Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for May 12, 2010

I still say Mr.Walt is not dieing…They are a logical reason he is seing the birds and other animals.

With some trolls, one might have a sneaking admiration for their talents, however misused they may be. With others, it can be just sad to observe their trollish efforts.

Perhaps no one on this page can ever measure up to NotNormanChubsyUbsy in terms of pure, unbridled ranting and mayhem. He would insult, and then whine that he was being insulted. Attack, and then complain about being wronged and attacked. Perhaps best of all, he would tell everyone that if they didn’t like his comments, they should just skip over them, while never doing that himself– and never applying that advice to his reading of a comic strip he almost never enjoyed.

But, as I’ve said, at least he could be clever at times. He knew words, and manipulated them well. Logic was like clay in his service. One cannot take for granted that he was readable. He understood basic punctuation and capitalization, for goodness’ sake!

As with any troll, his talent paled in comparison to the art he denigrated. Only by riding Scancarelli’s coattails would his voice be heard. Norman’s work here could have stood as his personal magnum opus, a monument to his stamina for ranting and the pointless repetition of his dissatisfactions. But– in perhaps the ultimate testament to his troll credibility– all of his comments were eventually expunged. In reaching to be the best troll ever– and who doesn’t want to be the best at something?– he went too far. He made a couple of furtive returns in disguise, but his heart didn’t seem to be in it as before. As far as I know, only this leering image remains to jog one’s memory of his persona: http://assets.gocomics.com/people/index/88830

For good or ill, trolls today just don’t seem to have that kind of ability and dedication to their craft. Recent trolls are at best mere shades of Norman.

Heh, got a point there, Axe.

For my money, this constant “Death To Gertie!” swill from the same jamokes, day after day after day, got tiresome weeks ago.

My opinion - FWIW

Gertie isn’t doing all that bad a job. She’s monitoring the situation and paying careful attention to it. Side effects from meds is not enough to call for the ER.

I think it was a little much for Scancarelli to bold each “side” in the second panel. Surely his readers are not complete dolts.

It’s a comic strip, folks!

Axe-grinder, while I agree with what you say, the only real solution is to ignore the troll. They exist only to get reaction to what they say. There are a couple on Andy Capp that would drive you to drink, and one on FBOFW that’s very articulate, but reacts to the world quite similarly to NotNorman.

Well said, Axe. He was maddening, but the place was hopping when Not Norman was around. A good troll is much more than a whiner.

I just hope Gertie comes to her senses and abservers Mr. Walt more and realizes very soon the meds he is taking and get with the Dr. The Dr. would want to know about the patient and note on the chart.

I hope I not being consider a troll. I just like responding to the comic.

Kab, a troll is intentionally disruptive. I wouldn’t consider your comments to be those of a troll. :)

Walt’s fine, you’ll see!

Very well said Axe !!! Your standard troll just loves to have incorrect punctuation and pronunciation. (Doesn’t know that a name starts with a capitol letter, adds an O to the end of names…then states that its a shortcut of typing one less letter. However I don’t know where he figures that Birdo is a shortcut to Byrd) Its kind of funny that if everyone added the O for whatever in the REAL world instead of in a comic strip, could be hilarious. I know I work with one and most of his words ends with “ie” eg. benchie, lunchie, But his logical excuse is he had a slight stroke so his brain doesn’t work to full capacity.

I’ll side with everyone who think that Walt is really seeing the animals.

Ocean17 - I’m sorry, but I still don’t get it. There are several comics that I’ve quit reading because I don’t like them anymore, such as Dick Tracy, Dennis the Menace, and Katzenjammer Kids, but I don’t make a big deal out of it by going around lambasting the artist all the time.

If Gertie’s a nurse, why does she call Walt’s scrib “pills?” My care giver calls them “meds.”

Right on, stringmusicianer.

All this talk about trolls and such and no one has mentioned Gertie’s left hand in panel three. Man, that’s a tough one. I’m not roasting Mr. Scancarelli here, I know hands are tough to do. And usually he’s a master. But that left hand in the third panel freaks me out. It looks like she’s done something painful to it and needs medical aid. It’s like a right hand stuck on to the end of her left arm. It’s no where near as bad as any I’ve ever seen in Dick Tracy, but it is worthy of note. If simply because it is so unusual to see artwork like there here in Gasoline Alley. Usually the standards are much higher around here. Why, even our trolls are better behaved than the trolls in other comics.

Dypak, now that you point it out, I agree that the left hand that is drawn so well in panel one looks odd in both subsequent panels.