Topic: How to use a self timer (slightly OT)

[Francois]

Sorry for the too big image.
While I was reading a comic book late last night,
I stumbled onto this page which I thought
could be somewhat appropriate.
I think it's not without a comic element.
I translated it for you from French.

And if this never happened to you...
no need to raise your hand 

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

[david b]

Miss Jane looks like more trouble than she's worth, if you ask me.

[Francois]

In the whole cartoon series, the guy (who I named Harold) is a total klutz. Expert at only two things: finding ways not to work and messing up

Miss Jane only appears rarely in the cartoon... (they made 17 books total)

[david b]

It's quite Asterixy in style - the characters seem to have the same big floppy feet that stick out at the back...

Or maybe this is an accurate reflection of the poor state of podiatry in France?

There's also that weird thing - not just found in Asterix, but in many comics and cartoons - of having attractive women look like they're from a completely different species to all the other characters.

[LT]

Very Asterix!  Also, I have a book of cartoon/ comic strips that I bought in france on my 2nd year french Exchange to Lille , called "Clopinettes" - different artists again, yet identical style. Must be a French thing.  God know's why I bought it - I still dont understand the French in it.

[david b]

Faut pas chercher a comprendre.

[Francois]

The weird thing is that most French cartoons are made by Belgian artist near Brussels...

This one is made by Franquin (not the same as Asterix though it is in the style of the period).

This one if from a very popular series. The real name of the series is Gaston Lagaffe.
I did take liberties in the translation not knowing if it had been translated in English (which it seems it never was).

For those who want to know a bit more, he's even got his own Wikipedia page!

He is a very fun character (much more funny than Asterix, Tintin or all the others could ever be)...

[david b]

Herg? was Belgian too, I think...

But, I don't know, I don't find this very appealing - the drawing style just puts me off.  I do actually think that athough us Europeans share most of our cultural heritage there is something pretty distinct going on when it comes to humour on different sides of the channel.  Half my family are German, and there's an absolute gulf in understanding when it comes to comedy ... (and popular music too, come to that).  There's hardly any comedy produced in the rest of Europe that has become popular in the UK, which I suppose is why Gaston has apparently been translated into Icelandic and Esperanto but not English.

Plumbing new depths of OT-ness here.