TFHackett

Signifi-Gant Other

Is Frankie messing up their names on purpose? “David” from Darin, and “Josie” from Jess? What’s happening to Frankie’s head? It starts out big and seems to grow bigger in panels 2 and 3.

bobanero
May 20, 2013 at 9:03 am
So are we actually going to ever find out exactly who this Lenny guy is, or is he just going to continue lurking in the first panel of every strip for the rest of this story arc?

Well, at least one of our questions gets answered today: Lenny can talk. Whatever kind of “show” he’s talking about, Darin has clearly heard enough. Jess holds on to him as he starts heading for the exit with that curious strutting manner in which all men in the Funkiverse walk.

Pierce a Pizza

While TB is clumsy at portraying genuine affection (think of any scene involving Les being romantic toward Cayla), when it comes to smarminess, he’s got that down pat. Frankie embraces Darin in panel 3 like a boa wrapping itself around a feral pig. Darin recoils as Frankie’s leering mug looms mere inches away from his own, exhaling a vapor of sour coffee, generic cigarettes, and last night’s beer.

Snark Wars: The Empire Strikes Batiuk

Take heart, snarkers: at least the pop-cultural reference in today’s strip is from only 30 years ago. Compared to Jungle Jim Toppers and Flash and Dale, this is some timely shit indeed. For once, the Sunday strip’s “creepy blue twilight” hues are suited to the subject matter. Hey, if Frankie is Vader, then does that make Lenny Lando Calrissian? Or Mace Windu? Discuss.

Meeting at Montoni's

So having spent the week hectoring her husband to meet with his absent “bio-dad”, Jessica suddenly seems filled with dread at having to come along with him. Perhaps she knows Frankie’s history after all? Or maybe she’s terrified at the prospect of meeting someone who’s escaped from a fictional prison dimension!

TheDiva
May 16, 2013 at 11:23 pm
PROTIP TO TOM BATIUK: The phrase “talking out of the side of one’s mouth” is not meant to be a physical description.

Yeah, Darin’s smirking so hard in panel 3 that his mouth appears to be trying to escape to the back of his head.

It's Durwood

Charles
May 16, 2013 at 6:32 pm

All this has taken place this week, and yet, what’s the result?

Frankie: Wanna talk, son?
Darin: No.

(After this week of treading water and worthless strips, reinforcing negative impressions of both Darin and Jessica):

Frankie: Wanna talk, son?
Darin: Yes.

Gyre
May 16, 2013 at 4:06 pm
“Give bio-dad a call”? “bio-dad”?

I get that they were trying to save space, but if that’s all then why not just have Darin refer to him by his actual name. That would be a great way to show the distance between the two of them.

Or how about this: have “Bio-Dad” refer to Darin by the wrong name, thus tipping off the reader (if any still need to be tipped off) that Frankie’s motives are less than altruistic? Such a slip-up might be plausible if Frankie called him “Derwin” or “Aaron” or something that has more in common with his real name than just the first initial. Not to mention that Frankie seems to have gone to the trouble of learning everything about everybody in town: it’s unlikely that he’d carelessly misremember the name of his mark.

Looking on, of course, is Lenny, Frank Pierce’s partner in whatever scam they’re trying to run here.