The Eagle & The Child, by the way, is a real pub. My wife and I shared many a bitter in there, in the back corner where JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and others used to hold their "Inklings" meetings. For a nerd like me, it was nirvana. Also, the bitter was good. If you're ever in Oxford...do swing by The Eagle & The Child (or The Bird & The Baby, as it's also known).
Related note: I love how the English always have nineteen names for their local pub. When I lived in Canterbury, I swear my local had 500 different nicknames. You never knew what people were referring to when they asked you to meet up for a pint. :)
Interesting, though probably much-known fact, is that in the Middle Ages only members of the Church and the rich could read so pubs used these illustrative signs so that people could find them, especially travellers looking for a bed for the night....
Sounds like you can't take your ale - it's The Eagle And Child X-)
(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eagle_and_Child for a photo).
I lived near Oxford for most of my early life, but I think I only went there once.
I also noticed and loved the plaid-wearing elf.
You underestimate the tendency of your fanbase to notice and laugh at the tiny details you put in, good sir.
:D
Ja, I, too, noticed (and appreciated) the plaid elf. And I love Friday's meeting of Tolkien and Hendrix - another webcomics first!
Dave, my favorite "subtle" joke still is the "ooba, ooooba" Droid in your Star Wars bit about Leia remember "Mom" and Luke..not so much. Still makes me laugh.
The plaid Elf is classic though!
Bitter = Delicious. Definately give Goose Island Bitter a shot if you can.
While a case can be made that there are reasons to look askance at Christopher Tolkien's handling of his father's works, I must say I liked the recent "Children of Hurin" release.
I felt it maintained and preserved enough of the father's literary style to be an entertaining read.
I never bothered with various volumes of "annotated apocrypha" previously released by Christopher. I got a sense of what they were, and voted No with my money.
The Hurin book, however, worked for me.
I guess my point is, many unite in criticizing Christopher Tolkien, but each person tends to differ in their opinion of what he "should" (quotes intentional) be doing with the legacy. Best to vote with your money, as above.
If JRR Tolkien's Grocery Lists, Volume 14, actually doesn't sell, there won't be a Volume 15.
I've had a pint or two in the Buzzard & Brat (one of several nicknames, and probably the cleanest of the "naughty" ones).
Do they still write the specials on an old-fashioned chalkboard?
Last time I was there was on my way to Badakhshan in 2001.
