Oh stop with this vanilla bigotism!A 16 years girl may be, and often is, a memorable babe, she knows she is and she enjoys being such, and all her girl friends agonise in envy. There are dozen of teen models on very reputable fashion magazines, and they are there to be drooled after, not because they impersonate innocence or poetry or any moral value. Then, if the LOCAL law says “stay away” you stay away, of course, but that’s another thing, nothing to do with looks or hormones.I remind you that Juliet Capuleti jumped over Romeo (SHE took the initiative, remember?) when she was barely FOURTEEN.In this strip the caption was changed probably on lawyers’ advice to avoid trouble from readers that look always and only for “THAT thing” in every expression of human behavior from cartoons to Disney movies to biscuits ads.
Alberto, in Shakespeare’s time, a fourteen year old was much “older” than today (Juliet wasn’t quite thirteen, by the way), so it wasn’t creepy as it would be in a modern day play. I think today’s strip would have worked had the original “sixteen” been edited to “eighteen” or even “twenty-one” rather than the generic “older.” P.S. I thought “sixteen” was yucky when I read it in1985.
Or perhaps, judging by John’s expression in the last panel, he said what he did (either version of the line) just to get a rise out of Elly. I think he does that rather often.
ORMouseworks about 10 years ago
John…not exactly what you should have said… ;)
Templo S.U.D. about 10 years ago
Years down the line, he’ll have a third. Then we’ll see who gets the last laugh.
ILuvLu about 10 years ago
El’s expression is way too severe for today’s punchline.
Observer fo Irony about 10 years ago
I always thought a babe is not cute until they are 16 and pack an attitude.
gobblingup Premium Member about 10 years ago
That was a bit creepy, although the same could be said of a boy baby. Too bad that wasn’t the case.
Can't Sleep about 10 years ago
Whoa. I didn’t know Elly could shoot death rays from her eyes.
mabrndt Premium Member about 10 years ago
You’re right, it does have sixteen in the final panel instead (better explains Elly’s expression in that panel). No Lynn’s Notes today though.
hippogriff about 10 years ago
Night-Gaunt49: I don’t remember the exact citation, but several years ago, Scientific American had a cover story on the functions of neotany.
albertonencioni about 10 years ago
Oh stop with this vanilla bigotism!A 16 years girl may be, and often is, a memorable babe, she knows she is and she enjoys being such, and all her girl friends agonise in envy. There are dozen of teen models on very reputable fashion magazines, and they are there to be drooled after, not because they impersonate innocence or poetry or any moral value. Then, if the LOCAL law says “stay away” you stay away, of course, but that’s another thing, nothing to do with looks or hormones.I remind you that Juliet Capuleti jumped over Romeo (SHE took the initiative, remember?) when she was barely FOURTEEN.In this strip the caption was changed probably on lawyers’ advice to avoid trouble from readers that look always and only for “THAT thing” in every expression of human behavior from cartoons to Disney movies to biscuits ads.
EnglishProf about 10 years ago
Alberto, in Shakespeare’s time, a fourteen year old was much “older” than today (Juliet wasn’t quite thirteen, by the way), so it wasn’t creepy as it would be in a modern day play. I think today’s strip would have worked had the original “sixteen” been edited to “eighteen” or even “twenty-one” rather than the generic “older.” P.S. I thought “sixteen” was yucky when I read it in1985.
IQTech61 about 10 years ago
Creepy aspect of this strip: She’s not worth paying attention to until she’s old enough to be able to excite me.
Can you imagine a woman saying that about a male infant? If not, better ask yourself why it is okay for John to say that.
LV1951 about 10 years ago
John should have said “Ask me to describe her when she has teeth!” :)
cwizard71 about 10 years ago
Or perhaps, judging by John’s expression in the last panel, he said what he did (either version of the line) just to get a rise out of Elly. I think he does that rather often.
Doug A4 about 10 years ago
The expression on Ellie’s face is priceless!! So well drawn, as usual, Lynn.Doug