Yes, I know this is a “comic” strip, but must every conversation serve as setup for a wry riposte? For starters, Jessica’s is sort of a loaded question; asking about old Fred’s chances of a “full recovery” from an obviously severe health episode. The guy’s lucky even to be alive. Then Darin goes into the windup: “We-e-e-l-l-l, hope isn’t dead, dot dot dot…” The “punchline”—and I always feel the need to put that word in quotes when talking about FW—is confusing as well: so is Fred on life support? Hope is on life support? Way to stay positive, “son”.
On a side note, the Westview P.O. Bombing Arc page has been updated, and is more or less complete.
Son of Stuck Funky 
Darrin has obviously lead-lined his ceiling, or else his mom’s about to get hit by a truck.
Substitute the words “this comic strip” for “hope” and Boy Lisa finally says something that nearly makes sense. Does it EVER stop snowing in that cursed town?
Anyone who missed Act II and wonders why it was universally regarded as the most repellent and sickening thing ever only needs to check out the Westview P.O. bombing page to see the proof. The scenes with Les and Lisa in the hospital are too hilarious for words.
It’s hard to work up any real snark when it’s damn clear these characters bore the shorts off Tom Batiuk.
Good one, Dirtbag! “On life support.” Cuz pretty soon your ADOPTIVE father may wind up on the very “life support” that you referenced in your joke! (Note: It’s easier to be lighthearted about the demise of an ADOPTIVE parent, since they ain’t really blood-related.)
Plus, I notice you’re fucking around with a bowl full of VEGETABLES! A visual pun to accompany the verbal pun! I never realized that a loved one having a stroke could be such a rich (or should I say, blocked!) vein of comedy!!!
I hate this comic more than ever.
Holy shit, sourbelly….vegetables, LOL! Good catch. This Batt Ick guy is one sick, sick f*cker.
Bricks! Snow! More bricks!! Right in Tombat’s artistic wheelhouse. But I must correct Bat Hole – Bob Hope is no longer on life support. He IS dead. Just like Dustbin’s adoptive dad is about to be. Stay tuned for more smirks, puns and clunky dialog!
So how about this concept of something not being dead yet, but on life support? BatBeeyotch may have set some kind of world record for lack of originality.
Just when you thought this comic strip couldn’t suck any worse…
Jess: “So, what do you think of the appropriateness of me bringing up a sensitive, deeply depressing question about your father’s health that makes it clear you’re leaving me, your OWN WIFE completely out of the loop about EVERY important event in your life?”
Darin: “Before I answer that question, I want to project myself astrally into the snowy winter sky. Ah. Hello, snowflakes. Hello, bricks. Hello, humming neon marquee. You are my true friends.”
Jess: “….Darin, you and your Mom have been CAH-reepy ever since your Dad’s stroke!”
Darin: “My Dad’s stroke is like this salad…a bunch of wilted, dried out tasteless greens, swimming in the thick, viscous emulsion of oil and vinegar, doomed to separate into gross blobs.”
Jess: “….*…suddenly, I don’t WANT to be included in your loop.”
Fred probably envies King Lear his children.
Oh my God!! In the bowl! IT’S FRED’S BRAIN!! They’re eating Fred’s brain! Mighty tasty, though. Was it carryout? If so, who helped with the delivery?
I’m absolutely certain Fruitbat spends more time lovingly drawing bricks than thinking up dialog. Today’s installment is pure filler. Plot goes nowhere. BatHack is trying to stretch this out and milk it for all it’s worth. What a “writer.”
Back in the (Act II) days…. archs like the PO bombing showed to me the demise of a once cute (Act I) comic strip. Early on I observed that Batyuck was a self-absorbed egomaniac……and it has only gotten worse to the point where we are today with having a “Stroke” used as a humor gag.
It can be then be concluded as this comic strip has degraded at the same rate as Batyucks own cognative functional ability has declined.
Sad
I know Jessica was adamant that this is a marriage, not a dorm… but a dinner of lettuce, Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, and a bottle of Thunderbird seems pretty dorm-ish to me.
Do Westviewians sit around all day and come up with these morbid, faux-witty bits of wordplay? It wouldn’t surprise me, there’s not much else to do for entertainment in this town, especially if you’re not into pizza or comic books.
Darin seems to be progressively de-aging. At this point, he’s a 17-year-old from a 1990s prep school.
Hot damn! Coming soon: Dear Mr. Watterson, “a documentary film about the greatest comic strip ever: Calvin & Hobbes.”
http://dearmrwatterson.com
Just read the PO bombing arc:
So Lisa got knocked up, blowed up and then got the cancer, twice. And then she died and made a cell phone call to Les after she died?
I think I’ve just solved the Manti Te’o mystery. It was Tom Batuik all the time!
@TFH: squeeeeeeeeee~! The only thing that could make this any better would be if Watterson himself would sit still for an interview! 😀
(Better not squee out loud. Don’t want pa to have a stroke.)
The great thing about Mr Watterson is that he knew when to quit.
Real interesting quote from Bill Watterson that is somewhat relevant when assessing the train wreck that is FW:
Props to Watterson , a truly singular talent. The line about “newspapers…running tedious, ancient strips” remind me of Pearls Before Swine’s Slylock Fox parody with the trivia question: “Which one of these comics was around when Hitler invaded Poland? a) Blondie, b) Barney Google, c) Prince Valiant, d) Mary Worth or e) All of the above? Answer: e)”
Now that guy Stephan Pastis knows funny. As for Calvin & Hobbes, I’m reluctant to read or watch anything about it. It remains the perfect comic strip to me, and I don’t need any outside influences impacting that.
@TheDiva: Do Westviewians sit around all day and come up with these morbid, faux-witty bits of wordplay? It wouldn’t surprise me, there’s not much else to do for entertainment in this town, especially if you’re not into pizza or comic books.
It’s also your only choice when the local version of Boggle is limited to the letters C, A, N, E and R.
We need a “Days Since Fred Fairgood’s Last Appearance” counter to go along with Khan’s.
Oh, but that’s right: the stroke didn’t happen to Fred; no, Fred’s stroke happened to Darrin, as punishment for expressing happiness out loud where the Universe could hear.
Though it’s a strange Universe that can be deafened by lead foil.
It would be nice if Batominc decided to quit while it’s ahead, but then it would have had to quit in 1975 or so.
As for Calvin & Hobbes, I’m reluctant to read or watch anything about it. It remains the perfect comic strip to me, and I don’t need any outside influences impacting that.
Good point, Jimmy. I watched the trailer, and they interview the guy who draws Frazz . I cringed a little bit (I don’t like Frazz).
When Frazz is good, it’s really good, but most of the time it’s proud and condescending. It kinda reads like someone’s C&H Mary Sue fan fic.
Also, that “Slylock Fixed” comic is the greatest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I love when Pastis does parodies.
Re: Frazz, nothing against school custodians, I just think the way he pals around with all those little kids is creepy. And the only serious bicyclist I can tolerate is Calvin’s dad.
Pastis’ skewering of the Family Circus is the funniest thing I’ve read in the comics since Calvin & Hobbes called it quits.
[img]http://stephanpastis.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/19.gif?w=450&h=144[/img]
Jessica’s self-interest is evident in her phrasing the question as “full” recovery. As the daughter-in-law, she is naturally concerned about any caregiving duties she might be called on to perform.
Jessica is thinking about dancing on a pole in the Flats in Cleveland is looking good right about now, anything to escape Westview.
Smirks: Even funnier is Pastis’ story of how Jeff Keane got him back at Comic Con one year!
(Yes, Stephan actually -attends- Comic Con instead of just jerking off about it.)
I’ve exchanged emails with Stephan Pastis. He’s as humble and gracious as he is talented.
Whereas BatDick is as arrogant and humorless as he is delusional about his abilities.
I think I exchanged emails with Stephan Pastis once, but I got nervous and never read his reply because I knew he was going to call me an unworthy n00b. Maybe I should have thought about that more.
UM, has Darin been getting cooking lessons from Mary Worth? What the hell is that green junk in the bowl?