Final Cathy Comic Strip

My masculinity will probably get impugned for this, but I'd like to say goodbye to the comic strip Cathy. That is one of the few comic strips I always read when I did read the funnies.

As with many comic strips, I thought the early years were the best. I lost touch with Cathy a few years ago the LVRJ said they had to cut three comic strips from their page, and let the readers vote on the three to be cut. It is not surprising that the conservatives voted to nix Doonsbury, and the liberals voted to get rid of Mallard Fillmore. The third to get voted off was Cathy.

So, in the final strip, which appeared yesterday, Cathy finally gets pregnant. I can't help but feel happy for Cathy's mom. That could be the basis of more years of material, but I say go out on a high note. Thanks for the laughs Cathy, and cartoonist Cathy_Guisewite. Enjoy the next chapter in your lives.

Sorry to disagree with you, but I can't stand Cathy. When I was younger, I used to read _all_ the funnies and Cathy was always the hardest to get through. I just couldn't relate to the material. Later on, I felt Guisewite repeated herself in the artwork and the arc of the strip was always the same: innocuous statement, build-up to some tension, flailing arms and mania by the end. It just didn't seem funny to me. That said, I wish her the best, but I can't say I'll miss the strip.

For the record, my favorite strips are "For Better or For Worse" (miss that one!), "Garfield," and "Doonesbury." I also like "Get Fuzzy" for a more modern touch. Many people say "Calvin and Hobbes" is the best comic strip of all time, and while I think it's good, I don't think that Waterson stuck with it long enough to make it an all-time great. The others I mentioned are consistently funny and have a long-running story as well.

Actually, I take that back that Cathy was the hardest strip to get through. There was a strip called "Sylvia" that was just flat-out weird. Does anyone remember that one?

For what it's worth, I never enjoyed the "dramatic" strips like Mary Worth or Judge Parker.

Quote: teddys

For the record, my favorite strips are "For Better or For Worse" (miss that one!),

Maybe your local paper dropped it, but For Better of For Worse is still around. You can follow it online at

http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/

Quote: GenWyzgy

Maybe your local paper dropped it, but For Better of For Worse is still around. You can follow it online at

http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/

Those are reprints. My paper still carries it. They are running the whole thing over from the beginning. That's why Michael is a toddler in the ones you linked too.

If anybody is an a market that gets "Funky Winkerbean," you are in for a treat, because he really deals with some serious issues and his characters are funny, too. He has "rebooted" the strip twice and the characters jump in age each time.

Quote: teddys

Sorry to disagree with you, but I can't stand Cathy. When I was younger, I used to read _all_ the funnies and Cathy was always the hardest to get through. I just couldn't relate to the material. Later on, I felt Guisewite repeated herself in the artwork and the arc of the strip was always the same: innocuous statement, build-up to some tension, flailing arms and mania by the end. It just didn't seem funny to me. That said, I wish her the best, but I can't say I'll miss the strip.

That's fine. Most men hate Cathy. I've met some women who didn't like it either. Yes, it was repetitive, in both topics and the structure, which you mentioned. However, I think fans felt comfort in that. Kind of like how it was always funny when Moe poked Curly in the eyes.

Quote: teddys

For the record, my favorite strips are "For Better or For Worse" (miss that one!), "Garfield," and "Doonesbury."

Garfield?! Come one, that one is extremely repetitive and predictable.

Quote: teddys

Many people say "Calvin and Hobbes" is the best comic strip of all time...

Count me as one of them. My top three are Calvin and Hobbes, the Far Side, and Peanuts. Waterson was running thin on material and ended strong, rather than string it out as long as he could. I applaud him for doing that.

Quote: teddys

There was a strip called "Sylvia" that was just flat-out weird. Does anyone remember that one?

I gotta agree with you on that one. (Sylvia link)

Quote: teddys

For what it's worth, I never enjoyed the "dramatic" strips like Mary Worth or Judge Parker.

I followed Mary Worth back in the eighties but got bored with it.

I've only ever read Cathy because "Pearls Before Swine" and "Liberty Meadows" both took the piss out of it on many occasions. I liked Get Fuzzy at first, but it seems to have gotten stale recently...

Frank Cho went on to do other things and publish LM outside of the dailies (I have several of his collections).

I also read XKCD and Questionable Content online, with my daily dose of Calvin and Hobbes, and Adam@Home..

Quote: teddys

Quote: GenWyzgy

Maybe your local paper dropped it, but For Better of For Worse is still around. You can follow it online at

http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/

Those are reprints. My paper still carries it. They are running the whole thing over from the beginning. That's why Michael is a toddler in the ones you linked too.

....

Are you sure about that Teddy? I thought I read that the author decided to "start over", i.e., they went back to the original premise and were showing an alternate storyline with new strips, with the kids as youngsters. I think the final strip of the old storyline (with the kids grown and with grand kids) alluded to this before the new storyline started.

Quote: Doc

Are you sure about that Teddy? I thought I read that the author decided to "start over", i.e., they went back to the original premise and were showing an alternate storyline with new strips, with the kids as youngsters. I think the final strip of the old storyline (with the kids grown and with grand kids) alluded to this before the new storyline started.

You may be right, Doc. I just thought because of the primitive art, they were just doing reprints, but some information suggests that Johnston is throwing some new material in there as well.

"Garfield" is kind of a guilty pleasure for me. I really was into it as a child, and the Saturday morning cartoon was great. For some reason I really relate to the characters, and it always makes me laugh out loud. I know some people like to put it down, but I like it. My "Cathy," I guess :)

I forgot about Peanuts. That is my pick for best of all time. Just pitch-perfect in every way. I also like "Gasoline Alley" and "Pogo." Classics.

"Liberty Meadows" is very good. I have his collections. I always thought he should have been more widely syndicated.

Quote: teddys

"Liberty Meadows" is very good. I have his collections. I always thought he should have been more widely syndicated.

Too many edgy gags and buxom ladies. Ralph is my hero though.

Quote: teddys

I also like "Gasoline Alley" and "Pogo." Classics.

I think you may be giving away your age.

Quote: thecesspit

Too many edgy gags and buxom ladies.

I feel another "who do you find the most attractive?" poll coming on. Stay tuned.

Calvin and Hobbes hands down was my favorite.

And in a corporate note.....
It is funny how many companies believe Dilbert is based on life within their company.

Quote: Wizard

I think you may be giving away your age.

Those are ageless!

Quote: teddys

Those are reprints. My paper still carries it. They are running the whole thing over from the beginning. That's why Michael is a toddler in the ones you linked too.

Actually FBOFW is supposed to be a mix of reprints and new material. No idea of thbe ratio.