Thanks to Darren, who sends this in saying “This one hurts my brain”.
“Is the fan on? I would hope for some blurring or sphericasia, but it looks like it’s not running. In which case, why move it?
The alternative is that the fan is running and someone thinks a cockerel weathervane points away from the wind….”
This Baby Blues strip was published back in early May (when the tulips really were in bloom), then MyActualRealName submitted it as a CIDU in early June, so it seems perfectly appropriate to post it here in early August:
M.A.R.N. commented: “Isn’t Hammie like six, and will have seen her like this about her tulips, and when toothpaste is on sale, many times?”
Perhaps, but I think the authors just didn’t have any other option, since the resident “baby” (Wren) is only about two years old, and thus far too young to deliver Hammie’s the reaction in the third panel. In addition, since the characters have been getting older (but only very slowly), it might be difficult to preserve exact consistency to their “current” ages. I don’t follow “Baby Blues”, so I can’t judge how well the continuity has been handled in the past.
Keeping hydrated??
Here’s a LOL/semi-CIDU courtesy of Dale Eltoft – and thanks for the intro to Ryan Mason / At Random Comics.
I had trouble with the premises of the original Topper TV series because I didn’t understand the distinction between when the ghosts would “dematerialize” and when they were simply invisible.
Never gets old!
An anonymous contributor submitted this Argyle Sweater, commenting that “adding a Spirit sign would have made this funny. Without that, I’m just lost“, which was a comment that I didn’t understand.
For those who might not be able to intuit the Spanish, she’s saying “But, I am Dora“. Even without that, I thought the point of the joke was fairly clear, since many airlines now charge for all sorts of services that used to be automatic and complimentary. However, it turned out that Spirit Airlines (a no frills company with which I have never had the misfortune to fly) was the first airline to charge for carry-on baggage, even though there now are other companies that have adopted same the odious practice.
P.S. The Argyle Sweater really should get a prize for the MoSt AnNoYiNg FoNt in use by any newspaper comic.
From Bob Quixote, puzzled by a cartoon in the New Yorker — as so many of us so often are!
The quixotic one says: I hope you can help me with this cartoon from the latest New Yorker. I’ve been studying it for way too long but cannot figure it out. Why are the cows cops? Is there a hole under the torn-down fence? Why didn’t the robber just hop the fence instead of taking time to take down a section of the fence? Thanks
Phil of the editorial team adds: That’s a cattle guard, common in the West: you can drive over ‘em, but they stop cattle.
Mark H. submitted this Arlo & Janis, commenting: “I don’t understand the first thing about this one. Arlo retreats to his “man cave” and then what?“
The sign reminded me of this Calvin & Hobbes:
… as a commenter said.
But in what way exactly is the friend Henri-Lee suggesting the mockingbird is responsible?
Also sent in by Chak, who wonders if there might be some pop cultural reference she’s not getting.
Perfectly good comics. But you have the nagging feeling the joke or pun would work just a tiny bit better if this-or-that could be edited a trifle.
(Thus CIDUs by a polite extension — “I don’t understand why this little matter couldn’t be fixed up…”)
Here, for instance, the traditional form uses “get a haircut / hair cut” and always works smoothly; unlike in this strip, where the dialogue in panel 2 is quite unnatural. “Hey Harv, didja get a hair cut?” , “Nah, I got them all cut! Heh heh!”
A good chuckle from Arlo and Janis, sent in by Jack Applin who has a point about “breaking serve”.
As Jack explains, As I understand it, to “break serve” means to score a point in tennis when your opponent serves. However, Janis was serving (“Did you cover the charcoal fire?”), and Arlo neglected to do that, so Janis scored the point on her own serve, right? Even if we consider the entire strip one long volley, Janis still asked the initial question, so she’s serving.
Boise Ed submitted this “Carpe Diem” panel a while back, commenting that “The Dachshund appears to be the artist, with the same picture in two different shades of brown tree bark and four different shades of green grass. Perhaps this is obvious to those who would spend big money on a canvas with only a plain circle or square, but not to me.“
Comics I Don't Understand 