By Greenlaw
The concept sketch for this one was interesting because of the location where I doodled it. According to the note, I got this idea while I was wandering around Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley last winter. Not sure why I was thinking of ramen noodles at the time. Maybe because I was freezing my butt off out there?
Here’s the sketch version of the comic.
Transcript
Panel 1
Sister: Big guys?
Toullie: What?
Panel 3
Toullie: Ohhhh! Big EYES!
I’ve been wanting to write a palindromic episode for a few years but until a few weeks ago I had no idea what it was going to be about.
For some reason, a lot of Brudders ideas come to me when I’m in the bathroom. My daughter was brushing her teeth when I noticed that the words ‘Sparkle Fun’ on her tube of toothpaste spelled backwards is ‘nuf! Elk raps. That seemed like a good place to start.
Yeah, I know this is a pretty weird one. An earlier version made more sense grammatically but it was one letter short of a true palindrome so I had to re-work it. To me, Sparkle Elk’s ‘rap’ came out sounding vaguely sociopolitical but try not to read too much into the song. Honestly, I’m not that clever.
Here’s the original concept rough for the strip:
And the sketch pass:
Transcript
Panel 1
Sergeant: Sparkle Elk raps?
Panel 2
Yo! I’m a deer breed, yeh!
Yaks deliver Llama,
Ewe am all reviled. ‘s’kay.
Hey, Deer Breed am I. Oy!
Panel 3
Toulllie: Sparkle Elk raps!
Transcript
Panel 1
Toullie: That’s called a pine twee and those bwown things on the gwound are called pineapples.
Panel 2
Sergeant: Those are called pinecones.
Toullie: Then what’s a pineapple?
Panel 3
Sergeant: They’re fruit…that…um…
Panel 4
Sergeant: …that grow on pine trees in Hawaii
Toullie: Oh!
Transcript
Panel 1
Narrator: The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea in a beautiful pea-gween boat…
Sergeant: What are you supposed to be? And why am I wearing a dress?
Toullie: I’m the Owl and you’re the Pussycat.
Panel 2
Narrator: They sailed away, and were mawwied next day by the Turkey who wivs on the hill.
Sister: Sergeant, kiss Toowee now!
Sergeant: This is not okay! We’re brothers!
Transcript
Panel 2
Sister: RAWR!
Panel 3
Sergeant: What’s up with her?
Transcript
Panel 1
Sergeant: Sigh!
Panel 4
Sergeant: Did you know that cats are nocturnal?
Transcript
Panel 1
Toullie:
Wuvin’ you is easy cause you’re beautiful,
Do do do do do doooo…
Panel 2
Toullie: MEEOOOOOW!
Panel 3
Sister: All done! No more singing!
Transcript
Panel 1
Toullie: Sergeant, wet’s pway a game.
Panel 2
Sergeant: Okay, how about lazy tag? I’ll be it.
Toullie and Sister: Yay! Lazy tag!
Panel 3
Toullie: How do we pway?
Sergeant: Sister, would you please tag Toullie for me?
Transcript
Panel 1
Toullie: A penny!
Panel 2
Toullie:
Find a penny, pick it up,
and all the day you’ll have good luck.
Panel 3
Toullie: It’s twue. Today I found a penny!