Funky, Les, and the gang pun their way through Westview High
Since its debut on March 27, 1972, Funky Winkerbean has chronicled the lives of a group of students from the fictitious Westview High School. This second volume, which presents strips from 1975, 1976, and 1977, sees the comic strip rounding into the form that will carry it into its middle years. With gentle humor and not-so-gentle puns, Les, Funky, Crazy Harry, and the gang comment on life's little absurdities.
Funky begins to ponder why there are cloakrooms in elementary schools when no...
Funky, Les, and the gang pun their way through Westview High
Since its debut on March 27, 1972, Funky Winkerbean ...
The Toledo Mud Hens--a farm team for the Detroit Tigers--once had a budding pitcher named Ed Crankshaft. At least that's how partners in cartooning, writer Tom Batiuk and artist Chuck Ayers, scripted the main character in Crankshaft. This enjoyable volume collects all of Crankshaft's baseball-themed exploits. Fans will enjoy revisiting Crankshaft's reminisces about his minor league pitching career and his comic attempts to recapture his youthful successes on the diamond.
Strike Four portrays Crankshaft's greatest triumph when, on a sultry summer night in 1940, the...
The Toledo Mud Hens--a farm team for the Detroit Tigers--once had a budding pitcher named Ed Crankshaft. At least that's how partners in cartooning, w...
In this third volume, award-winning cartoonist Tom Batiuk continues to chronicle the lives of a group of students from the fictitious Westview High School. Funky Winkerbean fans are introduced to a host of new characters, including black cheerleader Junebug Jones; Melinda Budd, Holly Budd's ambitious stage mother; Jerome the drum major; Nancy the school librarian; Ron the tennis pro; Irma, Rita Righton's tennis partner; Channel One reporters Brenda Harpy and Minnie Cameron; talk show host John Darling; news anchor Charlie...
The Funkyverse continues to expand
In this third volume, award-winning cartoonist Tom Batiuk continues to chronicle the li...
In this fourth volume, award-winning cartoonist Tom Batiuk continues to chronicle the lives of the students and teachers at the fictitious Westview High School.
By the 1980s Batiuk's talent for character- and story-driven work comes into its own. Harry L. Dinkle, the World's Greatest Band Director and Funky's first breakout character, is still marching along happily. He makes the first of two visits to the Tournament of Roses Parade, and his ego grows even larger. Harry proves a good match for the...
It was the best of times, it was the OK of times
In this fourth volume, award-winning cartoonist Tom Batiuk continues to c...
"Stories told in comic strips aren't generally intended to be book-length narratives, but, on occasion, a story rises above the rest of the work and marks itself as something special. Roses in December] is one of those stories." --from the Preface
Since its debut in 1987, Crankshaft has engendered reader loyalty and affection with its wry wit, engaging storylines, and identifiable characters. Created by Tom Batiuk and drawn by Chuck Ayers, the strip offers plenty of humor but also tackles serious issues...
Laughter and pain, love and loss
"Stories told in comic strips aren't generally intended to be book-length narratives, but...
"Stories told in comic strips aren't generally intended to be book-length narratives, but, on occasion, a story rises above the rest of the work and marks itself as something special. Roses in December] is one of those stories." --from the Preface
Since its debut in 1987, Crankshaft has engendered reader loyalty and affection with its wry wit, engaging storylines, and identifiable characters. Created by Tom Batiuk and drawn by Chuck Ayers, the strip offers plenty of humor but also tackles serious issues...
Laughter and pain, love and loss
"Stories told in comic strips aren't generally intended to be book-length narratives, but...
By this point in its evolution, Funky Winkerbean is resonating with its readers and its popularity is growing. Crankshaft, the irascible bus driver, and Betty, Westview High School's secretary, are introduced. Crankshaft quickly became a fan favorite, with many readers responding to the trauma-inducing, surly old curmudgeon. Not since the introduction of band director Harry L. Dinkle had a new character received such a positive response. Betty soldiers on at Westview until Batiuk finally sends her off to the cartoon character's retirement home.
Almost...
Volume 5, 1984-1986
By this point in its evolution, Funky Winkerbean is resonating with its readers and its popularity is growing. Cra...
In this seventh volume, we see the changes in tone that now characterize Funky Winkerbean. Funky becomes more of a reality-based comic strip that depicts contemporary issues in a thought-provoking and sensitive manner. In 1992 Tom Batiuk did something even more radical: he rebooted and restructured the strip, establishing that the characters had graduated from high school.
In this seventh volume, we see the changes in tone that now characterize Funky Winkerbean. Funky becomes more of a reality-based comic strip that depi...
