Birdbrains by Thom Bluemel for December 15, 2009

Good Morning Thom Thom

He does’nt have to go outside to rake the leaves.

No, but where is that bird in the tree going to leave it’s droppings?

The botanical equivalent of the elephant in the room…

Free christmas tree. Sit under and watch tv also in light of its location.

Watch out for the Squirrel in that tree

Thanks for your message – no need to apologize, but the sentiment is appreciated.

And thanks for reigning things in – the difference has been immediate and noticeable.

I find it interesting that on one hand you encourage readers to “favorite” your comic, and on the next you say that you have no affect on what readers do. It’s clear that you would not make such a request unless you believed it would have an effect.

Where we may differ the most may be our view on the type of attention a comic gets. I don’t believe controversy is always a good thing, particularly when it comes at a cost to other creators who share this site graciously, and only ask for the same in return.

In my opinion a “serious” cartoonist does not take actions that are detrimental to fellow creators. A number of people have said privately that they believe there’s an issue with the current system and would appreciate changes. Until that time comes, the system in place is all we’ve got to work with.

On a site like this, you may not always have a clear picture of whom you are talking to. Joking around is ok, and encouraged, but intentionally misrepresenting the comments of a reader, be they a casual fan, or an editor of this syndicate or another, may not be in your best interest.

And for those who in one breath throw out terms like “troll” and in the next, degrade into childish name-calling, I can only suggest you familiarize yourselves with meaning of the term. And then, bring it on – your comments are mildly comical and tell me much about you. I don’t take your comments to heart, so if that’s the best you can do, maybe you should try a little harder.

Shalamar—I have not changed anything I am doing concerning the favoriting of this strip.

I’ll let the cartoonist reply to the rest of your comments as I see there are two or three of them that are incorrect.

Shalamar - If you’re done, please be careful stepping down off your pedestal. Thom is one of the few cartoon artists that makes an effort to interact with his audience, which makes his work even more enjoyable. Some of the others are Wiley, Steve Skelton, Pab Sungenis and Teresa Burrit. As a result, these cartoons tend to be more popular on this site. Who are you to dictate to us who we should favorite and who we shouldn’t? Aren’t you simply trying to do exactly what you accuse Thom of doing - trying to impose your will on a free and open site? They have a term for that also - it’s called being hypocritical. You claim you want things “reined in” yet you post this piece of pompous diatribe. Personally, I find it insulting that you believe that I can’t think and judge for myself what I do or do not like.

I apologize to everyone here if I am adding fuel to the fire, many of you know I normally like to bask in the fun & puns, but comments like the one above irk me.

Oh and Thom - nice artwork again - is that a drop-leaf table I see next to the sofa?

i like the hard wood floor and the natural woods work.

Shalamar, Every hear that expression, “Who died and left you the boss?”

I think they have to stand under the shade tree as there isn’t too much room left. Thom Thom, very nice artwork! DigiToad, (with clapping hands) you da toad!

Very well put Digital Mistletoad. I find it more and more amazing how thin skinned some people can be. It must be very frightening to live wrapped up in such a confining cocoon. I guess that explains so much intolerance in the world.

I believe that Thom has tongue in check when

responding to some comments. His over stating

is another mark of his humor. I like him. And D.M.Toad too.

Does he rake or vacuum?

Chief Thom Thom,

You have to much pactiencts some times.

*Cranberry Saucy *- Nah, he just leaves them for Rustle, his gardner…

Since he has chosen the hardwood floor, I believe he has the luxury of vacuuming. Imagine how hard a rug would be to clean.

Dear Shalamar -

I hope YOU’RE happy now - now that I’m not the most favoritest cartoon on the planet (GoComics) anymore! I’ve been crying for the last twenty or thirty nanoseconds over this… it’s like… it’s like… well, it’s like it has always been… one day I’m the most favoritest and the next day I’m not. And then the next day I’m not… and then the next day I’m not… and then the next day and the next and the next I’m not…

I feel depressed… down… upset… betrayed… sad…

Guess I better drink some nuclear coffee and turn that frown upside down and realize - hey, I cartoon for the fun of it anyway!

And Bargrove - you have the nerve to say I speak tongues in cheek? No wait - you’re right - nevermind.

To all my readers: If you really, really feel you must “favorite” this stupid, offensive cartoon, I won’t stop you; but if you don’t REALLY, REALLY feel you must, then please understand the guilt you’ll feel for not having made Birdbrains your all-time favorite cartoon every single day may be too much for you to bear; therefore, I absolve you of any guilt and relinquish complete control to the cartoon gods. It’s okay.

Now, for Pete’s sake, get offended and have some fun doing it!

… or die laughing… the choice is yours.

Thom

i can only hope i die laughing. what a way to go! and, while you aren’t my favourite strip every day, you are from time to time - and i don’t favourite strips every day, nor do i stop at one strip if there is more than one that i particularly like. as far as i’m concerned, ALL 2 dozen or so strips i follow on a (more or less) daily basis are my favourites, and this is one of them.

Hi JOY!

I don’t get it.

I have several trees in my livingroom. Do they grow elsewhere?

Thom, I am so offended that I think this is my favoritest cartoon ever in the whole wide world, except for all the one’s that were my favorites before today of course.

Better to stand under the shade tree than to SIT under the bird’s nest!

Shade from what, ;might I ask? The lamp is UNDER the tree.

Sigh. Thom, Thom, when will you ever get things right?

Shika,

Thank you for being offended, but I have to confess, if a character (in Birdbrains) likes having a tree grow up through his floor, it’s unlikely he’ll also have a roof… so you gotta get shade from somewhere.

I’ll do my best to make things right in the future, though.

:)

Thank you for bothering to read Birdbrains.

Thomthom

just OMG……………..

I have a feeling that Chief Thom Thom puts up certain ideas in his comic panels “just because he can”.

Deal with it. :))

Everyone autumn leaf Shalamar alone, wood you? Gocomics appearantly exists for hisorher benefit only, and maply we should respect that.

a great big hello to my joy to the world miss you!! you always seem to know how to make me laugh good job.

thom Thom hey they have more of a christmas tree in there house then i do right now. no tree at all. :0(

Coyoty good job. quite funny i might add.

So, Shallowmar, you don’t like the term “troll”? How do you feel about these: arrogant, egotistical, self-righteous, hypocritical, overbearing, annoying, and let us not forget, pompous.

This is an open forum, and we are all, including you, free to post here. As has been pointed out repeatedly, you just arrived here, yet you act like you are entitled to some sort of priviledged reponse from everyone. (See list above).

Others here are much nicer than me in most cases, when it comes to ones like you, but I do not care what you think, as you likely do not care about my opinion. No one here owes you an apology, and be assured you will not get one from me. You have a lot of nerve saying that anything has been “reigned in” on your behalf. You can get back on your high horse and ride back to wherever you came from.

The reality is that I can’t dictate who you should favorite and who you shouldn’t. To try would be futile. So where is this mysterious pedestal then? Please get your facts straight. I simply asked that any “manufactured” popularity be toned down as it has an effect on all creators that graciously share this space.

You and I know very well what the response to my request most certainly should have been: a backlash of epic proportions demonstrating unparalleled support.

But guess what? Something else happened! And this site’s main page now features a nice variety of favorites, and is a more diverse place to visit. The results are (in the words of our most gracious predecessor) “way in”.

That’s not to say I don’t like this comic. I already stated otherwise. I just believe this site is for all, not just one.

And maybe you’ve experienced interaction, but my experience was quite different. I found my words twisted beyond recognition simply because I wasn’t blowing smoke up the creator’s you-know-where. That’s not interaction in my book.

Read through the comments of the other creators you mentioned. I know many of them. If they disagree with a statement made, they’ll say so, sometimes strongly, but they won’t distort the reader’s comments. They’ll also welcome all viewpoints and moderate other reader’s comments should they descend into childish attacks. They certainly will not encourage such behavior.

Pompous? I really don’t care. Diatribe? I really, really don’t care. In fact I thank you for the comic relief. If you were going for something else, as I said before, try a bit harder. You’ll get there eventually.

And yes, you may judge for yourself. You have my permission.

Thom Thom,

If the tree is to provide shade, shouldn’t it be artificial? This one is losing it’s leaves! What’s he going to do? Put a ROOF on the house, for Pete’s sake?

Oh, the shame. (Put’s bag over her head, slowly and sadly walking away.)

YO, SHALLOWMAR! I don’t need your permission for ANYTHING!

Don’t care, huh? Then why are you going to this length to blow your smoke?

Check the mirror.

Hi MoParMitch,

I don’t take offense at your comments. I understand where it is coming from. You stick up for people and that is a really good and rare trait to have. Thanks for doing that.

Shallowmar, why don’t you kiss your butt since you have your head stuck up there already?? Here’s 50 cents so you can go call someone who GIVES A RAT’S BACKSIDE WHAT YOU THINK!! Because NONE of us do!!!

Thanks JFried, and kudos to you too for sticking up for what you believe in.

What IS that sucking sound??

Cool it people! Let’s live and let live- ignore what you don’t agree with, no matter who says it.

Shalamar - I see now that instead of being upset with you, I should have felt sorry for you. It seems that while you appear to appreciate the comeraderie that many of us enjoy here, you simply don’t understand it.. The popularity here isn’t manufactured, like the respect we show for each other, it is earned, shared, and encouraged.

To paraphrase a very wise individual who spread his wisdom in the most whimsical of ways:

Then Shalamar thought of something he hadn’t before! “Maybe popularity & respect,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.” “Maybe it all…perhaps…means a little bit more!” And what happened then? Well…in BirdBrains they say, That Shalama’s small heart Grew three sizes that day!

DToad, you never cease to amaze me, Bro’

You are awesome!

Well I know where someone was! LOL!

Shalamar -

Please don’t misunderstand my sarcasm. Evidently, most readers on this site get it - evidently, others don’t. Hey, I’m a cartoonist - you didn’t expect me to get all SERIOUS, did you?

Anyway, here’s the bottom line. I do NOT control or even attempt to control how my cartoons are “favorited.” I like it and I encourage it, but I can’t control it. (You also have my permission to favorite Birdbrains - but do so sincerely, PLEASE). I have not attempted to “manufacture” my cartoon’s popularity. I have tried to make it the best cartoon I know how and I feel honored many have found it worthy of their time. I hope that’s the reason it has been a favorite - because I know of no other reason to do so.

I appreciate all the drama we’ve had recently - I think we all do (okay, I’m being tongue in cheeky now), but seriously, NOBODY is controlling Birdbrains’ popularity. I think you may have actually and really offended many readers who genuinely like the cartoon by indicating their enthusiasm might be artificial. I certainly hope their enthusiasm and support is genuine because that’s what I believe - it’s like laughter - I enjoy it even when it’s faked (oops, got all sarcastic again - sorry).

Seriously, I think I just had a few good cartoons when you signed up for GoComics. I don’t apolgize for that, but if you had been here six months ago or two years ago, you’d know it hasn’t always been so. In fact, it was hardly ever so!

And to Digital Mistletoad, all I can say is —

BRILLIANT!!!

Now let’s all just have fun - that, after all, is the purpose here. And Shalamar, if that’s not your purpose, I respectfully request you find other cartoons that are a more serious flavor. This crowd likes having fun.

Thank you all for eyeballing Birdbrains.

Thom, sarcasticly offensive :)

Chief Thom Thom, I am quite certain that the Tribe’s admiration for you and your comic is indeed sincere.

What’s all the hubbub? Is someone being offensive here? because a lot of the comment’s look pretty defensive.

Hey, we went over 50 in comments here. Thank you Shalamar! Your misconception of both Gocomics and of me helped that along nicely. Other than that nothing changed here, pal.

A member since December 10. You indeed make such a great impression.

Thom, is the tree related to the floor?

Because of these recent diaTRIBES, I learned more about the workings of this site. All along I’ve just been reading my favorite cartoons, finding new favorites, and interacting with fans (and cartoon creators!). I thought that was plenty to do.