This is NOT what Ben Franklin had in mind when he invented the lightning rod, but I bet you top dollar if he had thought of it, he’d done it. I mean, come on, he stood in the rain waiting for lighnting to strike a kite he was holding. The man had balls the size of the Liberty Bell.
I’ve been requested to slip in some of the men in cheese-cake poses, so I oblige those readers. Jeff loves his t-shirts at night. I also remember fondly the vareity of colors our “tidy-whiteys” came in back then.
The Lovin’ Spoonful is probably best known for their 1966 hit “Summer In The City” which was about other things then blowing up your backyard with M-80s hooked up to a lightning rod, but I felt it a good title just the same! We always had fun in the summer back then! Why not?
PS: Yeah, don’t try this at home… we’re professional cartoonists here, so we know. 🙂
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Sorry to tell you this … but lightning rods are designed to *dissipate* electric charge so that lighting *won’t* strike them. Why do you think they attach them to houses?
Still, this strip would be cool in real life …
Ah, yes, but where does that electricity go when the rod is struck? Into the earth via a grounding system. What if, let’s say, that system was not grounded to the earth but to a box of M80s? Now, there’s so much power in a lightning burst (1.21 Gigawatts according to Doc Brown) that even a gross of M80s isn’t even gonna come close to the visual display of having a bolt of lightning strike near you (I know, I had a a lightning bolt strike near me in the mountains of Denver one time and it was amazing and piss-your-pants scary at the same time), but that fact that Jeff went to the trouble to rig up an arresting system to some fireworks is the whole point. A creative way to set off your pyrotechnics!
There’s a line from the theme song from Mystery Science Theater 3000 that goes like this: “If you’re wondering how he eats and breathes and other science facts Then repeat to yourself, “It’s just a show, I should really just relax…”
🙂
I was wondering why only one of the guys had Fingers….
As for the comment first comment, he obviosly doesnt understand basic lightning rods.
Yep, Bud’s fingers melted into a uni-hand today… I’m that way sometimes… 🙂
Hey Byron, excellent work, man! If you can maintain this sort of art/story standard your future fame is in the bag, polls or no polls (I kinda think intarweb polls are stupid anyway). If everyone here puts out the word when you do good then you’re made.
Now I need to talk to the real talent of this electronic rag.
Hey Jeff, you can get to the money shot faster if you:
Place the M80s around a *very* free-spinning spool of thin wire.
Tie off the wire SECURELY to a large, no-warhead type bottle rocket (be sober and straight for this part or risk disappointment).
The best launcher for this rocket is not a bottle, but a short length of pvc pipe buried in the ground. Do that sober and straight too. Look, don’t argue, just do it for cryin’ out loud!
Wait for storm. When it is very close indeed and the lightning is chasing itself round the sky for fun:
Light rocket.
RUN YOU TWIT!
Note to readers of strip – DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME OR ANYWHERE ELSE. THIS STUPID TRICK CAN AND WILL KILL ANY NON-CARTOON CHARACTERS IDIOTIC ENOUGH TO TRY IT.
Of course, you don’t have to warn people except for legal reasons. After all, who would be stupid enough to bugger about with fiery death like that?
Oh, hang on. http://theoccasionalstevie.blogspot.com/search/label/Tales%20From%20A%20Mis-spent%20Youth#114857865147728763
To quote Bud… “Holy shit…” That link still has me laughing. There are SOOO many ways to create havoc, destruction and explosions that warning folks NOT to do it simply means we are gonna go try it. The cigar and vacuum story really made my day.
I’ve seen that “launch a wire into the sky” actually be done on a Discovery show about lightning. They used standard model rockets and man, does that ever work! The lightning comes right back down the wire and BLAMO! Yes, PLEASE do not try that one as the TV show was very clear it would kill you but fast. But man, what a way to go…
Oh, and thank you for the compliment. I think Bud and the gang are just getting their stride, so to speak, and great things are in the future for 1977. I am working on many things for the future of the comic, but the most exciting one is a “live action” independent film of our gang… sex, drugs & rock and roll and all. I’ll keep you posted on that one.
Yes, do spread the word… my family would thank you immensely! 😛
Clearly you plan on no free time again, ever.
Eh, what would I do with free time? Think of something else to do, and good God I’ve got enough as it is… so I’m not one for vacations or “free” time as if I get bored, I’ll come up with something to do.
I think it’s the caffeine…
🙂
1.21 GigWATTS! Man, this comic certainly *sparked* some scientific conversation! ha ha, “sparked”. get it? oh whatever.
She’s here ’til Tuesday… have the beef! Ba-da-bing!
Man, that had to have been impressive!
I imagine it would be… a gross of any fireworks going off would be cool! But then I’m a pyro at heart.
🙂
Ever light a campfire with C-4? I have
No, but I’m betting it was exciting! 🙂
Oh man, what a fantastic image! You rock.
Thanks! And yes, I do actually rock, just not as loud as I use too…
🙂
Byron – not as loud as you use to…huh. That’s because you set off so many cherry bombs, right?
I love Bud’s expression in the last one. That must have been one hell of a Kaboom!
Well, igniting 144 M80s at once would have to be cool. Not as cool as the lightning strike, but that’s Jeff….
🙂
Man, that musta been some serious pop! I remember friends having M80s as a kid. I also remember rumors of cherry bomb explosions in the men’s room commodes, but it was all BS.