Bad Machinery by John Allison for February 07, 2023

This was another entirely new page for the published version.

So Linton’s saying that this whole thing was just to sell comics titles that people wouldn’t ordinarily read?

Hmm. Come to think of it, replace “comics” with “newspapers” and “Marvel” with “Erin Winters”, and that’s pretty much what it was.

I never understand what’s going on in this comic.

Linton is almost like Lottie’s twin. But compared to her, he’s easily carried away by anger and love. I really hope he has never stopped being interested in mysteries and that he continues to see Mildred and the others.

Love that last newspaper headline: “Energy Being Manifests Again”; which implies that it’s happened before and most everyone knew about it.

The ballpoint pens disappearing from Cardiff really tickled my funny bone. I once had a lovely conversation with a professional calligrapher whose wife happens to be Welsh. Among other things related to my interest in improving my penmanship, he told me about this fabulous shop to get the best ink for dip pens or fountain pens. He said, “you absolutely have to visit it next time you’re in Cardiff.” We both laughed, knowing how rarely Americans without Welsh spouses find themselves in Cardiff.

The Couscous Cartel is expanding it’s reach I see. Does Coco Chanel know they kinda ripped off their logo?

The disappearance of ballpoint pens is a good thing. My grade school, in the early ‘50s, taught us ink with dip pens. Ink wells, ink monitor, blotters, the whole experience. No ballpoints allowed till 5th grade. I never got the hang of writing with a ballpoint. They slide around the paper, seemingly of their own volition. I can’t read what I’ve written with a BP. It was a Bay Area public school. For some reason they were still in the Pre-WWII era.

Please note gimlet eyes in panel 3.

“NIGHT OF THE DEMON” (1957) is an excellent supernatural film. The American version was cut so see the original British for it. Dana Andrews, a rock-solid skeptic,