SosfDavidO here! And though I know these characters are in the midst of a deep, important conversation about these two lovebug’s plans after their wedding in today’s strip, one detail has caught my eye and I can’t look at anything else.
That chair is pretty much the most disturbing thing in the strip lately and that’s saying a lot. It’s like Ed Gein murdered a Sasquatch and made furniture with the pelt. If that doesn’t send Rocky running back home to her parents nothing will.
I like things like photography, horror movies and cats, but those likings are not deep, obsessive interests–the kind that I talk about all the time, or am constantly steering the conversation toward–so this whole week has left me a little baffled. I’m trying to imagine a child of mine coming up to me, showing me the engagement ring he’s bought, and my response is something like–
“Wow, cool! Did you meet her through a camera club? What kind of camera does she own, and what kind of pictures does she like to take? Is she a Nikon or a Canon person? How many pictures of cats has she taken?”
I’d be much more interested in what she’s like, how they met, are you sure about this, are you prepared to start a family, when can I meet her–all without throwing in anything about cameras or cats. And adding my sincere congratulations and wishes for happiness. That’s generally how these things work.
Not Holly. All she can talk about are comic books, comic books, comic books. As I said earlier, she has a mild interest in her son’s future, but it’s nothing to the torch she carries for comic books. That doesn’t seem very healthy to me. After having comic books relentlessly thrown in my face by this strip, I will reluctantly concede that it’s fine to have an interest in them, but unless you’re connected to the industry, a 24/7 love-fest is not a life. Fat, drunk, and comic-book-obsessed is no way to go through life, son (if I may borrow a quote).
I’m guessing that Chester’s geyser of ecstasy is supposed to make him look ridiculous, but it comes across a bit hypocritical given the fury Holly displayed earlier–and her lackadaisical response to an upcoming massive change in Cory’s life. Yeah, that Chester sure looks silly, Mr. Batiuk, but…physician, heal thyself.
Here’s a picture of my cat. I took it with a Nikon after watching a horror DVD. See, two can play that game.
Well, Holly’s going to Hell. She actually said something was more important than comic books–which she referred to as “silly“! Yes, straight to Hell with her.
Oh wait. She’s already in Westview. Never mind.
The box in panel one is quite well rendered–quite a contrast to Cory in the same panel, who looks like Popeye the Sailor, before his eye popped. (Probably an accident when he opened a slabbed comic book. Serves him right!)
And like yesterday, she seems mildly interested in her son’s life, but I seem to recall when she scored a comic book or two last year, she was ecstatic. Only in Funky Winkerbean, folks.
“Rocky Strangler” would be a great name for a guy in a metal band, wouldn’t it? I think it’s way better than “Mason Jarr.” You say, “The character’s name is ‘Rocky Strangler'” and people go, “Cool!” You tell them “The characters are Mason Jarr and Rocky Rhodes” and they say, “Wow, that’s fairly stupid. What are you, three years old?”
Anyway, sorry for wasting a paragraph like that, but heck, this is Funky Winkerbean where “waste” is a middle name. What’s interesting here is the contrasting reactions in this strip, as opposed to the previous two. Holly’s reaction that her son is going to be married is a kind of firm interest, whereas the thought of comic books being sold brought her to a volcanic rage. Why it’s almost as if marriage is nothing much, but comic books are the very stuff that dreams are made of. Given the citizens in Westview, comic books are far more permanent than marriage anyway.
Another curious thing. If I remember rightly, Cory and Rocky were originally linked together because of a shared love of Starbuck Jones comics. Now, comic books aren’t anything more than a source of cash to Cory. Could that be why he collected them in the first place, because he saw them as a commodity, and not as entertainment? If that’s the case, it might explain why he went behind Holly’s back to sell them–she thought he was interested in the stories and he didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise.
Distracting from all of this is today’s artwork. It’s amazing that you can have two characters positioned the same in two panels, and have such wildly divergent artwork. Holly sheds enough tissue to resemble a skull, and Cory’s hairline sets out on a trek to unite with his eyebrows. It’s the very definition of “dashed off carelessly.”
“Dash Doff Carelessly” would be a great name for a guy in a punk band. “Dashed Doff Carelessly and The Batiukophonics.” Well, I’m off to copyright some things!
Those of you who thought Holly’s expression was terrific yesterday are in for a treat today. I stand in line where Fearless Leader’s choice in banner images is concerned, but I think the face in panel one is the winner.
That’s the face of pure malevolence right there. It reminds me of Boris Karloff at his most murderous, leading a torch-bearing mob against those who dare oppose his villainy. How did he rouse the ire of the crowd–did he accuse his foes of being witches, or Satanists, or grave-robbers? Maybe it was something worse!
When I altered the above, I originally drew the widow’s peak way too far. I ended up with someone quite different-looking. In fact, what the heck–
In both those images, the only thing I altered was removing Holly’s hair and adding a bit of ear. The face is pure Batiuk.
As for actual content, those of you who guessed “Engagement Ring for [Rocky]” you can collect your prize money at the ticket window. While that was probably the most likely possibility, it still leaves Cory as the crook who stole the Lisa funds. I never thought that act would simply get glossed over–it was pretty much Cory’s defining moment–but then, most of the stuff that happens in this strip is inexplicable. And not in a fun way, either.
Son of Stuck Funky 