“Does believing you’re the last sane man on the planet make you crazy? ‘Cause if it does, maybe I am.” –Del Spooner (Will Smith), I, Robot
Dammit, Les, grow a pair. If you don’t want your stupid book launch at Montoni’s then say so! Or suffer the smirks of those that dictate to you.
For what it’s worth: Les’ comment about being “the last sane person on the planet” does fit nicely with the perception of him as The Grounded One.
Another “punchline that wasn’t”. Les is still trying to gracefully say no to his old pal’s offer. Funky resorts to confusing Les by saying something that sounds profound but is in fact utterly meaningless and trite.
Somewhere between yesterday’s second panel and today’s first, Les’ bemused expression has been replaced by one of abject terror. It must be his reaction to Funky’s Vulcan grip on his shoulder as, wild-eyed, he explains to Les why it is immutable destiny that the launch party be held at Montoni’s…rather than at someplace without a red, white and green awning.
TB also introduces a new visual effect, sort of a “sepia telescope” through which past events are viewed. Interesting to note how vans figure in Darin’s delivery as well as his conception. And hoo-boy: does Les on his wedding day look like a gay Batman or what‽
That loud, metallic grinding you hear is Batiuk abruptly and inartfully shifting narrative gears back to the Les Gets Published story arc. “Hey, Les: since you and I are standing around in this deserted pizzeria, without any customers to attend to, I might as well stroke your ego by asking if that book of yours will ever see print.” Observe Les’ trademark smug, sidelong glance as his favorite topic is raised. “Ahem, yes, well, my publicist…she’s in New York, you know…is diligently seeking the proper venue for the launch par-tay…” Because that’s such a goddamn important detail in releasing a book. She can take her time booking a place: that mimeograph machine over at KSU Press only cranks out about ten pages a minute. Then they gotta collate and staple everything together.
Funky wastes no time in offering, no, insisting, to host Northeastern Ohio’s literary event of the decade at, where else, Montoni’s! …immediately sending Les into “thanks but no thanks” mode. “It’s a launch party…not a youth soccer awards banquet/after-bowling soiree/kiddie birthday party…”
I ask you: what comic strip other than Funky Winkerbean would reference “anger issues” two days in a row?
Judging from the shape of the delivery guy’s head, Funky has ordered t-shirts from a screen-printing shop on planet Remulak. I actually chuckled a little over how in panel 2, Crazy Harry is ready to throw down at the sight of a courier from the hated UPS (as if Funky would have any say in which shipping method his vendor uses). I guess Harry’s still smarting from this week’s news of the Postal Service’s fiscal-third-quarter loss of $3.5 billion.
I kinda like the slogan “You Want a Piece of Me” for a pizza joint. So do the folks at Dodson’s Pizza in New Lexington, Ohio. Wonder how far that is from Westview?
Son of Stuck Funky 
