If your day doesn’t feel complete without catching up with Earl and Opal Pickles, you already know the magic of a good comic strip. There’s something special about the way Pickles comics mix everyday life with gentle jokes about getting older, family, and the little fights between husbands and wives . Brian Crane created a world that feels like home, with characters who could easily be your own neighbors or grandparents. The humor is never too mean or too loud. Instead, it finds the funny side in forgetting where you put your glasses or trying to figure out a new phone.
But here is the good news. There is a whole world of comics out there waiting for you. Plenty of other talented artists also draw about family life, talkative pets, and the strange things we all do. If you love the warm and smart humor of Pickles, these five comic strips will feel like finding a new favorite show to watch. They are easy to read, fun to share, and perfect for a quick laugh.
10+ Pickles Comics
Image Credit: Pintrest.com
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Why We Love the Pickles Comic Strip So Much
Before we look at other great comics, let’s talk about why Pickles is so easy to love. The strip started in 1990 and focuses on Earl and Opal, a retired couple enjoying their later years together . They deal with a nosy but sweet grandson named Nelson, a lazy dog named Roscoe, and all the small problems that come with sharing a house with someone for a long time. Brian Crane has a special way of writing jokes that feel true to life. He won a big award called the Reuben Award in 2013, which shows how much other artists respect his work .
What makes the comic work so well is that it talks about things everyone understands. We all know what it feels like to have technology beat us. We all know the joy of hiding a snack from the rest of the family. We all know the love that sits underneath the daily teasing between couples . Pickles reminds us that getting older doesn’t mean you stop having fun. It just means your idea of fun might change from running a race to winning a comfortable chair before anyone else does. It is this mix of truth and laughter that keeps readers coming back day after day.
1. Zits: When You Remember Raising Teenagers
If you love the parts of Pickles that focus on Nelson and the generation gap, you will fall head over heels for Zits. Created by Jim Borgman and Jerry Scott, this strip is all about life with a teenager. The main character is Jeremy, a 15-year-old boy who seems to speak a language only his friends understand. His parents, Connie and Walt, spend most of their time trying to figure out what is going on inside his head.
Just like Earl sometimes looks at modern life with a confused face, Walt struggles to connect with his son. Jeremy’s idea of a family conversation is usually a grunt or a single word as he walks toward the fridge. The comic is so funny because it is so true. If you have ever raised a teen, or if you remember being one, Zits will make you laugh out loud. The parents are loving but tired, and Jeremy is not a bad kid—he is just living in his own world. It has the same heart as Pickles, but with the volume turned up a little louder thanks to teenage energy.
2. Blondie: The Classic Marriage Comic You Can’t Miss
Blondie is one of the oldest comics still running, and there is a good reason for that. It has been making people smile since 1930. The strip follows Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead, a married couple with kids, a dog, and a house that always seems to be just a little messy. Sound familiar? That is because Blondie helped set the stage for family comics like Pickles. The humor comes from the same place: the everyday life of a husband and wife.
Dagwood is famous for building giant sandwiches and falling asleep the second he sits down. Blondie is the one who keeps everything running while rolling her eyes at her husband’s latest silly idea. If you enjoy the way Earl and Opal tease each other, you will love the back-and-forth between Dagwood and Blondie. It is gentle, it is funny, and it never gets old. Reading Blondie is like visiting old friends who have been married forever and still know how to make each other laugh.
3. Rose is Rose: Seeing the World in a Softer Way
Rose is Rose is a truly special comic that feels a lot like the sweeter moments in Pickles. Created by Pat Brady, this strip shows the life of Rose, her husband Jim, and their son Pasquale. But the way it tells its stories is unique. Rose has an “adventure self” who dreams of riding motorcycles, and she also talks to her “inner child” who just wants to have fun. The comic is full of imagination and gentle lessons about love and family.
Fans of Pickles will enjoy how this strip finds beauty in small things. Whether it is the family cat, Gumbo, having a little attitude, or the joy of a quiet moment, Rose is Rose delivers smiles without loud jokes. It shares that same warmth that makes Pickles feel like a hug. The art is soft and lovely, and the characters are all easy to care about. If you like the parts of Pickles that make you say “aww” as well as laugh, this is the comic for you.
4. Baby Blues: Reliving the Chaos of Young Kids
Do you remember when Nelson was much smaller? Baby Blues is the perfect strip for that stage of life. Drawn by Rick Kirkman and written by Jerry Scott (one of the creators of Zits), this comic shows the wild and wonderful world of raising young children. The MacPherson family deals with diaper blowouts, picky eating, and the struggle of getting kids to sleep. It is loud, it is messy, and it is absolutely hilarious.
If you enjoy watching Earl and Opal react to the energy of their grandson, you will love seeing how Zoe and Darryl handle their own kids. The humor comes from real life. Any parent who has ever tried to take a shower while a toddler bangs on the door will see themselves in these panels. The strip shows the chaos but also the deep love that holds a family together. It is like looking at a photo album of those crazy early years and being able to laugh about it now.
5. Arlo and Janis: Quiet Humor for the Long Haul
Finally, let’s look at Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson. This comic is probably the closest you can get to the feeling of Pickles without actually reading Pickles. It follows a married couple, Arlo and Janis, as they go through their daily lives. They talk, they sit on the porch, they deal with work and their son. There are no huge adventures or talking animals with wild imaginations. It is just life, drawn simply and told with a lot of heart.
The humor in Arlo and Janis is very quiet. You might not laugh out loud, but you will smile and nod your head. It is the kind of comic that understands marriage is about sharing a space peacefully, even when you are reading different books. For fans of Earl and Opal, this strip offers that same feeling of companionship. It respects the characters and finds the funny side of growing older together. It is gentle, smart, and a perfect addition to your daily reading list.
| Comic Strip | Main Focus | Why Pickles Fans Will Love It |
|---|---|---|
| Zits | Raising a teenage son | Relatable generation gap humor with a loving family at its core. |
| Blondie | Classic married life | Timeless jokes between husband and wife, just like Earl and Opal. |
| Rose is Rose | Imagination & gentle family moments | The same warmth and sweetness found in the best Pickles strips. |
| Baby Blues | Chaos of raising young kids | Funny look at the younger family years, featuring Nelson-like energy. |
| Arlo and Janis | Quiet, long-term marriage | Peaceful, smart humor about growing older and staying together. |
Conclusion
Finding a comic strip you love is like finding a good friend you can visit every day. If Pickles has been that friend for you, it is exciting to know there are others out there just waiting to be discovered. Whether you choose the teenage troubles of Zits, the classic laughs of Blondie, the sweet imagination of Rose is Rose, the wild days of Baby Blues, or the quiet wisdom of Arlo and Janis, you are in for a treat. Each one of these strips shares something special with Pickles. They all find the funny side of being a family, and they all remind us that love and laughter go hand in hand. So go ahead, look them up, and enjoy meeting your next favorite comic.
