When asked what foxtrot is most would channel their dance knowledge and answer, “a ballroom dance.” Comic fans, on the other hand, would have a different answer, harkening back to the humor family comic of 1988. Do you know which strip this is?
FoxTrot, written and illustrated by Bill Amend, made its debut 30 years ago on April 10, 1988, syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate. Initially, the comic ran seven days a week, before concluding its run as a daily strip on December 30, 2006. At the end of its daily run FoxTrot was appearing in more than 1,200 newspapers worldwide. Since 2006, the strip has switched over to appearing strictly on Sundays.
The satire comic revolves around the lives of the Fox family, which includes parents Andrea and Roger, and their children Peter, Paige, and Jason. Along with a humorous look at life for the suburban family, the strip included spoofs of pop culture fads, nerd culture, and popular consumer products. While Amend has never given an exact location for the family, the family can occasionally be seen in Kansas City Chiefs jerseys, suggesting they may live in Missouri or Kansas.
The Fox family have also been seen vacationing in Hawaii, Washington, DC, the desert, along with various amusement parks and campgrounds. Special guests of the strip have included such greats as The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson and even the late Steve Jobs. Although the Foxes are the main focus of the strip, subsequent background characters include classmates/friends Marcus, Eileen, Nicole, Morton, and Peter’s girlfriend Denise.
Utilizing his physics degree, Amend would often lend his knowledge on the subject to Jason’s frequent inclusion of complex mathematical or physics formulae. Jason is also used to express Amend’s knowledge of computer languages and as an “exaggerated representation of his own geeky nature.” Amend was awarded the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year in 2007, followed by the 2012 Inkpot Award for Comic Arts.
Over the years, the strips have been printed in 41 different books, all by Andrews McMeel Publishing, consisting of 27 collections and 14 anthologies. The latest comics, as well as earlier issues, can be viewed at FoxTrot.com.
