Whether or not the St. Spries choir will ever sing a note under Dinkle’s direction will have to wait for another day, for today’s strip returns to (what I assume is) TB’s latest writer’s block go-to: domestic scenes with the Winkerbeans. Hey, that rhymes!
Did you forget that Funky and Holly were having their kitchen “reno”-ed renovated? I don’t want to brag… but I did! And now Holly’s trying to spend the cataract surgery that Funky’s other eye still needs on a table they don’t need… such timeless humor. Wives, they’ll do it every time! What, there wasn’t a tip of the Hatlo Hat at the bottom of this strip? Guess my brain’s filling in missing visuals again.
Hey, thanks for putting up with me through two more weeks of this mess. I genuinely appreciate it. Steering us all through the swamp starting tomorrow will be the one and only man of space named Spiff, Spaceman Spiff. May you see no Les or Dinkle story arcs on your journey, good sir.
Son of Stuck Funky 
LOL women with the renos…amirite fellas? The logic flies right out the window, because you know how THEY are! Har har and har.
I totally forgot all about the Winkerbean reno too. Seems like it was years ago. Was it?
This just illustrates the problem with the strip. It’s not that the art is bad, it’s not that the writing is bad…the problem is that the writing is NONEXISTENT. There are no stories. There are no lives. There is NOTHING.
And look at Funky…so weary, worn out by all the crap he has to eat. Or maybe the Xanax kicked in and he can finally tolerate being with Holly.
What did Funky think they were doing in the furniture store? Looking for misshapen bear bookends?
Just let her have her table, Funky. You don’t wanna end up on the wrong end of that terrifying hair claw.
But, but…HOW MANY candy bars did the St. Spires choir biddies sell!?
Oh, well, today’s strip may well be the start of a year-long transition on Battyuk’s part. Rather than time-leap the cast into Phase IV, where everyone is buried in Westview Memorial Cemetery (and arguing in their coffins over whether granite pizza boxes, bronze Golden Age Flash helmets, or concrete copies of “Lisa’s Story” make the best grave markers), Tom instead will turn “Funky Winkerbean” into “The Winkerbeans,” with our favorite couple now in their 70s and still having lively comical spats over Holly maxing out the credit cards, Funky plopping in front of the TV all weekend long now that Wally is managing Montoni’s, jokes about women drivers and cocktail party mishaps, and of course an occasional visit from Holly’s mother. Hilarity ensues.
TomBa really is just marking time, isn’t he? Boring as today’s strip is, it at least interrupts the “monomaniacal nonagenarian former band director harasses elderly choir members” Dinkle arc that’s prepping us for his appearance at the Tournament of Roses parade.
Unrelated to FW – Congrats to billytheskink for being featured in today’s Mark Trail
A handy link: https://safr.kingfeatures.com/api/img.php?e=png&s=c&file=TWFya1RyYWlsLzIwMjEvMDQvTWFya19UcmFpbF9ocy4yMDIxMDQxOF8xNTM2LnBuZw==
I love the Sunday wildlife strips in Mark Trail. They’re well-drawn, charming, and actually teach you a little something. I’m glad Jules Rivera is continuing with them.
Tom Batiuk’s Sunday comic book covers are nothing but blatant plagiarism, shilling for Pete and Darrin, or pushing Atomik Komix characters that will never be seen in a story. They are a self-indulgent, pointless of waste of newsprint. Even more than Funky Winkerbean usually is.
“It’s a table, right?” Yes it is, Funky. Barely. I can’t blame Ayers for putting sub-minimal effort into today’s strip.