Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for May 20, 2009

Let’s move on.

Someone please call me when we get to the next storyline. I’m outta here.

Beautifully drawn and composed! Jim is conveying the time of “rethinking” perfectly.

It may have been mentioned earlier, but I was just thinking about how Gertie and Earl are drawn more realistically than most of the cast (and all of the regulars). In the old days of Frank King, of course, blacks were portrayed in extreme caricature in comics, physically and in personality. When Walt found Skeezix, he hired a housekeeper who was drawn in that unfortunate manner of the time. Almost ninety years later, Walt hires another housekeeper, but realistically drawn, and fully imagined as a person with individual qualities, as well as fears, and hopes, and dreams.

I like the past, but it wasn’t always better.

That’s what it’s like when you’re in love.

Thanks for the comments, axe. I didn’t see it back then so I had no idea. I’m glad for the modern improvements!

Jim’s drawing never fails to fascinate me. And I’m enjoying the story too. Gertie is in love, no doubt about it.

Please, put us out of our misery, END this crap.

Jim’s artwork is indeed in a very exclusive class. The subtle details he crams into these tiny dailies is amazing.

In my opinion, his closest colleagues would be the team of Mark Schultz and Gary Gianni for Prince Valiant - but they (wisely) choose to limit themselves to the larger Sunday only format.

Axe, I agree with you whole-heartily. History almost repeats itself. Its getting to where I can’t wait to see tomorrows strip about Gertie and Bird.

For NotNorman: You mentioned a love for the old comics. I thought you might be interested in the Reminisce magazines. Among other things, they have a feature called “When Sundays Were Funny” which has Sunday comics from the 30’s and 40’s. Last month they had a Gasoline Alley strip featuring Skeezix and Nina, and they recently had a Dick Tracy that featured the birth of Sparkle Plenty (before Dick and Tess were married). You can find out about the magazines at Reminisce.com. Unfortunately they don’t put the comics in their website or monthly newsletter, so you would have to subscribe to the print versions, but personally I think they are worth it.

You are so right ORteka. The old movies relied more on acting than effects. Gestures, voice inflections and facial expressions rather than violence and car crashes. I like Bird but still think he’s a bum.

Just for the record, I like this story.

I like this story too. Gertie has been this selfless character, serving the needs of Walt.Now we are seeing her as a more fully developed character. Or maybe some folks want to go back to meteors falling in parking lots?

Thanks axegrinder for your comments. Times do change and this is change is a good one.

Someone should have told someone at Go Comics something which they USED to say at Gasoline Alley ALL the time - “If it ain’t broke - DON’T fix it!”

I’ve been reading GA for the last 55 years and this is by far the worst. I’ve got better things to do with my time than read something this lame. There’s nothing funny about it. I’ll return in about a month and IF it’s better then, I’ll continue at that point. Bye

This storyline is now losing steam.

I’ve been reading the posts here for months, and have finally taken the plunge. I like this storyline. I like Joel and Rufus. I like any of the Gasoline Alley storylines. Some are not as good (Slim and the Meteor) but some can be touching. And, since I can finally post here…..If you don’t like the ‘lame story line’ boogie off to another strip you enjoy and let us enjoy this one without the incessant whining.

This is ditchwizard’s friend suerisa – I’m with the folks loving this story. The drawing is beautiful. Jim S. never uses “store-bought” fill-in textures or tones. He draws every line with India ink. These portraits are so well observed and from every angle. Gertie’s eyes are wide but she is looking inward. Her visions of Bird show the tender side of him she’s tuned in to. The dollar portrait – a nice reference to Obama ! An amazingly steady output of ideas in ink. Thanks Jim !

Oh yeah, G.W. Bird!!!

Ha, axe, that’s about right. The Reminisce magazines sound interesting. Will that help me catch up? Or is there a book or Web site somebody could recommend?

BTW, I thought the meteor was hilarious. But then, I like surprises and creative humor.

I’m loving it. I think it was Stuart Gathman who called the current storyline a chick flick– that’s the kind of movie I like too. I’m also with channce and hansr in preferring character, plot and dialog to explosions. I sometimes feel the filmakers now budget for special effects, but run out of money before they get a story. ORteka, imrobert– I enjoyed your comments… I get up early and GA is now the FIRST thing I look at, even before the weather forecast! And Stringmuse: no wonder you missed the early GA strips… they ran many years before you were born.