Snark It Up, FuzzBall!

Artists for “Gil Thorp” changed a few months ago, and the new illustrator is coming close to perfecting his predecessor’s weird and impossible angularities, strange postures, and continuing, crappy athletic skills.

A few of the gents over at CC commented that one of the recent panels looked as though some “inspiration” had been drawn from Tom of Finland artwork (if you’re unfamiliar with Tom of Finland, you’re pretty much not a gay man, or you’re a gay man living in Carlsbad Caverns). Yow — they did indeed have a point, and oh, that the search for a new artist had continued. (Well, that’s pretty unlikely, as Tom died in 1991…you find the most interesting facts on the internet! At least I might’ve followed what-passes-for-a-plot-line in the strip more closely.)

This was a toughie, but when Rayne Summers, the central character in the webcomic Least I Can Do, rhapsodizes about vagoos (yes, it’s what you think it is), and the CC jokes about Liz Patterson’s golden hoo-hoo collide, Something Had To Be Done.

(I love LICD…great, great comic!)

It started with Zippy the Pinhead asking his creator Bill Griffith if he could take a new job over at The Family Circus (really! it’s the 14 June 2008 strip!). Oooh, the possibilities!

It could only be better if Zippy would apply over at For Better or for Worse as wedding coordinator. Muu-muus for all!

Okay, I’m pretty pleased with this. While Mary and Jeff are “taking some time apart” (or whatever the hell Mary is rationalizing it as) and Edda and Amos in 9 Chickweed Lane have called it quits, Ted and Sally Forth’s own relationship is being tested. While it isn’t heading for the rocks, maybe “some time apart” would also benefit them.

(Trust me, it wasn’t any funnier with Otto’s sign reading “We Love Sarge.”)

Honestly, the “cows” in the original Beetle Bailey strip (16 May) look like short-legged giraffes…short-legged, Asian giraffes. (The ones in panel 1, those in the distance, are far more convincing as cows than those in panel 2…no kidding.)

Fine.

You might not be a real artist like Jack Elrod, but this was just damned lazy, and I’m guessing pere et fils knocked off early for a round of golf after a “job well done.”

I read Sally Forth on Sunday, because that’s the only day we get the paper delivered. I’ll occasionally look it up when there’s some good commentary about a particular day at Comics Curmudgeon, or when Josh (the Comics Curmudgeon himself) posts it. Even so, I’ll just gloss it.

But, no… Josh had to make comments about Ted and co-employee wearing black vests, and Ted pretending that he’s making the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs in his mini-van. Yeah, so I gave into the Snark Side. Sue me.

Well, Ted does have that certain Corellian “look,” the rather poofy hair from the 70s (or a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away). He still has girlier hands than most women I know, though.

I laugh and smirk and make catty comments about June Morgan and Andy Reed (aka, Andreu, Count Morgu) messing around in the hospital supply closet, and THEN!, a member from over at CC diverts our attention to genuine messing around in the hospital supply closet!, courtesy Kyle’s Bed and Breakfast! Kyle’s a gay-themed (well, duh!) web comic strip by Greg Fox — he is an excellent illustrator! I’m jealous (why, I’m not sure, maybe the drawing and storytelling talents, maybe all the hot guys that are interested in other hot guys. C’est la vie.).

Well, if there’s kanoodling in the supply closet, can meddling be far behind?

This is dedicated to Mr. bats :[ a child of the 60s and its panoply of wonderful television shows, television commercials, and fun ‘n’ dangerous toys. I don’t think he ever had one of these things, but he still remembers the slogan. Whenever, “six fingers” drops into the conversation, he’ll recite it! It’s a gift, I guess.

(Maybe this is also dedicated to para-Olympians and the goodness that is Gil Thorp illustration; this took only a few lines to “fix”…)

Way, way, way too easy!