I wish that life were merely about trying not to be eaten. It would make things easier. Then at least if one were a failure, one must not contemplate it for long. I love this comic, Karl. Thanks!
I want to float down that river and through the canyon. It seems so calm and the light in panel 2 is so deliciously warm and quiet, like basho’s haiku:
old pond, a ‘crab’ jumps in, sound of the water.
古池や(furuiikeya)
蛙飛び込む (kawazutobikomu)
水の音(mizunooto)
This is a wonderful strip. But I don’t think that the crab is telling Charles anything he doesn’t already instinctively know.
I don’t think you should name the crab “Crispin”; he deserves a nobler name. How about Mephistopheles? (I’m not sure why, that name just came to mind)
Charles really needs a companion now that Townsen is no longer with us… do you think there’s any chance of the crab becoming one? There was something that I’ve been missing in the comic for the past little while, and I think that was it; it doesn’t work well for Charles to be making this trip alone… he needs someone to do it WITH. Maybe Charles himself recognized that, and that’s why he saved the crab…
well, being post number 23 I just be mirroring all this positive feedback, but I do have to say, that although I have so MANY favourite moments in this cominc, this is really high up there.
wonderful stuff.
Thank you.
I assume the comic name is a reference to the James Herriot book series? i love those books! your comic is absolutely amazing btw! awesome artwork, awesome storyline!
Oh god oh god oh god thank you thank you thank you. We have prime continuity action here, and it’s existentially cool *and* heartwarming at the same time!
Thankyou for making such a wonderful character come to life! I recently came across this comic and read it all in one go it was so good. Love the art and the writing. It’s great that we can all experience something so awesome for free – because God knows paying for things sucks arse.
I just found this comic, and it is my new favorite thing ever. I find the timing of this particular strip amusing – I feel like I will die before next Wednesday comes…
@Vermy: I may be wrong, but I think the idea is that slicing time up into ‘moments’, to be looked forward to, experienced, and then forgotten, stops you from enjoying life itself – it doesn’t come in discrete little packages, it’s a continuous stream. One big ‘moment’. It’s one of those things that’s easy to know in theory, but hard to ‘get’ in practice… just randomly clicked for me in the kitchen now. :)
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned the Tolkien-esque feel of the river passage. The small band of wanderers make their way down the vast and ancient River Anduin. I expect looming statues of the Kings of old around that next bend in the last panel.
it consistently blows my mind how you can cram such expressive and detailed drawings into such small and, took me a while to notice this, incredibly narrow panels.
visually, I think this is one of your best so far. great!
February 25th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
After all that I love the Thanks for not eating me line – the best
February 25th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
heh heh, well said.
February 25th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
I THOUGHT Charles was holding that little guy during the game! Yay!
February 25th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Oh God, panel 2 is just breathtakingly beautiful. ^_^
But I love CC’s expression in panel 5. “Uhhhhh….” XD
February 25th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I wish that life were merely about trying not to be eaten. It would make things easier. Then at least if one were a failure, one must not contemplate it for long. I love this comic, Karl. Thanks!
February 25th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I must say that I am continually floored by your work. As an aspiring cartoonist I hold you as my secret mentor.
Thanks!
February 25th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Not gonna lie, pretty impressed by the philosophy of the little “crisp”! Love it!
February 25th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
strangely enough, that has been the theme of my interdisciplinary class about art and time and many conversations for the past month. Amazing comic!
February 25th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
It really is sobering how likely it is that many great minds have perished needlessly without being known. Thanks for saving the crab.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Hooray for crustaceans! :)
February 25th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Brilliant! I love it! I think I’ll be ordering a print of this one.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I hope you gleamed this existential enlightenment while eating your strawberry/banana muffin.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Please tell me the little guy’s name is “Crispin.”
February 25th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Made me smile.
~ Josh
February 25th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Crab philosophy – simply brilliant!
February 25th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
That’s an ugly crab! I think that would be enough for me to not eat that crisp :D
And by “ugly”, I most definitely mean beautifully-drawn ugly.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Yeah , like Jason said.
Please name it “Crispin”
February 25th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
for a split second i thought CC was talking and was horrified
instead its CCC – Crazy Crispin Crab
where does he keep his feather? in his chest hair?
February 25th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
I want to float down that river and through the canyon. It seems so calm and the light in panel 2 is so deliciously warm and quiet, like basho’s haiku:
old pond, a ‘crab’ jumps in, sound of the water.
古池や(furuiikeya)
蛙飛び込む (kawazutobikomu)
水の音(mizunooto)
February 26th, 2009 at 2:17 am
This is a wonderful strip. But I don’t think that the crab is telling Charles anything he doesn’t already instinctively know.
I don’t think you should name the crab “Crispin”; he deserves a nobler name. How about Mephistopheles? (I’m not sure why, that name just came to mind)
Charles really needs a companion now that Townsen is no longer with us… do you think there’s any chance of the crab becoming one? There was something that I’ve been missing in the comic for the past little while, and I think that was it; it doesn’t work well for Charles to be making this trip alone… he needs someone to do it WITH. Maybe Charles himself recognized that, and that’s why he saved the crab…
February 26th, 2009 at 2:22 am
*roflmao*
Incredible, magnificient, marvellous! A philosopher on a swimming trunk, with the universal fear of all small beasts: Thank you for not eating me.
BTW – sounds like something that computer in “Dark Star” might utter: Thank you for obeying to all security rules.
This is so cool.
February 26th, 2009 at 3:25 am
The insight in this comic is wonderful.
February 26th, 2009 at 8:17 am
silence is wisdom
February 26th, 2009 at 8:18 am
well, being post number 23 I just be mirroring all this positive feedback, but I do have to say, that although I have so MANY favourite moments in this cominc, this is really high up there.
wonderful stuff.
Thank you.
February 26th, 2009 at 9:28 am
wonderful
February 26th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Beautiful panel work, i adore the first one… gives a great sense of grandeur doesnt it? :P!
February 26th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Who knew a “crisp” could be so existential?
February 26th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I assume the comic name is a reference to the James Herriot book series? i love those books! your comic is absolutely amazing btw! awesome artwork, awesome storyline!
February 26th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Pair the philosophical crab up with one of Ursula Vernon’s oracular slugs and I think you’d have a very effective team to turn loose on the world.
Never mind the fact it’d make a great comic. ;)
February 26th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I love the philosopher crab.
Another good one Karl.
February 26th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I will pay handsomely to have a book of yours…
February 26th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Oh god oh god oh god thank you thank you thank you. We have prime continuity action here, and it’s existentially cool *and* heartwarming at the same time!
February 26th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Wonderfully empathic. Thank you for this strip.
February 26th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
I rather doubt Mssr Crab can be Charles’ companion for long, unless TACC plans to remain by the water from here forward.
February 26th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Stunning – thank you Karl !
February 27th, 2009 at 12:14 am
I rather glad he didn’t eat him.
February 27th, 2009 at 12:31 am
Isn’t TACC a herbivore?
February 27th, 2009 at 1:31 am
loved this one. beautiful. :)
February 27th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Thankyou for making such a wonderful character come to life! I recently came across this comic and read it all in one go it was so good. Love the art and the writing. It’s great that we can all experience something so awesome for free – because God knows paying for things sucks arse.
February 27th, 2009 at 10:35 am
And so many would have eaten the crab and missed out on his wise words…
February 27th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I think Charles is an ethical omnivore.
He ate a dead bug a while back. :)
February 27th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
I just found this comic, and it is my new favorite thing ever. I find the timing of this particular strip amusing – I feel like I will die before next Wednesday comes…
February 27th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Every herbivore is somewhat omnivorous. Eat plants and you’re eating insects, too, although some are too small to see. Ups the protein value a little.
February 28th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
The Crab has a point!
March 1st, 2009 at 9:24 am
I’m confused. Do we need to let go of the future and past, or forget the future and focus on the past?
This stuff is important!
March 1st, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Gorgeous, as always! The irony of dismissing “framing time” in a weekly webcomic….
Thanks so much Karl!
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I’m afraid I don’t agree with Mr. Crab, but still. Very well done. And in the end, being grateful to be alive is a very good thing.
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:07 pm
@Vermy: I may be wrong, but I think the idea is that slicing time up into ‘moments’, to be looked forward to, experienced, and then forgotten, stops you from enjoying life itself – it doesn’t come in discrete little packages, it’s a continuous stream. One big ‘moment’. It’s one of those things that’s easy to know in theory, but hard to ‘get’ in practice… just randomly clicked for me in the kitchen now. :)
March 2nd, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Brilliant. All philosophies collapse when it comes to the realities of life. One of your best in awhile, Karl.
March 3rd, 2009 at 9:52 am
My life runs at 45 frames per second. :(
March 3rd, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Great comic, spent the evening reading it from the start! Looking forward to seeing it every week from now on.
March 4th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned the Tolkien-esque feel of the river passage. The small band of wanderers make their way down the vast and ancient River Anduin. I expect looming statues of the Kings of old around that next bend in the last panel.
March 4th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
it consistently blows my mind how you can cram such expressive and detailed drawings into such small and, took me a while to notice this, incredibly narrow panels.
visually, I think this is one of your best so far. great!
April 18th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Your splicing of whimsy into serious philosophy is truly masterful. Kudos.
May 15th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
The crab of philosophy? As if Moon Bear and Wind Lion weren’t surreal enough.
May 17th, 2009 at 11:53 am
just finished catching up after missing quite a few weeks. i had to comment and say i love this one!
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:07 pm
professor crab is awesome.
August 25th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
That is one smart crab =o
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:47 am
i missed this strip somehow. I am thiiiiis close to ordering a wall print of The Crab of Enlightenment.
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:01 am
Title is a reference to a James Herriot novel? ;)