FoxTrot Classics by Bill Amend for December 15, 2011

PlayStation 2?!? Wow, this is ancient!

Now a days Jason could just click Where’s My (dad’s) iPod/Pad.

My nephew in Florida has one.

Good grief.

For those who are confused by it, the first 3 panels are extolling the virtues of being unsupervised. The kick is the inspiration of sending the clueless parents on a fools errand to search out a nonexistent target. (ie. Board stretcher, muffler bearings, blinker fluid et.al.) C’mon.. Like it’s never happened to you?

This is even funnier in today’s context! Jason asks for an OBSOLETE game system! The parents think that, sure, it’s a garage sale item and it will be really cheap. But they can’t find one to buy (and don’t know about GameStop).

It took me a moment to figure out the last panel. For those who were confused as me, a public service expanation.

Evidently, the year this particular strip was drawn, PS2 was the hot item that few stores had. Some parents would search high and low to get their child the elusive toy. Other such toys were the Cabbage Patch dolls, Care Bears, Tickle Me Elmo, Firbies, etc. As usual, looks like Jason had multiple motives.

I remember hearing about a young airman that was assigned to some electronic maintenance unit. He was eager , inexperienced and mostly in the way. A seasoned sergeant figured out that the Fallopian tube had failed and sent him off to the supply depot to get a new one. The supply depot was wise to what was going on. They didn’t have any on hand, but maybe the depot on the other side of the base could help him.

Indeed, I remember when the PS2 first hit shelves, it was insane. My friend’s parents drove up to Connecticut (from Indiana) in order to get one.

that’s sort of the point of the comic because it’s so outdated, they cant find it.

I’m finding the attempts to explain the context funnier than the actual strip!

Nowadays, a Playstation 2 is easy to find for $100 new, and a Playstation 3 is the one to get now.

I Dont think its Outdated! Were could you buy a PS2 today?

I have a PS2 and it’s really nice!

We have one! My mom and brother found it at a garage sale for like a dollar… Maybe five or ten? I don’t know. But it was a steal.