I said I would address comments about the boat Arlo and Janis are supposed to have, the boat bequeathed them by Gus, and I will—sort of. First, I want to clarify something. While some of the comments over at the A&J GoComics site tend to be crankier than most here, it isn’t because I moderate in advance the comments made on this site, as was suggested in Monday’s comments. I don’t. A lot of readers post nice things on GoComics, the syndicate Web site, but I regularly get lambasted there for one thing or another. That’s what comments are for, I suppose. And someone asked if the “Schooner Cartooner” survived Hurricane Katrina. Yes, it did. The owners evacuated it from Biloxi in time. Now, about the boat. You know, it’s a much deeper subject than simply the boat. One reason I stepped away from the subject of Arlo’s obsession was that reader comments and “likes” led me to believe a vast majority of readers don’t particularly respond to the subject matter. I cannot stress enough what a terrible method that is for directing the creative process. But there it is. It is so much a part of what we do these days, especially as readership gravitates from print media to digital media. I’m trying to learn to live with it. Of course, the proper thing to do as a cartoonist would be ignore all external influence, but Hey! We have so much fun here, don’t we? So, will the boat show up again anytime soon? I think it will.
162 responses to “Above us, only sky…”
Jimmy,
Whatever process your mind takes to give us A&J on a daily basis and to show up here from time to time to share some of the thought process…..it works for me. I’ve tried to imagine a world without A&J and I find that world to be a rather gloomy place.
Please keep doing what you’re doing and doing so well. 🙂
Well, if the score is like Cat 50, Schooner 1, I suppose that makes sense.
I’ll have what Arlo’s having! 😉
I had to stop reading the comments on go comics because they were so senseless and whiney. I loved the foray into Gene’s life, but man, some people really complained.
Don’t let the comments change whatever it is that inspires your ideas, cuz.
I like sharp knives, so my wife bought me a new-fangled ceramic knife for Christmas a year ago. (I’m the family cook.) It really was nice and sharp, but no sharper than I keep my steel knives, and when it dulled in four or five months, I couldn’t sharpen it. The shop where she bought it sent it back for sharpening, but it dulled again. I was very careful to cut only on a wood block. So I think I’ll stick with steel.
It seems obvious that the comments are nicer here because people know they’re saying things to your face.
Jimmy, as a sailor, I look forward to it! I have saved most of the various sailboat-related strips. My wife really does think you are spying on us, BTW… 🙂
As for today’s knife incident…yeppers, I know the sharper ones are safer, but that veggie slicing mandolin thing still scars me…have a neat scar where I took a good chunk of pinkie off. I use the hand guard, now… 🙂
That should have read “SCARES me”, although I guess both will work… 🙂
The retro strip reminds me of the Peanuts one where Lucy, Linus, and Charlie Brown are lying in the grass looking up at clouds. Lucy and Linus both see very complicated tableaus, but when they ask Charlie Brown what he sees, he says “I was going to say a horsie and a duckie, but I changed my mind”.
I have a very nice set of Henkels knives, and we keep them very sharp, and yes, I have been nicked a time or two, but so far nothing requiring stitches. Unfortunately the professional knife sharpener we knew has left the area, and we haven’t found anyone as good yet.
Rusty, I have a mandolin slicer, but I find my knives work just as well, and usually faster.
JJ, I sort of figure this is your cartoon ship, and as it’s captain you can sail it where-ever you want to go. I’m a happy passenger.
I also figure that the reason we tend to be nicer here than the folks on gocomics is that by living in our little Village we have come to know each other somewhat, and are friends. Those in the Dark Side are just people making comments. 😉
Nothing is broken with A&J, so let’s not worry about fixing it. I like it just as it is, in every way! Please keep up the good work, JJ!
Jean said: “I also figure that the reason we tend to be nicer here than the folks on gocomics is that by living in our little Village we have come to know each other somewhat, and are friends. Those in the Dark Side are just people making comments.”
I think that’s a very valid point, Jean. I know that before posting a comment, I always ask myself, “What would the most easily offended person in the Village think of this?” Then I usually post it anyway. 🙂
But yes, we mostly are friends here.
Sometimes I read a few GoComics remarks, not often. Because I monitor/moderate a number of forums I tend to notice the “names” people go under. Maybe because for awhile I was heading off trolls? Taught me who to read, who to ignore, who to ban sometimes.
Last night I suddenly noticed that some people commenting on A&J were on another strip, then another, then another. They are the Facebook and Twitter generation and short, headline type comments are their thing, like “Liking.” They try to grab your attention by being clever or snarky or whatever.
Long ago I decided to be me and nothing else.
JJ, when you are selling anything, even a comic strip which is a creative process, the buyer has to be considered. Obviously we must be your “best buyers” and you can do no wrong in our minds.
Love, Jackie Monies
wherever you lead, we’ll follow.
arlo doesn’t really want a boat, he just likes the idea of a boat and the implied freedom it symbolizes. i can relate.
I can truly say that the only A&J strip I truly didn’t like was the “Love the geezer inside one. I love the Gene and MaryLou ones and even like the cat. He is not annoying like Garfield or Peekaboo. I even like the “boatie” ones to quot a man I know who has a sailboat.
Oh, THAT cloud.
http://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2011/07/13#.U3Tk3PldWa8
I think that many share Janis’ opinion that a sharp knife is more dangerous than a dull one. I liken that to air travel vs. auto travel. While surviving a car accident is greater than surviving an airplane crash, if you compare it to the miles traveled and the number of persons that die in commercial airplanes versus car travel then air travel is much safer.
My Father-in-law taught me the importance of a sharp knife. As long as you’re careful there is less chance of injury. However a dull knife can slip much more easily even if you are careful.
A&J is YOUR canvas, JJ, and we just enjoy whatever you decide to do with it. Any decent artist will tell you the best way to success is to follow your heart, not what you think will sell. You’ve done that for 25 to great success and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
Today’s retro is a great example of what we like about A&J- we know and love these characters and their idiosyncrasies just as if they were real people. And, your caption for the comic is spot-on funny, too!
BTW, I am in favor of any kind of artist “taking the temperature” of the people who enjoy their work. How many times do we see an actor or singer go off in a direction that alienates their fans? That should never be the driver and the artist should be able to grow, but not too far. JJ has done this very well.
JJ,
I don’t often comment but I read A&J and this blog daily. From one Auburn Tiger to another: Keep up the great work and “Iligitimi non carborundum.”
IT’S GREAT TO BE AN AUBURN TIGER !!!
WAR EAGLE !!!
During my couple of decades as a floral designer, I did “shows” to teach new ideas, designs, how to sell ideas– to other florists. I was a serious competition “floral art” designer but you sell about one of those a life, but thousands of the others. I taught people how to gather little brown eggs while waiting for the golden one.
One Valentines I came up with an idea for men, “Fishing For Love”- it involved a Styrofoam bait bucket, an inexpensive minnow net and a bamboo pole with bobber, a hook (tip cut off) and a chain to attach the fish (Valentines Hearts). Lots of curly willow, vines, grasses, manly flowers, if any, or a plant.
I was told that there wasn’t a Dollar General or dollar store in a six state area of the South that had any of the components after Valentines. Every florist had snatched them up!
Art will only get you so far but sales can reach a greater audience.
I think Jimmy combines both elements, the art and the humor, he is Arlo looking at the sky.
Love, Jackie Monies
I hope you don’t let the comments sway you too much on the content. I usually become disenchanted with television programs that seem to pander to the fan base. I think A&J is pretty perfect just the way it is. I do miss the boat and Arlo’s daydreaming of sailing and Margaritaville.
I hope you don’t let the comments sway you too much on the content. I usually become disenchanted with television programs that seem to pander to the fan base. I think A&J is pretty perfect just the way it is. I do miss the boat and Arlo’s daydreaming of sailing and Margaritaville.
I am sorry my comment posted twice.
We have/use steel Warther knives from Dover, OH. The place is fascinating, with knife production and a carving museum; well worth a visit. The founder was, indeed, a master carver. No doubt there is a fine website, too. They offer free lifetime sharpenings, and we usually take a few knives along when we visit the area for that very purpose.
Wife has a tendency to slice fingers, sometimes multiply; I’m better off in that respect. She may get some woven steel gloves for her birthday if I can find a vendor of same. Ideas?
Forgot to mention that link about the giant alligator snapping turtle was indeed our lake. They are endangered, so turning it loose into the lake was the right thing to do. Now we are all joking about keeping our hands and feet in boats. They aren’t aggressive unless you stick your fingers into one of their hiding holes which catfish noodlers do.
Each year we do some sort of safety/rescue/boat recovery program as part of our small wooden boat regatta/festival. This year we may have trouble getting volunteers in the water for said “rescue”.
I am trying to remember what the old folk legend was? That they wouldn’t turn loose until it thundered? Oh well, I have been trying to get some of our re-enactors to bring some cannons anyway, so we can add cannon shots for that part!
Love, Jackie Monies