Cathy Classics by Cathy Guisewite for September 30, 2010

Goodbye, dear ones. We will miss you.

Yes, I guess it won’t end with a big announcement or change. Just a reassurance that things will stay the same. Well, that’s fine too. I will miss Cathy as well. Even though it wasn’t always my life, it was a good reflection on our society (to the extreme) and I certainly enjoyed it. I will have to find a new comic to start my reading in the morning. Thanks, Ms. Guisewite, for the many years of a great comic!

Thank you, Cathy, for years of humor and understanding. I will miss you and your characters every day.

Just about a perfect ending for Cathy, I think :-)

At least they have everything near to them.

Thanks, Cathy for all the fun times! Great ending! ((hugs)) Love ya always! <3

I’m really gonna miss Cathy. Thanks for 34 years worth of laughs, Mrs. Guisewite. (((hugs)))

Gonna seriously miss this comic, it has been a part of my life for many years. Thanks for the years of great comics and please…put out a book of all the strips, I would gladly buy it.

My guess is she’s still got an ACCKKK or two left in her before its all said and done. As a man who’s regularly read Cathy for a long time, I will miss the comic.

And here I was expecting news that Cathy was expecting. Perhpas after a hiatus of a year or so she may be back as the Neurotic parent - reliving all the horrors fo her our neurotic childhood. Imagine their parents as grandparents! ACK!

it still amazes me that someone would come here to make a lousy “good riddance” comment on the last strip.

nobody made you read it. So, go away and let the rest of us who have appreciated this strip for what it was tell Cathy goodbye

and many thanks for the laughs

This is kinda reminiscent of the last Calvin & Hobbes strip………..

That’s the perfect way to end this strip. I’ve read Cathy for 30 years because a piece of her life reminded me of my own. And now she’s going into her unknown future, just like we all do. Real life is not tied up with a bow, so I’m glad Cathy didn’t wrap it up that way either.

Cathy G - thank you so much for 30 years of enjoyment. I’m sad to see it end.

Goodbye, Cathy, Irving, Mom, Dad, and all the friends. We’ll miss you!

Have been a faithful reader for many years and will miss you, my friend. A light is going out!

I like this ending. Goodbye and good luck, Ms. Guisewite!

The last strip isn’t until Sunday!

Cathy has been visiting in Tina’s Groove all this week!

I thought this might end with a big Sunday, but this has been great final week. I’ve enjoyed Cathy for many years. Her shopping, her diets, mother and other relationships reflect those of many readers. A happily-ever-after to all.

Is this actually the final strip? How do you know? Today’s my 73rd birthday…

Cathy will be missed.

I kept hoping they’d finally put the foot down with those inlaws - guess that will never happen now…

Like those before me, I’ve been following Cathy for the past 20 or so years, and have enjoyed “growing” along with her (didn’t realize she started in the 70s!). Thank your creating Cathy and sharing all of her adventures. God bless your future plans, Ms. Guieswite, thanks so much for sharing with us…

I hate to see Cathy go; I’ll miss her. If she were a real person though, the jokes would be focused on menopause because she’d be over 50, like me.

Thank you for all the years. I have personally cut out and preserved some of my favorites, that really speak to my situation (the mother who saves every little thing, why it is considered wrong to be talking on a cell phone while standing in a checkout linem, and taking the unread mail with you on vacation). Thank you for many happy years.

Thanks Cathy, Hate to see you go! Its been a hoot! ACCCKKK!!!

I remembered reading Cathy back in the 70’s, and once I found it on gocomics, started reading it again. I think the reason it has always held an attraction for me, is that it is one of the few female comic strip characters who make me feel better by comparison. I mean, look at the figures of Blondie, Lois (of Hi & Lois), Dennis the Menace’s mom, the mom in Family Circus, Jeremy’s mom in Zits, need I give more examples? Having always struggled with my weight and self-image as a result, Cathy has let me know that I’m not the only female who isn’t happy with her body. I also feel better, knowing I don’t blow money like she does, and my in-laws aren’t great, but they’re better than hers. I’ll miss you Cathy!

You’re leaving?! Darn! I was hoping you guys would’ve had kids first, but, hey, take care. Now, hurry up and go, I want to move into your slot, I heard the rents cheaper in the paper than on the streets of Chicago…ha ha ha ha.

thanks for the memories cathy and for reminding us that it is possible to live happily ever after with who we love.

I agree with Nelly55! I guess it’s true that only the nit-picking complainers ever write comments. Don’t you people realize that these are fictional characters and are meant to be an exaggeration? If you don’t like it, then don’t read it; and take your carping somewhere else. I have enjoyed Cathy for all these years and have also saved particular strips that seemed to hit home, and I will miss Cathy Guisewite’s wonderful creation (I just won’t miss the mean-spirited comments). I’ll be looking for a book of all the strips, too!

I just find it ironic that after seeing so many people attacking the strip with negative comments, day after day, all of a sudden I am reading comments from all those people who actually liked Cathy, who have now come out of the woodwork with fulsome praise!

The usual ratio has been 90% negative comments. Today it’s more like 99% positive comments. If all of you people had made positive comments before, maybe that could have influenced CG to continue the strip? I know that for a while I stopped reading the comments. They spoiled the pleasure of reading the strip.

BTW, I’m almost certain that the last time this strip will appear is Sunday, Oct.3.

If a moderator is reading these comments, and Ms. Guisewite is actually going to read them, could someone please delete the negative comments (few as they are) here?(including this one) If this is nothing more than a forum for people to talk amogst themselves about the strip, fine, but I know that at least some of the creators actually read the comments here about their strip. Making these sorts of snarky comments here seems like showing up to someone’s funeral (well, or retirement party, since they’re still around to hear you) and shouting “Good riddance, you bum!” - i.e., totally inappropriate, very rude.

Love this strip - Cathy reminds me strongly of a few women I knew. I felt privileged to peek into the workings of at least one modern female mind, to see things (including men like myself) from her perspective, to laugh at Cathy’s frailties (Guisewite is brave in her self-deprecatory humor - as often as she skewers men, she was always hardest on her own sex, in a very funny way), and sometimes, to recognize myself, my own insecurities, anxieties, aspirations, relationships with my friends and parents,etc., in her. Few strips have remained as consistently funny to me, stayed true to the characters and the premise, and avoided gimmicks to remain “fresh”. I’ll miss the strip, but I applaud Guisewite’s commitment to spending more quality time with her parents and her own family - good for her!

I’ll miss Cathy and Irving as well as the parents and the dogs!

I grew up reading Cathy!! I will miss her very much

Me, too, kinfindr…

Am going to MISS you so much. I love your comics for so many years. I am so saddened. Wish you didn’t “quit”. Wish you luck on your retirement.

I agree with the earlier commenters re: the negative comments. If you don’t like the strip: DON”T READ IT!! I don’t remember when I first began reading Cathy, but it was many years ago and I have enjoyed it very much. I hope you enjoy your retirement, Ms. Guisewhite and, should you ever want to return, there are many of us who would be happy to see Cathy again.

It ain’t over, till its over, till the fat lady sings, till the cows come home, till the chickens roost. till the rooster crows, till the sun don’t rise, till the credits roll, till the curtain falls, till the dough rises, till the buck stops, till the ship drops anchor, till hunting seasons done, till the lemmings run, till I say so,

—- IT AIN”T OVER!!! —-

Just why is Cathy leaving ???

Bye -bye Cathy. They were good years. We’ll miss you.

Bon voyage. Good luck. I’ll be here if you decide to start again. It has been a wonderful ride. Thanks for all of the goofy, funny, heartfelt, dead on the money, generous comics.

RinaFarina – I can certainly agree with all you’ve said. I find it very sad that folks feel they have to critique the art and humor of all these comics for the artist to read. I too, hope that the snarkies are not the reason that Cathy G has decided to throw in the towel.

This comic has been the main reason for joining GoComics and it is the reason I discontinued my newspaper when they stopped carrying it. I have laughed and cried with Cathy for 34 years and would have happily done so for another 34 years if it had continued. I have managed to overcome every obstacle to reading it – until the snarkies – which have perhaps dealt the final blow.

My only wish at this point is for Cathy G to know that many of us have loved the comic and if she fails retirement (like I did – I now have 2 jobs), we would love to see the comic start up again.

(CG said on NPR last week that the last day of the comic is 10/3).

Who will tell me what clothes make me look fat? ACCCKKK!!!

They don’t end with a fizzle, they go on with their lives, just not with us. God Bless Cathy and irving, I am glad you two finally made it permanant.

Wishing you Light, Laughter and Love now and in the future. All the hard work was worth it. Look at the joy you brought to so many. Thank you.

I agree with Rina Farina too, except for the fact that the word “fulsome” that she used does NOT mean “generous” (and it never did), it means “disgusting.” [You can look it up - in fact, I wish more people would!]

The cartoon may not be perfect, and it certainly doesn’t suit everyone’s interests, but it’s been great. To miss one’s target now and then makes us all human. I think the wisest things the strip has ever published are the times when imperfection has been endearing yet ridiculous. And the wisest comments are those that have reminded us that Cathy has to be human or none of us would find her worth reading (funny, or interesting, or even ringing true).

I’d say, Well done.