This is the first panel of a "Hagar The Horrible" comic strip, written by Chris Browne. The Sun newspaper has these almost every day. In the panel, the wife character is informing Hagar that "Grandpa" wants him to bring back a bottle of aftershave. Exactly why, is unclear. Firstly, we're not informed whether he's the wife's father or Hagar's father. Secondly, why exactly he wants aftershave is hard to understand, seeing as he has a huge white beard which I can't imagine he has any intention of shaving. At this point, I don't hold out much hope of this narrative going anywhere, but let's keep on anyway...
...this is the second panel. There are no words in it, but it seems to demonstrate the grandpa whispering something to Hagar's wife. It's a pretty boring panel, so let's move on...
...in this, the final panel, the punchline is revealed. The answer to my original query of "why would he even need aftershave?" is answered, however it only creates more confusing questions. It is revealed that Grandpa also want's Hagar to kidnap a woman and bring her back from France against her will, so he can "pat" the aftershave on her. I really don't understand why he would want to pat aftershave on a French woman. Of all the sensual things you could pat onto somebody, aftershave doesn't strike me as the most desirable, especially if the poor kidnapped woman in question has any cuts on herself (which after a kidnap she probably would have)
I don't like comic strips. I don't think I've ever read one I like. I had an idea today on how to improve them though...
...first, take a typical Sun reader's opinion letter...
...and then fill in the comic strip with these words of Keith Payne instead of the rubbish ones written by Chris Browne
and now it's hilarious
