Recent Comments

1. about 15 hours ago on Crankshaft

   To borrow a line from William Faulkner, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past”

2. about 15 hours ago on Crankshaft

   Well, Ralph used to own Centerville’s Valentine theater (“Come for ‘The Phantom Menace,’ Stay for the Stale Popcorn!”) before he unloaded…er, sold it to Max and Hannah, so at least it makes sense that he would have a 16mm projector as opposed to the more common for home use Super 8.

   Ed should still brace him for what’s on the tape, though.

3. about 23 hours ago on Crankshaft

   Tim Meckler (seen in the Kent State 1970 flashbacks) was said to have died in Vietnam. A mid-2010s storyline featured Ralph finding an old letter to Santa Tim wrote as a child and then buying and assembling the bike his son asked for; I think he then donated it to charity. As for Helen Meckler, she was diagnosed with Alezheimer’s in the late 1990s and eventually moved into Bedside Manor once she no longer recognized Ralph. That storyline was reprinted in not one, but two C’Shaft books in the last 20 or so years.

   This is why I thought a “heads up” from Ed about his discovery might have been called for. I’m not saying that Ralph wouldn’t be touched by the tape, but giving it to him gift-wrapped like a Dale Evans apron seems a little off.

4. 1 day ago on Crankshaft

   Really? Seriously, would anybody out there, if you found an old video of home movies featuring a close friend’s late wife and son, wrap it up and hand it to them with a “Merry Christmas” and no context or emotional preparation? I personally don’t feel it works dramatically or in real life, but tell me if you think it’s a good idea.

5. 2 days ago on Crankshaft

   No, nor do I beat dead horses, unlike Batiuk.

6. 2 days ago on Crankshaft

   Could be old home movies that someone transferred to VHS. They’ve been doing that since the late ’80s.

7. 3 days ago on Crankshaft

   Hoo boy. Ed’s going to take the tape over to Meckler’s house, only to find Ralph still putting a bicycle together for Tim, isn’t he?

8. 3 days ago on Crankshaft

   He uses a pencil.

9. 4 days ago on Crankshaft

   I know he was canonically illiterate for much of his adult life, but why is Ed talking about Christmas lights when the box he’s looking in is clearly marked “Christmas tapes”?

   Also, it’s December 19th, and judging from Panel Two’s exterior shot Christmas light one has yet to be strung at Casa De Crankshaft. Better get a move on, fella.

   Lastly, please tell me Ed didn’t uncover one of the videotapes Dead St. Lisa made and left behind for Les and Summer to watch.

10. 5 days ago on Crankshaft

    Wait a minute…Ed may have contracted some sort of debilitating condition that could eventually leave him sucking on an oxygen tank, unable to speak, and living in isolation at Bedside Manor Retirement Home?I’m there for it!!!