Not for nothing: they’re going to be performing with a number of other school bands. Do you not suppose that someone would maybe be willing to lend the kid a trumpet? Anyway, that panicked expression on Becky in panel 1 is classic. Her phantom left hand right now would be strumming her lips, making that crazy “flubberdedub” sound.
Can’t snark on this one. I have a teenager in the high school band. This is funny and true-to-life. Thumbs up, Batiuk.
So what’s Robbie’s story? Does he have any issues, or is Batiuk just incapable of drawing appealing children? For now, Robbie exists as a prop. He hasn’t been given any lines…can he speak? How old is he? Who’s his daddy? Was he conceived in the back of a van? Are his tiny arms a clue to some type of irregularity? Let’s have some backstory here! Robbie’s issues aside, I must admit that it’s a nice change to see Pvt. Winkerbean finally “at ease”.
| Hi, Wally. So what do you think: is Batiuk going to finally let you have a normal life, and stop portraying you as a basket case? | Jeez, Rache, I hope so. After having me seemingly blown up (I was really playing a video game), stepping on a landmine, taken prisoner, flipping out in public… | …yeah, I would say that son of a bitch owes me big time! Oh, and Colorado’s nice. I’m never coming back to Westview. Have a nice life. Bye! |
Over hot chocolate (turns out Cayla, sadly, was not being suggestive), Les spins a riveting yarn of being stuck on the tarmac in Houston, getting in yet another mention of that damn infernal “dead” phone. Nary a word, though, about the “dead” wife whose dire warning he chose to ignore.
What’s harder to ignore is the background in panel 1. What the hell is that on the wall? Abstract art? A broken mirror? Snowflake cutouts that Summer made in first grade?
Son of Stuck Funky 
