So, I don't know why I held out hope for this long, but it looks like we're not going to get a decent conclusion on anything before the strip concludes November 22nd. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sunday strip is a recap with one text panel like "Thanks for reading for 50 years, byyyyyyye!"
Still, if this was just these are just the normal strips they had planned for the past few weeks, this has been a really abrupt ending to the year of anticipation built by Margo's wacky behavior. A very sudden Margo's-slow-burning-thyroid-disease-culminates-in-a-coma-oh-wait-the-coma's-over-she's-all-better arc. Maybe Frank and Margaret felt like "Okay, I've dedicated years of my life to this dumb thing and they just cut the cord, I'm not going to give everyone the satisfaction of a big happy ending, but we should at least make sure Margo is conscious for the last strip."
So, thanks for that, Frank and Margaret. And thanks for penning a strip I felt excited to read and laugh about every day. (Well, almost every day.) I'll miss writing this blog. Maybe Megan, Casey and I will collaborate on something else in the future, but for now, sayonara!
11 comments:
Thanks, Maggie!
Thanks for the fun! I hope you lovely ladies decide to collaborate on a new project soon.
Maggie, NOOOOOO!!!!! You three have GOT to keep blogging! Your humor has saved many a rotten day for me (and others, I'm sure)!
Also, I can't believe that Gabby is saying that Margo is only getting better through the love of a man! ARGHHH!!!
Boy, am I gonna miss this blog!
Likewise, I'll miss the writing of all three of you and hope we get to see some of your other projects. Thank you!
I wish I had discovered this blog years earlier. Please think about taking on another strip. Your sweet and sassy snark is too valuable to waste. Love, and thanks for all the laughs.
I suspect that Bolle and Shulock didn't know it was ending, and drew several more strips. And what those strips (which we will not see) looked like is what made King decide to pull the plug. The deterioration has been rapid. If the strip continued, we'd be seeing stick figures in two weeks.
Been reading this strip and blog every day for several years now and I really feel like I've come to know many of the commenters, unlike the characters in the script. It's been a hoot and I shall miss you. Bleat!
I'm with Iggy. Remember daily strips normally have a huge buffer of several weeks and sometimes more. I think that the syndicate took a look at the ongoing deterioration and said "that's it, we're canceling the strip". Bolle and Shulock probably never did a strip knowing it was going to be canceled. More likely around early October they sent in a strip and got back a letter saying "don't send any more, we're canceling the strip". The buffer got published because it's easier legally for the syndicate (no need to renegotiate any contracts with newspapers or the creators.)
There was no point for the syndicate asking for a big send-off because the creators obviously couldn't deliver. Bolle must have some significant medical issue and at 91 he's certainly earned the right to a comfortable retirement. It's unfortunate that his name and reputation are associated with the drastic deterioration over the last few years because he was excellent as late as 4 years ago. Some people have pointed out Shulock's writing wouldn't seem so bad if the art made sense but even apart from that there's been a lot of "suddenly across town" segues lately. Maybe she just doesn't care anymore and *could* write a sendoff but in any case Bolle couldn't draw it.
I've also enjoyed this blog's writing and hope you find something similar to do in the near future.
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
Well put, @Zayford! So long, ladies, you'll be missed!
If the syndicate got a bunch of buffer strips then we can imagine they only published a random sample, which is why the plotline seems so pointless.
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