Shoe by Gary Brookins and Susie MacNelly for February 04, 2013

Very sad to hear this. Will the Tattler be under new management?

I mentioned back in January my sadness at Chris’ passing. Aspen, Co, lost a great guy and so did this strip. Rest in Peace ole friend,

Very sad news for the comic community — and, my lord, someone knows Philbert Desanex’s alter ego! Good choice WW!

I think I’m missing something. Someone clue me in on this one.

Chris Cassatt just passed away. Jeff MacNelly (who is not listed on the mast head any more) was the originator of Shoe. Chris Cassatt originally came on board Shoe as an assistant to Jeff — so the character Cosmo was “drawn” [to] Chris through Jeff.

Chris was a special person. he drew many characters and strips. Sal amander, Pizza Bonz and his political cartoons were great.

Too bad there is such a lag time on publication. Chris did pass late January. This was one of my favorite strips (along with Tank McNamara) when Columbus had two papers. I just recently found Go Comics, and now I find two of my favorites in transition. So far, so good. Keep up the good work. I’ve seen some headers that show Jeff’s daughter? as a contributor.

I’ll miss his sense of reality. Helped me keep my feet on the ground.

R.I.P. Chris.

Aww. What a nice tribute to both men.

Another tear comes to the eye. RIP Chris.

Apparently she contributes to the dailies as well—notice her signature along the right edge of the third panel.

@bordercolliedawn: Jeff’s name still appears in the title panel of the Sunday strips—it’s officially “Jeff MacNelly’s Shoe.”

Sad, sad. Great person, Chris

Wasn’t Susie his wife? I thought Jeff MacNelly only had a son.

Same Chris on the masthead ?

Just Gary now, 3rd generation?

r.i.p

Chris’ passing is indeed a loss.

I’m sorry.

:(

A very fitting memorial comment on both guys.

Very sad to hear, rest in peace, Chris.

I didn’t know – RIP Chris, and thanks for many years of smiles

Live from Treetops, East VirginiaHi Folks, this is Roz reporting in friom the Roost. First, I want to tell the fans of SHOE that we love them and appreciate all their kind words at Chris’s passing. Let me straighten out the Susie mystery. Susie is Jeff’s widow and has been at the helm since Jeff died in 2000. Susie joined the SHOE crew in 1990. After Jeff died, Susie and Chris produced the strip until this past November when Chris was too ill to work. Our fabulous cartoonist/painter, Gary Brookins, who has a long history with Jeff and Susie, going back 40 years, slid into the artist in residence slot. He and Susie produce SHOE together.Just between you and me these cartoonists have to be nuts to engage in the aggravated mopey of a daily strip. But as Chris and Susie mused often about the meaning of life…." If you could take it with you, hearses would have roof racks." Signing Off, ROZ aka Susie MacNelly

Didn’t understand this strip until I read the headline and googled Chris’s name. What a charming, inspiring life!

Condolences to the whole crew who produce one of THE best comics around. May it continue in the same wonderful way…

Condolences to the company.

Jeff is greatly missed. Chris will be. Please keep the strip going into the future if you can.

Thanks to you all for your comments. And please don’t worry, we have been working on the strip together for a long time (I’ve been drawing it since 1999) and Susie and I plan to continue caring for this flock of birds for many years to come.

Nicely done.

Susie and Gary, I have been reading this strip for YEARS. I am 59 now. SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT CHRIS. I HAD NO IDEA! Lovely tribute to him in this strip.

Jeff had three Pulitzers for editorial cartooning.

I laughed out loud at Susie’s comment. I’ll start looking for hearses with roof racks immediately. I’m sure there’s at least one out there. Tin Can: I DO remember the CJ. Thanks to its snarkiness and energy, not to mention its belief in principles, it was a much better paper than the Dispatch.

According to The Official Shoe Comic Strip Website, Susie is Jeff’s widow, not his daughter.