WILKES-BARRE (AP) — Joe Palooka's back — with a twist.
The beloved comic strip featuring a good-hearted boxing champion ended in 1984 after a run of more than 50 years. Now Ridgewood, N.J., boxing announcer Joe Antonacci has acquired the trademark rights to "Joe Palooka" and is resurrecting the character as a mixed martial arts fighter.
With help from a comics writer and artist, Antonacci is pushing a new Palooka series. Fresh strips have already been published online and Antonacci says he expects a hard-copy version to be available within months.
Antonacci tells The Citizens' Voice of Wilkes-Barre http://bit.ly/zGmwGH that his version of the big Palooka has a "heart of gold, who gets into trouble and gets out."
Joe Palooka was created by Wilkes-Barre native Ham Fisher.
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