I have to agree with nolanart, though perhaps I can toss you a starting point or two. If you are looking for ideas for the Almanac, perhaps something to do with someone staying the course after being told that their preconceptions were wrong? Or the bittersweetness of holiday shopping-- that should be fertile ground.
For Cul de Sac, I'd love to see a competitor and/or love interest for the class guinea pig. I don't dare develop these ideas further-- your brain does much more interesting stuff than mine.
Cows are funny. Draw a cow doing anything at all, and it's funny. (A lesson from "Everything I Ever Needed to Know About Cartooning I Learned From Gary Larson").
But then, Larson may have exhausted that particular comic gold mine. Maybe that's why he quit.
Thanks for these, ya'll. You realize that I reserve the right to take any ideas proposed, monkey with them some, slather my name all over 'em, and then deny I ever did such a thing? Good.
But here's the working title; it's for an Almanack cartoon, and at the same time I'm finishing up a dozen spot illustrations and trying to draw some comic strips. The title is "The Year Without a Christmas Special", and the idea is with the writers' strike and all, we won't get any new heartwarming Christmas TV specials about how Christmas is almost cancelled because of some screw up, lack of faith, lack of belief in Santa, or just the weather's lousy. If it all falls apart I'll do a finger puppet, like usual.
--Christmas is creepily normal this year, it's like going to a dysfunctional family Christmas gathering and nothing happens. Aunt Sophie kept her top on, Dad wasn't mean to my sister's husband, Grandma didn't fart "Jingle Bells" and Mom didn't go to the bathroom for occasional sips of hidden whiskey.
--Charlie Brown: I'm cool with the commercialization of Christmas. Metal Christmas trees are kinda neat. --Rudolph's friends: Cool nose! Being different is good. No Christmas blizzard. Misfit Toys actually cooler than regular toys. --No one wants Frosty's magic hat. --George Bailey offs himself and no one cares. --Miracle on 34th Street....yeah, so what? --Linus goes on stage and reads from the Bible for a half-hour. It's the best we could do!
--Since there are no new Christmas specials this year with conflict and resolution, networks are running old "After School Specials," hoping you won't notice.
--The Year without TV Specials
Sorry, just thinking out loud, hoping something helps you beat the deadline monster.
You're on to something... How about the candidate's Christmas Specials... OBama Family Christmas, Miracle on K street, Hillary in Boyland (That sounds like a porn title), Giuliani saves Christmas...etc.
Thanks, everybody, for the suggestions. And Josh, I'm glad you like that hat; me too, though I wouldn't want to wear it.
So what I'm going to do is, a Christmas Fun Page Cut Out Paper Doll thing, with beloved characters who Lose the Christmas Spirit, but Regain It after a Personal Epiphany. Doesn't that sound like a hoot 'n' a half? It'll have George Whatsisface from It's a Wonderful Life, Scrooge, a Who with doubts, etc. (I don't want to give the whole thing away). If there's room I'll cram in Dick Cheney because when in doubt cram in Dick Cheney.
Hey Stacy, I use I use other people's ideas all the time, I just steal 'em when they're not looking. Suggestions I can't use at all, they're too fraught with charity and good will or something. So maybe there has to be an element of larceny involved. I swiped the word "sphinctriloquist" from Nick Galifianakis once, though I changed the meaning and I think I gave him credit. But that's a word that should be in wider circulation anyway.
I'll use your ideas later, when you're not looking. But thanks!
And HTGT, my grandma didn't much hold with the idea of television, so the lack of Christmas specials would be just one more reason to dislike it.
Funny...hmmm. Something about crazy people telling time with cuckoo clocks? I dunno. :P
ReplyDeleteCan't come up with anything better than what you're doing with Cul De Sac these days...great stuff.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with nolanart, though perhaps I can toss you a starting point or two. If you are looking for ideas for the Almanac, perhaps something to do with someone staying the course after being told that their preconceptions were wrong? Or the bittersweetness of holiday shopping-- that should be fertile ground.
ReplyDeleteFor Cul de Sac, I'd love to see a competitor and/or love interest for the class guinea pig. I don't dare develop these ideas further-- your brain does much more interesting stuff than mine.
Cows are funny. Draw a cow doing anything at all, and it's funny. (A lesson from "Everything I Ever Needed to Know About Cartooning I Learned From Gary Larson").
ReplyDeleteBut then, Larson may have exhausted that particular comic gold mine. Maybe that's why he quit.
Thanks for these, ya'll. You realize that I reserve the right to take any ideas proposed, monkey with them some, slather my name all over 'em, and then deny I ever did such a thing? Good.
ReplyDeleteBut here's the working title; it's for an Almanack cartoon, and at the same time I'm finishing up a dozen spot illustrations and trying to draw some comic strips. The title is "The Year Without a Christmas Special", and the idea is with the writers' strike and all, we won't get any new heartwarming Christmas TV specials about how Christmas is almost cancelled because of some screw up, lack of faith, lack of belief in Santa, or just the weather's lousy. If it all falls apart I'll do a finger puppet, like usual.
Writers Strike screws up Christmas Specials....
ReplyDelete--Christmas is creepily normal this year, it's like going to a dysfunctional family Christmas gathering and nothing happens. Aunt Sophie kept her top on, Dad wasn't mean to my sister's husband, Grandma didn't fart "Jingle Bells" and Mom didn't go to the bathroom for occasional sips of hidden whiskey.
--Charlie Brown: I'm cool with the commercialization of Christmas. Metal Christmas trees are kinda neat.
--Rudolph's friends: Cool nose! Being different is good. No Christmas blizzard. Misfit Toys actually cooler than regular toys.
--No one wants Frosty's magic hat.
--George Bailey offs himself and no one cares.
--Miracle on 34th Street....yeah, so what?
--Linus goes on stage and reads from the Bible for a half-hour. It's the best we could do!
--Since there are no new Christmas specials this year with conflict and resolution, networks are running old "After School Specials," hoping you won't notice.
--The Year without TV Specials
Sorry, just thinking out loud, hoping something helps you beat the deadline monster.
-stacy.
Here in New Hampshire, I think the Grinch stole Christams and replaced it with Election season. Yecch.
ReplyDeleteYou're on to something... How about the candidate's Christmas Specials... OBama Family Christmas, Miracle on K street, Hillary in Boyland (That sounds like a porn title), Giuliani saves Christmas...etc.
ReplyDeleteComplete change of subject here, but I just have to say one thing about today's Cul de Sac strip:
ReplyDeleteDill's hat just makes me happy.
I think you should do more with your Grandma. I'm sure she'd have something to say about no Christmas specials...
ReplyDeleteThanks, everybody, for the suggestions. And Josh, I'm glad you like that hat; me too, though I wouldn't want to wear it.
ReplyDeleteSo what I'm going to do is, a Christmas Fun Page Cut Out Paper Doll thing, with beloved characters who Lose the Christmas Spirit, but Regain It after a Personal Epiphany. Doesn't that sound like a hoot 'n' a half? It'll have George Whatsisface from It's a Wonderful Life, Scrooge, a Who with doubts, etc. (I don't want to give the whole thing away). If there's room I'll cram in Dick Cheney because when in doubt cram in Dick Cheney.
Final title is "Christmas Curmudgeon Play Set", unless I change it again. Gee, that was easy, and thanks for all your help!
ReplyDeleteNow how about next week's?
I can't believe you didn't use my crappy ideas!
ReplyDeleteDo you ever use someone else's ideas or do use them as more of a spark for a self-induced Richard Thompson "Don't bother me now" brainstorm?
Your writing is so brilliant and unique, I would think it would be hard to use someone else's ideas without a major tweaking from your brain.
Hey Stacy, I use I use other people's ideas all the time, I just steal 'em when they're not looking. Suggestions I can't use at all, they're too fraught with charity and good will or something. So maybe there has to be an element of larceny involved. I swiped the word "sphinctriloquist" from Nick Galifianakis once, though I changed the meaning and I think I gave him credit. But that's a word that should be in wider circulation anyway.
ReplyDeleteI'll use your ideas later, when you're not looking. But thanks!
And HTGT, my grandma didn't much hold with the idea of television, so the lack of Christmas specials would be just one more reason to dislike it.
Richard, did you by any chance once live in West Springfield? In a cul de sac?
ReplyDeleteHey Donna,
ReplyDeleteNope, although I lived in about three of 'em up in Gaithersburg.