One possible explanation for Frank's request in the last panel of today's strip: perhaps, in his own irrepressible way, he is attempting to get Gabriel to conform to the tenets of No Pants Day. I had originally submitted a Canadian origin for this most festive of days, when indeed the truth is quite different. No Pants Day, originally Non Pantus Dei, was inaugurated the same day pants were invented.
Speaking of Gabriel, who is vile beyond definitions and beyond conception, he has provided us with an illuminating video. After seeing the one over at MacHall, which I guess was very cool but I don't actually know because I can't find it, Gabe grabbed a program which records your desktop and catalogued the entire process he uses for making a strip. It starts as a scanned pencil drawing, and goes from there. I've seen this procedure myself, and as a person who cannot reproduce a line accurately I've always found the process pretty enjoyable.
It would be really cool to have a bunch of these from all my favorite strips.
(CW)TB
