Difference between revisions of "25: Barrel - Part 4"

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| date      = October 31, 2005
 
| date      = October 31, 2005
 
| title    = Barrel - Part 4
 
| title    = Barrel - Part 4
 +
| before    = <big><big><span class="plainlinks">[https://web.archive.org/web/20060529063505/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=20#:~:text=2%3A42%20pm-,Monday%27s%20Drawing,-(11%20Comments Original title</span>]: '''Monday's Drawing'''</big></big>
 
| image    = barrel_part_4.jpg
 
| image    = barrel_part_4.jpg
| titletext = :(
+
| titletext = :(<br><br><span class="plainlinks">[https://web.archive.org/web/20060529063505/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=20#:~:text=2%3A42%20pm-,Monday%27s%20Drawing,-(11%20Comments Original caption</span>]: By the way, here are all the barrel comics on a single (easily linked) page:<br>http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html<br>I cheated, and went back and lightened the gridlines in #2. It was just bothering me. I'll try not to do that much. But as I'm not destroying anyone's childhood, I don't feel like I'm really pulling a George Lucas.<br>I mean, I'm not destroying more than one childhood.<br>Oops.
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Explanation ==
 
== Explanation ==
In the first three comics of the series, the character explored the ocean in a barrel and then encountered a whirlpool, all with a reaction of innocent wonder. Here, the empty barrel floating adrift, plus the title text and a previous announcement by Randall that this would be the conclusion of barrel boy's story, imply that the character's encounter with the whirlpool separated him from the barrel, and he may have come to some harm.  
+
This was the twenty-sixth comic originally posted to [[LiveJournal]]. The previous one was [[37: Hyphen]], and the next one was [[26: Fourier]].
  
This is the fifth in a six-part series of comics whose parts were randomly published during the first several dozen strips. The series features a [[:Category:Barrel|character]] who is not consistent with what would quickly become the [[xkcd]] [[stick figure]] style. The character was in the barrel in parts 1-3.
+
In the first three comics of the [[:Category:The Boy and his Barrel|The Boy and his Barrel series]], [[Barrel Boy]] explored the ocean in a barrel and then encountered a whirlpool, all with a reaction of innocent wonder. Here, the empty barrel floating adrift, the title text, and a previous announcement by Randall that this would be the conclusion of the series, imply that the boy's encounter with the whirlpool separated him from the barrel, and he may have died.
  
After Randall released the full [http://liveweb.archive.org/web/20070207052159/http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html The Boy and his Barrel] story on xkcd, it has been clear that the original [[Ferret]] story should also be included as part of the barrel series.
+
This is the fifth 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]]. 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. The comics are listed in the order chosen by Randall:
  
The full series can be found [[:Category:Barrel|here]]. But below they are listed in the order Randall has put them in his collection linked to above:
 
 
* [[1: Barrel - Part 1]]
 
* [[1: Barrel - Part 1]]
 
* [[20: Ferret]]
 
* [[20: Ferret]]
Line 21: Line 21:
 
* [[25: Barrel - Part 4]]
 
* [[25: Barrel - Part 4]]
 
* [[31: Barrel - Part 5]]
 
* [[31: Barrel - Part 5]]
 +
 +
There was no original caption on LiveJournal for this comic. However, just three hours and four minutes after posting it, Randall made a new post, titled [https://web.archive.org/web/20060529063505/http://xkcd-drawings.livejournal.com/?skip=20#:~:text=5%3A46%20pm-,Barrel%20series,-By%20the%20way Barrel series], which is available above the Explanation on this page. In the first part of the post, he advertises the new page he created for "all the barrel comics", implying this was supposed to be the end of the The Boy and his Barrel series (the link is now defunct, but there's an [https://web.archive.org/web/20070207052159/http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html archived version]). In the [[37: Hyphen|caption of the previous comic]], he also said "Tune in Monday for the conclusion to the story of the boy and his barrel". However, this would turn out to not be the last comic in the series, as [[31: Barrel - Part 5]] and [[20: Ferret]] would be included later likely to give an unplanned good ending to the story. In the second part of the post, he jokingly implies that Barrel Boy passed away, which will be found to be incorrect in the actual last comic in the series.
  
 
== Transcript ==
 
== Transcript ==
 
:[The barrel is shown on a grid paper background, floating sideways and empty in a choppy sea.]
 
:[The barrel is shown on a grid paper background, floating sideways and empty in a choppy sea.]
 
==Trivia==
 
*This was the 26th comic originally posted to [[LiveJournal]].
 
**The previous was [[37: Hyphen]].
 
**The next was [[26: Fourier]].
 
*The original title of this comic was "Monday's Drawing".
 
*There were no original [[Randall]] quote for this comic.
 
**However, three hours after posting the comic, he made a new post with the following statement:
 
:::'''''Barrel series'''''
 
:::By the way, here are all the barrel comics on a single (easily linked) page:
 
:::[https://web.archive.org/web/20070207052159/http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html] [This is an archived version of the page. The original link is dead. This text is not included in the statement.]
 
:::I cheated, and went back and lightened the gridlines in #2. It was just bothering me. I'll try not to do that much. But as I'm not destroying anyone's childhood, I don't feel like I'm really pulling a George Lucas.
 
:::I mean, I'm not destroying more than one childhood.
 
:::Oops.
 
*Since this was not (as he stated in the [[37: Hyphen#Trivia|previous comic]]) the last in the [[:Category:Barrel|barrel series]], the last comic must later have been included.
 
**Since this last barrel comic [[31: Barrel - Part 5]] involved the [[:Category:Ferret|ferret]], the previous ferret story [[20: Ferret]] must also have been included then.
 
**Thus making the original ferret a "real" part of the barrel story.
 
**Randall also confesses that he changed the appearance of the 2nd Barrel comic.
 
***At this time, that must have referred to the one called [[11: Barrel - Part 2]], although Randall in the page above has moved this to after the first ferret comic.
 
*This comic was posted on [[xkcd]] when the web site 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 explains why the numbers of these 41 LiveJournal comics ranges from 1-44.
 
*One of the original drawings drawn on [[:Category:Checkered paper|checkered paper]].
 
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
  
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal| 26]]
+
[[Category:Posted on LiveJournal| 26]]
[[Category:First day on xkcd]]
+
[[Category:First day on xkcd.com]]
 
[[Category:Checkered paper]]
 
[[Category:Checkered paper]]
[[Category:Barrel|05]]
+
[[Category:The Boy and his Barrel|05]]
 
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Barrel 05]]
 
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Barrel 05]]

Latest revision as of 13:43, 21 July 2024

Barrel - Part 4
Original title: Monday's Drawing
:(Original caption: By the way, here are all the barrel comics on a single (easily linked) page:http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.htmlI cheated, and went back and lightened the gridlines in #2. It was just bothering me. I'll try not to do that much. But as I'm not destroying anyone's childhood, I don't feel like I'm really pulling a George Lucas.I mean, I'm not destroying more than one childhood.Oops.
Title text: :(

Original caption: By the way, here are all the barrel comics on a single (easily linked) page:
http://www.xkcd.com/barrel.html
I cheated, and went back and lightened the gridlines in #2. It was just bothering me. I'll try not to do that much. But as I'm not destroying anyone's childhood, I don't feel like I'm really pulling a George Lucas.
I mean, I'm not destroying more than one childhood.
Oops.

Explanation[edit]

This was the twenty-sixth comic originally posted to LiveJournal. The previous one was 37: Hyphen, and the next one was 26: Fourier.

In the first three comics of the The Boy and his Barrel series, Barrel Boy explored the ocean in a barrel and then encountered a whirlpool, all with a reaction of innocent wonder. Here, the empty barrel floating adrift, the title text, and a previous announcement by Randall that this would be the conclusion of the series, imply that the boy's encounter with the whirlpool separated him from the barrel, and he may have died.

This is the fifth 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 here. After Randall released the full The Boy and his Barrel story on the site, it became clear that the original comic 20: Ferret was also part of the series. The comics are listed in the order chosen by Randall:

There was no original caption on LiveJournal for this comic. However, just three hours and four minutes after posting it, Randall made a new post, titled Barrel series, which is available above the Explanation on this page. In the first part of the post, he advertises the new page he created for "all the barrel comics", implying this was supposed to be the end of the The Boy and his Barrel series (the link is now defunct, but there's an archived version). In the caption of the previous comic, he also said "Tune in Monday for the conclusion to the story of the boy and his barrel". However, this would turn out to not be the last comic in the series, as 31: Barrel - Part 5 and 20: Ferret would be included later likely to give an unplanned good ending to the story. In the second part of the post, he jokingly implies that Barrel Boy passed away, which will be found to be incorrect in the actual last comic in the series.

Transcript[edit]

[The barrel is shown on a grid paper background, floating sideways and empty in a choppy sea.]


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Discussion

The title text suggests that something bad has happened, not simply that he is swimming elsewhere or that Randall is disappointed the boy is no longer floating in the barrel. Grahame (talk) 05:30, 18 October 2013 (UTC)Grahame

Fixed. 108.162.216.45 02:54, 17 November 2013 (UTC)
The title text suggests unhappiness at the knowledge that the boy is apparently no longer inside the barrel that has been preserving his life so far. We can speculate that something bad has happened, but a sad smiley does not do that for us. 108.162.219.58 01:12, 1 February 2014 (UTC)
Agreed - the sadness could be that the boy has embarked on a new stage of his adventure, and we're not able to follow it.141.101.76.16 10:28, 5 January 2018 (UTC)
I'd agree with you. Your metaphor reminded me of possibly moving out or a loved one's death. -- DollarStoreBa'al (talk) 21:26, 10 March 2024 (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

@Koolkat38: Updated the link you added to the Barrel series, to be more direct, in all the instances. Though this might have been unnecessary given the exact same link is mentioned in the lower part of the explanation. Still, good to think of, and perhaps the latter (original) link is now unneccesary. 141.101.98.77 12:56, 9 May 2023 (UTC)

Repeated vandalism[edit]

Page history suggests this article has been vandalized multiple times within past weeks, with no recent legitimate edits. Article should be locked. 172.70.214.185 17:13, 26 May 2022 (UTC)