A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Redoing the Redux

By Jimmy Johnson


Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
As promised, here’s the earlier version of the Sunday A&J comic from last November, that reran here yesterday. It wasn’t quite as old as I remembered; it was from 1993. I included the two bonus panels at the top, which are designed to be disposable, because I wanted you to see the store shopping bag. In the recent version of the strip, you’ll notice a cardboard box. In the strip from 2014, most of us would conclude Janis purchased the skirt online, and it had been delivered. I think that’s probably the single biggest difference in the strips, drawn 21 years apart. There’s something else that sticks out, something that bedeviled me for many years. In the older strip, Arlo and Janis are roughly the same height. By most reckoning, this would put Janis on the tall side or Arlo on the short side or a little of both. It just seemed to be that way. For no particular reason other than creating visual contrast (think “Mutt & Jeff”), I consciously reminded myself for years to make Arlo a little taller than Janis. Now, it comes kind of naturally, but it took awhile. I now think of Arlo as average in height and Janis perhaps a little taller than average. But not much. There, have I written enough for today?

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182 responses to “Redoing the Redux”

  1. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Probably on the premise that opposing Putin is suicidal behavior.

  2. Huntch Avatar
    Huntch

    I like both the old and the new versions. However, I didn’t realize how much Janis’ face has changed – especially the nose. No value judgment – just found it interesting.

  3. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    Just walked in from Shands in Gainesville. Passed a van with three cats in every window. Hi Jackie. Debbe, I liked your jokes. Here’s a one line song that I wrote in 1979. “Take out one i and leave off the e and that’s what Shiite means to me.” No offense to all of the friendly patriotic Muslim-Americans out there. I’ve promised to spend less time here so I’m afraid that I will not have time to catch up or post very often. If mama’s not happy, it’s snafu.

  4. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    There’s a rumor that Putin has Asperger’s. As you know, I am a well-known authority on the subject. A covert operation has been approved to place a whoopee cushion in his chair. If he sits down and doesn’t laugh he does have Aspergers. If that is the case every American will mail him a birthday card every day until he jumps off the roof of the Kremlin.

  5. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    OF- now!

  6. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Don’t you hate it when two people block the already-too-narrow aisle at the market, not shopping but simply running their mouths about nothing? When I become King of the World, that will be an offense punishable by ten lashes. In the meantime, I suppose I’m limited to what I did this afternoon, which was to ask (politely), “Are ya’ll the Kroger speed bumps?”

    A bit less snarky than my original plan of holding up my driver’s license and asking, “Do you need to see proof of insurance coverage, also?”

  7. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    I once switched carts when the lady’s back was turned, took her cart to the next aisle, came back and said “Ma’m, you have my cart.”

  8. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    She had actually added a couple of items to it and couldn’t figure it out.

  9. emeritus mn. biologist Avatar
    emeritus mn. biologist

    At the gym, many are there for social reasons, as well as working out. There’s plenty of room to stand around, but many prefer to sit on, say, the triceps machine and the rowing machine. I sometimes switch my sequence, but other times, just stand there.

    MPR doesn’t know it, but they are playing a series of carts at once. Now it’s done. Next Verdi’s Requiem, live, Orchestra Hall, Mpls. Love it. You can probably stream it live at mpr.org

    Peace, emb

  10. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    emb
    That is:

    http://www.classicalmpr.org/listen

    I have it on speed dial

  11. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    emb
    Were you listening at 3:25?
    Their copy of the Marine Hymn is missing.

  12. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Here’s a funny video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU11b_OloQw

    It’s from a Canadian variation of Candid Camera. One of the US networks was running this as a summer show and it was better than the US practical jokes shows. Not mean-spirited.

  13. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Villagers….

    Jerry, that switcharoo was funny, made me laugh. Don’ be a stranger, I will miss your antics.

    Been in a funk lately, yesterday I was waiting in line behind a car to get gas. Driver got back in, didn’t move, I inched forward, still didn’t move, they were busy scratching their lotto cards. FINALLY she pulled forward and I wanted to floor it, Andrew was inside the gas station, when I went in to pay for the gas, he told me “I thought you were going to plow into her”…and I said “she can scratch her a$$ on her time not mine.” Good thing they know me in the store. I’m in there every day getting something. The clerk calls me “Beautiful”, and I call her “Sunshine”….Ian has taken an interest in her…..yeah…..

    So that was how my day went yesterday, GR 😉 …speedbumps, good one.

    Dakota is bringing in his pellet gun today to try and nail that bird….this could be interesting. The Boss put a $10 bounty on the bird….said he didn’t want any guns, because one time they kept missing, shot holes in the water lines and the walls…..Andrew said he’d bring his 22 AND his caulking gun…in case he missed 🙂

    Got some strange weather coming this week, Tuesday it will be in the 50’s then back down to the 30’s….snow, sleet, rain tonight and tomorrow….

    Indy Mindy….ya ready for the snow up there?

    ya’ll have a blessed Caturday

  14. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Denise, Sand, and Gal…..thank you for your perspective on yesterday’s strip. And I like Mr. Nimoy’s final tweet.

    I take in the beautiful sunsets here and I do pause to enjoy the creation He has done.

    In Spock’s memory

    http://cheezburger.com/8454042624

  15. Ken from Framingham Avatar
    Ken from Framingham

    Jimmy, looking at the two, it is clear you are now a better artist. It must be great to be getting better with time! The most important difference is that your command of ‘physical comedy’ in your art has now reached the highest level.

  16. emeritus mn. biologist Avatar
    emeritus mn. biologist

    Today’s newspaper comic [= “Click to read today’s A&J”, above] is accurate. However, Luddy’s lobby has settled for subspecies status, if one is recognized. Felis catus is the “wild cat” of Europe, Africa, and Asia. If Luddy is anything special, he’s Felis catus domesticus.

    Likewise, Luann could be saying the same thing to Puddles. He was Canis familiaris. Now he’s Canis lupus familiaris, if that formal designation exists.

    I’ve seen both of the wild species: wild cat in Kenya, wolf NE of Itasca State Park, which is not in Itasca County.

    Peace, emb

    Just heard multiple carts on MPR again. Must email the nearest MPR rep.

  17. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    I hope that the carts sound better on the radio than they do in the supermarket.

  18. emeritus mn. biologist Avatar
    emeritus mn. biologist

    Jerry: Cartridge, a tape with a canned msg. on it. I’m sure the device is different now. That was a hilarious video. Just in case somebody local gets ideas, I think I’ll avoid moving any loaded ‘abandoned’ carts henceforth.

    OF foggy, still no current prediction.

    Peace, emb

  19. Steve From Royal Oak, MI Avatar

    I’ve been waiting around all morning waiting for the temperature to rise so that I can begin my long walk today. Hoping to get in 15 to 20 miles.

    I took one of our cats to see the Vet last night as he had been vomiting for a couple days. I could not believe how much Vet care is. While I understand it, I am not happy about it. The employees there really love animals but almost to a fault. When I mentioned a few things about his care, I got lectured about why it was wrong.

    I had a cat that lived to be 21 and we never let the cats outside, so while I respect their opinion, I will continue with the care that I give them. I sometimes give the cats a 1/2 can of Fancy Feast, which I guess is not good for their urinary tract. One of the ladies gave me a list of “treats” that are more healthy, which I will try however.

  20. Bill in Paducah Avatar
    Bill in Paducah

    What bothers me most about the old strip is that 1993 was 21 years ago!

  21. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    They put a message in a can? Then they tape it shut and throw it in the ocean?-:0

  22. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    A few years ago, when Seth Meyers was doing the Saturday Night Live Weekend Update “news”, he related a story about someone who had spent $10,000 on a total hip replacement for their cat, then added with his slightly smirky smile, “Which was $9,900 more than a total cat replacement.”

    Many here, I’m sure, will fail to see the humor in that.

  23. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    Steve
    One can goes to 6 cats — half in morning, half in evening.

    emb
    If you have trouble contacting MPR let me know. Might have contact that will send you to the right direction. MPR is my station of choice.

  24. Ursen Avatar
    Ursen

    Still more or less snowed in. Driveway is melting slow due to temps bouncing up and way down. I can walk down the hill to the car, but coming back up is a major test of new heart meds that are supposed to control chest pains. One tenth of a mile long, some of it 19 degree grade, takes me 20-30 mins to get up it. Been out twice since I slid the car down the hill Sunday. Real had to’s or I wouldn’t have done it. Maybe some warmer wx and rain will do it this Sunday. Almost got my Subaru stuck twice going down hill last Sunday. When a Subaru gets in trouble you know it is bad.