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Car Toons: Auto Album by Tad Burness
a beginning and end entry
Tad Burnes Aspiring to be a manga artist at age 30.
According to Tad via Jalopnik:
“In 1962, I was trying to sell a variety of cartoon features to newspapers. As a bonus item, I developed a weekly panel on old cars. automatic album. Most editors weren’t interested in my comics, but some liked the old cars. “
Barness struck a deal with newspaper syndicate owner Lou Little, who said that if Barness could draw 18 car drawings in two weeks, he would try to sell them to the newspaper.
Founded by a leading newspaper feature salesman, Lew Little Syndicate was the starting point for syndicated features. Lew sold strips and panels of his comics that he considered promising to newspaper publishers. (The Fusco Brothers, Tumbleweeds, Wee Pals, etc. started with Lew Little Syndicate.)
From Tad’s Hemmings obituary in December 2012:
As an automotive author, he probably doesn’t come up in most people’s minds, but he’s certainly one of the most referenced, and every old car guy has his eyes on his work at some point. I have no doubt that you have passed through Tad Burness, who inspired many gearheads over the years with his spotter’s guidebook and syndicated Auto Album feature, died last month at the age of 79.
Wallace B.[Binney] burness [on July 11,] In 1933, in Berkeley, California, Barnes began publishing his Auto Album feature on June 12, 1966, and continued to create daily illustrated snippets of automotive history until his death.
Above is “TAD” signed on the first three auto album panels (June 12, 19, 26, 1966, from Sacramento Bee). disappear). The weekly feature was set/dated for Sunday issue, but the newspaper ran the automotive section regardless of what day of the week it ran.
So Lew Little succeeded in the function and, as was his custom, quickly passed it on to another syndicate. This is what Tad’s Auto has become a constant on his albums. Here is the syndicated list of panels:
Lou Little Syndicate June 12, 1966 – June 11, 1967
Register and Tribune Syndicate 18 June 1967 – 6 August 1972
King Features Syndicate 13 Aug 1972 – 31 Jul 1977
United Feature Syndicate August 7, 1977 – October 19, 1980
Field Syndicate October 26, 1980 – April 1, 1984
News America Syndicate/News Group Chicago April 8, 1984 – March 28, 1987
North American Syndicate/Cowles April 4, 1987 – December 30, 2012
As far as I can trace, Tad started a column with the Panel in early 1972.
Above are from The Sunday (New Brunswick) Home News on January 23 and 30, 1972.
The Auto Album brought Tad incredible fame and credibility among car enthusiasts and allowed him to expand his car publishing business beyond cartoons and columns.
He has had great success creating books and ‘guides’ detailing the journey from the beginning of automobile production to the 21st century.
Tad Burness died on November 19, 2012, and Auto Album ended with his death after exhausting what was already in the pipeline. The Sept. 30 panel was the last to have Tad’s signature and date (apart from his one rerun later in the year).
Below are the last two of The Cedar Rapids Gazette that published panels and columns throughout 2012 nine days after the date contained on the panel itself. We extrapolate from his last auto album set for December 30th, 2012.
© the respective copyright holders