The Inspired Mutts
by David Folkman

How Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell tips his hat to classic comic strips, comic books, and fine art in his Sunday strips

To the reader, Patrick McDonnell's love of drawing Mutts is infectious. Clearly, he has fun with it. His daily strip, meditative and funny, is a quiet reminder of why we turn to the comics section. His Sunday page is reminiscent of an era when cartoonists such as Winsor McCay and George Herriman mixed their palettes to strikingly unique effect. Whereas many contemporary cartoonists seem content to add a few panels linking together a Sunday strip, McDonnell continually redefines his space and achieves a colorful panorama to the delight of his growing legion of fans.

Some readers have been content with part of the magic of the Sunday Mutts; they don't know what they've been missing. Readers fortunate enough to have a Sunday newspaper carrying Mutts intact are treated to his inventive opening logo panel. Subscribing newspapers have the option of deciding whether a syndicated Sunday strip will run full-size or trimmed. (Most syndicates instruct their cartoonists to draw on a template to allow some panels, including the logo, to be dropped without affecting the context of the strip.) McDonnell's logo panel gives him the opportunity to pay homage to nearly every artist (within and without comics) he admires.

We hope McDonnell's insights on the following pages will give readers a renewed appreciation of the craft he brings to Mutts and another reason why his work is a modern treasure.

"This strip was about how pets perceive their owners as being able to do anything for them. I did the strip first, and then I wanted to do an opening panel with a powerful character, and Superman is the ultimate powerful character. Drawing Ozzie as Superman was a natural."