Comic Strips 2020: Sumpin Arful

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > BSS: Bisexual Super Son > Comic Strips 2020: Sumpin Arful

Ghostlight: Sep 25, 2009; maybe for one second you can pause; try to step into another person's perspective, and understand that a watermelon is cursing me

Ashsaber posted:

So, as someone who hasn't even been reading these threads for a full year, can someone give me a cliff's notes explanation of how and why there are moon people in Dick Tracy? Because suddenly, from my perspective, there's literal magic powers in the strip and you can easily acquire giant, cornucopia sized snails from the moon as a regular thing? What?

After the introduction of Diet Smith and the wrist-radio in the late 40s Dick Tracy broke from its very traditional detective drama and during the 50s wove more of Dick Tracy's family life into the story while Diet drip-fed the police force more fanciful crime-fighting gizmos.

As the 60s rolled around there was quite a fever on around the space race, with the first moon landing at the end of 1959. 1960 saw the introduction of the Space Coupe and Dick Tracy's subsequent visit to the moon to discover a highly-advanced culture already living there. Gould's talked about how he saw this as the logical end for Diet Smith's acceleration of in-universe technology, but also about how these were all attempts to keep the strip fresh and interesting.

The 60s veered into straight-up science fiction, with Tracy on track to become moon sheriff, but as Apollo 11 threatened to actually visit the moon Gould swept his arm over the table and all the science fiction disappeared overnight without explanation. No more space coupe, no more moon people, no more superpowers, not even a Moon Maid - she was henceforth only referred to as "Junior's wife". Dick Tracy entered the 70s with only his iconic two-way wrist radio and back on the regular beat of whacking deformed mobsters, where he would stay until the current artists who - for all their faults - have been doing real deep dives into Dick Tracy's lore and reintroduced the space coupe and moon people.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 01:59

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# ? Feb 16, 2025 02:26

EasyEW: Mar 8, 2006; I've got my father's great big six-shooter with me 'n' if anybody in this woods wants to start somethin' just let 'em--but they DASSN'T.

Sally Forth

Skippy (September 16-17, 1932)

Peanuts (February 6-7, 1973)

Mopey Pete and BoyLisa

Crankshaft

9 "Make My Husband Horny, But Not Too Horny" Lane

Rip Haywire

Thimble Theater (September 4-5, 1936)

Out Our Way (January 29-31, 1934)

Toonerville Folks (August 3-5, 1916)

# ? Feb 6, 2020 02:04

Evil Mastermind: Apr 28, 2008

The Dinette Set doesn't quite fit.

Working Daze has terrible code and sentence structure.

Super-Fun-Pak Comix is the end of an era.

Cul De Sac is a wild ride.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 02:22

TofuDiva: Aug 22, 2010; Playin' Possum; Muldoon

How would people feel about seeing some Ballard Street again?

I know it's usually :justpost:

. but we have run through many of these in the past decade or so, so I thought I'd ask to see if there's interest.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 02:23

StrixNebulosa: Feb 14, 2012; You cheated not only the game, but yourself.
But most of all, you cheated BABA

As a former poster of Ballard Street: yes please I will never get tired of it

# ? Feb 6, 2020 02:30

Chef Bourgeoisie: Oct 8, 2016; by Reene

I'm game for Ballard Street.

Bloom County
February 12th & 13th, 1981

# ? Feb 6, 2020 02:42

catlord: Mar 22, 2009; What's on your mind, Axa?

Evil Mastermind posted:

Working Daze has terrible code and sentence structure.

I am constantly amazed at how little lead-time this comic has, but I guess that'd require effort and an editor willing to read this garbage. At least old Working Daze had art that wasn't just awful on every level and something resembling jokes.

Please post more Ballard Street.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 03:00

MariusLecter: Sep 5, 2009; NI MUERTE NI MIEDO

https://twitter.com/NoobtheLoser/status/1225121582282104833?s=20

# ? Feb 6, 2020 03:06

riderchop: Aug 10, 2010; av by @daikonquest!

i long for ballard street dogs

# ? Feb 6, 2020 03:07

Discendo Vox: Mar 21, 2013; The classical Freudian anal sadistic character in its purest form.

Absolutely, more ballard street

# ? Feb 6, 2020 03:34

Tuxedo Ted: Apr 23, 2007

Discendo Vox posted:

Absolutely, more ballard street

Yes, please.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 04:00

TofuDiva: Aug 22, 2010; Playin' Possum; Muldoon

Alrighty then - Ballard Street returns tomorrow, dogs and all!

# ? Feb 6, 2020 04:01

The Bloop: Jul 5, 2004; by Fluffdaddy

Ballard St is very, very good

# ? Feb 6, 2020 04:20

FrumpleOrz: Feb 12, 2014; Perhaps you have not been to the *Playground*.
The *Playground* is for Taalo and for Orz, but *Campers* can go.
It more fun than several.
You can go there for too much fun.

The Lockhorns

Brewster Rockit Space Guy

On The Fastrack

Safe Havens

Kevin & Kell

Mother Goose & Grimm

Hagar The Horrible

Sherman's Lagoon

# ? Feb 6, 2020 04:20

Green Intern: Dec 29, 2008; Loon, Crazy and Laughable

Well, Mars is hosed.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 04:37

Discendo Vox: Mar 21, 2013; The classical Freudian anal sadistic character in its purest form.

Green Intern posted:

Well, Mars is hosed.

funny, that's what Holbrook said too

# ? Feb 6, 2020 06:07

BigglesSWE: Dec 2, 2014

TofuDiva posted:

Alrighty then - Ballard Street returns tomorrow, dogs and all!

Thank you for this. I mentioned brining it back some time ago but never got around to it.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 06:31

Strontium: Aug 28, 2009; Dexter didn't much care for the party.

Daddy Daze

Take It From the Tinkersons

Dark Side of the Horse

Fort Knox

# ? Feb 6, 2020 06:51

Samovar: Jun 4, 2011; When I want to relax, I read an essay by Engels. When I want something more serious, I read Corto Maltese.

Hooray for Ballard St.!

In today's Corto Maltese: 'Look, for the last time, I'm NOT him. Okay!!!?!' - a very annoyed Rasputin, or Rasputin gets annoyed at Lil, or Lil knows kung fu. Or at least some kind of judo or shuai jiao

# ? Feb 6, 2020 07:32

Angular Cyrus: May 29, 2007; everything is so much harder than it looks

King Aroo 9/16/53

They'll Do It Every Time 8/28/46

Mopsy 9/7/42

# ? Feb 6, 2020 07:39

RandomPauI: Nov 24, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Strontium posted:

Daddy Daze

The comic is improved if you read it like this "kids" TV show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Bq42UdpAU

# ? Feb 6, 2020 07:53

amigolupus: Aug 25, 2017

FrumpleOrz posted:

So DNA Wizard pretty much turned Mars into K&K Hellworld. How can Holbrook be so blind to the fact that his character is pretty much the bad guy for loving Mars over completely.

FrumpleOrz posted:

I hate all of this. gently caress you, Holbrook.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 07:53

Kennel: May 1, 2008; BAWWW-UNH!

How does Mars have a tide without a large moon?

# ? Feb 6, 2020 08:31

Lodin: Jul 31, 2003; by Fluffdaddy

FrumpleOrz posted:

Hagar The Horrible

Sorry but this is bullshit. Hagar is Al Bundy, only his job is awesome.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 08:35

Mercedes Colomar: Nov 1, 2008; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

RandomPauI posted:

The comic is improved if you read it like this "kids" TV show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Bq42UdpAU

Tha's right. Also, nthing the love for Ballard Street.

Family Circus

Rose is Rose

One Big Happy

Foob

Compu-Toon

Bizarro

# ? Feb 6, 2020 09:01

My Lovely Horse: Aug 21, 2010

Ashsaber posted:

So, as someone who hasn't even been reading these threads for a full year, can someone give me a cliff's notes explanation of how and why there are moon people in Dick Tracy? Because suddenly, from my perspective, there's literal magic powers in the strip and you can easily acquire giant, cornucopia sized snails from the moon as a regular thing? What?

The artist duo think they're Grant Morrison and they aren't.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 09:49

Pastry of the Year: Apr 12, 2013

Arlo and Janis

Tina's Groove Classic (July 8, 2008)

Arlo and Janis Classic (July 8, 1998)

Garfield Classic (July 8, 1988)

# ? Feb 6, 2020 10:58

gleebster: Dec 16, 2006; Only a howler; Pillbug

Juliet Jones, in which Don's whiskers vanish upon his confessing his guilt and repentance.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 11:22

Green Intern: Dec 29, 2008; Loon, Crazy and Laughable

Strontium posted:

Fort Knox

It's so painfully obvious that Fort Knox guy wishes he was writing Stewie from Family Guy.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 12:30

Murdstone: Jun 14, 2005

Strontium posted:

Daddy Daze

Especially since the flags are red.

F Minus

Mark Trail

Mary Worth

The Phantom

Pooch Cafe

Rex Morgan MD

Andertoons

Apartment 3-G

# ? Feb 6, 2020 12:42

Pancho Jueves: Aug 20, 2007; BEST FRIENDS!!

Johnny Walker posted:

Mark Trail

Welp, I guess our heroic artist could barely go a week before returning to the clip art well again. Drawing is hard, y'all!

# ? Feb 6, 2020 13:12

Murdstone: Jun 14, 2005

Pancho Jueves posted:

Welp, I guess our heroic artist could barely go a week before returning to the clip art well again. Drawing is hard, y'all!

Hey it looks like a lot of effort went into that middle panel.

Also RIP Vargo.

# ? Feb 6, 2020 13:28

CommonShore: Jun 6, 2014; A true renaissance man

Johnny Walker posted:

Mark Trail

Lol the middle panel looks as if she's gazing into the ark of the covenant and her skin is about to dissolve

# ? Feb 6, 2020 13:33

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Star Wars oh of COURSE! Negatron charge bombardment! What idiot wouldn't know that?

# ? Feb 6, 2020 13:38

The Bloop: Jul 5, 2004; by Fluffdaddy

# ? Feb 6, 2020 14:11

Vargo: Dec 27, 2008; 'Cuz it's KILLIN' ME!

amigolupus posted:

Did we miss a strip in-between showing Curtis' dad trying to move a dresser, or is this supposed to be the explanation of why Curtis hurt his dad?

There was actually one about a week ago before Curtis went to Michelle's that seemed like it was just a one-off. Apparently we were supposed to realize they were part of the same story.