The DCR: Not quite Daily, but Trying!

by Hal Bent

Catching up is hard to do...somehow the bonds of physics and thermonuclear science (or maybe just thermoses) affected my space/time and left my "daily" wanting (or I was busy with other obligations, deadlines, and actually having to work). OK, so space/time Star Trek/Dr.Who issues are much more intriguing, but who cares? It's time to review comics! Time to catch-up for the week.


Adam@Home by Brian Basset:

OK, so I gotta give some kudos to practically uncredited artist Rob Harrell for the Godzilla costume...it's outright fantastic. I want to wear it tomorrow! Even better, it hides that idiot Adam from view.  I do have to say that if my ten year old daughter ever used the phrase "I need to let my freak flag fly" my reaction would be a bit more different than the heavy eyelids and dead soul expression of Adam in the final panel of the second comic. Clayton needs a kick in the groin for any "hashtag" comments. 
Where is the wife, Laura? Ahh, that explains the Miley costume idea by Katie...she wants to be like Mom, who is off "twerking" with her boyfriend (she's Miley and he's Robin Thicke?) while Adam trick or treats with the kids.


Ziggy by Tom Wilson & Tom II:

Hat, shirt, pants, and shoes. Wow, best Ziggy comic ever.
I like that Ziggy is deeply entrenched in reading blank pages. What a surge of joy through the Zig-man as he flies through the paper for the first time. "I'm so intellectual and sophisticated" he thinks as the Parrot looks on in utter disdain.


Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

Or you're just a weak failure of a parent. Beads of sweat from minimal exertion, child looking on in disappointment, wife still surprised by his inadequacy, his stomach hanging out over the table...this belongs in Adam@Home!


9 Chickweed Lane by Brooke McEldowney:

It wasn't funny at all last week....so let's run it out for another week.  Is this some weak form of political satire? It's not funny, and I understand not funny is going to happen, but this run is just painful. The character of Thorax is usually portrayed as a powerful non-human in human form, so I keep waiting for him to do "Something". Alas, I guess I just have to go to Pibgorn to check out some more "interesting" drawing by Mr. McEldowney in his post-post-modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.


Nancy by Guy Gilchrist:

Not a big fan of Nancy...but I'm all over any cosplay in the comics...not sure if they're going for the 1940s/50s theme or just DC comics heros?  I mean, Mary Marvel in the mainstream media just is not a very modern reference. 

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Friday Funnies

by Hal Bent

Another Friday, another loss trying to find "funny" in the funny pages.  Forget it, it's time to dial up a little extra snark to get the weekend started!


Working It Out by Charlos Gary:

And you're bald.  Not Patrick Stewart classy, British, and dignified bald, but pin-headed,ugly bald. Besides, everyone knows that women love the funny guys--a sense of humor is what lures the ladies. I hope so.  Maybe I need to actually be funny, instead of thinking I'm funny.  Hmmm.


Adam@Home by Brian Basset:

Even Adam's doctor loathes and despises him. See,it's not just your family that tries to hide their derision and hatred of you with "humor". Here, the doctor does an excellent job of pointing out Adam's physical short-comings, but fails to get into his psychological and mental issues (hey, it is only four panels).  I love the third panel and Adam's heavy-lidded look as the jab gets through his fever-ravaged brain.  Good to see he was back to usual, rotten self in the final panel.  Look at those crossed arms and the dialogue dripping with anger.  


Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

Sadly enough, this is real party pooping going on here with these weird "real life" characters.  No, not bringing the party down with their inappropriate stories about changing the cat box with their hands, but rather pooping at the party. Shrimp platter? Nailed it.  Punch bowl? Pooped in.  Modern art vase as centerpiece on the table? Yup, they pooped in it.  I mean, these two are depraved sickos. That is a couple with some seriously strange turn-on sand the people of their town are just saying "No" to these two freaks. 


Drabble by Kevin Fagan:

Drabble knows...those hideous Real Life Adventure poopers are going to be there. "Pack the barf bag, Drabble!" 

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The Daily Comics Review: Manic Monday

by Hal Bent

I realized today reading the comic strips, that a number of them seemed to have left off a panel or cut off the text a bit early.  So today I decided it was time to be charitable and finish the strips for the creators.

Andertoons by Mark Anderson:

...it was one of those babies from your child smuggling ring that crawled away.


Ziggy by Tom Wilson & Tom II:

...and the police are on their way to arrest you, you pants-less creep!


Zack Hill by John Deering:

...and now he's humping my leg. Thanks, you jerk.


Thin Lines by Randy Glasbergen:

...besides, your cholesterol is so high you'll be dead next week, so eat whatever the hell you want.


Rose is Rose by Don Wimmer / Created by Pat Brady:

...and I could get the hell away from my annoying wife and idiot kid for a few precious minutes each day.


Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

...What now? Let me tell you what now. I'ma call a couple of hard, pipe-hittin' niggas to go to work on homes here with a pair of pliers and a blowtorch.



Last Kiss by John Lustig:

that's right, I am different, Biff--I KNOW you're a whiny loser!


It's All About You by Tony Murphy:

..except for that weekend I went out for drinks with Larry on Friday night and he slipped me a rufinol cocktail and I woke up Sunday night in an alley---I shudder to imagine, but I got caught up on my rest for sure!.  

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The Daily Comics Review: Manic Monday

by Hal Bent

Crank up the Bangles, 80s pop music lovers, it's just another Manic Monday here at the Daily Comics Review (and we wish it was Sunday!).  Vacation is over for me, I'm back to the grind at the 9 to 5 job, and now can kick back on the couch with my menagerie of pets so happy to see me home again and ready to kick back and review some comic strips:

Thatababy by Paul Trap:

It was a lot of set-up to get to the punchline, so I have to credit Trap here for putting in the effort, but--I know I only raised two kids so don't call me Dr. Spock or anything--giving an infant Legos to play with? Seriously?  My son choked twice (once on candy that was left on the floor and once on a mint) when he was little and I aged ten years in the very short period of time it took to dislodge it. Little kids pick things up and put them in their mouth. There is a reason Legos are not recommended for small children.  Small pieces like that near a small child and this is a serious health hazard. I may be oversensitive to this, but this is really tweaking me seeing this in print. 


Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

Wait, I thought Hugh Hefner got women because of his good looks, charm, and suave demeanor, just like the magazine articles always indicate.  Just kidding, I know. Of course, if you are looking for relationships as real as his "reality shows" like he is, I guess the dollar signs speak the truth there. 


Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis:

Pastis does such a great job here of not only poking fun at every serialized drama in the newspaper comic strips (as he does here making in fun of the insane coincidences that set-up contrived drama sequences ala Gil Thorpe, Apartment 3-G, Mary Worth, et al) but also of including himself and poking fun of himself in the strip. Of course, I would probably have liked this better if he just popped up in the last panel without the word balloon, but I guess that would be a bit too obtuse for some of the audience. 


Nancy by Guy Gilchrist:

At first, I thought: Why is Sluggo in California and why was he thrown out?
Then, I thought: Where did his cousin get $200?
Finally, I thought: Why do I care? This is Sluggo, I hope he ends up in Ziggy's basement love dungeon by the fourth panel. 

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That's all for today, my readers.  Thank you as always for visiting. Have a great day.

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The Daily Comics Review: Thursday Quickies

by Hal Bent

It's Thursday, which means its time for the quickies (because I'm usually still up to my elbows in webcomics and finishing reading them from yesterday).

9 to 5 by Harley Schwadron:

Sims: "No, Boss. I'm actually just waving two pieces of paper like I'm freaking insane and knocking other pieces of paper askew.  But nice to know that you actually think I'm doing something like 'work'."


Wizard of Id by Parker and Hart:

For God's sake keep looking lower!  LOWER!!!  Not low enough...to the floor already!


Soup to Nutz by Rick Stromoski:

Clap. Clap. Clap.  Soup to Nuts finally steps up to the plate and knocks one out of the park.  Kudos, Stromoski, kudos. 


Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

Damn straight, my friend.  "Rude drivers" UNITE! (Or as I like to say: Welcome to Massachusetts)


In the Sticks by Nathan Cooper: 

I'm inspired: look out, world!  Where'd I put my billy stick?

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The Daily Comics Review: Thursday Quickies

by Hal Bent

It's Thursday and that means it's time for a the Thursday Quickies! Short, snappy, and succinct: Thursdays' just cannot wait to get to Friday and end the week!

Adam@Home by Brian Basset:

What a pig.  Adam is so uncouth, inane, unfunny and unlovable, even his young daughter finds him embarrassing to her in front of her inanimate stuffed animals. 


Free Range by Bill Whitehead:

See, I like this idea.  The Nile floods and and the college students, like how they flock to painting companies in the summer to stand around and sneak beer paint houses, these industrious Egyptian dope smoking drunkards students make just enough money to buy 30 packs of Natural Light support themselves back at school and lessen the burden on their parents. 


Freshly Squeezed by Ed Stein:

If only I were 40 years older, I could nod my head sagely, wink at the newspaper (Computers are just fads for young'ens) and say "Aye-yup" as I put my teeth back in after their soak. 


Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

Reminds me of the last meeting I was in where my idea was summarily dismissed and shot down and then released as new policy last night. Wait, that makes it just like EVERY meeting I was ever in.


Shoe by Chris Cassatt and Gary Brookins:

Finally, a clue into what these hideous Shoe creatures actually are as far as a species. A nine month gestation period like a human rather than laying eggs is a huge, huge clue.  Maybe they're post-apocalyptic human bird mutations?  That's the best I can come up with between detesting their lack of humor. 

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Monty Killed Off All the Neanderthal

Monty by Jim Meddick:

Don't worry.  Monty didn't corrupt history by giving Oomuka, his Neanderthal bride, the keychain referenced here.  He corrupted history by giving her an S.T.D. that decimated the Neanderthal race.  Mystery of history solved. 


Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

DVR? Just saying. What game is he referring to? Is it a local team? Basketball? Hockey? I need more information to process this dilemma.  Also, who says "spinning like a figure skater"?  That does not seem like a normal thing to think as part of an internal dialogue.  Is he watching a figure skating game?  Do they have figure skating games?  This gets back to the game.  What is this guy watching 


Rose is Rose by Don Wimmer / Created by Pat Brady:

I hate to get all "First World Problems" on dear Rosie here, but hanging drawings on the fridge? Cat meowing? Laundry? The checkbook probably under a pile of bills where the husband can't find it?  I guess keeping the real world issues (kid has serious issues and medical bills, check book overdrawn) is a little heavy handed for the comic strips, but why doesn't she just get in her leather/biker babe persona and tell the rest of family here to fetch mommy a bottle of wine and go away for 20 minutes while she takes a bath.


Pluggers by Gary Brookins:

Wait, I'm approaching 40 and I have an electric razor?  Am I turning into a Plugger?  Will I be turning into a bizarre dog-creature?  Will I be concerned about driving an old beat up truck and be married to a bizarre chicken-creature? Is this my horrible future?

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The Pluggers are Ruining America

Catching up on some of the comics here as I dared to take off a day this week and then focused on Valentine's Day in yesterday's post:

9 Chickweed Lane by Brooke McEldowney 2/13, 2/14 & 2/15: 

I have 9 Chickweed Lane here not because it is particularly funny or interesting (I'm really just glad the musician page-turning humor is over) but to especially highlight Brooke McEldowney's fantastic art.  Not just the female form he draws so well (though for that, I usually check out his other strip, Pibgorn, which is pretty creative in its layout and art--see today's entry below).  Although a cartoon style, his backgrounds, color, and angles show so much more depth than the average strip.  I have no idea who the raven-haired lady is, and the light brown haired lady is the protagonist's mother, but, whatever, its still better than page-turner for attractive, young, female protagonist can't turn the pages for whatever reason. Here's Pibgorn today:

Not a clue what is going on here, but very creative, colorful, well-drawn, and all around fantastic artwork, for sure. 


Working Daze by John Zakour and Scott Roberts:

Yah, I would TOTALLY do that. Working Daze is a comic about IT workers in an office with a non-IT boss.  So, yeah, kinda like a one-panel Dilbert but with characters who look like people.  I would so rock the Spider-man costume at work, though, if I could get away with it. You go, Roy! (Hah, I snuck Superhero comics references in the blog again. Ha-ha!  Bryce should be glad I'm not expounding on my views on Spider-man costumes throughout the comics and then talking about how much I hated the black costume as a kid when Secret Wars came out and stopped buying the comic, then as I got older as a teen I ended up buying them all anyway.) 


Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

When I first read this comic, I had to go back and re-read it.  Then I realized the guy without glasses was talking about golf (doesn't live in the snow-coated Northeast, for sure!) and that I have a terrible, filthy mind. 


Pluggers by Gary Brookins:

So these "Pluggers" are the ones who are destroying the United States economy by raising drains on economy who have their own little drains on the economy.  Good information to know.  These "Pluggers" need a dose of Judge Smails addressing his nephew Spaulding in the classic movie  CaddyShack:
Spalding Smails: I want a hamburger. No, cheeseburger. I want a hot dog. I want a milkshake. I want potato chips...[gets cut off by Judge Smails]
Judge Smails: You'll get nothing, and like it!

Maintaining by Nate Creekmore:

When I worked in recruiting and career management, I had to dress up in a suit everyday (or minimum, shirt & tie with slacks...no jeans or casual looking clothes). So when I would get home and the wife and I would go out (to the mall, clothing store, department store, etc), inevitably the above would happen to me (I must have given off a "retail store manager" vibe).  I would do crap like that all the time, it drove the wife nuts!  Fortunately, my current work doesn't require I dress up, so she's safe from my sophomoric humor (at least in this situation). 

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OK, folks. Friday night! Have a great night and weekend!

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Another Rough Day at the Gym

Happy Monday, everyone.  Hope everyone had a super Super Bowl Sunday yesterday.  Monday means new comics, so let's jump into it.  And in case I forget to say it later, thanks so much for stopping by!

Bliss by Harry Bliss and Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich:

This is great for everyone with the gym membership that, 5 weeks into the new year, is already dormant and unused.  I always hated going to the gym.  These two comics sum up two of the most annoying aspects of the hated gym experience: muscle-bound phys. ed. majors hitting on your girl at the gym and fat asses on the exer-bike.  If Bliss was drawn at another angle, you'd see "Mr. Benches 250" flexing his arm as he feels up some guys girlfriend as part of his "job duty".  Of course, in Real Life Adventures the blond wife was at the same gym with the same trainer....she was loving all that attention she doesn't get from tubby here.  A different angle, and you'd see the Cheetos, ding-dongs, ho-ho's and beer on the side table.  Why go to the gym when she can see the sweaty butt prints on tubby's chair when he drags himself to the bathroom for his only strenuous activity of the day.

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 The Born Loser, The by Chip Sansom:

Yeah, there was something wrong with the first honeymoon, Buddy.  Big problems! (It's funny because the Born Loser has erectile dysfunction.)

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Baldo by Hector D. Cantu and Carlos Castellanos:

Is Baldo still in high school?  Is his father that annoyed with his kid that he's desperately trying to  marry him off and get him out of his hair?  There's a girl you like? Let me tell you about my experience.  Too bad it ended at four panels, add another two and you'd have: PANEL FIVE: Of course, the honeymoon was horrible." PANEL SIX: I had erectile dysfunction like that Born Loser!"

Seriously, look at that expression on the father's face when his son wants to have a serious father-son talk.  He hates this kid.  He wants no part of this conversation.  Do you get the impression that Baldo tries to have these talks every thirty minutes? Earlier that day, the conversation went: BALDO: "Dad, can we talk? I was pleasuring myself yesterday with your mustache scissors..."

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Free Range by Bill Whitehead:

Wait a sec, where is her voice coming from?  Is it coming from his...It is! Way to kick it up a notch, Free Range!

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Angry Little Girls by Lela Lee:

"I was looking for love in all the wrong places. Looking for love in too many places."  Nothing like a little 1980 country music by Johnny Lee from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack.  Of course, maybe little blond girl needs to stop being so negative. Or stop looking so hard and coming across as desperate.  Maybe she's unlikable.  How does she treat her friends?  Maybe she should hang out at the gym.  I bet there's a personal trainer more than happy to feel her up.

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Café con Leche by Charlos Gary:

Wait, was this idiot with the 1990's hipster goatee was passed out the last six months?  That's a significant baby bump.  Gotta be looking about six months pregnant there.  Where the heck is he going? Buying baby clothes? That's what I did.  Potency! Virility! Manliness!  Shout it from the rooftops. This guy is disgrace to real men.  Either that, or he knows she just got back from three months abroad.

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Last Kiss by John Lustig:

I have to put Last Kiss on here because I've been such a fan of the strip for so long.  John Lustig  bought the rights to a bunch of old romance comics and has been re-writing them with his unique humor.  (Plus, he accepted my Facebook friend request! Tee-hee,giddy fan boy alert!)  Consistently funny, always unique. Give him a read here: http://www.lastkisscomics.com

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OK, now I'm done. Thanks as always for reading! (Hey, I remembered.)

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