Posts Tagged ‘pie’
2 items.
Nov25
If you’re going to go to the trouble of sneaking in an entire pumpkin pie, you should at least be prepared when it comes to the other condiments.
Not much to say about today’s comic except I’m really happy with the joke. In fact, I’m pretty pleased with both of my Thanksgiving-themed comics this year. Both writing and art. I don’t pat myself on the back very often, but I think these two strips deserve it. Disagree if you want. My opinion is pretty much fully-formed at this point.
I don’t know if Cami and I are going to head out into the screaming mobs today and try to brave Black Friday. We were up for it earlier in the week. We were going to go with my sister-in-law Tara. It was kind of a mini-tradition between the three of us.
But Cami ran herself ragged yesterday preparing a Thanksgiving meal for both families and she’s pretty much shot. She did a great job, though. Best Thanksgiving we’ve had together, I think. The first one in our new house, too. We’re off to a good start!
We might see Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire this weekend. We both feel kind of bad that we weren’t able to get to it last week. (We saw Walk the Line instead). I keep hearing that it’s the best of the Potter movies so far, but I’m trying to stay away from spoilers. I want to be surprised. I haven’t read any of the books, so I guess I’ll be doubly surprised!
Hey, did you notice that today is comic #499? Do you know what that means? It means on Monday we’ll be celebrating comic #500! Can you believe it? I know I can’t. I know I’ve been at this for three years, but 500 comics is a real milestone to me. Wild.
There’s been some behind-the-scenes planning going on that I think you guys are really going to like. It’s going to make navigating the archive SOOOOO much easier, you don’t even know. But there’s an extra surprise waiting in the wings, so be sure to check in on Monday for the full scoop!
Have a safe holiday weekend!
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I was sitting around last night thinking about the juxtaposition between Clint Eastwood’s fuzzy, feel-good, “Hey, you’re gonna die, but it’s okay” Hereafter and the money-grubbing “INVISIBLE DEMONS ARE EATING YOUR BABY” Paranormal Activity 2 and felt that it was a potential comedic goldmine.
So I wrote this comic, penciled it, inked it, colored it, added shading and lettering… and then became immediately self-conscious about the punchline. In not fishing for compliments or anything. I’m just pointing out the weird tinge of instant regret I experienced after uploading the comic. Usually the anxiety needs a little time to marinate first.
I don’t feel too bad about the comic, though. Because the original punchline was Tom bolting upright from a bad dream in the fourth panel – and I’ve done THAT joke to death. So instead of doing what was safe and predictable, I decided it was okay to throw logic out the window (So, wait. Cami’s not a demon, then?)
And besides. I just really like the pie punchline.
As far as the movies themselves go, I really have no interest in seeing either of them.
Hereafter seems like Eastwood’s attempt at confronting his own mortality. Based on reviews, it kind of sounds like he failed the test by making a film with a sappy “I’m okay, you’re okay, you’re never alone message.” I don’t fault him for it. I think that’s exactly the kind of message an octogenarian would WANT to promote. It brings comfort.
But I don’t buy it.
Maybe experience hasn’t beaten cynicism out of me yet. But sometimes death is abrupt, meaningless and confusing. Frankly, whenever you try to attach religious dogma to death in an effort to explain it, you’re not really addressing the absurdity of it.
Maybe I should reserve judgment until I see the movie. Maybe Peter Morgan’s script answers some of those concerns. I don’t know. But based on what I’ve seen of the film and the reviews I’ve read so far, it doesn’t sound like something I’m ideologically aligned with.
Paranormal Activity 2 was the big box office winner this weekend, taking in $41.5 million. I never saw the original because I TOTALY buy into the conceit that your mind can always come up with something far more terrifying than a filmmaker could ever show. The original Paranormal Activity – with it’s locked-down, single camera aesthetic – played that to the hilt.
From the sound of it, Paranormal Activity 2 didn’t fall into the same trap that Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows fell into. But at the same time, I’m wondering why Hollywood can’t leave well enough alone.
Part of the reason the original Paranormal Activity did so well because was because of the innovation it inspired due to a limited budget. Unknown actors, minimal effects, AMAZING concept and execution. Hollywood should be making more films like this rather than repackaging experiences we’re already familiar with.
I understand that making movies requires a large investment and producers are looking for a sure thing to recoup any potential financial losses. But creativity doesn’t grow when you do the same thing over and over again.
Look at me. Should I have used a tired “startled awake from a dream” punchline that I’ve used a dozen times before or a zinger from out of left-field about pie?
On second thought, that’s not a very good example.
Did anyone see Paranormal Activity 2 or Hereafter2 this weekend? Let us know what you thought in the comments below!
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