Thursday Quickies - 7/18/2013

by Hal Bent

Another Thursday slogging in the salt mines (I work for the government in a cubicle...that kind of makes me "the Man", right?) and finally some time to relax with the comics strips and let loose the snark. I do have to behave at work...what's the Monty Python Holy Grail Line?

That's it. "Help, help, I'm being repressed!"
Before I go further, let me remember to give a long overdue shout-out to a DCR regular (one of the three, hah-hah!), Inkwell, and encourage you to check out her great snarky blog--The Slylock Files--devoted to the great comic strip detective Slylock Fox here: http://theslylockfiles.wordpress.com/ 

Check it out! You'll be hooked. 

Keep up the great work, Inkwell, and thanks for reading here! :)


Reality Check by Dave Whamond:

That was...funny.  Wow. A funny comicstrip. I've seen it all now. Of course, now I feel I have to apologize to creator Dave Whamond for this: 

Look at that look of defeat and despair for life on the character's face! He isn't pulling the finger and hearing the fart noise to open the door, oh no! He is dropping trousers and backing up into into the door. I mean, you know in real life someone would be doing that to a door handle like that.

Wait, I take that back...no apology. I was pretty funny there!


Moderately Confused by Jeff Stahler

I've drank a few of those in my time, I think (Natty Light!!!)

9 Chickweed Lane by Brooke McEldowney:

I know that this storyline is going to come around to Sven being seen as honorable and upstanding for turning in his fiancee, but I have to say: WHAT A DICK MOVE!  Seriously?  My wife comes home with a dead body in the trunk, I just grab a shovel and start digging under the maple tree...that's honorable and upstanding...standing by the one you love. If this was in anyway realistic, Lady Vet here will be castrating Sven come next week. 


Ziggy by Tom Wilson & Tom II:

Ziggy, being some bizarre potato/human hybrid--maybe a slug/human hybrid, is auditioning for Pluggers apparently.  Talk about a union reserved for the fifth level of Dante's Hell!  Oh wait, Slug/Human is too much like the Slurm makers in the Willie Wonka parody on Futurama...darn, I thought that was a good analogy.  

Damn you, Ziggy!!!

*

OK,all..have a great Friday tomorrow! Thanks as always for reading.

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Thursday Quickies

by Hal Bent

It's Thursday, which means it's time for the quickies...set the snark-o-meter to "zing!".

The Argyle Sweater by Scott Hilburn:

The Great White Snark, that's gonna be my new DCR nickname for myself.  "Hi, I'm Hal. You may know me as the Great White Snark."  Aww, who am I kidding. They'd give the title to Fruhlinger, make him a shark costume, and hold a parade for him through downtown Baltimore.


Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson:

Wait, who the hell is Vic? "Vic, it's Arlo. Key party on Saturday. Be there and bring that sweet wife of yours.  Yeah, Janis is going too. What shape is her keychain?  Wait, what?"


Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen:

Gary Sanders is revered as a symbol of fertility and virility (and sponsored by Viagra) in his neighborhood.The balloons tied to garters are from the stay at home moms who live in the neighborhood and there is symbolism tied to the number of balloons tied to each garter.


The Flying McCoys by Glenn and Gary McCoy:

Look at dat ass.  I'd say this strip is shocking to the average 75 year old newspaper comics reader (letters to the editor are going to trickle in full of indignation), but certainly tame compared to the average Craigslist "Casual Encounters".



Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli:

When you "pinch a loaf", Slim, it's not necessary to cook and serve it to yourself for dinner, no matter how many ham and cheese lunchables you had for dinner the night before. 

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Thursday Quickies

by Hal Bent

Thursday Quickies!!!!

Wizard of Id by Parker and Hart:

This has to be a 2008 reprint, right?  No way their cultural references are 5 years old. (Wait, what am I saying? That's timely for newspaper comics)


Shoe by Chris Cassatt and Gary Brookins:

(Shakes head. scrolls down to next comic)


The Meaning of Lila by John Forgetta and L.A. Rose:

The comics have mention of sex today: The old folks are gonna be sending those angry letters to the editors.


9 Chickweed Lane by Brooke McEldowney

She is excited thinking about him singing and washing his junk 35 times in 5 minutes? I mean, that's what guys do (other than imagine what it's like to have boobs). Am I missing something here?  I think this is where we call it a night!

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The Daily Comics Review: Thursday Quickies

by Hal Bent

It must be Thursday, so today is all about the QUICKIES!  OK, let's fire these up:

Adam@Home by Brian Basset:

Jack Klugman jokes? Seriously? Star of the Odd Couple and medical drama Quincy M.E.? Last culturally relevant in 1983 when Quincy M.E. was cancelled?  Basset is obviously gearing this strip for the elderly still reading newspapers instead of us online readers. 

Andertoons by Mark Anderson:

Does anyone know many times I've had to explain this to non-Star Trek fans?  NO ONE KNEW ABOUT THE INTERNET, SMART PHONES, MINIATURIZATION OF COMPUTERS IN 1967! Gene Roddenberry was a TV producer, not a technology visionary. Star Trek was not about what tech would be in the future, but rather a social commentary hidden in science fiction.


Overboard by Chip Dunham:

Gotta love a good poop joke.  Nothing else to add. Just pointing out that some days, you need a good poop joke. 


Momma by Mell Lazarus:

Hell, no, Momma. Francis is banging all the ladies!!! He's single, unattached, scoring with the ladies, and no doubt riddled with venereal diseases.  


Thanks as always for reading, all! Have a great night...the weekend is right around the corner.

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The Daily Comics Review: Thursday Quickies

by Hal Bent

Yes, I know, its been a while since I posted. Thank you all for sticking with the site and coming back.  Between trying to get ready for vacation with a stressful week at the regular 9-5 job, and then being away with family time, I somehow had not posted in a few days.  Then, Marathon Monday happened. As you can see from my Blogger ID, the greater Boston area is my home.  While on vacation, I was glued to twitter, the television news outlets, and just shocked by what took place just one block away from where I had worked in Boston for almost ten years. Thinking about how I had annually taken a break from work to go out and stand and applaud the many runners crossing the finish line far after the winners on television.  Standing and applauding at the same approximate time in the same approximate place where the first explosive device detonated and hurt so many innocent people. How lucky I was that I no longer was in the city for Patriots Day, that I was no longer at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, where I was for so many years without incident.  Somehow, after that fateful day, I had a hard time finding the motivation and energy to write about anything, let alone humor, with this hanging over my head.  At that time, I just needed to be where I felt safe, with those I love, and that was where I was, with my family with me.

There are still no answers as I write this, no delusional reason given, no culprit in custody, no someone to point our collective fingers at and wonder WHY so much pain was deliberately delivered on a day and event about community, togetherness, and accomplishment.  Just like all the other tragedies in our lifetime, life does go on.  Whether the Oklahoma City bombing, 9-11, Hurricanes, flooding, tsunamis, or whatever disaster, be it man-made or a natural force, there is a time of mourning that does not end, but rather just gets pushed down deeper until life continues:  The sun rises, the calendar moves forward, and another day and its unique challenges face us all.  In that, we as a people require something more to get through each day, and part of that is humor.  The Daily Comics Review is a very small part of that, but one that is important to me, and helps me get through each day with the small bits of humor it imparts (some would say very, very small amounts of humor...).  In that, it is necessary as part of moving forward in my regular life to share these thoughts on the site, if only to escape reality for a brief period of time.   With that, thank you for the indulgence, and as always, thank you for allowing me to snark on these comic strips and give me that brief laugh that helps life go on.  

Thank you, Keith Knight. 

Now, onto the Thursday Quickies: 

Bliss by Harry Bliss:

That is simply the funniest comic strip I have read all year.  The look on his face, the gorilla's arm around his shoulders, that is priceless. 


Close to Home by John McPherson:

Wait, fishermen are sexually attracted to the fish that they catch?  Is that the point?  I fish, I am not attracted to fish. This is wrong.  Soooooo wrong. 


Shoe by Chris Cassatt and Gary Brookins:

I was groaning in mock horror before I got through the first panel.  Way to mail it in, Shoe. 


The Other Coast by Adrian Raeside:

My dog would agree: That would be cruel and unusual punishment. 


Legend of Bill by David Reddick:

I have no clue what the heck is going on here, but figured it can't be all bad and a great way to end the Thursday Quickies.  (Actually, Warrix is fighting the Wizard in the past, it's been building up for four months and now Shiarra is interrupting to try and get her dragon back from Warrix. Gnomes are freaking everywhere in the comic strip, just because. What a great comic!) 

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