Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Mary Worth 1,358

Another fun fact from the Costa Concordia disaster: "By the time (Captain) Schettino called to abandon ship, roughly 2,000 people had been standing on Deck 4 for an hour or more, waiting. The moment crewmen began opening the lifeboat gates, chaos broke out" (Vanity Fair, May 2102). Can history really be repeating itself so horribly? This is really surprising.

Today's Full Strip

23 comments:

fauxprof said...

If I hadn't read the VF article (thanks again, Sandi Ego) I would have said that today's strip had reached the height of improbability. On eight cruises, comprising five different lines, I have never seen lifeboat GATES!! Remind me never to take a Costa Cruise. However, let us remember that while 32 people dead is 32 too many, that's out of a total complement of 6200 passengers and crew. The level of panic shown in MW would result in a much higher casualty rate.

Gina said...

I'm trying to figure out what would make people say "Oof!" "Uggh!" when no one's touching them.

Anonymous said...

Oof, Uggh, Life is Brutal.

I feel a song coming forward.

Nance said...

The surgeon in scrubs in panel one is no longer sterile, now that the woman has clutched onto his hands.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... I think this is all a twisted plot masterminded by Mary to teach dawn a lesson. The price may be 6,000 lives, but hey, Queen Mary (pun fully intended) prevails once again with her infinite wisdom and she secretly thinks it is worth the price.

However, Wilbur will have the last laugh. He will survive and his sandwich won't even get wet.

Karen with a K said...

This "art" imitating life is making me very queasy. Too soon, Moy and Giella!

meg said...

Well, this is annoying! Background lady in panel one is wearing the same dress that Mary Worth wore to Gina's wedding. And she was told it was a Pierre Cardigan original.

Anonymous said...

I, for one, have absolutely no complaints about Moy harvesting the Costa Concordia disaster for a plot line.

After all, SHE doesn't think she is playing it for laughs (that's just us).

And, after all, this is a change of pace from the interminable "Love Isn't For Me" sotries we've suffered through during the last 12 months.

heydave said...

I'm sitting here with my undies twisted supposing that Moy is pulling some Grand Lesson for us out of a tragedy. I'm fairly certain that I will go ballistic if Mary and/or Wilbur turn this all into bloviation and pontification.

KitKat said...

"OOOF!" "UGGH!"

This reminds me of the old "Batman" TV series with Adam West. Remember "BAM!" and "POW!" popping up on the screen?

Jane said...

Given that the electricity was the first to go, then the navigation equipment, radio, etc., I'm pretty surprized the speaker system is still up and running.
(I shuuder to think what's next for "Art Reflects Life" Mary Worth... May God have mercy on Karen Moy's soul.)

meg said...

Jane, I think you shouldn't worry about the nature of Moy's next plotline. I have it on good authority that the Jackson Family quarrel is going to be mediated by Mary Worth.

First Paris will write a letter to Dear Wendy. Then Mary will offer to solve matters. Jermaine and LaToya will fall weeping into Mary's arms when she points out the error of their ways.

Of course, this being the Worthiverse, the family will be named Hackson, and the characters will be called Madrid, Humaine, and Flotilla.

meg said...

In panel two, it would appear that Wilbur has stripped down to his tightie whities. "Abandon ship? I thought they said abandon pants."

Dave in Parma said...

I know I've only been on one cruise, but I don't remember the ship being battleship grey and having prison quality chain link fencing around the deck. Then again, I didn't travel to Europe.

"Dawn: stay close to me. I float!"

fauxprof said...

Here is the scoop on the lifeboat gates, via my husband, realprof: when the boats are swung out on their davits and lowered to deck level, portions of the ship's railings are unbolted and opened to give the passengers ready access. Cruise ships do not have giant chain link fences on their promenade decks.

In a backhanded compliment to Moy, however Ill-advised the storyline, she at least did her research. Giella is not even trying.

Barbara L. Hanson said...

Never mind Dawn, this shipwreck is clearly disrupting the Weasley family reunion. Fred and George lead the way to the lifeboats!

Anonymous said...

A cruise ship with 10-foot-high chain link fences instead of railings, and haze-grey-and-underway loudspeaker systems? When did Wilbur and Dawn join the Navy?

--Beagle Vet

Anonymous said...

Moy's research....now there's an oxymoron.

Vicki said...

I think Wilbur and Dawn should go back to their rooms and try to climb out their portholes, just for fun. "Ooof" and "Ughhh" would make a lot more sense that way.

Chester the Dog said...

Chester here. I just read the VF article and I am still trying to get rid of the goosebumps and anger and sadness. What the hell was Moy thinking? What were her editors thinking? This story is wrong on so many levels. I'm going back to New Country Road and get stuffed into a bike basket.

See ya later, Mary Worth.

Dave in Parma said...

Suddenly, as Wilbur jumps overboard in a desperate attempt to reach a lifeboat, the cruise ship majestically lifts from the reef and floats to safety.....

Gina said...

Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh, they actually went with "Geez, life IS brutal!" *dies laughing*

Andrew said...

I realized something...

-Story about a kidnapped girl.
(Ripped off from real life event)
-This
(Ripped off from real life event)
-No racial diversity, all white Americans

Wow... just wow... O_O