“At Home with the Howards” continues. Today we get another clue re: their connubial problems: John’s idea of foreplay is reading children’s books to Becky. No “handjob” jokes, please!
For those of you who may somehow have missed the point of this week’s arc, here’s a recap:
Today we get a glimpse not only into the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Howard, but into their relationship as well. Look at the two of them sitting on that puke-green couch. Rather than cozily enjoying her husband’s company, Becky seems to recoil from John. Instead of whining to Funky about Becky’s commitment as band director eliminating their sex life, maybe Comic Book John needs to take a look in the mirror…
I thought that a one-armed band director was supposed to be busy. Yet today Becky finds plenty of time to mope and feel sorry for herself. Speaking of mopes, who should happen by but Owen, sporting that stupid hat even in the Ohio summer. I wonder what witty, trenchant comment young Owen will make upon hearing Becky’s predicament?
Ha! Ha! Ha! These kids today, with their chullos and slang and Punisher tees, amIright? By the way, in today’s panel 2, the role of Becky is being played by Humphrey Bogart.
Either it’s still sinking in for Becky, or Batiuk doesn’t trust the reader to recall that yesterday Roberta stated that yes, she’s going to be a Band Mom (again). Or “more like a band grand mom”, since Wally Jr. is now in the elementary school band. This despite the fact that by my reckoning, Wally Jr. should be at least fourteen years old.
Westviewvians acknowledge the arrival of one another not with a friendly “Hello” but “What is he/she doing here?” Although surely we can forgive Becky for being less than overjoyed at seeing her mom. Dad’s there too, of course, with the camcorder, and silent, having spoken his two word quota for this decade. Roberta portrays the prom as a “fiasco” (we agree) and spins her banishment as having been “invited off” the committee. Now she looks for something else to destroy besides her “little girl’s” life. In panel 2, Becky struggles in vain to choke Mom with her phantom left hand.
Son of Stuck Funky 