This is the kind of joke that the English major in me loves. That means about 99% of the population probably hates it. One debate was whether the people on the ride should be reacting or not. We decided the joke might be too heady if they were simply sitting expressionless through it.
This is just sort of a classic riff on that old joke that someone orders a huge meal in a restaurant and then a diet soda. People have good intentions, and every bit helps, but I think we’re lying to ourselves a bit. Lying to yourself is always funny.
Stroll through any amusement park and you start to get the impression that a good half of the rides were never designed with amusement in mind. They’re basically modern torture devices that we willingly put ourselves on. It’s a wonder they’re not all called the Thud Bucket.
This strip was a difficult idea to restrain within three panels. It’s not an elaborate joke, but the setup and punchline seem to require far more space. It really relies on the wording and images then to deliver the joke in a small space. The strip seems to work fairly well, but it did go through a couple of drafts.
I suppose people use words they’re not quite sure about in order to sound smart, but I think more often than not you end up in situations like this. I like that Dr. Klownus doesn’t even consider if what he’s saying makes any logical sense. What would deathragging a computer even do?
This strip went through a few different versions. The original was more referential, but perhaps too much so. While funny to us, it would have ended up being too obscure for the majority of readers. The second version wasn’t quite “nail on the head” enough. This third revision seems to work best.
This is an odd type of strip to do. I think it’s the first we’ve done that breaks out of the normal three panel or six panel format. I also think it’s the first where some of the action spills outside of the panels. Worth it?
I think the top panel is pretty awesome looking and worth it alone.
It’s always amusing to hear people complain about wild animals in their backyards. They realize that they built their homes in the middle of the woods, right? Basically nature’s backyard? Nature isn’t even complaining so much, but the animals would like to go about their day without being harassed too terribly.
Think of it as buying a nature condo. You don’t have to like your neighbors, but they were there first.
I always like the moment of realization for people that matter cannot be destroyed. We learn this at an early age in school, but people seem to instantly forget it again when trying to solve problems. How can we solve the garbage problem in landfills? Burn it. Oh wait, that just creates another problem. Maybe simply make less of it in the first place?
If in doubt how to get a laugh, blow something up. It usually works. If it doesn’t, blame short attentions spans that are always clamoring for something to blow up. Now, you haven’t failed as a comic, but the audience has failed you. See? Blowing things up is a cure-all answer.
But really, we worked hard on this one.
