Much as I love them both, I find DtM to be much more enjoyable, both the content and the approach. There's something about a 5 1/2 year old acting a 5 1/2 year old that's enjoyable than dystopic adult projections, however witty, onto a 6 year old. Ditto with Peanuts.

I thought this was going to be about Dennis Forbes. I think Calvin's funnier than him.

Most things are funnier than Dennis Forbes.

The Brits will find it mildly confusing for other reasons (two characters, totally different, with the same name, first published within 3 days of each other).

Calvin is much funnier than either version of Dennis the Menace; the US DtM is one of those sentimental and highly predictable strips (like "Family Circus") while the UK version is aimed squarely at kids and pretty much every strip follows the exact same story.

Yeah, Calvin never behaved like a 5 and a half year old. You know, dragging that stuffed tiger around everywhere, building forts in the back yard and pretending he's on another planet, or that a cardboard box can transmogrify you into anything.

Nope, nothing like a...


DAMNIT, another troll. At least I'm spotting them mid post now.

Actually, that is true. A 6 year old generally does not think of life on other planets. Nor does he imagine he could transmogrify. But he sure will build houses and castles and break the railway track.

That said, that collection 25 funnies was very well chosen.

"A 6 year old generally does not think of life on other planets..."

I'm guessing you've not met many 6-year-olds?

And the ones he has met are carpenters, masonry experts, and incredibly strong, and/or know how to operate heavy machineary.

Indeed. Who needs absurdist Thusday when you can have a serious conversation with a small child?

C'mon, folks. Seriously. Is Calvin a "6 year old"? Or is he a mouthpiece for a 40 year old fellow wanting to be a 6 year old.

Uh, you do realize he's just a character in a comic strip right? He doesn't *actually* exist.

Nor do the voices in your head.

Mark. Easy. The funnies are actually written by people. For a reason. For money. To tell a story. To make a point. Some even have a political agenda.

I just feel that the escapades of a child portrayed as the escapades of child is more enjoyable than witty wisecracks by them. The latter is much too artificial for my tastes.

And two dimensional sketches of characters, occasionally flavored with four color printing isn't artificial?

BTW, how's the switch to Yahoo treating you? Still enjoying the freedom from Google ads?

We are talking past each other. I'll let it lie there.

I don't quite get the Y! comment.

This conversation makes no fucking sense. It's great!

Lay, conversations lay, people lie. Well, I guess conversations can lie too. (If I got that wrong someone is going to jump down my throat, I'm sure.)

I'm pretty sure you got it wrong -- lay is transitive, lie is intransitive. You lay the conversation to rest, and then you let it lie...

You know, I've completely lost my grasp of the parts of speech. I was considering taking a "language in psychology" (or something) class because it sounded interesting.

This has nothing to do with this thread.

Who needs absurdist thursdays when you have KayJay?

Lie/lay is always a tricky one, and isn't helped by the fact that the past tense of "lie" is "lay":

I'm going to lie down in a minute, I lay down last night, and there have been several other times when I have lain down.

I'm going to lay an egg; I laid an egg yeasterday, as I have laid eggs many times before.

>> I'm going to lay an egg; I laid an egg yeasterday, as I have laid eggs many times before.

The sad Marquis would be so proud of you!

Of course this caught my attention.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dforbes/83951081/

That's my daughter's current drawing style. That particular picture was of me.

You would not let it lie, you just would not let it lie.

Can you smell onions?

My olfactory sense is undiminished so yes I can smell them should sufficient molecules of the various essential oils of onion connect with my palate but at this moment in time I cannot, ergo I surmise that no onion is nearby.

There are the remains of a pork pie though.

I need gin, its been a very long day.

Dennis, do you, in fact, have a penis sticking out of your chin, or is that just her drawing style? :)

Those are supposed to be legs. :-) The current style is a big egg with two sticks, and then facial features. Hair was a recent addition.

Heh. My son isn't particularly good at drawing so his favourite things to draw are 'a rainstorm' and 'fireworks' i.e. furious scribbles :)