"The Usual Suspects"

 
Issue#39: "The Usual Suspects"

Fletcher Welles School has been paint bombed in a class prank and the usual suspects are Barnaby Banks, Loaker Banks, Kathy Dudbert, Emily Hair and Aldbug Lobings....but which one of them is truly responsible?

Notes and References: 

This issue is inspired and named after the award winning 1995 crime thriller "The Usual Suspects" directed by Bryan Singer and starring Kevin Spacey and Gabriel Byrne. The film focuses on five con men who are at odds with the police and more importantly a master criminal whose real identity is shrouded in secrecy and mystery. The header of this issue is a play on the film's poster where each main character is put in front of a police line up. Their poses and facial expressions have been replicated here as well.

This is the first "appearance" of Fletcher Welles School's principal who interrogates the five characters. It is the second issue to feature the school in any such way, The first issue being #23 "Aldbug and Cecil".

Barnaby Banks is a victim of "random interrogation" from the Principal and is suspected due to some misguided belief that Gremlins are a mischievous lot.

Kathy Dudbert becomes one of the five suspects due to her tree carving and other acts of "damaging public property" in her quest to ensnare her true love.

Aldbug Lobings is the school bad boy and is a common suspect whenever trouble arises. For some unknown reason his brother Cecil Lobings is not a suspect in this prank.

Emily Hair is a suspect due to her love of colour and paint.

Loaker is a suspect due to his habit of destroying things and his apparent "silent treatment" leads to all five suspects being given detention.

This is the first issue which has "To Be Continued..." instead of simply ending. This is down to issue#39 being part one of three issues that fall under a storyline called "The Gremlin Club Saga" which will conclude in issue#41.

This issue is one of the longer issues of Barnaby and Loaker mainly because it serves the story but also because several readers have asked for longer issues recently.