The Original 50 Dilbert Strips from the Submission Package
The Dilbert submission package that follows was mailed to the major cartoon syndicates. Reactions were mixed.
NAME OF STRIP:
Dilbert
SYNOPSIS:
Dilbert is an engineer. He is about thirty, and works at an undisclosed high-tech company in Northern California. He lives with his dog, Dogbert, who bears a striking resemblance to Dilbert (including glasses and the ability to speak). Dilbert is very intelligent and kind-hearted, which makes him particularly ill-suited for life on this planet.
Dogbert is also intelligent, but with a cynical edge. In contrast to his master, Dogbert has such a simple, yet keen understanding of human nature that his perceptions seem ridiculous to Dilbert.
MARKET RESEARCH:
The enclosed sample cartoons have been reviewed with dozens of people, many of whom are not personally known by the artist. Most of the interviewees were baby boomers, with a few more women than men.
Without exception, the response has been positive. All people interviewed thought that Dilbert was of syndication quality.
Interestingly, there was a tremendous diversity of feeling about specific cartoons. Each cartoon made at least one person's "best" list, but was equally likely to be in another person's "I don't get it" list.
The "Devil series," for example, evoked especially strong feelings, in opposite directions.
Based on interview responses, only two strips were discarded from the original fifty drawings because they did not get a good enough response. (And one of them was on several people's "best" list.)
The only noticeable common denominator of people's reactions was that the strips that include Dogbert are more likely to be appreciated.
Dilbert © 2005, United Feature Syndicate, Inc.