chullo – Page 21 – Son of Stuck Funky

Befuddled, Fatuous Fools

Owen sure loves to talk about “fantasy”. This time, though, he’s not referring to his own overheated imagination: Amazing Fantasy #15 is the 1962 comic book that introduced the Amazing Spider-Man, who I hear has a new movie coming out.

So Blondie in the background there, I’m guessing that’s “the world’s perfect genome” Mallory Brooks, Cody’s “imaginary marriage partner” from Ms. Bushka’s class last spring. She despised Cody so much that she dropped the class just to get away from him; a year later she thinks he’s “really special”. Is it the arrival of spring causing all these Westview teens to fall inexplicably in love with each other, or is someone pumping Ecstacy into the water supply?

Proving once again that SoSF is your #1 source on the web for all things Batiuk: this breathless local news piece on the artist at work:

Yadda Yadda Yadda

In the Funkiverse, proper etiquette dictates that one prefaces his or her text messages with a proper salutation, just like a letter; hence, “Dear Cody”.

Beleaguerment

At least they still have each other. Owen and Cody commiserate in the commissary, arriving at acceptance not only of their ineptitude with the opposite sex, but with sports jargon as well. So engrossed are they in discussion that they are oblivious to the presence of several girls who are not Summer Moore. Plenty of fish in the sea, nerds.

Fantasy Goofball

I still can’t figure out how Owen’s fake texts were meant to dissuade Cody from pursing Summer Moore, and rather than making things better, Owen’s “fantasy girl” justification just sounds…icky.

"Arch"- Enemies

Epicus Doomus
April 21, 2012 at 12:11 am
…Speaking of vomiting with rage, I have seen Sunday’s strip. You are ALL going to be absolutely f*cking appalled. That is all.

While I understand Epicus’ reaction to today’s strip, as far as TB’s comic book tributes go? This one is not as…appalling as usual. At least this time, he’s not “tipping the Funky felt tip” to a comic most of us have ever heard of.

Based on their verbal exchange I’m guessing Cody is standing in for Reggie here, and Owen is Archie—although he’s got more in common with Jughead Jones. Summer is portrayed as an Archie comics “everygirl”: Betty, Veronica, all the chicks in Riverdale (except, of course, Big Ethel) had that look…big eyes, solid teeth, black lips, and nubile bods. If this is how Batiuk always drew Summer, it’d be much more plausible that two buddies would fight over her.

Archie, by the way (the comic book, not the newspaper comic) has been drawing numerous comparisons to FW these last few years: Riverdale High’s Miss Grundy lost her battle to cancer, and more recently Cheryl Blossom was stricken with the big C. Archie comics also grabbed lots of attention in 2010 when gay character Kevin Keller was introduced. This article helpfully brings us up to date on all the gay stuff in both comics.