I think of it as The Fool's Journey. I've been asked who the "fool" is. It's me, but in the classical sense of the court jester. Only the fool was allowed to tell the king of his follies. All cartoons are available as prints or originals, framed or unframed, through my website or e-mail. For mugs, t-shirts, and other products visit my gift shop at www.zazzle.com/jcrowtherart* (be sure to include the *).
posted by John M Crowther @ 7:08 AM
I think of it as The Fool's Journey. I've been asked who the "fool" is. It's me, but in the classical sense of the court jester. Only the fool was allowed to tell the king of his follies. All cartoons are available as prints or originals, framed or unframed, through my website or e-mail. For mugs, t-shirts, and other products visit my gift shop at www.zazzle.com/jcrowtherart* (be sure to include the *).
Artist, writer, filmmaker, actor. Wrote "The Evil That Men Do" starring Charles Bronson. "Missing in Action" starring Chuck Norris. Performed one-man play "Einstein" off-Broadway and in Europe. Tours US with "Meet Mr. Wright," his one-man play about Frank Lloyd Wright. Art exhibitions in Italy and U.S. His work as a cartoonist has been seen in MAD magazine. Illustrated the children's books "How the Waif Bunny Saved the Boy" and "The Man In the Red Bandana" about his nephew Welles Crowther, a hero of 9/11, written by his niece, Honor Crowther Fagin, Welles's sister. Author of novel "Firebase," published in UK by Constable and US by St. Martins Press. For many years an avid student and reader of Tarot. Performs weddings as a Los Angeles County Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriage.
17 Comments:
Poor old T just gets in deeper and deeper... now with the canvas ripped right out from under him! Looks like she got what she came for! LOL
Sorry for being obtuse, but I don't understand what is happening here.
So they get drunk, HE passes out, she doesn't, she leaves, he's jolted awake, and seems a bit dismayed, and stares blankly at the canvas. Is it because she is his inspiration, and he can't paint when she's not there?
Do these people love each other? How can you love someone for whom you have no respect? And how can you treat someone you love and respect like they treat each other? So if he neither loves or respects her, why does she affect his artistic impulses?
I might be more understanding if she were really hot....but she's rather unattractive. Obviously that is your choice, John, because you could make her beautiful if you wanted. So what's the message? I feel I've missed the boat.
Jean got it.... but don't worry, Kate, you're not the first who didn't. I got a phone call this evening from a confused friend, asking the same thing. And you can be obtuse or whatever you want here, though I don't really see it as obtuse. You have a right to not get it, after all, and the fault may well be mine. I'm having fun playing with the language of "sequential art," a fancy name for comics, and am discovering what works and what doesn't on the job, as it were. I think the important thing here is that just as with all relationships where love has morphed into habit underscored by affection and anger, they're playing the game. Your questions are good ones, and like the best questions, they don't have easy answers. Even comic strip characters have complexities, but the simple part is.... she made off with the painting. I suspect she was once a hotty.... and perhaps a bit more of her history and world will reveal itself in the future. For the sake of brevity and good taste I left out the part about her 22-year old bisexual lover.
Wow. I didn't just miss the boat..... I missed the entire fleet.
I didn't understand that she was carrying a painting.
So she got him drunk so she could steal a painting?
And what's not to understand about a 22 year old lover? As long as he's attractive. Pure lust is a basic instinct that I can understand. But what attractive 22 year old would have an affair with HER? I don't understand how anyone would find either Travesty or Cutie objects of desire. I have yet to see a strip which shows either in a positive light. They are both contemptible, and from what I've gathered, morally bankrupt. And ugly.
But that's the point, isn't it? And you've done an excellent job.
Now I just need to try and understand why.
I always thought that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. How sad and what wonders we miss if one is judged by one's looks instead of what one really is in their souls. T and C may be shallow, unattractive to anyone but themselves but if they looked like "Ken and Barbie' one would soon go 'ho, hum, what bores'. I hope that C was not a 'hottie', but instead was just a plain Jane who once had lots of charm and loved to laugh before life and too many lovers (like T) came into her life to harden her. Not saying whether her now 22 year old lover is male or female. That is not really our business, is it? T might have had untold dreams before the necessity of earning a living changed him, at least he has the courage to continue in any way he can to earn a living as a painter.
Charles Laughton is a very good argument for what one misses when looks become more important than the person. I fell in love with him at the age of 5 and never changed my mind. His beautiful voice and his acting ability were never really reconized because he was not one of the 'beautiful people'. I have only to stop, be still, then I hear in my mind his wonderful speech from 'Major Barbara', his readings from the Bible, or the Ogden Nash poems. He was a truly beautiful and brave person. No other actor has ever captured my imagination like he did and still does.
I think these two just like to "play games" with each other. There must be something that keeps bringing them back in touch. Alimony could just be an excuse to "keep in touch". Divorce to me should be a complete end to any relationship, and child support the only reason to need money from the parted former mate.. Any woman that wants to cut ties with a former spouse can certainly support herself is she wants to. Her only reason to steal the painting is to continue to "play the game" with poor old "T". There must be some kind of chemistry and as the game continues the stakes just keep getting higher and more interesting. What a stupid game! But some people love it and get their kicks from it.... Sick minds do weird, strange things that an average person would never imagine and love it and thrive on creating situations worthy of a book of fiction. I often wonder if writers of fiction hang out with these characters just to research for story line material. How else could Tom Wolfe come up with some of his material for his books.
I hear an echo of Nora slamming a heavy-duty Norwegian door.
>>I hear an echo of Nora slamming a heavy-duty Norwegian door<<
Was that the Norwegian wood the Beatles song's about?
Great discussion, everyone. I suspect Travesty and Cutie were pretty darn attractive when they were younger, before age and indulgence took their toll, but that notwithstanding, it's not their physical appeaance that interests me. If they were drop dead gorgeous and didn't have their flaws they'd be far less interesting to me, and less amusing. Whether they're interesting or amusing to anyone else is something else again.
For all their harsh posturing... I sense a deep and enduring sentiment between T & Cutie... it's there...just not visible to the naked eye. I think they play these games because they really deep down like (dare I say love) and admire each other.
Re: the perception of the outward expression of physical good looks... Paris Hilton is beautiful... I rest my case. LOL
At what point did "attractive" and "interesting" become mutually exclusive?
If I were to list the 5 men I find most attractive, and the 5 men I find most interesting, I'd have the same names on both lists.
That doesn't mean they all look like Johnny Depp, but they have a gleam of curiosity in their eyes that lets me know they are intelligent, and interested in their surroundings. They hold their heads high and look me in the eyes when I talk to them that lets me know they are confident, which is a good sign that they are successful in whatever it is they pursue, they have a ready smile, and a quick laugh that tells me they have a good sense of humor, and they have a nice physique that lets me know they have respect for themselves and for their significant other, because although it's not politically correct to say so, looks are VERY important in a relationship.
There are some wonderfully intelligent, kind and good people who are unattractive. That's fine. I just wouldn't want to have an intimate relationship with any of them.
Conversely, there are some beautiful people who are shallow and superficial, and not nice. I wouldn't want to have an intimate relationship with any of them either.
I don't know why it's considered so horrible to admit you want to hook up with an attractive person. That's merely a function of evolution. Babies as young as 2 months respond much more favorably to an attractive face. And although what's considered attractive differs from culture to culture, in all cultures the faces with the most even features are considered most attractive. That's because those with the most even features on the outside are most likely to be healthy, and most able to produce healthy children. Why fight nature?
Anyway, did I miss the cartoons that showed that either of those two had a glimmer of humanity in them? How would one know what they were like 20 years ago?
John, as creator, has the sole right to determine what they wee like back then. but what difference does it make? At this point they are repulsive.
And John made them that way, so that is obviously how he wishes us to perceive them.
I don't know where I sensed it... but somewhere along the line (or maybe between the lines) I got the feeling that there was a lot of water under the bridge with these two... and the sentiment (or at the very least the chemistry) is still there.
Kate... we can't be young and beautiful forever no matter how well we take care of ourselves... eat well... sleep well... and exercise. What's really great tho is that the older we get... the deeper we go... and what we consider to be beautiful becomes a whole 'nother thing! But again... just me :-)
btw... when you do find Adonis (and I have no doubt you will)... would you get his number and/or ask him if he has a brother? (((giggles))) just k-i-d-d-i-n-g!!!
Adonis? I don't think I'd actively look for an Adonis. Must really mess with one's mind to know your mother lusted after her father, seduced him, got turned into a tree, and then had you, which would make your grandfather your father, (and your mother a tree).
Although Adonis seems to have handled it all pretty well, and without therapy, I would think that kind of thing could lead to innumerable emotional issues which could interfere with a healthy relationship.
If I were looking, (which I'm not because I'm married), I'd be looking for an Apollo.
Poet/musicians are hot!
But he WAS beautiful...(even if ever so slightly troubled!)LOL
Kate... (I'm married too)... just having a joke wit' you! Aussie humour sorry... ;-)
Beautiful, huh?
Right. I'll just overlook the funky DNA, then.
But if Adonis and my children come out with bushy hair and limbs that are all twig like, than I'll blame you for encouraging me to consummate a relationship based solely on looks.
Of course I have pretty skinny arms and legs, too, so the twiggy limbs thing might be my DNA standing up to be counted.
Kate... relax... you're married... you don't have to worry about consumating anything! LOL
I dunno, Jean. In a world where an Olympiad god comes a courtin' I just might find my dance card all freed up!
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