Andrew goes all Tancredo on us
5/3/08
Branden-Oyl and her freakish fingers are right, Elmer. This isn’t really a thing you should tell the entire school about. You may think these folks are your friends, but if you look closely, some of them are actually douchebags with sunglasses on top of their head that you thwarted years ago using your Jedi flipper hand waving. And apparently at least one of your baseball teammates is a total Tancredo.
But of bigger concern to me here is: what is that unidentified blob in the bottom left of the final panel? Does whiny Jim Gross have a giant uni-man-boob? Or did the jerk (that turns out to be Andrew) carbon-copy his left shoulder and place it in front of his friends as part of his immigration stance (“Look how America must shoulder the burden of illegal immigration!”)
5/5/08
Oh boy. So I guess Andrew “Formerly known as Curley-Horse before he started wearing a hat and a different artist drew him” Gregory is the requisite dick of the moment. Neal Rubin has really been all over the map with this character…first he was an arrogant jerk, then a lovable do-no-wrong big brother with a heart of gold, and now he’s back to being the dick of the school. (Perhaps the real Andrew Gregory pissed off Neal, then made up with him, then pissed him off again?) So how long ’til Andrew has another change of heart and complete character turn? Depends on you, real Andrew Gregory! Let us know when you send your next apology to Mr. Rubin.
At least Elmer can confide in some scarred faceless weirdo while he changes into his Tron gear and prepares to ride his lightbike around the locker room.
Meanwhile, Binghampton, New York-based Seton Catholic Central High School travels to Milford for some moderately confusing baseball action. Discuss!
Today’s panel 3 is AWESOME! First, check out Curly-Horse’s awkward post-pitch stance, and his uniform pants with flames painted on them. Then notice that he’s at least 4 feet in front of the mound. No wonder his fastball’s doing so well. But the topper by far is that there is apparently a baserunner attempting to steal home on this pitch. That is fantastic.
Comment by Cash — May 5, 2008 @ 9:21 am
And what the heck is that round object on the right side of panel 3. No visible stitches, so it can’t be a baseball, right? Too large to be a ping pong ball. A bubble? A perfectly-formed snowball?
Also, Andrew, isn’t it kinda sorta illegal to deceive Social Services regarding child neglect?
Comment by Catbus — May 5, 2008 @ 9:36 am
I’m confused with panel three. Is this a pitch? Why isn’t the catcher in the crouching position with some type of protective gear? Maybe its not a real game at all. That would explain The complete blank background.
Comment by kenzo — May 5, 2008 @ 10:00 am
I’m even more confused with panel three from the 3rd. Andrew? certainly has a strange grip on that object I am guessing is a bat. It looks more like a shoe horn.
Comment by kenzo — May 5, 2008 @ 10:09 am
I’m thinking that the round object is a bomb. That guy is not running home, he’s actually running in slow motion yelling “NOOOOOOO” to shove the bomb out of the way so it doesn’t blow up the catcher.
Hey, Gil Thorp needs a storyline with a bomb scare.
Comment by Howabominable (aka Lindsey ^_^) — May 5, 2008 @ 10:23 am
I find it hard to fault Andrew when Elmer is acting like a brain-dead moron. “It doesn’t matter if everyone knows because everyone loves me and no one would ever get me in trouble, amirite?”
Look, Elmer, even that big meathead Cully Vale knew when to keep his mouth shut, and his secret only came to light because of that dag-nabbed Google. (Google, you destroyer of lives!)
Comment by El Santo — May 5, 2008 @ 10:28 am
I’m trying to picture what exactly Elmer is telling everyone anyway?
Guess what! My illegal alien Dad just told me that I’m an illegal alien too! How cool is that? Pass it on!!
Comment by Gil'sBarber — May 5, 2008 @ 10:37 am
In panel 3 Andrew has fielded a grounder and is throwing out the runner at first base.
Comment by myronbooth — May 5, 2008 @ 10:51 am
I was having a bad day until I saw the pitcher in the very last panel, with his elephantine arm-hose and the Cathy-style embroidered heart on his uniform.
I can’t tell who’s on the field; Is it Andrew? If so, he sure is sanctimonious about “aliens,” since he clearly is not of this earth.
Comment by Striker — May 5, 2008 @ 11:16 am
Why is Milford playing baseball against the Seton Chess Club?
Comment by Richard — May 5, 2008 @ 11:19 am
Must’ve been an early golf date for Chief Whig on today’s final panel. Not only did he forget to draw any background, but he forgot the “M” on Milford’s jerseys and replaced it with a “Caty” heart, (like Striker noticed).
Comment by Gil'sBarber — May 5, 2008 @ 11:27 am
“Cathy” heart, sorry.
Comment by Gil'sBarber — May 5, 2008 @ 11:28 am
Saturday, Panel 1: Did Elmer try to change his appearance and avoid deportation by applying his face to a belt grinder? Something is seriously wrong there.
Today, Panel 3: Neal’s narration discusses pitching, so naturally Chief Whigham shows us Andrew throwing to first base. Brilliant!
Comment by sourbelly — May 5, 2008 @ 11:29 am
I’m more interested in what Branden has on her shirt in the first panel of Saturday’s strip. Are those the infamous McDonald’s golden arches? She does bear a striking resemblance to Ronald now that I think about it. Maybe she’s going into the family business of mascoting for fast food chains?
Meanwhile it becomes clearer everyday that Elmer is actually Clayface from Batman: TAS. Looks like he needs to stop by Dagat’s lab after work and get a fresh batch, his face is going to slid right off his skull shortly.
Comment by Tweeks_Coffee — May 5, 2008 @ 12:03 pm
5/5 panel 3.
I had the guy at the left yelling, “Wait for me! I’m the batter.”
I really don’t know whether a HS baseball game has fewer than 9 innings,
but I’m damn sure you need to get through more than 1.
Comment by dale — May 5, 2008 @ 12:12 pm
What’s with the Brendan-stache in panel 1? When I first saw it, I thought she was supposed to be the guy who played Mac in “Night Court.”
Comment by spencer — May 5, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
Not only does the pitcher have flames on his paints and a heart on his shirt, I swear he is sporting a short, black cape. I also think that the guy on the far left is breaking into his tap dance routine.
Comment by Laura Jane — May 5, 2008 @ 4:05 pm
Not much to say here, other than it did take me a bit to figure out that, in classic Gil Thorp fashion, the illustration for panel three doesn’t match the text at all (My first thought was also “Someone’s stealing home? Wha…oh, wait a second, I’ve got it now.”)
Comment by Emptyeye — May 5, 2008 @ 6:44 pm
What no one’s noticed is that he’s not throwing home at all. HOME is on the building behind him in panel three of Saturdays strip, and goes a long way towards explaining how he got through the first inning: They moved home plate to the side of a building!
Comment by Lomion — May 5, 2008 @ 7:35 pm
I am loving the new locker room levitating bench with jet propulsion in panel 2 of 5/5.
Comment by JanB — May 6, 2008 @ 5:05 am
Is it me, or does the new artist REALLY like drawing people who look out of the corners of the eyes?
Comment by Dr. "Eat More Cheddar and Drink More Pabst," aka Gil's Dietician — May 6, 2008 @ 5:30 am
It’s better than Frank Mclaughlin’s habit of leaving eyeballs out completely.
Comment by Striker — May 6, 2008 @ 9:07 am