Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
RSS
‹
›
  • Home
  • About/Read before posting
  • Archive↓
    • by calendar
  • Cast
  • Store↓
    • Main Store (books and stuff)
    • T-shirts
  • Patreon↓
    • Patreon (regular)
    • Patreon (NSFW)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
'weird, you can't hear that?  man i'd go see a doctor, it's pretty loud'
First Previous Random 246Comments Share Next Latest
Reddit Digg Facebook MySpace Delicious Stumbleupon Buzz Up! Mixx Technorati Google Bookmarks Yahoo Bookmarks Yahoo MyWeb Windows Live Propeller FriendFeed Newsvine Xanga LinkedIn Blinklist Twitter
Discover more Hiveworks comics
Atomic Robo
Brian Clevinger, Scott Wegener
The robot punches monsters and bad robots and one time he was a cowboy.
[un]Divine
Ayme
A highschool senior thought giving up his soul for a demon was a good idea. It wasn't.
Sufficiently Remarkable
Maki Naro
Two young women living in Brooklyn discover that you're always coming of age.
Godslave
Meaghan Carter
Edith has been thrown into the dangerous world of modern-day Egyptian mythology. Fighting monsters and dealing with family drama of godly proportions.
The Automan's Daughter
Mike Stamm
Aisha Osman and her uncle Siddig outwit bikers, spies and kidnappers while gearing up for a showdown with the formidable Widowmaker mecha.
Lilith's Word
inkPangur
If you had the power to make any wish come true using just one word, what would you say?
Monster Pulse
Magnolia Porter Siddell
Four kids run afoul of a creepy secret organization's experiments, which turn their body parts into fighting monsters. Part sentimental coming-of-age story, part monster-training shonen manga, with just a bit of sci-fi body horror.
Stand Still, Stay Silent
Minna Sundberg
A few generations after the end of the world, a small, poorly financed research crew is sent out to rediscover whatever is left of the forbidden old world in the south.
Cut Time
Juby
Rel and her trusty avian friend Fugue are on a quest to save a world that's lost track of time. Follow them and their new recruits, in a story written with help from the stars.
Sister Claire
Yamino
In the troubled aftermath of a great war between Witches and her fellow Nuns, novice Sister Claire just wants a purpose.
The Lonely Vincent Bellingham
Diana Huh
Vincent is an unkind man looking to disappear, and finds himself in the care of a vampire and her two wicked children.
Hazy London
Scotty
A story about messy relationships. From friendly foes to crazy families. Nothing is black and white, just full of color. But, all colors can get a little hazy...
Kiwi Blitz
Mary Cagle (Cube Watermelon)
Steffi thinks she can use her kiwi mech to become a superhero. This idea turns out to be very stupid.
Star Trip
Gisele Weaver
Jas is a human taken from her home planet on a trip across the galaxy she will never forget.
Knights Errant
J.R. Doyle
Wilfrid's humble quest for revenge becomes bigger and bloodier by the day.
Cyanide & Happiness
Explosm
Satire, dark humor and surreal humor.
Never Satisfied
Taylor Robin
Lucy Marlowe, a magician's apprentice, competes against other apprentices for an important, magical, Goverment Job.
Monsterkind
Taylor C
Wallace Foster, a young, bright-eyed human social worker, has his entire world view rocked when he's suddenly relocated into a city primarily inhabited by monsters.
Widdershins
Kate Ashwin
A series of light-hearted Victorian-era adventure stories featuring grumpy bounty hunters, accidental thiefkings, and more, in England's magical capital city Widdershins!
Awaken
Koti Saavedra/Flipfloppery
Superpowers, monsters and conspiracies. Piras, the spoiled Dameschi heir, fights to recover his identity after becoming a terrorist!
The Witch Door
Anni K.
Katariina Lehto discovers her neighbor is a witch called Jousia Muotka. Jousia introduces Katariina to the strange people and places beyond the witch door...
Jailbird
Charlie Davis
An all-ages comic about a recently escaped prisoner's struggle to understand the outside world, and vice-versa. Also, a magic cape!
Star Impact
Jack McGee
A young, energetic woman fights her way up in the world of super-powered boxing after discovering the mighty gloves of her missing idol!
El Goonish Shive
Dan Shive
WARNING: This comic often ignores the Laws of Physics
Kochab
Sarah Webb
A YA F/F fantasy comic about Sonya, a lost skier trying to survive a snowy wilderness and find her way back to her village; and Kyra - a fire spirit trying to fix the home that she let fall apart around her.
Between Failures
Jackie Wohlenhaus
The low stakes adventures of an assorted group of 20 somethings trapped in the declining years of American retail. They are naughty and say lots of swears.
Empowered
Adam Warren
A sexy superhero comedy (except when it isn't) about the never-ending struggles of a plucky but very unlucky young superheroine.
Alice and the Nightmare
Misha Krivanek
Alice finally attends University to learn to collect the dreams of humans, meet new friends, and deal with a pesky reflection along the way.
Dumbing of Age
David M Willis
Joyce has been homeschooled her entire life until now, when she's suddenly a freshman in college! Things don't go well.
Wilde Life
Pascalle Lepas
Oscar decided to rent an old haunted house, and that's when things got weird...
Nerf Now!!
Josué Pereira
A cute webcomic about fanservice, video games, and... love. Mostly video games, though.
Real Science Adventures
Brian Clevinger
Spin off stories and other adventures from the world of Atomic Robo!
Devil's Candy
Rem, Bikkuri
A lush fantasy about boy genius Kazu Decker, the girl he constructed for his 9th grade science project, and the world of devils and monsters they live in.
Paranatural
Zack Morrison
Superpowered middle schoolers fight evil spirits in their rural hometown. Come for the jokes, stay for the cast, the creatures, and the mystery that ties them all together!
Whomp!
Ronnie
A depressed, portly, hirsute anime fan stumbles through life in the ever-pursuit of chicken nuggets and other life-shortening indulgences.
This is Not Fiction
Nicole Mannino
What do you do when the person you're in-love with is an anonymous romance novelist? Get your best friend to hire your worst enemy for help!
Girl Genius
Phil Foglio, Kaja Foglio
In a time when the Industrial Revolution has become an all-out war, Mad Science rules the World...with mixed success.
Go Get a Roomie
Clover
Experience the queer journey of an upbeat hippie and the friendships she makes along the way! A tale of self-discovery and love of many forms.
The Sanity Circus
Windy
Magic, monsters and mysteries await in the odd city of Sanity. It's up to Attley and a colorful group of characters to find out just what is going on.
Ghost Junk Sickness
Studio CARTRIDGE, Laura Lee
Two hunters try to survive and end up being pushed to pursue a deadly bounty dubbed "The Ghost".
Caramel Corn
Potchimew
Sarah is the only human left in a world full of mythical creatures and monsters. All she wants to do is live a quiet life, but everything changes when she meets her guardian angel, Jacob.
Astral Aves
Moon Cabal
A fantasy coming-of-age following the adventures of Astra The Black and friends, as they navigate the mysterious world around them. It's politics, adventure, and the supernatural; oh, and crazy hair.
Wychwood
Varethane
When Tiara's pyrokinesis is finally noticed, she is captured by a magical research organization for study. If she cooperates, she could be helping to save humanity from a dire threat - but can she trust them?
Sam & Fuzzy
Sam Logan
Troubled by gangster rodents, lovesick vampire stalkers, or confused ninja assassins? Don't panic! Sam and Fuzzy are here to help. (For a reasonable fee.)
Cassiopeia Quinn
Gunwild, Psudonym
A cute, pantsless thief is pursued across the stars by a buttoned-up military officer in the spacey, laser-filled future.
Starhammer
J.N. Monk, Harry Bogosian
A teen girl inherits a powerful alien artifact and proceeds to make a series of increasingly poor decisions
Demon's Mirror
Harry Bogosian
Based loosely off of "The Snow Queen", a story by Hans Christian Andersen, we see things take a different turn as the demons become central characters, and the side characters stick around. Yup, that's the only differences. Enjoy!
Guilded Age
T Campbell, John Waltrip, Florence Machina
Welcome to the saga of the working-class adventurer! Enjoy the complete story with new annotations daily!
Anarchy Dreamers
Emily Ree
Sparkly undead kids fight society's worst Nightmares in this pastel-punk urban fantasy coming-of-age!
Goodbye to Halos
Valerie Halla
Cuddles, gay flirting, weird feelings, and magic-fueled knife fights - it's an adventure across the queer multiverse!
Fireweeds Moors
Gato Iberico
A cat-headed man and a girl with a sandwich hankering accidentally end up in a myth-infused country where magic chalices are a really big thing.
Love Not Found
Gina Biggs
Abeille is on a quest to find someone who wants to do it the old-fashioned way in a time when touching has become outdated.
Lighter Than Heir
Melissa Albino
A young Volant woman joins the military in an effort to upstage her war-hero father.
The End
August Brown, Cory Brown
Two aliens crash a sci-fi convention and accidentally take seven nerds on an adventure that spans the galaxy!
Tigress Queen
Allison Shaw
A barbarian warlord and a pampered prince try to avoid a marriage alliance that could end decades of violence.
BOOKMARK
Click "Tag Page" to bookmark a page. When you return to the site, click "Goto Tag" to continue where you left off.
Goto TagClear Tag


BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

May 5, 2026

Nice

by David M Willis on May 13, 2015 at 12:01 am
  • 03 - The Butterflies Won't Fly Away
└ Tags: becky, mike

Discussion (246) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Jen Aside
    Jen Aside
    May 13, 2015 at 12:01 am | #

    Mike: wait for it…

    • thebombzen
      thebombzen
      May 13, 2015 at 1:41 am | #

      I wonder if Mike and Amber will hook up. Freeing Danny and Ethan.

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        May 13, 2015 at 2:48 am | #

        …nooooo. No. Nope.

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        May 13, 2015 at 6:40 am | #

        I wouldn’t count on it. Mike works best as a minor character who gets dropped in every now and then and he’s likely going to stay that way this time.

      • Captain Batson
        Captain Batson
        May 13, 2015 at 9:18 pm | #

        Willis has done that before, I doubt it’ll come to pass here, as well.

    • Baggy
      Baggy
      May 13, 2015 at 11:49 am | #

      That moment when you finally realise this strip is a 4th wall break

      • andmangrewproud
        andmangrewproud
        May 13, 2015 at 1:45 pm | #

        Great… now I’m imagining a laugh track added to DoA.

      • Bard
        Bard
        May 13, 2015 at 3:24 pm | #

        Another interpretation would be Mike saying “God’s laughing”. Would fit well.

  2. Mr. Random
    Mr. Random
    May 13, 2015 at 12:01 am | #

    Nope.

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      May 13, 2015 at 12:30 am | #

      I bet dogs can though…

    • DarkoNeko
      DarkoNeko
      May 13, 2015 at 2:41 am | #

      I can hear it from here.

  3. Kris
    Kris
    May 13, 2015 at 12:01 am | #

    Mike can hear through the fourth wall.

    • LeslieBean4Shizzle
      LeslieBean4Shizzle
      May 13, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

      Yeah, I’m kinda surprised by how fourth wall that went. Weird.

      • Rowen Morland
        Rowen Morland
        May 13, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

        The Mikes have never been completely bound by Willis’ rules.

        • Volkai
          Volkai
          May 13, 2015 at 10:39 am | #

          Mike is bound by one rule: he does what pisses you off.

          Also, your mom. For a nickle.
          That’s the other thing he does.

          • Henry
            Henry
            May 13, 2015 at 11:51 am | #

            Mike is pretty much just a singularity devoted to being a jerk to all people in all parts of the multiverse.

            • Yet_One_More_Idiot
              Yet_One_More_Idiot
              May 13, 2015 at 1:39 pm | #

              I would just love to see Mike go to this party and end up hooking up with some girl who is just as big of a jerkass as he is.

              And then it’s love at first snark for them both. 😛

              • Vangeln
                Vangeln
                May 13, 2015 at 2:46 pm | #

                You mean Carla?

                • Andrew
                  Andrew
                  May 13, 2015 at 3:48 pm | #

                  Mikarla is my new ship. It’s habbening.

          • Roborat
            Roborat
            May 13, 2015 at 2:36 pm | #

            But that pretty much conforms to rule one.

    • Matt
      Matt
      May 13, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

      The walls are thin

    • MeghanTheWorldEater
      MeghanTheWorldEater
      May 13, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

      Well it’s a fairly fragile wall… I’m pretty sure it’s not up to code.

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      May 13, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

      I’m scared to think Mike knows about us. I hope I’ve never done anything to upset him.

      • MeghanTheWorldEater
        MeghanTheWorldEater
        May 13, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

        I would say you don’t need to worry since you can go back and fix whatever you did that upset him, but I’m kinda scared he’s still somehow know.

      • Tacos
        Tacos
        May 13, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

        Good thing I’m not noticable then.

        • Renshear Blade
          Renshear Blade
          May 13, 2015 at 2:12 am | #

          Dude, you’re Tacos! Nearly everyone loves tacos!

          • Tacos
            Tacos
            May 13, 2015 at 5:19 am | #

            Why do you think I wear this paper bag over my head? So people don’t notice me.

            • GreyTheDefender
              GreyTheDefender
              May 14, 2015 at 4:20 am | #

              That…actually makes you more noticeable…

      • NoHeart6265
        NoHeart6265
        May 13, 2015 at 12:52 am | #

        Um…has mike ever really required provocation to injure a person?

        • No Name
          No Name
          May 13, 2015 at 3:51 pm | #

          Physically? He has to be hired for the job. Mentally? None at all.

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        May 13, 2015 at 8:12 am | #

        The funny thing is, you don’t even realize, the things Mike has done to make you pay for what you’ve done, were done by Mike. You probably still think all the miseries and upsets you’ve suffered through were caused by bad luck or misfortune, not even realizing the truth. That’s how good Mike is. You poor, suffering fool.

      • BLACKOUT
        BLACKOUT
        May 13, 2015 at 10:36 am | #

        Fortunately for you, Mike comes in a pre-angered state, such that noticing your existence is enough to warrant his wrath.

      • madock345
        madock345
        May 13, 2015 at 11:58 pm | #

        The one rule of mike is that he does the opposite of what you want. By hoping not to anger him you have garunteed that you will and have done so.

      • Storycat
        Storycat
        July 27, 2015 at 8:30 pm | #

        Why are you worried about upsetting him? He’ll be just as big a jerk to you if you are nice.

    • modernpython
      modernpython
      May 13, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

      Mike IS the fourth wall

      • MeghanTheWorldEater
        MeghanTheWorldEater
        May 13, 2015 at 12:22 am | #

        Actually I think he just holds it up, sorta like the Atlas of fourth walls.

    • MM
      MM
      May 13, 2015 at 12:48 am | #

      Mike and Deadpool being related would not surprise me in the slightest.

      • Screwball
        Screwball
        May 13, 2015 at 3:24 pm | #

        I’m thinking Mike IS the Deadpool for this world, either without the other superpowers to enhance his 4th wall breaking or without the insanity to act on it all the time…

    • Jack Faire
      Jack Faire
      May 13, 2015 at 1:15 am | #

      Honestly unless I am secretly a comic book character that’s not fourth wall. I have said the exact same thing.

      • StClair
        StClair
        May 13, 2015 at 5:27 am | #

        Jack, uh, there’s something… something we’ve been meaning to tell you…

        • GreyTheDefender
          GreyTheDefender
          May 14, 2015 at 4:21 am | #

          Shhh, he’s not supposed to know until three chapters from now!

    • Shizuka
      Shizuka
      May 13, 2015 at 8:22 am | #

      Mike. Is. Deadpool…

  4. Friday
    Friday
    May 13, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    I am Mike, I am.

    • Halloween Jack
      Halloween Jack
      May 13, 2015 at 10:36 am | #

      I am, I said

  5. Doc
    Doc
    May 13, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    I think Mike might really be Deadpool.

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      May 13, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

      Technically Bea Arthur WAS a mom…

    • newllend(henryvolt)
      newllend(henryvolt)
      May 13, 2015 at 2:20 am | #

      I’d buy THAT comic in a heart beat.

      • JBento
        JBento
        May 13, 2015 at 5:44 am | #

        For a nickel.

        • Kryss LaBryn
          Kryss LaBryn
          May 13, 2015 at 6:55 am | #

          With my penis.

          –Wait.

          • Twilightomens
            Twilightomens
            May 13, 2015 at 11:53 pm | #

            WHAT DID YOU SAY

  6. chris73
    chris73
    May 13, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    Finally Mike and Becky one on one

  7. Nono
    Nono
    May 13, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    I’m surprised Joyce even considered Mike after what he pulled with her phone.

    • Dr.Zeus
      Dr.Zeus
      May 13, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

      True, but he did punch Joe.

    • Rich
      Rich
      May 13, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

      Agreed. Especially with Joe already exiled.

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        May 13, 2015 at 6:44 am | #

        Joe is exiled because he’s a highly sexual person and she had deep issues about that even before she was nearly raped.

    • segnosaur
      segnosaur
      May 13, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

      Not to mention Mike drawing a penis on her white board.

      • Someone
        Someone
        May 13, 2015 at 1:46 am | #

        If I remember correctly wasn’t Mike the chessmaster of the whiteboard ding dong bandit arc? Switching Joyce’s marker with a sharpie. I could be remembering wrong.

        • No Name
          No Name
          May 13, 2015 at 6:04 am | #

          Yes, he was, and Amb- er, AmaziGirl told her.

    • saki
      saki
      May 13, 2015 at 4:56 am | #

      Hence the “if you can be nice” clause. How very Christian of Joyce, not giving up on Mike. :’)

      • Rich
        Rich
        May 13, 2015 at 6:34 am | #

        Yep. Apparently Joe has passed beyond her threshold, though. Not that I fault her for that – experiences with real-life Joe types make me like him the least of any character outside the obvious villains (ie Ryan, Blaine, and Mary).

        • Nono
          Nono
          May 13, 2015 at 7:15 am | #

          I can’t completely dislike Joe because while he is a horndog, he’s also, for the most part, respectful (he immediately backed off Sarah when she made it clear his advances weren’t welcome), and he’s shown surprising lack of alpha-jock behaviour (he didn’t go homophobic at Danny’s roundabout gay-question, he was more frustrated that Dan was being roundabout AGAIN).

          Joe’s a pretty realistic character, actually. He’s pretty much the expected stereotype of sexually charged college male, but at least he hasn’t been extremely jerklike outside of Joyce.

          • John
            John
            May 13, 2015 at 11:35 am | #

            Joe has been very reasonable to Joyce, considering she hired someone to beat him for thoughtcrime.

            • Nono
              Nono
              May 13, 2015 at 12:54 pm | #

              I was going to give him a pass, but then I remembered he was trying to bribe Joyce to curse and the whole Scissoring Gender Lesson.

              • Jason
                Jason
                May 13, 2015 at 3:22 pm | #

                I don’t see him trying to bribe Joyce to swear as particularly reprehensible.
                As for the scissoring comment, if I recall correctly it was just after a brief conversation with Danny that got a little too close to his vulnerabilities- I saw him suddenly turning it up the jerk level as his coping mechanism.

                I really feel for Joe. He clearly had some issues buried VERY deep. Odds of us seeing him able to dig them up and put them to rest are not high.

                • fogel
                  fogel
                  May 14, 2015 at 11:15 am | #

                  He didnt make it all the way even in Shortpacked.

  8. madock345
    madock345
    May 13, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    Can Mike hear me laughing? Is Mike becoming Deadpool? Because I am so up for that.

  9. Marc in MN
    Marc in MN
    May 13, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    It’s that darn studio audience that he’s hearing.

    • sithknightgalen
      sithknightgalen
      May 13, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

      Pre-recorded, live.. or somehow, did Mike get both?

      • neeks
        neeks
        May 13, 2015 at 3:58 am | #

        i feel like, if any character were to carry around a device that played “studio audience laughter” at the press of the button, it would be mike.

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        May 13, 2015 at 10:47 am | #

        WE are the studio audience.

    • saki
      saki
      May 13, 2015 at 4:58 am | #

      Maybe Mike is secretly like Abed (from Community)… He thinks / knows he’s just a character in a fictional work. And all the evil things he does is because he thinks / has decided that he is the antagonist, here to hurt people for the purpose of moving the plot forward? *cue dramatic crowd gasps*

      • Screwball
        Screwball
        May 13, 2015 at 4:12 pm | #

        Will a Drama Button do?

        • saki
          saki
          May 13, 2015 at 9:16 pm | #

          Why, yes, yes it will. 🙂

  10. jams
    jams
    May 13, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    Joyce is giving Mike a lot of credit.

    • Storycat
      Storycat
      July 27, 2015 at 8:32 pm | #

      Wait, what if Willis ships Mike and Joyce for the end game of this comic? I think space time may actually collapse.

  11. Nena
    Nena
    May 13, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    So is this party going to be a disaster?

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      May 13, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

      It’s Saturday on DoA, you tell me. Hint, when was the last party that went well in this strip?

      • leadsynth
        leadsynth
        May 13, 2015 at 2:14 am | #

        This one!
        http://woodyafterhours.com/comic/girls-just-wanna-have-fun/

        • Lord Stoneheart
          Lord Stoneheart
          May 13, 2015 at 3:27 pm | #

          I can’t decide if my favorite thing about that last panel in the WAH comic is Sarah looking ecstatic, Mary looking hateful, even with a huge grin on her face, or Billie looking uneasy about the whole thing.

          • Screwball
            Screwball
            May 13, 2015 at 4:17 pm | #

            Mary; “Yes, now I can finally bring about divine vengeance to all these heathen fools without the Ruthless one getting in my way. Now, all I need is a minion, & information I can use as ammo…”

        • Opus the Poet
          Opus the Poet
          May 13, 2015 at 4:56 pm | #

          Check the URL, that’s WAH not DoA… Close though.

          • leadsynth
            leadsynth
            May 13, 2015 at 11:37 pm | #

            Well, yeah, it’s obv WAH. I was just being silly. I really like the WAH strip and was hoping to bring some levity to the thread instead of thinking about what happened last time Joyce went to a party (as if I could forget).

    • Agemegos
      Agemegos
      May 13, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

      I am hearing the laughter.

  12. Kernanator
    Kernanator
    May 13, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    Awww, Joyce believes the best in everyone.

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      May 13, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      Not including Joe.

      • dmaxx
        dmaxx
        May 13, 2015 at 12:59 am | #

        Notice the word “belives” that is the key word here, joe already have manage strap himself with a springloaded rocket with acceleration going from 0 to over 9000 in less then 9.6 seconds going straight past being a kinda jerk station and all the way to the end station in “big ass jerkhole” town so hard for here to add him back on the “i belive” list >_<

        • leadsynth
          leadsynth
          May 13, 2015 at 11:48 pm | #

          Well said. I feel like Joe became the mayor of Jerkville with the “scissoring” comment at an inappropriate time. Joe seems a lot jerkier in the Dumbiverse than in the Walkyverse. I want Joe to do something to redeem himself, like, I dunno, team up with Amazi-Girl and punch Becky’s dad in the face.

  13. vile_gamer
    vile_gamer
    May 13, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

    Fourth wall
    YOU’RE BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      May 13, 2015 at 10:44 am | #

      Closet – DESTROYED
      Friendship – DISINTEGRATED
      Fourth Wall – DECAFFEINATED

      Willis, for a ‘slice-of-life’, ‘coming of age’ story, you LIKE blowing stuff up!

      • Rich
        Rich
        May 13, 2015 at 2:09 pm | #

        If someone (gatecrashing Joe?) gets thrown out a window during the party we can add DEFENESTRATED to your list.

  14. Catullus
    Catullus
    May 13, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    That last panel has the most sincerely concerned expression that Mike has ever had in this universe.

    Which says a few things about Mike, I suppose.

  15. Siddlaw
    Siddlaw
    May 13, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    Is God making a cameo finally????

    • newllend(henryvolt)
      newllend(henryvolt)
      May 13, 2015 at 2:19 am | #

      God takes lessons from Stan Lee on how to make a Camio.

  16. Opus the Poet
    Opus the Poet
    May 13, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    Sorry, I was reading Wills’ tweet feed… oh yeah, mike is Deadpool or something, 4th wall and all.

  17. Ridureyu
    Ridureyu
    May 13, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    The more realistic the comic gets, the less I like Mike, and the more I hope he ends up getting what he deserves.*

    *Which would be one of two things: 1. He realizes what a gigantic ass he is, and eventually grows up and gets better. 2. He lives a miserable and lonely life after alienating others. 3. He ends up on the receiving end from an even worse ass and becomes very hypocritical.

    • The Magus
      The Magus
      May 13, 2015 at 12:30 am | #

      The thing about this version of Mike, though, is that he tends to be a dick in very specific ways that help others grow – see getting Walky the pajama pants.

      • NoHeart6265
        NoHeart6265
        May 13, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

        I don’t think that this Mike uses his assholery exclusively to help people grow, as he did take Joyce’s phone and say “hail satan” to her mother. Even in shortpacked he was a jerk to do what is best for someone during the whole proposal incident. Any version of Mike can be a positive force, which is interesting in DoA in particular as we haven’t gotten a reason for why he would use his powers of assholery for good.

        • fogel
          fogel
          May 13, 2015 at 1:41 am | #

          He answered Joyces phone because she was trying to hide from Mom Brown. So, he did her a favor, but he did it in his own inimitable way, ie, with assholery. Was he trying to prod Joyce into some sort of realization or just messing with her &/or her mother (yada yada 5¢)? I dont know, really, but theres something … uh, something, about saying Hail Satan to Joyces mom when Joyce is doing exactly that according to the fundie beliefs that are now giving her cognitive dissonance. Mikes poked at Joyces beliefs, the ones no one in the audience likes, at least 3 times. Walking to gender studies joyce thought he agreed with her then said she cant tell whether or not hes on her side because she cant quite get that hes being sarcastic when he seems to sgree with her.

        • fogel
          fogel
          May 13, 2015 at 1:48 am | #

          I dont know whether or not Mike intends good when he does assholery. On the one hand, Willis hasnt given us much of a view into his inner life.

          • Rich
            Rich
            May 13, 2015 at 2:08 pm | #

            His motivation doesn’t really matter to the people he’s being assholes to, does it?

            • fogel
              fogel
              May 14, 2015 at 11:44 am | #

              Nope, it doesnt matter to their experience of him . Which i think is sort of the inverse of what Jason told Amber about Mike in Shortpacked: if he does something you like its because he wants to, but it might not be for the reasons you want.
              I dont know if it matters in the end if his actions do have good effects.
              And I do think that theres been at least one case where MAYBE he meant well but the effects went negative, which was telling Ethan that it had been a “bonehead” move to come out to Amber RELATIVE to being “isolated” with “some blond asshole” as his “only friend”. Which led to Ethan acting on Joyces come-on, which led to Mike going “WOW!”, which led to Ethan saying “Dont judge me.” Which led me tovthink that Mike maybe didnt expect or want Ethan to jump back in the Closet (not that he fooled many people). Plus he didnt even get the “unfulfilling [straight ] sex” that Mike said hed have been having if he had stayed in the C. Uh where is this going? Mike did not tell Ethan to go back in the closet, even though his words had that effect. Mike told Ethan that hed given up a sucky situation with Amber for an even suckier situation alone except for his friendship with Mike. On the face of it, a fair assessment. Did Mike INTEND to catalyse Ethan jumping back in the Closet? I dont know. what he should have done as Ethans nominal friend was to help him look for a non-sucky, less sucky, or positive alternative as a gay male at IU with a Queen Bongo Mama. But thats not Mikes way. As Mike himself told Ethan, his . Only friend (at the time) was “some blond asshole.” But even Willis has now said that Mike doesnt tell even him what his true motives are.
              Not that im convinced that he is an asshole for good

      • segnosaur
        segnosaur
        May 13, 2015 at 3:59 am | #

        I can’t really see how it helps Joyce grow by drawing penises on her white board. Or Joyce and Dorothy grow by interfering with their search for Walky. Or anyone grow by going to church and making rude comments about Joyce’s mother.

        • Lyssie
          Lyssie
          May 13, 2015 at 4:52 am | #

          He didn’t draw the penises. Though he did swap her marker so that she ended up drawing a penis she couldn’t immediately erase, so yeah, he’s still responsible for that.

          • Lord Stoneheart
            Lord Stoneheart
            May 13, 2015 at 7:30 am | #

            He did indeed draw penises on Joyce’s whiteboard. I can’t link to the comic right now because I’m on my phone but it was in Up All Night to Get Vengeance. Dina showed up to talk about evolution too. I don’t see what character building that did, but then again I always thought the benevolent Mike theory was kinda of bullshit. It’s so nice of him to constantly harass Walky and Dorothy isn’t it? Or to walk away from Walky when he’s freaking out about Billie?

            • Greenygal
              Greenygal
              May 13, 2015 at 11:13 am | #

              Here and here. I’m genuinely curious what the benevolent Mike interpretation is for that one.

              • Clif
                Clif
                May 13, 2015 at 10:06 pm | #

                He made Joyce a significantly better artist as you can see from the sequence she drew.

            • Lyssie
              Lyssie
              May 14, 2015 at 1:34 am | #

              Forgot about that part! I stand corrected.

        • Clif
          Clif
          May 13, 2015 at 10:05 pm | #

          He made Joyce a significantly better artist as you can see from the sequence she drew.

          • Clif
            Clif
            May 13, 2015 at 10:07 pm | #

            dammit consider duplicate comment deleted.

      • Trolldrool
        Trolldrool
        May 13, 2015 at 6:07 am | #

        I like Mike. I genuinely do. I think he’s very entertaining in every scene he appears and most of the time he opens his mouth, someone realizes something they either denied or didn’t think of themselves. I like him as a character and I honestly hope he never changes or goes away.

        He is also a complete and utter asshole who always chooses the most ill-tempered meanspirited methods to make them come to these realizations. He encourages violence in others, enjoys aggravating others, and in general appears to be the sort of person who would give me a migraine if I spent any time with him in real life.

        Again, I like this character. In fact he’s probably in my top five favorite DoA characters and I hope he never changes. But he’s still a dick.

  18. gkheyf
    gkheyf
    May 13, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    the voices deserve their own tag

  19. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    May 13, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    Such a mean ol’ man…

    • tim gueguen
      tim gueguen
      May 13, 2015 at 2:39 am | #

      And seeing that got me thinking of “She In Through The Bathroom Window” and Sal.

      • Stephen Bierce
        Stephen Bierce
        May 13, 2015 at 2:05 pm | #

        But who “quit the Police Department” and got himself a steady job?

        • Stephen Bierce
          Stephen Bierce
          May 13, 2015 at 2:26 pm | #

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrAdX4O1m4M <- Made me listen to this again.

  20. Nonagon
    Nonagon
    May 13, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    I’m torn about whether or not I believe him because I know that with Mike, the answer is always the opposite of what you want it to be.

  21. Yossarian Duck
    Yossarian Duck
    May 13, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    Finally, the truth as to why Mike is such an asshole – He’s a rejected Seinfeld character who hears a studio audience laugh whenever he does anything.

    • boomwolf
      boomwolf
      May 13, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

      That explains everything.

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        May 13, 2015 at 2:55 am | #

        That’s a pretty awful condition to have ;_;²

        • Boomwolf
          Boomwolf
          May 13, 2015 at 9:13 am | #

          Least he doesn’t think he’s in a Dan Schneider show.

  22. nothri
    nothri
    May 13, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    Okay, I will admit that not inviting Joe and inviting MIKE is kind of shit.

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      May 13, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

      Mike is just there to punch other guys when they do something “guy-ish”.

    • Zatar
      Zatar
      May 13, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

      To be fair putting “if you can be nice” as a requirement is kind of the same as telling him he’s not invited.

      • Romanticide
        Romanticide
        May 13, 2015 at 12:36 am | #

        It’s actually incredibly brilliant XD

        • DarkoNeko
          DarkoNeko
          May 13, 2015 at 2:55 am | #

          I wonder if that was Sarah’s idea (same for Joe, really).

          • segnosaur
            segnosaur
            May 13, 2015 at 3:50 am | #

            Does Sarah even know Mike? I can’t recall them every interacting in the comic.

      • Seth
        Seth
        May 13, 2015 at 2:23 am | #

        As far as Joyce knows, it it is, but absent Word of God, I’m going to assume that in this ‘verse it’s actually still equivalent to telling him he’d have to get drunk before arriving.

        • Rich
          Rich
          May 13, 2015 at 6:28 am | #

          Which is a Thing That Could Happen. If DoA Mike is a happy drunk, that “laughter” bit could be a reference to the fact that Joyce just unintentionally told him to tie one on and come to the party. Guess we’ll see.

        • Lord Stoneheart
          Lord Stoneheart
          May 13, 2015 at 1:35 pm | #

          Mike not even know that he’s a happy drunk in this universe. He’s 18 right? It wouldn’t be impossible for him to have never gotten drunk before.

          • Rich
            Rich
            May 13, 2015 at 2:05 pm | #

            Absolutely. There are plenty of people who never touch the stuff in before college, some who won’t try it till they’re 21, and few that are smart enough to avoid it forever. Be pretty funny if Mike is a happy drunk but unaware of it, and we get to see his (probably) horrified reaction to his discovery of the trait.

    • Catullus
      Catullus
      May 13, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      I feel like the key thing to consider here is Joyce’s specific interactions with each of them. To her, Joe is the sex-addicted asshole from her gender studies class, while Mike is just the guy she once hired to punch him.

      Joyce and Mike have had their encounters in the past (the Satan-phone incident, a few whiteboard penises), but there hasn’t been the same sort of continual hostility as has existed between Joyce and Joe.

      • fogel
        fogel
        May 13, 2015 at 1:53 am | #

        They have had more encounters, in which Mike asked Joyce about some of her core beliefs in ways that led her to think he was sincerely interested and perhaps even “on [her] side”. Or not. Where as he was baiting herb and being way sarcastic. I think.

      • segnosaur
        segnosaur
        May 13, 2015 at 3:52 am | #

        Don’t forget… Mike got in the way (and Joyce kicked him in the shins) when her and Dorothy were trying to find Walky and Mike was in the way.

      • No Name
        No Name
        May 13, 2015 at 3:41 pm | #

        How can all three of you have forgotten “ALL HAIL SATAN”?

        • John
          John
          May 13, 2015 at 11:33 pm | #

          Despite all the hating on Mike for that at the time, it does seem to have been quite effective at diverting Mrs. Brown from the question at hand (Becky’s whereabouts), without the fallout landing on Joyce. It sure didn’t earn Mike (if she can identify him) and Walky any Brownie points, but they don’t have to care.

    • 3oranges
      3oranges
      May 13, 2015 at 1:29 am | #

      Maybe they considered people by room after all. Walky is on the list, so Mike gets a very provisional if-he-can-behave. Danny isn’t on the list, so Joe gets nothing.

    • Majere
      Majere
      May 13, 2015 at 5:51 am | #

      Yeah, this party arc has not really cast Joyce in a good light at all.

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        May 13, 2015 at 6:58 am | #

        You keep saying that but I’m not seeing it. As I said yesterday, there’s nothing rude about telling someone who makes you feel not only uncomfortable but unsafe to stay away from you.

        • Lord Stoneheart
          Lord Stoneheart
          May 13, 2015 at 7:45 am | #

          Well to have someone else track them down just to tell them they’re not invited to a party is pretty rude. But since I don’t think Joe actually cares, and Joyce knows that Joe probably doesn’t care, it seems to be a joke more than anything else.

          In any case, Joe can pretty rude to Joyce too. Like the whole offering money to swear situation. It’s kind of like Joyce and Walky’s relationship, except that Joyce doesn’t feel safe around Joe because of his attitude towards sex.

  23. Zane
    Zane
    May 13, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

    Mike thinks he’s a sitcom character? That explains a lot actually.

  24. Architex
    Architex
    May 13, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

    Hahahahahahahaha

    But Mike really did get an invite, wow.

  25. Tilly The Hun
    Tilly The Hun
    May 13, 2015 at 12:17 am | #

    The voices in Mike’s Head mock you and everything you hold dear!

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      May 13, 2015 at 8:21 am | #

      That would be us, though. WE are the voices in Mike’s head.

      • Gigafreak
        Gigafreak
        May 13, 2015 at 9:44 am | #

        And we mock each other and all we hold dear all the time.

        • Yet_One_More_Idiot
          Yet_One_More_Idiot
          May 13, 2015 at 2:34 pm | #

          WE’RE the voices in Mike’s head? o_O

          I thought it was that Mike is the voice in OUR heads? Or maybe we’re each in each others’ heads, like some kind of causal loop thingy. 😛

          • Screwball
            Screwball
            May 13, 2015 at 4:57 pm | #

            Careful, Think about that too much, & it might end up like dividing by zero… O_O

  26. AgentKeen
    AgentKeen
    May 13, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

    …That last panel makes me a little bit worried for Mike.

    • boomwolf
      boomwolf
      May 13, 2015 at 12:20 am | #

      Makes me worried about pretty much everyone he’s ever come into contact with.

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        May 13, 2015 at 12:30 am | #

        Mike like to contact people with his fists.

        • boomwolf
          boomwolf
          May 13, 2015 at 12:39 am | #

          All the more reason to worry.

          • lekoppa
            lekoppa
            May 13, 2015 at 1:18 am | #

            He’ll contact your mom for a nickel.

            • Screwball
              Screwball
              May 13, 2015 at 4:59 pm | #

              If he does THAT with a fist, that’s something you probably don’t wanna know…

    • fogel
      fogel
      May 13, 2015 at 1:54 am | #

      Sarcasm.

  27. Cerberus
    Cerberus
    May 13, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

    Apparently despite the shitty things Mike has done to her, she still sees him as the man who “protected her honor” (i.e. commit disproportionate violence against a horndog trying to overplay the charm card). That’s… both adorable and incredibly sad at the same time.

    • chris73
      chris73
      May 13, 2015 at 12:27 am | #

      Its realistic though, violence is ok but consensual hank-panky? Hell no, growing I was allowed to watch Hammer Horror movies on sunday night on TV and it was all good but when a heavily editied version of Porkys came on (I was 15) it was noooooooooo you shall not watch!

      Watching someone get killed is ok but an erect nipple = evil!!!!!

      • Rich
        Rich
        May 13, 2015 at 6:24 am | #

        Common experience, especially in US culture. Makes zero sense, but fighting that mindworm off is nearly impossible. Generation after generation has repeated that behavior with their own kids despite railing against it in their youth.

        • xKiv
          xKiv
          May 13, 2015 at 8:02 pm | #

          I think it actually makes some sense when you consider that most parents have never murdered anybody, but had sex at least once. Having actually experienced something is an important factor in how people treat it.

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      May 13, 2015 at 12:35 am | #

      Well this is Mike so since he’s whatever you don’t want him to be, telling him he’s not invited probably would have the opposite effect on him so you might as well at least invite him.

    • fogel
      fogel
      May 13, 2015 at 2:09 am | #

      The worst of mikes punching of joe was “because” joe stared at Conquests chest. I think that doesnt count as protecting Joyce. I think that was mike doing something he enjoyed. Unless it fell under some clause in his contract which i missed.

      • No Name
        No Name
        May 13, 2015 at 3:37 pm | #

        Actually, I’d say the worst part was when he decided to punch Joe every seven seconds because “men have impure thoughts every seven seconds”.

        • Clif
          Clif
          May 13, 2015 at 10:13 pm | #

          And it was hilarious.

        • John
          John
          May 14, 2015 at 12:00 am | #

          Joe set himself up for that.

          The Conquest thing, on the other hand, Joe didn’t actually do. Connie came up behind him and spoke to him, and when he turned around, her boobs were naturally at eye level. And then Joe got punched.

          But, honestly, even though Joe was the one taking all the punch, I think Joyce was Mike’s target.

    • B.D
      B.D
      May 13, 2015 at 3:56 pm | #

      I figure Joyce is capable of remembering series of events, instead of single moments like her parents, and takes the whole “forgiveness” thing seriously. This is why it’s “if you can be nice” instead of “if you won’t be mean” – she’s (at least vaguely) aware of how he operates, and would prefer that he do it in a positive manner rather than in a… Mike manner.

  28. Plasma Mongoose
    Plasma Mongoose
    May 13, 2015 at 12:29 am | #

    I wonder if she invited Mike just in case someone needs a good old FAAAAAACE punching.

    • fogel
      fogel
      May 13, 2015 at 2:11 am | #

      Joyce also punched joe in the face AND she punched ryan in the face with a glass. If a face needs punching joyce has shown herself ready to do it herself.

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        May 13, 2015 at 2:57 am | #

        …when drugged.

        • Gigafreak
          Gigafreak
          May 13, 2015 at 9:46 am | #

          Joyce was 100% sober when she beat the shit out of Joe, so she’s plenty punchy regardless of druggedness.

  29. Lord Stoneheart
    Lord Stoneheart
    May 13, 2015 at 12:29 am | #

    Joyce has consistently referred to Mike as a jerk though. And a couple of days ago she did kick him in the shins as a way of not playing into one of his mind games.

  30. Bagge
    Bagge
    May 13, 2015 at 12:31 am | #

    Huh, it seems like Joyce do like Mike more than I thought, at least enoug to regard him a bit like a friend. I have no idea why but I’m glad to see he’s not only a bully to her

    • dmaxx
      dmaxx
      May 13, 2015 at 1:10 am | #

      Hmmmm, not so much as a friend then as a “someone who kinda hangout with someone who she’s a friend with and thus can not be all that bad” logic

    • B.D
      B.D
      May 13, 2015 at 3:58 pm | #

      He’s never acted against her and is a good listener, is what I’ve been assuming.

  31. a4lbi
    a4lbi
    May 13, 2015 at 12:32 am | #

    Becky has not yet mastered the art of 4th Wall Breaking.

    Real talk though I got my Tidus on so much I swore Mike heard me.

  32. sun tzu
    sun tzu
    May 13, 2015 at 12:37 am | #

    …What the hell, Joyce.

    • B.D
      B.D
      May 13, 2015 at 3:58 pm | #

      Second.

      C’mon, there’s better people she can invite into a two-person dorm room…

      • B.D
        B.D
        May 13, 2015 at 3:59 pm | #

        …party.

  33. KRVeale
    KRVeale
    May 13, 2015 at 12:37 am | #

    I can’t completely rule out the idea that this is Joyce’s way of not-inviting Mike. If she’d said he couldn’t come, that’s guaranteed attendance.

    • a4lbi
      a4lbi
      May 13, 2015 at 12:52 am | #

      …that did cross my mind too.

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        May 13, 2015 at 2:59 am | #

        As ours all, but I don’t really think Joyce can think that far.

  34. Romanticide
    Romanticide
    May 13, 2015 at 12:38 am | #

    I think this is brilliant XD He cannot say he wasn’t invited but considering he is not going to act nice he is not going, or if he is Joyce still wins XD

  35. Jordan
    Jordan
    May 13, 2015 at 12:41 am | #

    …Joyce, I can’t decide whether it was brilliant that you invited him under the condition of being nice (thus not inviting him) or idiotic in that you knowingly invited Mike to a social event in which you want things to be non-hostile and fun.

    • Majere
      Majere
      May 13, 2015 at 5:57 am | #

      It was dumb seeing as he is completely incapable of being nice in his right mind due to being a malignant narcissist and he’s going to show up regardless if it suits him. The smart thing to do would be to just not tell him about the party because chances are he’d never have even learned of it due to the social isolation that comes from being a raging jackhole.

      • Amazi-Stool
        Amazi-Stool
        May 13, 2015 at 1:36 pm | #

        To the contrary: Mike would almost certainly learn it, as Walky is his roomie and Walky is invited.

      • No Name
        No Name
        May 13, 2015 at 3:34 pm | #

        Also, malignant, yes, narcissist, no. His bad stuff isn’t for his benefit. Amusement, yes, but it doesn’t make his life any easier.

        • Andrusi
          Andrusi
          May 13, 2015 at 7:54 pm | #

          Amusement is a benefit.

          • Rich
            Rich
            May 13, 2015 at 10:10 pm | #

            Still doesn’t make him a narcissist. He’s not in love with himself as far as I can see.

  36. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    May 13, 2015 at 12:44 am | #

    “Only if there’s alcohol.”

  37. Rycan
    Rycan
    May 13, 2015 at 12:46 am | #

    MIKE uses NICE
    …
    …
    No effect!

  38. Rani
    Rani
    May 13, 2015 at 12:50 am | #

    Announcing your plans is a good way to hear God laugh.

  39. brumagem
    brumagem
    May 13, 2015 at 12:52 am | #

    I always appreciate that Willis never copy-pastas characters.

    • Someone
      Someone
      May 13, 2015 at 10:12 am | #

      But does he copy-spaghetti characters?

  40. advancecasette
    advancecasette
    May 13, 2015 at 1:06 am | #

    Mike’s inability to laugh ever must hinder him greatly in his quest to be the meanest fucker

    • Gigafreak
      Gigafreak
      May 13, 2015 at 9:48 am | #

      He is your mom’s meanest fucker

      • Clif
        Clif
        May 13, 2015 at 10:16 pm | #

        for a nickle.

  41. Well_Played
    Well_Played
    May 13, 2015 at 1:06 am | #

    Ah good ol’ Mike… The non giver of fucks.

  42. Idon'tcarenomore
    Idon'tcarenomore
    May 13, 2015 at 1:25 am | #

    Give Mike a drink. He will be so nice you can’t stand it.

    PS Joyce does like him I think, and of all the people he’s terrorized, Joyce has been the one he’s done it to the least…or something like that.

    Voice what voice…the voice he’s screwing Becky over with. Oh that voice.

  43. Ashley
    Ashley
    May 13, 2015 at 1:59 am | #

    Is Mike the Pinkie Pie of Dumbing of Age? Like, can he break the fourth wall and stuff?

    • No Name
      No Name
      May 13, 2015 at 3:30 pm | #

      Well, when he was drunk in the other ‘verse, his favorite pony was Pinkie Pie.

  44. fogel
    fogel
    May 13, 2015 at 2:02 am | #

    Shortpacked Mike was both the meanest assholev and the sweetest person in that Universe, the latter WHEN HE WAS DRUNK. We dont know if the same is true in this Universe. We also dont know if its not true. Heck, Mike might not even know, if he hasnt gotten drunk before. The Party might be a chance to find out. Joyce wont be serving booze, but that doesnt mean that everyone will be sober all night.

    • leadsynth
      leadsynth
      May 13, 2015 at 2:19 am | #

      I’ve been wondering when/if we might find out in this continuity about Mike being a nice drunk. It’s freshman year — Mike’s gotta get drunk sooner or later!

  45. TheZachariah
    TheZachariah
    May 13, 2015 at 2:03 am | #

    Man, this must be one of my favorite strips in a while.

  46. newllend(henryvolt)
    newllend(henryvolt)
    May 13, 2015 at 2:15 am | #

    I don’t know what’s funnier how fucking Naive Joyce is or Mike breaking the 4th wall just to say Fuck you.

  47. TheHorseCouncil
    TheHorseCouncil
    May 13, 2015 at 2:58 am | #

    L

    • TheHorseCouncil
      TheHorseCouncil
      May 13, 2015 at 3:00 am | #

      Dammit. Posted before i could finish typing…

      Anyway, mike seems to be the men’s R.A.
      Resident Asshole.

  48. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    May 13, 2015 at 3:01 am | #

    …

    Technically, he CAN be nice.

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      May 13, 2015 at 8:23 am | #

      Dunno, we’ve never seen him drunk in this universe.

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        May 13, 2015 at 8:51 am | #

        No, I mean, he can. Mike just doesn’t want to.

        • Gigafreak
          Gigafreak
          May 13, 2015 at 10:00 am | #

          Mike is capable of being sincerely nice while sober. It happens at least once in the other universe.

          But since he basically never stops scowling while sober, it’s actually kind of terrifying and hard to tell that he really is sincere.

          • Jordan
            Jordan
            May 13, 2015 at 3:08 pm | #

            Except when punched in the face. Then he’s REALLY scary.

  49. BAppleman
    BAppleman
    May 13, 2015 at 4:11 am | #

    You need to get a recording of an 80’s laugh track. an embed it in your page to play in times like thid.

    • Screwball
      Screwball
      May 13, 2015 at 5:20 pm | #

      Daniel the Human has an Air-Raid siren on his mobile. Might be more appropriate for when some people are coming your way…

  50. Willoughby Chase
    Willoughby Chase
    May 13, 2015 at 4:33 am | #

    When Joyce “went out” with Joe, Mike threatened to beat Joe if he did anything wrong.

    I think there’s some underlying goodness to Mike which he hides very well. Very, very well.

    • chris73
      chris73
      May 13, 2015 at 5:21 am | #

      He didn’t just threaten to beat Joe, he physically assaulted Joe and was encouraged by Joyce to do so

    • Majere
      Majere
      May 13, 2015 at 5:59 am | #

      Nah, he’s as close to being devoid of any good points as it’s possible to get while still being a human being and not a literal monster.

    • Spencer
      Spencer
      May 13, 2015 at 7:49 am | #

      Joyce paid him to hit Joe if he did anything “objectionable”. He did not do this out of the goodness of his heart.

      • Someone
        Someone
        May 13, 2015 at 9:43 am | #

        no he did it out of a love of punching, Joe offered him 50 bucks to leave, and he refused. So he could punch someone in the face.

  51. Jimmy
    Jimmy
    May 13, 2015 at 7:41 am | #

    Just bring lots and LOTS of alcohol.

  52. Spencer
    Spencer
    May 13, 2015 at 8:00 am | #

    I’m kind of amazed how so many people took yesterday’s silly joke as just way too far, but Mike constantly acting like an actual cartoon character is perfectly valid.

    • DarkoNeko
      DarkoNeko
      May 13, 2015 at 12:38 pm | #

      Double check if it’s actually the same people ?

  53. What was the question again?
    What was the question again?
    May 13, 2015 at 8:02 am | #

    Does Mike also have an undercut and that’s how his hair works like that?

    • DarkoNeko
      DarkoNeko
      May 13, 2015 at 8:51 am | #

      Magic.

    • Rycan
      Rycan
      May 13, 2015 at 10:58 am | #

      His hair has pretty much remained unchanged from when he first appeared in Roomies!

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        May 13, 2015 at 12:37 pm | #

        And barring One exception, you only ever, ever see his face from the sides.

  54. RahDream
    RahDream
    May 13, 2015 at 8:52 am | #

    For some reason, today’s strip has made me realize what I REALLY wanna see happen in this continuity: Mike as Amazigirl’s ARCHENEMY. Mike becomes a “super villain” to troll Amber/Amazigirl. They fight and feud. Then, as per tradition, they engage in the MOST EPIC OF HATE-FUCKS!

    Please, Willis?

    • John
      John
      May 13, 2015 at 11:14 am | #

      Nah, Mike’s going one better than that. He’s creating other supervillains for Amazi-Girl to face off against. He’s already responsible for the Whiteboard Dingdong Bandit.

      • Someone
        Someone
        May 13, 2015 at 5:24 pm | #

        Mike is like Lex Luthor. (stays in the shadows and creates other villains)
        Joyce/Whiteboard dingdong bandit is Metallo (Created by Mike)
        Amber/Amazi-Girl is superman (Obvious)
        Danny is Lois Lane. (Dating the superhero, both hav been kidnapped)
        Dorothy is Jimmy Olson. (Reporter and friend)
        Daisy is Perry White. (Chief of a newspaper)

        NO one has the same gender!

        • No Name
          No Name
          May 13, 2015 at 6:06 pm | #

          Wasn’t Lex a guy?

          • Someone
            Someone
            May 13, 2015 at 8:04 pm | #

            Crap your right

            • Rich
              Rich
              May 13, 2015 at 10:06 pm | #

              Lois was a woman, and Jimmy (Olsen goddamit) and Perry were both guys. You’re already gender swapping all over, why worry?

              Having said that, Metallo wasn’t a Lex invention originally, and Mike isn’t mad science-y enough to fit the mold. I’d recast as follows:

              Mike is Mister Mxyzptlk (Randomly appearing tormenter with a mean sense of humor)

              Joyce/Whiteboard Dingdong Bandit is closer to Bizarro (because she’s a warped version of herself as WDB) but if you extend the metaphor she’s closer to being Two-Face (split personality and all)

              Did I mention I’ve worked in three different comic shops over the years? 🙂

              • Rich
                Rich
                May 13, 2015 at 10:09 pm | #

                Oh, I’m a dope – The Whiteboard Dingdon Bandit is the old Superman villain the Prankster. He even “reformed” a few times, so there’s his Joyce side.

              • Someone
                Someone
                May 13, 2015 at 10:29 pm | #

                clearly Carla is Mister Mxyzptlk

                • John
                  John
                  May 13, 2015 at 11:38 pm | #

                  Carla is obviously Spider-Car.

                • John
                  John
                  May 13, 2015 at 11:39 pm | #

                  Oops, still can’t say that particular alter ego, I guess.

      • Screwball
        Screwball
        May 13, 2015 at 5:30 pm | #

        Then that means he’s already her nemesis, only acting as the mastermind behind the enemies she faces. Wait, does that make him the The Chessmaster or Manipulative Bastard? Probably the Bastard…

  55. Kirt
    Kirt
    May 13, 2015 at 10:20 am | #

    META

  56. masterofthez
    masterofthez
    May 13, 2015 at 11:22 am | #

    I like to think the laughter is Walky in the room laughing at the idea of a nice Mike.

  57. Vangeln
    Vangeln
    May 13, 2015 at 2:32 pm | #

    ‘I can be nice with your mom.’

  58. segnosaur
    segnosaur
    May 13, 2015 at 4:16 pm | #

    Here’s something else to consider in the “Mike invited/Joe Rejected” arguments…

    During the Joyce/Joe date, Joyce talked about god is helping her overcome the sins of pride and lust. After joyce said Lust, Mike was going to punch her; it was Joe that stopped him. (Well, Mike “suggested” he was going to punch her.

    So, the guy who attempted to punch Joyce gets invited, the guy that stopped him did not.

    (Ok, I’m probably reading too much into one panel of a comic.)

    http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/03-men-are-from-beck-women-are-from-clark/lust/

    • Spencer
      Spencer
      May 13, 2015 at 5:50 pm | #

      There’s no rhyme or reason to Mike, even less so than in the Walkyverse. He’s just there to be an asshole. This is why people eat lunch, confide their problems, and associate with him; Nothing he does has any actual consequence. He’s just there for a joke.

    • potatoaddict
      potatoaddict
      May 14, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

      I think he was listening to that conversation & intervened to alleviate the cringing alone.

  59. Crumplepunch
    Crumplepunch
    May 13, 2015 at 4:26 pm | #

    So I guess Mike thinks he’s a sitcom villain.

    That explains a lot.

  60. streo
    streo
    May 13, 2015 at 5:05 pm | #

    He can be nice, if there’s alcohol involved.

  61. Screwball
    Screwball
    May 13, 2015 at 5:50 pm | #

    Interesting. Few people comparing Mike to Deadpool here. I can see it. Maybe Collage life is what breaks his mind, makes him change his name, turns him into an insane soldier for hire…

    • potatoaddict
      potatoaddict
      May 14, 2015 at 12:00 am | #

      With colleges nowadays, I wouldn’t be surprised.

  62. Charles
    Charles
    May 13, 2015 at 10:21 pm | #

    Mmmm… beat panelssss… yesssss….

  63. potatoaddict
    potatoaddict
    May 14, 2015 at 12:01 am | #

    Danny’s a 4th wall empath…. Is this where the superhero themes take a dramatic spin? Are aliens involved?

  64. BrokenEye, True False Prophet
    BrokenEye, True False Prophet
    September 28, 2015 at 7:23 pm | #

    Oh god, Mike can see us! Everybody hide!

Who should be the default doodle for Book 14?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
CONVENTION APPEARANCES


May 3, 2025 - FCBD @ Laughing Ogre Comics in Columbus, Ohio

©2010-2025 Dumbing of Age | Powered by WordPress with ComicPress | Subscribe: RSS | Privacy Policy | Back to Top ↑