And now the annoyer has become the annoyed
Beetle Bailey, 9/4/04
When Doonesbury’s B.D. lost his leg in Iraq and we saw him without his helmet on for the first time in that strip’s history, it had an enormous impact on readers. Seeing Beetle Bailey’s Sarge without his hat on is significantly less intriguing. Still, it’s interesting that the taskmaster drill sergeant, normally presented as Private Bailey’s persecutor, is here fervently praying to never see Beetle again. Maybe it’s like with bears: They’re more afraid of you than you are of them.
Also interesting is the fact that God has laughed in Sarge’s face, presenting him with the exact opposite of his most profound wish, causing him to rage against the arbitrariness of the universe. Here’s a tip, Sarge: if you’re gonna talk to the Almighty, put on some damn pants.
The Dingo Got My Baby
June 30th, 2005 at 2:43 am
I think you’re wrong on Sarge’s intentions with God here. Sarge was praying to find Beetle bent over the bed in nothing but his skivvies, arms thrust out to hold on for dear life. Instead, Beetle finds Sarge assuming the position.
By the way, nice watermelon print underwear in the Army!
More polka dots, mule!
http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/mworth/charactMaina.htm
Posthumous
July 14th, 2006 at 2:38 pm
I think the crease in the pillow represents the crack that the artist wanted to draw, but the censors wouldn’t let him.
John
September 2nd, 2006 at 7:08 pm
Like flies to wanton boys….
Chris Willie Williams
November 18th, 2006 at 9:51 am
I know there is absolutely no reason I should feel a need to comment on a two-year-old Beetle Bailey, but I thought I’d mention that when I first read this, I didn’t even realize Sarge was praying. I thought he was just inexplicably sprawled halfway off his bed, and I thought “God!” in the final panel was being used as a Napoleon Dynamite-style expletive. As such, I interpreted it as meaning Sarge was under the impression that Beetle wanted to see him, so he took off his pants and fell asleep while waiting. This probably says more about me than about the Walkers’ artwork, but still.