Didn’t they get rid of the vendos? Oh well, only idiots like readers expect things like continuity. Obviously, since this strip is based in reality, the things in the vendo would be kept up to date, and anything past its sell-by date would be removed…much like a comic strip might be removed from a paper for something fresher and more filling.
Anyway, I guess this is supposed to be funny. It clearly isn’t meant to be poignant, or educational, or anything. And I guess I have to give a bit of credit for the (I think) attempt, even though it falls on its face.
I’m not sure what we’re supposed to make of Bernie. I had thought, with his interest in chess and the band, that he was going to turn out to be a smart character. Here–well, I don’t know. Is he dumb for wanting something from the vendos, or is he just naive? In the first panel he looks cynical and weary, in the second, he looks alarmed.
Oh well, I’ve already put more effort into interpreting this than it warrants. On to tomorrow.
Son of Stuck Funky 
Has it already been more than five years since we were first introduced to the term “vendo”? Time flies when you’re “having fun”.
I still wonder if the word is some Cleveland thing, as the Price is Right has a game called Vend-O-Price that debuted under Drew Carey.
As I sit here sipping vile homebrew liquor from my BRAND NEW CRAZY HARRY FW MUG (thanks TFH!) I can’t help but wonder what the ever-loving f*ck is going on here. This stupid joke opens up a whole host of never-to-be-answered questions. First of all, what’s so funny about expired vendo snacks? What sort of weirdo would find that premise amusing?
Then there’s the question of why the vendos are filled with expired products to begin with. Are they just unpopular among the students? That seems unlikely, plus they have an affectionate nickname for them…”vendos”. It makes no sense. And why would the school continue to keep vendos full of old expired products? That makes no sense either.
Even more puzzling: Bernie is a sophomore now with almost two full years of WHS under his belt. Why doesn’t he know about the vendos already? His pal is carrying on like Bernie is a new kid who doesn’t know any better, which (sigh) makes no sense.
Coming later in 2017: This “Bernie” kid blows the lid off the WHS vendo scandal when he discovers the school awarded the vendo contract to some guy named Frankie, who won a bunch of Skittles, Funyons and Snickers bars at a storage locker auction. Roberta Blackburn attempts to have Bernie’s legs broken but is thwarted by Becky, who really needs a trombonist. Funky wins the vendo contract and fills them with individual slices of pizza with hilarious results.
Bernie is saved by the “Not humor” man.
They have these things called “preservatives”, kid. If you’ve ever eaten at Montoni’s (and being a Westview resident, you undoubtedly have many times) then you’ve eaten plenty of them, far more than you would find in any item in that “vendo”.
So, when Mr. Batnom was at the DMV or getting his passport, did he buy an old bag of chips and think it’d be very, very funny if he worked it into a strip? I mean I normally find humor in almost everything (even FW) but it’s just not an amusing premise. It’s like chuckling upon realizing you need to renew your auto registration or being charged an ATM fee. There’s a fine line between funny and insane is all I’m saying.
You can’t go back to seventies humor after years of cancercancercancer.
See, this strip is still fresh and relevant, because it has snappy, hip dialog.
Can you get condoms out of the vendo in case you have a solo car date?
Minus four points for Batti using his improvised Central Ohio slang which is neither cool nor interesting… Minus two points for an unfunny, uninspired joke, and minus one more point just for Batti being Batti
Final score: 3 out of a possible 10
Is that a Vendo at school? Or a Vendo at the Komikz Kornerz? If the latter, than yeah, there’s probably Crystal Pepsi and Lays that remember the Bush Administration in there. The only thing that gets restocked in a comic store vending machine is individual cans of Mt Dew.
@hitorque
Actually Batty lives in Northeast Ohio…but I’ve never heard anyone say “vendo” anywhere in Ohio.
Alcoholspism is a problem.
PTSD is serious business.
Possible concussion symptoms? Yes, that’s also bad.
Drunk driving should be addressed.
Losing a limb? Let’s remind everyone. See alcoholism.
Losing one’s hearing from too much loud music is an issue.
Mental illness? Ha ha laffs!
Fuck.
You.
Batiuk.