Before I came to SoSF, I was a contributor to a college sports blog, where I also ran a play-money betting contest. So I speak the language of odds and vigorish and parlays. Tapping into that experience will be my latest approach to dealing with the Batton Death March. I love playful betting!
Since Tom Batiuk is snarking himself so hard there’s no reason for us to bother anymore, I’m setting up a little contest! Make predictions about the next installment of the Batton Thomas interview. (Because we all know there’s going to be another installment.) Score points if your prediction is correct. Choose from 20 different bets!
Make choices, and score a total number of points based on the difficulty of the prediction. -1 point for any incorrect choice. Make a comment listing your choices, and the bet number for each. After each week ends, I’ll tally the sore. If you want to review previous weeks, I’ve been keeping the Compleat Batton Thomas post updated.
RULES: All bets are for the entire week. Sunday strips count, if they feature Batton Thomas. Each panel counts as a separate mention. (So if Skip smirks in two different panels of the same strip, that counts as two smirks for bet #A7.) The house (i.e., me) judges all bets.
General
G1. When will the next week of the Batton Death March begin?
April 30, May 6, May 13, May 20, May 27 (1 point each), June (2 points), later in 2026 (3 points), not at all in 2026 (10,000 points)
G2. Will Skip start the week by making a comment about “continuing the interview”?
Yes or No (1 point each)
G3. Where will they meet?
Montoni’s (.5 point), Batton’s studio, Centerview Sentinel offices, Dale Evans, Komix Korner (1 point each), a location from Tom Batiuk’s personal life (1.5 points), none of these (2 points). 10 points for a specific new location which you name.
G4. What recording device will Skip use?
None (1 point), pen and paper (2 points), cell phone (0.5 points), other (3 points)
Artwork
A1. How many times will this image be used?
Not at all (2.5 points), once (0.1 point), two or more times (2.5 points). Mirrored versions, smaller versions, and slightly edited versions of the image count.
A2. Will there be a word balloon that is more than half the size of the panel?
Yes, No (1 point each), More Than One (4 points)
A3. How many flashback images will there be?
None (2 points), Only One (.5 points), More Than One (1 point)
A4. Will a flashback image include a real person?
Yes, No (1 point each), More Than One (1.5 points). 5 points for any real person you can name.
A5. Will there be a sideways strip?
Yes, No (1 point each), More Than One (5 points)
A6. What early Tom Batiuk artwork will appear?
None (0.5 points), his childhood drawings (1.5 points), pre-Funky Winkerbean work such as Rapping Around (2 points), Funky Winkerbean art (2.5 points), childhood drawings by someone else (5 points)
A7. How many times will Skip smirk?
1 point per smirk, but your guess has to be exactly right. 10,000 points if you predict zero smirks and are correct.
A8. What intellectual property will be appropriated?
DC or Marvel characters (.1 point), characters from other comic strips (.5 points) someone else’s artwork, but you can name the person (2 points).
Subject Matter
M1. Will Batton mention comic books?
No (2 points), Only Once (.1 points), More Than Once (2 points)
M2. In which of the following ways will comic books appear?
Batton failing to get a job at DC or Marvel (.1 point), a comic book cover Batton had no stated role in creating (.1 points), a comic book cover Batton helped create (.2 points), collectible value (.3 points), writing for comic books (.5 points).
M3. Will Batton quote someone?
Yes (1.5 points), No (.5 points). 10 points if you can name them specifically,
M4. Who will Batton name-drop?
5 points for anyone you can name specifically. 10 points if that person hasn’t appeared yet.
M5. Who will Batton bash?
5 points for anyone you can name specifically. 10 points if that person hasn’t appeared yet.
M6. Will Batton act like a complete jackass at some point?
Yes (.0001 points), No (10000 points)
M7. Will Batton talk about doing actual work on Three O’Clock High or The Wrinkles?
Yes (.0001 points), No (10000 points)
M8. How many of the seven deadly sins will Batton commit?
One point for each, but you have to get it exactly right
Roll Your Own!
If you want to make a bet on something other than the above, post it in your comment, and I’ll offer a payout.
Son of Stuck Funky 
How badly will he misinterpret something a person said?
4/26: No, Random Person From Nowhere, the correct reaction is not “Touché.” It is “Please stop talking.”
As of 7:15 Sunday morning the Arcamax comics site is running Sunday’s strip sans black coloring, meaning there are no headlines or dialogue.
It’s much more tolerable that way.