The Only Truly Funny Thing I Could Find

Radical Toons

Today's "Blondie"

"Frank and Ernest" make an appearance today, leaving me to wonder how Young and Lebrun went about choosing the top number of strip characters who would actually get space within "Blondie" panels? It's one of those situations where if you don't choose someone, they get their feelings hurt? (Forget about not getting invited to the party - all of that intense invite woolgathering that the couple went through was probably not far off from the actual truth of things.)

"Hagar The Horrible" has seemingly done what no other strip has done (that I know of), which is publish two strips in a row about the upcoming celebration. Two days of utter happiness for the viking couple? What ever will they do when this is all over? Depression sinks in.

In Other Comics"

Gotta love the rotten Apple logo on Mother Goose's laptop today.

This new character in "Baldo" just might emerge as a running commentary on the current state of affairs in America. "Baldo" has done a masterful job of balancing ethnicity with social awareness and just plain ol' funniness - but this kid with the glasses signals perhaps some more cutting edge satire in the funny pages.

Now, I've been a fan of Ward Sutton for quite some time - the man knows no bounds and no fear when it comes to America. Another great satirist is Tom Tomorrow of This Modern World. Both are edgy, alternative, not-ready-for-mainstream and absolutely on the mark. No apologies for getting all political on ya - but it's the life in which we live - hang on!





WHEW! We all feel better now?

Serials with your cereal?

Today's "Blondie"

Well, it just keeps getting better, doesn't it? The longtime "Family Circus" running gag of dotted lines showing a child's path rears its head for the first time in "Blondie" as Dag and the former Miss Boopadoop realize that their house has truly been overrun. Billy looks swell in the "Blondie" universe.

Meanwhile, across the paper, Hagar and Helga officially recieve their invite - I honestly don't think I've ever seen her this wide-eyed and happy. Miracles never cease, do they?

And the rest of 'em

Long-running plotlines seem to be in vogue, and "Luann" is still trying to get out of having the school see her on Tif's blackmail videotape in Winnie the Pooh underwear. What's the big deal? Luann is keen on baring her midriff - she can only score BIG time with the boys in the altogether, right?

Speaking of scoring BIG time, "Hi and Lois" let loose with an uncharacteristic hint of sex today. Rawr. Who knew?

Ah, Hilary is just upset over being teased on her first day of fifth grade. "Sally Forth", for the first time, is absolutely speechless - speechless, I tell you. Ted's offering to turn the hose on the older kids is pretty classic; it's what passes as edgy for this family.

Ever notice how Dogbert in "Dilbert" always has a little tail wag going? He's perpetually happy, making him the perfect foil for Catbert, who is evil to the core.

and "Doonesbury" is back making fun of bloggers, or should I say "bloggers who lack substance" or maybe even "bloggers who blog about donuts." I've read some of those blogs - and I say everything has a place, but you won't find me subscribing to 'em!

I'm resisting the urge to peek at "9 Chickweed Lane" and "Pibgorn" - they move slowly, but they're so good, I like to let them build up and then read them in an orgasmic rush. Don't you?

Details, Details

Today's "Blondie"

I'm glad that I didn't read the article on the "Blondie" page about the comic-crossover currently taking place - if I had, I wouldn't have been surprised by today's strip. Now, I'm not a fan of our current president or his policies, but in context, seeing George and Laura Bush on the other end of the line while Dagwood chortles "Har-Har! Woodley, you doofus!" has got to be one of the most classic moments in comic history. What's scary is that Laura looks a little like she and Blondie could be distantly related. (And George looks like, well - George.) The Orlando Sentinel clipped the first two panels of this strip, granted, not much to lose, but I wonder how often they do that?



"For Better Or For Worse" stands out as one of my favorite strips of all time, not only because it's funny, but it's well-written and very real in its portrayal of life's little quirks. Today's entry puts a foot forward into "Blondie" territory, yet again in a very real way (no Dagwood showing up at the door). Not only does Johnston pay homage to Dag and Blondie (and in a subtle way, "Peanuts" and "Cathy"), she also seems to be saying what we all seem to think about her strip, which is "I feel as though I know these people!" Kudos! Now, I'm wondering if we'll actually see a Patterson at the party next Sunday? (Actually, now that I review - Elly is already there - many characters already there haven't been shown since, so what are they doing? Crashing with neighbors?)



Ted and "Sally Forth" also got an invite today, in a funny bit that finds Ted asking "why do all the dorky-looking guys always score the hot-looking women?" (Sally's sly reply: "you tell me.")

In Other Comics

"The Boondocks" had me laughing out loud today as grandfather tries to impress upon Riley the importance of washing one's hands before supper. Riley is not-threatened and unmoved by gramps' insistence (and swinging belt) as he counters with logic such as "I know where my hands have been, and I'm not puttin' 'em all in your food. So why are you so worried about it?" Funny, Riley doesn't strike me as being the stubborn one.

The uneven "Opus" scores on the current events front with a funny strip about "intelligent design" and nipples on men. I can see one of the uses that Steve comes up with for nipples, the other one tho'. Ouch! (And this coming from a guy with a pierced nipple.)

Thanks to "Non-Sequitur" for adding yet another great tidbit to my phrase dictionary. "Le wump" seems like an all-occasion sort of commentary, don't it?

And finally, "Shortcuts" says "this is your brain" in an edition sponsored by Pinky and the Brain" ("are you pondering what I'm pondering?") - but what got me were some little details that I've not spotted before - a band-aid on the big lunky guy, the insignias on the bottom of Juanita's shoes (assuming that the redhead is not Juanita), and what's up with the kid with the glasses? No wonder he's always got the scared look on his face, he's a hapless critter (in this case, caught in mid-fall while dishing trivia.)

I'm really looking forward to next Sunday's anniversary party for Blondie and Dagwood and I'm hoping that they will release a book of all the artists' efforts to make this an unforgettable event! I'm sort of wishing now that I'd been clipping and collecting - but it's sort of like T.V. Guide (which I used to collect) - if you miss a few, it becomes maddening. I can't imagine the licensing effort involved with getting all of the different syndicates to dance together. That alone is cause for celebration!

Saturday Fun

Today's "Blondie"

It's difficult to tell if Sarge and Beetle Bailey were drawn by their creators or by Young and Lebrun, they look pretty "on-key." But then again, these guys go way back and probably pals. (The cartoonists, maybe not the characters.)

Of course, there's no doubt that Dag and Blondie are being interpreted by The Walkers in "Hi and Lois" - it's easy to accept the appearance of either until you start seeing them drawn by other people, then it's "dude, what IS up with that haircut?"

In Other Comics...

"Sally Forth" DRAMA! What's the deal? Is Hilary simply upset or is she physically hurt? Does that jaw look swollen? It's rare for this strip to be so perfunctory in its presentation (and so rare to see Sally sort of speechless..)

In so many "Peanuts" strips, the mastery of Schulz was to make silence funny. In the past week, Snoopy's attempts to engage bugs with a smile were hysterical - and the ongoing theme of toasting marshmallows has been a treat, especially today as Linus and Charlie Brown observe the itinerant beagle placing his freshly cooked treats into an off-panel freezer. (Funny, I don't remember ever seeing this series either - I'm still of the mind that Schulz has probably years of unreleased strips just waiting to delight.)

I don't know the name of the poor angry pooch in "Mutts" who is always chained up in the yard (according to the "Mutts" official web site, it's simply "Guard Dog", poor fella) but when Mooch gives him a sea-shell as a gift from his vacation, the dog is at first insulting, and then grateful in a poignant panel that shows him holding the shell to his ear with a smile by the light of the moon. Did I mention how much I love "Mutts"?

Little fink rock, little pink sock, hey!

Today's "Blondie"

I must be missing some appearances elsewhere, but have been too busy to seek them out online. If you're seeing some daily appearances of the ongoing "Blondie" anniversary, please dish them here!

Today, "The King Of Id" and Smithers bond. Natch.

I wonder if any strips who feel left out will attempt to do a little party-crashing? Can you see it? Fred Basset howling for Daisy to come outside with some scraps? The possibilities are endless....

In Other Comics...

What a huge laffer to see Crabby assuming the "little pink sock" pose in "Mutts"! We always knew he had a gentle $#%&! side.

Batman Down The Hatches

Or, er, something like that. We're in Hurricane Preparedness Mode here in Florida, but I just have to say that the sight of Grimm drinking out of Dagwood Bumstead's toilet bowl is certainly a comic version of east-meets-west, the subdued humor of the olden days mixed with the in-your-face wit of today. Me like.

And on that note, speaking of mixing it up, a little religious/political punch to resonate, just in case we are mit out power.



I see new subscribers - aloha!

Potpourri

I'm just gonna have to make a category here for "Blondie" - every day, there's something funny going on - like "Where's Waldo?", but not as annoying.

Hagar The Horrible meets up with Dagwood in "Blondie", and I gotta say this brings up a point about the different styles being applied to the characters in this multi-strip romp. It would seem that in some of the clips, the characters as drawn by their own artists are pasted into one of the "Blondie" stock backgrounds. However, when the "Blondie" characters wander into other strips, they are drawn as that strip's artist(s) would render them. So it was great to see Dagwood as envisioned by "The Family Circus" today as well as Hagar, who looked, well, rather good as drawn by another artist. I wonder if this will result in any stepping-on of toes? I wonder if I'm thinking about this too much? Nah!

Thanks to "Sherman's Lagoon", the phrase "very angry shiny toast" is now a part of my phrase dictionary. Hoo-hah!

And for some strips, you just gotta say "I grok."



Amen.

The Time Shift!

The confusion has started for me with this "Blondie" timeline. Today, Mooch from "Mutts" mourns his little pink sock, before finding another one to love - while just across the way in today's Sentinel, he and Earl find a whole bunch of socks in Blondie's wash. It's like seeing Mickey Mouse in two different places at Disneyland!

Dagwood being caught playing poker with the cast of "Beetle Bailey" today was classic, but "Mother Goose and Grimm" upped the ante' with Grimm's rib-tickling (and fan-favoring) description of how to get to the Bumstead's (even though he already appears to be there - inconceivable!) Throwing "9 Chickweed Lane" into the mix was a knowing nod on the part of Peters - must be a fan!

Hah, they're early!

I think this whole "Blondie" caper is going to end up like a toon version of "The Surreal Life." What ever will happen to the line for the bathroom?

The "Mutts" invite delivery today was very cute. But you know - this brings up a question regarding holes in the fabric of space and time. If Garfield is at the Bumstead's, but still smacking Odie around in another part of temporal reality, what will that do the vacuum that is the passageway between the worlds? Does this mean a "Cool World" sequel? (God, let's hope not!)

Now I have to look back and see how the "Get Fuzzy" delivery went.....

Happy Sunday To You

On a personal note, I know of at least a couple of you out there who are die-hard and actually read this blog, Marisol being one of them, so thanks for that. Your cool meter is always rising.

My blogs have holes because I've been in Editing Hell, which is not to say that I don't enjoy the smell of my own flesh burning, but it makes for a tough surf; I've been hitting selectively, which could almost be mistaken for something close to resembling "time management". (A new thing, could be a fad. I'll let you know in a minute. Ha.)

So, I haven't even looked at the Sunday funnies, the best of the collection this week. I've let my online strips collect in the archives. I'm ready for a comic implosion perhaps tomorrow morning.

Until then, it's back to Medialand. Hoping that you're all having a beautiful and blessed Sunday!

Mahalo,

Bing

Spilling out of the box...

Well, there it is, or at least the start of what has to be the most ingenious promotion ever to hit the funny pages. In today's Orlando Sentinel, the first part of a huge roll-out (brought to my attention by Marisol, one of our constant readers, as Stephen King might say) to celebrate the anniversary of Blondie and Dagwood. Just across from "Blondie" as the couple prepares for hairstyling, Jon and Garfield have just gotten an invitation to the party delivered by none other than Dagwood himself - while little boy Elmo delivers to Pasquale (What, Rose and Jimbo aren't invited? This stirs up the bluster amongst those who feared not getting an invitation). And though it would seem that the celebration isn't until next month, Pasquale's already set off with gifts (though Jon and Garfield's invitation states "no gifts.")

Obviously, this is already a lot of fun, and I'd rather not go looking for the official answers and instead wait more fun surprises like these two. I'm sure our little paper is missing out on some of the other "deliveries" today, so if you've spotted any - please hook a brother up here!

Just wondering if the kids from "Boondocks" got invited. 'Cause you know if they didn't, there's gonna be a press conference with Jesse Jackson, standing in solidarity with Baldo and other "Toons Of Color." Wouldn't that be something? It's times like these that I wish I was a skilled cartoonist!

Topper and other real people

"Dilbert" is on a roll with this Topper character. He looks just like a few of the other Dilbert office-types, but Topper really reminds me of a few people, even down to his deprecating body language (the boastful arms, the "been-there-done-that" stoop) and it's only a matter of time before Catbert gets to him. Even the evil must fry in "Dilbert", which lends cred to the concept that there is, alas, justice on Earth.

Saw It Coming

My wife actually saw it coming when Elizabeth was cruising around in Anthony's apartment and his wife wasn't present. "What's she doing there?" she asked, and I suppose many people wondered the same thing. Now, I guess Anthony's wondering too. "For Better Or For Worse" doesn't pull punches when it comes to matters of the heart, does it?

9 Chickweed Lane

Man, I love this strip!

Busier Than A Chinese Acrobat

Not that I haven't been reading the funnies - I just haven't been taking the time to analyze them - though some thoughts have been building up for awhile.

Like the dual stalker storylines of "Luann" and "For Better Or For Worse". Granted, Luann's infatuation with Aaron Hill is nowhere near as creepy as Howard's criminal attraction to Elizabeth. Somehow though, I figured that Liz would give it to Howard where it counted most, and today's strip at least shows him getting as good as he's been giving. However, given FBOFW's penchant for gulp-inducing twists, I'll have to admit that I'm hoping Elizabeth is more of a badass than we've all realized. To be worrying this much about a cartoon character is a testament to what Lynn Johnston has achieved through her work. Luann, on the other hand, isn't in any danger, except of being humiliated by that island cutie standing behind Aaron.

Comic-synchronicity in the Sentinel - as Linus continues to agonize over giving up his blanket while across the way, Jon, with a checkered tablecloth over his head, is told by Garfield that "Blankets don't eat." Light, I know - but there it is.

So when IS Blondie and Dagwood's anniversary? If they keep this run-up going any longer, it will surpass "Dick Tracy" as the strip with the most elongated serialization ever.

Hawai'i HA!

"Luann" and her mom are in Hawai'i this week, pretty quick move considering a one-day comic convention was stretched out over the course of two weeks. They appear to be on the island of Oahu, judging by what looks like Diamondhead in the panel background - so they'd be frolicking on Waikiki Beach.

I know Luann is dying to see Aaron Hill while she's there - but I'm hoping that something more substantial comes out of this vacation. Hawai'i is currently roiling over the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that Kamehameha Schools' Hawaiians-only admissions policy as unlawful.

Keeping in mind that this was an autonomous kingdom until President William McKinley, citing Manifest Destiny, basically "conquered" the islands in 1998, annexing them as property of the United States. Thus began an ongoing trial of the Hawaiian people, who first endured their land being stolen from them, and then watched as anglo businessmen began to expand their interests on their island paradise. So this latest intrusion by the U.S. Government is particularly egregious, and has caused an uproar due to the fact that it treads on very iffy ground: you can take the people's land, but can you take the people's right to ethnic sovereignity?

I know - heavy for the funnies, but I'm still hoping that "Luann" rises to the challenge instead of portraying Hawai'i, once again, as just an idyllic island paradise with happy locals and no worries. Timing is everything...

Dogbert of Homeland Security

"Dilbert" predicts the future. It's so funny that it hurts!

Put Up Or Shuttle Up

I just hope the astronauts get safely back to the earth before something else falls off the motherf&$#%@! Billions of dollars spent on an unjust war in Iraq and they're fixing the space shuttle with a spatula and chewing gum. Meh.

They're adding weeks to daylight savings time

Can we win some extra hours added to the day as well? Or would that be like hour inflation?

I'm slammed with work, so here's a giggler from a strip appropriately called "Brevity":



Sly humor RULES!