"If the Internet could see the two of us like this it would have FITS"
March 25, 2016 2:14 AM Subscribe
When io9/Gizmodo writer Katharine Trendacosta asked "What Is Your Favorite Single Comic Book Panel?" she got plenty* (including some 2-panel to full-page sequences, but we'll overlook that). Some were classic moments, some iconic motifs and others just something else, but the largest number were funny... comic books being comedic (NOT just Deadpool and Squirrel Girl and often unintentionally), so she posted a follow-up with her picks for The 30 Funniest Single Panels in Comic Book History and got even more in the comments.
*when io9 solicits images from commenters, it's usually worth an exception to the "don't read the comments ESPECIALLY on Gawker Media" rule (and relatively well-moderated, still some work-safety caution is recommended). In fact, their regular Friday GIF PARTY is one of my favorite parts of Friday AND a great source of animated imagery (if you're into that kind of thing)
*when io9 solicits images from commenters, it's usually worth an exception to the "don't read the comments ESPECIALLY on Gawker Media" rule (and relatively well-moderated, still some work-safety caution is recommended). In fact, their regular Friday GIF PARTY is one of my favorite parts of Friday AND a great source of animated imagery (if you're into that kind of thing)
"You have to get out of here. Your vagina is haunted" is my personal favourite. Of all time.
I use it all the time, and have done for the better part of a decade.
Buying milk, filling up my car, buying burgers, there is simply no time it is not hilarious.
Please enjoy that picture of ROM: Spaceknight fighting a bear, by the way.
(And, anything Hawkguy).
posted by Mezentian at 4:56 AM on March 25, 2016 [12 favorites]
I use it all the time, and have done for the better part of a decade.
Buying milk, filling up my car, buying burgers, there is simply no time it is not hilarious.
Please enjoy that picture of ROM: Spaceknight fighting a bear, by the way.
(And, anything Hawkguy).
posted by Mezentian at 4:56 AM on March 25, 2016 [12 favorites]
Someone has to shop a picture of Trump on that Daily Bugle.
posted by Splunge at 5:21 AM on March 25, 2016
posted by Splunge at 5:21 AM on March 25, 2016
No matter how bad a day I'm having, the Joker yelling about his boner never fails to cheer me up a little.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 5:29 AM on March 25, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 5:29 AM on March 25, 2016 [8 favorites]
Hawkguy is good, but Pizza Dog is my patronus.
posted by rmd1023 at 5:33 AM on March 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by rmd1023 at 5:33 AM on March 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
The Pizza Dog issue is amazing.
I mean, Astro City levels of good.
I'm a bit sad I can't think of single Astro City panel right now.
posted by Mezentian at 5:37 AM on March 25, 2016
I mean, Astro City levels of good.
I'm a bit sad I can't think of single Astro City panel right now.
posted by Mezentian at 5:37 AM on March 25, 2016
Gambit ruins everything.
posted by Mezentian at 5:40 AM on March 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Mezentian at 5:40 AM on March 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
My favorite Astro City story (Conveniently the first one too!)
posted by haileris23 at 6:05 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by haileris23 at 6:05 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
I was glad to see someone referenced Pancakes. Here's the whole thing.
posted by Fleebnork at 6:08 AM on March 25, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by Fleebnork at 6:08 AM on March 25, 2016 [10 favorites]
It has the dinosaur one, excellent! Never has a villain's motivation been more forthrightly or honestly expressed. "But I don't want to cure cancer. I want to turn people into dinosaurs."
posted by Wretch729 at 6:10 AM on March 25, 2016 [19 favorites]
posted by Wretch729 at 6:10 AM on March 25, 2016 [19 favorites]
Can someone give us non-superhero-following nerds some context for the haunted vagina? What series of events leads to that (admittedly fantastic) sentence being uttered?
posted by the bricabrac man at 6:17 AM on March 25, 2016
posted by the bricabrac man at 6:17 AM on March 25, 2016
Can someone give us non-superhero-following nerds some context for the haunted vagina?
Here we go.
posted by Artw at 6:22 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Here we go.
posted by Artw at 6:22 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Can someone give us non-superhero-following nerds some context for the haunted vagina? What series of events leads to that (admittedly fantastic) sentence being uttered?
- You're better off not knowing.
- If you really need to know anyway, see Mezentian's comment upthread.
I'm surprised that there isn't more Deadpool, seeing as the first volume of one of his more recent runs has him literally fighting zombie presidents. It's hard to pick just one panel from that, but this is the best.
Or maybe this
Or this
posted by Itaxpica at 6:42 AM on March 25, 2016
Or maybe this
Or this
posted by Itaxpica at 6:42 AM on March 25, 2016
Someone posted the final panel of Calvin and Hobbes in the original thread and I'm stunned it didn't get more love.
Tangentially - it looks like I mentioned one of my favorite strips of all time four years ago. Still can't find the strip online.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:43 AM on March 25, 2016
Tangentially - it looks like I mentioned one of my favorite strips of all time four years ago. Still can't find the strip online.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:43 AM on March 25, 2016
Can someone give us non-superhero-following nerds some context for the haunted vagina? What series of events leads to that (admittedly fantastic) sentence being uttered?
My answer is that the 1990s was a terrible time for comics! A terrible time! And in some places, the 1990s are still alive (Portland, maybe?).
And I like to leave it at that.
People, actual flesh and blood people wore, and still wear, Lady Death T-shirts out in public.
But, really, do you need context?
posted by Mezentian at 6:45 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
My answer is that the 1990s was a terrible time for comics! A terrible time! And in some places, the 1990s are still alive (Portland, maybe?).
And I like to leave it at that.
People, actual flesh and blood people wore, and still wear, Lady Death T-shirts out in public.
But, really, do you need context?
posted by Mezentian at 6:45 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
No love for Tintin?
As great as Tintin is, if I want funny I prefer Asterix. Classics like "Orgies ! Orgies ! Nous voulons des orgies !" are funnier than all the 30 funniest (*) combined.
(and of course "Oh dear, I've lost my piece of bread again!" but that might just be me.)
(*) were all the 30 marvel, btw? or at least superheros stuff? io9 needs to get out more often...
posted by effbot at 7:09 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
As great as Tintin is, if I want funny I prefer Asterix. Classics like "Orgies ! Orgies ! Nous voulons des orgies !" are funnier than all the 30 funniest (*) combined.
(and of course "Oh dear, I've lost my piece of bread again!" but that might just be me.)
(*) were all the 30 marvel, btw? or at least superheros stuff? io9 needs to get out more often...
posted by effbot at 7:09 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Chapter V of Watchmen is titled A Fearful Symmetry. The entire chapter is symmetrically laid out with the same colour tones, the same panel layouts, and usually the same characters and the same locations on pages equidistant from the mid-point of the chapter (for example, here are the first and last pages of the chapter with Rorschach visiting Moloch's apartment, a blinking neon sign outside tinting every alternate panel red). The actual midpoint is Ozymandias stopping a would-be assassin, the only panel that runs across two pages in the entire book. Although the image of Ozy clocking the hapless patsy is not great in and of itself, I dig it for being the capstone of a subtle yet impressive bit of comic scripting.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:09 AM on March 25, 2016 [21 favorites]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:09 AM on March 25, 2016 [21 favorites]
Well, I can’t seem to find it, but I would have to go with the final panel of Doonesbury 2004/4/21.
posted by bouvin at 7:10 AM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by bouvin at 7:10 AM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
My favourite panel was the reason for my very first Mefi question. I'd read a horror comic at age 10 and when I became a storyboard artist decades later, this image was still in my mind. The author of the comic book, Bhob Stewart, actually responded to answer my question. In the story, one artist is jealous of the skills of another and kills him. He's then possessed by the spirit of the dead artist and finds that he's suddenly very talented but unable to stop drawing.
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:13 AM on March 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:13 AM on March 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
The author of the comic book, Bhob Stewart, actually responded to answer my question.
While it's eight years late, and two years too late for Bhob, the short story that Bhob asked about in his response is Harry Harrison's Portrait of the Artist.
posted by zamboni at 7:30 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
While it's eight years late, and two years too late for Bhob, the short story that Bhob asked about in his response is Harry Harrison's Portrait of the Artist.
posted by zamboni at 7:30 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
I don't know if it is my favourite panel ever, but when I was five, I bought Batman #251 off the comics rack at H&M Variety and I can recall decades later how much this image by Neal Adams floored me. DC agreed, as it has since become iconic.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:45 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:45 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
ricochet biscuit, I feel incredibly stupid. Watchmen is one of my fave graphic novels and I never, in all the times I read it, noticed that pattern of panel/color/character layout. Thank you.
posted by sotonohito at 7:49 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by sotonohito at 7:49 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
How is it that Kyle Baker's "The Cowboy Wally Show" isn't on the list?
How is it that Kyle Baker's "The Cowboy Wally Show" isn't the entire list?
posted by cheshyre at 7:57 AM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
How is it that Kyle Baker's "The Cowboy Wally Show" isn't the entire list?
posted by cheshyre at 7:57 AM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
I guess if I ask what Kyle Baker's "The Cowboy Wally Show" is might answer this question?
posted by Mezentian at 8:03 AM on March 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Mezentian at 8:03 AM on March 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
If you liked the crazy panel tricks of Watchmen then Morrison and Quietly's riff on it is really worth checking out.
posted by Artw at 8:14 AM on March 25, 2016
posted by Artw at 8:14 AM on March 25, 2016
The Cowboy Wally Show is easily one of my favorite comics, but it's pretty obscure, and firmly relegated to "cult classic" status. I like the bit of dialog centering on a review of one of Wally's movies that says, "Cowboy Wally minces churlishly through the leading role.":
Wally: What??! I don't mince churlishly!
Writer 1: Yeah, you do, Wally.
Writer 2: I've seen your mince. It is not unlike that of a churl.
posted by Ipsifendus at 8:18 AM on March 25, 2016
Wally: What??! I don't mince churlishly!
Writer 1: Yeah, you do, Wally.
Writer 2: I've seen your mince. It is not unlike that of a churl.
posted by Ipsifendus at 8:18 AM on March 25, 2016
When I found out the "solid dick from an Iron Man" panel was edited, I died a little inside. Thank god for Jokerboners.
posted by Sternmeyer at 8:21 AM on March 25, 2016
posted by Sternmeyer at 8:21 AM on March 25, 2016
I thought of the Cowboy Wally show too, but which one single panel would you even PICK?
Oh, and kudos to Wretch729, who found the Peanuts strip I was talking about.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:43 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh, and kudos to Wretch729, who found the Peanuts strip I was talking about.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:43 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
The 90s were NOT a terrible time for comics. That was the apex of the indie movement. Sure, Rob liefeld was there, gods help us, but it also launched a metric ton of good studios and artists. Sandman was rocking the charts, and dragged a bunch of artists and writers on its coattails. It launched a massive number of free speech cases, and reinvigorated the comic book legal defense fund. Comics in the 90s gave us Neil gaiman and James o'barr, and The Tick, and Animaniacs. It ushered in the grimdark aesthetic. It ran with the cyberpunk thought train. The 90s were pivotal. Distribution chains consolidated and forced rules to keep small press Indies off the shelves, which forced artists on to the web, creating the webcomic industry, and for the first time syndicates and distributors found themselves losing ground. To say that the 90s was all about bad comics is to miss the entire history of the period.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 10:10 AM on March 25, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 10:10 AM on March 25, 2016 [7 favorites]
I also found that Peanuts strip a bit larger on GoComics.
posted by The Man from Lardfork at 10:18 AM on March 25, 2016
posted by The Man from Lardfork at 10:18 AM on March 25, 2016
Cowboy Wally is truly one of the great original graphic novels, but it has a hell of a time staying in print. And I agree, I couldn't pick just one panel, although the Helfer/Baker Shadow series HAS to have some solid single panels in it, given the general chaotic nature and cuckoo storylines going on
posted by jkosmicki at 10:25 AM on March 25, 2016
posted by jkosmicki at 10:25 AM on March 25, 2016
Two of my favourite panels that haven't been mentioned here yet:
"Hey, Mister Wizard. What's this one do?"
The other is a brick joke. But I can't find the actual punchline panel, which is RIDICULOUS. Anyway, at the end of the fight, some of the Hydra guys escape in an elevator, and right as the door closes, one of them manages to sneak out -- literally, the word bubble just barely snakes its way out of the closing door, and it's an amazing visual -- "Hail Hydra."
posted by tobascodagama at 11:53 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
"Hey, Mister Wizard. What's this one do?"
The other is a brick joke. But I can't find the actual punchline panel, which is RIDICULOUS. Anyway, at the end of the fight, some of the Hydra guys escape in an elevator, and right as the door closes, one of them manages to sneak out -- literally, the word bubble just barely snakes its way out of the closing door, and it's an amazing visual -- "Hail Hydra."
posted by tobascodagama at 11:53 AM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
The other is a brick joke. But I can't find the actual punchline panel, which is RIDICULOUS.
From Herriman's Krazy Kat? I'm totally with you there, that comic is awesome :-)
posted by effbot at 12:15 PM on March 25, 2016
From Herriman's Krazy Kat? I'm totally with you there, that comic is awesome :-)
posted by effbot at 12:15 PM on March 25, 2016
My "favorite" thing was how in the original thread, when asked for the best single panel, a large fraction posted multiple linked panels.
posted by eriko at 3:52 PM on March 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by eriko at 3:52 PM on March 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
eriko, even on their best behavior, you can't expect internet commenters to follow directions... but it also demonstrated why comics ARE called "sequential art": it usually takes more than one panel to get a message across (so much for the "a picture is worth a thousand words", "every picture tells a story" and "take a picture, it'll last longer" cliches).
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:23 PM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:23 PM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
A recent War Ricket Ajax with Steve Lieber had some great stuff on the use of panels and panel sequence in storytelling, particularly looking at this set of panels In Krigstein's Master Race.
posted by Artw at 4:37 PM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 4:37 PM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Even though it's ancient history by this point, I would have thought that the reaction panel to the famous "one punch" scene in JLI would have made the cut somehow.
posted by sardonyx at 7:39 PM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by sardonyx at 7:39 PM on March 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
That "I'M NOT DARE DEVIL" panel is definitely what I'm going to dress up as if I ever go to a ComiCon.
posted by rhizome at 11:58 PM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 11:58 PM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
When I found out the "solid dick from an Iron Man" panel was edited, I died a little inside.
What? Nooooo.
posted by crossoverman at 3:05 AM on March 26, 2016
What? Nooooo.
posted by crossoverman at 3:05 AM on March 26, 2016
it usually takes more than one panel to get a message across (so much for the "a picture is worth a thousand words", "every picture tells a story" and "take a picture, it'll last longer" cliches).
Yes, agreed, but that wasn't the point. There's a difference between "Best sequence of panels" and "best single panel." Because sometimes, you can tell a lot in a single panel, and in others, ripping away the context changes the panel into a new, wonderful thing. That's what was looked for here, and of course the Internet failed to read the manual, but completely missed that point, and they're supposed to be advocates of the genre.
I agree it's like pulling a single frame out of a film -- but there are a lot of funny, provoking, and frankly bizarre single frames so sometimes you do it anyway.
Context is important -- but out of context can be hilarious.
And SOMEONE IS WRONG ON THE INTERNET!!!!
posted by eriko at 4:52 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes, agreed, but that wasn't the point. There's a difference between "Best sequence of panels" and "best single panel." Because sometimes, you can tell a lot in a single panel, and in others, ripping away the context changes the panel into a new, wonderful thing. That's what was looked for here, and of course the Internet failed to read the manual, but completely missed that point, and they're supposed to be advocates of the genre.
I agree it's like pulling a single frame out of a film -- but there are a lot of funny, provoking, and frankly bizarre single frames so sometimes you do it anyway.
Context is important -- but out of context can be hilarious.
And SOMEONE IS WRONG ON THE INTERNET!!!!
posted by eriko at 4:52 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Which is why I said "even on their best behavior, you can't expect internet commenters to follow directions". And as I noted, these were internet commenters at a Gawker Media site - it's impressive how many were NOT wrong. (Yesterday's GIF Party had some comments posted with non-animated images or YouTube videos, but, hey... )
In the last few days, we've had two other great FPPs with examples of what Robin Williams called "Phenominal Cosmic Power in an itty bitty space": the Dad Jokes in 7-second vines and the 'Best of' under-140-character Twitter Jokes. And would you disqualify FrankFurter's two-part five-years-apart tweets?
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:23 PM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
In the last few days, we've had two other great FPPs with examples of what Robin Williams called "Phenominal Cosmic Power in an itty bitty space": the Dad Jokes in 7-second vines and the 'Best of' under-140-character Twitter Jokes. And would you disqualify FrankFurter's two-part five-years-apart tweets?
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:23 PM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
I would disqualify FrankFurter's two-part five-years-apart tweets in a discussion of single panel comics.
This is not to say that it was anything less than epic. It was truly a great thing. But constraints make for creativity, so I'd save that for the best tweet sequence discussion.
posted by eriko at 3:50 AM on March 27, 2016
This is not to say that it was anything less than epic. It was truly a great thing. But constraints make for creativity, so I'd save that for the best tweet sequence discussion.
posted by eriko at 3:50 AM on March 27, 2016
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is one of my favorite things ever.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 3:57 AM on March 25, 2016 [6 favorites]