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Saturday, July 14, 2007

West of Bathurst 175

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1) This comic is dedicated to John Neary, M.D. He knows why.

2) Note for Lord of the Rings geeks: Barbara is also a Lord of the Rings geek. She knows perfectly well that in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring, unlike in Peter Jackson's film of the book, Gandalf says not "You shall not pass" but "You cannot pass." She has actually spent an absurd amount of time explaining the difference to anyone who will listen. However, as she is here being Sir Ian McKellen, she has chosen to go with the film's version of the line. I can confirm that this decision will cause her to lie awake for several hours tonight, agonising over the horror of that moment of choice.

Saturday, July 14, 2007
Panel 1: In the title panel of this colour comic, Barbara, dressed as Gandalf, smokes a long-stemmed pipe. In Lord of the Rings-style font on a black background, we see the words "West of Bathurst" and "BY KARI MAAREN."

Panel 2: Barbara is sitting on a couch in the Davies College common room. A female undergraduate student with black hair and light brown skin sits near her on a chair.

Student: Look. All I'm saying is I don't deserve to fail the paper.

Barbara: Yes, you do.

Panel 3:  

Student [rolls her eyes]: God, you people are so superior! I totally followed the instructions and everything!

Barbara [looks at the student's paper, which she is holding]: No introduction...no conclusion...

Panel 4:

Student: I'm gonna lose my scholarship if you fail me. I'm gonna have to go live with my parents.

Barbara: No thesis...no understanding of your subject...no bibliography...typos all the way through...

Panel 5: Casey and Marie come up behind Barbara. Without looking, Barbara reaches back and snatches up Casey's cane.

Student: I got "A"s in high-school English! My teachers said I was a genius! This is all your fault! I'm gonna tell the prof about--

Panel 6: Barbara leaps to her feet and holds the cane out in front of her as if it is a staff.

Barbara: YOU...SHALL NOT...PASS!

Panel 7: Barbara sinks back into the chair and buries her head in her hands. Casey pats her on the back.

Student: Great...my T.A. is evil and a geek.

Casey: No more post-marking fantasy-film marathons for you.

Barbara: Fly, you fools............

Alt-Text: Yeah. So Gandalf had it easy. Trust me. Balrog...psshht. Piece of cake. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UNDERGRADUATE ESSAY WRITING HERE, MAN!......*sob*......

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Comics copyright Kari Maaren 2006-2014