Written and drawn by Jerry Dumas, Sam and Silo, chronicles the comic misadventures of a small-town sheriff and his deputy.

Sam and Silo are characters in the classic mold. They don't attempt to solve the secrets of the universe. They don't have profound ideas about politics or the economy or the communications revolution. They just aim to brighten their allotted space in the newspaper each day with a laugh or chuckle.

There is much nostalgia in Sam and Silo, which debuted in 1977. The backgrounds often show tree-shaded streets, the town hall and the courthouse, all beautifully drawn. The scenes depict a way of life that is warmly remembered by millions of city folk who grew up in places much like Upper Backwater, the strip's setting.

The genesis of the strip came in 1961, when Dumas and comic strip legend Mort Walker created Sam's Strip. Set in a fantasy place where newspaper-comic characters, past and present, would meet and mingle, the strip lasted until 1963. It is still fondly remembered by comic aficionados as an affectionate valentine to a great American art form.

Dumas and Walker resurrected the characters in 1977 for Sam and Silo. Dumas has handled the strip alone since 1995.