Metapost

The computer I've been using is no longer with us. I'll still be able to post, but it will be more difficult. As a result, posting might be even more erratic until I get a new computer.

Stereotypical Edition (Mar. 27)

Worst:
It's not good if your joke depends on cheap stereotypes of another culture.

Runners-up: Beetle Bailey, Blondie, Family Circus, Frank and Ernest, Garfield, Mother Goose and Grimm, Non Sequiter, Rhmyes with Orange, Speed Bump

Best:
Weak field today. This is clever on some levels.

Runners-up: Agnes, Get Fuzzy, Lio, Watch Your Head

Outdated Stereotypes Are Not Funny Edition (Mar. 26)

Worst:
The comics frequently mine gender stereotypes in an attempt to be funny. Men hate shopping, can't cook, play golf every other day and don't clean. It's not funny anymore, and largely not accurate. We still see these every day though.

Runners-up: Beetle Bailey, Brevity, Dennis the Menace, Garfield, Hagar the Horrible, Speed Bump

Best:
Candorville proves that you can be topical without sacrificing humor.

Runners-up: Agnes, For Better or For Worse, Frazz, Pooch Cafe, Rhymes with Orange

Headache Edition (Mar. 25)

Worst:
If Attila is holding the book, how does Grimm throw it at him? This doesn't make sense on a lot of levels.

Runners-up: Daddy's Home (the men can't cook joke has been done a million times, if that's what you're putting out it's time to hang it up), Hagar the Horrible, Non Sequiter

Best:
I love the interplay of the relationships in Pooch Cafe.

Runners-up: Agnes, Dilbert, Frazz, Get Fuzzy, Lio, Pearls Before Swine, Red and Rover, Watch Your Head

Horribly Insensitive Edition (Mar. 24)

Worst:
Get back to Danae! It baffles me why Wiley Miller gets away from his characters, who are always interesting, and instead puts out dumb jokes.

Runners-up: Beetle Bailey, Big Nate, Daddy's Home, For Better or For Worse, Hagar the Horrible, Red and Rover, Speed Bump

Best:
This was basically the health care plan for thousands of years. You got sick, your family took care of you, maybe you died. If you get past the fear of death, it's not too bad a system, and it's a lot cheaper than what we got now.

Runners-up: Agnes, Blondie, Candorville, Garfield, Pooch Cafe, Single and Looking, Tank McNamara

Black & White Edition (Mar. 23)

Worst:
This was an easy choice for two reasons. First, Dolly's pun is as bad as a pun can be. Second, I can not envision any scenario that would cause someone to be upset because the moon change phases. Unless Grandma is some sort of reverse werewolf, which could be a great spin-off strip.

Runners-up: Daddy's Home, Dennis the Menace, Garfield, Hagar the Horrible, Mutts, Rhymes with Orange, Tank McNamara

Best:
This was a more difficult choice; I almost went with Agnes. What sold me on this at the end was Rob. Without him, it's just a bizarre interaction between Satchel and Bucky.

Runners-up: Agnes, Baby Blues (I'm not sure that love comes before lust, love the music in the lust panel though), Brewster Rockit: Space Guy!, Cul de Sac, Pearls Before Swine

Comics Note: Garry Trudeau is going on vacation, so Doonesbury will disappear from my lists for a while. While Doonesbury will be missed, it's always nice to get a chance to try out some new strips. Last time, we got Agnes and Watch Your Head out of the deal. Daddy's Home is off to a slow start, leading off its run with a typical poor joke. The Matt Groening homage offers some promise though.

Ripping Off a Bad Comic Strip Edition (Mar. 22)

Worst:
This is basically a Marmaduke strip. If you are going to rip off an idea from a strip, why the heck would you choose Marmaduke?

Runners-up: Beetle Bailey, Dennis the Menace, Family Circus, For Better or For Worse, Frank and Ernest, Garfield, Mother Goose and Grimm, Piranha Club, Red and Rover

Best:
So true.

Runners-up: Doonesbury, Lio, Non Sequiter, Pearls Before Swine, Pooch Cafe, Sally Forth