Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for February 19, 2024

“No, his mental health was pronounced dead ages ago.”

At last, someone in this strip comes up with practical advice.

Huh, ????

Yes. They told him they are not trained to handle anyone like him.

Us postal workers would be more than glad to have his business.

Good line.

“Wouldn’t it be funny if Tom accidentally told us what he thinks of his readers?”

Very good point. Crankshaft is a mental case and should be commited or sent to court and fined for all his stupid mistakes.

Is he even paying rent?

There are other service providers Ed can use Batty

Center panel is a nice top-down perspective. Perspective artwork ain’t easy and only a master cartoonist can masters that. Well that all me gotta says today. Me no get what the joke is.

UPX?

Did Musk buy up UPS, too?

They wouldn’t dare to go on strike! Their business is far too important!

Couldn’t you just take P3 and put it at the end of every strip featuring Ed?

That lady….definitely got “his number”!!!!

and that’s coming from the monster who ruined her sister’s life with zero remorse

In the fourth panel, which was omitted because Batty doesn’t do “funny,” Pmm asks, “Why? Do they make deliveries?”

Here’s the strange thing: given Batty’s wording in panel 2, the true outlier is panel 1. Look at the dialog:

Pmm: “He’s worried because it seems like he gets something from Bean’s End every day.”

Lilliopsaurus: “Has he tried calling a mental health hotline?”

This forms a consistent story, that Ed’s becoming concerned that his Bean’s End buying just might be an unhealthy addiction. It’s not a joke, but it is a believable piece of dialog that might be part of a story.

But Panel 1 reframes the whole thing in a way that makes Pmm’s line in panel 2 seem just the usual Batiukian word salad, and leaves the third panel hanging.

Because having a hobby and money to spend is bad. Life is misery. Life is woe. Life leads to death.

Batiuk and Davis should call the help line……

over the fence talk what a week this will be ! crankshaft burnt his mouth on that pizza so wont see him for awhile

It’s his one real vice, let him have it……

Finally someone said it!

There’s only so much fleece and flannel one can own.

Shaft called a suicide prevention hotline once. Every operator offed themselves shortly afterwards.

Ah, Tom, Ben? I know that things are plotted out long in advance. But wouldn’t the announcement of the new CBA for UPS workers been announced around that time?

advice for you Where’s Crankshaft

Too late for that!

Is that the Maine company?

“Bean’s End”…oh jeez! LOL!!