Close to the Wedge

bad wolf
April 1, 2013 at 10:22 pm
[I]s that our old friend Wedgeman? It’s been so long but one of the few ‘new’ students from last year (who i assumed was also a senior at the time) may still be around!

Good eye, bad wolf! Even though his hair has the “Superman blue” highlights these days instead of brown, that’s gotta be Wedgeman, who last year was fixin’ to “kick [Cody’s] butt off” before Summer came to his rescue. Now that Sheriff Sum’ Mo’ has ridden out of town,  somebody has to man up and come to the rescue of Wedgeman’s victims.

Kemo Slobby

TheDiva
April 2, 2013 at 12:13 am
There’s a Lone Ranger movie coming out this summer, so for once Batiuk is (a year and) three months ahead of the time. I’m sure this is entirely coincidental, though.

I’m thinking coincidence too. It’s more likely that someone who thinks that Flash Gordon is still timely would expect teens to find the Lone Ranger relatable.

There is more to the Lone Ranger’s Creed, and it’s actually not too bad as far as creeds go. It doesn’t really apply that much to Owen’s situation, however, but that’s the kind of counsel you get when you go to the comic book guy for advice.

Lone Ranger Danger

Ray
April 1, 2013 at 6:50 am
This has GOT to be an April Fools Day joke!!

…and one that I hope you enjoyed! I had a lot of fun “spoofing” a page from the cleveland.com site and posting my fake Tom Batiuk interview. I spent the better part of the past week working on it, and got a little extra bang for the buck by posting a link over at the Comics Curmudgeon.

Maybe my prank was a little too well executed? Some discerning folk were taken in, at least for a little while:

“…by the newspaper“? Nah, that was all me. I even bought the reasonably plausible clevelanddotcom.info domain and redirected it to my hosted page. Other savvy snarkers sensed something was amiss:

Beanie Wanker
April 1, 2013 at 7:24 am

Cleveland.com’s Dick Hertz? Really? Ha…

The scariest part of the whole thing was how easy it was to channel Tom Batiuk. I think I spend wayyyyy too much time contemplating the Funkiverse!

Thanks again everyone, for playing along.

Still shaken after witnessing Alex being bullied in the halls of Westview High, Owen seeks out a trusted, responsible adult: his Dad his Mom his guidance counselor the principal his priest/minister/rabbi the owner of the local comics shop?!?…who is only too ready and willing to offer his useless advice.

I Guess Some Seniors Were Left Behind

TheDiva
March 31, 2013 at 10:27 am

…As a former victim of bullying and a mom who worries what her kids will face in school when they get older, I’m insulted that Batiuk continues to treat this topic as lighthearted fun. On the other hand, I know that any attempt on his part to treat bullying and the tragic consequences thereof with the seriousness it deserves would be infuriating.

Not hard to see where Batiuk’s going with this. Having shortsightedly used up almost his entire new cast of teen characters, he’s pulled misfit goth girl Alex off the bench and retconned her back into a teen. Not only that, she’s the target of bullying, which only only yesterday TB was playing for laughs. And her fellow misfit Owen will be cast in the role of her white knight. Perhaps he and Cody will construct a robot to attack her tormentors.

Senior-Free Moment

Link to today’s strip

John
April 3, 2012 at 1:01 am
Cody: “…do you ever get the feeling that we never look forward to anything good? We merely mildly anticipate the absence of bad things?”

Note the date on John’s comment above: it’s from a whole year ago, when Cody and Owen last enjoyed a wedgie-free week due to the fact that the Seniors were out of town. Flash back a little further: to the beginning of the 2009 school year…

You’re already doing the math: Cody and Owen would by now be part of the Senior Class. Of course, it’s certainly likely that, being morons, they’ve had to repeat at least one grade. Still: surely they’re not still mere freshmen? Do the Westview Seniors pick on all the underclassmen, or just these two?

I’m kind of concerned about these two loners who, every school day (except for the week of the D.C. trip), endure intimidation and abuse from the Seniors, are belittled by their teachers, and after school head to the Komix Korner to play (probably violent) video games. Could Batiuk be getting ready to add school shootings to his Serious Topics résumé?