Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for October 29, 2024

Good grief.

Charles Schulz wept.

Once again, you’re not telling scary stories! You’re just showing lame premises in the form of comic book covers…which, admittedly, in Batiuk’s mind appears to be the only legitimate form of storytelling (they actually bother to draw in the price?).

I assume that Mindy, Jessica, and the real PBM have all gone home now so these two can make googy eyes at each other while engaging in their comic art lovefest. There can’t possibly be a whole week of this…can there?

What, exactly, are the Scrypts? Is that what the kids are calling it when the doctor writes you an order for haloperidol, risperidone and thorazine?

Here in the real world, Batiuk may learn that letting the lawyers sort it out can cost a lot of money.

Linus and Snoopy cameos ♥ Peanuts characters, as well as other classic ones, appear all over gocomics. I thought you guys might be nice about this one. :*(

Would someone please ‘lock him up’? (Unless he brings Cranky back…) NO, I’m not a Trumper…

Isn’t that what rich people do.. let the lawyers and accountants figure it out?

SCHULZ ESTATE: “You owe me restitution!”

I like the Snoopy silhouette. Nice detail.

^ ^ what a bunch of soulless Trolls , What in hell do you think your accomplishing here ! ^ ^

Oh my God, is it going to be sideways all week???

So when is Batiuk officially changing the name of this strip to Funky Winkerbean 2.0? Because it basically has nothing to do with Crankshaft any more.

“Is that a copyright infringement?”

Parody is legally not infringement.

Batiuk still hasn’t been able to get up after his fall.

This poor strip is being destroyed.

OWWWW! Not again.

That reminded me. Wasn’t there a year the pizza box monster didn’t show?

It’s a humor infringement.

With rat-faced Rudy locked safely away, Sheriff Jack Smith set out into the cold, damp night, his thoughts dark and determined. Rudy had sung like a canary, spilling every secret he knew. Sheriff Smith now had a clear path to Steve, the next pawn in the politician’s twisted game. Steve was meant to torch the old covered bridge, a landmark that stood proudly at the edge of town for over a century. Destroying it would sever the town’s connection to the outside world, leaving them isolated and at the mercy of whatever chaos the politician had planned.

As Sheriff Smith approached, he saw Steve in the moonlight, crouched by the bridge with a gas can in hand. The flicker of a match illuminated his face, twisted in concentration. But the Sheriff’s footsteps startled him, and with a quick, terrified glance over his shoulder, Steve bolted.

Steve’s feet pounded the dirt, his breath ragged with fear, until he found himself at the edge of an eerie pumpkin patch—the very one Linus Van Pelt waited in year after year for his beloved Great Pumpkin. Under the ghostly moonlight, the sprawling vines seemed almost alive, writhing like fingers clawing out of the earth.

In his panic, Steve didn’t see the thick, tangled vines underfoot. He tripped, his body sprawling as he fell forward, hands clutching at the earth to break his fall. But one vine caught his ankle, another wrapped around his wrist, as if the patch itself had claimed him. He struggled, but the vines only pulled tighter, snaring him like prey in a trap.

In one final desperate attempt, Steve twisted his body, but his head collided hard against an enormous pumpkin, the impact echoing in the silent night. As he lay there, dazed and bound by the very earth he had sought to defile, Sheriff Smith approached slowly, the weight of justice heavy in each step.

Tonight, one more piece of the politician’s twisted scheme had fallen. The vines had done their part, holding Steve until justice arrived.

WW1 flying Ace arrives to eliminate PBM!

2nd panel, and an insult!

United Features are a part of GoComics, I think Batuik might have this covered. Although Linus looks bored with the whole thing.

yikes me neck how will i get my pumpkinhead mask on

Enough of the neck-twisting, already!!!!!!!!

“THRILLS AND PUMPKIN SPICE CHILI!” would be scarier but, alas, would not rhyme.

I can read pretty well upside-down, but this sideways crap is annoying.

I know, you can rotate the display with control keys but it is still annoying.

My talent is being wasted on this non-joke comic cover.

So this is a “ghost story”? Sitting waiting for the Great Pumpkin who doesn’t show is scary? And who every heard of someone getting sued for drawing a copyrighted character on a napkin that is not being sold.

I once saw The Great Zucchini. Some neighbor left it on my porch at 2AM

Please PLEASE STOP FLIPPING THE STRIP!!!!!!!!

Am I going to spend the whole week trying to read this thing sideways? I hope not.

Scrypts…….not a word?

Tricks or Treats as Sally would say

My newspaper prints only three days a week now and while we get every day’s puzzles and Abby, they can’t be bothered to do this for the comics. This would have been a lot easier to read.

C’MON, PBM!! FIGHT STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE AND THE SMURFS NEXT!

If you want to see a well-done “Great Pumpkin” homage, have a look at yesterday’s “MythTickle.”

I think we all need to be reminded of “The Great Pumpkin,” now more than ever … Happy Halloween, one and all!

I HATE IT WHEN THEY DO THE COMICS SIDEWAYS! SO SCREW TODAY"S! I WON"T EVEN READ THEM!