(Cartoonist’s note: I shopped Lost Key to my syndicate United Media when I first came up with it. I was anxious to produce a second strip. What was I thinking?! However, they passed. Unbeknownst to me, they had not long before canceled an under-performing strip of a very similar nature. Also, my strip really wasn’t that good.)
This cartoon is a bit dated. People besides sailors and prisoners were getting tattooed by the 80s but not as they have been the past ten years or so. The painful extravaganza described by the grizzled old tattoo artist would not raise an eyebrow today, although the tableau he describes might be thought of as a bit prosaic.
Speaking of tattoos, my generation when it was younger was very accustomed to the tattoos on our neighbors and fathers who had served in the navy during World War II. If you’re fortunate enough to have one of those old guys still around, you’ve probably noticed his tattoo is now a blue blob. Is that what all these modern tattoos are going to look like 40 years hence? I don’t raise this question to pass judgement on the tattooed, but I really have wondered this.
Speaking of things 80s, I remember my own racquetball phase, both weeks of it. And speaking of those tattoos, I’ve always heard that the body completely regenerates itself in seven years. In other words, the natural process of cell replacement eventually results in a brand new you. Researching this a bit (45 seconds, to be exact) in the process of writing this, I was not surprised to find out this isn’t exactly true. Types of cells take a lot longer than others to regenerate, and some never do. Essentially, though, there is something to the idea we get a completely new body every so often. The prospect tends to be more exciting than the reality, doesn’t it? However, given this and given the rather dynamic nature of skin cells, I wonder: Why don’t tattoos disappear?
In today’s episode, we’re finally getting to some character development, but this is about as far as it goes, I’m afraid. It was, after all, just a concept.
61 responses to “The Lost Strips”
JJ, your experience with the Lost Key concept proves the old adage, Timing is everything. Had you submitted it before the other similar strip had bombed, you may have found out the truth behind the other one, Be careful what you wish for!
I’m surprised the “the grizzled old tattoo artist” doesn’t have any tattoos himself. Then again, that probably would have given away the punch line.
Actually, I don’t think that the biggest problem is that the scene’s too prosaic, it’s that Davey’s chest isn’t big enough.
The Bear stopped in the Village 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4zRe_wvJw8
Old Bear, was that you in the hammock?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L7JS6c-ioo
Based on many years of hard-earned experience with female bartenders and bar maids, my advice to Davey is still the same as that I offered him the first time Jimmy published the Lost Key cartoons…”Run!”
Yeah, I don’t think this would fit on Davey, even as a full body wraparound: http://www.battleoflakeerieart.com/images/fullpaint.jpg
I had my first tattoo about 10 years ago and it still looks good. But it’s not as sharp edged as when it was first put on my arm. According to my tattooist though, they will stay better than the tattoos of old. It might have something to do with the ink they used in the old days, those were with lead content and nowadays the ink is without any lead or other poisonous metals. Even so, the sailors and prisoners of those days, probably had their tattoos placed when they were much younger, so in 50-60 years they might become a blob. By then, if life permits, i’ll be older than a century, probably with wrinkles all over, so a blob of ink then, would make no difference anymore….LOL. And I’ve also seen tattoo-artists that can make an old tattoo look as new again, so that’s also an option if need be.
Looks like Janis is way out of practice.
“given the rather dynamic nature of skin cells, I wonder: Why don’t tattoos disappear?”
Tattoos aren’t cells. The cells go on, doing their thing, dividing and living and dying, while the tattoo ink just sits there.
It’s like when you bury a pipe under your lawn… the grass keeps growing (and depending on where you are, dying back) but doesn’t push the pipes out of the ground.
My racquetball phase went from the mid-70’s to the late 80’s. I also sacrificed my right Achilles tendon to the sport.
I’d have assumed Janis has strong, muscular legs from all her walking, but she seems to have considerable upper body strength as well.
Something I’ve neglected too much lately, myself.
I have three tats, all blobs. Of course, they were blobs when I got them and they’re all 50 cm “up,” so it doesn’t really matter, does it?
TR
Not me but he does know a good thing especially since he came back.
Just finished a Lord D’Arcy collection. An Alternate History where the Plantagenet s
have ruled England, France, Ireland, New England (all of North America)
New France (all of South America) (etc) for 800 years.
Dukes,Lord, Sirs and Licensed Magicians. Most everything is Magic – no Industrial
Revolution. Steam but no Internal combustion, no Electricity. Interesting (IMHO)
later stories are better but the earlier are needed for character development.
A cautionary tale from “That Is Priceless”
Many, many years ago when I was 23 I was married to a widow who was pretty as can be This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red My father fell in love with her and soon they too were wed This made my dad my son-in-law and really changed my life For now my daughter was my mother ‘cause she was my father’s wife And to complicate the matter even though it brought me joy I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy My little baby then became a brother-in-law to dad And so he became my uncle though it made me very sad For if he were my uncle that would also made him brother Of the widows grown-up daughter who was of course my stepmother Father’s wife then had a son who kept them on the run And he became my grandchild for he was my daughter’s son My wife is now my mother’s mother and it makes me blue Because although she is my wife she’s my grandmother too Now if my wife is my grandmother then I’m her grandchild And every time I think of it, nearly drives me wild’ Cause now I have become the strangest case you ever saw As husband of my grandmother I am my own grandpaw
Oklahoma is already full of tatooed women who look like blobs. I was noticing an older overweight woman with what looked like horrible bruising or some disease that might kill her with a pulmonary clot.
Then I realized they were big blobs of giant black tatoos. Not saying quality of most tattoos here are very high.
One of my friends once saw a memorial tattoo.
Evidently, the lady had lost her young daughter and had “My Angel” along with a likeness of her little girl tattoed on her calf.
Unfortunately, the tattooist inscribed “My Angle.”
I hope my friend was joking, but he’s told the story a couple of times.
Laikipia Co., Kenya. Warthogs.
https://explore.org/livecams/african-wildlife/african-animal-lookout-camerahttps://explore.org/livecams/african-wildlife/african-animal-lookout-camera
Peace,
Jackie, what is it with the hair stylists in Oklahoma? Asymmetrical haircuts, weird colors, multiple piercings and tattoos? Looks like the 10-in-1 at a circus!
Old Bear, funny song. Had read of it years ago but never heard it till it came on Dr. Demento show one night. And yes, the Lord Darcy stories are very good.
Old Bear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3CvRC4fAmk
Rick: Here’s hoping the daughter’s name was Angie.
By the way, the term 10-in-1 I used above means a sideshow in circus slang. So what I was getting at is that these folks look like sideshow performers.
“Bowling”? So is that what the kids are calling it these days?
Ghost, maybe you and Jackie should go to this: https://okscotfest.com/
Looks like a fun event.