By 1946, Caniff had developed a worldwide reputation for his syndicated "Terry and the Pirates". However, the rights for the strip he had created, written and drawn (for "Chicago Tribune" newspaper syndicate editor Captain Joseph Patterson) were entirely owned by the syndicate. Seeking creative control, Caniff negotiated with Field Enterprises for a new strip on which he could retain ownership. "Steve Canyon" was "marketed and distributed by King Features, which was subcontracted as Field's selling agent". Caniff's popularity meant that sixty clients agreed to run "Steve Canyon" before publication. The last Caniff episode of "Terry and the Pirates" appeared in December 1946, and then George Wunder took over the strip. Caniff's new strip, "Steve Canyon", debuted in 168 newspapers. In the 1950s, the strip was enormously popular, and Caniff and "Steve Canyon" appeared on the covers of both "Time" (1947) and "Newsweek" (1950).