Momma
Encyclopedia
Momma is an English language
comic strip by Mell Lazarus which debuted on October 26, 1970. Initially distributed by the Publishers-Hall Syndicate
, it is currently handled by Creators Syndicate
and published in more than 400 newspapers worldwide.
Although Lazarus based the character on his own mother, when he showed it to her, she thought the character was based on his aunt, exclaiming, “You caught Aunt Helen to a tee!”
with a controlling, nagging personality. She has three grown children:
While Momma constantly tries to make them feel insignificant without her, they consider her to be an emotional burden. Still, they love her in their own way as she loves them in turn. Momma has a variety of dream sequences, which include a homeless Francis holding a cup for donations. Other dream sequences include her late husband Jerome and herself at Heaven, awaiting entrance.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
comic strip by Mell Lazarus which debuted on October 26, 1970. Initially distributed by the Publishers-Hall Syndicate
Publishers-Hall Syndicate
Publishers-Hall Syndicate was a newspaper syndicate founded in 1944 by Robert M. Hall, the company's president and general manager.Hall had worked for The Providence Journal during high school, followed by three years at Northeastern Law School and four years at Brown University...
, it is currently handled by Creators Syndicate
Creators Syndicate
Creators Syndicate is an independent distributor of comic strips and syndicated columns for daily newspapers. It was founded in 1987 by Richard S. Newcombe, and is based in Los Angeles. Creators was one of the first syndicates to allow its clients to maintain creative control of their material...
and published in more than 400 newspapers worldwide.
Although Lazarus based the character on his own mother, when he showed it to her, she thought the character was based on his aunt, exclaiming, “You caught Aunt Helen to a tee!”
Characters and story
The central character is Sonja Hobbs, a short, opinionated senior citizenSenior citizen
Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK...
with a controlling, nagging personality. She has three grown children:
- Francis, a chronic and shameless slacker, is the single largest source of her exasperation. He has little interest in working and always looks for loopholes in work contracts. It suits him perfectly to sponge off her and sometimes other people, yet he cannot be bothered to lift a finger to help or to clean his own apartment. He has a single taste in women: airheads built and dressed rather provocatively. His friends with similar work ethics sometimes show up.
- Marylou, her youngest, has frequent relationship problems, particularly with her mother (as evidenced by her comment that she was living the comic strip Momma was talking about in the October 6, 2006 strip). She has a thing for losers and outcasts—the very types of men Momma loathes. She does not, however, favor the types of men Momma is determined she marry: well-educated and/or well-heeled.
- Thomas, her oldest, is employed and happily married. As far as Momma is concerned, her son's wife Tina will never do anything for Thomas as properly as Momma can. Tina doesn't think too highly of Momma either.
While Momma constantly tries to make them feel insignificant without her, they consider her to be an emotional burden. Still, they love her in their own way as she loves them in turn. Momma has a variety of dream sequences, which include a homeless Francis holding a cup for donations. Other dream sequences include her late husband Jerome and herself at Heaven, awaiting entrance.