coffee – Page 35 – Son of Stuck Funky

Ribbed For Her Pleasure

Speaking of St. Lisa, panel 1 seems weirdly evocative of the cover of the first Lisa’s Story book.

I hope you all enjoyed your nearly three-week respite from Les (I know you enjoyed it). Today he’s back, and if you thought his marriage to Cayla meant he’d finally stop talking about his dead first wife, well– oh, you didn’t think he’d stop? Neither has Les stopped thinking that his wry, nonsense-logic brand of observational “humor” is funny to anyone but himself. What has changed is that Cayla, rather than rolling her eyes at Les’ mentions of his late bride, has taken to physically and verbally abusing him each time Lisa’s name comes up. The fact that we see Les in the bathroom taping his ribs before this action takes place suggests that the abuse is ongoing. Notice in the last panel how he’s gone from a smug wiseguy to a pathetic, cringing little milksop.

Funky's Turn

Today’s strip at least supplies a little ex post facto context for Les’ curious “coma” quip: poor guy’s just looking forward to a little respite from life’s unceasing demands. Holly and Cory seem to materialize from out of nowhere. “Dad…we need to talk.” Now there’s an understatement! Think this is going to go well?

Coma Ci, Coma Ça

“Just think, Les…this comic strip is named after me, and yet all the major storylines are about you and your daughter!” As Funky points out, it’s been yet another watershed year for Mr. Moore.

Faithful snarkers are cautioned not to wishfully take Les’ “medically induced coma” comment as any kind of foreshadowing.

Little Old Lady Who?

Most
carelessly-rendered
neon sign ever.

Looks like Batiuk plans on letting the Kilimanjaro Saga unfold on an alternate-week basis…

Today we find ourselves in the familiar confines of Montoni’s. I always asssumed that the lettering in Montoni’s window was a neon sign, but the closeup in panel 2 reveals that the letters are not connected. Maybe they’re painted on, or maybe they’re those gummy window clings? Though that doesn’t explain how they light up.

“The Boss”, meanwhile, is finagling with the guy at the car dealership. Stress, strain, killer-shark issues, and two time jumps have beaten down our titular character to the point where he matter-of-factly renounces his very manhood, self-identifying as “a little old lady”.

Summer of Summer

Makes sense that a Dad who waits until May of his daughter’s senior year to look at schools should wait until the day after graduation to ask if she’s planning to attend basketball camp. Summer’s following Mom’s pithy advice: she’s about to tell Les of her plans to “follow her heart” and elope with Keisha.