Universal Uclick Celebrates 20th Anniversary of “Stone Soup” Comic Strip

Kansas City, Mo. (Nov. 20, 2015) – Universal Uclick is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Jan Eliot’s Stone Soup comic strip by sharing reflections from the cartoonist, insight from syndicate personnel and hosting a commemorative giveaway. 

Launching in newspapers on Nov. 20, 1995 and syndicated by Universal Uclick (formerly Universal Press Syndicate), Eliot’s relatable Stone Soup comic strip follows the saga of an extended, blended family, starring two working-mom sisters living just across the fence from each other. 

“Twenty years ago, I sat on my couch in tears (of joy) because Universal Press Syndicate was launching my comic strip,” Eliot said. “This success was a long time in the making … 16 years, two comic strips and a lot of rejection letters. Today, as I look at 20 years in syndication, I can’t believe how fortunate I have been. I’m with a wonderful syndicate. My strip has been running in hundreds of newspapers and I have a devoted fan base. I have had the best job in the world.”

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of Stone Soup, GoComics, from Universal Uclick, and Eliot have teamed up to bring fans a celebration featuring creator insight, giveaways and more on GoComics (blogs.gocomics.com/stone-soup).  

In September 2015, Eliot announced her decision to retire the daily version of Stone Soup, seeking the freedom to travel, spend time with family and friends and pursue other creative projects. While the final Stone Soup daily ran on Oct. 17, 2015, Eliot continues to entertain her readers with Sunday installments, appearing in more than 120 outlets. 

“I have to admit I’ve been a little taken aback, and honored, by the response to ending the daily portion of Stone Soup,” Eliot said. “The amount of cries of dismay (along with good wishes) has been pleasantly overwhelming. But how lucky am I to have so many wonderful fans, devoted readers for 20 years, who love the Stone Soup family as if it were real? To all of you, thank you for being here.”

Eliot began cartooning when she was a single mom trying to raise two daughters, stay fully employed, pay the bills and still have a little fun once in a while. Running for five years in 10 weekly and monthly papers, her first comic strip, Patience and Sarah, featured a single mom and her daughter. Eliot continued cartooning while working as a copywriter and graphic designer and developed a second strip, called Sister City, which ran weekly in the Eugene, Oregon, Register-Guard for five years. In 1995, Sister City was syndicated nationally under the new name Stone Soup. Eliot works from her home studio in Eugene. She has remarried, and her two daughters are grown with families of their own.

Stone Soup is available online at gocomics.com/stonesoup. 

About Universal Uclick

Universal Uclick is the largest independent content syndicate in the world and a leading digital entertainment provider of humor, comic strips, political cartoons and other content for print, Web and mobile devices. Universal Uclick provides editorial development, licensing and other distribution services for iconic brands such as Doonesbury, Dear Abby, Miss Manners and some of the most significant comics in history, including Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, Peanuts, Dilbert, For Better or For Worse, Cathy and Ziggy. Recent standout successes include Lio, Cul de Sac, Pearls Before Swine, Get Fuzzy, Big Nate and The Argyle Sweater. A full comic catalog can be found at GoComics.com or via its mobile/tablet app on multiple platforms. For more information on Universal Uclick, visit UniversalUclick.com. To stay informed about news pertaining to Universal Uclick, its content and creators, follow the company’s Twitter handle @UniversalUclick.  

About GoComics

GoComics, from Universal Uclick, is home to many of the most popular comics and cartoons in the world. GoComics.com is the Web's largest catalog of syndicated newspaper strips and webcomics, offering new, fresh and free content every day. Classic and iconic cartoons include Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, Garfield, Ziggy and Dilbert. Recent successes include FoxTrot, Get Fuzzy, Pearls Before Swine, The Argyle Sweater, The Boondocks and Cul de Sac. GoComics is also home to Comics Sherpa, the site where aspiring cartoonists can showcase their work and receive feedback from the comic community. With content from critically acclaimed comic creators, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonists and the hottest up-and-coming talents, GoComics is guaranteed to have something that will make you smile. A full comic catalog can be found at GoComics.com or via its free mobile/tablet app on multiple platforms.