howtheduck (howtheduck) wrote in binky_betsy,
howtheduck
howtheduck
binky_betsy

Saturday, 14 April 2018

Sir Mix-a-Lot would love today’s comic strip making jokes about the word “mixed.”

(Strip Number 1450, Original Publication Date, 15 April 1989)

Panel 1: We join a conversation already in progress.  Michael has told Martha something to which she responds, “You can?!!”  What did Michael say?:

  1. My mom says I can have a mixed party for my birthday.

  2. I discovered if I put my hands in my pockets, I can thrust my groin out really far.

  3. I discovered that if I put my papers in my locker, I don’t have to carry them back to school.

  4. I discovered if I talk to a girl and concentrate really hard, I can make her head spin around completely backwards.  I think can do it to you.

  5. I didn’t actually say anything.  I have learned to project my thoughts.  Watch as I think about my birthday party.

  6. I discovered that I can make the stripes on the arms of my shirt appear and disappear at will

Panel 2: It is amazing that Martha always seems to have Janet and Megan close by, so she can get an instantaneous reaction to whatever news comes to her.  They appear so quickly, I am beginning to wonder if these are not school girls but some kind of ghosts haunting Martha especially shrouded in darkness and standing on elevated black grass like they are.  Michael stands in the foreground apparently paralyzed with fear staring goggle-eyed away from the girls as the girls talk about:

  1. Who is going to be at the party.

  2. Who they don’t want to be at the party.

  3. Giggling.

  4. What they plan to wear.

Oh Lynn Johnston.  This conversation should most definitely include Michael, because if these girls are so particular about who does or does not attend his party, they should just tell him whom they want to come. It’s not like Michael knows who to invite.  On the other hand, I wonder if Michael’s dazed reaction means he had the idea that he was going to be able to invite Martha to his party and not invite Janet and Megan.  Foolish Michael.  You don’t know any girls.  You need Janet and Megan there, so you will actually have girls at your party.

Panel 3: Then Lawrence appears out of nowhere with a plant growing out of his crotch (showing an early sign of his future career aptitude) and asks a question that no boy would ever ask, “How do you think it’ll work out?”  Real Lawrence would want to communicate two things:

  1. How did you get your mother to agree to a mixed party?

  2. I am invited to the party.

Of course, this is not real Lawrence, but straight man Lawrence, and he has a duty to set up the punchline.  Good job, straight man Lawrence!

Panel 4: Michael stares off in space no doubt to read his punchline, which appears to be nothing more than a joke based on the idea that the word “mixed” has more than one meaning.  Other punchline choices considered by Lynn were:

  1. I don’t know.  These girls seems like a can of mixed nuts.

  2. I don’t know.  Mom said she wanted to serve salads of mixed greens.

  3. I don’t know.  I live in a mixed neighborhood.

  4. I don’t know.  My best friend is of mixed South American and Canadian ancestry.

  5. I don’t know.  I got a mixed reaction from mom and dad.

  6. Please don't ask me what's on my mind I'm a little mixed up, but I'm feelin' fine When I'm near that girl that I love best My heart beats so it scares me to death!

Summary: And so Michael shares the news of his party plans in the fewest words possible, while feeling concerned that he may be inviting creatures to the party that actually speak more than a few words.
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