Apparently the years of inane, almost-funny strips… it was all an act! In the course of a single 1-panel comic, Keane has pwned all the haters. He has shown just how dark and twisted he can really be.

I mean, having the star of the strip carrying around a dead pet, implying through his question that maybe… just maybe… his sweet kitten isn’t dead after all? Ooh! Bravo, Mr. Keane. You have successfully shown us all that you can play demented with the best of ‘em, while at the same time making us feel guilty for ever wanting to see it in the first place.

Could it be that we’re on the cusp of seeing Family Circus walk down paths blazed by Lynn Johnston’s For Better or For Worse Gouge Your Eyes Out and Tom Batiuk’s Funky Winkerbean (Remembers Dead Loved Ones Over A Pint Filled With His Own Tears)?

Please, good sir, bring back the schlock tomorrow! I don’t think our hearts could take little Billy’s reaction when he realizes that “DED KITTEH… IZ DED.”

(At least, I could wish this was the intended meaning behind the strip. Nicole thinks it’s something more… inane. One can hope, though…)