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You guys! As you may have heard, this past Saturday, for only the second time in recorded human history, I emerged from my hidey-hole to interact with readers at a scheduled event, in person! This glorious happening happened in our nation’s capital, and the organizational efforts were entirely on the part of faithful reader Bourbon Babe, unbuckled, with whom I actually got to drink bourbon! I had a great time, and was even gifted with a special purple lorikeet-themed t-shirt, from faithful reader Écureuil Écumant! (Mr. É-É also sported a genuine Dr. Jeff Corey-style green suit jacket for the occasion.) Other attendees included faithful readers Miss Othmar (and her son!), Mooncattie, Wossname, Seismic-2, Perkybird (and Mr. Perkybird!), The Ridger, Paul, Spunkyzoo (aka Susie), and Razmytaz and his wife and son! (And I think that’s it? Write me if I’ve left you out!) You should check out the Flickr photo sets of the event from Bourbon Babe and Mooncattie to see not only the event itself but the outing to the zoo organized earlier. If you need any incentive to look at these pictures, I have one thing to say to you: Rusty’s head on a stick.

Thanks to everybody who came out! (And special thanks to the Perkybirds who went totally out of their way to drive me back to my DC friends’ house, as the Washington Metro Red Line was undergoing track work and was apparently quite the fright.)

And now: your COMMENT OF THE WEEK!

“Poor Lu Ann. She finally gets up the courage to give Margo ‘the finger’, without ever realizing it’s a specific finger, and that isn’t it.” –Concrete Queen

And the runners up! Quite amusing!

“I’m starting to think that Curtis’s hat isn’t a conscious decision on his part, but maybe some kind of Flyspeck Island cursed artifact that’s attached to his head, constantly making him look like a moron. Look at panel 3, where he eyes his eternal punishment wearily.” –Taquelli

“Luann: ‘Something came up.’ ‘Something? Like…?’ ‘Something like MY PENIS! Bahahaha!! …Seriously, though, I can’t make it.'” –Austria

“I love how Mark specifically tells Rusty, ‘You’re not going to rest until Sassy comes home.’ Had there been more room for dialogue, I’m sure that Mark would have added, ‘As for me, well, I’m gonna look for half an hour, forty-five minutes tops. Then I have to hit the hay, ’cause tomorrow I’m gonna have a long day of acting like I can see what’s different about Cherry’s hairstyle.'” –The Poster with No Name

“Going by the Shirt-Off-Yore-Back Feller’s appearance, I’d guess the M is for Manscaping.” –Red Greenback

“Today’s Luann wins the award for the worst sexual metaphor ever. The phrase ‘Could you freeze my goodies’ should be forever outlawed by the Geneva Sexy-Talk Convention.” –Stu

“I don’t think those are shoulder pads. I’m not an oncologist, but I think I know a malignant clavicle when I see it.” –wagmore barkless

“Dennis the Menace has shown young Dennis praying at his bedside for decades, but I don’t know that they’ve ever explicitly told us he was praying to God.” –Ed Dravecky

“I’m imagining the visual of a scrapbooking party in the Funkyverse. ‘Take the picture of your dead wife/attempted suicide/failed business venture and paste it onto the colored paper. Now delicately sprinkle the page with your tears. Don’t forget to take this out to scare off any of your offspring’s potential mates!'” –Dr. Dread

“Speaking of which, Mary might take a page from one of the Five Books of Moses, who A) was a humble and reluctant leader, B) learned that the Hebrews could be helped only when ready to help themselves, and C) rarely if ever wore a neckerchief.” –Comics Fan

“Q: What do Pluggers have in common with Mark Trail? A: Dog hairs and skid marks.” –Ned Ryerson

“Nothing more romantic than a road flare lit dinner for two.” –zerowolf

“Dolly asks a legitimate question. When Daddy is under the weather, he is sick. When Daddy is flying over the weather, he is high.” –survivor

“By ‘X-pensive,’ Cosmo means ‘thinking about porn’ — hence his posture in front of the TV, lack of pants, and surprised expression.” –Uncle Lumpy

“9 Chickweed Lane, October 30th, 2009: ‘Juliette, did I ever tell you how I met and fell in love with your father?’ 9 Chickweed Lane, May 24th, 2010: ‘–he mounted me again. Our sweaty bodies were writhing and grinding as he rhythmically thrusted his–‘ ‘Will you look at the time! Mom, I … I really need to go.'” –Push Trot

“Slylock’s normal mystery has been replaced by an annoying numerical mystery that only a meth head could solve. ‘Is it 15 spiders or only 14? In all this excitement, I can’t tell. You’ve got to ask yourself one question: do you feel delusional? Well, do you?!'” –Jumper

Big thanks to everyone who put cash in my tip jar! And we must of course give thanks to our advertisers:

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To find out more about how you could be thanked in this spot, and more about sponsoring this site’s RSS feed, click here.

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Your COTW coming in a moment, but first: It’s another podcast starring your favorite blogger (assuming that I’m your favorite blogger, which I OBVIOUSLY AM). I did the War Rocket Ajax podcast with comics bloggers Euge Ahn and Chris Sims. We discuss, among other things, our secret love for Curtis, and fought our way through various technical difficulties. I even took questions from the newfangled Twitter machine. Good times!

And now, your COMMENT OF THE WEEK!

“You gotta admire Peter Parker. It takes a lot of skill, determination, dedication, and guts to watch as much TV as he does and still be unable to work the remote buttons with one hand.” –Dragon of Life

And the runners up! Very hilarious!

“Mark Trail has got to be Monday’s funniest comic strip. Look at Sassy run from Rusty and his terrible, perverted promises!” –sloopygoop

“It appears to be a fashion frump-off. Who can have the highest neckline?” –Rusty

“Peter is going to surprise MJ by going to his wife’s show instead of watching TV all night? Who is he trying to fool? Kudos though on setting the marital bar so low that any effort to care about MJ gets you showered with sex.” –Shawn S.

“‘Too close’ to Marvin means ‘within smelling distance’. So … pretty far, actually.” –Sue D. Nymme

“I’ll surprise MJ by finally pretending to show interest in something that she does. I truly AM a hero … now for my morning bowl of gin and breadcrumbs.” –Cooler King

“What’s that can in Peter’s hand? Is it a special energy drink for whiners?” –Artist formerly known as Ben

“The rain is just a red herring. Dennis is holding a newspaper over his head, asking if he can stay with Mr. Wilson until the inevitable demise of print media. Luckily, that will happen well before the thunderstorm is over.” –Patrick

“Am I the only one who gets that Margo, in order to set an example, is going to assault Lu Ann using sticks and stones?” –Push Trot

“The intimate moment between skilled farmer and nostalgic cow would be easier to bear without the two pairs of eyes staring directly into my soul, probing me for judgment. You will find none here, you two, continue for all time.” –Nachos Supreme

“I fear that the terrible green shirt in Mary Worth is headed for the ‘keep’ pile. Oh Mary, haven’t you hurt Bonnie enough?” –Les of the Jungle Patrol

“I completely connect with the Senator’s need to announce the vague details of his job. Many’s the time I stopped by the local watering hole, proudly held my finger aloft, and said ‘I delivered educational instruction to fourth graders today!’ Then an old guy talks about poop.” –salmo

“You know what would be a really funny Luann strip? Quinn: ‘So, tomorrow we’ll both get naked and I’ll thrust my penis into your vagina repeatedly until I ejaculate.’ Luann: ‘Be sure to stimulate my clitoris so I have an orgasm.’ Tiffany walks in and for some reason gets the mistaken idea that Luann & Quinn are planning on having sex. Hilarity ensues.” –Nekrotzar

“Luann’s eyes have always looked like a Muppet’s eyes to me. Vacant, soulless Muppet eyes.” –Josh N.

“If this storyline follows the Trail template, the overalled driver’s next move will be to break into a closed store to get some kind of canine first-aid kit. Meanwhile, Mark will punch the horse because its face is hairy.” –Steve S.

“Since there are no bottles at the ‘British Pub,’ should we assume that the Bloody Mary will actually be made from blood?” –Digger

“I find it fascinating that the Gossip Fence in Hootin’ Holler is constructed merely by threading its railings through holes that have been cut into the uprights, whereas the barrette in Elviney’s pony-tail appears to be firmly riveted into place, if not in fact anchored in reinforced concrete.” –seismic-2

“The one-on-one intervention in Mary Worth has clearly been harrowing on our helmet-haired protagonist. She may look as fresh and put-together as always, but her usual icy rictus grin can’t hide her visibly missing index finger, no doubt bitten off by Bonnie when Mary tried to take the former’s credit cards.” –Paddy

“The letter M on the runner’s cap marks how far he got in learnin’ the alphabet before he had to quit school. Since he made it into the double digits (13 letters!), he is alternately feared and mocked as the community’s sole interlekchual.” –boojum

Big thanks to everyone who put cash in my tip jar! And here’s where we might be giving thanks to advertisers like you! To find out more about how you could be thanked in this spot, and more about sponsoring this site’s RSS feed, click here.

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Your comments of the week momentarily, but first: EXCITING NEWS! As you may know if you follow along with these sorts of things in the comments and/or forums, Mid-Atlanticon, a meetup of readers in the greater Potomac/Chesapeake region, has been in the works for a while now, and the details are at least ready to unleash upon a waiting world! On Saturday, May 22, 6 p.m., dinner and drinks will be happening at the Capitol City Brewing Co., right next door to Union Station in D.C.! And who will be drinking and dining among attendees? Me, that’s who. Also, there is a zoo excursion in the works in the afternoon (which I will unfortunately not be able to attend). Details are here in the forums. If you’re coming to the dinner part, please e-mail faithful reader and tireless meetup organizer bourbon babe, unbuckled ASAP at bourbonbabeunbuckled@yahoo.com so she can get an accurate headcount to the restaurant. So excited to see you all!

Also! Faithful reader rocketbride points out that you can bid on an original work of For Better Or For Worse Art! Three days left and it’s a steal at $71! If you want to see have an original panel where John slavers over the prospect of adding more trains to his model railroading empire and, like, frame it, or burn it, or something, go nuts. Proceeds go to the Doug Wright Awards, which recognize Canadian cartoonists. There’s actually a whole bunch of Canadian art being auctioned, including this super-rad Wonder Woman comic from the super-rad Kate Beaton!

And now, your super-rad comment of the week!

“I love Sabretooth’s exaggerated dash away from the scene in the last panel just when things are finally going his way. You can almost hear him giggling as he takes off. ‘Yeah! Take that, SOCIETY! I’m totally blogging about this!'” –Bryan Bryan

And runners-up! Very funny!

“If you rolled unmodified 3s in intelligence, dexterity, and charisma, you’re a plugger. You are required to make a daily saving throw vs. spontaneous organ failure.” –One-eyed Wolfdog

“Timmy, Timmy, Timmy — sure Olivia put up with your ‘it’s okay to touch it, we’re “married”’ for a little while, but the girl’s got prospects. She can’t wait around for you to get taller and wear less stupid hats forever.” –Megan (Best of Fates)

“Perhaps Sabretooth’s greatest ability is matching his sound effects with his own description of what he’s doing. Playing golf with him is probably a lot of fun for maybe two or three holes.” –Oavis

“Cherry’s expression in that ‘Get my hair done’ panel makes her look like she banged her head on the countertop after her usual breakfast of corn flakes swimming in vodka and lightly sprinkled with crushed Valium.” –Paul1963

“‘Getting my hair done’ is just Cherry’s code phrase for ‘getting the physical attention I desperately need, and that my husband will not provide, from Gus the gas station cashier.’ Mark’s unexpected pronouncement that he will be home for a while left her with no time to call Gus and cancel their standing Tuesday afternoon rendezvous. Fortunately, Mark will not notice that she did not actually get her hair done.” –Brian

“I hate to be catty, but what the hell is Cherry going to do to that hair that hasn’t already been done?” –mustang

“I haven’t really been following this Mark Trail storyline, so can someone fill me in on the plot points that led to an ad hoc contest for the best sexual euphemism for masturbation?” –Jester

“Are we talking about the same person? ’Cause the Lu Ann I know can barely master the intricacies of converting oxygen into carbon dioxide. If you get my drift. Which she wouldn’t.” –boojum

“I sure hope that the ‘Sassy runs off without her collar’ storyline will be settled with violence, or at least a board meeting.” –chrishocker

“The fact that Jules can make shoes that drive a man mad is an interesting plot twist. Perhaps — I hope — Judge Parker is about to move down into Lovecraftian terror, as Jules finally cobbles together that one pair of shoes that not only drives you mad, but summons the Great Old Ones from beyond? Those rugose, squamous shoes that you can hear walking across the floor in the small spaces of the night, echoing footfalls of gods of madness. It will end with murder, unspeakable depravity, and finally purifying fire. And Sam Driver will watch it all with his arms crossed and a smug expression.” –Vosh

“Honestly, this will just recycle the Rusty is nearly killed by a station wagon story we saw 30 years 6 months ago. The set up is exactly the same. Just replace ‘station wagon’ with ‘horse’: (1) Mark works on something that isn’t safe for young kids to be near; (2) Sassy runs towards the danger; (3) Rusty follows; (4) Mark yells; ‘No’ or ‘Look out’; (5) Rusty gets stuck; (6) Mark saves Rusty; (7) Rusty forgives Sassy; (8) Sassy wonders how she was foiled yet again.” –Thomas B.

“I don’t want to criticize you. I just want you to understand that you’re wrong! Horribly, horribly wrong!” –LaurenM

“Mary’s look of absolute panic in panel 1, combined with her submissive ‘I surrender’ pose, makes this entire storyline worthwhile. For a split second, Mary remembers: ‘Oh, yeah, I’m alone in the apartment of a crazy lady — one of those hot-blooded gingers, no less — and no one knows that I’m here. Maybe I’ll just give her $40 and run for the door.’ Between the first and second panels, Mary regains her smug superiority because she remembers that she’s invincible.” –Joe Blevins

“I was puzzled as to why Jack was so shamelessly kissing Margo’s ass until I got to the last panel, where it was revealed that Margo had a viselike grip on Jack’s hand the whole time, ready to snap off a finger at the first hint of anything that’s not complete compliance. ‘Don’t we always agree, Jack,’ indeed.” –Lawyerbob

“Mark Trail remains a seamless blend of new delights and old standbys; reading it is like pulling the middle lever on the soft-serve ice cream machine (when the left is ‘poo’ and the right is ‘horror’).” –Dragon of Life

“Tommie doesn’t understand why Margo and Lu Ann are fighting, but she instinctively understands it may be interesting and she has no place being part of that.” –Chip Whittle

“Pluggers may not have deep pockets, but their vacant, heavy-lidded staring at the ground indicates they sure are high.” –Keratacon

Big thanks to everyone who put cash in my tip jar! And we must of course give thanks to our advertisers:

• A Taint in the Blood: From New York Times bestselling author S.M. Stirling! Wealthy and reclusive, Adrian Breeze possesses an ancient and secret power. Having rebelled against his own kind to live as a human, he’s been summoned to battle dark forces — including those in his own blood…

To find out more about how you could be thanked in this spot, and more about sponsoring this site’s RSS feed, click here.