Thought we’d just hit an odd moment the other day, but the end-of-life jokes are still coming. It’s not a trend over at Stone Soup, but rather a story arc, as Evie tries to reassure Val that things are fine. For regular readers, the secondary joke here is a running gag over the fact that everyone […]
It’s hardly surprising when two or more political cartoonists come up with the same metaphor. Lord knows, Ted Cruz’s last name brought forth plenty of the same puns and I used the term “brought forth” because “inspired” seems inappropriate.But when a couple of strip writers happen onto the same general concept at random, it can […]
Stone Soup has been addressing the issue of civilized behavior this week, as Val attempts to take her daughters to a restaurant at which food is served on plates instead of wrapped in paper.This sets off one of my pet rants, which (A) is that we are allowing our children to be raised Tarzan-like, by […]
This blog is generally chicken one day and feathers the next. This was definitely a day of chickens, with such a banquet of good stuff that I had to eliminate some that would have been the only focus on another day.Let’s start with some interesting beginnings: “Mark Trail” is not generally known for incisive storytelling […]
I’m still tied up with young journalist workshops. Here are some cartoons I would have blogged about if I’d had a blog about cartoons back when they ran, with dates if I marked them, without if I didn’t. I just kept’em ’cause I liked ’em. I didn’t know I’d ever actually use them for anything. […]
On The Fastrack often features geek humor, but it acknowledges the culture without kowtowing to it. And, in contrast to the wildly popular but still niche-y Penny Arcade, it does so on a level that is accessible to the general public, assuming the general public is somewhat computer literate.Which is to say, those who may […]
“Between Friends” is more a “chuckle of recognition” than “burst of laughter” strip, a genre which takes a certain touch of insight if it’s going to rise above “guys always leave the toilet seat up” observational so-whatness. Sandra Bell-Lundy, fortunately, has that touch.Which is to say, sometimes it’s more of a sigh than a chuckle. […]
Alix, the younger daughter in Stone Soup, has been going through a transformation this summer into what promises to be a bright, curious little girl who, I presume, will provide a contrast to her older, more slacker-like sister. What I particularly like about the move is that we’ve already established that she’s a funny kid […]
Jan Eliot has been celebrating the 40th anniversary of Title IX and also having some interesting character-expanding fun with Alix lately, and the combination is one of those moments when Stone Soup rises so far above the norm that I shouldn’t have taken this long to point it out.But I’m glad I did, because today’s […]
Zits is an odd mix of old-line jokes about messy bedrooms and giant backpacks and new gags reflecting how young people actually live.Obviously, I wouldn’t be featuring a messy bedroom gag here, which is not to say that kids today clean up their rooms. Some do, some don’t, but it’s not exactly a bottomless well […]
One of the issues in comics, as in TV sitcoms, is how you work with the basic concept over an extended period without going stale.I mention TV because I heard an interview with Garry Marshall on Weekend Edition yesterday, and Scott Simon asked him to comment on how Henry Winkler’s character took over on “Happy Days.”I might […]
Today’s triple-feature starts out innocently enough, in Between Friends: Kids take for granted the technology they have known most of their lives.Admittedly, it’s a bit of a stretch to assume Danny doesn’t know people who don’t have multiple cell phones (grandparents?). But, even if he wouldn’t likely be unaware of the concept of a home with […]
When I interviewed Jan Eliot back in 2003 (it says “1993” there, but don’t be fooled), she described Luci’s only-slightly-older brother Max thusly: “”Max is almost like a pet … He’s a little sprite, meant to be always clinging to Joan’s leg, that little piece of chaos which is the reality of a mom’s life. He’s […]
Normally, I would bristle at an Irish drinking joke, except that there’s no suggestion of overindulgence in today’s Stone Soup and, rather to the contrary, the point is that Evie appreciates good beer.Evie appreciates a lot of things, to the continual consternation of those who keep expecting her to act her age.Whatever that means.Jan Eliot […]
Today’s Stone Soup stands up well enough on its own, but to absorb the full effect of the bathos, you have to have been following the saga of “Holly’s boyfriend” since it began nearly a full month ago. We’ve not only gone through the sturm und drang alluded to here of Holly’s mom insisting on […]