First, the funny
pages: There’s something about drawn cartoons that’s less threatening to
the general public than actual photographs when it comes to nudity. Instinctively we know that a real person isn’t
in “danger” of embarrassment. Plus, as the term “comics” implies, nudity in
cartoons is usually accepted as humorous rather than offensive.
That may explain why the comics have always been able to get
away with flashing an occasional bare bottom at the folks eating their toast
and cereal. The list of comic “strips” in series that we’ve seen is quite
extensive, ranging from Beetle Bailey
to B.C. (Johnny Hart’s cavemen love
skinny dipping).
Family “strips” include the Family Circus, where Jeffy emerges from his bath to answer the
front door from time to time, to nudist antics from Dennis the Menace, Marvin,
and the brood belonging to Hi & Lois.
(Mort Walker, cartoonist for both Beetle
Bailey and Hi & Lois seemed particularly
willing to “strip” his characters.) Before Bill Watterson retired Calvin and Hobbs, Calvin made running
naked through mud puddles and raindrops a regular event that brought smiles to
our faces.
Zits revolves
around the life of high school freshman Jeremy Duncan. It has explored his love/hate
relationship with nakedness too. From timidly comparing himself to the
gorilla-like hairy bodies of seniors in the locker room, to sleeping naked on
the porch outside his room or streaking around the house while his parents are
away with hilarious results, Jeremy entertains a wide readership that includes
Bare Platypuses.
Now, about that Comics
BARE-o-meter: We’ve got a theory
that the volume of nudity you see in your morning paper “bares” a strong relationship
to society’s openness or resistance to nudity in general. Heck, some of you may recall that in early
1970’s California, when nude beaches were becoming all the rage, the Los
Angeles Times also ran a daily panel
(later syndicated) called LOVE IS… It starred a couple which, albeit sans
genitals, always appeared sans
clothes too as their bare bums attested.
Economists have the consumer price index and the spot price
of oil to fret about. Politicos have Gallup
polls and primary results. Could the number of monthly comic “STRIPS” become a bare-ometer of how accepting we are to birthday suits? We lost
the Coppertone Girl. Let’s hope we don’t
lose more reasons for artists to reach for the flesh colored ink.
4/21/12 Comics BARE-o-meter: Marvin decides to go bare bum so mom won't have to change diapers anymore: http://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/marvin/s-1130202
4/24/12 Comics BARE-o-meter: Wren of Baby Blues sees a bare breast on TV and has no reaction because breasts mean "food" to a baby: http://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/babyblues/s-1131529
5/15/12 Comics BARE-o-meter: Marvin's Presidential campaign aspirations may be dashed by an incriminating nude photo of him on a fur rug that's on the internet: http://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/marvin/s-114
5/28/12 Update: We revisit the comics bare-o-meter HERE
4/21/12 Comics BARE-o-meter: Marvin decides to go bare bum so mom won't have to change diapers anymore: http://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/marvin/s-1130202
4/24/12 Comics BARE-o-meter: Wren of Baby Blues sees a bare breast on TV and has no reaction because breasts mean "food" to a baby: http://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/babyblues/s-1131529
5/15/12 Comics BARE-o-meter: Marvin's Presidential campaign aspirations may be dashed by an incriminating nude photo of him on a fur rug that's on the internet: http://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/marvin/s-114
5/28/12 Update: We revisit the comics bare-o-meter HERE
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