Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for August 31, 2009

That’s one huge exclamation point.

Maybe they should give her a job.

It seems like months since we’ve seen any member of the family.

Anyone care to get me up to speed on this strip since its inception, in three paragraphs or fewer?

OK, so there’s this guy and he ages in real time or whatever. I know that much. He was young and now he’s old. Got that. Somebody named Skeezix or something, I think I’ve seen that before. So then what happens? Where are we now?

It’s still pretty new to me too. I think I’ve only been reading it for about a year. But it’s been around since about 1920 or before?

As for Gertie, she’s a woman shopper. That’s what we do, we take inventory!

Boooringggg.

I don’t envy Scancarelli. He inherited one of the most famous of all running scripts with the most daunting of tasks: age in real time its founding star who by now would be around 118 years old or so.

Skeezix, the baby found by “Uncle Walt” on the doorstep in the early 1920’s, should be around 90. Dementia and colostomy bags ain’t funny.

Dick Moores created his own cast of diversions to take the spotlight of of Walt and Skeezix, plus he had the budding romance of Slim and Clovia to chronicle (and if you want to see some winsome, beautiful artwork, look those strips up.)

But Scancarelli is also dealing with newspaper real estate that can’t handle more than stick figures.

Perhaps if the strips went all web, or subscription, we’d see the return of real illustration.

And in reference to that, take a look at the 1930’s and 40’s Frank King Sundays!

Good morning, Todd.

I have been following Gasoline Alley since I was a little kid in the 40’s. A most delightful family style strip now on it’s 3rd author.

I can remember Walt’s wife Phyllis and her parents, grandfather and grandmother Clock…yes Clock, their real name. Phyllis reportedly died in 2007 at 104.

Rather than trying to give you the whole bit, a fairly good site to review might be ‘Gasoline Alley Wikipedia.

Have fun.

Oh, man, this has turned into a research project. Curse you, Gasoline Alley, for being so long-lived!

I think GA are trying at keep 2 stories going but seperatly.(sp sorry)

She anticipated an upcoming blue lite special ?

Let’s face it. Gertie is black and suspected of shop lifting. So what else is new?

Oh my goodness, this comic strip is self-aware! It knows it has lingered in the store too long, stalling the storyline!