Birdbrains by Thom Bluemel for December 01, 2009

It only works in warm weather! Good thing you are wearing head covers or else you might get cold. Another one I’m all cracked up over.

Good Morning Thom!

You may not be able to swim, but you all sure can freeze. Franz is already turning blue by you. (hee hee)

That’s Franz Blue-mel. I thought he looked familiar!

Good one Carmy!

franz blue-mel….thom’s older bro? and thom’s blueing his mind….

Oh That Blue me away too.

What a n ice strip today.

Are you too big to fail, or just too dumb to freeze?

origin of the Blue Man Group?

Luckily, he was well known to his Franz as a great ice breaker at parties…

That is one quick-freezing river!

Some people were just born lucky.

my brother did the polar bear thing last year as a fund raiser. i call myself part polar bear for my affinity for colder temps, but those people are nuts

I am Hans.

and I am Franz.

and we are here to PUMP YOU UP!

“overexpectant”? Is that what I am?

I just “expect” a professional cartoonist to come up with something different, than I, a non-professional cartoonist could come up with. Otherwise why bother?

This isn’t a new take on an old joke, it’s an old joke.

Sorry, this was meant for yesterday

I am so glad that we have a comicsexpert in the house. Now I don’t have to rely on my own judgment as to what I do or do not find funny.

I wish he would let me know which comics to laugh at so I don’t make a mistake. I might feel silly laughing at one that isn’t funny anymore!

Thom, this is all your fault! Tsk, tsk!

No problem. I’m happy to help. Today’s is much better, BTW.

We could just all keep getting defensive and tell Thom how great he is, or maybe … maybe … we can call him out when his work isn’t the best or has been done before and he could possibly learn and get better from it.

You do need a thick skin to be in a creative field. I don’t know if Thom has one. I hope so.

And here I thought that poster was a comic sex pert.

wow Rmom i thought our tribe had a dirty mind, but i saw that also. lol

me three! but i’ve seen it before.

You know what i think? I think that someone is just upset that it is not their work up there. It is Thom’s work and this person is upset. humm. I wonder. OR they could just be here trying to make a butt of themselfs because they want attention. i wonder. and who the H e c k give a d a n g if it is an “old” joke what the h e c k?! I would have so say an old joke is better then no joke. come on people. gosh.

Thom keep up the GREAT WORK!!!!! now whatcomicsexperet?

Doc i agree with you.

It’s not great work. It’s reasonably good art and the writing has its moments.

Thom can do with my critique what he pleases, but glad-handing and pandering to him are worse for him in the long-term than a perceived negative comment about his work on a single day.

we are not “glad-handing and pandering him” we are showing support to a good guy and telling him the truth. do with that as you may. there is always someone to come around and be a party pooper and thing that what they know is better then all of the others. who are you to say that what you are doing is going to help in in the future?

It’s an opinion comicsexpert, whether it be your or someone else’s. You are not the one to tell me or anyone else what they should perceive as humorous or not.

But I do appreciate your opinion, for if ir wasn’t for your opinion, my opinion might not look so good!

amen lonewofl thank you buddy. well said.

Gee, I didn’t think it was very funny either. So thanks for setting me straight!

Comicsexpert, you’re a bad, bad person.

Aw GEE!!! I thought this strip was funny! Guess I was wrong, darn!

By the way comicsexpert guy, “Old joke”, maybe, I never saw it before and I’ve been around awhile. But old jokes are probably some of the best! Going into a television genre for a moment, There is one I Love Lucy episode in particular (though they all were good-yeah TRIBE you know where I’m headed with this!) Where Lucy meets Bill Holden. I’ve seen it hundreds of times, know everything that’s going to happen, and LAUGH MY A S S off EVERYTIME I SEE IT, TO THIS DAY! Same way with old cartoon strips! Guess I’m crazy, or else I can appreciate someone else’s talents!

Dry i know what you mean. there are some things that you know so well and can say every word and still laugh.And that my friend is when you have found a great joke. yes you are right. we can appreciate someone ele’s taletnts. thanks

I’ve prolly been reading comics since before that guy was a sex pert, and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this one before.

I love the line “I can appreciate someone else’s talents” … so perfect and so self-congratulatory. I don’t think you’re quite on the same page here, Dry.

There’s a difference between returning to a funny moment or show where you know the joke is coming and reading a “new” joke telling an obvious and old gag.

I read Far Sides today that I’ve read 100 times and I still laugh because they aren’t predictable.

And why am I a bad person? Because I don’t like a joke? Is this the “agree with us” comment board?

Is there no room for dissent?

Dear comicsexpert, I do appreciate your constructive criticism and have taken it to heart to do my best to create the most original, creative, and, hopefully, funny cartoons. Frankly, you must read many, many more cartoons than I because I’ve never seen a cartoon where the fu bug has gotten the victim. I apologize for my ignorance, but in my defense, my cartoon is titled “Birdbrains” for a reason - I’m just not that bright. Honestly, I do try to create unique cartoons everyday. That’s why I gave the flu bug red spots, hair and a mean expression. I will strive to do better in the future, but seriously, if you can send me a list of the cartoons which have not been done yet, I would be very grateful. Otherwise, I fear I may offend you with my lack of creativity again. Thanks for reading Birdbrains.

And to all my defenders -

And you know who you are…

YOU ROCK!!!

in fairness, comicsexpert did say the comment was about yesterday’s comic (which was an old joke retold), though i didn’t think it was as unfunny as s/he did.

Thom you rock too.

rats. cross typed again. (and with a far better response than mine was, too.) oh well. *sigh

comicsexpert I never said tyou were a bad person, I just think your criticism is unfair. Why don’t you sit down everyday and try to come with a new strip idea? Good luck!

The art in yesterday’s comic is what made it funny. Granted it’s an old joke. If you get old enough all jokes will be old jokes.

comicsexpert - As for declaring yourself and “expert”. Respect is bequeathed by others, not declared by yourself. Earn it and we will respect you.

Thom, are you going to come to my office to do my job for me? :)

For what it’s worth to you: I’d suggest avoiding simple puns when all the result is to illustrate the obvious.

If you want to use a simple pun go further than the first thing you think of, because everyone else who’s heard of “carry-on luggage” also things of “carrion luggage” and draws vultures at the airport.

But if you made that only part of the joke (like maybe combining the pun “carrion” and then inject some commentary about checked luggage fees maybe?)

Vulture 1: What’s with all the carrion luggage? Vulture 2: I can’t afford to check all this!

Instead of THE pun being THE joke, it’s just part of it. The joke has the potential to be funnier and connect on more than just the PUN.

And I know that joke isn;t that funny, but I wrote it in 30 seconds.

… and lest you think I’m all negative … today’s was a good example of using more than one level. It’s not just a guy who thinks the river’s broken, but a guy who thinks the situation is actually beneficial … that’s a multi-layered gag and works well.

comicsexpert you did a very good job of building your pedestal. What I want to know is how the heck do you get way up on it. Fortunately for us you are standing so far above the rest of us that I find I, a mere comic lover (far from an expert) do not have to go back and remove yesterday’s strip from my list of favorites.

Comicsexpert - You are right. I should have gone further with the gag for the flu bug. It is a good reminder to push my imagination beyond the obvious, though I must admit, there are times when what seems obvious after spending 2 - 3 hours on a cartoon, it’s really tough to NOT think they are ALL obvious.

I do think it’s good advice and I know it was given with good intent. I appreciate a reader who expects more from me. I apologize for being so sarcastic in my first response - I think it set the wrong tone for this whole discussion.

And that “carrion” cartoon - great idea - can I use hyenas instead? Kidding. This is one of the reasons I don’t read too many cartoons, though - it’s so easy to limit one’s creativity.

All I can do is promise to do better. Next time, I’ll have the flu bug wondering why his computer has a virus.

To all - thank you for your defense. Go easy on Comicsexpert - he means well. Embrace the challenge - I have. And, once again, thanks for proving I have the best readers in the world. I OWE you all the best I can do!!

Thom

Not everyone has the same sense of humor, or memory of jokes. I would rather have a good simple pun, then to make it a part of a longer (& lamer) joke. Thom - Thank you for your hard work. Sometimes I think it is funny, somedays not so much, but I see no point in critizing what I don’t find funny. I know if I tried to come up with a visual joke every day, many of them would be lame or old jokes. Thanks for responding to criticism with your tongue firmly planted in your cheek.

Sorry I missed the discussion panel - but just to add my 2 cents worth - Nobody hits a homerun every time, Thom has admitted the same on a few occaisions. But I still get a good chuckle and appreciate his wonderful artwork. It’s very obvious that he does put a lot of effort into his toons, and I look forward to seeing them each day!

When we quote someone famous, say Thomas Jefferson, how sure are we that he really was the first to speak the words we are quoting? If, by chance, the words had been previously spoken, are they any less relevant or noteworthy?

If a man says something in the woods, and there is no woman there to yell at him, is he still wrong?

If two wrongs don’t make a right, are you still sure that three lefts do?

There is indeed nothing new under the sun. Look it up. If you get lost, contact Chief Sitting Duck.

Go deep.

I too, look beyond the jokes. The artwork, though it may never show up in the Sistine Chapel or some fancy art gallery in Paris, is good as far as I am concerned. I definitely am not an art expert and maybe don’t know Michelangelo from Van Gogh, but I like the water color style he uses!

I too, think he meant well Thom.

Point is, I guess, we are all fans of Thom and his work. I can’t draw a freaking circle, let alone the stuff he draws and I appreciate his talents there. And I REALLY can’t come up with a new and clever joke every day. Everyone is, indeed, entitled to their opinion but you made your point, comicsexpert and it is time to let it go and move on.

Well, Dry already put in 2 cents worth, so I guess I have to do a nickel’s worth

comicsexpert When a writer puts a new artwork on an old joke I get a double chuckle. First I laugh at the current panel/strip. Then I remember the other ones and chuckle even more.

Occasionally a writer will put new artwork on an old joke that wasn’t so successful, and it will become a success.

Throm keep following your drummer.

Chief Sitting Duck (yes, father of Chief knew many, many old jokes) thanks MoParMitch for his support.

Chief Thom Thom: there is thing called “brute force stupidity” (original saying by Johanan Rakkav? maybe, maybe not). Your strip has it. Chief laugh at it. Some days more stupid than others, but Chief still laugh. Only advice? Be less stupid more often. Zany things like “Tribe tributes” help. @:-) Think outside wigmam, to misquote palefaces.

comicsexpert: Chief defers to Johanan Rakkav, professional writer and amateur light verse writer/humorist, on this one…

The thing most notorious about the human sense of humor is how individual it is. It does seem to fall into broad classes according to Jungian personality type, however. What will strike one person or one type as funny will not necessarily strike another person of another type that way.

Please think it possible that Thom is just as talented as you, and that you are just as apt as Thom to have your off days. His humor and the intelligence behind it strike me as a difference of kind, not of degree necessarily, from yours or even from mine.

Failing that, there’s always another comment from the Wise Chief of Ecclesiastes: all skill in work derives from a man’s envy of his neighbor. Flip that around and make it positive. If you think you can do better than Thom - and maybe you can - then get syndicated and prepare to face the consequences of that.

More power to you. Really. :)

Thom- Late as usual.

As a former stripper used to say:

DAHHHHHHHHH Strip!:

**Swimming’s not all what it’s cracked up to be>”

Love it.

Ok, everybody, point made. Thom’s graciousness is pretty bleeep charming. I came off as harsh and arrogant. I apologize to you and Thom. No joke.

Comicsexpert, I hope you weren’t upset with my comment. I hope you realize I was being sarcastic and not toward you.