I’m running late today, but I am here! The above A&J from five years ago is a good example of something I mention here rather often. Regardless of what one thinks of the joke itself, it’s a good example of the essential comic strip, one where the words and the art are equally important. Take one away, and the other doesn’t work. No less than Charles Schulz said, it is what makes a comic strip a comic strip.
461 responses to “Is there any other kind?”
Beat ‘cha!
Love, Jackie Monies
Re today’s real time strip: Aaaaw!
What more would we expect from Arlo, Janis and Jimmy? Today’s strip totally touched me. I came into a family of my stepdad’s at about Meg’s age. I was always made aware I was a “step and not blood”, despite the fact the family were also my great aunts, uncle and cousins. Mom married a cousin the second time.
Janis was so good when Mary Lou was pregnant and unwed, what could we not expect them to love Meg?
Love, Jackie Monies
Good morning, Villagers!
Jackie, an anthropologist I know tells me that what you did in that cistern the archaeologists do and call them “middens.” Lots of cool stuff to be found in ancient trash, I hear.
Jerry, it is true that they found the lower half of a colonial-era brig or schooner in the area under where the WTC was. Apparently she was filled with earth and sunk as a part of an early 19th century harbor improvement. The archaeologists are excited because usually they just can study famous ships, like warships or funeral ships, but this was just an everyday coastal freighter, “it was ships like this that made New York”. I just read yesterday about an archaeologist lamenting “the loss of daily things”: like they save wedding dresses and ceremonial clothes, but nobody thinks about saving gramma’s work dress or granddaddy’s hunting leathers.
For today’s strip, notice that Mary Lou and Gene still seem to be staring daggers at each other, and Arlo and Janis both are on the verge of tears. ONLY Meg is happy in the joy of family. Lesson for all of us adults, maybe?
I dunno, David, I didn’t notice. But I did notice the look that Mary Lou gave Meg. It was the look that my mother gave me (and still does) that my gramma called “an old-fashioned look”. That’s part of the reason why I adopted a new family.
David, Lily, you are right! I had to go back and look a second time!
Love, Jackie Monies
Bought a new T-shirt from Scary-Go-Round. http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=SGR-TOOTALL&Category_Code=SGR I am informed that Ladies’ Small “will be a short delay.” Grrr. We get discriminated against all the time
That’s a funny one, Lily. 🙂 I think Mary Lou is just being mom, trying to get Meg to sit down rather than kneel/ looking back.
Lily: Part of the problem is ‘fashion’, in a sense. I am simply M in the S, M, L, XL, XXL series. But often, esp. when an outfit has a special tee made to give or sell to participants in an event, they order only L and XL because most prefer oversize shirts. D*mm*t, I’m not ashamed that I work out [not strenuously] and it shows.
My husband is a M too (before he lost 50# with chemo) and he complains about same issue. He doesn’t like loose shirts, I do but unfortunately I have grown into them ALL fitting now!
Of course, a lot of t-shirts shrink? The little bird was cute, Lily. My daughter is less than 5 feet, I showed it to her.
Love, Jackie Monies
Lily, if you think you get discriminated against because you are not tall, try finding a car you can fit in comfortably when you are 6’5″. That’s not an SUV or a minivan. Or any pants/shirts you don’t have to order.
I think the mildly exasperated looks ML and Gene are exchanging in panel 2 simply mean, “Doesn’t that kid ever hush?”
Lily, along with all my other sins, I guess I’m guilty of the “too tall” thing, too.
And where’s the surprise that a t-shirt conveying the message that everyone else is too tall would be in short supply in size “Ladies’ Small”? Makes perfect sense to me. 🙂
“Ladies’ Small” *are* loose on me. Click on my name and see, my cover shows me in a “Ladies’ Small.” I prefer Extra Small.
Just how tall are you, Lily?
And I stand corrected…
http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=DS-BIVCIV-SOFT&Category_Code=DS
I like the strip up top, simply from being a fan of the comic arts, I’m in awe how artists can know what their characters will look from all angles and with a smushed up nose down face
Ghost: 5’1″
Speaking of middens, I must have accidentally sent my comment to Lily off to one.
Lily: To tie (sort of) your comment about cool stuff being found in trash heaps and the current discussion of clothes check out the web for articles about a discovery of 15th century underwear, found in an Austrian castle. Apparently the surprisingly modern bras, thong underwear, shoes, pattens and other goods were used as insulation and only discovered during a restoration in 2008.
Yes, some very cool things can be found in trash heaps (and insulation).
Lily, one of my former pastors wasn’t much taller than you. He had to buy his suits in the older boys department. Bet you never walked into a store and accidentally knocked down a pinata with your head. It then fell on my then-girlfriend who was standing next to me. Wish we had that on video, could send it to that tv show and likely make some money.
More proof, Lily, that good things come in small packages. 🙂
Thanks, Ghost.
Mark, you would win that bet. I did hit aq pinata at a birthday party a few times
Ref today’s “9 Chickweed Lane” and previous discussion of the current story line…
The upward-folding slide and low bore axis of a Luger pistol causes it to recoil almost straight backwards when fired, with very little muzzle rise. So what do you suppose is going to happen to Martine’s right eye, if and when she ever actually fires the darned thing using her rather archaic “Hickock” stance? (And how do you suppose she will look wearing nothing but an eye patch? Like a sexy nude pirate wench, perhaps?)
Lily, the lower bore axis of the Glock is why I prefer it to the otherwise excellent SIG.
I am aware of that problem with the SIG, but I practice with all three of my pistols to get familiar with them, Ghost. If I were, God forbid, to be attacked by some thug, I would drop into a kneeling stance with a two-handed grip on my pistol, or if they were closer, a two-handed grip with both knees bent, and fire into the center-mass. I think Martine is trying for the “Sniper’s Triangle”, an iffy shot at best at that range.
Loon was involved in a non injury fender-bender, yours truly was the passenger. The two investigating officers, keep glancing at the ponytailed, Harley shirt wearing guy. Guess the old geezer looked like a trouble maker. 😉
About “the loss of daily things”- Several years ago we went to Bill Elliott’s NASCAR shop/museum in Dawsonville, GA., one corner of which was devoted to his family and their place in the community. I remember thinking that to historians those would be the most important “relics”. Among the items from his mom were her handwritten high school valedictory speech, some things she had crocheted, and some clothing she had sewn; one of the latter was her “going away” outfit (i.e., what she wore as she and her husband left their wedding reception.) All in all, a nice cross-section of life in a small southern town in the 1950s.