Can I Get Peanuts and Crackerjack At a Football Game?

October 18, 1966

This insurance agent looks like he might die soon. But he probably has insurance.

Brutus dies within the next week. It's clearly murder. "I wonder who did it," the police ask. "Brutus was loudly threatened with death by an insurance salesman last week." "Hmm. I guess this case will remain...unsolved."

Someone could probably rewrite "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" to fit football. We should also play "Baby Elephant Walk" at football games more. Creating or rewriting songs to be about football is probably cheaper than paying for the rights to actual songs.

Scrolling Through Old Sports Comics

October 17, 1966

Did...Did this guy just accidentally blow his brains out? I mean, I guess he's still standing there and maybe he looks burned(?), but that's clearly a gun and NOT a cigarette lighter. I'm glad Veeblefester finds it so funny. What does he care, it's another head for his wall. Not that there's a lot of head probably left under that bad scan.

The elephant foot trashcan? (ottoman?) makes me physically ill.

Hmm. Now I know where Gladys and Wilberforce get it...

"This is the middle of the third quarter." Ok. That doesn't answer my question at all.

Hey, wait a minute...  2014       2025  Wilberforce already knew hockey had three quarters and two halftimes.

That Poor Remote

"Listen Thornapple, if you HAVE to whistle-up your courage, try something a little breezier than the 'Dead March', huh?"
"I'M not whistling--Wasn't YOU whistling?"

(September 30, 1966)

The "Dead March" referred to here is the one from Handel. I am not familiar with it, but maybe others are. Most of us probably more familiar with Chopin's "Funeral March" and possibly Beethoven's funeral marches and Mendelsohn's. Typically, the music I hear when walking through the cemetery at night is either something from The Bloodhound Gang or the Felix the Cat theme song.

"Whistle-up your courage"? Ok.

You are going berserk. Who are you talking to? The readers are not in the room with you.

R S T L N E

September 16, 1966

I don't know why Thornapple would be thrilled about that. She offered to go on this jungle excursion with you. Not many women would be willing to do that. You sure you want to trade her in for a couple of goats and a shield?

Why does the chief look like that? What's he going to do with her?

I appreciate Art making this indigenous tribe white. Less problematic.

You're going to work? Okay. Where else would you be going at 8 A.M. on a Monday morning?

Wheel of Fortune seems more up Brutus' alley than, like, Jeopardy!. Is Brutus watching the new stuff with Ryan Seacrest or the Wheel of Fortune channel on PlutoTV where it's just Pat Sajak? Maybe both?

Lackadaisical Monday Quickies

September 9, 1966

This is what I would do if you wanted to shoot an arrow off my head, I'd throw the apple at you. Or whatever is going on here.

Is Brutus the proverbial blood in the water?

I'm glad Wilberforce differentiated the Shark Week on TV as opposed to the other shark week we hear about.

Is That a New Phrase In These Cooking Shows That Are All the Rage?

April 12, 1987

Is it this test pattern? Because I could watch it all day.

This one, not so much...

God, remember when TV networks would end at a certain time because who would be up at two ayem(?!) watching TV? Such a simpler time. I'd ask why Brutus isn't watching Nick at Nite, but Fernwood 2 Night is probably on.

Why is cooking so hard for Gladys? You just follow the instructions. I'm a complete moron and I cook things perfectly fine. That's also such a weird trope--a housewife that can't cook. "This character is so dumb, they can't follow a simple recipe, hyuck, hyuck!"

Culinary arsonists seems like a cool descriptor, but I feel it cheapens all the real arsonists out there burning down warehouses, businesses late on protection payments, and fathers who are wanting to start a new life without their family.

Check out the long-winded origin of Firehair! from yesterday. Go see the new Superman movie (I'm seeing it Tuesday). And don't forget to click Support at the top of the page.

Wilberforce and Gladys Must Be Off On One of Their Adventures Again

August 25, 1966

I am on record that credit and credit scores are stupid and should be illegal. I guess I should go ahead and go on record that loans and interest rates are garbage as well. You shouldn't be paying more on interest than the amount you owe. And once you essentially pay off the equivalent of the principal, the interest goes away and you just continue to pay on the principal. Anyway, just another reason I will never elected to public office.

Congrats on Thornapple paying back his loan. I don't understand why loan people are such smarmy pieces of shit. You gave me $7000 and I paid you $8500 so how about you keep your attitude to yourself?

"Absolutely! I don't even know why I'm watching this crap," I say. "Let's get some snacks and really make this an afternoon! Maybe we still have some ice cream!"

People Don't Want to Hear About Your Dreams

August 2, 1966

Did the pitcher hate Thornapple that much? Does Thornapple's head take up too much space on plate? Hey, there are guys in the showers back there!

I like the idea of Thornapple bouncing around whatever jobs are needed to make the joke work. He's not just stuck at a tea cozy company. I guess you can't have a wife and kid and have a new job every day. He's not Homer Simpson.

Is there a carbon monoxide leak in this house...? Why doesn't Gladys know what extra innings are?!

So is Brutus fired? I know it doesn't matter because he'll just be back at work tomorrow like some sort of sick Sisyphean punishment, but it's so hard to keep track of these things.

Classic TV

July 27, 1966

Man finally goes to therapy and he gets yelled at by the therapist. Luckily, there are plenty of things out there Thornapple can hate and make his entire personality, much to the detriment of his friends, family, country, and soul.

I, and my wife, watch old shows all the time. Seinfeld, Golden Girls, Murder, She Wrote, Unsolved Mysteries, Matlock, The Office, IT Crowd, Schitt's Creek, and several others. You've seen the state of the world lately? Just let me enjoy 30 minutes in Mayberry before I head off to my 32nd Trump protest.

One Saturday Morning

July 21, 1966

I'm not cleaning that up. And neither is this guy. I can't tell because it's so dark and this was printed in black and white, but what is this supposed to be? I hope it's not blood.

We ordered a box of syrups and one of bottles had completely emptied into the box. I don't even know how or why the box made it to us. It was clearly dripping syrup. The delivery guy had to carry it upside down but it still left a trail of syrup from street to my kitchen sink. Such a mess.

Are there still Saturday morning cartoons? I don't think there are, even educational ones. I loved watching Saturday morning cartoons, but I also loved sleeping late so I missed them a lot of the time. I was more of an afterschool cartoon person.

Watching a Star War

June 29, 1966

Call me crazy, Quincy, but I'm starting to think that Bernice isn't that much into you anymore. I feel she's just using you for your money and just based on the two strips I've now seen with her, she doesn't seem all that great. (Not that you're a prize either though...)

And yes, "Creme de cacahuete grillée sur des bouche d'incendie" does translate to "roasted peanut cream on fire hydrants".

I'm sorry, but there are no "spoiler alert" warnings on things older than five years. There's especially no "spoiler alert" warnings on things 45 years old.

Does Brutus always forget how The Empire Strikes Back ends? I'd go to the doctor and get that checked out.

My Afternoon With Hattie

June 21, 1966

Honestly, I feel you could just connect these panels and call it good.

See? That looks fine.

I've never been a fan of dog whistle jokes. I don't think they are/were as prevalent as movies, TV, and old cartoons lead us to believe.

Yes. My answer would have to be yes.

I don't know. I think Hurricane Hattie would be a fun daughter to have. I've always wanted a daughter so I'm going to grab any opportunity to be a loving father figure to Hurricane-esque girls.

Newsy Sunday

In case you didn't know, this past week was a rerun week. Chip took a week off a few weeks ago so older strips were used with just that day's date edited. Since I had already commented on the strips used, I just took the week as well. But I did post links to the original posts if you would like to scroll through my Threads and Bluesky for them.

Anyway, there's a new comic today so let's get on with it already.

January 18, 1987

Wilberforce knows how to play chess? That ain't right.

I'd go with Gladys, because I've known Wilberforce for 35 years or so and he is definitely no genius.

I don't think Wilberforce is 6 these days. I place him more 8 or 9, like the kids from Peanuts.

I'm assuming it's not important bad news. Like, it's bad news but it doesn't really affect them. More like, DOGE has eliminated a grant that Veeblefester was going to use to create a better tea cozy. Tea cozies, I assume, are already perfect. DOGE just saved the taxpayers $715,000.

We're seeing a lot a face-front Gladys today and it makes me unnerved.

The second installment of Chris Welkin, Planeteer went up yesterday. Check out the comics from December 1951 by Russ Winterbotham and Art Sansom.

If you would like to support me or this website, you can toss some money at the Support page.

Tuesday Night Quickies

May 21, 1966

Women. Can't drive. Can't take a joke. Can't golf. These kind of strips aren't going to get old at all.

It's a Tuesday. He was probably outside during school and going to and from school. Leave him alone.

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.

H-E-Double Hockey Sticks

December 14, 1986

Does Veeblefester not have a sitting room that Brutus could sit in until Veeblefester is ready for company? I mean, I guess Veeblefester doesn't even have a covered front porch so why would he have a sitting room?

Is that a harp in the background of the fifth panel?

That's not what Brutus said at all, Wilberforce. Three periods, an intermission between each period. He even explained it's not halftime. It's the first thing he said!

Learning they are called 'intermissions' hurts more than learning a soccer field is called a 'pitch'.

If you would like to support me or this website, there are multiple ways to do so in the Support link at the top of the page.

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.

Excite Is Such a Strong Word

March 8, 1966

I vaguely remember an old friend of mine having a boomerang when we were kids. I think I saw it once, it did not return, and I never saw it again. I'm sure having a non-returning boomerang was a real kick in the butt to our childhood because why would cartoons lie to us, but non-returning boomerangs exist and mainly just used to wallop people and things. Since this boomerang is curved, it seems to be a returning boomerang, but one could argue that this man is being hunted for sport.

I'm thrilled. Baseball is my favorite of the sports I hate.

Why is the news(?) showing the equipment leaving? Is there demand for that? I know the country is on fire right now what with the coup of an unelected South African billionaire and his gaggle of half-pint sidekicks, but the equipment, not the actual team, on their way to Goodyear, Arizona is not even "feel-good news".

Using "January First" Instead of "January 1st" Almost Broke Me

September 21, 1986

Well, to be fair, it's 1986 and smut and drivel are the only things on TV. I don't have the heart to tell Mother Gargle what's going to be premiering in 6 months, but the Thornapples probably don't get FOX yet anyway.

If you just casually glance at today's comic, it kind of looks like Brutus and Arnie are holding hands and I think that's neat.

Would hot chocolate really hurt his diet that much?

And why did Brutus and Arnie switch places in between the last panels?

We took a look at Action Comics #579 by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficer, Keith Giffen, and Bob Oskner and definitely not guest-starring characters from Asterix. If you would like to support me or this website, you can buy me a cup of coffee over on Ko-fi.

And It's the First Part of a Trilogy

March 5, 1966

I guess the archer (dressed as Temu Robin Hood) shot the hunter in the butt with one of his arrows. Why is that tree so prominent? Was the hunter dressed as a tree? I wonder if the joke worked better when originally printed and not now nearly 60 years older and copied and scanned to be posted online.

Same, really, but most movies are nearly three hours, it seems.

With some exceptions, if you can't tell a story within 100 minutes then you have no business making a movie. I'm gonna go crawl back into my old man cave now muttering about the music the kids these days listen to.