Portland cartoonist’s ‘Big Nate’ comic strip ends its daily run on Saturday
Portland cartoonist Lincoln Peirce announced that Saturday marks the final appearance of the daily “Big Nate” comic strip, concluding more than three decades of the sixth-grade hero’s adventures in newspapers nationwide.
The strip, which launched in 1991, has appeared in roughly 400 publications including the Portland Press Herald. Peirce, who works from his Portland home office, said he began running into creative barriers when dreaming up new escapades for Nate and his classmates.
“I feel really lucky I’ve been able to do it as long as I have. And I’m enjoying having a little extra time in my day,” Peirce told the Portland Press Herald.
Though the daily installment is ending, the Sunday comic will continue, and Peirce said he looks forward to brainstorming fresh material for the weekly strip. He also plans to write children’s books unconnected to the Big Nate universe.
The character has expanded beyond the page: a Nickelodeon animated series ran for two years beginning in 2022, and Peirce’s Big Nate compilation books remain popular with young readers who discover the character online or through library shelves rather than newspaper ink.
“I read a lot of comments from kids who aren’t newspaper readers, but who follow the comics either online or through the ‘Big Nate’ compilation books,” Peirce said. “I would like to let all those folks know how much I appreciate their following the strip for all these years.”
