Slylock Fox

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Slylock Fox is the star of Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids, a comic strip published by King Features Syndicate. Slylock first appeared in March 27, 1987. He was created by Bob Weber Junior, who still writes and illustrates the comic today.^[1].As its name implies, it is intended for young children. According to the official website, Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids appears in over 30 million newspapers every week.^[2].

Unlike many other syndicated comic strips, Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids usually consists of only a single panel. Slylock, an anthropomorphic fox, is constantly matching wits against his mustached nemesis, Count Weirdly, as well as several other criminals such as Shady Shrew and Slick Smitty. There is no dialog spoken by the characters. Instead, an omniscient narrator informs the reader of a problem Slylock must solve. These often include escaping from a dungeon, locating stolen goods, or proving conclusively who perpetrated a crime (usually Count Weirdly). The soloution is printed upside down.

Slylock is assisted by a sidekick, Max Mouse. Max wears pink shorts and a matching hat. Unlike real mice, he is yellow.

A varied cast of witnesses, victims, policemen and criminals fill in the rest of Slylock's world. These characters' names usually contain either some form of alliteration, a type of animal, a profession, or a personality trait. This allows Weber to quickly establish a scene and set up a mystery using very little space. Some notable examples include Deputy Duck, Roxy Rabbit, and Shady Shrew. Most of these characters are seen once and never again.

Slylock's name is likely an homage to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Like Sherlock, Slylock is traditionally depicted with a smoking pipe and deerstalker hat.

Slylock does not always appear in the comic. Often in his place there will be a mixed bag of puzzles, jokes, simple illustration tutorials, or other fun activities. The Sunday edition always features both Slylock and the activities.

The official Slylock Fox & Comics For Kids website features many additional Slylock mysteries that have never been printed, in addition to other activities. The site was voted an "Educational Best Bet" by USA Today and received an award for "Best of the Net" from About.com in April of 1999^[2].