Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for November 28, 2023

And now the cast of Funky Winkerbean has invaded and taken over this strip, like a fungus that’s resistant to antibiotics.

Yeah, Ed, we’re already on that page.

I want to hear what Ed has against Funky Winkerbean. It would let the strip end the year on a sigh note.

Winkerbean … one of those fictions soundings names … like Crankshaft.

And the reason for saying the owner’s name was…?

Also, this is going on at Ed’s house? Mopey wasn’t good enough to invite to the Thanksgiving table, but you bring him over to set up your tree?

Hope all you “Crankshaft” loyalists who defend this strip’s current direction enjoy the spectacle to come.

Excited that Funky coming to visit! As Mindy put it yesterday, excited meaning to throw up.

You guys who rag on Crankshaft and Tom and Dan were all Bullies in Jr High, right?

And the Winkification of this comic continues apace..

Welcome back, Funky Winkerbean!

Is there bad blood here?

It’s a derelict building! “Owner of the restaurant that closed down over a year ago” is not Funky’s job title. It’s “slum lord.”

Crankshaft is a minor bystander in his own strip.

Oh come on Ed, you remember Funky, the art teacher/study hall monitor. He was in the high school forever.

I’m so confused! Mopey Pete refers to the character of Funky Winkerbean as the “owner of Montoni’s.”

1.) Isn’t Tony Montoni the owner of Montoni’s? In the latter years of the strip, the owner Tony Montoni occasionally made trips from his retirement home in Florida to check on things. Often to supervise the setup of the Christmas decorations. Funky was running Montoni’s in Tony’s absence. Managing Montoni’s empire included being the landlord to Skunkhead John’s Komiix Korner.

2.) If Tony is no longer the owner of Montoni’s, when did he sell or transfer his restaurant to Funky? Was this ever shown in the FW comic strip? Shouldn’t the sale of Montoni’s been a worthwhile story arc to cover in the life of the FW strip’s titular character? Was the cartoonist too busy covering comic books or Les Moore’s ceaseless wh0ring of Lisa’s Story?

3.) Is Toni Montoni still alive? There has never been a mention in Funky Winkerbean about Tony Montoni dying. In one Sunday Funky Winkerbean strip, Tony, a non-speaking, ghost-like figure observes Funky and Wally discussing Christmas decorations in storage. Many commenters were asking, “Tony’s dead? When did he die?” Later, in the penultimate week, an alive and well Tony Montoni was one of the many characters headed to the “Jazz Messiah” concert at St. Spires Church. Was Tony resurrected from death to attend the concert? He has risen! Hallelujah!

4.) Late last October in Funky Winkerbean, Funky announced the closure of Montoni’s and auctioned off its contents. Funky, citing the closure due to losses suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic. If that is indeed the case, it means that Montoni’s restaurant has ceased to exist. As such, there is no restaurant for sale. I am wondering if Mopey Pete is buying the entire building or just renting the floor space where the restaurant used to be? Does Funky own the entire building?

WHAT’S HAPPENING?!

Uh oh

The biggest scam ever! Merging two strips that were set 10 years apart, until it became inconvenient.

Frankly, I miss ol’ Funky, and the gang. The occasional ‘crossover’ (if I can call a defunct strip that) is kinda nice.Hey, it worked for the Beverly Hillbillies!

what happen to the delivery trucks ?

Always listen to your elders, we have more experience in judging people.

Something’s amiss, here — Cranky put the star atop the tree and DIDN’T cause a disaster!

Odd shaped tree topper, not a cross or a star.

Why did Ed turn into Mr. Magoo in the last panel?

Flunky Wankerbean is coming back? Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani?

Better to send Les is Moore. He has negotiated book and movie deals. Or better yet Mason Jarr.

Punctuation police! Two unnecessary commas in panel one. To use the commas properly it would be, “Funky Winkerbean, Owner of Mortoni’s”….

Haven’t seen Funky in years. Is it still running?

Haha! (＾▽＾)