Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for February 14, 2021

what does Petey play with now? I’d say Little Neuro books and shoebox dioramas

This time around 10 years ago, Richard posted a blog entry regarding this and the prior 6 strips: 

http://richardspooralmanac.blogspot.com/2011/02/todays-cul-de-sac-february-5-to-13-2011.html 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo_Gabba_Gabba! 

has an explanation of what the first pointed to show was, and 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Upside_Down_Show 

has an explanation of what the second pointed to show was. Technically, it had stopped showing reruns January of that year.

Okay, I will admit to being just the teeniest bit stoned, but this is just cosmically hilarious! When Petey said he hated the finality of completion I thought my head would explode.

My almost-40-year-old stuff’ bunny is wondering exactly how clingy one must be to wear out a stuffy. lol

I have found a new excuse for the unfinished puzzles, cross-stiches, and other assorted projects scattered about my house!

Sooo, Petey; Alice’s toys are infinite because throwing each other into the volcanic abyss denies the finality of completion?

I feel an eruption coming on.

What book is Petey reading? By the way, I agree with Bill Watterson: Petey is one of the most brilliant creations in comic strip history.

This one strip says a lot about Alice and her brother.

Looks like the characters from “Land of the Misfit Toys” have nothing on Petey’s collection!

I have a different problem. I finish many toys, but I always have more on order.

BUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hiya Happyx3!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

This right here is just about everything you need to know about Cul de Sac; not to mention how nicely it illustrates Mr. Thompson’s quiet genius.

Toys vs. toys! It’s a pretty even match, to tell the truth. Petey’s toys are eccentric, like their owner, but Petey knows exactly what he is doing and has a reasonable (if a bit far-fetched) answer for every one of Alice’s challenges.

Polyfill vs. Mr. Uggins! There’s your top-of-the-card match!

@MatthewJB I got out my copy of The Complete Cul de Sac and a big magnifying glass and took a close look at this strip (February 13, 2011). That book Petey is reading seems to have a title whose last word is “BUG” in panels 3 and 5, and either “BUG” or “PUG” in panel 7, so let’s go with “BUG”. In panel 5 the first word is clearly “TOM”, and the middle line of text is scribbled but looks like a short word and a long word. So I am led to speculate that this was a tip of the hat to cartoonist Ruben Bolling (“Tom the Dancing Bug”).