Hey look i updated on time for once, so have a merry messy christmas indeed.
SEE YOU LATER
Well, i’m shuttin’ ‘er down for the holidays! The sUbnORmALiTy will return next year (what?!), ie: early january (phew!), so have y’alls a merry x-mas and an even merrier new year’s and don’t be getting all drunk with creepy uncle Ted and driving the combine harvester through the halls of a major metropolitan shopping center at 3am with a kidnapped judge as your copilot and a cooler full of Olde Tyme Aylcoholyc Pete’s fortified wine as your backseat driver. And for god’s sake watch out for surprise alien abductions! This is when they strike, when The People are distracted by holly and mistletoe and stockings full of useless things like coal and copies of Chinese Democracy. Well, not really. Coal has many uses. All the best, then, and thanks x150 to everyone for a great year!
stay beautiful,
Rowntree
Virus Comix News 
December 21, 2008 at 5:15 pm
But if you knew what he says at the end of the Radiohead video then you’d just give up and lay down on the sidewalk with him. That’s not something I’d ask for for Christmas!
December 21, 2008 at 5:46 pm
yay! the festive season.
HUMBUG.
and I know that’s me with the giant moth thing.
Seriously.
Except my hair is brown, not orangy-red.
Rowntree must pay more attention during class.
This beats the shit out of my Christmas special.
I’ll just go back to my previously scheduled miserable scrooge-ness.
Bah, I say. Bah.
December 21, 2008 at 6:28 pm
My favourite was the woman who wants to be “naïve and optimistic” when she’s old, rather than “bitter and jaded.” Amen, sister. I particularly wish not to become one of those folks who is all “I’m old and therefore everyone must do as I say!” in the checkout line, the airport, and whatnot.
For different reasons, I hope I don’t become a senior who holds up the line by telling his life story to the person behind the counter. I say “for different reasons” because that sort of behaviour isn’t malicious (they don’t mean to hold everyone up) and stems from loneliness, not entitlement.
December 21, 2008 at 7:31 pm
I’ll take a number 8! Though I suppose I should take solace in the fact that my kind aren’t stoned on sight anymore…
– The Count
December 21, 2008 at 8:42 pm
wahahahaha
December 21, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Aww, no Sphinx or post-pink-haired-girl.
December 21, 2008 at 9:40 pm
JUST ONE INCH!
December 21, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Sounds like those folks need to get out of the city!
December 21, 2008 at 9:55 pm
toblerone is delicious! but yeah, great comic
December 21, 2008 at 10:05 pm
World peace asshole to everyone!
December 21, 2008 at 10:05 pm
The Gypsy moth part was my favorite : D
December 21, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I want The Book of Voles from panel 9.
December 21, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Amen to the religious one.
December 21, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Aha, that’s brilliant. I’ve always wondered about that Radiohead video too.
December 22, 2008 at 2:40 am
Well done on the Denis Leary subtitle.
December 22, 2008 at 4:29 am
I still want to know what that guy says in the video for Just!
December 22, 2008 at 9:06 am
I think I will join the second one.
Stupid nothern European country…
December 22, 2008 at 10:56 am
Yeah that Denis Leary book was kinda dissapointing. All Wah Wah I love my wife so much, oh I’m a big irish catholic. I shoulda bought something by George Carlin.
December 22, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I’m with McCormack. Book of Voles all the way.
December 22, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Hells yes! Sidewalks. I love that guy.
December 22, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Ah, the true meaning of Christmas.
Great job again! Can’t wait until next year!
December 22, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I always wanted to leave a comment regarding the following, and today’s strip is quite appropriate: I love it how you draw different kids of attractive people, specially women, with distinct nose styles. You never see that in other strips or comics, and it’s so true-to-life.
December 22, 2008 at 10:20 pm
100% agreed to the toblerone. i eat one piece and it sits in ym fridge until next fuckin christmas. seasons greetings folks xoxo
December 23, 2008 at 5:45 am
happy holidays! 😀
December 23, 2008 at 1:27 pm
@Kyri: Yr doing it very wrong… 😛
As for me – Panel 8 all the way.
np: Tocotronic – Free Hospital (Tocotronic)
December 23, 2008 at 1:49 pm
AWESOME!
Work is pretty slow right now, so I just spent the bulk of yesterday reading this comic in its entirety. Really excellent work, clean lines, very funny. Keep up the great work!
December 23, 2008 at 7:52 pm
LafinJack; Isn’t the girl in the bottom of the first column our lovely post=pink girl?
December 23, 2008 at 8:37 pm
@Marc Mielke: I don’t think that’s her – the nose isn’t right: round here vs. pointy on ex-pink-haired girl…
np: Tocotronic – Verschwör Dich Gegen Dich (Kapitulation)
December 24, 2008 at 7:08 am
Marc Mielke: Naw, it’s not her, though she’d probably evoke a similar sentiment. For christmas i want…to draw more varied people.
December 24, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I just found your comic.
I posted a reference to it in alt.callahans.
Happy New Year!
Sean
December 24, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Are you NYC based? Your comic looks it.
December 25, 2008 at 4:32 am
I opened a present today (it is Christmas in Australia) – Toblerone.
December 25, 2008 at 6:33 am
sean: Nah, i’m Toronto based. Some call toronto the new york of the north, but they are wrong. It is its own animal.
One Salient Oversight: Merry christmas.
December 25, 2008 at 11:28 am
Egads. I had to buy my Toblerone myself… 😦
np: Kid606 – Chicken Fight (Pretty Girls Make Raves)
December 28, 2008 at 7:25 am
I gotta say, Winston. You’ve caught me completely off guard in your comics, on multiple occasions and that to me is the mark of greatness in a comic’s artist and/or writer.
It’s the “Jaded/OPtimistic” part. I’m 34 and I feel myself being very jaded/cynical…and my girlfriend, who is a good bit younger than I am, still has that. I ‘advise’ her sometimes (tell her how things most likely will end up) and generally I call ’em right. Which makes me sad. Because she had such high hopes. But it’s the times that I’m fucking wrong that make me feel better.
Thanks for that realisation and more specifically, that desire! You, as always, remain awesome sir. Happy new year and I look forward to many a damn Subnormality. Thank you!
December 29, 2008 at 3:22 am
God this comic is good. I can easily see anyone saying those things, and I’m even more impressed by the personality you put into every one of those characters. They all have a distinct feel.. I really admire your work!
December 29, 2008 at 4:24 pm
(NYC comment, I was thinking that because of the large street numbers. Canada is cool! (when it is not frozen (grin))
Ok, I just got back to the CD/Keyboard sphynx incident. Since I could not leave a comment there I am doing it here.
What she needs is a human for things like lawnmowers and CDs that need small hands.
There are always traitors, someone would help.
Imagine the life of such. Sphinx would need cash for human food, need a place to stay, need to keep other predators off her human. Human would live with guilt of living off of other human’s death. And might be near by to collect wallets etc of her dinner. And since most wallets are credit card bound, will eventually fall to crime. And someday might be asked to go and get dinner for his mentor/queen. And if she has a temper, might still get eaten fast.
December 30, 2008 at 2:43 am
Ha, excellent variety, as would be expected.
I’m not a christmas person. Not one bit. The Flood of Food is great but thats where it ends.
I can say I relate to all of those imaginary people in the boxes.
Also: Can you belive I got castised by my sister for being nasty on christmas when I knew I could not go to my friends and roleplay on the 25th? Our christmas is on 24th.
Thanks for reading, and thanks to Winston for sharing his musings with us.
January 2, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Just read your site, beginning to end, in a single sitting. Laughed harder than I have in a long time.
January 2, 2009 at 7:57 pm
The city will have a problem if the sphynx does not clean up after herself, and another one even if she does.
The city will want to bury the remains of her food, and may need someone to collect such. This job, since it is tedious and dangerous will be about a buck above minimum wage, since only a fool would do it.
And ‘dog tags’ might make a come back a jewelery, so that your remains will be correctly identified.
Since we are talking likely a truck, a pickup crew, and coffin like pickup containers, it may cost the city over $100,000 just to handle one monster. And since there are others, likely a department of monster handling will be formed. Which would spend even more money.
People who are depressed could use the sphynx. If the city decides to bury the remains using its own money, poor people who are terminally ill could use the sphynx. Those who now commit suicide by cop could use the sphynx. In a city of several million it is possible that she would be in danger of being overfed. And even if that is not so, she could start a suicide prevention service: you do not kill yourself, she does.
So insurance co.’s will have to change their policys to eliminate death-by-monster as a ok-to-death-benifit clause?
January 3, 2009 at 1:16 am
So, I stayed up ’til one am reading your archive instead of sleeping in anticipation of work or scratching out a report for economics. If I get kicked out of college or sacked I guess I’ll curse you to my dying day for ruining my life, but as it stands, you write some pretty damn funny comics. Thank You.
(Rest assured I might have bought one of your t-shirts if I didn’t live in Europe)
January 4, 2009 at 12:27 am
Damn Toblerone indeed. I checked out your shop and while I respect your efforts on behalf of your European fans, I’m kind of amused that even a Canadian comix artist has to go with US-based e-commerce that charges extra to ship to Canada. Oh well, at least you chose a retailer that DOES ship to Canada, unlike half the American e-commerce sites out there, and doesn’t use UPS, who charge big fat “border handling” fees. Still, I had a slim hope that for once the Americans would be paying the extra $ for shipping. Oh well, at least we have a Governor-General to prorogue our Parliament for us. Take THAT, Uncle Sam!
Hope you’re enjoying your holidays. Really enjoyed this comic. Looking forward to more subnormality in the new year 🙂
January 4, 2009 at 5:44 am
aliquot: They do charge extra to ship to canada, but they charge a lot less extra than others, plus they’re fast, which is why i went with ’em. Canadian readers Matter with a capital M.
Happy holidays to anyone reading, as well! Looking forward to getting the ol’ comix routine back now that the holiday madness and gladness is winding down. Can’t manage a new comic this weekend due to various factors, so Subnormality shall return on January 11th. Sorry for the delay, but i have actually good reasons so i’ll not beat myself up about it this time.
January 4, 2009 at 7:17 am
Excellent, as always. ‘Nuff said.
January 5, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Seriously. Fuck Dennis Leary and his unfunny, plagiaristic shit.
Bill Hicks is the once and future king.
January 6, 2009 at 6:26 pm
got my t-shirts, btw. Lov’em. The life pie chart reminds of the quote “think about how stupid the average person is — then realize half the the world is dumber”
January 7, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Fuck you, I like Chinese Democracy. 🙂
January 7, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Tim: Virus thanks you for your patronage of the Arts!
Theron: Actually, the few songs i heard of it weren’t that bad. The album cover is pretty good too. I admit it!
January 9, 2009 at 3:30 pm
This is how Nickelback makes their AWESOME songs
January 19, 2009 at 7:15 pm
wow, i feel like a dork, actually knowing that radiohead reference without looking it up. hopefully i’m not alone
March 28, 2009 at 3:16 am
Belarus winning the World Cup?
Ahh, yes. Same thing I always wish.
August 20, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Bwahaha
Radiohead reference had me in stitches.
April 17, 2010 at 5:46 am
I smiled at the Radiohead reference 🙂
May 18, 2010 at 4:29 am
I love the Zelda pin, and I love the Master Sword in the medieval strip. Every time I see these, I just love this even more. 3rd time through the archives, whee!
September 25, 2010 at 10:31 pm
I would like Thom Yorke tied up and locked in my basement so I can stare at him all day, interrogate him about his music, rape him, and make him sing for me.
WHAT I DON’T HAVE AN OBSESSION WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
December 23, 2010 at 9:07 pm
long time listener, first time caller.
fuck all this toblerone
August 17, 2011 at 10:57 pm
What everyone wants is peace, security, happiness, a decent and satisfying job, a good world to live in, good friends, a feeling of self worth, and a solid future to look forward to. You get these things by realizing your spiritual need, not by blindly criticizing anyone who realizes their own.
August 25, 2011 at 4:33 pm
The Denis Leary book made me so happy: the man never fails to enrage me for stealing Bill Hicks’ … well, everything. Arsehole.
Thank you 😀
December 27, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I thought I loved you. Then I read:
“Denis Leary: Why I Suck
A feel good guide to ripping off Bill Hicks”
Now I no longer think I love you; I totally know 😀
June 3, 2013 at 8:42 am
life is complete – radiohead and world peace