5. "Annie" Ended With Her Kidnapped By The Butcher Of The Balkans
Annie - or Little Orphan Annie, as the strip was originally known - is perhaps one of the oldest comics in existence, dating all the way back to 1924. Over the years, Annie's popularity has risen and fallen; after creator Harold Gray died of cancer in 1968, attempts were made to continue the strip under other cartoonists, but nothing managed to pass muster, leading to reruns of Gray's strips being used for a time until the popularity of the 1977 musical, Annie, led to a relaunch of the strip under the same name in 1979. Interestingly, history may wind up repeating itself. At present, an update of the Annie musical is being produced by (among others) Will Smith and Jay-Z for a late December 2014 release. Prior to this, however, the number of newspapers the Annie strip ran in dwindled, leading to its cancellation in 2010. What's more, it ended on a most grim cliffhanger. Unlike the cheerful musical depiction of Annie most may associate with the character, the comic strip featured some edgy adventures and stories. Upon cancellation, Annie had been kidnapped from her hotel by a wanted war criminal known as "The Butcher of the Balkans." Though he had no intention of harming a child, nor was he about to let her go and risk his location being given away. Fortunately, Annie's benefactor, Oliver Warbucks, has friends in high places. Friends such as Dick Tracy, whose comic has been running a crossover to tie up the loose ends left by Annie's cancellation since the start of June 2014.
Former Nintendo Power writer, current Nintendo Force writer. Wrote the book on Mega Man (The Robot Master Field Guide). Was once fired by Vince McMahon. Dabbles in video games, comic books, toys, and fast food curiosities. Once had a new species of exotic bird named after him. It died.
You can find more of his writings, musings, and other such things on his websites at Nyteworks.net.
