Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for December 03, 2023

So, the only Montoni’s items that were auctioned off last Fall in FW were the “celebrity” wall photos and the Tiffany lamp that Lizard Lil repurchased? Everything else went unsold and has been sitting under sheets for a year? Makes perfect sense.

Wait, WHAT? Actual realism,actual sanity, actual ADVICE?! WHAT IS THIS TRIP COMING TO

Mindy should look relieved, but she must know by now that Mopey won’t listen to the mocking laughter of experience.

I never could run a business because that would just mean work is always there with me, and that would make it really hard to focus on my own creative projects. It can get intense. At least with my career path (software engineering), I can forget about work after I clock out and do whatever I want after that.

“I never should have closed this place, just because I wasn’t making enough money to stay in business! What was I thinking?”

Maunday: “Mr…Wonkle…dong?…Please tell me you haven’t locked the bathrooms! I’m…very excited!” Funky: “Nah, the health department nailed those doors shut just before they closed us! SIGN HERE, Rube! Umm, I mean ‘PETE’!”

Somewhere in a lonely pizzeria

there’s a guy starting to realize

That eternal fate has turned it’s back on him

His beacon’s been moved under moon and star

Now that he has gone too far

Where is he to go

Help he is steppin’ into the twilight zone

So, off topic. Did Funky and Cindy ever reconcile? Or, are they still divorced?

He may have time to write since he probably intends to stick Mindy with all the actual work!

WHERE’S CRANKSHAFT?

Montoni’s will soon be bustling again.

Pete supposedly co-wrote one or two huge Hollywood blockbusters but now needs to run a pizza joint in Nowhere, OH. Makes sense.

At least someone thinks this thread is funny…

Grandiose thinking of the youth!!!!!!

The booths, from what we can see under the shrouds look okay. But what about the rest of the place? I’d bet Pete would need new ovens at least to pass a health inspection, and, unless the town safety inspector is very lax, Pete will need a bunch of other upgrades.

Yeah, we got a joke today! I can tell by all of the roaring laughter in the last panel.

It’s nice to see that apparently Funky, despite it being boarded up, has been paying someone to come in weekly and clean and polish the floor for the past year. You could probably eat off of it.

Hmmmmm, I thought it was a “comic” strip………

Shouldn’t Ed be standing nonchalantly off to one side in order to continue the charade that this strip is still about Crankshaft?

Wait until Funky finds out the only job Pete has ever had is writing comic books. Pete doesn’t know the first thing about business management or running a restaurant.

Funky knows.

My thoughts exactly…..

What’s with Funky wearing a tie?

Pete, Pete, Pete, you naive comic book artist. The real world is about to smack you in the face my boy and there will be no super hero’s to help you.

Ha ha ha ha haaaa! Hire me as Santa Claus! Ho ho ho ho hooooo!

Haha! (＾▽＾)