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B.C., 12/20/04

Given his track record, this is kind of a strange thing to say, but do you think Johnny Hart is trying not to offend someone? That’s the only explanation I can come up with for about the last six months of his political cartoons, which are so convoluted as to be incomprehensible. If there’s more of a punchline to this one than “The guy on the left is a Democrat,” I don’t see it — but, really, there has to be more to it. Doesn’t there? I’m thinking it’s all some sort of B.C. insider code, which ignorant leftists like myself gloss over unknowingly, while those in the know chortle uproariously as our caveman heroes once again stick it to the secularists/liberals/Jews/whoevers.

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Dilbert, 12/19/04

Some commentators, less charitable than I, would argue that, whatever Scott Adams’ obvious talents in writing and marketing are, his artwork isn’t particularly good. I choose to believe that he’s realized how to make his extremely simplistic style fairly funny. There’s something about the expressions on the face of Dilbert’s interviewer in this strip that I find hilarious, particularly in the second panel from the left in the bottom row. I can’t tell you what the crossed arms, the protruding lips, and the one closed eye are supposed to signify, but it’s funny, by God.

Also funny: the fact that Dogbert has, in the time it took Dilbert to screw up a job interview, been able to not only win the lottery, but transform his winnings into burlap sacks of cash (with dollar signs on the sides, natch).

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Apartment 3-G, 12/18/04

Who says Apartment 3-G is slow-moving and boring? Well, most people do, actually, but today’s strip is out to prove them wrong! Note the Sam Raimi-style camera swoop around Eldon and his nemesis over the course of these three panels as Mr. Eldon is subjected to FBI Pete’s brutal, post-Alberto Gonzales interrogation. At least I think that’s what’s happening. Maybe the last panel just got flipped over during the compositing process. But I like to give ’em the benefit of the doubt. Though doing so means that we have to accept that this interrogation room has identical doors on opposite walls.

In yesterday’s strip, Eldon attempted to get Pete’s goat by implying that Margo was a high-priced whore. As if Pete would believe that! Oh, wait.