Touching the hearts and tickling the funny bones of readers since 1971, Ziggy is a cultural icon. Who knows how many yellowed and curling clippings of the cartoon are displayed on refrigerators, computers, doors, and bulletin boards across America? Some of the most cherished panels are ones that feature Ziggy performing small acts of kindness and good works. The best of these are collected in the latest Ziggy book, Character Matters.

The charm of Ziggy is that he lives a sweetly simple life. Things often don't go his way, but he always perseveres and maintains his sunny outlook. Ziggy is Everyperson, the part of us that harbors warm feelings and good intentions, but sometimes gets stepped on by a reckless world. In the great tradition of Ben Franklin, Roy Rogers, and Forrest Gump, Ziggy delivers his own homespun philosophy and retains his individualism and character, regardless of the transforming forces at work in a swiftly changing world.

Comforted and inspired by his steadfastness, his tenacity, and his gentle spirit, Ziggy fans have been intensely loyal for over three decades.

 "[Zits] is one of the most visually innovative comic strips to come along in years. Borgman's graphic pyrotechnics are the perfect complement to Scott's carefully designed layouts."—Brian Walker, The Comics Since 1945The world is full of issues but none so pressing as those faced by a teenager. For proof, look no further than Zits, the timely teenage-focused strip that now appears in more than 1,100 newspapers worldwide. This two-time recipient of the National Cartoonists Society's Award for Best Newspaper Comic Strip follows the life of 15-year-old Jeremy Duncan, a kid bursting with questions, concerns, hormones, and insecurities. Cast adrift between the worlds of peer and parent, Jeremy survives by clinging to his sense of humor . . . the universal flotation device of the teenage years.

  Creators Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman pull all of this eating, dating, driving, and parental angst and energy together in Road Trip! Zits Sketchbook #7. This hilarious collection contains the very popular series of strips that follows Jeremy and his best amigo, Hector, as they actually (okay, and accidentally) get to test-drive their van. Yes, that van on the cover.

Few comic strips have hit the heart of the human-pet relationship the way MUTTS does. But it's the fact that the duo are everyday pets, with relationships to their owners that ring true, that makes MUTTS work." -Pet Life

I Want to Be the Kitty marks the eighth collection of this award-winning strip and is the follow-up to the successful What Now. As usual, the lovable duo of Earl the dog and his feline friend Mooch can be counted on for charming adventures and out-loud laughs.

The sweet and unique friendship of this special dog and kitty comes through in every strip. When Mooch decides one January morning he's going to hibernate by staying in bed all winter, Earl tries desperately to get him out of bed until he finds out himself how "toashty" it is, in the words of Mooch. Next thing you know, Mooch has a bedmate who announces "I'll see ya in March." The two snore though hibernation together-that is, until they are called for dinner.

With its expressive art and clever, sometimes philosophical, pet banter, MUTTS has built a large and loyal fan base among readers and fellow cartoonists worldwide. The strip has been the discussion topic of Tonight show guests (Brooke Shields), and it's earned the National Cartoonists Society's coveted Comic Strip of the Year Award. And now, as a testament to its ever-growing popularity, fans in New Jersey can show their loyalty to the strip-and animal protection-by getting a state license plate complete with Earl and Mooch and the slogan "Animal Friendly." In MUTTS, cartoonist Patrick McDonnell has created a classic strip that not only delivers consistent laughs but often a message as well.

"The humor is a wickedly authentic blend of young-professional-bachelor shtick and pets-from-hell high jinks. . . . And, perhaps best of all, the strip keeps getting better." Indeed, Get Fuzzy has rocketed to the top of the list of syndicated newspaper strips. It now appears in 250 newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Examiner, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Detroit Free Press, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Seattle Times. Readers can't get enough of the goofy trio that populate this hilarious strip: Rob Wilco, the single, mild-mannered advertising executive, and his two rambunctious pets, Bucky, the sharp-fanged, self-absorbed cat, and Satchel, the easygoing mixed-breed dog who ends up on the receiving end of Bucky's mischief. The combination creates Get Fuzzy's astutely witty take on relationships between the species.

Now, in a size and format that's perfect for die-hard fans and those looking for the perfect gift, I Would Have Bought You a Cat, But . . . will become the must-have little treasure for everyone who craves a bit more of the trademark Get Fuzzy foolishness, or just enjoys a good chuckle.