Current status / schedule Running Genre(s) Humor, Family | Launch date April 22, 1990 | |
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Syndicates Tribune Media Services (1990–1994), United Media (1994–2011), Universal Uclick (2011–) Similar Soup to Nutz, Over the Hedge, Marmaduke, Cul de Sac, Rose Is Rose | ||
The Buckets is a comic strip originally created by Scott Stantis. It has been syndicated since 1990, currently by Universal Uclick. The comic centers on a suburban family of five; two parents, two boys, Toby, a moody adolescent and Eddie, a young boy, and their paternal grandfather. The Stantis family pet, Dogzilla, was the only character to keep his own name when Scott first created the strip based on his own family. The real world Dogzilla died in 2006 at the age of 17. Greg Cravens had sole responsibility of the strip at Dogzilla's death, and says Dogzilla will live on in the comic strip. His own dog is named Gi'Tli, which is Cherokee for 'Dog'.
Contents
Stantis left The Buckets completely to focus on politically oriented Prickly City and The Buckets is currently being handled by Greg Cravens. Cravens was hired just after the tenth anniversary of the strip. He went from being the art assistant to credited art assistant to partner and eventually sole writer and artist of the strip.
The two sons in the strip, Toby and Eddie, began as younger characters. Eddie was a toddler and Toby was a first grader or kindergartener. As the strip progressed, the children aged, but not at the same rate. For writing and humor purposes, Toby landed at age 15, and Eddie at age 6.
Main Characters
Frank - Born in 1928, he attended his high schools 50th anniversary in 1996. He's Larry's father, and grandfather to Toby and Eddie. He's your typical crotchety old man - rough to his adult kids, and friends, but usually soft and gentle to his grandsons. He lives in the house with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons.
Larry - The Father of the house. He's your typical dim-witted, loving, hardworking husband. Larry was born between 1945 and 1968.
Sarah - née Smyrna. She used to be a high school nurse. She and Larry had Toby when Sarah was roughly 30 years old.
Toby - He was in grade one when the cartoon started. Sometime in the early 2000s he was aged up, and has stayed at around 15 years old, and in grade nine for over 2 decades.
Eddie - The rambunctious 6 year old. He's got wit and adorableness going for him. When the strip started, he was still in diapers, but was brought up to age 6 for comedic purposes.
Recurring Characters
Toby has several named and unnamed friends who've shown up, as has Eddie.