When "Cathy" first came out in the late '70's, I gave it the benefit of the doubt for its subject matter. It was one of the few strips about a single woman attempting to balance romance, work and parents. But eventually its shortcomings rose to the top. It is formulaic, occasionally clever, rarely funny, and frustrating in how it presents the title character as a stereotypical mushbrain, blinded by love of a neglectful boyfriend, ready to sacrifice all for a husband and children, vaguely aware of the possibilities open to her while constantly pushing them aside. In short, "Cathy" began as a strip (amateurishly drawn, by the way) with real possibilities that were rarely explored. It pretends to be an anthem for independent women, but Cathy only displays all the qualities that kept them down throughout history. ( )