Thirty years of Earl, Mooch and MUTTS. That’s 210 years to Earl.

Time is a funny thing. Sometimes 30 years of my drawing a daily comic strip seems like forever. Sometimes it feels like I've just gotten started. When you're in the process of making art, you're in the present moment — a timeless state. For me that's also true when you're viewing art, and I know that's true when you're engaged with your beloved companion animal.

Comic strips don’t really have a beginning or an end. They are just always there for you — Ignatz is still throwing a brick at Krazy, Charlie Brown is still trying to kick the football, and Mooch will always be loving his little pink sock.

People like to celebrate the passage of time with numbers. Thirty years, 1,560 Sunday pages, 9,390 dailies, 10,950 total comic strips, and 42 MUTTS book collections, but embedded deeply in time and numbers is the love. That’s the real celebration. It’s the love for the art of comic strips and for all animals.

And the love for all the wonderful people and critters I've met on this journey. With MUTTS I've been blessed to have spent some time with Charles Schulz, Eckhart Tolle, Daniel Ladinsky, Jane Goodall, the Dalai Lama, and so many wonderful cartoonists and animal welfare advocates. Their big hearts, kindness, and optimism have touched me deeply as has all your support over the years.

Thirty years ago, when I first started MUTTS, I wanted to try and capture on paper in pen and ink the unconditional love and joy of my precious dog, Earl. It's been a true pleasure and honor to have spent that time at my drawing board with his eternal spirit.

Happy anniversary.

Patrick

 

 ***

To read more about the history of MUTTS, visit the 30th Anniversary page

Comments (13)

ur. comic strip brings joy to me as well as to my bengal cat ..JW..she listens to all the posts as i read out loud. u have given us hope since my husband died, and i read it with a smile as i read to him as well. ty. RUBY W.

ruby m wachtel

Thank you for highly the need for plans when one is no longer able to care for one’s self and precious animal companions. Most board and care facilities that we looked at could not accommodate any non service animal for fear it would violate healths rules etc. however seeing how my 2 furballs have adapted to a new home, the first choice was a friend who at 85 has retired completely from re
Cue and boarding animals.

Rebecca

I have been a fan of MUTTS for many, many years. I now have my copy of “Breaking the Chain” and it is a wonderful telling of Guard Dog’s story and so much more. My deepest thanks to Patrick for all he does for animals and for all he does to make us aware of the needs of these precious creatures. Get the book!

Diane Miller

I second all the wonderful, heartfelt messages that have been written. I am pretty new to MUTTS but they never cease to brighten my day. I am also an animal lover and very grateful for your support of abandoned and abused animals. And also very happy Sparky has a new home :) Thank you for sharing your gift with all of us.

Nancy Warchol

Mutts is a joy for me to read every morning. Mooch and Earl embody human frailties, emotions, and simple joy. On top of that, they totally crack me up! I am so grateful to Patrick and his staff.

Maranne Doyle-Laszlo

Your Mutts characters are so ingrained in my life that when an acorn hit me in the head while camping in Northern New Jersey, I wondered what Bip and Bop were doing there!

Deborah Swanner

Your Mutts characters are so ingrained in my life that when an acorn hit me in the head while camping in Northern New Jersey, I wondered what Bip and Bop were doing there!

Deborah Swanner

Thank you for 30 years of MUTTS and your love of and compassion for animals. Your MUTTS friends are so ingrained in my life that when an aci

Deborah Swanner

Thank you for bringing Laughter and Tears of joy to my life!

L. McClung

Congratulations on the 30 years! I can’t remember when I first saw your strip but it’s been at least 20 years. When we stopped receiving a paper, I searched for you on-line. Mutts has always been my favorite strip… it always grabs my emotions – joy, friendship, love, compassion, sadness, and awareness. Thank you for honoring your little Earl! You brighten my day! God Bless You and the work you do on behalf of the animals of this world.
😺 Sharon

Sharon Wurst