Don’t freak out, but changes are coming to our comics pages

There is one unmistakable truth about newspapers: Readers are very passionate about comics and puzzles – every bit as passionate and vocal as readers who champion local college sports teams.

Some of those readers are also charming. Like 11-year-old Alyssa Edwards from Zebulon who wrote to us in the fall pleading her case for adding “Garfield” to the Sunday comics. Alyssa, who has been reading the comics since she was 7, noted in her letter that she even asked her friends about it, and 4 1/2 of them said they’d also like to see “Garfield” on Sunday. Hard to argue with that stat.

More recently, Will Modlin, 9, from Raleigh wrote to ask us to consider the comic strip “Big Nate” by Lincoln Peirce. Savvy young Will suggests that if we ran “Big Nate,” more of his friends might subscribe to the paper and we’d “get more money.” He even drew us a sample strip on the back of his letter, so we’d see how clever “Big Nate” is.

Will “really, really, really, really (x3000)” hopes we’ll run it.

Well, you’ve got it, Will. And you too, Alyssa.

Starting Monday, “Big Nate” will run every day, including Sundays, and starting next Sunday, we’re adding “Garfield.”

Will’s mom, Jayne, said her son will be “super ecstatic” about the news. “I think it’s a great lesson for him to learn about taking initiative and getting what you want. He did this all by himself.”

Jason Edwards said he plans to let his daughter learn the “Garfield” news by reading it in the paper. “Alyssa will be thrilled to find out that her letter created a positive and humorous change in the world,” Edwards said.

Unfortunately, adding new strips means something has to go. And this part is never easy.

We have decided that since “Get Fuzzy” is in reruns – and has been for a while now – that “Big Nate” will replace it. And with the passing of the creator of “Marmaduke” last year, it seems like a good time to let “Garfield” take his spot.

As always, you can access comics online at newsobserver.com/entertainment/comics.

This story was originally published June 18, 2016 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Don’t freak out, but changes are coming to our comics pages."