Another "SLAM" in the BC comic strip?

alfaniner · 13th November 2005, 02:20 PM

I was rather surprised to encounter no less than four regular comic strips that were totally pointless today. Occasionally there may be one or two where I say "I don't get it" but today was a banner day.

One that made me examine it a little bit more was the BC strip. Johnny Hart is a strong Christian, from what I understand, and previously there was a veiled knock at Islam (discussed in a previous thread).

If I knew where to link to an online version, I'd post it.

Today's strip had
Panel 1: A rock rolls up to a daisy and another rock. The first rock has printing on it that says "HI BEAUTIFUL"

Panel 2: The rock SCREECHes to a stop and displays "I'M ROCKY". The daisy says "Hi, I'm Daisy." The other rock says in a word balloon "and I'm flabbergasted."

Panel 3: Rock 1 displays "YOUR FRAGRANCE MAKES MY HEART SING". Daisy sighs.

Panel 4: As Rock 1 rolls away and displays "BYE BYE", Daisy says "Wow. a talking rock!" The other rock now has eyes and it says "Big deal. What the heck does that make me?"

Panel 5. Daisy says "Chopped liver." As the rock with eyes looks at the viewer.

Huh???

I thought about it a little bit and worked out that, well, if the one is a "talking rock", what DOES that make the other one? An "eye rock". Then I thought, "I-raq".

The punch line is one of the oldest in the book. I'm just trying to figure out if this is another knock to the Middle East.

c4ts · 13th November 2005, 04:28 PM

Maybe Hart is just slowly going insane, talking to rocks and such.

TragicMonkey · 13th November 2005, 08:27 PM

I heard a theory that Charles Schultz was actually sending coded messages to his network of drug traffickers, rather than attempting humor. It certainly explained why so many of the later Peanuts strips simply didn't make sense.

Unfortunately, so many comic strips are unfunny enough to make you wonder if there's a purpose behind them. Especially Marmaduke. We get it: the dog is comically large. Is there anything else? Yes, there's a shipment by sea on the fifth, make sure it's warehoused immediately.

Cosmo · 13th November 2005, 09:41 PM

A link to help people out.

Edit: This strip seems a bit more 'religious'.

Zep · 13th November 2005, 11:07 PM

Doubtful premise. I just reckon Hart had a bad-jokeline day that day.

TragicMonkey · 13th November 2005, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by Zep

Doubtful premise. I just reckon Hart had a bad-jokeline day that day.

In the same way that he has breathing-air days some days.

David Swidler · 14th November 2005, 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

In the same way that he has breathing-air days some days.

From The Simpsons:
Patty (or Selma?), the DMV clerk: Some days, the line doesn't move at all. We call those: weekdays.

StoatBringer · 14th November 2005, 05:02 AM

Many years ago, I quite liked BC. Nowadays, the strips seem either preachy or just plain unfunny.

Tricky · 14th November 2005, 05:26 AM

Originally Posted by StoatBringer

Many years ago, I quite liked BC. Nowadays, the strips seem either preachy or just plain unfunny.

I agree. When I was in my early teens, I thought BC was howlingly funny, and indeed it was a lot more fun and creative (and less preachy) than today. The visual gag with the long tongue of the anteater (or eatanter, as it became for a while) was very clever. Also, they had some decent puns.

But people change, and for comic-strip writers, it is especially difficult to come up with something funny every single day of your life.

I recently purchased The Complete Far Side, which I regard as a necessary reference, and though I loved the strips, some were simply not funny at all. The best parts were Gary Larsen's comments between chapters. He relates the stress of his job and it becomes obvious why geniuses like him and Bill Watterson retired in their prime.

But people like familiarity, and strips like BC, Gasoline Alley, Nancy and quite a few others remain around because of reader nostalgia.

Another trend I see is for "funny" strips to become "serious" strips. Of course "For Better or For Worse" has always had a true-life element (and it is the only one I know of where the characters age in real time), but it usually has a punch line of sorts. Doonsbury has always been this way too; Serious but funny. But other strips like Funky Winkerbean and Louann have almost dropped any pretense of comedy to become "soap opera" strips. Sometimes I find it interesting, sometimes not.

Hmm... wouldn't it be interesting to see other strips go "serious". Dennis the Menace in a juvenile detention center. Dagwood at overeaters anonymous. Garfield being euthanized (I'd really like to see this one.)

alfaniner · 14th November 2005, 06:43 AM

Interesting seeing the strip on that link. The entire first section was eliminated by my local paper, I suppose in an effort to cram more strips in. I believe it is a common practice to make the first few panels "disposable".

Perhaps it was just in comparison to all the other bad strips that day, but this is the first time in quite a while that I actually laughed at Peanuts. Of course it was a rerun, of one of Snoopy's classic "It was a dark and stormy night." routines.

c4ts · 14th November 2005, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Tricky

Hmm... wouldn't it be interesting to see other strips go "serious". Dennis the Menace in a juvenile detention center. Dagwood at overeaters anonymous. Garfield being euthanized (I'd really like to see this one.)

I also like it when they do crossovers. There must be a way to put two and two together...

Mr. Wilson beats up Dagwood in a drunken rage!

Upchurch · 14th November 2005, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Tricky

Of course "For Better or For Worse" has always had a true-life element (and it is the only one I know of where the characters age in real time),

Luann characters also age, although probably not quite in real time like For Better of For Worse, and occasionally hit on real life aspects more than your average newspaper comic.

eta:

Originally Posted by Tricky

Louann have almost dropped any pretense of comedy to become "soap opera" strips. Sometimes I find it interesting, sometimes not.

Weird. You mentioned the strip but the extra "o" threw it off my radar screen.

TragicMonkey · 14th November 2005, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Upchurch

Luann characters also age, although probably not quite in real time like For Better of For Worse, and occasionally hit on real life aspects more than your average newspaper comic.

Completely off topic, but did anyone else think Aaron Hill was gay? I mean, he told Luann he had "something to tell her" the day before so-called National Coming Out Day. Oh, but it was that he was moving to Hawaii. Yeah, right.

Tricky · 14th November 2005, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

Completely off topic, but did anyone else think Aaron Hill was gay? I mean, he told Luann he had "something to tell her" the day before so-called National Coming Out Day. Oh, but it was that he was moving to Hawaii. Yeah, right.

Hmm, very interesting. Could be, although Aaron has been "mesmerised" by the bimbo (forgot her name) before.

I knowk that both Doonsbury and FBorFW got tons of hate mail when they introduced gay characters. Both of them got bumped out of numerous papers, including mine. I had to wait for the book to come out to see the classic Doonsbury line:

Andy: You heard me, Joni. I'm Gay
Joni: Are they sure?

gnome · 14th November 2005, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by alfaniner

Interesting seeing the strip on that link. The entire first section was eliminated by my local paper, I suppose in an effort to cram more strips in. I believe it is a common practice to make the first few panels "disposable".

Perhaps it was just in comparison to all the other bad strips that day, but this is the first time in quite a while that I actually laughed at Peanuts. Of course it was a rerun, of one of Snoopy's classic "It was a dark and stormy night." routines.

You are correct on the first point--the only one I know of who ever bucked the system was Scott Adams ("Calvin and Hobbes"). He gained enough clout to have newspapers rearrange to accomodate his strip, instead of vice versa.

Regarding the humor of "Peanuts" ... It may just be an affinity for the work, but I still enjoyed even the later stuff and found it funny. The humor isn't overt in many cases... but, not that I'm being a Peanuts elitist here--a dissatisfied reader may understand completely and simply not catch a laugh from it.

My personal favorite era was when Snoopy didn't talk at all and pantomimed his antics.

Marquis de Carabas · 14th November 2005, 01:58 PM

Scott Adams is Dilbert. Bill Watterson is C&H.

DarkMagician · 14th November 2005, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by alfaniner

Interesting seeing the strip on that link. The entire first section was eliminated by my local paper, I suppose in an effort to cram more strips in. I believe it is a common practice to make the first few panels "disposable".

This is correct. I read this in a comic-strip making book. The practice is to make the first row of panels disposable, since not all papers have enough room for a triple-decker strip, but most of them have room for a double-decker. It just allows them to get the strip printed more.

gnome · 14th November 2005, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by Marquis de Carabas

Scott Adams is Dilbert. Bill Watterson is C&H.

Gah... *smacks self* you're right.

Kopji · 14th November 2005, 10:42 PM

Yeah, the first two panels (ending in 'nope') are intended as a separate gag from the rest, and can stand alone. The strip would actually be funnier if they cut Hart down to that. I think he has a real gift for two or three panel strips and should stop while he's ahead.

Otherwise, not an Iraq joke just not very funny today.

I like Peanuts, maybe it is funny on a more zen level where you smile rather than laugh.

I REALLY miss my Calvin & Hobbes though.

c4ts · 14th November 2005, 11:21 PM

I would like to see Family Circus and B.C. team up in a Crusade against funny or worthwhile comic strips.

TragicMonkey · 15th November 2005, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by c4ts

I would like to see Family Circus and B.C. team up in a Crusade against funny or worthwhile comic strips.

I used to think Family Circus existed solely to convince Catholics it's okay to use birth control.

c4ts · 15th November 2005, 10:15 AM

I just thought Keene was going out of his way to be unfunny.

13th November 2005, 02:20 PM	#1
alfaniner Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sorth Dakonsin Posts: 11,387	Another "SLAM" in the BC comic strip? I was rather surprised to encounter no less than four regular comic strips that were totally pointless today. Occasionally there may be one or two where I say "I don't get it" but today was a banner day. One that made me examine it a little bit more was the BC strip. Johnny Hart is a strong Christian, from what I understand, and previously there was a veiled knock at Islam (discussed in a previous thread). If I knew where to link to an online version, I'd post it. Today's strip had Panel 1: A rock rolls up to a daisy and another rock. The first rock has printing on it that says "HI BEAUTIFUL" Panel 2: The rock SCREECHes to a stop and displays "I'M ROCKY". The daisy says "Hi, I'm Daisy." The other rock says in a word balloon "and I'm flabbergasted." Panel 3: Rock 1 displays "YOUR FRAGRANCE MAKES MY HEART SING". Daisy sighs. Panel 4: As Rock 1 rolls away and displays "BYE BYE", Daisy says "Wow. a talking rock!" The other rock now has eyes and it says "Big deal. What the heck does that make me?" Panel 5. Daisy says "Chopped liver." As the rock with eyes looks at the viewer. Huh??? I thought about it a little bit and worked out that, well, if the one is a "talking rock", what DOES that make the other one? An "eye rock". Then I thought, "I-raq". The punch line is one of the oldest in the book. I'm just trying to figure out if this is another knock to the Middle East.
	__________________ Science doesn't lie. Last edited by alfaniner; 13th November 2005 at 02:22 PM.

13th November 2005, 04:28 PM	#2
c4ts Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Your base Posts: 8,427	Maybe Hart is just slowly going insane, talking to rocks and such.
	__________________ Ha ha ha ha.... Stupid signature size limit.

13th November 2005, 08:27 PM	#3
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Pither Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,084	I heard a theory that Charles Schultz was actually sending coded messages to his network of drug traffickers, rather than attempting humor. It certainly explained why so many of the later Peanuts strips simply didn't make sense. Unfortunately, so many comic strips are unfunny enough to make you wonder if there's a purpose behind them. Especially Marmaduke. We get it: the dog is comically large. Is there anything else? Yes, there's a shipment by sea on the fifth, make sure it's warehoused immediately.
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

13th November 2005, 09:41 PM	#4
Cosmo Radioactive Rationalist Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 1,169	A link to help people out. Edit: This strip seems a bit more 'religious'.
	Last edited by Cosmo; 13th November 2005 at 09:44 PM.

13th November 2005, 11:07 PM	#5
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985	Doubtful premise. I just reckon Hart had a bad-jokeline day that day.
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985

13th November 2005, 11:13 PM	#6
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Pither Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,084	Originally Posted by Zep Doubtful premise. I just reckon Hart had a bad-jokeline day that day. In the same way that he has breathing-air days some days.
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

14th November 2005, 01:34 AM	#7
David Swidler Carrot Mohel Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Right here, obviously. Posts: 8,302	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey In the same way that he has breathing-air days some days. From The Simpsons: Patty (or Selma?), the DMV clerk: Some days, the line doesn't move at all. We call those: weekdays.

14th November 2005, 05:02 AM	#8
StoatBringer Scholar Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 67	Many years ago, I quite liked BC. Nowadays, the strips seem either preachy or just plain unfunny.
StoatBringer Scholar Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 67

14th November 2005, 05:26 AM	#9
Tricky Briefly immortal Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Group W bench Posts: 42,363	Originally Posted by StoatBringer Many years ago, I quite liked BC. Nowadays, the strips seem either preachy or just plain unfunny. I agree. When I was in my early teens, I thought BC was howlingly funny, and indeed it was a lot more fun and creative (and less preachy) than today. The visual gag with the long tongue of the anteater (or eatanter, as it became for a while) was very clever. Also, they had some decent puns. But people change, and for comic-strip writers, it is especially difficult to come up with something funny every single day of your life. I recently purchased The Complete Far Side, which I regard as a necessary reference, and though I loved the strips, some were simply not funny at all. The best parts were Gary Larsen's comments between chapters. He relates the stress of his job and it becomes obvious why geniuses like him and Bill Watterson retired in their prime. But people like familiarity, and strips like BC, Gasoline Alley, Nancy and quite a few others remain around because of reader nostalgia. Another trend I see is for "funny" strips to become "serious" strips. Of course "For Better or For Worse" has always had a true-life element (and it is the only one I know of where the characters age in real time), but it usually has a punch line of sorts. Doonsbury has always been this way too; Serious but funny. But other strips like Funky Winkerbean and Louann have almost dropped any pretense of comedy to become "soap opera" strips. Sometimes I find it interesting, sometimes not. Hmm... wouldn't it be interesting to see other strips go "serious". Dennis the Menace in a juvenile detention center. Dagwood at overeaters anonymous. Garfield being euthanized (I'd really like to see this one.)

14th November 2005, 06:43 AM	#10
alfaniner Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sorth Dakonsin Posts: 11,387	Interesting seeing the strip on that link. The entire first section was eliminated by my local paper, I suppose in an effort to cram more strips in. I believe it is a common practice to make the first few panels "disposable". Perhaps it was just in comparison to all the other bad strips that day, but this is the first time in quite a while that I actually laughed at Peanuts. Of course it was a rerun, of one of Snoopy's classic "It was a dark and stormy night." routines.
	__________________ Science doesn't lie.

14th November 2005, 11:48 AM	#11
c4ts Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Your base Posts: 8,427	Originally Posted by Tricky Hmm... wouldn't it be interesting to see other strips go "serious". Dennis the Menace in a juvenile detention center. Dagwood at overeaters anonymous. Garfield being euthanized (I'd really like to see this one.) I also like it when they do crossovers. There must be a way to put two and two together... Mr. Wilson beats up Dagwood in a drunken rage!
	__________________ Ha ha ha ha.... Stupid signature size limit.

14th November 2005, 12:01 PM	#12
Upchurch Papa Funkosophy Join Date: May 2002 Location: Funky Town (STL, MO) Posts: 23,426	Originally Posted by Tricky Of course "For Better or For Worse" has always had a true-life element (and it is the only one I know of where the characters age in real time), Luann characters also age, although probably not quite in real time like For Better of For Worse, and occasionally hit on real life aspects more than your average newspaper comic. eta: Originally Posted by Tricky Louann have almost dropped any pretense of comedy to become "soap opera" strips. Sometimes I find it interesting, sometimes not. Weird. You mentioned the strip but the extra "o" threw it off my radar screen.

14th November 2005, 01:37 PM	#13
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Pither Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,084	Originally Posted by Upchurch Luann characters also age, although probably not quite in real time like For Better of For Worse, and occasionally hit on real life aspects more than your average newspaper comic. Completely off topic, but did anyone else think Aaron Hill was gay? I mean, he told Luann he had "something to tell her" the day before so-called National Coming Out Day. Oh, but it was that he was moving to Hawaii. Yeah, right.
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

14th November 2005, 01:46 PM	#14
Tricky Briefly immortal Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Group W bench Posts: 42,363	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey Completely off topic, but did anyone else think Aaron Hill was gay? I mean, he told Luann he had "something to tell her" the day before so-called National Coming Out Day. Oh, but it was that he was moving to Hawaii. Yeah, right. Hmm, very interesting. Could be, although Aaron has been "mesmerised" by the bimbo (forgot her name) before. I knowk that both Doonsbury and FBorFW got tons of hate mail when they introduced gay characters. Both of them got bumped out of numerous papers, including mine. I had to wait for the book to come out to see the classic Doonsbury line: Andy: You heard me, Joni. I'm Gay Joni: Are they sure?

14th November 2005, 01:53 PM	#15
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 9,869	Originally Posted by alfaniner Interesting seeing the strip on that link. The entire first section was eliminated by my local paper, I suppose in an effort to cram more strips in. I believe it is a common practice to make the first few panels "disposable". Perhaps it was just in comparison to all the other bad strips that day, but this is the first time in quite a while that I actually laughed at Peanuts. Of course it was a rerun, of one of Snoopy's classic "It was a dark and stormy night." routines. You are correct on the first point--the only one I know of who ever bucked the system was Scott Adams ("Calvin and Hobbes"). He gained enough clout to have newspapers rearrange to accomodate his strip, instead of vice versa. Regarding the humor of "Peanuts" ... It may just be an affinity for the work, but I still enjoyed even the later stuff and found it funny. The humor isn't overt in many cases... but, not that I'm being a Peanuts elitist here--a dissatisfied reader may understand completely and simply not catch a laugh from it. My personal favorite era was when Snoopy didn't talk at all and pantomimed his antics.
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 9,869	__________________

14th November 2005, 01:58 PM	#16
Marquis de Carabas Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: vuori Posts: 27,106	Scott Adams is Dilbert. Bill Watterson is C&H.
	__________________ Jesus ... wasn't he the bloke who turned fish into wine and made the lepers multiply? -KateHL Violence is more acceptable than incest. I have been told to keep this in mind.

14th November 2005, 02:14 PM	#17
DarkMagician Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Des Moines, IA Posts: 1,539	Originally Posted by alfaniner Interesting seeing the strip on that link. The entire first section was eliminated by my local paper, I suppose in an effort to cram more strips in. I believe it is a common practice to make the first few panels "disposable". This is correct. I read this in a comic-strip making book. The practice is to make the first row of panels disposable, since not all papers have enough room for a triple-decker strip, but most of them have room for a double-decker. It just allows them to get the strip printed more.
	__________________ Sometimes going by "Nyke" \| "Pascal's Wager: Believe in Unicorns, or one might kick you in the nads!" \| "There is no hope for humanity. Reason is dead and we dance on the corpse. Tra la la la la!" --c4ts \| Intelligent Design & Expelled Exposed \| I'm on dial-up. If you want to reply to me, summarize please.

14th November 2005, 06:25 PM	#18
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 9,869	Originally Posted by Marquis de Carabas Scott Adams is Dilbert. Bill Watterson is C&H. Gah... smacks self you're right.
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 9,869	__________________

14th November 2005, 10:42 PM	#19
Kopji Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mogollon Rim Posts: 7,697	Yeah, the first two panels (ending in 'nope') are intended as a separate gag from the rest, and can stand alone. The strip would actually be funnier if they cut Hart down to that. I think he has a real gift for two or three panel strips and should stop while he's ahead. Otherwise, not an Iraq joke just not very funny today. I like Peanuts, maybe it is funny on a more zen level where you smile rather than laugh. I REALLY miss my Calvin & Hobbes though.

14th November 2005, 11:21 PM	#20
c4ts Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Your base Posts: 8,427	I would like to see Family Circus and B.C. team up in a Crusade against funny or worthwhile comic strips.
	__________________ Ha ha ha ha.... Stupid signature size limit.

15th November 2005, 10:03 AM	#21
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Pither Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,084	Originally Posted by c4ts I would like to see Family Circus and B.C. team up in a Crusade against funny or worthwhile comic strips. I used to think Family Circus existed solely to convince Catholics it's okay to use birth control.
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

15th November 2005, 10:15 AM	#22
c4ts Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Your base Posts: 8,427	I just thought Keene was going out of his way to be unfunny.
	__________________ Ha ha ha ha.... Stupid signature size limit.