Post Content

Slylock Fox, 5/25/08

At last, Count Weirdly has hit upon a sinister plan that’s actually sinister, not just irritating: dropping Max and a bevy of decoy robo-Maxes out of the bomb bay of his WeirdlyJet! I don’t even want to imagine the dumber-vs.-dumbest adventure that must have led up to Max’s capture. Fortunately, Weirdly has forgotten the tails on his Maxdroids, because otherwise they are identical to the real thing in every respect — including their no doubt helpless mewling as they plummet to their deaths, and bowler hats that remain firmly in place, in violation of the laws of physics.

The sickest part, for me, is the vulture sitting on the WeirdlyJet’s nose, presumably waiting for Max to hit the ground with a splat so he can enjoy some lunch.

Meanwhile, over in the Six Differences, I like the happy expression on the frog’s face, as he silently salutes his crocodile brother, striking a blow for cold-blooded creatures against their mammalian oppressors.

Blondie, 5/25/08

I’m kind of charmed by Dagwood’s terrified retreat that finally leaves him standing in the empty bathtub, his last place of refuge (occasional incursions from his boss notwithstanding). I also like the fact that Daisy has followed the bickering couple upstairs, wearing a terrified expression that says “Why are male-person-who-feeds-me and female-person-who-feeds-me fighting? Why? Will this affect the frequency with which I’m fed?”

Dennis the Menace, 5/25/08

Gee, when it comes to questions about his past military service, Mr. Wilson seems to be protesting a little too much, complete with his trademarked creepy single bead of sweat. Is it possible that this whole “flat feet” story is just a front (after all, he did walk a mail route for thirty years) and that George Wilson was just too much of a coward to fight the Nazis/the Hun/the Spanish Menace/however the hell old he’s supposed to be?

Sally Forth, 5/25/08

My, the shape of Ted’s squirt gun certainly is … suggestive.

Post Content

Marmaduke, 5/23/08

Laughing at Momma was bad enough, but when I laughed at today’s Marmaduke, I knew that I should see a doctor. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I don’t really care for coffee, but would love a piping hot cup of gravy; or maybe it’s the fact that Marmaduke and his female owner look so chipper, while the bipedal man of the house looks like he spent the previous evening unconscious in a gutter after being viciously beaten.

Dennis the Menace, 5/23/08

If Joey and Dennis turn to cannibalism, it could make up for many, many years of non-menacing, I tell you what.

For Better Or Worse, 5/23/08

“Isn’t it nice to see guys express their physical love for one another, so they won’t bother us with their disgusting urges?”

Pluggers, 5/23/08

Hey, pluggers! If you spent a little time thinking about your appearance, maybe someone might want to have sex with you! Just a suggestion.

Post Content

For Better Or For Worse, 5/16/07

Many have pointed out that today’s patented forced FOOBish pun is extra forced, considering that Warren pilots aircraft that don’t have wings. But it actually led me to contemplate the origin of the turn of phrase. After all, it originally referred to a performer in a play, waiting offstage for their moment to come on; though we’re meant to think that every fictional character has a rich backstory when we don’t see them, the truth is that they really only exist when they’re on stage. Perhaps, like the title characters in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Warren is beginning to dimly realize that he’s just a ancillary character in somebody else’s story, that he exists only to reinforce the Inexplicable Irresistibility Of Liz, and that once he leaves he really will be doing nothing but waiting just off stage until he’s necessary for the story again. The fact that this strip seems to be his valedictory makes things all the more poignant: he knows, at some level, that he’s going to walk off panel and vanish into the narrative ether.

In other news, Warren’s facial expression in panel one is priceless. “Is … is she getting off on rubbing her face on my upper arm? What a weirdo! Gah, let go, woman!”

Beetle Bailey, 5/16/08

“Also, watch out for the horrifying, mutated alien cow-things. Do they eat human flesh? Who knows?”

Dennis the Menace, 5/16/08

America = freedom

Baseball = “America’s pastime”

Dennis hates baseball

Dennis hates freedom?

Dennis is a terrorist and/or communist?

Dennis is menacing?

Good enough. Tee time!