Is That Keyboard to a Commodore64?

May 3, 1987

If you can't make out what Gladys is saying, and I could barely make it out, there are still some parts that I'm like, "What is this word supposed to be?", Gladys is talking to Doris about Claudia whose husband went to Pittsburg with his secretary. Don't worry, Claudia took him back despite her mother's objections.

Did Brutus disconnect the phone because Gladys was tying up the phone or was the phone always disconnected and Gladys just didn't notice? If it's the former, that's abuse and Gladys should be talking to Doris about that.

I only found one instance of this happening, but it's weird it happened, now, twice, right?

Look, I understand things can happen on the way to work making you late, but it constantly happening is something you need be talked to about. Brutus is clearly late because he sleeps too long, takes too long to get ready, then blames city transit for his failure. Not knowing what day it is is probably also a problem. He should talk to a doctor about that.

Despite The Born Loser being in reruns for the last week, there was a new post yesterday about the Felix the Cat Nintendo game. Check out some cute screenshots and download it for your own console.

If you would like to support me or this website, you can throw some money at one of the sites in the Support page above. I start back to work this week so posts will go back to being at the end of the day. Thanks for your readership.

Friday Quickies

August 12, 1966

I think Brutus is going to go bowling anyway.

The best thing about the good old days? When he had rules and law in relation to the government.

Is This About My Car Warranty?

July 28, 1966

When I first read this comic, I thought that was a porthole in the background, like on a ship. "That must be how the burglar got in", I thought. But then I thought it was weird that no one mentions being on a boat then I realized it was an open safe.

Can you untie proto-Brutus while on the phone talking to your mother? Someone should probably get ahold of the police.

Why are you even answering your phone? Are you that desperate for human contact, Brutus?

Phone Bemoan

from Heathcliffcomix Instagram

The boys all just came from running over Garfield. What's Scratchy doing here? He's not a comic strip character.

January 11, 1987

I guess building a snowman is a young man's game? I don't know. I've never built or helped build a snowman in my life.

Why is Brutus sitting on the giant snowball?

He should memorize a number or two. Businesses still tend to have landlines. You can also ask someone to borrow their phone. "Can I borrow your phone?" "Yeah, sure." "Damn it!" "What's wrong?" "None of my numbers are in your contacts!"

Brutus needs to be honest with himself that even with phone numbers memorized, Wilberforce would be useless in an emergency.

In case you missed it, I believe I have found myself a new nemesis in The Brain. Although I don't think I'll go to this well as much as I do with Capt. Kid. If you would like to support me or this website, you can throw some money at my Support page.

Did Brutus Take Off Work for Opening Day?

April 28, 1966

So that beautiful woman is going to hook up with Harry here? I probably shouldn't scoff. Harry, as much as I hate to admit it, kind of looks like me.

Hey, Tallulah, if you'd quit posing on that couch, Bertha could have a seat, too. Are these two women friends or what's going on here?

Hey, readers, it's baseball opening day. The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd. That's right, baseball's back! The boys of summer and The Born Loser a winning team! There. That's over. Although I do believe we will see several more baseball-themed comics over the next seven(!!??!!) months.

Bald Knob

April 14, 1966

These type of jokes are always good for a chuckle, but I always question if the phone call is worth getting out of the shower. It never is. Besides, if it was actually important, they will call back. They will call back repeatedly.

Why does Brutus set himself up like this? He's just asking for some kind of retort or insult or comment. He leaves himself open like that and he's just going to lose.

I would prefer some kind of *snort* or other stifled laugh sound, not a tee-hee like some four-year-old girl. Mother Gargle hasn't tee-hee'd in 75 years.

If you would like to support me or this website, you can utilize the new Support page at the top. Thank you for your support and readership!

1-888-5ON-HOLD

December 7, 1986

Hey, I get it. Who doesn't love a man smoking a pipe?

Mm. This just exudes sex.

Why is Gladys carrying around that vase? Or, I guess it could be a giant urn.

I've commented before on how the cell phones in this strip look like the turtle communicators from the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And repeatedly commented on why these characters never hold the phone up to their ear. This strip features both of those tropes. I do appreciate that it seems like Chip is phasing out landlines in the Thornapple household. Maybe the Sansom household has ditched landlines.

What is with the apples? I've never been more upset at a McGuffin.

In case you missed it, a horror comic story "Snakes Alive" posted on Saturday. If you want to support me or this website, you can utilize the new Support page. Thank you for your support and readership!

Breathless Sunday

via Tomb of Null

It's great to see all the laws and news about trans people lately. Did I say great, because I meant horrifying. I've been around for 40 years and I don't think I've ever seen a group of people so hated by the government and a small minority group of people. I mean, other groups have come close, but the transgender community are the first that are being legislated out of existence.

Since January, there has been 21 anti-trans bills introduced in Congress including bathroom bills, keeping men out of women sports bills, and protecting minors from transitioning bills. Even states are getting in on the act. There have been over 550 bills coming out of the states. Even my state of Kansas is doing the protecting minors from transitioning and teachers better not use your preferred pronoun or name without parental consent garbage. We've seen these before, minors are not undergoing major transitioning, it's normally just puberty blockers and hormone therapy. No minors are getting top or bottom surgery. As for the name/pronoun thing, teachers would need parental consent to use the student's preferred name or even a nickname. So, Mr. and Mrs. Gatsby would need to give permission for the school to use their child's (Mark William) nickname of Willie.

The biggest thing that has been happening over the last couple of days is transgender inmates in federal prisons are to be moved to prisons according to their biological gender. For years, transgender prisoners have been held in prisons corresponding to their current gender. It has been that way because of the number of assaults and rapes of transgender inmates. Many people against the move claim it's basically "death by rape". Trans inmates will either be killed or kill themselves to make it stop. It's interesting to note that this comes from an executive order. Executive orders are not laws, they are guidelines to follow. The Bureau of Prisons doesn't need to follow the order but are choosing to. Both the BOP and President Trump are just being needlessly cruel, which has been the point for much Republican legislation for years.

Call me crazy, but I don't feel we should be bothering people that aren't bothering us. If you can explain how someone being transgender affects and hurts you I am very willing to listen, but all the arguments I've heard aren't real arguments. Transgender people don't molest children (at least at the rate seemingly religious people do) and transgender people aren't taking over women's sports.

I've contacted by Congresspeople (all 3 Republican) and thanked my state legislators (I'm lucky to have Democrats represent me in my statehouse) to let them know my thoughts on any and all anti-trans legislation. We all need to contact our representatives and let them know how we feel. I've had students that were trans, I have family members that are trans, I've had coworkers who are trans. I worry about them and want them to be safe and I don't understand why people who consider themselves good people would want to hurt other people. Trans people deserve to be safe.

Please follow trans journalists who do a much better job of reporting on trans and other LGBTQ+ issues than the mainstream media does. Some of my favorites are Erin Reed, Imara Jones, Frankie de la Cretaz (who mainly focuses on sports), and Samantha Riedel.

October 12, 1986

Wilberforce just announced to everyone that he is home alone. All you criminals know what to do!

Does this guy think Ms. Kewpie is a maid or housekeeper? If you are Brutus' financial advisor, then you should know Brutus can't afford anyone like that.

"Keep holding it. Hold it...Hold it..." Mother Gargle passes out, falls out of the chair, hitting her head on the table before hitting the floor. Brutus looks down at her unconscious body. "Keep holding it..."

It is eight o'clock in the morning. What could you possibly have to complain about so early? It's not as bad if you leave off the first panel and you can pretend it's mid-afternoon or whatever, but starting out with "Good morning" and then immediately jumping in with "Here's a list of why I hate you!" is just cruel.

Saturday's post was a mostly pictorial one about the Salt Creek Bridge in Osage County. If you would like to support me or this website, you can buy me a cup of coffee over on Ko-fi.

Super Bowl Licks

Folks, it is time for me to take one of my week-long breaks to get caught up on writing, do some house maintenance, and make plans for new future posts. Before I go I have today's Sunday comics for you and a link to yesterday's post on Agnes Lawrence. Be good to each other, unless they are a Nazi supporter. You know what I'm talking about. There's only one political party current degrading several groups of people and allowing an unelected, unvetted by Congress South African immigrant to go through private government records. Contact your Congresspeople and check in on your minority friends and neighbors. It's a coup! If you would like to support me or this website, you can buy me a cup of coffee over on Ko-fi.

September 28, 1986

Brutus gave up way too easily. Time to call Leonard Birdshot, the tailor, back and say you are not going to pay.

Leonard is probably wearing the blazer as we speak...

Why is she saying this like she's never watched the Super Bowl before? Because she has and apparently first started watching it back in 2019 (apologies for the Arjon story). Commercials are all Gladys has ever wanted to watch. I looked back and found that Brutus is not a fan of the commercials and just watches for the game.

I can't imagine watching a sports ball games with someone that records and is constantly going back, forward, and pausing to offer their own opinion on what's going on.

Get the Heart Pumping

February 28, 1966

I'm all for painting NO on the wall, but on your wife? Brutus deserves whatever happens that gives him his headache.

Why is it such a big deal to go to this PTA meeting? Do both parents need to go? If she doesn't want to go without her husband, then maybe she just needs to quit.

I have never seen Brutus at the gym. Does Brutus think the diner he always goes to is a gym? He should go to the doctor and make sure his brain is okay.

And why is he covered in snow?!

Just Order What You Want

September 7, 1986

Brutus is acting like several people I see online talking about TikTok over the last twelve hours.

Calling over the phone to ask for a raise seems weird. I mean, having to ask for a raise has always been weird to me. You shouldn't have to ask for one, you just get one. If I asked for a raise at any of my jobs, they would've just laughed at me and talked to me about "modest, scheduled raises" every year or whatever.

Why can't Brutus have the spaghetti? Why can't she just order the beef wellington? If the beef wellington is $50 and on special, how much is this spaghetti?

Beef wellington is just a fancy corn dog.

Don't forget to check out the first month of Art Samson and Russ Winterbotham's Chris Welkin, Planeteer that posted yesterday. If you would like to support me or this website, you can buy me a cup of coffee over on Ko-fi.

Unlimited Brutus

February 5, 1966

Don't listen to Art Professor Maynard G. Krebs here. People of all ages lovingly utilize paint-by-number books while beatnik after beatnik have disappeared.

I mean, he's creating a paint by numbers and not doing one, right? I guess the strip and comment works either way.

I feel the same way. Can I have a discount on my bill because I never actually use the phone part? No one wants to talk to me unlimitedly either, and frankly, I don't blame them.

You'll Have to Speak Up, You're Talking to My Nose

So now Brutus is just listening to the front desk person ramble on about nothing? We're not going to mention the bounced check anymore? You know if you mention a bounced check in the first scene, it needs to go off in the third.

Is Brutus ok? He's just standing there.

The Check Is Good

Well, you still have to pay.

It's weird in TV shows, comics, and nearly every other mode of entertainment how cavalier people are with passing bad checks. I get not knowing you may become overdrawn, but so many fictional people are like "No, no. I have to bounce this check or else the whole system crumbles!" Not a great way to live.

And you let Dr. Pimple-Popper have it, Brutus!

Uncle Ted's Balls

June 29, 1986

I was going to comment that 70¢ seems like a lot, but it's only 23¢ per minute which seems like a steal. Pay phones rose to a quarter starting in 1984 so 23¢ is a discount. Or this payphone in 1986 was still a dime and Brutus just got royally screwed. Well, joke's on the payphone. The Born Loser is still around while payphone after payphone are removed and tossed in the garbage.

How does this cut costs? It should be "the one who loses the least buys the root beer" because the one that loses the least number of golf balls has lost the least amount of money. The way Uncle Ted phrases it, the person who loses the most balls has to pay to replace his balls (heh-heh-heh!) and pay for the root beer.

They should just steal golf balls from Mr. Anderson.

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

Is Veeblefester Playing Angry Birds?

December 30, 1965

Pedestrians technically have the right-of-way, too, but drivers still mow them down. And despite the "hawnnnnk"ing, I don't think the people on that ship can see Claudia and her husband.

"Smart alecks" is an odd insult.

Yeah, these smartphones(?) are a great invention. I don't know how we'd survive 2009 without them.

Are we sure that's a smartphone(?) (are we sure that's what they're called?) and not Veeblefester holding a Switch wrong? Maybe a turtle comm.

(440)555-1213 Is a Made-Up Number Anyway

December 1, 1965

I apologize that this week has been kind of hit-and-miss with posts. I didn't plan it, it just kind of happened. Anyway, what do we have here? The filing department is turning important into paper airplanes? That can't be good. Hope this business doesn't get audited or something? What's the 1965 equivalent of Enron?

That does seem kind of rude. But I guess it all depends on how you take it and how you perceive yourself. I do hope that Uncle Ted used some of the moves he learned in the military on that clerk. What war was he in? World War I? II? Korea? Vietnam? The timeline's fuzzy.

Eh. Why are you still paying for a landline anyway? You should be glad it's been disconnected.

Why is the ear piece green and the mouth piece red? Is it just to add some color?

Garbage Week

I have been going back and forth on how I want to continue handling this website. Readership is fine, but I feel it could be better. My posts of links are buried on Threads and I have very few followers on my other social media sites. While I still enjoy doing this, I'm not sure if it's something that I should keep doing. "If you like doing it, then you should keep going," I hear you say. But if I'm just commenting into the air, then what's the point?

I'll finish out the month and figure out what to do. Maybe I'll keep doing this. Maybe I'll just post on social media. Maybe I'll stop doing this altogether and just focus on my writing. Whatever. In the meantime, you can read about one of my favorite Superman storylines where Brainiac puts Superman's mind into the brain of a kid in a mental facility.

October 9, 1965

Another person stuck in the rain? And it's to talk to your dog? Who's there with your dog, holding the phone to its ear? Or is the dog in the phone booth with this guy? That just raises even more questions!

"Tomorrow is another day"? Is that some sort of perverse threat? I've complained on social media recently, but I am not handling 2024 very well. It's been a rough year for a number of reasons. Maybe I'll talk about it at some point. That picture of Wilberforce isn't helping...

Day of Rest

December 17, 1989

I understand how frustrating this would be, but why are you calling Veeblefester? He doesn't want to talk to you and you calling him is weird in the first place. He's your boss. I try my hardest to not have to talk to my boss.

Hey, Gladys. If you aren't going to help with the work, then you don't get to criticize it. There also appears to be five more hours of sun so he has plenty of time to trim those hedges. Or you could do it.

Ugh. Need to replace that picture of Mother Gargle with a picture of Kewpie.

Steven Kraan

It's almost summer which means I won't be getting paid. If you would like to support me or this website, you can buy me a cup of coffee over on Ko-fi.

Does Brutus Know Anything About Marketing?

September 30, 1965

Shouldn't Mr. Fuzzwort be on a plane to New York? Is he taking a later flight? Was the trip canceled? Is that bad for the company? Is this letch going to lose his job? I hope so.

We're now stacking up the moneybags instead of just putting them in a neat pile?

Is this Berwald related to this Berwald?