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Socialist Grocery


8 panel comic from the series "Socialist Grocery," in which Sebastian is approached by a customer looking for olive oil. When Sebastian shows him where it is, the customer remembers that 'Olive Oyl' was the name of Popeye's girlfriend in the popular cartoon series; he proceeds to rant to Sebastian about the impact that Popeye has had on pop culture today.

Transcription

[Panel 1]: Sebastian, in an N95 mask and his work uniform, stands in an aisle at the grocery store, helping a customer; the customer is an older man with short hair, small round glasses, and is wearing a striped long sleeve shirt and pants.
Customer: Hey there- do you guys still carry the $6.99 olive oil?

[Panel 2]: Close-up side view of Sebastian, holding an olive oil bottle up in front of his face for the man to see.
Sebastian: Oh yeah! Here. It’s in a new package– still the same price though.

[Panel 3]: Close-up on the man’s face, who is holding his pointer finger up to his forehead as he explains a realization he just had to Sebastian.
Customer: Y’know, I’m having this funny little memory… Wasn’t Popeye’s girlfriend named Olive Oil?

[Panel 4]: Zooming out, Sebastian is turned away from the man and facing shelves of produce. The man is facing the same direction but looking at Sebastian as he proceeds to talk to Sebastian about the Popeye cartoon series.
Customer: I think she was. Did you ever see that show? Are you too young to have seen it?
Sebastian: Oh I’ve seen re-turns on Cartoon Network.
Customer: But have you ever REALLY watched it?
Sebastian: I mean, I haven’t seen more than a few episodes…

[Panel 5]:Close-up on the man’s face, who looks amused as he keeps talking.
Customer: It’s the best.

[Panel 6]: Close-up on Sebastian’s face, who looks back at the man with an expression of uncertainty. The man (now out of frame) continues speaking.
Customer: There is NOTHING like it.

[Panel 7]: Zooming back out, the back of Sebastian’s head is visible as he looks at the man, who is holding olive oil in his left hand and pointing with his right pointer finger, still speaking to Sebastian about Popeye. Imagery of popular cartoons like SpongeBob, The Simpsons, Minions, and other images like smiley faces, birds, planets, and coins, surround the man, depicting what is going through Sebastian’s head as he listens.
Customer: None of this would be possible without Popeye. None of it.

[Panel 8]: View of Sebastian, taking in what the man has said, looking down towards the floor in bewilderment. More imagery surrounds Sebastian as he processes what he’s just heard, like the Facebook logo, fidget spinners, an N95 mask, and cartoon characters like Pikachu, Squidward, Bart Simpson, and more minions.
Sebastian (repeating the man): None of this would be possible without Popeye.

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