Funky Winkerbean bothers right-wing wackos

[Algorem]

http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3140

Chatter: Toy Soldiers: A comic strip’s war-themed story line riles the right.

...

Last week in Funky, Wally Winkerbean, who fought in Afghanistan after 9/11, discovered he must return to active duty in Iraq because he has a few days left in his enlistment obligation. Over the course of the week, Wally and his wife discussed the unfairness of the situation — after all, he was MIA for awhile in Afghanistan, and was lucky to escape with his cartoon life the first time...

“There’s a group out there chastising me, saying Wally signed up, it’s his obligation to finish out his tour,” says Batiuk. “They say he has nothing to complain about.”...

Batiuk has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. Upcoming storylines are so controversial, King Features, which syndicates the strip, has called special meetings to discuss damage control. He declined to elaborate.

So far, King Features has supported him. No editor has asked him to pull back. Hopefully his local daily will continue to do the same. Because if all we’re left with is Garfield and Family Circus, the real rioting will begin. — James Renner


http://www.freetimes.com.nyud.net:8090/images/issues/1346/ChatterFunky.jpg

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/funky.asp?date=20060211

[LynneSin]

1. Funky has been ROCKING these past years

He's dealt with Breast Cancer, Landmines, Intelligent Design and of course, the war.

If you're not reading Funky you're missing out on something that rates up there with Doonesbury and Boondocks for tackling the issues!

EDIT NOTE: The little girl in the picture was adopted from Afghanistan. Becky (who lost an arm in a bad car accident) and Wally spent their honeymoon there working on a anti-landmine project. The little girl was an orphan who lost her parents to landmines.

One of the best strips was when Khan, Wally's 'captor' and now friend, showed up from Afghanistan. He commented on how 'democracy' was making Aghanistan a dangerous place to live. Looks like he'll be a regular in the strip since Funky just hired him as a night manager at the Pizza place

http://pst.rbma.com/content/Funky_Winkerbean?date=20060207

[Flavin]

5. Not a land mine

I am pretty sure her parents were killed in a bus bombing, a buss which Becky had just left.

Flavin

The best politics often comes at you 3-5 frames a day....

[PurpleChez]

2. I was a fan of old-school Funky when I was little...

...back when the kids were all in high school. It's great to hear it's a cutting edge strip, up there with Doonesbury and Boondocks. I don't think I can read it locally. It is online?

[Algorem]

4. they have it & archives on the Seattle paper's site

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/funky.asp?date=200602...

[librechik]

3. "a group out there chastising me"

I wonder if Batiuk means that literally, like a an organized astroturf attack from a troop of LGF baboons, or if he means just Bushbots in general.