The Springhead of this Country

Link to today’s strip.

Many thanks to TFH for his outstanding work for this underwhelming strip. A week of moaning over renos followed by Les exalting his own genius, and TFH is still among us!

Today, Jessica overhears Pete and Dullard talking, and her first reaction is to get worried. Yes sir, this is a marriage on firm ground, all right. They could be talking about a surprise party for her, or something nice, but she’s no doubt thinking Dullard has spent the rent money on comic book art again.

Which is, come to think, a genuine worry for her. Dullard seems rather irresponsible, money-wise, considering he’s the sole breadwinner and has a young son. Yet he acts as if money is no object and gives away valuable comic art for Lisa’s Legacy. (I’m kind of surprised he didn’t buy it all back.)

This makes me wonder why he and Jessica are together at all. They don’t seem to share any interests and rarely communicate with each other. Jessica did buy two tickets to the Flash Museum…so Dullard could go with Pete. And of course that “story” mirrored this one, only Dullard thought Jessica was cheating on him. It’s become a routine with them, like a comedian saying his catchphrase.

I’m positive that today’s episode will not provide any lasting changes, though. How do I know this? It’s Funky Winkerbean. Despite Mr. Batiuk’s touting his own ability to make his characters grow and change, they never do.

Cripes, What a Black Hole!

How bad was the past week of Les strips? Bad enough to make today’s appearance by Mister Kablichnick feel like a refresing palate cleanser. I was ready to add “doughnut of doom” to the Batiuktionary, figuring that the term was coined by TB to set up the “punchline.” But Grandpa Google turned up this April 2019 New York Times article that uses the phrase, as well as the image Jim that is showing the students.

It’s been a pleasure sharing the pain with you lo these last two weeks. Beckoning Chasm steps into the wheelhouse starting Monday!

I Stan in Line

Is she based on one of Batty’s real-life book signings? Who knows? And how does she know that she got every single one of Les’s references? One or two might have gone right over her, and everyone else’s, heads. This lady’s just a little too pleased with herself. Les seems pleased by her fawning over him. I’m not even sure if he’s being sarcastic about wanting to give her a gold star.

Make Me an Angel

beckoningchasm
March 4, 2021 at 11:01 pm
I can understand why TFH doesn’t want to do any entry for Friday’s episode. One has to be able to stop vomiting long enough to write a post. Today’s strip makes that an inhuman achievement, and not the Marvel Comics one.

Sorry you guys! Something came up. Please rip today’s strip to shreds for me!

Somewhere, My Les

I don’t get the reference, nor do I even care. Never saw the movie Dr. Zhivago,  nor am I about to embark on reading it or any other sprawling Russian novels. I barely have the patience to inquire of Uncle Wikipedia, but here goes:

Following the October Revolution and the subsequent Russian Civil War, Yuri and his family decide to flee by train to Tonya’s family’s former estate (called Varykino), located near the town of Yuriatin in the Ural Mountains…Yuri and his family settle in an abandoned house on the estate. Over the winter, they read books to each other and Yuri writes poetry and journal entries.

…and watch a lot of football on TV, I suppose. The “Got the Reference” lady, chiming in again from the back of the room, is really starting to annoy; garnering glares from everyone but Les, who beams appreciatively.