COMIC STRIP COMPLAINT, Etc.

[Buck-Beaver]

What I like about "Get Fuzzy" is that the humour is fairly fresh, character-oriented and it's new enough that it isn't stale yet. Foz is right though, the style of the strip almost would lend itself better to a sitcom than a comic. I think you have to read it for awhile to get it. I first started reading it after hearing about it in an Interview with Scott Adams (Dilbert) but didn't really get it at first.

Speaking of which, I forgot to mention Dilbert before. I tend to read Dilbert books, as opposed to the strips though. I also love Stephan Pastis' "Pearls Before Swine." Sherman's Lagoon is a favorite of mine too.

What bothers me about strips like Hagar, Garfield, and even For Better or Worse now is that they are just redoing the same gags or types of gags. Lynn Johnson at least gets kudos for allowing her characters to age in For Better or Worse at least. The worst of the worst is Family Circus - I can predict the captions just from looking at the illustration on most days.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I don't know if there are any Dilbert fans here, but Scott Adams has a great little article about himself and how he became a cartoonist on the Dilbert website. You can read it here.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

The worst of the worst is Family Circus - I can predict the captions just from looking at the illustration on most days.

My brother is a future cartoonist (or at least hopes to be) and his all-time least favorite comic is Family Circus...
Erin

 

[radionate]

What bothers me about strips like Hagar, Garfield, and even For Better or Worse now is that they are just redoing the same gags or types of gags. Lynn Johnson at least gets kudos for allowing her characters to age in For Better or Worse at least.

I gotta disagree with you about FBOFW. Lynn Jonhson is amazing. I don't feel they are rehashing any jokes at all. It is a wonderful depiction of life and growing up and getting older. These characters not only age, but they all go thru experiences that we all have faced or will face.

I think it is remarkable. From marriages, breakups, adoption, child birth, coming out, death of family members, death of pets, violent crime, etc etc etc, Lynn consistantly continues to amazing me with the journey the Peterson Family takes.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

From marriages, breakups, adoption, child birth, coming out, death of family ...

Coming out?? Who did it? Which one was it?

Sorry, but Arlo and Janis got stale to me, like Hagar is now.

 

[radionate]

Coming out?? Who did it? Which one was it?

Mike's best friend Lawrence came out quite a few years ago.

I can honestly say that it impacted me in a way that no other strip has ever affected me.

At the time I was 18 years old, and dealing with issues of my identity. The flap that resulted from these series of strips was unreal. Our local paper, as well as many others in the south, dropped the strip and refused to print the story line. They found it objectionable.

This was such a blow to me. I realized just how far in the backwoods I was living, despite the fact that it was a fairly good sized city.

I never got to read the strips first hand. I was distraught. And of course, I became even more afraid of what I am and the area I was living in.

The town in which I lived in at the time still hasn't picked back the strip to my knowledge, and hasn't changed in its mindset much either. And of course they made headlines last week for a horrible mass murder at a plant there. Not an area or a time I'd like to revisit anytime soon.

You can read all about Lawrence here:

Lawrence's Story

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Okay. I'm a ding-y head; forgot about that one.

One thing I'm shocked at is that FBOFW hasn't become a series, animated or live action, yet. The story lines are very good, and that's why I like it.

Crankshaft is another one that would be a great sitcom. Old bus driver and grouchy as heck...also with family issues.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

One thing I'm shocked at is that FBOFW hasn't become a series, animated or live action, yet. The story lines are very good, and that's why I like it..

I have a Christmas special on tape with FBOFW. It's about half an hour long, taking place when Elizabeth was about three. I think it's called "The Bestest Christmas Present Ever." Elizabeth loses her stuffed rabbit at the toy store but gets it back thanks to a lonely old watchman. It's a nice story.
Erin

 

[Gonzo]

Okay, this thread is what, four months old, and this is the first time I've read it.

I've gotta agree with the gist of the thread, that some strips need to be retired...and I'm on board with most of what Kevin has said.

Anyone here read "The Norm" ? It's my current "modern" favorite. My newspaper finally started carrying it, and I'm glad--I'd been catching bits and pieces of it here and there, and I love it. Nice balance of real life and humor, and the characters really grow on me.

Other than that, I still read "Fox Trot," and "Peanuts" reruns...

And then I go read my "Calvin and Hobbes" "Bloom County" and "Far Side" collections.

*sigh*

Quinnnnnnnnnnnn

 

[Gonzo]

I will also say....(in case anyone else is still reading this), that as I've become a father, my feelings towards things like "Family Circus," which I may have burned in effigy at one point, have softened. Now I think it's cute that baby PJ does all those cute things, and I anticipate the day when Miles says those adorable things that Jeffy mis-says.

If I have a ghostly "Granddad" or "Not ME" hanging around though, just shoot me. Sorry, Grandpa.

So...there are different audiences for comic strips. And your own tastes may change.

And at the same time I'm appreciating "Family Circus," I'm LOVING the bitterness of Aaron MacGruder's work. Can't remember the name of the strip, but I'm surprised that a paper as conservative as Salt Lake City's major newspapers are running it. I need to write them a letter thanking them.

Remind me somebody. I'm not gonna do it right now.

Kev?