Tick (1988) 7

Here’s a non-holiday most of us can really sink our teeth into, Cow Appreciation Day; no offense to the vegetarians in the audience.

Bad puns aside, this calendar traveling day is celebrated seemingly at the whim of…I don’t know. This year it’s observed on the first, but it can be moooved (boo) to other days based on the wishes of the calendar gods.

Originally Cow Appreciation Day began as a Chik-Fil-A gimmick. Heff R. Jones (sound it out) started the “Eat More Chikin” billboard campaign in 1995. Even allowing for the attention span of most Americans, the first observance of Mr. Jones’ promotion wasn’t celebrated until 2004.

To commemorate, Chik-Fil-A passes out free meals on the day.

As for Four Color, well, Mr. Jones may be the original mascot, but he doesn’t work for the Web page. The Man-Eating Cow does.

The Man-Eating Cow first appeared in Ben Edlund’s Tick issue seven, The Moon Menace. Inside, the Tick seeks Pez, but finds himself the beefy sidekick to a back-alley detective. They are soon at the mercy of the underworld and a pit of man-eating alligators and cows under the employ of Chairface Chippendale.

In addition to introducing the Man-Eating Cow, the Tick also utters his “Spoon!” battle cry for the first time. Also making inaugural appearances were Angus MacGuire and Professor Chromedome.

By battle’s end, the Tick and Arthur have triumphed and depart for New York City, leaving The City in the hooves of the Man-Eating Cow.

The Man-Eating Cow would prove popular enough that she spun off into her own book that ran from 1992 to 1994 for 10 issues. The Tick would return for guest appearances.

A two-issue mini ran in 1996 called Man-Eating Cow Bonanza.

The Man-Eating Cow also made an appearance on the Tick’s two-season Fox network’s Fox Kids block animated series.

Happy Cow Appreciation Day, no matter how you celebrate.