In Tune with Fun

It's a story as old as humanity itself: boy meets accordion, boy learns accordion, and accordion makes boy healthy, wealthy, and amazingly popular. This classic story is retold in the glory of a comic titled, "In Tune with Fun". Our story is set in 1953 suburban America, a magical setting when there were only white people and boys dressed for the schoolyard in jacket and tie. Here are some excerpts from that comic, beginning with:

Big Night in Central City!

Enter A New Man

The second page more troubling, beginning with Bob's putting his accordion away incorrectly into its case. Presumably, he was taught this by Mr. Phillips, the young and hulky UberAccordionTeacher. Young Tom will soon become popular though his accordion playing, but Mr. Phillips appears already to be quite popular with Mrs. Stanton.

And there is Mr. Stanton, older than his young and beautiful wife, and he of a conspicuously darker complexion. Is it not odd, even genetically improbable that blond Mrs Stanton and swarthy Mr.Stanton would give birth to a boy of such shockingly orange hair as Tommy's? Mr. Phillip's rakish hair does have a wisp of orange in it.

Note also that Mr. Phillips wears a bow tie. No one else gets to wear a bow tie.

Turns the Wheel of Fate

Witness a touching domestic scene: the Stanton family gathered around their television set, and young Tom and his father relaxed enough to loosen their collars. Under Mr. Phillips expert guidance, Tom's progress has been rapid and delightful. Unbelieveable, in fact: Tom seems to be playing quite difficult repertoire with only a 12 bass accordion. He learns quickly despite practicing while standing up, generally not recommended. No accordionist in this world ever sits down to play.

Tom's father, however, sits down more and more, although he doesn't play accordion like Mr. Phillips plays accordion. Tom's father is seated in five out of six panels on this page, in four different rooms of their suburban house. He sits, he reads, he smokes his pipe. His role in Tom's newfound accordion life is diminishing, literally, as his image becomes smaller and smaller upon the page, placed off to the edge of the frames. Despite his decreasing involvement, he gamely observes, "The accordion lessons were the best investment we ever made."

Mrs. Phillips, always at the ready with lipstick and a wardrobe of bright party jumpers, strikes a more intimate attitude with her son, though she appears as perky and active as ever. Perhaps Mr. Phillips comes over for weekly lessons.

And what of Tom? Through his accordion playing, he has become less moronic looking, more self-assured and forward thinking . He joins society. In the climactic fifth panel, an alpha male of the schoolyard, who may previously have shunned Tom, now generously invites him to play for him and "the gang" at his party. Tom's popularity is not in himself, but through his skill. Tom is not invited to the party, but only Tom with his accordion.

Fast Forward: Plus a Change...

Our morality tale draws to a close. Tom speaks to us directly, transcending generations of accordionists before him and generations of accordionists yet to be born...

... and he now wears a bow tie.