by | November 3, 2020 · 11:15 pm

The Batiukverse National Anthem

Link To Today’s Strip

Wally plays a song on a jukebox and then mops. That’s all there is to today’s strip. I seriously don’t get how anyone involved in the creation of this thought this was worthwhile. The only possible thing I can think is that somehow Batiuk thinks Wally Winkerbean is such a beloved character that readers are eager to soak up every little bit of his life they can, even if it’s not remotely funny or interesting. Which is so bizarre.

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29 responses to “The Batiukverse National Anthem”

  1. billytheskink
    November 3, 2020 at 11:18 pm

    We should all be grateful that Westview is out of tune with the rest of the world… Extremely grateful.

  2. TryingTires
    November 3, 2020 at 11:19 pm

    Finally, Bathak shows us his mindset perfectly.

  3. Captain Gladys Stoatpamphlet
    November 3, 2020 at 11:19 pm

    What a weird strip to run today. The immediate inference is that it is a comment on the outcome of the election, which is unknown. What does it mean?

    • J.J. O'Malley
      November 3, 2020 at 11:39 pm

      I think it’s a commentary on how yesterday’s voting strip was out of touch due to its having been written about 12 months ago, when Americans went out maskless and in close proximity to one another, and no one knew which of the 23 potential Democratic candidates would be challenging President Trump.

      Thus–unaware that by the time his mopping antics would see the light of day the world would be minus James Bond, the Black Panther, Emma Peel, RBG, John Lewis, Little Richard, and George Costanza’s dad–Wally blissfully continues to clean. “Why didn’t those ICE guys wipe their boots first?,” he complains to himself.

    • Banana Jr. 6000
      November 4, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      Whatever thought prompted this strip wandered through Tom Batiuk’s empty head 11 months ago, when COVID barely existed. We just saw yesterday that he’s not going to lift a finger to have his story reflect anything that happened in this incredibly tumultuous year. So what this was supposed to mean is anybody’s guess.

  4. beckoningchasm
    November 3, 2020 at 11:21 pm

    I fail to process this data. The information must be incorrect.

  5. William Thompson
    November 3, 2020 at 11:25 pm

    Surprisingly, we aren’t given a generic scene in Montoni’s where everyone is delighted by the unspecified outcome of the undefined election.

  6. Epicus Doomus
    November 3, 2020 at 11:43 pm

    Honestly, I don’t think this strip is “about” anything. It’s a garbage dump arc and this is just another dumb idea that’s been clanking around in that head of his for God-only-knows how long. And now he finally found a place to use it.

    I assumed “Marah” was some 1940s pop star or something but nope, apparently they’re a real band. What they have to do with anything is anyone’s guess, but a song titled “Pizzeria” obviously spoke to him.

    • TryingTires
      November 3, 2020 at 11:53 pm

      Close! Marah is an American Rock’n’Roll band that formed in the early 1990s and is closely associated with the cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Brooklyn, New York. The band is known for its intense live performances, classic rock production style, and association with authors Nick Hornby and Sarah Vowell and musicians Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle.

      And yes they do have a Pizzaeria song.

      • Epicus Doomus
        November 4, 2020 at 12:02 am

        I was surprised, as you don’t really see many post-1959 pop culture references in the strip. I wonder if they’re FW fans. Aside from The Beatles, how many actual bands have ever gotten a FW mention? I seem to recall Kiss being pictured in a strip some time ago but otherwise I’m drawing a blank.

        • billytheskink
          November 4, 2020 at 12:49 am

          There was this weird thing back in 2015…

          • Epicus Doomus
            November 4, 2020 at 12:55 am

            Yes, that’s the one, I thought it was Kiss for some reason. I know Gene Simmons was in “John Darling” once, way back in the day. But that, of course, doesn’t count. He even did the umlaut. Man, that really was odd.

      • LTPFTR
        November 4, 2020 at 11:03 am

        Batty wishes he were a storyteller on par with Nick Hornby, Sarah Vowell, Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle, so he tries to get a seat at the cool kids’ table with an obscure band reference.

  7. Gerard Plourde
    November 3, 2020 at 11:59 pm

    Apparently Marah is a rock band originally from Philadelphia. They formed in 1993. And they do have a song called “Pizzaria”.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marah_(band)

  8. none
    November 4, 2020 at 12:33 am

    Well, unlike that Johnny Dowd trainwrreck of a performer, Marah here is something which I could at least envision being played in a public setting.

    What a stellar week it’s been so far.

    Sunday – Wally makes a grade school poster.
    Monday – Wally votes.
    Tuesday – Wally plays a song on a jukebox and then mops.

    Looking forward to possible future entries for the week of events like “Wally serves a pizza” or “Wally ties his shoelaces just right”.

    It’s too bad that Montoni’s isn’t a designated polling place – the streak could have continued.

  9. Epicus Doomus
    November 4, 2020 at 1:22 am

    If you have nothing better to do, check out that blog of his, where he explains the origins of the pizza monster. Sigh.

    • Banana Jr. 6000
      November 4, 2020 at 2:16 am

      He really is in his own little world. “I thought, who better to take on the Pizza Monster than Michael T. Gilbert’s classic Mr. Monster?” I don’t know, maybe a character people have actually heard of? A random name in the phone book? And he talks about his production process like he’s Pixar, when it’s just “draw a picture, leave a space, and give it to the other artist to draw his character in that space.”

    • Mr. A
      November 4, 2020 at 2:36 pm

      Interesting to see a photo of the real costume. Looks like it has some breathing holes at least, though I still don’t understand how the wearer sees anything.

      • Banana Jr. 6000
        November 4, 2020 at 7:30 pm

        I’d actually like to see a video of it, because I want to know how that suit works in real life. How does the person bend their knees and elbows? It looks like they can only walk stiff-jointed.

        It’s impressive that someone actually built that costume and made it work. That’s the coolest thing about Pizza Monster, but Batiuk completely fails to recognize this.

  10. Maxine of Arc
    November 4, 2020 at 11:55 am

    So far my shiny nickel wager that we’ll never see Adeela again remains unchallenged, I see.

    • Banana Jr. 6000
      November 4, 2020 at 3:44 pm

      I kinda think she will show up some day when Batiuk feels like being self-righteous and inclusive again. Or needs an extra for a Montoni’s scene. But I wouldn’t bet on either.

  11. Mr. A
    November 4, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    Haiku of the Day:

    Look! I’m out of tune!
    You can’t tell me what to play!
    …But don’t tell Dinkle.

  12. beckoningchasm
    November 4, 2020 at 5:18 pm

    So, Batiuk has been shilling his favorite restaurant, a favorite comic book writer, and now a favorite band. What’s tomorrow going to bring? I’m guessing favorite breakfast cereal or candy bar.