The Blockhams in "GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER", now UPDATED

Submitted by Six Zero on

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER


(Click the image to view full size)  

(Click the image to view full size)   

 

Recently ProfitGoBlue playfully suggested that I was running out of ideas for strips. Actually, it's quite the opposite.  When an idea for a multi-strip story arc like this comes around, the hardest part has been weeding out the material into a handful of self-contained scripts.

In short, there's plenty of additional ideas that could have been fleshed out, for say, the 'LADIES MAN' arc... Glenn telling Tom about the Sparty dress-up, Bump in the bathroom doing his hair and putting on his Drakkar, Bump actually on the date, stuff like that.  That'd be fine for a daily strip, but for a twice weekly release like The Blockhams, that'd drag the story into several weeks, perhaps even a month.  So by the time it was all over, no one would care, even the ones like Seth who hate me for hating Bump.  That was a joke, btw.

All content aside, I'm curious to hear what you, the readers prefer-- self-contained, single stories or these multi-strip plots.  The singles are easier for me to create, and certainly keep me from neglecting other members of the cast... but creatively speaking, the arcs have their own rewards as well.

Take for example, today's strip... I think it's safe to say that no one saw this coming, not even myself.

On Thursday we'll conclude the LADIES MAN story arc with an... epilogue of sorts.


 

THE BLOCKHAMS™ runs (typically) every Tuesday here at MGoBlog, and at least

every Thursday on its official home page.  Also, don't forget to check out our newest

feature, Friday Roughs, a spontaneous low-end comic based on trending

Michigan events, available on Twitter and Facebook every Friday.

Follow THE BLOCKHAMS™ on Twitter at @theblockhams, and don't forget to

LIKE THE BLOCKHAMS™ on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theblockhams.  

Comments

JohnnyBlue

May 8th, 2012 at 9:58 AM ^

I'll admit I always like reading your strip, but this is the first one that made me give an audiable chuckle I really like this one, curious where it goes.

oriental andrew

May 8th, 2012 at 10:04 AM ^

Nice.  Is that Mateen Cleaves and Kork Coupons?  And is Tom wearing a McDonald's shirt under the jersey?   Also, I almost completely missed the couch on the front lawn.  The real question is: What does Glenn's shirt say??

SanDiegoWolverine

May 8th, 2012 at 10:32 AM ^

Classic. I like mixing in these multi-strip plots. Fun to see a story play out. Also, it's possible profitgoblue is running out of things to complain about. Constructive criticism is great but some people need to realize how cool it is to have our own artist doing a Michigan strip and featuring it on this site. Keep them coming.

mGrowOld

May 8th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^

I'm almost ashamed to say it but I did it once.  Back in 1987 when Staee made the Rose Bowl and I was living in Okemos.  My brother's wife went to Staee and for their Rose Bowl party I showed up dressed in bright green pants, white shoes and a white shirt wearing a MSU hat.  For one day...check that...for one GAME....I was Joe-Sparty for my sister in law's benefit.

I still feel kinda dirty.

M-Wolverine

May 8th, 2012 at 10:58 AM ^

I'd say it really depends on how much time you have. If you have the time, you could always throw in an extra strip during the extended storylines. Frankly, I'm kinda sad we didn't get to see the "Glenn telling Tom about the Sparty dress-up"  parts. It's the lead-ins that build the humor. And get you to the future punchlines. There's a reason a comedian's set doesn't just throw out his random best jokes.  The story builds to it with smaller jokes.  And I don't think a month of storyline is that bad a thing...particularly in the off-season where there's nothing immediate to reference to.  Some South Park comment on the hot news, some are just...random. But really, I don't feel comfortable saying "write more strips, funny boy" when it's not my time or effort not only coming up with the ideas, but then producing the artwork.  So whatever you think you can do.  But I am thinking maybe extended storyline that you plan and then put out in the Spring and Summer, and in season "pulse" strips in the Fall and Winter sounds like a good way to go to me.

Heinous Wagner

May 8th, 2012 at 11:01 AM ^

It took me five minutes to read this episode. Not because I'm an MSU grad, but because of the burning couches in the first panel. Couldn't stop laughing. The scowling Dantonio on the third panel was worth another long laugh. Hail!

profitgoblue

May 8th, 2012 at 11:02 AM ^

The girlfriend arrived to a nice couch fire in the front yard, which instantly made her feel at home and comfortable.  Nice touch, Blockhams.  Well-played.

blacknblue

May 8th, 2012 at 11:41 AM ^

I barely got past the first panel with the burning couch on the front porch. By the time I got to "this is Pam my trashy wife" I was afraid that I would never stop laughing.

When this arc is done the whole thing needs to be published in its entirety so it can make it proper rounds around the interwebs.

Moleskyn

May 8th, 2012 at 12:19 PM ^

Well done, for sure.

And to answer your question, I'd echo what M-Wolverine said. I prefer the drawn-out storylines, and really don't care if one goes on for a month or more. But it is your time and it's not like I'd stop reading if you only ever did short one-offs.

Wisconsin Wolverine

May 10th, 2012 at 4:03 PM ^

I really think Sparty came out on top in this little exchange.  I mean, it was soul-devastating for both parties - Bump gets ditched by a girl who is out of his league, but he swindles his whole family into green & white apparel for a dastardly photo opp.  Both sides are suffering here, but that's how Sparty plays the game.  They don't care about their own success (& I'm sure Bump is used to getting shunned by the ladies), as long as they can chip away at Michigan.  This is a classic example.  Masterfully-written.