(Strip Number 726, Original Publication Date, 16 October 1984)
Panel 1: Having noticed that Elly might not necessarily understand or approve of Lizzie wanting to go for trick or treat as a bland suburbanite's idea of what a punk rocker looks like, Michael tries in vain to reassure Elly that Lizzie actually does want to do this.
Panel 2: He then tells Lizzie to scowl and act all cool like; this, of course, traumatizes the thin-skinned idiot squealing about nothing they call Mom.
Panel 3: Elly adopts the standard "I'm so angry, I won't look at you" posture when telling him that it looks terrible. Mike says "Really?"
Panel 4: His telling Lizzie that she's doing great really astonishes her.
Summary: This is because the stupid, stupid woman won't get it through her thick skull that her children see her as a monster who feeds on the laughter and smiles of the children she hates and only had so she could have someone to boss around. The fact that she expected him to immediately see that he and Lizzie are BAD for scaring Mommy and must be ashamed of not doing what she wants only adds to that assumption.