Slylock Fox
Encyclopedia
Slylock Fox & Comics for Kids is a comic strip
published by King Features Syndicate
. The main character is Slylock Fox. Slylock first appeared 29 March 1987. He was created by Bob Weber Jr., who still writes and illustrates the comic today.. Weber is the son of Bob Weber, Sr., who writes the Moose & Molly comic strip. As its name implies, it is intended for young children. According to the official website, Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids appears weekly in newspapers with a combined readership of over 30 million..
Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids usually consists of only a single panel. Slylock, an anthropomorphic fox
detective, is constantly matching wits against his moustached nemesis, Count Weirdly, as well as several other criminals such as Shady Shrew and Slick Smitty. There is no dialogue spoken by the characters. Instead, an omniscient narrator informs the reader of a problem Slylock must solve. These often include escaping from a dungeon
, locating stolen goods, or proving conclusively who perpetrated a crime (usually Count Weirdly). Unlike real life, any character accused of a crime is invariably guilty. The solution is printed upside down.
Slylock is assisted by a sidekick, Max Mouse. Max wears pink shorts and a matching bowler hat
. Unlike real mice, he is yellow and does not fear getting eaten by a fox. Also, in any strip where Slylock and Max express opposing theories on solving a problem, Max's idea is invariably wrong.
A varied cast of witnesses, victims, policemen and criminals fill in the rest of Slylock's world. These characters' names usually contain either some form of alliteration
, a type of animal, a profession, or a personality trait. This allows Weber to quickly establish a scene and set up a mystery using very little space. Some notable examples include Deputy Duck
, Roxy Rabbit
, and Shady Shrew. Most of these characters are seen once and never again.
Slylock's name is likely an homage to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes
. Like Sherlock, Slylock is traditionally depicted with a magnifying glass
and a blue deerstalker
hat; also, he wears a blue suit and cape
.
Slylock does not always appear in the comic. Often in his place there will be a mixed bag of puzzles, jokes, simple illustration
tutorials, or other fun activities. The Sunday edition always features both Slylock and the activities.
The official Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids website features many additional Slylock mysteries that have never been printed, in addition to other activities. The site was voted an "Educational Best Bet" by USA Today
and received an award for "Best of the Net" from About.com
in April 1999.
The comic strip Pearls Before Swine
made a parody of the Slylock Fox strip on January 13, 2008; Weber reciprocated by having Rat and Pig, the two main characters from Pearls, appear in Slylock on February 3, 2008.
On June 28, 2010, Weber began another strip, Oh, Brother!
, also for King Features.
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
published by King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
. The main character is Slylock Fox. Slylock first appeared 29 March 1987. He was created by Bob Weber Jr., who still writes and illustrates the comic today.. Weber is the son of Bob Weber, Sr., who writes the Moose & Molly comic strip. As its name implies, it is intended for young children. According to the official website, Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids appears weekly in newspapers with a combined readership of over 30 million..
Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids usually consists of only a single panel. Slylock, an anthropomorphic fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
detective, is constantly matching wits against his moustached nemesis, Count Weirdly, as well as several other criminals such as Shady Shrew and Slick Smitty. There is no dialogue spoken by the characters. Instead, an omniscient narrator informs the reader of a problem Slylock must solve. These often include escaping from a dungeon
Dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period...
, locating stolen goods, or proving conclusively who perpetrated a crime (usually Count Weirdly). Unlike real life, any character accused of a crime is invariably guilty. The solution is printed upside down.
Slylock is assisted by a sidekick, Max Mouse. Max wears pink shorts and a matching bowler hat
Bowler hat
The bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby , billycock or bombin, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the English soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester...
. Unlike real mice, he is yellow and does not fear getting eaten by a fox. Also, in any strip where Slylock and Max express opposing theories on solving a problem, Max's idea is invariably wrong.
A varied cast of witnesses, victims, policemen and criminals fill in the rest of Slylock's world. These characters' names usually contain either some form of alliteration
Alliteration
In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...
, a type of animal, a profession, or a personality trait. This allows Weber to quickly establish a scene and set up a mystery using very little space. Some notable examples include Deputy Duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
, Roxy Rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
, and Shady Shrew. Most of these characters are seen once and never again.
Slylock's name is likely an homage to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
. Like Sherlock, Slylock is traditionally depicted with a magnifying glass
Magnifying glass
A magnifying glass is a convex lens that is used to produce a magnified image of an object. The lens is usually mounted in a frame with a handle ....
and a blue deerstalker
Deerstalker
A deerstalker is a type of hat that is typically worn in rural areas, often for hunting, especially deer stalking. Because of the hat's popular association with Sherlock Holmes, it is also a stereotypical hat of a detective.-Construction:...
hat; also, he wears a blue suit and cape
Cape
Cape can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back half of the wearer, fastening around the neck. They were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon, and have had periodic...
.
Slylock does not always appear in the comic. Often in his place there will be a mixed bag of puzzles, jokes, simple illustration
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
tutorials, or other fun activities. The Sunday edition always features both Slylock and the activities.
The official Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids website features many additional Slylock mysteries that have never been printed, in addition to other activities. The site was voted an "Educational Best Bet" by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
and received an award for "Best of the Net" from About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
in April 1999.
The comic strip Pearls Before Swine
Pearls Before Swine (comic strip)
Pearls Before Swine is an American comic strip written and illustrated by Stephan Pastis, who was formerly a lawyer in San Francisco, California. It chronicles the daily lives of four anthropomorphic animals, Pig, Rat, Zebra, and Goat, as well as a number of supporting characters...
made a parody of the Slylock Fox strip on January 13, 2008; Weber reciprocated by having Rat and Pig, the two main characters from Pearls, appear in Slylock on February 3, 2008.
On June 28, 2010, Weber began another strip, Oh, Brother!
Oh, Brother! (comic strip)
Oh, Brother! is a comic strip by Bob Weber Jr. and Jay Stephens, which was launched June 28, 2010, by King Features Syndicate. On July 29, 2011, the Oh, Brother! team announced the finale on their blog Daily syndication ceased on August 7, 2011....
, also for King Features.
Main characters
- Slylock Fox, a foxFoxFox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
detectiveDetectiveA detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"... - Max Mouse, a sidekick mouseMouseA mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
- Chief Mutt and Deputy Duck, a bulldogBulldogBulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
and duckDuckDuck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered... - Slick Smitty, a con-artist and frequent villain.
- Cassandra Cat
- Tiffany Fox and Melody Mouse, Slylock's and Max's romantic interests.
- Count Weirdly, the most often-featured criminal
- Shady Shrew
- Harry Ape
- Reeky Rat
- Wanda Witch
- Buford Bull
- Koppy Kat, a painting forger