Talk:B.C. (comic strip)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WikiProject Comics
comics
Portal
This article is in the scope of WikiProject Comics, a collaborative effort to build an encyclopedic guide to comics on Wikipedia. Get involved! Help with current tasks, visit the notice board, edit the attached article or discuss it at the project talk page.
B This article has been rated as B-Class on the quality scale. Please explain the rating here.
Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the importance scale.

Contents

[edit] Anachronisms

Even before the strip becoming so overtly sociopolitical, there were all sorts of anachronisms, such as hunting a turkey for Thanksgiving and baseball games, so the anachronisms did not begin in the 1990s. Rlquall 18:37, 23 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Can we put something about this strip being nonsensical and not funny any more?--Theloniouszen 05:54, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

That's POV. Somebody must find it funny. Right? ccwaters 10:49, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

I have been wondering for some time why it is called BC when there are so many references to Christmas and Easter etc. I am a Christian so it does not bother me. It just does not work with the premise of the strip. Dennis R. 12/01/05

  • Keep in mind that one of the characters is named B.C. So, in theory, it could just be a coincidence. Not likely. But keep in mind the cartoon was started in like 1959, and was strictly prehistoric at the time. Maybe it's a little late to change it. :) Wahkeenah 23:54, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
It did not become overtly Christian until the last decade or so, as Hart himself changed. For the first couple of decades, it was strictly humor (and very good humor, too). - DavidWBrooks 00:05, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
Once Johnny Hart "found it", did he also "lose it" (i.e. his sense of humour)? Wahkeenah 00:08, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
It's also good to keep in mind that the B.C. comic, like many comics, takes place in an artificial setting in order to sharpen the satire. This is not a new concept. The Flintstones did the same thing. And going a little farther back, Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado was plainly about the English, only disguised as Japan. Wahkeenah 00:12, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
It's important to realize that even now the strip is only "religious" 10 or 20% of the time. But (secular) anachronisms occur probably 80% of the time. Wasted Time R 21:18, 9 May 2006 (UTC)
I'd like to know just what it was that got him "banned" for a week. Wahkeenah 23:07, 9 May 2006 (UTC)
I just read the link. He's a zealot, and if Doonesbury deserves to be banned from time to time, B.C. certainly does. By contrast, Peanuts characters (notably Linus) often discussed religion, but not in the patronizing way that Hart evidently does. Wahkeenah 23:15, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Alternate explanation

Has anyone else here encountered the idea that BC in fact takes place in a post-nuclear-apocolyptic world? It would explain pretty much all of the anachronisms (maybe the dinosaurs are mutated lizards or something, etc.), and what group of people wouldn't be extremely interested in religion if, in a sense, Armageddeon had already happened? I'm still not sure the theory is worth posting on the main article, though. Any thoughts? User:Lenoxus 16:35, 15 April 2006 Lenoxus (UTC)

I've been reading BC for four decades, and that's the first time I've encountered that idea - so, no, I don't think this belongs in the article. - DavidWBrooks 17:22, 15 April 2006 (UTC)
No more so than The Flintstones, which also celebrated Christmas, etc. Keep in mind that both of those were/are simply literary vehicles for satirizing modern American cutlure. Much in the way that The Mikado was set in Japan, and Hamlet was set in Denmark, and Gulliver's Travels were set in exotic lands, but all of those were really about British culture. Wahkeenah 21:15, 15 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Post-apocalyptic?

Gimme a break. B.C. is, and always has been, a satire about modern humans... just like the Flintstones was... or Bugs Bunny, for that matter. Wahkeenah 17:06, 17 October 2006 (UTC)

Yes, satire, but it most definitely post-apocolyptic. A few years ago, Clumsy clearly states he's reading a magazine from "back in 2004." http://bcblastedcavemen.blogspot.com/2006/11/bc-prehistoric-or-postapocalyptic.html This should be incorporated into the article.


Remember that Christian doctrine states that Christ will be back... so maybe Hart is thinking "BC" in the sense of the post-apocalptic "second fall of man" - before the second coming. If yall think this is worth including, feel free -BC

To Wahkeena: I certainly wasn't being serious enough for any break to have be given (in other words, everyone who read my comment was given a break to begin with) — that's why I raised the possibility here instead of direct editing. The more I see it, it seems clear that even the points raised by the two (or possibly one) user(s) above are very much in the obsessive-consistency mode of thinking, although I have to admit chuckling at the "second coming" idea. I very much doubt any of the inconsistencies actually trouble Hart, and of course it's a satire on humans. Just wondering if there was anything to back up the possible interpretation, but I'd say the simple, obvious answer is no. Thank for responding, guys (and sorry to be so late in getting back here about it — I just figured out a good system for following the conversations I start). --Lenoxus 02:02, 22 January 2007 (UTC)


The post-apocalyptic thing was confirmed. In the same arc where Anno and Conahonty are introduced i.e. the one where the character travels around the world on a raft. It's really weird, if you asked I doubt one in ten people would recall it even though it's pretty much the most significant moment in the strip and the arc in question lasted quite some time. I don't even think it's been put in any collections either. 206.180.38.20 17:34, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

I happen to recall that arc, but my fuzzy memory doesn't suggest any kind of "confirmed" post-apocalyptic thing; in retrospect, I'd say I was being mostly facetious with that idea; I'm pretty sure the symbolism of having a character named "Anno" isn't enough to confirm anything, except maybe hint at Johnny Hart's liking of Christian symbolism… and now I'll shut up before this loses every strand of connection to Wikipedianess. Peace out! \sim Lenoxus " * " 03:38, 17 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Religious Controversy

Can someone find a citation on Mel Lazarus's friendship and defense of Johnny Hart? Perhaps a quote of defense instead of the remark about one of Johnny Hart's best friends being Jewish which is rather cliche, and meaningless. Gavroche42 12:47, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

Or, in short, "Lazarus? Come forth!" Wahkeenah 18:40, 9 April 2007 (UTC)
Ok, that was made of win.
Removed "(interestingly, one of Hart's best friends and defenders is Jewish-American cartoonist Mel Lazarus)" as yes, it is cliche. Furthermore does not add any substance to the article. Discussing criticism by Jewish and Muslim groups implies that some of Hart's strips appeared anti-semitic. Making a counter-argument might serve the function of balancing the article; however, the cliche my-best-friend-is-Jewish statement is a terrible way of doing that. A quote of a defense would serve that purpose much better. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 97.97.167.187 (talk) 04:06, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Character explanations

Just as a thought: Although all of the principal characters are mentioned in the article, it might not be a bad idea to have them listed in their own section, along with some brief notes about their personalities and/or any running gags that they are involved in (Wiley's Dictionary, Peter and his messages to the guy on the other side of the world, etc.). Willbyr (talk | contribs) 15:48, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

That's a good idea, and really should be done to match other articles about comic strips. If someone could do that it would be great. Rhino131 22:47, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:BC Italy.jpg

Image:BC Italy.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in Wikipedia articles constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.BetacommandBot 00:57, 1 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Help!

I'm trying to find an old B.C. comic that my mom used to carry around. I know on the very last panel 2 ants are sitting on a cross, talking. I can't find it ANYWHERE!!!! Please reply!

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:B.C. character Clumsy Carp.png

Image:B.C. character Clumsy Carp.png is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot 09:31, 27 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:B.C. strip 7 Dec 2006.png

Image:B.C. strip 7 Dec 2006.png is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot 09:32, 27 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:BC islam strip.png

Image:BC islam strip.png is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot 22:10, 29 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:BC Italy.jpg

Image:BC Italy.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 04:29, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Mason Mastroianni

on Mason Mastroianni in Wikipedia: Where is his Religious aspect? instead of Johnny Hart? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.64.98.251 (talk) 00:23, 21 March 2008 (UTC)