Lio by Mark Tatulli for January 23, 2010

A unique twist on an old Chas. Addams cartoon.

I’m stunned into silence right now. Genius, MT!

Lio for once seems to be at a loss….

You can dodge Lio, but you can’t dodge the tree!

So am I. Did somebody ski into the tree? Did it eat them? or… did the tree ski to where it is now? I’m feeling very dense today – can someone enlighten me?

I think the tree was skiing, susanwobb!

hmmmm … …

Nothing like a little surrealism at 2:43 AM.

I don’t think anyone ran into the tree - there’s no imprint where he supposedly fell afterward.

But if the tree were skiing, where’d the skis go?

Didn’t Chers’ husband Sonny do that several years ago?

margueritem has it right. This is a twist on an old and classic (and much copied) Charles Addams cartoon where you see ski tracks wrap around a tree and continue on undeterred.

I am looking for the skier who hit the tree, and it almost looks like the person fell behind the tree,as if they almost got past the tree – this is the only problem I have with this cartoon.

It sort of looks like something traveling under the snow leaving two trails (ears?, tentacles?, horns?), and the thing was able to spread the ears, tentacles, or horns around Lio, but then smacked into the tree.

Guessing here, any other ideas?

@Pacejv:

Yes, as well as one of the Kennedys. Both of them are now history.

Looks to me like someone skied around Lio and hit the tree. There are motion marks on the tree and the tree is leaning as though hit. If you look closely at the base of the tree you can see some small bubbles artists use to show injury. B. Breathed used bubbles around BTC to show when he was out of it, wasted, etc….

invisible creature

perhaps since it’s a slender-ish tree and pines are fairly elastic-ish the person was launched somewhere out of frame? though honestly i like the ‘tree ate the skier’ theory myself.

“Sisyphos said, about 8 hours ago

Lio for once seems to be at a loss….”

So am I

“I should have taken a left at Albuquerque,” said Bugs.

My analysis of this cartoon….

It’s funny!

OK, everyone, I think I got it. It’s a reversal of the Chas Adams cartoon.

Instead of a person impossibly skiing around the tree, it’s a tree skiing around the person.

Prabbit got it right, there are motion lines near the tree to show it’s “skiing.” Just don’t think too hard about how the tree was skiing or where the skis are. That’s not the point.

I would agree with prabbit237’s observation and Simon-Jeste’s conclusion.

For a few weeks after Sonny’s and Michael Kennedy’s accidents, this email was going around:

“We will kill one a week until the logging stops.

Signed, The Trees”

The tree is slithering along on two of its roots. I think that’s what’s happening here.

Mark?

Confirmation?

I’m guessing that Mark Tatulli is looking at all the comments and getting his own good laugh.

I also agree with the tree being the skier as Sisyphos originally stated. As is supported by other’s observations.

I’m still torn skiiing tree, or thing traveling under snow (like Bugs Bunny does) and smacking hard into the tree.

Oh well, either one is funny.

I agree with Prabbit237, think Ents.

Though I still like the concept of a skier-eating tree, I see the story now – the tree skied around Lio on both sides and is still moving. (A few swooshy motion lines might’ve helped, i think.) Thanks for connecting my synapses, everyone!

I think this cartoon does NOT work because the tree NEEDS to have a set of skis or at least the poles in his branches. The way it is it looks too much like the original and thus just comes off like a copy job…

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/books/chapters/1203-1st-davis.html here’s one that is just copying Addams.. http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/C/Charles_Addams.asp

Having said all that, I read that Addams used people to write for him. So, maybe the whole point is mute.

A bar walked into a man…

Dry? You ski?

I disagree, eardroppings. To put the tree on skis would just be reversing the original Addams gag…a tree creeping along and just passing though LIO is much more consistent with his world.

I thought it was the ridiculously rare “Hannibal 8 Fir”.

mtatulli

I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree. Definitely better the way I described I think.

Yeah, well maybe you can put that in your comic strip then.

mtatulli

I don’t have a comic strip. THough I have been accused of that one this forum.

I might add…that’s kind of rude, your comment, that is. I can’t voice my opinion on a strip.

Well eardroppings, your first comment was pretty rude too, and at least his response was kind of funny.

You can voice your opinion on a strip if you want, but there’s no reason he can’t voice his opinion on your opinion.

That’s right, eardroppings. You don’t have a comic STRIP. You have a comic PANEL called “Reynolds Unwrapped”. It’s sad that Dan Reynolds is still playing this game. Dan Reynolds is eardroppings. Eardroppings is Dan Reynolds. “That’s kind of rude, your comment, that is.” Let’s all cry for Dan. Jeez. Have some balls, man, and slam Mr. Tatulli’s strip under your own name.

It amazes me that this bleeep is still going on and people are accusing me of being someone I’m not. THe only affiliation I have with him is I am one of his reader’s and I have a subscription to his daily email and am a big fan of his work, and have been for some time. It’s obvious that some folks are convinced I am he and for this it’s obvious there’s nothing I can do to change this. I was just expressing my opinion about this particular cartoon. That’s it.

@dandroppings—-The amazing and insulting bleeep is that you still expect everyone here to believe that you’re not Dan Reynolds, especially when it’s so obvious that you are. C’mon, give it up. You’re not fooling anybody. Nobody said you can’t skip merrily from strip to strip imparting your creative wisdom, just do it under your own name.

Not even sure who’s talking to you “dermando” or why you’re in this conversation at all. I know who I am and you haven’t got a clue.

Lame reply, but WOW—so quick! You must be checking this page every five minutes. Such dedication to Dan Reynolds.

What am I doing here? I’m a fan of the Lio comic strip and THIS is the Lio GoComics page. Sheesh.

Okay, there, Navy Bean boy.

It is not usually recommended to go skiing with Ents. If you must, be sure to use fiberglass skis - they hate it when people ski on wood!

Someone needs to lighten the fcuk up.

Get over yourself eardroppings! You bring nothing good to this strip. >:-grrr

YOU swear at me, someone else accuses me of being someone else, after I suggest a single cartoon could be done in a different manner (which was just my opinion) and you tell ME to “get over” myself and that I bring nothing good to this strip?

Unbelievable.

Nice subtlety there, OpenWings. Way to have some class.

dermandro, looks like you were checking the page every five minutes, too, so, there you go.

Actually, eardroppings, you told the artist himself that you thought your idea was better than his, which seems pretty insulting to someone who is making original creations to his own satisfaction rather than yours. I actually think this whole debate is pretty pointless, as you did just offer your opinion, and in my opinion, handled the reaction to it poorly. Now that we’ve all figured out what the strip is, why not enjoy it? Settle down, kids.

i think the tree is alive and dug under the dirt to get to wear he is now theres no skis because he dug and thats why there is dirt around the tree this has to be it because the dirt would be coverd up by snow. =0

Some entertaining comments! Relatively speaking anyway. Beats the usual from those who post simply to be the first ones to post.

I’m waiting for Tatulli to jump on here one of these days with his spin on William Shatner’s “Get a Life” bit from SNL…

Outrider7 said, Nice subtlety there, OpenWings. Way to have some class. Actually, eardroppings, you told the artist himself that you thought your idea was better than his, which seems pretty insulting to someone who is making original creations to his own satisfaction rather than yours.

Hmm, I think it was rather less than classy when eardroppings made his initial “mine’s better than yours” post, as you yourself pointed out! I see no need for subtlety when someone’s comment is in as poor taste as that. And you should read some of eardroppings’ OTHER posts! So don’t go accusing ME of having no class! Perhaps you would do better to observe your OWN ideas on subtlety… >:-grrr

Outsider said:

Hmm, I think it was rather less than classy when eardroppings made his initial “mine’s better than yours”

I like how you twist things around to make your erroneous point. I did NOT say what YOU said…I said, and I quote:..

“I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree. Definitely better the way I described I think.”

In other words,,,”I think”. It’s MY opinion. So, go take a hike, you trouble maker.

Ok then, to QUOTE you, verbatim… Definitely better the way I described I think.

Just because you tack “I think” on the end doesn’t in any way lessen the “definitely better the way I described” which, sorry to say, only gets construed one way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m well aware that it’s YOUR opinion! Pity it’s not one the majority would seem to agree with! xD So perhaps you’d do well to keep such “opinions” to yourself in future, and go do it in your own comic, as someone else here has suggested.

Take a hike? …seriously? xD Just go pick up your toys and leave, little buddy.

You did well. You quoted me perfectly. You quoted what I said was my verbatim quote. Very nice. It’s just that you repeated what I quoted myself as saying in the post above it. Are you trying to prove my point…that I expressly pointed out…. that it was my opinion I was expressing or are you just looking for someone to argue with?

You can’t tell commentors we can’t express our opinion.

So, we’re done here. You go ahead and have the last word. You’ll try to tell me what I mean to say or what I should have said according to you. I;m not going to argue with you anymore. You’re obviously WAAAAY too knowledgeable on what commentors should be allowed to do on this board. I’m guessing you wrote the rules.

Have a nice day.

….you’re still here? xD

By the way, good guess.

This is so much fun.

@OpenWings I wasn’t trying to be subtle. I was just remarking on your not-so-veiled use of the harsher side of the english language.

@eardroppings Nice play on my name. It was cute. If you hadn’t glossed over my post and read OpenWings reply instead of my post (you quoted OpenWings, not me), you would have noticed that I actually did say that you were stating your opinion. I am fine with opinions, as is everyone on here, but what everyone seems to have a problem with is the way that you handled your opinion. It was disrespectful and without tact, and you still refuse to acknowledge that part of it. You instead chase the red herring of not being allowed to share a personal opinion. I made no erroneous point, I simply commented on the situation. I’m fine with you giving your opinion on anything - just try to show a little respect.

@Outrider7 Um, I know you weren’t trying to be subtle, but thanks for feeling the need to point that out! As to my post, well that’s definitely not a word I’d normally use, but the way ED structured his “opinion” was way out of line and I suppose I just saw red. Silly in hindsight. My bad.

Re: eardroppings: It was disrespectful and without tact, and you still refuse to acknowledge that part of it. This was exactly my issue with his comment! And yet I’d wager he would STILL argue against that whole “disrespectful” bit, IF he was going to make any further comment. However, he has made it quite clear that he will make no more posts (So, we’re done here. I;m not going to argue with you anymore.) so I guess we will never know. I certainly won’t lose any sleep over not knowing what little gem he might have come out with next! xD

Wow! This teaches ME to go on vacation for a week. I’m glad I missed the e-fracas. I LOVE LIO!!!!

It all makes sense when you remember that eardroppings is really Lio-envious Dan Reynolds hiding behind an alias… or as I often refer to him: dandroppings.

Dandroppings is so bent out of shape over the success of Mark Tatulli– that attacking MT’s work is the only way he can make himself feel better. Sad.

Wow, he’s really gone this time! All his comments have vanished. I assume that means his profile has been deleted. I guess he’s still lurking around here somewhere but under a different alias. Poor old dandroppings.

I know this is a knock on an old Chas Adams cartoon, but I still don’t get it. Help me out?

Look closely at the roots — they have motion lines and aren’t positioned right for a stationary tree. It’s a play on the Charles Addams cartoon where ski tracks spread out around a tree as if someone just skied through it undeterred — here, somehow, the tree just walked through a skiing Leo with no more disturbance than spacing its root trails out.