"Arch"- Enemies

Epicus Doomus
April 21, 2012 at 12:11 am
…Speaking of vomiting with rage, I have seen Sunday’s strip. You are ALL going to be absolutely f*cking appalled. That is all.

While I understand Epicus’ reaction to today’s strip, as far as TB’s comic book tributes go? This one is not as…appalling as usual. At least this time, he’s not “tipping the Funky felt tip” to a comic most of us have ever heard of.

Based on their verbal exchange I’m guessing Cody is standing in for Reggie here, and Owen is Archie—although he’s got more in common with Jughead Jones. Summer is portrayed as an Archie comics “everygirl”: Betty, Veronica, all the chicks in Riverdale (except, of course, Big Ethel) had that look…big eyes, solid teeth, black lips, and nubile bods. If this is how Batiuk always drew Summer, it’d be much more plausible that two buddies would fight over her.

Archie, by the way (the comic book, not the newspaper comic) has been drawing numerous comparisons to FW these last few years:  Riverdale High’s Miss Grundy lost her battle to cancer, and more recently Cheryl Blossom was stricken with the big C. Archie comics also grabbed lots of attention in 2010 when gay character Kevin Keller was introduced. This article helpfully brings us up to date on all the gay stuff in both comics.

Paper View

Cory cares not a rat’s ass about climate change; he just enjoys being a shit-disturber. What I find disturbing is the hit-or-miss quality of the artwork in today’s comic. Check out the grotesesque grinning mug at the far right of panel 2: what’s he smiling about? And I recognize Summer by her blue hair, but has her face melted? What dread, degenerative disease has caused Rana’s droopy mug in the penultimate panel? And Cory seems to age about 15 years between panels 4 & 5. He morphs, mid-harangue, from a dopey child to a sardonic hipster.

Wouldn’t recycled paper be the most eco-friendly option? I’m not sure how cutting “farm-raised trees” has less of a carbon impact than cutting trees that are, uh, free range? It’s like telling a vegetarian that it’s ok to eat that burger because it came from a farm-raised cow.

No Wonder

His near-beatdown at the hands of the bully Wedgeman apparently has triggered PTSD-induced hallucinations in Cody. Or could it be…love? Whatever the case, Batiuk does Summer no favors with this side-by-side comparison with the Amazon Princess. Wonder Woman’s curves (those thighs!) only call attention to Summer’s androgynous form. And anyway, I thought Summer’s comic book analogue was Supergirl.

Most Ineffectual Bully Ever

Charles
April 10, 2012 at 11:31 pm
You know, if you want your bully to be credible, it’s probably not a good idea to have your bullied character insulting him, seemingly with impunity…If Cody really believed that Wedgieman was going to beat the crap out of him, he wouldn’t have sassed him like that.

Yep, Cody’s a real tough guy when he’s standing behind his new bodyguard. Her work done here, Summer walks her angular, boxy ass away down the hall.