Mutts: The Comic Art of Patrick McDonnell

Rating:
Summary: Duh, it's Mutts, of course it's good
Review: I love this book. I love all his books. You see so much of yourself in the humor he conveys with all of the animals, not just Mooch and Earl. I do have one question though. "What does this book have to do with John Carlin?!?!?!?" See the above review referring to the following: "John Carlin has been a lawyer, college professor, art critic, music producer, and TV director. He is currently organizing a survey of 20th-century American comics, cartoons, and comic books for the Museum of Contemporary Art and the UCLA Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Cofounder of the media design and production company Funny Garbage, he is also founder and creative director of the Red Hot Organization, a not-for-profit music and video production company." Somebody made a boo boo.

Rating:
Summary: Charming!
Review: Mutts: The Comic Art of Patrick McDonnell is a delightful collection showcasing the history of Mr. McDonnell's talent. Each of the Mutts characters is discussed thoroughly, including how they evolved and what they mean to him. I especially enjoyed seeing the pages of brainstorming sketches used to think through the developing characters. What a treat!

Also included are plenty of those brilliant title panels and other strips, including Bad Baby. Throw in photographs of the artist's sculptures and lots of wonderful quotes ("There are no ordinary cats." -- Colette) and you have a delightful book of collected works that's a joy to own.

Truly a must for the Mutts fan, yesh!

Rating:
Summary: Whish I could give 10 stars for a beautiful book!
Review: Often artists who draw for newspaper syndication rightly complain about how their work suffers when it is compressed into the small, ugly world of newsprint. If you've ever wanted to see your favorite strip full-size and gorgeous, and "Mutts" is that strip, then you will want to buy this book! McDonnell's art has never been more beautifully displayed on the printed page. For instance, in this wonderfully oversized book some color Sunday panels take up two whole pages while gaining, not losing, crispness and vividness in color, clarity and detail - elements lost in small newsprint.

Loyal afficinadios of McDonnell's "Mutts" will not be able to resist this fascinating book. Anyone interested in the evolution of and creative process behind comic strips will enjoy the work. The price may seem steep at first, but the sheer quality of the book as well as its content make it a bargain.

First, the book quality is first-rate: the glossy pages are heavy and clear, the binding is tight, and the illustrations leap off the page. The layout (well-conceived and artistic, as befits the subject) and accompanying text provide an enthralling history lesson of comic art in the 20th century (and how that history has influenced McDonnell - he even shows certain "Mutts" strips against other strips to illustrate where certain of his ideas originated). Of course, the book specifically displays the talent, sensitivity and humor of McDonnell. Finished strips are grouped into themes, e.g, characters (it's fascinating to see Ozzie come to "life,") or content (the important and endearing "Shelter Stories" gets its own section); these are accompanied by intriguing sketch work, doodles, preliminary drawings, and the like. (NB: for the reviewer who wondered why there were two bios in the book description; the other gentleman is an "editor" of sorts; he helped McDonnell compile work, organize it, and provide history. So it is relevant information, though it could be better labeled.)

In sum: for those "Mutts" fans who have waited to get a "little sneak peek" at the person responsible for "Mutts" magic, this book will be on your holiday gift list! It's already on mine!

I'm not sure I'd recommend *this* book for the "uninitiated" because of price and detail. Buy some of McDonnell's other collections first (I believe there are eight or nine) and let yourself fall in love with Mooch, Earl, Ozzie, and the rest of the "Mutts" menagerie. Then get this book and dive into this amazingly detailed look at the wonder and genius involved in creating the world of "Mutts" and a revealing look at the creator of that world.

Rating:
Summary: Very, very good, but not much is new here
Review: One of the best new comic strips to come down the pike in the last ten years is Patrick McDonnell's Mutts.

Cute doggie Earl and rascally Mooch have an understated charm that's reminiscent of the relationship between Snoopy and Charlie Brown before Snoopy took to the air in his imaginary Sopwith Camel.

Mutts is a down-to-Earth examination of how pets fit into the lives of their masters and vice-versa.

McDonnell's sensitivities derive from his simple yet eloquent style that draws upon the love and empathy that the strip's characters have for each other.

The book itself is a wonderful reprinting of many of his best daily and Sunday color strips. Also included are notes that cite the sources of the title panels of the Sunday strips that pay homage to old record albums, comic book covers, famous works of art, and movie posters.

The true fan of the Mutts strip will consider this book a 'must-have'. However, I have to admit that if you've been purchasing the Mutts collections printed so far, there's scant new material in this book. For a book of its size, the autobiographical information is very lean. There was probably more to read about McDonnell in a recent Star-Ledger newspaper interview than in this book.

I bought it for myself as a frivolous, self-indulgent treat. You might not want to do likewise.

Rating:
Summary: Yesh! A Book Better Than a Pink Sock!
Review: Patrick McDonnell's work is among the very best gracing the newspaper comic strip pages today. There is a genuine quality to his work; an honesty that shines forth from the funnies. It is truly wonderful to see Abrams honor McDonnell and "Mutts" with this absolutely terrific monograph. The design of the book is scrumptious. Each page is carefully considered and I love the way that the designer combined sketchbook doodles and finished comic strips. It was also great to see references given for the Sunday page logo panels. They bring you just a little bit closer to the work.

And the work is really the main event here. The reproduction quality is glorious, giving us a sneak peak at what originals might look like. The color--oy, what color--is beautifully printed. If you can't see the original drawings, this book is the next best thing. The selection of work is great. They chose some of Mutts' very best, including the wonderful ice cream cone gag! That one remains one of my very favorites.

There are some really nice insights here, though they're not overblown. Like the strip itself, McDonnell writes in a true, succint way, then he lets his strip do the talking. You really get a sense of how invested he is in his creation.

If you're a Mutts fan, you can't pass this book up. And if you know of any Mutts fans who don't yet have this book, you can bank a bunch of karma by buying a copy for them. They'll love you more than a pink sock for it.

Rating:
Summary: Yesh!
Review: This is the ultimate MUTTS book. In addition, it's a wonderful description of the creative genius that Patrick McDonnell applies to every detail of his art. For those of us who are decidedly not artistic (me, for instance), the book is educational and thought-provoking: hey, what did happen to the "artistic" side of my brain? Note: if you are a MUTTS fan, be sure to visit the official website at muttscomics.com.