Professor Hobo

From the beginning of the idea for the comic, Mr. Mittens has always existed as part of the concept. However, we initially worried that introducing him from the start would prove confusing. He came into the strip after Professor Hobo was more established as a character.

Mr. Mittens is Professor Hobo’s cat, but you would hardly know it from the way he acts. In a fluke, he was elected as the English department’s faculty senate representative and continues to undermine the faculty every chance he gets. While humans have a part of their brain that keeps them from acting on impulse, Mr. Mittens is a cat and therefore has no such inhibition from doing whatever he damn well pleases.

Premiere

Cartoon Appearances

• The Story of O
• Bada Bing!
• The King and Us
• Striking Out
• Goat Me

The concept of Professor Hobo began as a joke. The idea of a hobo being hired off the street to teach at a university was just ridiculous enough, however, to seem like it could actually happen.

Professor Hobo, who is only ever referred to as Professor by other characters, is in many ways the moral center of the comic. While he occasionally gets the smart-alecky line, for the most part he is the straight man, and the one most often bewildered by the actions of others. Over time he has gained his cat, Mr. Mittens, and formed his trio of friends with Dr. Klownus and Evil Beard.

Premiere
Ad Initium

Cartoon Appearances

• The Story of O
• Bada Bing!
• The King and Us
• Striking Out
• Goat Me