Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for October 24, 2023

Oh, gawd, he wants to re-open Montoni’s, in a neighborhood so dead nobody has taken over the old shop and put in a new business.

So what happened to Mopey’s reputation as the highest-paid comic book writer around? Not to mention the Engagement Tiger? But I will admit Mindy is much smarter than I’d thought, given her shock at the idea of marrying Mopey and letting him spawn with her.

Well, as the fella with crutches and a new splint on his broken leg said, I stand corrected. Batiuk does remember some of what he wrote a year ago. Still, Min-dull hasn’t wondered why Mopey never took her to Montoni’s for the past 12 months? And the window signs simply say “closed” instead of “for lease”?

Meanwhile, she also seems to be unaware that the engagement tiger meant they would eventually get married. And Pete’s big “proposal” is going to be…that they buy and reopen Montoni’s. Never mind that he’s a hit Hollywood screenwriter and has never been shown to have any restaurant experience. At least TB got the fact that American comics aren’t selling—and pros aren’t getting paid—like they used to. Or is there another “big swerve” on the horizon? Ca’t wait.

So mopey Pete both wants to reopen monotonis, which I’m shocked wasn’t reopened. Also your jumping the gun man. You have to PROPOSE first…and you know ask if she wants kids. Like a normal person.

Baby Crank’s

Quantum Superpositioning: All Funkyverse continuities exist and DON’T exist at the same time. Is Montoni’s Open/Closed? No/Yes. Are they already engaged? No/Yes. Does Pete look like Droopy Dog after a ten day quaalude bender, and about to trip over his own eyebags? No/HELL YES. Oh, so the “proposal” was for them to buy Montoni’s (slogan: “Best Pizza You Spit Out After One Bite!”) and something something Lisa’s Story.

MAN: “WOMAN—You shall REPRODUCE with ME! And SPAWN!” WOMAN: “Shouldn’t we have had this conversation—sometime in the decades we’ve known each other, before you’re screaming it at me?!” MAN: “SILENCE, Ofpete!”

OMG… he lured her out there just so he could throw out a not even-half baked marriage proposal??

Yesterday she was acting like she expected him to propose, and today she’s shocked that he’s thinking about marriage and kids?

Not on the “same page” today!!!

This guy is going full steam ahead. Why doesn’t he consult with his “partner” before planning. She might have different ideas.

Well this is not going to go well either.

maybe they can reopen the place as a bowling supply store since margo lanes is the coolest spot in town

Married? Kids? With this dufus?

“You knew that Montoni’s was closed!?”

And you didn’t? And your Mother didn’t tell you yesterday?

“Married? Kids?”

Yes! That’s what that whole marriage proposal thing was about – engagement tiger? Remember? Remember him saying that he didn’t have enough money to get a proper engagement ring for you, even though your fiancee is the in-strip equivalent of Stan Lee? On that note -

“The comic book business isn’t going to be enough to support us”

Yes it will. You’re this world’s Stan Lee. You are a millionaire.

Also, opening a restaurant isn’t done by someone whose primary goal is to make money.

Also, you don’t need to physically be in front of a closed restaurant to discuss reopening it.

And Mason Jarr will buy it and hire you to run it.

I got it all wrong! It’s she who thought the big question was pepperoni or sausage not the other way around. If Mason Jarr can buy the Valentine theater I suppose Mopey Pete can buy Montoni’s and the secret recipe.

So it’s been closed for months, and she didn’t know? I guess we know why they couldn’t make it in business.

Of course Mopey Pete wants to buy and re-open Montoni’s, because they need a place to have the wedding ceremony and/or reception, and we all know that Montoni’s is the ONLY place there to have it! (sarcasm)

Mopey Pete looks mopier than usual in Panel 2.

Well that is a interesting way to pop the question.

Push him in front of a bus, then run for your life, blondie.

So, panel 1, he is saying that he brought her all the way to Montoni’s just to tell her that it is closed? That is what he wanted to talk to her about? Couldn’t he have told her that, oh, back in her own town? Did he think she was too dumb to grasp the concept and actually had to see the closed building?

He wants to expand to a non franchise Pizza joint? Where would he find the recipes, not to forget the capital, and, etc.?

Buy good news…Montoni’s is back.

“But I’m hungry!”

She’s surprised that he knows the business downstairs from his own shop is closed?

It’s a small town. How did anyone not know that the Only Pizza Joint in town was Closed?

Then why would you invite her to a restaurant you knew was closed?