Post Content

Dustin, 6/7/23

I would hesitate to ever say you have to hand it to the syndicated comic strip Dustin, but you do have to hand it to the syndicated comic strip Dustin for making even imaginary conversations both hostile and confusing. Like, the whole point is that the donut is begging Dustin’s dad to eat it, right? Like it’s talking about how much he wants it (nonsexually) and basically offering itself up to be devoured. So why would Dustin’s dad yell “So there!” rather than “You’re right!” or “Thank you!” or something? Have years of work in the legal system and/or dealing with Dustin left him unable to conceive of any interaction that isn’t at its root adversarial?

Dick Tracy, 6/7/23

I love the sweet innocence of the hiring manager here. “Oh, maybe she just forgot! Maybe she got distracted, didn’t put on shoes, and then went outside and either got in her car, which she uses her feet to operate, or maybe walked or got on a bus or subway, then walked into this building, and never at any point noticed that she didn’t have shoes on, as she was coming in for a job interview. That’s probably the most likely explanation.” Anyway, I guess I buy that if you hold “I worship Mother Earth and keep in touch with her” as a belief system, you might think you should go around barefoot, but I’m not sure why, if you think that Mother Earth can feel you through the depressing industrial carpet and the several layers of subflooring and foundation underneath this call center, throwing a comfy pair of Keds into the mix would really make all that much difference.

Post Content

Dennis the Menace, 6/4/23

Part of my whole shtick on this blog is making fun of comics that just do the same jokes over and over, which itself has become repetitive, so I guess I should cautiously give Dennis the Menace credit for trying something new today, though I’m not sure if having an ill-tempered little spat with a kid on an opposing baseball team really counts as “menacing.” Honestly it’s a lot more menacing that CJ’s dog and father-coach just kind of manifest themselves out of thin air on second base in the middle of play. Also, are we supposed to take from the final panel that Dennis’s team is being coached by Henry? If so, I think it’s a funny choice to not even show him, so we can imagine him looking genuinely hurt and saying “Hey, CJ, hey … that’s not cool, man. Come on.”

Marvin, 6/4/23

Similarly, I’ll give Marvin credit from taking a day from its primary obsession (pooping) and instead dwelling on a secondary obsession (the “family” in Marvin & Family is a complex web of relationships, many of which border on outright hatred).

Dick Tracy, 6/4/23

Sprocket Nitrate was introduced in this strip way back in 2014, and her shoelessness was part of her whole deal as a dirty hippie. That was a long time ago, and now it’s the year 2023, when you can absolutely just put things in the comics pages for people who like foot stuff, so now she’s cleaned up her act a bit and being barefoot is itself her whole deal, as we’ll be shown in multiple panels per strip. Anyway, I’m glad that today’s strip also caters to my particular sicko fetish (clean, efficient intercity passenger rail travel).

Six Chix, 6/4/23

I gotta say, in the category of truly deranged Six Chix strips, this is one that I liked. That lady’s friend succumbed to Birkenstocks! She succumbed to Birkenstocks and she fuckin’ died, it’s very funny to me.

Post Content

Gil Thorp, 6/3/23

Keri, I’m not really sure that you need preternatural powers of empathy to “sense of jealousy” from a guy whose dad is lavishing so much attention on another kid that he sullenly declares “dad has a new favorite son!” But, more to the point, Coach Luke’s Son Whose Name I Forget (is it Luke Jr.? let’s say that), could you go to Korea to play baseball and then be making wordplay in Korean after just a few weeks? No? Well, maybe that’s why you don’t measure up.

Dick Tracy, 6/3/23

Wow, looks like Dick Tracy’s unconstitutionally violent crime fighting techniques have been so effective that he’s going to be fighting phone crime now! Does the FCC let you shoot people? What if you really want to, like if the perp is real funny looking or something?

Marvin, 6/3/23

Ha ha, it’s funny because the fish feel trapped and they want to escape, even if that would result in their swift death! I mean, they’re characters in Marvin, who can blame them.