deimosrising
+0 -0
A comment left by deimosrising was marked lame too many times and excluded. (marked lame by Taidje_Khan, VictoriaW, dj)
A comment left by deimosrising was marked lame too many times and excluded. (marked lame by Taidje_Khan, VictoriaW, dj)
idsyen
+0 -0
Rural Southwest PA too. The theoretical borderline makes little difference in cultural terms. Ah, for the small times in the sticks. They weren't so bad really. OK, maybe they were, but at least I'm not a serial killer.
Rural Southwest PA too. The theoretical borderline makes little difference in cultural terms. Ah, for the small times in the sticks. They weren't so bad really. OK, maybe they were, but at least I'm not a serial killer.
fineoakstructure
+0 -0
Oh man, southwestern Pennsylvania. All you need to see is Peachins in Dunbar, PA. At least, the old Peachins.
Oh man, southwestern Pennsylvania. All you need to see is Peachins in Dunbar, PA. At least, the old Peachins.
catachresis
+13 -1
Nice Pete's dad either has a really deep, slow voice like Lennie from Of Mice and Men, or a really hilarious high voice. I can't decide. Both are good.
Nice Pete's dad either has a really deep, slow voice like Lennie from Of Mice and Men, or a really hilarious high voice. I can't decide. Both are good.
agika
+1 -1
The high pitched voice would make sense to me. It would also be quiet, tiny like the head that uses it.
The high pitched voice would make sense to me. It would also be quiet, tiny like the head that uses it.
luckypyjamas
+1 -1
i think it starts out slow and deep and gets gradually higher and faster as his head shrinks
i think it starts out slow and deep and gets gradually higher and faster as his head shrinks
spinynorman
+30 -0
I like how mom-mom "had" to die. The implication that death happens regardless of intent or even causality adds a lot to Nice Pete.
I like how mom-mom "had" to die. The implication that death happens regardless of intent or even causality adds a lot to Nice Pete.
i_love_kate
+0 -0
He got there the same way that the coin did.
He got there the same way that the coin did.
daklin
+1 -1
Definitely the slow and deep voice
Definitely the slow and deep voice
smilebuddha
+1 -0
My vote for the sound of Nice Pete's voice is that of Shelby Foote, best known for his appearances from Ken Burns' The Civil War . Stately, courtly, with an air of a deep, distant knowledge of empires, and populations, and time.
My vote for the sound of Nice Pete's voice is that of Shelby Foote, best known for his appearances from Ken Burns' The Civil War . Stately, courtly, with an air of a deep, distant knowledge of empires, and populations, and time.
scorpio_nadir
+0 -0
Yes, Mr. Foote is a Suth'n Genn'lman...and don't forget the vocal resignation that he is soon to become a statistic, and that his son will thereafter wreak something Not Nice on the world that is not round parts of West Virginia.
Yes, Mr. Foote is a Suth'n Genn'lman...and don't forget the vocal resignation that he is soon to become a statistic, and that his son will thereafter wreak something Not Nice on the world that is not round parts of West Virginia.
chaesar
+3 -1
Love how panel 5 and panel 6 are basically two parts of one image.
Love how panel 5 and panel 6 are basically two parts of one image.
connellingus
+1 -2
I like that device in comics when it's used to convey motion across a scene, but in this case I think the image would just work better as one panel.
I like that device in comics when it's used to convey motion across a scene, but in this case I think the image would just work better as one panel.
shutup_shutup
+0 -0
I disagree. In 5 you are focusing on Nice Pete talking. In 6 you are focusing on Teodor listening. It gives it an almost cinematic effect.
I disagree. In 5 you are focusing on Nice Pete talking. In 6 you are focusing on Teodor listening. It gives it an almost cinematic effect.
centipede_damascus
+4 -1
Nice Pete grew up in a place where the people make a living from the land, live on the land, and when they die they become one with it.
Nice Pete grew up in a place where the people make a living from the land, live on the land, and when they die they become one with it.
nathanielperson
+17 -1
Also, the land has ground chemicals in it.
Also, the land has ground chemicals in it.
flynn
+4 -2
If Nice Pete made a movie, that movie would be Gummo.
If Nice Pete made a movie, that movie would be Gummo.
deancain29
+0 -1
the last panel.... so...funny
the last panel.... so...funny
tomsmith
+0 -0
A comment left by tomsmith was marked lame too many times and excluded. (marked lame by joeyramoney, SpinyNorman, Taidje_Khan)
A comment left by tomsmith was marked lame too many times and excluded. (marked lame by joeyramoney, SpinyNorman, Taidje_Khan)
deancain29
+6 -1
you're right - I'm sorry. I had a friend like that once.
you're right - I'm sorry. I had a friend like that once.
philosophe
+3 -1
She had to die.
She had to die.
peterjoel
+3 -1
The doctors had to send her to be killed.
The doctors had to send her to be killed.
molesticide
+6 -1
yeah, i also read "HAD to die because of..." as meaning that they had to put her down like a sick old dog.
also, i'm a big fan of that second panel, which in mind is nice pete having a little nostalgia moment of his own, remembering maybe some bad times, or some good, taking a deep breath and letting out half a sigh before he responds.
yeah, i also read "HAD to die because of..." as meaning that they had to put her down like a sick old dog.
also, i'm a big fan of that second panel, which in mind is nice pete having a little nostalgia moment of his own, remembering maybe some bad times, or some good, taking a deep breath and letting out half a sigh before he responds.
bartleby
+3 -0
I sort of read it as Pete just parroting back what he was told as a youth, when he asked why Mom-Mom was dead. The ground chemicals. They are part of life. There is no escaping the ground chemicals.
I sort of read it as Pete just parroting back what he was told as a youth, when he asked why Mom-Mom was dead. The ground chemicals. They are part of life. There is no escaping the ground chemicals.
paperboy_2000
+20 -1
In the 2nd panel I see Nice Pete going through his own flow chart.
Is this a gentlemanly question?
Might he be implying that I am of low mind?
How much bleach do I have in the van?
Téodor is fortunate that Pete ends up in the [reminiscences] box and not the [murder] box; 'tis not much distance 'tween the two.
In the 2nd panel I see Nice Pete going through his own flow chart.
Is this a gentlemanly question?
Might he be implying that I am of low mind?
How much bleach do I have in the van?
Téodor is fortunate that Pete ends up in the [reminiscences] box and not the [murder] box; 'tis not much distance 'tween the two.
spinynorman
+4 -1
There is great irony in saying that I would kill to see a Nice Pete decision making flow chart.
There is great irony in saying that I would kill to see a Nice Pete decision making flow chart.
overmedicated
+1 -0
...uh oh.
...uh oh.
spinynorman
+2 -0
Yeah, I don't recall if that comment came before or after one was actually made.
Probably after. :(
Yeah, I don't recall if that comment came before or after one was actually made.
Probably after. :(
envika
+1 -0
Well before.
Well before.
scorpio_nadir
+0 -0
They have a Venn overlap. A large one, surely.
They have a Venn overlap. A large one, surely.
jesler729
+0 -0
This one is really great.
This one is really great.
tekende
+3 -0
It's strips like this where I can't help but hear Nice Pete sounding like that character from Family Guy who shows up every now and then and has that weird gay voice. "Oh, no one had any of the Oreos! It's okay, I'll take the rest home to the cats."
It's strips like this where I can't help but hear Nice Pete sounding like that character from Family Guy who shows up every now and then and has that weird gay voice. "Oh, no one had any of the Oreos! It's okay, I'll take the rest home to the cats."
stockcar
+0 -0
It's always West Virginia.
It's always West Virginia.
tekende
+3 -0
It's never lupus.
It's never lupus.
wulvaine
+5 -1
The creepy thing about this for me is that, knowing Nice Pete, my mind makes me think that when he says his mother had to die because of the ground chemicals, he means that he killed her himself out of mercy as she got sicker and sicker.
That just casts a sinister light on this strip, even if that isn't what Onstad meant.
The creepy thing about this for me is that, knowing Nice Pete, my mind makes me think that when he says his mother had to die because of the ground chemicals, he means that he killed her himself out of mercy as she got sicker and sicker.
That just casts a sinister light on this strip, even if that isn't what Onstad meant.
wulvaine
+0 -0
Also, I don't know if I can really imagine Nice Pete saving a tadpole, even as a child.
Formally executing, perhaps. But rescue seems a bit of an incongruous behavior for a murderer.
Also, I don't know if I can really imagine Nice Pete saving a tadpole, even as a child.
Formally executing, perhaps. But rescue seems a bit of an incongruous behavior for a murderer.
sp1derbaby
+1 -0
Maybe he would take a picture of a tadpole. And put that picture on the Internet.
Maybe he would take a picture of a tadpole. And put that picture on the Internet.
dorothypoopbot
+5 -0
This was probably before Mom-mom had to die and Daddy's head-shrinking disease began. It shows how his life changed him over the years. Also, taking a tadpole's life into his hands shows a certain preoccupation with life and death, and the control there is to be had over both.
This was probably before Mom-mom had to die and Daddy's head-shrinking disease began. It shows how his life changed him over the years. Also, taking a tadpole's life into his hands shows a certain preoccupation with life and death, and the control there is to be had over both.
asobi
+1 -0
Man, don't you get it? He's got Southern ways. That tadpole didn't anger him none. It just swam around like a good old creature of God oughta.
Man, don't you get it? He's got Southern ways. That tadpole didn't anger him none. It just swam around like a good old creature of God oughta.
jamsok
+0 -0
Nice Pete is a kind-natured Yankee good ol' boy.
Nice Pete is a kind-natured Yankee good ol' boy.
greenkoolayd
+2 -0
dear inspector doofie,
a virginian isnt a yankee.
dear inspector doofie,
a virginian isnt a yankee.
sixkindsofnasty
+0 -0
But he mentions being from West Virginia...which actually split from Virginia because it agreed with the north. Just sayin'
But he mentions being from West Virginia...which actually split from Virginia because it agreed with the north. Just sayin'
greenkoolayd
+0 -0
have you ever been to that place? if you have, you would know that it is opposite of everything a "yankee" stands for. its like a big perry county(you would get that joke if you were from south central PA.....)
have you ever been to that place? if you have, you would know that it is opposite of everything a "yankee" stands for. its like a big perry county(you would get that joke if you were from south central PA.....)
direhaggis
+1 -0
Nice Pete is a misunderstood, rather eloquent serial murderer.
Nice Pete is a misunderstood, rather eloquent serial murderer.
nabeel84
+0 -0
West Virginia? Figures. Isn't everyone in the state first cousins?
West Virginia? Figures. Isn't everyone in the state first cousins?
charchar
+0 -0
My mom's from there. Mt. Nebo. I don't know about the whole state, but we were there for a family reunion and in Wal-Mart she was like " There's your cousin, and that's your second-great-uncle and your third-cousin-thrice-removed-by-marriage" and I'm llike "How do you know these people and that stuff?"
My mom's from there. Mt. Nebo. I don't know about the whole state, but we were there for a family reunion and in Wal-Mart she was like " There's your cousin, and that's your second-great-uncle and your third-cousin-thrice-removed-by-marriage" and I'm llike "How do you know these people and that stuff?"
snowman
+0 -0
Ten percent is a lot for annual head reduction.
Ten percent is a lot for annual head reduction.
aliiis
+1 -0
The last panel is basically the best thing I have ever seen
The last panel is basically the best thing I have ever seen
the_clarkness
+2 -0
I love that Teodor's response to, "Here are some of their hands," is not shock or horror but, "So, where'd you grow up?"
I love that Teodor's response to, "Here are some of their hands," is not shock or horror but, "So, where'd you grow up?"
wurlitzergirl
+0 -0
I grew up in Tacoma, Washington. I understand the whole ground chemical thing; I'm amazed I wasn't born with two heads.
I grew up in Tacoma, Washington. I understand the whole ground chemical thing; I'm amazed I wasn't born with two heads.
howl
+0 -0
oh god that place smells so bad when you drive into it
oh god that place smells so bad when you drive into it
mr_lostman28
+0 -0
I find myself staring deeply into that second panel... Nice Pete staring back at me, never blinking, our minds racing. What the hell is his response going to be? Is he going to kill me? OH GOD!!!
... Oh West Virginia huh.... th...thats nice.
I find myself staring deeply into that second panel... Nice Pete staring back at me, never blinking, our minds racing. What the hell is his response going to be? Is he going to kill me? OH GOD!!!
... Oh West Virginia huh.... th...thats nice.
radarjammer
+1 -0
If you did not five this strip then you do not understand the tragic hilarity of middle-age-onset-skull-shrinkage-syndrome (MAOSSS)
If you did not five this strip then you do not understand the tragic hilarity of middle-age-onset-skull-shrinkage-syndrome (MAOSSS)
evilbobikus
+0 -0
Having been from WV and knowing people that grew up to become Nice Pete's, this strip pretty much made me connect and understand his character perfectly. On that note it's such a great example of Onstad's ability to make excellent character backgrounds.
Having been from WV and knowing people that grew up to become Nice Pete's, this strip pretty much made me connect and understand his character perfectly. On that note it's such a great example of Onstad's ability to make excellent character backgrounds.
cpnglxynchos
+0 -0
your errant apostrophe became comic fodder yesterday.
i don't know to either chubby or lame you for this.
i'd probably lame it, though.
your errant apostrophe became comic fodder yesterday.
i don't know to either chubby or lame you for this.
i'd probably lame it, though.
featurelessvoid
+0 -0
That might not be an errant apostrophe. "People that grew up to become Nice Pete's" could be an example of the proper, possessive use of the apostrophe. After all that work to collect a body and load it into his van, Nice Pete wouldn't necessarily just throw the prize away.
That might not be an errant apostrophe. "People that grew up to become Nice Pete's" could be an example of the proper, possessive use of the apostrophe. After all that work to collect a body and load it into his van, Nice Pete wouldn't necessarily just throw the prize away.
evilbobikus
+0 -0
With that in mind, the statement is true both ways.
With that in mind, the statement is true both ways.
dj_douche
+0 -0
Pet's daddy's voice shrinks along with his head. Imagining a helium-balloon squeaky voice coming from that husky body with the shrunken head is so incongruous it is completely understated hilarity. It's implied humour like this that is the best of all humour IMO.
Pet's daddy's voice shrinks along with his head. Imagining a helium-balloon squeaky voice coming from that husky body with the shrunken head is so incongruous it is completely understated hilarity. It's implied humour like this that is the best of all humour IMO.
cpnglxynchos
+0 -0
no, i think it would be funnier that his voice got lower the smaller his head got, 'cos you'd expect the helium thing to happen, y'know?
no, i think it would be funnier that his voice got lower the smaller his head got, 'cos you'd expect the helium thing to happen, y'know?
machineelf
+0 -0
since when does nice pete know about things like percentages? (i think he is of low mind in regards to math)
since when does nice pete know about things like percentages? (i think he is of low mind in regards to math)
vermy
+0 -2
This is before Teodor becomes an elitist bastard/Onstad uses Teodor as his rant voice/both-and
This is before Teodor becomes an elitist bastard/Onstad uses Teodor as his rant voice/both-and
fattypneumonia
+0 -0
T: So, where'd you bury the dismembered corpses?
(short pause)
NP: Oh, 'round parts of West Virginia
T: So, where'd you bury the dismembered corpses?
(short pause)
NP: Oh, 'round parts of West Virginia
redmange
+0 -0
Parts of my Father's family hailed from West Virginia. This is not far from the truth of life there, I will not attempt to make graces.
Parts of my Father's family hailed from West Virginia. This is not far from the truth of life there, I will not attempt to make graces.
duperando
+0 -0
Oh my word panel five almost made me crap myself.
Oh my word panel five almost made me crap myself.
duperando
+0 -0
er, I meant the last panel. That shrunken head...
er, I meant the last panel. That shrunken head...
djorra
+0 -0
Don't worry, Daddy. According to the headcount report, you're only about 0.387% of a worker. You're safe for now.
Don't worry, Daddy. According to the headcount report, you're only about 0.387% of a worker. You're safe for now.
A comment left by anathan was marked lame too many times and excluded. (marked lame by joeyramoney, Taidje_Khan, VictoriaW)
A comment left by gouldgonewild was marked lame too many times and excluded. (marked lame by kenthegod, Sweetlips, Taidje_Khan)
Bloomington is like an oasis in a sea of misery that is Indiana. Just go ten miles south, you'll see some shrinking heads.
I just wish Southern Indiana would secede or something. Us Northern Indy types are pretty alright, really.
R-O-C-K IN THE U-S-A!
In Wisconsin, it's reversed. All the dullards like Up North.
hey, damnit! i live in teh northwoods and... yeah, it's true. i can't wait to gtfo
hey, damnit! i live in teh northwoods and... yeah, it's true. i can't wait to gtfo
so, basically, the closer you get to Chicago, the better?
Fuck yeah
You can enjoy Up North without being a dullard, though. I certainly hope so, anyway.
Get The Region out of Indiana! Aww hell ya. Unless you're from North East Indiana. In which case...you're still alright.
Hey now.
I live in a comparatively southern part of that fine state (Or used to, at least.) We think that the northern part of the state is boring.
The land, she lacks the curves and mounds of a beautiful woman like we have in the south. That kind of landscape makes you fall in love with a place, I think.
Yeah, I am from northern Indiana and that is true. How have I never made this observation?
What's up, fellow B-tonian?
It's a little late, but not much.