Red and Rover by Brian Basset for September 01, 2023

The paw prints of Rover are a new pattern!

Yesterday, I watched a rerun of the final episode of The Fugitive. The narrator said at the end, “August 29 – the day the running stopped.” That showed that it had been rebroadcast just two days after the 56th anniversary of it’s initial showing – August 29 1967.

It reminded me of a summer strip from at least two years ago in which Red dreamed that he and Rover had been asleep for many years. In the dream, Red shouted out “AAAGH! Now I’ll never know if they caught the One Armed Man in The Fugitive!” One reader replied to him, “That’s why reruns were invented, Red.” Another reader commented, “That dates the setting for this story arc to 1967 at the latest.”

Brian Basset would have been eight years old in the summer of 1967 and sixteen in the summer of 1975 when Jaws was released. As I mentioned on Monday, the strip from August 28 2011 mentioned Jaws which may have been the latest period reference in Red and Rover as it dated the setting to 1975.

Rover’s dirty paw prints are the perfect fashion statement!

The last frame reminds me that leaving my dog is so hard. Even going to the market, now that I’m retired, but when I get home, Lizzie is right there at the door anxiously greeting me!

That last panel, really pulling on the heart strings…….

Aw, Rover is just as sad as Red that they’ll be apart when Red’s in school . . .

Awwww! Red looks like Dennis the Menace.

Wait til he gets off the bus…..

Rover, just think of it as a blank canvas on which to paint a glorious new year of memories!

Oh, the horror!

Awww….. a Boy and his Dog. So sweet.

Such a sweet moment! (I have a feeling the lack of paw prints will be remedied shortly…)

Awww Rover – Red will be hugging you just as soon as he gets homeI don’t like to leave my boy, either

That shirt will be disgusting in no time at all. Rover will do his share to be sure it happens.

Rover is going to miss Red every school day. That’s why he’s been criticizing the new clothes. They make him sad.

Don’t worry Rover. You’ve left permanent paw prints on Red where it counts the most.

Only Brian can express so much “Awwww” and love in just one panel.