Brick-a-Brak
Thank god for Chief Whigham’s wacky angle artwork! If Frank Bolle had drawn this comic I would probably have ended up in a coma like poor Danny DeVito. But now at least I can see what a conversation about paperwork looks like from the interior of a shoe store! Then get an inside look into Mr. DeVito’s wood-paneled office lifestyle! Then be confused along with Armando as a dude with pizza dough on his head flashes gang signals in the hospital, while KAZ-BOT keeps ol’ Danny on life support!
As for this plot, I’m reminded of what Marge Simpson once said to Apu after he explained how circumstances led to him becoming an illegal immigrant: “What you’re saying is so understandable. And really, your only crime was violating U.S. law.”
More importantly, you can now order “Armando Vargas, Brick Magician” action figures! (Note, may be mislabeled as “Brak’s Dad.” Don’t worry. That’s just a typo.)
I almost hate to say it, but I think Chief Whigham is starting to hit his stride. At the very least, he has a strong individual style, which is kind of refreshing after Frank I’s happy-hour laziness and Frank II’s absolute blandness.
He still has to do something about that goddamn Comic Sans, though. And we still await a closeup of Coach Kaz so we can find out whether he still has earrings.
Comment by johnw — April 30, 2008 @ 8:32 am
My first thought waswhen I saw Danny DeVito in panel two was I thought hewas the Maytag Repairman, but now I am seeing the Danny DeVito-ness.
I think poor Danny wound up in the hospital because of a mishap with Senor Vargas’ “Brick Magic”.
What in the hell happened to Pizza Dough dude’s mouth????? I think that’s why Senor Vargas is scratching his head in confusion. He’s wonder the same thing as well.
I think Chief Whigham is showing us in panel one that he has a shoe fetish.
Comment by Regina — April 30, 2008 @ 8:47 am
This week, SHOE STORE is featuring mukluks and fetishwear.
When her husband’s health failed, who did Mrs. Dolan turn to? Why, Mr. Dolan’s imported brick magician, who else?
Whoever that is sitting with Armando in the hospital room (Mrs. Dolan, I guess), looks awful familiar. Where have I seen that face before? Oh yeah, imprinted on a Girl Scout shortbread cookie.
Comment by Ned Ryerson — April 30, 2008 @ 8:59 am
That’s Mrs. Vargas in panel 3. Remember, she’s descended from Picasso.
Comment by Scott de B. — April 30, 2008 @ 9:33 am
Let’s just rename the strip “Gil Thorp Minus Gil Thorp” and be done with it. It’s clear that Gil’s never comi…
Oh God, that Boot is HOT!!!
Comment by Striker — April 30, 2008 @ 9:50 am
Wait, so it this all BEFORE he was born? Because if he was born on American soil, he’s an American citizen, right? So he can go to Ecuador, right? If it was after he was born, then OK. But the second panel implies that it was just Mr. and Mrs. Vargas, because why would he go through the steps to make just the parents citizens and not the kid?
Am I thinking about this too much?
Comment by Howabominable (aka Lindsey ^_^) — April 30, 2008 @ 10:31 am
I, too, am starting to love the artwork. It’s like peering into a world of giants and Diego Rivera!
Comment by laura — April 30, 2008 @ 10:32 am
Aren’t we all being a little too hard on Whigham? I mean, look what we were subjected to under Frank 2.0! At least everyone does not look the same age now, and you can tell one person from another…
Comment by Thorpnotized — April 30, 2008 @ 10:47 am
Just was looking at panel two again…where is Danny DeVito doing with his other hand?
Comment by Regina — April 30, 2008 @ 11:45 am
I was going to mention that Mrs. Vargas reminded me of the lady in “Guernica”, but Scott de B. beat me to it. Is Chief’s style moving from Escher to Picasso?
Comment by sourbelly — April 30, 2008 @ 11:56 am
Whigham’s comic book experience surfaces in Panel 3. It looks like old man Dolan is hooked up to something designed by Jack Kirby. Perhaps Milford’s true location is somewhere in the Fourth World. (And it, uh, does explain old-school Kaz’s resemblance to Granny Goodness.)
Comment by El Santo — April 30, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
6. Howabominable …
You may be thinking too hard. Dolan could have made some general offer of citizenship help without enumerating the family members. Elmer wouldn’t know one way or the other.
Dolan could have been lying because he’s pocketing tax and S.S. payments.
Like Mighty Mouse or Billy Mays, the thing that may save the day is that Elmer was born in the US. However, he’s at least chronologically, if not mentally, old enough to live
on his own, so he may not serve as an anchor baby. His parents could still be on the next boat to Gitmo.
Comment by dale — April 30, 2008 @ 1:14 pm
So, okay, I was not a particularly attentive father when it came to the technial/bureaucratic details of my kids and school, but…
Don’t public schools typically enquire as to the residency status of their students?
Comment by TCM — April 30, 2008 @ 1:35 pm
ya’ll: Look at yesterday. Elmer says “Turns out, I was born in Mexico.” Not US citizen. And my understanding of today’s comic is that DannyD SAID he would help them become citizens, so they could live comfortably, rather than from work visa to work visa and then he fell ill. Before anything could happen. Why they decided then to become illegals and why they have not gotten caught is all beyond me. I’m just barely able to grasp these plot points.
Comment by Emily — April 30, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
I dunno…his artwork style is beginning to remind me of Perry Bible Fellowship, especially the Dolans in panel 3.
Comment by Mike — April 30, 2008 @ 2:40 pm
TCM: No, they don’t. In fact, schools are pretty much not allowed to ask. They are supposed to educate everyone regardless of status. There are also loopholes in the law that allow for registration of homeless children, refugees (e.g. Katrina) etc.
As Emily said, the Vargases might have been promised citizenship but it had/has not come through yet (takes 7 years + there is a huge backlog of applications). They probably overstayed their work visas to remain in the country.
Comment by laura — April 30, 2008 @ 3:18 pm
Homeless children going to public schools? Like Ted Pearce.
Comment by Cash — April 30, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
Don’t care, don’t care. The Vargas family is hosed, and the last thing they need is help from mudheads like Gil and Kaz.
I’m just pondering what Mimi and Marty Moon are up to, thinking about those ultra high heel shiny black pumps that DOMINATE panel 1, and wondering if they come in Marty’s size.
Comment by julienne — April 30, 2008 @ 6:13 pm
Maybe we need an adult spin-off strip like, oh maybe Gil Thorp: After Hours, where we can see Gil’s uncontrollable, ‘roid-fueled rotgut benders, Marty’s cross-dressing and masochism/submission fetishes, Kaz running his all night body-piercing and tattoo shop — giving the latest generation of Mudlark-ettes their tongue-rings and “tramp-stamps.” Kinda like Twin Peaks, but retarded.
Comment by Striker — April 30, 2008 @ 7:06 pm
I missed the Elmer was born in Mexico part. However, the heretofore unseen citizen sisters could act as anchor babies. The mother can stay. Elmer and Armando get deported.
Comment by dale — May 1, 2008 @ 1:41 am
The immigration issues all actually work out. I guess Rubin did some research before writing this arc. The only thing that doesn’t make sense is why Mrs. Dolan didn’t arrange any work visa for him. He could’ve been legal by now if they had set it up.
Comment by Tweeks_Coffee — May 1, 2008 @ 7:08 am