Although small in size, the syndicate distributed strips by a number of notable cartoonists, including Ed Wheelan, Rube Goldberg, Boody Rogers, and Frank Borth.
Founder Frank Jay Markey was originally an executive with the McNaught Syndicate;[1] he formed the syndicate to distribute his own column, eventually adding comic strips as well.
[2] The company's first strip was Rube Goldberg's Lala Palooza,[3] followed by Bill Walsh and Ed Wheelan's Big Top.
[6] In 1939, Cowles Media Company (the Register and Tribune Syndicate's corporate owner) and Arnold bought out the McNaught and Markey interests.
[7] In 1940, Markey and the McNaught Syndicate made a similar partnership with artist/editor Vin Sullivan to form Columbia Comics.