I wonder what “business” requires “the Funkman” to travel by plane. He’s not visiting the franchise locations, since the New York shop closed up years ago.
We’re all familiar with Batiuk’s use of “photo album corners” and sepia tones to depict past events. Today he thoughtfully employs a similar visual cue, the “squiggly-bordered panel”, lest the reader become confused by the abrupt jump-cut from Montoni’s to some airport.
Your genial host TFH returns to guide us all through the holiday madness! My sincerest thanks as always to DavidO, Epicus Doomus, Beckoning Chasm, Oddnoc, and billytheskink for their guest contributions, and most especially to you, the reader. While it seems odd to some that we daily read and analyze a comic strip that makes us mad, it’s always good to commune with those with whom we share something in common, especially around the holidays.
At first glance, today’s strip seems to depict Holly and Funky about to be abducted by aliens. No such luck: it’s just another “taking things to the extreme” gag involving the gazebo tree. Query why, if the lights are so uncomfortably bright, the Winkerbeans are drawn like moths to it, standing so close to the light that it blinds them. Even Batiuk’s Medina neighbors must be scratching their heads over this one: the gazebo’s real-life counterpart is much more tastefully appointed.
I guess this could be considered a “happy” strip, and Lord knows there aren’t many of those. The joke seems to be that this is a collection of tiny, tiny dreams, and–surprise–these are the very dreams that these folks desired the most when they were young. Okay, now it’s kind of depressing, honestly.
It might be that only Harry is really living his dream, and that the others are thinking “Jesus wept, Harry. Thanks for reminding me how far I’ve failed.” No one looks happy in the last panel, except Harry, who looks deliriously happy. One might almost call him “Crazy.”
When I was in high school, I dreamed about my future as well…and it was never anything like “co-owner of a restaurant” or “clerk in a comic book shop.” My dreams were rather more grandiose. Admittedly I haven’t achieved them, but at least I had them, and there’s always hope.
I guess in Westview there’s never hope, so it’s best to keep your dreams small, because that’s all you’ll get as life slowly crushes you under its heel. If you don’t die first, that is. Then, you win!
After a week of pretty bad artwork, this episode shouldn’t be unexpected, but wow. Those faces in the last panel are just awful. And what’s going on with Les and Funky in panel two? Funky is a shrunken old man, half a head shorter than Les, while Les seems to be missing half of his head. Suddenly in the last panel Funky is taller than Les. Also in that panel, Les is smirking so hard it looks like his beard is trying to tear itself off his face.
Well, if I wanted to nitpick the artwork, I’d be here all night…and in fact, the Guest Host SoSF chair has tossed me out! Watch Monday as DavidO takes up the reins (or as Tom Batiuk would say, the rains) as the strip continues to hurtle Hellward.
And now you see why Tom Batiuk had to have two Black Friday jokes, one with his beloved Dinkle. Because he thought of a stupid pun.
Since this is a Saturday strip, I’m going to assume–and yeah, I really need to stop doing that–that this is a one-off, and won’t be continued on Sunday or next week. (But consider how lucky we are. Today’s episode could easily have been turned into a Sunday strip. Be thankful for small favors.)
Aside from John’s needlessly complicated question in panel one, and his totally unneeded response in panel two, the most remarkable thing in today’s strip is that little sign pointing to John’s head that says “Cashier.” It’s like one of those things in the old, old Dick Tracy strips which pointed out the “two-way wrist TV” and other crime-fighting tools. I’m guessing it’s a portent of the Komix Korner’s fate and John’s next career. (Can you imagine having John Howard as your cashier? Based on how he “runs” the Korner, he’d probably sneer at the customers who didn’t order extra peperoni. “Enjoy your weak pizza, loser? [Ding] Twenty-nine fifty-two. Oh and don’t forget to tip generously. Come again!”)
Other than that, this strip just sets up John–one of the “hero” characters and an obvious stand-in for Tom Batiuk–as a moronic dim-bulb. (Remember how I said yesterday that John is always drawn with care? Oops. Panel one, with John’s melty face, is having none of that. That darn Tom Batiuk is making me look bad again!)
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah–Funky is clearly making a joke–his panel two expression is either “telling a joke” or “having a stroke”–and John wearily responds as if he’s being told the real deal. “So, those tiny homunculi decided to call it quits? Was it drugs, or jealousy over groupies, or did they decide ‘the road’ was no kind of lifestyle for men with families? Also…do you think they’ll try to make a comeback after a couple of years? I miss them already!”
Nice sign haphazardly taped to the door, too. (For the life of me, I cannot imagine what it says. “Closed–Batman obsessed weirdos only”?) But its random, off-kilter nature pretty much says it all–if there’s one word that Funky Winkerbean brings to mind, it’s kraftsmanship!
Well, today’s strip either illustrates how the father whose neglect turned his son into a juvenile delinquent now counts the minutes until his safe return, or it’s glum foreshadowing of Cory’s date with a landmine.
Son of Stuck Funky 