Monday, November 24, 2014

Nov 24th: Hi & Lois – Trolls

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Hi & Lois featuring a cultural lesson on a popular toy in North America.


COMIC BREAKDOWN

Then (the past)
“This Troll collection will be worth a fortune someday!” – Hi to his daughter

Now (the present)
“How much for the Trolls?” – Woman

“A buck.” – Hi

What is a buck?

A “buck” is a slang (casual/informal word) for dollar.  

What is a Troll?

Troll dolls were a popular toy in North America in the early 1960s and again in the 1970s, 1980s, and finally from the early to mid – 1990s.


Troll dolls originated from Denmark in 1959 when the Danish woodcutter, Thomas Dam, first started making them.  Another name for Troll dolls is Dam dolls. 

Troll dolls were a very popular fad.  A “fad” is something that is seen as uncommon yet cool and as a result gets a lot of popular attention for a short time.  Troll dolls gained a lot of popularity because instead of being cute, the way most toys are, it is considered ugly by most people.  Some people would say that the Troll doll is an example of something that is so ugly that it is cute! 

Cultural Importance

Today, the Troll doll represents a popular toy of the past.  It is a toy that many generations of North Americans recognize or owned in their childhood. 


Why is this comic funny?

Troll dolls made in the 1960s are worth a lot of money today.  Collectors will pay a lot of money for them.

Trolls dolls made after the 1960s and especially those from the 1990s are not worth much at all.  Many North American families have lots of Troll dolls from the 1990s so they are common and easy to buy for very little money.


In conclusion, this comic is funny because it shows how people will buy and collect things when they are popular, such as toys, believing that they will make a lot of money selling them one day.  But most of the time, items from popular fads will not be worth anything in the future.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here.

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