Reflections: Fifteenth Anniversary : a Cathy Collection

Since Cathy’s debut in 1976, she has become the symbol of single womanhood in all its glory–she’s not just getting older, she’s getting better. Dating dilemmas, diet disasters, and dressing room traumas. Cathy, America’s favorite comic strip woman-on-the-go, has suffered them all–and endeared herself to readers in the process.

Cathy’s cartoon life has hilariously mirrored the path of women everywhere. In fact, Cathy book titles provide an uncanny overview of the feminine perspective: A Mouthful of Breath Mints and No One to Kiss, Wake Me Up When I’m Size 5, and $14 in the Bank and $200 Face in My Purse.

Cathy continues to entertain millions of readers daily as she shares her personal and professional struggles highlighted by her on-again, off-again romance with Irving, the hysterical give and take with her overprotective and obsessive mother, and, of course, her battle against the bulge.

Among the highlights of this cartoon collection, Cathy, careening toward bankruptcy as she puts it, cuts up her credit cards and joins Shoppers Anonymous. She then discovers Irving is dating an environmental activist and she herself becomes environmentally conscious…for three hours. Intermixed with the subplots are Cathy’s wardrobe traumas ranging from swimsuit try-ons to the time she makes the fatal mistake of removing her big, swinging coat while wearing only a skin-tight unitard underneath.