Editing 1: Barrel - Part 1
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| date = September 30, 2005 | | date = September 30, 2005 | ||
| title = Barrel - Part 1 | | title = Barrel - Part 1 | ||
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| image = barrel_cropped_(1).jpg | | image = barrel_cropped_(1).jpg | ||
− | | titletext = Don't we all. | + | | titletext = Don't we all. |
}} | }} | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | This | + | This is the first comic in the [[:Category:The Boy and his Barrel|The Boy and his Barrel series]], which shows a young boy floating in a barrel in an ocean that doesn't have a visible end. It comments on the unlikely optimism and perhaps naïveté people sometimes display. The [[Barrel Boy]] is completely lost and seems hopelessly alone, without any plan or control of the situation. Yet rather than afraid or worried, he is instead quietly curious: "I wonder where I'll float next?" Although not necessarily the situation in this comic, this is a behavior people often exhibit when there is nothing they can do about a problematic situation for a long time; they may have given up hope or developed a cavalier attitude as a coping mechanism. |
− | + | The title text expands on the philosophical content, with the boy representing the average human being: wandering through life with no real plan, quietly optimistic, always opportunistic, and clueless as to what the future may hold. | |
− | This is the first in a six-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first several dozen strips. The series features [[Barrel Boy]], a character that is different from what would quickly become the xkcd [[stick figure]] style. The full series can be found [[:Category:The Boy and his Barrel|here]] | + | The isolation of the boy may also represent the way in which we often feel lost through life, never knowing quite where we are, believing that there is no one to whom to turn. This comic could also reflect on Randall's feelings towards creating xkcd in the first place; unsure of what direction the web comic would turn towards, but hopeful that it would eventually become the popular web comic that we know today. |
+ | |||
+ | This is the first in a six-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first several dozen strips. The series features [[Barrel Boy]], a character that is different from what would quickly become the xkcd [[stick figure]] style. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The full series can be found [[:Category:The Boy and his Barrel|here]]. The comics are listed in the order chosen by Randall: | ||
* [[1: Barrel - Part 1]] | * [[1: Barrel - Part 1]] | ||
* [[20: Ferret]] | * [[20: Ferret]] | ||
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* [[31: Barrel - Part 5]] | * [[31: Barrel - Part 5]] | ||
− | The | + | After Randall released the full [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070207052159/http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html The Boy and his Barrel] story on the site, it became clear that the original comic [[20: Ferret]] was also part of the series. |
+ | |||
+ | In [[1110: Click and Drag]] there is a reference to this comic at {{1110|1|n|48|e}}. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
− | * This is the first | + | * This was the fifth comic originally posted to [[LiveJournal]]. The previous one was [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)]], and the next one was [[24: Godel, Escher, Kurt Halsey]]. |
− | * | + | * The original title was "Barrel". |
+ | * Original [[Randall]] quote: "He's fairly upbeat about the situation!" | ||
+ | * This was one of the [[:Category:First day on LiveJournal|first 13 comics]] posted to [[LiveJournal]] within 12 minutes on September 30th, 2005, on the first day of the xkcd LiveJournal account. | ||
+ | * This comic was posted on [[xkcd]] when the website opened on Sunday the 1st of January 2006. | ||
+ | ** It was posted along [[:Category:First day on xkcd|with all 41 comics]] posted before that on LiveJournal as well as a few others. | ||
+ | ** The latter explaining why the numbers of these 41 LiveJournal comics ranges from 1-44. | ||
+ | * This is the first of the original drawings that was not drawn on [[:Category:Checkered paper|checkered paper]]. | ||
+ | * A more realistic description of the behavior of a barrel in water is here: [http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/12/should-dwarves-stand-up-in-floating-barrels/ Wired Science: Should Dwarves Stand Up in Floating Barrels?] | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Posted on LiveJournal| 05]] | [[Category:Posted on LiveJournal| 05]] | ||
[[Category:First day on LiveJournal| 05]] | [[Category:First day on LiveJournal| 05]] | ||
− | [[Category:First day on xkcd | + | [[Category:First day on xkcd]] |
[[Category:The Boy and his Barrel|01]] | [[Category:The Boy and his Barrel|01]] | ||
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Barrel 01]] | [[Category:Comics sharing name|Barrel 01]] |