This week, we were in Sandwich, Illinois, home of the biggest county fair (it is actually the Dekalb County Fair) in the state. We've been told countless times that it's larger than the State Fair, too. With the coming of the Fair, there also comes my my single favorite "seasonal" food item, the incredible Pronto Pup. The Pronto Pup looks like a normal everyday corndog, but nay nay my friends, such is not the case. This delicious king of corn dogs has a wonderful batter on it that when finished cooking turns into a lighter than usual covering that is just plain good... actually, it's really, really good.
Now, at the Sandwich Fair, the one and only Pronto Pup stand that I go to is just across from a building that has been called The Women's Building forever. The man behind the counter making these delicious dogs is named Barry (to make sure that you're at the right place, because there are other Pronto Pup booths.. and even bogus Pronto Pup booths... I kid you not!) ... who looks a lot like the late, great Jerry Garcia, but Barry's hair is longer. I'll add that this booth is very close to a gazebo that sells Fair t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc.
I've been hitting this booth every year I've been at the Fair since I returned from the West Coast with some few missed. In fact, one year, I was there for its full five days and ate nothing but Pups... Oh, joy...
The connection to my Creepsville comic is that way back in 1996, when I was self publishing my Creepsville comic series under the Laughing Reindeer Press name, Pronto Pup became very useful. It was the second issue and featured a story wherein Rat and Percy run around the town tearing it up chasing after a bizarre creature called Doctor Nothing. The chase goes into an amusement park called Thrill Land. I drew a spread across those two pages and filled up the space with the kinds of things one might see at such a place... one of which was Barry's Pronto Pup stand, in which I drew in the man and 2 of his homeys.
Here's the page, plus the Pup stand.
I'm writing this early Saturday morning (actually about 7:30 am, a little later than I usually do). Just to alert you, the Fair is open today and tomorrow. If you just happen to find yourself there, do yourself a favor and get a Pup. Oh, and a lemon shake-up, too.
Now, I don't make a nickle off doing this. This is strictly a food item that I love made by people who care. Barry has been doing this for longer than I've been drawing Rat and Percy. I understand that dedication.
Just do me one favor, if you go there, please tell them that you saw this weird-assed show of Puppy love on this blog and that Frank sent you to them. They will take care of you. (Boy, I wish I had one of these things right now...)
This craziness caused me to delay those photos from another trip to Wisconsin that I said I would be posting here. Those will start next weekend. Here's a couple of odd teasers.
That's it for this week. Enjoy the Pups! Go Cubs! Go Bears! Go More Science High! Here are this week's helpings of Creepsville and Agents of Peril.
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