Years ago, the late, legendary investigative columnist Jack Anderson wanted newspapers to run his regular columns on their comics pages. He said comics were the most popular features in the paper. That was true for many readers. Implicit in Anderson's request for placement was another observation: Many of those who came to the comics pages also would be interested in more serious matters -- including Anderson's revelations about some politician's transgressions.

These thoughts came to mind after the ombudsman received a question from Frank Leitnaker of Miesau, Germany. "Why are 'Doonesbury' and 'Prickly City' on the letters page while 'Candorville' -- just as often political -- [is] with the 'regulars'," he asked. "Even 'Get Fuzzy' in today's (Sept. 9) Stripes was blatantly political but also nestled with the regulars."

Many papers feel Doonesbury is better placed on a news or opinion page rather than on comics pages. It is political and edgy and appears on Stripes' letters-to-the-editor page. It proceeds from a liberal perspective. So, for balance, the editors place Prickly City, with a more conservative slant, on the Op-Ed page.

Executive Editor Robb Grindstaff sees some basic differences in the comics. "Seems more and more comic strips will occasionally throw in political, or at least current event, commentary," he said. "But Candorville and Fuzzy and the others are just comic strips, day in an day out, with the artists' political comment thrown in on occasion, usually on a specific issue. Doonesbury and Prickly City are the other way around -- designed to be blatantly political, although sometimes a single strip or even a storyline that may continue for a few days isn't necessarily political."

Grindstaff estimates Candorville might be political 10-20 per cent of the time, whereas Doonesbury is political 80-90 per cent of the time.

Those are unscientific but probably reasonable percentages. As I write this, Candorville is in a decidedly political mode, tearing up Idaho Sen. Craig following his alleged gay flirtations in an airport bathroom. (Imagine what Jack Anderson could have done with that!) Grindstaff sees a trend: "With many newer cutting edge comics, the artists aren' t reluctant to toss in a political view on occasion."

The interesting thing for me is not just political coloration, but the growing maturity -- or sophistication, if you like -- that has crept into the comics. The themes can deal with male-female relationships (see the occasional Pardon My Planet, Bizarro or Speed Bump.), or race relations (Candorville) or workplace issues (Dilbert). I suppose these strips could be sprinkled through the paper, included with more appropriate surrounding content, but if Jack Anderson's assumptions were correct, they should be just as appropriate for comics. Doonesbury and Prickly City are where they are to give an equal nod to readers from the left and the right.

Of course Stripes readers can put the more serious stuff aside, at will, and just relax with some old-fashioned smiles elicited by the likes of Beetle Bailey, Garfield and Hagar. On many days, that's good enough for me.