Is that supposed to be a joke?

Oftentimes when I see Mallard Fillmore (and before you ask, no I don't know why I look. I guess because of this gig?) I think "Is that really supposed to be a joke?" Then I saw yesterday's.

Mallard Fillmore 12/20/2010

Holy socks! That's almost, but not quite, funny. After something like 2 weeks of trying to wring a way to make fun of liberals using the "sitting on Santa's lap" gag, he broke down and tried to tell a joke. I was tempted to poke around and find who he stole it from, but then I remembered that nobody cares.

The New Adventures of Queen Victoria, 12/18/2010

Wow. Leave it to Sungenis to out-obscure even xkcd. Here's some light reading, but don't blame me if you don't think the strip is funny after you're done. I did, but I read that paper a few years ago. I'm just kind of weird that way.

Strange Brew, 12/21/2010

Tyson bit off Holyfield's ear in 1997. He lost his last title match in 2002 to Lennox Lewis. He officially retired in 2006. When that's your best option for a celebrity, your gag is about something no one cares about.

Rubes, 12/21/2010

This is vaguely disturbing enough that I almost like it. The spray can really sells the "close the door" gag, but placement of Pinocchio's nose is almost a two-for-one.

The Flying McCoys, 12/21/2010


Marvin, 12/21/2010


I've seen this gag at least once already this season. A google search for "rudolph santa gps" yields over 1 million hits. The top hit (for me at least, YMMV) is dated 2008.

Kudos to Marvin for dragging three panels out of it though. I'd expect nothing less (or more.)

Merry Christmas, if that's your sort of thing. Happy Solstice, Kwanzaa, Festivus, if not.