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Zemke and the Crew

Checking in comics

Zemke and the Crew strips about checking in.

Three-panel comic. Panel 1, 6:30 am on a closed lane: Kev the koala gives a thumbs-up beside Zemke the emu next to a laser-straight line of orange traffic cones, a laser level beam and a ute with a flashing arrow board. Kev says 'Sixty cones. Laser-straight. Thing of beauty.' Zemke says 'Lane's closed. Nobody could get confused.' Panel 2, 6:32 am: a blue hatchback weaves through four cones along a dashed red slalom line and pulls up; the motorist asks 'Morning! Sorry… is the road closed?' Kev and Zemke have their hands on their heads; Kev says 'He slalomed four cones… to ask that.' Panel 3, 6:34 am: Bec the kangaroo holds her clipboard beside a judges' scoreboard reading 'Artistic impression 9.4/10, cone #14 −0.6', Monty the monkey cheers, cone #14 lies toppled with skid marks, a green Telegram pill reads 'Kev checked in 6:30 am', and Zemke, holding his phone, says '6:30 start logged, Kev. Cone 14 had a good innings.'

The Cones Are Not a Slalom Course

#34 · 28 Oct 2026

Three-panel comic. Panel 1, 8:00 am at apartment 6.02: Gail the giraffe and Sam the platypus stand beside an access-plan board (runners down, dust sheets up, 9 AM – 2 PM) while Kev the koala carries a toolbox. Gail says 'Runners down, dust sheets up. Done by two.' Sam says 'Your floors won't even know we're here.' Panel 2, 8:04 am: the apartment door opens a crack and the resident says 'No walking through. No ropes. Can't they just pop up?' Gail, hands on her head, replies 'Pop up… to the sixth floor?' while Sam facepalms. Panel 3, 8:20 am on the footpath six floors down: a green Telegram pill reads 'Crew checked in 8:58 am'. Zemke the emu holds up a Plan B card ('A · flap harder' crossed out, 'B · Santa's sleigh'), Monty the monkey studies a map, and Kev shrugs: 'We're good tradies, mate. Not paratroopers.'

Sixth-Floor Balcony Access

#46 · 27 Oct 2026

Three-panel comic. Panel 1, 6:55 am on Level 2 of a medical suites building: Sam the platypus runs a toolbox talk beside an A-frame board (earmuffs on, dust vac on, drilling 7:00 to 7:45) and says 'Earmuffs on, vacs on. Drilling done by 7:45.' Kev the koala, holding a hammer drill, says 'Patients at eight. We'll be long gone.' Panel 2, 7:05 am: the Suite 2.04 door opens a crack and the suite manager asks 'Can you drill without the hammering? Just spinning?' Kev, confused, repeats 'Without the… hammering bit?' while Monty the monkey shrugs. Panel 3, 7:33 am: a green Telegram pill reads 'Crew checked in 6:58 am'. Monty holds up a pink feather duster and says 'Relax, Kev. I brought the quiet option.' Sam says 'Rotary-only? That's Christmas. Twelve noisy minutes left!'

The Silent Hammer-Drill Request

#52 · 26 Oct 2026

Three-panel comic. 8:00 am at Harbour St: Kev the koala is on site at a locked gate while the client texts 'Sorry Kev! Running 5 mins late with the gate key!' and Kev replies 'No worries, I'm clocked in at the gate!' saying 'Client says 5 mins. Famous last words.' At 8:45 am Zemke the emu notes 'Good thing you clocked in at 7:58, Kev. Client's 5 mins is now 47. Tea?' At 9:05 am the customer arrives with the key and coffees for the whole crew. Kev: 'Forgiven. Completely forgiven.' Sam: '7:58 start + free coffee. Approved.'

The Five-Minute Customer

#16 · 22 Oct 2026

Three-panel comic. Monday 6:42 am, the old way: 47 group-chat messages asking who's at which site, and Monty the monkey with an upside-down map. Now: Gail the giraffe says 'Sites are sorted. Kettle's on.' At 6:58 am the chat asks Kev 'Where are you starting today?' with Northside Medical first, then Harbour St and The depot. Kev taps Northside Medical, and the bot says 'You're on the clock at Northside Medical. When did you actually start?' with Just now, Earlier and Change start time.

The Monday Scramble

#13 · 19 Oct 2026

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