Shmoo

The shmoo (plural: shmoos, also shmoon) is a cartoon creature created by Al Capp (1909–1979); the character first appeared in the comic strip Li'l Abner on August 31, 1948. The character created a fad that lasted into the 1950s, including merchandise, songs, fan clubs, and appearances on magazine covers. The parable of the shmoo has been interpreted in many different ways, both at the time and in later analysis.