Comic Strips 2024: Just Act Cool and Flex a Little

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Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN is Jeff Smith's comic strip that ran in an Ohio State University's college newspaper The Lantern from Fall 1982 through Spring 1985 with an additional final strip in 1986. If you're familiar with his comic series Bone, you'll find a lot in common here (at least during the first academic quarter) as this serves as something of a prototype for it, though Smith notes he's a lot more experimental here. He references and satirized real-world events and people that he doesn't really do in Bone. He likens Thorn to a variety show while Bone is a novel. Anyway, Thorn is a cartoon fantasy about the cousins Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and (eventually) Smiley Bone and their interactions with a strange forest full of rat creatures, a dragon, a sexy young lady, and a Jerry Falwell parody.

See the previous to catch up. Tomorrow will be the end of the Fall 1982 quarter.

November 22-29, 1982

Note 1:

quote:

Barely A. Foulword
This character is a parody of televangelist Jerry Falwell who led the Moral Majority, a political/religious organization whose goal was to further the beliefs of the Christian right into presidential politics, particularly within the Republican Party.

Here's a contemporary photo of Falwell:

quote:

Jerry Laymon Falwell Sr.[a] (August 11, 1933 � May 15, 2007)[3] was an American Independent Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservative activist.[4] He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia. He founded Lynchburg Christian Academy (Liberty Christian Academy) in 1967, founded Liberty University in 1971, and co-founded the Moral Majority in 1979.

Rest in piss.

We also get the introduction of another pretty major character: The Cartoonist. Fans of Bone will note this is a departure - Thorn will get a bit meta here in a way Bone never does.

# ¿ Jan 1, 2024 19:19

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# ¿ May 9, 2024 21:53

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Malachite_Dragon posted:

Do not show posts to babby, he doesn't even have proper object permanence yet

That's good, it won't remember posts

# ¿ Jan 2, 2024 01:17

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, November 30-December 3, 1982

Note 2:

quote:

Sword Rogers
Sword Rogers was one of The Lantern's other comics strips at the time featuring the comedic superhero, written and drawn by Mark Morrison.

I spent a few minutes trying to find anything about Sword Rogers and all I could pull up was a Facebook page with a handful of drawings that may be fan art or something, so I won't bother sharing.

At this point, Smith takes a month off for winter break, so tomorrow will be the start of Winter 1983!

# ¿ Jan 2, 2024 14:14

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN

WINTER 1983: And You Thought Enlightenment Was a Tricky Thing
January 4-6, 1983

These are the least-chill capybaras ever

# ¿ Jan 3, 2024 14:28

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Hel posted:

So I know the US is a lawless wasteland, but isn't this still a DUI? I thought the thing with a learners permit is that you still have someone next to you as the "normal" driver who's responsible.

It's shockingly difficult to find actual state laws on these things, but best I can find is the learner has to have a licensed driver in the front passenger seat in the places I tried to look. No mention that they have to be, you know, capable of driving themselves.

# ¿ Jan 3, 2024 20:28

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, January 7-12, 1983

# ¿ Jan 4, 2024 16:55

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, January 13-18, 1983

# ¿ Jan 5, 2024 15:10

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, January 19-25, 1983

# ¿ Jan 6, 2024 18:24

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, January 25-28, 1983

Here we meet the Hooded One for the first time. Kingdok doesn't seem to be a character at all in this.

Tomorrow's post will be an interesting one as Smith gets a bit edgy and has to write an apology for a strip!

# ¿ Jan 7, 2024 16:34

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Pancho Jueves posted:

In today's evidence that newspapers are wholly out of touch, Wallace was dropped from its hometown paper in favor of Crankshaft

What the gently caress.

THORN, February 1-3, 1983

So as I mentioned before, Jeff Smith wades into some controversy here. This is the strips the book presents as the "canon" versions:

Here's how they originally appeared (spoiler for intentional racism):

For those unaware (myself included), Kizzy is the name of a character from the Roots miniseries which wasn't exactly fresh in 1983 (having come out in 1977), but probably still well enough known that the reference was clear to readers. Jeff notes in the preceding interview that this was based directly on the mother of his Indian-descendant girlfriend-now-wife's roommate's mother who did, in fact, have a "black night" dog named Kizzy.

And Jeff's response that ran in The Lantern following this:

(The text above is written by fellow Lantern cartoonist Derf Backderf who was actually in the office when protestors came. Jeff rushed over to listen once he was told about what was happening.)

# ¿ Jan 8, 2024 15:38

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, February 4-9, 1983

There's no mention of why the February 4 strip wasn't published, but it may be related to the February 2 controversy. Alternatively, it's because Fone Bone is Not Mad didn't want Jeff to put it in the papers that he's mad.

Cowslips Warren posted:

you know, of all the old jobs we see in the old strips, elevator operator is the one that makes me wonder the most. was there something super difficult with the button system? was it on a pulley system back then?

It may not have been *difficult* but it still required training and experience to do it well. They're operated by a lever that regulates speed and it takes some amount of experience to know how to control it so you hit the floors correctly without over/undershooting or jolting the riders.

Endless Mike fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Jan 9, 2024

# ¿ Jan 9, 2024 14:48

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Julet Esqu posted:

Luann

I guess we're supposed to be disappointed that she might go back to doing a thing she enjoys and makes money from, but gave up to please her wet fart of a boyfriend who isn't even there right now.

I've never had a grilled PBJ, but used to eat grilled peanut butter sandwiches as a kid all the time. I didn't love the J back then because my mom always bought preserves because it's "healthier". Spoilers: putting bits of whole fruit in jam does not make it in any way healthier, it just makes it more annoying to eat.

Anyway, Bets and Gunther may somehow be the least healthy relationship in this stupid strip (granted, there's only a handful). You're allowed to have separate interests, dummies! It's fine!

THORN, February 10-15, 1983

I love Ted's hat and scarf here.

Thanks, Jeff. Very helpful.

# ¿ Jan 10, 2024 15:19

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, February 16-22, 1983

# ¿ Jan 11, 2024 14:45

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, February 22-25, 1983

# ¿ Jan 12, 2024 14:45

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, March 1-3, 1983

# ¿ Jan 14, 2024 04:55

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, March 4-9, 1983

Falwell's that ends well, I guess!

# ¿ Jan 14, 2024 19:11

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, March 10-29, 1983

And that brings a close to the Winter 1983 quarter, bringing us to...
Spring 1983: Equality v. Privilege

# ¿ Jan 15, 2024 16:58

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, March 30-April 4, 1983

Readers of Bone will remember this story as Smith adapted it there, but made it a baby rat creature.

This, however, is unique to the strip

# ¿ Jan 16, 2024 14:59

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Mokotow posted:

Douglas Adams wrote it better.

Looks nothing like Elon Musk tbh

# ¿ Jan 16, 2024 20:40

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Hwurmp posted:

Musk was the first mark

He doesn't want to move there, he wants other people to move there so he can profit off them

# ¿ Jan 16, 2024 20:47

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Vargo posted:

Breaking Cat News

Of my two cats, one will eat pretty much anything you put in front of him and do so immediately. His brother has decided he doesn't like anything poultry flavored and will spend all day grazing. So I get it.

THORN, March 5-8, 1983

Around this time, Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and TJ Hooker were running, while Barney Miller had just ended.

# ¿ Jan 17, 2024 15:15

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Julet Esqu posted:

Luann

BREAAAAKKKK UPPPPPPPPPP

# ¿ Jan 17, 2024 23:23

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Murdstone posted:

Mary Worth

She heard 'em fuckin'

# ¿ Jan 18, 2024 00:42

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Tiggum posted:

I've read all of these so far and this comic loving sucks. It's got a real early 2000s webcomic vibe. It's basically (pre-TERF) Sinfest.

Larryb posted:

Read Bone instead if you haven't already, this is basically just a (fairly inferior in my opinion) early prototype

MockingQuantum posted:

Yeah I adore Bone and Thorn is missing most of the charm and appeal, it definitely feels like Smith still figuring out what exactly he wanted to make

Yeah, I haven't actually read through it (beyond going ahead a couple days now and then) and I'm pretty surprised by this. I don't disagree with these thoughts at all, and it's not surprising that it didn't get picked up after he finished college and very surprising that Bone turns out to be as good as it is. In any case, I still think it's pretty interesting to see how he got there. I'm going to continue posting it until it's done, but definitely won't bother to repost in the future unless it gets really good later on. I will say the art is improving, at least.

Anyway, here's THORN, April 14-19, 1983

Note 3:

quote:

Walt Kelly's Pogo
This strip is an homage to one of my favorite comic strips, Pogo created by Walt Kelly.

# ¿ Jan 18, 2024 15:35

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, April 20-25, 1983

No one wants to see your phony bone, Phoney Bone.

# ¿ Jan 19, 2024 16:17

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, April 26-29, 1983

# ¿ Jan 20, 2024 15:39

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Pancho Jueves posted:

Pluggers

I should start looking at the comments, too.

Luann commenters out here catch strays

# ¿ Jan 20, 2024 18:53

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, May 2-5, 1983

Note 5:

quote:

DeLorean
An American automobile manufacturer whose car became synonymous with the movie franchise 'Back to the Future. In 1982, DeLorean's company was insolvent, and an undercover FBI informant offered to work out a deal with him to sell 24 million dollars worth of cocaine. DeLorean was eventually able to defend himself against the FBl's entrapment, but by then, the car company was no more.

Apparently I missed Note 4 on April 19, 1983:

quote:

Can you believe 40 years later we're still here?!

# ¿ Jan 21, 2024 17:58

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, May 6-11, 1983

# ¿ Jan 22, 2024 14:09

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, May 12-17, 1983

# ¿ Jan 23, 2024 15:04

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, May 18-23, 1983

# ¿ Jan 24, 2024 14:49

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, May 24-27, 1984
Tomorrow: A NUDE THORN

Just kidding!

# ¿ Jan 25, 2024 14:55

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, May 31-June 3, 1083

Note 6:

quote:

Moonies
The Unification Church, led by the Reverend Sun-Myung Moon, was a cult religion started in the 50's. It became prevalent in the 1970's and 80's when the group became controversial due to its political activism.

And that marks the end of Spring 1983. Tomorrow we'll start the summer, which will be a bit abbreviated due to The Lantern's limited publishing schedule. The strips are more gag-a-day sorts of things.

# ¿ Jan 26, 2024 15:09

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, June 21-July 1, 1983
SUMMER 1983: You Brought A Dragon Into My Apartment?

# ¿ Jan 27, 2024 17:36

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, July 5-15, 1983

# ¿ Jan 28, 2024 16:21

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Professor Wayne posted:

Zits
[/b]

I found my current desk chair sitting next to someone's outgoing garbage while I out taking a walk. It was brand new such the tags were still on it, so I wheeled it home, only to sit on it and see it didn't recline properly. I turned it over and the base with an arrow reading "FRONT" was pointing to the back. A few minutes with an Allen wrench later, I had a brand new chair that worked perfectly. So, thank you person who can't read.

THORN, July 19-29, 1983

# ¿ Jan 29, 2024 16:57

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Huxley posted:

A+J

Back to new strips today.

We were in Miami last October and my wife was real upset to learn A1A isn't beachfront for the full length (particularly where we were staying) and exclaimed "VANILLA ICE LIED TO ME!!"

# ¿ Jan 29, 2024 19:34

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, August 2-12, 1983

Note 7:

quote:

"Matt Houston", "Three's Company", "The A-Team",
"Joanie Loves Chachi", "The Jeffersons",
"Hart to Hart", "Silver Spoons"
Popular TV shows in the 1980's.

# ¿ Jan 30, 2024 15:02

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, August 16-26, 1983

And that finishes Summer 1983!

# ¿ Jan 31, 2024 14:34

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# ¿ May 9, 2024 21:53

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

THORN, September 20-29, 1983
FALL 1983: Where There's One Rat Creature, There's Bound To Be Others!

# ¿ Feb 1, 2024 14:43

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > BSS: Bisexual Super Son > Comic Strips 2024: Just Act Cool and Flex a Little

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