A Brief Look Into The State Of Newspaper Comic Strips Today: Beetle Bailey

There was a time when readers considered comic strips one of the most important parts of the newspaper. People would actually choose one paper over another based on the comics they published.

Those days are gone forever.

This is possibly the most disturbing, uncomfortable and off-putting comic strip I've ever seen.

I really don't need to see General Halftrack's dessicated, nude body lying prone on a cold, metallic examination table. And I really don't need to see his burly doctor warning him before he performs an unpleasant and invasive procedure on what I must assume will be his rectum.

The second panel is even worse. The General's surprised yelp and the Doctor's hidden right arm point to only one painful, probing and shocking conclusion. But on closer inspection we can see a tiny glimpse of the Doctor's hand, lovingly rubbing skin cream on the General's withered buttock. I honestly don't know which scenario is worse.

How I miss Calvin & Hobbes and The Far Side.