A Note From Patrick: Holidays 2023

Dear readers,

Is it the Holiday newsletter already? Wow. What a fast and interesting year it’s been. Way back in January, Heart To Heart, my collaboration with the Dalai Lama, was published. And in April I had the opportunity to travel to Dharamshala, India, and present the book to His Holiness in person.

In September I became part of the Marvel Universe with the publication of The Super Hero’s Journey, my "collaboration” with comic book legends Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko.

And, on November 1, the Guard Dog story began in the MUTTS comic strip running in newspapers and on MUTTS.com. I’m so appreciative and moved by your responses to Guard Dog and Doozy’s journey. Thanks for all your support. I have a lot more to say about that, so will be writing a separate letter about Guard Dog and will be sending it out soon.

While I was completing the art for the Guard Dog and holiday strips, the 2023 leg of my tour for The Super Hero’s Journey was also wrapping up. It was fun to again travel to speak about a new book and meet so many MUTTS readers who could relate to the book’s themes: growing up reading Marvel super hero comics and the inspiration and impact of art. This tour took me to NYC, Baltimore, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and Miami.

This weekend, on Saturday, December 2, I’ll be in conversation with Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber at the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice in Princeton, NJ. He’s an insightful interviewer and I’m looking forward to it.

And on the following Saturday (December 9), there will be a reception for a print exhibit of my environmentally themed MUTTS comic strips in Princeton at D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center.

Then I’ll be home catching up and decorating the tree. 

Wishing you and your loved ones the merriest of holidays. Let’s look forward to an even better 2024.

Patrick

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— Alison Datko

Comments (64)

I, along with everyone else am overjoyed to see the Holiday season begin with the freeing of Guard Dog. In my estimation long overdue, as the “object lesson” in having a cartoon dog chained to a stake for so many years is totally lost on those who would do that kind of thing to a dog in the first place. They were and are so uncaring as to not even notice the plight of Guard Dog and if they did, it would mean nothing to them. Many of them are probably not capable of reading a comic strip to start with, in my experience. I remember an email exchange with Patrick decades ago on this subject where I said pretty much what I’ve said here, and he did not agree, exactly, which is understandable. On the other hand, I’m sure his strips have influenced those who have struggled to have laws passes outlawing chaining up a dog (including me) which is a real plus. That said, GUARD DOG IS FREE! I can’t wait to see his first Christmas with Doozy!

Don G. Boyer

First, I should say that I cry easily over any and everything, such that my kids call me “Mom the maple tree” because I’m so sappy! That said, they all understand why I’ve been crying while reading email lately and are as fully invested in seeing Guard Dog free as I am, we all want the best for Guard Dog! Over the years, all of our dogs have been rescues, most of them having found us but one also having come from a shelter. Our most recent rescue is from a state that is ranked #1 in number of puppy mills. He was running as a stray and we’ve wondered if he, too had been a Guard Dog who finally broke free of his chain. He’ll never know a chain, none of ours will and we will continue to pray for Guard Dogs everywhere. In the mean time, we’ll closely follow Mutts, I’ll cry every morning when I read my email and we’ll pray we see Guard Dog happily settled in with Ozzie or Doozy, living his best life as every single good boy or girl out there deserves!

Chris Finney

So many have said exactly what I wished to say and so poignantly. I have never (NEVER) been so invested in a comic …or book … or movie … or … ANYTHING as I have been in the Guard Dog arc. Honestly, I’ve cried every day hoping against hope it wouldn’t be too late (you wouldn’t do that to us, surely) and yelled YES! out loud when Ozzie arrived and said, “But first we have to remove this chain”!!!! OMG, what a moment. Patrick, thank you for all you do. I can’t wait to see G.D. running free in his new forever home.

Cristi McGill

Patrick, I have been loving your Guard Dog series this past month! It’s been breaking my heart. I have to say that your Shelter Stories were the inspiration for one of our dogs’ names! Back in November of 2014 or 2015, I think… You had a Shelter Story of Reggie. Well, we found our Reggie that same year and adopted her from a rescue! Yes, our Reggie is a female, and she has been THE BEST girl ever!
Thank you for your stories, and I hope you keep on keepin’ on with Shelter Stories and more inspiring stories like Guard Dog’s!

Shannon Kerley

I have loved MUTTS forever! I open the paper every day to the comics so I can read the latest. GUARD DOG captured our hearts! I am so nervous every day to see what happmini-pinen. I also have to say I was very scared, but I knew you wouldn’t lose GUARD DOG. Your work with animal rescues warms my heart and even led us to adopting our little Mini Pin (Luna) from a local no kill shelter. We have been animal lovers forever and know your comic strips are a treasure

Jan Barlow

Three years ago, my wife and I bought our first dog. To say that I wasted 65 years not having a dog is an understatement. I’ve always cared for animals but Beasley has magnified how I look at animals and connect with them. I’ve been following MUTTS for a couple of years and have just been exposed to Guard Dog. I have seen Guard Dog a couple times in my life and only thought that Guard Dogs were few and far between. Little did I know. Thank you for shedding light on the issue and saving some animals’ miserable living conditions.

Tony Nastasi

Oh my heart, Guard Dog! I have been on the edge of my chair all month about this, getting more anxious every day. Hoping he will have his own book someday(with a happy ending of course), to further spread the word about this sad situation that too many dogs share.

Anne Wilde

Ever since you first introduced us to Guard dog i wanted to scream/scold his owners… and now… everyday i am crying with what that poor sweet dog has gone through and is going through. thank heaven for Mooch, Earl and Doozy and that they knew to get Ozzie. My heart is breaking, because while i am hopeful that you will give Guard dog his HEA with Doozy, I am very aware that too many dogs (and cats) do not get theirs. It makes me treasure my sweet Fur-baby Petey all the more (he was a rescue). in fact watching Earl and Mooch reminds me of my Petey-puppy and Shnookie cat when we first got them (17 years ago). thank you for this wonderful strip. I do look forward to it every day.

Charlene A Perez

Have we ever seen the owner of GD? I think I remember him once. Am I right?

carrie deleon

Well, your Guard Dog stories these past weeks have had quite the effect on all of us, tears, screams, shout outs, hope, but most of all love. The plight of animals suffering, being exploited is being brought to light. Will most see the bigger picture of what is done to them…the fHarmed animals, lab experiment animals, animals imprisoned for entertainment in zoos, aquariums, & circuses … Guard Dog, oh how we love him and have hoped for all too many years that he would be released… I have always acquired kittykats through rescue, kitty’s have found me at Grand Central in NYC, on streets, in parking lots, and have brought them home with me. What a journey of love to rescue a sweet soul in need!…thank you Patrick for a most profound month!…

Valerie