Black and white comic strip featuring characters from the Peanuts series, including Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy, engaging in humorous dialogue about a notch in a roof and the importance of timing. The strip captures the playful and witty interactions typical of Charles Schulz's work, with Snoopy expressing laughter and a sense of whimsy.

The world’s largest
independent syndicate

We distribute exceptional, entertaining and informational content to more than 400 international and 2,500 U.S. news outlets and are constantly mining and developing new talent. Our remarkable roster of diverse cartoonists and creators includes dozens of Pulitzer Prize, Reuben, Herblock and Emmy Award-winners.

Daily comics, editorial
features, puzzles and games

Stand-alone
puzzle books

Print, digital and
mobile solutions

Newspaper and e-edition pagination
from Andrews McMeel Pagination Service

1970s highlights

Two men smiling and engaged in conversation at a table, wearing formal attire with ties, in a professional office setting. The image captures a moment of collaboration or discussion.

1970

Universal Press Syndicate (UPS) is founded by Jim Andrews and John McMeel

A cartoon character with messy hair and round glasses, looking to the side with a concerned expression, wearing a suit and tie.

1970

Doonesbury debuts

Cartoon character with a round body and a smiling face, standing with hands clasped, set against a pink circular background.

1972

Ziggy debuts

Logo of AMP, featuring stylized letters A, M, and P within a circular design, representing a brand or organization.

1973

UPS establishes the book publishing division Andrews McMeel Publishing

Portrait of an older man with gray hair and glasses, smiling warmly against a neutral background, highlighting a friendly and approachable demeanor.

1975

Garry Trudeau wins Pulitzer Prize for Doonesbury

Cartoon girl with long hair excitedly eating cookies from a blue bowl, holding a spoon in one hand.

1976

Cathy joins the funny pages

Cartoon illustration of a smiling couple giving thumbs up, with the woman in a pink top and the man in a blue shirt, set against a light pink background.

1979

For Better or For Worse debuts

1980s highlights

1980

Dear Abby and Pat Oliphant join the UPS family

Cartoon illustration of a cow with long hair and a serene expression, inspired by the famous painting

1984

The Far Side comes to UPS

1985

Calvin and Hobbes arrives in newspapers

Portrait of a middle-aged man with glasses, showcasing a thoughtful expression against a circular background, often associated with film criticism and commentary.

1987

Roger Ebert begins syndication with UPS

A cartoon character with glasses interacts excitedly with a small dinosaur, showcasing a playful moment. The illustration features bold lines and a simple black-and-white design, emphasizing the whimsical nature of their friendship.

1988

Foxtrot, by Bill Amend, debuts to the delight of geeks everywhere

1989

News of the Weird joins UPS

1990s highlights

Illustration of a young girl with blue hair and a skeptical expression, wearing a purple shirt featuring a cartoon character, showcasing a whimsical and expressive art style.

1992

Non Sequitur comes to the fold

Cartoon character Garfield, an orange cat with a mischievous expression, stands with one paw raised, set against a light green circular background.

1994

Garfield joins UPS

Illustration of a smiling woman with curly hair standing between two girls, one with dark hair and a scarf, and the other with long hair in a polka dot shirt, depicting a warm family or friendship connection.

1995

Stone Soup begins syndication

Logo of Uclick, featuring a stylized swirl design in orange and brown colors, with the word

1996

UPS creates Universal New Media, which becomes Uclick

Minimalist black logo featuring two circular eyes and a U-shaped mouth, representing a friendly and modern design. Ideal for branding or digital projects.

1997

Company becomes Andrews McMeel Universal, parent to UPS, AMP and Uclick; Universal Crossword and The Motley Fool debut

2000s highlights

Logo of Amuse, featuring a stylized face design in blue and gray colors, representing creativity and entertainment.

2003

AMUSE (Andrews McMeel Universal Syndicated Entertainment), the film and television division of AMU, is founded

Sudoku game interface featuring a partially completed 9x9 grid with numbers and a green background, designed for puzzle enthusiasts.

2005

Universal Sudoku becomes top Sudoku Game

Cartoon character with spiky hair and oversized glasses, holding a science experiment tool, looking surprised or anxious, representing a playful approach to learning about science.

2006

Lio joins the UPS family and becomes an instant hit

Illustration of a young girl with short, messy red hair wearing a pink dress, looking thoughtfully to the side. The character features a simple, hand-drawn style, emphasizing a playful and whimsical vibe.

2007

Cul de Sac debuts and becomes a family favorite

2008

AMU establishes headquarters in the historic Boley Building, in downtown Kansas City, MO; The Argyle Sweater arrives

Logo of Universal Uclick, featuring a stylized letter 'U' in red and gray, representing a digital media and content distribution company.

2009

Universal Press Syndicate and Uclick merge to form Universal Uclick (UU)

2010s highlights

Snoopy, the iconic cartoon beagle from the Peanuts comic strip, happily walks with a carefree attitude against a light purple background.

2010

Atlantic Syndication merges with Universal Uclick; Blockbuster strip Peanuts joins UU

Logo of United Media featuring a split design with the text

2011

UU becomes syndication manager for United Feature Syndicate, bringing a host of award-winning content to UU

Two well-dressed men stand closely together, one in a suit with glasses and an orange tie, and the other in a dark shirt. They exude a confident and professional demeanor against a dark background.

2013

WuMo, by Mikael Wulff and illustrator Anders Morgenthaler, enters syndication with the largest starting list of newspapers in company history

A young girl with freckles sits on the back of a cartoon unicorn, both looking curiously at each other. The girl wears a purple t-shirt and shorts, while the unicorn has a flowing mane and a distinctive horn. The background features a soft purple gradient.

2015

Phoebe and Her Unicorn, by Dana Simpson, launches in syndication

Logo of Andrews McMeel Syndication featuring a stylized letter

2017

Universal Uclick becomes Andrews McMeel Syndication; Breaking Cat News, by Georgia Dunn, launches in syndication

Cartoon character with a joyful expression, wearing a black shirt, smiling widely with hands on hips, set against a circular white background.

2018

Wallace the Brave, by Will Henry, launches in syndication

2020s highlights

Logo celebrating 50 years of achievement, featuring the number

2020

Andrews McMeel Universal celebrates its 50th anniversary

Cartoon character with curly hair wearing an orange shirt with a star and black shorts, smiling and standing with hands in pockets against a white circular background.

2022

Baby Blues, Pickles, Loose Parts, Sherman's Lagoon and Mike du Jour join AMS; Crabgrass, by Tauhid Bondia, debuts in syndication

Portrait of an older man with gray hair and glasses, smiling warmly against a neutral background, highlighting a friendly and approachable demeanor.

2023

Garry Trudeau is inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame

Cartoon characters from the comic strip

2024

Legendary comic panel The Lockhorns joins AMS

Cartoon sloth holding a green drink with a small umbrella, looking contemplative against a light background. Ideal for representing relaxation and leisure themes.

2025

All 6 cartoonists nominated for the 2024 Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year came from our roster of creators; Mark Parisi of Off the Mark took home the prize

Cartoon character with curly hair and a bow, wearing a black top and plaid skirt, smiling and posing with hands on hips.

2026

Caroline Cash takes over as Nancy cartoonist