Close to Home by John McPherson for April 04, 2023

would have been cool in the Punk Rock Era!

The infamous Jack Melon outfit

And yet, she has trouble getting dates. Go figure.

And now there are two Bleebs?

Bleeb can bi-locate?

She’s a real stickler when it come to riding subway.

The “subway-sticky-pokey-stabby suit”. I like it!

And the poor guy to her right (nearer the door) has to stare into the armpit of the sleeveless guy standing there… Which is worse?

We may have to start a new drinking game. There’s two Bleeb’s in todays toon. The second one is not Dalcon… no club, no beret, no frown. It’s not Argon… for obvious reasons, so either McPherson is just messing with us to see if we’re paying attention… or we have a new Bleeb-like alien.

This may be the only time it happens, so I’m calling it…

…DOUBLE BLEEB ALERT! Everybody do a shot!

The Shrike from Hyperion.

Give us a hug there Matey!

Some in the crowds are kind of “loathing” Tina right back.

The guy with the hairy arms finds Tina charming. Or, he wants to steal her pocketbook.

She could make a fortune selling thise.

I’m thinking the guy in the black vest could match her for prickliness – look at those arms!

So. Is she horny, or just a tad prickly today?

There’s always body odor as well

Somehow, I find her cactus-like appearance to be attractive.

I wonder if they make those in men sizes? I like my space too.

Wait till the Japanese commuters see that suit, it will become all the rage in their transportation system, they’ll be made in China, of course, and sold by amazon in Japan…

Two Bleebs, or not two Bleebs, that is the question.

That suit wouldn’t even be noticed on a NYC subway train.

And there has been no ‘spike’ in ridership, either.

Can’t keep Bleeb away, thoug — wait, what?! Two Bleebs??

My favorite strip is Close To Home. But I do not understand why people keep talking about Bleeps. It does not add any humor to the strip, and obsessing over them makes me sadly question the focus of the commentators. I had been trying for years to find a joy seeing these scribbles or doodles, but to no avail. Perhaps, if only their importance was not so inflated and overshadowing the meaning of the strip I could cope. May I suggest: Bleep comic strip? Only about Bleeps? Majority of commentators are already fans.