Marshall calls Blondie a bit of Americana whose lasting appeal stems from the fact that it takes a humorous look at everyday problems. Dagwood overeats and goes to work every day, facing a demanding boss. Blondie is the all-American wife and mother, although she joined the work force in 1991 as the proud owner of Blondie's Catering.
...
Young agrees that the strip's humor relates to the world going on around us and purposefully shies away from politics and controversy.
"My dad told me a long time ago, "we want to win friends, not make enemies.' Our job is to make people laugh," he says.
Eric's dead-on reaction: "That’s right: Blondie relates to the world around us by purposefully shying away from politics and controversy."
Personally, I just feel like a complete jackass. For the 3+ years I've been doing this, I had no idea that truly great satire about "the world around us" means just looking at the insular lives of white suburbanites who obey gender and class roles rooted in 1930's "Americana."
Boy do I have egg on my face.
1 comment:
Before working on "Blondie," John Marshall illustrated a comic called "Walnut Cove." The strip ran 1991 to 2000, although Marshall didn't take over the art duty until 1994.
I vagely remember the strip and I remember liking it when it was drawn by its original creator. However, I felt the strip began to suffer around the time Marshall took over the art duty. Even though the creator still did the writing, the new art just didn't feel right.
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