Comments on: Smart Gerbils: January 15-20, 2001

By: linkhyrule5

linkhyrule5 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 05:55:24 +0000

You know, the fact that Artie’s personality doesn’t match his later beliefs doesn’t really require a plot hole to explain.

He’s just young. Give him more than a couple days, he’ll figure himself out :p.

By: Makiruz

Makiruz — Sat, 12 Feb 2022 05:21:53 +0000

Listening to a Podcast about “Last and First Man” and they mention Sirius! Actually I’m here because I wasn’t sure it was the same book that help inspire Artie (I know it had to be, but still).
They’re not overly impressed by Stapledon

By: eekee

eekee — Tue, 15 May 2018 12:00:47 +0000

I love the Olaf Stapledon line, it’s exactly how I’ve felt about trying to work with computers in the last 30 years! 🙂

The details are not nearly so much fun as that one line, sadly. Initially, I didn’t communicate enough with other people doing what I was trying to do. When I did start communicating, I was already brain damaged by the whirlpool of hubris surrounding Linux. Red Hat’s need to ‘encourage’ people to buy their support contracts had affected me almost as badly as all the morons who couldn’t do anything simply to save their lives, and I didn’t even realise it for years. Anyway, the effect of all that was to make me feel like an alien in a world where I was sure I had intelligence, but was terribly frustrated at not being able to get anywhere most of the time. I absolutely have to read Sirius now!

By: Chasing Darkness (chasingdarkness)

Chasing Darkness (chasingdarkness) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:40:18 +0000

Y’know, I had REALLY thought that “Artie” was part refrence to a sequel of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. There was a character named Arthur called Artie, written R-T (assuming, of course, I remember correctly)…strangely enough, the same names Artie goes by over the course of Narbonic, in reverse order.

By: Michael Brazier (michaelbrazier)

Michael Brazier (michaelbrazier) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:40:17 +0000

“… but I’ll probably die of it someday.” In fact, tracing the causal links, that little remark actually got Dave killed twice. Time travel can be truly mind-bending …

By: David Harmon (mental_mouse)

David Harmon (mental_mouse) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:40:16 +0000

Saturday's strip: Another favorite... but I'd call those two middle panels a split panel, where Artie goes from dumbfoundment to a seriously distracted exit. (He tells Dave to "hold that thought"?)

By: Leon Arnott (l)

Leon Arnott (l) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:40:15 +0000

Saturday's Comic: My only complaint wih the asterisk convention is that in some cases it just isn't powerful enough to denote an immense and incredible realisation. But more on that as it comes.

Previous Silent Penultimate Panels: 1, 2, 3.

(Not included: 1, 2,. The essence of the SPP is that no activity higher than advanced cognition is taking place.)

By: James Rice (jhrice)

James Rice (jhrice) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:40:14 +0000

Saturday's strip: Helen's shirt bears a not very good likeness of Pogo.
What do you mean it's not very good? It's just about perfect given the size and contours you had to work with. I remember reading the original Pogo comicstrip in the newspapers when I was a kid. The first time I saw this strip, I instantly recognized Pogo on Helen's shirt, and had a cool Pogo flashback moment . For that, I want to thank you.

By the way, my very first piece of Narbonic fan art, "Gerbil Intelligence" was based on the drawing of Artie in the second panel of this strip.

By: Robin Zimmermann (packbat)

Robin Zimmermann (packbat) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:40:13 +0000

Friday's commentary: don't forget the 'Dave still smokes' angle. I know Artie wasn't a vegan until after Dave went through the time machine (cf. "A Brief Moment of Culture" – confirmed canonical) – vs. the raffle at the valentines party in "Demons").

By: Paul Anderson (pmanderson)

Paul Anderson (pmanderson) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:40:12 +0000

It’s a propellor beanie, under repair.