Hollyweird

Poof! Lisa’s ghost has materialized after all, and Les proceeds to bring her up to speed on the book being optioned. But in panel two the setting abruptly shifts from the park bench to…a room…somewhere…I can’t figure out where they’re supposed to be…Les is still wearing the same clothes, but Lisa is wearing glasses and a blue jacket and has reverted to her cancer-baldness. Les’ old ladyfriend Ronnie sits between them, looking like she did in college. And and then boom, back to the park bench. Very weird!

Molasshole

With today’s strip, Owen crosses the line from borderline likeable/sympathetic, and joins most of the rest of the FW cast in the “despicable jerk” column (his pal Cody having made that transition a couple months ago). Owen’s whole shtick consists of answering questions by rephrasing and restating what he’s been asked: “Revenge” isn’t the “gold standard of getting back at someone”…it’s the very definition of getting back at someone. “Connecting the dots“? “I think I see where you’re going with this“? Th’ fuck’s the matter with this boy?

And molasses? Really? Wouldn’t it take a really long time to pour a gob of molasses on each and every senior’s locker? And how is this “revenge”? What he’s really doing is making more work for Westview’s poor janitor, who is still seeking his own revenge on whoever pissed in his closet 20 (or 30) years ago…

Approach the Bench

Link to today’s strip

Epicus Doomus
May 10, 2011 at 12:43 am
Remember his “book tour interviews” arc where the interviewers clearly never even read his book? it’ll be exactly like that, only with shallow, money-grubbing “Hollywood folk” in place of Radio Ron and etc….it’ll be a ponderously long arc resulting in Les refusing to capitalize on, alter or trivialize Lisa’s Story for fame or financial gain, which is pretty ironic when you think about it.

billytheskink
May 10, 2011 at 12:25 pm
…While I agree that this is a likely scenario, Epicus, I think it’s possible that this storyline ends a bit differently. Les may pull the ultimate smug-tactic and refuse the option before it gets to that point in order to preserve the “sanctity” of Lisa’s Story’s or whatever.

John
May 10, 2011 at 5:56 pm
…Les had absolutely no problems with exploiting Lisa’s death in prose form. Having him all conflicted and cautious about a cinematic version seems rather odd.

Yes, ol’  Spanky does seem to be conflicted, and the more I think about it, I can definitely see Les just saying no to Hollywood, Summer’s opinion be damned. Maybe that’s wishful thinking on my part, because yeah, I’m imagining a whole drawn out “Making of Lisa’s Story: the Movie” arc, going on for months, with TB getting all the details wrong…I couldn’t take that.

It’s hard to tell what exactly is happening in panel 3. Has Ghost Lisa failed to manifest? Whenever Les “talks” to her, we see her too. But today Les looks very alone. Has Lisa not only gone from his eyes, but from their favorite park bench too? Has she at long last been exorcised?

O.B. Dan
May 10, 2011 at 3:14 am
Les’ final book of the Bible non-fiction book is about to move to a new level of media greatness…the followers, disciples, and apostles are gathered at The Grounded One’s feet…Lisa is about to be beatified…

Ladies and gentlemen, The Grand Finale as I described it is back on track.

Dan, my friend, I admit to being one of those who scoffed when you began suggesting that TB was working towards TGF…but when you yourself started to doubt that eventuality, I felt a little sad. It’s good to hear you declare that it may yet come to pass. From your lips to TB’s ears!

I'm the Decider

It’s Thursday. Does everybody reading this strip finally comprehend that a Hollywood producer wants to option Lisa’s Story? Good.

OK, I was wrong to suggest that there’s no cordless phone in Les’ house. Summer magically produces one from thin air, or perhaps she’s been using it all along to eavesdrop on her father’s personal calls. Summer is as pushy as Les is passive: once again, the little brat brazenly imposes her will on another.