Comic Transcripts

BRINDLA and KYLEEN have moved the park bench outside and are continuing their conversation about books:

BRINDLA: If the HEADSTABBERS: FATHOMS books AREN’T actually GOOD, why have you read so many of them?

KYLEEN: You go back home. You see a childhood friend.

KYLEEN (beginning a reverie): You’re on different paths now, but there are still some things you two share that aren’t present anywhere else in your life. You spent SO MUCH time together at Jambalaya Jim’s Juice Jumpery on Sixth Ave. Those COUNTLESS hours in the smoothie place that was also an unlicensed trampoline gym were FORMATIVE.

KYLEEN (now sitting in an imaginary vacant lot — this is an extremely subtle shift and will be missed by all but the most attentive of readers): That spot’s been a vacant lot now for DECADES. Who else has access to THAT PART of you? No one but someone who was THERE.

KYLEEN: Reading the books returns me, not just to the familiar world IN the books… But to a place where I can VISIT the ME that has spent so much time in that world.

BRINDLA: Got it. Sunk cost fallacy.

KYLEEN: I prefer to think of it as a sunk cost ADVENTURE.

BRINDLA (looking at one of the books): It says here that SUNK COST ADVENTURE is the title of book #57 in the series!

KYLEEN: THAT’S where I got the IDEA!

#1564; A Cold Stare From a Tall Bookshelf (Part 3 of 4) transcribed by in

BRINDLA and KYLEEN have moved the park bench outside and are continuing their conversation about books:

BRINDLA: If the HEADSTABBERS: FATHOMS books AREN'T actually GOOD, why have you read so many of them?

KYLEEN: You go back home. You see a childhood friend.

KYLEEN (beginning a reverie): You're on different paths now, but there are still some things you two share that aren't present anywhere else in your life. You spent SO MUCH time together at Jambalaya Jim's Juice Jumpery on Sixth Ave. Those COUNTLESS hours in the smoothie place that was also an unlicensed trampoline gym were FORMATIVE.

KYLEEN (now sitting in an imaginary vacant lot -- this is an extremely subtle shift and will be missed by all but the most attentive of readers): That spot's been a vacant lot now for DECADES. Who else has access to THAT PART of you? No one but someone who was THERE.

KYLEEN: Reading the books returns me, not just to the familiar world IN the books... But to a place where I can VISIT the ME that has spent so much time in that world.

BRINDLA: Got it. Sunk cost fallacy.

KYLEEN: I prefer to think of it as a sunk cost ADVENTURE.

BRINDLA (looking at one of the books): It says here that SUNK COST ADVENTURE is the title of book #57 in the series!

KYLEEN: THAT'S where I got the IDEA!

On certain days, when I pass by a trash can full of rotten fruit and children's vomit, I get a very strong sense memory of being inside Jambalaya Jim's

#1564; A Cold Stare From a Tall Bookshelf (Part 3 of 4)

  — April 7th, 2025

[ Tags: , , ]       Permalink: https://wondermark.com/c/1564/

This storyline started with Part 1.

Buy a Print

New ways to get Bolted!

July 24, 2026 by David Malki !

In addition to buying things directly from me, the normal way, my game Bolted! is also now available on Amazon dot com.

On that famous website, you can also get the Creature-Crafting Magnets Set, which is made of the same artwork from the game, but is just a weird little trinket (not a playable game).

My kiddo made the elaborate version below to show off just how many magnets you get in the set (it’s 150 pieces in all — this isn’t even all of them).

Also now on Amazon is my set of Multi-Purpose Greeting Cards — a full dozen cards with envelopes in a fancy, unbranded, foil-stamped box!

Event alert!

I’ll also be showing off Bolted! at Greenwood Games, an event in Seattle this Saturday:

Greenwood Games is a free, all-ages community game event that invites players to spend the afternoon walking Greenwood Avenue from 65th to 80th, collecting clues, cracking puzzles, and discovering games made right here in Washington.

Think of it as Pride Hop, ArtWalk, and the Gumshoe all rolled into one,  except the whole thing is built around games and puzzles.​

Local game designers will be set up at different places along Greenwood Avenue in Phinney Ridge (near Ballard). My specific spot will be the “Holy Mountain Phinney Ridge Taproom”. All the information about all the different games & venues is on the website!

(If you’re in Seattle generally but not free tomorrow, Bolted! is also stocked at Blue Highway Games in Queen Anne.)

Next week, I’ll be at Gen Con! I personally will be hanging with my buddy Sam Logan at BFE Webcomics, booth #1217… but I have it on good authority that copies of Bolted! will be available at the CRWN Studios booth, #2549.

Visit one booth! Then the other! The order…is up to you.


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