Pre-Pandemic Ketchup
Pre-Pandemic Ketchup
[Cueball is standing in a kitchen, looking at bottle with label which he is holding in his hand. He is talking to a person off-panel behind him, who replies. There is a cupboard above him, with stuff protruding from the shelves. Below that is a counter, with a drawer and a cupboard. There is an  bottle with fluid, a can and a jar on top. Only the latter two has labels.] Cueball: Oh wow, pre-pandemic ketchup! Cueball: We haven't bought this kind since before. Cueball: I'm gonna toss it. (off-screen): Eww, yes.
[Caption below the panel:] Spring 2020 forms a weird dividing line in my kitchen.

This comic is another in a series of comics related to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Just like 2474: First Time Since Early 2020 , Randall compares the pre-pandemic life and the post-pandemic life in this comic. Life has changed dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns and restrictions by governments around the world.
In this comic, Cueball bought a bottle of ketchup before the pandemic and they have not bought that kind of ketchup since, possibly due to supply chain disruptions or that brand not being available to order online. It may be a reference to the shortage of ketchup packets caused by an increase in takeout orders and restaurants replacing the ketchup bottle on the table with single serving units [ dubious ] . Cueball is now cleaning out his cupboard, perhaps as a form of "pandemic spring cleaning" to make way for the future, and considers throwing it away. An offscreen character encourages him to toss it.
In the title text, Cueball (or possibly Randall ) is wondering in which year he would discard the last weird food item that he bought online in early 2020.  If he's going for the Expiration Date High Score to beat 24.3, he should probably wait until 2045 or so.
[Cueball is standing in a kitchen, looking at bottle with label which he is holding in his hand. He is talking to a person off-panel behind him, who replies. There is a cupboard above him, with stuff protruding from the shelves. Below that is a counter, with a drawer and a cupboard. There is an  bottle with fluid, a can and a jar on top. Only the latter two has labels.] Cueball: Oh wow, pre-pandemic ketchup! Cueball: We haven't bought this kind since before. Cueball: I'm gonna toss it. (off-screen): Eww, yes.
[Caption below the panel:] Spring 2020 forms a weird dividing line in my kitchen.
