Never a detail-orientated parent
You did not expect Linton, did you? I have made the hat fly off your head to the sound of a Swanee whistle. If you’re not familiar with this classic mystery solving character, I’m sure a brief trip into the Bad Machinery archive at GoComics will assist you.
Who else had to Google “Zettle”, wondering if if it was a fictional creation of the Tackleverse?
Me! I somehow had not heard of these before, though it’s possible I’ve paid someone who was using one.
Always good to see the old gang again.
Linton’s tall & has filled out now. Seems quite the force to be reckoned with.
You are right, I’m absolutely surprised and very happy. Linton, the only one that can remain indiffrent to Lottie’s hug. Sigh, he grew up so much. Evilottie can’t win against this trio!
LINTON!!!! Wow!
And, now that I’ve read John’s commentary, no, I did not expect Linton. But I’m very happy to see him.
I definitely did not expect Linton. A pleasant surprise.
EEEEE OMG
I was indeed surprised. The king has returned as mildly annoyed with Lottie but still there for her as ever.
Lottie’s reaction is deeply sweet. The big smile, the giant hug. i missed these two. The chemistry’s still there and my hopes for them to get together still linger…you know once we get past her doppelganger trying to destroy her life. No time for love ms grotte
For that ship, let’s all hope that Sonny’s little sister has outgrown her crush on Linton.
Probably. And if not Lottie can take her.
My fear I that Linton could fall for Evilottie. Even if he would never help her in some evil scheme, she still could find a way to use him. After all, she’s an evil genius.
His face and attitude tell me that he grew up to be the man he was destined to be.
WE’RE GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER
We’re on a mission from Glob
Yes, my hat has flown! Yay!
True but Lintons been called specifically to deal with that thankfully ..that and regular lotties charms don’t work on him so presumably Lottie acting extra horny and suspicious would do even less.
No one expects the Linton Inquisition!
Only Sonny left to check in on…
Oh, sure; let’s just pretend Jack isn’t getting ignored for ‘not being in the correct temporal framework.’
I think the point is that we (the readers) have seen Jack recently. Sonny’s the only one we haven’t seen since the bad Machinery/Mystery Kids days.
:looks around at 2025:
Frankly, Jack is the lucky one.
2025 is precisely why we need the whole band back together!
Maybe since jacks lost in time he’s in space. Sonny in outer space is a spinoff id read
Linton!! It was worth losing the hat.
If you’re talking about Lottie’s hat, she’s holding it in her hand while she’s hugging Linton.
Sorry, I had forgotten what John had said about hats flying off of heads.
“I think I’d have noticed” is a perfect mom line for that kind of situation.
(And yes, when I got to the bottom row of panels, there was a UFO in my vicinity that your news post helpfully identified)
Omigosh, LINTON!!!
That last profile panel says so much about Linton and Shauna as people. Faint smirk and raised eyebrow across a sternly presented Bit. Bless them both.
Yes, there’s a lot going on in that little wave from Shauna.
It’s looking like Shauna and Linton have been seeing each other in the interim and it was Shauna who called him over.
LINTON!!! Our boy is back!!! (I’m guessing by Shauna’s slight smile in the last panel, she’s kept in touch with him a bit more than Lottie has) Now we just need Sonny and somehow get Jack back into proper space-time.
You can not see it from where you are, but know that I am literally doing the Snoopy Dance now that Linton has showed up.
Seeing the mystery boys again!?!! This makes me SO happy!
No, i did not expect Linton. Yes, you have made the hat fly off my head to the sound of a swanee whistle. I happened to have a small swanee whistle to hand, very handy for chatting with Clangers. I had to go out and get a hat though.
I do hope that Linton has found at least one special someone in the intervening years.
I hope his unboxing channel’s back online.
Lottie’s surprised face there is fantastic. LINTON! we all cry in unison.
John is a master of facial expressions, whether subtle or dramatic. 🙂
LINTON!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!
That’s definitely Mike Harding with the moustache in panel 3.
Came here just to say: Linton <3 Look at his grumpy face, haha.
Yes and until his ticket is refunded he’ll stay grumpy. Or perhaps he’s a bobby now and THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS!!!
It did not even occur to me that Linton might have followed in his dad’s footsteps. That would make a lot of sense, though.
That’s what I always expected him to do, somehow, but we’ll find out.
I really hope grown-up Linton has been able to reconnect with Fit Mum.
I wish more for a development of his relationship with Mildred. They were such a good duo in “Wentack”.
I’m about the right age for a Fit Mum of my own now. I knew one for a while, but she is happily married with her two daughters almost out of the house now.
LINTON!
Oh Linton! I did not know how much I had missed you.
I’ll have to remember to wear a hat when reading your comics, so that I could experience the Swanee whistle effect next time.
And I was indeed not expecting Linton. Nice to check in on an old friend.
We did not expect Linton! I made the same face as Lottie in panel 5, surprise lines and all!!
LINTON! Hooray!
I never heard of it either! I was sure it was another of John’s Zambian-esque creations.
This was supposed to go under the mini-thread above about iKettle, which is what I hadn’t heard of.
And yes my hat did fly off my head. LINTON! Thanks for bringing him back!
Lots of interesting lore here, for the curious:
https://vmcollectables.com/instruments/swanee-whistle/swanee-whistles/
Now they just need an enforcer like Linton’s old flame Blossom.
https://www.gocomics.com/bad-machinery/2024/07/17
Who needs an enforcer when you already have a rock-hard fighter?
My hat is clean gone! Hurrah!
I Heart Linton!!!!! Not only is my hat gone but I’ve done a full cartwheel in place.
I am overly invested in Shauna and Lottie making up somehow. I was rereading the Severed Alliance and it made me stupidly sad – this feels so encouraging? Curse you John Allison for your loveable multi-dimensional characters (even as they remain firmly in 2D on the page)!
I thought they made up a while back. Then they drifted apart due to having different lives.