What kind of a year was it for “Gasoline Alley” in 2024? Story-wise, it was a real dud with more of the fantasy elements that Jimbo seems to like so much but for which he is not very good at. A magical talking doll? Then why not have a sentient talking robot? And to make matters even worse, Scancarelli gave us a second magical, talking doll. Enough, JS. Enough.
Many readers had been requesting to see more of Walt and Jim delivered in spades, with Walt appearing in more strips (168) than any other character. But as could be expected with stories involving a 135 year-old codger, they weren’t very good or interesting. Watching someone that old along with his 103 year-old adopted son challenge City Hall was mind-numbing and made one wonder whether the writer had any concept of how the real world works. That was followed by a story about a tree blowing over which brought back the most annoying character in the strip, Frank Nelson (and he has a lot of competition). Frank might have been funny the first time he appeared but the last couple of dozen times have just been gratuitous. JS does no realize that the character really doesn’t work unless you can hear his voice, something that a goodly numbers of readers have no idea what that voice sounds like. Probably the only interesting thing in that story was the revelation that even the oldest man in the world isn’t above a little insurance fraud. To cap off a humdrum year, JS brought us a story involving a space ship that runs on electricity and can be recharged with a couple of flashlight batteries (I kid you not). Worse than the introduction of the aforementioned AI character, Arty, was that the story revolved around the three ugliest kids in the history of comics. JS should not ever draw kids again, they are that bad. Magic (what else) saves the day and brings back “Jones”, who somehow grew from a toddler who couldn’t talk just a year ago to a five-year old. Who says characters no longer age in the “Alley”?
So how often did characters appear in GA last year?
1. Walt (168)2. Gertie (111)3. Skeezix (65)4. Mee-yow (64)4. Ava Luna (64)6. Aubee (63)7. Slim (57)8. Clovia (54)9. Sophie (54)
10. Arty (45)
11. Rufus (41)
12. Swine (37)
13. Ida Noe (32)
14. Joel (30)
15. Baleen (29)
16. Jone (15)
17. Melba (12)
18. Frank (9)
19. Bear (5)
20. Highlanders (2)
20. Boog (2)
20. Ida Clare (2)
23. Mice (1)
I cannot attest to the absolute accuracy of these tallies but I did as good as possible. I did not count any of the silly holiday strips that interrupted stories and seem to keep Trufans happy. There were also a couple of days where no GA characters appear. Characters who appeared in ’23 but did not appear in ’24 include: Hoogie, Rover, and Kim. New characters in ’24: Arty, Ida Clare, Mee Yow, and Swine. It is surprising that JS keeps introducing new characters since there are already more than you can shake a stick at while dozens of other characters have been gone for years. How come Corky and Judy never visit their dad? Did Eve ever get out of jail? Is Hope still alive?
Uncle $crooge 3 days ago
Holey moley this is bad.
Uncle $crooge 3 days ago
What kind of a year was it for “Gasoline Alley” in 2024? Story-wise, it was a real dud with more of the fantasy elements that Jimbo seems to like so much but for which he is not very good at. A magical talking doll? Then why not have a sentient talking robot? And to make matters even worse, Scancarelli gave us a second magical, talking doll. Enough, JS. Enough.
Many readers had been requesting to see more of Walt and Jim delivered in spades, with Walt appearing in more strips (168) than any other character. But as could be expected with stories involving a 135 year-old codger, they weren’t very good or interesting. Watching someone that old along with his 103 year-old adopted son challenge City Hall was mind-numbing and made one wonder whether the writer had any concept of how the real world works. That was followed by a story about a tree blowing over which brought back the most annoying character in the strip, Frank Nelson (and he has a lot of competition). Frank might have been funny the first time he appeared but the last couple of dozen times have just been gratuitous. JS does no realize that the character really doesn’t work unless you can hear his voice, something that a goodly numbers of readers have no idea what that voice sounds like. Probably the only interesting thing in that story was the revelation that even the oldest man in the world isn’t above a little insurance fraud. To cap off a humdrum year, JS brought us a story involving a space ship that runs on electricity and can be recharged with a couple of flashlight batteries (I kid you not). Worse than the introduction of the aforementioned AI character, Arty, was that the story revolved around the three ugliest kids in the history of comics. JS should not ever draw kids again, they are that bad. Magic (what else) saves the day and brings back “Jones”, who somehow grew from a toddler who couldn’t talk just a year ago to a five-year old. Who says characters no longer age in the “Alley”?
Uncle $crooge 3 days ago
So how often did characters appear in GA last year?
1. Walt (168)2. Gertie (111)3. Skeezix (65)4. Mee-yow (64)4. Ava Luna (64)6. Aubee (63)7. Slim (57)8. Clovia (54)9. Sophie (54)10. Arty (45)
11. Rufus (41)
12. Swine (37)
13. Ida Noe (32)
14. Joel (30)
15. Baleen (29)
16. Jone (15)
17. Melba (12)
18. Frank (9)
19. Bear (5)
20. Highlanders (2)
20. Boog (2)
20. Ida Clare (2)
23. Mice (1)
I cannot attest to the absolute accuracy of these tallies but I did as good as possible. I did not count any of the silly holiday strips that interrupted stories and seem to keep Trufans happy. There were also a couple of days where no GA characters appear. Characters who appeared in ’23 but did not appear in ’24 include: Hoogie, Rover, and Kim. New characters in ’24: Arty, Ida Clare, Mee Yow, and Swine. It is surprising that JS keeps introducing new characters since there are already more than you can shake a stick at while dozens of other characters have been gone for years. How come Corky and Judy never visit their dad? Did Eve ever get out of jail? Is Hope still alive?
snsurone76 3 days ago
Is that “customer” supposed to be Jim Scancarelli?? BTW, I HATE olives, onions, and feta cheese!!
top cat james 3 days ago
I’m genuinely shocked he didn’t add “…and step on it”.
top cat james 3 days ago
Philip Seymour Hoffman crawled out of a nice warm grave for this?
Gweedo -it's legal here- Murray 3 days ago
Balleen has a whale of a dilemma. Beautiful diner shot. Like !
iggyman 3 days ago
Skip should have ordered something on the menu, like a Number 3 or something!
kab2rb 3 days ago
Now that is funny, I know old yet funny.
Pipe Tobacco 3 days ago
Hah! A nice strip today that is not featuring the animatronic doll and space kids.
I do wish Joel were being written about, however. I miss the stories about him.
Ignatz Premium Member 3 days ago
Skip is drawn like a real person, so I wonder who he is.
Durak Premium Member 3 days ago
I have this image of the cook skipping around in the kitchen. “La-la-la-la laaaaah!”
SofaKing Premium Member 3 days ago
I would eat at this diner every day. There is one very similar, fortunately for me it’s several towns away or I would weigh 400 pounds.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 1 day ago
I’ll have a mayonnaise sandwich and hold the bread!