Editing Footrot Flats (section)

==History==
''Footrot Flats'' was initially rejected for syndication by both ''[[The New Zealand Herald]]'' and ''[[The Auckland Star]]''. It was first accepted in 1976 by Mike Robson, editor of Wellington's ''[[The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)|The Evening Post]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bamber|first1=Shaun|title=Recommended by Footrot Flats: Murray Ball's enduring gift to New Zealand|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/90489731/footrot-flats-murray-balls-enduring-gift-to-new-zealand|access-date=15 November 2017|publisher=Fairfax New Zealand Limited|date=16 March 2017}}</ref> The strip appeared in hundreds of newspapers in Australasia and also gained an international following, especially in Denmark.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Footrot Flats|url=http://www.footrotflats.com/about-footrot-flats|website=Footrot Flats|publisher=Diogenes Designs Limited|access-date=15 November 2017}}</ref>

The strip's leading human character, Wal Footrot, is based on Murray Ball's cousin Arthur Waugh, who was a sheep shearer around the time of the strip's inception and went on to own a 2,100-hectare farm situated east of [[Pahiatua]] in the southeastern North Island of New Zealand.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sharpe|first1=Marty|title=All in the family for Footrot Flats|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3154441/All-in-the-family-for-Footrot-Flats|access-date=15 November 2017|agency=The Dominion Post|publisher=Fairfax New Zealand Media|date=12 December 2009}}</ref> 

Ball cited different reasons for quitting the strip, including the death of his own dog, and his displeasure with the direction of [[New Zealand politics]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bamber|first1=Shaun|title=Recommended by Footrot Flats: Murray Ball's enduring gift to New Zealand|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/90489731/footrot-flats-murray-balls-enduring-gift-to-new-zealand|access-date=31 July 2017|agency=stuff|publisher=Fairfax New Zealand Limited|date=16 March 2017}}</ref>

Among the strip's fans were ''[[Peanuts]]'' creator [[Charles Schulz]] and ''[[Garfield]]'' creator [[Jim Davis (cartoonist)|Jim Davis]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hunt|first1=Elle|title=Footrot Flats creator Murray Ball dies aged 78|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/12/footrot-flats-creator-murray-ball-dies-aged-78-cartoon-new-zealand|access-date=21 April 2018|work=The Guardian|date=12 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Chatfield|first1=Jason|title=Fear and Le Lievre in Las Vegas|url=https://issuu.com/australiancartoonists/docs/inkspot67|access-date=21 April 2018|issue=67|publisher=Inkspot|date=Winter 2012}}</ref>

The Gisborne Museum & Arts Centre created an exhibition for Footrot Flats, which was exhibited at the [[Auckland War Memorial Museum]] in September 1991.<ref>{{citeq|Q115749505}}</ref>

A statue of Wal and the Dog created by [[Wētā Workshop]] was installed in Gisborne in 2016. It was initially placed in front of the Lawson Field Theatre before being installed in front of the H. B. Williams Memorial Library. The concept for the sculpture arose from discussions between Murray and Pam Ball and Gisborne Mayor [[Meng Foon]] in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/75720566/wal-and-dog-coming-home-to-gisborne-in-form-of-life-sized-bronze-sculpture |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}</ref>

In the Australian TV series, ''[[Bluey (TV series)|Bluey]]'', the character Mackenzie is a reference to the comic series. This is evident from him being a [[Border Collie]] and having a distinct [[New Zealand English phonology|Kiwi accent]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bluey.tv/blog/letter-to-fans/|access-date=25 February 2025|title=Letter to fans|author=[[Joe Brumm]]|website=bluey.tv}}</ref>