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King Features Syndicate

King Features is a premier producer and distributor of intellectual properties and a leader in classic character licensing and franchise development, headquartered in New York as a unit of Hearst.

Last updated September 11, 2026

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Overview

King Features is a premier producer and distributor of the world's most iconic intellectual properties and a leader in classic character licensing and franchise development. Headquartered in New York, it is a unit of Hearst and a proud part of Hearst Newspapers. Its portfolio includes world-renowned pop culture brands such as Popeye, Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Hägar the Horrible, Moomin, Prince Valiant and Mandrake the Magician. It distributes classic comics like Blondie, Beetle Bailey, Mutts, along with columns, editorial cartoons, and puzzles globally across platforms. In 2022, King Features brought The Cuphead Show! to Netflix Animation.

History

King Features is a unit of Hearst and a proud part of Hearst Newspapers. It is headquartered in New York. The company traces its origins to William Randolph Hearst, who burst upon the newspaper scene in 1887, turning The San Francisco Examiner into the West Coast's largest and most controversial newspaper. Hearst established The New York Journal in 1895, and in 1896, he snatched Richard Outcault's Yellow Kid from his rival, Pulitzer, and turned the Yellow Kid into the very first international icon of comics. Pulitzer retaliated by hiring another cartoonist to draw The Yellow Kid for him. In 2022, King Features brought Emmy-winning magic to Netflix Animation with The Cuphead Show!, a hit series that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Products and positioning

A premier producer and distributor of the world's most iconic intellectual properties and a leader in classic character licensing and franchise development.

  • Comic strips

    Classic comics like Blondie, Beetle Bailey, Mutts, and beyond.

  • Columns

    Columns available globally across platforms.

  • Puzzles

    Captivating puzzles available globally across platforms.

  • Editorial cartoons

    Editorial cartoons available globally across platforms.

  • Consumer products licensing

    Global consumer products programs that span all major categories in nearly every territory worldwide.

  • Entertainment content

    Animation catalog of over 400+ half hours of programming, including classic characters such as Popeye, Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Prince Valiant, Olive Oyl, Blondie and Beetle Bailey in distribution across multiple AVOD platforms.

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