Did I just subliminally plagiarize or what?

[Picpak]

I guess "subliminally plagiarize" isn't the right word. Just...just see for yourself.

When I was going through my strips today, I saw one that looked AWFULLY familiar. However, I decided to go through with it anyway, which probably wasn't a good idea. You see, here's my strip for today:



and here's today's Calvin and Hobbes:



Now what are the odds? These two strips ended up being posted on the same day. Should I take it off?

[Jim North]

I wouldn't really worry about it. That's a pretty basic joke that's been used in varying forms by a lot of folks. Who ya gonna call?

[Wendybird]

Hmm. Well, since all C&H is preexisting, if you've been reading it a while, you probably have read this strip before, in which case you probably are subconsciously plagiarizing.

On the other hand, I've seen a lot of similar jokes in comics that border on plagiarization, from Calvin and Hobbes and others. You most likely won't get in trouble for it, if that's what you're worried about.

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

Yeah, it's a common gag. Don't sweat it.

[Picpak]

Yeah, I'm not too terribly worried about it, it's just that posting them on the same day is a little...freaky.

Next week: two characters discuss philosophical thoughts on a wagon and fall off a cliff!

[Rkolter]

Next week: two characters discuss philosophical thoughts on a wagon and fall off a cliff!

There you go. That's unique enough that nobody will ever have done it.

[Joel Fagin]

"He had the idea then and I'm having it now." - Terry Pratchett's solution to such doubts

- Joel Fagin

[Jim North]

You can always take solace in the fact that the next person to use that gag is obviously plagiarizing you!

[Dreamaniaccomic]

Even though Bill Watterson executed the joke far better then you, I doubt you need to worry.
I love Calvin and Hobbes. And I'm glad Bill voluntarily ended the comic after thirty years, rather then let it turn into a stagnant cesspool of the same jokes over and over (think Blondie, Cathy, whatever old comics are out there.)
If you love Calvin and Hobbes too, and you happen to see one of those car decals of Calvin "doin' something" do the world a favor and destroy it (the decal or car) with heavy weaponry. Every single one of those is illegal (Bill never licensed his characters, thank ya verymuch.)
The only other "classic comic" I love as much as Calvin and Hobbes is the Far Side. I firmly believe that 95% of all single-panel cartoons rip off their jokes (and water them down) from the Far Side. The other five percent is Dennis the Menace, which is a stagnant cesspool of boring and non-offensive jokes.
The internet is the last chance to escape from this.

[Picpak]

The Calvin and Hobbes one has this whole anticlimactic feel to it, whereas mine has a dog falling through a hole. The Calvin and Hobbes one is great and all, but I mean...mine has a dog falling through a hole.

I do agree with you on the decals though. The only thing that's just as bad are the T-shirts with those awful sayings on them.

I've never really "gotten" the Far Side because sometimes I think it's too absurd for me (I know, I know, kill me), but I do respect it for being so out of the ordinary.

[Berg]

And I'm glad Bill voluntarily ended the comic after thirty years,

Ten.

[Dreamaniaccomic]

Ten. Your right.
Picpak, its a dog falling into a hole. Its not that funny.

[Picpak]

Well, I was loosely referring to the classic Simpsons quote "Barney’s movie had heart, but ‘Football in the Groin’ had a football in the groin"...but whatever works for you.

[RiverHelix]

When something like this happens...I like to stroke myself by saying, "great minds think alike." Then the evil voice comes in my head and says, "oh yeah, dumbazz. He's [or she's] getting paid for it!"

Oh well. In the world of creativity...the world is much smaller.

[Dreamaniaccomic]

That was a very subliminal reference- I've seen the episode, but I didn't pick up the refrence that quickly.
There are few (if any) "new ideas." There are only combinations of old ideas to create new ideas- if the combination is good enough, it becomes original in it's own right.

[Picpak]

Well I wasn't going to reference the quote in the exact same style...my comic's not called "Dog Falling Through A Hole"...

[Jim North]

I'd say someone should make a webcomic named that, but it probably does exist already.

[Prettydragoon]

I'd say someone should make a webcomic named that, but it probably does exist already.

... and it's a sprite comic drawn on lined notebook paper.

[McDuffies]

I'd say someone should make a webcomic named that, but it probably does exist already.

I'm on it.

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

Hotdog Down a Hallway would be a better comic.