Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce for June 10, 2023

I hope Nate cheez doodle

Finally its Saturday now this arc is over

Too bad we can’t see the art

You don’t like kittens, Nate? I would love to see the picture of kittens!

Eh, weak ending. Honestly the arc was mostly consistent but Peirce went for limited storytelling. Instead of something fun, we got Nate being a jerk for a week without any comeuppance and it all builds up to a… reference to a 1900’s comic strip Peirce likes? Seriously?

3\10. Overall week rating: 37\60, in retrospect seems a little generous. I liked a joke here and there (specifically the first one and the shipulski one) but that’s it.

But I don’t want to just complain. Here’s how I would do this to make it just jokes but actually fun to read:First strip is exactly the same

Second has Liam who got called out feature, as the other mc of the arc. Nate shows off his drawing of himself as a beefcake, Liam mocks his vanity. Nate then points out Liam has a similar drawing. Liam claims he did it better.

Third has Nate and Liam ‘explaining’ the supposed brilliance of their art with many long words and technobabble. The final panel has Chad point at his drawing excitedly saying ‘this cow kicked my grandmother and nearly crippled her!’

Fourth has Nate and Liam continue to banter each other, only to tag team when someone else banters them. Francis thinks they’re stranger than fiction.

Fifth has the contest winner announced: Artur, with a muscular self portrait of his own. Nate and Liam react accordingly.

Finally, they are in detention. Nate insults Liam, Liam insults Nate. The bell rings and suddenly, as if it’s just a shift at work, they smile at each other and say ‘same time next week?’ Nate then says to us ‘some arch enemies are more of a hobby than work’

Garfield, Top Cat, Tom and Jerry. Short list, but it checks out

As I said, its okay. This one is a little boring, saying, Mary Ellen Popowski? She’s barely a main character in Big Nate! She’s not even a side character!3/10, boring, and not a bad arc.

Week rating overall is 25/60. Yeah, not my arc

Good one.

Goldfish With Cat by Henri Matisse

School is out. Move on.

Don’t forget Mooch from Mutts.

I wouldn’t have mentioned Garfield either.

Arc Review

Pros: A pretty good idea, it’s original and this week did have some funny jokes

Cons: I feel like the idea could’ve went further buts its ok

A- Arc

B strip

Can’t forget Felix with his bag of Tricks…….

There are a lot of famous cartoon cats out there, Nate. I know you know who Garfield is!

Strip rating: 7/10 Nate’s cluelessness in the last few panels make this a bit funny.

Garfield is my #1, Tom and Jerry #2.

A shout out to George Herriman!

For those who might be interested in real art masterpieces with felines, seehttps://artsandculture.google.com/story/10-coolest-cats-in-art-history/hAUx3jA-3nqTpA

And there is what Mark Twain called “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world”, the Löwendenkmal, aka “Lion of Lucerne”. I’ve seen it, and it’s a real punch in the gut.

Finally, there’s Weird Al’s magnificent video “Like a Surgeon”, as well as that forgettable thing of Madonna’s it’s based on.

This same exact arc has been used more than once, with some verbatim quotes. When do we get to see Nate and Daphne together?

Consider https://www.gocomics.com/thebigpicture/2023/06/10

ah i remember in another arc some art called kute kittens or something won the art competition. this arc is very similar to the other one.

Tom and Jerry.

Felix the Cat, the wonderful, wonderful cat.

There have been many famous paintings with cats, but in all history, you must realize that many early paintings had saber-tooth cats and cats featured a lot in ancient Egyptian art.

FIRST DAY OF SUMMER VACATION FOR ME THANK YOU GOD

Haha if you had Big Nate based on your art… in real life anyway, that would’ve been kinda funny

Ignatz would be throwing a brick by the end of this strip.

Edward Hicks’ “The Peaceable Kingdom".

Henri Rousseau’s “The Sleeping Gypsy”

Kliban’s “Love To Eat Them Mousies”.

Yep, Teddy absolutely nailed it.

Mary Ellen Popowski is the main character actor of Big Nate.