So Owen has been “replying” to those “restricted” text messages. Therefore, either a. in his own weird way, he’s been looking out for his friend, trying to prevent his heart from getting broken…or, b.: the promised same-sex-prom-date arc is underway!
Tag: Montoni's
Quarant'anni di Montoni's
Finally, a special occasion that actually deserves to be celebrated at Montoni’s. The joint hasn’t been this packed since Darin discovered breakfast pizza. Everybody’s here…of course, Becky and Wally have to slave away back in the kitchen, and Khan’s been a persona non grata since opening up his own eatery nearly a year ago. Holly and Donna are in the same shot, proving they are not the same person; ditto Summer and Pete (wasn’t he leaving town?). Dead Skunk Head John and Bull are either gazing lovingly at one another or have just finished sharing a joint.
General Foolishness
Beanie Wanker
March 27, 2012 at 9:54 am
So in Wankerville, Ahia, is Montoni’s the town restaurant, wedding chapel, city hall, morgue, comic book store/library (upstairs), church, and convention center?
…and video store. So Dinkle rented Patton on VHS? What’s funny about that? Sure, its opening theme is a stirring march (my own high school band played it, too). And Patton wore a uniform all the time, as did (and sometimes still does) Harry L. Dinkle the Band Director. But you think Dinkle’s tastes would run to something like The Music Man, or Stars and Stripes Forever. And that’s what Montoni’s calls a “large pizza”? The box isn’t much bigger than the box that the video’s in!
Has anybody else noticed this green Tupperware pitcher that keeps turning up in the Montoni’s scenes? I can’t be arsed to go back and find other instances, and it’s not gonna get its own tag (like Les’ yellow shirt, which he’s wearing again). But it does turn up regularly. Maybe it’s Montoni Sr.’s ashes. Or Funky’s stash of vodka and orange?
Hell in a Bucket
Crazy Harry: “Cool story, bro. Now get your ass behind that counter and rustle me up my free cup of coffee. This mail ain’t gonna deliver itself.”
Yes, Tony has long been known for his wacky marketing ideas. But maybe the world was ready for a Bucket of Pizza. Someone in Michigan apparently had the same idea…40 years ago…
Montoni Maternity
In case you’ve been wondering whether the 40th anniversary “flashbacks” are the actual vintage strips, today TB tips his hand. Compare today’s panel 2 (at left) to the original, taken from the archive page on the official FW site. 
It’s a shame, really, because you’d expect the redrawn version to be better than the original.
billytheskink
March 27, 2012 at 11:16 am
I kinda like seeing the old, original FW artwork. It was the closest thing this strip ever had to charm. It’s not entirely coincidence that the further TB moved from this artwork, the further the strip sank.
It’s natural for a cartoonist’s style to evolve, especially over four decades. But the “charm” that billytheskink mentions is absent in the redrawn version. Check out the facial expressions, Les’ comical posture, and the sweet checkered tablecloth. Compare both panels: imagine the dialogue balloon is not there, and consider which one still tells the story.
Son of Stuck Funky 
