TITLE The Bastich By Hart
PANEL 1 (Bastich is frustratedly sitting at his computer with his hand on his chin) BASTICH: This computer stuff is way too complicated... Waitaminute... What's this..?
PANEL 2 (On the computer screen, a mouse cursor hovers over a dialog box with a splash balloon icon) BASTICH: "Click here to get extended help for pathologically novice users..." Hey, why not...?
PANEL 3 (Over-the-shoulder view of Bastich as an explosion erupts from the top of the computer monitor) BASTICH: WHAT THE--?! SFX: ZAPT!
PANEL 4 (As the smoke settles, a small clown puppet appears over the monitor with its arms outstretched) CLOWN: Greetings, friend, I'm Bobbo, your very own personal computer-generated assistant. I have been optimally programmed to get you up to speed on the info-baun LICKETY-SPLIT! I can answer any of your computer-related questions! So, TEE-HEE, ask away!
PANEL 5 (The view from behind the monitor reveals Hacker-Lad controlling the puppet. An unamused Bastich leans over the monitor looking at Hacker-Lad) BASTICH: Okay, very funny, Hacker-Lad... You've had your laugh at the newbie's expense! Now put that anthropomorphic sock away and tell me how to shut this thing off..! HACKER-LAD: Ah, but that would be TELLING! BASTICH: Wrong... That would be LIVING.
CREDITS (Sketch of an unplugged plug on the floor below an electric socket. A pattern of zeroes and ones is below the copyright notice) (c) 1995 Joshua Adam Hart
Commentary
Following from the previous week, Bastich is still struggling to figure out computers. This idea would be dropped quickly in favor of Bastich being much more of a die-hard computer nerd, albeit always a step behind Hacker-Lad's 1337 skill level.
I must have been using Windows 95 at home by the time I made this, but I drew a MacOS Classic UI in panel 2. Not too surprising, since I used a Mac sitting in the Helpdesk office for most of my scanning and editing in these early days.
Style Note: Bastich is sporting some nice 90s grunge flannel, though rolled up sleeves would have been more authentic for the era.