Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for September 03, 2009

Well, she will flip it soon.

I think she’s heading for a major disappointment.

Whatever became of Gasoline Alley?

OMG– just like Aunt Bea!

I’m glad it’s a wig. I didn’t like the idea of her cutting her hair. She just needed a new style but this style isn’t right for her.

I enjoy the storylines as they are now but I didn’t start reading this til about a year ago I guess so I’m not as familiar with the established characters as some of you are.

Good point about peripheral story lines. It’s been tried before elsewhere and in fact is a popular device in soap operas these days.

And it sure underscores Dobie Gray’s classic line about, “The original’s still the greatest”.

Or as Hank Williams Junior wisely observed, “If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It”.

Yes, there are certainly enough folks in the Wallet clan for a storyline, and yet for months now we’ve just had peripheral stories.

Someday comics historians will wax eloquent about this, the famous “wig arc” of Gasoline Alley…

As I’ve written in this forum before, I have no problem in concept with stories about peripheral characters. It’s the back-to-back-to-back running of these story arcs to which I object.

At least Gertie is a recurring character. Stories about one-shot characters such as Upton and Ramona Lisa, or Skeezix’s mail deliverer shouldn’t exist at all. With the size and rich variety of the core character base, most, if not all, story arcs could be about Walt Wallet and his descendants.

Skeezix’s son, Chipper Wallet, is a medical professional. A topical storyline about healthcare involving him would be great. Stories about how small businesspersons such as Clovia Skinner or Corky Wallet are dealing with the recession would be great.

Of course, there is an excellent argument that a comic strip is escapism and should avoid topical stories. Fine. Do it.

By the way, does Jim Scancarelli read or know about these posts? Is there any forum through which he interacts with his readers, or is he encased in a bubble? Do you think he just dismisses such comments as unrepresentative of the wider GA readership?

As an aid, here are just a few characters about whom Jim could write stories:

Walt Wallet (“Pater Familias”) Skeezix Wallet (Walt’s son) Nina Wallet (Skeezix’s wife) Chipper Wallet (Skeezix’s son) Amy Wallet (Chipper’s wife) Gus ‘Li’l Skeezix’ Wallet (Chipper’s son) Kathleen Wallet (Chipper’s daughter) Clovia Skinner (Skeezix’s daughter) Slim Skinner (Clovia’s husband) Gretchen Skinner (Clovia’s daughter) Rover Skinner (Clovia’s son) Hoogy Skinner (Rover’s wife) Boog Skinner (Rover’s son) Corky Wallet (Walt’ son) Hope Wallet (Corky’s wife) Nubbin Wallet (Corky’s son) Eve Wallet (Corky’s daughter) Adam Wallet (Corky’s son) Teeka Wallet (Adam’s wife) Ada Wallet (Adam’s daughter) Amanda Lynn Wallet (Adam’s daughter) Judy Grubb (Walt’s daughter) Gideon Grubb (Judy’s husband) Gabriel Grubb (Judy’s son)

Welcome back , nonNorman, we missed you….hope you enjoyed your vacation from Gasoline Alley

The majority of the comments above me are negative - I’ve got a piece of advice - drop the comic from your reading list.

I’ve done that, too - comics that have ticked me off, or gone against my standards - I’ve just stopped reading them.

For me, being a musician, I’m delighted with this story arc.

I’m with you 100% PatPiano. I like this story arc and yes, I do hope that Scancarelli reads the posts thats on here. He would see that there is some negative and some positive, but the positives can make up for the negatives. One thing I hope for sure he doesn’t start making GA into a more or less political cartoon with health care and the recession. I read this comic to take a few seconds away from what I see in real life. I want to enjoy reading and get away from the everyday issues that face us today. Those that like that type of cartoon read Doonsbury, they are more or less politically involved with their characters. As for others that don’t like the story arc…move on. No one is keeping you here. Macushlalondra… I too started reading GA about the same time as you, maybe because its refreshing to meet other people in GA then the usual Wallet clan family. Afterall, there is more than one family that lives in GA.New people …. new readers. Its not as if the Wallet clan is totally gone.

i’m afraid that walt and skeezix have unfortunately gotten too old to function as a strip anymore–ahh for those long lost days when walt would take the small boy skeezix for a walk in the autumn woods–but like many pleasant memories from the past–there is no returning–as author thomas wolfe titled one of his novels–“you can’t go home again”!

“you can’t go home again”

PatPiano said, For me, being a musician, I’m delighted with this story arc.

You may already know that Scancarelli is himself a bluegrass fiddler, and The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress has archived some of his fiddle and banjo music recordings!

OldManMountain said… alot!

OMM, I admire that you present your feelings reasonably and respectfully, for the most part, perhaps except for the “is [Scancarelli] encased in a bubble?” question. I think most of the feedback here has been positive, for one thing, though the negative is sometimes presented more repetitively and dramatically. Beyond that, however, I think these are the stories he chooses to tell, to those who choose to read them. I suppose the syndicate could steer him in another direction if spurred by outcry, but even if Jim reads this forum he might still proceed however he wishes. There is a snarkiness in an environment like this that is much rarer in the larger world.

I do enjoy the strip as he does it, but wouldn’t mind seeing the characters you suggest— provided the stories were as good as what has been done here recently!

Earl, Gertie, and Miss Melba!

Someday, way down the road from now, someone will be complaining because there are no more stories of Gertie and Earl. It’s natural for people to like what is familiar (people in marketing know this all too well).

Personally, I like the diversity these characters bring to GA. And like PatPiano, I’m enjoying the music angle.

I had no idea the family was so huge. It must be frustrating not to know what any of them are doing. The only ones I’ve seen from that long list is Slim and Clovia, and old Walt. I don’t know any of the others at all.

Didn’t we just see Skeezix and Nina, in a Sunday break? (The bikini kerfluffle).