Ever Wished Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? He Just Did

Is it just me or are the strips... just not that funny? All three of them are basicly the same joke, with one containing a minor reference to Watterson's page formatting preferences. Now that I think of it, that's really par for the course (or maybe a birdie) for newspaper comic strips in general. I guess it just seems strange to see the world's best living cartoonist come out of the fortress of solitude and do something other than leave the audience in tears of profundity.

Re: Ever Wished Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? He Just Did

#5

Post by noonespecial » Sat, Jun 07, 2014, 5:20 AM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #4

Is it just me or are the strips... just not that funny? All three of them are basicly the same joke, with one containing a minor reference to Watterson's page formatting preferences. Now that I think of it, that's really par for the course (or maybe a birdie) for newspaper comic strips in general. I guess it just seems strange to see the world's best living cartoonist come out of the fortress of solitude and do somet…

For Watterson that might literally be the funny.

Like finding Jeff Gordon driving your kids' school bus one idle morning.

Re: Ever Wished Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? He Just Did

#6

Post by suprgeek » Sat, Jun 07, 2014, 5:28 AM UTC

Almost like reopening old wounds..... Time to bring the C&H collection out of the bookshelf.

Re: Ever Wished Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? He Just Did

#7

Post by jsmthrowaway » Sat, Jun 07, 2014, 5:32 AM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #4

Is it just me or are the strips... just not that funny? All three of them are basicly the same joke, with one containing a minor reference to Watterson's page formatting preferences. Now that I think of it, that's really par for the course (or maybe a birdie) for newspaper comic strips in general. I guess it just seems strange to see the world's best living cartoonist come out of the fortress of solitude and do somet…

You had the context of the ruse going in. I bet it would have been even better without it.

That said, even with the context, I thought they were wonderful. The third made me laugh a lot.

Re: Ever Wished Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? He Just Did

#8

Post by Shinkei » Sat, Jun 07, 2014, 5:37 AM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #4

Is it just me or are the strips... just not that funny? All three of them are basicly the same joke, with one containing a minor reference to Watterson's page formatting preferences. Now that I think of it, that's really par for the course (or maybe a birdie) for newspaper comic strips in general. I guess it just seems strange to see the world's best living cartoonist come out of the fortress of solitude and do somet…

Were you a fan of C&H? I think that the lens of nostalgia strengthens our pleasant memories of the books and can't really ever compare to these new strips. You need character development, plot... most of his stories would extend across the entire week or longer. (Oh man, the family camping trips in C&H were hilarious)

Just appreciate it for what it is--a window into our fond memories of Watterson's work.

Re: Ever Wished Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? He Just Did

#9

Post by jsmthrowaway » Sat, Jun 07, 2014, 5:43 AM UTC

noonespecial wrote: post #2

Its... its like _why doing a guest post for Zed Shaw. Can't. look. away.

I'm not sure who gets the shorter end of a comparison between Zed Shaw and Stephan Pastis.

Re: Ever Wished Bill Watterson Would Return to the Comics Page? He Just Did

#10

Post by fernly » Sat, Jun 07, 2014, 5:44 AM UTC

I wonder if Watterson really believes the gag line for the third strip, "Nah, the art form's dying"? He might, being (apparently) a neo-luddite of some sort. But there has never been as many, or as good, comics as there are now, or as many busy, thriving comic artists. Hint: they are not found at gocomics.com.