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

So are we in for a week of Lizard Lil or Hairy Dingle? Which fate is worse?

Well, so much for two weeks of Ed in a row. No, instead we get to sit through the return of Dinkleberg and some band concert “humor.” Doesn’t Harry have enough to do standing over Becky’s shoulders while letting her think she’s the one directing the Westview High holiday show?

Uh oh.

Harry and his stupid hat to the rescue!

“Let’s not go. Please.”

Meanwhile, on today’s episode of Cranky Winkershaft…

Great! A week of the most hated character in Centerville with the second most hated from Westview. I won’t blame Cranky if he hides out down at Dale Evans. Will there be a thunderstorm at the Holiday Concert and will band members have to sell Christmas hams? Let the hilarity begin.

Should the strip be renamed ‘Lillian’? She appears more often than Ed. You newcomers who bash the commenters need to understand that aside from bashing Cranky’s antics most of us like him.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Put that in Comic Sans font and bold and italicized and that’s my reaction to Dinkle’s return to Crankshaft

Where’s Crankshaft?

Please, NO MORE DINKLE

Time for Harry to come out of retirement? Will his old uniform still fit?

Hopefully the industrial arts teacher doesn’t have a tin ear.

A week of Bill and the trolls is worse than both put together! LOL…

Ahhh…..the industrial arts teacher will “saw” right thru it!!!!!

Dinkle saves the day!

cyber monday order your crankshaft apron made of asbestos made in china buy before the tariffs take place

Centerville has its own high school? Do they go to Westview to get their books, the way the Westview high school students have to come to Centerville? Does the Centerville high school have an obnoxious English Lit teacher who wins Best Actress awards? Do the Centerville students go to Westview for pizza? I have so many questions!

I would say unfortunate doesn’t cover it . Another 2 weeks on random.

In the real world, the Industrial Arts teacher would probably do a better job of getting the band ready for its concert. At this point the band is probably in good shape, knows its parts, and just needs somebody to tell them when to stop and start. The IA teacher, knowing his band-directing knowledge is a bit limited, will probably enlist the best students to help, and things will come together to produce a successful concert.

Harry Dinkle, on the other hand, knowing there is only one right way to do anything and that said right way is his way, will likely tear everything apart and deliver a miserable concert.

Naturally, Batty will put Harry in charge.

Batiuk must be terminally depressed. His ‘book burning’ storyline went over like a lead balloon, so he now feels the need to punish his readers with a Dinkle Christmas special—a story arc no one has ever demanded.

“One Week”? “Holiday Concert”? There’s no way this ends before 12/29.

Oh get @#&#ed Batiuk. What, did you finally realize Dinkle’s stupid antics don’t make sense in a church so you had to contrive some BS reason for him to be a band director again? Maybe don’t ruin your characters for no good reason in first place. And in the second place, leave the failed retreads in the cancelled comic, where they belong!

BTW, if Batty had set foot in a high school in the last ten years, he’d know that “Industrial Arts” is now called “Technology Education.” And it includes things like CAD tools, CNC machines, 3D printing, and robotics. So no worries: the Industrial Arts teacher will just equip all the kids in the band with robotic, self-playing instruments. It will be agreed afterward that it was the best band concert ever!

To elaborate on my earlier comment… I have subbed for high school band teachers during the weeks before a big concert. Every class (which is to say, every ensemble, group or band that will appear in the concert) had students who took turns directing the groups in rehearsals. The kids told me the regular teacher taught the music, the arrangements, the theory, etc., but that leading the group was part of what they were expected to learn in band class. So, bottom line, this close to the concert, the bands should all be on autopilot and each should have at least one (and probably several) students fully qualified to lead the performance. All the “leader” has to do is introduce the groups and the pieces they will be playing.

Yeah, I know… one more entry for the “things Batty knows nothing about” database. I’ll order a couple more computers for the server farm…