Frazz by Jef Mallett follows the adventures of an unexpected role model: an elementary-school janitor who's also a Renaissance man. While he's sweeping the hall, he's whistling Beethoven. Or Lyle Lovett. He paints the woodwork in the classrooms; he paints a Da Vinci on the cafeteria wall. He's a trusted authority figure who is every kid's buddy. He took the janitor's job while he was a struggling songwriter, and when he finally sold a hit song, he decided to stay on at school. Frazz appears in 200 newspapers worldwide, including the Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune and Detroit News. "A few years back, I wrote and illustrated a children's book," says Mallett. "When I was traveling around reading it at school assemblies, I noticed that often, the most respected, best-liked grown-up in the building was the janitor. And I thought, 'Hmm, there's a comic strip in that.'" Often praised for its intelligent wit, gentle spirit and effortless diversity, Frazz won a Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council in 2003 and 2005 for excellence in communicating values and ethics.
© Jef Mallett - All Rights Reserved.
Frank & Ernest by Thaves
Fred Basset by Alex Graham
Comments (50) (Please sign in to comment)
Single Male said, 12 months ago
See, in Caulfield’s line in the last panel, where the word “one” is on its own line? Typographically speaking, a hanging word like that is undesirable, but I can’t help but notice how easy it would have been to move it up to the line before… It’s almost like it was moved down intentionally.
In typesetting, such words are called orphans (some call them widows). In this Memorial Day strip, is this little orphan a subtle, solemn nod to those orphans and widows of war?
I like to think so, but I’m probably just reading into it way too much.
The Old Wolf
said, 12 months ago
Either way, it’s a lovely tribute.
Editer63 said, 12 months ago
hmm you may be right.
coolvq said, 12 months ago
@Single Male
Interesting observation! I’m glad you pointed it out.
coolvq said, 12 months ago
@GoldenRoya
Amen!!
Nabuquduriuzhur said, 12 months ago
I think Mallett wrote exactly what he meant— on several levels— and I applaud.
.
Writers use many things that are not “accepted” grade school grammar in order to achieve some type of effect in their readers. When I’ve written an op-ed or other opinion piece, I will use what would be considered sentence fragments for the purpose of achieving some effect.
In this op-ed, for example, I used single, simple sentences, spaced apart, to heighten the impact. (I note in passing that I didn’t pick the title.)
http://www.wnd.com/2010/12/245101/
uh-oh
said, 12 months ago
Keep [y buried.
Pacopuddy said, 12 months ago
This is very poignant,
Here in England, when those coffins come back through Wooten Bassett, and the whole town lines the streets in silent respect, it breaks my heart – this is someone’s child -someone’s husband, brother, father . . .
And if you have ever seen troops come back – they are so YOUNG. All of that promise and potential, and they are prepared to lose it to protect the lives of others (or for the whims of a politician!). What a tragic waste.
Richard S. Russell said, 12 months ago
All we really need is ONE person to remember it — a person who’s in a position to bring HOPE to 80,000 brave Americans by bringing CHANGE to the calamitous counterproductive carnage in central Asia that we were lied into and haven’t had the guts or brains to get out of. Know anyone like that?
x_Tech
said, 12 months ago
This the local memorial to the soldiers killed in Iraq.
Click on image for more.
The above images are not intended as a political statement, simply as a memorial.
dataweaver said, 12 months ago
Richard S. Russell: I know that Memorial day isn’t the appropriate time to be trying to make political hay. Let’s put aside our differences for now, agree that war is tragic whether it’s just or unjust, and get back to our usual political bickering tomorrow. OK?
vwdualnomand said, 12 months ago
war, a scourge of mankind. why oh why do clueless leaders think that war is a game? for all those political pundits who want war, send them over to afghanistan and do a combat operation. if they say they have an excuse, tell them the rumsfeld line that one goes to war with what they have.
Varnes said, 12 months ago
Instead of remembering wars,I prefer to remember that it’s always out best people that get it in the neck. Less war please.
Cantankerous Coot said, 12 months ago
I hate English teachers!
icky mudd said, 12 months ago
no more ‘War’.