Comments on: Complete Reuben and Division Awards

By: Chris Hardiman

Chris Hardiman — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:53:15 +0000

NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP
Wow, that’s a really tough choice. I agree with Mark’s assessment that “Pearls” is the funniest and “Cul de Sac” has the best art. However, “Lio” also has excellent art that’s a lot of fun to look at, not to mention the fact that it does everything without dialogue. “Cul de Sac” has expanded its cast a bit and is very funny as well. And “Pearls” is always hilarious. Again, all three are very deserving of the award, but I’d have to go with “Cul de Sac” this year.

NEWSPAPER COMIC PANEL
A trio of surprising nominees this year. “Pardon My Planet” is not to my personal tastes; I find it way too wordy and not that funny. “Moderately Confused” and “Off the Mark” are both pretty good “offbeat” panels in the tradition of “The Far Side,” although to be fair both have excellent art. I think I would go with “Moderately Confused” in this case.

THE REUBEN AWARD
This is at least the third straight year that Dan Piraro and Dave Coverly have been nominated, although the last two years they have not won. In other words, it’s overdue for one of them. I expect that Coverly, the creator of the excellent “Speed Bump,” will get the award. Pastis has created what is arguably the most popular new comic strip of the decade, but he’s a first-time nominee and unlike Al Jafee last year and Bill Amend the year before, this wouldn’t be a lifetime achievement award for Pastis.

By: Robert Stone

Robert Stone — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:40:09 +0000

Looking at today’s comics (3/27/09), I’ll vote for the “hookah smoking rat” strip over the doghouse and cart strips anytime. Pearls is smokin’ hot! Love the fez.

By: Guy Gilchrist

Guy Gilchrist — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:53:44 +0000

I’m extremely happy for all three of you.
Writing and drawing a daily strip is one of the hardest jobs around. To stay funny. Stay motivated. Draw consistently well. Write consistently well. Unless you’re one of the folks,the few, who are paid to stare at that white, scary piece of paper each day…and then fill it with your best work…every day of our forever…you don’t know what it’s really like. You all do it very well.Congratulations.

By: Rick Stromoski

Rick Stromoski — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:22:56 +0000

How hard is it for you three guys to walk with Dave S’s nose shoved up your collective backsides? Or do you take turns?

By: Mark Tatulli

Mark Tatulli — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:55:59 +0000

Oh, this is just so sad. Alan, can’t you do something about this?! Stephan Pastis is now posting under the name “Trent Harper”! Trent! Who would name their kid “Trent”?! Honestly, I thought you were more creative than that, Pastis! Pathetic.

By: Trent Harper

Trent Harper — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:38:16 +0000

Day-in and day-out, Pastis by a mile. There’s a reason Pearls Before Swine has become so popular with comics readers of all ages. It’s funny, plus it has heart and a brain. Cul de Sac and Lio are good, but they aren’t on Pastis’ level yet.

By: Garey Mckee

Garey Mckee — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:11:52 +0000

Well I agree that all three are probably the best out there right now, the reason being they are the three strips I always read first before others.

I don’t mean this as a cop out in choosing one over the other, but all three are so very different in humor and art that it would be impossible for me to choose.

By: Mike Cope

Mike Cope — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:28:07 +0000

Hard to predict a winner out of those fine strips … It may come down to who can pee the farthest!

By: Dave Stephens

Dave Stephens — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:09:37 +0000

Between those 3 cartoonists/artists there is so much amazing creativity and humor to choose from – only one can win, but they are ALL phenomenal…

phenomenal |fÉ™ËˆnÃ¤mÉ™nÉ™l|
adjective
1 very remarkable; extraordinary : the HILARITY expanded at a phenomenal rate.
2 perceptible by the senses or through immediate HILARIOUS experience : the phenomenal and hilarious worlds created by Stephan Pastis, Mark Tatulli, Richard Thompson.

By: Mark Tatulli

Mark Tatulli — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:59:57 +0000

The reality: Stephan’s is the funniest, Richard’s is the better drawn, I’m somewhere in the middle. But it’s always nice to be nominated, truly.