Call up Grissom! We're huntin' evidence.
All right. Luann is going to have to wait, because we are going to get sidetracked by Blondie. I'll go back to discussing the N&O comics a little later. But for now, we are going to collect evidence about what era Dagwood and Blondie live in.
Emily posted a link to the last post. Now, I couldn't get the link to work, but I think that she is referring to this (correct me if I'm wrong, Emily):
Now, this is just confusing on so many levels. Who the heck is Adolph Valentino? I am guessing that that is the "joke." That Dagwood actually means Rudolph Valentino. So I did a Google search for "Adolph Valentino," and Google said, "Did you mean: "Rudolph Valentino"?" And, yes, I think I did, and I think Dagwood did, too.
Of course it's not funny. And, the fact that the name he accidentally uses is "Adolph" is a bit disturbing. Not to say:
1) Everyone named Adolph is/was a genocidal Nazi murdering freak.
2) You have to be 80 to know who Rudolph Valentino was.
It's just weird. Now, the issue here isn't whether Dagwood's a neo-Nazi (which I don't think is the case). The issue is: When do they live? Yes, I think I could make a reference to Rudolph Valentino and people of my age (and younger) would know that I am talking about the silent film star of the NINETEEN TEENS and TWENTIES!!! But I probably wouldn't make such a reference unless I was intentionally trying to be retro. But Dagwood doing it seems rather Now-tro (TM A Mighty Wind).
So, did the creator use this reference to confuse us? Here are ways it could be updated to a more-recent era.
"I know ... sometimes I'm a regular Garry Grant, Mark Gable, John Connery, Don Cruise, Ken Affleck ..."
So why did they choose a guy who did SILENT FILMS and died in 1926?? Are D&B even older than my grandmother??
This strip started in 1930, but according to the website, "Produced today under the direction of the creator's son, Dean Young, the strip has continued to keep up with the times." To which I ask, how exactly?
Folks, we are looking for evidence -- post here or email me at bigalscomicblog@yahoo.com. Let me know if you see things that are evidence they live in current times, or in the 1920s (like here) or the 1950s (like Blondie's bridge club).
And I know I don't have Blondie's bridge club posted, but she and Dagwood are sitting in the EXACT SAME location in their living room with Daisy (the Dog) also in the exact same spot as they are in this one. Is that sort of like their retro-area? And whenever the creator wants to remember the good old days of . . . uhm, silent movies and bridge clubs . . . Dagwood and Blondie sit in their living room?
Emily posted a link to the last post. Now, I couldn't get the link to work, but I think that she is referring to this (correct me if I'm wrong, Emily):
Now, this is just confusing on so many levels. Who the heck is Adolph Valentino? I am guessing that that is the "joke." That Dagwood actually means Rudolph Valentino. So I did a Google search for "Adolph Valentino," and Google said, "Did you mean: "Rudolph Valentino"?" And, yes, I think I did, and I think Dagwood did, too.
Of course it's not funny. And, the fact that the name he accidentally uses is "Adolph" is a bit disturbing. Not to say:
1) Everyone named Adolph is/was a genocidal Nazi murdering freak.
2) You have to be 80 to know who Rudolph Valentino was.
It's just weird. Now, the issue here isn't whether Dagwood's a neo-Nazi (which I don't think is the case). The issue is: When do they live? Yes, I think I could make a reference to Rudolph Valentino and people of my age (and younger) would know that I am talking about the silent film star of the NINETEEN TEENS and TWENTIES!!! But I probably wouldn't make such a reference unless I was intentionally trying to be retro. But Dagwood doing it seems rather Now-tro (TM A Mighty Wind).
So, did the creator use this reference to confuse us? Here are ways it could be updated to a more-recent era.
"I know ... sometimes I'm a regular Garry Grant, Mark Gable, John Connery, Don Cruise, Ken Affleck ..."
So why did they choose a guy who did SILENT FILMS and died in 1926?? Are D&B even older than my grandmother??
This strip started in 1930, but according to the website, "Produced today under the direction of the creator's son, Dean Young, the strip has continued to keep up with the times." To which I ask, how exactly?
Folks, we are looking for evidence -- post here or email me at bigalscomicblog@yahoo.com. Let me know if you see things that are evidence they live in current times, or in the 1920s (like here) or the 1950s (like Blondie's bridge club).
And I know I don't have Blondie's bridge club posted, but she and Dagwood are sitting in the EXACT SAME location in their living room with Daisy (the Dog) also in the exact same spot as they are in this one. Is that sort of like their retro-area? And whenever the creator wants to remember the good old days of . . . uhm, silent movies and bridge clubs . . . Dagwood and Blondie sit in their living room?
posted by big al at 12:57 PM
3 Comments:
Al, that was exactly the comic I was thinking! I'll look for more Blondie carbon-dating evidence!
--Emily
I'll be on the look out for carbon dating as well, but I think the hairstyles are significant. Also, I think the golf clubs he uses look like something pre-WWII...
John
I read the "background on the Bumsteads" that was linked on the
King Features site. I'd LOVE to see the old strips of Blondie flightily digging for gold and swinging around town with multiple beaux. It seems that the strip just stopped updating in 1950/1960 or so, because Cookie was allegedly born in 1941...
SHE'S OLDER THAN MY MOTHER!
--Emily.
Post a Comment
<< Home