(52) The Wisdom of Jeff

This completes the first year of Murf.

Again, Jeff is showing too much knowledge -- wasn't Cervantes a hot Mexican guy he met at the baths?


I have always had a satirical bite. And I turn it on the community as readily as I turn it on our foes. But affectionately, mind you.

I am now leaving for the Queers and Comics conference in NYC, where I will be a presenter. Wish me luck! Murf posts resume afterward. Catch you then. [Written in May 2015 - Ke]

(51) 1983: the First Hint of AIDS

A milestone strip - my first commenting on a Rilly Important Issue. And in a sense, my first AIDS strip.

Of course this cartoon is about a sexually-transmitted strain of hepatitis. Murf rolls his eyes, indicating this person is a fool -- the cure for hepatitis came fairly early, but god knows what other risks are out there?

God knows indeed! It was 1983.

(50) Gay Slots

Also with the advent of casinos I have to wonder -- do any of them have gay slot machines? Does does having a naked boy shake his buns at you improve your odds of winning?

Or at least make you feel better about losing?

(49) Trés Jolies!

First appearance by name of my favorite gay bar. I always thought that "Trés Jolies" was the perfect name for a prettyboy bar, and I used it right up to the last strip. I trust my French is good enough that I don't have to translate. Although I did misspell it on this first occasion. If that persists, I'll go back and edit old strips.

What I'm not sure of is whether "Trés Jolies" implies a particular gender. Either way would be good.

Murf sleeps through the entire strip.

(48) a little Damon Runyon, a little Stan Lee

Jeff is still in a tizzy over whether he's butch or fem -- a distinction that lost any importance years ago. One problem with this strip: Jeff seems too literate. He shouldn't know who Damon Runyon was. Not even Guys and Dolls. Jeff has neglected the obligatory-for-gay-men study of classic musicals.

Going to musicals is butch, right?

(47) Farewell to 1982

And so ends 1982. Jeff chides Murf over being bookish, but he's too good natured to do it with venom.

Jeff was an amalgam of people I knew. The name came from somebody who I only met once or twice at PRO gatherings. Soon he was taken over (to a degree) by the early roommate who held a party in my absence. I think his name was John?? After that, Jeff was a collection of traits rather than modeled after one specific person.

(46) A Party I Missed & Will Never Forget

True story. Once I had a roommate who threw a party at the house while I was visiting my family in Oregon. He didn't bother telling me about it. Any artist never wastes any of the material that's handed to him. He uses the whole pig, especially the squeal.