Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for July 31, 2023

Oh, look everyone, we’re back to talking about comic books! I knew that old guy in the red cap was just a fill-in character with no staying power! Who needs him when we have glorious, glorious COMIC BOOKS!

Also, there’ s a big sign on the front door that says “Komix Korner,” Jfff. I’m pretty sure Pmm could have figured out where you were.

Also also, I see Jfff’s white sideburns are back. Did he color his hair for San Diego?

OH THANK GOD COMICAL BOOKS!!! Also, “Komics Korner” said once and spelled out in 2 panels out of 3. Where’s this set again? Yes, Tom, I am as stupid as you clearly think all your readers are.

That poor droid! Kayo’ed-Too looks like that “perfume” makes him want to puke out his guts. They don’t make cast-iron stomachs like they used to!

“PERFUME, isn’t it? Like guys who shower on Easter and Christmas only because their moms scream at them! OH, BOY! Suck in the STENCH!”

I won’t bother commenting on today’s strip, since I commented on every strip during the Comic-Con story arc and all but one of those comments were deleted by morning. Apparently some hyper-vigilant defender flags all comments that call into question the strip’s obsession with the utter wonderfulness of comic books (Hi, Tom!), and so those “offending” comments are stuffed down the memory hole. Maybe this one will be too, but just in case it isn’t, can I ask why Funky Winkerbean was discontinued and Crankshaft kept going, when their creator instead seems to be effectively replacing the latter with left-over characters and stories from the former?

Can we just have aliens force everyone at laser-point to watch Lisa’s Story on a loop? We all know this is where the strip’s going.

Does he just take his wife to totally random places, then announce them as they arrive? "Hey, honey, let’s go to no place I’ll name!’ “SURE! Wait—it’s the woodchipper showroom?!” (seductively) “It smells like old comic books! DO ME! DO ME NOW”

Next week: Montoni’s opens up again, the “Crank” gang goes to see “Lisa’s Story”, and preparations begin on the “International Lisa’s Legacy Smirkathon Run”.

My friend spends all of his money on comic books.

I keep telling him he has issues.

My friend showed me his huge comic book collection…

It was quite a Marvel.

What comic book hero loves dad jokes?

The PUNisher

I feel the same way about the used book store

How romantic…..

Wait! Where’s the leash Pmmm needs to reel in that sick pup?

Maybe Jff is here to buy all those comic books he told Ed’s investment group he’d get for them. Since he totally forgot when he regressed to a 10-year-old on the trip.

i still have 7000

The smell is a damp, musty odor of old comic books.

“Smells like old comic books”

So this week’s strips will have at least a little continuity with last week’s…

Yup! I love that smell!