; absorbed into Bell-McClure Syndicate)^[10] — began syndicating comic strips c. 1903
          • Wheeler Syndicate (1913–1916; acquired by McClure Syndicate) — syndicated the work of Bud Fisher and Fontaine Fox
• Creators Syndicate (est. 1987) — formed in reaction to King Features' acquisition of the Register and Tribune Syndicate and News America Syndicate^[11]
• King Features Syndicate (est. 1914)^[12]
  • Central Press Association (1910–1971; acquired and eventually absorbed by King Features)^[13] until ceasing operations in 1971)^[14]
    • North American Press Syndicate (?–1912; acquired by and absorbed into Central Press Association)^[15]
    • Editors Feature Service (?–1927; acquired by and absorbed into Central Press Association)^[16]
  • Register and Tribune Syndicate (1922–1986; acquired by Hearst / King Features),^[17]
  • Field Newspaper Syndicate (1941–1984; acquired by News Corporation^[18] and then King Features)^[19] — former names include the Chicago Sun Syndicate, the Field Enterprises Syndicate, and the Chicago Sun-Times Syndicate; later renamed News America Syndicate and then North America Syndicate
    • Chicago Times Syndicate (c. 1935-1948; acquired by Field Enterprises with the merger of the Chicago Sun and the Chicago Daily Times)
    • Publishers Syndicate (1925–1967; acquired by Field Enterprises)^[20] — became Publishers-Hall
    • Publishers-Hall Syndicate (1944–1975; merged into Field Newspaper Syndicate)^[21] — former names include Hall Syndicate, New York Post Syndicate, Post-Hall Syndicate, Inc., Hall Syndicate
      • New York Herald Tribune Syndicate (c. 1920–1966) — remaining strips taken over by Publishers-Hall^[22]
• Royal Comics Syndicate (Finland) (est. 2004)
• Torstar Syndication Services (Canada) (est. 1930) — King Features Syndicate's distribution partner in Canada; former names include Toronto Star Syndicate
• Tribune Content Agency (est. 1918)^[23] — former names include Tribune-New York (Daily) News Syndicate, Chicago Tribune Syndicate, the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate, Tribune Company Syndicate, and Tribune Media Services
  • Los Angeles Times Syndicate (c. 1949–2000; acquired by Tribune Media Services)^[24] — former names include Mirror Enterprises Syndicate and Los Angeles Times Mirror Syndicate
    • General Features Corp. (1937–1974; acquired by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate in 1967^[25] and absorbed into its operations in 1974)
• The Washington Post Writers Group (est. 1973)^[26]

Defunct comic strip syndicates

• Al Smith Feature Service (1951–c. 1999) — mainly weekly strips
• AP Newsfeatures (1930–1961) — owned by the Associated Press^[27]
• Columbia Features (1953–1994)
• Comx Box Comics Syndicate (2014–2018) — distributed webcomics
• Frank Jay Markey Syndicate (c. 1936–c. 1950) — Markey was originally an executive at the McNaught Syndicate^[28]
• Lafave Newspaper Features (1931–1963)
• Ledger Syndicate (1915^[7]–c. 1950) — outlived its corporate owner, the Philadelphia Public Ledger
• Ledger Syndicate (1966–c. 1973) — second iteration of the syndicate
• McNaught Syndicate (1922–1989)^[29]
  • New York City Central Press Association (1920–1922; absorbed into McNaught Syndicate)^[23]
• National Newspaper Syndicate (1917–c. 1984) — formerly known as the John F. Dille Co.
  • Uncle Ray Syndicate (?–1922; acquired by National Newspaper Syndicate)^[30]

See also

• Comic strip syndication
• List of newspaper comic strips