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June 21, 2004

Another interesting review...

Posted By Chris Crosby at 10:56 PM

Not really good OR bad, but here's one from last month I just now noticed (scroll down to get to it).

SORE THUMBS is "a pseudo-manga about politics and attempted murder"? Yeah, that sounds about right.

Posted By Chris Crosby at 4:44 PM

LINKING TO BAD REVIEWS DEPT.: "These are unattractive and bizarre little publications, the worst offender being a pseudo-manga about politics and attempted murder. Look for the angry Bush/Cheney supporter on the cover so you know what to leave behind on FCBD."

Show your support for unattractive and bizarre publications: PRE-ORDER THEM ONLINE!

June 20, 2004

It's an honor just to be nominated...

Posted By Chris Crosby at 5:29 PM

It was a pleasant surprise to see SORE THUMBS nominated for "Outstanding Newcomer Finalist" in this year's Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards (especially considering the fact that I myself neglected to participate in the nominations this year). Here's hopin' we win.

June 13, 2004

Owen and I are Democrats?

Posted By Chris Crosby at 1:55 AM

In the spirit of linking to bad reviews of SORE THUMBS, here's another one.

I don't like to comment on reviews, but I'll quickly clear up one factual error the reviewer made ("Owen Gieni and Chris Crosby are pretty much standard Democrats."): Neither Owen nor myself are Democrats. I'm an independent who dislikes the Democratic Party in general (though that's probably true of a lot of actual Democrats these days), and Owen is a Canadian. I don't think it's even possible for Canadians to be Democrats. Maybe he is a Democrat in a parallel universe.

Okay, I'll comment more. It seems the reviewer basically didn't like the comic because she doesn't think the political humor is intelligent or witty. While I am trying to write a witty comic in general, I'm not striving to write intelligent political humor. Every one of the characters is so extreme and/or stupid, that would be hard. Fairbanks makes Archie Bunker look like... um... a sane conservative (take your pick).

One person recently wrote me saying "You do know most conservatives aren't as hateful as Fairbanks, right? Love your comic by the way." Thank you, and yes, I know that. Fairbanks isn't supposed to be our view of a conservative. He isn't even supposed to be a SATIRE of a conservative. He's actually a satire of a satire of a satire (of a satire) of a conservative. He's about as politically relevant as Plastic Man. Just like this comic strip.

SORE THUMBS may be "political" (much like it is "gaming"), but it's not a platform for mine or Owen's political views. For the most part, anyway. If a character says they hate George W. Bush (my one strong political opinion), I definitely agree with that. But I don't think it's happened yet. If SORE THUMBS were about my political beliefs, every strip would feature a character defacing a photo of George W. Bush in a new and disgusting way.

My focus is not on political commentary, but on the characters and the funny. Not that either of those things are guaranteed to please everyone, either. But they're my focus. If you want to read a comic strip with intelligent political commentary, try MALLARD FILMORE.

(Thankfully, we AREN'T the lowest-graded review of the month at SEQUENTIAL TART. We might've only gotten a 4/10, but Marvel's THE PULSE #2 got a 2/10! Ha ha! Take THAT, Bendis and Bagley!)

June 12, 2004

KERRY/REAGAN IN '04!

Posted By Chris Crosby at 12:24 AM

"Dad was also a deeply, unabashedly religious man. But he never made the fatal mistake of so many politicians wearing his faith on his sleeve to gain political advantage. True, after he was shot and nearly killed early in his presidency, he came to believe that God had spared him in order that he might do good. But he accepted that as a responsibility, not a mandate. And there is a profound difference."
- Ron Reagan Jr. slyly slamming George W. Bush (who is not fit to lick Reagan Sr's cartoonishly gigantic toes) at his dad's funeral (June 11, 2004)

More fun Ron Reagan Jr. quotes...

"He's probably the least qualified person ever to be nominated by a major party. Yes, he was elected governor of Texas, and before that he ran a baseball team and lost a lot of other people's money in the oil business. But what has happened in the intervening five years to make people believe that George W. Bush would be a good president? What is his accomplishment? That he's no longer an obnoxious drunk?"

"My father had decades of experience in public life. He was president of his union, he campaigned for presidential candidates, he served two terms as governor of California -- and that was not a ceremonial office as it is in Texas. And he had already run for president, against Ford in '76, nearly unseating the sitting president in his own party. He knew where he was coming from, he had spent years thinking and speaking about his views. He didn't have to ask Dick Cheney what he thought."

"Sure, he wasn't a technocrat like Clinton. But my father was a man -- that's the difference between him and Bush. To paraphrase Jack Palance, my father crapped bigger ones than George Bush."

[MORE REAGAN-STYLE BUSH-BASHING HERE]

June 4, 2004

Enemies of the State

Posted By Chris Crosby at 6:45 PM

As Coleman might say, SCRRAAAARRRY.

June 2, 2004

"Thank you... now watch this drive." *WHACK!*

Posted By Chris Crosby at 11:43 PM

THE TRAILER IS LIVE!

Mike Wilson, eat your heart out!

June 1, 2004

"Fahrenheit 9/11" to be in U.S. theaters by Independence Day! Not only that, but by the end of THIS VERY MONTH! YIPPIE!

Posted By Chris Crosby at 6:44 PM

BREAKING NEWS from DAILY VARIETY: "Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' has landed a domestic distribution deal in time to spark plenty of July 4 and pre-election fireworks. Palme D'Or winner will be released June 25, on U.S. screens through a joint venture between Lions Gate Films, IFC Films and Harvey and Bob Weinstein's Fellowship Adventure Group."

Once again, my faith in America is renewed anew.