Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for April 15, 2024

In a horror movie neither of those two would be able to step on consecrated ground, but this strip isn’t that realistic. Just pray that Batiuk doesn’t introduce their son, Damien Dinkle.

Oh, great, here goes the book festival arc. And with two of the most punchable mugs in the Batiukverse center stage.

Dinkleberg has written multiple books over the decades. His life story of composer Claude Barlow and his autobiography are multi-volume “efforts.” Why is Lillian the Lizard talking as if Harry’s a first-time author?

Oh, pish… Everyone knows that the apex of human literary achievement is “Lisa’s Story”…

Humility is not one of “his virtues”.

Okay, we’ve got the dramatic location. Now for the fight to the death. Action!

“Hahaha. Step a bit closer to that balcony edge, Harry…”

Looks like he has been around Crank too long!!!!!!!

Lillian ponders pushing Dinkle off the balcony. “Can’t have too much competition at the Festival this year!”, she thinks. “Plus, this will be great fodder for a new book, Murder at the Church Balcony!”

No ego there.

well today i learned rex morgan has two dogs for now

Harry Dinkle is somewhat unique in the Batiukverse, in that we actually get to see a little of the content that the characters are standing around talking about. Think about it—what do we know about the story of “Starbuck Jones,” or any of the AtomiK KomiX titles, or Lillian’s “Murder in the [insert book-related location]” series, or even “Dead St. Lisa’s Story” (the words on a page book supposedly written by Les Moore, vs. the collection of daily comic strips with the same cover produced by Tom Batiuk)? Virtually nothing. It seems the author is much more interested the process and has given little or no thought to the actual product his characters create.

Dinkle’s endless biography of Claude Barlowe, on the other hand, actually shows up from time to time, as we see the groaner musical puns Dinkle is setting down. As a big fan of the late great Professor Peter Schickele (whose “P.D.Q. Bach” is the obvious inspiration for Barlowe), I generally find them good for a chuckle (and a groan).

Not funny…….

If they were younger I’d suspect all this balongamabout Harry’s was for one purpose. Still just might, Lust can happen even at Lil and Harry’s age. It’s just that the results take longer.

someone is full of himself.

Hahaha! It’s funny because Dinkle is a self-absorbed abusive megalomaniac who has somehow never been fired as a choir director or band director despite the actual crimes he commits. Also, having seen endless excerpts of his “Claude Barlow Manuscript,” a terrible writer. So in that last sense, another accurate author-avatar.

One good thing about Dinkle appearing in this comic is that he detracts from the horrific nature of Loathsome Lillian.

The two of them discussing the Ohioana Book Festival will be painful, but at least they’re not discussing comic books.

“Ohioana”…?

Full of “himself”