There has been precisely one Straight Dope[sup]tm[/sup] (rather simple if you ask me) T-Shirt and one coffee mug design since I have been reading the Dope. If you ask me this is a woefully small amount. I think there definately should be at least 2-3 more designs. Now you might be asking yourself “Self, where is the Straight Dope going to come up with 2-3 more T-Shirt designs?” Where in the world could we find talented people to design a T-Shirt for a pittance (read: nothing)? The solution is to have a contest and let the Teeming Millions design and then vote on the best.
So Cecil, whats the chances of us seeing a T-Shirt design contest in the near future?
I really hate Slug’s art, and can’t imagine appearing in public with some of it on me. I can and do appear with AFG’s art, though (I had a T-shirt made up of her “trick stew” cartoon.)
What’s wrong with just the masthead from the site? (The banner at the top of the page.) I’d wear that.
I love Slug’s art! It’s so… so poignant! And moving! And deep! And besides, he’s our only glimpse into the keyhole of what the Perfect Master might look like! I firmly believe in his accurate depictions of a nearsighted, mortarboard-wearing turkey.
Mr. Stasaeon might be getting me one of the regular old design T-shirts for Christmas. And if he doesn’t, Santa will.
There are a million and one reasons why we should have a serious T-Shirt contest and more T-Shirts printed up. But only a few reasons why we shouldn’t…
We need to figure out the latter before we can actually get the new designed sanctioned by the reeder.
Heh, I would go for a simple design with the Straight Dope masthead on the front, with “Fighting Ignorance since 1973” under that, and “(It’s taking longer than we thought)” put on the back of the t-shirt.
Damn you featherlou! I was just going to suggest a “Gotcha Ya” t-shirt.
But definitely a monkey butler shirt. It would have a drawing of a monkey standing upright with a little butler outfit on, holding a tray with food or something, and he would be wearing a monocle. Underneath the monkey would be the caption “A monkey that I wish for.”
I have also been waiting, and waiting, and waiting.
Count me as not willing to wear Slug’s artwork either.
The Masthead? Count me in on that too. (You already got the artwork.)
Seems like a no brainer to me, I like ‘Cite’ on the back, in an attractive colour (not white, not black, something midtone).
Slap an outrageous price tag on it, in US dollars, and I’ll have to have it or I’ll die.
(Damn, I’m thinking I’ll just make a proto type right here, right now, I have all the elements.)
I have (and often wear) the current t-shirt, and while Slug’s art obviously hasn’t kept me from purchasing and wearing the shirt, it is often too complicated/complex/strange for the average person who sees the front of the shirt and inevitably asks me, “What’s your t-shirt about? Pot? What’s with the cartoon?”
Whereas the text on the back (url, “Fighting ignorance since 1973.”, “It’s taking longer than we thought…”) is always very well received.
So, count me in as someone who’d throw some additional money at some alternative designs, and count me in as someone who is confident that a doper design contest would produce some great stuff.
