(6) The Freebie Murfs End - Let the Invoices Commence

Over the strip's life of 1981-2008 Murf ran in nearly 70 papers -- but usually 5 to 8 at any one time. Papers came and went. Some subscribed for only a few strips (and probably never paid for them) --- and then there was Miami's The Weekly News that printed 1036 strips. A word of gratitude goes out to editor Bill Watson, wherever he is now.
Here is a *pretty good* list of papers that carried Murf for more or for fewer strips -- and the number of strips for which they subscribed

Alberta Gay & Lesbian Press,5 strips
Another Voice:,46
Baltimore Alt,68
BAR,150
Bridge,9
Buffalo Outlook,43
Calendar,76
Captiol Q,13
Catalyst,11
Clue,30
Community Pride Reporter,37
Diversity,50
Empty Closet,22
Expose,17
Fab!,22
Front Page,171
G-Street,14
Gay News Telegraph,117
Gay People's,5
Gaybeat,65
Heartland,9
Heat Stroke,3
Identity Northview,19
In Newsweekly,237
In Unison,7
Informer,9
Island Lifestyle,39
Las Vegas Bugle,109
Liberty Press,33
Long Island Pride Press,5
Metra,73
Metroline,185
Mirror,10
Mississippi Voice,36
Nouveau,12
Our Own,5
Our Paper/Your Paper,38
Out (NM),35
Out (Pitts.),
Out Front,72
Out in Jersey,34
Out in the City,12
Out in the Mountains,24
Outlines,106
Outlook,7
OutNow,23
Patlar (Gaz.),32
Phoenix Resource,36
QH,8
Seattle G.N.,50
Spectrum,19
Spotlight,22.5
Star,16
Stonewall News,114
Swerve,11
TAGALA
Ten Percent,19
Texas Triangle,17
The Weekly News,1036
Triangle,41
Twist,24
TXT Newsmagazine,40
Update,339
We the People,14
Windy City Times,
Wisconsin Light,20
Dallas Voice,217
Guide/Gay Northeast,475

But I digress. About Strip #6.

As swept up as I was with coming out, I never lost my cynicism. Some gay men were full of big talk about sex and which rest areas were hot. So I modestly suggested that a rest area would be a good place for the Gay Pride fund raiser. (Ohio Gay Resources Exchange = OGRE, get it? get it??)

Murf #6 was the last of the initial demos I drew in 1981. When next we meet it'll be spring of 1982.