Close enough. I don't think the timelines had diverged at that point, so it's effectively the same Bun-Bun.

No commentary on the comic, just wanted to say that the typo in the announcement ("scfrewing") made me laugh more than the actual comic.

You kids stop scfrewing around over there and gfet to pfosing cfomics!

For posterity:

This comic brings up something that has been bugging me since Broken.

If Shlock had simply called up Torg in the beginning and told him he had a solution to his Oasis problem his triangle plan would've been completed years ago. Torg would've gone along it with it instantly to protect Zoe.

Normally the limited weeks don't bother me, it happens. I am curious/concerned what that means as we approach the end: are events going to go over that deadline now, or are we going to get to whatever the "stopping point" Pete had planned?

All this is not to put pressure (and I'm sure Pete is doing a fine job of that himself, lol). I just wonder what the plan is now that things are getting delayed.

Who's taking bets that Pete will have to go past August to wrap this up?

No downside that I can see.
Closure.
Twisting the knife.
Possibility of reconsideration (as unlikely as it may be)
Psychological warfare.
Playing the high road for inflated sense of self.
Anything, really. No real downside, other than potentially wasting time that Schlock can take advantage of.

How did Torg and Schlock turn into the strategic masterminds in this crew? They both used to be such doofuses... (doofi? doofii?)

Merriam Webster says that your initial wording was correct. :)

As for your question... I chalk it up to gradual but inevitable character development.

Just look at all the goofy professor/scientist types in the media and real life.

Just because you're goofy doesn't mean you're not capable.

Yeah, but going from "such a doof that he can't tell a beer garden from a bear garden" to über-planner, ultra-organizer, confident leader, and strategic genius!?

Going from "pretending he's a balloon so he can stand in Gwynn's shower" to "cold, calculating, brilliant corporate takeover, ruthless murdering badguy" ?

Those both seem ... unlikely.

I think your Schlock is a doofus take is pretty stretchy. First of all, he was shown as being calculating in several arcs prior to ever living with the main cast. Second, your example isn't even one of stupidity so much as perviness.