August 2011 – Son of Stuck Funky

Designated Quitter

Cayla’s relatives break out the sporting goods, and Les’ smug attitude quickly evaporates. He doesn’t just look apprehensive at the thought of playing some ball; in panel 2 he looks genuinely afraid. Why, he’s white as a sheet! Perhaps he saw Monday’s Crankshaft strip and is aware of the damage Cayla can do on the diamond…

It's All Good

Today it’s Aunt Nefertiti’s turn to meet The Smug One. Les, having been touched by Hollywood, forgets that mere mortals wouldn’t understand whether having been “optioned” is good or bad, and he succeeds in alienating yet another future in-law.

Family Style

I’m looking forward to Labor Day to see if TB follows through with introducing Les (and us) to Cayla’s family. There’s a lot of plot potential in such a meeting…but I’m going to bet right now that the meeting takes place “off-camera”, and we’ll catch up with our newly-engaged couple after the fact.

Labor Day comes early to Westview, and your humble scribe is feeling even more humble because I. Was. Wrong. Here we are at the Williams Family Picnic. Cayla’s Uncle Cedric politely tries to strike up a conversation with Les, and immediately regrets having done so.

Tony's Place

Well, we almost got through a whole week without seeing Les’ smug puss: the erstwhile “weekend manager” pops in to hear about how his “step-son” is revolutionizing the pizza business. For a brief moment, Tony musters the courage to stand up for himself, and for his (admittedly idiotic) “ideas”, but TB is only setting him up to be further marginalized: notice how in every panel, Funky and Les loom above him. In the penultimate panel, Tony looks and acts like a mustachioed toddler as Funky looks down his nose at him, until finally Tony throws up his hands once again. Better warm up that Space Invaders machine; Tony’s goin’ back downstairs to sulk.

“La donna mobile”?
You may not recognize the lyric (I sure as hell didn’t) but you know the tune…

The Breakfast Club

Holy pepperoni, Funkman, I’ll say it’s a roaring success: practically all of Westview (except, sadly, for Cory) has turned out to sample Montoni’s New Breakfast Pizza. Did Cody and Owen grow a couple feet taller over the summer, or do they just seem tall standing behind tiny Kevin? Even some celebrities have turned out, including Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (behind Funky and Darin) and former child star Mason Reese (behind Maddie).