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Spider-Man, 11/6/11

Oh, man, this is pretty much my favorite kind of Spider-Man strip: one in which he’s insulted and humiliated in a vaguely sexual fashion. Sure, the whole thing about gaining Jameson’s trust with Spidey-hate makes zero sense, since every interaction between JJJ and Serra we’ve seen involves her defending him; still, if we can see Spider-Man cowering in chains at her high-heeled feet while she calls him a “costumed clown,” I’m a happy guy.

Judge Parker, 11/6/11

Since the Parker-Driver clan has basically unlimited wealth at its disposal, much of the drama of the strip revolves around how they can emotionally navigate their way through a life of obscene abundance. Sam manages through emotional deadness and a refusal to make genuine connections to his fellow human beings, a lesson he’s trying hard to pass on to Sophie before it’s too late. “Sure, I dropped a ludicrous amount of money on this stupid RV, but when I get bored with it, I can always sell it, or, worst case, set it on fire and then collect the insurance money. Do you plan to do the same with Derek? Let me know now if you do, because the lawyers we’d need for that are spendy, and I might have to move some money around to make that happen.”

Panel from Mary Worth, 11/6/11

Desperate to show that she still has some street cred after years as Ian’s trophy wife, Toby goes for the most awkward and ill-timed fist-bump in history as the waiter looks on in horror. “Yes, Mary, it’s time to get in touch with local law enforcement agencies! Come on, give me some daps.”

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Ziggy, 11/1/11

Oh, Ziggy, you keep making the mistake of thinking that you and your cold-blooded aquatic friend have any sort of shared values. We already know that he dreams bloodthirstily of the day when the mammals wipe each other out in a genocidal war, leaving the planet to him and his fishy compatriots. Thus it should come as no surprise that he’s pleased by the thought of a great flood rising up and wiping out all land-life, allowing him to happily swim about the rooms he can only dimly perceive from his bowl today. These “underwater homes” might be bad for you, Ziggy, but they’ll be very, very good for him!

Fortunately for us air-breathers, fish are still unable to fully grasp metaphors, which are our main tool for planetary domination.

Marmaduke, 11/1/11

Marmaduke of course dreams of sitting atop a throne of skulls as the demon-king of hell, so there’s actually a bit of pathos in seeing him woof out bluster from some ratty suburban armchair.

Spider-Man, 11/1/11

Whoah, has it been a while since we’ve seen the Amazing Spider-Man failing at something? Well, here you go! Ahh, that’s the stuff.

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Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, 10/20/11

I am 100 percent in favor of Snuffy Smith focusing less on chicken thievery and more on Lureen cutting a sexual swath through the male population of Hootin’ Holler. The nickname she’s chosen for her current beau is rather poignant; due to his ripe old age and her impoverished community’s rudimentary medical system, she probably doesn’t need to worry about this fling lasting very long, if you know what I mean.

Mary Worth, 10/20/11

Oh, good lord, Bobby does still love Gina, and now we’re going to get a week or two of strips dedicated to the two of them mewling rapturously about the glory and majesty of their affection for one another. Our only hope is that we suddenly switch to a different, more interesting plot — one that, say, explains how Inside the Actors Studio’s James Lipton lost it all and ended up working as a maitre d’ at a midscale restaurant in California.

Spider-Man, 10/20/11

“I mean, I’m really not the kind of guy people ‘like’ or ‘want to help in any way.’ What’s in it for her?”