This week's panel suggested by Michael Rubinstein and Mr. ?



The Mind Reels...

Will we ever be sure who's in the panel again?? Thanks to Michael for a real brain-bending suggestion.

As always, suggestions are listed in the order they were received. Thanks for playing and please join us again next Sunday!

--Scott
Sunday 10/29/2000



David Goldfarb

    Haven't made any suggestions in a while, but I have been following along. The ibexes were cool, and so is that beautiful panel of Carl on the road that we're going to have to join up with shortly. Clearly Carl's new life needs to take a quick turn for the worse....

  • A car zooms down the road and runs into Daisy. If possible, we should be able to see that the driver is drunk.
  • We see Carl walking down the road alone. Speech balloon: "I guess this is the start of a new life for me!" In a thought balloon, a repeat of the picture + dialogue from the previous panel -- i.e., Daisy was never really there at all, Carl is hallucinating.
  • Daisy runs off. "Oh, no, Carl, I forgot my toothbrush! Wait right here, I'll be right back."
  • Daisy laughs. "Oh, Carl, you're so gullible. What makes you think that I'd want to stay with a loser like you? Toodles!" She leaves.
  • Carl asks Daisy to run to the liquor store.

    We should try to have Carl reach that crossroads at the actual branching panel of the story. That way in one branch he can turn right, in the other he can go straight ahead....


Zack Adgie

  • Carl and/or get the living bejeezus clobbered out of them by (a truck/a motorized scooter/thor/nuclear missiles/ibek)
  • 10 years later : can we PLEASE stop walking now?
  • Daisy runs off with another man.
    Carl: Looks like the start of a new life for me!
  • Carl : See you later, Daisy! (Why? Why not?)
  • Carl and Daisy ride the Ibek off into the sunset.
  • Carl and the Ibek ride Daisy off into the sunset.
  • Daisy and the Ibek rider Carl off into the sunset.
  • The Ibek rides Carl and Daisy off into the sunset.
  • The sunset rides... nevermind.


Josiah Rowe

  • All-text panel: "Little did Carl realize that he had only five panels left to live."
  • Carl and Daisy walk along towards a crossroads; approaching them along the other road is... the other Carl, from Section 1!
  • Caption: And, after many years of conjugal bliss... Image of Carl and Daisy makin' whoopee under the covers. All you need to show are a few limbs poking out, askew in interesting directions...
  • Caption: Many years later... Carl, smoking a pipe, is sitting contentedly in an easy chair with his devoted wife Daisy over his shoulder and Carl, Jr. playing at his feet. Perhaps Carl, Sr. now has grey hair at his temples. He says, "Daisy, I wonder what my life would be like if I had never met you."
  • Caption: Meanwhile... An evil villain-type says, "At last! Carl has fallen into my trap! He is DOOMED!" (There's still room for Noah's Bond cell, too!)
  • Caption: Meanwhile, not far away... A (BUD) truck driver starts to sample his wares. He says, "Oh well, one drink won't hurt!"
  • Daisy and Carl are walking along; Daisy asks, "Have I shown you my ibex farm yet?"
  • Carl's mom steps in front of Carl and Daisy. "Not so fast, you little hussy!" she exclaims.
  • The Blue Angel looks down at Carl and Daisy from above. "Oh, Carl," she says, "If only you knew..."
  • The video store guy from the original Carl strip shows up and says, "Hey, buddy! You owe $63.47 in overdue fees for `Carnival of Souls!' "


Michael Rubinstein

  • Carl says "Race you to the intersection!" and takes off.
  • Carl and Daisy get married.
  • Caption: "20 years later". Daisy (now older) is telling Carl Jr (who looks exactly how Carl used to look): "Promise me you won't drink and drive, Carl." Carl Jr: "I promise."
  • Same as above, but Daisy says "Promise me you won't drink and fly your hoverpack, Carl." After all, it is the future!
  • Daisy smiles, revealing spacecraft.


Rusty Priske

  • Daisy: I'll see you later. I have to go walk the dog. Carl: (disappointed) Oh.


Paul V

  • Recreate the starting panel "Promise me you won't drink and drive, Carl" but with Daisy in Mom's role.

    This has been loads of fun, I've been following it since the first section! You really should do another one after this. Perhaps it can be set up so we vote on the suggestions.


Lee K. Seitz

  • Whong! A piano falls from nowhere and lands on Daisy, apparently killing her. (The next panel can mimic the one above it, but with Carl farther toward the horizon.)
  • Carl and Daisy are trampled by a herd of stampeding ibex. (Plagarism? What's that? 8)
  • Daisy suddenly turns into the same monster Mom did back in section two.
  • Suddenly, the sun goes supernova.
  • Daisy (leaving Carl): Oh, wait, I forgot. I've got to wash my hair tonight. Sorry, Carl.


Travis Pelkie

    This one's too hard.

  • Daisy disappears, so when the two tracks meet up, Carl can go hey!

    Woo boy, pathetic. I mostly wanted to talk about the Cerebus thing someone mentioned. Definitely not 186, but try either the entire Jaka's Story, or issue #36, where Cerebus is rich and sees Jaka again. Maybe those issues will convince girlfriends that Dave is a genius. Personally, I think the latest storyline with Ham Ernestway is amazing, but I'm not female. Later in the week I'll have a better suggestion, I promise.


"veteran Carl poster Doug Waldron"

    Only 12 panels left and still no aliens.

  • Carl and Daisy are "beamed up" into a passing "space ship."
  • Carl falls into an open manhole.
  • Caption: "10 years later..." Scene: Family portrait of Carl, Daisy, Carl Jr. (age 7), Petunia (age 3), and the twins (6 months, still no names picked out).
  • Carl and Carl Jr. (who goes by "CJ") are tossing the ball in the backyard. Daisy comes outside carrying Petunia and holding the phone: "Carl, it's the University. They say your research grant is approved!"
  • The bunny eats them.
  • They eat the bunny.
  • An anvil falls on Daisy.


James "DexX" Dominguez

    I have a suggestion for FutureCarl(tm), but I will stick it on the end, rather than here... First, panel suggestions! I missed out last week (I had a busy one too) so here goes...

  • Carl is oblivious, but Daisy's eyes have taken a slight almond-shape, and she whispers furtively into a device on her wrist. "Mother ship - contact has been made."
  • Carl looks Daisy up and down, and says, "Say, are you putting on weight?" She is unimpressed, of course.
  • Daisy and Carl are still holding hands, but they are now floating above the ground. Carl is looking somewhat distressed, but Daisy doesn't seem to notice their sudden flight. Carl: "Uh... Daisy?"
  • This isn't a full suggestion... I wanted to come up with some way to reveal that Daisy's full name is Daisy Van Helsing, but I cound't think how to do it without being too contrived... *pout*
  • A grand piano falls from the sky and slams into poor Daisy. We can't see her beneath the piano, but it is fairly obvious that she is now DaisySchnitzel. Carl jumps away, uttering his trademark, "Gah!"
  • Carl hands Daisy a bottle. "Wanna beer?"
  • Carl's face fill half the frame in extreme closeup, and he says, "Finally, a normal life." In the background, we can see a full moon in the sky, and a rather hirsute and lupine Daisy, slobbering toward Carl...

    Ah, that'll do... About my FutureCarl(tm) suggestion: I was inspired by one of your recurring Understanding/Reinventing Comics icons - the spiral. I imagine that it would be monstrous to code, but how about a spiral comic? I envision panels about the same size as the current CYOC panels, but it would be necessary to rotate them. As the spiral moves out, there would be room for one or two radial panels in between, allowing a multi-path arrangement. The interesting thing about this is that you essentially have one story, but the radial arms would provide "shortcuts". What I find interesting is that you could have a single long story following the spiral, and either "shortcuts" or subplots in the radials, with the intersections providing an arena for the major plot and subplots to interact. Like I said before, the spiral shape would be a dog to code in HTML, and it would probably be necessary to use irritating image-slicing to fit it all together. Spacing it out with trails or arrows would help, but not much. If you're interested, I could scribble up a diagram of the basic format I have in mind, and I could email it over. Then again, it is probably just a bit too non-grid for HTML... Flash maybe? Then you could actually _rotate_ the canvas to read it. Now there's an interesting idea...


[Strangely enough, DexX, I think I have a pretty solid idea of what you're describing, but rather than sketch it -- you should *make* it. To heck with Carl, create a new comic and character of your own. Let's see what ya got!--Scott]


Michael Patrick

    Wow-you managed to fit the bunny rabbit.

  • Ummm--Vampire Rabbit!!!
  • Daisy: What do you mean a new life for "you"?!
  • Daisy: Aaarrrgghhhh!!! the Sun!!!!!


Mac

    This might go against your "all-digital" philosophy, but I think that once CYOC is complete, the whole thing, all six parts together, would make a terrific poster. How about it?

  • Carl: "Yes, life. Truly mankind's greatest gift, and its greatest mystery." Daisy: "Uh... What?"


[Aah, the poster question... I think at this point the only way around the copyright problem (i.e., about 1000 writers, some of whom didn't even give their email addresses) would be to offer it in PDF pieces so you guys could print it at home and assemble it. --Scott]


Dan Pollard

    It's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

  • Carl: Gee, I could use a drink, Daisy have you seen my car keys?

    One of these days all the other suggestions will be SO bad, you'll have no choice but to use this one :)


Michael Martin

    Well, this is moving in towards the intersection with the "But can I survive a broken *heart*?" track. Obviously some major tragedy will have to come crashing down upon Carl in this panel so that they may meet up. (Going down moves us back to "Promise me etc.", and will end up bringing us back to drinking, no doubt.) With that in mind...

  • Daisy: "Yes! I got engaged last week! Isn't that *wonderful*?"
  • Daisy is hit by a drunk driver.
  • Ethel stands above Daisy's body, holding a knife. Carl: "Mom!!! Do you have to kill *everybody* I know?!"

    May Carl's Final Death be in his old age, and peaceful.


Jetski

    tHE MArX BrOThErS RuLE.

  • Daisy, will you marry me?

    The next panel could be someone off panel saying yes.


garth robbins

    great fun

  • he gets run over by a truck just as his new life is starting. ironic
  • Daisy says lets do it all over again. endless thrill ride
  • daisy changes her mind and agrees to marry him, the romanic part.
  • daisy tries to kill him not, everyone has tried.
  • busy tonight?, walks off with daisy, she introduces him to her new boyfriend, heart break.


Sean Kinlin

    McCloud for President is a great idea! Reinventing the Presidency! We just have to beware of slightly green alien imposter McClouds! Of course, Scott would have to appoint Matt Feazell secretary of Labor.

  • Carl and Daisy walk past a sign that says "Albuquerque, 1 mile." CARL: I wonder if we should take that left turn...
  • Daisy takes something out of her pocket. DAISY: How about some lunch?
  • They approach a government building. CARL: I'll start by changing my identity!
  • They approach a seedy-looking, run-down building. CARL: I'll start by changing my identity!
  • Carl takes out his cross. CARL: And a new life means we must be pure!
  • Daisy takes out a knife. DAISY: And a new life means we must be pure!
  • Carl suddenly has televangelist hair and is wearing a suit. CARL: I am born again! Hallelujah!!

    I love the fact that 2 others besides me came up with the twins idea last week. Seems almost destinied to happen, eh Scott? :)


[Matt Feazell would make a great Secretary of State actually. --Scott]

Glen Seymour

  • The happy version: A priest stands on the right as Carl and Daisy say in unison "I do"
  • The anti-commitment version: Carl on left: "let's get married." Daisy, on right: "No way, I just said tonight"
  • The tragic version: A beer truck runs down Daisy (and possibly the rabbit) as they cross the road.
  • The Monty-Python version: The rabbit jumps up and rips Daisy's throat out. (Hmmm, I don't think this one should win, it's gruesome).
  • The drinking version: Carl: "Let's drive somewhere and get a drink." Daisy looks shocked & disappointed, "But you promised"
  • The classic monster-movie version: The nightmare microsoft monster appears on the right and grabs daisy.
  • The modern monster-movie version: Daisy turns into the nightmare microsoft monster.


Grant Schreiber

    Jeez, I can't think of anything with a Halloween theme for this week... but then, I haven't started pulling suggestions out of thin air yet.

  • Daisy in a show-room girl stance in front of a car: "Not just a new life, Carl, but a brand new car!" Carl smiles from ear to ear.
  • Daisy leaning on Carl's shoulder: "Our baby will be glad to hear that!" Carl in shock: "Ba..ba.baby?!?!"
  • Carl looking into Daisy's eyes: "I want you know that I will use my new found sense of direction for good and not evil."
  • Daisy: "Let's spend the night in the haunted house on Splatter Street!" Carl: "Keen!"
  • Daisy (hopefully) "Does this mean you'll stop your mad quest for the perfect malted beverage?" Carl, eyes spinning: "NEVER!"

    Oh well...one semi-halloween suggestion in there. Everybody have fun trick and treating! This year, I'm going as Carl!


[Send us a photo, won'tcha? --Scott]


Tad Ramspott

    Oh, sure, just make it easy for us this week ... ()

  • "... As a truck driver!" Carl says, sitting behind the wheel, Daisy smiling from the passenger's seat.


Miles P. Kear

  • Hand in hand with his new love, Carl looks back over his shoulder and says, "Hey, who's that?"


Markus Gerwinski

  • The obvious one first: The rabbit bites Carl's heel.
  • Carl and Daisy are approaching a crossroads. (Same crossroads as in the thread incoming from above.) There's a cabrio waiting for them.
  • The lion, scarecrow, and tinman from "The Wizard of Oz" join the two, dancing along the way with them.

    As for Mike's suggestion for a 3D-Carl game: I'd rather do some one-artist-experiments on 3D comics first, just to find out what they are. Do they consist of "3D panels"? If yes, what are they? Boxes with sculptures? If no, how do we arrange 2D panels in a 3D way that makes sense?

    'Course there are a lot of other ideas for future Carls. First of all, the good old CYOC in other geometries: Let's take e.g. hexagonal panels and look, what ways we could lead _them_ to. Another idea is an "in-between" Carl: The players make suggestions for panels "in the gutters" between panels that are already there. (We'd start with nothing but an "I promise" and a tombstone.)

    Hmm, figure it'd be easier to discuss those topics in a mailing list...

    P.S.: Scott, when browsing the old suggestions pages, I find I once promised to tell you about the card game "Once upon a time". I'm sorry I forgot... In "Once upon a time", all players are telling _one_ fairy tale ;-), whereas every one of them wants to lead the tale to another end. Each card represents a character, an action, a feature etc. you must place into the story. Some other cards serve to interrupt the current storyteller, thus becoming the next storyteller yourself. Additonally, every playerhas a "tale's end" card he/she _must_ lead the story to. Of course you must first get rid of all your other cards in order to tell the end...


[Cool stuff, Markus. That "inbetween" idea is one I never considered, despite having done the non-collaborative version in the other Carl comic here on the site. --Scott]


Travis Pelkie

    me again

  • I'd say here comes a car to run them over, but we may have done that, and it doesn't seem too nice.
  • So, another silent panel, with them walking hand in hand.
  • Or, (and I said this earlier this week, I think), Daisy disappears, Carl yells "Daisy!?!" and the cross panel (the next one) hasCarl lamenting the loss of Daisy in his life.
  • And here comes the icepick to the forehead.
  • Bellows from Zot flies by. Why not?
  • All of the sudden, it's the inside of a submarine!

    Okay, that last was goofy (hey, they all always are), but it leads to my other Cerebus-Dave Sim as genius issues-- those last 5 or 6 parts of Church and State where Cerebus is on the moon with the Feiffer judge guy. The covers are way cool too. And the submarine inside panel is in #229, if I remember right. Oh, and back to Scott (it's his site, right?) I for one can't wait for the conclusion to Zot Online to see what happens. More, please! Some of those panels make me think this internet thing might be more than a fad.


PJM

    Another week of Carl-based fun...

  • A bus comes tearing down the road... DAISY: "CARL! LOOK OUT!!!!!!!"
  • Daisy rips off her rubber mask to reveal she is really... Carl's Mom!! MOM: "Hahahahahahahaha!" (OK, I have no idea where this one's going...)
  • Carl and Daisy get to a crossroads... DAISY: "Say, Carl, let's sell our souls to the Devil!" CARL: "Gee... good idea!"
  • Carl's foot gets grabbed by a zombie that's buried beneath the ground. CARL: "AAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Yurk!" DAISY: "CARL!"


Mr. ?

  • As the sunlight hits Daisy, she erupts into flames.
  • 20 years later, Daisy tells Carl Jr.: "Promise me you won't drink and drive, Carl Jr." Carl Jr.: "I promise!"
  • Except that's not the Sun rising! It's God.. and he looks mighty wrathful! Carl + Daisy: "Oh oh..."
  • The sun that rises is huge and much closer to Earth, and sets everything on fire. Carl & Daisy run away in terror.
  • Daisy: "That's no sun! That's a mushroom cloud!"
  • The Ibex decide to stampede the other way and trample Daisy.
  • And the obligatory happy ending suggestion: You see the 'RIP CARL' tombstone right next to the 'RIP DAISY' one and a caption on the bottom that says 'They lived a long and happy life.'




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