I've Never Seen You Leave Ohio

Pinkie Prim was a young girl cat clearly created to get little girls to read the comics in the newspaper. The strip was created by Dick Wood and ran from 1906 to early 1911. The strip was distributed by World Color Printing. World Color was founded in St. Louis in 1903 and was an early supporter of Krazy Kat creator George Herriman. World Color would then enter the comic book business in the 1930s, something that would continue for 50 more years including printing Marvel and DC comics. World Color is currently headquartered in Quebec.

May 11, 1986

This sounds annoying. My car screams at me too much. It yells at me when the car starts, when there's low fuel, when people aren't buckled in, when a tire is low, when someone is in my blind spot and my blinker is on, when I'm approaching the rear end of a car too fast, when there's ice over the front camera. The other day it yelled at me with something new: My key fob battery was low. At least these are just a series of dings and not some voice talking to me.

Oh, Wilberforce is in summer school? That sucks.

If a hurricane is a tropical cyclone over 75mph, then a tropical depression is a tropical cyclone under that speed. Is there a carbon monoxide leak in this house? Why has everyone been so stupid lately?

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Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope

November 19, 1965

I don't usually compliment this comic strip because it's usually so meh, but I do want to give credit where credit is due. I love the phrasing of this strip. "Me? Paint myself into a corner?", the scoffing noise, the seemingly sinister implications of "escape hatch" which is just the door leading out of the room. The dastardly set-up (for some reason) makes the joke of the strip even better. Take it down a few notches, Brutus. You remembered not to paint yourself into a corner. Congrats, you did the bare minimum.

I'm just imaging Brutus, who shouldn't want to talk to Mother Gargle in the first place, walking by and going "Hey, Mother Gargle. Not dead yet?" and getting more frustrated and louder each time he repeats it because she can't hear him.

Wilberforce, put your own damn clothes away. And scrub out your own skidmarks.

This is a weird question to ask in your own house. You hear someone talking then it is obviously one of the three people who live in your house. She should also be able to recognize her own husband's voice. Unless Brutus uses different voices when he talks to himself. If so, that's some very impressive insanity.

Ever since I left Twitter, I've been on all the other social networking sites, but none of them have come close to what I had on Twitter. I want to be able to step away but I have a website to think about. I guess I could just stop updating my website...

Hey, whatever gets you to show up.

I bet they didn't even catch a tire or a boot. That's how loser-y these two are. They are also so loser-y that maybe they caught malaria, West Nile, or Zika from those mosquitoes.

Basics? That's Everything!

Since summer started, I haven't been writing as much as I had planned. I had grand schemes to get to work on my next novel and my young adult novel, but it hasn't happened yet. It still might. I don't know. I think I take for granted how inspirational my students can actually be. Also, to be honest, much of my writing is to avoid doing my job. I'm hoping to do better and getting things done over the next month or so before having to go back to work.

But, even though I haven't been doing much writing, doesn't mean there isn't stuff to read if you haven't read them already. The focus this week is on Virgin Mari. Mari is a young woman who likes to have fun. When a mysterious voice tells her she'll die the next time she has sex, Mari attempts to change her lifestyle, but her life may be making a change she didn't expect. (Virgin Mari contains a lot of sex so reader discretion advised.)

I will be taking Monday through Wednesday off to focus on writing and outlining, along with submitting a couple more queries for my novel. I will be back on Thursday, playing catch-up.

March 30, 1986

I'm assuming the sweater doesn't have arm holes. It's hard to tell since the scan came out so dark. Since this comic also was published in March, we're getting into warmer weather where Brutus won't necessarily need a sweater.

He seems really excited in the sixth panel. A little too excited.

Where in all the posts about money does it claim that the Thornapples have enough to remodel the kitchen? I guess they could use the equity in their home or take out a second mortgage. Doesn't seem worth it though.

If you would like to support me or this website, you can buy me a cup of coffee over on Ko-fi. Until Thursday, I remain...

Green Yards of Arnie

November 18, 1965

We're getting our fairy tales crossed today.

This godmother has a wand, but neither wings nor floaty crowny things.

Even green is pushing it for me.

We have vines that grow everywhere that I have to trim and cut back. It's weird how I can completely cut the vines apart, yet they keep growing. Nature cannot be tamed.

Summer Boredom

November 17, 1965

Where'd this prisoner get a pickax? I understand letting prisoners have your basic hardware tools--hammers, screwdrivers, saws--because it just makes sense to have prisoners do the routine maintenance around the prison. What else are they doing? But pickaxes seems beyond what prisoners should be able to do. If I were in prison and you handed me a pickax, I would totally think "I wonder if I could escape using this".

Were the video games taken away? Doesn't Hattie begin her Most Dangerous Game contest around this time? Maybe they should make a movie!

Thursday Quickies

November 16, 1965

It probably wasn't a very good show anyway.

(The joke is he's there on the wrong day and tickets for tonight are sold out, right? Ha! What a loser!)

It's just a week of leftovers, isn't it?

Yum. Diner Seafood

November 15, 1965

Albert's just doing what kids do: Eating cake that has been left out on the table hours before it is actually needed. I feel we can assign blame equally in this comic.

If only he had cut the cake out of the middle...

I have a coworker who goes out to eat every day for lunch. Every. Day. He goes to McDonald's. Every. Day. I wish I could do that, but doesn't that get expensive? I also don't think he really cooks dinner. I think he eats out for every meal. Whatever. Not my place to judge.

I bring this up because Brutus eats at this diner (nearly?) every day and each visit is a new worse experience. Is there no where else to eat nearby? What does Brutus get out of this?

Kids These Days

November 13, 1965

Her head went through the steering wheel. I guess she's fine. I'm assuming the wreck happened right outside and involves a neighbor, which won't make going outside and doing yard work awkward at all.

Make it not 98 degrees by noon? That'd be the first thing I try.

Every summer I see people complaining about kids not playing outside. Kids play outside where I am. There's a group of kids playing outside as I'm writing this. I don't know what's wrong with your neighborhood where kids don't want to play. Those of you complaining about kids not playing outside, do you oppose every new park initiative and want everything kids could do to make money for the city? Do you call the police whenever you see more than three kids in a park? Maybe that's the problem.

He's Also Leaving an Hour Early

November 12, 1965

Damn, this computer got cocky. This is why every computer thing needs to run on batteries. That way if they start to take over the world, they will eventually run out of power. Like your robot vacuum that waits at the bottom of your stairs every night. Sooner or later it has to recharge which is why you are still alive and not a broken mess at the bottom of the stairs.

It's always a great idea to bring up your work performance to your boss. "Hey, boss, did you notice that I sucked less today?" Doesn't seem like a good career move.

Proud Pop and Son

I only have two videos up on YouTube which is probably two more than you would expect. My first video was a playthrough of the TaleSpin Tiger Electronic Handheld Game.

You can read about both the TaleSpin Nintendo game and the Tiger game here, along with watch the video.

Apparently a new TaleSpin series is currently in production (pre-production?) but that was revealed back in 2023 so who knows how far along it is. No one has called me and asked to help out on the series so who knows if it would be any good.

March 2, 1986

I do enjoy the turns of phrases that Art does. I need to remember this one if I ever become a boss and have a subpar employee that I want to vaguely insult but yet not fire.

I do want to slap that Rankin/Bass-looking Frosty the Snowman face off of Brutus in the first two panels.

Being a tea cozy salesman puts a roof over Wilberforce's head and food on the table--that Wilberforce may or may not be allowed to eat.

Look, I'm not especially feeling anything this year so I'm gonna wrap this up and let you enjoy the rest of your Sunday/Father's Day, before I snap and say something I regret. If you would like to support me or this website and help make my 2024 even slightly better, you can buy me a cup of coffee on Ko-fi.

Father's Day Plans

November 11, 1965

One piece suit? So where it looks like the jacket ends is really just like a skirt-like thing? I'd rather just wear a skirt--or a dress. They look so freeing.

Now we know why this specific week was chosen for this week of reruns. I am not a huge birthday or "your day" person. I feel like you should be honoring me everyday because I'm a damn delight.

I appreciate those parents who just want to lounge around and do absolutely nothing on these parent-specific days. Can I have just one day off from you howler monkeys? Thank you.

What was I on back in 2022?

Worthless Boy of Summer

November 10, 1965

Technically, if he were to take one of those "when will you die" quizzes, I bet it would say he's already dead. "Am I already dead?" "Oh, no. That would be terrible. It says next Thursday."

Are the Scandinavian countries different than Europe? Maybe she's just more excited about being alone with those Scandinavian men. Or Scandinavian ladies.

I'm impressed the coach puts Wilberforce up to bat so much. Even if there's a "each of your players have to be up at bat" rule, coaches usually put those kids in when the stakes are low--not five times. Although I've been following the Weasels for years now and the whole team is pretty awful.

2022.

Salad and Water...Again

November 9, 1965

Is there something funnier about being bad at playing the saxophone? Is it because of I Love Lucy? Is it just funnier because it's a squawky, annoying musical instrument when played poorly? That woman on the right is not having any of this. She is seething at looking at that saxophone.

You could put some ham or grilled chicken in that salad. I'd even take a couple hard-boiled eggs. Oh, well. I guess I'll just be hungry when it's time to go to bed.

2022.

Let Me Count the Ways

November 8, 1965

Cherry trees are typically your smaller trees so chopping them down is usually not a problem. If you want to emulate made-up tales of George Washington, do not chop down giant oak trees near houses.

I'm guessing Emily is his wife or something. Neither heard the repetitive chopping?

There is nothing more I can add to this strip. Mother Gargle hates Brutus. Mother Gargle hates Wilberforce. Mother Gargle probably hates all the readers of this strip. Especially you.

I'd Rather Eat Than Watch Baseball

November 5, 1965

Extrafabulous Comics

Why is the admiral using untoward language? If he were a pirate, I'd understand, but an admiral should be showing a modicum of decorum and respect, not screaming obscenities at his crew. I'd refuse to work, too.

Someone in the comments asked what the joke was. There's no halftime in baseball, in case anyone here didn't know that.

Is Brutus really watching baseball? Because I've watched baseball and nothing that ever happens in that game screams "edge of your seat action".

From 2022.

Time for a Summer Break?

November 4, 1965

This is partly on the boss. Why are you just standing behind the door? It's kind of your fault your head broke the window.

Rerun! So I guess we're done here. I'm sure more than his legs are asleep so I'll just leave them alone to enjoy that feeling. See you tomorrow!

Tea Cozies Have Engineers?

February 23, 1986

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Never be nice to anybody.

Was that not the bus Brutus wanted to take? Did bus stops used to have multiple buses at one stop? The man even puts his hand out like he's hailing a cab. What is going on?

I get not inviting the schlubs that work in the factory/warehouse to this staff meeting, but only nine people work upstairs? I mean, I guess so. Once again using television as my guide, only 15 people worked upstairs at Dunder Mifflin--16 when Darrell got promoted. I'm guessing that Dougan is the Toby of the group.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, contact a trusted person or the National Suicide Hotline at 988. If you would like to support me or this website, you can buy me a cup of coffee over on Ko-fi.

Did Brutus Actually Make Hot Fudge or Was It Just Chocolate Syrup?

November 3, 1965

I am perpetually baffled by the moustache(?) a lot of these characters have. Those are moustaches, right? Here and here. I doubt they looked much better in the actual paper. They also seem to come from the nostrils, not from under the nose. Maybe they are just weird design choices that didn't scan correctly. It bothers me.

We do pickup for our groceries so what we get is determined by whatever poor employee gets our order. We ordered cookies and cream ice cream and when I bit into it, it tasted funny. Turns out it was light ice cream. It was disgusting and made me want to kill myself. Have all the fat or be nothing.

Hard of Hearing

November 2, 1965

Who's making toys of proto-Brutus Thornapple? I mean, I'd take one. I think modern Brutus Thornapple would make a good stress ball. The people at GoComics merchandising should get on that. They'll get my $10-15.

Anyone remember that movie where Jackie Gleason buys Richard Pryor to be a toy for his son? Will this end up being like that, only less racist?

As long as Mother Gargle can see Brutus' reactions to her dickery, she'll be fine.