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Comment of the Week

At least the panel reveals enough so that we can be reassured that at least Thirsty is wearing pants.

—Pozzo
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Disappointment after disappointment

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Pluggers, 6/18/25

“Wrongo!” my brain basically shouted at me the moment I read this panel. “Pluggers would not shop at Trader Joe’s, which is for young, hip urbanites! They would obviously choose Aldi’s side in the Brothers War!” But upon reflection, I’m not actually sure if that’s true. Trader Joe’s is a relatively cheap grocery store with whimsical decor. Sure, lots of people my age like it, but, let’s be real: I am beginning my sixth decade on this planet and that is prime plugger age. Many pluggers probably enjoy their various products! Certainly the ones in California! One must learn to adjust one’s knee-jerk opinions in the face of evidence, lest one become a plugger oneself.

Marvin, 6/18/25

It honestly would be pretty bleak if the “I [HEART] DADDY” mug that Jeff is drinking out of had actually been picked out for him by the son that he’s currently in the process of demonstrating his boundless contempt for. Fortunately, Marvin actually fully reciprocates this loathing; the mug was no doubt purchased by Jenny — not, sadly, as a sex thing, but rather in a last-ditch attempt to forge a bond between her husband and her son, neither of whom she feels particularly warmly towards herself.

The Lockhorns, 6/18/25

Aw, man, Leroy looks kind of sad here. He was honestly looking forward to getting all elaborately dressed up, burning some steaks, and then serving them up drenched in hard liquor for him and Loretta to eat outside together. But I guess yet another attempt to have a good time with his wife has failed to live up to her standards.

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Mostly one-panel menaces

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Heathcliff, 6/16/25

This is, of course, a hilarious joke about rectal thermometers, and I laud the strip for being subtle enough to not use the words “rectal” or “butthole” or anything like that. However, just to make sure you get the point, Heathcliff’s butt, hanging out the window for his protection, has been depicted in a subtle but still vividly shapely manner, with gentle curves letting us know that yes, the punchline of this panel is specifically about Heathcliff’s ass.

Herb and Jamaal, 6/16/25

Look, Jamaal, I’ve been frank and open about the fact that I too struggle with difficulty remembering the names of acquaintances, even when I remember so many stories about them and details of their lives that it would be extremely embarrassing to ask them, once again, what their name is. So I appreciate you trying out this little “life hack” here, but I don’t think it’s practical. Think of all the social interactions required just to ensure you both end up at the same coffee shop at the same time! Surely his name’s going to come up at some point in that process. So, I like your creativity, but let’s keep brainstorming on this.

Dennis the Menace, 6/16/25

Oh NO but your mom ISN’T HERE RIGHT NOW so he’s gonna DRIVE RIGHT INTO A WALL and you guys AREN’T EVEN IN CHILD SEATS, this is gonna be a BLOODBATH

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Dads, but no grads

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Blondie, 6/15/25

The Blondie deep lore is that back in the ’20s, Blondie was a flapper girl and Dagwood was the dissolute son of a millionaire, and he was disinherited for marrying her, and that’s all of course long forgotten now and they’re just normal suburbanites, but it is a little weird that Dagwood’s boss looks suspiciously like his long-vanished father. It’s weird, right? I think it’s kind of weird. Anyway, it’s even weirder that this strip is drawing attention to it, though I’m not sure if the implication is that Dagwood sought out this abusive boss in particular to work out his daddy issues or if something much more complex and dark is going on here, a scenario in which Dagwood’s father has taken on a whole new identity that can never be acknowledged just so the two of them can spend time together.

Dustin, 6/15/25

Obviously, Ed was never going to spend Father’s Day with Dustin, whom he profoundly dislikes. But I appreciate that today’s strip reminds us that really his entire family is just a nonstop source of multilayered shame for him.

Hi and Lois, 6/15/25

Why are you subjecting Thirsty to all this, Hi? This is exactly the kind of thing he opted out of fatherhood to avoid!