The Dog Is Not a Toy

The strips in "The Dog Is Not a Toy" are great but they and the strips in "Get Fuzzy 2, Fuzzy Logic" are both included in the "Groovitude" anthology. So don't buy this one if you already have "Groovitude."

"Get Fuzzy" chronicles the day to day life of Rob and his "friends" (pets) Bucky, the psychotic (is there any other kind?) cat and his hapless, loveable shar-pei Satchel. This comic is the most precise, dead on accurate portrayals of pet life ever written. Artistically, "Get Fuzzy" is one of the most detailed comics out there (artists and other funky people will love Conley's attention to detail - like lamps that are plugged in, slogans on shirts) and really well drawn (check out Bucky's little belly and alarmingly astute facial expressions). Sometimes he doesn't even need words and you will be rolling on the floor laughing. But he uses words well, too. My favorite aspect of the comic is that the character development is extremely advanced. Satchel, Rob and Bucky (and even Rob's dad and my favorite character, Joe Doman)have distinct, hysterically funny and spot-on personalities. Almost every strip of "Get Fuzzy" gets a laugh ... but funny though it is, it is also poignant. Satchel, an innocent in a mad, mad world, offers moments of "Oh, Satchel!" when you remember that pets aren't just for entertainment, they're part of a symbiotic relationship - we need them, and they need us. In short, I LOVE GET FUZZY. I am the proud owner of a Satchel and a female-Bucky (I know, you pity me yet you are strangely drawn to my world) and I discovered "Get Fuzzy" last year. Any pet owner should read this comic - not only are you not alone, you are in great company!

Darby Conley and "Get Fuzzy" have found a lifelong fan in me. I haven't felt this way about a comic strip since Calvin and Hobbs. Both strips share the same kind of laugh-out-loud humor about things that everyone can indentify with - ESPECIALLY pet owners and PARTICULARLY cat owners (or is it, humans who belong to cats?). GF and C & H also share the ability to make you laugh in almost any frame of the strip. In other words, it's not your standard and very tired "set up, set up, set up, punchline." Sometimes the funniest part might occur in the first frame or in the middle frame. Occasionally it might just be a word, like "Smacky," the name of Bucky's doll (the line, "I'm packin' Smacky" still makes me laugh to think about it, though regrettably that particular strip is not in the book). Conley also brings Bucky and Satchel alive as it seems very reasonable and natural to have a cat and dog interacting and speaking with people (none of the "thought bubbles" you associate with pet strips like Garfield). And though both animals act very human, Conley still manages to capture and nail the essence of feline and canine behavior. There are very few books that I find myself revisiting once I've read them. This is one of them. Mr. Conley, if you're reading this, I offer my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for your work. When can we expect the next book?!?! How about a stuffed Bucky or Satchel?In the meantime, I'll content myself with starting each morning with the daily strip at comicsdotcom and perusing "This Dog is Not a Toy" whenever I need a good laugh.

I grew up with a Siamese Cat & my sister has had 2 Golden Retriever's. Darby Conley hits the nail on the head when portraying Dog & Cat (especially a cat with siamese blood) behavior. I find myself either chuckling or laughing out loud at this strip. The fact that Bucky & Satchel have these anthropomorphic qualities is what makes this so endearing. You really feel for their "guy" Rob. Deep down inside you can see that Rob really loves Bucky.

These hilarious cartoons will bring a wry smile to anyone who has owned a cat or dog, better still both! Satchel is a podgy, easy going character, a little naive and slow on the uptake; while the cat is warped and probably related to Lucretia Borgia. Luckily the cat is primarlily interested in fish otherwise the household would be doomed.What raises these cartoons above the ordinary is that the cat and dog reflect on human foibles and act like mini humans but with dog and cat desires. When typically human machinations are used to obtain some fish, somehow the absurdity of it all is laid bare.This all makes it sound rather pretentious, but its not (not so sure about the reviewer though!) They are hilarious!