Little Orphan Annie made its debut in the comics on August 5, 1924. Its popularity fostered movies, a radio show and a plethora of merchandising doodads. When cartoonist/creator Harold Gray died in 1968, the strip went into a period where the syndicate tried to continue the its popularity with several cartoonists who were not up to the task. In 1974 the strip went into Harold Gray reruns until the Broadway musical of 1977 renewed interest in the character. Leonard Starr’s interpretation of Annie premiered in 1979. Starr continued the strip until his retirement in 2000, when it was handed over to writer Jay Maeder and artist Andrew Pepoy. The feature was discontinued in 2010. Annie still shows up occasionally in the current, excellent rendition of Dick Tracy by Joe Staton and Mike Curtis.

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