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I closed my eyes.

There was a sound like that of the gentle closing of a portal as big as the sky, the great door of heaven being closed softly.
It was a grand AH-WHOOM.

I opened my eyes—and all the sea was ice-nine.

The moist green earth was a blue-white pearl.

Cat’s Cradle © 1963 by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

For Better or For Worse 9/3/07

Today is Fööberdämmerung — launch of the new, frozen phase of For Better or For Worse.

Well, so they say. In fact, the strip road-tested its “Mike ‘n’ Meredith” photo-reminiscence gimmick back in July — so nothing really begins today. And the current storylines, including the one with Canada’s Favourite Couple, won’t treacle out until early next year — so nothing ends, either. In fact, despite the announcements and interviews, there is no actual event here — it’s like Canadian Grandparents’ Day or something.

Whatever the timeline, I’m conflicted about the conversion of FOOB into a zombie/rerun hybrid:

 Gee!

But!

And Yikes!

Despite all the buildup, the FOOBocalypse turns out to be precisely nothing — perfectly congruent with the way the strip manages characters and events, and oddly satisfying.

AH-WHOOM

— Uncle Lumpy

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Fred Basset, 9/2/07

Comics don’t have to be funny.* I can’t remember ever laughing out loud at Fred Basset, but I nearly always smile. It’s something about Fred’s expressions, the comfortable way he gets along with his human family and canine friends, and his array of British virtues — mostly pluck. I’m a sucker for pluck.

Published since 1963, this strip has been in reruns since 1991, but you’d never know. It’s sweet, and sweetness lasts. Happy Sunday!

* Comics must, however, entertain. So, Mr. Tom Batuik, don’t think you and your dog’s breakfast are getting off the hook on Fred Basset’s coattails. No siree. And yeah, it’s a mixed metaphor. Wanna make something of it?

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— Uncle Lumpy

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Apartment 3G, 9/2/07

Oh, crap. Nora, here, who appears to be suffering from the same three-panel age acceleration as Tommie, looks like she’s becoming the focus of a Margo-related storyline. This means that for me to understand what’s going on with Margo, I need to pay attention to this person who looks just like her, but is deeply, profoundly, vastly more boring. Can anybody help? Somebody’s sister, and there’s a sick kid, and a drug addict with a gas leak? China, and some people there? Oh, crap.

Nice skeptical eye-rolling by Tommie ‘n’ Luann in #4, but this Nora thing, hmf.

The Phantom, 9/2/07

I’ll confess to letting ol’ Sunday Stripey slide a little after the Beryl Markham fantasy plot — hey, The Phantom has two separate plots to follow, okay? — but here it is in a nutshell: “Mumble mumble artifacts mumble not really grave-robbers mumble mumble that lady is pretty hot mumble heh heh guy’s making owl noises.” Phantom totally called him on it! NEXT!!!

Funky Winkerbean, 9/2/07

Well, at last here’s something I can understand. Having accepted Lisa’s imminent death just last night, Les is now working hard to bring it about. And he brought Darrin and little Summer along to help! Ah, the family that plays together. . . wait, that’s just not gonna work, is it?

— Uncle Lumpy