Mutts by Patrick McDonnell
Mutts by Patrick McDonnell is different from many of today's strips. His artwork is reminiscent of the early days of cartoon comics. And what's not to love about this sweet, simple strip that gently reminds us animals are as much a part of creation as we, and just as deserving of respect and love. The main characters are a dog named Earl and a cat named Mooch. They have a droll way of looking at the world.
There are a couple of things I particularly love about McDonnell's work. He has an ongoing story line about a dog kept as a guard dog, who lives his life outside on a chain. McDonnell promises fans he'll free him one day, but not before he gets out the message about the cruel practice of chaining dogs.
Another story line that McDonnell uses is the message of adopting pets from shelters. He has done numerous poignant strips about abandoned animals and what they may think and feel, yet he handles these sensitive issues with tact, and a subtle sense of humor. As you might imagine, animal welfare groups adore Patrick McDonnell.
Therefore my number 4 faves are Earl and Mooch, stars of the comic strip, Mutts.
2 comments:
I am not familiar with this cartoon, or the one you mentioned in your previous blog post, but both of them sound like they send out an excellent message about animal welfare and our obligations toward our fellow creatures. Tom and I loved the Marmaduke cartoon you showed!
If you can slip a message into humor, it goes far!
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