The Game of Ghouls
Oct15
Native Bostonians probably know this fun fact… in fact, you tell me why the name of this strip is especially significant!
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I'm Alex Bradley, the “evil genius” behind Miskatonic U. I am a writer, illustrator, and animator with an unhealthy fixation on the works of H.P. Lovecraft. By the way, this is a drawing.
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Because in Boston, a safe point in a game of tag is known as a “ghoul”?
Fascinating. I wonder where that came from?
If I wanted to be snarky, I’d say it probably had something to do with the Bostonian accent and they were originally “goals”. But I don’t really know.
My first thought too. Be then again that’s too easy. Since we are talking about kids basically, their language is full of unique words that just happen to get noticed by adults. And when asked all the kids can do is shrug and say “I don’t know.”
I think the first fule of etymology is “if it sounds like a good explanation, it’s usually wrong”.
However, since “ghouls” seems to be found only in eastern Massachusetts, I think it’s likely that we’re on the right track here. Either that or there was an outbreak of ghouls there at some point, with much running and hiding, and while the government was able to cover up the details, the children remember some aspects and their local game of tag was changed forever.