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Mark Trail, 5/24/20

Hey, kids, you might think that Communism in general, and longtime Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party General Secretary János Kádár in particular, are pretty cool. But would any just political system have made these adorable fuzzy pigs into an endangered species? Say what you will about the authoritarian tendencies of current Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, but the mangalitsa is back, baby!

Funky Winkerbean, 5/24/20

The current story of Hollywood is that mid-budget movies have essentially ceased to exist, which means that directors usually leap directly from tiny indies to huge comic-book blockbusters; this has been the trajectory of Taika Waititi (who went from twee, offbeat New Zealand comedies to Thor: Ragnarok) and Colin Trevorrow (who made Safety Not Guaranteed for $750,000 and then did Jurassic World and almost got to do a Star Wars). But in the Funkyverse, where everything is backwards and people apparently find Les Moore not just likable but admirable, Mason is going to convince his pal to go the other way, from making millions from Starbuck Jones, an exciting movie that apparently many people enjoyed, to directing the maudlin, unwatchable Lisa’s Story, sure, why not!

Dennis the Menace, 5/24/20

Guys, today’s Dennis the Menace, in which Dennis never appears and his parents are the real dog-neglecting menace, tantalizes us with the vision of a version of this strip that’s just day after day of Mr. Wilson coming up with petty acts of revenge on everyone who’s ever wronged him, and honestly? I’ve never wanted anything more.

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Mark Trail, 5/23/20

“Well, of course, Mark, that’s understandable. But we’re not doing another camping trip for a couple of months. Maybe in the fall you might want to–”

“MY DOG, GEOFF. MY DOG ANDY. HE’S VERY BIG. MY CALENDAR IS EXTREMELY FULL, WITH ANDY TIME”

The Lockhorns, 5/23/20

Well, the online discourse that erupted after Martin Scorsese declared that Marvel movies aren’t cinema a few months ago has mostly died down, but Leroy? Leroy is ready to fan the flames again. Watch out, film Twitter!

Mary Worth, 5/23/20

“I can’t really explain it, but when I got to the airport in Santa Royale, the city where I grew up and where I go to college, I really felt like I was home! Probably because I live here, I guess. Oh, also Jared was there to drive me back to the condo or whatever.”

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Over the years, many have asked me: “Josh, when are you going to make your live comedy show, The Internet Read Aloud, available over the very internet that gives it its name?” Well, all it took was a global pandemic shutting down all live performances indefinitely, because now, two weeks from today: it’s happening, on Zoom, at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern!

How do you “attend” this show? Well, you’ll need a URL from me, which isn’t ready yet, and the easiest way to get it is to email me at jfruh@jfruh.com and I’ll put you on my list. (I won’t use use your email for any purpose other than letting you know about this specific show.) You can also say you’re going on Facebook, if that appeals to you!

I’ve never done anything like this before, so it’ll be a bit of an experiment, but there are four great comics on the bill and I’m very excited to try it out. So get hyped and I will hopefully “see” you “there”!

But something you can “see” right now with your own eyes is this week’s … comment of the week!

“‘When love is involved, quirks are viewed as charm,’ the star creature mused. It grimaced as it took another sip of the undiluted H20 chemical compound, but endured the discomfort. ‘Another fascinating aspect of your– I mean, our species. Please continue relating these insights about our breeding habits, Earth female Dawn.’ The being from the dark vastness suffered another sip of water for the sake of appearances. Once the secrets of human reproduction were learned, they could be subverted, and the eradication of mankind could proceed.” –jroggs

Your runners up are very funny as well!

“Personally, I would have never thought to have an eggplant-colored lamp next to a toothpaste-colored couch.” –Joe Blevins

“The joke doesn’t even work, as set up by the writer. Dustin starts by specifying that it’s a ringtone to each friend. Then before today’s installment is complete, it’s a ringtone to each phone number. Q: How many comic strip writers does it take to change a light bulb? A: Two — one for each bulb. It’s kind of like that.” –Glycyrrhiza Glabra

“Actually, Mary, it’s ‘Whom did you choose?’ I know that sounds wrong, but ‘I’m with Jared’ sounds a hell of a lot wronger.” –BigTed

“‘Several days later,’ because talking with Mary is an ordeal and is not something you want to do as soon as you step out of the airport.” –Ettorre

“So Margaret is continuing her remote schooling, as all public schoolchildren are required, while Dennis’s parents let him wander around the neighborhood, barging into people’s houses, all the while ignoring his own education? I’d say the apple doesn’t fall far from the menace tree.” –Lawyerbob

“Mrs. Mayor’s Mom is facepalming in that second panel. She can’t believe she has a child so stupid as not to realize that his ‘home-schooling’ will be done online, leaving him plenty of time to troll people with punny nicknames on a Milford subreddit.” –But What Do I Know?

The Turning Page should be a soap opera strip set in a boutique bookstore that inexplicably has a dozen sexy employees.” –RexDartEskimoPi, on Twitter

“You spent our life savings replacing your feet with those rocket boots, and they barely let you hover, Loretta! You’re what, an inch off the ground? That’s not Iron Man, Loretta, that’s just pathetic. Oh, the lawyer? He’s here to get you committed to the asylum.” –Voshkod

“Yeah, Buck — I gotta go lie down. You’re wearing me out. And call Doc Morgan — see if what I’ve got can be transmitted rectally, because you have been up my ass now for awhile.” –Old (Home) School Allie Cat

“The good news about today’s Hi & Lois is that it would be ridiculously outdated and out-of-touch even without a pandemic.” –2+2=7

“‘Geoff, your work has certainly made a difference tonight in all of these kids’ lives,’ says Mark Trail, in front of a smokey, burned-up forest.” –Clint Brawny

“I like it that the last panel makes it sound like those two facts are related: ‘Yes, with all that dead brush gone, this regenerated forest will make the perfect home for Kevin! Plenty of fresh shoots to graze on, fewer predators — he’s one lucky kid.’” –pugfuggly

“Trying to read Gil Thorp, but I keep getting distracted by how great a title Pardon My Funk, Coach would be a for a terrible 70s blaxploitation sports film.” –Schroduck

You’re a social creature, Mike. I recommend you go find the biggest anthill or beehive you can, and live there for the rest of your life. Once you gain the insects’ trust, they will welcome you into the colony with open, well, uh, legs but don’t take that in the wrong way.” –Emmet Pismire

“Pretty sure at least one of the kids has been shown playing with a hammer, so why not? Show him where you keep the ropes, the gasoline, the flamethrowers. The injuries that they themselves procure must be their schoolmasters.” –Artist formerly known as Ben

“‘You need to show your pre-verbal sibling the ropes,’ Grandma says for some reason that isn’t at all difficult to imagine. And Jeffy doesn’t understand this expression probably nobody has ever had occasion to say to him before! Ah, young children. They truly don’t have an experienced grasp of idioms.” –pachoo

“Dawn and Mary are talking like Jared is sitting across the the room with a gun forcing them to say nice things about him.” –DevOpsDad

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