Since we visited last, the comic-strip world lost a giant, Bil Keane. Mr. Keane, of course, was the creator of the ubiquitous comic panel The Family Circus. The humor in his iconic creation was, by design, as warm and fuzzy as it was recognizable. Its object was a smile, not a belly laugh, and it was a recipe that proved uncommonly successful. Therefore, it came as a surprise to me, as a young cartoonist, to learn Bil Keane in person was an utterly hilarious individual. I never knew him on a truly personal basis, but I did attend several conventions of the National Cartoonists Society, where he regularly served as emcee for the main event, the Reuben Awards, cartooning’s “Oscar.” It was always a black-tie event, and many a rented tuxedo was returned in rumpled state after the wearer had spent an evening rolling in the aisle listening to Bil’s off-the-cuff remarks. He was a cartoonist’s cartoonist. He will be missed by his colleagues and many, many friends.