# New Chick Tract: "Gladys" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 3, 2002, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740 "2002-10-03T21:55:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/1 "2002-10-03T21:55:42Z")
[Gladys](http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/5017/5017_01.asp). 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… ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Maximino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@Mighty\_Maximino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Maximino)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/2 "2002-10-03T22:21:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dewey Cheatem Undhow \* > **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.** 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. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/3 "2002-10-03T22:58:12Z")
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.” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/4 "2002-10-03T23:50:19Z")
Holly’s not a dungeon master, she’s a [genuine honest-to-goodness witch](http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/5012/5012_01.asp). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/5 "2002-10-04T00:00:03Z")
I like how George is quick to exit the explosion. Some friend he was! If you can’t trust an evil hell-spawned demon, who can you trust? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/6 "2002-10-04T00:19:26Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/7 "2002-10-04T00:21:30Z")
Gladys seems awfully obnoxious. Good art work, though… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/8 "2002-10-04T02:07:20Z")
I think she deserves to go to Hell for sins against fashion. And is it just me, or does George look like he stepped straight out of a Gremlins movie? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/9 "2002-10-04T02:16:25Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/10 "2002-10-04T02:18:25Z")
Oh yeah, and what exactly is Chick trying to say about playing cards? When Gladys asks her niece for a deck of cards, she reveals “I threw them out.” What, are Christians not allowed to play a friendly game of poker? Or kicker? Or benderoverthecouchandplower? Man, I sure am glad I’m a Catholic! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/11 "2002-10-04T02:20:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/12 "2002-10-04T02:22:57Z")
I thought she meant Tarot cards, but I could be mistaken… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/13 "2002-10-04T02:30:29Z")
No, actually there is a way to do a “fortune” type thing with regular playing cards. It’s probably about as bullshit as Tarot cards-though not nearly as pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/14 "2002-10-04T03:24:20Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/15 "2002-10-04T07:44:35Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/16 "2002-10-04T09:25:25Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/17 "2002-10-04T09:30:22Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/18 "2002-10-04T09:34:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*And is it just me, or does George look like he stepped straight out of a Gremlins movie? \*\* Gladys should never have fed the bloody thing after midnight, like the old chinese guy said. Tsch. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/19 "2002-10-04T10:25:57Z")
Does this mean the fundies and the [Scientists](http://www.2think.org/Richard_Dawkins_Is_Science_A_Religion.shtml) will be joining forces to rid the world of the evils of Astrology? Must be a first… 😉 For personal interest, anyone got figures on how many people read and believe these tracts? Are they only circulated in America, or internationally? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740/20 "2002-10-04T10:46:32Z")
I’ve seen them here in the UK. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-chick-tract-gladys/130740.md?page=2)