Late Start

July 22, 1966

Well, the horses aren't worried at all. They are going to proudly, and angrily, run toward certain death.

Is this supposed to be General Custer? Good riddance, then.

Wilberforce isn't starting summer vacation until June 9th?! We started ours late because of our snow days, but we were still done before June. Barely.

You don't seem that sick since you are yelling from your room and down the stairs.

Such an Awkwardly Written Last Panel

June 24, 1966

There's a simple solution to this. Don't loan things out to your neighbor. They're your neighbor, not a friend. They may act all friendly and polite, but they'll report you to the city if your gutters so much as look at them funny.

Of course they all remember each other. They probably get together for lunch or something every couple weeks. Not to mention the trauma bond they all share.

Brutus Could Barely See the Parade Anyway

June 8, 1966

I'm going to assume that the joke for this strip is that he's an officer and has long forgotten what a lowly sailor likes or would want.

"Oh, Gob!"? Is this guy's name 'Gob'? As in, George Oscar Bluth as portrayed by Will Arnett in the cult favorite TV show Arrested Development? Does this lady know him or is Gob some sort of military codename?

July 4, 2011

Calm down. It's just a parade. Why can't Wilberforce just scoot past those four people?

When I first commented on this strip, I pointed out the person of color in the "crowd". That man would become Arnie, a beloved character who not only works with Brutus but also lives next door. Wait. Do all Veeblefester employees live in some sort of compound or enclave?

Actual Constructive Criticism

April 9, 1966

I think all naval mines are dangerous, I don't think we need the Imperial Japan flag on it.

Look, Brutus, I suggest you keep being the mediocre employee you are, because if you become good at your job, they will just make you work more or add stuff to your responsibilities for no extra money and that is just awful.

Times They Are A-Changing...

March 7, 1966

BOI-OI-OI-OI-OING!!

AWHOOOOO-GAAA!!

HOMINA-HOMINA-HOMINA!!

NYUCK-NYUCK-NYUCK!!

♡❤💓💖💝💜🩵💘💕💞🎔♡❣🩷💛💗💖💞💙🩶

If you squeeze the hot dog from the middle, how does it squirt out like that? And why is he holding it like that anyway? He's holding it like a hamburger.

"No, all the books have been banned, because when you really look into them, every book has something someone doesn't like."

Libraries have had computers for decades. My school got a computer for the library in 1989, I think. You could play "Oregon Trail", "Number Munchers", or some word or typing game I can't remember or find online right now. You got 20 minutes every month with a second person to play.

Wednesday...Uh, Something

January 13, 1966

That is a very long periscope. I'm also worried that if the rest of this submarine is anything like it's navigation system, then it's about to implode, crushing the occupants like those morons who tried to visit the Titanic.

It looks like Ruth is just by herself (kudos for Brutus for patronizing a small business) so 24 hours seems like a stretch. Even going to a dry cleaner chain getting 24 hours is difficult. I think you usually have to pay extra for that. I don't know. I don't dry clean anything anymore.

Ruth also looks very tired, so maybe calm your butt, Brutus.

Is...Is He Broken?

January 7, 1966

I love the idea that George Washington, a respected and admired leader who has been revered by many in this country for 235 years, absolutely hated being the general. And if he hated being general, then he probably hated being president as well. It's all gold.

Someone commented that maybe Brutus' job was due to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and I'm just like, DEI, I think, doesn't have anything to do hiring ignorant and stupid people. Also, Veeblefester would never implement DEI practices anyway.

I do like how we are showcasing Veeblefester as a terrible CEO at a time when CEO popularity is at an all-time low.

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.

I Don't Think It Requires Crying...

October 20, 1965

She even took all the furniture home to mother? She even had the floor waxed so I guess she's never coming back. She had a busy day.

Memorial Day is for those veterans who are no longer here--make sure you make that distinction or else you will get yelled at on social media. I'm sure Great-Grandpa Jim is very happy that Wilberforce is wearing the cap that he killed fitty men in. Such an honor.

Inner Dialogue

Fluppy Dogs was originally going to be the third animated series in what would become the famed The Disney Afternoon, but after a lackluster premiere--it first premiered on Thanksgiving 1986--Disney instead turned to focus on something called DuckTales.

September 24, 1965

Was he stationed at Fort Wadsworth? This guy's story is even more boring that you're imagining because if you read Fort Wadsworth's Wikipedia article, the World War II section is the shortest of the war sections. Even Fort Wadsworth dorks who would be keeping up with that article are all "1941-1945 was soooooo boring at Fort Wadsworth."

I feel this comic is directed entirely at me for commenting on the many, many, many times that Brutus (and other characters) talk to themselves. Well, this puts me in my place. I will never comment on the characters talking to themselves again.

Honestly, had I known talking to themselves was going to be a massive trope in this comic, I would've created a label for it.

Better, Better, Better

August 27, 1965

Those guns seem awfully close to him. I guess they want to make sure this guy dies despite the firing squad being the most reliable, quickest and possibly least painful way to be executed.

He should really be restrained.

How is Brutus so bad at his job? He's in sales. You make phone calls and send papers over to the accounting department--at least that's how it's shown in The Office. I have never and absolutely will never work in sales so all I learn about it is from pop culture.

Hope Veeblefester Doesn't Get Any Ideas

July 14, 1965

I do like how Art attempts to do something different. It'd be nice to see comic artist do different things these days but those newspaper comic panels are printed so small now, that drawing 20 pairs of footprints would be hard to understand.

I sincerely hope the menial task Brutus and Arnie are working on is putting the files in reverse alphabetical order. Meanwhile, "Hail to the Chief" drones on in the background.

It's Clear Today's Strip Was Made When Half the Country Was Under a Foot of Snow

June 25, 1965

Get your vaccinations, people!

At least they are in a submarine so the measles(?) outbreak can be contained. The general public is fine.

It's not funny, Mother Gargle. Brutus could've died.

I Used to Be With It

June 10, 1965

Your guess is as good as mine about this strip. Is it a large bird wearing a human skin suit? Is he wearing some sort of weird shoe? We may never know.

I don't like all the generational conflict that passes between the generations. We are all great in our own way and we all suck in our own way. I'm not going to take the bait of today's strip except to say that Brutus is Gen X.

Can You Backdate the Pink Slip?

June 9, 1965

You do not speak to George Washington like that! He is the Father of the Country and deserves respect! Although not too much respect because that's weird and he's not perfect and still problematic. Our leaders should not be untarnished because that is not how humans work and no one should be above legitimate criticism.

The painting was clearly focused on the time after Washington stopped stepping on this man's foot. I was originally going to say this man's name was probably William Cornelius Pierce Jellyby but I guess it's really Nathanael Greene.

I get the feeling that Veeblefester just hires people so he can fire them. I wonder if he allows them to collect their own belongings or does he have someone else do it thus leaving half their stuff still in their office or cubicle.

Restaurant Wednesday

June 4, 1965

Ha! He shot down one of his own people thus endangering not only the lives of his fellow men but the Allies as a whole! Ha!

I do not believe I've ever seen a swastika in a comic strip before. I mean, I don't think that's possible, but it's seems so jarring to me here. Maybe it's because there's six of them and not just one on a flag or something. But I am happy about the, at least, six dead Nazis.

June 5, 1965

Sure, it's a little in poor taste, but it's funny. I'm surprised Harold hasn't done this before. Maybe Clara is a new pig...

June 7, 1965

"Anticipation and excitement"? Calm down, sir, it's a suggestion box.

And if you are so gung ho about solving the water cooler dilemma (personally, I love water cooler talk) then why don't you figure out a solution?

January 22, 2024

Mr. Geste is good at his job. Brutus is not so of course he's not going to be treated like a rock star. I mean, Brutus is the star of a nationally syndicated comic strip and I never hear anything about it. It is a stalwart workhorse that never makes news. And it has me commenting on it nearly every day. Can't even get a decent person to make fun of it.

January 23, 2024

Kewpie when he/she wakes up.

Kewpie isn't even close to a sled dog. Quit making non-sled dogs sled dogs.

"Yeah, I guess you can. Will you also be getting an entrée? You will? Who am I to judge? Money is money."

Trout Scout

June 2, 1965

Uh-oh! Like the Custer strip from a week ago, someone's gonna die. Well, not Napoleon--he'll die in exile on the island of Saint Helena six years later, but about 25,000 of his soldiers will.

Is Napoleon a born loser? Maybe at this specific moment of time, but in general, no. I do think the title works better with a main character and not just randos dealing with one-off little foibles.

Brook trout was brought up back in November. WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THIS FISH?

And just because it's frozen doesn't mean it isn't fresh. You just want to leave fish you got that morning just laying out at room temperature? I don't. Although I would never order fish.

Jeans Day, Part 2

May 20, 1965

I've never been interested in the Battle of Little Bighorn. It's just never captured my attention like so much other history. Which is probably why I thought it took place in South Dakota when I looked it up. Nope. Montana. Huh.

When I was growing up, some of my favorite comic strips were ones that continued from day-to-day. Calvin floating up into the sky holding onto a balloon, the wacky misadventures of the Patterson family, even watching the Keanes go on road trips was exciting. My local paper didn't carry any of the soap opera strips so the crazy storylines of Rex Morgan, Mary Worth, and even Apartment 3G weren't on my radar back then.

I have a soft spot in my heart for things that end with 'to be continued'. It's that kind of stuff that keeps my attention. Keeps me tuning in. You probably remember the Disney Afternoon series Gargoyles and the 22-part "Avalon" storyline. That kept me tuning in every day after school.

Little Bit of Pie

May 14, 1965

Do a lot of military men call their old commanding officers and blew raspberries through the phone? Or is the joke that this guy (on either side of the phone) was an exceptionally terrible person?

I'll eat a mini apple pie whenever the hell I want. I'll eat a mini apple pie for breakfast, lunch, dinner, as a midnight snack, standing over your dead body, at your funeral, standing over your grave. I'll eat a mini apple pie whenever and wherever I want.

Are the Restaurants Even In Alphabetical Order?

December 23, 1975

Looking at him right now, no. Brutus never took shore leave.

I'm impressed that the uniform still mostly fits.

You should also have their websites saved in your bookmarks so you don't even need to save the numbers in your phone.

Lee Ho Fook sounds offense. Is it offensive?