The Comics Curmudgeon
Encyclopedia
The Comics Curmudgeon is a blog
devoted to humorous and critical analysis of newspaper comics
. Its author, Josh Fruhlinger, is a Baltimore-based freelance writer and editor who additionally blogs about editorial cartoons for Wonkette
in a weekly feature called Cartoon Violence. It has drawn the attention of cartoonists and the news media for its commentary.
-style comic strip
s generally get the brunt of Fruhlinger's humor, such as perennial favorites Apartment 3-G
, Mark Trail
, and Mary Worth. Weekly metaposts update readers on notable events in Fruhlinger's life, such as his July 22, 2008, appearance on the game show Jeopardy!
, offer critical commentary on the comic strip industry, and judge posters to the blog in a "Comment Of The Week" contest. Non sequiturs from the blog have entertained readers as running gag
s, and become fodder for the site's online store. Some of these running gags, such as the phrase "More zippers, mule!" from an Apartment 3-G strip, have leaked out onto other blogs.
The blog's original name was "Josh Reads the Comics so You Don't Have To", which is reflected in the site URL, joshreads.com. Originally created as a way to amuse his friends, Fruhlinger's blog soon became a magnet for comic fans looking to express their meta-amusement with the sometimes bizarre world of the comics page.
and Pluggers
started receiving and using a number of submissions by Curmudgeon readers (whose strips were then featured on the blog.) The blog sparked interest in a 2006 Mary Worth plot line involving the title character being stalked by a character named Aldo Kelrast, who resembled Captain Kangaroo
. The stalker met his end by driving drunkenly
off a cliff after being confronted on his behavior by Worth. "Aldomania" became perhaps the most commented-upon storyline in Mary Worth's history. The Comics Curmudgeon has been seen at the forefront of a bloggers' rebellion against declining quality at the Canadian
family strip For Better or For Worse
; the movement has been noted for its "harsh attacks" on creator Lynn Johnston
. Longstanding complaints have included the strip's leaden characterizations, bluntly teleological
plot developments, and its oppressive family and gender dynamics. Newspapers have commented on other editorial positions taken by the blog, such as its criticism of "the dull crypto-evangelism of B.C.
". Media sources have also noted the site's reportorial work, such as a July 21, 2008 post in which a blog contributor broke the news that a recent Blondie
strip had been recycled almost verbatim
from one published in 1952. This was followed in March 2009 with a similar report of strip recycling Family Circus.
In time, professionals in the comic world have come to read the blog and contribute to the ever-growing comments section under the posts. Some examples include Hägar the Horrible
s artist/writer Chris Browne
, Liō
artist/writer Mark Tatulli
, and Sally Forth
scripter Francesco Marciuliano
. Ed Power, who scripts the comic My Cage
, was a longtime reader of the Curmudgeon before his strip was syndicated
in early 2007. Bob Weber Jr., artist for Slylock Fox
, created merchandise for the Curmudgeon CafePress store with original art of the character Cassandra Cat (from the Fox strip).
On December 18, 2008, the comic strip Archie began occasionally referencing the blog's recurring "Archie Joke-Generating Laugh Unit 3000" joke.
On August 12, 2009, the comic strip Pearls Before Swine
broke the fourth wall
and made reference to the Comics Curmudegon as part of a tirade against Pearls writer Stephan Pastis
.
100 Favorite Blogs list for 2007, and Elite Choice named it one of 2007's Top 125 Elite Blogs (judged on traffic generation, Alexa ranking and other measures of visibility). Josh Fruhlinger was named 2007's Blogger of the Year by The Week
based on his analysis of editorial cartoons. It has also won the 2008 Weblog Award for Best Humor Blog.
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
devoted to humorous and critical analysis of newspaper comics
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
. Its author, Josh Fruhlinger, is a Baltimore-based freelance writer and editor who additionally blogs about editorial cartoons for Wonkette
Wonkette
Wonkette is a left-leaning American online magazine of topical satire and political gossip, established in 2004 by Gawker Media and founding editor Ana Marie Cox, and edited by Ken Layne from 2006 to 2011...
in a weekly feature called Cartoon Violence. It has drawn the attention of cartoonists and the news media for its commentary.
Content
Each day, Fruhlinger reviews select comics, occasionally praising them, but more often snarking on features such as bizarre artwork, nonsensical plots, and supposed sexual subtexts. Long running soap operaSoap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
-style comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
s generally get the brunt of Fruhlinger's humor, such as perennial favorites Apartment 3-G
Apartment 3-G
Apartment 3-G is an American newspaper comic strip about a trio of career women who share Apartment 3-G in Manhattan. Created by Nicholas P...
, Mark Trail
Mark Trail
Mark Trail is a newspaper comic strip created by the American cartoonist Ed Dodd. Introduced April 15, 1946, the strip centers on environmental and ecological themes. In 2006, King Features syndicated the strip to nearly 175 newspapers....
, and Mary Worth. Weekly metaposts update readers on notable events in Fruhlinger's life, such as his July 22, 2008, appearance on the game show Jeopardy!
Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
, offer critical commentary on the comic strip industry, and judge posters to the blog in a "Comment Of The Week" contest. Non sequiturs from the blog have entertained readers as running gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
s, and become fodder for the site's online store. Some of these running gags, such as the phrase "More zippers, mule!" from an Apartment 3-G strip, have leaked out onto other blogs.
The blog's original name was "Josh Reads the Comics so You Don't Have To", which is reflected in the site URL, joshreads.com. Originally created as a way to amuse his friends, Fruhlinger's blog soon became a magnet for comic fans looking to express their meta-amusement with the sometimes bizarre world of the comics page.
Impact
The Comics Curmudgeon has been noted for its influence in the comic strip world. One of the most notable effects of the blog is to spark a revival of interest in obscure and long-running legacy strips, most notably soap-opera strips. As a direct result of Curmudgeon attention, strips that rely on reader suggestions such as They'll Do It Every TimeThey'll Do It Every Time
They'll Do It Every Time was a single-panel newspaper comic strip, created by Jimmy Hatlo, which had a long run over eight decades. It first appeared on February 5, 1929 and continued until February 2, 2008. The title of the strip became a popular catchphrase, still used today by many people who...
and Pluggers
Pluggers
Pluggers is a comic panel created by Jeff MacNelly in 1993 that relies on reader submissions for the premise of each day's panel...
started receiving and using a number of submissions by Curmudgeon readers (whose strips were then featured on the blog.) The blog sparked interest in a 2006 Mary Worth plot line involving the title character being stalked by a character named Aldo Kelrast, who resembled Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo is a children's television series which aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for nearly 30 years, from October 3, 1955 until December 8, 1984, making it the longest-running children's television program of its day...
. The stalker met his end by driving drunkenly
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
off a cliff after being confronted on his behavior by Worth. "Aldomania" became perhaps the most commented-upon storyline in Mary Worth's history. The Comics Curmudgeon has been seen at the forefront of a bloggers' rebellion against declining quality at the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
family strip For Better or For Worse
For Better or For Worse
For Better or For Worse is a comic strip by Lynn Johnston that ran for 30 years, chronicling the lives of a Canadian family, The Pattersons, and their friends. The story is set in the fictitious Toronto-area suburban town of Milborough, Ontario. Johnston's strip began in September 1979, and ended...
; the movement has been noted for its "harsh attacks" on creator Lynn Johnston
Lynn Johnston
Lynn Johnston, CM, OM is a Canadian cartoonist, well known for her comic strip For Better or For Worse, and was the first woman and first Canadian to win the National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Award.-Early life:...
. Longstanding complaints have included the strip's leaden characterizations, bluntly teleological
Teleology
A teleology is any philosophical account which holds that final causes exist in nature, meaning that design and purpose analogous to that found in human actions are inherent also in the rest of nature. The word comes from the Greek τέλος, telos; root: τελε-, "end, purpose...
plot developments, and its oppressive family and gender dynamics. Newspapers have commented on other editorial positions taken by the blog, such as its criticism of "the dull crypto-evangelism of B.C.
B.C. (comic strip)
B.C. is a daily American comic strip created by cartoonist Johnny Hart. Set in prehistoric times, it features a group of cavemen and anthropomorphic animals from various geologic eras...
". Media sources have also noted the site's reportorial work, such as a July 21, 2008 post in which a blog contributor broke the news that a recent Blondie
Blondie (comic strip)
Blondie is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip has been published in newspapers since September 8, 1930...
strip had been recycled almost verbatim
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
from one published in 1952. This was followed in March 2009 with a similar report of strip recycling Family Circus.
In time, professionals in the comic world have come to read the blog and contribute to the ever-growing comments section under the posts. Some examples include Hägar the Horrible
Hägar the Horrible
Hägar the Horrible is the title and main character of an American comic strip created by cartoonist Dik Browne , and syndicated by King Features Syndicate. It first appeared in February 1973, and was an immediate success. Since Browne's retirement in 1988 , his son Chris Browne has continued the...
s artist/writer Chris Browne
Chris Browne
Chris Browne is an American comic strip artist and cartoonist. He is the son of cartoonist Dik Browne and the brother of cartoonist Chance Browne...
, Liō
Lio
Lio is a singer and actress who was a pop icon in France and Belgium during the 1980s.- Biography :...
artist/writer Mark Tatulli
Mark Tatulli
Mark Tatulli is a comic artist and film maker. He is the recipient of three Emmy Awards,. He works for Center City Film & Video...
, and Sally Forth
Sally Forth (syndicated strip)
Sally Forth is a daily comic strip created by Greg Howard in 1982, focusing on the life of a white American middle-class mother at home and work. Sally's name is a play on words—"to sally forth" means to set out on an adventure....
scripter Francesco Marciuliano
Francesco Marciuliano
Francesco Marciuliano is the writer of Sally Forth, a widely syndicated comic strip . Marciuliano writes and draws the satiric web comic Medium Large. The strip originally ran from April 2004 to January 2007. After a long hiatus, the site was revamped and new strips began appearing each weekday...
. Ed Power, who scripts the comic My Cage
My Cage
My Cage is an American daily comic strip by Melissa DeJesus and Ed Power and was distributed by King Features Syndicate. The strip debuted on May 6, 2007, and is the first "manga-inspired" comic to be syndicated by King Features....
, was a longtime reader of the Curmudgeon before his strip was syndicated
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
in early 2007. Bob Weber Jr., artist for Slylock Fox
Slylock Fox
Slylock Fox & Comics for Kids is a comic strip published by King Features Syndicate. The main character is Slylock Fox. Slylock first appeared 29 March 1987. He was created by Bob Weber Jr., who still writes and illustrates the comic today.. Weber is the son of Bob Weber, Sr., who writes the Moose...
, created merchandise for the Curmudgeon CafePress store with original art of the character Cassandra Cat (from the Fox strip).
On December 18, 2008, the comic strip Archie began occasionally referencing the blog's recurring "Archie Joke-Generating Laugh Unit 3000" joke.
On August 12, 2009, the comic strip Pearls Before Swine
Pearls Before Swine (comic strip)
Pearls Before Swine is an American comic strip written and illustrated by Stephan Pastis, who was formerly a lawyer in San Francisco, California. It chronicles the daily lives of four anthropomorphic animals, Pig, Rat, Zebra, and Goat, as well as a number of supporting characters...
broke the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
and made reference to the Comics Curmudegon as part of a tirade against Pearls writer Stephan Pastis
Stephan Pastis
Stephan Thomas Pastis is an American cartoonist and the creator of the comic strip Pearls Before Swine.-Background:...
.
Awards
The Comics Curmudgeon has earned awards for its popularity and for editorial work. The blog was ranked 13th on PC Magazine'sPC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
100 Favorite Blogs list for 2007, and Elite Choice named it one of 2007's Top 125 Elite Blogs (judged on traffic generation, Alexa ranking and other measures of visibility). Josh Fruhlinger was named 2007's Blogger of the Year by The Week
The Week
The Week, styled as THE WEEK, is a weekly news magazine.-History:It was founded in the United Kingdom by Jolyon Connell in 1995. In April 2001, the magazine began publishing an American edition; an Australian edition followed in October 2008. Dennis Publishing publishes the U.K. and Australian...
based on his analysis of editorial cartoons. It has also won the 2008 Weblog Award for Best Humor Blog.