I had a number of different thoughts about today's TOP 10 list, but none of them struck me as something worth sharing. That is, until I read today's comics page in the newspaper. Also, my friend, Neil, is getting married tomorrow and since he's a comic book writer/artist, I decided to dedicate today's list to him.

Unfortunately, due to unfortunate circumstances, I had to cancel my plans to be there. But I want him to know that I'm very happy for him and for his soon-to-be-wife, Laurie. So, in honor of their pending nuptuals, here is this week's list.

Top Ten All-Time Favorite Comic Strip Characters
(comic books and newspapers)

10. Dean (Liberty Meadows)
The resident male-chauvanist and, of course, pig. He’s a hero to men and a punching bag for women. Just like most guys.

9. Marvin (Marvin)
A chubby baby. Is their anything cuter than that?

8. Sid (Ernie, Piranha Club)
The sleaziest character of them all. He’d sell him mama for dinner. Oh wait, he already did that.

7. Hobbes (Calvin and Hobbes)
Say what you want about this strip. But my impression was that Hobbes was the real one. Everyone else didn’t exist.

6. Zonker (Doonesbury)
It takes incredible characters to make strip last for over 30 years. Zonker was definitely a “character”. Howard Hessman once said that his portrayal of Dr. Johnny Fever was based on the Zonk.

5. Zebra (Pearls Before Swine)
Zebra may well go down in history as the last uneaten prey of his herd. Of course living next to those crocs makes it easy.

4. Asok (Dilbert)
Another punching bag. You have to wonder why Asok stays with the company. It can’t be the experience.

3. Betty (Archie Comics)
Betty was the prettiest and I always hated Archie for drooling over Veronica. Veronica may have the most money, but Betty has the best everything else.

2. Sherman (Sherman’s Lagoon)
A shark so dumb as to have a Dorito stuck in his brain and have no one notice. He makes Peter Griffin look like a Mensa member. If not for Megan and Hawthorne, he’d be a tuna platter.

1. Opus (Bloom County)
Far and away the greatest comic strip character ever created. Ever since the “two dips and a dad”, “Pear pimples for hairy fishnuts and, of course, “Dan Fogerburp’s butt”, I’ve been privileged to read every Bloom County and Outland strip ever written. I have missed a number of the current strips, but that aside, Opus is, was and always will be the best.

Other comics considered:

Linus (Peanuts)
Frances (Momma)
Harry L. Dinkle band guy (Funky Winkerbean)
Grimmy (Mother Goose and Grimm)
Chief of the Poohawks (Tumbleweeds)
Jeremy (Zits)
Preacher Will B. Dunn (Kudzu)
Snuffy (Snuffy Smith)