Book Description

When Pat Brady puts pen to paper, readers can't resist following his original images and tight story lines. This creator pulls more material from the one-child Gumbo family than other cartoonists can with five times the number of characters and settings. That magic comes through in Brady's seventh collection, Rose is Rose Running on Alter Ego. The lively series of daily and Sunday strips revolves around Rose-devoted wife and doting mother-who, try as she might, just can't keep her biker chick fantasies totally in check. Rose never knows, as she manages her blue-collar husband, Jimbo, and their energy-fired son, Pasquale, when Vicki the Biker may show up. But when the long-haired, short-skirted babe surfaces, it's always with a breath of fresh air and a fresh take on "normal" family life. Besides appearing on the cover, Rose as Vicki shines throughout the collection, in six new full-page drawings created just for the book. Each shows the seemingly satisfied housewife's alter ego performing some mundane chore demanded by Rose's less adventurous life, while Brady's usual mix of family fun, frolic, and fancy gives Gumbo fans plenty of delight.

Reviews (2)

STYNX!
This and 'Legend of Dr. Drake' were the 2 worst comic collections I ever have seen.This is 'Dr. Drake' only without drunkeness and hotties.

Hilarious as ever
Rose is Rose is a comic strip that speaks more to adult women (especially wives and mothers) than anyone else. It is designed to combine cuteness with humor. Pat Brady's new Rose is Rose book "Running on Alter Ego" is a mixed around collection of strips published in newspapers around the nation dating from April 07, 2003 to February 29, 2004. This collection of 250 strips from a span of 287 days (out of 366) provides a wide variety of humor ranging from Peekaboo's diet to a bird 'beak-sync'ing to entertain Rose.

Some disappointing things in this collection are certain stoylines involving 3 or more strips were missing a valuable strip.For example, Peekaboo gets claw snagged on a kite and the whole family struggles to get her back safely to the ground. The last strip of that story, Peekaboo's landing, was eliminated from the book.Some of the others could stand on their own without the missing strip, but this one I felt needed the fourth strip.

Fortunately, some highlights of the book include:
('Titles' are my description of the strip/story)


Being a 'Chain-Breather'
Dreamship and the Mars Rover
First 23 hours
Guardian angel's secret to getting rich
Guardian angel vs mosquito
Life is short
Needing Straight A's
Peekaboo snagged on kite
Play-doh Elvis
Pleading 'Oops!'
Ugly winter hat


And that is just a small sample found among the 127 pages of this book.There are still many more strips that were in the newspapers in the past years that haven't been published in book form, yet.I hope Mr. Brady will one day get every single Rose is Rose strip he's ever written into book format for fans to forever enjoy.---BTW, I don't get Rose is Rose in my local paper.I have to read it online. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

it's ok
overall an entertaining book.but i have a dilemma on where and when exactly to "read" it.it's too small to be a coffee book table; it's not something you'd read in bed. but it's a nice addition to a non-conforming books collection.

Great conversation starter
Hilarious actions diagrammed with simple but technical precision, such as how to curtsy and how to do the queen's wave - from the carriage, no less! It's a great conversation starter in my living room and everytime I pick it up I notice something new. ... Read more

Book Description

Hundreds of years in the future, Manhattan has become a deadly slum, run by mutant crime-lords and disinterested cops. Stuck in the middle is a young girl who thought she had no future, but learns she has a great destiny. In a world so poisoned that it doesn't notice the monsters on its streets, how can a street kid like Fray unite a fallen city against a demonic plot to consume mankind? Joss Whedon, the celebrated creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, brings his vision to the future in this unique tale. As inventive in the comics medium as in that of television of film, Whedon spins a complex tale of a skilled thief coming of age without the help of friends or family, guided only by a demonic Watcher. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Joss Whedon can do everything!
I loved this book! It is really good. The characters are interesting, although I don't like some of them, such as the villain (I won't name as I don't want to spoil). He didn't look scary at all. I know it was supposed to be a big shocker but they should have made him look scary now. Also, the end seemed kind of rushed. (Spoiler) The big demon whose stomach would open all demensions was a little out there. If you are a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel this is a good book, and I have a feeling a 2nd is on the way.

Brilliant
Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon wrote this eight issue mini-series for Dark Horse Comics. Taking place in the 23rd century in a Blade Runner-esque world; young "grabber" (pretty much a thief) Melaka Fray finds her world turned upside down when a mysterious demon named Urkonn tells her that she is the Slayer. Faced with a newfound destiny, a tragic past, and plot twists and turns galore; Joss Whedon's Fray is pure brilliance from beginning to end. Whedon's interpretation of future dialogue is amusing to say the least, and his quirky humor which has always been apparent throughout his various television shows is here as well. The art by Karl Moline and Andy Owens is amazing stuff indeed; bringing a surreal look to the dark and gritty future world while showing Mel mature more and more as each chapter passes. The only problem with Fray is in it's pacing. From the time that Mel accepts her destiny to the end of the book, the war against the vampires happens too quickly. If you can get past that though, you'll find some pure comic genius here, Joss Whedon style. Hopefully, Joss will do a much requested follow up to Fray after his current run on Marvel's Astonishing X-Men (also highly recommended).

Great artwork, interesting take on the Slayer storyline
I bought this book in part because Joss Whedon is the writer of this and is the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The storyline is set centuries after Buffy and is the story of a young slayer who is more like the Faith we know than Buffy.
I found the setting to be depressing, if that is the future it's sure going to be miserable, but the artwork is great- and the story isn't too bad either.

A brilliant alternate take on the Slayer mythology
I was really impressed by this superb graphic novel written by Buffy creator Joss Whedon. While I was expecting a fun and interesting addition to the Slayerverse mythology, I wasn't expecting such a surprisingly nifty take on the mythology that Whedon had established in Buffy and Angel.

The story takes place at some indeterminate place in the future a couple of hundreds years in the future. No Slayer had been called in ages because magic had moved out of earth's dimension. But the vampires have returned, and for the first time in generations a new slayer has been called. The trouble is, apart from being a thief, she doesn't have many of the marks of a slayer--no dreams, no instincts, only the raw physical fighting ability. She is a slayer, but a flawed one.

FRAY is filled with great graphic designs, a fine central storyline, a remarkably complex set of character relations, and some quite stunning plot reversals. I love the conceit of a not-quite-complete-slayer. The fighting skills are clearly the most important part of being a slayer, but Fray has no sense of her heritage, of her destiny, of her vocation. If Buffy at least struggled against her fate, Fray hasn't a hint of what her fate is. When tells the demon who would train her that she really hasn't had the dreams or visions of previous slayers, she is telling the truth. This makes her even more isolated than other slayers, more a loner.

I think anyone who enjoys either graphic novels or any of the work of Joss Whedon is going to love this. Hopefully there will be a follow up. The story ends with things definitely open to future development. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Not Just For Buffy Fans...
I must be ernest, I am not a fan of buffy..Yet the story of fray isn't so mutch a new instalment of slayor mythose.
even if you know nothing of joss whedons former work, know the man can write a comic book to make it both engaguing and accessable.
the plot is standerd fare, "cool, kinda bad chick is hauled reluctantly into saving the post modern world".
that is where the simmilarities to other silicone heroines stop and whedons tallent as an author and the other artists that created fray shines. the story brings you to the razor edge of the make or break point of any good comic "is it cliche?" but what we learn about frey from the hip neo-english slang to the sometimes gutwrenching fight sceens is the fact that it takes the tough chick storyline and reinvents it to both be familliar ground and yet something fresh and new.
I want to save the fun for the readers but lets just say when you finish it you will be yurning for a sequel... ... Read more

Book Description

Jargon-spewing corporate zombies. The sociopath who checks voice mail on his speaker phone. The fascist information systems guy. The sadistic human resources director. The technophobic vice president. The power-mad executive assistant. The pursed-lip sycophant. The big stubborn dumb guy. They're Dilbert's coworkers, and chances are they're yours, too. If you know them, work with them, or dialogue with them about leveraging synergies to maximize shareholder value, then you'll recognize this comic strip as a day at the office, only funnier. Since 1989 Dilbert has lampooned not only the people but also the accepted conventions and practices of the business world. Office politics, management trends, business travel, personnel policies, corporate bureaucracy, irrational strategies, unfathomable accounting practices, unproductive meetings, dysfunctional organizations, oppressive work spaces, silly protocols, and inscrutable jargon are all targets of Adams's darkly goofy satirical pen. Dilbert strikes a deeply resonant chord with fans because it casts such a dead-on reflection of the realities of the white-collar workplace, even with its off-the-wall delivery. Today, Dilbert runs in 2,000 newspapers in 19 languages, reaching 150 million readers in 65 countries. The 24th Dilbert collection, Author's Cut, features Adams's personal all-time favorite selections, along with his own handwritten commentary about the strips. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Will the most precocious child please step foward?
"Indespensable" is rendered rhetorical when it comes to Calvin and Hobbes, but a collection such as this should be required reading for, well, everyone. Calvin is the child we all were and continues to be the child we wish could still be. Of course any child who regularly uses words like "malpractice insurance" and "besmirching" asks you to suspend disbelief, but these phrases come from the same young boy possessing an unbelievably hyperactive imagination and a penchant for walking around the house in his birthday suit. And Hobbes, Calvin's best friend (who just happens to be a stuffed tiger - or is he alive?) represents everything we so crave and desire. Someone who will listen to you and give you unconditional love (not to mention a furry belly to lie on). Calvin's musings on life, school, and parents are nothing short of sophisticated philosophy. Take this book with your family and read it aloud for all to hear. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll imagine you're a tyrannosaurus rex. Indispensable.

Another great Calvin and Hobbes treasury...
It's another great Calvin and Hobbes treasury which includes cartoons from "The revenge of the baby-sat" and "Scientific progress goes boink".

You'll love this book of cartoons which includes some of Bill Watterson's best voted strips like the comic strips "tiger food" and "Eenie Meenie..."!

The things I love most of Watterson's comics are the jokes, sarcasm, character expressions, colourful drawings, and great backgrounds.

In this book you'll be able to read lots of club strips, Rosalyn stories, and family trips to places like the museam! You'll also be able to read lots of Spaceman Spiff and dinosaur strips.

This book would appeal to people of all ages from perhaps the age of eight to adult.

------------------Ahmed Mashhood age 12-----------

An anthology of laughter
Whether the collection is the "Indispensible" or "Essential" or "Quintessential" Calvin and Hobbes, it doesn't really matter. Watching this hyperactive, hyperimaginative child and his willing though wise accomplice, Hobbes, take on evil babysitters, Susie Derkins, the class bully and all creatures (real or imaginary), is a pleasure and laughter without stop. "The Indispensible Calvin and Hobbes" is another in a long list of the great comic work of Bill Watterson. This is an indispensible/essential/quintessential collection for all Calvin and Hobbes and humor fans!

Calvin and Hobbes Ranking System---#1
This treasury is far and away the best of the entire Calvin and Hobbes Collection. I own every book, and have recently reread them all, and without a doubt this is the very best. For one thing, it was written right in the middle of Watterson's C&H career, which means that the writing and ideas are still fresh, while super-improved drawings and Sunday strips have just begun. Second of all, Watterson must have been on a powerful creative streak, because there is an amazing number of stories within the "Indispensible" collection. There are three Rosalyn babysitter tales, the bug collection story, the bat project, two camping trips, G.R.O.S.S. adventures, the burglar break in, the car down the hill, multiple Stupendous Mans, multiple Spaceman Spiff getaways, the duplicator going "boink" and creating more Calvin's, a rare, great Tracer Bullet story, Calvin defying gravity and size, Calvin on the baseball team, and a time machine adventure to the dinosaur age. The sheer amount of stories here is unheard of for a C&H collection, and the best part is that almost every one is fantastic. Thirdly, the Sunday strips are in color, which is a huge plus. Fourthly, Calvin's parents have finally been rendered as three dimensional and sympathetic individuals, a characteristic that had been lacking in the earlier books. Last of all, as always, these comics are frequently hilarious, sometimes touching, and always entertaining. This collection personifies those characteristics to the nth degree, and is without a doubt the best Calvin and Hobbes for anyone to buy. If you're looking for other good C&H books, I would also recommend the Essential Collection (first two books, funny yet lacking in drawing), Snow Goons, Psycho Jungle Cat, Treasure Everwhere, and the 10th Anniversary. I hope this was helpful both for prospective buyers, and old fans looking back.

Indispensible : My favorite
I started reading C&H from this one and now have the complete collection. I rank this one at the top, (alongside the tenth ann collection). Another reason is that it contains some of the poetry work by Watterson. I am a fan of his poetry too. Sounds similar to my own... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hunter S. Thompson, in his drunken, rambling introduction to this volume of paintings and illustrations, calls Ralph Steadman "the Albert Gore of twentieth century art." It's hard to imagine a less apt appellation: Steadman's drawings and paintings are the wild antithesis of the notoriously stiff V.P. His pop art is also the opposite of Warhol's clean lines and soulless imagery; it screams with pain and nightmare power. While Steadman is best known for his illustrations to Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and other works, here his art is given free rein, and works with titles like "Earliest man, full of the sense of his own worth, screaming into the blackness, needing no god but himself..." and "Good time crucifix" combine Steadman's trademark splattered ink and unfolded figures with collage and sloppy airbrush. Although the text may offend those with no sense of irony (Thompson compares Steadman to artist manqué Adolf Hitler; Steadman relates the story of his first bowel movement), the hyperactive visuals are sure to delight even those who've never snorted ether while tripping on pure human adrenochrome. --James DiGiovanna ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Truly Inspirational
Ralph Steadman has proven to be one the most interesting and inventive artists of the late 20th century. He certainly has a cult appeal amongst Hunter Thompson fans, which is how i got turned on to his art. But upon purchasing this book i was truly amazed at how awesome all of his stuff is, this guy is truly inspirational. He has an original style, or at least as original as it gets. His writings and commentaries are funny and interesting as well. The book also has a great intro by Hunter. I'm an artist myself and this book really got my mind and imagination going. Steadman's got such a definitive look and style, which can only be summed up in one word: 'Gonzo'. I love this book and have looked through it many many times. I believe Steadman is one of the best artists living today, and is an inspiration to anyone trying to create something new and different.

Something Wicked in Fear and Loathing
Steadman takes the obscene to the edge with his book "Gonzo: The Art." He recounts his maturation in art from his drawings for Hunter S. Thompson's "The Kentucky Derby is Decadant and Depraved" to his own new ideas on what gonzo is. He even shows a portrait of what he thinks Thompsons parents were like, riding on the outside of the desert, maybe around Barstow, in the Big Red Shark. All in all, Steadman is an affront to your senses and will throw your world for a loop. Enjoy the ride!!

Makes people Ralph
This is one of the greatest compendiums of contemporary art I own. It has occupied pride-of-place on my coffee table since two hours after it arrived (had to go through it first), which means every visitor to my home sees it immediately upon sitting down. Reactions have been mixed-nobody disagrees as to Mr. Steadman's talent level, though quite a few have wished that he would choose different subjects to skewer with his warped pen. On the other hand, those who have been introduced to the work of this artist and enjoyed it now have the volume in their own homes. Not for the faint of heart, but rewarding to those who look at things slaunchwise through their own dark mirrors of the soul.

a brilliant sensory experience
Often in the shadow of collaborator Thompson, Steadman here gets to be the star & rightly so even though the good Gonzo doc does show up a few times. He has had other volumes out as well but this seems to be his greatest hits package or something, from various eras. Psychedelic spinning eyeballs, dripping blood, pliticians, decay & newspaper cuttings gloriously meshed together into true revelation. His styles do change & themes do too. He recounts that despite people thinking he was present for the escapades in the great Red Shark in Las Vegas, Ralph says he's never be mad enough to get in a car w/ hunter S. Thompson & also the difference w/ him being English & Hunter being extremely American. Anyway this was on the shelf next to Jean-Michel Basquiat & if anyone's getting art books I would thoroughly recommend both. BAD CRAZINESS!

The Truth
Excellent collection of Steadman artwork. Some biography of Steadman. Mostly color. Contains some songs and writings of Steadman and Hunter S. Thompson. ... Read more

Book Description

Why is Dilbert such a phenomenon? People see their own dreary, monotonous lives brought to comedic life in the ubiquitous strip. In the 23rd collection of Scott Adams¨ tremendously popular series, Don¨t Stand Where the Comet Is Assumed to Strike Oil, suppressed and repressed workers everywhere can follow the latest developments in the so-called careers of Dilbert, power-hungry Dogbert, Catbert, Ratbert, the pointy-haired boss, and other supporting¨but don¨t you dare call them supportive¨characters. Each ¨funny because it¨s true¨ scenario bears an uncanny, hysterical, sometimes uncomfortable similarity to cubicle-filled corporate America.But the United States clearly hasn¨t cornered the market when it comes to drone-filled offices: Dilbert appears in 65 countries in 25 languages and in 2,000 newspapers. The strip has 150 million fans worldwide. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Great Addition to the Series
Scott Adams' 23rd addition to the Dilbert series is one of the best so far. The characters never cease to amaze me in every way. Wally's laziness and Alice's temper along with Dogbert's cheap but smart ideas to rip people off are what make this comic strip great. We are able to see ourselves in all of the character mainly because they all represent something. Wally represents the person who is too lazy to do anything but does well in his life anyway. Dilbert is the person who no matter how hard he tries he can never get anywhere in his life. Alice is the person who can't control her temper because she is so overworked. Asok is the person who is still learning from others but he is becoming a independent person. Dogbert is the person who can make money by scamming people and never working too hard. The Boss is the person who knows nothing yet gets so far in his life.

I think this Dilbert book is a great buy and it is worth the money. As always Dilber tgives us clean and enjoyable entertainment that we can always enjoy.

A good collection of Dilbert Cartoons
Though the theme of the book appears somewhere after the center page cartoon, this is a compilation of cartoons from last year to the beginning of the first quarter of this year. Some of the all time favorites like the Outsourcing joke, Ashok's Talk about IIT's form the core of this book. A typical dilbert humor with some of the best joke books. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Intelligent, Well-Drawn, and Funny
Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strip is a true rarity. It is technically well-drawn, unlike so many other comics. It is intelligent, insightful, and has characters one can really relate to - but does not take itself too seriously and is above all funny and fun to read. It is the story of the world as seen through the eyes of a six-year-old, Calvin, and his best friend, a Tiger named Hobbes - which only Calvin sees as real, and the rest of the world sees as a stuffed doll...

Most of all, the creator of the strip, Watterson, is a true rarity: he refused to commericalize the characters - the only product he sells are book collections of the original strip, like this one - and retired in 1995 when he felt he was beginning to become repetitive. Watterson literally walked away from millions of dollars to save the integrity of his creations, Calvin and Hobbes.

For once, both the characters in the strip and their creator in real life teach us something about what is really important in life - and that it is not REALLY all about money and climbing the corporate ladder after all.

Just compare the well-drawn, love-of-life, intelligent and uncommercialized Calvin&Hobbes to the poorly-drawn, cynical, shallow and commercialized-to-the-wazoo contraption named "Dilbert", for example. Compare the talent and integrity of Watterson to the talentless "sell out to whoever pays more" character of "Dilbert"'s creator.

This will give you a REAL insight on what is wrong with the world.

Great collection and a great bargain
Calvin & Hobbes was so popular during its run that people never needed to explain what the strip was about to anyone; it's been a couple of years and with the exception of little kids, people seem to remember the strip for the most part. So, all I'll say about this collection is that it is the preferable purchase over the first two books, the self-titled "Calvin & Hobbes" and "Something Under The Bed Is Drooling." Why? "The Essential Calvin and Hobbes" actually collects every single strip from those two books (it's NOT a best of, as some people would say), and most importantly, the Sunday strips are in color. Hands down, Watterson painted the most beautiful looking Sunday strips since Walt Kelly, and it would be a shame if you only knew them through the black and white reproductions of the smaller collections. It's also cheaper to buy this book instead of the first two, as well. As a special bonus, Watterson included a nice, water-colored poem at the beginning, which isn't available anywhere else.

A fantastic collection of early Calvin and Hobbes comics
The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, first published in 1988, is chock full of early Calvin and Hobbes comic strips. No cartoonist, not even Charles Schultz, has captured the magical essence of childhood the way Bill Watterson did in this strip, and it should come as no surprise (although it did to Watterson) that Calvin and Hobbes quickly developed an incredibly loyal following. This strip went way beyond mere popularity. While I was in college, the campus newspaper decided to stop running Calvin and Hobbes (I think this was during one of Watterson's sabbaticals) - this resulted in nothing less than a furor on campus, as countless students immediately demanded the return of C&H. In a matter of days, Calvin and Hobbes were right back where they belonged.

How does a comic strip featuring a mischievous six-year-old boy and his stuffed tiger attract a fiercely loyal following of adults? Most adults would love to be children again, to know the freedom and sense of wonder that somehow withers inside the human soul after the onset of puberty. Calvin and Hobbes vividly recreates the feelings and emotions of the very essence of childhood. It brings back memories of things we forgot far too long ago, and it thus reawakens the deepest parts of our ever-hardening souls. Reading this comic strip is the next best thing to being a child yourself. Calvin does everything you used to do: he takes time to stomp in mud puddles, he lets his imagination run wild to make thrilling adventures out of even the most mundane tasks, he ponders the same deep questions you are now, as an adult, afraid to ask, he goes for the gusto no matter what sort of risk is involved, he is in every way a perfect specimen of childhood. Who, as a child, didn't pretend to be a dinosaur, walk around with a hideous expression in hopes of your facing freezing that way, tease the girls (or boys) you claimed to hate, journey to distant worlds unseen by human eyes, etc.?

Of course, Hobbes is just as important to the comic strip as Calvin. Hobbes is a tiger, Calvin's best and constant friend, a fellow partaker in the joys of childish innocence. To Calvin, Hobbes really is all that, and that is how we see him as well - until, that is, someone else comes into the frame, when he suddenly becomes nothing more than a stuffed animal. Watterson is a fantastic comic artist, and there is just something captivating about the way he draws Hobbes in his stuffed animal form. Everything about Watterson's art is fantastic, though, particularly the way it captures the emotions of its two principal characters.

Sadly, we have only ten years of comic memories in the form of Calvin and Hobbes, as the inscrutable Bill Watterson retired (around the age of 37) in 1995 and quite obviously has no plans of returning to the public arena. Watterson is actually frighteningly private and seems to be living a life of unmatched solitude. I find this extraordinarily sad: here is a man who captured the essence of childhood so vividly in the form of Calvin and Hobbes, a world bursting with life and possibilities, yet now he seems to have withdrawn from life itself. We must be thankful we do have as much Calvin and Hobbes material as we do, and The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, with 255 pages of black and white daily strips and color Sunday strips, features much more than just a chunk of it in and of itself.

Another anthology of laughter
Whether the collection is the "Indispensible" or "Essential" or "Authoritative" Calvin and Hobbes, it doesn't really matter. Watching this hyperactive, hyperimaginative child and his willing though wise accomplice, Hobbes, take on evil babysitters, Susie Derkins, the class bully and all creatures (real or imaginary), is a pleasure and laughter without stop. "The Essential Calvin and Hobbes" is another in a long list of the great comic work of Bill Watterson. This is an indispensible/essential/authoritative collection for all Calvin and Hobbes and humor fans!

It's a good book
The essential C&H starts out with the early comics (I think) so those are a little weird.

The poem at the begining is very funny. In one of the first stories Calvin and Susie get in trouble for passing notes ("I WISH WE WERE DEAD!!") And in another one Hobbes cuts Calvin's hair which Calvin says looks like it was cut with a weed-eater.

What I thought was irritating was when it went from early comics to finished comics, which was kind of annoying because I like the early comics.

I conclude this reveiw by saying this is deffinatly worth your money and you'll enjoy it very much.

post script, you might also like getting the indespensible C&H and The Authoritive C&H with this one, they kind of go together. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the beautiful things about comics is that it is possibly the best medium for combining education and entertainment. No one knows this better than Larry Gonick, whose Cartoon History series spans many subjects.Whether you are a fan of history, comics, or Gonick's books, The Cartoon History of the Universe I is a great place to start. Part I contains volumes 1 to 7, from the Big Bang to Alexander the Great. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Fun and Educational
This volume of world history in comic book form is priceless! The artwork is not the greatest, but it is certainly competent and accomplishes its job. But what makes this book worthwhile is its alternative take on history. Instead of focusing on stories about famous conquerors (although they are not ignored), it is about what history must have been like for the average person, all with a rather biting, cynical sense of humour. For example, it shows WHY Socrates was hated so much (because, like such 1960s gurus as Timothy Leary he helped turn young people into rebellious thinkers who questioned the sacredly held opinions of their parents, whether or not Socrates did so intentionally). Gonick turns historic figures into living, breathing people instead of mere acts or ideas.

The Cartoon History doesn't quite reach the level of social criticism of A People's History of the United States, nor will it tear down your current understanding of historic events, but it still manages to be very iconoclastic merely by pointing out the silliness of humans throughout history (illustrating how little we've changed!) and through its more 'common person's' perspective.

A must for any home library!
Want to read about history without reading about history? Buy this book! Not only does is serve up science in a way to keep you awake but it slices up history into easy to swallow portions too. If you find chapters or subjects that pique your interest beyond that provided by the witty cartoon panels, the book has the most extensive bibliography (with reviews!) you could ask for. I bought my copy many years ago and it drove me to reread all those Greek Classics that I slept through while I was in school! It is apparent that portions of the Ancient Greece section was drawn earlier when Mr. Gonick was developing his style. His wit is trenchant in all the chapters in a way to make the reader think. Summary: I wish I had this book when I was in school...

Entertainment first, history a distant second
While you can learn a lot of history from this book of cartoons, it takes some time before you understand how they are structured. The explanatory text is generally historically accurate, but the dialog in the character bubbles is for humorous effect. There are times when the explanatory text is not meant to be taken seriously, and it is generally clear when that is the case.
It starts with the big bang, which is the beginning of the universe. From that, it describes the creation of the planets, the origin of life and how it evolved to make humans. Once humans are present, it largely becomes a tale of the development of civilizations and the wars over the products of those civilizations. The civilizations described are those of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Turkey, Greece, Persia and Palestine.
I enjoyed this book immensely, it is occasionally very funny, and it does teach you some history. However, it should be considered as a piece of entertainment first and a history book a distant second.

Wonderful
A seminal work. Simply a fun great account of the history of man. This book does a great job telling the story of civilization from the dawn of man to Moses and the Greeks. A very accurate and funny story that illuminates the essentials of western civilization in many pages of hilarious cartoons. A great gift.

The BEST introduction to history possible...
Some of the big, thick and juicy history books can make the average reader's eyes bulge with terror. "The History of the Whole World!" or "World History Second by Second!" will probably disencourage the general interested reader by the threat of massive papercuts alone.

There's something about the word "cartoon" that adds appeal to any subject. "The History of the Universe!" by itself may make knees tremble, but "The CARTOON History of the Universe!" now my hands are a-grabbin' at the bookshelf. And grab we should; we should grope, fondle, and possess this great volume that will likely turn any historaphobe into a walking timeline.

History? Entertaining? NEVER! Yes, awake from your dogmatic slumbers, the dream can be realized. This book is funny, genuinely funny. And it's not a parody along the lines of "1066 and All That" - it's real history presented in an amazingly underrated educational genre.

The first book is chopped up into seven volumes which can be read more or less like serial comic books. Dramatic teasers provide segueways between the volumes, and keep the story flowing. Like it's subtitle says: "From the Big Bang to Alexander the Great", and since subtitles never lie, that's what you get.

THE BIG BANG starts off this book, and the book follows an evolutionary line - at one point outright stating "Darwin was right" (pg. 52). So, be warned all of you whose cars are adorned with fishes labeled "Truth" eating smaller fishes labeled "Darwin" - this tome may not be for you.

There is a long discussion about the evolution of sex, some "naughty" cartoons - which are usually hilarious - which leads into the evolution of species from the cambrian to the quaternary period. Humanity enters the scene, and the evolution of humans is covered through homo habilis to the "Cro-Magnon Conquest of the World". From then on some of the major early peoples and their societies are covered: Sumeria, the Semites, the Egyptians, the Acheans, the Hittites, the Assyrians, the peoples of the Old Testament, the Philistines, the Acheans, the Spartans, the Athenians... I'm sure I left a lot out, but you get the idea.

There is a great chapter on the war between Persia and Greece, including the events that lead up to it. The final chapter of the book is aptly titled "All About Athens" and covers such historical stars as Pericles, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, etc. The book ends, as the aforementioned subtitle promises, with Alexander the Great's entry into India. Volume 7's teaser suggests that book II will linger in India for a bit.

The book also includes great footnotes, great drawings (a sidenote: why does the style of the artwork change so drastically in Volume 7?), a great bibliography with short reviews of works Gonick used in researching this cartoon cathedral, and a stubborn refusal to consider anything out of the scope of inquiry. Gonick brings up historical issues that would never be taught in schools (I leave the reader to discover these). Even the issues surrounding the status of women and the rich and the poor are put in for good measure.

I can't imagine a better way to be introduced to history, especially for the curious adult, since to say that the book is NOT G-Rated would be an egregious understatement (since the book contains many adult themes, graphic cartoon violence, and descriptions of many disturbing things that make up human history, it's hard to say if the book is for kids or not, notwithstanding the "cartoon" in the title - I guess this is best left as a personal decision). Still, even those knowledgable in history will enjoy it, because, dang it, it's a comic book after all! Of course, and this is obvious, hopefully this book will serve as a springboard for an interest in history. By itself it's a great outline filled with general knowledge, but supplemented with more reading it becomes a road to unfathomable historical knowledge with which can come a better understanding of our place in the universe. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This first big "bible" of Bloom County includes comics from the earlier collections: Loose Tails, 'Toons for Our Times and Penguin Dreams and Stranger Things. Eighty full-color pages including the wonderful Opus "hairy fishnuts/Hare Krishnas" strip and the first Bill-the-Cat appearance. If you hurt yourself laughing (like when you read about Bill freebasing Friskies), don't blame me; I warned you. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Funny as a Penguin Trying to Hang Glide
For the love of wonderful things, seems to always come when those wonderful things are in short supply. And so it was with Berke Breathed's Bloom County. There simply isn't enough out there. In this collection, the first five creative wacky years of Breathed's Bloom Country are captured showing Opus appearing for the first time alongside a Hare Krishna's...something is lost in translation though into Penguin-speak, "Pear Pimples for Hairy Fishnuts." And so it is with Breathed's Bloom County.

Color plates are interspersed ever so often throughout the book. The black and white really isn't a detractor though because Breathed's off the cuff semi-liberal tongue in cheek anything goes alternate reality humor takes center stage. There is Milo's Meadow where philosophy rules the day and Binkley chokes on the headlines screaming, "The Nicaraguan Contras are the moral equivalent of our founding fathers;" remember that was the 80's. Like David Lee Roth Van Halen, Northern Exposure, and the Bengal Tiger, it's too bad Bloom Country has gone the way of the Dodo, or flying penguins for that matter. All in all it's a wonderful collection; it's just too bad there's not more of it.

The best compilation of the best comic from the 80s...
Where have you gone, Opus? We need you now more than ever. I just checked this out again from my shelf, and after Sept. 11, I sure could use a laugh. Opus and company never disappoint. Along with the Far Side, Doonesbury, and Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County led the "modern" period of comic strips out of the Family Circus and Apartment 3-G hell that we have unfortunately now returned to...

Bloom County created an entire world full of funny, amazing and outrageous characters that stand the test of time and break out of the monotony of the vast majority of other comics. And, by the way, it was also the best drawn comic strip ever, IMHO.

It's a shame that most of these books are out of print, with only this book still hanging around. If you want to check out a real comic, get this book!

Babble on and on and on
Bloom County is on my short list of all-time favorite comics. The original form, before short-lived "Outland" or the current "Opus", is long gone, though. Picking up this book was a wonderful piece of nostlagia.

The series peaked some time in the early 80s, and "Babylon" offers a sample of that time. I had forgotten how topical it was, full of references to then-current supermodels, presidents, movies, and sitcoms. Despite that, much of the humor has aged well. Milo's anxiety closet, for example, never needs to end. Various bogey-men (and -women) will reside there for their times, and move on. The anxiety will always be there, however, no matter how silly it looks to everyone else.

Even a book this size can't capture every strip in the five years (82-6) that it covers. That means that some of my favorite characters, like winsome Pistachio, barely even had cameo appearances. I'll take what I can get, though, and this is a pleasant sample.

If you ever liked any strip comic, you liked Bloom County or will like it. Maybe the 80s were before your time, but the characters will still look right up to date. Enjoy!

Possibly the best of the Bloom County collections.
This book is an overview of the first five years of the strip, ranging from the early strips in which the focus is mostly on Milo, through the introductions of Binkley, Bobbi, Cutter John, Opus, Oliver Wendell Jones, Steve Dallas, and finally, Bill The Cat. Personally, I've always had a preference for the early, pre-Bill The Cat strips; I could deal with the silliness inherent in Opus and Oliver's anthropomorphic computer, but Bill just seemed one step over the line. But I know that he's very popular, and he's here, too. There are a few strips here that were reprinted from the previous three collections, but most of this material is NOT reprints. Of course, much of the humor will be completely incomprehensible to anyone who wasn't politically aware during the '80s, but I suspect that even for such a (hopefully) young person, there's plenty here to enjoy.

Full color? I must be colorblind.
Buyer beware: the editorial review states that this book contains eighty full-color pages, but it doesn't. It contains eighty pages that obviously were at one time or another in color, but which are now a messy conglomeration of grays and whites, much like something you'd expect to see coming out of a low-grade fax machine.

Many years ago, I read another copy of this book that did, in fact, contain eighty full-color pages, so I know the pages were in color at some point. However, the only colors on the book I received from Amazon.com are on the front and back covers. ... Read more

Book Description

Rabbits.We'll never quite know why, but sometimes they decide they've just had enough of this world- and that's when they start getting inventive.The Book of Bunny Suicides follows over one hundred bunnies as they find ever more outlandish ways to do themselves in.From an encounter with the business end of Darth Vader's lightsaber, to supergluing themselves to a diving submarine, to hanging around underneath a loose stalactite, these bunnies are serious about suicide.

Illustrated in a stark and simple style, The Book of Bunny Suicides is a collection of hilarious and outrageous cartoons that will appeal to anyone in touch with their evil side. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Funny bunnycide
Andy Riley, a British cartoonist and creator of a weekly comic strip in the Observer, tackles the off-the-wall subject of bunnies who simply can't go on living any more. These cartoons explore the outrageous and creative ways a bunny might dispatch itself to that great hutch in the sky. These include such methods as sunning on the beach while Noah loads the Ark, becoming ballast for a hot air balloon, and catapulting through venetian blinds. This book is morbidly funny and tragically silly. If you like humor that's a cross between The Addams Family and The Far Side, this book is for you.

somebunny is a very sick puppy
Very sick and twisted book. A few toons fall flat, and some take too long to play out (taking several panels to accomplish what could be said in two or three), but some are very funny, indeed. Could've been a bit longer, too (only 80-90 pages). For all those who loved 101 USES FOR A DEAD CAT and HAPPY TREE FRIENDS.

Hippity Hop
Totally sick book and great fun for anyone looking for a five minute distraction from the day!

hilarious, if you're sick like me
Okay, maybe I'm sick, but I found this book really amusing. Basically, it's a bunch of comics in which bunnies commit suicide in some really strange ways. I'm sure everyone who's read this and liked it has their favorite few. There seems to be a suicide theme for just about everyone - Star Trek, Star Wars, football, aliens, farming, and the Olympics, just to name a few. One of the things that makes these comics so funny, I think, is the absolutely blank expression on the bunnies faces - every weird act of suicide just happens to be an everyday thing in their lives. I can definitely see the price being a problem, for some, since this whole book can be read ("looked through" would actually be more accurate, since there are hardly any words to read - these comics mostly don't have captions, or any speaking) in a few minutes, although some of the suicides may take more time to decipher than others. The really squeemish may also have problems with this book, since some of the comics show the "after" of the suicide attempt. The comics aren't drawn realistically, so I wouldn't think that the "afters" would be too much of a problem with most people, especially the kind of people who would pick up a book with the words "bunny" and "suicides" in the title. The title and covers should be warning enough, for those who might be offended by this kind of humor. Anyway, if you don't mind the price and the length, you should get this book. It's really very funny, and you can gross out your friends and family with it!

hilarious!
This book caught the eye of one of my coworkers while he was waiting in line at the Starbucks/Barnes & Noble. His humour is slightly...off...so he had to buy it. Not much work got done after the book was brought into the office. This book is twisted and kind of sad, but VERY funny. ... Read more

Book Description

Rat, Pig, Zebra, and Goat, the central characters of Pearls Before Swine, are back in their new book, Sgt. Piggy's Lonely Hearts Club Comic, the first Pearls Before Swine treasury-supersized for your enjoyment. But this is no ordinary cartoon treasury. Like the influential Beatles album that inspired the book's title, Sgt. Piggy is full of surprises. In addition to collecting in one volume all of the Pearls cartoons that appeared in BLTs Taste So Darn Good and This Little Piggy Stayed Home, cartoonist Stephan Pastis takes readers on a VIP backstage tour of one of the most successful new comic strips in newspapers today. In Sgt. Piggy, Pastis explains the genesis of Pearls (hint: it didn't begin at an artist's easel), why he was initially reluctant to show it to newspaper syndicates (and the surprising reason he changed his mind), the unexpected responses from readers to his work (oh, the letters), which Pearls strips worked and which ones didn't (and how he would have corrected the ones that didn't). The result is a rare and revealing glimpse into the world of Rat and Pig, Goat and Zebra. Full of humor and insight, sardonic asides and unexpected truths, Sgt. Piggy's Lonely Hearts Club Comic is a book that comics fans everywhere can enjoy anytime-even when they're 64. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

A fitting tribute
This book is certainly an appropriate tribute to the greatest comic strip of all time. It gives us a good dose of the best from each decade. My favorite aspect is the great margin notes by Charles Schulz, wherein he gives us fascinating background comments on the evolution of Peanuts and on ideas behind specific strips. My only regret, and the reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5, is that most of the Sunday samples of Peanuts are not in color here. They would have been in color originally, and I like seeing them that way. But this is certainly a terrific book to own, and I highly recommend it.

Peanuts deserves better, we deserve better
This is a delightful book. The photos and information of Charles Schulz (allow me an aside:: I think that Charlie "BROWN" is a smokescreen: the main character of this strip is Charlie SCHULZ), his background, and his studio are wonderful for a lifelong fan (I'm a year younger than Linus). The commentary and selection are superb, and it's even fun to shake your head over some of the 'fan' mail he got.

Allow me a sour note: the editing is sloppy. Strip #5 on page 15 appears again on page 16. The lower four strips on page 149 are out of order: they should go #6, #3, #5, #4. Good grief! Confused order on page 168 threatens to ruin the story line. #5 on page 168 belongs on page 170. Line 4 on page 171 appears again on page 236 (not that I minded seeing it again, but it means one less strip for us to enjoy.)

You may think I've got too much time on my hands, to go through a comic collection so carefully, but come on! This *is* Peanuts, after all! What could matter more?

Wonderful compilation for the casual Peanuts reader
When first printed in 1999, this book offered the best retrospective on Schulz' Peanuts. It's still a wonderful book, which I own. If you're a casual fan of the strip, and don't mind if you haven't read all the panels, then you'll love this compilation. It serves as a perfect introduction to Schulz' comic.

If you're a rabid, hardcore Peanuts fan like me, however, you might consider purchasing the complete Peanuts collection, which is available through Fantagraphics. (The first edition, printed in May, 2004, contains the first two years of Peanuts from 1950-1952. Several more volumes will volume over the next decade.) I've reviewed the first volume of that set, and plan on purchasing the others.

The "Golden Celebration" should still be in every "Peanuts" collector's library and is the best edited compilation I've seen on Peanuts.

A Great Sampling of 50 years worth of Cartoon Genius
If you are a Peanuts fanatic, you already have this book. If you like the strip, and would like to have a comprehensive overview of the entire series, this book is perfect. It contains comic strips from 1950 to 1999, in chronological order. Of course, this is just a sampling, another company is releasing all the strips in order starting in April.
The book also contains a short biography of Schulz, a section on the TV shows and movies, & peanuts collectibles. If you have the 25th or 40th anniversary books, you've seen much of this information. Out of all the anniversary books, THIS one contains the most strips. ALSO, it contains brief commentary by Schulz in a sidebar for special strips (first appearance of a character, first football gag, etc.)
Highly recommended for vigorous or casual fans.

Good . . . but not great
Any "Peanuts" book is (for me, anyway) great, especially since there are a lot of strips I still haven't read, and this collection seemed good to begin with - but I don't think this is the best book on the market. It's like a greatest hits double-CD with new liner notes, remastered, and missing all the lesser hits and major album tracks which are your favorites.(And it's a little pricey - where I am, it's almost AU$100!)

The drawbacks are, as others have noted, the editing is somewhat shoddy, some story arcs aren't completed, other really good story arcs aren't in here at all, a lot of the strips are in available books already (or at least those Fawcett paperbacks usually in libraries), and a lot of the commentary by Schulz is drawn from the 1985 book "You Don't Look 35, Charlie Brown!" (I wish that was in print.) - only the notes pertaining to 1990s strips are new. And the discussions of the TV specials, the musical, the movies are rather short - 2 pages for the 1999 version of the musical, and 2 for the movies _and_ the TV specials, when we're dealing with "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown" and "Snoopy Come Home"!(Or rather, should be; neither are mentioned. Another out-of-print book, "Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown" [1979] goes into greater depth on a lot of TV specials, and the movies, and the making of "Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown" [unreleased at that time], but is of course a little out of date [but still great].) Just a list of all the TV shows would have been nice - it's hard to keep track of all the "lesser" ones made in the mid-late 1980s/early 1990s - but evidently, that's too much to ask.

Still, all the strips _are_ wonderful to read.

It just, as a whole, doesn't quite reach the heights of 5-stardom - or, more appropriately, it isn't gold; perhaps bronze. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

"...the uniquely stylish art is what makes this shine..."
Frank Miller is best known for his work with Daredevil and his cult-classic graphic novel THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. After reading THE DARK KNIGHT, I was looking around for other graphic novels by Miller, and RONIN seemed like a good choice. Right away, I was amazed by the book's illustrations. Frank Miller uses a very interesting style here, using excessive lines to texture, animate and detail his work. Standard shading is replaced by lines going everywhere. There are certain pages in the book made up entirely of lines going one way, which gives a completely mind-blowing effect, usually of motion. The characters themselves are also unlike anything I've seen before, with sketchy faces and narrow, mean-looking eyes. They're almost bordering on an anime/manga style, yet still very Superhero-esque.

The storyline, on the other hand, isn't quite so fantastic. A nameless samurai is transported to a futuristic New York, where he pursues his arch-enemy. Don't get me wrong, it's imaginative and ambitious enough, but I found that it wasn't scripted all that well, and the pictures were the main medium for storytelling here. The uniquely stylish art is what makes this shine. The words are merely a compliment to the visuals. You would expect it to be the other way around, especially in a comic book, but once you see this, you'll know what I'm talking about. It reads very quickly, because there are often full-pages devoted just to a single action or picture. The book is only 239 pages, and thanks to this fast-paced style, you might be able to finish it in a couple of hours. However, don't let this turn you off from buying it, because you'll probably re-read it at least once, and the art truly is a sight to behold.

I'd recommend this to everyone, so long as they're willing to love the art more than the words. WATCHMEN could be classified as a stylistic opposite of RONIN, not only because the aesthetics are all-around different, but the words play a much larger part than the pictures do. Plus, in WATCHMEN, everything feels very un-animated, and the panels are mostly free of motion-lines, sound-effects and other standard, cinematic comic-book fare, while RONIN is chock-filled with such effects. Read this if you want action, style and a combination of story and art unlike any I've ever encountered.

Miller's diversity is astounding
Frank Miller is nothing if not diverse. I wrote a few weeks ago about his works, the various superhero works like Daredevil and Batman that made him famous and the groundbreaking works he's done outside of the genre since then, especially in regards to 300, a work of historical fiction. Aside from 300, he has also gone into a futuristic sci-fi setting in his Martha Washington stories, and with his Sin City tales he explored gritty crime drama.

And then there's Ronin, a book that defies easy categorization.

Imagine it is the beginning of summer in 1983 and you are first discovering this book. (Unfortunately I too must imagine here, since I didn't find the book myself until a few years ago.) Unlike every other book you come across, Ronin #1 is a whopping 48 pages, completely free of ads. The colors are richer, deeper than the average book, and somehow more muted as well, giving the book a darker look than most of the garishly bright superhero tales it sits beside.

The style is different too than what you are used to; like he did with Daredevil, Miller is experimenting here with how to construct a comic book page. Many pages feature long panels that stretch across the page, sometimes top to bottom, sometimes from one side to the next. Of course, Miller often uses the staple he has become known for today, a device he used throughout 300, the full two-page spread, to splendidly establish the world Ronin is set in.

The drawings themselves featured in these pages can also easily be separated from the rest of the fare you find in the racks. The motions are fluid, the fight scenes dynamic, avoiding all the normal clichés. In fact in the sixth and final issue of the miniseries (which reached stores in late summer of 1984-Ronin was published bimonthly but suffered delays between issues four and five), at the end of the story the action explodes off the page with such force that it literally cannot be contained. So Frank Miller does the only thing he can do, something unseen in comics up to that time; he lets the scene unfold on a beautiful four-page fold-out spread.

Ronin featured widescreen action years before the term became popular in comics, employed to serve a story unlike any other being published at the time. On the one hand, it is the story of post-apocalyptic New York City; on the other, it is a tale of samurais in feudal Japan. Miller balances these two influences in his tale deftly, mixes them together in one tale that is about demons and magic swords and biotechnology and artificial intelligence. It is a story in which reality and fantasy blend until the only thing the characters can trust is their sense of honor, duty, and loyalty, especially to those they love most.

Luckily it is not 1983, and you don't have to wait for over a year for the entire story to be complete. Ronin is available now in trade paperback so that you can explore its world for yourself today, as I did, without any of the wait yet still with all of the assets I listed above.

Excellent story, so-so artwork
PLOT SYNOPSIS:
Ronin begins in feudal Japan, when a samurai's master is killed by Agat, the demon who has been his archenemy for years. Forced to become a disgraced ronin to avenge his master's death, the samurai finally confronts and slays the demon, but at a terrible price. Leap to the 21st century, where the Aquarius Project and its biotechnological wonders are the last saving grace for a New York that has become a festering corpse. A telepath named Billy Callas becomes the focal point for the renewed battle between the ronin and the demon, a battle which will take on horrific proportions as the violence and corruption brought on by the enemies' resurrection spreads. Who will survive?

Ronin is everything I expect from Frank Miller-a solid, hard-hitting story that deftly mixes action, intriguing characters, intelligent dialogue, and some biting social commentary. My only complaint is the artwork, which I've always felt was very crude and amateurish-looking. The cover artwork and character designs are very good but overall everything just looks like storyboard-quality drawings that were colored instead of finished artwork, especially anything that features Aquarius and its products. This is a purely subjective gripe, however, and should not disuade you from dropping what you're doing and immediately buying this book.

Miller's Earliest Opus
Of all Miller's significant works this is perhaps the most overlooked and one of the most atypical. Heavily influenced by Japanese Samurai Manga, notably Lone Wolf and Cub, this appears to both stylistically and thematically riff on the genre. To claim such does the book a disservice.

Ostensibly the story of a telekinetic cripple who is possessed by the reincarnated spirit of a masterless samurai (the ronin of the title) and his fight with a demon this is a story that can be read on many levels. The characterisation is better than most of Miller's work, with the art owing a debt to Moebius and the story showing why Miller must be considered a master of comic book pacing. There are flaws, however: certain plot points are inconsitent and explained away off panel. The paper stock and reproduction are also perhaps a little lacklustre for a work of this calibre.

Overall this is a great read of surprising depth, and personally I prefer it over the Dark Knight Returns, which was Miller's next work.

seminal
One of Frank Miller's best works. Considering it was done way back in 1983 (where cyberpunk was at its zenith), the story is still gripping. You could see where most movies, comics, games and tv series of today got their ideas. It's a must have. ... Read more

Book Description

You have to wonder what kind of pets cartoonist Darby Conley had as a child. If they were anything like Bucky Katt and Satchel Pooch ... well, life in the Conley house must have been interesting to say to the least. The wacky triumvirate of Bucky, Satchel, and Rob are back in the fourth Get Fuzzy collection, Blueprint for Disaster, and "interesting" doesn't begin to describe their antics. Rob Wilco is the mild-mannered ad executive caretaker of Bucky and Satchel. Satchel is a sweet and naive shar-pei-yellow-Lab cross, while Bucky is a Siamese with "cat-titude" to spare. Bucky and Satchel get along like, well, like cats and dogs. Like a beleaguered parent, Rob constantly must thwart Bucky's schemes and protect the unsuspecting Satchel. His pets' mischief continually disrupts his attempts to meet women. You try explaining to your date why you cat thinks he's a gangsta rapper and your dog is filming his "crib" for MTV. Would anyone live with humans who behaved like this? Bitingly funny with a wry sense of the absurdity of life with pets, Get Fuzzy appeals to everyone who has ever lived in a mixed-species household. Blueprint for Disaster is sure to be yet another Get Fuzzy best-seller. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Did the Corinth, CA. reviewer read a different book?
I am a lifelong (well, since college) devotee to The Far Side (though the least of my favorites among enjoyable comics), Bloom County, and Calvin and Hobbes. I become very depressed when people have never experienced Bloom County. However, it astounds me that anyone who would profess to be a fan of these 3 comics is unable to recognize the clear and common tone to all--including Get Fuzzy. To call Darby Conley no more original than a designer imposter is ridiculous. Do you not notice the ingenious attention to detail (e.g., electrical sockets with plugs, T-shirts from real establishments). My favorite was the reference to the Knoxville 1982 World's Fair on the counter of a travel agency the trio visited (Conley is originally from Knoxville, TN). The characters are so real to anyone who shares his/her life with animals. Bucky, like all cats, is a very complex personality. Satchel, like most dogs, is a good hearted, naive, loving innocent. Rob, like most of us animal companions, is harried. The responsibility of food, water, Vets., messed up work, hairballs, accidents on the floor, ripped upholstery, etc. can be overwhelming. However, he wouldn't trade the two for anything, because, above all, he loves them dearly. By the way, they BOTH love him, too. That comes through in each strip--some more obviously than others.

With Gary Patterson, Berkley Breathed and Bill Waterson retired, Darby Conley has ascended to the throne they left vacant. As one who owns every Far Side book, every Bloom Co. original comic, and every Calvin and Hobbes book and original comic, I consider myself well versed. Trust me, chances are better than not that you will LOVE this trio!

I am a grammar gremlin, by the way. Poor grammar is a big pet peeve of mine. So, Corinth, for future reference "Darby don't...." is incorrect. It should read "Darby DOESN'T." Bad grammar mars the quality of your argument.

It's Bucky Time!!!
There are very few comic strips that I like anymore. In fact, I now only go out of my way to read two strips, and this is one of them.

Darby Conley is great!!! I love his work. I was really excited to pick this book up and read of some of the mischief that Bucky and Satchel find themselves in. This even has Bucky going so far as taking the Ferret next door to Judge Judy.

The humor is fantastic. The contrast between Bucky and Satchel makes for great comedy. There were many parts where I was giggling and a few parts where I was laughing out loud.

I'm looking forward to picking up more of "Get Fuzzy".

Hi-freakin-larious
Much like the oft-touted Big Three (Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County, The Far Side), it is impossible to read Get Fuzzy without experiencing true belly laughs. I feel like there's been a dearth of funny comics for a while, and when my local paper started running Get Fuzzy, I knew that void was filled. Read this and all other Get Fuzzy books, they're all awesome.

And I hate to continue with this whole grammar thing, but the Doctor was right to correct the Corinth reviewer, just for the wrong reason. The review should read "Darby, don't...," not "Darby don't..." or "Darby doesn't..."

What is this????
First off, let me say that "Get Fuzzy" is hilarious brilliance! Darby Conley obviously knows animals. His depictions of Satchel Pooch and Bucky Katt, as well as the poor, beleaguered Rob, who lives with the aforementioned animals,of the 3 is spot-on.

Unfortunately, however, I thought this section was for readers to offer feedback on a particular book. I was apparently mistaken. One reviewer, Down South, is particularly puzzling. S/he has written 3 "reviews." One makes no sense whatsoever, what is this craziness about Satchel? and prostitutes? Please. Is that a pathetic attempt at humor? If so, thank goodness it is not Down South (DS) who is attempting to produce a comic.

Why does it take DS three attempts to offer a legtimate opinion about BLUEPRINT? All are rather odd and senseless. The last of the 3 is particularly ugly.

Why does DS question another reviewer's credentials? She does not appear to be trying to use her status as a doctor as a means of elevating her opinion. It is merely part of her name. Why is DS so bothered? The good doctor is not even writing about his review. Yet, he is obviously offended.

Possibly, DS deplores "Get Bucky" so much that s/he feels compelled to attack the doctor (note: not the comic strip) b/c she gives the strip a glowing review. If so, that falls into the "get a life" file--we all have opinions. We shouldn't be viciously attacked, personally, for offering them.

Maybe DS has a problem with the doctor, herself. Since I doubt DS knows Dr. Hayes personally, perhaps he is bothered that a woman is a doctor, and writes a coherent, and all-around better review, in one attempt, than DS does in 3 tries.

Another possibility is that perhaps a cat beat him/her up, in childhood, and stole his/her lunch money. If so, and DS is still harbouring a grudge, please, for goodness sakes, GET HELP!

Perhaps DS has problems with women, esp. women who are smarter, better educated and more talented (at least if the 3 reviews are any indication of DS the person) than s/he. Should the good doctor have not gone to school, DS? Should she "know her place?" Did a WOMAN beat you up on the playground and take your money? Whatever. Get help, DS.

Then, there is another "reviewer" who rather likes the comic strip, but takes on the grammar issue raised by Dr. Hayes. By the way, the doctor is correct. If Corinth had meant the sentence as instructive, it was unclear. Why is grammar so important to this "reviewer?" And what does that title "please type your password a