*From “History of the World, Part 1”
Marcus: I say Chemist. Can you help me?
Chemist: What are you looking for?
Marcus: A pack of Trojans.
Chemist: I just ran out.
Then there’s the metric unit: if one Helen of beauty can launch 1000 ships, one milihelen is enough beauty for one ship, and one microhelen will entice one sailor to wolf-whistle…
The funny thing is, that when the second ship was ‘launched’…there was no Paris, or an Eiffel Tower. There was also no Rome yet either, since neither had been built yet. France and Italy didn’t exist yet. In Helen’s day, Italy was called ‘Latium’ and we only have Homer’s word for it.
Cheers
And sometimes when there are too many ships, the sailors have to go to Helen Waite. And, actually, Iphigenia was the one who launched a thousand ships, but she wasn’t as pretty as her aunt, so nobody remembers her. (And looking at how the family turned out, Helen was smart to flee to Troy or Egypt or wherever… For all the trouble she caused, she was a pretty good egg.)
The Paris sticker in the last frame is an extra joke, it has nothing to do with the city. In the myth, it was ‘Paris’, son of King Priam of Troy, who abducted Helen and started the li’l Trojan skirmish. But since it’s all ‘bon voyage’ and such, I thought it’d be cute.
It’s just a little nod and wink.
And those little “nods and winks” are just one of the many reasons I love this strip! I minored in mythology in college so its awesome seeing those little bits now and then :)
TheSkulker over 15 years ago
OK, now you’re making it too simple, Justin. Even I get the reference.
Edcole1961 over 15 years ago
I’m afraid that’s an Agamem non-starter. Troy harder next time!
Jml58 over 15 years ago
The face that launched a thousend ships, might not be so pretty afterwards.
Joe_Minotaur over 15 years ago
*From “History of the World, Part 1” Marcus: I say Chemist. Can you help me? Chemist: What are you looking for? Marcus: A pack of Trojans. Chemist: I just ran out.
Nebulous Premium Member over 15 years ago
A relative of hers worked at the cathedral. I don’t remember his name, but his face rings a bell.
Ed Brault Premium Member over 15 years ago
Are the guys in the last ship going to stay at the Paris Hilton?
Ed Brault Premium Member over 15 years ago
When the defenders at Thermopolae swore, was that a Sparta-cuss?
ChiehHsia over 15 years ago
OW! OW! OW! Make them stop!
Chanticleer over 15 years ago
When they hire Helen to do this, is it called a Facebook?
AHAHAHAHAaaaa…I’m sorry.
Great strip, Justin!
mivins over 15 years ago
Is that “bamf” a nod to Nightcrawler?
Joe_Minotaur over 15 years ago
The face that “BAMF’D!” a thousand ships.
Joe_Minotaur over 15 years ago
Do cell phones work on cruise ships? Are there roaming charges?
bmonk over 15 years ago
Then there’s the metric unit: if one Helen of beauty can launch 1000 ships, one milihelen is enough beauty for one ship, and one microhelen will entice one sailor to wolf-whistle…
BugsMoran over 15 years ago
The funny thing is, that when the second ship was ‘launched’…there was no Paris, or an Eiffel Tower. There was also no Rome yet either, since neither had been built yet. France and Italy didn’t exist yet. In Helen’s day, Italy was called ‘Latium’ and we only have Homer’s word for it. Cheers
TWAdair over 15 years ago
And sometimes when there are too many ships, the sailors have to go to Helen Waite. And, actually, Iphigenia was the one who launched a thousand ships, but she wasn’t as pretty as her aunt, so nobody remembers her. (And looking at how the family turned out, Helen was smart to flee to Troy or Egypt or wherever… For all the trouble she caused, she was a pretty good egg.)
Justjoust Premium Member over 15 years ago
The Paris sticker in the last frame is an extra joke, it has nothing to do with the city. In the myth, it was ‘Paris’, son of King Priam of Troy, who abducted Helen and started the li’l Trojan skirmish. But since it’s all ‘bon voyage’ and such, I thought it’d be cute. It’s just a little nod and wink.
j
Teresa Stafford Premium Member over 15 years ago
And those little “nods and winks” are just one of the many reasons I love this strip! I minored in mythology in college so its awesome seeing those little bits now and then :)
l-d about 14 years ago
She gives them a head start…