Both Cory and Rocky seem to have gained the ability to reshape their noses in today’s strip, presumably as a part of their 5 second “acclimation” to returning to the United States from deployment.
If only our real servicemen and women could acclimate so easily upon returning home. If only.
So…for Les, life is watching blonde women interact with their lockers while he endlessly walks down a brick corridor. Or some damn thing–who honestly knows what the point of this strip is supposed to be. I’m starting to think that Tom Batiuk is simply trolling us (as others here have pointed out). I’ve read this episode over carefully and I cannot make head nor tail out of it. Is the point supposed to be “High school lasts forever”? Is it that Les hates his job because it makes his life Hell? Is it that hairstyles on blondes are getting shorter? (Panel four must be from a previous year, since Les is dressed differently.) Or is the point that, every time the school year starts, there are blonde women with lockers–only, get this, the women are different each time! Really, that sounds the most plausible but it’s weak, even for this strip.
So, I don’t get this one. I honestly thought we’d get the “bullying” arc started up again, but I guess Mr. Batiuk thought we needed some Les Wisdom(c) dropped on us. Too bad he forgot the Les Wisdom Decoder Ring(c) to go with it. It just looks like a hellscape to me, with a pair of word balloons pasted on. (Look at that dialogue. Tell me than any random sentences couldn’t substitute there and make the same amount of sense.)
Sorry for rambling, but I don’t see this one as an “episode.” Instead I see things like the adult Les’ face in the “Westview Class” masthead image among all the teenagers and I think, Is that supposed to mean something? Les has always been old? Then I note that in the penultimate panel, Les’ hair is all disheveled, and it’s neatly combed in the last panel. Again, is there a point to that?
I do like the Modigliani face in panel five, and I like that someone went nuts with the Scotch tape in panel three. And all those bricks. Endless bricks.
Bricks.
Ah, I get it now. We’re supposed to want to slam endless bricks against Les’ head. Okay!
Thus ends my time in the Les Chair. Tomorrow, the fabulous DavidO takes over the hosting duties…and good luck to him!
See you then, and thank you for your indulgence!
– Find and/or purchase salt. Box, canister, iodized, sea, it doesn’t matter.
– Take one grain of aforementioned salt
– Read today’s strip
– For best results, avoid repeating
Is this strip supposed to explain Les’ lack of interaction with young Lisa (or any of the Act I gang)? That he fainted and was unconscious during the whole interaction?
Probably, in which case there will be a new entry into the dictionary’s definition of “cop-out”, but we should give TB the benefit of the doubt until this is confirmed.
Either way, though, Barry Balderman is spouting some Barry Balderdash today. This is what happened to Les after her was told that the DJ bailed:
He stated his hate for Big Walnut Tech
He gave Cayla the “children left behind” death glare for making a good point
He broodingly mused on the origin of Crazy’s nickname
He saw the entire Act I gang appear out of the Time Pool
He had a staring contest with his younger self while Lisa looked forlornly at her replacement
He continued the staring contest in silhouette form
He watched the entire Act I gang prepare to get back in the Time Pool
Are my eyes beady enough for ya?
Memo to future Westview High School Reunion Committees: do not let Barry Balderman recommend a DJ.
Guest Page Turner Author
July 5, 2015 at 11:41 pm
…All the venues were booked, my ass! On a Sunday evening of a holiday weekend? !?!
I guess “holiday weekend class reunions” are a big thing in Westview, as are poorly structured DJ contracts. Anyone who calls themselves professional, “state of the ark” equipment or not, would surely risk legal action and terrible word-of-mouth for such shenanigans. But Les and company’s anger is directed not at the DJ but at the school that lured him away.
Today’s strip called for a post title so obligatory, TB himself would probably be disappointed if I didn’t use it. We can’t have that, can we?
As we learned back when Dirigibles Unnerving Ingrates Diversity University Ironton was trying to hire him to coach their football team, one of Bull’s few motivations in life is the prospect of free clothing. Bull was probably one of the first people to move to Chia Earth (17 internet points to all who get that reference).
Those of us who won’t have the opportunity to sit through Sarah Silverman and Jo Jo White’s presentation on how to incur obscene debt can still get our very own EMU t-shirts right here.
Also, daily Emu Emo Quote:
“I thought I was being followed by a paid assassin, but it turns out the guy’s a volunteer.”
– Emo Philips
Son of Stuck Funky 
