Dumbing of Age Book Eleven

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

September 20, 2023

Flee

by David M Willis on December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am
  • 01 - The Only Dope For Me Is You

└ Tags: amber, danny, sal

Discussion (608) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. kenny
    kenny
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    shit

    • Super Duper
      Super Duper
      December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

      I concur.

      • Tunaro
        Tunaro
        December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

        Indeed

      • NIghtsbridge
        NIghtsbridge
        December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

        Agreed.

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

          Word.

          • carl320
            carl320
            December 18, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

            *nods in agreement*

            • -Sentinel-
              -Sentinel-
              December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

              Seventh’d.

              • fantasyfreakvi
                fantasyfreakvi
                December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

                indubitably

                • David Herbert
                  David Herbert
                  December 18, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

                  Exquisite

                • GoldStarz
                  GoldStarz
                  December 18, 2013 at 12:10 am | #

                  +1

                • Allcool-dontcare
                  Allcool-dontcare
                  December 18, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

                  Yup pure shite

                • NoneOfYourConcern
                  NoneOfYourConcern
                  December 18, 2013 at 1:08 am | #

                  Yes

                • Farmer_10
                  Farmer_10
                  December 18, 2013 at 2:33 am | #

                  The Heaviest Shit.

                • Bugberry
                  Bugberry
                  December 18, 2013 at 5:37 am | #

                  quit

                • Bugberry
                  Bugberry
                  December 18, 2013 at 5:39 am | #

                  by which i mean quite.

                • Parnifia the Bastard
                  Parnifia the Bastard
                  December 18, 2013 at 10:55 am | #

                  But of course…

                • Krell
                  Krell
                  December 18, 2013 at 3:31 pm | #

                  Makeup

                • RevenantBacon
                  RevenantBacon
                  December 18, 2013 at 11:27 pm | #

                  DEAR GOD, WHAT HAVE WE DONE!?

              • Roborat
                Roborat
                December 18, 2013 at 3:00 pm | #

                Ayup.

            • GoldStarz
              GoldStarz
              December 18, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

              Indubitably.

              • GoldStarz
                GoldStarz
                December 18, 2013 at 12:10 am | #

                god dammit tab switching.

                • Fred
                  Fred
                  December 18, 2013 at 10:59 am | #

                  (push fred queue)

      • TPman
        TPman
        December 18, 2013 at 3:56 am | #

        I repeat the sentiment.

        • Cragalanch
          Cragalanch
          December 18, 2013 at 7:46 am | #

          Daaaaaaaaamn

          • Dally
            Dally
            December 18, 2013 at 9:56 am | #

            Daaaaaaaaaaaan

            • MichaelHaneline
              MichaelHaneline
              December 18, 2013 at 6:18 pm | #

              DAAAAAAAAAN!

              • Karma Aster
                Karma Aster
                December 19, 2013 at 2:09 am | #

                KHAAAAAAAAAN!

                • Aisling
                  Aisling
                  June 9, 2015 at 11:00 am | #

                  SPOOOOON!!

    • newllend
      newllend
      December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

      Yep

    • Arkantos
      Arkantos
      December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

      On a shit sandwich with a side helping of shit.

    • AgentKeen
      AgentKeen
      December 18, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

      I’ll see your ‘shit’ and raise you an ‘ass.’

      Why an ass? Because I literally went “Oh shit ass.” (I blame QC for my tendency to string curses).

      • Parnifia the Bastard
        Parnifia the Bastard
        December 19, 2013 at 9:16 am | #

        I’ll call that and raise you an AVGN.

    • Cinnamon
      Cinnamon
      December 18, 2013 at 12:27 am | #

      The red panels are beginning to escape from the flashbacks! Abort! Abort!

      • K
        K
        December 18, 2013 at 1:56 am | #

        Actually, the format seems to suggest that it’s a flashback to another time when she was surprised while crying and wearing the same clothes.

        • TheWereOtter
          TheWereOtter
          December 18, 2013 at 10:32 am | #

          OR, the red panels are fits of anger and violence.
          In which case, I refer you to the first thread of comments.

        • Cinnamon
          Cinnamon
          December 18, 2013 at 6:06 pm | #

          I may be wrong, but panel 5 seems to be a flashback to the background of panel 1, which Amber just ran past, with panel 6 being the reaction to that flashback.

          By the last 2 panels, the red panels have changed from flashback to real life, and the foreground panel #5 is now where the flashback goes. It would also mean that Amber’s issues are now in the foreground, ahead of even real life.

    • saltchocolate
      saltchocolate
      December 18, 2013 at 12:31 am | #

      What can I add to this eloquent thread, but: shit.

      • Malebranche
        Malebranche
        December 18, 2013 at 1:18 pm | #

        What the shittin’ butts.

    • Zabet
      Zabet
      December 18, 2013 at 12:32 am | #

      I’d reblog it, but this isn’t tumblr.

    • jiynx
      jiynx
      December 18, 2013 at 12:57 am | #

      nah, not at all. this is freshman burn-out. when the over-achiever highschoolers realize they were never prepared for the load they’d try to take on in college.

    • Jen Aside
      Jen Aside
      December 18, 2013 at 1:35 am | #

      20 “shits” so far! [21 counting that one]

    • Paul Indrome
      Paul Indrome
      December 18, 2013 at 2:26 am | #

      Liquide Shite ™ !!

      • Khrene Cleaver
        Khrene Cleaver
        December 18, 2013 at 10:35 am | #

        LIQUID!? HOW THE-

    • awnman
      awnman
      December 18, 2013 at 6:43 am | #

      Here Here

    • joeyo
      joeyo
      December 18, 2013 at 10:18 am | #

      merde

    • What was the question again?
      What was the question again?
      December 18, 2013 at 1:02 pm | #

      +many

    • JA
      JA
      December 19, 2013 at 1:53 pm | #

      My thoughts exactly.

    • Vil
      Vil
      December 22, 2013 at 3:07 am | #

      Knowing what we know now, double shit.

  2. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    oshit.

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

      The wet poopy has hit the fan.

      • Kiggy
        Kiggy
        December 18, 2013 at 1:18 am | #

        Deranged Osaka!

        • Tenn
          Tenn
          December 18, 2013 at 10:32 am | #

          Some would say that’s redundant.

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      December 18, 2013 at 12:57 am | #

      Oh, yes. Shit.

  3. Jen Aside
    Jen Aside
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    whoops

    • Jen Aside
      Jen Aside
      December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

      greatest HITS AHAHAHAHAHA

      greatest O SHITS too

      • Doctor_Who
        Doctor_Who
        December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

        Would an album of Nickleback’s most famous songs be called “Greatest Shits”?

        • asmcint
          asmcint
          December 18, 2013 at 1:06 am | #

          Nah, that’d be “Greatest Abominations Against Humanity, Time, and Space”

        • What was the question again?
          What was the question again?
          December 18, 2013 at 1:09 pm | #

          You can’t have an ALBUM made up of one song repeated over and over again. Aside from all the other nickelback albums, obviously.

  4. Kladeos
    Kladeos
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    Shit’s hittin’ the fan.

    • Kladeos
      Kladeos
      December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

      Oh right, there’s the whole is-Sal-the-one-who-traumatized-her thing.

      • Valdrax
        Valdrax
        December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

        Somehow that never even occurred to me as a possibility.

        • Kladeos
          Kladeos
          December 18, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

          People were batting it around at some point, because the hair in the flashback kinda look’s like Sal’s natural hair.

          • Deathjavu
            Deathjavu
            December 18, 2013 at 12:14 am | #

            Assuming this is true, I could see Amber attacking Sal, and then Danny assuming it’s because of him being with Sal…

            It combines the worst case scenario with Danny being an idiot, so it seems pretty believable.

          • John
            John
            December 18, 2013 at 12:18 am | #

            Also the freaked-out look here, which is the first time in the strip Amber saw Sal without her full-coverage motorcycle helmet on.

            • zootlocker
              zootlocker
              December 18, 2013 at 3:28 am | #

              And sal totally robbed a store so…

            • Fred
              Fred
              December 18, 2013 at 11:00 am | #

              And in that scene as well, Sal was walking with Billy. We also know that Amber might have some problems with Billy for trying to sex Danny.

              • John
                John
                December 18, 2013 at 1:32 pm | #

                Hadn’t happened yet! Amber encountering Billie and Sal was the first Friday; Billie jumped Danny Sunday beginning of the second week.

                Amber (as Amazi-Girl) had rescued Billie from Ruth and had a short conversation with her a couple of days earlier, and I initially chalked her expression in that strip up to concern that Billie might recognize her secret identity, but she hasn’t shown that concern with any of the others she’s encountered in costume.

                Though maybe her experience with Danny has caused to to figure that they’re all as oblivious as he is. (In Billie’s case, she might be right!)

          • rachel
            rachel
            December 18, 2013 at 4:42 am | #

            I think the hair in the flashback was her mother’s.

            • rachel
              rachel
              December 18, 2013 at 4:59 am | #

              oh crap no her mom’s hair is way lighter.

      • Fark
        Fark
        December 18, 2013 at 12:41 am | #

        If this actually *was* a superhero comic, that makes a really painful amount of sense.

      • PureFedora
        PureFedora
        December 18, 2013 at 9:53 am | #

        I never thought of that. And now I don’t think I can consider otherwise until Willis provides an alternate explanation. That makes too much sense.

      • Greg
        Greg
        December 18, 2013 at 5:00 pm | #

        Well crap, I hadn’t realized that and now it seems like the most obvious thing in the world.

      • BedLlama
        BedLlama
        December 18, 2013 at 8:35 pm | #

        I hate to poke holes in such an awesome theory, but I see two problems with it. The first is hair colour: the robber’s highlights are dark brown, whereas Sal’s highlights are ashen. This isn’t much in and of itself, because she could easily dye it or whatever. The second thing I noticed, however, is that on closer inspection it doesn’t look like Amber even noticed Danny *or* Sal as she was running away.

    • Tunaro
      Tunaro
      December 18, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

      I believe it’s safe to assume that by this point that the fan has been completely buried in fecal matter

      • Kladeos
        Kladeos
        December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

        Thank you for that lovely image.

      • Cragalanch
        Cragalanch
        December 18, 2013 at 7:50 am | #

        That the defecation has hit the oscillation

        • Roborat
          Roborat
          December 18, 2013 at 3:04 pm | #

          Yup, the fecal matter has impacted the rotating ventilation device.

      • What was the question again?
        What was the question again?
        December 18, 2013 at 1:15 pm | #

        Cue tomorrow where damnyouwillis reveals that the windmill was made of feaces all along.

      • xKiv
        xKiv
        December 18, 2013 at 5:17 pm | #

        Yes. We are all nose-deep already.

    • ankhtahr
      ankhtahr
      December 18, 2013 at 5:54 am | #

      yes, there is indeed a lot of manure hitting the windmill involved.

      • N0083rP00F
        N0083rP00F
        December 18, 2013 at 9:37 am | #

        Windmill – I had not thought of that.
        Here I was picturing that were dealing with your everyday sears special table fan and a small bucket of the aforementioned fecal matter.
        Both have been upgraded and we now are dealing with a Live Bottom Hauler load of the same material and something by Evinrude.

  5. Mr K
    Mr K
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    Sal vs Amber, go!

    • newllend
      newllend
      December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

      No no, one epic blow from amber perday please

    • David Herbert
      David Herbert
      December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

      Place your bets mother fuckers! I’m taking them all!

      • Tunaro
        Tunaro
        December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

        Hundred internets says Amber snaps and tackles Sal

      • Sageress
        Sageress
        December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

        I’d better my gravatar on Sal.

      • Arkantos
        Arkantos
        December 18, 2013 at 12:07 am | #

        50 Internets has an attempted suicide before the chapter’s over.

        • Tunaro
          Tunaro
          December 18, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

          Amber, Ethan, or Joyce?

          • Sageress
            Sageress
            December 18, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

            yes.

            • Arkantos
              Arkantos
              December 18, 2013 at 12:38 am | #

              *Blasts with energy beam* Friggin’ smartass.

              • Steven
                Steven
                December 18, 2013 at 4:30 am | #

                Next, we ask Councillor Nappa.

              • Sageress
                Sageress
                December 18, 2013 at 2:55 pm | #

                oh nooo

          • Arkantos
            Arkantos
            December 18, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

            Amber. Seriously, she has gotten way too much shit thrown her way.

            • Ancestral Hamster
              Ancestral Hamster
              December 18, 2013 at 2:32 am | #

              No. Amber has too much of her father Blaine in her. Those sorts don’t suicide, they lash out, inflicting pain on others. The pain and rage are focused outward, not inward.

              • rachel
                rachel
                December 18, 2013 at 4:43 am | #

                : (

                yeah.

              • John
                John
                December 18, 2013 at 3:52 pm | #

                Yeah, I’m pretty sure that Amber is more likely to try to beat Sal to death with Danny’s femur than to try to kill herself.

            • Steve
              Steve
              December 18, 2013 at 3:46 am | #

              My thoughts too…

          • Weyland
            Weyland
            December 18, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

            All of the above

          • Hoboturtle
            Hoboturtle
            December 18, 2013 at 12:31 am | #

            Yes

            • Hoboturtle
              Hoboturtle
              December 18, 2013 at 12:32 am | #

              Damnit, someone beat me to it.

              • Sageress
                Sageress
                December 18, 2013 at 12:36 am | #

                haha

        • garblegarble
          garblegarble
          December 18, 2013 at 2:35 am | #

          a heartwarming xmas suicide story…..
          Nice job Willis.

          • Bilfred
            Bilfred
            December 18, 2013 at 3:33 am | #

            Apt gravitar for this post.

        • Ridureyu
          Ridureyu
          December 18, 2013 at 5:49 am | #

          If Amber attempts suicide, whose fault will it be? Ethan’s, Joyce’s, Danny’s. or Sal’s?

          • UnspeakableAnger
            UnspeakableAnger
            December 18, 2013 at 7:54 am | #

            It’ll be Amber’s “fault”. More accurately, IMO, her decision.

            I’m not saying she’s getting smacked around with a lot of triggers in the space of 15 minutes after having a really bad day yesterday. That’s a lot to process, and someone who’s 17-19 (I missed if we actually know her specific age) isn’t likely to have the coping mechanisms (and we’ve seen Amber only has some) needed to process a flood of things like this productively.

            • Ridureyu
              Ridureyu
              December 19, 2013 at 12:54 am | #

              There is so much wrong with your post that all I can do is laugh.

              Stop blaming Amber.

  6. Tioras
    Tioras
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    And the hits just keep coming.

    • Jack Finch
      Jack Finch
      December 18, 2013 at 10:30 am | #

      Beat me to it. FTW

  7. kenny
    kenny
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    and thats when Amber exploded taking the entire school with her.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

      It was the best she could do.

      • Tandel
        Tandel
        December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

        Damn, that reference…

        Have an internet.

      • someguywithakatana
        someguywithakatana
        December 18, 2013 at 12:28 am | #

        But that was the worst you could have done.

        Do we really need more intense emotions right now? Can’t you just draw porn like you always do? Where’s Joe fucking a pineapple when I need it?

        • rachel
          rachel
          December 18, 2013 at 4:44 am | #

          depending on which direction that fucking goes I am VERY INTERSTED.

          ok no it doesn’t matter which.

      • Null Set
        Null Set
        December 18, 2013 at 1:35 am | #

        Damn you Yotomoe!

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

      By exploded, you mean “went all Super-Saiyan” right?

      • Sageress
        Sageress
        December 18, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

        more like 100% frieza

      • KingMabel
        KingMabel
        December 18, 2013 at 12:20 am | #

        Yes and sadly she died before anyone could see her final form…

  8. NoHeart
    NoHeart
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    Oh god Dammit!
    FEEEEEELS!

  9. Ace
    Ace
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    Well, we all knew this was coming. After all, Willis hates Amber with the fury of a thousand suns.

    • Bilfred
      Bilfred
      December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

      My only hope is that Danny will diffuse the situation by saying, “look! I found amazi-girl!”

      But in reality he’ll probably try to cover it up by saying Sal is his girlfriend, earning a beating from Sal and a nervous breakdown by Amber.

      • Jon P
        Jon P
        December 18, 2013 at 12:25 am | #

        Even Danny is not THAT stupid to out Amazi-Girl in front of other people.

      • Mr. Bulbmin
        Mr. Bulbmin
        December 18, 2013 at 3:44 am | #

        Raw Dannying being enough to salvage this train wreck?

        “But sir! We’ve never used that much Danny energy at once! There’s no telling what could happen!”
        “Do you honestly believe I care about the consequences? We can’t do nothing.”
        “I-I refuse.”
        *shoots him* “Anyone else? No? Then DO IT!”

        • Lel
          Lel
          December 18, 2013 at 3:49 pm | #

          If this situation could be dan’d up, the amount of Dan energy would probably reach plank density, tearing a hole the fabric of reality.
          Through this hole emerges Mike (Shortpacked Edition) who proceeds to punch everyone who made Amber upset in the immediate vicinity, and his dumbiverse counterpart for his seeming absence.

    • Nena
      Nena
      December 18, 2013 at 12:30 am | #

      Willis hates Amber?

      • ShaggyDonahugh
        ShaggyDonahugh
        December 18, 2013 at 1:15 am | #

        Can you not tell by the emotional trauma? He hates her more than Danny.

        • begbert2
          begbert2
          December 18, 2013 at 5:20 am | #

          As something of a writer myself, I can say with some certainty: you always torture the ones you love. The more you love them, the worse the torture, and the longer it lasts. Into many sequels if possible.

          If you haven’t broken someone’s spirit, it’s not a good day.

          • Jen Aside
            Jen Aside
            December 18, 2013 at 5:32 am | #

            Yeah, I shat the most on my most favourite characters, ’cause I love them so much for being strong enough to put up with everything I can throw at them.

            My least faves are the ones that are hardest to draw |=p

            • Rani
              Rani
              December 18, 2013 at 8:30 pm | #

              Interesting. If I like a character, I usually go the extra mile of making sort the endless shit gets counterbalanced with an endgame that they can flourish in.

              Suffering without substantial growth is indistinguishable from schadenfreude in a frock.

              • Jen Aside
                Jen Aside
                December 20, 2013 at 11:47 pm | #

                Didn’t see this reply.

                All my stories are about the endgame, and all are deserved for their characters [interpret that as you will]. I just mean in the interim they have to go through THE WORST to get there. Though the latest Willis stories made me realize I’ve NEVER made a couple that “stays together for the kids” when they really want to murder each other =’ so I guess it’s not really “THE WORST” after all…

      • Null Set
        Null Set
        December 18, 2013 at 1:36 am | #

        Willis kinda married Amber.

        • rachel
          rachel
          December 18, 2013 at 4:46 am | #

          that’s a tough thing to call, I don’t know, man, not without knowing them personally, which, who knows, maybe you do? but I do feel like he has a way of conveying very special relationships to all of his characters, based on himself and loved ones and brokenness.

  10. Psycho
    Psycho
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    This can’t end well.

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      December 18, 2013 at 12:07 am | #

      It’s not going well at the moment.

      • begbert2
        begbert2
        December 18, 2013 at 5:21 am | #

        It started pretty well, though.

    • xKiv
      xKiv
      December 18, 2013 at 5:42 pm | #

      All will end in a well and all manners of things shall end in a well.

  11. Ourorboros
    Ourorboros
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    Explosion.
    Mike’s words come back?

  12. shit
    shit
    December 18, 2013 at 12:01 am | #

    shit

    • Kinetic
      Kinetic
      December 18, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

      Thank you for also making your name shit. It enhances the feeling.

      • Bilfred
        Bilfred
        December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

        It’s a metaphor for the human condition.

        That is, the need to poop regularly.

        • N0083rP00F
          N0083rP00F
          December 18, 2013 at 9:45 am | #

          Yeah, because most people can only handle being full of only a certain amount of poop at any one time.

          • Bilfred
            Bilfred
            December 18, 2013 at 6:17 pm | #

            In some alternate universes, this effect is non-existent. Eventually, the poop becomes dense enough to form a black hole, or “brown hole” as they are called in cosmology.

      • shit
        shit
        December 18, 2013 at 2:44 pm | #

        shit goes in all fields

        • shit
          shit
          December 18, 2013 at 2:49 pm | #

          For the record, I hoped the gravatar would be Danny.

  13. Tunaro
    Tunaro
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Shit

  14. newllend
    newllend
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Oh fuck me running

    • saltchocolate
      saltchocolate
      December 18, 2013 at 12:34 am | #

      Oooo. This one is new to me. I like it!

    • Roborat
      Roborat
      December 18, 2013 at 3:07 pm | #

      Trying to visualize how that would be accomplished.

      • kirakirarose
        kirakirarose
        December 18, 2013 at 3:29 pm | #

        Perfect gravatar for that statement. Although I agree.. the visualization is confusing and humorous…

        • MichaelHaneline
          MichaelHaneline
          December 18, 2013 at 6:23 pm | #

          Maybe if you were doing it with a little person in a harness mounted at the front of your treadmill?

  15. KingMabel
    KingMabel
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Oh God no…not like this… it wasn’t supposed to end like this….why….OH GOD WHY!!!?!?!?!??!??!?!?

    • Paul Indrome
      Paul Indrome
      December 18, 2013 at 2:34 am | #

      “Ooooh, what a world! What a world!”
      “Oh the humanity!”
      “KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!” …

      • Rikushadow5
        Rikushadow5
        December 18, 2013 at 2:38 am | #

        KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

  16. Deathjavu
    Deathjavu
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Ok, this is the first strip that’s gotten this response out of me:

    DAMN YOU WILLIS

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      December 18, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

      H-how did you survive this long?

      • Deathjavu
        Deathjavu
        December 18, 2013 at 12:07 am | #

        Heart of stone, mostly.

        That and the fact that I didn’t start reading all that long ago (maybe 2 months or so), so generally I read through the high drama situations without the additional pain of a cliffhanger.

        • Ikaru
          Ikaru
          December 18, 2013 at 5:25 pm | #

          I wonder what my problem is then….I’ve been reading for awhile….and even now, even with this page, I’ve never thought “Damn you, Willis’….hmm. I read other comics that do horrible things to their charcters though…so maybe I’m getting immune to the suffering of others? That’s not good…Damn you Willis! Oh, there it goes! <3 But yeah…wow. Amber…is gonna have a heart attack at this rate. Or….blow up the school. Either or.

          What is that forth panel?

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

      Willis needs to add a “DAMN YOU WILLIS” button to this site, which keeps a tally of how many times it is clicked. Then we could see what the most Damned strips are.

      • Arkantos
        Arkantos
        December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

        That would crash the server every time one of these pages came up, though.

      • saltchocolate
        saltchocolate
        December 18, 2013 at 12:36 am | #

        But it’s not the strips that are damned; it’s Willis.

        While I’m writing, I might as well go ahead and say it:

        DAMN YOU, WILLIS!!!

        I was thinking it anyway . . .

      • Seerow
        Seerow
        December 18, 2013 at 1:22 am | #

        This is brilliant and needs to be a real thing.

        • rachel
          rachel
          December 18, 2013 at 4:47 am | #

          omfg seriously seriously

          • rachel
            rachel
            December 18, 2013 at 4:48 am | #

            I would break my mouse

    • friendshipranger
      friendshipranger
      December 18, 2013 at 12:21 am | #

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsbYx6hevoQ

  17. fantasyfreakvi
    fantasyfreakvi
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Well, her day just keeps on getting better and better…

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      December 18, 2013 at 1:05 am | #

      Yes it does, doesn’t it. How much better do you think Amber can take?

  18. HAB
    HAB
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    This is really close to a humiliation conga.

  19. LiaHansen
    LiaHansen
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    My discoveries of the DoA alt text and comment section have really taken away from the drama of the story.

    • matthewgm
      matthewgm
      December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

      There’s alt text? Shit. SHIT

      • LiaHansen
        LiaHansen
        December 18, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

        muahaha

      • Kladeos
        Kladeos
        December 18, 2013 at 12:13 am | #

        If it helps, the alt text started with the Daisy kissing Billie strip.

        • Kelly
          Kelly
          December 18, 2013 at 12:52 am | #

          And Willis went back and add one somewhere deep in the archives, because he is Willis.

          • Kladeos
            Kladeos
            December 18, 2013 at 2:39 pm | #

            I somehow found that my first read-through.

      • -Sentinel-
        -Sentinel-
        December 18, 2013 at 12:13 am | #

        *points and laughs*

  20. Super Duper
    Super Duper
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    What is Amber’s crippling fear of grocery stores?

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

      She doesn’t quite trust those automatic doors.

      • Knightsky
        Knightsky
        December 18, 2013 at 7:31 pm | #

        Are you suggesting that Amber doesn’t have a soul?

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

      Amber was in the store that Sal robbed all those years ago.

      • Sageress
        Sageress
        December 18, 2013 at 12:13 am | #

        Plot Twist: Sal is just a figment of Amber’s imagination, Fight Club style.

        • Tenn
          Tenn
          December 18, 2013 at 10:24 am | #

          Danny is actually just standing there taking 3D photos of Li’l Danny and drawing Wriggler faces on it.

      • Nena
        Nena
        December 18, 2013 at 12:31 am | #

        Wow! Really?

        • John
          John
          December 18, 2013 at 12:52 am | #

          Not confirmed, but it’s a pretty plausible theory with evidence to support it.

        • Avery
          Avery
          December 18, 2013 at 12:54 am | #

          ‘Tis a theory.

          • Mr. Bulbmin
            Mr. Bulbmin
            December 18, 2013 at 3:48 am | #

            A GAME THEORY!

        • Bill
          Bill
          December 18, 2013 at 2:30 am | #

          My theory is that Amber and Sal were not just in the store at the same time but were actually co-conspirators; Amber acting as either decoy or lookout while Sal committed the robbery.  But then something went extremely bad, traumatizing Amber and resulting in Sal being sent to ‘reform school’.

          • John
            John
            December 18, 2013 at 3:46 am | #

            Sal has never shown any sign that she recognizes Amber, or indeed even appeared to have noticed her in any way, like one would expect someone to recognize someone they were close enough to to knock over a convenience store with.

  21. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Willis? WHAT DID AMBER DO TO YOU?

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      December 18, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

      He got sick of “Breaking The Haughty” in regards with Billie??

    • -Sentinel-
      -Sentinel-
      December 18, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

      Sal was having it far worse in the original continuity. 😛

    • Thor
      Thor
      December 18, 2013 at 1:22 pm | #

      If Amber didn’t want to be a target of misery and misfortune, she should have never fallen for Danny. That’s tantamount to saying “It could be worse!” or “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” She was asking–no, begging— for trouble, and Willis gave it to her in spades.

      • John
        John
        December 18, 2013 at 1:39 pm | #

        I think the worst thing that can happen is either you get hit by a truck and die in a self-sacrificing bid to save Danny from his own stupidity, or you have to marry Danny and live with him for the rest of your life. Willis has said he’s not doing the first again, but that second possibility is still open!

  22. Cthulhu's Intern
    Cthulhu's Intern
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Calling it right now: Danny is going to be an idiot.

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      December 18, 2013 at 12:10 am | #

      I give 8 to 9 odds on that.

      • KingMabel
        KingMabel
        December 18, 2013 at 12:21 am | #

        Gimme $40 on those odds. What have I got to lose?

        • Al
          Al
          December 18, 2013 at 11:27 am | #

          $40

    • Sageress
      Sageress
      December 18, 2013 at 12:13 am | #

      “Going” to be.

      • Jordan
        Jordan
        December 18, 2013 at 3:40 am | #

        Agreed, the guy is just SO dumb.

    • Ourorboros
      Ourorboros
      December 18, 2013 at 1:07 am | #

      You don’t get to call universal constants.

    • Tahkuya
      Tahkuya
      December 18, 2013 at 2:48 am | #

      I’d place a bet but the odds are stacked in your favor.

    • taekwondogirl
      taekwondogirl
      December 18, 2013 at 8:50 pm | #

      You know what? I’ll take that bet.

  23. SUGauthor
    SUGauthor
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Damn it Willis! You can only have so many horrible life changing events happen at the same time before we worry that her head will explode.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

      And you don’t want that. It’d be really messy.

  24. Sirrus
    Sirrus
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Well, Sal seems to be enjoying herself!

    • Sirrus
      Sirrus
      December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

      Woah, I’m..uh..british dude whose name I forget. Don’t kill me, fandom?

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

        Jason.

      • Doctor_Who
        Doctor_Who
        December 18, 2013 at 12:07 am | #

        That’s how I usually introduce myself.

        • Sageress
          Sageress
          December 18, 2013 at 12:14 am | #

          I get it.

        • MM
          MM
          December 18, 2013 at 12:20 am | #

          Seems logical enough.

        • CrazyOne
          CrazyOne
          December 18, 2013 at 12:27 am | #

          That sounded like a typical Whovian saying 🙂 I always forget the forgettable names

          • nothri
            nothri
            December 18, 2013 at 12:45 am | #

            I have that problem too. People just aren’t named properly, really. I’d have no trouble remembering her name if she was called “ThatreallynicehotgirlfromEnglishClass”, or if that guy at the DMV was called “Jackass McFucktard”. You name, something that makes sense.

            • CrazyOne
              CrazyOne
              December 18, 2013 at 1:07 am | #

              yea I have three cats named… real, ugg and lee…

            • Opus the Poet
              Opus the Poet
              December 18, 2013 at 1:08 am | #

              You mean like Inspector Detector, or Rex Racer from the old Speed Racer anime?

  25. Yo Gabba Gabba Messiah
    Yo Gabba Gabba Messiah
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Called it.

    • nothri
      nothri
      December 18, 2013 at 12:38 am | #

      I was just gonna say. Bravo. This time you win.

  26. Wonder Wig
    Wonder Wig
    December 18, 2013 at 12:02 am | #

    Next she’s gonna run past a TV where she’ll see her dad winning the lottery.

    • Jay Eff
      Jay Eff
      December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

      And Faz wins the lottery the next day.
      Even though he’s underage.

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

        No, The screen pans over to Faz sitting in his harem.

        • Jay Eff
          Jay Eff
          December 18, 2013 at 12:24 am | #

          Brilliant, sir!

        • MichaelHaneline
          MichaelHaneline
          December 18, 2013 at 10:50 pm | #

          would the members of his harem all bare an eerie resemblance to Faz?

    • John
      John
      December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

      Seems unlikely…… but Ruth hasn’t told her yet that Blaine was trying to get back into the dorm!

      • rachel
        rachel
        December 18, 2013 at 4:50 am | #

        yeah that has been bumming me out for like two weeks (I think?) : (

        • John
          John
          December 18, 2013 at 2:08 pm | #

          I can’t testify as to how long it’s been bumming you out, but the strip where it came up was six weeks ago.

          (Time flies when you’re having… bummed-out-edness?)

          • rachel
            rachel
            December 18, 2013 at 2:39 pm | #

            agh six weeks?? IT HURTS

    • newllend
      newllend
      December 18, 2013 at 12:21 am | #

      Sound’s like a world gone mad

  27. Questionor
    Questionor
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    Will Danny do the Un-Danny thing? it seems like he sees her.

  28. Ridureyu
    Ridureyu
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    Poor Amber.

  29. Ali
    Ali
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    What is that thing being pushed against Amber by a giant paw?

    • C.
      C.
      December 18, 2013 at 1:57 am | #

      A convenience store shelf.

    • Blue Dragon
      Blue Dragon
      December 18, 2013 at 2:40 am | #

      That thing you think is being pushed is a convenience store display.
      That thing you think is a giant paw is commonly believed to be Sal’s hair when she was a 13 year old convenience store robber.
      I like your giant paw theory, though.
      Perhaps it is the paw of the creature from the ruinous mistakes in a motel dumpster.

  30. Tacdud2
    Tacdud2
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    I have a strong urge to laugh…. Man things just keep getting better.

  31. SplashBoogie
    SplashBoogie
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    Oh Amber. Poor unlucky bout to kill somebody Amber…

  32. OkamiKing
    OkamiKing
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    Out of the fire and into the magma

  33. Czar Baldy Bald
    Czar Baldy Bald
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    First thing I noticed was that Sal looks like she’s actually having fun.

    • Sirrus
      Sirrus
      December 18, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

      Same!

      • Sageress
        Sageress
        December 18, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

        Woop woop

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      December 18, 2013 at 11:19 am | #

      Oh gosh, your name is a Bobobo refference.

  34. fbihop
    fbihop
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    Amber is having a Very Bad Life.

    • Jack Finch
      Jack Finch
      December 18, 2013 at 5:50 pm | #

      A terrible, awful, no-good, very bad life.

  35. captainswift
    captainswift
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    Ohhh… ouch.

  36. Plasma Mongoose
    Plasma Mongoose
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    …and the trope for today is “Break The Cutie”, brought to you by Mike Willis.

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

      Amber’s not really the Cutie though.

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        December 18, 2013 at 12:13 am | #

        If not the cutie, what then?

        • Sageress
          Sageress
          December 18, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

          Either Eldritch Abomination or Bishoujo, clearly.

        • timemonkey
          timemonkey
          December 18, 2013 at 12:47 am | #

          Somewhere between Action Girl and Dark Action Girl. Possibly experiencing her Darkest Hour.

    • Bill
      Bill
      December 18, 2013 at 2:32 am | #

      Mike Willis??

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        December 18, 2013 at 4:17 am | #

        I got my names mixed up.

        • Mr K
          Mr K
          December 18, 2013 at 11:20 am | #

          He’s Willis’s evil twin.

  37. Pureed Madness
    Pureed Madness
    December 18, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    Oh God.
    Damn you Willis.
    Damn you.

  38. Count Dracula
    Count Dracula
    December 18, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

    Danny, tomorrow: “Heh, whoops!”

  39. fantasyfreakvi
    fantasyfreakvi
    December 18, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

    Dammit Danny! You Danny’d the situation!

    • newllend
      newllend
      December 18, 2013 at 12:07 am | #

      HA!

  40. Arkantos
    Arkantos
    December 18, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

    DUDE! Seriously, give her a fucking break for one goddamn page! The only reason I don’t see her swinging from a rope at the end of this is because you said no one would die in this one.

    • Arkantos
      Arkantos
      December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

      In the time that it took me to type my previous comment, the number of comments went from 19 to 53. Wow.

    • MM
      MM
      December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

      He said no body. He said nothing about souls.

    • Valdrax
      Valdrax
      December 18, 2013 at 12:07 am | #

      This comic has a months-long, pre-drawn buffer. It is like speaking to a star. The images you see happened long, long ago, and we are only now seeing their rays.

      • Arkantos
        Arkantos
        December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

        I know, but STILL!

        • saltchocolate
          saltchocolate
          December 18, 2013 at 12:42 am | #

          I’m with Arkantos. The buffer is just an inconvenient truth. I’m not even going to put this on Willis (though I did throw out a “Damn You Willis” upstream). Fandom: I’m putting this on YOU. Whoever called it — “And next Amber runs into Danny and Sal” — is to blame! Stop speaking these horrible things into being!! You are warping the buffer! Who can survive this?? Not Amber. Not me.

          • Farmer_10
            Farmer_10
            December 18, 2013 at 2:39 am | #

            Amber ends up the happiest and most well-adjusted member of the cast with whoever ends up being the best guy in the cast.

            There, I have willed it. YIELD TO ME, COMIC BUFFER! YOU WILL NOT TAKE HER, YOU UNFEELING BEAST!

            • UnspeakableAnger
              UnspeakableAnger
              December 18, 2013 at 8:00 am | #

              And then the sun goes nova.

              I’m sorry, but we can’t let happiness reach those levels in here.

            • N0083rP00F
              N0083rP00F
              December 18, 2013 at 10:09 am | #

              There fixed it for you…

              Amber ends up the happiest and most well-adjusted member of the cast with whoever ends up being the best gal for her in the cast.

              • Mr K
                Mr K
                December 18, 2013 at 11:21 am | #

                Dina, of course. Only if Amber is into bondage, that is.

              • taekwondogirl
                taekwondogirl
                December 18, 2013 at 8:51 pm | #

                Amber ends up the happiest and most well-adjusted member of the cast with whoever ends up being the best person for her in the cast, regardless of gender. >=|

          • hof1991
            hof1991
            December 18, 2013 at 7:26 am | #

            Schroedinger’s buffer?

    • Alden
      Alden
      December 18, 2013 at 12:18 am | #

      Maybe she’ll just snap and go super-villain!

      • Paul Indrome
        Paul Indrome
        December 18, 2013 at 2:37 am | #

        BAM! Spinoff!

  41. BrotherFlounder
    BrotherFlounder
    December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

    Oh no. Nononono.

  42. timemonkey
    timemonkey
    December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

    it’d okay, Amber, she chose Wiggler.

    • Sageress
      Sageress
      December 18, 2013 at 12:16 am | #

      well duh, she’s not a monster

  43. Catriona
    Catriona
    December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

    “And everything was going so well.”

  44. Sageress
    Sageress
    December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

    It’s the final countdown!
    *DOO DOO DOO DOO*
    *DOO DOO DOO DOO DOOOOOO*

    • Spazman
      Spazman
      December 18, 2013 at 1:00 am | #

      huh. I read that and started humming the Ultimate Showdown of Destiny.

      Somehow I think that Mr. Rogers and Amber will be the last ones standing.

      • Mr. Random
        Mr. Random
        December 18, 2013 at 2:14 am | #

        Standing?

        • Spazman
          Spazman
          December 18, 2013 at 3:02 am | #

          huh……now THERE is an interesting visual…..

        • Jordan
          Jordan
          December 18, 2013 at 3:42 am | #

          No. Just no. Not an image I need. EVER.

  45. Doc Harleen
    Doc Harleen
    December 18, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

    Come on, Amazi-Girl origin story…

    • rachel
      rachel
      December 18, 2013 at 4:52 am | #

      OH DUDE

      DUDE

      YES!!

      after all of this don’t we deserve a little break, oh god oh jesus

      • Leonou
        Leonou
        December 18, 2013 at 8:15 am | #

        You do realize that her origin story is very likely to be a traumatic one, right ?
        Or do you prefer past-drama to present drama ?
        Don’t worry, Willis will give you both.

        • rachel
          rachel
          December 18, 2013 at 2:40 pm | #

          agh jesus you’re right, but that’s the majesty of willis, I WANT ALL THE DRAMAS

  46. Sageress
    Sageress
    December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

    Greatest hits?

    NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL HEARTBREAK 23

  47. MM
    MM
    December 18, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

    I feel like if I reach out and touch that last panel, it’ll shatter.

    • MM
      MM
      December 18, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

      And now that I look at it, I realize it’s not actually a panel: the rest of the present-time stuff is just hanging in space. Neat effect.

  48. Ugakicka
    Ugakicka
    December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

    And then Amber killed everyone, ending this story line and giving Willis more time to work on the end of Joyce and Walky’s wedding. Oh who am I kidding? Bring me the drama. I need it.

  49. Corsair114
    Corsair114
    December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

    *Insert [IMG]trainCrashingIntoTrain.gif[/IMG] here*

  50. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

    There once was a freshman that was angry. She was SO angry that everyone died.

    • Sageress
      Sageress
      December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

      The end.

  51. showler
    showler
    December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

    The red background panels are beginning to surround the normal panels. That can’t be good from a thematic standpoint.

    • Cinnamon
      Cinnamon
      December 18, 2013 at 12:24 am | #

      Unless I’m mistaken, by panel 6 the red panels have BECOME real life.

  52. Safgaftsa
    Safgaftsa
    December 18, 2013 at 12:08 am | #

    Panels 4-6 might suggest that Sal was the one to rob the store, especially judging by the hair seen in panel 4. (This was someone else’s idea from a few months ago.)

    • Richard Oot
      Richard Oot
      December 18, 2013 at 12:33 am | #

      😮
      mind = blown

  53. otusasio451
    otusasio451
    December 18, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

    Complete and total mental breakdown in 3…2…1…

  54. roberttheloser
    roberttheloser
    December 18, 2013 at 12:10 am | #

    I swear I’m just gonna curl up in a ball and cry for days.

    • Ancestral Hamster
      Ancestral Hamster
      December 18, 2013 at 2:37 am | #

      Says the seriously appropriate Gravatar.

  55. Henry
    Henry
    December 18, 2013 at 12:10 am | #

    And then Amber detonated with the force of a decent-sized nuclear weapon.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      December 18, 2013 at 12:18 am | #

      Back when Smoldering Crater was known as Indiana.

      • Spazman
        Spazman
        December 18, 2013 at 1:02 am | #

        You were named after the DOG?

        BAHAHAAHA!!!

        • Ancestral Hamster
          Ancestral Hamster
          December 18, 2013 at 2:38 am | #

          “I loved that dog!”

          “Indy! What are you doing to that dog?!!”

          *cough cough*

      • Steven
        Steven
        December 18, 2013 at 4:34 am | #

        That’s what they called it before “Idiot Crater.”

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          December 18, 2013 at 2:19 pm | #

          Hahaha, got my refference.

  56. Alex Stritar
    Alex Stritar
    December 18, 2013 at 12:10 am | #

    Of all the things that could happen, this is THE. WORST. POSSIBLE. THING.

    • Avery
      Avery
      December 18, 2013 at 12:50 am | #

      Pretty sure her dad showing up would be way worse. Or being hit by a drunk driver. Or nuclear war.

      • John
        John
        December 18, 2013 at 3:23 am | #

        The best part about DoA is that you don’t have to pick just one worst thing!

      • N0083rP00F
        N0083rP00F
        December 18, 2013 at 10:13 am | #

        And there it is – my thought on what would be next for the Amber pile on.
        So where is dear ole lovable dad lurking now?

      • Animaniac
        Animaniac
        December 18, 2013 at 4:41 pm | #

        Tommorrow: Amber’s dad, drunk driving, plows through that window behind Danny

    • V Missirian
      V Missirian
      December 18, 2013 at 1:14 pm | #

      Friendship is Magic reference 🙂

  57. Regalli
    Regalli
    December 18, 2013 at 12:10 am | #

    If our collective suspicions are true, this is officially worst case scenario weekend for her, isn’t it?

    • nothri
      nothri
      December 18, 2013 at 12:48 am | #

      Well, she has yet to get blackout drunk and find in the morning that she slept with Faz, so maybe it won’t be that entirely.

      Unless I’m giving Willis ideas.

      Crap.

      • Regalli
        Regalli
        December 18, 2013 at 8:23 am | #

        … I’m going to operate under the assumption that, even for Willis, that would be too cruel a blow to inflict. On anyone. Ever.

        *Shudders*

        • xKiv
          xKiv
          December 18, 2013 at 6:27 pm | #

          Even on Faz?

          • nothri
            nothri
            November 11, 2014 at 1:00 am | #

            ESPECIALLY ON FAZ!!!

  58. Arianna
    Arianna
    December 18, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

    Oh god damnit

  59. Lavaticmay
    Lavaticmay
    December 18, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

    Wow, I honestly wish amber had any redeeming factors to make me feel bad for her.

    • Arkantos
      Arkantos
      December 18, 2013 at 12:19 am | #

      What are you talking about? Aside from the anger issues what could possibly make you unable to feel empathy towards her?

      • Lavaticmay
        Lavaticmay
        December 18, 2013 at 12:30 am | #

        She’s a messed up psychopath that pushes her opinion on everyone and freaks out when she doesn’t get her way, she technically tried to get Danny to cheat on his girlfriend. She pushes away anyone that try’s to be nice and get close to her, I dunno. I guess I just really hate the type of people that are like : “ugh, I have problems and my life is so difficult but no ow should try and help me solve them they should just feel bad for me.”

        • Derek
          Derek
          December 18, 2013 at 12:36 am | #

          Apparently you’re choosing to ignore all her interactions with Dina.

          • Lavaticmay
            Lavaticmay
            December 18, 2013 at 12:39 am | #

            That burns the most, she doesn’t worry about Dina getting close she doesn’t actually consider Dina to be a real person due to her mannerism’s and childish behaviour, so she deals with her as a younger sibling instead of an adult.

        • Psycho
          Psycho
          December 18, 2013 at 12:41 am | #

          Dude. Not cool. Seriously, that’s a really fucked up thing to say.

          • Lavaticmay
            Lavaticmay
            December 18, 2013 at 12:45 am | #

            Yeah, maybe that was a little harsh. I’m just still pissed from her shoving her nose into Ethan’s business with Joyce just for the point of wanting Ethan to help her with her problems because she’s ran out of friends to push away.

            • Arkantos
              Arkantos
              December 18, 2013 at 12:56 am | #

              Oh you mean Ethan and Joyce “helping” each other by maintaing a relationship that not only is destined to fail badly, but is purposefully constructed so that neither has to grow as a person?

              • Lavaticmay
                Lavaticmay
                December 18, 2013 at 1:09 am | #

                I beer said Joyce ad Ethan was a good thing, and I was rooting for Amber to break them up until she somehow managed to make it about herself.

                • Lavaticmay
                  Lavaticmay
                  December 18, 2013 at 1:10 am | #

                  *never

        • newllend
          newllend
          December 18, 2013 at 1:20 am | #

          Dude, that false description you just for amber and people like her makes you sound like the biggest asshole in the world rite now, and coming from me that’s saying something.

          Your judging someones character and personality off of false assumptions before you get to really know them, there struggles,and there past.Thats why we read the comic to follow the story and to get too know the characters

          I mean what are you a mother Mary?( DoA character)

          • newllend
            newllend
            December 18, 2013 at 1:26 am | #

            Nother mary

            • Farmer_10
              Farmer_10
              December 18, 2013 at 2:44 am | #

              An Ethan gravatar has never been so appropriate.

        • Xerxes93
          Xerxes93
          December 18, 2013 at 3:29 am | #

          she didn’t want anybody to even know about her problems because she didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for her. And problems, that she was raised in an abusive household and that she was rejected by someone she thought she was going to marry in the future because he turned out to be, aren’t problems that can really be fixed, they’re just kinda the facts oh her life. And if anyone were able to help her, it wouldn’t be a bunch of college students, it would be a licensed therapist.

          And preferring to be alone is not a bad thing. No one should feel obligated to hang out with other people, doesn’t matter how much those people might want to hang out with them.

  60. Philippe G.
    Philippe G.
    December 18, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

    I dont remember the fourth panel, is it something we have seen before?

    • Kernanator
      Kernanator
      December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

      Here:
      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/02-guess-whos-coming-to-galassos/color/

      Also here:
      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/shockingreveal/

      Popular theory is that it’s taking place during the robbery Sal committed.

      • xelgaex
        xelgaex
        December 18, 2013 at 1:20 am | #

        Also possibly relevant: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/06-yesterday-was-thursday/margaret/

        • Kernanator
          Kernanator
          December 18, 2013 at 2:38 am | #

          Trust me, it is very relevant, not only to the theory, but also David Willis specifically called attention to it in the Book 1 collection.

        • TJ Baltimore
          TJ Baltimore
          December 18, 2013 at 7:53 pm | #

          OMG, you’re right! I had thought Amber reacted that way because she saw Billie heading toward Ruth and could extrapolate that they weren’t exactly likely to tip hats at each other and pass idle comments about the weather.

  61. Kernanator
    Kernanator
    December 18, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

    All it takes is one bad day.

    • Sageress
      Sageress
      December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

      My father was a drinker… and a fiend.

      • Sageress
        Sageress
        December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

        Woah that actually really fits Amber?????

        • The Candyman
          The Candyman
          December 18, 2013 at 8:18 am | #

          “Shock of the impact ran through my arm. Amber O’Malley closed her eyes on that day; Amazi-Girl opened them.”

  62. Vash
    Vash
    December 18, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

    AaaHHAHahahH ToO MUch ccRy

  63. Chug
    Chug
    December 18, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

    Amber, let me introduce you to a place on campus called the Mental Health Center.

    • MM
      MM
      December 18, 2013 at 12:14 am | #

      I don’t think she’s gonna make it that far. And I stand by that statement even if it’s five steps away.

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        December 18, 2013 at 12:19 am | #

        Even if she was in it right now it wouldn’t be enough time.

  64. Mr. Random
    Mr. Random
    December 18, 2013 at 12:13 am | #

    She’s Really having a mental breakdown.

  65. My1Digit I Q
    My1Digit I Q
    December 18, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

    God Dan it…

  66. Richard Oot
    Richard Oot
    December 18, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

    hey everyone, you get roughly 8 weeks of mostly goofy fun with mild dramatic undertones starting tonight

    (link)

    We can say with a fair degree of certainty that those eight weeks are definitely over. 🙁

  67. horrorshow88
    horrorshow88
    December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

    GODDAMMIT WILLIS.

  68. newllend
    newllend
    December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

    Danny: hey things are going well, hey is that amber why is she crying? Wait why is she looking at us like that? *Gasp* Oh my God she that’s rite she doesn’t know that this is amazi-girl! She might think that Im cheating on her and tell her ! This is bad this is really bad.

    Me: Danny you dumbass

  69. Allcool-dontcare
    Allcool-dontcare
    December 18, 2013 at 12:17 am | #

    Amber go get ur property back get ur nerdy relationship started

  70. EKHawkman
    EKHawkman
    December 18, 2013 at 12:18 am | #

    Holy shit David Willis. The only way this ends is Amber murdering more or less EVERYONE.

  71. Tandel
    Tandel
    December 18, 2013 at 12:18 am | #

    God DAMMIT Danny!

  72. Rabbling Rouser
    Rabbling Rouser
    December 18, 2013 at 12:19 am | #

    Looks like Willis is going for a total collapse of Amber’s worldview and all We can do is sit back and wait for the inevitable meltdown

  73. BrotherFlounder
    BrotherFlounder
    December 18, 2013 at 12:20 am | #

    This one…this is really hitting quite close to home at the moment. Maybe a bit too close, with it looking like Amber’s reaching a breaking point. Really really hoping it ends with Amber talking with someone who can help her with these issues, because her current compartmentalizing is clearly not enough.

    • Richard Oot
      Richard Oot
      December 18, 2013 at 12:27 am | #

      That would be Dorothy; that would also have the obvious side effect of letting Dotty know about Ethan’s homosexuality and trigger some Dotty-Joyce drama.

      • taekwondogirl
        taekwondogirl
        December 18, 2013 at 8:59 pm | #

        I dunno, she and Dotty haven’t really met at all, outside of the time Amber was dressed up as Amazi-Girl. Amber would have no reason to go to Dorothy as a sounding board.

  74. Arkantos
    Arkantos
    December 18, 2013 at 12:21 am | #

    Okay seriously, every time I refresh, 20 new comments are up.

  75. Clementine
    Clementine
    December 18, 2013 at 12:21 am | #

    Welcome to the feels trip, folks!

    • Cragalanch
      Cragalanch
      December 18, 2013 at 8:37 am | #

      Cragalanch is glad he brought a lunch for the feel trip

  76. Tainnryst
    Tainnryst
    December 18, 2013 at 12:22 am | #

    Amber just needs to quit having so much tragic backstory. Right now.
    I am, by the way, NOT crying right now, because Amber is my favorite character and just. Ahhhh.

  77. Graq
    Graq
    December 18, 2013 at 12:24 am | #

    Congratulations to the people who called this as the next step in Amber’s awful awful weekend. You can see how neatly Willis has stacked the dominoes.

    • Red Robot
      Red Robot
      December 18, 2013 at 2:03 am | #

      Called it two weeks ago. My bad! I should have known that the time was not right. Amber was not vulnerable enough, back then.

  78. kagato23
    kagato23
    December 18, 2013 at 12:24 am | #

    hahaha called it.

    • saltchocolate
      saltchocolate
      December 18, 2013 at 12:45 am | #

      YOU!!

      • kagato23
        kagato23
        December 18, 2013 at 1:12 am | #

        ME! Wait, no, YOU!

  79. TaintedSpud
    TaintedSpud
    December 18, 2013 at 12:27 am | #

    Amber O’Malley of Earth, you have great rage in your heart
    Welcome to the Red Lantern Corps.

    • Roborat
      Roborat
      December 18, 2013 at 3:50 pm | #

      Amber, Give in to your anger. With each passing moment you make yourself more my servant. It is your destiny. You, like your father, are now mine.

  80. insomniac
    insomniac
    December 18, 2013 at 12:29 am | #

    You know, I think we can blame this on Billie.

    • PoweredBySucrose
      PoweredBySucrose
      December 18, 2013 at 7:10 pm | #

      It’s obviously all Walky’s Dad’s fault, really.

  81. Person
    Person
    December 18, 2013 at 12:31 am | #

    See, this is why you tell your loved ones if you’re a superhero or not, so you don’t run into emotionally devasting scenes like this.

    Let this storyline be a warning for you future costumed vigilantes.

  82. TSB
    TSB
    December 18, 2013 at 12:33 am | #

    Don’t mind me, I’m just listening to Amber’s song on the DoA playlist, I Crush Everything, over and over and tearing up a little bit.

    Particularly:

    so I can’t do that thing anymore/I can’t be the thing I was before/maybe I am better off alone/because I crush everything

    and:

    and everything I want I take/and everything I love I break/every night I lie awake

    • Rani
      Rani
      December 18, 2013 at 1:15 am | #

      how do you know which song belongs to which character

      • TSB
        TSB
        December 18, 2013 at 2:01 am | #

        Willis posted a track list on the Dumbing of Age tumblr with the corresponding characters (and sources for the songs he didn’t pick out himself). Here you go!

    • etybolik
      etybolik
      December 18, 2013 at 1:38 am | #

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs-XZ_dN4Hc

  83. anonymous
    anonymous
    December 18, 2013 at 12:34 am | #

    DANNY: (whispering)Hey, Amber, don’t tell anyone, but… Sal is AmaziGirl.
    AMBER: …Awesome for you. (wipes tears)
    SAL: Ah’m not this amazin’ girl, ah keep tryin’ to tell ya.
    DANNY: Sure you are. You chose Wiggler, didn’t you?
    SAL: ……Ah give up. (walks away)
    AMBER: (trying to regain composure) Danny, don’t you know that anybody can play as Wiggler? I mean, there’s only so many options…
    DANNY: Yes, but this isn’t anybody; this is AmaziGirl.
    AMBER: Ah giv– I mean, I give up. You should give up too. She’s not AmaziGirl, just trust me.
    DANNY: We can’t give up, Amber! If we lose faith in AmaziGirl, then how will she save us?
    AMBER: Sal isn’t AmaziGirl, though.
    DANNY: If I give up on Sal, I give up on AmaziGirl!
    AMBER: You’ve gone completely bonkers, Danny. (walks away)
    DANNY: (yelling) If you give up on my sanity, you give up on AmaziGirl!
    AMBER: (resumes crying)

  84. chris73
    chris73
    December 18, 2013 at 12:34 am | #

    Danny this heres your chance to be the true, shining hero you always aspired to be, please, please, please get this right.

    Who’m I kidding he’ll Danny this like normal but this story line is heading for one helluva Christmas finale.

    • Jordan
      Jordan
      December 18, 2013 at 3:48 am | #

      I wish I could say that you’re wrong, but it’s Danny. Even Walky would have a better chance of not fucking this up and he’s never even heard of the word tact.

    • Leonou
      Leonou
      December 18, 2013 at 8:30 am | #

      Maybe not ?
      Okay, I’m not delusional enough to hope for him to finally put 2 plus 2 and guess AmaziGirl’s identity but I SERIOUSLY hope he does the right thing and inquires about why his best friend in college is running around crying.
      Even if you’ve had an argument with a friend before, you just don’t see them like that without at least trying to help.

  85. Shanunu
    Shanunu
    December 18, 2013 at 12:35 am | #

    Showdown for the ages. Sal vs Amber. $15 on the one with the hair.

    • Jumpydoll
      Jumpydoll
      December 18, 2013 at 12:43 am | #

      So $15 on both of them? I guess that does make it impossible to lose the bet. Put me in for the same amount.

      • taekwondogirl
        taekwondogirl
        December 18, 2013 at 9:00 pm | #

        I have $15 on a third party coming in and playing mediator before either can win.

  86. Some Dude
    Some Dude
    December 18, 2013 at 12:36 am | #

    I made the joke to my friend that Amber was going to walk into Danny and Sal banging. BUT NOW IT IS NO LONGER A JOKE AND IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING?? (minus the banging)

  87. Kitschensyngk
    Kitschensyngk
    December 18, 2013 at 12:37 am | #

    And thus Bizarro Amazi-Girl was born.

  88. Jumpydoll
    Jumpydoll
    December 18, 2013 at 12:41 am | #

    Ambers just having the worst day.

  89. Em
    Em
    December 18, 2013 at 12:41 am | #

    Is it only me who thinks that Danny is going to recognize her? Amber has the Amazi-girl hair going right now…

    • Elva Rodríguez
      Elva Rodríguez
      December 18, 2013 at 12:50 am | #

      I was looking for someone that saw this too :I though I’m not sure if Danny would, maybe he get distracted by, you know, tears

      • xain
        xain
        December 18, 2013 at 1:19 am | #

        I really doubt danny seeing through her disguise anytime soon though I hope him seeing her this hurt will make go to her and mend at least there friendship

    • Blue Dragon
      Blue Dragon
      December 18, 2013 at 4:12 am | #

      Danny is very observant in a trees-not-forest kind of way. He’s totally going to pick up on the fact that her hair looks like Amazi-Girl’s right now. It’s just that his thought process runs something like this:

      DANNY: Yes! I totally called it. I told her that her hair would look real nice if done up like Amazi-Girl’s. It’d look even better if she wasn’t crying, though. Oh Crap! Yesterday I tell her we can’t hang out, and she suddenly changes her hair to be like my girlfriend’s? Awkward. Tears, though. Right. Tears. Something is probably wrong. Something should be said out loud.

    • nick
      nick
      December 18, 2013 at 5:41 am | #

      It might help seeing both Amber and Sal together for him to realize that Sal isn’t amazi-girl, but there’s a good chance that Danny has Jim’d: he’s deluded himself into believing Sal is amazi-girl to the point where the truth seems wrong.

  90. Rani
    Rani
    December 18, 2013 at 12:44 am | #

    Dear Willis

    EVIL CAN ONLY FLOURISH WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING.

    IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO STOP THIS.

    Sincerely,
    The “Leave-Amber-Alone” Super-PAC/HIVE MIND

    • saltchocolate
      saltchocolate
      December 18, 2013 at 12:46 am | #

      Is this a petition? Consider me signed on.

      • TJ Baltimore
        TJ Baltimore
        December 18, 2013 at 8:01 pm | #

        Please sign me up, too. All I can think is “No, please no . . . no more . . . not Amber . . . please no . . . “

    • Kelly
      Kelly
      December 18, 2013 at 12:58 am | #

      SIGNED!

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      December 18, 2013 at 1:26 am | #

      If he leaves her alone she’ll never get past her issues.

    • TaintedSpud
      TaintedSpud
      December 18, 2013 at 2:03 am | #

      Dear Willis

      MAKE IT WORSE. YOU KNOW YOU WANNA.

      IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO CAUSE THIS.

      Sincerely,
      Appreciators of Schadenfreude

      • Rani
        Rani
        December 18, 2013 at 3:35 am | #

        Dear TaintedSpud,

        I WILL SCALP YOU.

        Sincerely,
        NOT TO BE FUCKED WITH

      • Jordan
        Jordan
        December 18, 2013 at 3:50 am | #

        Dude. No.

        There’s schadenfreude and then there’s sadism. Amber deserves a break.

    • Furie
      Furie
      December 18, 2013 at 8:13 am | #

      Signed.

      Also, make some Amber plushes so we can hug her when you ignore us and torture her more.

      • Jack Finch
        Jack Finch
        December 18, 2013 at 6:02 pm | #

        You know, that’s not a bad idea.

        • Opus the Poet
          Opus the Poet
          December 18, 2013 at 10:53 pm | #

          +1 for Amber plushies (5 foot 5 in heels)

  91. TrueVCU
    TrueVCU
    December 18, 2013 at 12:47 am | #

    SOON THE RITUAL OF SUFFERING WILL BE COMPLETE

    • Varangian
      Varangian
      December 18, 2013 at 2:36 am | #

      AND THEN AMBER SHALL SUMMON THE KING OF TEARS INTO THIS REALM

  92. Incubus
    Incubus
    December 18, 2013 at 12:48 am | #

    Back when Willis started the whole Sal x Danny shiptease there was a commenter who said “It’s impossible for David Willis to make us like Danny” and he replied “Challenge Accepted.”
    Let’s see if he lives up to that hype.

    • Jordan
      Jordan
      December 18, 2013 at 3:51 am | #

      If he can pull it off, I promise to not say another ill word of Danny for all of next year.

  93. caesaria82
    caesaria82
    December 18, 2013 at 12:51 am | #

    This is just not ok. Nothing about this is even remotely ok. My heart hurts. I can’t take this anymore. Amber =/

  94. licoricepencil
    licoricepencil
    December 18, 2013 at 12:51 am | #

    Damn you Willis, why does this storyline have to play out over my finals week?

    • licoricepencil
      licoricepencil
      December 18, 2013 at 12:56 am | #

      SPECIFICALLY WHY THIS STRIP ON THE DAY OF MY ARABIC FINAL. Now I’m even less motivated to study.

  95. Gottawonder
    Gottawonder
    December 18, 2013 at 1:00 am | #

    This is the first time I have said this. Damn, I called it. And I am sorry as Hell.
    God Damn it Willis.
    Amber you poor little thing.

  96. NinjaNick
    NinjaNick
    December 18, 2013 at 1:00 am | #

    Holy…

  97. Synnerman
    Synnerman
    December 18, 2013 at 1:03 am | #

    *Cue “Batman Mask of the Phantasm Main Theme” by Shirley Walker*

    Come forth Amazi Girl!

  98. RocStream
    RocStream
    December 18, 2013 at 1:08 am | #

    In the immortal words of someone:
    IT ONLY GETS WORSE.

  99. CookieCrumbler
    CookieCrumbler
    December 18, 2013 at 1:08 am | #

    Wait, wait, wait. Sal robbed a convenience store. Amber is having flashbacks of the time when she was caught in the middle of a convenience store robbery. Sees Sal. I really hope that this is not what I think it is…

    • TaintedSpud
      TaintedSpud
      December 18, 2013 at 2:07 am | #

      I hope it is!

      • Red Robot
        Red Robot
        December 18, 2013 at 2:23 am | #

        I’m afraid it has to be: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/06-yesterday-was-thursday/margaret/

        • Furie
          Furie
          December 18, 2013 at 8:09 am | #

          Okay, I’m impressed. That right there is a foreshadowing masterclass.

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      December 18, 2013 at 2:59 am | #

      What do you think it is? Because I see it as Sal was robbing the C-store.

  100. Gottawonder
    Gottawonder
    December 18, 2013 at 1:10 am | #

    And we thought the aftermath of Carrie having taken all she was going to take was bad.

    • Jack Finch
      Jack Finch
      December 18, 2013 at 10:31 am | #

      Willis should just dump a bucket of pig blood on her and get it over with.

  101. The Aussie Bloke
    The Aussie Bloke
    December 18, 2013 at 1:11 am | #

    This just isn’t Amber’s day, is it?

  102. Black
    Black
    December 18, 2013 at 1:13 am | #

    Okay, seriously Willis, why do you seem to hate this character so much? It’s one thing to have a character with issues, it’s another thing to have a butt-monkey, and then there’s whatever the hell THIS is. I don’t think I have any example of any fictional character being given this kind of treatment in anything I’ve gone through yet.

    • Graq
      Graq
      December 18, 2013 at 1:28 am | #

      Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you have the slightest bit of empathy for any of the characters it is excruciating to get through. At least Willis promised no deaths in this comic. Though we do have unhealthy addiction (alcholism) and some (at least slightly) mutually abusive romantic relationships.
      Amber seems about ready to snap and try to destroy the world unfortunately.

    • Incubus
      Incubus
      December 18, 2013 at 2:46 am | #

      This is called “Break the Cutie”, so far anyways…

    • ICSM
      ICSM
      December 18, 2013 at 4:46 am | #

      http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BreakTheCutie

      There. Have fun.

  103. Kiggy
    Kiggy
    December 18, 2013 at 1:16 am | #

    I Knew It!

    Damn you Willis!

    >O<

  104. newllend
    newllend
    December 18, 2013 at 1:29 am | #

    No really, what the fuck happened to walky and Billie? If the food court’s rite where they go?

    • newllend
      newllend
      December 18, 2013 at 1:30 am | #

      *there* damnit

  105. Luzahn
    Luzahn
    December 18, 2013 at 1:32 am | #

    I…am not sure what to say. I think this might be the second-worst thing to happen in this comic.

    • Tahkuya
      Tahkuya
      December 18, 2013 at 3:01 am | #

      hold on to that, Willis is just getting started

  106. Megatron
    Megatron
    December 18, 2013 at 1:32 am | #

    Fuck you you evil bastard.

  107. Zigzag
    Zigzag
    December 18, 2013 at 1:32 am | #

    Knowing Willis? Next comic will probably cut back to Sarah and Jacob, or Dina and Riley, or Ethan and Joyce, or Ruth and Billie.

    • Zigzag
      Zigzag
      December 18, 2013 at 1:34 am | #

      Or Walky and Billie, or Joyce and Sarah and Ethan.

      • Zigzag
        Zigzag
        December 18, 2013 at 1:35 am | #

        Or just four damn panels of Riley eating Cocoa Puffs!

        • Jen Aside
          Jen Aside
          December 18, 2013 at 1:43 am | #

          I’d read THAT for a dollar!

  108. sekritly
    sekritly
    December 18, 2013 at 1:33 am | #

    All the feels.

  109. etybolik
    etybolik
    December 18, 2013 at 1:35 am | #

    Can’t wait to see how Dan’s gonna Dan this up.

    Poor Amber, though.

    • Jen Aside
      Jen Aside
      December 18, 2013 at 1:42 am | #

      IIRC, Danny admitted that he wanted to discover Amazi-Girl’s identity preferably after kissing BOTH Amazi-Girl and her secret identity WITHOUT KNOWING they were the same person.

      So he wants to play the field, but then got mad when Amber was all “Hey, I hope you figured it out ’cause I’m in a pickle!” and got all “FUCK YOU TRYNA MAKE ME CHEAT ON MY WOMAN EVEN THOUGH I SAID I WANTED TO”

      …so

      • ninja_jesus
        ninja_jesus
        December 18, 2013 at 3:33 am | #

        Is that how you read into that line? I didn’t see it like that at all. O_o But now that you mention it, now would seem the perfect opportunity to kiss him like she kisses him as Amazi-Girl. Now is the perfect dramatic moment to do so.

        • Jen Aside
          Jen Aside
          December 18, 2013 at 8:13 pm | #

          When I thought about it, I really didn’t see any other way for Danny to only make the connection after having kissed both identities separately, EXCEPT to go around kissing women [or MEN LOLOLOL] he otherwise wasn’t seeing exclusively.

          so

          • taekwondogirl
            taekwondogirl
            December 18, 2013 at 9:11 pm | #

            Generally, the idea is that the two are so compatible that the tension is still there with the alter-ego. The alter-ego is the one who makes the move, usually surprising the love interest before they can react. In the kiss, the love interest figures it out. That’s how it’s normally played out, and since the alter-ego is the one who initiates it and is the same person, it’s not really cheating.

            It was also basically a request that she put the moves on him as her secret identity when she was ready for him to know it.

            • Jen Aside
              Jen Aside
              December 20, 2013 at 11:50 pm | #

              just noticed this

              I feel like that could’ve been worded better–less Danned-up, I guess–but I also feel like THAT’S WHAT SHE DID, and he got mad at her for it.

              So, whatever the intent, I feel like Dan’s being a heel for being all, “She’s TOO PERFECT, so she can’t POSSIBLY be The One” =p regardless of Clark Kent Glasses.

              • taekwondogirl
                taekwondogirl
                December 23, 2013 at 2:36 am | #

                Well yeah. I think the problem is that Amazi-Girl is so different the way she carries herself from the way Amber does, Danny assumed there was no way the two could be the same. The “Clark Kent Glasses” do seem to be in full effect, though.

  110. Drakkin the alien
    Drakkin the alien
    December 18, 2013 at 1:38 am | #

    Willis is going full The Killing Joke on Amber, uh? will she break and turn into She-Blaine? or will she get to become stronger under the hits? Do you have steel on your soul girl? Do you?

  111. Baker
    Baker
    December 18, 2013 at 1:47 am | #

    On the bright side it looks like Sal is really enjoying the DS.

  112. Beachfox
    Beachfox
    December 18, 2013 at 1:49 am | #

    Goddamit, Danny! You’re the Batman(woman)’s Vicky Vale. You do -not- go out and have drinks (play Mario Cart) with Joe Chill!

  113. Jammy
    Jammy
    December 18, 2013 at 2:00 am | #

    WIIILLLLIIIiiiissssss….!

    (Inner cry of despair)

  114. Skye
    Skye
    December 18, 2013 at 2:04 am | #

    oh no OH NO

  115. Brian
    Brian
    December 18, 2013 at 2:25 am | #

    Now I’m completely convinced that Willis has the Trololo song on endless loop when he sits down to make more strips.

  116. Alex Stritar
    Alex Stritar
    December 18, 2013 at 2:25 am | #

    Wait a minute, the red background in that last pannel. Is Amber already flashing back to seeing Danny with Sal?

    • taekwondogirl
      taekwondogirl
      December 18, 2013 at 9:14 pm | #

      No, the red background is through-out. The red background just represents things that make Amber feel really unstable and unhappy. Since she is overwhelmingly upset right now, everything does. There is a bit of an implied pattern with the drawn border around the present, and flashbacks being in the background, but since Sal & Dan are in a panel with a border, there shouldn’t be any confusion. I think Willis just did the final panel without a border to maintain the artistic pattern, without the thematic pattern.

  117. Bob Ross
    Bob Ross
    December 18, 2013 at 2:29 am | #

    “Hey! That’s MY fucking mario cart character bongo!” *Takes out rage on Sal*

  118. ST
    ST
    December 18, 2013 at 2:31 am | #

    Well… even when he isn’t doing anything, he manages to Dann it up.

    Will the Danning ever stop?

    • Alex Stritar
      Alex Stritar
      December 18, 2013 at 4:06 pm | #

      Maybe the comic should be called Danning of Age.

  119. Varangian
    Varangian
    December 18, 2013 at 2:40 am | #

    WILLIS

    WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS TO AMBER FOR

    WILLIS

    STAHP

    ; 3; srsly my goddamn feels, man, you’re killing them

  120. Tahkuya
    Tahkuya
    December 18, 2013 at 2:41 am | #

    IS EVERYONE READY FOR ANOTHER BLOOD DRECHED FIGHT IN, THE THUNDER DOME!

    • TPman
      TPman
      December 18, 2013 at 4:00 am | #

      My money’s on Amber. Sal acts tough, but Amber’s the one who can back it up.

  121. Ancestral Hamster
    Ancestral Hamster
    December 18, 2013 at 2:44 am | #

    In answer to the alt-text, yes, yes I do.

  122. acher4
    acher4
    December 18, 2013 at 2:47 am | #

    Oh COME ON! WTF? Just leave her alone!
    :_____(

  123. Bill
    Bill
    December 18, 2013 at 2:54 am | #

    Just a thought ….. can you imagine how this would be dragging out if Willis was only doing updates 3X per week, like he started out doing?  It would be enough to reduce all of us to pathetic quivering blobs of protoplasm waiting for our next fix.

    • David Willis
      David M Willis
      December 18, 2013 at 2:56 am | #

      I started out five days a week! It only went to MWF for one week when I was moving.

      • showler
        showler
        December 18, 2013 at 6:51 pm | #

        How many weeks of bonus weekends are left from the kickstarter?

        • David Willis
          David M Willis
          December 18, 2013 at 7:23 pm | #

          Until May.

          • taekwondogirl
            taekwondogirl
            December 18, 2013 at 9:14 pm | #

            So basically in March we’re going to have to do another Kickstarter.

    • Tahkuya
      Tahkuya
      December 18, 2013 at 3:05 am | #

      I agree… But there should be some suspense some how

  124. Wombatlore
    Wombatlore
    December 18, 2013 at 2:55 am | #

    Is it just me, or has Sal somehow been lowering her shorts in each panel she is in at the moment?

    • Greg
      Greg
      December 18, 2013 at 5:04 pm | #

      It honestly looked like she wasn’t wearing any pants in this comic.

  125. Spliced
    Spliced
    December 18, 2013 at 2:57 am | #

    I spent all last night and today wondering about Amber seeing Danny with Sal.

    And now I know.

    There are 2 options here: Dissolve into tears, or else epic battle between Sal and Amber that will either be outrageous, loud and quickly cut off by school officials, or else will exist in an un-time and be epic and involve DBZ hair

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      December 18, 2013 at 11:35 pm | #

      They both go blonde and Bart Simpson spiky-haired?

  126. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    December 18, 2013 at 2:59 am | #

    See, this is going to be a positive. Realizing that Danny can’t be with her because she’s living a divided life will cause Amber to have a cathartic epiphany, causing her to come clean with Danny in a frank, rational, and peaceful manner, leading to a blissful life of honesty, self-actualization, and matrimony.

  127. Paul
    Paul
    December 18, 2013 at 3:01 am | #

    Wow, Sal… is pretty much just not wearing pants at this point, is she.

    Not that I have any strong objections to that.

    • Tahkuya
      Tahkuya
      December 18, 2013 at 3:09 am | #

      Its not the best attire to be seen in next to the dude that dumped her

      • taekwondogirl
        taekwondogirl
        December 18, 2013 at 9:16 pm | #

        …? Danny didn’t dump Sal, they never even dated. And if you are making a joke about Sal actually being Amazi-Girl, Danny dumped Amber, not Amazi-Girl.

  128. Wombatlore
    Wombatlore
    December 18, 2013 at 3:02 am | #

    Nor do I Paul, though considering Ambers current state seeing danny with a nearly pantsless sal may send her well over the edge of rabid.

  129. SDGlyph
    SDGlyph
    December 18, 2013 at 3:11 am | #

    Huh. I was going to make a comment about Amber’s perception colouring her memories, but then I checked back and Sal’s shorts really *were* that low.

    Definitely wasn’t smiling at Danny last time we saw her, though.

  130. Roomba Ron
    Roomba Ron
    December 18, 2013 at 3:13 am | #

    Okay Willis I am seriously starting to doubt whether you can achieve any plot twist or drama that couldn’t be solved by just talking to another person reasonably for more than a couple seconds. Alot of these arguments could be resolved if anyone was willing to stop and talk a problem out but NONE of your characters seem to do that and its making it harder and harder to suspend my disbelief and not just feel overly depressed by your comics.

    • Deathjavu
      Deathjavu
      December 18, 2013 at 3:17 am | #

      Your inherent assumption that a significant percentage real people are willing to do this is…adorable, I’d say. The idea that all the problems-even those in the comic- would go away with these discussions is even more so; people’s mental problems (the core of these issues) are not so easily erased.

      Also, “alot”…http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

      • Roomba Ron
        Roomba Ron
        December 18, 2013 at 4:07 am | #

        Allright, I’ll admit you made me laugh with the “alot” link, point to you.

        I may have been unclear, Im not saying the problems would go away with a single conversation. Im saying that they can be worked out if they were willing to talk. This can take a very long time, sometimes years, and mental and emotional issues just add to that. It also does not always work, Ive seen to many relationships and friendships implode to think otherwise.

        But I have also seen most people deal with problems that come up, perhaps they are angry and irrational at first, they fight, but then they actually approach the other person in an attempt to resolve the issue.
        I almost never see this here and it gets depressing seeing people just refuse to attempt a resolution with other people.

        • taekwondogirl
          taekwondogirl
          December 18, 2013 at 9:18 pm | #

          You have seen 3 WEEKS of action. What you are talking about takes a long period of time, and you’ve even admitted that it can take years. None of these people have grown up enough to figure out that communication is key to solve issues yet, because they’re 17-18. I think you’re mistaking them for mature, healthy adults.

    • Kevin
      Kevin
      December 18, 2013 at 3:39 am | #

      Most of the conversations I’ve had with my (lesbian) friend about her girlfriends for the past five years have been me telling her this is a stupid problem and she should just talk to her damn girlfriend already (interspersed with just the amount of crude and inappropriate jokes I can get away with). Nobody ever talks their issues out with the relevant parties.

      • Roomba Ron
        Roomba Ron
        December 18, 2013 at 4:17 am | #

        I cant agree with you there. The majority of the people I know are atleast willing to atleast address a problem with the other party, it sometimes takes convincing and time to come down from an emotional high, angry, depression etc.
        The outcome isn’t always perfect either but it usualy allows for a situation to be resolved rather than remain in shit creek for eternity.

        That being said I do have a friend/colleague who was stuck in a similiar situation as your friend, with an inability to confront their girlfriend over any problem, so im not saying these situations are uncommon, just not the rule.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      December 18, 2013 at 3:47 am | #

      The key to suspending your disbelief about the characters behaving stupidly in emotionally charged situations is remembering that people tend to behave stupidly in emotionally charged situations. Are the characters making suboptimal decisions? Yes. That’s called being human.

      Double that for them being teenagers.

      …. er, maybe quadruple. If they were younger teenagers it would be octuple.

      Then add 5 for them just coming out of the angst-filled parent day. Yes. 5. No, I don’t know the units. Whatever the units are, add 5 of them.

      Is there a voice of reason for them to talk to? Yes. Mike. He will give them a brutally frank summation of their idiocy in twenty words. Most likely leaving five words to spare for the subject of moms and nickels. So that’s why they’re not going to anyone for sage advice.

      • Roomba Ron
        Roomba Ron
        December 18, 2013 at 4:12 am | #

        Fair point on the teenager angle I’ll admit its been some time since I was that age and im putting unfair expectations on their ability to deal with others.

        Also yes when emotionally charged people do tend to do stupid things, no one is really immune to that. But Im also talking about the follow up, most people here just avoid one another and dont try and resolve anything once the moment has passed. But you did make the point that they are teenagers and mistakes at that age feel monolithic so I suspect that does indeed add to their inability to face a person after such an incident. Point conceded, still doesnt stop this from being a depressing trainwreck of relationships but it helps me understand why. Cheers.

        • taekwondogirl
          taekwondogirl
          December 18, 2013 at 9:20 pm | #

          You’re also forgetting how little time they’ve had to get over that initial, emotionally charged situation. It’s been 2 days (I need to check this, but it has been less than a week) since Amber got friend-dumped by Danny. It’s been less than a week since Amber told Ethan he can’t lie about his sexuality to Joyce. It’s only been a summer since Amber got dumped by Ethan.

          • Opus the Poet
            Opus the Poet
            December 19, 2013 at 12:00 am | #

            Actually he got dumped the previous night. This is the Sunday following the zany Saturday where Amber uppercutted her Dad into the closet and then got dumped by Dan that evening.

            • taekwondogirl
              taekwondogirl
              December 19, 2013 at 10:40 am | #

              Ahh, so even less time.

  131. Aurion
    Aurion
    December 18, 2013 at 3:17 am | #

    That is pretty much how normal teenagers//young adults act though. Few are reasonable enough to sit down and talk something out for even a few seconds; they’d much rather just build things up in their heads and drive themselves crazy.

  132. The Cozburger
    The Cozburger
    December 18, 2013 at 3:19 am | #

    Random Student: “Did everything just go red for a second?”

  133. ninja_jesus
    ninja_jesus
    December 18, 2013 at 3:22 am | #

    Par for the course thus far in my prediction. But where shall it go from here? Will she spare the time to give Danny or Sal a piece of her mind? Or will she run from this too, giving Danny the opportunity to drop hints to Sal that Amber may need help “from Amazi-Girl”?

    Another idea that hadn’t crossed my mind until just now is that since Amber sees Danny with Sal, she may perceive this as him “cheating on Amazi-Girl”, and thus her. In other words, Danny tried not to cheat on Amazi-Girl with Amber, but inadvertently cheated on Amazi-Girl with Sal.

    However, although Danny is who he is, this still technically isn’t his fault; he approached Sal on information from Billie, someone he had no reason to think was lying, and was accidentally given a vague clue that she might’ve been Amazi-Girl through her choice of character in Mario Kart, which reinforced Billie’s idea in his head. If Danny had known the truth, he could’ve responded to Billie saying, “You think Sal’s Amazi-Girl? Because I know who Amazi-Girl is, and she definitely isn’t her.” Hell, Danny probably wouldn’t even have been searching for her; he would’ve been right next to Amber the whole time while she was confronting Ethan and Joyce. The unfortunate truth is that if Amber had come clean when he had confronted her, or any time earlier than that, this whole misunderstanding could’ve easily been avoided.

    • Furie
      Furie
      December 18, 2013 at 8:05 am | #

      You seem to have forgotten the first law of physics there. If Danny is around, whatever is happening is usually his fault no matter the evidence to the contrary.

    • taekwondogirl
      taekwondogirl
      December 18, 2013 at 9:22 pm | #

      Amber’s seen a busty Asian chick with tousled hair putting her shirt back on come out of Danny’s room while he didn’t have a shirt on and realize he didn’t cheat on her. I think under -normal- circumstances she’d be jealous but wouldn’t equate TALKING to someone as cheating on her.

      • ninja_jesus
        ninja_jesus
        December 22, 2013 at 6:52 am | #

        She only realized that after breaking into said Asian chick’s room and playing her tape recorder.

        • taekwondogirl
          taekwondogirl
          December 23, 2013 at 2:36 am | #

          Fair point.

  134. Los
    Los
    December 18, 2013 at 3:26 am | #

    I’m reminded of a Prince song.

    If I was your girlfriend
    Would you run to me
    If somebody hurt ya
    Even if that somebody was me?

    Amber needs a megaton of hug right now. I feel really bad for her.

  135. Kevin
    Kevin
    December 18, 2013 at 3:36 am | #

    Wow Willis, you lazy bastard. Just gonna keep coming up with new flashback panels so you only have to draw two-thirds of a page, eh? Sure, some artists cut corners, but only three months of buffer? Is it too much trouble for you to get out of bed more than once a week?

    😉

    You are a magnificent bastard, as usual. Art in panels 3 and 6 is incredible (not to mention 2 and 4, equally spectacular). Great work (surprising no one).

    Now, SalDanber threesome, right? 😀

  136. Hippoman
    Hippoman
    December 18, 2013 at 3:47 am | #

    And this was the story of how Amber experienced a psychotic break and bathed in the blood of everyone within a significant distance.

    Blood for the Blood God and Skulls for the Skull throne appears to be Willis’ motivation by this point.

    • John
      John
      December 18, 2013 at 4:35 am | #

      If we’re going to have Khorne flakes, we’re going to have to get Dina and Riley back in here.

  137. nounverber
    nounverber
    December 18, 2013 at 3:49 am | #

    No, I don’t think many people understand. This is beyond true in the way that Amber cannot speak her wants and truths because she is creating diversions within her own psyche to avoid all the horrors of her past. The intermittent scenes show what has been triggered by her traumas, and from someone who has been triggered, even by the people they love, it is worse in that way.

  138. Wren
    Wren
    December 18, 2013 at 3:50 am | #

    You hear that noise, that was the twig in her mind that just snapped. Shit just got real.

  139. Jordan
    Jordan
    December 18, 2013 at 3:57 am | #

    1) Called it. So much shit was going on that Amber HAD to see that happen.
    2) Amber is either going to A) go catatonic with emotion B) Flip out and try to murder Sal C) Collapse sobbing on the ground (hopefully with Danny and/or Ethan to step in and give her a hug).
    3) DAMN YOU WILLIS!

  140. DaniM
    DaniM
    December 18, 2013 at 3:59 am | #

    Well shit. Goodbye, Jean Grey, hello Dark Phoenix.

    I also realize now why Sal’s dad said he liked her hair better straight…

  141. KevinGriffin3CD
    KevinGriffin3CD
    December 18, 2013 at 4:22 am | #

    Remember when Willis said these next few months would be mostly humorous shenanigans with some mild drama here or there?

    Pretty sure that was the underexaggeration of the year.

    • John
      John
      December 18, 2013 at 4:37 am | #

      Yeah, when he promised us eight weeks of mostly humorous shenanigans? That was like nine weeks ago.

      • xKiv
        xKiv
        December 18, 2013 at 8:09 pm | #

        Exactly eight, according to my calendar (I already have thursday).

    • James
      James
      December 18, 2013 at 7:39 am | #

      You must not know of the great German comedy art called “Schadenfreude”
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCQGQ5qBQTA

    • AgentKeen
      AgentKeen
      December 18, 2013 at 2:30 pm | #

      It wasn’t the next few months, it was 8 weeks. We’re pass that now. We’ve hit Drama DefCon 1.

    • Jack Finch
      Jack Finch
      December 18, 2013 at 6:24 pm | #

      He tweeted a warning the day that clock ran out.

  142. Kutharos
    Kutharos
    December 18, 2013 at 4:27 am | #

    You have no one to blame but yourself, girl.

    • Sam
      Sam
      December 18, 2013 at 6:01 pm | #

      Really?

      She is the one to blame for the robbery she witnessed? She is the one to blame for Danny thinking Sal is Amazi-Girl? She is the one to blame for Ethan putting himself back in the closet, making her feel worthless and putting all her hard work supporting him over Summer to waste? She is the one to blame for Joyce thinking Ethan can ‘resist the temptation’ of being homosexual? She is the one to blame for her father provoking her until she hit him?

      Sorry, but that does not add up to this being completely Amber’s fault regardless of how you spin it.

      • Kutharos
        Kutharos
        December 18, 2013 at 6:12 pm | #

        It would mostly likely not add up into my equation, because I didn’t include it.

        • taekwondogirl
          taekwondogirl
          December 18, 2013 at 9:23 pm | #

          Then what exactly are you saying she should be blaming herself for?

          • Kutharos
            Kutharos
            December 19, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

            My comment is exclusively referring to the last two panels. Sam is correct that most of the problems that Amber is going through is not her fault. The one thing I do see is her problem, that she has control over, is her relationship with Danny.

            I won’t deny that Danny is contributing to this problem, however I am not making a statement on the entire Danny-Amber relationship. I am making statement over Amber’s choices and the results of it. Amber had the oppurtunity to be clean with Dan and chose not to.

            That choice, that Amber had, is now causing unneeded stress in an already stressful episode she is in. The one few things that could have been prevented, and she chose the path of least resistance.

            Amber’s issues with Danny, and this episode seeing him with Sal, may break her. Amber is going through a lot issues, and I do feel bad for her, yet this one issue I can’t feel pity for her. I feel bad that it is occuring while she is in a high emotional state, but she can’t blame anyone else when it comes to Danny and their relationship. She chose not to tell him, he got confused and tried to make sense of the situation, though I still think Danny is an idiot, but that’s for a different day.

            The last two panels is where I shake my head. It’s not where I just stop and say ‘I hate this and want off the Amber drama train and I fully regret even feeling bad for her.’, no, I just can’t feel bad for just that issues and connect them to the rest of the boxcars.

            I fell bad for Amber’s relation with her pops. I feel bad for her issues with Ethan and Joyce, her roommate, etc. Her problem with Danny and lying to him is not something I feel bad about, at all.

            • taekwondogirl
              taekwondogirl
              December 19, 2013 at 10:43 am | #

              I agree with you on everything, aside from one thing. I can still feel bad for someone when they’re suffering the consequences of their choices. Yeah, they led themselves to that point, they reap what they sow, etc. It’s just that she’s still a person and it sucks.

  143. rachel
    rachel
    December 18, 2013 at 4:41 am | #

    THIS ASSESSMENT IS INCORRECT

    THIS BAGGAGE IS HEAVIER THAN MOUNT EVEREST, YO.

  144. rachel
    rachel
    December 18, 2013 at 4:41 am | #

    oh goddamnit hang on

    willis sez: “I just wanted to write all my characters in college, minus fifteen years of baggage, okay?”

    and then rachel fucks up the blockquote & says: this assessment is yadda yadda

    sigh

  145. StClair
    StClair
    December 18, 2013 at 4:46 am | #

    BINGO!

  146. thumb
    thumb
    December 18, 2013 at 4:50 am | #

    Well, that was a good day . . .

  147. sun tzu
    sun tzu
    December 18, 2013 at 5:00 am | #

    Boom.
    Headshot.

  148. Vigne the 3rd
    Vigne the 3rd
    December 18, 2013 at 5:01 am | #

    Jeez man…. shit.

  149. Vigne the 3rd
    Vigne the 3rd
    December 18, 2013 at 5:05 am | #

    and to one of the most selfless people there, that’s what makes it worst to me

  150. Tofusmith
    Tofusmith
    December 18, 2013 at 5:07 am | #

    Oh man. When I guessed Amber would walk in on this a few strips back, I didn’t think it would be in quite such context. Yikes.

  151. Gargamel
    Gargamel
    December 18, 2013 at 5:13 am | #

    [Insert evil laughter here]

  152. locixloci
    locixloci
    December 18, 2013 at 5:26 am | #

    How much further down can Sal’s denim shorts slip? >_>

    • anifreik
      anifreik
      December 18, 2013 at 5:35 am | #

      They could fall off 😀

  153. AckAckAck
    AckAckAck
    December 18, 2013 at 5:29 am | #

    Everything start to come crashing down.

    Amber, you need help. You’re broken. Worse than Danny even.

  154. Jack Finch
    Jack Finch
    December 18, 2013 at 5:36 am | #

    And Willis swings the great hammer pf drama over his head and…

  155. CianM1301
    CianM1301
    December 18, 2013 at 5:43 am | #

    Dear Christ, she’s gonna blow!

    • Cragalanch
      Cragalanch
      December 18, 2013 at 9:06 am | #

      Hit the deck!

  156. nick
    nick
    December 18, 2013 at 5:46 am | #

    The only “good” resolution would be for Amber to pull out her DS and join Sal’s game

    • nick
      nick
      December 18, 2013 at 5:46 am | #

      Unfortunately, she probably isn’t thinking very logically right now

  157. Ridureyu
    Ridureyu
    December 18, 2013 at 5:48 am | #

    Amber, honey, sweetie, you’re going to have to take control of your life someday. I know it’s hard, but if you scream and run every time there’s some trigger, your life will never move past where it is now, and it will probably get worse.

  158. Ridureyu
    Ridureyu
    December 18, 2013 at 5:55 am | #

    And the sad thing is, Amber has never done anything wrong or even shown any real flaws. Everybody’s just evil to her, and absolutely none of it is her fault.

    • Ridureyu
      Ridureyu
      December 18, 2013 at 5:56 am | #

      Okay, I admit I posted that one just to see who would grossly misinterpret it at either extreme 🙂

  159. Aakriti
    Aakriti
    December 18, 2013 at 6:00 am | #

    I was afraid Willis was going to make it worse for Amber. And he did 🙁

  160. Precious Roy
    Precious Roy
    December 18, 2013 at 6:24 am | #

    Okay Willis, you can stop being mean to Amber now. K? Thanks.

  161. Guy
    Guy
    December 18, 2013 at 6:25 am | #

    Epic meltdown will be epic.

  162. David
    David
    December 18, 2013 at 7:10 am | #

    And now for the coup de grâce: “You were that girl in the convenience store robbery!?!” from either Amber or Sal, and then Danny dannies it and berates Amber for ruining Amazigirl’s life by robbing a store and tells her she should not get near her again.

    Blend over to a chorus of DYW.

    • James
      James
      December 18, 2013 at 7:34 am | #

      So Sal is Amber’s Joker from the ’89 Batman?

  163. James
    James
    December 18, 2013 at 7:32 am | #

    Is anyone else hearing an eerie Latin chorus?

    This well not end well.

    • hof1991
      hof1991
      December 18, 2013 at 7:45 am | #

      Actually, O, Fortuna fits in pretty well here. Not just eerie Latin, appropriate Latin.

      • hof1991
        hof1991
        December 18, 2013 at 8:22 am | #

        O Fortune,
        like the moon
        you are changeable,
        ever waxing
        and waning;
        hateful life
        first oppresses
        and then soothes
        as fancy takes it;
        poverty
        and power
        it melts them like ice.

        Fate – monstrous
        and empty,
        you whirling wheel,
        you are malevolent,
        well-being is vain
        and always fades to nothing,
        shadowed
        and veiled
        you plague me too;
        now through the game
        I bring my bare back
        to your villainy.

        Fate is against me
        in health
        and virtue,
        driven on
        and weighted down,
        always enslaved.
        So at this hour
        without delay
        pluck the vibrating strings;
        since Fate
        strikes down the strong man,
        everyone weep with me!

        The short version is “Damn you Willis”

  164. Nightwing
    Nightwing
    December 18, 2013 at 7:36 am | #

    Ambers life has gone to shit is what I believe everyone is trying to say.

  165. hof1991
    hof1991
    December 18, 2013 at 7:40 am | #

    I read the alt-text as ‘greatest hurts’, which do play in your mind.

  166. Furie
    Furie
    December 18, 2013 at 8:02 am | #

    Oh no, please don’t tell me that Amber was in the convenience store that San robbed. That would be too cruel.

  167. katercanter
    katercanter
    December 18, 2013 at 8:10 am | #

    In an alternate universe, Amber manages a successful toy store and is happily married with a child.

    And I am holding on to that.

    (gototherapygototherapygototherapy)

    • Regalli
      Regalli
      December 18, 2013 at 8:23 am | #

      Seriously. PLEASE, Amber.

  168. itachi_0501
    itachi_0501
    December 18, 2013 at 8:23 am | #

    So…two things:

    1. The whole “Sal was the one who robbed the store and traumatized Amber” thing was beat to death about 3 or 4 months ago (when Amber had her first “breakdown” after punching her dad in the nose). And, it makes sense in the context of a self-contained universe. Sort of like the connections that the characters on “Lost” had before the Island. I mean, if it just so happened that Sal had robbed some convenience stores…and Amber had been scarred by the panic and helplessness she felt in that moment (not to mention the general tenor of her home life), it would be disjointed and random. And we all know that Mr. Willis puts a bit more into it than that. 😀

    2. Is anyone else intrigued by the gravatar featuring Sal and Marcie making out? 😉

    • Robin
      Robin
      December 18, 2013 at 10:18 am | #

      I have never even heard about 1. until I read LordHaw’s comment below, just now. (Yes, sometimes I read the comments from the bottom up.)

  169. Luzahn
    Luzahn
    December 18, 2013 at 8:29 am | #

    It’s a montage of sorrow!

  170. UnspeakableAnger
    UnspeakableAnger
    December 18, 2013 at 8:35 am | #

    Ya know… I was staring into space for a bit pondering over all of this, and I glanced at the chapter title, “The Only Dope For Me Is You”, and that got me thinking.

    I’m not going to map out the entire structure that unfolded itself in my head all of a sudden, but I’m actually going to say I think I see the reflection of a very dim light at the end of a tunnel filled with smoke and bats with rabies.

    Said light shows Danny and Amber actually finding a spot through this, likely with him realizing or learning she’s Amazi-Girl.

    After I typed that, I had a mental pic of him in a stupid sidekick outfit calling himself Daring-Boy or Dynamic-Boy.

  171. Lel
    Lel
    December 18, 2013 at 8:46 am | #

    It just gets better and better!

  172. Sam
    Sam
    December 18, 2013 at 9:14 am | #

    Just what Amber needed. Next Ruth’ll show up, tell her Blaine tried to sneak in last night, and the last bit of Amber’s mind will break, leaving her only willing to kill spiders on her computer until the end of time.

    • Jordan
      Jordan
      December 18, 2013 at 5:58 pm | #

      Ah, I was wondering what else could go wrong here. Thanks for pointing it out.

  173. Avehand1
    Avehand1
    December 18, 2013 at 9:16 am | #

    When is the next one coming out?

  174. LordHaw
    LordHaw
    December 18, 2013 at 9:41 am | #

    The poor girl does need to get all this bottled up emotion released, but boy the hits just keep on coming. Probably one of the worst times of her life right now (and she’s had a few really bad times). Please, have something good happen to her. She needs it badly!

    • LordHaw
      LordHaw
      December 18, 2013 at 9:44 am | #

      and oddly enough, just looked at this again, and with the expression on Amber’s face in the last panel and with the one before that, did she just realize that Sal was the one in the convenience store robbery? It’s more of an expression of surprise or realization than the sadness of before! If that’s the case, will she go all Blaine on Sal??

      • Robin
        Robin
        December 18, 2013 at 10:07 am | #

        Oh man, I never saw the connection! Sal did rob some convenience stores, didn’t she? (I mean, it’s all Walky ever talks about with his sis.)

        Tomorrow: “Danny, what the hell are you doing with that robber?”

  175. Mystrana
    Mystrana
    December 18, 2013 at 9:45 am | #

    Just, ouch. 🙁

  176. ShioriTsumi
    ShioriTsumi
    December 18, 2013 at 9:48 am | #

    I could talk about Amber’s recent overreactions right now. I could talk about Amber’s current mental and emotional breakdown. I could talk about Sal’s mysteriously lowering shorts. Instead, I’m going to point out something else entirely.

    Sal finally looks like she’s having fun with that game. Like she finally got the hang of it and is just ‘oh hey, now I know what I’m doing, this is kinda cool.’ And Danny looks like he wants to watch her play but that would force him to stare down her cleavage.

  177. OmegaDez
    OmegaDez
    December 18, 2013 at 10:07 am | #

    “There’s always Danny.”

  178. Far
    Far
    December 18, 2013 at 10:14 am | #

    It’s scenes like this that make me want to break the 4th wall in the other direction and try to help the character in the story.

  179. Charles Phipps
    Charles Phipps
    December 18, 2013 at 10:18 am | #

    Is it wrong I’m hoping for a School Days-style murder of Danny? Can we do that, Willis?

    Really?

    I mean, you killed Ruth once and it was awesome!

    • Incubus
      Incubus
      December 18, 2013 at 10:58 am | #

      It was most certainly NOT awesome and neither would your suggestion.

  180. Pat Myers
    Pat Myers
    December 18, 2013 at 11:14 am | #

    Amber puts on a smile. “Danny!” she exclaims.

    “Amber?”

    Sal looks away and whispers, “I’m sorry, Joyce.”

    • Mr K
      Mr K
      December 18, 2013 at 4:19 pm | #

      ¨I’m sorry, Walky.¨
      FTFY

  181. Lone Wolf
    Lone Wolf
    December 18, 2013 at 11:22 am | #

    And Amber’s terrible horrible no good very bad day continues.

    At this rate, I’m betting Friday’s cliffhanger is Blaine showing up again and attempting to forcibly remove her from the campus.

    • begbert2
      begbert2
      December 18, 2013 at 2:15 pm | #

      If he does, he may not survive the attempt.

      Which would have *wonderful* consequences for Amber in the long run…

  182. Jehosaphat
    Jehosaphat
    December 18, 2013 at 11:26 am | #

    http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/

  183. Bill M.
    Bill M.
    December 18, 2013 at 11:33 am | #

    Everybody, sing along…

    Listen close to everybody’s heart, and hear that breaking sound.
    Hopes and dreams are shattering apart and crashing to the ground.
    I cannot believe my eyes, how the world’s filled with filth and lies.
    It’s plain to see evil inside of me is on the rise.

    And before I forget it, Sal’s thong almost overshadowed me seeing Danny in panel 4.

    • Animal
      Animal
      December 18, 2013 at 2:32 pm | #

      Wait, Danny is in that panel? Where?

      • Lel
        Lel
        December 18, 2013 at 3:45 pm | #

        To find Danny, start at Sal’s thong and look left, then up.
        That is, if you can tear your eyes away from Sal’s thong.

      • xKiv
        xKiv
        December 18, 2013 at 8:18 pm | #

        He’s there if you start counting from panel 0, or count the entire red background as a single panel.

  184. Tealjoy
    Tealjoy
    December 18, 2013 at 1:00 pm | #

    Well this has just been one shitastic day for her

  185. All Else Fails
    All Else Fails
    December 18, 2013 at 1:08 pm | #

    Hoe. Lee. Shit.

    That’s the face she’s wearing in the last panel.

  186. milk experiment
    milk experiment
    December 18, 2013 at 1:17 pm | #

    Willis seems to be making Dumbiverse!Amber into a study in just how fucked up someone would need to be for costumed vigilantism to seem like a sensible option to them. I love it. 🙂

    • Lel
      Lel
      December 18, 2013 at 3:43 pm | #

      Yep. I have no idea how to suspend disbelief long enough to believe that someone can go around in a costume beating people up without having major, major issues.
      The only superheros that make sense are in The Watchmen.

  187. John
    John
    December 18, 2013 at 1:59 pm | #

    Y’know, what I’m wondering is… where exactly is Danny’s other hand?

  188. Plume
    Plume
    December 18, 2013 at 2:13 pm | #

    Time for the ultimate understatement ever made… Amber is having a bad day.

  189. Mr K
    Mr K
    December 18, 2013 at 2:26 pm | #

    Amber: Quit being a thieving Hussy! I wanted Sal first!

  190. Kelli
    Kelli
    December 18, 2013 at 2:27 pm | #

    Geez, Amber is… beating herself up for every bad decision she’s ever made, worried that she’s going to repeat the cycle of violence, and also being emotionally crushed by the things going on around her.

    If she doesn’t wind up attempting suicide and having to be talked out of it by… let’s just say someone either just as messed up (e.g. Ruth) or someone incredibly inept (e.g. Walky), I’ll be surprised. Of course, now that I’ve said this, Willis will read it and go, “DAMNIT! I knew that plot line was too predictable.” And have to come up with something else even more bizarre.

  191. James
    James
    December 18, 2013 at 3:13 pm | #

    Calling it now

    It was Walky that rob the store in drag!

    Sal took the blame!

  192. Sock
    Sock
    December 18, 2013 at 3:51 pm | #

    Cue up “Ave Maria” as Amber pulls out a pistol and goes to town…slow motion style, of course.

  193. Lel
    Lel
    December 18, 2013 at 3:51 pm | #

    Man, I see tons of people here claiming Amber’s about to attempt suicide.
    Watch that not happen.

    • Sock
      Sock
      December 18, 2013 at 4:24 pm | #

      Amber’s way too competent to attempt suicide.

      She’d succeed.

  194. ThatGuy
    ThatGuy
    December 18, 2013 at 4:20 pm | #

    If Amber becomes a villian I would definitely be pro that, with a dad like that and all that stuff that has been happening to her, she has now lived long enough to become a villian.

    • Ikaru
      Ikaru
      December 18, 2013 at 10:20 pm | #

      She’d even be entirely sympathetic! She’s already a super-hero-type person, so turning to evil would be interesting. And she’s smart enough to be a competent villain…heck, a scary one even. She’d even be lemon!

      *hopes someone else gets the Spongebob Squarepants reference*

  195. Al
    Al
    December 18, 2013 at 4:22 pm | #

    The brown logs have hit the rotating sawblades… oh no the saws are jammed to much giant feces…

  196. Kat
    Kat
    December 18, 2013 at 4:26 pm | #

    Well shit

  197. Animaniac
    Animaniac
    December 18, 2013 at 4:46 pm | #

    On the other hand, that’s a pretty happy looking Sal there, isn’t it. She seems to be enjoying herself for the moment, at least.

    • Ikaru
      Ikaru
      December 18, 2013 at 10:19 pm | #

      At least some one is. I guess she’s digging the bug.

  198. Sir Robin
    Sir Robin
    December 18, 2013 at 5:05 pm | #

    Remember a long time ago on the Shortpacked threads, people would complain how things always worked out “too well” for Amber?

  199. Barrage7667
    Barrage7667
    December 18, 2013 at 5:07 pm | #

    Mental breakdown in 3…2….1…

  200. Joe
    Joe
    December 18, 2013 at 5:35 pm | #

    This is how supervillains are born.
    Or patients for the school’s Health and Wellness center.
    Either/Or.

  201. nothri
    nothri
    December 18, 2013 at 5:35 pm | #

    …..I’m becoming increasingly concerned that something here is gonna get bloodily punched.

  202. Raznaak
    Raznaak
    December 18, 2013 at 5:43 pm | #

    Nervous breakdown in 3… 2… 1…

  203. tommyomega
    tommyomega
    December 18, 2013 at 5:44 pm | #

    My brain is screaming “tell him!!!”
    Of course, it’s been screaming that since last time.

  204. OhHey
    OhHey
    December 18, 2013 at 5:56 pm | #

    “This isn’t what it looks like”
    “What does it even look like!”
    “After you tried awkwardly to get close to me, I decided to spend time with a girl dressed in remarkably revealing and somewhat uncoordinated strips of clothing. And we’re playing on the DS, even though that’s totally our- I mean, your alter ego that I don’t know about and my- thing.”
    “Gf’lrgl’krk.”

    And then, Walky.

  205. RobJustRob
    RobJustRob
    December 18, 2013 at 6:40 pm | #

    Geez Amber, today is just not your day.

  206. Jarid Scott
    Jarid Scott
    December 18, 2013 at 7:45 pm | #

    Is it just me or are Sal’s pants kind of… …Falling down?

    • James
      James
      December 18, 2013 at 7:53 pm | #

      Danny has the Mutant power that Patrick Stewart wishes he had in Extras.

  207. Charlie B. B.
    Charlie B. B.
    December 18, 2013 at 8:13 pm | #

    Can anyone direct me to a few comics from shortpacked, or other comics featuring Amber which might help me understand what exactly happened during the robbery or whatever the root of some of her issues? I feel like Many people know something I don’t about her history because I only read DoA. Thanks in advance.

    • David Willis
      David M Willis
      December 18, 2013 at 8:14 pm | #

      Dumbing of Age is a stand-alone continuity. If you don’t know something, it’s because it hasn’t been revealed yet.

    • Sir Robin
      Sir Robin
      December 18, 2013 at 8:44 pm | #

      This Amber is different enough from SP Amber, none of us have been shown what you are wondering

      • Charlie B. B.
        Charlie B. B.
        December 18, 2013 at 9:44 pm | #

        Thank you both.

  208. Arkantos
    Arkantos
    December 18, 2013 at 8:54 pm | #

    Is Sal’s thong showing?

  209. man in black
    man in black
    December 18, 2013 at 9:44 pm | #

    great page

    • LiaHansen
      LiaHansen
      December 18, 2013 at 10:08 pm | #

      GODDAMNIT HOW DO YOU DO THIS DOES NO ONE ELSE SEE THIS

      • Bill
        Bill
        December 19, 2013 at 3:12 am | #

        How does he do it?  He shows up very late in the day and posts the same thing.  What’s so hard to figure about that?

    • Ikaru
      Ikaru
      December 18, 2013 at 10:17 pm | #

      I agree. *tro lo lo lo*

  210. Aziraphale
    Aziraphale
    December 18, 2013 at 10:16 pm | #

    What’s he doing, exactly?

  211. Slothdor
    Slothdor
    December 18, 2013 at 11:43 pm | #

    So, I’m unfamiliar with panel 5. what was going on there? am I missing a clutch of strips?

  212. Baker
    Baker
    December 18, 2013 at 11:45 pm | #

    Bets on Amazi-girl happening on Ryan tonight and killing or nearly killing him?

  213. noka
    noka
    December 19, 2013 at 1:14 am | #

    Abandon ship!

  214. Itsame
    Itsame
    February 3, 2014 at 12:35 pm | #

    Now knowing Ambers story. When I see the last panel, it’s like I can hear her mind go *snap*.
    Like always brilliant art & storyline.

  215. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    April 14, 2015 at 9:47 pm | #

    …Seriously, Sal, those pants are ridiculous. Why.

  216. zach
    zach
    July 26, 2015 at 11:13 am | #

    I see 6000 votes where 3600 voters with 2 votes each should have 7200 votes. So 1200 people voted only once. But then thats still 5/6 botes, so never mind. It would be great if people couldn’t vote without picking 2, but these results aren’t as off as I thought they were.

  217. Kilo
    Kilo
    August 3, 2015 at 11:37 pm | #

    EVERY CAUTIONARY TALE ABOUT CONCEALED IDENTITY EVER

    (the first one that comes to my mind at the moment is a musical theater example, but there are plenty of others)

  218. Onion
    Onion
    May 3, 2016 at 9:32 pm | #

    When I started reading this comic, I never gave Amber much thought. But now, I only have one word for you:

    WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Who's that guy over there?

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