Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for January 02, 2024

And what did the raccoons name you, Ed?

“I named the raccoons I see when driving the bus ‘SQUISH, SPLAT, and Oh Heck Was That Suzy In First Grade, and Now DAD HAS A GUN!’ Cute, huh?”

Lillian likes his reason.

Go up to it and see if it’s friendly.

ED: “Golly—it’s really—hard to swallow~” Raccoon: “This is for you giving me that cotton candy I washed in the river!”

He named it “Davy” because he thought it would make a good coonskin cap?

This is the best Crankshaft strip of THE YEAR involving boring birds! (Looks at calendar) What—it’s 1/2?! GOLDANG IT!!

A Raccoon? In the middle of the day? I take it Davis can’t draw squirrels

Little carried away with the red feathers, eh?

Surprised it is not a squirrel after the birdfeed!

I like to take our raccoons for trips.

Having spent a fair amount of time in the woods, I can tell you that you generally don’t see raccoons out during the day, and they certainly don’t let themselves get that close to humans.

Where’s our “Where’s Crankshaft” guy? Ed is two for two in 2024!

is this animal planet week ?

Raccoons are super cute! Until you hear the scraping claws going up the walls of the brick building you live in, and then they’re in your attic. Then they’re less cute. Especially when you hear them TRYING TO DIG THROUGH THE CEILING into YOUR HOUSE. Just trust me on this.

At my house I name the squirrels. And crows. Crows the size of volkswagons.

Barn swallows eat insects (not seed) and migrate out of Ohio for the winter. It took me 5 minutes to do that research.

I am surprised that’s a raccoon. I sorta figured Lilliopsaurus was running that “bird feeder” to attract prey for her yard full of feral cats. Just seemed to be the kind of thing she’d do.

Do the raccoons live with cephalopods? Or am I confusing this with a much better comic?

Raccoon’s are as friendly as Crankshaft tends to be………..

The Barn Swallow’s with Davy, who’s still in the navy, and probably will be for life….

Sing it with me!

Wasn’t ‘Barn Swallow’ Lilian’s nickname in highschool?

That raccoon must be a daily visitor because they’re very unpredictable. And they make absolutely no noise!

Lizard Lil is “identifying” the birds, Ed, not “naming” them. She didn’t decide that was Billy the barn swallow (or Reggie the red-bellied woodpecker and Bruce the belted kingfisher in yesterday’s strip). Frankly, I’m shocked you didn’t dub the raccoon Roadkill after the ones you encounter on your morning drives to school.

Good thing he didn’t call him Rocky. It would have been too plain.

I’ve never seen a live possum. Only the ones who got hit by cars.Not a pretty sight

Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation. Barn Swallow????

Crankshaft is there. The drawing is well done and attractive. There is humor present. C’mon hapless naysayers dig deep. I’m sure you can make up something to complain about.

We have!