“How dare you?” is usually asked rhetorically, but in Battywood, it gets answered with a pie in the face. Comedy gold.
The draughtsmanship in today’s strip is nothing special. “Butter” Brinkel looks like a pre-dementia Bull Bushka, while his leading lady has a very contemporary look for an “old movie serial” actress. The film reel sprocket hole borders are a nice change from the usual photo album corners.
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So at long last, here we go into the “Butter” Brinkel arc. Those readers of the dead tree editions, the ones who run only the truncated, bottom-panels-only version of the Sunday strips, are missing out on a classic bit lifted from Buster Keaton’s 1928 silent comedy Steamboat Bill, Jr. Now that they’re finally ready to start work on the documentary, Jessica is literally throwing up her hands saying she doesn’t know where to begin. What does Cindy even need her videographer for, if they have a ton of archival footage?
Saturday’s strip was not available for preview, but it’s a safe bet we’re going to get more of Cindy’s desire to do a documentary on Butter Brickel. It seems Batiuk has a nostalgia fever and he’s going to cough it all over this strip come hell or high water.
As Cindy said the other day, “It’s a story that still resonates today!” and I couldn’t agree more. The past few years have seen dozens and dozens of “Judge them in the press” stories, and the internet allow these things to spread with frightening speed, while the truth (as Mark Twain observed) is still getting on its pants.
Which is why it’s odd that Batiuk chose to tell this story about a pretty much long-forgotten comedian of the silent film era. There are many more examples that might appeal to “contemporary young people.” The cynic in me says, this way he can fudge the details as much as he wants, and no one will call him on them. The other reason would be that anything that happened in recent years would have partisans on both sides, and favoring one side might lead to controversy…which Batiuk courts only in the most superficial manner.
There is also the matter of his very intense, narrowly focused nostalgia. The past few years have seen a very strange parade of things that seem to be going further back in time–from silver age comic books, to old movie serials, and now to silent comedies. I wonder if he’s casting backward because the things he used to value are becoming less and less satisfying.
Speaking of less and less satisfying, let’s enjoy the first strip of June!
Wow, everyone is sure full of praise for themselves! Even waiter Barrithuh Hatchetface is smirking to beat the band. Too bad their praise is so misplaced.
Director: We’ll sit in chairs and chat, and I’ll only ask you questions you can preen about. Thus, later, I’ll be surprised by very basic career information about you.
Videographer: I’ll shoot this chair-bound set with a hand-held camera!
Subject: I threw away over seventy years of my life so I could have a snit-fit.
BuddyBlog: What kind of crap is this? Damn, it’s a good thing my dad is rich…I think.
Emmy awards committee person A: Oh my God, this is so terrible. I think we finally have a winner for the “Most Pathetic, Pitifully Bad Production – Documentary” award someone added as a joke.
Emmy awards committee person B: You mean the “Please Just Stop, or At Least Try Next Time” award? Won’t that make the ceremony longer?
But his Lordship’s artificial limb had still not been found.
Therefor, having directed the servants to fill the baths,
He seized the tongs,
And set out at once for the edge of the lake
Where the Throbblefooted Spectre still loitered in a distraught manner.
He presented it with a length of string
And passed on to the statue of Corrupted Endeavor
To await the arrival of autumn.
(As you might have gathered, today’s strip was not available for preview. So please enjoy chapter one of Edward Gorey’s “The Object Lesson,” written from memory.)
Son of Stuck Funky 