Bad Machinery by John Allison for September 06, 2022

That’s Lottie’s sister Sarah in panels 3 and 6. (The girl, not the duck.) She was a second-tier character in Scary-Go-Round, dated Ryan before he and Amy got it together, but we haven’t seen much of her in Bad Machinery, because she’s, as this strip hints, a decade older than Lottie. She went away to uni at the end of SGR, which was three years before Bad Machinery picked up, so she’s been out of the house five or six years now.

World of pure imagination? That’s the Wonka Chocolate Factory. Now the place Willy Wanker runs, well, I’d just stay clear of there.

Shauna is depicted as being from a poorer family than the other Mystery Kids, but at least they can afford a vacation to Mouseville USA, which ain’t a cheap trip. (And spending a fortnight in Margate sounds perfectly fine too, although maybe Aunt Kath makes it less so.)

I can’t understand if Sarah is laughingor deeply mortified, little Lottie was already a cute hurricane of embarrassing questions. Adorable and awkward at the same time. About the age, I and my sister wanted to go at Euro mouse since it opened but we’re able to go when bot were over 30. It was still awesome. Not even a little babyish

No matter what age she is…Lottie’s gotta Lottie.

I can’t help feeling sorry for the person inside the Daniel the Duck costume. (I believe they are all young women.) A certain amount of annoying behavior by the kids is to be expected as part of the job, but this is more than this crummy job is worth!

Is that Murray(?) the Mouse behind Daniel the Duck? Maurice? Melvin?

Margate UK or New Jersey? Whenever I hear Margate it makes me think of the John Pizzarelli song “I Like Jersey Best”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxdm91UuLLs

Sometimes I have nightmares about being forced to go to Mouseville, USA. On some level, I believe that in the afterlife, I’ll be forced to spend all eternity there, as punishment for my many sins in this life.

That “duck” suit looks rather menacing.