I’m hoping that there’s little to parody on 25 December, and just in case I have nothing to say (ho, ho, ho!), Scoopy has a wish for us all!

And this is an unaltered comic…I just thought it was very, very nice.

Zippy may have wandered into a lost comic strip universe (R.I.P, Apt. 3G), but nothing is completely forgotten without a cute critter or two (not that I recall why it was in the strip to start with!!).

CC’s Joe Blevins tried to improve the strip (booze). I tried to improve the strip (underwear). Eh.

Every once in a while, Scoopy the Surly Sundae drops by, with a guest or two…

Really sorry. I keep using the hickory horned devil. I’ll try to distract myself in the future. (It’s difficult when you have a melonhead for a patsy.)

…absolutely top-notch, first-rate artwork from the folks penning Prince Valiant these days (up to and including the usual toss-away panel):

This is beautiful!! Of course, I end up doodling around with it (ah, the good old days of the Phantom and the Spirit Lioness!):

…we had pleasure in the sun. But as the time grows closer, it looks as though Dawn may be losing Hugo…

They’ve been prolonging their time in the ocean (the filthy, filthy ocean) not that it’s likely that the couple will stay together.

Looks like Mutts and Sherman the shark and the Melonheads (and who knows who else?) will be hitting the beach. Or the water. Or something.

Still, you have to be careful…

Or not, particularly if you have nine lives (and a little pink sock)…

Taking care of Jeffy would be great practice for you kids…

…only that Dawn ‘n’ Hugo ‘n’ Dolly ‘n’ Billy ‘n’ Jeffy ‘n’ PJ all deserve to be forced into one small watery area. For a long, long time.