Basic Instructions by Scott Meyer for April 17, 2023

I would keep “Instructions”, and get rid of the “Basic” part. Or go the SNL route and call it “Weekly Affirmations” (I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and darn it, once a week people like me.)

*Dialogue

Basic Syntax.

But it’s the instructions plus the dialogue that makes the whole thing funny.

i usually read the comic twice. First only the dialogs, then the dialogs and the instructions.

Instructions? I see none. I usually read it left to right, then left to down, right to down. It is whatever the dialog makes the most sense to me. Darn English minor, making me do that.

“Decisively Non-committal” would be a great new name!

But I use the instructions to guide my life!

How about ‘Tentative Suggestions’?

I would miss the instructions, but I understand removing them. I think you still need to have the “How to” title part. How am I supposed to know what I’m being instructed to do without the instructions?

I’m a man,I never read instructions.

I love the instructions! Maybe continue to have them occasionally?

I’m betting the instructions are the hardest part.

I expect I’ll keep reading regardless, because I mainly read this for the copyright date.

Hoping Scott reads these comments.I have trouble integrating the instructions with the dialog, so I frequently read it twice, or do other things that frankly, frustrate me.How about if instead of instructions on each panel, one set of instructions bannered over the top two panels that describe the situation. It would probably be harder to write but at least for me a lot easier to understand. Tell you what, if I see this in the next few weeks I’ll buy a copy of “Brute Force” and leave in in the Sunnyside Museum. I feel like a visit to the east side anyway.

I just realized I’m missing a good part of this strip by going straight to the panels…

I thought he was changing the comic. Instructions unclear.

Our policy is to never let policy get in the way!