Metapost: [COTW title TK]
Post Content
[insert vaguely topical joke leading into COTW here]
“The Perfesser seems to have an endless supply of uncles that he periodically kills for the sake of doing ‘bits’ with other people, his only real way of socially interacting with people. One day, unfortunately for him, Skyler will do the same with him.” –ectojazzmage
[continue on same riff while acknowledging that runners up are very funny here]
“But, confusingly, also a birdie.” –Roscoe
“The fact that Weirdly thought that simply demonstrating that he didn’t release his monstrosity on the innocent populace would absolve him of any guilt implies that the possession (and perhaps even creation) of such a creature is totally legal. When you consider that Weirdly has been making weird critters for years, it’s a sad indictment of the Forest Kingdom’s ability to pass important bioethics legislation. Only now that it has resulted in actual harm will anything get done, because as always, regulations are written in blood, or at least the tears of frightened rabbits.” –Vulpes
“To be fair, Marvin needs to change outfits three to four times a day on average thanks to his apocalyptic diaper blowouts; you can’t blame Jeff for not bothering to keep track.” –TheDiva
“Commissions, eh? Good thing Hank Harwood Jr. is too far away to see the art of someone’s furry OC getting eaten by an inflated Sonic the Hedgehog that ‘Horrible’ Hank Sr. is drawing for sweet sweet Patreon bucks!” –Schroduck
“See, this is what a good marriage is all about — teamwork. ‘I see you’re having trouble coming up with a punchline to that setup, honey. Let me help you out. Okay, that’s our work for today. I’m heading to the breakroom if you need me.’” –Joe Blevins
“What I wouldn’t give to have an all-powerful narration box in my life to come around, offer a reset, and provide me cover for when I’ve made a horrible narrative decision in my life. ‘Mighty Captain E sure made the wrong choice in that situation, but nobody witnessed that gaffe, so let’s just move on.’ Instead, my narration box constantly inserts itself in my brain to keep reminding me what a fool I am. ‘Oh boy, E sure screwed the pooch there. Let’s go over how many ways that will probably mess up his life.’” –The Mighty Captain E
“Are these two chuckleheads going to bomb a data center? Congratulations, Intelligent Life, for capturing my attention for the first and only time.” –Mr. A
“Now for the title change; I’m thinking Crank and the Shaft, where Crank and Shaft can be used interchangeably to refer to either man or robot.” –InvasionOfTheZIM
“Hank Sr. is a retired cartoonist so he must be LOADED. Can’t he just buy a small island to get away from Buck and watch A Minecraft Movie in peace? (I kid, this is Rex Morgan, M.D., where Boomers are most likely watching old Mexican luchador films.)” –Tabby Lavalamp
“I’m more concerned about the mere presence of bare feet. Is this part of standard of care for mental health now? Is Dr. Bonkus a psychia-podiatrist? I have so many questions!” –Scott Christian Simmons
“Unfortunately, the fastest lines at Costco are self-checkout, which don’t allow alcohol. So Leroy had to start over in a much longer one, because he knew he couldn’t get through the month without several giant bottles of Kirkland Signature American Vodka. I mean, look at him — he’s obviously so happy because he just got very drunk at an affordable price.” –BigTed
“Look how happy Nelly is now. This storyline started with Nelly hating everything about life, and now she has a reason to get up every morning and chat with her neighbors. What a heartwarming resolution!” –Nevin, on Patreon
“I like how that last panel implies that [blond child whose name I can’t remember] got Dustin a frozen dessert before breaking the news that he’s a moron. Just to let him down a bit easier.” –pugfuggly
“I’m glad Mary Worth is really putting in the shoe leather to show us this rumor spreading. A lesser comic strip would have four days’ worth of strips like this before deciding that we get the gist, but Mary Worth is dedicated to showing us each link in the rumor chain until every single Charterstonian knowns. Wake me up in three months when Wilbur lays flowers on Aldo’s grave and says, ‘Oh, by the way, Aldo, you’ll never guess who Mary’s been cavorting with…’” –Abram Beazer
“One thing’s for sure, the kid’s eyebrows are going to be on its hair.” –Peanut Gallery
“‘What have you heard, Alma?’ ‘The Charterstone condo board is making Professor Cameron wear a scarlet A!’” –Bob Tice
“Careful, Alma — when you tell a lie, your neck grows longer.” — Pozzo
“This is giving me mad, possibly Dutch, supervillain interrogated by French detective: ‘Ze gendarme will escort you to ze Palais de Justice Juvenile, where we have ze young m’sieur Orlov on suspicion of ze … how you say? Steroid abuse, oui. I will speak to Mr. Zhil Thor’ momentaire. Are you steel defiant, Coach?’” –I’m Not Cthulhu, But I Play Him On TV
“I don’t have time for this, Charles Bronson, I have to sing ‘Time Love and Tenderness’ at the Nobunga Casino in an hour!” –2+2=7
[cut and paste boilerplate on subscriptions here]
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23 replies to “Metapost: [COTW title TK]”
[Congratulation to CoTW, cut and paste winner’s name]
[Congratulations to runners up]
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
MKay
September 19th, 2026 at 4:58 am Reply
MW: When this comes to light, Ian won’t be able to help strutting a little. All of Charterstone believed he had a side chick!
Ukulele Ike
September 19th, 2026 at 7:23 am Reply
MW: Moy has taken it on herself to illustrate the old journalists’ adage “A rumor goes halfway around the world in the time it takes the truth to put on its pants one leg at a time.”
Professor Well Actually
September 19th, 2026 at 5:42 am Reply
MW: is there nobody at Charterstone who doesn’t care what Mary and Ian are doing with their nethers? And when does this rumor get to Jeff of the Blue Balls?
Charterstone: Dune
September 19th, 2026 at 6:26 am Reply
MW: Congratulations to Karen Moy for subverting or expectations in this increasingly grim turn in what was looking like a fairly banal “gossip is bad” plot. Not one of Mary’s “friends”—not one!—has gone to her to say, “Hey, people are talking shit about you.” Instead, they are all spreading the shit far and wide! Machiavelli asked, Is it better to be loved than feared, or feared than loved? Doesn’t matter here because Mary is clearly neither!
Little Blue Bicycle
September 19th, 2026 at 7:08 am Reply
MW: While Mary cultivates an aura of sage wisdom and respectability, every single person in Charterstone is immediately ready to believe that she’s boffing her best friend’s husband. Not even a blink. “Yeah Wilbur, she’s a ho. Always has been.”
Horace Broon
September 19th, 2026 at 10:55 am Reply
MW: While I still believe that Ian and Mary are planning Toby’s surprise party, the gossip chain makes me wonder who’s actually invited to it, if none of the other recurring characters know the truth? All Toby’s non-Charterstone friends that she’s gained through her teaching career or involvement in Santa Royale’s art scene? Haha, no, there’s no such people.
Hibbleton
September 19th, 2026 at 6:09 am Reply
FC: Thel takes the kids to Saturday morning Temple. “If Billy’s going to blaspheme, let it be to a God we don’t believe in.”
Marvin: Jeff gripes to son Marvin on his hands free cell about having to change a diaper as he waits out a very long traffic jam but seeing as he’s the lone occupant of his vehicle I say “That’s thinking ahead!”
Anonymous
September 19th, 2026 at 6:25 am Reply
Remember about 15 years ago when someone decided to edit Garfield comic strips to make it look like Jon was talking to himself and going crazy? They called it Garfield Minus Garfield and apparently people thought it was hilarious.
Now we have this Marvin comic about soiled diapers without Marvin actually being shown and nope it’s still not funny.
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
Buck Ripsnort
September 19th, 2026 at 6:15 am Reply
Pluggers: Pluggers think Steamboat Willy is erectile dysfunction caused by cheap waterway attractions.
James
September 19th, 2026 at 7:06 am Reply
From the look on that Plugger’s face she’s either post-coital, or she just had a really good BM
Anonymous
September 19th, 2026 at 7:11 am Reply
@James:
Why can’t it be both?
How is it that Pluggers made a cartoon about a person having cyclosporiasis and horrific diarrhea and then they made a cartoon about how terrible they smell and in the same week they managed to top both of those public humiliations and gave us this masterpiece of a little dog face woman. They couldn’t even draw her as a sexy chicken or something, they made her a fat slob who wears Costco Disney garbage and made her smile like she is releasing in her adult diaper.
Doug
September 19th, 2026 at 9:01 am Reply
Is the plugger lady wearing a bra?
Victor Von
September 19th, 2026 at 7:20 am Reply
“Riding’ with Steamboat Willy” is Plugger-speak for “getting extremely high.”
The Rambling Otter
September 19th, 2026 at 7:23 am Reply
I think Plugger lady with her long sagging boobs made me die a little inside.
Besides, Pluggers don’t shop at fancy conglomerates like Costco. They shop at cheap thrift stores and little store chains like “Giant Tiger ” (Mostly unknown to non-Canadians)
UncleJeff
September 19th, 2026 at 7:56 am Reply
Pluggers: in 2023, John Oliver advertised his show with Steamboat Willie logos and mascots with the phrase: “What Are You Gonna Do — Sue Us?”
Tabby Lavalamp
September 19th, 2026 at 8:46 am Reply
The apologies to Disney might be for having a flat image on a shirt that isn’t on a flat body.
BigTed
September 19th, 2026 at 11:01 am Reply
Hi and Lois: Now that everyone has discussed the appropriateness of wearing a sexy little black dress to a wedding, I’d like to point out that the only other choices in Lois’ closet are a sack-like purple thing, a red jumper with white polka-dots. . . and one item of apparel we can’t see, but I can only assume is an oversize Minnie Mouse T-shirt from Costco. The Flagstons may be house-rich and everything-else-poor, but Hi still shouldn’t begrudge his wife a single piece of decent clothing to wear when their couples’ pickleball classes finally pay off in a friendship.
Baja Gaijin
September 20th, 2026 at 4:33 am Reply
Rex Morgan: “What about the other residents of the town of Glenwood? We’ll see.” It doesn’t take a Nostradamus to predict an up-nose Buck Wise panel in the near future. OH NO!
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
Liam
September 20th, 2026 at 4:41 am Reply
Marvin-Uh shitty?
Rosstifer
September 20th, 2026 at 4:45 am Reply
I reject this Marvin. I refuse to believe that anyone likes this horrible shitbaby, especially his mother.
Hibbleton
September 20th, 2026 at 4:36 am Reply
Jeff digs his hole even deeper. “It’s brown, right?” Thinking why would you dress the kid in any other color.
Schroduck
September 20th, 2026 at 4:38 am Reply
Marvin literally only has one outfit, his parents never change him, and going from what we know about him, it’s probably drenched in urine and feces.
nescio
September 20th, 2026 at 4:54 am Reply
Typo in the last Marvin panel, Jeff’s response was supposed to be “Touched by shit.”
Bob Tice
September 20th, 2026 at 4:57 am Reply
Marvin:
Reading Marvin is like watching the movie Ishtar. Nothing about it is remotely funny or entertaining — and if you say to yourself, “Gosh, maybe I’ve missed something the first time around,” and you peek at it again, you reach the same conclusion.
J.J. O’Malley
September 20th, 2026 at 7:29 am Reply
Marvin: Jeff’s memory lapse is even more sad when one stops to consider that Marvin wears essentially the same outfit (red shirt with an “M” and white striping, blue pants or overalls) every furshlugginer day.
H&L: “Yeah, and Laura looks so different from all the other girls in our school…shoulder-length or longer hair, generally parted in the front, and identical trios of freckles on her cheeks. What are they all, Stepford Co-eds?”
MW: Monday’s strip will feature Saul spreading the news to Eve, who goes to see and tell Toby, who then rushes home to asks her husband, “Ian, have you heard about you and Mary?”
CanuckDownSouth
September 20th, 2026 at 5:03 am Reply
MW Interesting detail that Brigman added an apple snack to how Dawn delivers the gossip – making a parallel to the temptation of Eve? But I don’t think anyone buys that Charterstone was the garden of Eden paradise before Nelly’s whispering campaign.
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
I speak Jive
September 20th, 2026 at 8:27 am Reply
FC – A toddler sitting alone and unsupervised in a yard with no fence. Thel better hide those bottles quickly, because the neighbor is calling child protective services as we speak.
The Rambling Otter
September 20th, 2026 at 9:20 am Reply
FC: Instead of telling PJ to come inside, run over to him, pick him up and carry him to bed like a GOOD mother would.
“Oh, PJ isn’t coming… I did nothing and I’m all fresh out of ideas… might as well leave him to die out there.”
treetown
September 21st, 2026 at 5:27 am Reply
MW: Please let this amusing misunderstanding that on a tragic twist. Doctor Jeff finally catches word of that his “friend” Mary is stepping out on him. His sports car compensation, motor boat compensation and general angst over his masculinity boil over he challenges Ian to a duel.
I speak Jive
September 21st, 2026 at 8:24 am Reply
Mary Worth – Yes, this is definitely junior high school level drama. From the 1950s. “Ian and Mary were at the malt shop together while Toby was home watching American Bandstand!” As @treetown: pointed out, what happens when Dr. Jeff hears the rumor? Obviously, he will give Mary a note:
Who do you like? (Check one):
_ Me
_ Ian
2+2=7
September 21st, 2026 at 8:47 am Reply
MARY WORTH: Wow, all of Mary’s friends and neighbors don’t really know our gal at all, huh? Otherwise they’d realize that with Mary it’s only an “intimate encounters” if someone takes her to the Bum Boat (Mary’s motto: “You have to give her clams before she gives you clams”) That’s when you know it’s serious (by which, I mean a quick peck on the cheek. Ooh la la!)
Lauralot
September 21st, 2026 at 4:55 am Reply
MW: How is it possible to write a plot showing that none of Mary’s friends trust or respect her and still have it be this boring?
RMMD: I wonder if I could commission Beatty to draw something actually happening in this strip.
Six Nit Pix
September 21st, 2026 at 4:48 am Reply
RMMD: “The Morgans are safe without ever knowing they were in danger. They can sleep easy. Exactly as easy as they’ve been sleeping because, as I may have mentioned, they never knew they were in danger.”
pugfuggly
September 21st, 2026 at 4:50 am Reply
RMMD We now will now leave the previous nothing to bring you this new nothing, already in progress.
TheDiva
September 21st, 2026 at 5:09 am Reply
RMMD: Great, after we’ve spent a week checking on the completely uneventful life of the Morgans, we’re going to check in on all the completely uneventful lives of the supporting cast!
Ettorre
September 21st, 2026 at 5:47 am Reply
There is nothing funny about today’s Rex Morgan MD (like most days), so I’ll just use it as an excuse to quote The Onion: Old Man’s Son Also Old Man
Tabby Lavalamp
September 21st, 2026 at 5:57 am Reply
After threatening the readers with an exciting crime story, damn right Rex Morgan, M.D. put a stop to that before it could raise a single heart rate to bring us the sedate tale of an elderly man drawing. Get some rest now, the comic’s demographic, and maybe take a blood thinner. Everything’s okay now.
Peanut Gallery
September 21st, 2026 at 6:41 am Reply
RMMD – Gene Rayburn: “Horrible Hank was so horrible…”
Audience: “HOW HORRIBLE WAS HE?”
Rayburn: “He was so horrible that when he got a job as a syndicated cartoonist, they assigned him to BLANK.”
Contestant: “Rex Morgan, M.D.?”
Rayburn: “I believe you have hit on the definitive answer!”
The Mighty Captain E
September 21st, 2026 at 7:11 am Reply
RMMD – What I wouldn’t give to have an all-powerful narration box in my life to come around, offer a reset, and provide me cover for when I’ve made a horrible narrative decision in my life. “Mighty Captain E sure made the wrong choice in that situation, but nobody witnessed that gaffe, so let’s just move on.” Instead, my narration box constantly inserts itself in my brain to keep reminding me what a fool I am. “Oh boy, E sure screwed the pooch there. Let’s go over how many ways that will probably mess up his life.”
Guillermo el chiclero
September 21st, 2026 at 7:41 am Reply
RMMD:
What are you up to, Pop?
Learning to play Muddy Boots so your wife will shut the fuck up.
ectojazzmage
September 21st, 2026 at 9:01 am Reply
Rex Morgan: Oh God, Beatty please oh please don’t go circlejerking about your career through a stand-in like Tom Batiuk. You’ll be much happier if you don’t.
GarrisonSkunk
September 21st, 2026 at 9:34 am Reply
Sex Organ V.D. : “…….and the twins were arrested under the Constanza Ordinance of being in possession of a Big Salad™ you didn’t pay for,by….lets say, Moe….”
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
Roscoe
September 21st, 2026 at 6:14 am Reply
Garfield – “No, I’m just paying my annual tribute to how my namesake president spent the third Monday of September in 1881.”
Voshkod
September 21st, 2026 at 6:23 am Reply
It’s introduce new readers to Garfield week! Upcoming attractions!!
Tomorrow on Garfield: “I guess you like lasagna.”
Wednesday on Garfield: “I take it you know my girlfriend, Liz, is a veterinarian.”
Thursday on Garfield: “I suppose you’re not a fan of the dog, Odie.”
Friday on Garfield: “I guess you shipped the smaller cat, Nermal, to Abu Dhabi.”
Saturday on Garfield: “I see you’ve found Lyman’s shallow grave in the backyard.”
Artist formerly known as Ben
September 21st, 2026 at 7:55 am Reply
Hey, crazy that your cat seems to distinguish one day of the week from another and have a special dislike Mondays, huh? And it’s totally new information! Now hold onto your proverbial hat. I have a feeling you might be learning something incredible about Garfield and lasagna!
Hibbleton
September 21st, 2026 at 6:32 am Reply
Plugger bear man looks for his Hot Pocket and remembers his trip to the ATM. “Oh, shit”
WesC
September 21st, 2026 at 6:56 am Reply
9CL: Uh oh. A twin on her knees.
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
Hibbleton
September 21st, 2026 at 8:27 am Reply
JP: Randy eyes a braless Ann.
“How old really are you, Sis?”
“Fifty-two. Why?”
GarrisonSkunk
September 21st, 2026 at 9:49 am Reply
Slylick Fox And Comix For Kinky Kids: Too bad his editor made Mr Weber change the frog’s original statement, “Nice Bongos!”, and Cassandra, that “Basic Instinct” maneuver doesn’t work when you are wearing a prisoner’s jumper! Sly doesn’t have X-Ray vision!
Horace Broon
September 21st, 2026 at 10:06 am Reply
FC: Jeffy later confidently asserts “Before weathermen were on TV, they used to stand outside your window!”
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
Poteet
September 21st, 2026 at 11:18 am Reply
LUANN: Thinking of all the real women I know who are of grandmother age, I cannot imagine any of them shrieking “My baby’s having a baby!” Very fortunate, that’s how I feel.
2+2=7
September 21st, 2026 at 10:20 am Reply
LUANN: I still hate how overblown this whole arc is (it’s clear Greg and Karen think this is their “Dead Saint Lisa” Pulitzer bait) but I will give this some credit for some delicious (if unintentional) shade and backhanded compliments.
1) Nancy: “Toni I thought you were just some no-good slut trying to take my little boy’s ‘innocence’ until I realized that you were fertile enough to provide me a grandchild, so now I can stand you.”
Toni (proving that she mastered the art of Passive-Aggressive Kombat as well): “It’s been a two-way street. I used to think you were a bitch too.” (The two share a tender hug)
2) I love that even though the past couple of days have been about overwrought reactions, Luann’s is still considered utterly ridiculous, even in-universe (as I told the TruFans before, I could never been as mean-spirited to Luann as her own creators, no matter how hard I try.)
CanuckDownSouth
September 22nd, 2026 at 4:34 am Reply
MW Larry learned long ago to turn down his hearing aids around Nelly, so normally he’d just be able to smile and nod and go about his day. Unfortunately _all_ Charterstone devices are tuned be attentive to the key words indicating The Leader: Mary Worth – he will not only be forced to hear the rumour as it blasts at maximum volume, but having missed the first part he will get it horribly mangled, repeat it as something unforgivable, and end up in the cornfield
Jay Fawley
September 22nd, 2026 at 5:27 am Reply
MW: The joke’s on Nellie — the old guy has Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids and is blasting “96 Tears” by ? and the Mysterians.
MKay
September 22nd, 2026 at 5:35 am Reply
MW: I must say, Nellie could be a much more efficient yenta. Where’s the Charterstone online group chat? Advanced age is no excuse – I’m an old fart and I can do WhatsApp.
Lauralot
September 22nd, 2026 at 4:38 am Reply
MW: Fantastic. Now we have diverging paths of gossip. It will increase exponentially: four panels tomorrow, then eight, then sixteen, and on and on until they’re too small to make out individually, but together form the image of Nelly and her drag show eyebrows, smirking as she spills the tea.
RMMD: Is this week going to consist of Beatty blatantly soliciting commissions? “Folks, comic artists work so hard. They deserve your admiration, and most of all, your cash! Don’t you want a custom sketch of Fergus Murphy knocking muddy boots with Mae Mae Clodfelter?”
Liam
September 22nd, 2026 at 4:35 am Reply
RMMD-“Listen, Dad, it’s your income we are living off of so get back to work.”
Bob Tice
September 22nd, 2026 at 4:45 am Reply
RMMD:
“Son, this is my depiction of a stylized Comics Curmudgeon commenter — contemptuous; snarling; and holding a book that allows him or her to summon, and then inject, some kind of erudition into their comment so that they can act supercilious about it!”
Little Guy
September 22nd, 2026 at 5:08 am Reply
RxMD: Meanwhile, an evil socio-politico megaestablishment is plotting to use Gramps’ drawings to take over the town, but a butterfly will cause the scheme to fail, without the inhabitants even knowing.
Conynaut
September 22nd, 2026 at 9:52 am Reply
Rex Morgan, M.D.: It figures that Buck would be the one commissioning Hank Sr. to draw a bunch of porno of his classic (?) characters
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
TheDiva
September 22nd, 2026 at 5:14 am Reply
C’shaft: I realize the current US government is bent on destroying everything that made life even just a little more cleaner, healthier, and equitable for everyone, but last I checked they hadn’t yet got around to gutting the ADA…
TimP
September 22nd, 2026 at 5:25 am Reply
CS: It’s funny because reactionary and eugenicist forces in control of the local government are taking active steps towards eliminating accommodations for people with mobility issues. Shown offscreen: dozens of e-scooters strewn across those same sidewalks by private credit backed vultures seeking to further undermine mass transit.
Hibbleton
September 22nd, 2026 at 5:49 am Reply
CS: The nanny state has eliminated only those ramps which might lead one to roll accidentally to Crank’s house. The disabled have suffered enough.
Victor Von
September 22nd, 2026 at 5:52 am Reply
Crankshaft: Is the “joke” here Batiuk’s commentary on contemporary politics? The gummint stole the accessibility ramps last year, so was it a DOGE thing? Or does Crankshaft’s reality simply reflect his hatred of all things back at him? Is Ed’s negativity unmaking reality?
It’s probably the DOGE thing, right? It’s timely, but not so timely that it couldn’t accidentally wander into a contemporary comic strip.
a.
September 22nd, 2026 at 7:52 am Reply
Looking forward to Crankshaft’s anti-government crank era (drives a school bus loaded with fertilizer into the Centerville federal building).
Navigator
September 22nd, 2026 at 9:32 am Reply
The establishment was right about Zohran Mamdani! Clearly he’s been fixing accessibility ramps in effete New York so quickly by stealing them from real Americans like Crankshaft and Pizza Robot.
ValdVin
September 22nd, 2026 at 5:45 am Reply
GT: Good job, teach. You know, you don’t have to tell the entire class that the new kid is from your arch enemy. Dorothy isn’t a double agent who’s doing this to steal your coach’s playbook. Sometimes reality just intervenes with High School Sports, the Most Important Thing In The World.
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
Professor Well Actually
September 23rd, 2026 at 5:01 am Reply
MW: How come not one person has found the gossip hard to believe? Is Mary the Charterstone ride?
MW: there isn’t enough lubricant in Santa Royale to make it possible.
MW: when Mary is orgasmic does she scream “Oh Mary, oh Mary?”
Guillermo el chiclero
September 23rd, 2026 at 5:16 am Reply
MW: Nice of Burt Mustin to come back from the dead for a personal appearance.
Schroduck
September 23rd, 2026 at 4:43 am Reply
BB: “My biggest problem is I can’t help myself from looking up my patients’ skirts!”
Liam
September 23rd, 2026 at 4:56 am Reply
BB-Problem one. Ms. Buxley is wearing underwear.
Wry Cooter
September 23rd, 2026 at 9:20 am Reply
@Liam:
She’s wearing edible panties.
Tabby Lavalamp
September 23rd, 2026 at 5:54 am Reply
Why did she take her shoes off in the shrink’s office? Why is she there in the first place if everything’s okay? Look, this is Beetle Bailey It shouldn’t have more than one “WTF?” moment per strip, and we’re getting two in one panel? WTF?!?
Vulpes
September 23rd, 2026 at 6:19 am Reply
Beetle Bailey
Dr. Bonkus’s speech bubble appears to be coming out of his ass, and if Ms. Buxley is happy and well-adjusted right now, she probably won’t be after listening to an old man’s ass-problems.
Buck Ripsnort
September 23rd, 2026 at 9:51 am Reply
Beat-Off Buxley: “So unlike everyone else in this strip, you’re perfectly happy with no emotional problems. And you’re here to what? Rub it in my face? Better you should rub your FEET in my face!
No seriously, you’re already sticking your dirty, sweaty toes at my face, that’s obviously the whole reason for this set-up, right?”
BigTed
September 23rd, 2026 at 9:22 am Reply
Beetle Bailey: A TV website with a lot of content space to fill recently ran an article ranking the top walk-on characters on “MASH,” the 50-year-old sitcom about the Korean War. Number 1 was Dr. Sidney Freedman, the compassionate Army psychologist who had to keep his own sanity while dealing with traumatized soldiers and doctors who had seen too much. If such a character were sent stateside during a time of relative peace, would we really begrudge him a patient with Hot Lips looks and Klinger-style formalwear — whose worst issues were that her boyfriend sometimes had to stay late on KP duty, or that she had nothing to at work because her mentally iffy boss had been completely forgotten by the military establishment? At this point, the shrink’s own problems seem to come down to nothing more than a horribly ill-fitting uniform, so let him complain about that until the rest of their 50 minutes are up.
Lockhorns: Unfortunately, the fastest lines at Costco are self-checkout, which don’t allow alcohol. So Leroy had to start over in a much longer one, because he knew he couldn’t get through the month without several giant bottles of Kirkland Signature American Vodka. I mean, look at him — he’s obviously so happy because he just got very drunk at an affordable price..
Unca Bob
September 23rd, 2026 at 6:30 am Reply
Lockhorns: Move over Elaine, Leroy’s here to get this party going!
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
CanuckDownSouth
September 24th, 2026 at 4:32 am Reply
MW [shout] They’re spending a lot of TIME together if you know what I mean – I can’t say it explicitly because we are SHOUTING so that EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING CAN HEAR, because THAT”S THE WAY TO KEEP GOSSIP PRIVATE. [/shout]
SparkoHeaps
September 24th, 2026 at 4:47 am Reply
I keep hoping the gossip has never reached Toby because she is snugly tucked away in Jeff’s love nest.
TheDiva
September 24th, 2026 at 5:09 am Reply
MW: Larry here is patient zero for the game of telephone that this rumor will become. Eventually Mary will hear that “Barry Forbes very much harried Nina Carson by mending a plot of thyme.” If you know what I mean.
KMD
September 24th, 2026 at 5:42 am Reply
MW: Somewhere in that same building, Wilbur hears the news and raises his fist to curse God. “It should have me with Mary,” he bellows. “It should have been me.” The only person not concerned is Dr. Jeff. He knows Mary doesn’t put out.
Tabby Lavalamp
September 24th, 2026 at 6:02 am Reply
I will gain a whole new appreciation for the Mary Worth team if it turns out that Mary and Ian actually are fucking.
Hibbleton
September 24th, 2026 at 6:18 am Reply
@Tabby Lavalamp:
I will gain a whole new appreciation for the Mary Worth team if it turns out that Mary and Ian actually are fucking.
Harder! Harder! Yee-ouch! My hip! My hip!
Everybody Posts, Nobody Reads
September 24th, 2026 at 6:47 am Reply
MW: Mary and Ian are fucking. If you know what I mean.
Baja Gaijin
September 24th, 2026 at 4:33 am Reply
Luann: That’s our Bernice, the human black hole sucking all the joy out of the room. You do you, girl
Crankshaft: I’m sure Crankshaft’s no stranger to a, ahem, “droopy laserbeam” until he ordered some little blue pills from Bean’s End.
Scratchy’s Scrotums of the Week
CanuckDownSouth
September 25th, 2026 at 4:32 am Reply
MW “_Finally_” the fans think, “this plot will get going as Toby hears the rumour and either confronts Ian – or at least agonizes to the parrots who repeat it to Ian! Right?” Wrong! For Toby is concentrating too hard on getting inside as fast as possible, remaining oblivious even to shouted gossip, trying to outrace the celery’s power as it reaches for her underwear…
Charterstone: Dune
September 25th, 2026 at 4:45 am Reply
MW: Here’s Moy’s chance to do the funniest thing possible: Have Toby not give two shits about any of this obvious nonsense and move on a story about Cyclospora-contaminated celery. Now that’s something she’d give some shits about.
matt w
September 25th, 2026 at 4:35 am Reply
Oh, I hope Toby heard the whole first panel, and thought “Wait, she’s right! Mary sucks!”
The Rambling Otter
September 25th, 2026 at 4:58 am Reply
“Puts her two cents in other peoples’ business”
So the comic is admitting that Mary is a nosey busybody?
Ken
September 25th, 2026 at 5:11 am Reply
MW: I predict a week of Toby going from driveway to apartment, somehow not noticing as each group of people she passes falls silent and stares at her, then starts whispering when she’s almost out of range. Yes, it’s ridiculous in terms of plotting, but you must admit it’s on point for Toby’s character.
nescio
September 25th, 2026 at 5:19 am Reply
MW: All these gossiping biddies confused that Ian isn’t spending more time with his wife must not have ever spent time with Toby.
Ettorre
September 25th, 2026 at 5:31 am Reply
“He’s a married university teacher! You’d think he would be chasing very young students, instead he prefers old ladies. Weirdly, a point in his favour!”
Where’s Rocky?
September 25th, 2026 at 7:53 am Reply
MW. Fortunately, Toby is sufficiently confident in her marriage to Ian that she won’t immediately assume the worst and spiral into a pit of insecurity. I mean, it isn’t like she thought he’d divorce her over a parrot or anything!
Special Scrotal Awards to the Best No. 69 and Beyond of the Week
69. treetown
September 20th, 2026 at 10:09 am Reply
MW: Now that the gossip chain has reached Wilbur we have reached the criticality point.
69. Anonymous
September 21st, 2026 at 7:49 am Reply
RMMD– Damn! And here I was, hoping for an outbreak of Cyclospora, which would be traced back to Nick’s Diner! And the Morgans never suspected, because they’re so full of shit anyway!
69. Joe Blevins
September 23rd, 2026 at 8:44 am Reply
‘horns: The Lockhorns can afford a Costco membership? No wonder Leroy is strutting.
Special Scrotal Awards to the Best No. 69 and Beyond of the Week
cheech wizard
September 24th, 2026 at 7:54 am Reply
MW – “It means that old people can have sex, Larry! What are you doing tonight?”
Congratulations, ectojazzmage! Thanks, Scratchy!
Two Scrotes! I’ll be doing some scrachin’ tonight! Thanks, Scratchy!
Shadow COTW Contenders, Part 1
Bob Tice
September 19th, 2026 at 4:45 am Reply
Pluggers: Distaff pluggers dress so as to try to resemble their heroine “Madge” the Nail Technician from the Palmolive soap commercials.
Gil Bates
September 19th, 2026 at 4:49 am Reply
Pluggers: From her expression, it seems she nicknamed her personal massage device “Steamboat Willie”.
MKay
September 19th, 2026 at 4:58 am Reply
Mary Worth: When this comes to light, Ian won’t be able to help strutting a little. All of Charterstone believed he had a side chick!
The Quiet Man
September 19th, 2026 at 5:36 am Reply
Rex Morgan: Dinner will be ready soon, in the meantime keep practicing your awkward extraneous hand gestures!
Hibbleton
September 19th, 2026 at 6:28 am Reply
Family Circus: Thel takes the kids to Saturday morning Temple. “If Billy’s going to blaspheme, let it be to a God we don’t believe in.”
Hibbleton
September 19th, 2026 at 6:28 am Reply
Judge Parker: Noting all the yellow-spined books on the Judge’s shelves, I’m surprised Alan is not embarrassed by his …For Dummies series of law books.
Anonymous
September 19th, 2026 at 6:41 am Reply
Hi and Lois; Now that gay marriage is legal in the United States Hi has been reconsidering his own marriage. He only married a woman because society told him that he had to conform to what was acceptable at the time, Hi looks at Lois so happy in that dress and he isn’t sure if he should tell her he’s coming out of the closet or keep pretending he’s this boring middle age suburban dad when he wants desperately to embrace his true self.
James
September 19th, 2026 at 7:06 am Reply
Pluggers: From the look on that Plugger’s face she’s either post-coital, or she just had a really good BM.
Little Blue Bicycle
September 19th, 2026 at 7:08 am Reply
Mary Worth: While Mary cultivates an aura of sage wisdom and respectability, every single person in Charterstone is immediately ready to believe that she’s boffing her best friend’s husband. Not even a blink. “Yeah Wilbur, she’s a ho. Always has been.”
Victor Von
September 19th, 2026 at 7:20 am Reply
Pluggers: “Riding’ with Steamboat Willy” is Plugger-speak for “getting extremely high.”
2+2=7
September 19th, 2026 at 11:26 am Reply
Mary Worth: The most ridiculous and part of this storyline is not all of their friends immediately believing that Ian and Mary are having an affair (it wouldn’t even be believable if the rumor was that Mary was sleeping with her actual boyfriend), it’s that some stop to chat with Wilbur instead of quickly walking in the other direction once they see him.
GarrisonSkunk
September 19th, 2026 at 9:27 pm Reply
Dirk Twacy Hollistic Defective: “Calm down, Mrs.Peller and we’ll tell you where the beef went.”
Ettorre
September 20th, 2026 at 4:33 am Reply
Shoe: “Cosmo, I’m sorry about the loss of your uncle! Not sorry enough that I won’t eat him, though! I’m a vulture, after all.”
Liam
September 20th, 2026 at 4:42 am Reply
Shoe: “Tombstone? Hell no. I’ve already sold him to the Colonel.”
Bob Tice
September 20th, 2026 at 5:04 am Reply
Shoe: “Mort, why is it that every single conversation which ever takes place in this strip evokes the dour cynicism of Peggy Lee’s ‘Is That All There Is?’ ?”
Ettorre
September 20th, 2026 at 5:18 am Reply
Slylock Fox: “It escaped against my will, I’m not responsible for the crimes it committed”. I see that Weirdly has the same legal team as AI companies
The Rambling Otter
September 20th, 2026 at 6:59 am Reply
Slylock Fox: Besides, that monster is probably Rachel Rabbit after Weirdly did many horrifying experiments on her.
I see it as an improvement.
Shadow COTW Contenders, Part 2
Victor Von
September 20th, 2026 at 7:00 am Reply
Slylock Fox: Hoaxes are more Weirdly’s speed than genetic engineering. I suspect the monster is just a statue or puppet Weirdly slapped together out of whatever goop he had lying around.
I mean, its “horn” is a carrot! Come on, forest denizens, use your eyes!
Bob Tice
September 21st, 2026 at 4:31 am Reply
Rex Morgan: “Hey, Pop, what are you up to today?”
“Dashing off a few forgeries here…say, that Belluso fellow had the right idea!”
Bob Tice
September 21st, 2026 at 4:34 am Reply
Mary Worth: “Omigosh, Saul!…they’re drinking coffee using beans that the Hills Bros. rejected!”
Anonymous
September 21st, 2026 at 4:46 am Reply
Garfield: Wait, is this strip implying that in nearly 50 years, this is the FIRST time Jon has noticed that Garfield is upset on Mondays?
Lauralot
September 21st, 2026 at 4:55 am Reply
Mary Worth: How is it possible to write a plot showing that none of Mary’s friends trust or respect her and still have it be this boring?
nescio
September 21st, 2026 at 4:57 am Reply
Intelligent Life: “We need someone to break evil, Skip!!” sounds like a comment made right before an extremely smelly fart.
MKay
September 21st, 2026 at 5:21 am Reply
Rex Morgan: Up next: Something horrible DOESN’T happen to “Horrible Hank!”
Joe Blevins
September 21st, 2026 at 5:35 am Reply
Dick Tracy: Nice touch, having the Empire Carpet guy standing around in the background for all of this.
Hibbleton
September 21st, 2026 at 5:50 am Reply
Mary Worth: Olive receives news of the rumor telepathically through the dogs. Wisely, she relays the message to Toby via the talking parrots. Unfortunately, Toby doesn’t speak Spanish and the message goes unheeded.
[SQUAWK!] Your husband’s a louse. Your husband’s a louse. [SQUAWK!] (in Rioplatense Spanish)
[SQUAWK!] No, I don’t want another cracker! You effing dingbat![SQUAWK]
Ukulele Ike
September 21st, 2026 at 6:01 am Reply
Mary Worth: ”Really? Gee, it must be nice to randomly choose to go into a cafe and order a nice cup of coffee, maybe a piece of cake. Go to a restaurant, get a ham sandwich. WE can’t do that, because we insist on taking these DOGS along whenever we leave the house.”
Hibbleton
September 21st, 2026 at 6:14 am Reply
Family Circus: Dolly’s first mistake is not first explaining to Jeffy what’s a TV and what’s a window.
Scratchy Scrotum LXIX
September 21st, 2026 at 6:22 am Reply
Luann: So did Nancy really just say, “I thought you were a tramp and still think you’re a tramp but I finally figured out that my son, who has no self-esteem, desires a tramp so welcome to the family.”?
ValdVin
September 21st, 2026 at 7:22 am Reply
Snuffy Smith: “Citrus fruit? What’s that?” is what I expect from a place which is losing the War on Scurvy.
Scratchy Scrotum LXIX
September 22nd, 2026 at 4:33 am Reply
Mary Worth: Welcome, Larry. It’s so nice that Nelly Fenelli approaches the guy with the hearing aid and opens with, “Have you heard?”
Glarryg
September 22nd, 2026 at 4:43 am Reply
Be careful, Crankshaft: “sassy robot” is one step farther than “cousin Oliver” in terms of new characters. Your desperation is showing…
Bob Tice
September 22nd, 2026 at 4:45 am Reply
Rex Morgan: “Son, this is my depiction of a stylized Comics Curmudgeon commenter — contemptuous; snarling; and holding a book that allows him or her to summon, and then inject, some kind of erudition into their comment so that they can act supercilious about it!”
Artist formerly known as Ben
September 22nd, 2026 at 12:40 pm Reply
Phantom: I know the nightmare Phantom is supposed to have horns but they look more like Dagwood Bumstead hair.
A Grave Mind
September 23rd, 2026 at 4:33 am Reply
Alice: I like to think the caption is the TV speaking to them, Magic 8 Ball style. There’s no shows on it, just blurted out statements at their spoken questions and vagaries.
“What are we having for lunch?”
“CONCENTRATE AND ASK AGAIN.”
Shadow COTW Contenders, Part 3
Hibbleton
September 23rd, 2026 at 4:43 am Reply
Lockhorns: Zombie Leroy is such a loser instead of eating brains he does the funky chicken.
nescio
September 23rd, 2026 at 5:16 am Reply
Let me fix Alice:
Alice: “I forgot to renew my driver’s license”
Boyfriend: “Was that because your head is open and thoughts just fall out?”
Caption: IT WAS.
Mr. A
September 23rd, 2026 at 5:28 am Reply
Alice: I’m glad they didn’t show us the driver’s license. I don’t want to know what front-facing Alice looks like.
Voshkod
September 23rd, 2026 at 8:01 am Reply
Alice: “I forgot to renew my driver’s license. It doesn’t really matter, though. They told me I needed to wear glasses to drive, but the Dadaist optical shop closed down and the folks at Lens Crafters told me not to come back because I was giving them nightmares.”
Joe Blevins
September 23rd, 2026 at 8:44 am Reply
Beetle Bailey: Miss Buxley’s feet look like little Dilbert heads. There. I said it. Now you have to think about that.
Ukranazi Stepan
September 24th, 2026 at 7:59 am Reply
Curtis is not the comic strip that comes to mind when one thinks of buggery.
Philip
September 24th, 2026 at 8:29 am Reply
Mary Worth: This storyline of gossip is going on so long and worn so thin that I am referring to it as TMZzzzzzzz
BigTed
September 24th, 2026 at 9:36 am Reply
Mary Worth: “Charterstone Condo Board meeting agenda, Sept. 24: What to do about complaints that a resident has been standing in the lobby for 12 hours every day, blocking the mailboxes and haranguing everyone who comes in. We’ve asked Mary Worth and Ian Cameron to form an exploratory committee to deal with this issue. Pending medical approval, hiding psychiatric drugs in raisin muffins may be required.”
Anonyminimouse
September 24th, 2026 at 1:08 pm Reply
Beetle Bailey: The general’s desk always freaks me out. It looks like it’s decorated with the testicles of his enemies…
ValdVin
September 25th, 2026 at 4:27 am Reply
Snuffy Smith: Alton Brown would approve of Granny Creeps’ choice here. No unitaskers in her cave!
CanuckDownSouth
September 25th, 2026 at 4:32 am Reply
Mary Worth: “_Finally_” the fans think, “this plot will get going as Toby hears the rumour and either confronts Ian – or at least agonizes to the parrots who repeat it to Ian! Right?” Wrong! For Toby is concentrating too hard on getting inside as fast as possible, remaining oblivious even to shouted gossip, trying to outrace the celery’s power as it reaches for her underwear…
Hibbleton
September 25th, 2026 at 4:33 am Reply
Mary Worth: Ian did what?! And after I went through the trouble of getting this bag of groceries for our Art Frahm cosplay?
Charterstone: Dune
September 25th, 2026 at 4:45 am Reply
Mary Worth: Here’s Moy’s chance to do the funniest thing possible: Have Toby not give two shits about any of this obvious nonsense and move on a story about Cyclospora-contaminated celery. Now that’s something she’d give some shits about.
pugfuggly
September 25th, 2026 at 4:46 am Reply
Mary Worth: I never thought too much what Alma’s voice might sound like, but I’m definitely going to be hearing it in a movie trailer baritone from now on. ” She’s a widow who likes to put her two cents into other people’s affairs. He’s a married university prof. Together they’re…Biddy and Braggart!“
TheDiva
September 25th, 2026 at 5:09 am Reply
Gil Thorp: Is that hair on Coach Permawave’s head, or the straw the writers have stuffed him with?
nescio
September 25th, 2026 at 5:19 am Reply
Mary Worth: All these gossiping biddies confused that Ian isn’t spending more time with his wife must not have ever spent time with Toby.
Ettorre
September 25th, 2026 at 5:38 am Reply
Mary Worth: Remember, gossip might sound harmless fun, but it is dangerous for your soul and body. Look at Alma. She has whispered into the ears of so many people that she has lengthened her neck! Her head is basically escaping her torso, what is she, a giraffe?!
Tabby Lavalamp
September 25th, 2026 at 5:47 am Reply
Mary Worth: If gossip evolves into nothing more than accurate descriptions of two people, is it truly gossip? Alma’s just quoting from Charterstone’s Wiki now.
Lawyerbob
September 25th, 2026 at 6:01 am Reply
Gil Thorp: This artwork is proof that Pablo Picasso never died; he just went into the comics, where no one would look for him.
Hibbleton
September 25th, 2026 at 6:10 am Reply
Judge Parker: “If we argue, we fight. And if we fight, …you do know she kills people.”
Schroduck
September 25th, 2026 at 6:22 am Reply
Mary Worth: Mary’s safe for now. It’ll take at least two weeks for Toby’s brain to work out who “A widow who likes to put her two cents into other people’s business” refers to.
Ukulele Ike
September 25th, 2026 at 6:39 am Reply
Mary Worth: Alma’s not the only one with the screwy neck today. Charterstone residents are evolving to reach the tastiest sprouts on the tops of trees.
Peanut Gallery
September 25th, 2026 at 7:03 am Reply
Mary Worth: “They’ve been spotted together a lot lately. Last time, he got a leopard print and she got purple polka dots.”
Little Guy
September 25th, 2026 at 7:06 am Reply
Phantom: Kit probably learned to read upside down to solve the “Slylock Fox” mysteries before everyone else.
Thank you, Baja!
Shadow COTW
——————
Buck Ripsnort
September 19th, 2026 at 6:15 am Reply
Pluggers: Pluggers think “Steamboat Willy” is erectile dysfunction caused by cheap waterway attractions.
Thanks Scratchy and Baja, and congratulations to all the winners.
@Baja Gaijin: Thanks for the mentions, Baja and Scratchy!