Mutts Sunday Mornings, 8: A Mutts Treasury

Mutts often has me smiling with delighted recognition, chuckling at a charming moment or simply laughing -- and laughing and laughing -- out loud. Humor doesn't have to be cynical, mean or caustic to be utterly hilarious. Pure, perfect entertainment.

Mutts is hands down the best daily newspaper strip being published today. There's a perfect balance between cute and smart here and the Sunday strips stand out with clever homages to everything from Norman Rockwell to Captain Beefheart. Sweet and accesible but not stupid, a rare combination these days.

Maybe you've seen "Mutts" in your local paper, and already know of "schnubbing," acorn-bombing squirrels and the Lil' Pink Sock. This edition is Earl and Mooch in full color, and the presentation isn't simply the straightforward reprinting of their Sunday strips--McDonnell has put together a beautiful collection of related art and tight focus panels from the strips themselves. The resulting homages add depth to the strips themselves, which hit high notes of hilarity along with sad reminders that Earl and Mooch are some of the lucky animals in our world. (Let Guard Dog off his chain, you monsters!) This is the best comic strip since Calvin and Hobbes, so get on the bandwagon now.