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Friday, July 31, 2009

Your Daily Poll Dance

Posted by on Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 10:49 AM

_Cathy.jpg

From the ashes of yesterday's Family Circus-soaked poll rises today's follow-up poll:

What is the worst comic strip of all time?

(Click names of comics for examples of each.)

 

Comments (90) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
That's a real Sophie's Choice right there
Posted by Evan Stewart on July 31, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Soupytwist 2
@1 - Totally. It broke me.
Posted by Soupytwist http://twitter.com/katherinesmith on July 31, 2009 at 10:55 AM
3
What, no Crankshaft?
Posted by giantladysquirrels on July 31, 2009 at 10:56 AM
4
Doonesbury
Boondocks
For Better or Worse
Posted by display name on July 31, 2009 at 10:56 AM
5
what no Mallard Fillmore?
Posted by rancor on July 31, 2009 at 10:57 AM
6
For Better or For Worse.
Posted by Gillian Anderson on July 31, 2009 at 10:58 AM
boxofbirds 7
Heathcliff, hands down.
Posted by boxofbirds on July 31, 2009 at 10:59 AM
hillpagan 8
I am shocked that it's not 60% Ziggy.
Posted by hillpagan on July 31, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Foggen 9
Nancy
Posted by Foggen on July 31, 2009 at 11:02 AM
10
Curtis, anyone?
Posted by Levislade http://ballofwax.org on July 31, 2009 at 11:03 AM
sasha 11
Geez Cathy haters have some heart!
Consider the Marmaduke Circus:
Family circus image with Marmaduke caption
+ Marmaduke image with Family Circus caption
= Something transcendent
Posted by sasha on July 31, 2009 at 11:04 AM
tabletop_joe 12
Maybe you need to provide examples of each. Your results seem skewed.
Posted by tabletop_joe on July 31, 2009 at 11:05 AM
13
Everything that was in the PI and now clutters up the times
Posted by skippy mcf on July 31, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Julie in Eugene 14
This is nearly impossible. I think my actual vote would be Fred Basset, since I always read it as a kid expecting it to be funny. And it never once was. It never even attempted to be funny.

But, my vote here has got to be Family Circus. So pointless...
Posted by Julie in Eugene on July 31, 2009 at 11:08 AM
David Schmader 15
12: Click the hyperlinks for examples.
Posted by David Schmader on July 31, 2009 at 11:09 AM
16
12 the blue underline is a "link" to the actual comic. Welcome to the internet.
Posted by skippy mcf on July 31, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Jenny from the Block 17
Sally Worth
Posted by Jenny from the Block on July 31, 2009 at 11:11 AM
18
@5: Oh jesus, how did they overlook that one? Would have had my vote in a heartbeat. As it stands, it was really, really hard to choose between family circus and cathy. Garfield was up there, but then I remember all the amazing things that have been created by screwing with garfield and think popular culture is better for Jim Davis having existed.
Posted by Juris on July 31, 2009 at 11:12 AM
kim in portland 19
Family Circus barely beats Cathy on my dislike scale.

We like "For Better For Worse", in our house. Not for the humor, but for the grace in which they handled a character's coming out to his family and friends, and another character being physically abused at home by his father. It has opened up a lot of healthy discussion in our home.
Posted by kim in portland http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/11/fast-paced_video_provides_a_fu.html on July 31, 2009 at 11:14 AM
20
You fucked up. The correct answer is BC.
Posted by Sean Nelson, Emeritus on July 31, 2009 at 11:16 AM
21
@7 -- You are right. The death of Heathcliff was the only thing that made me happy about the death of the P-I.
Posted by giantladysquirrels on July 31, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Megaroo 22
That was the hardest Daily Poll Dance ever! I stared at it for over a minute not sure which steaming pile to vote for. Okay, back to work.
Posted by Megaroo on July 31, 2009 at 11:18 AM
TVDinner 23
@19: Kim, I share your feelings about the Family Circus vs. Cathy conundrum and came to the exact same decision. They really should have let us vote for more than one, don't you think?
Posted by TVDinner http:// on July 31, 2009 at 11:18 AM
vooodooo84 24
The correct answer is every corporate zombie comic ever
Posted by vooodooo84 on July 31, 2009 at 11:19 AM
25
Hehehe... 1 out of 2 sloggers replied that they hate the two comics they've seen in the past two days on Slog.

Readers, you don't HAVE to hate what the Slog tells you to hate.

Seriously, there were some really bad comics to choose from. Tough decisions all around.
Posted by Ackham on July 31, 2009 at 11:23 AM
michael strangeways 26
Where's Dilbert?

and, For Better or Worse is great!
Posted by michael strangeways http://www.seattlegayscene.com/ on July 31, 2009 at 11:24 AM
blip 27
with a few notable exceptions, comic strips are just bad. but doonsbury remains the one comic strip i've always hated with unbridled rage, simply because it's so. fucking. UGLY. whether it's funny or not i couldn't even tell you. i can't stand to look at it long enough to find out.

hideous!!
Posted by blip on July 31, 2009 at 11:27 AM
28
Family Circus it is. All the rest are terrible, but, for most of them, someone, somewhere probably once found them funny. As one example, children seem to like Garfield. Kids also have terrible taste, but whatever.

Family Circus has never, ever been funny, insightful, or anything else. It exists solely for elderly stroke victims.
Posted by keshmeshi on July 31, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Baconcat 29
Oh man, Shoe haters unite!
Posted by Baconcat on July 31, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Cook 30
the worst is clearly the lockhorns. just get a fucking divorce already! i don't think i've ever laughed at that. cathy looks artful compared to the lockhorns.
Posted by Cook on July 31, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Enigma 31
@20 Yes!
I voted Lockhorns because you can get great comedy out of two hateful people married to each other, yet Lockhorns always failed.
Posted by Enigma http://approvereferendum71.org/ on July 31, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Original Monique 32
Marmaduke by far. Cathy can sometimes, and that's a BIG sometimes, be funny or just "haha, true". Family cirus is annoying, but fucking marmaduke completely annoys the hell out of me.
Posted by Original Monique http://www.facebook.com/notifications.php#/group.php?gid=124801948427 on July 31, 2009 at 11:41 AM
playswithknives 33
The Nietzsche Family Circus is good
Posted by playswithknives on July 31, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Julie in Eugene 34
I always liked For Better or For Worse when I was younger, though I don't read it now. It wasn't typically all that funny, per se, but I enjoyed following the kids through time and having a comic that seemed more "real life" (but while steering clear of Sally Forth territory or anything).
Posted by Julie in Eugene on July 31, 2009 at 11:45 AM
kim in portland 35
TVDinner @ 23,

Yes, I wish we could have voted twice.
Posted by kim in portland http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/11/fast-paced_video_provides_a_fu.html on July 31, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Cracker Jack 36
I reiterate -- ANY comic now in a newspaper is crap.
Posted by Cracker Jack on July 31, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Wicked Virgin 37
Fred Basset is easily the worst comic strip ever. All those other ones at least have some sort of attempted point or try for a punchline. You might not like what Family Circus does, you might be sick of the endless cliches that Cathy spouts, but Fred Basset doesn't even attempt any of these things. Seriously, read some examples and see if you can even discern any form of humor or even any sort of point.
Posted by Wicked Virgin http://userscripts.org/tags/slog on July 31, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Jason Josephes 38
Cathy. No contest. Although it did give us this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbCT5fXdh…
Posted by Jason Josephes http://www.myspace.com/bluemoonseattle on July 31, 2009 at 11:59 AM
39
BC should have definitely been on the list but the all time worst is the right wing nut comic "Prick City."
Posted by Senor Guy on July 31, 2009 at 12:00 PM
josh 40
the only thing that redeemed marmaduke is "marmaduke explained" (http://marmadukeexplained.blogspot.com/)
Posted by josh http://www.sciencevsromance.net on July 31, 2009 at 12:08 PM
41
There, there, you're all right!
Posted by butterw on July 31, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Baconcat 42
@39: You forgot the "ly" in "Prickly".

...or did you? The plot thickens.
Posted by Baconcat on July 31, 2009 at 12:12 PM
43
Family Circus, while bad, has made me titter from time to time.

Cathy, on the other hand, never, ever has.
Posted by guy on July 31, 2009 at 12:23 PM
44
p.s. Everyone who wrote in "for better or worse": DIAFKTHX.
Posted by guy on July 31, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Mary P. Traverse 45
God I don't even know how to answer.
Posted by Mary P. Traverse http://mptsketchbook.blogspot.com on July 31, 2009 at 12:31 PM
COMTE 46
Two words, peoplez:

"Love Is..."

Gaze into the true face of horror...
Posted by COMTE http://www.chriscomte.com on July 31, 2009 at 12:33 PM
47
yeah, "love is..." is ridiculous. child porn in thousands of newspapers across the country.
Posted by guy on July 31, 2009 at 12:35 PM
gloomy gus 48
Comte, yes! Aaaaugh!
Posted by gloomy gus on July 31, 2009 at 12:40 PM
49
I'd have to go with Apt. 3-G as the worst comic ever.

But for your enjoyment, Cracked has a list of The 5 Most Unintentionally Hilarious Comic Strips. It's pretty funny.
Posted by UNPAID COMMENTER on July 31, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Baxter 50
What? No B.C.? It was written by a creationist. http://comics.com/bc/
Posted by Baxter http://www.jessicabaxter.com on July 31, 2009 at 12:56 PM
51
BC is the worst, it was not only terribly unfunny, but often xenophobic and racist as well, and not back in the old days when all the comic strips were racist, it's been like that this millenium.
Posted by Sinclair on July 31, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Josh Bomb 52
it wasn't until today that i ever considered the fact that ziggy is really only my 5th most-hated comic strip. thanks, stranger.

marmaduke-haters resource: http://marmadukeexplained.blogspot.com/
Posted by Josh Bomb http://www.satanosphere.com on July 31, 2009 at 1:05 PM
53
This was really hard. I could have seen voting for five or six of the ones presented. Mallard Filmore was conspicuous in its absence from the list of choices. I guess the concern is if you include Mallard Filmore, and it wins, you'll never know whether it was its politics or its suckiness that pushed to the top. But it could win in either category alone. BC has horrible politics but I have occasionally found some of the nonpolitical, nonsexist, nonracist and nonreligious BC strips funny.
Posted by Eric from Boulder on July 31, 2009 at 1:10 PM
McGee 54
I went with Marvin just for the "artist's" sheer inability to draw or to visually tell a story, let alone be unfunny. Some Marvin strip look like three panels of single photocopied piece clip-art with really crappy word baloons.
Posted by McGee on July 31, 2009 at 1:12 PM
55
whoa, 9% for the lockhorns? that is some classic shit, should be on best comic strip ever list.
Posted by kerri harrop http://generalbonkers.com on July 31, 2009 at 1:38 PM
56
I can't believe BC is not on the list.
Posted by Artichoke on July 31, 2009 at 1:41 PM
starsandgarters 57
Shoe?? Fuck you, Jeff MacNelly was a genius.
Posted by starsandgarters on July 31, 2009 at 2:10 PM
TheRain 58
In a few years I think everyone will realize that Get Fuzzy is a steaming pile of shit.

We'll also acknowledge that Funky Winkerbean tried too hard to be like For Better or Worse, and that they were both awful as well.
Posted by TheRain on July 31, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Baconcat 59
@57: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *gasp*

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Posted by Baconcat on July 31, 2009 at 2:25 PM
Cato the Younger Younger 60
Best comic strip of all time? Calvin and Hobbes.

THAT is the SHIT BITCH!!!
Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on July 31, 2009 at 2:26 PM
61
9 chickweed lane. worst most awful thing ever.
Posted by mor money mor problems on July 31, 2009 at 2:32 PM
marsgirl 62
It's hard to love Garfield now, but think back to its early days! I have one name for you: LYMAN! Mainstream comics' first suspiciously gay character?
Posted by marsgirl http://myspace.com/marquettamiller on July 31, 2009 at 2:35 PM
kk in seattle 63
BC, Mallard Fillmore and Prickly City are all horrid because stabbed-in-the-back whiny right-wing victimization by definition is not funny. The others on the list are all pretty damn bad (when Jeff MacNelly was alive, Shoe was tolerable--no longer), but Cathy, with its insane materialism, borders on evil, and in years of periodically reading Marmaduke, I only once saw an African American depicted (as a basketball player on TV), so for retrograde hackishness, I go with the Great Dane.
Posted by kk in seattle on July 31, 2009 at 2:39 PM
64
The Born Loser sucks.
Posted by I hate that comic on July 31, 2009 at 2:47 PM
McGee 65
While Calvin and Hobbes was undeniably great the best comic strip ever was Krazy Kat.
Posted by McGee on July 31, 2009 at 2:52 PM
NaFun 66
I frequently enjoy me some B.C., even if it is often creationist. Family Circus, on the other hand, is just godawful. For Better or For Worse was boring when I was a kid, but I grew to be a big fan in college. I was upset the day that Farley died.

Posted by NaFun http://www.dancesafe.org on July 31, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Baconcat 67
If we nominated comics right now for a "best of the bad", I'd have to jointly nominate Jane's World, Get Fuzzy and Pearls Before Swine because the artists clearly haven't come to terms with their mutual dislike of eachother.

Pastis constantly terrorize's Braddock's dog in his strips, Braddock refers to Pastis as a sweaty jackass and Conley has nothing but mean things to say in reference to Pastis while making vague reference to Braddock from time to time.
Posted by Baconcat on July 31, 2009 at 3:02 PM
68
Worst Family Circus plot gimmick: dead grandparents dressed as angels and smiling from clouds as kids do something especially lame.
Posted by Suba on July 31, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Indy 69
Family Circus achieves a new level of awful. It just lies there on the page and you know better but somehow it attracts your gaze and you can't look away and then OH MY GOD THE SUCK ITS EATING MY SOUL.

Also, it's porn for old republicans.
Posted by Indy on July 31, 2009 at 3:34 PM
70
Although one must frequently quell the urge to retch while reading the Family Circus, it's predominately for young children and family sharing. Cathy, on the other hand, tries to be a humorous and insightful portrayal of the trials and tribulations of a modern, single woman in today's world. Ack.

Those who enjoy and relate deeply to Cathy's daily petty fears and social disorders are most likely the grown children of families that regularly laughed together while reading Family Circus. “Look, PJ…. Mommy is enabling Jeffy's eating disorder."
Posted by Barfy on July 31, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Arsenic7 71
Seems to me the best comics don't last nearly as long as the worst.

Farside, Calvin and Hobbes, Perry Bible Fellowship. There are ones that give me a chuckle in the paper today, too, but they tend to be newer.

For Better or Worse, I actually think is a good comic but not necessarily a funny one.
Posted by Arsenic7 on July 31, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Posted by treacle on July 31, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Enigma 73
@69 Mitch Hedberg has a great piece about that very phenomena. Now there was a great comic. :-)
Posted by Enigma http://approvereferendum71.org/ on July 31, 2009 at 3:49 PM
kim in portland 74
Town called Dobson, gets points for making my smile and for making me think. http://www.towncalleddobson.com/
Posted by kim in portland http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/11/fast-paced_video_provides_a_fu.html on July 31, 2009 at 4:24 PM
STJA 75
Get Fuzzy is not that bad... it's weird. That's usually better than your normal pile-o-shit treepaper comic.

For the life of me I can't decide C&H and Far Side for best. I dearly loved them both as a kid. However, working in a biology building and having a few choice elevator Far Sides in the rickety elevator repeatedly makes me smile.
Posted by STJA on July 31, 2009 at 4:57 PM
76
Zippy the Pinhead
Posted by Reader1 on July 31, 2009 at 5:05 PM
77
at least family circus appears within a circle.
way more eyecatching, and cathys eyes are too close together.
Posted by cAthAy on July 31, 2009 at 5:09 PM
TVDinner 78
Where's the love for Bloom County? Now THAT was genius. Re-reading the books almost makes me misty-eyed for Casper Weinberger.
Posted by TVDinner http:// on July 31, 2009 at 6:27 PM
Vampireseal 79
The Family Circus--it has never, ever, ever made me laugh even as a 5 year old. Cathy is a close second to me, because although it has a few humorous moments, it got real old, real fast. And somehow, it seemed insulting to women, not supportive.

I miss the Far Side--it still makes me laugh.
Posted by Vampireseal on July 31, 2009 at 7:30 PM
wilbur@work 80
Well said, @69, well said.
Posted by wilbur@work on July 31, 2009 at 7:33 PM
mr. herriman 81
Catalina Vel DuRay better weigh in on this

But as for me, I wanted to vote for all of them, but I voted for Ziggy to spite my father. He used to clip them and leave them on the kitchen counter for us. Blech.
Posted by mr. herriman on July 31, 2009 at 8:04 PM
Zebes 82
I'm surprised Garfield isn't getting more votes- but then, it does at least have Garfield Minus Garfield going for it. Either that or Jim Davis's marketing talents are just that insidious.
Posted by Zebes http://www.badrap.org/rescue/index.html on July 31, 2009 at 10:11 PM
drewl 83
I know I'm late to the party, but Bizarro (by Piraro!) is the best strip printed today. Non Sequiter is up there, too. I miss my Far Side, Bloom County and Calvin & Hobbes.

Cathy v. FC? At least FC appeals to young children. Cathy is horrible.
Posted by drewl on July 31, 2009 at 11:41 PM
disintegrator 84
Blargh! You all know that Family Circus is just the worst. Think of all the times you read it, and hated it a little bit, silently. You know what you have to do...
Posted by disintegrator http://bottlevariation.blogspot.com on August 1, 2009 at 1:47 AM
85
@49 is dead on -- Apartment 3-G was ghastly.
Posted by Massive Attack on August 1, 2009 at 9:07 AM
86
Luann is the worst comic, hands down.
Posted by Jay Stevens on August 1, 2009 at 8:07 PM
87
BC had it's moments. Garfield had some AWESOME moments. As just about every other cartoon on the list other than Lockhorns had some brilliant moments.

Anyone else remember Rex M.D. (Is that what it was called?) I mean, what was the point of that?

But Family Circus and Cathy? It was a difficult choice for me, simply because they were never funny. Cathy is actually kind of offensive. I mean, it's a stereotypical self victimizing bitchy woman. Overly emotional, slave to chocolate, and hating on her thirty something singledom.

Same damn "jokes" over and over again.

Posted by former tri-state on August 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Bloodgrass 88
Peanuts. The guy is DEAD. give it up.
Posted by Bloodgrass on August 3, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Geni 89
Prince Valium. Will they EVER stop running that damned thing? The only reason I didn't vote BC, though, is because the artist retired it a year or two ago; he's no longer doing new ones. I fucking hated BC. I hate Mallard Fillmore and Prickly City, too - they've never once moved beyond their partisan hackery to even ATTEMPT to make an amusing point. It IS possible, albeit difficult, to be both conservative and witty, but both those strips fail dismally.

And I dearly love Get Fuzzy and Pearls Before Swine. I think Conley and Pastis give each other shit in their respective strips because they're friends, and that's what guys do.
Posted by Geni on August 3, 2009 at 3:47 PM
90
The Family Circus offends kids.
Posted by Reggie on September 7, 2011 at 9:46 PM

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