The Best of MUTTS by Patrick McDonnell

The Best of MUTTS Reviews

• 
  Leonardo

  Mutts es una de mis tiras cómicas favoritas. Las aventuras y disertaciones del perro Earl y el gato Mooch y un amplio reparto de animales y humanos han hecho la delicia de los fanáticos de las tiras cómicas y los animaleros durante ya casi 30 años. Esta antología cubre los primeros diez años y nos abre las puertas a la evolución de los personajes, tanto en su personalidad, como en los trazos de McDonnell. Esta primera década vio la aparición de Stinky Puddin' (defensor de los tigres y toda especie en peligro de extinción), Perro Guardián (perennemente encadenado en el patio de su dueño), Woofie (el labrador que "ama amar" a todo lo que se mueva), las ardillas (y su compulsión por lanzarle nueces a animales de cuatro patas y humanos por igual) y nos abrió las puertas de las entrañables historias de refugios (que han motivado a más de uno a adoptar en vez de comprar), los episodios de fallida y hilarante hibernación y las vacaciones veraniegas en la playa. A través de la introducción que precede a cada selección anual de Mutts, McDonnel se revela, no sólo como un magnífico un heredero de la gran tradición estadounidense de las tiras cómicas de cuatro paneles y sus episodios dominicales a todo color (en los que homenajea a sus grandes inspiraciones artísticas), sino también como un agudo observador de la personalidad y el comportamiento de los animales: Earl no puede ser más perro y Mooch no puede ser más gato de lo que son y muchos de los lectores de Mutts hemos notado parte de sus personalidades en los animales con los que compartimos nuestras vidas. Finalmente, cabe destacar la excelente traducción al español de Juan Carlos Álvarez, quien logró preservar la mayoría de los juegos de palabras y demás guiños lingüísticos del original y preservar su picardía e inocencia. En suma, una excelente compilación de una magnífica tira cómica.
• 
  Jeff

  Mutts is likely the only worthwhile strip running in daily newspaper comics sections these days, so a tenth-anniversary collection like this is worthy of some attention. Patrick McDonnell has successfully found a happy middle ground between overt cuteness and something much deeper, often tending towards the sort of zen repose that made predecessors such as Herriman's Krazy Kat so worthwhile. The strongest part of Mutts has always been the inventive Sunday pages, which often begin with splash panels inspired by great visual artists of the past. This collection includes a healthy selection of the Sunday pages, and many daily strips besides, and it all adds up to a comprehensive overview of an important piece of the modern comics landscape.
• 
  Jen

  I've always enjoyed the Mutts comic strip in the newspaper, and then I saw something on PBS that showed Patrick McDonnell going to pet shelters to meet the animals and learn their stories for his Shelter Stories feature. I thought that was lovely, so I thought I'd support him and buy one of his books. This "Best of" is a retrospective of the first 10 years of the strip. Each year begins with an intro written by McDonnell about what developed in the strip. Then it shows both daily and Sunday comics from that year. The comics can be funny, poignant, or Zen-like.
• 
  Aly

  So cute! As a dog lover and brief cat owner, also so true!
• 
  Michael

  Wayyy better than Krazy Kat or any current strip. All hail Patrick McDonnell. All the feels.
• 
  Lucy

  Patrick McDonnell selects the comics he considers his best from the first 10 years of the comic strip Mutts, 1994-2004. In the intro to each year's chapter, he gives some of the themes and characters he introduces that year: the little pink sock, shelter stories, the clam and mussel, the kitten who wants to save the tigers, etc.
  Probably the best comic strip currently running in newspapers - alas, not in ours. Thank goodness it's available online or via email.
  Highly recommended.
  
• 
  Myra

  3.5 stars. It was interesting to hear the cartoonist talk about his process and how the strip developed over the years. I did learn, however, that I can only read so much of Mutts at once. The shtick gets old from me quite quickly.
• 
  Tana

  A must have collection for all Mutts fans!<3
• 
  Phillip Parker

  A very nice ten year retrospective of one of my very favorite comic strips! Mooch and Earl are great fun!
• 
  Slow Man

  Bits of it are cute. Some other bits are not. There's a lot of cat napping, dog being man's best friend as usual, a lot of forgettable characters except the main 2 but I must say some bits are pretty clever and heart warming. I just cannot recall after I have closed the book. This is a fantasy book and in reality no dogs can get along with cats.
• 
  Wendy

  Its a fun, happy and thoughtful read in a time when I need something easy and cheerful. I love that in a lot of ways, its much more than a comic strip.
• 
  Jamie

  While "Pearls" may be the wittiest and the funniest, "Mutts" is the cutest and most touching.
• 
  Spencer

  Wish this was a little more comprehensive. Patrick McDonnell's insights weren't very useful. I think he's too close to the strip to be able to see what's so great about it.
• 
  Denise Talamantez

  I absolutely loved this book. It chronicles about 10 years of mutts.
• 
  Vali

  As a pet person, I love mutts. The cartoons aren't always laugh-out-loud funny, but they are always heart-warming.
• 
  Stephanie

  Who does not love Mutts? Mooch and Earl provide their usual shenanigans in the most adorable way. Very nice book, a keeper.
• 
  Rizal

  I love and adore this Mutts comic strips collection!
• 
  Satthiya Kandi

  BIG SHINY 5 STARS! I love this book! Get it the next time you guys stumble upon it in BBW! I mean it! Geddddit!!!!
• 
  David Rickert

  I just couldn't get into this as much as I thought I would. Too saccharine for me and the lisp is irritating. However, I appreciate that a strip like this exists.
• 
  l

  saw this at the library. it's very gentle. soothes my bar exam studying brain.
• 
  Alger Smythe-Hopkins

  Meh meh meh meh meh, meh meh, meh meh meh. Meh meh meh.
  
  The most important thing that I discovered in this tenth anniversary edition of the Best O f the Mutts comic is that Mutts has always been the saccharine LOL CATZ waste of newsprint that it is today. All things to all people, Mutts presents no insights, no thoughts, no humor. Instead it is the mildest of mildly amusing animal strips. A Family Circle of the Garfield set. So mild in fact that even McDonnell's stab at satire with a Garfield inspired "Sourpuss" character rounds out the sharp edges of that other comic page perennial disappointment. I mean, come on, even "Get Fuzzy" had a period of relevance. If there is one upside, it is that McDonnell regularly has one eye on comics history. His compositions are lovely, the colors perfectly chosen, and the action (what there is of it) is well paced.
• 
  Selena

  If you like animals, you need to read this collection. Especially if you or someone you know has a cat and/or dog. :)