Get Fuzzy: The Dog Is Not a Toy (House Rule #4)

I like very few comics, and most of the ones I loved aren't in the papers anymore: [a:Gary Larson|19928|Gary Larson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1213672623p2/19928.jpg]'s The Far Side, [a:Nicole Hollander|389|Nicole Hollander|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1322693556p2/389.jpg]'s Sylvia cartoons and [a:Bill Watterson|13778|Bill Watterson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1374016829p2/13778.jpg]'s Calvin and Hobbes. I've been enjoying the Sunday version of Get Fuzzy, and thought I'd try and go way back to get a feel for its origins. Get Fuzzy is about an ad guy, Rob, and his two pets, a dog named Satchel and a single-fanged Siamese cat named Bucky.

At least in the beginning, Get Fuzzy is notable show more for Satchel and Bucky that are able to talk to other people: their owner, Rob; his various friends; Rob's dates; his dad when he pet-sits. It's an unusual take and a little surprising in the comics, which mostly maintain the nudge-wink of animals that talk when other people or grown-ups aren't aware. Jokes include Satchel baking a meatloaf using Bucky's cat food, and Bucky taking his allowance early so he can go caterwauling. It works best when it plays on natural animal behaviors such as cats staring randomly into corners or dog-like enthusiasm for food or new friends.

There's a few that made me laugh out loud and many that didn't. I have a soft spot for Satchel, the Shar-Pei-lab cross who applied to be part of the American Kennel Club Purebred Club but was denied. It's a telling strip in more ways that one; it demonstrates Satchel's sweet innocence, but dodges from taking on the big guns. Here's hoping he gains confidence. show less

Bucky is an a*hole. Why is that funny? The only bits I liked were with other people, that is to say Rob's friend Joe, who is "strangely drawn to" that nasty cat, and Rob's father, who doesn't mess around. I will say, though, that I think Rob looks good bald, at least we can see his eyes.

And towards the very end we get small glimpses of 'heart' so maybe the strip gets more nuanced and interesting as it goes along. But I never laughed, and I never wanted to share or even remember a strip, so, hmph.

At first I did not take to this quirky, offbeat strip about a bachelor living with two talking animals, a clueless dog (Satchel) and a misanthropic, self-absorbed cat (redundant, to be sure) named Bucky. Bucky is one of the least likeable characters in comics, but for some reason I've taken to the strip. It is unique, edgy, funny and never mushy, and the noncuteness extends to the artwork.

Great read with many laugh out loud moments. Mr. Darby must have an inside track to our Siamese cat's brain.

Darby Conley's "Get Fuzzy" cartoons are always funny and often hysterical. They also have re-read potentiality. Makes a great bathroom book.

too many "words" in "quotes", but funny even so

A collection of daily and Sunday strips featuring Rob, his dumb but lovable dog Satchel and his snarky cat Bucky.