I swear I don’t know how it happened. The more I worked on this strip, the sillier it got.
It started with Stephanie’s line about the toy car. After that, it was all downhill.
Oh well, I’ve always wanted to use that “looked like a clown exploded” line.
Parents and pet owners… always talking about, well, you know.
Coming up-we’ll get to the discombobulationotron. I can guarantee that this is not the last silly strip you’ll see.
And Happy Hallow e’en!
UPDATE: The ability to draw has left again. No strip on Monday. Sorry.
Aw c’mon, Charlie – not even ONE shot of Reade in the skirt and go-go boots?
I call shenanigans! 🙂
I wasn’t planning on doing another Reade strip for a bit, but I’ll see what I can do.
You, just keep getting better!
Bat, Book and “Cat’s Cradle”, putting Reade and Robespierre together is just genius……..Shenanguins indeed.
Are Shenanguins misbehaving penguins?
Thanks, Mike!
Stephanie is more like a pet owner to Robespierre, while Reade is more like a pet owner/parent.
If shenanguins are penguins, then Edison drinks shenana gin!
Love the. Reade and Rosp eyeballing in panel two. Well done Charlie, no REALLY well done!
He’s turning his flirt up to 11!
This page is delightfully silly. A plastic poop shaped like a giraffe? I almost want to see that.
I love how the two conversations overlap each other but still fit together in topic and mood. “Looks like a clown exploded” is such a you line. And Robspierre is so adorable on this page, hanging out on the baseball bat and letting Reade stretch him out a bit.
I was going to have him hanging off her hand in the first panel, but then I realized that she wasn’t going to let him near her until she found out if he would bite.
The baseball bat was a natural. If she didn’t like him, she could just flip him across the room (which would be funny in itself).
I wasn’t sure about the overlapping conversations, but I think it worked out. Stephanie was a joy to draw, especially her making a giraffe with her hands.
Well, I’m not sure I would find plastic poop to be cute, but this is Stephanie we’re talking about. She could find the cute in anything.
And poor Larry thought it was candy…
I’m really trying not to think too hard about that.
So many great things about this…
Thanks. It was a lot of fun to write and draw.
There’s just something about throwing Reade into a situation that makes it even better.
Robespierre, that charmer, it looks like he’s making another conquest.
I saw the chicken, but I thought it was part of a hopper feed system for filling dump truck beds. (Grain, coal, fertilizer, gravel–that sort of thing)
No, then it would’ve been a giant mechanical kangaroo, ’cause they’re better hoppers.
Chickens have a MUCH greater humor potential, though. 😀
Hell, I STILL can’t find the chicken, even knowing it’s there! 🙁
I had to read this strip a few times to separate the threads but it made me giggle. For an accidental character, Robespierre sure does contribute to the comic. 😀
Incidentally, I am in some awe of your on-going ability to come up with spectacularly clever comic titles.
2nd panel of the last strip. Where Larry and Stephanie are walking down the road.
Thank you about the titles. I love coming up with them. Sometimes it’s easy, and sometimes it’s a pain in the neck. This one was easy.
Isn’t Robespierre a hoot? He’s so much fun to put in a panel. He’s always getting into something or other.
And Reade can hold her own with him. I purposely put her facing away while she reaches for him in panel 4. She’s a mom. She’s got eyes in back of her head.
“How can you SOMETIMES have teeth?” was the best question asked, but we still don’t know the answer. One of Robespierre’s little mysteries, I guess, and maybe it’s better that way!
Great strip.
Believe it or not, I was originally going to answer that question.
Then Stephanie said: “Remember when he ate that toy car?” and the whole script went in a completely different direction.
Yeah, let’s leave the Li’l Stinker his mysteries for now…
My question is, where did the toy car come from?
You know how Robespierre likes go crawling around outside. Somebody must’ve left it in the backyard.
That’s what I liked, the two contrasting monologues by Stephanie and Reade. I’ve been in conversations like that! 🙂
Sorry you hit another block, Charlie. It’s one of the worst feelings, and there is no clear answer on how to break it. This page was great, though. If that means anything. I really love the pages when you bring Robie to life like this.
Time to just walk away from it until you feel like coming back; don’t stress…
Take a week off – or more if you need it. While all of us love the strip, we have no desire to become a burden on your health. Trust me – none of your readers are the kinds of trolls who will grumble at you for “being late.” Read an engrossing book, watch a funny movie, tinker with a project, do something you want to do. Whatever. Re-read your OWN comic and take joy in it. 🙂 It’s awesome!
Oh, thank you, Tru!
I re-read Groovy, Kinda all the time. It helps me keep up with all these crazy people, and gives me ideas for more strips.
It looks like there might be a strip in the near future. We’ll see.
In the meantime, thank you all again for your kind words. I can’t say it enough-you are the most wonderful community a comic creator could ever be blessed with.
Take time to find some roses to smell.
Just make sure YOU are OK, we’ll still be here when you get back.
No worries, Charlie. If there’s nothing new, I just re-read parts of the Archives. 🙂
Good point; I always discover something new (to me) when I do that…
You might want to revisit “The Importance of Being Eleanor.” It’s a good place to find out about Victoria. And her relationship with Eleanor.
Good call…