Catholic Guilt Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Far Side. 692860[/snapback] Wow Joe - we finally agree on something!
HopsGuy Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 I voted "Calvin & Hobbs". If you asked me in 5 minutes, I'd probably say "Far Side". The Garfield longevity is amazing considering there hasn't been a new idea there since year 3. Actually, this was part of Davis' master plan. He worked with desperation to keep the cat from becoming too huge, as anything that becomes larger than life eventually suffers from backlash and then obscurity (think about it). The guy was scared to death that the whole suction-cup car animal thing would ruin the franchise. Have to admit, the plan seems to be working. There's a second movie coming out this summer. Dilbert's creator has a blog on his site. Occasionally, he'll give some insight as to how he writes the strip. Interesting stuff.
Johnny Coli Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 From your list, Calvin & Hobbes is tops. Far Side is a rip off of B. Kliban (link of examples), but without the "cute" animals and anthropomorphism. Kliban just goes straight for the "weird" jugular without dressing it up as a cow. Others a bit outside of the mainstream that I think are freaking genius, are David Rees' Get Your War On (link has five years' worth of panels), and the equally brilliant This Modern World, by Tom Tomorrow (link is to his blog...no complete freebies, but links to some panels in the archive). Both lean a little to the left, but do a great job of merging crude, clip-art-like artwork with white-hot political irony. There used to be a comic of cartoon vegetable dilinquents that spent their time drinking or vandalizing suburban homes, but I can't remember the name of it. That was a good one.
Gary M Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 I voted "Calvin & Hobbs". If you asked me in 5 minutes, I'd probably say "Far Side". The Garfield longevity is amazing considering there hasn't been a new idea there since year 3. Actually, this was part of Davis' master plan. He worked with desperation to keep the cat from becoming too huge, as anything that becomes larger than life eventually suffers from backlash and then obscurity (think about it). The guy was scared to death that the whole suction-cup car animal thing would ruin the franchise. Have to admit, the plan seems to be working. There's a second movie coming out this summer. Dilbert's creator has a blog on his site. Occasionally, he'll give some insight as to how he writes the strip. Interesting stuff. 692960[/snapback] Dilbert is my life minus the talking dog and rat. I swear the guy is watching our company on a hidden camera. I like the Lockhorns. http://members.aol.com/puckntaz/lockhorns
The Dean Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 From your list, Calvin & Hobbes is tops. Far Side is a rip off of B. Kliban (link of examples), but without the "cute" animals and anthropomorphism. Kliban just goes straight for the "weird" jugular without dressing it up as a cow. Others a bit outside of the mainstream that I think are freaking genius, are David Rees' Get Your War On (link has five years' worth of panels), and the equally brilliant This Modern World, by Tom Tomorrow (link is to his blog...no complete freebies, but links to some panels in the archive). Both lean a little to the left, but do a great job of merging crude, clip-art-like artwork with white-hot political irony. There used to be a comic of cartoon vegetable dilinquents that spent their time drinking or vandalizing suburban homes, but I can't remember the name of it. That was a good one. 693058[/snapback] Where the hell you been, slacker? Kilban was certainly an influence on Larson, but I wouldn't call the strip a rip-off. Larson has been writing these sorts of comics even as a little kid (see The Prehistory of the Farside). Gahan Wilson was also a great underground-ish cartoonist. AND...let's not forget R. Crumb!
Rico Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Politenessman was great in the National Lampoon. Thank you.
The Dean Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Dilbert is my life minus the talking dog and rat. I swear the guy is watching our company on a hidden camera. I like the Lockhorns. http://members.aol.com/puckntaz/lockhorns 693063[/snapback] I see your Lockhorns and raise Willy 'n Ethel and Frank and Ernest.
The Dean Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Politenessman was great in the National Lampoon.Thank you. 693065[/snapback] One of my all time favs. I'd forgotten.
Gary M Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 I see your Lockhorns and raise Willy 'n Ethel and Frank and Ernest. 693066[/snapback] Link???? More Lockhorns. http://www.jammersbar.com/images/General/911_lockhorns.jpg
BuffaloBud Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Far Side is a very close winner here. Another not mentioned and not in wide syndication is Red and Rover.
Johnny Coli Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Where the hell you been, slacker? 693064[/snapback] My workload has me limited to drive-bys and occasional lurking. The rest of my time is spent on music and getting stupid.
The Dean Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 My workload has me limited to drive-bys and occasional lurking. The rest of my time is spent on music and getting stupid. 693097[/snapback] Excellent! Making good use of your off-time!
The Dean Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Link????More Lockhorns. http://www.jammersbar.com/images/General/911_lockhorns.jpg 693069[/snapback] Sorry, my bad: http://www.just!@#$inggoogleit.com/
stuckincincy Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Why has the serial strip, that carried a storyline over several weeks, virtually disappeared? Could it be that contemporary readers, the self-styled best and brightest, have the attention span of a gnat?
The Dean Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Why has the serial strip, that carried a storyline over several weeks, virtually disappeared? Could it be that contemporary readers, the self-styled best and brightest, have the attention span of a gnat? 693106[/snapback] Possibly. Of course, most of those "serials" were boring and flat-out sucked. That may have something to do with it, too. As a matter of fact, 12 of the 22 comics in today's SF Chronicle have continuing storylines. They're just not the same old, boring, storylines as those comics you remember.
Johnny Coli Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Possibly. Of course, most of those "serials" were boring and flat-out sucked. That may have something to do with it, too. As a matter of fact, 12 of the 22 comics in today's SF Chronicle have continuing storylines. They're just not the same old, boring, storylines as those comics you remember. 693110[/snapback] They've been replaced by a weeklong recurring theme with a punchline every day, instead of the three-panel-plodding-nowhere-for-eternity style of the "Brenda Starr" and "Prince Valiant" comics of days gone by. Surprised no one mentioned Robotman/Monty, yet. That strip is high comedy.
stuckincincy Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Possibly. Of course, most of those "serials" were boring and flat-out sucked. That may have something to do with it, too. 693110[/snapback] No, they weren't at all boring to folks that possessed a vocabulary far in excess than today's spawn has, and read books as a matter of course. Those strips did have the requirement, that the reader had to have an ability holding a thought for more than 10 minutes, and immediate gratification/Hot Pockets was a concept pretty much unknown. You were in it for the long run. Are we declaring war, here, my friend?
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 Why has the serial strip, that carried a storyline over several weeks, virtually disappeared? Could it be that contemporary readers, the self-styled best and brightest, have the attention span of a gnat? 693106[/snapback] It could be that contemporary readers, the self-styled best and brigthest, turn to the comics for diversion, not immersion in a long-running story line. Why would any remotely intelligent person get any sense of fulfillment out ofa serial strip?
Ramius Posted May 17, 2006 Posted May 17, 2006 calvin and hobbes. For mostly the same reasons as listed before. That comic strip is/was utterly brilliant. The little subtleties and nuances of the strip were what made it amazing. I want to get the complete collection, but the set of books is almost $100
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