AJ and Magnus by Bryan and Simon Steel for August 02, 2018

ouch Some potent words in those last two panels, there!

Now ya done it, you made him cry.

Do I detect an autobiographical influence, here?

If anyone watches or watched “The amazing world of Gumball” I think this song fits the situation quite well. :(https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=so5RzJLRfXQ

Hmmm—- What was Magnus doing during Grandpa’s psychotic episode?

I don’t know what to say. I appreciate the plunge you are taking. Who are your comic strip artist heroes?

The final break. High time for it, despite the pain it will cause. When I read that grandma called psychotic violent grandpa to deal with her grandson because said grandson was playing on his tablet, I thought that was the only solution. As an adult, grandma chose to continue the abuse system despite the help she was offered. From victim she has become a willing participant. The abscess has burst, time to clean the wound to let it heal.

Hi guys. Just back from 30 days in the Azores, Madeira and Portugal. I’m trying catch up with all my comics. I do detect that maybe the creator is trying to exorcise some demons. If so, I hope he is successful.

Just shut the door on her!

Maybe by the time all this poison is brought to light John’s mother will have a moment of clarity and understand how badly she’s failed her children. Probably not, but one can hope. Doesn’t matter, though. Alex is going to have a restraining order out on her and Grandpa before she can even get back home. And she will never, ever see AJ without supervision again, if at all. But of course she’s going to ignore the restraining order and try to kidnap AJ, so I foresee further family trauma for poor John in the future.

As I see it, AJ’s parents have some hard choices about how to handle his future visits with his Grandma and Grandpa, perhaps even going as far as cutting the both of them out of his life forever. I don’t envy either of them when it comes to explaining this to AJ but what they could do is to tell him that Grandma and Grandpa have a “condition” that makes them unfit to see him. They could also drive the point home by pointing out the fear AJ must have had when Grandpa smashed his tablet and that what Grandpa did was NOT what they want in a grandparent’s behavior.

People who are abused and don’t get the kind of therapy they need become abusers themselves or they aid the abuser.

I just noticed a light shining from both men in the top right panel.

I have too many friends who’ve faced this kind of scene. This illustrates so well how family, real family, is loving and supportive, not abusive and dismissive. John has found his family in Alex and AJ. Mom either needs to come to grips with what she’s done, or John needs to move on without her.

Ooh, I want Alex to roast her so baaaaad. I know it won’t help the situation but the vindictive side of me wants her to get flamed for all the sh** she’s saying.

I JUST YESTERDAY had the conversation with my 2, about why there are “relatives” who will NEVER BE FAMILY!!

ouch