beckoningchasm

Niagara Falls?! Slowly I Turn…

So, in addition to being cheap and band-obsessed, Harry fails to keep promises. I’m thinking I like this guy less and less. Harriet seems to feel the same way–“Hang on. You’re going to keep a promise…that you made over fifty years ago?” *SWOON*

Once again, the artwork amazes. Nate has a massive nose and mustache in panel one, as well as a slightly stretched head; if not for the fact that he’s wearing the same shirt, he looks like a different character in panel two. Similarly, his wife’s hair seems to’ve crawled back up her scalp in panel two.

Which is a good example of, yes, beady-eyed nitpicking. But riddle me this: when a strip is entirely free of interesting content, whaddya supposed to talk about?

Put Off

Link to today’s strip

Perhaps the sounds you’re hearing are from a mass zombie outbreak, in which millions of the newly-risen dead thirst for the flesh of the living. Perhaps it’s an asteroid, howling through the air on its way to smite us. Could be, but I think that if you listen carefully you’ll discover that you’ve been screaming for a long, long time.

I know what some (initials “TB”) might say: that the elderly have a perfect right to enjoy an active sex life. And I wouldn’t argue with that–what I would argue with is the depiction or the implication. There are a lot of biological processes that people do that are perfectly natural.

It’s just that we don’t have to watch them doing those perfectly natural biological processes, or read about how they’re just itching to do them. How many times have you seen characters in a comic strip use the restroom, for example?

–I’ve just given Tom Batiuk an idea, haven’t I? I am so, so sorry, everyone.

UPDATE: As Epicus points out in the comments, this was wrong when Frankie did it, right?

Gasp! Shock!

With the tiniest edit, we can indeed make this even creepier–

Poor John Candy

Ten Pounds of Words in a Five Pound Bag

Link to today’s strip

Greetings, fellow snarkers, ’tis I, BChasm, filling in for Fearless Leader. Yes, for the next week or two, I get to drive the garbage truck!

And what a load we have today. Look at that giant overflowing bag in panel two! Someone doesn’t know how to properly stuff a garbage can. How about, “The hard part was keeping it a secret from you”? I know, I know, the word balloon was drawn a year ago and the text to fill it was worked out only a couple of weeks back, but come on, man.

At any rate, it does give us a clue why Harry and Harriet are celebrating their anniversary at Montoni’s. Harry was only pretending to be cheap and pretending to be band-obsessed to fool Harriet into thinking he was cheap and band-obsessed. Which I’m sure he’s totally not, guys. Anyone who’s into art and drama and stuff could see that.

I have to dock Tom Batiuk a few points for failing to note which anniversary this is. Tsk, tsk, Mr. Batiuk. He failed to do that yesterday, too! Whatever happened to craftsmanship? Also, why is it that the characters Tom Batiuk clearly likes best are the most loathsome? I find this Harry guy a complete waste of time.

I’m going to give you guys a slight spoiler alert for tomorrow: if there are any local stores that have a good deal on brain bleach, you might want to stock up.