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

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Wavering

By Jimmy Johnson


Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
Water is tricky to draw. First, you turn on both the hot water and the cold and then stick your hand under it. When it feels just right, you plug the drain. When enough water has run into the tub, you sit down, and inevitably you’ll feel like you’re being boiled alive. Water is also tricky to depict. I was getting better at it when this cartoon ran in 1995. The wave in the first panel doesn’t look very convincing, but the foam in the last three panels looks about right. When drawing water (with a pen), less is more. Water is about negative space, what you don’t draw. That’s the way it is for me, anyway.

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248 responses to “Wavering”

  1. emeritus minnesota biologist Avatar
    emeritus minnesota biologist

    Galliglo and Bill: Thanks for Walt Kelly strips.

    Debbe: That was the Wicked Witch of the West [the yellow land of the Winkies], at least in the book. In the book, we also get to meet the kindly, plump Good Witch of the North, and later Glinda, the beautiful Good Witch of the South. The dumb movie conflated the two, and also got the color of the slippers wrong. Fie!

    I just got back from a stimulating 4-day Summer Theology Workshop, and have been listening in the Prius to CDs of Bart Ehrman’s lectures on conflicts in the church in the first few centuries CE, from the Great Courses outfit. Good stuff.

    Peace, emb

  2. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Gal, it may not shock you to know that “Highlight-the-more-interesting-parts” is one of those cartoons that is included in my personal collection. It’s also one of those I still can’t believe that Jimmy got past the editors. Well, at least Arlo said “interesting parts” and not “naughty bits.” 🙂

  3. sandcastlerâ„¢ Avatar
    sandcastlerâ„¢

    GR6, I knew a long legged blonde who drove a white Corvette. Her vanity plate read, “ALL TAN.” 🙂 I knew another who owned a beige Corvette and had pale naughty bits. 🙂

  4. Rusty Avatar
    Rusty

    Never cared for the term “naughty bits”, especially as it is usually applied to breasts. Never saw them as “naughty”, I guess…

  5. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Rusty: Re naughty bits, perhaps you had your sights set too high. 😉

  6. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    In our family we consider the 13th a lucky day, as we got married on Friday the 13th, one daughter and two grandchildren born then, one daughter who was an individualist refusing to be born on the 13th and arriving a few minutes past midnight on the 14th.

    I just reread a long list of posts here and based on the diverse occupations that I know of, the personal quirks I can see, how the heck does anyone expect us to concur on a topic and stay on it? Even if we all agree we love A and J and JJ, which I think we do.

    Am personally enjoying this little thread/arc in strip. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

    Love, Jackie Monies

  7. sandcastlerâ„¢ Avatar
    sandcastlerâ„¢

    Jackie, I foresee stars and squirrels orbiting Arlo as Janis issues an “I told you….”

  8. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    To me, one theme at a time = a linear (and dull) blog that would appeal to very few. But that’s just me.

  9. Village Loon Avatar
    Village Loon

    sandcastler! !

    Ghost what on earth are you trying to say?

  10. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    To be truthful, except the one I “own” my boating blogs have gotten boring, they are staying on topic too rigidly and never lose their sense of directions and drift to unknown lands. A friend of mine says that is because the “quirkiness” was often me and my 88 year old webmaster/friend (X-Air Force and FAA retired) and a few other “quirks” who are aging or health retired.

    Unique people and subjects interests me. I don’t have to agree, just be interested.

    By the way, I love “Monty” also and Fleshy, the cat. Who is now playing Chupacabra to the rich weird little kid and the butler. Another classic twist on plots.

    Love, Jackie Monies

  11. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Daughter who refused to be born on the 13th and held out for 14th just pointed out her dad had his lung removed on 13th and that my second grandchild was actually due on 13th but chose to arrive early, so both my children and all three of my grandchildren were supposed to have arrived on the 13th.

    So, lucky 13th.

    Love, Jackie Monies

  12. Lilyblack Avatar

    Good morning, Villagers!

    Hey, How about Apollo 13, with all its 13s, supposed to break the hex and got broken itself? 😛

    Not that I am superstitious. Just anxious

  13. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Uh-oh. It’s Friday the 13th. And there’s a full moon tonight. And…oh, no! There’s a bathroom on the right!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BmEGm-mraE

  14. Lilyblack Avatar

    Don’t go out tonight! They’re bound to take your life! There’s a bad moon on the rise!

    And I gotta say I laughed my head off at today’s A&J. Pax, Virgin Mindy. 😛

  15. sandcastlerâ„¢ Avatar
    sandcastlerâ„¢

    My, long time since I heard those lyrics. Band at local pub use to play that, is an old Hebrides Islands fisherman tune.

  16. Village Loon Avatar
    Village Loon

    Mexico got a clean sheet on Cameroon.

  17. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Daughter who is almost 40 grew up on CCWR and knows every song because mom is a R and R nutcase (me) She told me that there is a phenomenal full moon tonight that won’t happen for another 49 years and none of us will be here for that one. So, go outside and see it!

    When Mike my husband was stuck in the Everglades, it was the Super Moon that returned the water that had all been blown out of Florida Bay by the winds. So, moons are magical in many ways.

    Love, Jackie Monies

  18. Lilyblack Avatar

    I love the moon. Sometimes when it is shining brightly I go out on the deck and dance to music only I can hear and watch the shadows I cast. My moon shadow is magical, too

  19. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Forgot the ULTIMATE female ancestor’s’ name I found yesterday, America Louisiana_______Born in 1850’s. I had never heard this one and I knew there was a Louisiana. This may be one and same?

    Love, Jackie Monies

  20. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Awwwwww. For me, Lily? Thanks. I’m not entirely in love with all the women portrayed, but I certainly can’t fault their midriffs and/or belly buttons. All of which are examples of the types I find sexy.

    Scar or no scar, I’m sure yours is too. 🙂

  21. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Jackie, I don’t have time to look it up, but I believe I heard the deal on tonight’s full moon is it’s the last one to fall on a Friday the 13th until 2049. And speak for yourself…I plan on being around to see it.

    Perhaps Lily will use one of her Social Security checks to buy me a drink. 🙂

  22. Charlotte in NH Avatar
    Charlotte in NH

    Dear Lilyblack, please do click on the link that Bill in Paducah sent, for half a dozen Pogo comic strips that will amuse you and give you an idea of why Pogo is so likeable. It’s on this page, earlier in the day (days?)

    Bill in Paducah, thank you ever so much for posting this link. I am so fond of Pogo, and these are nice samples.

    Dear Jackie Monies, your ancestor’s name is truly remarkable. I wonder how long she lived? And I wonder if she had a nickname? This popped into my mind: Ammy Lou. You think maybe?

  23. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Debbe 😉 Since it’s payday, here’s a little “happy” for you…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZEURntrQOg

  24. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    There was an “Aunt Lou” and her real name was Louisiana. The only America was the baby in the Billy Lett’s novel that was born in the Walmart that got made into movie.

    I had an uncle John George who story was that he got named by the U.S. Census taker because he had no name other than “baby”.

    I will see if I can find more on the America Louisiana one tonight.

    Love, Jackie Monies