Newshounds
Newshounds is a humorous webcomic drawn and written by Thomas K. Dye. The comic updates every weekday from Monday through Friday, and it is hosted on the Internet by the online comics syndicate Keenspot.
- Address: http://www.newshounds.com/
- Ran from/to: November 1997 - present (With an intermission January-Marchy 2003 for a style change, and January-March 2006 for a recap)
The creator, Thomas K. Dye, announced on August 13 2006 that the Newshounds daily strip will end. It stated on the Newshounds website that "On November 1, 2006, Newshounds will begin its Grand Finale, concluding on December 1, 2006.
In 2007, I hope to revisit Newshounds at least twice a month in Sunday-style form. I can't promise when this will happen, considering my personal life will probably be in upheaval. I do intend to continue cartooning, though, since I've got a lot to say and I'd like people to remember me. And when I complete the Ultimate Newshounds Collection (whatever its final title may be) I do hope you'll buy it as a keepsake of a wonderful comic that I poured so much of my love, soul and effort into.[1]
Contents
Scenario and characters
The comic follows a group of anthropomorphic pet animals and their human owner, living in an unnamed American city and together operating a small news station, KPET. There are eight central characters and several minor characters with recurring roles.
Newshounds used characters whose bases came from an earlier comic strip, Boy Shop Pets, also by Thomas K. Dye. In 2003, Dye began a graphic novel, Manifestations, revolving around the misadventures of a minor character that was killed in a storyline in 2001 and whose spirit was sucked into the Internet.
Main characters
- Kevin J Dog — Male Dog (golden retreiver). Camera operator and tech.
- Renata Fayre — Female Dog (cocker spaniel). News anchor.
- Wolfram Blitzen — Male Dog (breed undetermined). News anchor.
- Rochelle O'Shea — Female Dog (collie). Field reporter.
- Alistair Katt — Male Cat (DSH). Occasional incompetent weathercat; more often acts as outspoken liberal commentator.
- Sam Shepherd — Male Dog (breed undetermined). Sports reporter, who's right-wing views clash with Alistair's views.
- Ferris — Male Rat. KPET's janitor, though next to useless at the job.
- Lorna Dilbrook — Female Human. Owner of KPET and its animal staff.
Books
Six Newshounds compilations have been realised. However, they are only available in America. Each book contains special bonus material. The books are available from Plan 9 Publishing.
- Book 1 - Newshounds
- Book 2 - Tonight's Top Story
- Book 3 - Press Badge Blues
- Book 4 - We All Came Out to Mantra
- Book 5 - Regime Change
- Book 6 - Surgery in the Park
Setting
The ever luxurious Hotel Costa Plente, presumably a fictional chain of hotels, was featured in one strip of Newshounds webcomic, by Thomas K. Dye. In that particular installment, Sam Shepard was looking for somebody of news interest, leading him there.
Footnote: Mr. Dye is a fan of The Three Stooges. Thus the Hotel Costa Plente is originally from the 3 Stooges episode "Healthy, Wealthy, And Dumb" (1938), later remade (with Shemp as third stooge) as "A Missed Fortune" (1952).
References
- ↑ Newshounds.com The offical annoucement of the end of Newshounds.
See also
- Newshounds on Wikipedia