Lio by Mark Tatulli for March 14, 2013

I don’t know the crayon seller???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_and_the_Purple_Crayon

So, did Harold sell Liō a black crayon

So what’s wrong? All Lio needs is a propulsion system. Is it Harold’s fault that Lio didn’t think of this, or is it just that the crayon stopped working?

Ever since Crayola changed the formula, they never work right.

Does it have to be purple?

I grew up on Harold and his purple crayon. What I like is that it’s usually Lio doing the selling of questionable things.

It should have been Barnaby.

Things are seldom what they seem….

Harold needs to be the artist. Then both of them can jump in and take the balloon ride.

Only works on Sundays.

One time in college, I was asleep while my roommate was pulling an all-nighter. He later reported that at some point, someone knocked on the door and, still asleep, I said, “No, I can’t, there are no purple horses on the wall!” To this day, I have no idea what I was talking about.

That’s a little harsh, isn’t it?

Looks like Lio got ripped off!

and I didn’t recognize Harold selling the crayons!

“Mr O’Malley may have something to say here!!”

Something like, “Cushla macree?” (and see: http://tinyurl.com/cw9vxkv)

?…. I don’t get it.

@aynphillips, I’m glad I’m not the only one! Huhhh?!!

That’s what you get when you bring a purple crayon to a black and white toon.

Wow thanks Mark! Great to see Harold and the entire set done so well. I hadn’t thought of that book for a millions years. I don’t even think shared it with my sons. But you can bet I ’ll remember it if grandkids come along!

Thank you, Melissa. I looked up Harold and the Purple Crayon on Wikipedia and to quote the late Paul Harvey, “Now I know the REST of the story.”

Took me a while but I think it’s that Lio’s purple crayon doesn’t work the way the ones in Harold’s stories do — you draw something and it starts doing stuff. Like the hot-air balloon should have flown. In other words, Harold’s selling ordinary purple crayons, implying they are magic.

I grew up reading Harold and the Purple Crayon books and introduced my son to the animated series when he was little..I think the purple crayons only work for Harold and he knows it. Hence the No Refund sign. Shame on you Harold.

Play nice or don’t play!