Youth Leaders' Complaint

I wonder sometimes if the youth of the Church realize what kind of sacrifices their leaders make to take them on the myriad of camps and activities over the years. I know I didn't when I was their age.

Mission Curse Lives

After a one-week hiatus, we'll now return to the chronicles of Elder Van Dyke's post mission. Today, he discovers that his ability to ruin missionaries' love life is sadly still in effect. Check back next week for his first post-mission date!

Red Shirts

The original Star Trek ran on television from 1966-1969. The sets were ridiculous, the acting wooden (except for Leonard Nimoy--he was always good), and the plots were usually ham-fisted. But there was a charm in those original 79 episodes* that inspired a worldwide fandom, five television spinoffs (with more on the way), and 13 movies (with more on the way).

The recent movies have gone a long way towards making Star Trek more universal in its appeal (it also doesn't hurt that with the explosion of Super Hero movies nearly everyone is self-identifying as a geek), but for most of its existence, Star Trek was reserved for a specific subculture of fandom. One that I'm proud to say I belong to!

*Except for "Spock's Brain"--that one was just stupid.

Sacrament Meeting Aboard the Starship Enterprise

Today's gag comes from faithful reader DeaconsRule101. I thought it was so funny that I drew it even though it meant I'd have to add an additional finger to each character in the gag.

Of course it's the characters that make Star Trek so great. Characters like Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Picard, Data, Worf, O'Brien, Sisko, the Doctor,* Seven of Nine, and others. It's the characters that make a five-year mission with these guys such a enticing prospect for so many people.

Check back tomorrow for another Star Trek gag!

*The one from Star Trek: Voyager not the BBC.

We're Boldly Going into Star Trek Week

2016 is the 50th anniversary of Star Trek! To celebrate one of the greatest science fiction franchises of all time,* I'm dedicating a whole week to the crew of the Starship Enterprise.**

Today's strip of course is a reference to "Mirror, Mirror" the classic episode from season two where Mr. Spock grows a Van Dyke beard and Kirk, Bones, Scotty, and Uhura travel to a parallel universe. This parallel universe was revisited to great success in future episodes of ST:DS9 and Enterprise (but you already knew that).

Check back Thursday and Friday for more Star Trek gags!

*The only other possible candidate is Star Wars. I love Doctor Who and a bunch of other sci-fi, but honestly these two are head and shoulders above everything else.

**And of course, the crews of Deep Space Nine and the Starship Voyager.

Ghostbusting

Is anyone else intrigued by the new Ghostbusters movie? I loved the original movie when it came out 32 years ago. I remember well calling a radio station repeatedly with some friends requesting Ray Parker, Jr.'s theme song (the poor DJ finally succumbed and played the tune). I faithfully watched the Saturday morning cartoon. And I remember recognizing in its sequel--for one of the first times--that a piece of pop culture wasn't the coolest things ever (up until that point, I wasn't much of a critic).

As for the reboot premiering today, I'm cautiously optimistic.

Back in the World

The adjustment from missionary to returned missionary can be a little tough.

Inner Beauty

Girls camp is awesome! After a week in the wild, though, it does get a little messy.

Release

Continuing the story of the end of Elder Van Dyke's missionary service, today's strip focuses on his missionary release at the hands of his stake president.