Wheel in the Sky

The anthropomorphism of Buddy continues…Yesterday he sported a huge grin as he watched the DockDogs® perform; today he cowers Scooby Doo-like at Wally’s feet. A little more than 1/4″ removed from reality, as is the likelihood that even the most clueless carny Ferris Wheel operator would let a service animal ride in the bottom of the car, endangering the animal, his owners and the people below.

Arf Imitates Life

I’ve never seen a dog smirk. Yes, DockDogs® is a Thing That Exists. Our fairgoers are watching the World’s Premier Canine Aquatics Competition. It’s an event held at various locales around the country, including—what a coinkydidnk! The Medina County Fair, right in Batiuk’s hometown.

By the way, both of these people have young children. Did it occur to them that maybe little Robbie and probably not-so-little Wally Jr. might enjoy a visit to the fair?

I'll Be Your Mirror

Rachel’s weird panel 3 mug recalls Becky’s bemused expression from this November 2011 strip

Jeffcoat Wayne
August 6, 2012 at 2:12 am
Oh, shit. Rachel dyed her hair blonde. That means she’ll be big as a blimp in the next Time-Jump, just like all the other formerly-semi-attractive blondes in this strip.

Aaaannd in case you were wondering what Rachel would look like if it came to that, I give you today’s panel 2. But you can’t blame a funhouse mirror for what’s happening to Rachel and Wally’s faces in panel 3!

Taking a cue from Rachel, here’s a song I like called “A Little Bit of Everything” by Dawes:

Fair to Middling

…is Les gone? Oh, thank God.

So long has it been since we last saw Wally, Rachel and Buddy that whoever colors these strips has forgotten that Rachel was a redhead, and Buddy is a Golden (not Silver) Retriever. Comparing today’s strip with this strip from nearly two years ago shows what a difference Buddy the Wonder Dog has made in Wally’s life. Back then, it was Rachel who dragged Wally to the fair, where his anxiety immediately got the better of him. These days, it’s Wally who takes the initiative (weirdly waiting until they are already getting into the car to suggest a destination). It’s unclear how the dog developed a fried pickle addiction in the two years since their last fair visit.

Wis-dumb

Epicus Doomus
August 4, 2012 at 1:08 am
Welcome to Westview, where every experience, regardless of how exciting or profound it may have been, is reduced to block-headed, witless remarks and stupid smirks. What a bunch of pathetic, soul-less cretins.

Don’t know if Epicus peeked ahead at today’s strip before posting that comment about yesterday’s, but it certainly holds true! Les is positively giddy to be back on his porch swing. Cayla’s excited too; in fact, in panel 3 she’s looks like she’s about to slide off her seat. When asked to share the “wisdom” they’ve gained on their trip, naturally dad and daughter offer the most mundane, snarky comments about their experience. Whatever.

Note that Dan Messina (who never did respond to my email) gets a shout-out in the last panel. “Boon companion”? More like buffoon companion. I hope he appreciates his friend Tom Batiuk portraying him as a hapless twit.