h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Dilbert - The Comic Strip - A760989
Author: Hoovooloo - U114627

Can't believe in such a geek-rich environment that nobody has written an entry on this subject before.

Comments gratefully received.

H.

Hi H!

This was a very enjoyable read... can't see any typos... but there is '' at the end of the first 'Business is Business' paragraph that shouldn't be there

Perhaps you could write a bit on what Dilbert is based on (if there was a basis), or any other strips that have blatantly plagarised (well, not such a strong word as that but it gets the meaning across) Dilbert

Looks good so far!

Caper Plip

I loved this and have to admit I love dilbert, which is strange as most people in the Uk haven't heard of him.

Dilbert's appearance isn't (to my knowledge) based on anyone in particular. He's just a doodle, really. His adventures are based on Scott Adams time as a cubicle resident at Bell and work experiences with a bank. It started out as being pretty "realistic" - just some people in an office, but as time has gone on he's introduced more and more surreal elements (e.g. the accounts department is staffed entirely by trolls, the head of human resources is a cat, etc.) and the more surreal it gets, the more the audience response is "that's EXACTLY like the place I work".

H.
Cubicle dweller.

I got all confused, as I remember seeing this entry when I was looking for someone else. Have you scouted it, Hoo?

My favourite Dilbert is the one where a female employee (Marjorie?) is given the 'Employee of the Month (or is it of the Year)' title, as she has been off for a long period and morale went up!

I haven't Scouted it (I'm not a Scout) - I read an entry in Peer Review on Garfield and thought "there MUST be one on Dilbert in the Edited Guide, and if there isn't, I'm going to write one." And there wasn't, but Jordan had already made a very good start... then stopped. So I finished it for him. I did leave him a message asking for comments, but it's been a while and he seems not to be about. So I've bunged it in PR anyway, and if it gets in it'll be his first Edited Entry.

H.

Hi again, Hoo!

A couple of typos - existance > existence

correspondance > correspondence

and you'll probably have to lose the : - P.

Oh yes, the female employee was Judy (this year's desk diary, November 7).

I think you would probably want to add a bit about Elbonia, wouldn't you? I bought a video from the library (bargain at £2), of which half was about Elbonia, (where everyone has beards, even women and babies).

Ooh, you're really filling a deeeeeep gap in the Guide here!

You don't need to explain wedgies -- there's A491690

Great link Bossel, thanks! That's straight in there.

As is Elbonia... I wavered over whether to include them, but since someone's mentioned them, in they go.

I've not included Judy, because unless I'm missing something she's not a recurring character.

Quick straw poll - any other *recurring* characters worthy of a mention? (Is Mordac, Preventer of Information Services recurring enough?)

H.

I remember reading in one of the introductions to a Dilbert collection that the name Dilbert came from a character they used in military training cartoons. He was always the "don't do it like this" humorous doofus kind of character. I'm afraid I just donated my Dilbert collections to a local library so I can't dig up the exact reference for you.

You should include that elbonia's prime export is mud. In fact, they live up to their waists in it.

Elbonia mud reference in...

The character was not, in fact, named after the military cartoon character. The way the author describes it, he drew him up and asked his co-workers to come up with a name for the then nameless main character, and after a few days and a few suggestions one of them wrote "Dilbert" and it seemed to fit. He only became aware of the *other* Dilbert much later, when someone asked him if that was where he got the name.

H.

Oh, and a killer link in the last paragraph. Even if you've read this entry once already, go back now and check that final link out...

H.

This is great, I love Dilbert, it's by far the best comic strip.

You should link to the dilbert.com website and in particular the "Daily Dilbert" where you can recieve the daily strip through email. A great start to the working day.

I feel the character descriptions are too brief, lacking depth. Perhaps some examples of their antics wouldn't go amiss...



Ste

Awwwww. There was a site that accused Dilbert and Scott Adams of being communists and diseminating communist properganda. I went to get the link and it has been taken down . It was a perfect example of circa-60s-style American Right-Wing paranioa and made for a great read.

I'm still hunting for a version of it. Someone must have preserved that site somewhere! It was at [Broken link removed by Moderator], but alas no more. Help!

Ste

Hi, Hoovooloo!

I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of approval - it's a really good entry, and gives a nice overview without getting too long. It looks ready for picking to me!


Azara

Mordac the Preventer - YES! - he should go in.

No, I don't think Judy should go in, either. I only mentioned her as she's such an archetype. If you look at September 27, You'll find the office fitness fiend, trying to get Dilbert to do triathlons, etc. I used to work with a triathlete. He was amazing. Again, it shouldn't go in, but Mordac should.

Hi again, Hoo!

Like il Viaggiatore, I think you should mention the mud. I also think you should mention the beards - everyone has them, even the babies. I think the country is an Eastern Bloc country (sound like Albania to anyone?). Wally once got a mail order bride from Elbonia. She turned out to be a pig with a false wig and beard, so Wally ate her!

Hi Hoo!

Were you going to put in Mordac the Preventer? I think you should. He's a really good archetype.

Just wanted to add another voice to the chorus of praise - I think this is excellent stuff

Wasn't there another, fairly mainstream, character called something like 'loud Bob'?

Sprant