Little Nephew and the Goths
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Little Nephew and the Goths is a relatively short story arc which ran from June 28 to July 12 in 2004, with two interruptions, both of which happened to feature Roast Beef impersonating the Pope. It begins with Ray lamenting to Beef that Little Nephew is "fallin' in with that damn goth crowd." [1] After the two converse for a bit about goth culture in general and how best to curb it, Ray decides to visit his nephew and is shocked speechless by the extremeness of the boy's outfit, which go so far as to include a black cape and oil lantern [2].
After some unavoidable mindless bickering between the two, Ray declares in his head that "two can play at this game" and dresses himself in a ridiculous costume featuring a pointed black hat, skull-shaped glasses, plastic skull-shaped codpiece, and an ankh to replace his usual medallion. At this point, the strip's title and alt text agree that Ray makes for a "goth Bootsy Collins." [3]
The two Smuckles exchange their "goth names", Nephew's being "Lord Absinthe" and Ray's "The Godfather of Souls"; this last declaration is followed by a three-panel "gothic dance" and revelation that the crotch-skull can play an electronic recording declaring that "BELA... LUGOSI'S ... DEAD" [4] After preparing some salami sandwiches for the upcoming trip to "the graveyard", Ray calls up Nice Pete to book him as the evening's entertainment. [5]
Down at the graveyard, Nephew and Ray meet up with two unnamed goth kids, presumably his friends. Concerning Ray's presence, they are are both nonchalant at first, but become gradually horrified after Ray introduces "The Death Sound", a "very special guest". "The Death Sound" is revealed to be Nice Pete cutting his chest with a knife while singing "I... am... The Death Sound... and I have cut my body." [6]
The final outcome of this particular scene is never resolved, instead moving to a "jump cut" of sorts: later that evening, after having gone to bed, Ray is woken up but the sherrif's departmet regarding the matter of of having "hired a known sex offender to mutilate his body in front of several children." [7] Ray claims that the number reached is in fact that of "Historical MoviePhone, where History Comes to Life," and (presumably) hangs up. The next morning, the department calls him a second time, and he is able to clear his recent criminal record (including, of course, the charges in question) simply by requesting to speak with "Captain B" (with whom he is apparently a "tournament buddy" of some kind) and asking this of him as a favor. [8] Thus winds away the storyline in the idiosyncratic Achewood fashion.
