Well, it's a humor strip, so my first responsibility has always been to entertain the reader... But if, in addition, I can help move readers to thought and judgment about issues that concern me, so much the better.

Well, it's a humor strip, so my first responsibility has always been to entertain the reader, ... But if, in addition, I can help move readers to thought and judgment about issues that concern me, so much the better.

There's always been some concern that adult subject matter should be quarantined from a page that attracts children. Unlike late at night, when 'South Park' and 'Colbert' are on, impressionable minds are wide awake when the newspaper arrives.

There are so many ways to get it wrong, ... They figured, correctly, I could use all the help I could get.

In any event, it's not exactly a secret to regular readers what my views on the war are.

I don't think so, but it's always in the back of my mind that many of the soldiers being wounded and killed in Iraq are about the same age as my kids. My godson is going over soon, so the war's about to get personal for me.