Moovians

So Doc mortgages his only source of income so they can do a 10 year respite from reality, only to find that apparently there's all kinds of extras, or "ups" that weren't included in that entry fee? Rather like booking a couple of weeks at a resort and finding that sheets and housekeeping are extra.

So, as was pointed out a week or 2 ago, what we have now is essentially Little Oop in today's world, having seemingly been accepted without question as to where he was from and how he was able to audit classes with no one saying anything. Now he has a cat which I imagine he will adopt (or the other way around 😊) and I guess they play it off as Penelope's cat. So he continues to walk around in furry shorts and no one says a thing about his attire? I imagine that (in schools at least) they have a dress code. So what is the significance of this time travel tale? Certainly no Stranger In A Strange Land. He seems to have acclimated pretty well. Meanwhile, back in Moo, the frantic search for Little Oop has begun. They fear the worst (we hope for the worst). 🤣

1939: 118 of 312 (+0) – 2 complete monts 1946: 197 of 313 (+0) – 3 complete months 1947: 120 of 313 (+0) – 0 complete months 1948: 30 of 314 (+0) – 1 complete month 1949: 286 of 313 (+0) – 7 complete months 1954: 246 of 313 (+0) – 6 complete months 1956: 313 of 313 (+0) – 12 complete months 1963: 53 of 313 (+0) – 0 complete months 1968: 138 of 314 (+0) – 2 complete months 1969: 223 of 312 (+0) – 3 complete months 1970: 290 of 313 (+0) – 8 complete months 1971: 213 of 313: (+1) – 2 complete months 1972: 285 of 313 (+0) – 7 complete months One 1971 strip added this week. There are now 2,512 strips in the archive, spread over 13 years from Hamlin’s 40-year tenure on the strip. That pushes the Archive to 61.74% of the strips produced during those 13 years.

Man! Another lame attempt at humour. The inspiration well seems to be running dry, although there appeared to be only a teaspoon or so in the well to begin with, and it's been titrated out at a drop a day rate. It's like a bad Mad Magazine(which Joey has written for) feature, or actually bad Cracked magazine, Perhaps that is what she is going for here?

It would appear that Ooola is having a bad trip. Wonder how this futuristic amusement park handles it? Maybe they all should go back to the Reality tent and fix some furniture legs. Still have most of 10 years left, Ooola. 😂

Already tired of the VR, Alley decides to duck into the Reality tent to get a taste of the real world in today's strip. (https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/27 I do not make this stuff up; Joey does, so blame her. And what would our hero do? Eat a can of beans and fix a chair leg. Whooee, almost too much excitement for an adventure strip. Not only does it fail on the action / adventure scale (surely a negative number), it fails miserably on the humor scale unless cans of beans or wobbly chair legs tickles your funny bone. They don't? I'm not surprised but followers have hit yet another high, 23,153, up 155 since April 1. But I'm sure if Pipe Tobacco was still doing his reviews, this would be a definite '1'.

Well, that was a change of pace gotcha. Almost broke the 4th wall. And perhaps a joke by Mr. Lemon, as whatever that thing was that Oaf was talking about could have gotten unwieldy to draw, especially in a single frame. This was possibly the best 4 panels ever since the new crew took over (no, leaving Hamlin, Graue and The Benders out of this one, talking strictly  of the work of Lemon/Sayers).

Not much to say here but if I recall correctly, this VR experience was supposed to last 10 years, right? So, can you imagine spending 10 years in what appears to be essentially like an acid trip or magic mushrooms? And you mortgaged  your main possession to pay for it all? 😢

The exciting trip to the future plods along with Doc suddenly unable to scratch his face because his arm is too short... um, what is the reason he can't scratch his face? And why would he need to scratch it in the VR environment rather than where he really is, in the pool of "Lime Slime"? I get that none of this is supposed to make any sense but aren't jokes funnier if they follow some kind of logic? And I know that Doc is way dumber than he used to be but why wouldn't he go back to Avatar Adjustments and pay two futurebux (worse name ever for money) to change to his real appearance? At least it's cheaper than resetting it. It looks like he is stuck with being the Hulk, though,  because Joey has already established that neither of the Bobsey Twins have ayn of the future currency. Stay tuned for tomorrow's exciting avatar finale.

"Little Oop", the comic strip idea that nobody asked for, began early last year with the premise of young Alley Oop growing up in prehistoric Moo. Stick him in middle school, give him a baby sister (Sally - har!), and two clueless parents in a Moo that more resembled Fred Flinstones' Bedrock  than V.T. Hamlin's Moo and the jokes would just naturally flow. Except they didn't and Joey, never comfortable with Moovian environs and out of ideas, decided to shift Little Oop to the 21st Century and give him a super-smart whiz kid, Penelope, as his sidekick. So now the humor riffs off the kid-who-doesn't-fit-in, the caveman trapped in a world he never made. But what's the point? Today's strip has him somehow scoring the winning goal with the ball ricocheting off his noggin into the goal. But couldn't this gag have happened in any kids' strip? Nothing today says Alley Oop is from the prehistoric past. In fact, for the first time in this seven-month are,

1939: 118 of 312 (+0) – 2 complete monts 1946: 197 of 313 (+0) – 3 complete months 1947: 120 of 313 (+0) – 0 complete months 1948: 30 of 314 (+0) – 1 complete month 1949: 286 of 313 (+0) – 7 complete months 1954: 246 of 313 (+0) – 6 complete months 1956: 313 of 313 (+0) – 12 complete months 1963: 53 of 313 (+0) – 0 complete months 1968: 138 of 314 (+0) – 2 complete months 1969: 223 of 312 (+1) – 3 complete months 1970: 290 of 313 (+0) – 8 complete months 1971: 212 of 313: (+0) – 2 complete months 1972: 285 of 313 (+0) – 7 complete months One 1969 strip added this week. There are now 2,511 strips in the archive, spread over 13 years from Hamlin’s 40-year tenure on the strip. That pushes the Archive to 61.71% of the strips produced during those 13 years.

Perhaps Doc should have read the fine print about the length of the "ride". Check back in 10 years to hear all the details of their VR lime jello adventure.

How sad that the strip has come to this. A kind of pointless meandering in search of *some* kind of funny joke. So Doc gets abs, but also apparently gained the oversized forearms and lower legs of a native Moovian? A bargain at twice the futurebux price. 😊

It appears that we have 3 5 year old level time travelers here. So, Ooola wants to try the lime jello dip, so Doc helpfully says he will get a reverse mortgage on the timelab so she can try it out. How the chronically broke Doc will pay off the mortgage is for another day, I guess? Maybe that will be the adventure, with Doc and Oop going back in time and ripping off some unfortunate soul for their gold or jewels with Oop being the muscle? 😂

I found this website today which has a number of comic strip and comic book reprints. Alas, no Alley Oop. But I thought I would post this as there might be something that Moovians might be interested. This link is to the Phantom, which may be of interest to Gent.   https://www.omgbeaupeep.com/comics/The_Phantom/

The idiocy continues unabated today. 5478 of these VR "things"? Um, OK Joey. 😒 Apparently you have to hold your breath while you are immersed. Just plain silly.

The amusement area looks like it's loads of fun. Let's get Oaf in one of those to test it out. I'm sure hilarity will ensue. 😒  The "ride" appears like it lasts a very long time. VR indeed. 

Hard to write much of anything about this silly nonsense. Oaf reminiscing about something he won at some bogus amusement park in the past. No adventures, just reams of dumb, unfunny gags. Wtf was John Glynn thinking? 😢

I suppose it could get interesting if these two girls fight over Little Oop. So at some point shouldn't Little Oop be getting back to his parents? Of course with this time travel, I suppose he could finish high school here, get hitched and start a family, then get sent back to his parent's time, emerging mere seconds from the time he was whisked to the 21st century and they would not even notice he was gone. 🤔

1939: 118 of 312 (+0) 1946: 197 of 313 (+0) 1947: 120 of 313 (+0) 1948: 30 of 314 (+0) 1949: 286 of 313 (+0) 1954: 246 of 313 (+0) 1956: 313 of 313 (+0) 1963: 53 of 313 (+0) 1968: 138 of 314 (+0) 1969: 222 of 312 (+0) 1970: 290 of 313 (+0) 1971: 212 of 313: (+1) 1972: 285 of 313 (+0) One 1971 strip added this week. There are now 2,510 strips in the archive, spread over 13 years from Hamlin’s 40-year tenure on the strip. That pushes the Archive to 61.69% of the strips produced during those 13 years.

Of course they will still have "flash photography" thousands of years in the future. 😒 Too bad Joey's mind can't come up with something imaginative.

https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/14 Well, there's the gag-a-day. Nothing to see here folks, keep moving along. 😒

Well, so Oaf is now modernized to be concerned about zinc for sun screen, a compass, antacid, etc?  And now we at at least get a half hearted ZANG!!   https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/13 And what is with the idiot flinging away the fanny pack with all his lotions in it as they ZANG! away?

Oh please let it be 14 days!! Free us from our long national nightmare!!  So Oaf suddenly is self aware enough to ask the Fat Cat when he will die?  Will he then be self aware enough to quit the strip and let Ooola and Doc carry on? Stay tuned.

Just what we need, a hairball  hacking oracle.  https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/11  I guess we're in for another time travel mis-adventure. The slog goes on.

https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/10 Boy, even more idiotic nonsense today. So, how long has Doc had this fat cat? And then telling Oaf not to say it too loud because that might upset the cat?  The time lab has certainly changed in this silly rip of "Through The Looking Glass". Dumber and dumber and ...................😢

More silly nonsense. As if Oop's parents hadn't noticed him gone and then to have his voice come out of nowhere would likely freak them out. And like they know what germs are. Little Oop must have learned about germs when he was auditing classes. 🙄

1939: 118 of 312 (+0) 1946: 197 of 313 (+0) 1947: 120 of 313 (+1) 1948: 30 of 314 (+0) 1949: 286 of 313 (+0) 1954: 246 of 313 (+0) 1956: 313 of 313 (+0) 1963: 53 of 313 (+0) 1968: 138 of 314 (+0) 1969: 222 of 312 (+0) 1970: 290 of 313 (+0) 1971: 211 of 313: (+2) 1972: 285 of 313 (+0) After a couple of weeks of no activity, three strips were added this week. There are now 2,509 strips in the archive, spread over 13 years from Hamlin’s 40-year tenure on the strip. That pushes the Archive to 61.67% of the strips produced during those 13 years.

Joey's creative juices are really flowing. The dumbed-down version of the "Apple Dumpling Gang" readies itself to visit the best amusement park, like in forever! And to find out where and when it existed, they must seek out the wisdom of the Clawed Oracle! Gasp! Who doesn't get goosebumps thinking about the story possibilities with this scenario? My guess is anybody that still has a few working brain synapses. But there appears to be plenty of others that don't as witness the number of followers continuing to climb. In a darkened, somewhat moldy, basement somewhere in America., Ink Blot smiles in quiet satisfaction.

Not a whole lot to say here except it appears that Doc and Oaf are now buddies in this ill begotten tale. So sad what it has come to. The last panel dialog could easily be referring to this woeful strip.🤢

"Alley Oop and Ooola Go to the Amusement Park". Is that a grade school primer or the name of some long, forgotten Big Little Book? No, sadly, it appears to the next exciting adventure of a time-traveling caveman, his main squeeze, and the doddering, irascible inventor. (link to today's strip:  https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/06 ).  Alley Oop used to have interesting and entertaining stories set in ancient times but now we get wacky trips to the amusement park. As Donald Duck once said, "Oh, that the race of men could ever sink so low". Of course, we may finally get to see the big cloud gathered over the time-lab six weeks ago . But even if we do, my guess is the story will be a let down. Those of you who suffer from "yawnophobia", the fear of being bored, be forewarned.

Joey tries to do a little bit of philosophizing in today's strip ( https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/05 ) but it makes little sense. Ooola, now so socially conscious it hurts, whines, "basically every time before now is fraught with death, disease and societal struggles that we could alleviate ". (emphasis added). Ignoring the overly wordy and somewhat convoluted way that is written, what exactly is it supposed to mean? Is there a need to say what we all know, that the history of mankind is filled with pain and sorrow? And who appointed these three stooges to go back in time to try and make things better? For 85 years, Oop and fellow travellers have moved around in time, often for scientific research, occasionally on a treasure hunt, but never an attempt to change the social fabric. And didn't they learn anything from their recent legal troubles with messing up the timeline? It seems as this could be a soapbox for Joey to opine about "societal struggles&

Today's strip ( https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/04 ) shows that Joey still hasn't grasped the basic fundamentals of the strip. Alley and Ooola lived in Moo, not in the 21st Century. Usually Wonmug brought Oop from Moo to help with some problem, like not having enough money to operate the lab, and sometimes the client with deep pockets stepped in to finance the trip. Ooola was seldom his traveling companion and I don't think there was ever a story where the three traveled together, certainly not just because they were between gigs and wanted to take a joyride. Oop's most frequent traveling companion was the Jekyll-Hyde character, G. Oscar Boom, who apparently has been relegated to the scrapheap with Foozy and King Guz. So here is a suggestion for Joey's not-so-excellent next adventure. How about send the trio back to 1939 where we can see the real heroes of the strip - the crabby, genius inventor; the heroic, rough-and-tumble caveman; and his beautiful but

Man! More meaningless prattle today. Just a bunch of unconnected conversations. Very low octane humour, if you can call it that. 😒

It must have sounded like a good idea. The new creative team would start a new Sunday strip focusing on Alley Oop as a child. But, as CIDU Bill posted soon after the first Sunday, who ever wondered what Alley Oop was like as a child. But Joey may have pulled something when she flexed her creative muscle. Bad idea after bad idea flowed naturally like a mountain stream going downhill. She gave Oop a family, a downtrodden dad and pleasantly plump mom as well as a baby sister with a smelly diaper, good for many chuckles. To keep Oop company, Joey gave him a new, best friend and one that she could check off her socially conscious checklist by making him black. I was going to say "African American" but that made little sense because in this time frame there is no Africa or America. Making him black makes no sense either because Moo, and Lem, are tiny societies with a homogenous population. They could all be black or they could all be white but both wouldn't be possible. Her new

For the second consecutive week, no new strips added to the archive.

In today's strip ( https://www.gocomics.com/alley-oop/2020/08/01 ), Ooola appears to have swum to an island, towing a tied-up man. Too bad this isn't a visual medium where it could be shown how she accomplished that. Oh, wait, it is a visual medium and in typical Lemsay fashion, we have to assume that is what happened without seeing it. And now, the callous shrew she has become, Ooola leaves him tied up on a deserted island where he apparently will die. But how did Ooola suddenly become "Judge Dread" - cop, judge and jury  rolled into one? And what exactly did Glomp do? He never stole the "biggest opal" in the world; he just talked about it. Sure, he sicked Steve on her but since dinosaurs are now thinking and rationale animals, isn't it really Steve's fault? Oh, well, best not try to make any sense of this mess. It will only make your head hurt.