Jack’s definitely losing a step. No “HAW HAW HAWs” anywhere to be found.
He does, however, not only cast the main character into the Lake of Fire, but he also manages to condemn to hellfire an unbeliever from a previous tract. Guess he felt like he needed to tie up some loose ends.
One thing: Gladys has a network TV show, but she won’t spring for a couple of nights at a Motel 6? Cheap bastard sinner…
True. And in that previous tract, Bob the Uberchristian displayed the ability to cast devils out of even the most recalcitrant of sinners. This means that he could have saved those two at any time and simply chose not to, making him the worst sinner of all!
I’d agree that this tract is a step down in quality, but Chick making fun of astrologers is so surreal that I’ll give it a few extra points.
Making fun of astrologers is always a laugh ('specially the phone type). My favourite part of this one is the awesome pucker Gladys has; the prude factor is high there.
Note also the continued use of Jack™ style non-sequitors, about 2/3 of the way down. Holly, (who I believe has been exposed as being a filthy dungeon master in previous tracts), is replying to Gladys about being dissed by Bob. “He told me the same thing Gladys - just because I’m a witch! So I put a death curse on him”.
I hope one day to be able to use this myself. “The cashier wouldn’t let me in - just because it was 20 minutes after closing time! So I put a death curse on him.”
My favorite part of Chick tracts are the randomly emphasized words:
“How long will you be here?”
“Only three days…I’ll stay with you because hotels are so expensive!”
“You caught me by surprise Aunt Gladys…I’m having friends over tonight.”
The emphasis on the you makes me think of that Uncle Sam poster. The emphasis on the friends makes me think of some sort of sex party. The depiction of God in Chick tracts makes me think of the generic oval-head guy featured in school crossing signs.
I like the fact Gladys could interract with George, but never caught on to the fact her “silly boy” was all Gremliny and horned. Some psychic she turned out to be.
Definitely a tract from the lower end of the totem pole, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Games of chance are strictly forbidden, or something. I dunno-I’ve heard that hardcore fundies consider playing cards sinful for some reason-probably because it’s like gambling or whatever.
I suffered (and yes, I do mean suffered) through listening to some fundamentalist ranter griping about how the Joker for a deck of cards was supposed to originally be a clownish representation of Jesus so that’s why ALL cards are bad. Silly me; I’d’ve thought only that particular deck of cards would be bad.
What kind of silly name is George for a demon. I’ve got nothing against George as a name, but shouldn’t a demon have a more . . . umm . . demonic sounding name.
And I don’t have much sympathy for Gladys. She shows up on her niece’s doorstep and announces that she will be staying at her home for three days. If there’s not a commandment against that, there should be.
Anytime I see someone in the street who has an odd, bumpy or otherwise less-than-perfect face, I cross the road to avoid walking past them as I know they are probably into some kind of evil. Can’t be too careful.
I think he picked george as an “ordinary” name to try and condemn the Jonothan Edward Crossing over type of psychic (“I 'm hearing a ‘G’, Graham? Geoff? George! George!” ) who claim dead relatives speak to them.
It does show a marked reduction in the quality of Chick’s output. No Haw Haw Haw, No redemption at the end, and even though Bob was there, he didn’t even try to convert Gladys.
although, he probably picked some heat from the voices in his head for not dealing with Holly before, and found a great way to tie up all his loose ends.
I expect a return to form in the next tract, possibly about the Death Cookie or about Evil music.