Comic Strip of the Day

CSotD: Puppy Blues?

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Mike Peterson Published: October 20, 2011 1 minute 1 comment

Here's a heads up to a potential development over at Baby Blues: The impending arrival of a puppy at the MacPherson household.

The strip began when Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman were attempting to brainstorm some kind of collaboration and Rick, a new father for the second time, became somewhat sidetracked by his other collaboration, as he explained to me in an interview for one of my old newspapers:

"Every session would end up with me unloading on him about all this stuff that was going on at home," Kirkman explains. "I mean, you had to laugh or you'd just shoot yourself. And it went on like that for a year!"

In a separate interview, Scott was gleeful over the moment of clarity:  "There it was, right in front of us: Rick was just a mess, and I was fascinated by how this tiny little baby could so totally destroy this guy! And that was the birth of 'Baby Blues.'"

The strip has attained much of its popularity from its affectionately realistic view of parenthood, in which the level of comic exaggeration remains within credible boundaries. That is, even if the set-ups and timing are a bit more well-tuned than in real life, there's rarely anything in the strip that couldn't have happened, and there is a distinct feeling that writer-Scott is getting a very good look over the shoulder of artist-Kirkman and that some true collaboration is at work here.

When I met Rick at the "One Fine Sunday in the Funny Pages" exhibit in Boston this spring, however, the conversation turned to a less hilarious topic: He was facing the serious illness of a well-loved dog who, at far too early an age, would soon be needing that final favor from his trusted owners. It's a tough time for pet lovers and, while it wasn't the only thing on his mind, it was a cloud hovering over his head.

We're not BFFs in real life and, though I did later hear via Facebook that his dog was gone, I have not been privy to any talk of a new addition to his family. On the other hand, given the affection with which he spoke of dogs in general, I'd be pretty surprised if he were content not to have one around the place.

And I'd be particularly surprised if Darryl and Wanda get out of this conversation with the kids without somehow acquiring a puppy, and all the joyful chaos that comes with a mix of puppies and little kids.

Stand by, and keep a roll of paper towels handy, but out of reach.