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Spider-Man, 9/2/11

Since we last met our heroic caped webbed crusader, beloved super-spouse MJ has decided to get in on the petulant whining that appears to be her husband’s main joy in life, taking as her theme the Bugle reporter whose refusal to condemn Spider-Man has led to a rather transparent spider-crush on Peter’s part. However, it appears that Serra (is this how the kids are spelling “Sarah” these days? ugh, I hate the future) has traded in her mild affection towards the superhero for journalistic glory; in panel two, we see that J. Jonah Jameson has given her bylines and photo credits at almost the same font size as the banner headline, and all she had to do was fall in line with the publication’s strident anti-Spider-Man stance.

Panel one is notable in that the artist actually takes seriously the notion that MJ is toddling around the apartment wearing spiked heels and skin-tight capri pants, and took the time contemplate how a person so dressed might bend down to pick something up off the floor. (The answer: very carefully.)

Crankshaft, 9/2/11

So, is … is that other lady all right? The one who got hit in the head, with the ball? Enh, never mind her, let’s all just bask smugly in some important lessons about sportsmanship.

Six Chix, 9/2/11

Ho ho, it appears that this woman’s mafioso lover has murdered each of her six husbands in turn! How delightfully droll! We can all relate to this hilHOLY CRAP THAT HAND ON HER SHOULDER ISN’T ATTACHED TO ANYTHING AHHH AHHH AHHH

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Who knew that all this time the Funkyverse was working on a full-on multi-temporal synch-up of (I assume, but it’s a pretty safe assumption) gloom and death? Just as 10 years ago (or 20, or however many years separate Crankshaft and Funky) Cayla accidentally caused permanent brain damage to her opponent, so too in the present will … something bad happen! I think I speak for everyone everywhere when I say that I’m rooting for a repeat of the past and hope that Les will be concussed to death, or at least have his jaw broken so severely that he’ll be permanently unable to smirk. My biggest fear is of course that the scenario will be reversed and that Les will somehow manage to kill Cayla. Having lost two life partners to tragedy, his suffering will escalate to such repulsively high levels that it will tear a hole in the fabric of space and time.

Apartment 3-G, 8/31/11

“Quickly, girl! Are you a gold digger? Are you a whore? Are you barren? I’m old and dying, I’ve got no time for niceties!”

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Gil Thorp, 8/29/11

Call it foolish optimism if you must, but despite years of decidedly non-wacky Gil Thorp plots, my heart races a bit as each new season dawns, as I anticipate some glorious insanity to come. If I’m interpreting the first two panels correctly, I may be in luck: it appears that a pair of space aliens have arrived in Milford, determined to infiltrate the hu-man society via the high school athletics activity that seems so important to the Earth dwellers. These beings have chosen the name “Abro,” which is almost but not quite like one that humans would use. “Off to the junior high school?” asks the mother-unit, her use of definite articles just a smidge off. “Come back before the cows come home!” she adds, her use of folksy sayings significantly wider from the mark. “What cows?” asks her “son” “Brody,” who’s too busy fishing his football from the Plaything Materializer to grapple with the niceties of the locals’ English.

Meanwhile (or as the narration box would have it, “while”) at Gil’s, some poor kid who’s come looking for advice and mentorship has worn out his welcome. “Of course you have to go, Mark. Stop apologizing! Seriously, just get the fuck out.”

Slylock Fox, 8/29/11

And the best candidate for the long undersea mission is … the panda? Because he doesn’t mind loneliness? How about, oh, I don’t know, the damn fish? The Ocean Research Institute could save an awful lot of money on supplies if it hired a researcher who doesn’t require a separate oxygen tank. “Please, pick me!” the fish begs with its eyes. “Or at least throw me back in the water! For the love of God, I’m suffocating out here!”

Crankshaft, 8/29/11

As predicted, “Special Collectors Edition Crankshaft: Cayla’s Origin Revealed!” has in fact revealed the origin of Cayla’s baffling attraction to Les: She accidentally killed someone during a softball game, and, wracked by guilt as a result, came to believe that she doesn’t deserve any kind of happiness in life.

Narration box from Judge Parker, 8/29/11

This is pretty much the most believable narration box in a soap opera strip that I’ve seen. I too would be surprised to hear that someone likes the idea of buying a motor home!