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Gil Thorp, 11/13/24

Oh yeah, remember Coach Perm Gerads, who briefly seemed like he might be Gil’s new nemesis but then he got beat up by his own students? Well, this sent him on a downward spiral into madness that delivered him here, his perm now stringy and wild, promising to eat a shoe for the amusement of the sort of layabouts and yahoos who watch local TV during the middle of the day. Gil at one point was doing his own ads for this used car impresario, and if you need to know what this Valley Conference grandee thinks of the relative strengths of the Goshen and Milford squads, run the numbers on the proposed trade here: if Goshen wins, Fox promises to reduce their revenues by 50% indefinitely, which would swiftly bankrupt the dealership, and if Milford wins, Coach Gerards will livestream himself doing something humiliating, which will cost Fox nothing and also bring new subscribers to the dealership’s various social channels.

Judge Parker, 11/13/24

I would’ve thought that Problematic Age Gap Discourse was very late 2023/early 2024, but apparently we’re going to get some in Judge Parker, which is fine because I find Glen’s facial expression in panel one very amusing. Also I will note that he is supposed to be in his early 20s and has shown up for his date with his college sophomore girlfriend wearing a grey suit jacket and a white dress shirt, which may signal a Problematic Coolness Gap that the stubble simply cannot mitigate.

Gasoline Alley, 11/13/24

I feel like “Look at Saturn’s rings while you can, kids!” is a pretty ominous statement, like it clearly implies that this is the last they’ll see of them, and the final panel really doesn’t fully walk it back. What does Arty the AI know about certain Events that will happen in the next twelve months that will result in these children, and possibly the rest of our species, never seeing Saturn’s rings again? Guess we’ll find out, haha!

Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, 11/13/24

Finally, after nearly 80 years, “Bunky” has returned to this strip. Who knows what sort of wild, exciting gags this will provide opportunities for? [LITERALLY ONE DAY LATER] Hey, you guys heard about this pumpkin spice stuff? You heard about this?

Dennis the Menace, 11/13/24

Aw, look at Martha’s face! Even after all these years she’s tickled by George’s bullshit. I think it’s sweet!

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Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, 11/12/24

As we move inexorably into a post-newspaper world, we do have to ask ourselves: who are the comics, as a genre and as individual strips, for, exactly? Primarily, they are for me, so I can continue to make fun of them on this blog, so I have to thank everyone involved for doing this for me personally and, downstream from that, for you, my faithful readers. But also they are for (and I suppose there is some overlap with the previous answer) weird comic strip obsessives who love the obscure history of this medium. This is a group that Dick Tracy has been pursuing with gusto for some time; Barney Google and Snuffy Smith is the second-oldest newspaper strip running, just a few months behind Gasoline Alley, so why shouldn’t they get in on the game? Why shouldn’t they bring back Bunky, the main character of a BG&SS “topper” strip that ran from 1927 to 1948? Is a new generation ready for the antics of a “strangely erudite newborn,” or at least ready to nod sagely and say “I understood that reference?” Only one way to find out!

Daddy Daze, 11/12/24

Speaking of strangely erudite newborns, I find the Daddy Daze daddy’s little smile in the final panel profoundly sad. Look, man, you know the “ba”s don’t mean anything, right? You only imbue them with semantic content because you spend all your time with a preverbal infant and are desperately lonely and understimulated, and fantasizing that you have bested this imaginary version of your child in a battle of wits is one of the most poignant and pathetic things I’ve ever seen.

Mary Worth, 11/12/24

Speaking of poignant and pathetic things, I’ll never get tired of Dr. Jeff just kind of hinting that he’d like to marry Mary and getting immediately shot down. Mary has it good now, meaning that she is no way legally responsible for the loan and insurance payments on this ridiculous boat, and she’d frankly like to keep it that way.

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Blondie, 11/11/24

Remember just weeks ago, when Dagwood dismissed the pumpkin spice concept, now in its second decade, as a mere passing craze? Well, apparently he’s finally taken a single sip of a chain coffee shop’s pumpkin spice latte and now? Now he can’t get enough. It’s no longer a goofy, female-coded trend that Dagwood as a middle-aged suburbanite chuckles at with amusement: now it’s associated with the consumption of foodstuffs, triggering the most primal urges of Dagwood the endlessly insatiable Appetite.

Rex Morgan, M.D., 11/11/24

Remember a few years back, when Mud was Truck’s rival for Wanda’s affections? Well, now he’s been thoroughly brainwashed and those days are long behind him, to the extent that he’s now learned about Truck and Wanda’s engagement and only feels overwhelming tenderness for the two of them and wants the best for their future happiness. I swear that panel two here is the closest I’ve ever seen to someone with heart eyes without actually having hearts drawn in their eyes.

Gil Thorp, 11/11/24

Remember last month, when Gil had a massive heart attack, from coaching stress? Gil does! Gil would rather not have another one. And sure, his assistant coaches simply cannot coax wins out of the Mudlarks, but was Gil ever that good at coaxing wins out of his team, really? Something to think about as he takes a long, luxurious sip of coffee. You know, it really is better when you make it in a French press, but who has the time? Well, Gil does, now!

Mary Worth, 11/11/24

Remember when Estelle and Ed got married, just last week? Well, Dr. Jeff doesn’t think they’re going to last. Just a gut feeling he has, mostly based on their fundamental incompatibility and the way they used Mary’s trite advice to paper over a big gulf in what they expect out of a relationship. We’ll see, though! Ha ha!

Marvin, 11/11/24

Remember in 1776, when the U.S. threw off the yoke of British rule? Well, Marvin clearly doesn’t, as his new boat pledges allegiance to His Majesty Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Honestly, it makes me sick.