It’s a bird…it’s a plane…no wait, it’s…ummm…the lamest possible plot twist imaginable! Spanish immersion class? Spanish immersion class? Huh? What? Excuse me? You know something is incredibly stupid when even ol’ drunken Gil is questioning its logic.
Does Spanish Immersion class require the serious dramatic emotional decision-making response exhibited by Brendan-Oyl? Does it require getting an X tattooed on your hair? Whatever it requires, I’m soooo beyond done with this. Can we please just drop this D.O.A. story and bring on SUMMER INSANITY starring Kaz and/or Marty Moon?
WHAT IN THE NAME OF CLAMBAKE IS GOING ON HERE! Nothing is making sense anymore…the only thing I can think of with this “Spanish Immersion” is that they were going to sneak into Mexico and blend in with the natives.
God, Branden Oyl has the hugest man hands I’ve ever seen.
Comment by Regina — June 13, 2008 @ 8:43 am
Neal and whazzhisname just HAVE to be screwin’ with us now.
Comment by Gil'sBarber — June 13, 2008 @ 8:43 am
Another day of WTF thanks to Neal Rubin.
Looking at panel 3, I realized something: Whigham’s take on Gil Thorp is closer to the look of an actual high-school coach than any other artist’s — including the Jack Berrill original. The Whigham Gil looks like a guy who got hit in the head once too often, never got a D-1 scholarship, and settled for a dead-end high school job coaching sports and teaching driver’s ed.
At my high school, the football coach was “Muggsy” McGuiness. (”Muggsy” was the students’ nickname for him.) I didn’t play football, but he taught my (state-mandated) American Government class with the least possible amount of effort and imagination. We did stuff like memorize the members of the Cabinet — instead of, say, exploring the meaning of freedom. The Whigham Gil reminds me of Muggsy.
Comment by johnw — June 13, 2008 @ 8:55 am
Gil’sBarber -
Agreed. Those two are probably down at the beach, drinking beers, and and and laughing about how gullible the readers of GT are.
Comment by JJ — June 13, 2008 @ 9:16 am
Panel 1: Wow, Brendan-Oyl’s foot has some freakishly long toes. And she’s pretty flexible.
Panel 2: Why is Gil flashing gang signs at Mimi? Is there more to Gil than meets the eye?
Panel 3: I love the close-up on Gil’s craggy, stonelike face. And the giant fingers are a nice touch, as well. As for the plot, well, Gil said it best. None of this makes any sense whatsoever, but at least the characters recognize that it makes no sense.
Anyway, shouldn’t baseball season be wrapping up about now? I’ll join the chorus calling for the crazy summer storyline to start.
Comment by Cash — June 13, 2008 @ 9:16 am
Whiskey.
Tango.
Foxtrot.
Comment by TCM — June 13, 2008 @ 9:23 am
I was really hoping after the first panel we would have a Thorpian retelling of the classic “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” story.
Stop right there!
I gotta know right now!
Before we go any further –!
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?
Will you take me away and will you make me your
Wife?
Comment by John Mark — June 13, 2008 @ 9:25 am
Reminiscent of Bart Simpson’s alleged trip to the “Grammar Rodeo.” Only Bart’s trip was “ha ha” funny.
Comment by Catbus — June 13, 2008 @ 9:28 am
NOBODY expects the Spanish Immersion!
Comment by Mac Thomason — June 13, 2008 @ 9:35 am
I agree with Gil’s Barber…they’re messin’ with us…either that orthey mixed up the dialogue panels and this dialogue is really for tomorrow’s strip or maybe last month’s.
Comment by Regina — June 13, 2008 @ 9:59 am
Is that what they’re calling sex ed these days–Spanish Immersion?
Comment by KarenD — June 13, 2008 @ 10:00 am
Muchas Gratias Jason for such astute (as always) analysis. Tatoo’ed hair… lol. And props to all other observers. It’s gonna be a great summer!
Panel 2: Why is Gil-do holding his arms up backwards and what does that have to with what the kids calling their folks? Suggested revised dialog – Gil-do: What’s the prob Mimi? I think El-mer will feel right at home by me wearing the sash I stole from a mariachi band. Mimi: Gil-do, you insensitive gringo! If you put that sombrero on I’m gonna turn your flat-topped head into a pinata!
Comment by SemperFi4evr — June 13, 2008 @ 10:00 am
Yes, what is up with the striped cumberbund Gil is wearing?
Comment by AirForbes — June 13, 2008 @ 10:10 am
You missed the recycled art, Jason. Panel 1 is basically a mirror image of May 14th panel 1.
Comment by Scott de B. — June 13, 2008 @ 10:16 am
This strip has become predictably unpredictable. Neal, why do you hate your readers so?
Comment by sourbelly — June 13, 2008 @ 10:20 am
With his sash and his arms in the air in panel 2, Gil has clearly been taking Flamenco Immersion classes.
Comment by Smokey Stover — June 13, 2008 @ 10:31 am
I don’t know what the last panel means, but I think somebody is being insulted.
Comment by laura — June 13, 2008 @ 10:32 am
That is so weird. I was just immersed in Spanish the other day, and for some reason I was thinking to myself, “I think I’ll go elope with this fine young lady.” Fortunately, I was immersed in Cantonese a short while later, where I decided that getting the garlic prawn for dinner was a much better option.
Comment by El Santo — June 13, 2008 @ 10:32 am
By the way, is panel 1 recycled art? I swear I’ve seen those two pulling those same faces at some point.
Comment by El Santo — June 13, 2008 @ 10:33 am
Oh, I see. It’s not “that might have made sense,” it’s “THAT might have made sense.” Somebody’s Sharpie is on its last legs.
Comment by laura — June 13, 2008 @ 10:35 am
Anyone care to explain the setting of panel 2? Is Gil wearing hot pants? Briefs? Has the deck wood turned to gelatin and started consuming him from the waist down? Is Mimi headed off to javelin practice?
Comment by Tayrtahn — June 13, 2008 @ 10:35 am
By the way, is panel 1 recycled art? I swear I’ve seen those two pulling those same faces at some point.
You owe me a Coke, El Santo.
Comment by Scott de B. — June 13, 2008 @ 10:58 am
“Is that what they’re calling sex ed these days–Spanish Immersion?”
Well, maybe it’s just what they’re calling sex…
Comment by TCM — June 13, 2008 @ 11:28 am
Can’t you see? They’re going to get married in Mexic…… wait no that doesn’t make sense either
Comment by Bryce — June 13, 2008 @ 11:43 am
By the way, is panel 1 recycled art? I swear I’ve seen those two pulling those same faces at some point.
You owe me a Coke, El Santo.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7wt5FiZQrgM
Comment by El Santo — June 13, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
headthunk. I got all bothered by a plot point that wasn’t even HAPPENING. You’re right Coach Gil, elopement might have made sense but SPANISH IMMERSION? gawd. I really wanted to see INS officials grilling the young newlyweds in separate rooms what color their spouses toothbrush is and the like.
Comment by Emily — June 13, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
I have nothing to add, except my voice to the choir of “WTF?”
Okay, I do love Gil’s three giant freak fingers in Panel 3. Y’all know I’m a fan of the giant freak hand!
Comment by jules — June 13, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
Mimi’s comin’ at Gil with 9-iron, she’s so pissed. As far as that first panel’s concerned, those aren’t hands at all — they’re alien life forms having sex.
Comment by Striker — June 13, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
I think Gil’s gang sign is his new motto: Count the Fingers and they go 1-2-1-5, or A-B-A-E:
Always Bring Apathetic Excellence.
He’s trying to use this mantra to regain his composure after this head-scratching revelation evoked actual feeling out of him for once.
BTW, I’m still waiting for Whig-Gil’s head to explode. C’mon Rubin, we like Gil when he’s angry!
Comment by Lomion — June 13, 2008 @ 2:51 pm
Agree Lomion – we love it when Gil’s head explodes from anger. And why wouldn’t it? He’s got a freakin illegal on his team and who knows how many convicted felons, etc.
No one told me this would be a HARD job! Hell I even had to write a letter!
(Drunken hung-over Gil shuffles off to PUB with long-lost assistant Kaz and they totally justify being drunken sots – they don’t pay us enough for this chit!)
Comment by Gil'sBarber — June 13, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
…and today’s strip makes even LESS sense. Why would Elmo’s father be locking Brendan-oyl in the attic? Are they brother and sister now?
To retain what’s left of my sanity, I’m going to assume that “Immersion Class” is just they’re cover story: the did try to elope, but then the Justice of the Peace informed them that the marriage wouldn’t buy Elmo a green card. Too embarrassed to admit she was ready to marry her BFFFF, Brendan-oyl made up all this crap about Total Immersion. Elmer only agreed to play along so long as they acted like melodramatic telenova stars.
Comment by Tim O'Shenko — June 14, 2008 @ 7:49 am
OMGWTF. Does this mean that Gail Martin was a year ago?
Comment by Oddball Cargo — June 14, 2008 @ 7:13 pm
Why would you need to go to another state to take a Spanish course? Why would you want to go into Spanish immersion if you don’t know any Spanish? Why doesn’t Milford High have a Spanish class, much less immersion? Why would you want to go in Spanish immersion class if you were going to be deported to a Spanish-speaking country since you’d then get Spanish immersion for free? Why did they go all that way to get Mullethead into Spanish immersion class only to go back home? How could a son of two primarily Spanish-speaking people not know any Spanish? This development just blows my mind. Milford’s turning from an ignorant rendition of small-town America into a Twilight Zone episode.
Comment by Burton Radons — June 15, 2008 @ 1:22 am
wtf
Comment by kenzo — June 17, 2008 @ 2:21 pm