Crabgrass by Tauhid Bondia for December 31, 2024

Santa is to find out the truth about his own wife, uh oh.

Yeah, Mrs. Claus being the villain is messing with my mind. It’s good writing though

And there’s the other shoe dropping. The only one Santa can trust now is his only son…

So, is a Santa story going to mess with the calendar by extending into the new year, or does the story continue next December?

The 12 days of Christmas are still in effect. So we still have a few days left to the season. Yea!

Wow. The drama is so much better in this strip than Dick Tracy. Allowing for the parameters of fantasy this makes better logic… (Heck, we won’t even demand the use of fantasy parameters this makes better sense than the current Dick Tracy story.) And the humor in this strip is intentional as contrasted with, “This is so stupid it’s ludicrous.”

This is, what, a four week arc?

Hold on! How long has the kids been away from home? Won’t their parents know they’re missing?

Okay, this is getting a little ridiculous.

I think Tauhid Bondia has taken us deep into graphic novel territory with this story arc. This could also be the story board for a new ‘Over the Hedge’ movie or even a Christmas special for Netflix. I believe I’m okay with any of those types of possibilities.

Kris knelt beside Clyde, the snow biting into his knees, yet his embrace radiated warmth against the chill. Clyde’s face, lined with years of torment, trembled as tears fell freely.

“Kris,” Clyde whispered hoarsely. “I was blind. I let the darkness in. I didn’t see… what she was doing.”

Kris held him tighter, his own voice steady despite the ache in his chest. “It’s over, Clyde. You’re free now.”

But Clyde shook his head, gripping Kris’s arm as though it were the only anchor keeping him afloat. “No, Kris. You don’t understand. You’re in danger. Celina… she betrayed you. She twisted me, fed my hatred, and now—now she’s doing the same to Randall.”

The boys stood frozen, the weight of the words heavy in the air. Kris pulled back, his heart sinking under the revelation. “Celina?” he asked, the name almost a whisper.

Clyde nodded, his face etched with anguish. “She thrives in shadows, Kris. She’s consumed by them, pulling Randall with her. Darkness feeds on lies, hiding its cowardice behind deceit.”

Kris rose slowly, his breath steadying as his resolve hardened. “Then we bring truth into the light. Darkness cowers when faced with truth. That is where our strength lies.”

The boys exchanged glances, their fear giving way to a flicker of hope. “What now, Santa?” one of them asked quietly.

Kris’s gaze turned toward the horizon, his voice calm yet unyielding. “We fight—not with anger, but with light. Truth is our weapon, and it will shine where shadows seek to hide.”

The wind seemed to quiet, the storm briefly holding its breath as Kris stood tall. For in the battle ahead, it wasn’t vengeance that would guide him—it was the unwavering belief that light and truth could pierce even the deepest darkness.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!, everyone.

Nope, Mrs. Claus is NOT evil. That’s an even sillier idea than 9-year-olds being “truly innocent” (7, sure. 8, maybe.).

the plot thickens

Lines are being drawn. Alliances formed, broken and reformed. How will the snowflakes fall?

Yeah, we figured that out, bud. Still at least YOU’RE on the mend!