Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for November 17, 2009

OK, here’s something odd. I did a little detective work on “The Case of the Missing Norman” (I’m the third Hardy brother), and I don’t see any sign of him as I look back (as a temporary genius). Not only is he gone now, but all his past comments also seem to be missing. Even his rants on racism from March 21, 2009. Weirder still: http://www.gocomics.com/people/index/88830

He seems to still be posting, but where are the comments going? Eerie.

Axe…perhaps enough people flagged his comments, and gocomics has now banned them (the comments, but not outright banned him as a user). Maybe his account has been set up to where he can post, but the comments just disappear into the ether…

But back to today’s comic: Haven’t I seen Gertie use a cell phone in previous strips? But then again, I suppose that would prevent the comic twists in the storyline.

It’s weird what can affect our account. If you change your avatar it changes everywhere, old and new. Same goes if you change your name. I’d say Norm may have changed both if Axe’s link didnt prove otherwise.

NotNormy-doo, where are you?

Although I have fancied myself Norman’s opposite number here, it is a little sad to think of him typing away, and clicking post comment, only to have his vitriol slide down a chute into the void. And in space, no one can hear you complain.

This site may well have a “hundred strikes and you’re out” kind of policy, and Norman would be a sure qualifier, but apparently he hadn’t been notified he was muted. He must have wondered why there were no responses to his posts. It makes me feel philosophical to ponder it: if a tree falls in a forest, or rather, if a troll posts in a forum, and nobody reads it, does it still make a rant? I like to think it does, but that’s a question with no definite answer.

Has GA become the comic strip version of the TV series “24”? i.e. Although this storyline of Bird, Gertie, et al has been going on now for months and months and months, the actual storyline timeline has consumed only about a two hour timeframe?

Somebody please ‘splain this to me.

That would be terrible if Not Norman’s comments were disappearing though he was making them. Not all of his comments were bad ones, and he does have a right to say what he wants even if we don’t agree with him. I had fun not agreeing with him! I know a lot of people I love to disagree with, they’ll say something negative about cats and I’ll give them my opinion and we go round and round and it’s fun.

Not Norman I joined your yahoo group but you never posted anything. If you’re reading this would you post something on the yahoo group so we know what’s going on?

As for Gertie, she was looking for Mr. Walt most of that time except for when she got shanghai’d into that dance thing against her will. Though Terri seems to be trying to guilt trip her, I’m glad she took care of Mr. Walt for her.

I hope that goComics uses a better qualifier for banning than simply how many people flag you. There are many people who flag a comment simply because they disagree with you. I like the comics.com ‘thumbs up/down’ feature where I can show I don’t agree without flaging someone.

RE: Todays comic. I can’t see the gang at Corkys Diner running off with Walt while Gertie is on stage. I’m sure they would have stuck around to congratulate her and show support. It’s only human nature. If I was at a theater and a friend sowed up unexpectedly and did such a great job I’d stick around. I bet you would as well.

Dypak said, about 1 hour ago, “It’s weird what can affect our account. If you change your avatar it changes everywhere, old and new. Same goes if you change your name.”

Not weird at all. This is a consequence of a good (normalized) database design.

I don’t think Corky can fire Gertie. Judy and he dumped the responsibility for Walt’s care on Skeezix. He hired Gertie. Besides, remember who got the job the last time everyone took Corky’s advice on hiring someone for Walt’s care? Eve!

Jogger - No way man, it’s not just weird, it’s down right eerie! It’s like they’re reading our minds. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The goComics police are everywhere!

Hector, well said.

Comic stories are purposely designed to be full of adventure, good, bad or humorous…not oh-hum blah. For those who want “Father Knows Best”, this is not the place to be.

Sadly there are those who can only build themselves up by tearing others down.

Lead on, Mr. Jim You’re doing just fine.

Interestingly enough, in this installment, Walt for once seems to look and act his age (around 107), rather than being in his late 80s or early 90s (and there is a difference, if you spend a lot of time around seniors, you’ll notice it). I hope that at this stage of the game that we see a lot more of him.

I’ll tell you, the great thing about a good storyteller is you feel as if the characters really are real. Really! :y It isn’t just a group like this one which reacts that way, either. I’ve been following this strip for longer than some, so you may not all remember what happened when Chipper’s twins were born ( Skeezix’s son, one of those who I would love to see back in the story line). There was a contest of sorts to name them, and the suggestions absolutely poured in. I think there may have been a similar reaction when Adam and Eve were born. We’re just another kind of soap opera fan, folks.

Macushlalondra could you post a link to Norman’s Yahoo group?

Too bad the plotting is “conspicuous”? The word “egregiously,” it is true, is usually attached to negative adjectives, but it does not in and of itself mean bad.

Dypak, I bet Norman was flagged most often for the personal attacks. I recall him calling people racists, bigots, idiots, doofuses, psychotics, twisted… granted, I remember some of those because I was the one being insulted (though I’ve forgotten all the Hebrew words he threw out there). But that wasn’t all there was to him. There were the tirelessly repetitive complaints, too. He also constantly reminded people that if they didn’t like his comments, they didn’t have to read them (though he was nimble enough to avoid his own advice when applied to his reading the strip). He was right. But ironically, I suppose that his most recent ham-handed personal attacks on another poster– whose comments he disliked but apparently read anyway– were the posts that put him on the outside looking in. Don’t worry, he’ll be back.

Hey, all you McEldowney fans, tell me what you think. A while back we were discussing a story arc where Walt begins to reminisce about the old days, especially his WWI time. Now on 9CWL Gran is telling about her days of yore in WWII. So, let’s all cry out once more for a Walt heavy story where he can tell us about the old days. It wouldnt be hard, it could start like this;

Walt says, ‘Hey Gertie. That reminds me, did I ever tell you about the time….(eerie, weird fade to days long past. Glenn Miller is on the radio and a young Walt steps into the 1930’s version of Corkies diner.)

See? Wouldnt be hard at all.

I love this comic strip, and will not ever give it up. I wish Walt could get more time before he goes to the old comics’ home, but I’ll read it no matter what.

My least favorite story arcs involve Rufus, which just gets boring. But I will still read them.

I wish they could get Walt and Frank Buckles together. They are the same age, and both saw service in WWI. I’m sure Mr. Buckles and his family would enjoy the story.

Didn’t Terry see the show?

oldbooger:

Let me ‘splain – there is no time. Let me sum up…..

The link to Not Norman’s group is

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GasolineAlley/

I’m more concerned that someone can be censored so easily. But yes, GA does appear to be seriously lacking in content with story lines that last far too long.