Proof Positive · No. 16

The Soup Tab

The daily comic from Hooray News, by Frankie Ragan. October 31, 2026.

A four-panel Proof Positive comic set at the kitchen table during morning coffee. In panel one, Goldie happily reads from her phone that two crows answered a test in 235 milliseconds, and Ansel, holding his PROVE IT mug, flatly says nobody answers anything that fast. In panel two, Goldie points to the plate and asks if she can have the last muffin; Ansel, wide-eyed and already holding it, instantly says yes. Panel three is a silent close-up of Goldie with narrowed eyes and her chin on her hand. In panel four, Goldie side-eyes him with a smirk and says that was about 235 milliseconds, and Ansel, eyes serenely closed with the muffin in hand, replies that nobody was even rushing him.

Four-panel Proof Positive strip in the kitchen. Goldie, holding a paper shopping bag, tells Ansel that Fenwick's Nursery closed and she grabbed a few things. Ansel asks how few. Eleven tulip bulbs, she says, and he calls that very reasonable. "And their greenhouse," she adds. Ansel asks if it fits in the bag. Beaming, Goldie answers: "The deed does."

Four-panel Proof Positive strip set in a kitchen. Goldie, squinting at her phone, tells Ansel her phone has a crush on him. He asks what that's based on. In a close-up, she gives him a sideways look and explains that autocorrect turned 'pick up mulch' into 'pick up Ansel.' In his own close-up, Ansel looks smug over his PROVE IT mug and says, 'Smart phone.' In the last panel Goldie smirks and adds that 'manure' also became 'Ansel,' and Ansel, now deadpan, says, 'That's not a crush. It's a review.'

A four-panel Proof Positive strip set before dawn on a Saturday. Goldie, dressed for work in overalls and holding a coffee mug, whispers to Ansel, who is in pajamas with his eyes closed: 'Hon? You up?' She leans in: 'Ansel. You awake?' Eyes still shut, he frowns: 'It's Saturday.' Her whisper grows into huge letters: 'ANSEL. ARE. YOU. AWAKE.' Without opening his eyes he asks, 'Why are you whispering?' In the last panel Ansel finally opens his eyes, heavy-lidded, and Goldie smiles sweetly and whispers, 'Didn't want to wake you.'

Four-panel comic in a living room. Goldie asks Ansel how his review went. He says he meets expectations, the same as every year. Goldie cheerfully says she'd want 'meets' from a bridge, and Ansel mentions that a coworker named Rick got 'exceeds.' Goldie says 'Good for Rick,' and Ansel, deadpan, says, 'They're looking into Rick.'

Four panels in a kitchen. Goldie talks on the phone with her mother while Ansel whispers, 'Tell her I said hi.' Goldie passes it on, listens, and says goodbye. She lowers the phone and tells Ansel her mother says he's a wonderful man. Ansel narrows his eyes and asks, 'Those her words?' In the last panel Goldie shrugs with a smirk and admits, 'She said, "Oh. Him."' Ansel, mug in hand and a small, satisfied smirk on his face, answers, 'Huh. Last Easter it was "Who?"'

Four-panel comic. Goldie, in pajamas with a cold, holds a glass of water and asks whether it's her third glass or fourth. Ansel, in a sweater vest with his PROVE IT mug, says it's the fourth and that she needs five by noon. Goldie narrows her eyes and asks how he knows. Ansel calmly says he wrote it down. Goldie, wide-eyed, asks if he made a spreadsheet for her cold. Ansel smirks and says there's a soup tab and it's going great.

Read the transcript

Living room. Goldie, in pajamas with a cold, holds a glass of water. Ansel stands beside her with his PROVE IT mug.
Panel 1. GOLDIE: Is this my third glass or fourth? ANSEL: Fourth. Five by noon, though.
Panel 2. Close on Goldie, eyes narrowing. GOLDIE: Wait. How do you know it's four?
Panel 3. Close on Ansel, calm, mug in hand. ANSEL: I wrote it down.
Panel 4. Goldie, wide-eyed, hand on hip. GOLDIE: You made a spreadsheet for my cold? ANSEL: There's a soup tab. It's going great.

Start your day with four reasons to smile.