Tag: technology

Fill Harris

There’s no preview available for tonight but it’s not like we’re going to leave Montoni’s My-Tunes recommendation discussion for something more interesting like, say, how Summer is doing in college. So here is today’s strip for those of you still hanging around!

It occurred to me this whole week like like closing time at a bar when they turn on the lights and play terrible music to try and get everyone to leave. I’ve seen adult-situation pr0n of Heathcliff. It’ll take more than a lame storyline to scare this snarker off.

heathcliffmovie

                               For the love of God, put some pants on!

The Blue Bird of Hideousness

Link to today’s strip.

Tom Batiuk’s slipping–there are barely any signs that Becky only has one arm.  Someone who has never read the strip before would not get that information from today’s offering.

Harry Dinkle is one of those characters that I loathe–in my ranking he’s just below Les.  Yet I don’t hate him in today’s episode.  I think that’s because he’s substituted his typical sneering condescension with genuine bafflement; instead of finding someway to insult Twitter and its users, he simply admits he has no use for them and lets it go at that.  (Of course, it wouldn’t be Funky Winkerbean without smirking condescension, so Batiuk gives the line to Becky.)

So, a Funky Winkerbean first–the only appearance thus far of Dinkle where my revulsion didn’t kick in instinctively.

That blue Dinkle-Twitter abomination on the other hand…wow, somebody had a really bad acid trip.  I think I saw that thing chasing the Beatles around Pepperland.

Thus ends my time in the chair.  I thank you for your wit and indulgence, and ask that you give it up for the fabulous DavidO!

Pitching A Snit

Hey, have you ever wondered what goes on with band kids in the summers, before Lefty gets ahold of the big-and-brassy, loud-and-flashy, Westview High School Scapegoat marching band? Well then, today’s strip is for you! Turns out there is no “before”, as Lefty asserts year-round control of the extracurricular lives of several dozen high school students.

Looks like Owen is still a member of the band, entering what I think is his fourth senior year at WHS. To the surprise of no one, he still has not gotten any better at playing or maintaining his trumpet.

But, unfortunately, it is Dinkle who is the focus of this strip. I do not like these characters in the least, but I do think the punchline is a step above terrible. What is not, however, is the entire set up, which is utterly destroyed by a small piece of artwork.

It makes next to no sense for Dinkle to be so upset that Lefty’s multifunction battery-operated device (smartphone) can perform the function of his single-function battery-operated device (pitch tuner). That small box he is holding, with its clearly discernible button and speaker grate, is a fairly accurate depiction of an electronic pitch tuner. This is “old-fashioned”? No. No it is not. NOT. AT. ALL.

What would be “old-fashioned” would be a tuning fork, or one of those little round harmonica things that telegram messengers in movies from the 1940s blow into before they sing. Had TB drawn either one of those, this strip would have been a far less infuriating read.

Anyways, thanks for putting up with me for a fortnight. BC, I believe, takes over tomorrow. No, not that one, the funny one.

Bores!

Link to today’s strip.

Well, those of you who thought we were going to get more of Les’ genius today are in for a real treat!  Because we don’t.

Instead, we have two boring characters chattering in an episode where the drawing is utterly irrelevant.  The only thing of note is how Pete’s happy(esque) expression immediately morphs into a weary mask when his own work is brought up.  Darin must know how much Pete hates his own stuff, as he lights up a rather predatory grin when switching subjects.

I can’t imagine why Tom Batiuk thinks we care at all about The Amazing Mister Sponge.  So far as I am aware, we’ve never been allowed a single peek at the character, so we know it has to be underwhelming.  Instead, we’re given a scene of two minor, dull characters talking about him.  Wow, talk about action-packed.  

And another week of crashing boredom gets fully under way.