One of the finest moments in Viz is the encounter between Raffles - The Gentleman Thug - and Oscar Wilde. Raffles and his sidekick Bunny have gatecrashed a society party, and Raffles' attention is soon drawn to Wilde, who's amusing the company with epigrams. The Gentleman Thug begins to intimidate him, addressing him as 'Professor fucking Posh' and asking him if he thinks he's clever. Experienced Raffles readers know how this conversation will end. But Wilde replies:
'Cleverness, Lord Raffles, is the assertion of the absolute modernity of ignorance.'
A question mark appears above Raffles' furrowed brow. And Wilde continues -
'More like a bastard!'
accompanying the remark with a taste of Raffles' own fistic medicine.
In the final frame Wilde has his hands clasped triumphantly above his head, while Raffles staggers away supported by Bunny. With a hand to his bleeding nose, Raffles groans,
'Fucking hell, Bunny, I wish I'd said that.'
And his faithful sidekick can only reply,
'You will, Raffles, you will.'
Incidentally, readers wanting some really fine writing about Viz should hurry on over to here for a detailed analysis of Fru T Bunn's affair with his butcher neighbour's meat missus.
Showing posts with label viz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label viz. Show all posts
Saturday, October 25, 2008
A fairly poor new Viz (180) yesterday - I noticed that the Framley Examiner boys (who write the filler material these days) are putting their old grammar school teachers' names into the copy again. Generally that's a reliable index of shitness in the modern Viz.
It's deeply regrettable that they were brought in to do Viz - as if, after Eric Morecambe died, the Morecambe and Wise show had been taken over by Cannon and Ball.
One exception to the mediocrity this issue was Major Misunderstanding. Since he first appeared about 60 issues ago, he's mistaken a wide range of everyday activities for criminality or political protest: a woman who asks him for directions is rebuked for plying her trade as a prostitute, a mop leaning against the wall in a public toilet is rebuked for cottaging, a man with a sandwich board is accused of being an unrealistic pacifist and a group of monks are treated to a defiant tirade against hooded teenagers.
But this time, the Major encounters a Gay Pride march. Fired with enthusiasm, he commends the marchers for taking a stand against Brussels bureaucrats, gives them a rousing speech and sets off with them, marching at the head of the parade.
I'm happy to have waited 6 years for a punchline like that: as well as finally providing us with a twist, it also gives the Major a bit of dignity. For once his indignation is harnessed to a noble cause, even if it isn't the one he thinks it is.
It's deeply regrettable that they were brought in to do Viz - as if, after Eric Morecambe died, the Morecambe and Wise show had been taken over by Cannon and Ball.
One exception to the mediocrity this issue was Major Misunderstanding. Since he first appeared about 60 issues ago, he's mistaken a wide range of everyday activities for criminality or political protest: a woman who asks him for directions is rebuked for plying her trade as a prostitute, a mop leaning against the wall in a public toilet is rebuked for cottaging, a man with a sandwich board is accused of being an unrealistic pacifist and a group of monks are treated to a defiant tirade against hooded teenagers.
But this time, the Major encounters a Gay Pride march. Fired with enthusiasm, he commends the marchers for taking a stand against Brussels bureaucrats, gives them a rousing speech and sets off with them, marching at the head of the parade.
I'm happy to have waited 6 years for a punchline like that: as well as finally providing us with a twist, it also gives the Major a bit of dignity. For once his indignation is harnessed to a noble cause, even if it isn't the one he thinks it is.