Meh, it’s stupid but I’ve seen worse. Too bad it had to feature Les and his stupid cancer book though, as I really could have lived without that. Check out that elaborate backdrop though. You KNOW he’s taking that thing home after the tour.
Stay tuned for billytheskink who’s taking you through Halloween and beyond!
Son of Stuck Funky 
OK, Les’ TB wish fulfillment tour has gotten out of hand. Mr. Beige Jacket waited in line just for the privilege of thumbing through a copy of Lisa’s Story, waited… in line… for a book he had never read, got treated like trash by the author, and still bought the dang book and wanted an autograph. Good grief.
That’s the one thing about both Batiuk and Les: they make you wanna take the phrase “The Death Of The Author” literally. The man paid for the book and had it put in his hand within seconds and Les treats him like garbage because he didn’t ‘wait his turn’ and live in the past like a good little ‘young adult’ in his eighties.
Uh ok Batty, so it is only a real purchase if bought that crappy cancer book at your local bookstore instead of Amazon. Whatever, man.
The joke is almost funny, but the setup is so contrived that the whole thing crashes down. Like, uh, does this bookstore not carry copies of this book that he can look at before standing in line for however long?
Although if I owned a bookstore I probably wouldn’t carry this dumb book, so I guess it makes sense after all!
So, how long does this book tour last and who’s teaching the “Lord of Language’s” classes (and improving Westview’s quality of education) in the interim? School’s been in session for two months.
The cardboard cutout from Les’ last tour is standing in for him … and his students are thriving.
I think Bull is teaching Les’s courses. Not only did BatWit forget Bull had CTE, he also forgot Bull was a major dumbass.
So, the red-headed woman in panels 4 and 5 basically said, “The hell with this,” and left, even though she was next in line. Good for her.
Also, “Les Moore” and “drone” fit perfectly together.
I always try to give credit where credit is due, and as a comic strip gag, today’s installment works.. Docked several style points for featuring Les in a business suit, the gag actually elicits a half-hearted half-smile, which for this bunch is not s’bad.
So here’s what happens next:
First panel – a sign next to Les saying, “ONLY BOOKS BOUGHT HERE WILL BE SIGNED”
Next few panels – Les at an otherwise empty table
Last panel – Les is leaving, only to see a line of people with Amazon boxes asking if they can get their books signed
“I just ordered it from Amazon. It was half as much as you guys are charging here.”
“What?? Hey! I want my money back! What a rip off!”
“Yeah, me too!! Last time I come in HERE!”
“This Moore guy is trying to rip us off!”
“Yeah! What a thief! GRAB HIM!”
“Let’s GET him! STRING HIM UP!!”
“STRING HIM UP! STRING HIM UP! STRING HIM UP!”
………..
“Oh, Nate, I just had the most WONDERFUL dream…”
“Tell me ’bout it, Cayla baby…”
I wonder if Toms Batiuk and Armstrong are planning a multi-volume John Darling collection next? TB regularly posts the dated yet very well drawn JD strips to the Funky blog on a regular basis. In the latest installment, Darling must be physically restrained from murdering a young boy in a fit of egotistical rage.