Guess those “Winkerboard” meetings run pretty long. Frankie’s finished his “cup a coffee” and split, but not before dropping off his card, which contains no contact information but does include a variation on a gag from Daffy Duck in Hollywood (1938).
29 thoughts on “It's Astounding”
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Son of Stuck Funky 
She couldn’t even tell Derwood that a customer wanted to talk to him?
Frankie’s “card” looks like it was printed on a home laserjet. This may be an indication that the business is not legitimate, but with Batiuk’s artwork you can never be too sure.
Yeah, with a last name like “Pierce” we know where this is going, right?
Interesting that Frankie could drive all over town over the course of a few days, but can’t stay longer than 30 minutes or so at Montoni’s. (To be fair, maybe the smell drove him out.)
I’m betting he makes porn and needs boy Lisa to design a website
Wow, it’s been a while since he’s had to draw Rachel, hasn’t it? Better luck next time.
Seriously Frankie, what’s Boy Lisa supposed to do, wander aimlessly until he happens upon the asshole who gave him that stupid card? The guy works as a pizza-app developer/table mover, he doesn’t have the time to…oh, yeah. That’s right. Never mind.
“Frankie The Piercer”, yessiree, that’s what they called him back in the day. This is an intriguing development, as is any FW development because they’re so exceedingly rare. Anyway, I guess that card would indicate that Frankie The Defiler has some sort of movie/showbiz grift up his dastardly sleeve. This does all seem rather well-thought out for a scheme that he cooked up while watching TV and pounding generic beers, but what do I know? I’ve never been nominated for ANY Pulitzers.
Wow. That is some serious schnozz action in panel 2. It’s looking more and more that Batominc fires off a drawing, never edits or reviews it, and sends it off to the colorist. Then into the queue it goes for, as I still cannot fathom, a year without QA.
i don’t see how the sexy time of Franky & Lisa could make a Darrin?jeez there not even drawn anything alike. Now that Frank left guess they can divied that coffee money up 3 ways
Ugh, this is going to turn into a “SAW” type situation isn’t it?
Les & Darin imprisoned together to determine how long it would take Darrin to remove the key from Les Moore’s skull.. Which admittedly would not require that much thinking.
I mean that’s the only possible reason for Frankie to do this right?
He can’t be just trying to meet his son. He could have just waited a few fucking minutes and introduced himself right at Montoni’s.
if he’s just trying to spill the beans about Lisa being a complete whore, he could have done that from his home instead of going to this godforsaken town.
If this whole stupid plot doesn’t end up with at least one person being chopped up and stuffed in a woodchipper…I’ll be very disappointed.
Here is one “business card” I would love to see:
No Phone No Address
Tom Batiuk
Retired
No Work No Talent
Inside Frankie’s head: I’ve come all this way to let Durrin meet his “real” father. I spent so much time planning this out, then staking out the joint where he works. Thought the whole thing out, even bought a crappy hardcover book about his mother from the bargain bin. I really set this up well, so I’m going to wait it out until I meet the little bastard. Oh, was that a pun? I’m so funny, I should smirk.
What? Three minutes for a slice? Fuck it. Here’s my card. Tell Mr. MBA to give me a ring some time.
I wish Batiuk could draw his characters as well as he draws out his plots.
So his name is Franklin Pierce? That’s the most bizarrely inexplicable reuse of a President’s name since the male protagonist in Soultaker was named Zachary Taylor.
And what did Frankie think Darin was going to do with his business card? (I’ve seen cards printed with the necessary info on the back, so I’m not going to slam it for that) Not as if Darin should have any idea who he is or what he wants, or can even contemplate answers to those questions.
@Jeffcoat – but then, his characters would be thirty-five feet tall and have no heads.
…hm, maybe you’re right.
Leaving his card – not at all the fiendishness I had hoped for. I pictured him waiting for the cover of darkness, then dropping out of a tree or leaping from a hedge. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Also, Darrin’s expression in panel two is wonderful. A guy was here to see me? Here, in Westview? It’s either got to be a collection service, a truant officer or, hey, maybe Mr. Death himself. Can’t be anything good.
So Frankie’s plot was not to meet Darin, but to coax him into a scam involving a fake movie studio?
“That just raises further questions!”
Profoundly stupid, even for BatHack. The guy goes in with the intention of meeting Driftwood. How long did the Executive Board of that greasy spoon meet?? Four hours????
Oh well. Back to the Wankerview No-Tell Motel. Meanwhile, with no contact info on the business card (yeah, WTF’s up with that??). Too bad Franklin didn’t leave behind a glass slipper when he hurried out the door. Darvon could have conducted a door to door Cinderella-like search for the guy who left the card.
Oh, come on, Beanie! Who puts phone numbers or email addresses on a business card! They are eeeeeevil technology things!
You know it really says something about Montoni’s that even FTR can’t stand to wait five minutes in there.
“If it’s good, it’s astounding” also functions well as a general rule for this comic strip as a whole.
Why do you guys always pick on Mr. Batiuk. I think he really works hard to draw out this story line. Why on earth would someone spend countless days to go into the restaurant and order a cup of coffee, leave a card and then leave. Considering the average time it takes someone to drink a cup of coffee, pay the bill, walk out – Something must have triggered him to leave quickly. I can’t wait until tomorrow to see what Mr. Batiuk delivers – I think he’ll take the card and toss it into the trash and we’ll be done with this story line and move onto something completely different, like…The band is now finding out that all of it’s turkeys are laced with a carcinogen that causes cancer/hallucinations/etc…
So why is he here – one possiblity:
“I looking for someone to make a documentary about the murder of John Darling”
–– Something must have triggered him to leave quickly—-
It’s called diarrhea..also known as Montoni’s Revenge.
Well he guy who says “HAHA” is still banned over on Comics Kingdom.
But it looks as if the Batuik fans have given up over there.
So does Frankie want to produce the Lisa’s Story movie through his company named on the card? So how does Frankie blackmail Darrin into convincing Les that Frankie should produce his movie?
No, but he left his card…..BAM!!!!
Well the guy who says “HAHA” is still banned over on Comics Kingdom. But it looks as if the Batuik fans have given up over there.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/FrxVJWr.jpg[/img]
I’ve got it! When he was much younger, Darrin signed away the movie rights for “Lisa’s Story” to Frankie! That’s why Frankie’s come to town.
And when I say, “much younger,” I mean he was still drooling, drinking from a bottle, and pooping in diapers. So, a couple of months ago.
Sheesh. Corny business names. The bottom of the pun barrel, to be sure. As a model train guy, these types of silly names make me want to toss my cookies.