April 16, 2008
Debating The Funny Pages
Every now and then, we get this sinking sense that we do not understand the mindset of people different from ourselves. And for once, we're not talking about the presidential primary! We're completely mystified today by the Chronicle Datebook's reporting that readers don't like their new comic strip Lio.
What? Lio is hilarious! It's like Calvin and Hobbes, only hilariously dark! The drawing is first-rate, the storylines reliably amusing, and, you know, we're kind of starting to really like the squid. So we have absolutely no idea why 80 percent of the Chronicle readers say they hate it. What do you want, people? A new Garfield?
We've always been puzzled by the taste levels demonstrated by the Chron's comic page readers -- we still complain to anyone that'll listen that it makes absolutely no sense that Luann is the second-most popular strip on the page. LUANN? The unpleasant tales of an unpleasant teen? (First place is held by the treacly but undeniably addictive For Better Or For Worse.)
The Chron wants your comments on whether or not they should keep Lio and the new strip Candorville, which is currently the understudy for Doonesbury as Garry Trudeau takes a small sabbatical. For what it's worth, we really like Candorville -- well drawn, funny but not ham-handed, and does not feature a dog named Puddles. We do desperately miss The Boondocks, though. You can contact the Chron at candorcomment@sfchronicle.com.
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Pfft. I'm still ticked at the Examiner for taking out ALL the comics and replacing it with a 2nd crossword and (far more annoying) "Mr. Know-it-all," (people ask him random questions, he answers them, probably by looking them up on Wikipedia) - at least the Chron readers are getting comics. :P
Haven't they had Lio around for more than a year now (and beyond)? It's terrific. Candorville is hit-or-miss...one pretty solid MOR strip that I hardly ever see is Pickles, I wish they had that. Understated and often pretty funny.
I loves me some Pearls Before Swine.
http://www.comics.com/comics/pearls/archive/pearls-20080411.html
Lio is awesome, especially the squid!
May the Luann-worshipping doofuses have a pox placed upon their heads!
Since you referenced garfield...
http://garfieldminusgarfield.tumblr.com/
i just read the past few days having no knowledge of either and condorvile was prety good. lio will not be missed, imo.
Pfft ... reading the comics in a newspaper, of all places! Features editors have been enthralled for years by senior citizens who refuse to accept that their favorite comics are now zombies -- being kept alive and unchallenging and unfunny though the original author is dead. Or paying interns to do the drawing while they play golf. Long ago ... okay, 3 or 4 years ... I switched to finding my comics online where I can pick stuff that's still interesting. I was reading Lio before the Chronic had even thought of adding it, and Candorville back when they were still running Rudy Park (by the same artist).
Try to reason with the folks over at the paper if you want, but I'm sure they are too burdened with alte kackers who want to keep Family Circus and BC in the paper to bother finding out about work by new artists that might actually be funny.
Wow, I'm so behind. I hadn't heard of either of these comics. Actually, I didn't even know about Pearls Before Swine until two weeks ago. I pretty much stopped reading newspaper comics when Calvin and Hobbes ended. Now I just keep up with xkcd.com, explosm.net and a few others online.
My favorite comic right now is Marmaduke Explained: http://marmadukeexplained.blogspot.com/
Family Circus. Until Jon Heder came around, who knew so many Mormons were stoners!
Love Lio. Love Family Circus, too. ("It's apparent you're a parent when..." Heh.)
If you're not reading The Comics Curmudgeon everyday, then you will never understand my Mary Worth and Apartment 3-G fetishes.
=v= Lio rules, as does The Comics Curmudgeon.
The Examiner is blowing its comics budget on The City Star, its faux "neighborhood paper."
Trust your instincts on Lio -- it's wonderful!