Gil Thorp by Henry Barajas and Rod Whigham for February 19, 2014

In panel 3, it looks like the bus driver is facing the wrong way.

Did the stupid video throw the elbow?

Back to the video? Sigh-h-h.

It would be nice to see what became of the Oakwood player, who appeared to be knocked unconscious. Maybe a gang of tough Oakwood girls will show up after school at Milford, looking for Shelby. That sort of thing, though only with boys, happened once or twice at my high school.

It looks like the seats on Shelby’s side of the bus are facing the wrong way.Maybe suspended from the team. Unless Shelby is charged with a crime. The Milford police chief would cover it up for Gil, but this was an away game.

In most high states in high school an ejection means you sit out the next game also. Milford evidently has a problem with its players girls and boys.

Chances are Mimi will be suspended, too, if anyone sees her sharing a cigarette with Shelby in P2.

In all reality , in P 2 Mimi and Shelby were smoking medicinal blunts to mellow out and the team bus will be making a munchie stop at White Castle.

Hi Mop. Just a one-day hijack. Really…just one day.Bitter that Mop turned down the Central City wrestling gig, and that the phony background check rumors he spread got him dismissed as school board president, Rich Banks tries to steal Mop’s comic enterprise:P1-Did we win? Feels like I blacked out again.P2-This storyline is so-o-o lame. I know, but how can we get out of it?P3-Hey Shelby! Look what I dug up on Rubin and Whigham!!The girls are completely oblivious of the stalker in the rear window.

Yeah, I thought they meant from school at first too, but it must mean suspended from the next game or two (although it’s usually not called a suspension?)P3 – I guess we are looking from the front of the bus towards the back. There’s just something weird about the seats, I thought the ones on the right were facing back and the left facing front.Yeah, who won the game? I guess that’s not important, what’s important is focusing on the “topical, teen-oriented issue” of kids getting taunted with highly lame insults about dancing online.I’m not sure how to rewrite P3 yet, it seems dumb enough as it is already.

This strip has become so bad. Yet the first thing I do every day is read it.

I’m beginning to think if the opposing teams spent as much time preparing to beat Milford as they are spending looking at on-line videos of Wendy, they could win these games pretty handily. And for those old enough to remember, I think we need an ABC-type graphic in the corner of the strip like the Iranian Hostage graphic for “Gil-Held Hostage: Day Ten.” How many days has it been since we’ve seen the big guy in his own strip?

O.K. Thorpalcholics, I sense major dismay among the ranks due to the lack of stimulation with this storyline. We need to get back to the basics. Such as, Marty drunk and disheveled, tat slaps, Molly wearing a pizza box and a major role for Coach Glory.

Can’t Whigham draw people who look different? Cripes, it’s hard to care for anyone in this strip when they all look the same.

Doug, I must disagree. Having all the characters look the same is a Thorp tradition that dates back to the old Berrill days. Characters that looked different would be like plots that made sense.

I was right about Wendy being an alien, note the power surge coming out of her finger tips in P3.

Maybe Mop will have something that saves the day, although I thought Wiseguy’s lines and miffedmax’s comments were pretty good. This “plot” is just so feeble I think everyone is worn out. Usually someone has come up with something that gets comments rolling even if only remotely related to the strip: old wrestlers, sportscasters, memorable events., etc.

There are subtle drawing clues that signal good kid or bad kid. Bad girls have freckles. Bad boys have chin stubble.

Maybe a half-drunk Ex-Jets QB will show up and try to kiss Mimi. That would help the story line.

Here’s today’s alternate strip.Ba ha ha.

I know we complain about the artwork a lot, but have you gone back a ways and checked out what it used to be? Yikes – check this out from 2008: http://www.gocomics.com/gilthorp/2008/01/19#.UwUKM02YZQIAny suggestions for characters that you want to make a cameo (Kenny Lark and his mom, Coke box bikini, etc.) let me know a date when they appeared. No guarantees, may be too hard to copy/paste. I already have the peacock saved, so don’t worry about him. :)

In all reality, Thorp kids get ready for a comeback. Marty Moons absence is because he has been given the hosts role of the tv show Good Morning Milford. After a stint in rehab , Marty is going to have you both as guests. This will be your chance to spill all the Thorp family secrets.