Famous Bible story of The Handwriting on the Asphalt?
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I’m not sure why this was classified as a CIDU. The triangular segment makes it pretty clear what the writing on the asphalt is supposed to be (at least from an adult reader’s perspective). The surrealistic humor results entirely from the kids’ personalities and reactions (from left to right: Beni, Alice, and Dill). It’s more or less par for the course: if you follow Cul de Sac, it doesn’t need any explanation, but if you’re new to Thompson’s classic, this might not be the best strip to start reading on.
Sorry, Kilby, but what triangular segment do you mean?
I am an adult reader and I’m not entirely sure what the markings mean. I understand they’re preparatory to some sort of underground work, or they designate something underground, but I don’t know any specifics.
@ Powers (3) – I meant the triangular section of asphalt that is visible at the bottom of each of the three panels of the strip. I didn’t mean to imply that anyone should be able to interpret the exact meaning of the dashed right angle and the circular arc, just that they are clearly “adult” construction markings, and not a child’s “hopscotch” diagram.
P.S. And of course the markings are certainly not any of the things that Beni, Alice, and Dill have suggested in the strip. :-)
“Meanie, meanie, tickle a parson!”
Dig Safe Or Not At All.
It would appear the street marking graphics were not copy-pasted from panel to panel.
@ Grawlix (7) – Much like Watterson, Richard Thompson was a “low tech” cartoonist; he did all of the lettering, inking, and colors by hand, and all by himself (as long as he was able to, of course). As his health deteriorated (late in the strip’s original run), he did invite a series of cartoonists to assist him with the artwork, but he still did all of the writing on his own.
I’m with Powers (3). I see part of a rectangle, not a triangle. In any case, workmen are about to dig up that part of the street.
Boise Ed, probably the area in black, in the full scene, would be as you say, a rectangle. But if you look at what we see, what there is in the picture-plane, it can’t be called anything but a triangle. It has three straight-line-segment sides (in the picture plane).
Comics I Don't Understand 
I’m not sure why this was classified as a CIDU. The triangular segment makes it pretty clear what the writing on the asphalt is supposed to be (at least from an adult reader’s perspective). The surrealistic humor results entirely from the kids’ personalities and reactions (from left to right: Beni, Alice, and Dill). It’s more or less par for the course: if you follow Cul de Sac, it doesn’t need any explanation, but if you’re new to Thompson’s classic, this might not be the best strip to start reading on.
P.S. Speaking of that asphalt:
Sorry, Kilby, but what triangular segment do you mean?
I am an adult reader and I’m not entirely sure what the markings mean. I understand they’re preparatory to some sort of underground work, or they designate something underground, but I don’t know any specifics.
@ Powers (3) – I meant the triangular section of asphalt that is visible at the bottom of each of the three panels of the strip. I didn’t mean to imply that anyone should be able to interpret the exact meaning of the dashed right angle and the circular arc, just that they are clearly “adult” construction markings, and not a child’s “hopscotch” diagram.
P.S. And of course the markings are certainly not any of the things that Beni, Alice, and Dill have suggested in the strip. :-)
“Meanie, meanie, tickle a parson!”
Dig Safe Or Not At All.
It would appear the street marking graphics were not copy-pasted from panel to panel.
@ Grawlix (7) – Much like Watterson, Richard Thompson was a “low tech” cartoonist; he did all of the lettering, inking, and colors by hand, and all by himself (as long as he was able to, of course). As his health deteriorated (late in the strip’s original run), he did invite a series of cartoonists to assist him with the artwork, but he still did all of the writing on his own.
I’m with Powers (3). I see part of a rectangle, not a triangle. In any case, workmen are about to dig up that part of the street.
Boise Ed, probably the area in black, in the full scene, would be as you say, a rectangle. But if you look at what we see, what there is in the picture-plane, it can’t be called anything but a triangle. It has three straight-line-segment sides (in the picture plane).