The only joke I can fish out of this might be that we are supposed to know that the kids’ parents are sitting right there in the bar. But that might depend on us recognizing them as regular characters and knowing their families … a bit more than I can muster.
Or are the kids a crossover or tribute from another strip?? Wasn’t there a classic with “Hooligan” in the title? Oh, never mind.
Thanks to Boise Ed for suggesting this!
Let’s revisit a topic we’ve seen in different lights at different times: How the English and Spanish versions of Baldo may differ in how a joke works.
Here the joke comes off okay in English, as based in written language (or anyhow spelling). The specifics won’t work in Spanish, so they settle for a less striking point.
P.S. The previous day’s comic clarifies that “work for me” probably means more like “as a substitute” than like “as an employee”.
I mistook those candles in the background for cat-hair rollers!
And the pun factor is: how about some gin or vodka?
I’m a little dubious how “went on the wagon” works out here. But let it be noted, there are probably several cities with drinking establishments called Crow-Bar or Cro-Bar.
You ever think — or find yourself actually writing a comment — that the comic we’re seeing maybe has a point or makes a joke, or maybe doesn’t really, but in any case would be much better off if only some aspect were changed?
We just have to agree with some commenters on the GoComics appearance of this panel in October 2023 that getting a joke from this would seem to require knowing which of the gorillas ordered the virgin daiquiri. Is it the one facing us from the far end of the banquette and looking (maybe) a little abashed? Or could it have worked better with one gorilla and three humans? Or how about …
One original commenter said The joke isn’t about which ordered it – the joke is that the virgin one is simply a banana…. Does that help? Or does it just emphasize that *all* of them would probably want the plain banana?
Okay, sure, the little one is the “sub” woofer because it’s subordinate. I guess.
— But, but … When it comes to actual acoustic speakers (where the terminology originated), a sub woofer produces even lower pitches than a woofer, and therefore needs to be larger.
— Okay, that might fix the technicality, but it would ruin the joke.
– Nah, it would be funnier that way, with the facts working.
– Nah, it would be stupid that way. Everybody would say, “But what’s the joke?”
And what do mice know or care, about an MRI scan? Ah, but if it were about CAT scans, then we would understand the issue!
Why two police lines? What’s the significance of the stump? Is it significant that the bodies are at the same orientation?
A friend pointed me at this, saying “Straight to CIDU — it’s ghost of sea creature? Very weak if so”.
I have to agree. I’ve enlarged it to the point of serious pixelization and still don’t get it at all.
It’s a CIDU if you don’t understand a somewhat obscure reference.
This striking but very puzzling Six Chix cartoon by the Friday chick, Maritsa Patrinos, was suggested by CIDU readers travelgirl, bobanero, and Jack Applin; and understanding remains elusive also for CIDU editors and for Comics Kingdom commenters.
(P.S., thanks for letting us know about https://www.usatoday.com/comics as another outlet for viewing King Features / Comics Kingdom cartoons.)
Little did we suspect, when writing a title for this post based on the Six Chix comic, that we would almost immediately run across an actual Midas-themed cartoon!
As always — but it needs saying explicitly again now and then — we like to think of this as a reader-participation site, and not just for your invaluable (or anyhow amusing) comments, but for suggestions of comics to run and discuss.
Please share your specific suggestions of panels or strips, in CIDU, LOL, and OY categories, either by direct email to
(that’s “CIDU dot Submissions” at gmail dot com) or by using the handy-dandy Suggest A CIDU form page!
Comics I Don't Understand 