I'm always concerned that I'm going to repeat a theme for a contest that has already been done. So instead of stressing about it, I've decided to do it on purpose. Looking back on past comic comps, the furthest back I could find in this forum is CC XII but in General Discussion there is still listed the rules for CC I.  Since I don't think anyone that frequents this site currently participated in CC I, I'm giving you the chance to do so now. The rules of CC I read:

In your comic you may use...

a) any pose of the exploding dog bug

b) any pose of Phillip from Goats

c) ONE (1) instance of the ghost or skeleton from kofightclub.

No other characters/props. In addition you MUST use the graveyard background for all 3 frames.

That's it. Those are the rules. Have fun!

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"Humiliation is humiliation only when you choose to suffer." ~ Chuck Palahniuk, Choke

But that's where you're wrong, my friend.

In Gabe's comic contest proposal thread, you can see me talking about All Your Base and floating the idea of setting up a Yahoo Group so we could vote on contest winners.  I'm pretty glad we didn't go that route.

Here's the comic I entered in Comic Contest #1 (it didn't win):

Comic Contest #1 - We all make mistakes sometimes by evil_d 2-09-01

Jon, quit being a baby and help me bury this radioactive pudding! I promise you, there aren't any reanimated decaying corpses floating around! Are you paying attention, Jon? I said there aren't many reanimated decaying corpses floating around! Now get over here and help me!

I'll do my best to come up with something for this contest.  Then you can compare it to that one and decide whether I've learned anything at all about comedy in the last 13 years.

Speaking of which, did you realize that yesterday was Stripcreator's 13th birthday?  Strip #1 was posted on January 6th, 2001.

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The what mentioned above is total fiction. Please don't take it seriously!

In the event I disappear for 2 years again, I defer my victory to evil_d, whose comic damn well deserves to win by now.

CC548: Also #1934! by Scyess 1-07-14

One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in his bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug. What's happened to me? Woah woah WOAH. This shit is way too cerebral for 2014. Try something else. HOLY SHIT! THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST!!! That's closer, but it's still technically a classic. Can you go even lower? Um, Expelliarmus?

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"Old" is the old new.

Okay, here's my attempt.  I'd like to state for the record that I thought of the Christmas Carol parody before I saw Scyess' (excellent) strip.

CC548: A Little Christmas Carol by evil_d 1-08-14

Phillip, to cure you of being a pudding miser, tonight you will be visited by one ghost. What? Don't I get three ghosts? No way do you rate three ghosts, kid. Start stockpiling something you can deposit in a bank and we'll talk. Okay, that's fine. I'm sure I can still have a meaningful and transformative experience with just one ghost. Quit hoarding things that have an expiration date, ya moron!

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The what mentioned above is total fiction. Please don't take it seriously!

evil_d wrote:

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But that's where you're wrong, my friend.

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Steak to the heart by TheGovernor 1-09-14

Cucumber sandwiches check; mini hot dogs check; chicken nuggets check, single size quiche portions check.... Aha! Take this deli meat platter and corn-on-the-cob you undead fiend! Aghhh! That's right, never mess with "Buffet the Vampire Slayer"

CC548: They Also Lined Up For Beer In Alphabetical Order by ZMannZilla 1-09-14

"The Brothers Who Have OCD", a limerick by ZMannZilla When Brian O'Ceedee died / His septuplet siblings cried / But even a wake / is no place to vacate The family traditions and pride Everyone grab a coaster!

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"He was cursed with a horrorshow of a face, like Guiseppe Archbold doing a study of mollusk tumors."

Groovy! - "...first cock I see tonight..." by edoggydog 1-09-14

It's really nice out! Groovy! I think I'll keep it out. I beg your pardon?

RCL no. 3832 by RandomComicLayoutGuy 1-10-14

Boy, it is really dark out tonight! It's so dark that you can't even tell I'm standing in a graveyard. I wonder if four_legged_tripod is going to buy this bullshit...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...... sorry, but that was good.

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...and if you liked that one, here's a link to my other stupid shit.

CC548: AS IN LIFE... SO MAY IT BE IN DEATH. by bigworm 1-12-14

Honey, now that we're together again, do you think you could give me a little while I'm still fresh? *I'm sorry, but the cunt you are seeking is no longer available.* I knew you could hear me you fucking bitch!!! *If you feel you have received this message in error, please stop thinking, and think again.* Well then, I guess I'll just have to jack-off on your face like I used to. *Please disregard the previous message. The cunt you are seeking is now open for business.*

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bigworm

CC548: HOW ABOUT 'GLOW-KNOBS'? by bigworm 1-12-14

Oh wish I may, wish I might, come out and show me your tits tonight! You need to get the dirt out of your ears! Huh? I said "show me your tits", not "where your tits used to be!"

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bigworm

CC 548: World's Worst NSA Agent by kaufman 1-16-14

Ok, buddy, in you go. Hah, that wasn't so hard. Now comes Miller time, and soon I'll be getting that promo... AHA! Is that what you thought they meant by "plant a bug"? Wait till the world hears about this! EDWARD SNOWDEN!

I know this would have been more impressive (and unintelligible) had I entered this in CC 1, but I wasn't even on the site then.

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ken.kaufman@gmail.com

The Modern Promotheus? by kaufman 1-16-14

Meanwhile on the other side of Transylvania, Victor's cousin, Dr. Frankentomologist, dug up body parts for his experiments on reanimating the dead.

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ken.kaufman@gmail.com

CC548: PLEASE DON'T MONGER THE DEAD by iconoclastic 1-18-14

Okay everybody, I've got the fish for the annual STINKING VAGINA distribution! Any volunteers? Nobody? For real??? You know your cunts are going to smell like dirt if you don't get a fish in 'em!

24 more hours and I'll give this CC a dirt nap. If you have a last minute entry now would be the time to submit.

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"Humiliation is humiliation only when you choose to suffer." ~ Chuck Palahniuk, Choke

So 24 hours has come and gone and it's time to bury this thing.

First off, I'm really happy with the response to this CC.  What I've learned is that stealing ideas from others lends to better results than relying on my own ideas. Note to self.  The other thing that I love seeing is so many comics being voted on.  I say keep it up, even for comics not enetered in contests.  Okay, enough of that. On to the winner.

There are many comics that were entered that could win this thing, but for me, I'm going with the one I actually laughed out loud when I read it and that comic belongs to TheGovernor.

It's all yours now!

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"Humiliation is humiliation only when you choose to suffer." ~ Chuck Palahniuk, Choke

By the mashed potato of Zeus, thanks for the nod.

Will get a new comp up soon.

cheers.