Comments on: Pop

By: Cidu Bill

Cidu Bill — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 23:28:35 +0000

Todd, the difference is, there was a point to the the wolf comic. We might not get it, it might not be funny once we do get it, but the writer of the strip did put a joke in there. Maybe he was just having an off day. It happens.

But Batiuk has been phoning it in for years. There’s really no nice way to say that, but I think it’s obvious if you read Funky Winkerbean (and Crankshaft, though Crankshaft does show the occasional sign of life). I couldn’t say whether Batiuk is burned out, or if he just doesn’t care, but the results are the same: I can’t respect Batiuk’s work if he won’t respect his readers.

By: Todd

Todd — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 22:20:02 +0000

Considering how often this blog is used to attack Batiuk’s work, maybe this is some kind of acknowledgment. Talking about nonsense lyrics is a lot like 16 posts about a wolf in suit saying he’s not wearing sheep’s clothing anymore. And I’m sure we’ve gotten to 50 posts about comics that are just as nonsense.

By: Meryl A

Meryl A — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:56:24 +0000

Actually all the definitions on that site are wrong. It involves using a yarn/thread winder. As it spins around and counts off the skein, a piece pops to let one know it was done. I am an American rev war reenactor and know that is it;’s meaning in period. I have seen the device in question.

By: Kamino Neko

Kamino Neko — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:25:28 +0000

And again, I am confused.

Seems to me that Crank’s singing along with the jingle, not that the truck’s playing the lyrics.

By: Araxie

Araxie — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 04:04:23 +0000

For the record, most icecream trucks don’t have the lyrics sung WITH the tune, just the tune. Considering that most trucks don’t even play the entire version (ours stops at “Pop! goes the weasel!” and repeats. And repeats. And repeats), I have to wonder how old this truck is that actually plays the nursery rhyme w/ lyrics most children would never have heard before, let alone many of their parents.

By: Elyrest

Elyrest — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:28:00 +0000

“are y’all saying you never go down the path of (over)analysing (apparent) nonsense?”

Kamino Neko - I think it’s pretty apparent that all of us here ALWAYS go down that path.

By: Kamino Neko

Kamino Neko — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:18:34 +0000

To nitpick a bit - he’s not saying it doesn’t make sense, he’s pondering the consequences, as though it weren’t a nonsense verse.

Anyway… I’m kind of confused here, actually. I readily admit I and my circle are unusual in that it’s a common line of thought and conversation, but are y’all saying you never go down the path of (over)analysing (apparent) nonsense?

By: mitch4

mitch4 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 06:05:49 +0000

Friday’s entry tries an odd variant tie-in. But it doesn’t sell me that the week was anything but a waste.

By: Cidu Bill

Cidu Bill — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:17:59 +0000

Let me get this straight then… Batiuk spent the whole week having Crankshaft quote already-existing nonsense lyrics and commenting that they didn’t make any sense to him?

Nice work if you can get it, I guess…

By: Jenn

Jenn — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:46:30 +0000

Okay, so he found some crazy version of that song. My question is, when have you ever heard an ice cream truck playing music with lyrics? Or are the hundreds of trucks that wind through the streets of Los Angeles with their calliope-style music anomalies?