"Nothing is certain but death and taxes. And laundry." -- Baby Blues proverb When the recipe box has more pizza coupons than recipes, or for those parenting days when all you seem to accomplish is brushing your hair and making a tray of ice cubes, Baby Blues offers parental fatigue redemption. The brainchild of Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott, this Baby Blues treasury features cartoons from Briefcase Full of Baby Blues and Night Shift . From prophetic Baby Blues proverbs like, "The grass is always greener on the knees of your kid's new white pants," to Dinner Table Olympics where Synchronized Whining is the main event, young parents Darryl and Wanda keep pace with energetic children Zoe, Hammie, and baby Wren, as Kirkman and Scott expertly navigate the daily nuances of newborns, nocturnal diaper changes, and the nirvana of family life.
The first half of this treasury is Briefcase Full of Baby Blues: Baby Blues Scrapbook 22 which has many great strips. The second half is Night Shift which isn't as stellar. I noticed many repeat jokes, which is unsurprising in a comic strip this long lived but still disappointing to read in proximity when going through all these collections. No truly insightful strips that I remember, just a steady stream of good-not-great content. As usual, parents will appreciate it more than the childless will.
X-Treme Parenting: A Baby Blues Treasury by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott (Andrews McMeel Publishing LLC 2008) (741.5973). Another collection of the hilarious “Baby Blues” comic strip where Daryl and Wanda McPherson learn what life is like when parents are outmanned by their three pre-teen children. Hats off to the writers, for it’s hard to be funny every day, yet they somehow manage. My rating: 7.5/10, finished 11/1/2010.