An interview with the July Bug!
on July 28, 2016
at 2:52 pm
Chapter: World News
Characters: Agnes, Alice, Baba Mouse, Beatrix, Burt, Buzzy Mouse, Elvis, Lupin, Natasha, Puck, Sir Figaro Newton, Sophie, Tabitha, The Baby, The friendly crew at Quinn Animal Sanctuary, The Golden Mouse, The July Bug, The Man, The Toddler, The Woman, Tillie, Tommy, Trevor, Violet, Wicket
Georgia, I am constantly amazed by your art. I really find it unbelievable that you are not a world-famous children’s book writer/illustrator.
Congratulations, Georgia, it’s a saga! Or even a Chanson! It’s wonderful how it wraps with everyone doing their thing while the July bug passes by, “all’s right with the world” indeed. It took me a few minutes to recognize Tommy’s interview subject as a Wooly Bear. Maybe he’s getting a weather report? And Puck got his bacon, and Tillie and the Golden Mouse are napping. Perfect! It does need to be a children’s book!
SO ADORABLE!!! Beatrix’s sheepish look is brilliant. And annoyed Lupin is just the cutest!
Hail, hail, the gang’s all there, except for a couple of People and one People-ghost.
Georgia, this is stunning. I’m a bit surprised Elvis didn’t go poofy when he got Bug-bombed. Opportunistic Pucky, helping himself to bacon. And Bea goes sheepish–yes!
But Tillie’s HAT was there!
My new favorite saying is “Until next year, my terrible friend.” It goes well with “You’re bad at small talk!”
Beautiful ending to a rollicking chapter!
(Is Tommy interviewing a wooly-bear?)
Yes! He is! 😀
Love Love Love the expressions 🙂 Looking forward to the interview with the Woolly Bear!
I can’t figure out who/what Tommy is trying to interview.
So many great moments on this strip! Bacon Theft, mouse ghosts, Agnes and her mic, mustard art, all the expressions
Mustard art! I had to go back and check. Wonderful!
I salute you, Sir July Bug. Fantastic way to make an exit.
Excellent ending, ma’am.
Thank you, Melinda!
I really like how the July bug stayed true to form-annoying til the end!
Tommy interviewing the caterpillar is so cute! And Trevor hiding his face from an irritated Baba!
And even Wicket has his happy ending having tea with the other rescued wildlife!!
So The Golden Mouse was a Robber Mouse? Perhaps the founding member??
I just love how everyone is tied into this one comic. So many good feels! This one was well worth the wait, and I cannot wait to see it in book form someday. 😄
Who’s Tommy interviewing?
Also, wonderful. So lovely seeing everyone. Brings tears to my eyes.
A random little wooly worm caterpillar. I like to think that Tommy interviews whoever crosses his path, whether the cameras are rolling or not. 🙂
Ahhh, that’s just like him! “Interviewing” is just another way for Tommy to make friends!
I thought it was one of the mice with pom-poms!
“Sir-Or-Madam as the case may be, we’ve heard rumors from the People that you have great weather forecasting abilities. Do you care to comment, and if the rumors are true, what kind of winter can we expect?”
lol, banded = house arrest
I saw that on my second reading. I hope Wicket stays put.
Wonderful!
Georgia, you are one of the few storytellers (and ONLY cartoonist) who can make me smile, laugh out loud, and get teary-eyed all in the span of a few minutes.
Thank you, Dew!!
yesssss! *grabs tissues*
Aaahhh darling Sophie, just when I was wondering what had happened to her. Looking just like a princess in a tower
That’s mustard. She’s painting with mustard!!
This was wonderful. I think we saw everybody. Does Wicket have a band on his leg. I can’t tell who Tommy is interviewing
I have absolutely loved this story arc!!
They all have a band.
Oh my goodness! All star cast with stellar performances. What FUN! Thank you Georgia for this delicious series and it’s most satisfactory conclusion. Kudos to all. Been on pins and needles for weeks and laughed myself silly. Perfection
Georgia, this is an epic strip. Just… WOW.
What a beautiful ending! Everyone is happy, including Wicket (well, maybe not Elvis, but he’ll get over it).
Is that Tillie and Agatha asleep in the clouds?
It is! They are curled up asleep on the stone wall. 🙂
Wait… did the mouse die and i missed it?
Agatha is/was The Golden Mouse, protector of the species. Agnes (and Alice) is her descendant.
Wicket may have a career ahead of him as Little Sweet in the Dr. Pepper commercials. Little Screech maybe?
What a wonderful ending to this story-line. You managed to get everyone in here and I see our little Puck got himself some bacon. even a happy ending for Wicket.
This made me misty. I need to re-read it a few hundred times to appreciate its awesomeness properly. So many of these panels would make wonderful art prints.
I like Puck stealing the bacon and the owl’s new leg band. He really does belong with the rag-tag group that are in rehab with him.
There is another part of this… On Monday, I’m going to begin daily BCN strips! Breaking Cat News every day, in a traditional Monday-Saturday small strips with a larger Sunday strip. And so, as I wrapped up the summer special I wanted to truly go all out and visit each of the characters, with the chaotic help of the July Bug.
Are you ready for daily strips? Am I? We will see! I ask that everyone take a deep breath and give me a little time to win you over to them–it may feel very different at first, but I think it is also going to be very familiar too and very fun. And EVERY DAY!! Every single day!
Will I still do bigger web strips from time to time? Very possible! In fact, when I throw in the occasional ‘Our IX Lives’ strips, most definitely. However, I’m going to try my best to pace myself with smaller daily strips. I painted today’s strip in 24 hours–and I am so proud of that, but also, oh my goodness, I’M not even sure how I managed that!
I’m really looking forward to sharing a daily dose of Breaking Cat News with you. I hope you will enjoy it too! Please give the daily strips a little time to warm up, but I promise there will be a news report right away on Monday, with live coverage of developing cat events!
So… August 1st, here and GoComics… Daily Breaking Cat News, FINALLY!
I’m so happy 😻😻❤️
Yeaaaaaaayyyyyyy!
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
I have been waiting for the day you would announce daily strips! I am beyond excited to read this news!
Yay!! Thank you, Mrs. Dearhouse! <3
I get to read new strips EVERY.SINGLE.DAY, starting Monday???
Whoo-goo and a big ol’ Texas sized “Yee haw!”
I can’t wait!! I get to read BCN with my coffee, and my other favorite comics every Morning!
That just made my day.
😸
Wow! Fantastic news, Georgia!!
***All over the world, shouts of YES,YES, YES!! Can be heard,
No, it’s not for a wrestling event, but rather BCN going daily..**
Oh dear, I hope you are able to keep up with a normal life..
I’m currently keeping an eye out for a rental home so I can safely move
The cats with me…
Congrats Georgia!
I’m glad to hear it, too.
And, Ms Dunn, do you have any problem with your readers sharing ideas? If so, I understand. But I just had to ask.
If it is for the strip, I actually can’t use ideas that people suggest due to copyright stuff later on! I’ve known a couple of folks who worked on shows and such who had trouble with that. And so, even if they are great ideas, I just can’t use them. I did have a reader write a prompt, suggesting the boys going after a cricket once (David, if you’re reading, that was you!) and I sort of changed it to be about Lupin to keep it original.
However, if people send in scripts or anything, no, absolutely not. I suggest that they take that creativity and work on something for themselves!
If people are sharing ideas in the comments about where they think a story is going, I love that! I think you meant ideas for the strip though, and I always give a hard (but gentle) no to that. It’s just too messy, copyright wise.
I do want to clarify though, that I love when people create fan art or even fan fictions using the characters. I think fan fiction is a really important thing for creators to practice with characters they know well. While I can’t use ideas that people send in, I hope that doesn’t dampen anyone’s fun!
I understand, I’ve been a comic book collector for over 50 years now. I wasn’t going to send in scripts or anything, just some things I’d like to see the cats reacting to, based on what my boys do. Thanks for your honesty.
Thank you for understanding! I appreciate it. I’ve seen some creators use ideas given to them with no issue, and I’ve seen some use them and then have some trouble down the road. In Gary Larson’s foreword to the Far Side collection he says one of the best pieces of advice he got was not to use ideas sent in, and it just seems like a safe bet in comics. So many folks would just be happy to lend ideas which is wonderful, but I feel like it could get really sticky if a cartoonist began to rely on that.
Everyone needs their daily News! This is a fabulous expansion of the best strip online. But daily? A busy mom and a talented artist – have you learned to bend space and time? I can’t even imagine. A tip of the hat to you, and I am SOOOO excited to be seeing my favourite critters on a daily basis! Georgia- you rock!
The craziest thing is the two large weekly strips right now are like writing about 9-10 strips a week! I know that daily seems like more work, but the current Monday and Thursday strips are each about 2-3 painted traditional Sunday strips each. This will be a much more livable work load for me, thankfully!
Yay and looking forward to them!
Will you still be posting the daily strips here?
Yes, I will! 🙂
I *love* the tea party. It’s so wind-in-the-willows! And Burt, tangled up in a cord — AV no doubt. And is that a bird Tommy is trying to interview? “Really nailed that interview, Elvis!”
A hedge hog! She’s sweet.
I am so glad that your story ended so well and paid tribute to all of the BCN characters. The ghosts of Tilly and The Golden Mouse are sleeping the sleep of the just and the proud. I hope we get to seem more of Wicket now that he’s been saved by Tommy’s Woman. Perhaps The Man is right and Wicket needs a few good meals in refuge to calm him down. Outstanding storytelling. Thank you again!!
“Ahem”!!
Even Trevor is intimidated. Lol!
Is that mustard art on the window?
It is!!
Yay! Daily strips? I’ve died and gone to heaven. (Cat heaven, of course!)
oh my gosh. what a finale. And maybe just a bit teary. We think we know what you are doing with this beautifully and elaborately rendered reprise of all the characters and locations. Steeling ourselves for the new format. We know we will love it, but….hoping “some” occasional old style strips might pop up here someday. Love you!
For sure, Eva!! And I am steeling myself too… Originally, I was set to begin the daily strips at the end of June. And then I decided, “Nope! One more special, in the original format,” and I am really glad I did. The larger web strips needed a big, fun wrap up!
The daily strips are going to be so much fun. They will feel very different after such a big adventure, but they won’t be without their own adventures eventually, and most important the cat news will be faithfully reported with a lot of laughs along the way (I hope!!)
Why was I even worried!? grin. You are so wonderful! and yes, please get Andrews McMeel to publish this as a children’s book. I would be perfect. (also, did you catch you were on the pedestal with Calvin and Hobbes at the SDCC display? What did I tell you all that while ago? wink.)
This…this made me more emotional than I anticipated…
Also GET THAT BACON PUCK!
Yes, I am so ready for daily strips!
Maybe we will revisit the Quinn Farm Retirement Home?
Maybe! 😉
Okay, while it took me to log in and write and post this, you explained. lol. go ahead and not post my comment, hugs! Can’t wait. It will all be just fine!
Awesome as always! and I love the mice with their family photos!
(Hey Georgia, could the July bug talk to an interviewer if he wanted to? or is this how he communicates?)
I’m uncertain myself, but I am 90% leaning toward this is how he communicates. In a way, this was the interview he wanted to give.
Beautiful, Georgia! Thanks for a great summer special!
Baba with Bea tending to Freddie’s grave brought tears to my eyes.
BCN every day starting Monday, YEAH!!! Hopefully Elvis doesn’t over groom for the occasion! 🙂
Georgia, you make me cry – a good thing!!
Good luck with the daily strips. You have spoiled us rotten with the long dramatic stories. We shall be waiting with bated breath for the ongoing adventures of the furry people. Thanks for taking the risk.
A wonderful story, with a happy ending that would make Dr. Seuss proud! I’m looking forward to the daily strips starting next week, but I’ll keep coming here to read them, because while I’m here, I can subscribe to the comments in my rss feed reader. (Getting all the comments in individual emails from WordPress got overwhelming in a very short time!)
Just love it and Beatrix expression when Baba showed up was fantastic. You wrapped up everything so well.
Can’t wait till the next story.
You deserve more than you get with your beautiful art and amazing story crafting. I will be waiting every day for more even if it is different. It will still be Georgia Dunn and you can’t beat that!
Thank you, Rayfish!!! <3
Daily strips! Wonderful!
Buzzy Mouse in the Window with all the others! Sophie making mustard art in her “tower”…. such wonderful feels, Georgia. We look forward to dailies as with bated breath. Incidentally, my husband grabbed my Kindle from me a record four times…saying”I didn’t see that!”
Haha!! That is great!
I laughed, I aww’d, I laughed some more, I aww’d some more… fabulous work, Georgia. Excellent coda to the old format, and I can’t wait for the new format!
Thank you, Kevin!!
Just love the picture on Twitter. So sweet.
Also, I loved Tillie curled up on the wall with the Golden Mouse using her tail as a pillow! (I forgot to say “Then I laughed some more, and then I aww’d some more… it was a real emotional rollercoaster!”
Yay, July saves the day 🙂
OMC! Daily! Yahoo! Doing the happy dance Georgia! Will pray for stamina and a blessing of paints and canvases! Can not wait until Monday! Excited! Loved Baba and Bea being contrite….. Love ya Georgia!
I love Sophie’s delicate tiny paws! And the whole feel of today’s comic is peace fun, completion and summer day. Thank you, Georgia, I so love your work!
Wow! What an awesome finale to the saga of the the Owl and the Pussycat(s) Golden Mouse (and all the mice)! So much to love here. This comment will go on too long if I try to mention all the things. Thank you Georgia for your great stories and all the endearing little touches you sneak in (like Puck stealing the bacon – OK, it had to be mentioned – Go Pucky! – and Lupin’s expression in panel 6 is just priceless). I love it all Georgia!
Thank you, Reb!!
Oh, so many things I love about this!!! Lupin in the “Nailed that interview” panel, Beach telling Trevor about her adventures and getting busted by Baba, sweet Tillie napping with the Golden mouse, Sophie’s newest mustard on glass piece…
What a FANTASTIC strip to wrap up the summer adventure!
Thank you for sha ring your gift with us, Georgia!
So looking forward to being able to see your beautiful work daily.
“Until next year, terrible friend!” 😀 Lines like that (and wonderful art) are why I love this comic strip.
How terrific that we’ll be getting a *daily* dose of BCN starting next week – I’m absolutely thrilled, and congratulations to you, Georgia! Yay!!!! (Just jumping up and down for joy!)
Do I spy a mini BCN mic in the mouses paws??
Did you miss the July 21 strip when Burt gave Agnes her own mic (marked “MN” for Mouse News, presumably). She can now be a regular correspondent for CN Cat News. Of course, Georgia is going to have to come up with a Mouse News icon (to go with the ones the other reporters have). Perhaps a chunk of Swiss cheese with the MN letters over it?
It is going to be cheese, actually!! Haha!
Oh my goodness, Wicket is performing his screech for the audience of other rescued, elderly animals! And they appreciate it–probably because half of them are deaf 😉
This is probably my favorite strip you’ve done. Even the “wrasslers” one.
It does look like at least two of the robber mice (perhaps the sisters Alice and Agnes) might be direct desendents of the Golden Mouse (many generations down over twenty five years). I think Natasha said in an earlier episode that her family “was not of this field” but she followed the legend of the Golden Mouse.
Yes! Natasha has an entire backstory that I tried so hard to weave into this special, but in the end it was tough to work it in. Hopefully one day I can find a way to share Natasha’s history! Alice and Agnes are direct descendants of The Golden Mouse/Agatha, though. While Agnes inherited her appearance, Alice got her guts!
Alice will be a great reporter for CNN, though! “We need a reporter who can fit under doors.”
i will still be coming here everyday to read the comments.
a new strip every day whee ha!!!
loved how the june/july bug flying about tied everyone together.
One of the things I am most looking forward to with the dailies are daily comments. I’m excited we’ll all have the chance to check in here together every day, if we wish!
I would love to buy a print of the picnic scene! Simply marvelous!
Loved this! You made me giggle and laugh and cry and giggle again. Go bacon thievery! And best of all lucks to the new format!
I am so very excited about daily strips. What could be better than that ? Don’t worry a bit about it-they will be as brilliant as all the rest. Now, are they going to start from the very beginning ? I am looking forward to the job interview with Lupin
Magnificent work, as ever. Can’t wait for Monday
Later when the strips launch in newspapers, the daily strips will dip back in time a bit and revisit some stories while adding new stories along the way. For example, I always meant the vacuum to be their greatest villain! And when that happens, part of the new material will be Lupin’s job interview when he joined the station as a newly rescued cat!
Love the idea of Lupin interview. I have wanted to ask which boy came with what person. Is Elvis yours and Puck the mans? Or did you get them all together. Courious minds want to know. 🙀😻
Elvis was mine, (The Man jokes that our family unit actually began with Elvis and I, and we adopted the Man later lol) and we adopted Puck and Lupin together.
giggle
Today I was reading BCN on GoComics and decided to switch to this site to see if the current strip was posted yet. Imagine my surprise when I saw that the breakingcatnews.com site was significantly higher resolution. I switched back and forth several times to be sure. I hope the daily strips are posted early here because I will be staying here for my Breaking Cat News from now on. (I still visit GoComics for other strips)
I loved it. A happy ending for everyone!
What a beautiful way to wrap up this epic tale, and how clever of you to have Jules buzz by the entire cast of characters !! Loved seeing Tillie & Agatha cuddled together.
P.S. Wasn’t Jules, Groucho Marx’s first name ? It kinda fits that July Bug’s chaotic, and amusing personality. 😉
I love that some folks are calling him Jules! It fits him so well!
YES!!!
I love it! Jules being true to form even as the cats try to thank him, Lupin snarking at Elvis (not Elvis’s fault on this one, Lupin…), Trevor’s reaction to Baba Mouse and the punishment for the Brainless Kitten Antics, Bea’s “Who, me? Brainless kitten running off to antic? Surely you mean some OTHER polydactyl kitten, I hardly think *I’d* do something like that!”, Robber Mouse family photos, Tillie and Agatha snoozing, the retirement home, and Baba and Bea tending Freddie’s grave…Just a perfect sendoff to the long, twice a week strips.
As for Camera One, I now need to go through the archives to check on when and where it shows. With one noticeable cast member not showing up for the review, I can’t help wondering if Freddie grabbed a camcorder while she was trying to figure out where Tillie was.
I’m in awe at this wrap up. It will take me awhile to drink in every wonderful detail. So I’ll just say you are a Genius!
I am excited at the prospect of daily strips. I have bought several prints from go comic’s.com and will be buying this one!
Thank you, Susie!!
I remember being told when I was a kid that the size of a woolly bear’s stripes predicted how long winter would be, or something like that. I’m sure it was total nonsense but still–makes sense that Tommy might ask the woolly bear for a long-term weather forecast! 🙂
Uh-oh ! That Caterpilllar Tommy is interviewing is a Woolly Bear – noted for predictions for Winter ! Are we foreshadowing, or just sick of all the heat ?
Thank you so much for a wonderful story. All in all, it gave me a feeling of being a child in bed and having a story read to me before I go to sleep. Each night having something read and having it continued the next night. Now, I’m all happy and ready for sleep after a good ending.
Glad for the daily strips. Will each day be a continuation of the previous day?
Some will, and some will be stand alone! When we begin, they will be part of a continuing headline.
“clap,clap,clap,clap,clap” Standing ovation! This was a wonderful story
LOVED IT GEORGIA!!! mustard art work, elvis trying to get the interview, Beatrix with Trevor & Baba, the Porcupine, Tillie & The Golden Mouse, and of course BUZZY MOUSE!! I have read all of the comments on all sites and haven’t seen it asked yet, so guess I am the only one who doesn’t get what is around Elvis’ neck in the last panel????
Going daily from Monday? That’ll be a nice birthday present (for me!). I’m not too sure about change – but I’ll take inspiration from Sophie’s greatest work so far and embrace it!
Great storyline! I LOVE your illustrations! Especially those individual panels that show the Characters in something like end shots of a film.Very cinematic in its’feeling. I cried at the panels with Tillie and the Golden mouse sleeping on their cloud,and Baba Mouse and Beatrix tending Ms. Quinn’s grave. I got a warm feeling over the picnic panel. If there is a way to share with you, I have composed a tune while reading this strip which I think embodies the feeling of the strip. I am SO looking forward to the dailies too! Thank you,Georgia, for sharing your magic and creativity with us!
I love that! I’m not sure how to share it, until you are able to post or email it somehow? If there is a way, I’d love to hear it!
Santa Michael could do a YouTube.
OMC! I was so excited to wake up to the grand finale today. I wouldn’t let myself go straight to this strip, I had to sit with a cup of tea and read the whole story from the start. Just so fabulous, so many Easter eggs and so much heart. I love how you weave the stories and add ‘behind the scenes’ elements on twitter. You also have such a wonderful community Georgia, I have to read all the comments here and then go back to find all the details I’d missed but others had picked up. X
Thank you, Leanne!! <3 That is a great way to take it in, thank you for doing that!
What a wonderful way to wrap up this epic storyline–I am correct that, apart from a few People, it shows most of the cast (even Buzzy Mouse!). Well, I guess not the cast of “Our IX Lives”–but those are fictional characters on TV, not the real animals of this strip.
I love seeing Burt playing with the cables. And I love the ghosts of Tillie and the Golden Mouse napping together. FINALLY we get too see Agatha’s ghost! And I love Puck snagging a well-earned strip of bacon. But, best of all, I love having our oldest and youngest cats (Baba Mouse and Beatrix) tending Freddie’s grave.
What a wonderful end to such a fun story. Thank you, Georgia!
You’re welcome, Becca! Thank you for reading!!
Oh my Cat!! I love this–daily strips with a larger Sunday strip!!!!! Squeeeeeeeee! and I love this comic today with the owl happily retired with other forest creatures, the “interview”–bonk, bonk, bonk, JUST GO! Tommy interviewing a woolly bear, ghost cat and mouse, visit with everyone, just the best!!!
Can’t wait to be able to enjoy the strip every day! It’s so AWESOME getting to the end of a storyline in preparation for the start of something new–although this story was SOOOOOOO amazing! Superb artwork, as always, but the storyline–SOOOOO terrific! It just keeps getting better and better, Georgia!
This is the best story wrap-up i’ve ever seen!
Thank you!!
Is Beatrix related to Baba Mouse?
I have no backstory on that yet, to be honest, but I do feel about 90% that she is–but likely there is no way for them to know that (yet).
One DNA test for Beatrix (and one for Baba) coming right up!
With her so fluffy with her polydactyl pawwes (two-syllable paws!), she looks like a Northern breed of cat, like the NY state polydactyls and double-pawed cats. I think there are regional breeds. In Occoquan, VA, there was a colony of cats with huge cobby bodies, broad chests, and enormous round heads. I’d never seen cats like that; they looked like they’d just stepped off one of the Tall Ships. Another cat came from Baltimore: long thin body, long legs, long thin face. Again, a Tall Ships cat. Then there’s Williamsburg, VA, where I thought that the early American painters (the ones who didn’t paint shadows and were lousy at perspective) just didn’t know how to draw cats. Then I got a cat from Southern Maryland, who had probably come from North Carolina. She looked like she’d stepped out of an Early American painting. Short Cobby body, short legs, round face, grumpy expression. Baba is one of those sleek gray cats. Puck, at least in the strips, looks a bit cobby. Lupin is almost a longhair, with his longhaired tail. Cats are endlessly varied.
It feels like the end of an era, which in a sense it is. Thanks for all the farewells to this format. :: sniffle :: It was a grand romp!
I’ve had some very mixed feelings as I was completing this particular strip… I’m excited though! It will be different, but I think it will give me the pacing and energy to keep working a long time.
Will Sunday strips be in the old format? (e.g. long-paneled epic strips?) 🙂
Yes, they will be larger strips!
I have a feeling that you’ll fall into a rhythm and possibly get ahead a few days so if something happens you’re not delayed. With increased professional recognition comes increased pressure. I think back to 2014 when Wonder Woman first shared a strip of yours – you were just starting out with this although you’d obviously been a professional artist for a long time. It certainly has been a wild ride with The Boys!
You know, I’m wondering if Tillie and Agatha’s friendship might have been part of the reason Tillie was in the house walls when she got conked on the noggin. More backstory!
And, I’m *so* looking forward to the daily strip. A lot of such strips do a week following a thread, which could help with some of these stories. I’m hoping there will also be episodes of Our IX Lives?
Wow!
When Elvis yelled, “Just Go!” I felt his pain. Lol. Seriously it was wonderful to be able to weave through the story with July Bug, and watch the peaceful ending with everyone just falling back into their regular grooves. I think this is the best ending to a special ever!!! Thank you 🙂
Love the wind up of this storyline. So perfect and lovely. And, just between us, can I admit I’m glad Wicket ended up safe?
Congratulations on the daily strips! It will be a delight to have a new BCN visit each day!
I agree. After all, Wicket was just doing what owls do. Now he can screech to an appreciative audience.
wow! you brought every thread and storyline together with a June Bug. “June Bug busy as he can be” a song lyric says. Very satisfying. Masterful!!
I think that to Tommy there are no strangers, just friends he hasn’t met yet.
Gloria: In the last panel I think Elvis has his arms crossed, crossly; with a clenched paw showing. Maybe he went into a defensive posture after Jules dived-bombed his face so many times!
Yes, that is it!
Georgia, I’ve read and re-re-reread this story from beginning to end and was simply overwhelmed. As a child I couldn’t decide between Winnie the Pooh or Wind in the Willows as my favorite. As a teen, Wind in the Willows won hands down. You have surpassed Kenneth Grahame by far and every illustrator for all the books since. That would be since 1940 when I took an active interest in my mother’s renditions.
I’ve loved everything about this story and illustrations. Ending it with the July Bug’s victory flyby with Puck returning the salute while stealing the bacon (sneaky for both you and Puck : ) simply left me laughing and crying helplessly. I thank you so much.
One last thing, a warning, perhaps. Prepare yourself for real and lasting fame. It will not be easy but I know you will deal with it in the best way possible.
Tigger, thank you so, so much! I am delighted you enjoyed the story so deeply, thank you! That is the most I can ask for. 🙂
Yes, I love Sophie’s random art
For Gloria: Elvis isn’t wearing anything around his neck. He has his arms folded and his paw is showing.
I think that is a neckbrace. Poor Elvis—getting hurt in the line of duty. He also got stabbed by Natasha.
I may need to go back in and correct that, I only meant for him to be crossing his arms in that panel, whoops!
*grinning from ear to ear* Tommy: Interview with the Caterpillar. 😀 He’s so adorable, the way he’ll talk to anyone and everyone. And the tea party on the green with Mr. Wicket and all the woodland creatures–LOVE. I so want that print on a t-shirt or something. 🙂
Baba Mouse & Beatrix taking care of Winifred’s grave is absolutely beautiful; with the completion pic on twitter the icing on the cake.
I hope Baba can make her apologies to Freddie at some point (as long as Baba stays on this side of the veil, of course!)
Trevor is such a good dog. I hope an outgoing friend like Bea will help ease his anxieties.
That ‘thing’ around Elvis’s neck looks like one of those neck stabilizers for whiplash.
Georgia, I just love your story strips. I am really excited that you are going to do a strip each day! Perhaps a story line for each week with a wrap up on Sunday? How ever you do it I know it will be wonderful. I am so grateful that you have chosen to share your art with all of us fans! Thank YOU!
Yes!! Some will definitely be that! Thank you so much, Karen!
This strip (in general) would make a great show on kids CBC!
ps-Jules has a long memory? Elvis cat-smacked Jules away from the Baby last summer. Payback!
I just received my copy of The Book and have already lent it out to two new fans of BCN. This latest story is the best of an already superlative series. Georgia’s stories, always charming, illustrate justice tempered with compassion. I look forward to Book Two and all future issues of BCN and Ms. Dunn’s world.
Thank you, Rosemary!
There is so much to love here and most of it has already been mentioned so I will just mention a few that I particularly loved. First, the whole story together in a children’s book would be a huge hit, I’m sure! Animals, wild & domesticated, in their own world with known & unlikely hero’s, young & old respectful acceptance, pranksters, hidden gems to discover and a great happy ending…how could you go wrong? I wish my son were still young so I could read it to him. I am sending him the links though! 😉
I guess, if I had to pick one thing as my favorite…it would have to be the victorious flyby, to quote another reader. Like Superman with the one buggy arm outstretched. It could be a wave, but I prefer the “I am SUPERBUG!” cocky attitude. Love all you create Georgia & I know the daily strips will be awesome.
Thank you, Linda!!
Have you seen Georgia’s other work? (Georgia, is it on your etsy site or somewhere else?) She’s wonderful with all kinds of animals.
Thank you, Kathryn! The Etsy shop is on a break at the moment, but the other work can still be seen here on Society6: https://society6.com/georgiadunn
Yay! Yipee! and Huzzah for daily strips.
Congratulations, Georgia, on wrapping up this phase of BCN so beautifully! I am SO excited about the daily strips, and about all your well-deserved success!
Great story. I love seeing Tommy trying to interview the caterpillar. He’s such a sweet little guy.
Georgia, I don’t post much but I want to tell you that your comics are so heart-warming and I am glad you have an increasing fanbase. Hopefully it continues to stay sweet, funny and kind.
Thank you, Robert!
Miss Georgia, this story and especially this denouement comic are spectacular.
The wildlife rehab picnic panel reminds me of the Richard Scarry picture books, especially the snake as Lowly Worm!
Oh – one more thing – Puck and Bea deserve accolades too! Puck knew the July bug was asleep and light would wake him up. So – Puck’s idea to knock the hat off the lamp and Bea to do it. You go guys!
I was just looking over the whole series with an eye to the artwork when I noticed Baba has a locket in her younger photos. Remembering that Freddie gave lockets to her employees (and she wore one with Tillie’s photo inside) I can’t help but wonder what’s in Baba’s locket. I hope we find out!
I just noticed the panel where a fall caterpillar gets interviewed. You are presaging the fall. Everything is intertwined and we feel always feel in the hands of a good storyteller.
The bug is back!!
Dear Lady: you bring so much joy to so many, and now it is about to happen EVERY DAY! It has to be so rewarding for you and yours. All should be very proud. You have earned it and I have a strong feeling that this is no flash in the pan. I have yet to see a negative comment from your readers. I don’t think anyone could be negative about the joy you create. Hugs and head boinks!
Thank you, Taffy!! <3
Yes, Wind in the Willows is exactly what I’ve been thinking. Georgia, your artwork is above and beyond the quality of other comics. I, too, foresee a very successful future for you in comic strips and books. More than two years ago a friend sent me the link for the “It’s 7:31 on Saturday morning…” I immediately read all the comics you had posted at that point and have not missed an episode since. I feel as though I have watched a star in the making. Promise me that you’ll never lose your sweetness and integrity because that’s what makes you so very special.
P.S. While I love all the characters, Lupin, Elvis and Puck will always be my favorites!
Thank you so much, Gale! 😀 I will do my best, these have all been incredibly fun to create.
My introduction to BCN was “The Woman is Making the Bed” at Go Comics. I fell in love with it instantly because my cat Jasper always used to “help” me make the bed and often ended up as a lump under the covers. It seems so strange to speak of him in the past tense. He crossed over the rainbow bridge on Friday at the age of 18 years and 3 months. So for now, the BCN crew will have to be my surrogate kitties.
I am so sorry to hear that, Sue Ellen! Much love and comfort to you!
Thank you.
I can’t wait for the daily strips to begin! I really missed seeing all my BCN friends on the days without a new strip.
I’m also very glad that I’m a lot older than you, Georgia, so that I can look forward to many years of fun reading BCN.
After the cricket episode, I’m out of ideas, Georgia!
Being a plump older woman who loves cats, I would love to cosplay as Baba Mouse sometime lol
That sounds FABULOUS!!!! I would love to see pictures if you ever do!
Good Monday Morning….the new daily is up at GoComics….yeah!!!!! Georgia, once again you’ve proven to be remarkable, dedicated to your strips and your fans. Bless you and yours
I was going to ask if the July Bug was shaking his fist at the People (Maybe because the window was closed so he couldn’t buzz them), but it looks like that was already answered in previous comments. This is a bit late, so along with adding my “I adored this!” to the pile, I wanted to wish you good luck on the first day of your dailies.
I see BCN has already updated at GoComics, but the update hasn’t hit here for some reason.
Georgia, when will the dailies start running on your website?
P.S When i didn’t see the first daily on your website i went to go comics and i loved it!
Sigh… I love ALL the panels but the third to the last is my favorite.
When is your next book coming out? I so love the characters and stories! You are amazing, Georgia!
Thank you, Helen! I don’t know to be honest, but I hope there will be more one day!
Points for the possum. I raised a few for a wildlife rehabber and they are awesome!
Wow! What a story! I enjoyed every word of it. Your art work is beautiful and the characters so well developed. Thank you.
Thank you, Emily!
Did you notice the July Bug is holding his ears as he passes by the wildlife sanctuary concert?
Did anybody else notice that the July Bug is holding his ears when he passes by the garden party recital? Perfect.
no but thanks for mentioning it! Georgia adds these little touches and finding one while she’s moving is great. Miss this.