Pibgorn by Brooke McEldowney

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Margueritem said, about 1 year ago

Meanwhile, back at the portal…
Margueritem said, about 1 year ago

Inky does have a nice tush.
Nabuquduriuzhur said, about 1 year ago

Imagine being attacked by a giant fly…
UncaAlby said, about 1 year ago

Worse than that –
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Imagine being attacked by a giant fly – and losing!
UncaAlby said, about 1 year ago

Helll-lll-llo – is Geoff heading for the exit – or the portal??
Margueritem said, about 1 year ago

Good question, Unca Alby. It doesn’t look very solid outside that door.
UncaAlby said, about 1 year ago

Check out Monday’s 9CWL –
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Looks like Amos has finally grown some cajones!
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One of my long-standing complaints against McEldowney’s works is that every male character is a wuss. The women come in a wide variety from strong to weak, but the men are invariably weak.
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The one male he finally introduces with some internal strength of character turns out to be gay. Aiiiyiie, the irony!
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I’ve never expressed that opinion before, having not known of any forum where I could express it – and I didn’t want to trouble Mr. M. over it – so maybe Mr M. picked up my psychic waves? Is Amos going to turn out to be that missing heterosexual male with strength?
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Or is this only temporary because Amos is pissed?
Margueritem said, about 1 year ago

It’s very quiet here tonight. Everyone must have gone to bed early.
Margueritem said, about 1 year ago

Edda seems to like it.
Nugget0 said, about 1 year ago

UncaAlby - Let me say that I believe Thorax is a strong male, though maybe not human, character. I also like Monty.
The Old Wolf said, about 1 year ago

I think Geoff is heading for the glowing monitor that Inky came out of.

Inky’s a demon, but I think even he’d be creeped out by a giant fly attacking his face. Luciano seems to have bought them some time.

Go, Luciano!

Ooh, and Go Amos!
UncaAlby said, about 1 year ago

Thorax? Ehhh.
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Over the life of the strip, it’s only been lately that it seems he might actually be from outer space, vs. just some loony old farmer. Before that, everything pointed to his being loony – then for a while there, it was ambiguous – then, a little after the debut of Pibgorn, it turns out maybe he really is from outer space after all.
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Except for when it’s inconvenient, then he claims he’s just loony.
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Nah. You can count him as a strong male character if you want. I don’t.
Skulker said, about 1 year ago

OK, out of the lurker closet … I’ve been following and archiving Pib & Edda for years and only recently discovered this forum. Now it takes an extra hour or so each day for my addiction.

IMHO Inky seems to be a bit out of character. Luciano, or any giant insect, would be creepy on anyone’s face and the immediate first reaction would be to pull or swat it off. It’s been at least 10-15 seconds since Luciano’s attack (time for Geoff to recover, go to Pib and pick her up) so why is Inky still in shock with arms asunder? Inky may have been surprised but he’s hardly a wimp or indecisive! Artistic license I guess.

Geoff does seem to be going towards the door to the room with the glowing monitor/portal (notice the door handle), and the wall on the right is the one that Luciano & Geoff had their back to when Inky entered the room. (The only other door that we’ve seen leads to the alley and has a much different view.) But why enter a trap? Geoff doesn’t know about the game or that the monitor’s a portal. We never saw any other doors in that room so to him there would be no way out. ???

Also, speaking of character - Roger in last Friday’s strip is hell bent on leaving. What about his true love Satori? Is blood so thick that he would rescue the twerp rather than his amore’? A bit too rapid a switch methinks.

Re 9CWL, it’s nice to see Amos have some backbone but what precipitated the outburst? The last interaction we saw was his request for Edda to accompany him in Brussels and that was some (9CWL) time ago. McE usually has better buildup.
Fairportfan said, about 1 year ago

Again, i’ll say that Geoff is hardly weak. Quiet and self-effacing - a touch oversocialised, mayhap, but not weak.
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Consider the way in which he was driving himself - even though he knew he was dying - to finish transcribing the “Requiem”. Ask Orlando Pick or the anatomist for character references…
ozzimandius said, about 1 year ago

I’ld say Inky is not hesitant, more likely he is incapable of movement due to Lucianos hither too as yet unknown Paraletic sting.
shill35 said, about 1 year ago

I’d hate to have a giant fly attached to my face, especially that one considering where he’s been hanging out at.
ThatCat said, about 1 year ago
- Skulker said, “But why enter a trap? Geoff doesn’t know about the game or that the monitor’s a portal.”*
Geoff saw Inky come out of it, and he’s fairly intelligent enough to not want Inky out in the streets - endangering others - perhaps thinks this portal is some place Pib would be able to control better - if he can only get her away and awake. ? I dunno, but I like that he is a thinker, and not a Rambo. We just don’t know what he is thinking yet.

”Re 9CWL, it’s nice to see Amos have some backbone but what precipitated the outburst? The last interaction we saw was his request for Edda to accompany him in Brussels and that was some (9CWL) time ago. McE usually has better buildup.”
Amos totally knows Edda inside and out. He can see right through her refusal to be his accompanist as her being a total brat. He’s just letting her know it won’t work. No buildup necessary - this is SOP for them.
Orgelspieler said, about 1 year ago

Yay Geoff! It’s about (crude gerund) time. Don’t worry about him and the video game… we organists have been improvising with cutting edge technology for centuries. He’ll be fine.

ccdesan… actually, the oboe joke from friday isn’t bad. It’s better than what Mozart said about flutists.
DroptmaStyx said, about 1 year ago

9CWL: (And this is full-bore geek) I find Edda’s use of the word “arousing”, well … arousing.
r80 said, about 1 year ago

Cue music: William Tell Overture on slightly out of tune B flat tuba. Go Geoff!!
cfortunato said, about 1 year ago

You KNOW that Geoff has to get into the game. Why I’m not sure, but for the purpose of the plot, he has to. If I was him, I’d gang up on Inky.

Oh, and as for weak male, there are PLENTY of strong males. There all just villains and demons, that’s all.
Bob said, about 1 year ago

Been a lurker for a while now. Decided I needed to thank CCDESAN. Went back thru the PIB archives before the restrictor was put in place. Now I can go way back (28 SEP 1998) with 9CWL. Thanks for the link to the Houston Chronicle you posted on FRI.
I know what I’ll be doing for the next few days. More later. UB
HPhil said, about 1 year ago

How come Luciano’s got pupils? Not very fly-like eyes - but he seems to be using them to great effect on Inky … maybe Inky’s been mesmerized.
Bob said, about 1 year ago

Does everybody’s message show up green on their own computer?? Checked on another pc and it’s blue like all the others. Hmmm
Emlyn said, about 1 year ago

Uh, oh, Geoff. Wrong exit.

Inky’s bod looks fabulous. No offense, but his face can only be improved by being covered by a giant fly. He looked very handsome in the “What dreamscape is this?” panel, but he often looks like some sort of doofus.
Emlyn said, about 1 year ago

I believe that your message is green if you are logged in, otherwise it looks like all the others.
Anyol'tomcat said, about 1 year ago

Reckon Luciano is a Fairy being and just has some fly-like features. He apparently has strong breath–Geoff comments on this in the first adventure–but insects don’t breathe through their mouths/”noses”. They have spiracles up and down their bodies, if memory serves. L. may be overpowering Inky with this breath. He has little fear of powerful beings–he walloped Dru with the quarterly report in the first adventure and easily evaded her power surge–6-9 July 2002. This sequence, by the way, was the 1st hint that she has fangs.

My comments always stay green so assume everyone else’s do as well.
pibfan868 said, about 1 year ago

Actually I suspect that Geoff is taking Pib outdoors—anyone else get that concept?
Luciano has never looked like a real fly, so definitely he’s got something special going on with those eyes!
Poms said, about 1 year ago

Go Geoff! (hehehe - William Tell Overture - works here).

Do not follow the light! Stay away from the light!!

How would a person/demon swat a 37 lb fly from their face - especially one with such a grip?
jimbo1949 said, about 1 year ago

Skulker sez: Also, speaking of character - Roger in last Friday’s strip is hell bent on leaving.
Seems to me that Roger entered the game to rescue Lena and that’s what he’s doing
Bucky Katt said, about 1 year ago

Seems Inky would try to swat Luciano away - but it could be the fly is drawing upon abilities heretofore undisclosed.
macFicheallaigh said, about 1 year ago

Wow – Pibgorn is about to enter the game world but this time as a player rather than a portal channel. Dru is still there – should be interesting.

Male roles in 9CWL – I’ve noted that too, that males tend to play weaker roles, including comic relief. Geoff can be that way, but we’ve also seen that he can rise to considerable heights.

Some thoughts – both Pibgorn and 9CWL are women’s stories, and the women are often the main heroines. That sort of fits. There’s also a streak of romanticism running through all the story arcs, and a part of the male perspective is to put women up on a pedestal. Maybe that’s part of it too.

Seth – I think Brooke is deliberately poking fun at our stereotypes. There he is, a strong masculine figure, but he’s Arnold Schwarzenegger in tights.

Although lately he’s been a bit petty.
Frida Bonita said, about 1 year ago

Oh it is so sad but true! Geoff reminds me of “Mr Limpet.” He is a misguided Don Knotts, oye…… What an incredible world.
TiggerLeBounce said, about 1 year ago

At least Pibby’s not all mixed up with Dru now.
Frida Bonita said, about 1 year ago

OMG! I was outside walking my woodle, (90 LBS puppy, labradoodle) and this thought came to me, how big is this portal? On the other side Lena and Roger are rushing out and now it looks like we have Geoff and Pib running in from reality side; KABAM!!
The Old Wolf said, about 1 year ago

@Bob: Just paying it forward, it was another kind forumite who turned me on to the Chronicle.

@Progan01: I was laughing at Tumbleweeds back in 1972 - losing it was a great loss. Yes, I noticed Skulker’s icon at once and it gave me a grin.

@Fridabonita: Wouldn’t it be great if Mr. McE echoed the Dagwood/Mailman gag? I laughed just thinking about it. WHAM!

@MacF: I’d agree that these strips are “chick flicks” in print, but there’s a lot of us guys who aren’t afraid of their sensitive side. The others are just missing out. I can’t remember if we’ve discussed Wapsi Square over here, or if it was on another forum. Wonderful mix of very creative fantasy, delightful artwork and well-developed characters. (Hush, you rascals, that’s not what I meant.)
macFicheallaigh said, about 1 year ago

Oh, I agree, Geoff is a bit of a limp dishrag, but I think that was a part of the humor at the start of the Pibgorn saga.

Here’s this quiet guy, a staunch Episcopalian and organist for the parish, living your basic Episcopalian life (I have an Episcopalian background myself and really enjoyed Brooke’s wit on this). All of sudden Geoff’s quiet world is turned upside down by the antithesis of everything he lives for, magical creatures from a magical realm. His girlfriend is a demon, and he falls in love with a fairy. His house is burned down, his former girlfriend seduces his parish priest. Geoff’s basic character only heightens the comedy.
elfinelvin said, about 1 year ago

I think we’re talking about two kinds of strength. Demons and male ballet dancers (gay or not) have great physical strength. Guys like Geoff and Roger are very courageous. Looks like Amos is joining that last group. Go Amos!
txmystic said, about 1 year ago

ccdesan: Dagwood and the mailman will be spending many years in traction…if they would ever age, that is…

I was wondering when we would switch back to the scene at the portal. Maybe once Geoff and Pib get into that room we can see more of it…if indeed there is anything else to see, wasn’t the computer Spitcock used to trap Dru in the same room as Luciano and the incubus?

I love how Luciano is fully focussed on what he is doing…and what exactly a 37-lb fly can do to a face when angered gives me the heebie-jeebies!

Re: Amos/9CWL–anyone notice that the middle frame of today’s edition was the one posted at the top of Brooke’s blog regarding unwarranted colorization? Whatever Amos feels about Edda’s wonts, Brooke feels about such colorization. No wonder they went back to B&W so quickly! Go Amos/Brooke/Geoff/Luciano!!!!
elfinelvin said, about 1 year ago

Luciano is a comic strip fly. He not only has human breathing apparatus, he can talk.

If he did have a multitude of eyes, can you imagine them all in your face?

I think he’s knocked Inky off balance and that’s why his arms have spread out.
macFicheallaigh said, about 1 year ago

Maybe this is the idea of the strong male hero in Pibgorn/9CWL, wimps, geeks, and Episcopal organists, who play back up to the heroine but are capable of surprising feats of heroism on their own?

Luciano is an example, his love for Pibgorn pushes him to attack a powerful demonic figure.

I don’t think Geoff is abandoning Luciano – it was a plan that fell into place without planning. Luciano distracts Inky, Geoff makes off with Pib. Luciano will be ok, he can take care of himself.
Frida Bonita said, about 1 year ago

ccdesan: Dagwood; I’m cracking up just thinking about it. Let’s hope Roger gets some threads.

elfinelvin: I’m with you, GO AMOS!!

txmystic: You would think they are in the same room. Pib was hooked up to the computer. Inky extracted her where she fell to the floor. Seems like it’s all happening in that one space.
macFicheallaigh said, about 1 year ago

More thoughts – talk about blind heroisim on Geoff’s part. He has no idea where the portal will take him to, but he’s going to walk through it with Pib.

Foolish recklessness, or gallantry flying blind, without instruments?
elfinelvin said, about 1 year ago

We don’t need to see the “furniture”. Inky was standing in front of Dru and the computer would have been behind him. I guess there’s no undo for taking Pib out, he had to do it manually. :>)
The Old Wolf said, about 1 year ago

For those who were wondering about color, Mr. McE has posted his promised essay at http://officialpibgorn.livejournal.com. It includes some great hi-rez versions.
Poms said, about 1 year ago

Since Geoff is heading into the room with the monitor(s), is the room the portal? or would Geoff have to go through the monitor as Roger and Lena did?

Will Geoff be able to watch the “game” on the monitor and see what is happening to Dru, Satori, Roger and Lena?

Doubt he would really understand what is happening even if could see them.

I agree with MacFich - Geoff took advantage of the distraction to get Pib out of the way. Luciano is capable of taking care of himself, and with his acute sense of smell, may be discover who Inky is (going back to Spitcock/Inky duality idea).

This strip surely makes Mondays more enjoyable.
txmystic said, about 1 year ago

ccdesan says:

For those who were wondering about color, Mr. McE has posted his promised essay at http://officialpibgorn.livejournal.com. It includes some great hi-rez versions.

Very interesting…in the B&W version, Amos’ sweater is white, suggesting a light color, while in Brooke’s imagined color version, it is blue-violet. That suggests to me he means it when he says it is difficult to imagine the same cartoon simultaneously as B&W and color…they really are distinct. I like the extra shading provided for an emotional backdrop (which we enjoy daily in Pibgorn)…it would interest me now to see how he’d color the nonverbal full-frame cartoons.
Tombstone1881 said, about 1 year ago

Maybe Luciano is whispering Crewth’s Quarterly Financial Report in Inky’s ear…
cfortunato said, about 1 year ago

I notice that the shaded background - which looks GREAT in color - doesn’t translate well to grayscale. If it should ever be done this way, the background color as well as the facial color should be removed before conversion.
UncaAlby said, about 1 year ago

Re: Geoff as a “strong” male character.
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Nope nope nope. Ain’t buyin’ it.
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Yah, sure, when the chips are down, you can count on him to rise to the occasion. But he’s more often the “damsel in distress” to be rescued by Dru or Pib, or just a bystander watching all the action from a relatively “safe” distance.
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Even in the old movies where the damsel in distress was a damsel, she’d occasionally step in at the last minute to save the day. But she otherwise spent her time being rescued, not rescuing.
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Geoff serves more as the explanatory link between the world of magic and our “real” world. I.e., the magical creatures don’t have to explain anything to each other coz they know it already, but they *do* have to explain things to Geoff – and hence, to the audience.
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Just my opinion of course. Your mileage may vary.