Shrubville

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December 31, 2006

Goodbye 2006, and Good Riddance

And you can go to hell too, Saddam.

TODAY'S STRIP

In a bizarre, twisted way this is a perfect end to 2006 in Prickly City. The smug Carmen has to admit that the Republicans are losers, and thanks to losing a bet she made with Winslow she ends up playing Baby New Year at what I'm guessing is the Prickly City Year End Festival of Lights and Sound For Make Benefit of Glorious Nation of U.S. and A.

I don't think I'm alone in saying that Carmen is the CREEPIEST. BABY. EVER. What the heck is up with her Fred Flintstone feet? And the top hat that almost disappears in the ever-expanding part in her hair? At least Winslow is looking rather dapper.

Looking back at my entry on the eve of 2006, it seems as though the Future Goggles were pretty busted up because they didn't get anything right. Carmen and Winslow never ran for mayor. Stantis never went after guys like Delay and Frist, even though now he's claiming that he's not really a Republican. Winslow didn't run for any other political offices, which was a shame (and would have required more than one strip of Winslow standing in the desert saying "I'm going to run for the Senate!" which is something Stantis seems incapable of doing or too lazy to attempt). Fortunately we didn't invade Iran and/or Syria, but considering the war drums are getting pounded pretty loudly by the likes of Bill Kristol and Joe Lieberman I wouldn't be shocked to see it happen in 2007. In other words, I was 0-fer on my predictions. Mainly because Stantis was too busy bitching about technology and celebrities than producing actual political commentary in his political comic strip.

What does 2007 hold for Prickly City? I fear slapping on the Future Goggles again since they worked so poorly last year. But as Stantis would say, AHHHHHH what the hell, here goes nothing:

- Carmen becomes a vindictive bitch, blaming Winslow for EVERYTHING: the failures in Iraq, the failures in Afghanistan, the failures in North Korea, the failures in Northern Africa - like I said, everything. Of course the Dems haven't had any real power for four years, but that won't stop Carmen from blaming them for everything bad that's happened under Bush's watch.
- In response Winslow will agree and apologize, but not before he's made to look like a complete idiot. What, you were expecting Stantis to give him an actual backbone now that the Dems are in charge? Silly reader.
- The year will start off with a day-only strip talking about President Ford being the Greatest President Ever thanks to his "healing the nation" after Watergate by giving his friend a free pass on everything illegal he did. It'll be followed up by a day-only strip talking about Saddam being hanged. Then the next three days will be about Jessica Simpson flubbing that Dolly Parton song, Britney starting to wear panties again, and how Carmen got a new cell phone for X-mas and how bad technology is. In other words, it won't be any different than a typical week in 2006.

I know that isn't much, but this is Scott Stantis we're talking about here. He's firmly in "don't care" mode. Stantis spent most of 2006 slapping together last-minute strips without any real substance or commentary. Would it be too much to ask that Carmen and Winslow DO something other than run in the desert talking about stuff? At least at the beginning of the year Winslow went off to hang with a pack of coyotes and Stantis introduced his illegal immigrant replacement. But as the year went along Stantis simply stopped trying. He does seem somewhat friskier now that he's back from surgery and has actually made Carmen the butt of a few jokes, but will that continue on after the Dems are in charge of Congress? Doubtful. If I truly want to slap on the Future Goggles, here's what every Prickly City will look like in 2007:

Carmen and Winslow stand in the desert. Carmen says, "Hey did you hear about _____?" Winslow won't respond. Carmen will proceed to tell him about whatever "___" is. Winslow will make a lame joke, and Carmen will follow it up with a lamer joke. Then on Sundays we'll get one big colorful panel that might be a sight gag with a lame joke. Rinse and repeat. And repeat. And repeat. For 365 days.

And we here at the Ville of the Shrub will continue to make fun of it, hopefully with a little more variety and few more actual jokes. And hopefully without going completely insane.

Happy New Year everybody.

Comments

Posted by: Charles Brubaker at December 31, 2006 10:42 AM