Owen: the dirty-looking one with the goofy hat.
Cody: Owen’s pathetic sidekick who rarely gets dialog these days.
Alex: the girl!
John: Becky’s husband, owner of Komix Korner, all-around putz. Known as Skunk Head due to the hair.
Komix Korner: Westview’s premier creepy comic book shop and main loitering spot for local losers.
Holly: Funky’s wife, slow on the uptake, needs a real hobby.
The answer to the ultimate FW question? Zero times zero equals zero.
Hmmm, when did they legalize weed in Ohio? I can’t bash this one too much as it’s an upgrade over the last two week’s worth of aimless pointless meandering. At least there’s sort of a point, kinda. Although if you’re not familiar with Douglas Adams, you’re obviously going to be lost here. But hey, they’re discussing a NON-comic NON-Les book here, so let’s just enjoy it for variety’s sake, OK? This might not happen again for years, if not decades.
Son of Stuck Funky 
Those comic book things must really suck if these people are so bored this is what they’re coming up with. Also, this is no doubt the high point of Owen’s life right here.
And being described as “Owen’s sidekick” is probably the saddest thing Funky-related thing I’ve read, which is saying something.
Even sadder: Owen used to be CODY’S sidekick. Ponder that for a minute.
TB, keep your damn dirty hands off of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”!
Mythbusters did prove that you, in fact, CAN polish a turd.
Fortunately, in order to disprove that idiom, Adam and Jamie used actual turds and not Owen.
Aren’t Cody, Alex and Owen all 22 years old and still high school juniors? Yet another example of why, with Batom®, “reality” is permanently out to lunch.
Unless he has zero interest in creating any other younger characters or actually using Rana, Jinx, Maddie, or others that he’s personally enlisted in the Witless Protection Program, there is absolutely no reason as to why any of these three characters should still be around.
I read Hitchhiker’s Guide in college about 30 years ago. It was clever and funny. This is not.
Isn’t this the geek equivalent of seeing the Virgin Mary in a wood paneling stain?
At this point, I’d comment on the strip…except that I’ve had rather a lot to drink this Saturday.
On the other hand, that may be the best qualification ever! Is it too late for me now that I’ve clicked “Post Comment”?
Oh well, at least I’m not the guest host come Monday…unless I’m due for a truly horrific surprise.
……What?
Douglas Noel Adams
Born: 11 March 1952
Died: 11 May 2001
Did Absolutely Nothing of Particular Note: February 1 of any year
Great tribute, Bantom.
Great. Another pointless ‘joke’ about a coincidence. At least Crankshaft is making bad wordplay about the Great Big Game today.
So, if you take the letters in “Batiuk”, rearrange them and change a few, you get … “Hitler”. What’s your point, Adolph?
According to a post Douglas Adams made to Usenet in 1993 (and archived by Google), his choice of 42 was a joke, and any and all attempts to vest it with some sort of deeper meaning was hogwash.
The geeky high school kids I knew who were into HHGG are all in their mid-40s now. So, timely as ever, BanTom. You know what the science fiction fans are reading now? Stuff by your fellow Ohioan, John Scalzi, who also has the benefit of still being alive and productive.
42 also represents the total number of years Batom® has drawn “Funky Winkerbean” and not received a Pulitizer nomination.
@oddnoc, I grew up reading SF and I believe one day John Scalzi will be remembered in the pantheon of greats. His work is just amazing.
@Nathan: the biggest difference (for me) between Gen 2 (Rana, Maddie et al) and Gen 2.5/3 (Cody, Owen, Gothie) is that the former had worked-out backstories, families, connections, and characters; the latter have never gone beyond “weak xerox of Funky / Les” material. That’s why i would have preferred either slowing time down for more Gen 2 in high school during Act 3, or moving on to a new generation of nameless characterless xeroxes. Sticking with Gen 2.5 just looks like desperation, after having written himself into a corner.
I see Wool Hat Boy has added a scarf to his identity. He must have figured that his hat didn’t smell bad enough. Need a sweaty, unwashed scarf to top off his ripeness.
Questions. I have so many:
Wool Hat knows the word “colloquial??”
Pronouncing “restaurant” with two syllables? Another hick Ohio thing?
So Blondie McFatso is hanging out with the comic book dweebs now? Oh, that’s right — Pervy O’Skunkhead is into her for more than $50K. She’ll hang out there any goddam time she wants, for as long as she goddam wants.
Didn’t Skunky or Beardo the Unemployed Mailman already beg the Lord to forgive Holly not too long ago? I forgot what it was for, but it had something to do with her daring not to know something that every dweeb worth his salt should know. Glad Skunky has these regular conversations with the Almighty. Wonder if his “kid touching” problem ever came up. I’d think God would suggest he cut it out and get some help.
Other than that, I’d say this is more of the sort of thing Battyboy writes when he’s not getting enough sleep.
@Jim in Wisc.: About the only people who get the joke are a Britfunk band that stuck the word “Level” in front of the 42.
@Hadda – I believe the previous “Forgive her, lord,” was from Harry, who was livid that Holly could not remember the “Amazing Mr. Sponge.” And I hate the fact that I remember that.
Go wash your brain out with bleach, beckoningchasm.
I guess in Batty’s pointy little bald head, it’s a sin not to be a geeky man-child. Forgive me, Lord!