The tarts

[VolkswagenFox]

I'm going to miss turning on my computer to read the new comic first thing in the morning.

[Chris]

I'm going to miss turning on my computer to read the new comic first thing in the morning.

Same here Volks, Same here.

[datherman]

I'm rather saddened to see it end, but I do understand DCS's reasonings and don't blame him for wanting to end it in a dignified manner. 10 years is a long time.

I also find it rather significant that a strip that was so heavily influenced by Calvin and Hobbes will be ending after the same amount of time. Sorta gives it a good sense of closure.

[VolkswagenFox]

Perhaps once the comic ends I'll just start from the beginning and read a strip a day. I bet there are many story arcs we forgot about over time, so some of the old ones might seem new again.

[TyVulpine]

It's technically not a "good bye" since D.C. did say he might come back with high-school years strips, so think of it more as a "til next time!".

[Fritz]

TECHNICALLY.

[CoreyFox]

I also hope he does a sequel. TKD did one for Newshounds, and he is one of DCS' closest friends. Anyway, i'm keeping my fingers crossed. O&M is one of the few strips i can't live without.

[Novil Ariandis]

All good things come to an end... In my subconsciousness I already expected something like that to happen, so I am not too surprised now. And I have to agree that in the last time, there was a small but steady decline in the quality of the strip. The only strip in the last months I really loved was the "CAKE OR DEATH" one...

D. C. Simpson seems to no longer have that total connection to Ozy, Millie and the gang like he used to. Looking at the older strips, you were like "OH YES, that's just so typically Ozy, [Millie], [Avery], ...!". Today you start to see his daily struggle to come up with a good pun or remark. When you start to see the work that goes into a comic strip, that's always a bad sign. "Ozy and Millie" has never looked as great as today, but sadly that's not what *really* counts for a comic strip. Just have a look at XKCD. It's just stick figures, but the strip single-handly reinvented nerdy computer humor.

It's always better to stop when you are still on the top. Look at "Calvin and Hobbes". So many people miss it like their first love and the internet would probably melt if Bill Watterson came back and said: "Oh by the way, I was drawing a Calvin and Hobbes movie during the last ten years. Expect it in cinemas in December." And then have a look at "The Simpsons". You'll probably say something like: "Yes, it's still a funny series, much better than almost all of the other crap, and it's also gotten better once again lately." But the magic of "Who shot Mister Burns?" will never come back. It just ran for too long. The old fans in their teenage years got eventually tired of it since the production crew was not able to keep up the old quality. And for the new fans it's just another (very good) comedy series. The good is the biggest enemy of the extraordinary; and I'm glad that D. C. Simpson has also recognised that.

My personal opinion is that the focus went to strongly to the personal view of Ozy and Millie on all things during the last years. I think the strip lost some of its appeal when Avery, Timulty and Stephan got less and less "airtime". I guess it may also play a role that we know too much of the characters now and what they say and how they act does not longer surprise us as it did before.

The best time of "Ozy and Millie" was probably between April 2000 and the end of 2003, the time between the two big character design changes. I guess lots of our most beloved strips fall into this period. Just like many think that the "Calvin and Hobbes" strips from the middle years were also the best. That was the time when the character were finally established with their very own distinctive character, but which was not yet too stereotypical. The jokes were no longer as random as in the beginning, but there was also no visible sign of a hard thinking process to come up with something fresh as probably in the end. Since the beginning the artwork also has improved quite a bit.

Concerning "Ozy and Millie", this time period seems also to have been the one during which D. C. Simpson seems to have struggled the most with his life. While it is surely not true, that an artist has to suffer to produce good art, this seems to be more correct for comic strip artists.

All in all, despite that I don't really like his personal attitude, I have to say a big "Thank you!" to D. C. Simpson for his outstanding comic strip which has meant a lot to me in times of trouble. It sure is sad that I discovered it so late (October 2005) when its absolute heyday (in my opinion) was already over. Now, I am looking forward to see a grand end to it. I am sure that he will come up with something what will make all his fans go "AWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!". If not, I am sure Millie will come after him and kick his ass so hard that he won't be able to sit for two weeks .

When something like this happens, it's always like a part of you dies inside.

[TyVulpine]

My top O&M strips:

1. April 1, 2001 (the reverse-personality April Fool's Day strip)
2. Avery, Tim and the basketball strip (don't know strip date offhand)
3. Llewellyn at the dentist, melting the spoon thing.

[rabid_fox]

I hope the ending is quietly devastating and that there is absolutely no return to it.

'Ozy and Millie' has been a magnificent creative venture and spin-offs would be an embarrassment. I really wish DCS all the best in tapping the creative juices that've brought the comic this far when it comes to constructing the ending - it'd be a hell on earth if it all went pear shaped in the last twenty strips.

A delicate line to walk, indeed. Brave thing to do, announcing the end of a comic like this.

[VolkswagenFox]

The best time of "Ozy and Millie" was probably between April 2000 and the end of 2003, the time between the two big character design changes. I guess lots of our most beloved strips fall into this period.

I agree. Some of my favourite strips are from the 2000 - 2003 period as well.

[Tophat_John]

Sorry I'm Late.

That's sad to hear, but DCS is still cool.

[cps10106]

Darn, did I pick the wrong time to be introduced to O&M. I first heard of it just 3 months ago, and didn't actually start reading it until at least a month later...oh well, I do have to agree that it's probably best to stop before it goes stale.

My top O&M strips:

1. April 1, 2001 (the reverse-personality April Fool's Day strip)
2. Avery, Tim and the basketball strip (don't know strip date offhand)

You mean this one?

[CynicalDragon]

To say that I was sad to hear that the comic will be stopping soon is an understatement.

Ozy and Millie helped me through some personal hard times, especially with the recent deaths of my aunt (Nov 2007) and grandmother (Mar 2008).

Then again, D.C. did say that he'd be revisiting the characters. So, I guess I shouldn't think of it as "goodbye." More like a "see you soon."

I'll still miss them, though.

BTW, not to go off-topic, but after the daily strips are done, what will happen to this forum?

[gforce422]

BTW, not to go off-topic, but after the daily strips are done, what will happen to this forum?

Don't worry about going off topic here. It happens a lot. And by a lot, I mean a LOT.

As for the forum, it will probably stay up.