Commercials Are What Made This Country Great (well, not great...)

April 12, 1967

Oh, I don't want to hear about your trip to Hawaii. I don't know about other people but I rarely want to hear about your vacations. Unless you can cram the highlights into a few sentences or you did something that I actually find interesting, I'm not necessarily interested. Unless I specifically ask about your vacation, then you can just go to town because that's on me.

Gladys is standing right there. Brutus should make an excuse or something to just walk away.

I'm kind of surprised Brutus pays for the highest tier subscriptions that get rid of commercials altogether, because most streaming services have commercials.

I feel like this comic would work better in 2021(?) when streaming services were still hoping to make revenue from subscriptions alone and not using commercials.

I Mean, I Guess There's Technically a Distinction

April 11, 1967

I always felt like I would like croquet. I don't really understand anything about it. Like what's going on here. I see this as a joke in a lot of things, but I don't understand. And looking it up didn't help.

At least Gladys is having fun. I don't know what's wrong with Brutus. Just enjoy spending time with your wife.

I was trying to think why the vultures had to be English. It's because of the "Keep Calm and Carry On" pun. Why wouldn't Uncle Ted just say British? I don't think the joke needs the nationally at all really.

You Have a Question, You Ask the 8-Ball

Apologies for no post yesterday. Our little lady Katy had to go to the vet which ended up taking longer than we thought and, after getting dinner, eating, and such, I just wasn't up to doing a post.

She is fine. Has a small growth in her throat restricting some airflow. Hopefully some antibiotics can get rid of it. She is usually pretty healthy so this is unlike her. But she is almost 18-years-old so the fact that she is pretty healthy is somewhat astounding.

Anyway, send good tidings to our sweet old lady and let's get on with today's post.

April 10, 1967

"Saucy wench"? I don't know what's gotten into Brutus today, but I'm not a fan of losing out on that pie. Oh, well. Serves him right. It's a fake pie in a comic strip, I wouldn't have gotten a piece anyway.

I like the look of that sweater. Shame we probably will never see it again.

I looked at back comics thinking I have seen Brutus in a sleeveless sweater before. I couldn't find one, but I swear he has been seen in one. Is a sweater vest the same thing?

I do appreciate Mother Gargle's dedication to the bit.

It's pretty ballsy of Brutus to constantly be asking the fortune teller for a better price or a discount. This is her job, Brutus! If you don't want to pay what she believes she is worth then you don't need to use her services. And that goes for all of you out there!

That's Not Dinner, Gladys Is Boiling Dish Rags

April 8, 1967

I don't think this is in Brutus' job description. What? It is? And even if it wasn't, the line "Any other requests from supervisors or managers" makes it okay? Capitalism is great!

Veeblefester is bad at darts.

Is Gladys a good cook or not??!!?? I swear this comic goes back and forth on that. So, here's what I think. *deep breath* I think Gladys is a good cook, but I think she experiments too much. "This food no one likes was on sale, let's try something new!" There's a reason it was on sale, Gladys!

So Really the Award Is for the Donuts

April 7, 1967

🎵Peter Rabbit is a stupid book

About a stupid rabbit

Who steals vegetables from other people's gardens.🎶

I don't know what the rabbit is getting out of these just-planted whatever-they-are, but what do I know about rabbits or gardening? Not much.

Brutus has never gotten employee of the month?! In [mumbles number] years of working for Veeblefester? Even I've gotten employee of the month and I am very mediocre and not at all special.

Wait Until Hattie Learns There's a Skiing Event Where You Shoot Guns

November 22, 1987

I will be honest that I miss living in an era where you had to call people in order to get information. You want the temperature? You have to call. You want to know what the official languages are in Djibouti? You have to call the library. You want to know if our lives are controlled by nature or nurture? You have to call the psych department at the local university.

You would think Brutus would absolutely be against "heredity" making him, and by extension Wilberforce, who they are. At least Brutus gets $10. $10 that is technically his money anyway since he's the only one who works and he and Gladys are married, but $10 nonetheless.

This is a great example of why you rarely use current events in your comic strip. You created this tribute to a great skier, who is inspiring Hattie to become an Olympic champion, and all people will think about while reading this is...

Anyway, he's to Hurricane Hattie learning to ski. I know she's stuck in an infinite comic strip time loop, but let's encourage every little girl and all of their dreams.

What Did Gladys Get Brutus?

April 6, 1967

Why would Gladys ring the doorbell? I guess maybe she didn't take anything with her, she just stormed out of the house. I don't know. I'm ambivalent to Brutus and Gladys' marriage. I think they can both do better.

"I'm going home to mother!"

I'm sure these would be good if you liked sardines. I mean, there's a market for these. Did Brutus not know Gladys doesn't like sardines?

"I'm going home to mother!"

Man On the Inside

April 5, 1967

I was going to make a joke about Brutus being from the past because he's scared of a tea kettle whistle, but the first whistling tea kettle was made in 1923. Brutus should be aware of whistling tea kettles, especially in his own house. Maybe he's from the future...

Nice one.

Do you mean to tell me there are other tea cozy companies? Someone else makes this crap? This officially makes me believe Veeblefester is a tea cozy manufacturer and not just a tea cozy middleman.

What a Day Keeps Wilberforce Away?

April 3, 1967

What is Gladys' hat? I originally thought maybe it was a feminine bowler hat. Maybe something like this:

But now I'm not so sure.

This is how the United States is dealing with healthcare now. "Just eat apples and you'll be fine. Trust me, I'm Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and standing next to me is professional boxer Mike Tyson. Between us, we have zero years experience in medical or nutritional fields."

Look at Wilberforce's face in the last panel. "What are you talking about? I'm not asking about onions and I don't really need to know about your love life, Uncle Ted."

New Diner Items

JAMES VAN DER BEEK

1977 - 2026

March 31, 1967

Ha-ha! Brutus loves Gladys! Brutus had me right up until the "tootsie-boo-boo" part. That is embarrassing. I would sigh, cry, and die as well.

This diner now has a black angus burger? Made with real angus? How much is a regular burger? Those are pretty expensive, too. I think Chip aged the diner waitress. Here she is in October and here she is last week? Are they the same woman? This bothers me more than it should.

Hmmmmm....