I just stumbled upon a fresh interview with TB on an “entertainment industry analysis” website called The Trades, occasioned by the upcoming 40th anniversary of Funky Winkerbean.
A lot of the interview is taken up with the biographical information we’re all pretty familiar with: how the strip got its start as a feature on the “Tuesday Teen Page” of an Elyria, Ohio newspaper…how TB first applied to (and was rejected by) Marvel and DC…and a couple reminiscences of Batiuk’s own high school days and his personal experience as a cancer survivor. He also talks about retconning, I mean, “filling in the gaps” left by two time jumps, and he again states that Crankshaft is now 10 years behind the Funkiverse. Also included are gems like TB’s comment about Les: “I guess I always kind of gravitated to him. I identify with him a lot.” (Real shocker there!)
Best of all is the conclusion of the article where TB gives a preview of upcoming plotlines, including fulfillment of a “bold-ass prediction” that snarker and guest-blogger David O made here nearly one year ago, and a special sneak peek at the March 27, 2012 40th anniversary strip!
Son of Stuck Funky 
