Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for May 08, 2024

I think we may have reached this strip’s point of “THERE IS NO CRANKA! ONLY ZUUL! And DINKLE! And Lillian! And…PAM and JEFF! Also comic books and signings! Also…Wait, I believe that may be all there’s left.”

Pizza Monster: “I wait in the dark. My HUNGER…is strong. But my patience…is stronger.” (Eats a pepperoni and Ed pizza, picks a bus driver’s hat from his teeth, says “EWW GROSS!”)

Yeah, Crankshaft fans. It’s Funkys all the way down now.

Couldn’t just say "the choir’s Christmas concert with the jazz band was very well received, " could ya, DInkelberg? Had to work Barlow’s name in for no discernable reason.

Also, “it’s a paying gig”? Someone is paying the Bedside Manorisms to perform? I thought it was just something the senior home residents did to keep active. At least Lizard Lil recognizes she can’t survive on Social Security, author’s royalties, and non-existent bookstore sales.

Nice top-down perspective artworks in panel one and two. But in three, there is those cobwebs under her armpits again. Me is wonder what that is about.

She needs a new income stream to pay for that red car with…tail fins? Is it 1954, or 1964? I’d picture her more as a “used Geo Metro” kinda gal.

That red car… Is that supposed to be an early 1960s Ford Thunderbird?

Its against the law to not give credit to the author.

Middle panel …BRICKS!!!!

I don’t know if doing something you’ve done before counts as “stretching yourself”.

Money talks, right, Lil?

Don’t stretch much…..I don’t think it pays that much!!

Ed doesn’t have to be in every strip. Over at Beetle Baily today there wasn’t even a mention of him.

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt me to stretch some…”

Don’t bet on that, Lil… ever hear of the rack?

I wouldn’t pay to hear her talk, let alone sing….

@Batiuk and Davis – Change the name of the ‘toon…where is Crankshaft!

She’s a multi-best-selling author. Does she really need the paltry sum this gig would pay?

two questions with no direct ansewer why did the band 38 special need two drummers to do a basic beat and who laughs at tom batiuk humor ?

If you have a performance-based hobby, you need to perform every chance you get.

I guess the ground hog must have stepped in a pile of poop this year, since we’ve gotten six more weeks of DInkle.

It was a paying gig. As soon as the audience hears Loathsome Lil croak out a tune, they’ll demand their money back.

Aw, who am I kidding? This is late career self-indulgent, wishful thinking Tom Batiuk. His favored characters only fail upwards. He’ll make Loathsome Lillian, the Centerville version of Ella Fitzgerald. Standing ovations, etc. (puke emoji)

Leacherous ol’ Mort Winkerbean will be glad to rub his trombone up against Loathsome Lil. The last we knew, the Bedside Manor was keeping him well stocked with those blue pills. (triple puke emoji)

It is highly likely that Batiuk has completely forgotten about that story arc. We haven’t. Attempted rape shouldn’t be used as a punchline.

Harry Dinkless: And after the show, we can all go to Montoni’s!!!

(headdesk with pounding fist)

Where’s Cranky? in a rest home or something?

“It’s a paying gig…”

Ah, but who is it paying? Those three little dots aren’t telling.

when will this nightmare end?

I suppose I could squeeze it in, how much does it pay?

Wave the Money First.