Today in the history of the American comic strip: April 16

American cartoonists and writers may not have invented the comic strip, but some argue that the comics, as we know them today, are an American creation. Clearly, the United States has played an outsize role in the development of this underappreciated art form.

4.16.1938: Keeping Up with the Joneses is discontinued after 25 years. Created by Arthur R. Momand, the comic popularized the term “keeping up with the Joneses” as a way to gauge personal success by tracking how well the neighbors are doing.

4.16.1964: Lalo Alcaraz is born in San Diego, California. He launched La Cucaracha, a politically themed Latino strip, in 2002.

4.16.1984: Pat Brady debuts Rose Is Rose, which revolves around Rose and Jimbo Gumbo, their son Pasquale, and the family cat, Peekaboo.

4.16.1989: Scott Adams’ Dilbert starts its run, giving frustrated office workers everywhere someone to relate to. The National Cartoonists Society honored Adams with its Newspaper Comic Strip award in 1997.

4.16.1999: Charles Edson “Chuck” McKimson Jr. dies in Los Angeles, California, at 84. Best known as an animator, he drew the Roy Rogers comic strip from 1949 to 1953, in collaboration with his brother Thomas and artist Pete Alvarado.
 

Most of the information listed here from one day to the next comes from two online sites -- Wikipedia, and Don Markstein's Toonopedia -- as well as 100 Years of American Newspaper Comics, edited by Maurice Horn. Note that my focus is on American newspaper comic strips (and the occasional foreign strip that gained popularity in the United States). Thus, comic books and exclusively online comics are not included here.