The Shadow Knows Mutts

Patrick McDonnell, the talented creator of the comic strip Mutts, draws in a distinctively retro fashion. His compact characters and loose lines seem more akin to George Herriman's Krazy Kat from the 1920s than contemporary humor strips.

McDonnell often references vintage pop culture in his strip (see: Mutts and Kings), especially the Sunday sequences. Yesterday's example was particularly brilliant, as the drawing served a double purpose. It not only referenced a past image, but the nature of that image set up the joke.

Here's the sequence: (click on image to enlarge)

That first drawing refers to a classic 1933 cover of The Shadow magazine at right). And that's the joke. A groundhog not just seeing his shadow, but being the Shadow on Groundhog's Day.

Thanks for another great visual quote, Mr. McDonnell.