Morning Quickie: When Primal Urges Predominate

THE MORNING LINE:
The quickie a.m. roundup of 'toons, from testosteroned dudes to pheromoned pugilists...

'GET FUZZY' (UPS)Enlarge Image

GET FUZZY: The mere coinage of "cato a dogo" has me at, well, "hola." But the last panel is particularly poetic because really: It distills the entire chemistry of the strip -- at least sans Rob Wilco -- down to these twin primal urges. If a newby needs to understand the ThermoDynamics of "Fuzzy," show 'em this and all be illuminated.

'JUDGE PARKER' (KFS)Enlarge Image

JUDGE PARKER: As Randy's eight-cylinder sexuality deftly takes every curve that April's ride-along sense of adventure has to offer, suddenly -- metaphors a-poppin' -- "We can watch the sun go down" rings like this week's version of "Hiking the Appalachian Trail." Don't cry for them, Godvia Danube.

'SALLY FORTH' (KFS)Enlarge Image

SALLY FORTH: One of the best traits about this strip is that it creates Teddy Boy's existential nerd angst while simultaneously seeming to mock it. That's right: Ted is source of both bent affection and delicious derision. We're not laughing at you, Ted -- we're laughing with you AND at you.

'SPIDER-MAN' (KFS)Enlarge Image

AMAZING SPIDEY: This Riffster can admit it: Wolverine is such a boorish, socially unevolved vulpine-masher that he's now the most electric thing about the strip (that slight is aimed squarely at you, Electro). It's like having some cross of The Donald, James Woods and Brody Jenner over for dinner -- it might be crass, but it's sure never to be dull.

'PEARLS BEFORE SWINE' (UFS)Enlarge Image

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE: That last panel? Best visual payoff o' the day. 'Nuff said.

ELSEWHERE...

'LLOYD DANGLE' (courtesy of cagle.com)

TROUBLE TOWN: A quick kudos to Lloyd Dangle, for splicing together DNA strands from nearly every other mega-wattage tabloid scandal of recent vintage. No mean feat, that. And yet somehow, satirically, is just "mean" enough.