Felicia explains coolness.
Originally published 8 February 1999

At the time I wrote this, back in early 1999, and for a long time after, I considered it my best punchline. I even considered it as the title for the first book collection of strips (which would end up being called simply "Ozy and Millie").

Even if I've since written better ones, it's very typical of early Ozy and Millie. The random idiocy of "coolness" has always been a recurring theme in the strip, though it was most prominent early on (it's just such an easy target). And of course, Millie's dry, ironic approach to her rivalry with Felicia has remained a constant. Not to mention the use of the word "zen," which goodness knows has come up again many times since.

Last week, when I started with these reruns, I made the claim that only Ozy and Llewellyn had ever broken the fourth wall (a theater term for actors speaking directly to the audience). As many readers noted, I was overlooking the several occasions when Millie has done it, such as the final panel of this strip. Obviously I stand corrected.

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