It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Listless

 Link To Today’s Strip

Every so often The BanMan throws one at you that just leaves you completely befuddled. I THINK that’s Wally, Rachel, Tony and Funky in that photo although I’m not 100% certain about that. I had to Google “Margo Lanes” and sure enough, Margo Lane was a character in an old-timey 1940’s serial, “The Shadow”. Surely there are four or five still-living people that might get that gag, although the odds on them also being FW readers are, uh…fairly slim, I’d say.

“Why was everyone wearing Santa hats…?”…I’m just gonna go way out on a limb here, Jess, but I’m guessing it was because it was CHRISTMAS TIME, which would be the most logical reason. Good thing she isn’t a detective, huh? I have no earthly idea where this could be going (other than “nowhere”) although “the gang at Montoni’s starts a bowling team” would probably be as good a guess as any. It’s also pretty obvious that Jess is spending WAY too much time in that pizza place too. Where have you gone, Boy Lisa? A boring strip turns its yawning eyes to you.

 

City of Tiny Lites

Mason Jarr the movie star is nothing if not wistful. During his Ohio sojourn, he remarked that Westview reminded him of his dear old hometown, while tonight the lights of L.A. remind him of Christmas. They kinda remind me of the backdrop of the Johnny Carson-era Tonight Show.

We’re treated to another glimpse of Batiuk’s understanding of How the Movie Industry Works: the movie Mason was signed to star in last summer is slated for production “this year” (well that’s vague enough), but, as happened with the ill-fated Lust for Lisa telepic, the script still needs work. It’s certain that Les, who wore out his Hollywood welcome on his first try, won’t get the call. Perhaps Mason should offer to write the script, seeing as how he must now be an expert on Starbuck Jones.

Tree at Last, Tree at Last

Westviewians’ “every silver lining has a cloud” mentality takes no holiday. Just as the summertime county fair comes with “an undercurrent of melancholy“, Christmas – Christmas, the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – ebbs away too soon. I guess that’s why Les and Cayla are taking down the Taj Moore-hal tree a little early this year (last year they left it up almost four weeks after Christmas). Of course, those greedy amoral morons who run the department stores manage to milk Christmas profits year round.

Snarkers, it’s been a pleasure as always bringing the FW commentary to you these last few weeks. Tune in tomorrow as Mr. Oddnoc steps up to the plate! Swinging a chainsaw!

Turkey Meltdown

“Sitting on my mind” is a rather odd turn of phrase, and it’s a rather odd perspective in panel 1 that makes it appear that Cory’s face is smooshed into Funky’s backside. Today’s strip gives the answer to those of us puzzled by how a middle aged man who jogs regularly and goes to the gym manages to maintain the physique of a couch potato. He’s beaten booze, only to replace that addiction with one to food: he eyeballs that leftover turkey the same way he contemplated that leftover bottle of bubbly a few New Year’s Eves ago:

Merry ChristmAAs

“Nice to have you home son, even if it could potentially trigger an alcoholic relapse!” Props to Funky for being painfully candid with Cory about his condition (“…when my self-esteem bottoms out”? Lawd!). So ol’ Wade is still around…he was not looking so good when we last saw him at Christmas 2011.