Metropolitan Newspaper Service (MNS) was a syndication service based in New York City that operated from 1919 to 1932. At first the syndication service of '' Metropolitan Magazine'', it soon became affiliated with the Bell Syndicate, and then was acquired and absorbed into United Feature Syndicate. A couple of notable, long-running

comic strips A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics terminology#Captio ...

originated with MNS: '' Tarzan'' and '' Ella Cinders''. The service syndicated writers like

Margot Asquith Emma Alice Margaret Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith (' Tennant; 2 February 1864 – 28 July 1945), known as Margot Asquith, was a British socialite and author. She was married to British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith from 1894 to his ...

, Gertrude Atherton, Joseph Conrad, and Booth Tarkington.''Cornell Alumni News'', XII (4), 20 October 1909.

History

Founded in 1919 as a division of '' Metropolitan Magazine'', MNS syndicated material from the magazine, including a column called ''Fairchild Fashions'', the writings of

, a comic strip called ''Dickey's Dogs'', and other pieces. MNS was overseen by Maximilian Elser, Jr., with the title of president. George Carlin was chief of the editorial staff. In the spring of 1920 MNS was acquired by the Bell Syndicate,Hudson, Frederic, Alfred McClung Lee, and Frank Luther Mott. ''American Journalism 1690-1940'', Volume 4 (Psychology Press, 2000), p. 591."Feature Services Merged: Bell Syndicate Takes Over Metropolitan Newspaper Service,"
''Editor & Publisher'' (April 3, 1920). which moved MNS headquarters to 220 E. 42nd Street but otherwise kept it as a separate division. Under Bell, Metropolitan News Syndicate distributed a couple of

written by William Conselman: '' Good Time Guy'' and '' Ella Cinders''. The long-running '' Tarzan'' comic strip originated with MNS in 1929. In March 1930, United Feature Syndicate acquired MNS. MNS was re-incorporated under the name Metropolitan Newspaper Feature Service, Inc.; although it was intended for the two services to maintain separate identities, that arrangement only lasted two years until MNS was completely absorbed by United Features."United Feature Syndicate Buys Metropolitan Service From Elser: Both Firms Will Retain Separate Identities, With Elser Remaining as Vice-President — Monte Bourjaily to Direct Both Organizations," ''Editor & Publisher'' (March 15, 1930). Archived a
"News of Yore 1930: Another Syndicate Gobbled,"
''Stripper's Guide'' (May 4, 2010).Booker, M. Keith. "United Feature Syndicate," in ''Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas'' ( ABC-CLIO, 2014), p. 399.

Metropolitan Newspaper Service strips and panels

* ''Dickey's Dogs'' (also known as ''Buddie and his Friends'' and ''Just Dogs'') by Robert L. Dickey (July 14, 1919 – 1932; acquired by United Feature Syndicate where it lasted until July 21, 1940) — after being acquired by UFS, known as ''Mr. and Mrs. Beans'' and then ''Buster Beans'' * '' Ella Cinders'' originally by William Conselman and Charles Plumb (1925–1930; acquired by United Features where it continued until 1961) * '' Good Time Guy'' (1927–1929) written by " Frank Smiley" ( William Conselman) with art by Mel Cummin,Metropolitan Newspaper Service, & Conselman, W. (1927). "''Good Time Guy'', a new sunrise in the comic world" by William M. Conselman, author of '' Ella Cinders'', writing under the ''nom de plume'' of Frank Smiley with drawings by Mel Cummin. New York: Metropolitan Newspaper Service. then Dick Huemer (1928–1929), and then Fred Fox (1929) * '' Tarzan of the Apes'' by Hal Foster (January 7, 1929–1932; acquired by United Features where it continued until 2001)

References

{{reflist Comic strip syndicates Companies based in New York City Mass media companies established in 1919