I probably don’t feature Ludwig enough here, so here’s another cat cartoon, from 1997. Ludwig will be 23 years old this year. Evan commented yesterday on Gene’s blond hair on the GoComics web site. No, that is not right; it should be brunette, as it’s always been. I’ve got to speak to someone about that. As you might deduce, my attitude toward colorization of the daily strips is somewhat lackadaisical. However, I finally am realizing that it is a fact of life, and I’ve been thinking a lot about color lately. I would like to take over all colorization myself (I color the Sunday strips now.), but I’m going to have to get a little more ahead of schedule first. I might even take on an assistant. I really have been thinking about this.
41 responses to “Catting Around”
Well, I suppose that answers my questions from 4-29-16 as to how you feel about syndicate colorists coloring (or mis-coloring) your work. Sort of. I guess.
If you’re looking for help, I’ve got a son who just became a teenager….I’ll loan him to you until he’s 20. All you have to do is put up with the teenage attitude and make him stay inside the lines when coloring the daily comics. On second though his Mom may not appreciate me trying to force him into an indentured apprenticeship….oh well, never mind. I’ll just have to put up with a teenager for another 6 years…pray for me.
Hey, Ghost… he was thinking about it. 🙂 And a hat tip to Brother Jimmy for the reply. 🙂
It is sort of like the debates that go on amongst Star Wars fans as to what constitutes hard facts about their story lines (called “canon” by the fans) and that which is, in effect, whimsy and “does not count.” The movies are “canon” but the books are not… and the wretched “Star Wars Holiday Special”? Holy Moly! The debate goes on.
I infer that Our Humble Author’s life is chock-full of things demanding immediate attention, and that as a result, the colorization of the dailies is a annoying nuisance when it is wrong, but meh, it isn’t “canon” and it can wait. I understand the sentiment: draining the swamp occurs once the alligator population in close proximity to one’s posterior is sufficiently reduced.
I personally take note of the craftsmanship of OHA in numerous areas and the attendant realization that he actually DOES think about any number of things, as evidenced by the various tweaks that occur from time to time. But I am a piker compared to some who are far more serious and studious than I. I recall seeing online a musing as to the identity and name of Mary Lou’s older sister… who has been mentioned perhaps once, possibly twice, in passing. I happen to simply recall a number of things, but I never expended any storage neurons or a moment’s thought about things like that. And again: Holy Moly!
So I was curious as to where Gene’s hair color in the dailies online was on a scale of 1 to 10. I think it is where it ought to be. I would rather have OHA continue to concentrate on the areas that matter in keeping A&J the unique and wonderful strip that it is. After all, Gene’s hair in the dailies isn’t “canon.” 😀
Then again, the actual process of canonization of ‘scripture’ was a bit questionable, unless you are sure the oft-neglected Third Person guided it from wherever. Pax,
Yes more Ludwig for now please. Reminds me of the idiosnycrazys of my three. Just not a steady diet of Ludwig, his charm would wear thin if pushed too hard.
For the true-blue fans (fanatics?), the “Star Wars Holiday Special” was someone’s drug-induced nightmare, not real, not part of canon. I was out of the country when the first movie came out (I first saw it when it was briefly re-released before “Empire” came out) and didn’t know about the special until I saw it mentioned online a few years ago in the Sally Forth comic strip. Lucky me!
I agree that, in the scheme of things, Gene’s hair color is relatively insignificant. However, I have no doubt that such things may be somewhat jarring to persons of a certain age whose thought patterns, belief systems, and outlooks have become rather firmly set.
Please note that the phrase “set in their ways” was not used in the above comment. 🙂
Having never been bitten very hard by the Star Wars film franchise (I saw the first three of the series, none of the follow-ons), I know nothing of the “Star Wars Holiday Special”. However, I suspect Jean dear could (and likely will) enlighten me on the subject.
As a child I was rather good at “coloring inside the lines”. Since then, not so much. 😉
Ghost, the infamous Holiday Special was shown once on broadcast TV… and never again. It introduced the Wookiee holiday of “Life Day.” It introduced Chewbacca’s father, Itchy, and his son, Lumpy. No, I am not making that up. And it concluded with Princess Leia singing the Life Day Anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRrm59Z_0w4
Those were the good parts. 🙁
From Wikipedia: “On the 2010 television program Times Talk, New York Times columnist David Carr asked Carrie Fisher about the special; she said that she made George Lucas give her a copy of the special in exchange for recording DVD commentary for the Star Wars films. She added that she shows it at parties, ‘mainly at the end of the night when I want people to leave.'”
Twelve hour day. Couldn’t close out my day because the register I use to do that froze up. Two other stores had NO registers, aka closed. I could still ring sales (getting business from my old store around the corner – one of those dead in the water). Yeah, business was booming, until MY system went south. Put up the closed sign, locked the doors, and people STILL jerked on the handles and beat the windows. A few got really mad when told we were closed. “WE HAVE NO FUNCTIONING REGISTERS” apparently means “so just wait on me.” The ones that actually kicked the doors when we wouldn’t open would not have been served anyway out of spite – it’s how I roll. 🙂 What was *supposed* to be a two hour turnaround extended into five. Fun stuff. Off to bed for another exciting day tomorrow.
I just had to watch the performance of the “Life Day Anthem” by Princess Leia, didn’t I? Thanks a lot, Evan.
The suckage was strong in that one.
No, Lady Mindy, to some “WE HAVE NO FUNCTIONING REGISTERS” means “not my problem”. I guess they think you can run a business with an abacus these days. (Well, maybe in China you can.)
Add to your sign, Mindy….. Power is out, beer is hot, each item $1000 cash…..Be sure to turn the lights out, too, when you lock the door. Hey, if it is still out tomorrow can you turn around and go home?
Ghost, mon ami, trust me when I say: Those were the good parts.
For example, Harvey Korman and Beatrice Arthur show up in other parts. Let me put it this way: You would BEG for a second verse from Princess Leia. 🙁
Llee – We had power, our beer is always hot (law), and thst is too many words for them to read. And everything is back to our normal abnormal. My next sign is going to say “IRS on site.”
Oh dear, where is Jackie? Has anyone heard from her? I will go look on Facebook.
Mindy, you are a good person. You did all you could with this awful problem. You have my sympathy and I hope tomorrow is a lot better.
Jackie and Mark seem to have “gone dark” at about the same time. Hum.
I hope you had a wonderful Mothers Day, Dear Charlotte. I was a little busy with my mom to wish you one in a more timely manner.
I think Jackie is traveling. I hope Mark’s mom is all right.
Jackie drove to Alabama with a van load of live animal traps and cat carriers to rescue Mark’s mom’s yard cats before her neighbor finished trapping and terminating them. Mrs. Vick is not in good condition and worsening. We trapped as many as possible and drove them back to Oklahoma, including through a close by tornado.
My vet neutered, spayed and vaccinated all in one afternoon. I took him and assistant a 12 pack of Texas beer which I am sure they drank immediately after we moved cats out. We let cats out this morning from cages and they tore off looking for Alabama.
It was a good Mother’s Day and made me feel good, trying to help someone and save a few cats, even if they don’t know where they are.
I found Jackie on FB and yes, Gal, you are right. She was in Birmingham Ala. a couple of days ago and is enjoying life and finding great food. I hope also that Mark’s mother is doing well.
Dearest Ghost, thank you for asking. And I hope your mother is well — please be sure to let us know. I had such a wonderful Mother’s Day, it’s taken a while for me to come back down to Earth. Son Bill and his wife Sue drove from Vermont Saturday afternoon, stopped in the city (Manchester) at an Indian restaurant for food and brought it here. A fine feast of not too spicy chickpeas, veggies, rice, chicken; a nice change from my usual fare. They had lots of photos on their laptops that I enjoyed seeing after supper. They slept in the guest room, and in the morning daughters Nancy and Marge; Marge’s husband Dana; and their daughter Jessica came and brought brunch food, baked stuff and a huge bowl of fruit. Conversation flew thick and fast, friendly and far-ranging. Daughters Alice and Pat called on the phone later in the day, and two grandsons also called. Had received some pretty cards also.
I feel happy to have such caring children, and they are so fond of each other too. It’s a pleasure to have them visit.
Good gracious, Jackie, what a wonderful thing you have done! That you would drive so far and go to so much trouble is purely amazing. You have brought much happiness into the world — may we all get fired up to do something that needs doing!
I celebrated another’s Mothers’ Day, described earlier, I think: much fun. But it is good when all 3 kids and all 3 grandkids get together, which we did in late March. Next up, daughter will fly in and stay here for the 50th reunion of the dance studio she trained it, end of May, and older son and wife w/b here for one day of that. He’s the one that’s busy every Sun. morning. Peace,
Just figured out what Arlo meant in yesterday’s classic.
17. I’m supposed to respect my elders, but it’s getting harder and harder for me to find one now.
Debbe
I know how you feel about e-mail. I am locked out now myself.
B’ugs