Wallace the Brave by Will Henry for December 21, 2023

Amelia’s not not saying it doesn’t bite.

True love never dies.

Somehow Amelia turns “soup spoon” into an insult.

Spud looking like an evil genius in the last panel, as he steeples his fingers, and ponders the best course of action.

Poor Spud. Hope springs eternal…

Face it – you’re permanently on the naughty list, Amelia..

Why, Amelia!

The jump in Spud’s attitude from panel one to panel two is priceless.

I love the way that the word balloons are each drawn in their own way to punctuate the text… Spud’s heartful response, then twisty second-thought, Amelia’s straight answer, and Wallace’s suspicious question… It’s brilliant! Who else does that???

Her reputation precedes her.

I see “re-gift” written all over that present.

I like how Spud is eyeing it suspiciously in panel 3.

Wallace (the Brave), who goes after Bigfoot with a butterfly net, is keeping a pencil between whatever it is and his hand. A clear indication of someone who’s been on the wrong end of an Amelia bite.

No, Wallace, it is nothing cool like that. It is for Spud after all.

well soup spoons are dull

Amelia will never get off the naughty list. I like the name soup Spoon.

I just ran the decision matrix, bring in the bomb squad.

Spud goes from ecstatic to suspiciously pensive.

I like how even Spud, despite his typical blind love for Amelia, has to pause and question Amelia’s actual intent with this gift and whether or not he should concerned for his safety. Normally, it’s his love for Amelia blinding him to her antics that makes him such a prime target for her antagonism, as he generally never stops to question what she’s about to do to him until too late.

I, too, had a childhood crush. Once after sending her a gift, she ran up to me before school and said my name (made me swoon just at that!) and handed me a note. I was crushed when it said she didn’t like me.

“We have to protect the public! People aren’t going to think there’s a real frog in chocolate!”

These are all valid questions.

Even Seagull is suspicious of that “gift”.

The package doesn’t have the correct dimensions for being a soup spoon.

Nothing about this strip bites.

Spud, I would recommend opening that in a bomb shelter with a hazmat suit and at least 26 and a half gloves on each hand.

The steepled fingers of Spud’s speculation.

oh how I love that last picture hahahaha

There’s something inside that will explode or make a lot of noise as soon as you lift the lid?

Amelia’s doing a brave and (for her) difficult thing…unless it’s a prank, of which there’s a good chance, and the wariness is justified. Unlike Charlie Brown, Spud has learned to consider the source.

Timeo femines et dona ferentes.

So he’s got a serious crush, but thankfully he’s still got enough wisdom to approach with caution

Spud’s suspicious eyebrow raise!

“Never trust Iridians bearing gifts.”