As a product of the 80’s, I loved reading the Sunday comics while my parents dove into the actual news. Saturday morning cartoons, and Sunday color comics. Life was so great. One of my most favorite Sunday comics was a strip called Mother Goose and Grimm. I even wrote a letter to Mike Peters, the creator and artist, and I received a signed print! Not sure if those kinds of things can be done anymore.
As today is “National Mutt Day”, I wanted to dedicate this article to my very bias and favorite dogs in the Sunday comics. Technically this day is to encourage us to embrace, save and celebrate mixed breed dogs. But for this article, it will include all kinds of dogs because I love them all!
MOTHER GOOSE & GRIMM
https://www.grimmy.com/comics.php
The strip revolves around a yellow Bull Terrier named Grimm, owned by an anthropomorphic goose named Mother Goose, along with a dimwitted Boston Terrier named Ralph and a cat named Attila. The strip is noted for its references to popular culture or recent news that are often spoofed and referenced for a certain period of time often depending on the length of the hype devoted to a certain news story or topic. Needless to say it did very well. It was an internationally syndicated comic strip by cartoonist Mike Peters of the Dayton Daily News. It was first syndicated in 1984, and is distributed by King Features Syndicate to 500 newspapers. Peters received the National Cartoonists Society’s 1991 Reuben Award for the strip as well as a nomination for its Newspaper Comic Strip Award for 2000. Yea, I love this one.
MUTTS
Created by Patrick McDonnell on September 5, 1994, it follows the adventures of Earl, a Jack Russell Terrier, and Mooch, a tuxedo cat. Earl and Mooch interact with each other, their human owners, and also the animals around their neighborhood. The friendship of Mooch and Earl focuses on the differences between cats and dogs as human companions and as friends with each other: Earl is friendly, loves the company of his human companion and likes to play outside; Mooch is often indifferent to his human companions, except for being fed, and prefers to stay inside or is often seen with Earl, his best friend.
GET FUZZY
https://www.gocomics.com/getfuzzy
Originally launching September 6, 1999 and written and drawn by Darby Conley, the strip features the adventures of Boston advertising executive Rob Wilco and his two anthropomorphic pets, a dog named Satchel Pooch and a cat called Bucky Katt. The strip’s humor comes from the conflict between Bucky’s and Satchel’s personalities, which are extreme stereotypes of cats and dogs. Sweet, trusting, naïve Satchel is routinely subjected to the exploitation of cruel, self-centered Bucky, who is always torturing the poor canine. Rob, the middleman, is often frazzled from dealing with them, or more specifically, from dealing with Bucky’s destructive nature and overall nastiness.
MARMADUKE
https://www.gocomics.com/marmaduke
Drawn by Brad Anderson from June 1954 to 2015. Revolving around the Winslow family and their Great Dane, Marmaduke.The Winslow family, who, try as they might, just can’t seem to get him to obey. Despite his antics, the playful pooch is top dog in the neighborhood. The daily panel also strikes a chord with pet owners, many of whom write to Anderson to comment on Marmaduke as if he were a real dog.
Who are your favorite dogs in comics? If you have one, what kind of dog do you have? This day was founded in 2005 by Animal Welfare Advocate Colleen Paige. If you are looking for ways to help observe this day, you could consider sharing this article, tagging your local shelter, visiting a shelter and volunteer, donate to your local shelter, or take pictures with your favorite mutt and tag on social media with the hashtag #NationalMuttDay.
Facebook Comments