Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson for May 05, 2012

Aw, I was kind of hoping the unicorn would actually be “real” to the other characters in this comic. Otherwise it kind of just seems like the girl version of Calvin and Hobbes. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing…I do love Calvin and Hobbes.

I was afraid of that.

Imaginary friends are lifelong friends.

@Ishim671Actually, judging from Phoebe’s reaction, I think Marigold just left. I’m not so sure she is imaginary (yet).

Is this going to be like that kid with the stuffed tiger?

If Marigold would let her ride on her back, it would still be a good show and tell.

I think she can’t see it either. It’s obviously not there.

At least she remembered to open the window

I guess she’s not showing up.

awww!! I think Marigold doesn’t want to come!!! I’m starting to think she’s kind of mean… Best friends shouldn’t be like that!!

please stop saying this is the girl version of Calvin and Hobbes. This strip isn’t terrible, however the quality of the writing doesn’t even come close to C&H. Even if Marigold was a stuffed Unicorn who came to life in her imagination Heavenly Nostrils would still not be Calvin and Hobbes for girls.

if anything Cul de Sac is C&H for girls. it’s the only strip in recent memory that is put together as well as Calvin&Hobbes and Peanuts were. Heavenly Nostrils isn’t bad… but this artist doesn’t really understand how comic strips are made good. That’s okay though because at this point I’m used to that. Looking through history it seems like there’s really only six or seven artists who ever understood how to make a comic strip work. Nowadays we just settle for what we get. But still, read Peanuts, read Calvin and Hobbes and then read these other strips. Notice the difference in the way it’s written and presented in four panel story structure. Then tell me Heavenly Nostrils comes anywhere close to that type of quality.

and when I say four panel story structure I don’t mean that it’s simply words and pictures presented in four panels. I mean there’s a reason why four panels works. Each panel serves a purpose in telling the story. Read Peanuts, it’s a formula. Charles knows already what goes in panel 1,2,3, and 4. He’s just making a different joke each time with that formula. This how Watterson learned how to do it in C&H. Nowadays artists don’t bother to study this kind of thing… so instead they write to a rythm instead, resulting in dialogue based humor that doesn’t work as well in my opinion. Mainly because we’re not listening to the characters talking to eachother like a TV show. These are comic strips, we’re reading the dialogue and doing the voices in our heads. It’s not a sitcom, it’s not and animated show, it’s a comic strip.

:-( – I hope Marigold is real.

Of course you really wouldn’t want to spoil story by having her show up at a school.

Delicious. Of COURSE Marigold is real…watch for the grand entrance in tomorrow’s strip! (please??)

the other people can see marigold she just didnt jump through the window

Let’s see – a choice between reading Kylebot5000 or Heavenly Nostrils? I definitely pick Phoebe and Marigold.Thanks for a fun strip, Dana.

Coming from someone like you, that is a compliment.

Next the Son, the Stunning-Cantab:He suggested curves of beauty,Curves pervading a]l his figure,Which the eye might follow onward,Till they centered in the breast-pin,Centered in the golden breast-pin.He had learnt it all from Ruskin(Author of ‘The Stones of Venice,’‘Seven Lamps of Architecture,’‘Modern Painters,’ and some others);And perhaps he had not fullyUnderstood his author’s meaning;But, whatever was the reasonAll was fruitless, as the pictureEnded in an utter failure.—Lewis Carroll: “Hiawatha’s Photographing”

I happened to stumble across “Heavenly Nostrils” quite by accident . . . although I’m thinking Karma, or magic, or something like that was actually guiding me. ::smiles::

I am extremely enchanted by the strip so far, both the characters (which I’ll admit are, of course, new) and the illustrations. Marigold is surprisingly exactly as I’d always pictured a unicorn. I wish I was more articulate and could express my sheer joy of “Heavenly Nostrils”, which has already become one of my favorites to read.

Just as long as there isn’t a Noodle Incident …

troll…

I guess there’s only one thing to do… wait and see what happens next week gasp. Of course it’s only been out a week so you’d think by now all questions would have been answered. Yes, i learned sarcasm from a certain fox.

Looks like someone flagged Kylebot5000’s “idiot” comment and it was deleted. To clear up any question in anyone’s mind, the flagger, if there was one and not just a GC moderator, was NOT me.

I honestly don’t get why anyone is reminded of Calvin and Hobbes. Just because (apparently) no one can see Marigold? Come on. The tone isn’t similar at all. Not beyond the usual way that most post-1985 strips took spiritual cues from C&H the same way post-1950 strips took spiritual cues from Peanuts. As for certain commenters lecturing certain cartoonists about craft….jeez. Give it a rest, huh?

Dana I just wanted to say, after reading a lot of the delusional drivel posted here, that this is a great comic strip you have started. It has kept me interested and hooked (probably because I like the bitchy Marigold Heavenly Nostrils lol).

I find it odd so many are comparing it to Calvin and Hobbes when it is still up in the air on whether the unicorn is real or not (or if it is Phoebe’s Tyler Durden). If anything at this point this strip is a “female” version of Barnaby by Crockett Johnson (though saying that is derogatory to Dana, so how about just saying it’s similar instead of limiting the gender readership).

I will be putting up a comic strip in 2 -3 months and can only hope it will be half as good as what you are doing (and I am sure my hope is two times more optimistic than it should be :p).

And Kylebot 5000 you need to read more comics, perhaps produce your own, before commenting about how good or bad other people’s work is when your basis for the perfection in the genre are Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes (both are among the greatest strips, but neither are the greatest… and I say that even though I am a diehard fan of C&H, but even Watterson knew his premise had run its course and was cycling into repetitive).

Wait, the window is open did she jump out?!

I can’t believe that didn’t work. Also, choke that coughing kid.

This reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes.

::squints::

what is that, some kinda “spirit baby?”