I went in a few different directions trying to come up with a story for this art, though for whatever reason they were all about buying large condoms. Ultimately, however, the biggest thing that made this strip several days late was the fact that I couldn’t get the last line right. It was initially a far more simple “Don’t buy the November issue, I look fat in that one,” but I was worried people wouldn’t realize the woman was being sarcastic, and that it would come off as a “the lady doth protest too much” sort of thing. So I showed the early draft to a handful of friends and confirmed that yes, this was how they took my final line – and interestingly enough, given this, only the male members of this elite focus group found the strip amusing – the representatives of the fairer sex were put off by the perceived about-face. So I changed the final line to this far-more-out-there parting shot, brought the strip to my wife, and:
*suspenseful music*
MRS. SHOEBOX’S ASSESSMENT OF TODAY’S STRIP: Okay, that’s actually pretty good.
Anyway, I hope those of you who aren’t my wife enjoy this as well. I’m just glad it’s done so I can move on…I really try not to over-obsess over these, because they’re three panels of talking clip art, for crying out loud, but it happens sometimes.
-=ShoEboX=-
I find this strip lacking in “about-face”. I guess there needs to be strips without surprises, but it’s still the surprises that I like. Watching someone be verbally demolished for two panels is not as much fun as being surprised. It’s actually a bit depressing, and it doesn’t help that “man who wants is sex is shot down by woman” is a rather common theme. Maybe if I was a woman I’d at least find it flattering?
And I don’t even understand what that thing about her not-a-hair-tie has to do with holding her heels. Is it because English isn’t my first language, or is it related to something my inexperienced mind wouldn’t know about anyway?
I had to work at this a little, initially, because I didn’t know what ‘magnums’ referred to – I thought “What, champagne?” But her lines immediately after nailed it for me. Seeing the guy abruptly realizing that not only was that ice under his feet, but it was shattering rapidly — that was good. And I liked that ‘hair tie’ comment, too.
I was still having trouble with whether she was serious or not.. It’s pretty funny, if kind of uncomfortable. It seems like she considers being a whore a bad thing, but she was mad at him for agreeing with that sentiment. aaand that’s probably why I’ve never had a date.
One of my favorites from you. (Data Point: I’m a girl)
ColdFusion:
Yes, this is why you do not get dates. A man with multiple sex partners is a man, a woman with multiple sex partners is obviously without morals and selling herself. That is what the cartoonist understood, and this is what makes this strip funny, being allowed to point out the damned hypocrisy in modern sexual politics.
Maybe it is a sign of my age, but I loved the Q*Bert reference.
I’m glad it’s done so we can move on, too. Now, can we move on?
Amen! This comic is a three panel, wise-ass, satire of all things. Not a scathing social statement on all things “incorrect”. I believe that’s what Facebook is for.
This is awesome, beginning to end. And for the record, I do buy Magnums to impress a girl. I consider not impregnating her to be pretty damn impressive!
37?!!!
Cat: What if I’m a man without multiple sex partners? Is it wrong for me to judge my dates by the same standards?
@ Dante- in a row!?
Sex ed in the 70s (a rare occurance, I know) taught me that condoms were one-size-fits-all. Millions of hours of porn produced in the early AIDS days in the 80s proved that one-size condoms almost never broke, even on well endowed porn stars, even used for an hour at a time. But still, every pregnant teen and her boyfriend claimed “a condom broke” and it became truth, and now condoms come in sizes.
I also like this. (am a woman)
+1 to Cat’s comment.