Friday, February 24, 2006

Edwin Frazier is on a Roll

Frazz is perhaps my favorite comic strip, though Penny Arcade can be pretty hilarious, too. The strip has really been on a roll lately.

It started last Sunday with this poem. The best parts, in my opinion, are (a) the somewhat obscure reference to Fresh Air's Terry Gross and (b) the drawing of Socrates post-pitch.

Since Monday, Frazz himself has been on a bit of a diatribe about how the Winter Olympics are not as cool as they used to be. Today's strip is a particularly amusing entry in the series. Apparently Frazz and I are of one mind on this subject. It seems like all the coverage is of figure skating, half-pipe snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and other subjective events where what's most important is how cool you look. I mean, I quickly lose interest in any sport where you can improve your chances by adding sequins to your costume, you can have points deducted for not keeping you knees together, or you are required to smile. I'm a functionalist, and I much prefer objective sports where the sole measure of success is how fast you skate, how many bull’s-eyes you get, or, or how many goals you score. Have you ever heard of a judging scandal in cross-country skiing?

4 comments:

  1. Hmph...I still think that cross-country skiing could be vastly improved by adding a few sequins to their outfits! :P

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  2. Anonymous4:03 PM

    Doesn't Frazz look like a grown up version of Calvin from "Calvin and Hobbes". If Frazz really is Calvin this would explain why he is a janitor; he couldn't get a better job because Calvin did poorly in school. I think there is a lesson to learn from this.

    "Monty" is an infinitely better comic strip.

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  3. When I read the Wikipedia entry on Frazz, it mentioned this grown-up-Calvin theory. I think I remember that the cartoonist had actually commented on the theory and stated that Frazz was, in fact, not Calvin as a grown up. Apparently Frazz is a very successful songwriter and is independently wealthy. He just works at the school because he likes the kids. :)

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  4. Anonymous9:52 AM

    Bah! I am correct about this Calvin theory. The interpretation of Art is up to the response of the audience; what does the cartoonist know about this. ;)

    I have further proof. As having worked at as a janitor for an elementary school, you REALLY have to like kids to suffer the degrading work as a janitor. (I have cleaned more toilets in my life than I would even want to admit.) If you want to interact with children, one should work for a daycare center or teach college algebra-based physics.

    "Monty" is an infinitely better comic strip.

    ReplyDelete