Ned Lem: Lucky or Pitiable?

[Josiah Rowe]

So, the last Morning Improv for a while goes to one Ned Lem, a gentleman apparently in need of a few syllables. I'm not sure whether to envy him for having had his entry chosen, or laugh at the one that Scott did choose. Hands up: how many of you have (like me) submitted dozens of entries, hoping to collaborate with the Great McCloud?

I can't even remember most of the suggestions I've put in. Most of them were probably fairly awful, although I was rather proud of "Dancing Hummus".

So, Scott -- what titles (by Ned, probably no relation to Stanislaw, Lem, or by anyone else) were in the running? Or do you want to hold on to the list of possible titles for use when M.I. returns?

Everyone else: what have you suggested that you wish Scott would use?

I, for one, would like to see Mr. Lem's "All-Purpose Correction Fluid."

[Scott McCloud]

So, Scott -- what titles (by Ned, probably no relation to Stanislaw, Lem, or by anyone else) were in the running? Or do you want to hold on to the list of possible titles for use when M.I. returns?

Oh, I'm definitely going to be holding on to all of the suggestions in anticipation of MI's return! Couldn't waste all those great titles (and Ned wasn't the only one with lots of good ideas!)

I went through a huge list Saturday morning, btw. Took me hours to pick one. One of the reasons I picked the one I did was because I knew I would have to make it a quickie.

[Guest]

Scott -- "correction" is missing the "T" in "All-Purpose Correction Fluid." Good stuff besides that, though. Amusing.

[InkAddict]

Scott -- "correction" is missing the "T" in "All-Purpose Correction Fluid." Good stuff besides that, though. Amusing.

ermmmm.....

[Scott McCloud]

Whoops. Thanks for the correcion.

Er, I mean correction.

[CGameProgrammer]

Well, the problem with that title is it basically draws itself. It's too obvious and doesn't leave a whole lot of room for creative interpretation. "Watch Out for Harry" looks like a more promising one.

[Greg Stephens]

I had thought that the entire point of that title was that the word "correction" was spelled wrong.

However, CGameProgrammer has a point, because I can already envision a plot where the all-purpose correction fluid is used to correct mistakes made far from the page- correcting people's evil thoughts, correcting history, correcting the entire universe! But is a title that suggests so much just by itself a problem? I think the challenge would be to come up with a story that used that title, but didn't make it the central theme. Perhaps, say, a little tale of lost love which opens on a close-up of a little bottle of white-out on a desk and then unfolds while one of the characters is editing a manuscript. The theme of making mistakes and being unable to correct them could be obvious here, too, but not necessarily.

OK- enough of that.

[Alexander D.]

I have to say, after two months of Monkey Town, something quick and to the point was certainly in order. I actually got a really good laugh out of this one. I don't know how Nedlem (rhymes with bedlan?) felt about it, but I'd have been all the more amused for it.

Perosonally, I think I've only submitted three or four suggestions. And not all at once either -- I submitted two the first time, and then another one or two a few months later. I'm very self-conscious about not wanting to innundate him, knowing how many he already gets. I spend a ridiculous amount of time deciding what to send too. Which really makes me wonder why I decided to send in "The Invisible Toaster." Must have been a slow day.

[Greg Stephens]

Hm. "The Invisible Toaster" is a tale of loneliness, loss and alienation set in the kitchen appliances section of a department store. Or perhaps something involving a kid and a dog in a mudhole.

[IMNNML]

Greg. I was just thinking that it would be great if you could create a hybrid space at this site between the Moning Improv and the No Contest Thingy.

Instead of making Scott do all the work we should follow his example and use each others suggestions to create short comics. It would be fun to read everyones suggestions and also to see multiple takes on the same title.

Of course now I am suggesting that YOU do most of the work (hosting such a forum) Would that pose a problem?

[Greg Stephens]

Well, the simple answer is that this could be done in the (lately neglected) Comic Jams section of the forums with very little trouble. There's always a problem with getting enough people enthuseastic to participate in these sorts of things. There needs to be a good "hook." With nearly 3000 title suggestions, maybe Scott could offer up one that's good, but that he probably won't get around to doing and we could use that? Hm.

OK- I think I need to clean up the current Jam threads and archive those images, then maybe we'll see if Scott would be interested in tossing one title our way just to see if anybody's interested.

update: Cat's "Future of Webcomics" Jam is now in my archive here.

[Scott McCloud]

OK- I think I need to clean up the current Jam threads and archive those images, then maybe we'll see if Scott would be interested in tossing one title our way just to see if anybody's interested.

As long as we were on the subject, how about "All-Purpose Correction Fluid?"

[Greg Stephens]

As long as we were on the subject, how about "All-Purpose Correction Fluid?"

Cool- Thanks, Scott!

OK, people- The thread for this is here, so get crackin' and make some cool comics using this title!

[Alan Z]

I have sent in maybe a half dozen titles, most of which I don't remember now. One, that I strangely enough, do remember is "Parabolic Cats." I have no idea what it means, or what Scott would do with it. I just liked the sound of it.

[DeForgeo]

Not wanting to stray from the subject much. . . Am I the only one who played the Spacebats of Doom videogame?

[Ned Lem]

Not wanting to stray from the subject much. . . Am I the only one who played the Spacebats of Doom videogame?

Yeah, that game was where I got the title. I just noticed this message board and I think it's great. And yes I do draw inspiration from Stanislaw.

I will strike again.

Ned