On Break(s)

From 2018. Many Tiger Electronic Handheld Games were hit or miss. TaleSpin, I think, leans on the hit side, but barely. It's at least playable and actually works like a game although you can just keep hitting 'up', avoiding all obstacles. There's no limit on how high you can fly. It's like a metaphor or something.

July 15, 1967

Woof. Tough crowd. Not as many feathers, which is good, I suppose. We should go back to tarring and feathering people more. Or, like so many other things, was this something we thought was a big deal but it's not?

If Brutus is still within his 15-minute break window then leave him alone! If Brutus is trying to argue that he gets a break and then a completely separate 'coffee break' then that smoke coming from Veeblefester's head is justified. Although I'm against all form of time and/or wage theft so you take your breaks. You don't have to justify what you do on your break.

Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis.
1969 - 2026

She's Just Doing That In Public!

One thing I like to do is research all the ghost towns that are in Kansas. Most of them barely become anything more than just a name on a piece of paper. Some actually turn into a location that barely stretches further than someone's house. Fewer become actual towns that remain on maps. One of those so-called "paper towns" was Wyoming, Kansas in Calhoun County, now northern Shawnee County.

An advertisement appeared in 1857 in newspapers and Wyoming even appeared on a couple of maps, but by the time Kansas became a state, it was gone. From 2018, Wyoming, Kansas. Oh, also Brutus hands in a subpar report so it's just another--what day did this go up?--Friday for Brutus.

July 14, 1967

Wilberforce eats soap. Well, that's a good piece of the puzzle. Especially since he's burping up bubbles while arguing he didn't eat the soap?

It's only been a couple months and Art has no idea what to do with Teeny.

I barely even use the chip card anymore because it's so spotty in if it will work or not. Anymore I just tap the card or use my phone/watch. I certainly will not hand my card to the cashier so they can dance around with it. Maybe that's just me...

Tuesday Quickies

For the last couple of years, I have been working to turn Tank N Tummy into a novel. Combining the Zeke & Harry stories of Tank N Tummy and the real life lives of early Kansas settlers, it's taking a lot of research and work which is why I'm also working on a young adult novel and another novel that suddenly popped into my head that I am three quarters of the way through.

Anyway, from 2001, but published here in 2010, Zeke, Harry, and their friends investigate an old cemetery and abandoned house for ghosts and demons while the story of the family that lived in the house is told.

July 13, 1967

You are not standing on the base and clearly haven't tagged Brutus so I'm thinking that ball is still in play and this guy needs to do something about it. Get up, Brutus, you still have a chance to make it to the base!

Hate to break it to you, Brutus, but you are still talking to yourself. The readers aren't in the comic with you.

Boring Day Off

From 2014. Take a look at the, in my opinion, terrible Super Nintendo video game based on the hit syndicated animated series Mighty Max. This should've been just a straight-forward platformer. At least the music is good.

July 12, 1967

Yeah, I guess dance lessons are a "fabulous prize". I mean, you're only answering who the first president was. That shouldn't require an "umm". George Washington and whoever the current president is should be automatic answers regarding presidents.

Yeah, God forbid a man just relax. I don't know why Brutus is home but he's probably wishing he had work today.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Excitement!"

"Well, if it isn't Mrs. Bitch!"

Algorithmically Challenged

May 1, 1988

It is May. I think we can wait a few months on the Christmas cards. Clearly doing them early didn't work anyway considering they never got mailed from last year. But now you are a year ahead!

I agree. Go away and come back in November, Gladys.

Considering that our phones listening in on our conversations has been a thing/problem for the last ten years or so, I find this comic being published on May 31, 2026 weird. Also, a lot of dentists in your area publish ads online? Do you need a dentist?

I'm concerned about Brutus' attitude. He can't wait until AI takes his job.

The Last Days of Wilberforce Thornapple

July 11, 1967

Oh, God! It's a gigantic bird with an upside down face! Feets don't fail me now!

Birdwatching is another thing pop culture said was going to play a bigger part in my life. Look, I take walks in nature and have nothing against birds, but I've never specifically gone out to bird watch. But that's all pop culture in the past said would happen. You'd go out birdwatching and get stuck in quicksand.

This is what you're spending your Saturday doing?

And no wonder you have to go to school past Memorial Day. You're only doing six hours a day!?

Summer of Hurricane (Hattie)

July 10, 1967

Is this something Wilberforce eats every morning? If so, then fine. Whatever. If he tries out different concoctions every morning, then I get it. I don't think mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, and maple syrup pairs well with corn flakes.

It always weirds me out that a good portion of school districts run the school year roughly from Labor Day to early- to mid-June. My school year runs roughly mid-August to Memorial Day. School used to start after Labor Day because of farming, now i think it's because of the heat.

I'd plan things to do with Wilberforce and Hattie. Hattie would be the daughter I never had. But that's just me, I guess.

Brutus Isn't Even Attempting to Raise His Boat

July 8, 1967

A problem Wilberforce? This is a far cry from the idiotic milquetoast Wilberforce we currently have in the strip. I can't picture today's Wilberforce carrying dynamite under his arms, having a two-by-four strapped to his back (or is that a rifle?), and a violin case that is obviously disguising a Tommy gun.

Clearly Brutus doesn't learn from his mistakes because Brutus loses accounts all the time. Master's degree? Brutus is on his doctorate of mistakes by now.

Gunke? I wonder if it's pronounced Gunk, Gunk-ee, Gunk-ay, or Günke like Tobias Fünke in Arrested Development.

Sink or Swim

During the War of 1812, the British burned down the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and the Washington Navy Yard. The British occupied D.C. for a little more than one day. Reconstruction began fairly quickly with President Monroe moving in 1817, although work wasn't completed.

When John Quincy Adams became president in 1825, he and his wife, Louisa, moved into the partially rebuilt White House. It still had scorch marks, still in the process of being rebuilt, and Louisa never really considered it a home. Also, because of the controversy upon how Adams was elected, the administration wasn't that popular with the general public. There was a slight recession going on at the time and the Adams' were chided for "living in opulence' while common Americans were suffering. To combat this, Louisa held a public exhibition of the White House which further angered the public. Flash forward to today where there is a huge recession going on and it is becoming more difficult for Americans to live their lives, President Trump is demanding a $400 million ballroom, has covered much of the White House in gold accents, and seemingly has more plans up his sleeve like turning the simple ionic columns to ornate Corinthian columns. Do all of these goes against what the White House means. The White House is purposely simple and not ordained with elegance and luxury because the House doesn't belong to the president who occupies the White House, but to the people. The fact that President Trump is focusing his attention on showboating (Venezuela, Iran, Cuba) and renovating the White House when there is homelessness and people starving in the United States shows how out of touch (or ignorant) he is.

July 7, 1967

I honestly can't think of any word that would elicit this type of reaction from me. And this is in a newspaper in the 1960s. The word could be 'damn' for all we know.

Get your lips off of Veeblefester's cheeks and remove your nose from his ass, Brutus.

I understand what "raise all boats" means, but it's still a weird saying.

Rose Is a Rose

July 6, 1967

I don't think you are going to need that much string to fly a kite. How does this even happen? I say cut the loose string and the spool off, tie them together, and just leave Brutus where he is. He's the parks department's problem now.

Charlie Brown had been flying kites (and being bad at it) for about 15 years now so it was already a classic trope.

I absolutely don't care about all the work my neighbors do for their yard. I have to mow and trim back invasive vines which is already too much work. If you're side-eyeing me for doing the bare minimum for my yard, then the problem lies with you.