WHAT…THE…HOLY…HELL?
OK, people. We’re through the looking glass here. A place where logic, physics…and pretty much everything else, no longer apply. Are you seeing this too, or did I eat some really bad cheese? As the purported leader of the gang of snarkers around here, I’d try to explain what’s going on, but I’m afraid this would happen:
…and I’m not responsible if this happens to you. So don’t think too hard about today’s comic either, just bask in the ultimate WHAT THE HELL moment this strip has ever seen.
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Wow. That’s just…wow.
Scary part? The ellipses at the end would seem to indicate that the demonic ball that lives outside of the physical rules of our universe hasn’t ended its journey yet.
Comment by jlp — April 8, 2009 @ 1:16 am
I have absolutely nothing snarky to say. All I can say is that we’re sure to be in for a hell of a ride.
Comment by Zaq — April 8, 2009 @ 3:30 am
Jason, I’m speechless…I’m just trying to figure out why Chief Whigham needed four panels instead of the usual three to explain this insanity.
The strip from yesterday and today will definitely take a bunch of prizes in next year’s awards.
I was hoping that Gil would end up in mideval times a la Bugs Bunny like Ned said yesterday.
Comment by Regina — April 8, 2009 @ 4:29 am
Panel three looks like a snowball or a small rock.
Comment by Regina — April 8, 2009 @ 4:29 am
This is like comics crack.
I think those that predicted this will be filmed by Hatt and turn into a viral internet phenomenon will be proven right.
Comment by Scott de B. — April 8, 2009 @ 4:52 am
At least the Giant Freak Hand is back in Panels 1, 3 and 4… Panel 4?… YES PANEL 4!!!
My head hurts worse than gils… I need to head to the Pub!
Comment by el lumpbo — April 8, 2009 @ 5:40 am
Using his hat as one of those Jai Alai arm basket ball launchers, Gil spins an delivers a
198 m.p.h. fastball to Andrews chest………..
Comment by knoxy — April 8, 2009 @ 6:13 am
Very impressive athleticism, Andrew and Gil! We went out and tried this yesterday and never could get the fungo ball to hit my coach’s head more than once let alone take the cap off and have it land in it.
Comment by Dave — April 8, 2009 @ 6:20 am
I knew this would be posted early given yesterday’s mayhem. But, seriously, what the hell should we make of this?
Comment by southmauldin — April 8, 2009 @ 6:37 am
Wow is this out of bizzaro world or what. Maybe Hat will post that tape on YouTube.
Comment by Bobby Joe — April 8, 2009 @ 6:37 am
How many times did it bounce? In panel 1 where Gil is doing his Dick Tracy impersonation, the ball is ascending, and the hat is on. In panel two, the hat is coming off and the ball is heading skyward again…meaning there had to be a bounce in between. Now, even if Gils’ head were packed with concrete, which we can’t rule out, you wouldn’t get that much action on a fly ball…..
Comment by knoxy — April 8, 2009 @ 6:44 am
Leaving aside whatever exactly is supposed to be happening with the ball, I would like to get back to some of the speculation about how much Gil might be injured. It occurs to me now that there was never any chance of Gil being injured because of the shielding provided by his immaculate flattop. As we all know, you could land airplanes on that thing, so a pop fly wouldn’t stand a chance of making an impression on Gil.
Comment by Tim — April 8, 2009 @ 7:05 am
I think we have a winner. We spend weeks plodding through nonsense and plots that have potential but end up going somewhere beyond nowhere, all the while hoping for another Self-Clubbing Tyler or Coach Kaz/Gail Martin-type surrealism. With the rotating artists last year, it began to seem less and less likely. However, this year, it’s going to be Gil’s Magic Fungo Ball Trick.
Thank you, Rubin & Whigham, for keeping the dream alive.
Comment by bartcow — April 8, 2009 @ 7:11 am
I think we are missing the obvious… WHEN did Gil Pick up a GLOVE??? and HOW did he manage to catch his Hatby the Bill, compose himself and catch the ball in the center of the hat… Gravity must not be 9.8 m/s2 in Milford….
To recap.. when Gil walks onto the field (the “Little does Gil know” 4/4/09)) Gil has a WATCH on his left hand but no GLOVE. I guess he must have traded his Rolex for a A2000?.. because after the Nogin Knock he has a glove but no watch!
My head hurts again!
Comment by el lumpbo — April 8, 2009 @ 7:17 am
All I’ve been thinking about since seeing this strip is the Seinfeld episode with Keith Hernandez where Jerry debunks Kramer and Newman’s improbable story of being spit on by Hernandez. The big laugh line to Jerry’s reconstruction is “That was one magic loogie.”
This, my friends is one magic baseball. Hopefully Matt “Zapruder” Rogers got a clear shot at this, or it will never be believed and will be scrutinized and debated forever.
Did Gil suffer a small stroke after the initial impact (and recover within seconds)? How many freaking times did the ball bounce? Did Gil catch the hat in his hand or did he have time to bend over and pick it up between bounces? Have I, in fact, lost my mind?
Comment by Ned Ryerson — April 8, 2009 @ 7:27 am
I…what the heck?!
Moreso than even the wacky hijinx of today’s Gil Thorp (The mere fact that Gil Thorp can be spotted in all four panels of today’s Gil Thorp is hilarity in itself), I’m really curious where this goes from here.
By the way, Current Amusing Panel o the Moment: Just there because it’s the source material for Gil’s Head Exploding?
Comment by Emptyeye — April 8, 2009 @ 7:35 am
How many times did it bounce?
Note the captions (I missed the second one the first time I read it).
Comment by Scott de B. — April 8, 2009 @ 7:58 am
When I read this strip this morning, I at first thought it was one of Jason’s photoshop creations. Then I realized I was just reading the actual strip, not a parody. Wow.
So now the question is, what’s going to happen with the ball? The narration implies that it’s going to bounce out of Gil’s hat and maybe nail him in the crotch or something. I’m hoping it magically flies out of the hat and wangs him in the head again. In fact, if Gil could just spend the rest of baseball season getting beaned by this baseball over and over again, I would be completely happy.
Comment by Cash — April 8, 2009 @ 8:01 am
This just in. video footage of Gil Thorpe and his “coaching” techniques!!!
Comment by scott s — April 8, 2009 @ 8:05 am
So now the question is, what’s going to happen with the ball?
Nothing — the ‘funny bounce’ is the bounce into the ballcap. The caption should really be placed between panels 3 & 4 for maximum comprehension (as much as any of this is comprehensible).
Comment by Scott de B. — April 8, 2009 @ 8:28 am
Actually, it’s “funny bounces:” First, the ball bouncing off the head straight up and then bouncing a SECOND time off the head, this time into the cap (which he presumably caught through sheer reflex, in spite of any motor-cortex damage suffered by the dual whammy to the noggin’).
Seriously, I was worried about a let-down after yesterday’s panel 3, but it seems my fears were unfounded. I take my hat of to Rubin and Whigham.
Comment by Teasipper Academy — April 8, 2009 @ 8:31 am
Gil to Sacko/Hatt: “Hate when that happens.”
Comment by Gil'sBarber — April 8, 2009 @ 8:37 am
Well, at least the “M” stays the same color throughout the strip today. So that’s something.
Comment by Sourbelly — April 8, 2009 @ 8:51 am
Upon further consideration, I think that the key takeaway for me is an addition to my lexicon of Gil Thorp/TWIM inspired aphorisms. Now, whenever something odd or inexplicable happens, I will astound those around by stoically noting that, ‘even a round ball can take funny bounce…’
Comment by Tim — April 8, 2009 @ 9:26 am
Could it have been *multiple* fly balls? I know what the panels say and show, but could Rubin and Wiggum be so inept at their jobs as to utterly fail to make fairly simple action clear?
Oh, wait – why am I even asking that?
Comment by The Wrath of Oliver Khan — April 8, 2009 @ 10:22 am
You want funny bounces? Then try a high-altitude fungo.
Comment by Sgt. Saunders — April 8, 2009 @ 10:27 am
I think tomorrow will be the most disappointing day in history, simply because nothing can ever follow up these four, perfect panels. The only way this could possibly get any better, is if tomorrow’s features the ball somehow bouncing out of the hat and landing on Gil’s head AGAIN. In fact, every Gil Thorp strip from now to eternity should just be a demon ball thrashing the living daylights out of Gil’s flattop.
Comment by Schroduck — April 8, 2009 @ 10:37 am
This reminds me of the Tiger Woods commercial a few years back, when he bounces a golf ball on his clubhead for 30 seconds and then whacks the ball in mid-air.
The only thing I can think is that Neal Rubin was desperately trying to come up with a strip weird enough that Jason would be stumped. Well played, Mr. Rubin!
Comment by johnw — April 8, 2009 @ 10:38 am
Jason, when I first saw today’s strip, I just knew you would show us Gil’s exploding head again. Thank you for coming through.
Comment by Don, the Rebel without a Blog — April 8, 2009 @ 12:28 pm
Gil’s block head would have to be made of solid steel to get a second bounce such as that….come to think of it, maybe that explains a lot of things….maybe Rubin’s head is made of the same thing….
Comment by meathook — April 8, 2009 @ 1:36 pm
After a long absence, random insanity is back- all right!
Comment by disturbingly fascinated — April 8, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
This happened to me once.
Comment by dennyh — April 8, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
Only one other thing would be more awesome than the past two days…if Gil went into a coma and Clambake returned to coach the team.
Comment by Regina — April 8, 2009 @ 4:27 pm
Isn’t it a little bit too early for Rubin to trailwreck the storyline?
Comment by Doug Puthoff — April 8, 2009 @ 7:15 pm
Thanks scot #19 for youtube link and thanks to our buddy Dean ! Too funny! This getting more air time than American Idol tonight – wtg Rubin and Chief!
Comment by Gil'sBarber — April 8, 2009 @ 7:32 pm
btw all, check youtube link, there are others too!
Comment by Gil'sBarber — April 8, 2009 @ 7:46 pm
Yesterday I felt like I ought to leave a comment, but all I could think of to say was: Ha ha ha ha ha!
Now it’s today and … HA HA HA HA HA! Oh, lordy.
Comment by Gold-Digging Nanny — April 8, 2009 @ 8:50 pm
Thursday strip: Two teenagers capture a brilliantly embarrassing incident on camera… and they flog it to the local TV station??? C’mon, Rubin, ever heard of YouTube? Upload, viral, next thing you know GilKonk has twelve million hits.
Second absurdity: we’re talking about two teenagers WITH THEIR OWN TV SHOW. Whythehell would they need to call the TV station? They can run it on their own damn show!
Comment by johnw — April 8, 2009 @ 11:57 pm
Panel 3 – Gil looks like Alley Oop—hmmm wonder if Alley was a stunt double for Gil so Gil could skip out on practice to go to the pub for some liquid courage.
Comment by Rex Kwan Do — April 9, 2009 @ 8:50 am
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