Here we have Tom Batiuk doing one of the things he does best: dragging things out needlessly. There’s really no reason for those first two panels; the house and door we see aren’t anything remarkable enough that seeing them is necessary. It would be one thing if the house was unusual (scary, grandiose, or decorated in Starbuck Jones style), but that would require some imagination and a need to (for lack of a better term) amuse one’s readers.
Credit where it’s due, however: this arc seems to be one of the rare Funky Winkerbean stories in which the characters actually do something. Sure, it’s comic-book related, again, but at least Holly is taking positive steps, rather than follow the usual Westview path of quietly bemoaning one’s fate with a pun and a smirk.
Son of Stuck Funky 
I actually have no problem with so many FW characters being obsessed with comic books. There’s already multi-demographic appeal, and since there are hundreds of characters with such varied phases in history, there’s easily something for everyone.
And yet somehow Cory being a Starbuck Jones fan feels fake. That’s what pushed it over from “a lot of people” to “every male who matters”.
Yesterday the strip was jam-packed with dialog. Today it requires three entire panels to depict Holly arriving at the SJ house and introducing herself, including two inexplicable silent ones. More proof that he starts with the vaguest of ideas and then fills in the blanks with whatever claptrap comes to mind. Bafflingly peculiar yet ponderously mundane…that’s our FW. Now it’ll take the rest of the week to actually get the comic book in her hands, then a week to bring it home, a week to put it in the box, the trip to the post office…this could go on for a while.
It just hit me as to what has been missing over the past several months.
Cory himself!
Oh sure he is away in afletsgetthefuckoutofstan….but where was he when he got out of Boot Camp? He would have then gone to Infantry School…and why didn’t come home to visit then before he reported to his first stateside duty station (Hint: you do not go straight from school to a war zone)…and what about “leave” to visit family prior to deployment to a war zone?
Once again (& again & again), Tom shows absolutely zero knowledge of how the military works and continues to show lack of respect to even come close to an semi-real representation.
Tom just using “veterans” for his own warped depictions that serve his personal agenda.
Cory’s need to have this mediocre comic book makes me want to reconsider whether Colonel Kurtz might have had a point.
Actually, I’m surprised the story has progressed this quickly all of a sudden. I was fully expecting at least two days of Holly sitting in the Funkmobile adjusting radio stations prior to making the drive across town. Batiuk, once again you disappoint me.
Come on, this strip has an entirely new character! And so soon after introducing Jarod, too! How much more excitement do you need?
Inkwell, the town seems to have more comic book readers than the entire city I live in. If they are male and not a jerk jock they WILL read comic books.
Why didn’t she drive Snowball? Why is there a child’s wagon in the yard when she has a son overseas in the military (possible, not probable)? Why can’t Cory wait until he’s home to view Starbuck Jones #7 in all of its faded glory? How can I fill 3 panels everyday?
She looks a lot like Summer in a few years..
I at last understand Batominc’s penchant for telling rather than showing. When he shows, time slows.
It’s possible that we’re misconstruing the audience for Funky Winkerbean, however. Panel 1, for instance, seems to have been drawn for dogs, because squirrel!
And yet author surrogate and Alpha Male of Westview Leslie Moore has never displayed the slightest interest in comc books. Strange.
This is pretty boring even for Funky standards – Holly didn’t even have to go shopping to find this allegedly rare comic book. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful to be spared a visit to Skunk Head’s House of Comics. Still – this was the story line Tom Batick was so excited about?
“Oops! I forgot to tell a joke!”
Didn’t Les and St Lisa get married in Batman and Robin costumes?
Anyway, it looks like TB just got back from the Rex Morgan Plot Advancement Seminar..
I think that may be Rocky’s younger brother, playing in the yard. He’s grown up bitter, no doubt, having to live in Westview while his brother flies around the world with the military.
I think I now know the reason why Cory joined the Army:
He loves his Mom!
Not a son’s love for his mother, but the Love That Dares Not Speak Its Name (Except on GAME OF THRONES). I think that’s why see never seen Cory and Funky/Holly together, except when Cory does something wrong. All three of them know it. And, of course, if a Westviewian loves somebody who does love him, he must leave town (see Susan).
Didn’t Les and St Lisa get married in Batman and Robin costumes?
Yes, and Les and Les alone was the only person in the high school to know that Owen’s dumb Halloween costume from two years ago was of the Spiderman clone and not Spiderman.
He’s not the first go-to guy for comic books because if he were, most of the other characters would never make an appearance. Be thankful for this. He’s much more concerned about Lisa and berating kids and Lisa and pointless ennui and Lisa and English Lit trivia and Lisa and Lisa.
I was very excited to see that today’s strip was “Holly walks up to a front door”. This is why he gets paid the big bucks, people!
And, of course, if a Westviewian loves somebody who does love him, he must leave town (see Susan).
If that’s true, what’s Cayla still doing in Westview? Huh? Stumped you, didn’t I?
Or maybe she doesn’t really love Les, in spite of saying it to him unprompted.
Everyone else works because nobody loves anyone in this town. Neither Holly nor Funky love each other; that’s obvious. Crazy and his mashed-potato wife are the same way. Dinkle demonstrates how much he loves his wife by bullying her into having sex with him when he plans a crappy party for her. Gross John obviously doesn’t love Becky; a parasite just needs a host to glom on to. And Becky’s too self-absorbed to love Gross John.
I think you’re really onto something here.
Jeepers, Holly, don’t go in there. Whatever demon inhabits that house, it has Rocky’s Mom’s head on a broomstick shoved up through a not-totally-unattractive mock turtleneck filled with a million live cockroaches for bulk. Notice how “she” knew it was you, Holly? It has been expecting you…FORTHELOVEOFGOD Holly, don’t go in there with that…thing!
Oops should’ve said, “loves somebody who doesn’t return the love.”