Joe Martin, "Willy 'n Ethel" | Year 2002 -2003 -2004 | GIF | ~33 Mb | 1095 Images
| “ | Willy ‘N Ethel, Martin’s longest running strip, celebrated its twentieth anniversary in March of 2001. Willy is a single-minded person who enjoys life with enthusiasm that no disaster can dampen. If Willy's house were to catch fire, for example, he would have a BBQ. Although Willy is chronically unemployed and ten times worse off than most people are, he doesn’t know it. As long as there is decent TV reception and beer in the fridge, he is a happy man. Martin says, "I guess you could say I envy Willy. I think we all envy the guy who can just sit in front of the TV and drink a can of beer." Willy is a chronically unemployed dreamer, who always has some kind of a plan going. Generally happy with life, Willy is easy going; nothing bothers him. If his car broke down near a tavern, he would consider that a good day. Ethel married her high school sweetheart, Willy, and now has the job of raising a 48-year-old child. She's the financially secure one in the relationship who takes care of all of the adult responsibilities and makes sure that Willy has a place to live and something to eat. In reality, she is more like Willy's mother than his wife. Ethel manages to keep the household afloat financially by taking care of the bills and working as a babysitter for her sister's son. Although she never appears in the strip, Ethel's sister is Willy's nemesis and the butt of many of his jokes. | ” |