Mutts: Walking Home

Mutts #Treasury 16

by Patrick McDonnell

This collection of Mutts comic strips by Patrick McDonnell captures a year's worth of moments with Earl, Mooch, and the rest of their four-legged friends.

This treasury features an entire year's worth of Mutts comics, including sketch art and illustrations by author Patrick McDonnell. Printed on recycled paper.

Genres: Comic Strips, Graphic Novels, Comics, Humor, Animals, Cats, Dogs

208 pages, Paperback

Published October 25, 2022

About the author

Patrick McDonnell’s comic strip, MUTTS, is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having appeared in over 700 newspapers across 20 countries. MUTTS has received numerous awards for its artistry and its animal and environmental themes. These include the NCS Reuben for Cartoonist of the Year, seven Harveys and the Eisner Humanitarian Award. Charles Schulz called MUTTS “One of the best comics strips of all time.”

BREAKING THE CHAIN: THE GUARD DOG STORY, a collection of his newsworthy story centered freeing MUTTS chained dog, Guard Dog, will be published in fall 2024.
McDonnell’s latest book is THE SUPER HERO’S JOURNEY, a graphic novel love letter to Marvel Comics and Jack Kirby. It was on 11 ‘best of’ lists for 2023.

THE ART OF NOTHING, an oeuvre of McDonnell’s work, comprehensively celebrates Patrick’s comic strip career. McDonnell is also the author of New York Times bestselling picture books, including THE GIFT OF NOTHING and the Caldecott Honor winning ME...JANE (a childhood biography of Dr. Jane Goodall). Both have been adapted as musicals for the Kennedy Center stage. In addition, he has collaborated with spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle on GUARDIANS OF BEING and with poet Daniel Ladinsky on DARLING I LOVE YOU. HEART TO HEART: A CONVERSATION ON LOVE AND HOPE FOR OUR PRECIOUS PLANET is a collaboration with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness has said “It is my hope that this book will open the eyes, minds and hearts of all people.”

In 2021, Ohio State University hosted Side Effects, a major exhibition of his large scale canvases. There will be a year-long retrospective of McDonnell’s comic strips, book illustrations and paintings at the San Diego Comic-Con Museum opening in January 2025.

McDonnell was a member of the Board of Directors of The Humane Society of the United States for 18 years as well as The Fund for Animals, and continues to serve as a director for The Charles M. Schulz Museum and D&R Greenway Land Trust.

You can sign up for the MUTTS daily email at mutts.com.

Reviews

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mutts strips in calendar year form. Really a lovely work for any Mutts fan, and those who may just care about the earth, dogs, cats and our bond with all 3.

[Joe Mello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, heartwarming and cozy.

[Christopher Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the things that I look for in a comic strip: good art, decent jokes and story line, nostalgic/emotional deliverance. This cartoon strip has it all. Patrick’s ability to cause an “emotional feel” with his capture of seasonal backgrounds and frames of “whimsical coziness” send me back to my childhood. I miss the popularity of the newspaper and hate that kids do not have that blessing today. Lots of people only see the attempt at humor in a comic strip and miss the “cultural capture” of seasonal changes and holidays along with the freedom of having a blank canvas to draw out childhood moments.

[Dawn Kravagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the local newspaper dropped Mutts, my favorite comic strip, I’ve started purchasing the yearly book collections from Patrick McDonnell’s website.

These comics are not only amazingly well drawn with a skillful brush hand, but are sweet natured. I mostly smile but occasionally laugh at loud.

I don’t share all of Mr McDonnell’s views, such as becoming a vegan, but everyone’s entitled to their POV and the cartoonist doesn’t dominate the strips with this content.

A great way to start your day by reading a dozen pages or so while eating breakfast.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I want a comfort read, I pick up one of the Mutts volumes. The art is deceptively simple yet has callbacks to Great Masters. The storylines always have more profound messages tucked inside the antics of silly cartoon animals.

[Paul Tubb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mutts is a joy.

This collection is no exception.

There are evenings when all you want to do is cozy up on the couch, with a Cat or two, and enjoy the escapades of Earl and Mooch.

This is as good a collection as any to do this with.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny and adorable! Loved it!

[Lyle Blosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

More fun with Mooch and Earl, and all the gang!

[Beelzefuzz · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Did you read the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe?"
"That's Narnia business."
-only part that made me chuckle

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting for Popeye (and friends) to show up during Crabby’s story of saving King Crab’s Pearl of Wisdom. I also loved the strips mentioning Jane Goodall.

[Dannan Tavona]

Dailies for a year

Daily comic

McDonnell delivers sometimes pithy and sometimes heartwarming images for us to review, from January through December. Mostly amusing. Enjoyed.

[Gaye Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely volume. Some funny bits. Some sad bits. Some acknowledgements of current affairs, which I appreciated. Much wisdom. So much wisdom. Pay attention.

[Al McCarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always in awe of McDonnall’s graceful, beautiful and perfect line work.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Earl and Mooch and the rest of the crew! Mutts is my favorite cartoon!

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another annual collection. Some storylines, never long -- Prosphero the cat wizard can only conjure things from thin air, not thick; weather is fowl because ducks enjoy rain. Some gag-a-day -- is being a wet dog a defense against smelling like one? Some variations on a theme -- Roses are red for Valentine's Day, Giving Thanks. Some rather preachy.

[zoagli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming as always, but not non-stop funny this time. And I wish he’d stop with the acorn jokes, they’re getting tiresome.