Thor. Gdunge. Wheel! Gdunge. GDUNGE.

New (to Me) Comic: The Dogs Of C Kennel

What’s most remarkable about “The Dogs of C Kennel,” a relatively new comic strip by the scions of the late Johnny Hart (of BC fame) is that in creating the new strip the artist and author reveal how reverently they’re treating their grandfather’s original creation.

I mean that in the nicest possible way, having been a fan of BC since my older brother Jeff introduced me to the comic way back in the 1970s when I was but a wee lad. I quickly learned to recognize Hart’s bizarre sense of humor, his wit, and his sparse artistic style before I knew what it really meant to have a sense of humor or what the words “wit” and “sparse” even meant.

The writing in C-Kennel is a bit more modern, a bit edgier than what Hart wrote in BC – there are a few more (mild) cuss words (they didn’t bother me, they just stand out in this Hartesque art milieu).

I like what they’re doing with their new strip, though perhaps they’re a bit too married to the three-panel format their grandfather used. But the characters and the writing are most excellent.

Calling It Like It Is

Yeah, the world needs more straight shooters like Wiley here.

Good Job Interview Prep

Next time I have a job interview, I'm using this response when they ask me what my weaknesses are. Then I'll get all clammy and sweaty and probably wash out of the interview process.

BC and the Olympics

It’s good to see Johnny Hart’s grandson Mastroianni (I’m sorry; I don’t remember his first name) continuing Hart’s tradition of writing and drawing amusing Olymics-themed comic strips. I think Hart got his start with the Olympics when they were in Lake Placid, New York, in the ‘60s, near where Hart lived. This one with BC’s contorted facial expressions as he mentally prepares himself for the bobsled run is a classic example of the Hart/Mastroianni Olympic flavor. I wonder if the syndicate has an agreement with the Olympics for this kind of treatment, as they’re pretty protective of their five-ring logo. They must have.

It’s also good to see Mastroianni continue his grandfather’s sense of silliness, as in this strip:

I have to admit that this is about my limit for Olympics exposure. I will occasionally glance at the stories and photos and the medal tracking on the internet, but to say the world stops while I watch the games would be to lie. It's probably because I've got other things to do. but I'm grateful tow atch them through BC's filter, because I get the humor along with the event. Yeah, I don't really care to know who wins or loses, though it was a bit of a disappointment to see the US lose to Canada in mens hockey; a loss would have knocked the Canucks down a few notches on the ol' humility meter. Not that the US is any great example in humility, mind you, but it's my opinion that you don't beat jingoism and braggadocio with more jingoism and braggadocio. The meek will truly inherit the earth, though why they'd want it in its present condition is beyond me.