Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for April 24, 2024

Of course we had you at that name! “Batton Thomas” is the dumbest alias since Willie Sutton started calling himself Rob Banks!

Oh god I missed yesterday. So we’re back in hell. Also the village booksmith. I like a good pun title but this ain’t it.

Is today’s joke derived from Batton saying “the name” in panel three, as opposed to “book signing”, because that’s the part that he actually cares about, and we all know it? Is that how our expectations are intended to be subverted here? Help me out.

I wonder how many book signings have been ruined by Crankshaft.

My, but Batiuk just can’t get enough of authors going out into the world and soaking up the effusive praise of their adoring readers, can he? Did someone say “wish fulfillment”?

Still, if this event is as successful as the Les Moore book signing at Lillian’s store a few years ago was…that still means no one will show up.

The village booksmith? Is that where you is finds the village idiots?

“That’s great, I’m feelin’ kinda horny too!”

Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to do a book signing at the comic book shop? I doubt Lillian carries many comic books in her store.

He’s done book signings in the cruddy little xomix shop in a walkup space over a pizza restaurant, why not a book signing in a cruddy little illegal bookstore in the garage attic of a house in a residential neighborhood?

We’re at the point where Margo has begun wandering around Manhattan having surreal encounters with random bit characters from the strip. “Who are you? Do I know you?” “Maybe…Freeman…or Fairfield…or Freeman…” “I, Batton Thomas, the creator of Three O’Clock High (not the movie) and also the Winkles, am leaving.”A whisper from the alley “Phillll Holllltttt was never deadddddd…..”

A LOT of book signings here lately. I’m no psychologist, but I would recommend one of those plot generating prompts before it’s too late.

Where’s Crankshaft………………change the name of the ‘toon……

Sorry…probably a poor “turn out”!!!!!!

Because apparently in Ohio, there’s nothing better than getting a signed book.

meanwhile crankshaft takes a walk in fadon park hoping to be a hero

Batty had me at the name as well. When I first heard the name “Village Booksmith,” I envisioned Lillian’s works being being burned in the furnace and hammered on the anvil, which I thought was a proper fate for them. You can imagine how disappointed I was when I found it was just a Batiuk-“cute” name for a bookstore. Almost as disappointed as when I learned that “Draft Kings” had nothing to do with beer.

Hey, where’d all those “If you don’t like it, don’t read it!” rays of sunshine go? Do you not like reading about MORE Funky characters spending a week on book signings? (Seriously, AGAIN with the book signings? What ISN’T wrong with Tom the Ego Bomb?)

“You had me at the name!”

Books myth?