Left to right: Muffin, Nelson, Opal, Earl, Roscoe, and Sylvia.
Pickles is a Slice of Life daily and Sunday comic strip drawn by Brian Crane.It focuses on the life of retirees Earl and Opal Pickles, often with their grandson Nelson Wolfe. Their daughter Sylvia and son-in-law Dan, Roscoe the dog, Muffin the cat, Earl's friend Clyde, and Opal's sister Pearl are also among the cast.
The strip has been running since April 2, 1990.
It can be followed here
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Tropes featured
- Accidental Pun: In a 2009 strip, Opal scolds Earl for delaying a chore and saying "just a sec" one too many times.I'm tired of waiting for secs! I spend half my time waiting for secs! I don't want to hear any more about secs! What on Earth are you laughing about?
- Comically Missing the Point: One strip has Earl announcing that he's going to the dog groomer, while leaving without Roscoe. Opal asks if he's forgetting something, and Earl returns, exclaiming, "Oh, yeah! My car keys."
- Doting Grandparent: Earl and Opal love and dote on their grandson, Nelson, and many of the strips have him visiting and being shared their wisdom. (Or "wisdom").
- Family Title: The surname of Earl, Opal, and their daughter Sylvia is Pickles, also the name of the strip.
- Female Feline, Male Mutt: Roscoe is a male dog and Muffin a female cat.
- Jesus Taboo: Played with at least, Earl and Opal like Brian Crane are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka Mormons), but the comic never outright states it instead having occasional glimpses of religious symbols like the faith's temples as photographs on the wall decorating Earl and Opal's home.
- Historical Longevity Joke: In one strip, Earl is reading a biography of Theodore Roosevelt, and Nelson asks if Earl voted for him.
- Men Like Dogs, Women Like Cats: In the strips where Roscoe and Muffin make an appearance, Roscoe is usually with Nelson or Earl, while Muffin and Opal share more interactions. Opal also likes having Muffin lie on her lap, while Earl wants no such thing.
