Main Page: Comics by C. Randall Nicholson
The comic series I would create if I had any artistic talent and if drawing comics was as fast as writing the scripts. There's a reason actual cartoonists only publish one a day. While this series will probably never come to fruition, I have written thousands of scripts for it, some of which have been published on my blog.
The comic series I would create if I had any artistic talent and if drawing comics was as fast as writing the scripts. There's a reason actual cartoonists only publish one a day. While this series will probably never come to fruition, I have written thousands of scripts for it, some of which have been published on my blog.
Alvin and the Cracrofts
Pain is temporary. Family is forever.
“A sardonic love letter to American life.” – Thomas Sharp, Warsaw Signal
“A sardonic love letter to American life.” – Thomas Sharp, Warsaw Signal
Protagonist Alvin, wife Rachel, daughter Tyler, pet Komodo dragon Steve
Alvin’s parents: George, Connie
Alvin’s siblings: Bill, Susan
Alvin’s paternal grandparents: Ivan, Geraldine
Alvin’s undisclosed ancestor: Clara
Primary Influences: The Adventures of Tintin, The Adventures of Willy Beamish, Baby Blues, Bloom County, Brewster Rockitt: Space Guy!, Calvin and Hobbes, Dilbert, Doonesbury, Foxtrot, Garfield, Homestar Runner, Irregular Webcomic!, Peanuts, Pearls Before Swine, Sheldon, The Simpsons, Surf Rat and Spencer, Zits, my life
Rated PG-13 for references to violence, sex, nudity, abortion, swear words, drugs, and evolution.
ANY SIMILARITY TO ACTUAL PERSONS OR KOMODO DRAGONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS COMPLETELY COINCIDENTAL AS FAR AS YOU KNOW.
WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE OBVIOUS ONES.
Alvin’s parents: George, Connie
Alvin’s siblings: Bill, Susan
Alvin’s paternal grandparents: Ivan, Geraldine
Alvin’s undisclosed ancestor: Clara
Primary Influences: The Adventures of Tintin, The Adventures of Willy Beamish, Baby Blues, Bloom County, Brewster Rockitt: Space Guy!, Calvin and Hobbes, Dilbert, Doonesbury, Foxtrot, Garfield, Homestar Runner, Irregular Webcomic!, Peanuts, Pearls Before Swine, Sheldon, The Simpsons, Surf Rat and Spencer, Zits, my life
Rated PG-13 for references to violence, sex, nudity, abortion, swear words, drugs, and evolution.
ANY SIMILARITY TO ACTUAL PERSONS OR KOMODO DRAGONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS COMPLETELY COINCIDENTAL AS FAR AS YOU KNOW.
WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE OBVIOUS ONES.
Character Bios (Some Spoilers)
Alvin Joseph Cracroft – Just your ordinary average guy trying to make his way through life. Raised evangelical Christian and still believes a lot of it, but had a crisis of faith over things like science and LGBT issues, and no longer attends church regularly. Works in his father’s print shop, “Prints Charming”. Runs his own home brew roleplaying game, “Crises & Capers”. Has eclectic political views but tends to lean more liberal than others in the deep south. Loves his wife Rachel more than life itself. Loves his daughter Tyler too, but finds her stressful and exasperating.
Rachel Marie Sparks Cracroft – Alvin’s wife. Kind, honest, fun, and beautiful, but also “stupid and psychotic” according to Alvin’s sister Susan. Can read, write, drive and cook, and is capable of logical thinking to some extent, but has great difficulty comprehending or keeping even basic facts and memories straight in her mind, aside from a few niche topics she excels at. Occasionally does or says something that raises the question of whether she’s really as unintelligent as she seems. Has a high tolerance for pain and is immune to embarrassment.
Tyler Anne Cracroft – Alvin's and Rachel’s daughter. Rambunctious, self-centered and cunning, she is usually causing trouble or destruction of some sort. Holds her parents in contempt for their real or perceived stupidity. Though she often behaves like a sociopath, especially toward her parents, she has a good heart that often shines through. Founder, lead singer and guitarist of the Purple Stars, a punk/metal/Gothic rock band. Left-leaning, staunch feminist, especially after reading The Feminine Mystique. After seeing the movie “Wonder Woman”, she idolizes Gal Gadot.
George Stewart Cracroft – Alvin’s father. Owner of “Prints Charming”. Served in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War. Once a hippy, now very traditional and conservative, which causes some friction with his son. Dislikes Rachel because of her stupidity and doesn’t approve of their marriage, but still helped with it out of love for his son.
Constance Denise “Connie” McCoy Cracroft – Alvin’s mother. Very quiet and withdrawn. Married George after a fling because her father would have killed him otherwise, and now tolerates him to keep the family together. Enamored with New Age type scams and pseudoscience but still wise and able to advise Alvin on child raising.
William Moses “Bill” Cracroft – Alvin’s older brother. A chronic womanizer, he has been married multiple times without lasting success, possibly because of his childish and reckless behaviors and refusal to clean up after himself. Loves alcohol and dabbles in marijuana and pornography. Adept at fixing and programming computers. Participates in “Crises & Capers” sessions.
Susan Leah Cracroft – Alvin’s older sister. A real estate agent. Unable to find a man who will date or marry her, though nothing about her is particularly unattractive. It’s just a mystery. Usually has a positive outlook on life anyway. Raises plants as a hobby. Has more moderate and nuanced political views than her parents and is secretly a Democrat.
Ivan Russell Cracroft – George’s father, Alvin’s grandfather, Tyler’s great-grandfather. Served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. Lives to be over 100. Has built the largest and best model train layout in the state.
Geraldine “Jerry” Linda Hatfield Cracroft – George’s mother, Alvin’s grandmother, Tyler’s great-grandmother. After her death at age 89, appears to Tyler as a ghost and advises her on life issues as an unofficial guardian angel.
Steve – Rachel’s pet Komodo dragon from the time she was five and he was a baby. Favorite activity is sleeping, but is capable of bursts of activity and occasionally eats small wildlife or neighborhood pets. Has a special bond with Tyler, who talks to him like a person and considers him more intelligent than either of her parents. Manages to live much longer than any other Komodo dragon in or out of captivity.
Diana – Tyler's dilapidated car, inherited from Connie. Named after Wonder Woman and Princess Diana.
Joseph Middlebrook – One of the original founders of Blue Haven and its first mayor. An ancestor of Alvin through his mother's mother's side. The local community college is named after him.
Clara Catherine Cockcroft – Alvin’s ancestor who emigrated from England to the United States in 1641. Now deceased, she serves as the guardian angel for the Cracroft family. Has her hands full after Rachel marries in. Delegates her guardian angel duties for Tyler over to Jerry after the latter dies. Dissuades Alvin from killing himself one Christmas.
St. Peter: Clara’s friend and curmudgeonly boss. A stickler for procedure. Has little patience for Rachel and forgets that Alvin exists, or calls him “Albert”.
Pastor Hartgraves – Leader of the local evangelical Christian congregation, First Hope and Grace Church. Performed Alvin's and Rachel’s wedding. A nice guy, all things considered, but believes in biblical inerrancy, young-earth creationism, and that all non-Christians (a category in which he includes Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Latter-day Saints, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox members) are going to hell.
Rhonda Perlman Wilson – Rachel’s best friend since high school. Always willing to support her and overlook her stupidity. Marries Alvin’s friend Chris.
Chris Wilson – Alvin’s old college roommate. A playboy and militant bachelor until Alvin hooks him up with Rhonda. Participates in “Crises & Capers” sessions.
Phyllis Philbinski – The Cracrofts’ neighbor. A grouchy, rude, racist, thoroughly unpleasant person who deserves the aggravation that Rachel and Tyler cause her.
Nadia Segura – The sole postwoman of Blue Haven. Does whatever route at whatever speed she darn well pleases, and is always happy to stop and chat. Smiles constantly until someone says something racist or culturally insensitive. Dated Alvin briefly in high school.
Dr. Hu Han – A local doctor who gives Rachel, her family and friends a discount at his private clinic “Hu Cares” because of his fondness for her. Slightly unorthodox but never veers into malpractice. Raised in Detroit and educated at Harvard.
Bryan Meeks – Local reporter who conveys information to the citizens of Blue Haven through the magic of television. Somehow hasn’t been fired for frequently letting his biases show through. Friend of Alvin and participates in “Crises & Capers” sessions.
Lawrence Gillman – Blue Haven's only claim to fame, an actor who's never really hit the big time but is treated as a celebrity by most locals.
Meg – Owner, proprietor, cook and waitress of Meg's Diner, a small local establishment. A bit of a grouch, probably because she's fed up with customers who think Southern waitresses are supposed to be warm and sweet and care about all their problems.
John Jones – A local farmer on the outskirts of Blue Haven. Provides Halloween pumpkins, Thanksgiving turkeys, and Christmas trees.
Sid Sidarsky – The worst lawyer in the world, but comes cheap. One of the few people as dumb as Rachel, though his unsophisticated speech patterns make him sound even less so.
Santa Claus – A fat, jolly old elf from the North Pole who delivers presents to good children on Christmas Eve, and Tyler too. Appears sometimes around Christmas. Accidentally runs Jerry over once.
Rebecca “Becky” Forbes – Tyler’s best friend. Originally bullied Tyler and was beat up by same, but Tyler apologized and offered to be best friends. Backup singer and bassist of the Purple Stars.
David Kowalski – A frenemy of Tyler who has been pestering her since kindergarten. Has a huge crush on Mary Hollenbaugh. Drummer of the Purple Stars.
Camille Swenson – The prettiest girl in Blue Haven. Bullies several kids but has a particular vendetta against Tyler. Has no discernible redeeming qualities. Is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Audrey Donaldson – Long-suffering, strict but kind principal of Hugo Krassman middle and high school. Control freak with good intentions. Simultaneously admires and is exasperated by Tyler. Secretly enjoys hardcore rap with vulgar, misogynistic lyrics.
Dr. James Pitts – Biology teacher at Hugo Krassman High School. Helps educate Alvin, Tyler and others about legitimate science as opposed to the crap most Southerners believe in. Does far-fetched and probably illegal experiments while putting up a facade of boringness. Is often asked by the media to comment on scientific developments that have nothing to do with his field of expertise.
Mary Sue Hollenbaugh – Tyler's babysitter as a preteen; later a student at Joseph Middlebrook Community College and assistant to Dr. Pitts. Has a superhuman breadth and depth of knowledge but can be oblivious to things right in front of her, like David's feelings or David himself.
Emily “Star Child” Barnes – A stoner hippy who meets Bill at the original “Occupy Wall Street” rally and becomes a close friend, nothing more. Though thoroughly unqualified, she works as a counselor at Camp Itchyfoot to pay for college. Enjoys playing acoustic guitar and singing protest songs off-key.
Jacob Brighton – A Latter-day Saint missionary from Pocatello, Idaho who tracts into the Cracroft family. Is a bit naive and fundamentalist in his understanding of Latter-day Saint theology. Companion of Mwesigwa Njagi.
Mwesigwa Njagi – A Latter-day Saint missionary from Lira, Uganda who tracts into the Cracroft family. Has quite a deep and nuanced understanding of Latter-day Saint theology for one so remote from church headquarters. Companion of Jacob Brighton.
Mr. Flglmyyysphtsx – An alien from planet Tobin. Meets the Cracrofts when he abducts them (with permission, of course) to run tests and determine Earthling intelligence and, consequently, whether or not to wipe out their race. They call him “Mr. F” for some reason. Makes several return visits to learn about different aspects of Earthling culture.
Zackary Burns – Tyler’s high school boyfriend. A nice guy (in the literal sense, not the thinly-veiled-insult sense) who takes her eccentricities in stride.
Audrey Three – A talking, singing carnivorous plant obviously modeled after “Little Shop of Horrors”, created by Mary at Tyler’s request as a prank on Principal Donaldson. Engineered not to eat anything sapient.
Jordan Sparks – Rachel’s father. Held captive by the Tumtum tribe in the Central American jungle for thirty years until the family rescues him in 2023.
Trisha Sparks – Rachel’s mother. Held captive by the Tumtum tribe in the Central American jungle for thirty years until the family rescues her in 2023.
Rachel Marie Sparks Cracroft – Alvin’s wife. Kind, honest, fun, and beautiful, but also “stupid and psychotic” according to Alvin’s sister Susan. Can read, write, drive and cook, and is capable of logical thinking to some extent, but has great difficulty comprehending or keeping even basic facts and memories straight in her mind, aside from a few niche topics she excels at. Occasionally does or says something that raises the question of whether she’s really as unintelligent as she seems. Has a high tolerance for pain and is immune to embarrassment.
Tyler Anne Cracroft – Alvin's and Rachel’s daughter. Rambunctious, self-centered and cunning, she is usually causing trouble or destruction of some sort. Holds her parents in contempt for their real or perceived stupidity. Though she often behaves like a sociopath, especially toward her parents, she has a good heart that often shines through. Founder, lead singer and guitarist of the Purple Stars, a punk/metal/Gothic rock band. Left-leaning, staunch feminist, especially after reading The Feminine Mystique. After seeing the movie “Wonder Woman”, she idolizes Gal Gadot.
George Stewart Cracroft – Alvin’s father. Owner of “Prints Charming”. Served in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War. Once a hippy, now very traditional and conservative, which causes some friction with his son. Dislikes Rachel because of her stupidity and doesn’t approve of their marriage, but still helped with it out of love for his son.
Constance Denise “Connie” McCoy Cracroft – Alvin’s mother. Very quiet and withdrawn. Married George after a fling because her father would have killed him otherwise, and now tolerates him to keep the family together. Enamored with New Age type scams and pseudoscience but still wise and able to advise Alvin on child raising.
William Moses “Bill” Cracroft – Alvin’s older brother. A chronic womanizer, he has been married multiple times without lasting success, possibly because of his childish and reckless behaviors and refusal to clean up after himself. Loves alcohol and dabbles in marijuana and pornography. Adept at fixing and programming computers. Participates in “Crises & Capers” sessions.
Susan Leah Cracroft – Alvin’s older sister. A real estate agent. Unable to find a man who will date or marry her, though nothing about her is particularly unattractive. It’s just a mystery. Usually has a positive outlook on life anyway. Raises plants as a hobby. Has more moderate and nuanced political views than her parents and is secretly a Democrat.
Ivan Russell Cracroft – George’s father, Alvin’s grandfather, Tyler’s great-grandfather. Served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. Lives to be over 100. Has built the largest and best model train layout in the state.
Geraldine “Jerry” Linda Hatfield Cracroft – George’s mother, Alvin’s grandmother, Tyler’s great-grandmother. After her death at age 89, appears to Tyler as a ghost and advises her on life issues as an unofficial guardian angel.
Steve – Rachel’s pet Komodo dragon from the time she was five and he was a baby. Favorite activity is sleeping, but is capable of bursts of activity and occasionally eats small wildlife or neighborhood pets. Has a special bond with Tyler, who talks to him like a person and considers him more intelligent than either of her parents. Manages to live much longer than any other Komodo dragon in or out of captivity.
Diana – Tyler's dilapidated car, inherited from Connie. Named after Wonder Woman and Princess Diana.
Joseph Middlebrook – One of the original founders of Blue Haven and its first mayor. An ancestor of Alvin through his mother's mother's side. The local community college is named after him.
Clara Catherine Cockcroft – Alvin’s ancestor who emigrated from England to the United States in 1641. Now deceased, she serves as the guardian angel for the Cracroft family. Has her hands full after Rachel marries in. Delegates her guardian angel duties for Tyler over to Jerry after the latter dies. Dissuades Alvin from killing himself one Christmas.
St. Peter: Clara’s friend and curmudgeonly boss. A stickler for procedure. Has little patience for Rachel and forgets that Alvin exists, or calls him “Albert”.
Pastor Hartgraves – Leader of the local evangelical Christian congregation, First Hope and Grace Church. Performed Alvin's and Rachel’s wedding. A nice guy, all things considered, but believes in biblical inerrancy, young-earth creationism, and that all non-Christians (a category in which he includes Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Latter-day Saints, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox members) are going to hell.
Rhonda Perlman Wilson – Rachel’s best friend since high school. Always willing to support her and overlook her stupidity. Marries Alvin’s friend Chris.
Chris Wilson – Alvin’s old college roommate. A playboy and militant bachelor until Alvin hooks him up with Rhonda. Participates in “Crises & Capers” sessions.
Phyllis Philbinski – The Cracrofts’ neighbor. A grouchy, rude, racist, thoroughly unpleasant person who deserves the aggravation that Rachel and Tyler cause her.
Nadia Segura – The sole postwoman of Blue Haven. Does whatever route at whatever speed she darn well pleases, and is always happy to stop and chat. Smiles constantly until someone says something racist or culturally insensitive. Dated Alvin briefly in high school.
Dr. Hu Han – A local doctor who gives Rachel, her family and friends a discount at his private clinic “Hu Cares” because of his fondness for her. Slightly unorthodox but never veers into malpractice. Raised in Detroit and educated at Harvard.
Bryan Meeks – Local reporter who conveys information to the citizens of Blue Haven through the magic of television. Somehow hasn’t been fired for frequently letting his biases show through. Friend of Alvin and participates in “Crises & Capers” sessions.
Lawrence Gillman – Blue Haven's only claim to fame, an actor who's never really hit the big time but is treated as a celebrity by most locals.
Meg – Owner, proprietor, cook and waitress of Meg's Diner, a small local establishment. A bit of a grouch, probably because she's fed up with customers who think Southern waitresses are supposed to be warm and sweet and care about all their problems.
John Jones – A local farmer on the outskirts of Blue Haven. Provides Halloween pumpkins, Thanksgiving turkeys, and Christmas trees.
Sid Sidarsky – The worst lawyer in the world, but comes cheap. One of the few people as dumb as Rachel, though his unsophisticated speech patterns make him sound even less so.
Santa Claus – A fat, jolly old elf from the North Pole who delivers presents to good children on Christmas Eve, and Tyler too. Appears sometimes around Christmas. Accidentally runs Jerry over once.
Rebecca “Becky” Forbes – Tyler’s best friend. Originally bullied Tyler and was beat up by same, but Tyler apologized and offered to be best friends. Backup singer and bassist of the Purple Stars.
David Kowalski – A frenemy of Tyler who has been pestering her since kindergarten. Has a huge crush on Mary Hollenbaugh. Drummer of the Purple Stars.
Camille Swenson – The prettiest girl in Blue Haven. Bullies several kids but has a particular vendetta against Tyler. Has no discernible redeeming qualities. Is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Audrey Donaldson – Long-suffering, strict but kind principal of Hugo Krassman middle and high school. Control freak with good intentions. Simultaneously admires and is exasperated by Tyler. Secretly enjoys hardcore rap with vulgar, misogynistic lyrics.
Dr. James Pitts – Biology teacher at Hugo Krassman High School. Helps educate Alvin, Tyler and others about legitimate science as opposed to the crap most Southerners believe in. Does far-fetched and probably illegal experiments while putting up a facade of boringness. Is often asked by the media to comment on scientific developments that have nothing to do with his field of expertise.
Mary Sue Hollenbaugh – Tyler's babysitter as a preteen; later a student at Joseph Middlebrook Community College and assistant to Dr. Pitts. Has a superhuman breadth and depth of knowledge but can be oblivious to things right in front of her, like David's feelings or David himself.
Emily “Star Child” Barnes – A stoner hippy who meets Bill at the original “Occupy Wall Street” rally and becomes a close friend, nothing more. Though thoroughly unqualified, she works as a counselor at Camp Itchyfoot to pay for college. Enjoys playing acoustic guitar and singing protest songs off-key.
Jacob Brighton – A Latter-day Saint missionary from Pocatello, Idaho who tracts into the Cracroft family. Is a bit naive and fundamentalist in his understanding of Latter-day Saint theology. Companion of Mwesigwa Njagi.
Mwesigwa Njagi – A Latter-day Saint missionary from Lira, Uganda who tracts into the Cracroft family. Has quite a deep and nuanced understanding of Latter-day Saint theology for one so remote from church headquarters. Companion of Jacob Brighton.
Mr. Flglmyyysphtsx – An alien from planet Tobin. Meets the Cracrofts when he abducts them (with permission, of course) to run tests and determine Earthling intelligence and, consequently, whether or not to wipe out their race. They call him “Mr. F” for some reason. Makes several return visits to learn about different aspects of Earthling culture.
Zackary Burns – Tyler’s high school boyfriend. A nice guy (in the literal sense, not the thinly-veiled-insult sense) who takes her eccentricities in stride.
Audrey Three – A talking, singing carnivorous plant obviously modeled after “Little Shop of Horrors”, created by Mary at Tyler’s request as a prank on Principal Donaldson. Engineered not to eat anything sapient.
Jordan Sparks – Rachel’s father. Held captive by the Tumtum tribe in the Central American jungle for thirty years until the family rescues him in 2023.
Trisha Sparks – Rachel’s mother. Held captive by the Tumtum tribe in the Central American jungle for thirty years until the family rescues her in 2023.
Timeline (Some Spoilers)
February 27, 1922 – Ivan born
December 15, 1927 – Geraldine born
July 7, 1946 – Ivan and Geraldine married
June 1, 1950 – George born to Ivan and Geraldine
January 16, 1953 – Connie born
February 19, 1973 – George and Connie married
September 21, 1973 – Susan born to George and Connie
August 18, 1975 – Bill born to George and Connie
February 3, 1977 – Rachel born to Jordan and Trisha
May 9, 1978 – Alvin born to George and Connie
1982 – Steve born, gifted to Rachel
1983 – Jordan and Trisha disappear in the jungle
May 25, 2004 – Alvin and Rachel married
2005 – Alvin and Rachel watch “Revenge of the Sith”
March 22, 2006 – Tyler born
2009 – Bill accepts Alvin and Rachel back into the family
2010 – Alvin's friend Chris marries Rachel's friend Rhonda
2014 – George accepts Alvin and Rachel back into the family
April 9, 2016 – Geraldine dies
2018 – Tyler forms the Purple Stars
2021 – Tyler gets a drivers' license
February 27, 2022 – Ivan turns 100
2022 – Tyler starts dating Zack
2023 – Mrs. Philbinski moves away, Jordan and Trisha found after thirty years
June 2024 – Tyler graduates from high school and her party is off da hook
2054 – Alvin and his surviving family and friends make a final stand against the zombie dinosaurs
December 15, 1927 – Geraldine born
July 7, 1946 – Ivan and Geraldine married
June 1, 1950 – George born to Ivan and Geraldine
January 16, 1953 – Connie born
February 19, 1973 – George and Connie married
September 21, 1973 – Susan born to George and Connie
August 18, 1975 – Bill born to George and Connie
February 3, 1977 – Rachel born to Jordan and Trisha
May 9, 1978 – Alvin born to George and Connie
1982 – Steve born, gifted to Rachel
1983 – Jordan and Trisha disappear in the jungle
May 25, 2004 – Alvin and Rachel married
2005 – Alvin and Rachel watch “Revenge of the Sith”
March 22, 2006 – Tyler born
2009 – Bill accepts Alvin and Rachel back into the family
2010 – Alvin's friend Chris marries Rachel's friend Rhonda
2014 – George accepts Alvin and Rachel back into the family
April 9, 2016 – Geraldine dies
2018 – Tyler forms the Purple Stars
2021 – Tyler gets a drivers' license
February 27, 2022 – Ivan turns 100
2022 – Tyler starts dating Zack
2023 – Mrs. Philbinski moves away, Jordan and Trisha found after thirty years
June 2024 – Tyler graduates from high school and her party is off da hook
2054 – Alvin and his surviving family and friends make a final stand against the zombie dinosaurs
Pretentious Literary Analysis
“Alvin and the Cracrofts” is a comic series following the misadventures and daily foibles of a regular guy and his somewhat dysfunctional family. Alvin is not the main character per se but rather the focal point around which the other characters revolve - siblings, parents, grandparents, wife, and daughter. He often serves as a vehicle for expressing the author’s own views verbatim, variously meeting with agreement or resistance from other characters. His role is often reduced to the long-suffering straight man to be played off of by his more colorful wife and daughter, but in this the audience can identify with him more.
This series can trace its origins to a short-lived earlier one drawn by the author in high school using stick figures. It starred the protagonist Alvin, his pet Komodo dragon Steve, his girlfriend Aurora, and their computer geek friend Arnold. An unnamed young neighbor boy and woman with an unreciprocated crush on Arnold joined the cast later on. Only a handful of strips were produced before falling into obscurity.
The first catalyst for this modern incarnation was "Brewster Rockitt: Space Guy!" Alvin’s wife, Rachel, was inspired by that titular character and conceived of as a gender-swap of the trope where the husband/father is a bungling idiot. This overused trope has severely damaged the self-esteem of men and discouraged them from starting families. The author got carried away, however, and made her perhaps even stupider than Brewster. Punchlines often revolve around her antics or misunderstandings. Occasionally, she says or does something seemingly intelligent to subvert expectations and raise questions. Another exception to her general trend is when she accurately explains things like dating and politics, exposing how stupid they truly are.
Tyler, their daughter, is essentially a gender-swap of Calvin, one of the most beloved comic characters of all time. Her bad behavior and the exasperation she causes her parents is often a source of humor. In lieu of a stuffed tiger (aside from a Hobbes cameo that lasted only three strips due to copyright concerns) she has a special bond with Steve the Komodo dragon, who differs in being a live animal and not being able to talk. Tyler quickly proved to be the most popular character, and so many strips were devoted to her that she is arguably the star of the series.
Pastor Hartgraves serves a twofold purpose in the series. He functions both as a sincere advocate for Christianity and belief in the series, and as a mockery of Christian fundamentalism. He therefore alternates between a sympathetic character and a caricature to be ridiculed depending on the story’s requirements. As Tyler grows up he also functions as a mentor to her, though in this capacity his advice is usually (but not always) of the fundamentalist stripe and taken no more seriously by her than by the audience. This role is somewhat encroached upon when Tyler’s grandmother Jerry begins visiting her as a ghost.
The Cracrofts live in an unnamed suburban neighborhood in an unnamed Southern state. This anonymity makes the setting more universal and easy to relate to. The Southern aspect followed naturally from Rachel’s line cribbed from Strong Bad early in the series: "HEY, SCREW ALL Y’ALL!" Unlike most comic series, this one takes place in an explicitly specific time period, spanning from 2004 to 2024, and the characters age in real time. This allows real-life events to be woven into the storyline so the characters can offer their perspectives.
The series is far more story-driven than most. Unrestrained by the daily newspaper format, some arcs go on for twenty or more strips. Standards of story canonicity are nearly as tight as for Star Wars, and previous events are often referenced, although Rachel’s poor memory creates some apparent discrepancies. The space allotted to each panel allows for more dialogue than most modern comics as well. The author has discussed at length the constant tension between his desire to write as much as possible and the traditional brevity of punchlines that more easily lends itself to humor. At times he has had to go back and trim them down; at others they have simply broken the mold.
Though originally written to be more or less realistic, the series evolved to be more “cartoony” over time. This largely stemmed from the annual Christmas storylines that usually parodied or emulated a classic like “The Night Before Christmas” or “The Nutcracker”. Though some fantastical stories are stated or implied to be dreams, it has been established that Santa Claus, ghosts, aliens, and cloned dinosaurs all exist within the world of the strip. One line never crossed, however, is the fourth wall, though characters sometimes come dangerously close when they express awareness of the tropes going on around them.
One common writing technique is having the characters frequently repeat each other’s names while addressing each other. This serves to infantilize the dialogue and set a childlike tone that contrasts subtly but humorously with the sometimes dark or inappropriate subject matter.
Several of the names are lifted from real people, beginning with the eponymous family name itself. Cracroft (a church leader and his wife who were very kind to the author), Rachel (two women; a friend from church and a coworker), Tyler (an ardent feminist and close friend of the author), Connie (two women; the author’s great-grandmother and a close friend), Ivan (the author’s great-grandfather), Geraldine "Jerry" (the author’s great-grandmother), Chris Wilson (the author’s Latin TA), Judy Austin (the author’s kindergarten teacher), Dr. James Pitts (a professor of the author), Mary Hollenbaugh (a friend of the author), Brighton (the author’s mother’s family name), Njagi (a guest speaker in the author’s 9th grade science class), Zack Burns (an acquaintance of the author from EFY who tragically died in his early 20s).
Several real life persons have also been featured as involuntary guest stars, such as Pope John Paul II, Ken Ham, Mitt Romney, Lea Thompson, Dr. Robert T. Bakker, and Gal Gadot. These incarnations, however, are fictional versions with little or no attempt to emulate the original personalities. Dr. Bakker, for example, is portrayed as boisterous and arrogant, inspired by the Lego version of Jane “I’m Jane freakin’ Goodall!” Goodall in “Irregular Webcomic!”
Notwithstanding its many cynical observations on life and the human condition, the overarching tone of “Alvin and the Cracrofts” is an optimistic one – that life is full of excitement and wonder, and that there is a God somewhere who watches over us.
This series can trace its origins to a short-lived earlier one drawn by the author in high school using stick figures. It starred the protagonist Alvin, his pet Komodo dragon Steve, his girlfriend Aurora, and their computer geek friend Arnold. An unnamed young neighbor boy and woman with an unreciprocated crush on Arnold joined the cast later on. Only a handful of strips were produced before falling into obscurity.
The first catalyst for this modern incarnation was "Brewster Rockitt: Space Guy!" Alvin’s wife, Rachel, was inspired by that titular character and conceived of as a gender-swap of the trope where the husband/father is a bungling idiot. This overused trope has severely damaged the self-esteem of men and discouraged them from starting families. The author got carried away, however, and made her perhaps even stupider than Brewster. Punchlines often revolve around her antics or misunderstandings. Occasionally, she says or does something seemingly intelligent to subvert expectations and raise questions. Another exception to her general trend is when she accurately explains things like dating and politics, exposing how stupid they truly are.
Tyler, their daughter, is essentially a gender-swap of Calvin, one of the most beloved comic characters of all time. Her bad behavior and the exasperation she causes her parents is often a source of humor. In lieu of a stuffed tiger (aside from a Hobbes cameo that lasted only three strips due to copyright concerns) she has a special bond with Steve the Komodo dragon, who differs in being a live animal and not being able to talk. Tyler quickly proved to be the most popular character, and so many strips were devoted to her that she is arguably the star of the series.
Pastor Hartgraves serves a twofold purpose in the series. He functions both as a sincere advocate for Christianity and belief in the series, and as a mockery of Christian fundamentalism. He therefore alternates between a sympathetic character and a caricature to be ridiculed depending on the story’s requirements. As Tyler grows up he also functions as a mentor to her, though in this capacity his advice is usually (but not always) of the fundamentalist stripe and taken no more seriously by her than by the audience. This role is somewhat encroached upon when Tyler’s grandmother Jerry begins visiting her as a ghost.
The Cracrofts live in an unnamed suburban neighborhood in an unnamed Southern state. This anonymity makes the setting more universal and easy to relate to. The Southern aspect followed naturally from Rachel’s line cribbed from Strong Bad early in the series: "HEY, SCREW ALL Y’ALL!" Unlike most comic series, this one takes place in an explicitly specific time period, spanning from 2004 to 2024, and the characters age in real time. This allows real-life events to be woven into the storyline so the characters can offer their perspectives.
The series is far more story-driven than most. Unrestrained by the daily newspaper format, some arcs go on for twenty or more strips. Standards of story canonicity are nearly as tight as for Star Wars, and previous events are often referenced, although Rachel’s poor memory creates some apparent discrepancies. The space allotted to each panel allows for more dialogue than most modern comics as well. The author has discussed at length the constant tension between his desire to write as much as possible and the traditional brevity of punchlines that more easily lends itself to humor. At times he has had to go back and trim them down; at others they have simply broken the mold.
Though originally written to be more or less realistic, the series evolved to be more “cartoony” over time. This largely stemmed from the annual Christmas storylines that usually parodied or emulated a classic like “The Night Before Christmas” or “The Nutcracker”. Though some fantastical stories are stated or implied to be dreams, it has been established that Santa Claus, ghosts, aliens, and cloned dinosaurs all exist within the world of the strip. One line never crossed, however, is the fourth wall, though characters sometimes come dangerously close when they express awareness of the tropes going on around them.
One common writing technique is having the characters frequently repeat each other’s names while addressing each other. This serves to infantilize the dialogue and set a childlike tone that contrasts subtly but humorously with the sometimes dark or inappropriate subject matter.
Several of the names are lifted from real people, beginning with the eponymous family name itself. Cracroft (a church leader and his wife who were very kind to the author), Rachel (two women; a friend from church and a coworker), Tyler (an ardent feminist and close friend of the author), Connie (two women; the author’s great-grandmother and a close friend), Ivan (the author’s great-grandfather), Geraldine "Jerry" (the author’s great-grandmother), Chris Wilson (the author’s Latin TA), Judy Austin (the author’s kindergarten teacher), Dr. James Pitts (a professor of the author), Mary Hollenbaugh (a friend of the author), Brighton (the author’s mother’s family name), Njagi (a guest speaker in the author’s 9th grade science class), Zack Burns (an acquaintance of the author from EFY who tragically died in his early 20s).
Several real life persons have also been featured as involuntary guest stars, such as Pope John Paul II, Ken Ham, Mitt Romney, Lea Thompson, Dr. Robert T. Bakker, and Gal Gadot. These incarnations, however, are fictional versions with little or no attempt to emulate the original personalities. Dr. Bakker, for example, is portrayed as boisterous and arrogant, inspired by the Lego version of Jane “I’m Jane freakin’ Goodall!” Goodall in “Irregular Webcomic!”
Notwithstanding its many cynical observations on life and the human condition, the overarching tone of “Alvin and the Cracrofts” is an optimistic one – that life is full of excitement and wonder, and that there is a God somewhere who watches over us.
TV Tropes Analysis
All Animals Are Dogs – The Cracrofts give Steve chew toys and take him for walks.
All Animals Are Domesticated – The Cracrofts own a freaking Komodo dragon, one of the most dangerous animals in the world, as a pet. Rachel’s parents gave him to her when she was a child, and she and Alvin had no qualms about him being around their own child from infancy on up. Lampshaded by Tyler and Dr. Pitts, who both remark on how absurdly foolish this is.
Alpha Bitch – Camille is the living, breathing embodiment of this trope. Tyler is arguably this to Becky and David, though she never uses her status to bully others.
Bratty Half-Pint – Tyler while she’s a child.
Cloudcuckoolander – Rachel and sometimes Emily.
Early Installment Weirdness – Largely averted with retcons and the un-chronological nature of the strip's creation, but the strip has evolved quite a bit, becoming more story-driven, introducing more goofy and supernatural elements, and incorporating more real-world events and personalities than originally envisioned.
Fictional Country – Kitarostan.
Flanderization – Alvin’s political rants, Rachel’s stupidity and eccentricities, Tyler’s self-centeredness, George’s conservatism, Bill’s womanizing, Susan’s loneliness.
For the Evulz – Mrs. Philbinski and Camille are not shown to have any redeeming qualities or realistic motivations for their cruelty.
Granola Girl – Emily. Sometimes Connie to a much lesser extent.
Hang a Lampshade on it – Too many instances to mention. Characters do this quite frequently as the comic straddles an awkward line between cartoony and realistic.
Innocent Fanservice Girl – Rachel has no nudity taboo and has ended up locked outside naked on more than one occasion. Somewhat averted, though, as she is always shown from the neck up.
Karma Houdini – Tyler’s parents attempt to discipline her sometimes, but for the most part they’re too exasperated to try anymore. Averted when she breaks Grandpa Ivan’s favorite train through recklessness and gets worried sick about what he’ll do to her... then played straight when he forgives her and it becomes a Moment of Heartwarming.
Leaning on the Fourth Wall – Alvin and company never acknowledge that they’re in a comic strip, but they do sometimes comment on the tropes going on around them or predict what will happen next, especially Tyler.
Mary Sue – Mary Hollenbaugh’s excessive beauty, intelligence, and skill are lampshaded when a strip reveals that her middle name is, in fact, Sue. She’s even based on a real person, though this person’s input into her creation didn’t extend beyond granting permission.
A Million is a Statistic – Mocked in the Star Wars parody, where Rachel/Leia is unfazed by Tarkin’s threat and ridiculously flippant about the destruction of her home planet for this very reason.
Omnidisciplinary Scientist – Usually averted with Dr. Pitts, who points out that he's a biologist when other characters think they can just ask him anything about science. Played ridiculously straight for laughs with Mary, who claims to be pursuing degrees in almost every field of science and shows a ridiculous breadth and depth of knowledge. It's basically the entire premise of her character.
One-Two Punchline – The author loves these. Small wonder, when some of his biggest inspirations for the strip were “Calvin and Hobbes”, “Foxtrot”, and “Pearls Before Swine”.
Protagonist-Centered Morality – Rachel’s cluelessness ranges from disruptive to destructive, but because she’s innocent and loveable, readers laugh instead of feeling sympathy for her neighbors. Justified with Mrs. Philbinski, the most frequent target, who is shown to deserve it. Tyler’s bad behavior and rudeness, which immensely frustrates her parents, principal etc., rarely brings any real consequences and is meant to be endearing to readers. Which it is.
Retcon – Since the vast majority of strips were written completely out of chronological order, they’re full of these. Sometimes characters have been written into new strips taking place before what was originally their first appearance. Dr. Pitts’ introduction has been pushed back thrice, from 2020 to earlier 2020 to 2016 to 2005.
Self-Deprecation – In one of the annual Christmas story parodies, a character opines about how lame parodies are. Characters sometimes make fun of Latter-day Saints (“Mormons”), of which the author is one. The Comic-Con story arc makes fun of nerd culture, of which the author is a part.
Spotlight-Stealing Squad – Tyler is this as soon as she becomes a toddler. She avoids being the Creator’s Pet, however, since fans overwhelmingly love her too. Lampshaded in one fourth-wall-leaning strip that implies a parallel between her and Strong Bad, who was this to Homestar Runner.
Tropes Are Not Bad – Most tropes in this strip are used quite consciously, and lampshaded as often as not, for humorous effect.
Women Are Wiser – Subverted with Rachel. Often played straight with Tyler, Susan, or Connie, especially in contrast to Bill or George.
Word of God – Although it's left open-ended in the comic, even with the epilogue, the cartoonist has stated that Tyler marries Zack, David marries Mary, and Becky marries some guy named Phil from Toledo.
Interview with the Cartoonist
All Animals Are Domesticated – The Cracrofts own a freaking Komodo dragon, one of the most dangerous animals in the world, as a pet. Rachel’s parents gave him to her when she was a child, and she and Alvin had no qualms about him being around their own child from infancy on up. Lampshaded by Tyler and Dr. Pitts, who both remark on how absurdly foolish this is.
Alpha Bitch – Camille is the living, breathing embodiment of this trope. Tyler is arguably this to Becky and David, though she never uses her status to bully others.
Bratty Half-Pint – Tyler while she’s a child.
Cloudcuckoolander – Rachel and sometimes Emily.
Early Installment Weirdness – Largely averted with retcons and the un-chronological nature of the strip's creation, but the strip has evolved quite a bit, becoming more story-driven, introducing more goofy and supernatural elements, and incorporating more real-world events and personalities than originally envisioned.
Fictional Country – Kitarostan.
Flanderization – Alvin’s political rants, Rachel’s stupidity and eccentricities, Tyler’s self-centeredness, George’s conservatism, Bill’s womanizing, Susan’s loneliness.
For the Evulz – Mrs. Philbinski and Camille are not shown to have any redeeming qualities or realistic motivations for their cruelty.
Granola Girl – Emily. Sometimes Connie to a much lesser extent.
Hang a Lampshade on it – Too many instances to mention. Characters do this quite frequently as the comic straddles an awkward line between cartoony and realistic.
Innocent Fanservice Girl – Rachel has no nudity taboo and has ended up locked outside naked on more than one occasion. Somewhat averted, though, as she is always shown from the neck up.
Karma Houdini – Tyler’s parents attempt to discipline her sometimes, but for the most part they’re too exasperated to try anymore. Averted when she breaks Grandpa Ivan’s favorite train through recklessness and gets worried sick about what he’ll do to her... then played straight when he forgives her and it becomes a Moment of Heartwarming.
Leaning on the Fourth Wall – Alvin and company never acknowledge that they’re in a comic strip, but they do sometimes comment on the tropes going on around them or predict what will happen next, especially Tyler.
Mary Sue – Mary Hollenbaugh’s excessive beauty, intelligence, and skill are lampshaded when a strip reveals that her middle name is, in fact, Sue. She’s even based on a real person, though this person’s input into her creation didn’t extend beyond granting permission.
A Million is a Statistic – Mocked in the Star Wars parody, where Rachel/Leia is unfazed by Tarkin’s threat and ridiculously flippant about the destruction of her home planet for this very reason.
Omnidisciplinary Scientist – Usually averted with Dr. Pitts, who points out that he's a biologist when other characters think they can just ask him anything about science. Played ridiculously straight for laughs with Mary, who claims to be pursuing degrees in almost every field of science and shows a ridiculous breadth and depth of knowledge. It's basically the entire premise of her character.
One-Two Punchline – The author loves these. Small wonder, when some of his biggest inspirations for the strip were “Calvin and Hobbes”, “Foxtrot”, and “Pearls Before Swine”.
Protagonist-Centered Morality – Rachel’s cluelessness ranges from disruptive to destructive, but because she’s innocent and loveable, readers laugh instead of feeling sympathy for her neighbors. Justified with Mrs. Philbinski, the most frequent target, who is shown to deserve it. Tyler’s bad behavior and rudeness, which immensely frustrates her parents, principal etc., rarely brings any real consequences and is meant to be endearing to readers. Which it is.
Retcon – Since the vast majority of strips were written completely out of chronological order, they’re full of these. Sometimes characters have been written into new strips taking place before what was originally their first appearance. Dr. Pitts’ introduction has been pushed back thrice, from 2020 to earlier 2020 to 2016 to 2005.
Self-Deprecation – In one of the annual Christmas story parodies, a character opines about how lame parodies are. Characters sometimes make fun of Latter-day Saints (“Mormons”), of which the author is one. The Comic-Con story arc makes fun of nerd culture, of which the author is a part.
Spotlight-Stealing Squad – Tyler is this as soon as she becomes a toddler. She avoids being the Creator’s Pet, however, since fans overwhelmingly love her too. Lampshaded in one fourth-wall-leaning strip that implies a parallel between her and Strong Bad, who was this to Homestar Runner.
Tropes Are Not Bad – Most tropes in this strip are used quite consciously, and lampshaded as often as not, for humorous effect.
Women Are Wiser – Subverted with Rachel. Often played straight with Tyler, Susan, or Connie, especially in contrast to Bill or George.
Word of God – Although it's left open-ended in the comic, even with the epilogue, the cartoonist has stated that Tyler marries Zack, David marries Mary, and Becky marries some guy named Phil from Toledo.
Interview with the Cartoonist
