So this answers the question “Where’s Wally?” I’ve got another one: where’s the joke? Another thing, whether Wally is Funky’s nephew or cousin…Pa Winkerbean is still kin to Wally. He’s not aware of the senior Winkerbean’s situation? There is no sense to be found here. Give TB credit, though, for tapping a new vein of human misery: adding “Putting your parent in a nursing home” to his grim repertoire of cancer, alcoholism, suicide, divorce, mental illness, teen pregnancy…
I think TB is telling us something here: he can either no longer afford his own mood-elevating meds, or he refuses to pay top dollar for them, and that’s why this “comic” strip is so God damn depressing.
I hope we all live long enough to see Batiuk retire.
The comics-savvy folks around here have already pointed out that whatever value attached to Starbuck Jones #1 is greatly diminished by that fact that it’s not bagged or better still, slabbed (submitted to an independent grading company and encased in a sealed, hard plastic container). TB, who is supposedly comics-savvy, sees fit to place this highly valuable artifact in the sweaty, pasty paws of Dead Skunk Head John.
I was so in awe of Funky’s shape-shifting skull in panel three that I brought it to life:
Funky’s glimmer of hope lasts all of one panel. Guess the komix biz in Westview isn’t faring any better than the pizza biz. John is the biggest schlub in a town full of schlubs. It’s no wonder Becky ditched her fightin’ hero hubby for him.
Great business plan, genius. Let me know how it works out for ya.
Son of Stuck Funky 