Well, WE all know that, having done some in-depth discussions of Death, but would typical readers of WoI know that? But then, would they know what a monopoly is . . . ?
So we had yesterday’s WoI about the Spook wanting the guard to read him a bedtime story. And today we have Death coming over to play Monopoly.
Do you get the feeling that the job of writing WoI has been arbitrarily given to an anthropologist from Mars who understands abstractly what humor is but doesn’t really get it?
In the case of “The Wizard of Id” (and “B.C.”), the writer’s qualification has nothing to do with interplanetary anthropology, but simply that he is Hart’s grandson. It’s not clear which qualification would be more relevant.
P.S. I would like to know who is responsible for the mauve skin tones, both here and in the “Bedtime Story” strip.
Ditch panel one, move the other two panels over, and add a new now-third panel where the woman says her first impression is preferable to being in the vicinity of anyone playing Monopoly…
Anyway, isn’t Death traditionally more of a chess fan than a Monopoly guy?
And if Id is set in medieval times (I realize there is much disagreement on that point), isn’t Monopoly (a game which pretty much assumes a capitalist economic system) rather alien to a feudal society (even before you start wondering about spaces for railway companies and municipal utilities)?
Yeah, I wondered about making the King count as the player, the strategist. His role is crucial, it must be admitted. But the game is about protecting him, while he doesn’t do much himself.
There is a TV commercial for American Home Shield where a woman answers the door and panics when she sees Death. Turns out he’s there for the refrigerator. As much as I hate that commercial, this strip would have been funnier had it gone that route.
If Id IS set in medieval times (and not just a medieval place) then the strip is full of anachronisms and so pointing out an anachronism is worth no points; it’s like playing license-plate bingo and spotting a license plate from the state you’re in.
I remember in the 60s, and somewhat later too, seeing how many wonderful films, of different sorts (well, maybe not very many different sorts) Ingmar Bergman made, and not understanding why people went overboard in adoring, and attributing depth, to “The Seventh Seal”, which I thought kind of silly. “Oh, he’s playing chess with Death!” So?
Comics I Don't Understand 
Well, he DOES have a monopoly on that business/career/job/whatever.
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Does he, Andréa? I thought there were many personifications of death.
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Death comes knocking
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Well, WE all know that, having done some in-depth discussions of Death, but would typical readers of WoI know that? But then, would they know what a monopoly is . . . ?
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To quote Arthur’s recent insight: “This requires less thinking than many of us are capable”
https://godaddyandthesquirrelmustbothdie.wordpress.com/2019/09/03/loose-faces/#comments
Monopoly is mentioned simply because author thought it was the most innocuous purpose there could be for Death to pay a call.
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At least s/he wasn’t there just to use the facilities . . . oh, that’s right. S/He wouldn’t need them.
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So we had yesterday’s WoI about the Spook wanting the guard to read him a bedtime story. And today we have Death coming over to play Monopoly.
Do you get the feeling that the job of writing WoI has been arbitrarily given to an anthropologist from Mars who understands abstractly what humor is but doesn’t really get it?
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That a pretty good theory, Woozy. I think it’s either that or the writer spins the Wheel of Randomness.
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In the case of “The Wizard of Id” (and “B.C.”), the writer’s qualification has nothing to do with interplanetary anthropology, but simply that he is Hart’s grandson. It’s not clear which qualification would be more relevant.
P.S. I would like to know who is responsible for the mauve skin tones, both here and in the “Bedtime Story” strip.
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Monopoly?!
Ditch panel one, move the other two panels over, and add a new now-third panel where the woman says her first impression is preferable to being in the vicinity of anyone playing Monopoly…
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Anyway, isn’t Death traditionally more of a chess fan than a Monopoly guy?
And if Id is set in medieval times (I realize there is much disagreement on that point), isn’t Monopoly (a game which pretty much assumes a capitalist economic system) rather alien to a feudal society (even before you start wondering about spaces for railway companies and municipal utilities)?
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Good idea; never really liked that game anyway.
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Chess? Did someone mention chess??
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Yeah, I wondered about making the King count as the player, the strategist. His role is crucial, it must be admitted. But the game is about protecting him, while he doesn’t do much himself.
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There is a TV commercial for American Home Shield where a woman answers the door and panics when she sees Death. Turns out he’s there for the refrigerator. As much as I hate that commercial, this strip would have been funnier had it gone that route.
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“isn’t Death traditionally more of a chess fan than a Monopoly guy? ”
Hard to say, most people who have conversations with Death don’t talk much afterwards.
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If Id IS set in medieval times (and not just a medieval place) then the strip is full of anachronisms and so pointing out an anachronism is worth no points; it’s like playing license-plate bingo and spotting a license plate from the state you’re in.
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“most people who have conversations with Death don’t talk much afterwards”
But only “most”: books, plays and movies HAVE shown us exceptions.
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I remember in the 60s, and somewhat later too, seeing how many wonderful films, of different sorts (well, maybe not very many different sorts) Ingmar Bergman made, and not understanding why people went overboard in adoring, and attributing depth, to “The Seventh Seal”, which I thought kind of silly. “Oh, he’s playing chess with Death!” So?
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“But only ‘most’: books, plays and movies HAVE shown us exceptions.”
I’m referring to actual people, not imaginary ones.
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Well, a lot of actual people as well, if you believe their accounts.
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https://cdn10.bigcommerce.com/s-qvl578s1/products/148/images/398/Check_Mort_72dpi__15991.1510925965.1280.1280.jpg?c=2
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Sometimes Death plays badminton: https://youtu.be/L1TlAd6M-xU
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Did anyone notice that Madeline Kahn was in this?
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Death also plays video games, twister and foosball . . .
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