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December 14, 2022

Strength

by David M Willis on November 5, 2015 at 12:01 am
  • 01 - To Those Who'd Ground Me

└ Tags: becky, joyce, ross

Discussion (913) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    November 5, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    SHORYUKEN!

    • inqntrol
      inqntrol
      November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

      HADOUKEN!

      • TheBrigeedaRocks
        TheBrigeedaRocks
        November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

        DAD-OUKEN

        • Ana Chronistic
          Ana Chronistic
          November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

          DAD-TOE-KEN

          • saki
            saki
            November 5, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

            DAD-TOE-CAN’T

            • Betty Anne
              Betty Anne
              November 5, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

              KAMEHAMEHA

              …wait.

              • Inkblot
                Inkblot
                November 5, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

                Half of me says violence is wrong

                Other half says screw that, Ross is a dick (and has been violent enough) and this feels oh-so-very-cathartic

                • Meebo
                  Meebo
                  November 5, 2015 at 1:16 am | #

                  My opinion? In most situations, violence is not the answer.

                  A kidnapping in progress is not most situations.

                • Porthos9438
                  Porthos9438
                  November 5, 2015 at 1:44 am | #

                  Exactly! Violence is wrong. Ross is now finding out how his violent actions are catching up with him.

                • Potatamoto
                  Potatamoto
                  November 5, 2015 at 2:02 am | #

                  Violence is indeed the last refuge of the ignorant. The intelligent (and/or badass) use it right at the beginning.

                • Rowen Morland
                  Rowen Morland
                  November 5, 2015 at 3:08 am | #

                  Karma.

                • Yet_One_More_Idiot
                  Yet_One_More_Idiot
                  November 5, 2015 at 6:53 am | #

                  “Violence is never the answer”? Bollocks to that, Violence is the answer to the question “What does Ross deserve right now for attempting to fucking kidnap his own daughter?”

                  Also, Ross, God has apparently given you the strength to get knocked the fuck out by sweet little Joycy. And it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. 😀

                • TheNinthShader
                  TheNinthShader
                  November 5, 2015 at 7:37 am | #

                  Wait a sec, ana wasnt first? ITS THE END OF THE WORLD

                • Oruncrest
                  Oruncrest
                  November 5, 2015 at 8:05 am | #

                  But seriously thou, “Violence is never the answer. Violence should be the question.”

                  {laughs as Joyce clobbers Toedad}

                  “The answer is Yes!”

                • Ghola
                  Ghola
                  November 5, 2015 at 9:52 am | #

                  Violence is always the answer.
                  It’s the best answer.
                  Want to remove a long lasting problem without lingering consequences? Violence!
                  Violence until the consequences are over!

                • Cody B
                  Cody B
                  November 5, 2015 at 11:07 am | #

                  Otoesan!

                • I Eat Cheese
                  I Eat Cheese
                  November 5, 2015 at 3:35 pm | #

                  if violence is never the answer, then what is the answer to the question “what is never the answer?”

                  maybe it is violence

                • Ruby Droplets
                  Ruby Droplets
                  November 5, 2015 at 5:20 pm | #

                  DID YOU KNOW! “Violence is Wrong” is actual a misquote. The full quote is, “Violence is always wrong, but sometimes necessary.”

                • Trolldrool
                  Trolldrool
                  November 5, 2015 at 5:41 pm | #

                  Violence is wrong if there are other options. Unfortunately, there are always variables and not all of them allow us the time to explore other options. In this case, the main variable is Ross being unwilling to listen to anything except the dogmatic memories of his traditions, as well as showing that he’s willing to take extreme measures to enforce them.

                • Dallium
                  Dallium
                  November 5, 2015 at 6:12 pm | #

                  If brute force fails to solve any problem, it’s because you didn’t use enough.

                • Truk2
                  Truk2
                  April 22, 2016 at 9:22 am | #

                  The funny thing is very few people I’ve run into can adaquetely define what violence is. But most are willing to impose very absolutist ‘answers’ and restriction on how you respond to a situation.

                  I define violence as any application of force that comes with an inherent risk of harm. (not a quote. My own musings). Hence violence extends to emotional, physical, and even finanical actions.

                  An extention of this is that it’s not about ‘avoiding violence’, its about first deciding when it is ok to apply force, and also minimising harm. This means first being philosophically aware of your values, and then looking at the outcomes rather than the first immediate action (however good it may feel)

                  This is why Sal is right. Amazi-Girl is fun, but she is not a harm minimiser. She makes things likely to end badly. And also, why a strong violent first response can sometimes result in less harm than a drawn out less strong response.

              • Pierre-Eric
                Pierre-Eric
                November 5, 2015 at 12:28 pm | #

                THEPIPESAREBROKEN

              • extremist343
                extremist343
                May 17, 2016 at 6:24 am | #

                May the force be with you!

            • Betty Anne
              Betty Anne
              November 5, 2015 at 12:27 am | #

              Looks like Toedad should have checked himself…

              • Betty Anne
                Betty Anne
                November 5, 2015 at 12:28 am | #

                Dangit, that was supposed to be a new comment, not a reply. :/

        • DarkMyste
          DarkMyste
          November 5, 2015 at 8:22 am | #

          becky-toe-dad-kin

          • DarkMyste
            DarkMyste
            November 5, 2015 at 8:25 am | #

            err joycehakdutoedad

      • Animedingo
        Animedingo
        November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

        IDLIKESOMEPOUNDCAKE

        • Tandel
          Tandel
          November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

          So THAT’S what they’re saying!

        • TheNinthShader
          TheNinthShader
          November 5, 2015 at 7:39 am | #

          IN THE FAAAAAAAAAAACEE

      • evilmidnightlurker
        evilmidnightlurker
        November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

        HADOUHOU!*

        * Hadouken = Wave Motion Fist. Hadouhou = Wave Motion Gun.

        • ninja_jesus
          ninja_jesus
          November 5, 2015 at 12:57 am | #

          What about Hatouhou?

          • evilmidnightlurker
            evilmidnightlurker
            November 5, 2015 at 1:14 am | #

            Wave Bullet Hell?

            • That Damn Rat
              That Damn Rat
              November 5, 2015 at 1:25 am | #

              Waves of girls in frilly hats is a more accurate translation I believe.

              • MortartarSaws
                MortartarSaws
                November 9, 2015 at 2:42 am | #

                I get that reference!

          • Kamino Neko
            Kamino Neko
            November 5, 2015 at 4:35 am | #

            Pigeon gun?

            • Resident SnipeFish
              Resident SnipeFish
              November 5, 2015 at 6:54 am | #

              Perfect gravatar for that comment.

            • Deanatay
              Deanatay
              November 5, 2015 at 8:59 am | #

              Nope. Spider gun. Sal is jealous.

              • WolfLann
                WolfLann
                November 5, 2015 at 11:04 am | #

                Oh I’m sure Sal is falling in love right now.

                • Deanatay
                  Deanatay
                  November 5, 2015 at 2:08 pm | #

                  Sal?? Think about Becky!!

              • Kamino Neko
                Kamino Neko
                November 6, 2015 at 10:27 am | #

                But ‘spider’ is ‘gumo’ not ‘hato’.

        • HMRC4EVR
          HMRC4EVR
          November 5, 2015 at 11:21 am | #

          Joyce is Derek Wildstar.

          And Wildstar just pulled the trigger on Toedad

          • evilmidnightlurker
            evilmidnightlurker
            November 5, 2015 at 4:55 pm | #

            Exactly. 😀

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

      Joyce hit so hard she knocked the site a full minute out of its usual update timeframe

      • Idon'tcarenomore
        Idon'tcarenomore
        November 5, 2015 at 1:02 am | #

        Which is outstanding, but…how is Toedad standing up to begin with. Broken knees and all? Guess they weren’t.

        • horrorshow88
          horrorshow88
          November 5, 2015 at 1:18 am | #

          Adrenaline is a hell of a thing, and I’m betting he’s full of it.

          • Aeron
            Aeron
            November 5, 2015 at 1:27 am | #

            The rush of being rebuked by a girl, for another girl, chased by two girls while being reported on by the first girl, kicked by a one of the two girls, who was rescued by a girl, accompanied by yet another girl, who was trying to save the first girl, then finally being punched by the girl who came with the girl who rescued one of the two girls who was racing after the first girl.

            • Deanatay
              Deanatay
              November 5, 2015 at 9:00 am | #

              So, grrl rush, then?

          • doubleW
            doubleW
            November 5, 2015 at 2:03 am | #

            Oh he’s full of it, all right

          • That guy
            That guy
            November 5, 2015 at 3:36 pm | #

            Well, I think we can all agree he’s full of it.

      • Jason
        Jason
        November 5, 2015 at 2:19 am | #

        Well, spoilers here (well wild guesses anyhow), but Joyce hit him so hard, she killed her own trauma and fear regarding strangers and date rape and such. 😉
        Oh, also, Joyce seems to be channeling It’sWalky Joyce lately, counterbalancing the bike during that catch, and now Falcon Punch? Inner Badass, unleashed!

        • Historyman68
          Historyman68
          November 5, 2015 at 7:37 am | #

          I think that if powerful punches killed trauma, Amazi-Girl would be doing a lot better emotionally…

        • Failed by the System
          Failed by the System
          November 5, 2015 at 4:24 pm | #

          Achievement Unlocked?

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

      Just plain JVT (Joyce Vs Toedad)

    • NoHeart6265
      NoHeart6265
      November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

      Next strip: C-C-C-COMBO!

      • lejwocky
        lejwocky
        November 5, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

        DEADLY TRIANGLE BEAM

      • Strangeshapes
        Strangeshapes
        November 5, 2015 at 12:22 am | #

        Your gravatar makes this comment 28% better!

      • Porthos9438
        Porthos9438
        November 5, 2015 at 1:46 am | #

        Sal puts herbike tire on his face and revs the engine. 247 hit shredding combo!!

        • Screwball
          Screwball
          November 5, 2015 at 3:52 am | #

          ULTRAAAAA!!!

          • Dio
            Dio
            November 5, 2015 at 10:24 am | #

            GOD LIKE COMBO.

    • Ben
      Ben
      November 5, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

      I wish there were likes on here… so that I could give you one million of them.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      November 5, 2015 at 12:21 am | #

      How dare you. The shoryuken is a spinning uppercut and I will not have such a proud technique mocked in such a manner.

      • Doctor_Who
        Doctor_Who
        November 5, 2015 at 1:02 am | #

        Hey, I know what I’m talking about. The Shoryuken was taught to Heihachi Mishima by the Lin Kuei master Captain Falcon. It’s the ultimate technique in Shaq Fu.

        After Mishima defeated the Skullgirl, he was declared King of Fighters, and founded the Novus Orbis Librarium to defend Urth from the vampire (and two time Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball champion) Demitri Maximoff.

        • IceMateria
          IceMateria
          November 5, 2015 at 4:51 am | #

          You forgot the part where Mishima was a Street Fighter, after training with the Virtua Fighter helmet given to him by the Super Smash Bros. Heihachi got one helluva Killer Instict when he had mastered the shoryuken because he began engaging in Motal Kombat. He later would meet his end by an unforseen Divekick. It did a million damage, and he had 100 health.

          • IceMateria
            IceMateria
            November 5, 2015 at 4:52 am | #

            *Killer Instinct

          • Dio
            Dio
            November 5, 2015 at 10:27 am | #

            Smash Brothers isn’t really a fighting game if you think about it.

            • Jupiterror
              Jupiterror
              November 5, 2015 at 10:50 am | #

              How is it not?

              • Dio
                Dio
                November 6, 2015 at 1:51 pm | #

                Because its not even a video game really.

                (its a joke from LPer’s, The Super Best Friends, to mess with people who take playing the game way to seriously.)

    • Cheryl
      Cheryl
      November 5, 2015 at 7:12 am | #

      I think you guys are looking for FALCON PUNCH!!!! Because she just showed her moves.

    • SonicBlueRanger
      SonicBlueRanger
      November 5, 2015 at 9:05 am | #

      You are an asshole kidnapper that looks like a toe BUT I AM A JOYCE!

      • HMRC4EVR
        HMRC4EVR
        November 5, 2015 at 11:24 am | #

        Someone is going to flash the Linkara signal on that one.

  2. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    November 5, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    –FLY!

    The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.

    One problem is that you have to miss the ground accidentally. It’s no good deliberately intending to miss the ground because you won’t. You have to have you attention suddenly distracted by something else when you’re halfway there, so that you are no longer thinking about falling, or about the ground, or about how much it’s going to hurt if you fail to miss it.

    For instance, you might think instead about your face connecting with a strong right hook.

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

      At first, I thought she’d hit him with a camo-colored piece of… something.

    • Carriethedragon
      Carriethedragon
      November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

      To those who’d ground me, take a message back from me:
      Tell them how I am defying gravity
      I’m flying high, defying gravity

      (I think I just figured out who this chapter’s title is REALLY about.)

      • Benjamin Geiger
        Benjamin Geiger
        November 5, 2015 at 12:47 am | #

        … given Toedad’s motivations, “Wicked” is rather appropriate anyway…

    • Clif
      Clif
      November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

      I would have said Joyce grounded him.

    • A Scientist
      A Scientist
      November 5, 2015 at 12:40 am | #

      Don’t panic.

    • Idon'tcarenomore
      Idon'tcarenomore
      November 5, 2015 at 12:59 am | #

      Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe reference. “There is no trick to flying, just aim at the ground….and miss’ Love that one.

      Toedad is not going to miss.

    • Mr. Random
      Mr. Random
      November 5, 2015 at 1:14 am | #

      Wait, is that my bag?

    • Meebo
      Meebo
      November 5, 2015 at 1:20 am | #

      My favorite thing about that part is that “throw yourself at the ground and miss” is actually how orbits work.

      Also, got my towel.

    • Hehe... Llamas
      Hehe... Llamas
      November 5, 2015 at 2:12 am | #

      I give this post… a THUMBS UP

      • Gigafreak
        Gigafreak
        November 5, 2015 at 9:10 am | #

        Thumbs go up when toes go down

    • octochan
      octochan
      November 5, 2015 at 9:20 am | #

      I give this post… a TOES UP

  3. Mandy
    Mandy
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    YES. GOOD.

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

      EXCELLENT! EVERYTHING IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN! MWAHAHAHAHA!

  4. Just A. Thinker
    Just A. Thinker
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    You go, girl!

    • Gigafreak
      Gigafreak
      November 5, 2015 at 9:12 am | #

      “You hit like a girl” must be a compliment in the Dumbing of Age world

      Most dudes I know can’t uppercut a motherfucker that amazingly

      • Kintrex
        Kintrex
        November 5, 2015 at 12:52 pm | #

        It’s a common trope in movies and tv series that people who have never thrown a punch before will be able to do it really well when it actually matters.

        • egwenna
          egwenna
          November 5, 2015 at 7:31 pm | #

          Part of it comes from not knowing just how much your hand might hurt.

  5. David Alexander McDonald
    David Alexander McDonald
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    GO, JOYCE!

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

      *Waves DRAGONS chearleader pom-poms* RAH RAH RAH STUB THAT TOE LIKE HE DON’T KNOW RAH RAH RAH

      • Disloyal Subject
        Disloyal Subject
        November 5, 2015 at 12:53 am | #

        BIM BAM BEE! KICK ‘IM IN THE KNEE! BIM BAM BASS! KICK ‘IM IN THE OTHER KNEE!

        • TheNinthShader
          TheNinthShader
          November 5, 2015 at 7:46 am | #

          I was going to submit an obligatory IN THE FAAAAAAACE reply, but Ive already done that two times today… hmm JOYCE PUNCHED HIM FOR A NICKEL!

    • Yet_One_More_Idiot
      Yet_One_More_Idiot
      November 5, 2015 at 5:22 pm | #

      NOBODY messes with our Joycy’s family! NOBODY! 😀

  6. Victor Riley
    Victor Riley
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    Strength to what? You didn’t finish!

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

      Strength to turn the other cheek, of course. I mean, Joyce certainly turned his cheek. With her fist.

      • nothri
        nothri
        November 5, 2015 at 1:17 am | #

        And as a good Christian, she’s duty bound to turn the other one.

    • Moonshine McGee
      Moonshine McGee
      November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

      strength to…weight ratio of a wet paper doll, it would seem.

      • N0083rP00F
        N0083rP00F
        November 5, 2015 at 10:18 am | #

        Water is incompressible when it come to high speed impacts. It’s like diving off the golden gate bridge or getting towel snapped at the pool. Wet towels hurt more for a reason.

      • Benwhoski
        Benwhoski
        November 5, 2015 at 4:14 pm | #

        I think this is my favorite “finish that sentence” comment.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      November 5, 2015 at 12:30 am | #

      The Strength to make any girl under the age of 19’s fist explode after punching me.

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      November 5, 2015 at 12:38 am | #

      The strength to get knocked the fuck down.

      • Smiling Cat
        Smiling Cat
        November 5, 2015 at 1:47 am | #

        In the hereafter, God, Aslan, and Dab are watching the fight on God’s big screen.

        Aslan says “give him some more strength, I want to see her knock him down again.”

        • fizzywafflezsuperstore
          fizzywafflezsuperstore
          November 5, 2015 at 8:09 am | #

          I don’t often use “lol” for it is often inaccurate.

          However, in this case, I really did lol.

        • HMRC4EVR
          HMRC4EVR
          November 5, 2015 at 11:29 am | #

          You know, Wiz and Boomstick over at Death Battle could make a ton of folks happy by doing this as one of their matches.

    • maarvarq
      maarvarq
      November 5, 2015 at 1:29 am | #

      To be punched into the middle of next week?

    • CianM1301
      CianM1301
      November 5, 2015 at 3:25 am | #

      Joyce: “Oh, I’m sorry, did I break your concentration?”

  7. phi
    phi
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    YEEEEESSSS

    • Airyu
      Airyu
      November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

      It’s the most satisfying comic in the history of the airyu internet.

      • Airyu
        Airyu
        November 5, 2015 at 9:56 am | #

        I typed this on my phone and I don’t know why it put in a second “airyu” there (airyu is one of the words I added to my phone dictionary)

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

      Willis, you, sir, just won the internet. Unfortunately, we’ll have to reposes the internet in order to make up for all the times we’ve damned you.

  8. saki
    saki
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    You go Joyce! Man I can’t enough of all these characters kicking (Ross’s) ass! =D

    • saki
      saki
      November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

      Also, the end of that sentence is definitely “bully teenagers into submission”.

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      The end of that sentence is probably “given me the strength to remain ignorant and oblivious to my own hypocrisy.”

      • saki
        saki
        November 5, 2015 at 12:21 am | #

        Or, like, “given me the strength to resist any and all contradicting opinions and facts”.

        • Just A. Thinker
          Just A. Thinker
          November 5, 2015 at 12:26 am | #

          That too

  9. m-m
    m-m
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    “FINISH HIM!”

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      NOOO! Becky still loves him!

      • Strangeshapes
        Strangeshapes
        November 5, 2015 at 12:24 am | #

        Give him a Babality and home someone raises him better the next time.

        • Kiggy
          Kiggy
          November 5, 2015 at 12:28 am | #

          ^THIS^

          • TheNinthShader
            TheNinthShader
            November 5, 2015 at 7:47 am | #

            Fatality!

        • timemonkey
          timemonkey
          November 5, 2015 at 2:30 pm | #

          Babality is a physical change, not mental.

          ….Is it weird I know that?

      • Disloyal Subject
        Disloyal Subject
        November 5, 2015 at 12:29 am | #

        Hey, a brutal lecture would cut deeper than any Fatality if it got through his resolute denial of opposing viewpoints.

        • Commodore Jeep-Eep
          Commodore Jeep-Eep
          November 5, 2015 at 12:32 am | #

          He wouldn’t listen. Only thing for the likes of him is force.

          • Disloyal Subject
            Disloyal Subject
            November 5, 2015 at 1:17 am | #

            I know it’s a pretty big ‘if,’ but I think a Joyce wielding the wrath of God has a better chance than anything else.

            • AutobotDen
              AutobotDen
              November 5, 2015 at 1:48 am | #

              Not likely. Toedad’s a conservative “Christian” (I use that term EXTREMELY loosely, based on experience), and still thinks he’s in the right. He sees Joyce, Becky, and their gender as inferior, and even if Joyce was somehow able to put the fear of God into him, he’d still maintain that he was acting in his family’s best interests.

              • Deathstalker
                Deathstalker
                November 5, 2015 at 7:14 am | #

                You know, I get tired of this. It’s the No True Scotsman fallacy. A Christian did something bad, so they aren’t a Christian. Bullshit. They are a Christian, they have been up to that point. They don’t magically stop being.

                Most Christians might not act like that, but they are Christians. Christians have done FAR worse. Someone pointed out recently that Militant Islam very much resembles much of earlier Christianity. Nothing ISIS has done has not been done by Christians, and worse. Are you to say that those people were not Christians?

                Within just about any group of people there are good and bad people. The percentages may be higher in some groups, but I find that whole Christians are always good a bunch of crap.

                We had someone assassinated in my city, in a church by a Christian, for religious reasons. Much like Toedad here, and because of that, I’m not going to let someone claim even a stretch to call them Christian. If I look at the actions of Jesus in the bible, I’d have to start eliminating whole swaths of the Christians. You might as well compare Communists (Leninists, Stalinists, and Maoists for example) to Marx’s book. They hold up about as well.

                • Mindlink
                  Mindlink
                  November 5, 2015 at 7:52 am | #

                  “Nothing ISIS has done has not been done by Christians, and worse. Are you to say that those people were not Christians?”

                  No, they were not, and ISIS were never Muslim.
                  Saying there’s something “magical” about that, is like saying that a person that removes all its clothes somehow magically stops being clothed.
                  It’s not magic, it’s removing the defining characteristics.

                • fizzywafflezsuperstore
                  fizzywafflezsuperstore
                  November 5, 2015 at 8:14 am | #

                  “Saying there’s something “magical” about that, is like saying that a person that removes all its clothes somehow magically stops being clothed.
                  It’s not magic, it’s removing the defining characteristics.”

                  -Mindlink, November 5, 2015 (7:52 AM)

                • The Biggest Tom
                  The Biggest Tom
                  November 5, 2015 at 9:36 am | #

                  The No True Scotsman is a fallacy ONLY when offered without proof. To use a less controversial example, I can declare that “A Christian believes Jesus is God’s son.” Well, as the Arian heresy demonstrates pretty clearly, there are some people who can call themselves Christian but believe things that are totally different.

                  It is therefore NOT a No True Scotsman to declare that “Christians” who don’t believe a minimum defined set of beliefs are not, in fact, True Christians.

                  In addition, the No True Scotsman only applies to practical examples. If I say that “No Christian should ignore the poor,” and you say “I saw a Christian ignoring the poor just the other day,” it is NOT fallacious to say “He should not have ignored the poor,” even though that’s exactly the same thing as saying “No TRUE Christian should ignore the poor.” The argument was made as an ideal to hold people to, and nobody knows better than Christians how easy it is to forget the more inconvenient teachings and beliefs like “Sell everything and help those in need” or “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” We get it. We’re flawed. Not every Christian is going to be able to do what is right all the time. However, we SHOULD be trying to help the poor, and we SHOULD be kind and understanding to others, and it’s definitely not a fallacy to say that we and those like us *ought* to do it in response to the accusation that we *haven’t been* doing it.

                • Reltzik
                  Reltzik
                  November 5, 2015 at 10:16 am | #

                  Look. Christianity is not a well-defined category. It isn’t even defined with a gray border-area, the way “clothed” versus “unclothed” might be.

                  Instead, it’s overly-defined. There’s thousands of DIFFERENT definitions floating around out there, distinct from and mutually-exclusive with each other in a bunch of subtly different ways, and no one definition is universally accepted as the “correct” one. For nearly every doctrinal or behavioral standard you might wish to apply, there’s going to be at least an entire denomination of identifying Christians that fall outside of that.

                • Random832
                  Random832
                  November 5, 2015 at 2:33 pm | #

                  The No True Scotsman thing also isn’t a fallacy when applied to matters of (arguable) definition. There’s a reason you see it cited as “No True Scotsman puts sugar on porridge” and not “No True Scotsman lacks both Scottish ancestry and British citizenship”.

                  For a religion, it’s not inherrently fallacious to assert that some doctrinal matter is part of the definition, and therefore that people who claim to be Christians without meeting that definition are heretics.

              • NotPiffany
                NotPiffany
                November 5, 2015 at 8:15 am | #

                I imagine when the cops show up, he’ll start “justifying” his behavior to them, expecting them to back him up.

                • NichFlamel
                  NichFlamel
                  November 5, 2015 at 1:27 pm | #

                  I certainly hope so – preferably, he get’s maced/tazed when going for his gun, as being unconscious when they arrive won’t be as satisfying

              • EgalitarianIam
                EgalitarianIam
                November 5, 2015 at 2:37 pm | #

                I have to disagree the first three crusades for instance were defensive wars, actually studied the subject. People do horriable/evil things and think they are justified because of ideology/belief

  10. chefhoag
    chefhoag
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    YYYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      You’ve just got to love Becky’s smile when she sees Joyce…

      • Commodore Jeep-Eep
        Commodore Jeep-Eep
        November 5, 2015 at 12:45 am | #

        Her look of consternation is less pleasant.

  11. CaptainBatson
    CaptainBatson
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    I’m gettin’ SEMME flashbacks.

    • Just Me
      Just Me
      November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

      I was just thinking that Joyce was channeling her Alternate Universe Self. She is, after all, wearing the same outfit.

      Amazed that Ross could even walk.

      You go girl! Show him your Righteous Right Hook.

      • Just A. Thinker
        Just A. Thinker
        November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

        Somehow, BOTH Roth and Joyce are channeling the Power of Righteous Fury!

        • HMRC4EVR
          HMRC4EVR
          November 5, 2015 at 11:31 am | #

          Next strip Joyce goes flame red as she channels Bruning Justice!

      • BenRG
        BenRG
        November 5, 2015 at 3:08 am | #

        I’m increasingly wondering if Willis has tired of ‘everyday college life’ and has decided to turn this into the ‘How the Gang Got Together’ story of the Justice League Bloomington!

        • HMRC4EVR
          HMRC4EVR
          November 5, 2015 at 11:36 am | #

          If so I’m guessing it’ll rotate between adventures that deserved to be on JLU and shennangians worthy of the Justice League Antartica

          • BenRG
            BenRG
            November 5, 2015 at 11:44 am | #

            I’m glad that I’m not the only one who remembers the JLAnt 😀

    • GhostWriterL
      GhostWriterL
      November 5, 2015 at 9:47 am | #

      None are needed. This is the guy that pulled a gun out on her and kidnapped her best friend for something she’s come to realize isn’t evil, and that the only evil that exists in regards to it is the people who use God as an excuse to be abusive and violent.

      She’s probably also going to take out some of that anger she has towards Ryan on him as well, but Ross has literally done nothing but make himself worthy of being that punching bag.

      Still too bad that he’s not a toe-shaped splatter underneath a semi’s tire, but this is quite cathartic.

  12. AnvilPro
    AnvilPro
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    Okay. Even with all that has happened, I will still admit I did not see that coming.

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

      Are you kidding? Slice of life comics always go like that! First, a character shows up on campus and turns out to be a lesbian. Then, the character comes out of the closet so hard she nukes it from orbit. Then she gets a girlfriend. The her dad shows up with a gun and kidnaps her. Then the lesbian’s friend completes their own transition to BADASS. Then she’s partially saved by a superhero, then the superhero is saved by the superhero’s arch-nemesis, then the lesbian’s friend punches the lesbian’s dad. SOOOO cliche. (Seriously, though – Willis is great at writing plots!)

      • merbrat
        merbrat
        November 5, 2015 at 12:57 am | #

        Wow! I’d read that!

        • JoyceParty
          JoyceParty
          November 5, 2015 at 5:33 am | #

          You did.

          • merbrat
            merbrat
            November 5, 2015 at 8:40 am | #

            (was bein’ silly)

  13. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    Yeeeeees that’s what I hoped for !

  14. Just A. Thinker
    Just A. Thinker
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    The father got over there quickly, given the apparent state of his knees.

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

      There’s motion lines on his leg. I think he was able to stand up, but not by much and so was on wobbly legs when trying to assert his “authority”.

      • Just A. Thinker
        Just A. Thinker
        November 5, 2015 at 12:24 am | #

        Thanks for pointing that out – I didn’t see that

    • segnosaur
      segnosaur
      November 5, 2015 at 12:56 am | #

      A lot of people have made comments about his knees being broken or otherwise mangled, but to be honest I don`t think we have enough evidence to say how damaged they were.

      Everything seems to be based on the strip which showed some red on his legs and torn pants. But, that could also simply be due to relatively minor scraping. We never saw exactly what happened to his knees, and it looked like he was sitting on the curbside in the last strip; if his knees were broken, I doubt he would have been in that position.

  15. Burgerking
    Burgerking
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    Blammo!

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:27 am | #

      More like “NNNNVVVMMMMKRCRLBRPFVOOOOOOOOOOOM!”

  16. Ray Radlein
    Ray Radlein
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    SUPER-JOYCE

  17. Lia47
    Lia47
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    eventually he’ll learn to just stay down

    • evilmidnightlurker
      evilmidnightlurker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

      that day is probably not this day

    • Alan Lafond
      Alan Lafond
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      Stay down?

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:29 am | #

      Honestly, though, I just hope that he can feel guilt for his actions, and that he can come to an understanding of why he’s done is wrong, and that one day he apologizes to a tearful Becky in a strip that has ALL the feels, and that they hug, and that all the readers want to cry.

      • Someone
        Someone
        November 5, 2015 at 12:41 am | #

        After being a recurring villain for a while, he finally comes around in time to
        sacrifice himself to stop a more dangerous villain. He will die in Becky’s arms.

        • random832
          random832
          November 5, 2015 at 1:03 am | #

          This is going to be one hell of a freshman year.

          • Clif
            Clif
            November 5, 2015 at 3:32 pm | #

            Yes.

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        November 5, 2015 at 3:25 am | #

        From what we’ve seen of him, I don’t know if Ross can objectively look at his situation. The extreme version of “family values” and concept of absolute patriarchal authority are too deeply ingrained in his idea of what a family should be. He thinks anything less than the ‘perfect’ Leave it to Beaver nuclear family structure is unacceptable, and what doesn’t fit into it must be wrong in some way, because it doesn’t fit.

        Through this entire episode he hasn’t acted in the best interest of Becky as a person; he has only worried about losing his “perfect daughter”. He doesn’t understand what Becky is figuring out about herself, and there’s no predefined place in the template for New Becky, therefore “she is corrupt and must be restored to her proper place”. In his eyes this will save the family he’s supposed to have.

        Then again who knows, maybe he wasn’t as extreme in the past but doubled down on his ‘ideal family’ notions after his wife died. Or maybe he just really wants grandchildren.

        • Mindlink
          Mindlink
          November 5, 2015 at 8:02 am | #

          “He thinks anything less than the ‘perfect’ Leave it to Beaver nuclear family structure is unacceptable, and what doesn’t fit into it must be wrong in some way, because it doesn’t fit.”

          This so true! Sometimes I wonder if sit-coms have actually done much more harm to families than any fundamentalist version of religion have ever done.
          My own parents, while they have learned and changed a lot after I grew up, were VERY much into this perfect nuclear sit-com family equals normal/standard/right, and anything that derivated too much from that was bad/dangerous/crazy. And they were strict atheists! They tolerated me having friends that didn’t fit that standard, and they had their own friends like that, but that again fits with the sit-com standard where there’s always one or two “wacky” friends, or neighbours, that the core family can laugh at but not BE themselves.
          Fortunately, one of those sit-coms were the Addams Family, so I was allowed a certain amount of freedom, but as I look back at it now, it was definitively a syndicated sit-com-family I grew up with.

  18. sistasweetpea
    sistasweetpea
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    DAMNN!!!!

    • sistasweetpea
      sistasweetpea
      November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

      That was great!

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:25 am | #

      DAAAAAAYYYYUMMMNNN

  19. CriticalQuit
    CriticalQuit
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    Looks like Joyce has a lot more strength!

  20. Ian
    Ian
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    *whistles*That’s gonna sting

    • Just A. Thinker
      Just A. Thinker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:30 am | #

      His heads gonna ring;
      And the ol’ internet in goin’ to sing
      Of Joyce’s Fists of Fury.

  21. Cooper
    Cooper
    November 5, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    FAAAAAAALCOOOOOOOON

    • Hammmmm
      Hammmmm
      November 5, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

      PUUUUUUUNNNCH

      • Just A. Thinker
        Just A. Thinker
        November 5, 2015 at 12:31 am | #

        *Explosion sound effects*

        • Leorale
          Leorale
          November 5, 2015 at 1:07 am | #

          Joyce fights for her FRIENDS!!

  22. Stephen R. Bierce
    Stephen R. Bierce
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    *plays John Lennon’s “Instant Karma(‘s Gonna Get You)” on a beatbox off panel*

  23. rezby
    rezby
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    yessssssssssssssssssssssssssss

  24. Porto
    Porto
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    He gave you the strength to get FUCKING DECKED.

    Get out, toedad.

  25. evilmidnightlurker
    evilmidnightlurker
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    DAWN CASTE. Essence Fever.

    • evilmidnightlurker
      evilmidnightlurker
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      (seriously someone needs to photoshop the sunburst caste mark on Joyce’s forehead)

      • Disloyal Subject
        Disloyal Subject
        November 5, 2015 at 3:17 am | #

        Hope you like MS Paint.

        • evilmidnightlurker
          evilmidnightlurker
          November 5, 2015 at 11:14 am | #

          Thanks! 😀

          • evilmidnightlurker
            evilmidnightlurker
            November 5, 2015 at 2:47 pm | #

            Cool Exalt name, too. No Moon Dina = Seven Raptors Clever?

            • Disloyal Subject
              Disloyal Subject
              November 5, 2015 at 6:00 pm | #

              I’m not familiar with Lunar naming conventions; I’ve been avoiding fully immersing myself in the Realm in case I get a chance to play someday so I can learn as my character does.

              • evilmidnightlurker
                evilmidnightlurker
                November 5, 2015 at 9:19 pm | #

                There’s a canonical Lunar named Seven Devils Clever; that brought “clever girl” to mind and here we are.

    • sun tzu
      sun tzu
      November 5, 2015 at 12:26 am | #

      And here Joyce always thought she was a Zenith. XD

      • evilmidnightlurker
        evilmidnightlurker
        November 5, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

        Either way it’s particularly amusing given that the Unconquered Sun is strongly hinted to be old-World-of-Darkness’s Lucifer. 😀

  26. Glitchmebaby
    Glitchmebaby
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    I HAVE WAITED SO LONG TO SEE HIM GET CLOBBERED

  27. Jake
    Jake
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    perfect name for the strip

  28. Lordikaroz91
    Lordikaroz91
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    FALCON PUNCH!!!!!

  29. Snugglebutts
    Snugglebutts
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    That last panel is one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever seen!

  30. John
    John
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    Sorry, butthole dad, I don’t think you’re the one God is giving strength to here.

    Just count yourself lucky she didn’t use a glass.

    • DarkoNeko
      DarkoNeko
      November 5, 2015 at 1:11 am | #

      And that Sarah was unavailable.

  31. shadowcell
    shadowcell
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    falcon pawnch

  32. Kaara
    Kaara
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    …take a punch?

    • Bill M.
      Bill M.
      November 5, 2015 at 4:26 pm | #

      No… leave a punch.

  33. Storm
    Storm
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    OHHHHHHHH SHITTTTT!!!!

  34. Cerberus
    Cerberus
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    I think Joyce may be ever so slightly done with his fucking bullshit. Maybe.

    • NoHeart6265
      NoHeart6265
      November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

      As we all are.

    • Strangeshapes
      Strangeshapes
      November 5, 2015 at 12:27 am | #

      Understatement FTW!

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      November 5, 2015 at 1:11 am | #

      Joyce would like to register a counterpoint to his argument.

      And since he made HIS argument with a gun, her response is fitting.

  35. Irune
    Irune
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    kablam

  36. Bio D
    Bio D
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A GLASS JAW, MOTHERFRICKER!

  37. a4lbi
    a4lbi
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    God has given him the strength to get knocked the fuck out!

  38. David Alexander McDonald
    David Alexander McDonald
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    Actually, this reminds me of the time my first wife decked me. One hell of an uppercut that started around her knees, and took me a couple of inches off the ground.

    Guys, never make fun of your wives.

    • Lapin
      Lapin
      November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

      Assuming there was a legit reason behind this, why exactly did this happen? /curiousity

    • Riku
      Riku
      November 5, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

      Jesus Fucking Christ what the hell warranted that?

      • Freemage
        Freemage
        November 5, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

        I can think of exactly one thing–trash-talk during some sort of consensual bout in a gym ring. Otherwise… yeesh.

        • AutobotDen
          AutobotDen
          November 5, 2015 at 1:50 am | #

          Same thing. Or during Tae Kwon Do or some similar martial art sparring.

      • Disloyal Subject
        Disloyal Subject
        November 5, 2015 at 3:28 am | #

        It isn’t always warranted. People can be touchy.
        My dad still has a dent in his skull from my mother smacking him in the head with an encyclopedia because she mistakenly thought he wasn’t paying attention while she was talking, and she’s threatened to call the police on me for “assaulting” her for so much as blocking swings or twisting her fingers off of my throat.
        …In retrospect, that makes my tastes in women vaguely Oedipal. Ugh.

        • Kryss LaBryn
          Kryss LaBryn
          November 5, 2015 at 7:12 am | #

          Good god, that’s terrible.

      • David Alexander McDonald
        David Alexander McDonald
        November 6, 2015 at 3:56 am | #

        Short form: argument that turned funny, led to me teasing her in a way to make her mad, followed by my mocking her as a short-arse who didn’t know how to punch.

        She didn’t. And still decked me anyway. It was deserved, in my opinion…and was funny as hell to me, despite the sore jaw. I’ve been on the receiving end of female wrath in much more serious circumstances (including a run-in with a bipolar drunk who left me with three fingernail slashes down one cheek — I was the lucky one; she glassed another bloke. Wife of a pub owner in Rathkeale, Ireland, out for an evening’s riot in somebody else’s pub.)

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      November 5, 2015 at 12:31 am | #

      Hahaha I can make fun of my wife all I want, because I’m positive she’ll never exist.

      • N0083rP00F
        N0083rP00F
        November 5, 2015 at 10:52 am | #

        (second hand observation from real-life tm)
        Ha, you knew that I was an (select one = idiot-geek-horriblepunster-oblivious-absentminded-nogoodatrememebringdates) and you married me anyways.

  39. Molto
    Molto
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    Not toeday, Ross.

    Not toeday.

    • saki
      saki
      November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

      *slowly laughs herself into hyperventliation*

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      November 5, 2015 at 12:30 am | #

      Here, have an Internet.

  40. Cypherfox
    Cypherfox
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    Oh yeah! WHO’S been given the strength, Toeboy?

  41. Just A. Thinker
    Just A. Thinker
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    Next up, in Dumbing of Age: Joyce Brown & her Righteous Fists of Fury vs Toe Dad & his Righteous Fists of Fury (and possibly a gun too)

    • Victor Riley
      Victor Riley
      November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

      I think the gun is on the side of the highway about a quarter mile back.

      • Just A. Thinker
        Just A. Thinker
        November 5, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

        Good point – at this point, they outnumber Toe Dad, so hopefully he’ll realize his disadvantage and the situation won’t continue escalating.

        • saki
          saki
          November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

          He’s up against four girls. I doubt they scare him, though they should.

          • John
            John
            November 5, 2015 at 12:29 am | #

            Yeah, for serious. Of the three girls Becky’s got for backup here, one of them smashed a glass in the face of the last guy to fuck with her, one of them held up a convenience store with a knife, and the last beat her own father senseless last weekend and stabbed the aforementioned convenience store robber with her own knife.

            Don’t fuck with third floor Clark Wing. They will cut you.

            • Flipz
              Flipz
              November 5, 2015 at 12:42 am | #

              Quite literally, in fact.

            • DudeMyDadOwnsADealership
              DudeMyDadOwnsADealership
              November 5, 2015 at 1:09 am | #

              And that last one’s father who was beaten senseless was both over five foot two and an actual mob associate. This might be little Rossie’s first time doing anything the police could take him in for on the spot if they saw. I’d both leave that gun where it is and stick to words if I were him.

            • Fred
              Fred
              November 5, 2015 at 2:00 pm | #

              And the former convenience store robber is going to be the voice of reason here!

  42. Guairdean Beatha
    Guairdean Beatha
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    The Lord has delivered him unto his enemies. Also, I told you the SEMME training had kicked in.

    • John
      John
      November 5, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

      The problem with that theory is that I’m pretty sure “SEMME training” is an oxymoron.

  43. Jonathan S.
    Jonathan S.
    November 5, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    Sorry, Toedad, looks like God’s given that strength to Joyce now.

  44. tim gueguen
    tim gueguen
    November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    I hope Joyce hasn’t hurt her hand.

    • -Sentinel-
      -Sentinel-
      November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

      Someone’s toe got hurt.

    • Lapin
      Lapin
      November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

      Looks like she went for the jaw. Good place to hit overall, because I think it’s like…ten pounds of pressure to the jaw will incapacitate a person? Not so good for your own knuckles. This sort of hit would probably not only split her knuckles, but bruise them, especially since she likely hasn’t been trained in that way to toughen them up. Worst case, a boxer’s break or a dislocated knuckle. Either way, she’ll heal up alright, and Toedad will still have been knocked flat on his ass by a five-foot-nothing, Twilight-loving, sweater-wearing, piece of fluff like Joyce.

      Which probably goes to show that there is a God in DOA universe.

      • Ace
        Ace
        November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

        Joyce can’t watch Twilight. It revolves around Edward and doesn’t admit to the presence of a God Almighty.

        Otherwise your perfectly right.

        • Someone
          Someone
          November 5, 2015 at 12:22 am | #

          She said twilight was her favorite movie!

          http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/04-the-bechdel-test/movies/

        • Lapin
          Lapin
          November 5, 2015 at 12:22 am | #

          If you go allllllllllllllll the way back to when it showed Joyce and everyone in their gender studies class (now years ago in our time), we see that Joyce has read/watched/enjoyed Twilight at some point. Leslie was saying something about Twilight actually passed the Bechdel Test and Joyce was being smug. I have seen it touted as an “acceptable” book in the fantasy genre for her flavor of Christian before, because of the whole “Bella and Edward waiting until they’re married, gender roles, etc”.

          Hopefully, she grows out of thinking that’s an example of a healthy relationship.

          Seriously though, even if she gets a full boxer’s break (which hurts like a mofo), totally worth it.

          • Flipz
            Flipz
            November 5, 2015 at 12:48 am | #

            Can confirm that being the angle it was presented to me by my superconservative family. If Willis ever shows Joyce try to explain that “Twilight is actually secretly about abstinence” angle to her friends the way I did, though, we will have Gravatars for DAYS. xD

            • saki
              saki
              November 5, 2015 at 12:56 am | #

              I would love to see Joyce’s faces as someone (Dorothy maybe?) explains to her how Twilight is actually about romanticising stalkers and abusive relationships.

              • merbrat
                merbrat
                November 5, 2015 at 1:05 am | #

                Joyce: But…but, in the movie– Edwards parents have that wall full of crosses! So, that means… something, riiiight?

              • Lapin
                Lapin
                November 5, 2015 at 1:51 am | #

                Eh. I feel like Dorothy would just be too…delicate. Sarah or Billie, or even Dina, would probably be able to explain it in much clearer terms, because Sarah and Billie would just be legit, “He sneaked into her room and watched her sleep, are you fucking kidding me?” whereas Dina would list off the checklist of an abusive relationship, where Edward pretttty much ticks all the boxes, in a very logical way.

                Dorothy is great, but she would try to spare Joyce’s feelings. Sarah and Billie would have no such qualms, both out of fear Joyce would walk right into that sort of relationship and see it as romantic. (That is to say, Billie is a bit self-centered and ridiculous, but if anyone put their hands on Joyce [or any girl] that way, they’d be picking up their teeth after she found out)

                • Kamino Neko
                  Kamino Neko
                  November 5, 2015 at 4:41 am | #

                  Have you forgotten the nature of Billie’s own relationship? Edward and Bella ain’t got nothing on her and Ruth.

                • saki
                  saki
                  November 5, 2015 at 7:47 pm | #

                  Hm, good point.

              • Steampunkette
                Steampunkette
                November 5, 2015 at 5:38 am | #

                Twilight isn’t about abusive relationships. They’re in it, but that’s not what it’s about.

                Twilight is about Stephanie Meyer lying to her romantic partner that saving the chat logs from all the Yahoo chat rooms she RPed in was book research in a collaborative writing set up instead of being cybersex and melodramatic online relationships she had when she was 16.

                • Bantha
                  Bantha
                  November 5, 2015 at 10:28 am | #

                  ^^^^ That…and Stephanie Meyer displaying her utter lack of understanding of the traditional fictional concept of Vampires. Sparkle in the sunlight…really? I like the alternate ending: Buffy stakes Edward. The end.

                • saki
                  saki
                  November 5, 2015 at 7:46 pm | #

                  I’ll agree it’s about both those things.

        • Rutee
          Rutee
          November 5, 2015 at 5:30 am | #

          Er, Twilight’s got an almighty god – vampirehood is basically becoming a mormon.

      • Roborat
        Roborat
        November 5, 2015 at 2:56 pm | #

        The way she formed a fist, she likely broke her thumb.

        • Lapin
          Lapin
          November 6, 2015 at 1:52 am | #

          You’d be surprised at how durable your thumb really is. Yes, in all likelihood, she has busted it somehow, but I’ve seen people walk away with “mere” heavy bruising and a lot of swelling. And when I say mere, I actually mean “Are you sure it’s not broken?” “X-ray says it isn’t.”

    • Ancestral Hamster
      Ancestral Hamster
      November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

      Yeah, I figure the next panel will be Joyce clutching her hand saying, “Goddamn that hurt.” In this universe, she’s not used to punching out people and of course she doesn’t … never mind, the rest of the sentence would be spoiler material.

      • Lapin
        Lapin
        November 5, 2015 at 12:28 am | #

        At this point her adrenaline is pumping so hard she might /not/ actually feel it for awhile.

      • John
        John
        November 5, 2015 at 12:35 am | #

        Nothing can hurt Joyce anymore.

        • Lapin
          Lapin
          November 5, 2015 at 12:51 am | #

          Ehh, in my experience, once the adrenaline has worn off, stuff like this actually hurts way worse, because you didn’t remember to ice it/take painkillers. Not to mention the pain she’s going to be feeling from the Epic Amazigirl Catch that definitely jolted the bike (which was moving at a very high speed). Joyce is going to be sore everywhere tomorrow morning.

          • TheNinthShader
            TheNinthShader
            November 5, 2015 at 7:42 am | #

            Twist, joyce is secretly a cyborg. It all makes sense.

      • Bicycle Bill
        Bicycle Bill
        November 5, 2015 at 2:30 am | #

        But it hurts so good……

    • TheLurkerAbove
      TheLurkerAbove
      November 5, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

      Probably has, people who aren’t trained to fight inevitably bruise or even crack a few bones the first time they actually punch someone. The hand is actually pretty fragile, given its complicated construction and all that.

      • Kryss LaBryn
        Kryss LaBryn
        November 5, 2015 at 7:25 am | #

        What I find fascinating is recent studies that seem to show that we evolved the ability to both throw and take punches fairly early, like around a million years or so ago. Other apes can’t even form proper fists, but our hands, while also being way more dexterous than those of other primates, also can form fists and when we hit something (with our wrists straight, so properly), the bones in the back of our hands actually flex slightly, transferring the force of the blow to our arm bones, which of course are much larger and tougher and more able to absorb it.

        The really fascinating part is that right around the time we started being able to actually throw punches, our faces also started to become more buttressed and better able to take a hit. And although even the average woman’s face is more reinforced and better able to take a hit than those of even male great apes, human males’ faces are more reinforced than females, and the extra reinforcing is in places in the facial structure that show gender-based morphology.

        So we’ve been evolving to throw and (especially guys) take punches for, like, a million years or so. We are way, way, way better at it than other primates, even though they have more muscle strength.

        Fascinating!

        • Kryss LaBryn
          Kryss LaBryn
          November 5, 2015 at 7:26 am | #

          –Joyce will never be the one to say it, but, “Here! Have a million years of evolution to the face, asshole!”

  45. Stormrunner
    Stormrunner
    November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    God gave someone strength, and it wasn’t Ross.

  46. Enigma
    Enigma
    November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    YES! YES! YES! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

  47. Kaara
    Kaara
    November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    ..take a punch?

    • nothri
      nothri
      November 5, 2015 at 12:44 am | #

      Obviously not, no.

      • TheNinthShader
        TheNinthShader
        November 5, 2015 at 7:43 am | #

        IN THE FAAAAAAAACEE

  48. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    Where’s your God-given strength now Ross, huh?

    • Dorje Sylas
      Dorje Sylas
      November 5, 2015 at 10:52 am | #

      It’s is in Joyce. You can see it in those angry deep arctic ice blue eyes. So cold.

  49. Marie
    Marie
    November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    YASS

  50. Mr. Mendo
    Mr. Mendo
    November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    God gave Joyce a mean right hook! 😉

  51. Buttlerman
    Buttlerman
    November 5, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

    Good things from this: We get to see Toedad hurt, we get to see Joyce punch an asshole, Becky will probably stay, and people will be happy.
    BAd things that’ll probably come: Becky’s relationship is probably going to be weird…

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

      Sooooo, amazing first date. Sorry about my dad nearly murdering you in the treeline. Also, my attraction to Joyce may have peaked through the roof after she decked him in front of me. Anyways, you still up for Date Night Number 2?

    • AeromechanicalAce
      AeromechanicalAce
      November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

      Why? I’m sure at this point, becky would 100% agree he had that coming.

    • Commodore Jeep-Eep
      Commodore Jeep-Eep
      November 5, 2015 at 12:21 am | #

      You forgot how this is gunna touch off crazy drama back at Becky’s folks.

      • Commodore Jeep-Eep
        Commodore Jeep-Eep
        November 5, 2015 at 12:35 am | #

        Joyce’s folks. Fuck, I’m getting dozy.

        • HMRC4EVR
          HMRC4EVR
          November 5, 2015 at 11:43 am | #

          Her folks find out and try to pull her out of college or threaten to cut off the money if she doesn’t quit because ‘the people there are corrupting her’

          • Commodore Jeep-Eep
            Commodore Jeep-Eep
            November 5, 2015 at 4:21 pm | #

            Quite probable.

  52. newllend(henryvolt)
    newllend(henryvolt)
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    Toedad I think there was a miscommunication on who God gave the Superman strength here.

  53. Lapin
    Lapin
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    Never underestimate the strength contained in a short person when they’re angry.

    • HelpIveFallen
      HelpIveFallen
      November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

      Though she is but little, she is fierce!

    • Jason
      Jason
      November 5, 2015 at 12:36 am | #

      Amazi-Girl to Joyce, days ago: “I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. It’s called a low center of gravity….”

    • SDGlyph
      SDGlyph
      November 5, 2015 at 2:45 pm | #

      TINY THUNDER!

  54. MightionNY
    MightionNY
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    -First Attack!
    2000 pts.

  55. Mada
    Mada
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    The only strength God has given Ross is the strength to stand after apparently getting his legs mangled like that.

    • Disloyal Subject
      Disloyal Subject
      November 5, 2015 at 3:36 am | #

      They’re only a little sliced up. They bled plenty, but it’s already congealing – the shrapnel still stuck there probably helps stem the flow a little.
      There might be worse damage we don’t see, like fractures, but I wouldn’t call them mangled. Though if it were ground up, he wouldn’t be the first terrible dad in webcomics to lose a limb after his own stupidity got it torn to shreds.

      • TheNinthShader
        TheNinthShader
        November 5, 2015 at 7:44 am | #

        Please link one of those comics, I need to see more idiot gore.

        • Disloyal Subject
          Disloyal Subject
          November 5, 2015 at 5:51 pm | #

          Just off the top of my head. I’ll rack my brains for more later, but we’ll probably have a new page before then.

  56. Brigid Keely
    Brigid Keely
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    Can Becky’s dad be charged with attempted kidnapping/abduction (or… actual, I guess, bc he forced her into the car w/a gun even if they didn’t get too far)? Is she a legal adult? What are her rights, and which of them has he violated? IDK if this has been touched on in previous comments, sorry. & I know this isn’t a super realistic strip that’s going to get bogged down in legal details. But I’m really curious as to what recourse Becky has, especially since she’s probably 18 and thus a legal adult.

    • Mada
      Mada
      November 5, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

      Becky is an adult, so it’s not like she can be forced to go with him.

      Besides, he did sort of kidnap her at gunpoint.

      I dunno, someone else can probably explain it in more detail than I can.

    • Marie
      Marie
      November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

      She is 18, so yes. Although people will probably answer you here anyway, you might want to ctrl+F kidnapping on the last bunch of strips because people have gone into detail on a lot of ways to interpret it.

    • saki
      saki
      November 5, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

      Even without the kidnapping charges, Toedad’ll be in a lot of trouble after waving a gun around and firing it on a university campus.

    • dixiesaurer
      dixiesaurer
      November 5, 2015 at 12:24 am | #

      she is a legal adult and this is abduction. but even if she were under 18 there are a lot of states that allow teenagers to separate themselves from their family and more out at 16. and theres plenty of precidents for saying a parent can abduct their own child from another parent / guardian. taking her from any current living arrangements could probably bea argued pretty easily. the tricky part is that shes not living at the school / with her friends legally but squatting. the school might make that argument a little more complicated?
      even if he didnt get brought up on kidnapping though this is a pretty clear case of abuse and reckless endangerment at the least. like even ignoring all the gun and death threat shit, just this business of leaning out of a car at high speeds on a busy highway ought to be enough to get her out of his custody

      • espanolbot
        espanolbot
        November 5, 2015 at 4:26 am | #

        Leaning out of a moving car with a loaded gun, no less.

        • Kryss LaBryn
          Kryss LaBryn
          November 5, 2015 at 7:33 am | #

          Completely relinquishing control of the car on a busy highway to lean out the window with a loaded gun, so apparently with intent to commit murder (especially after that “send them to Hell” comment that 911 would have recorded) is going to get him into a shit-load of trouble right there, even without not only waving around, but actually firing off a rifle on campus. I mean, bad enough when he’s the passenger, but he was the driver.

          He out-and-out assaulted Dina; he out-and-out kidnapped a legal adult at gunpoint; he fired a gun in public; he relinquished control of a vehicle to apparently attempt to murder a would-be rescuer–they are going to throw the book at him. I imagine that at this point, they will also hit him with multiple charges of running stop signs, because they will want to hit this asshole with eeeeeverything. And that’s assuming he survives the cops showing up in about three, two, one…

          • TamiDOA
            TamiDOA
            November 5, 2015 at 10:29 am | #

            But the charge he really needs to worry about is driving without a seat belt.

          • John
            John
            November 5, 2015 at 6:42 pm | #

            He assaulted not just Dina, but, at minimum, Becky, Joyce, and Amber as well, and if I were charging him, I’d probably throw in Sayid and everyone else at the fountain, too. Might not stick, but it’s worth a shot.

            Also battery against Dina. And depending on what happened after we cut away from the woods, there might be other charges. We know from preview panels that she’s not seriously injured, but we still haven’t ruled out her being duct taped in the trunk or in the woods, which would be unlawful restraint and maybe another kidnapping charge.

            Bringing the gun onto IU campus is not actually against the law, just IU rules, but might turn his being there into criminal trespass.

            And I don’t even know how you’d charge the climbing out the window of a moving vehicle that he was supposed to be driving jackassery, but if I were trying him, I’d be trying to figure out a way to give him the death penalty just for that just on general principles. “Being too stupid to live, seriously, how has this guy not just forgotten to breathe” is not actually a crime, however.

    • John
      John
      November 5, 2015 at 12:38 am | #

      Butthole dad has committed a whole pile of felonies, and should be going to prison for years and years now.

  57. Doom Shepherd
    Doom Shepherd
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    Despite rumors to the contrary, violence solves LOTS of things.

    • miados
      miados
      November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

      yes….. yes it can. it is sad it can/has to sometimes but it can solve problems. I think it got touched on pretty well in another webcomic i like (perm hiatus sadly) called better days.

      • Mother fudging batman
        Mother fudging batman
        November 5, 2015 at 3:36 am | #

        it has a sequel.

      • evilmidnightlurker
        evilmidnightlurker
        November 5, 2015 at 11:18 am | #

        “Oh balls.”

    • Ars Linguistica
      Ars Linguistica
      November 5, 2015 at 2:09 am | #

      As Einstein said, “Violence sometimes may have cleared away obstructions quickly, but it never has proved itself creative.” ToeHole is a serious obstruction, and needs to be cleared fast. Becky has other problems (longer-term housing, food, etc.) and violence won’t solve any of them. Like most issues in the world, those will need creative solutions involving support from the people around her.

      (In other words, that’s how a practicing Quaker juggles general pacifism with the obvious YOU GO JOYCE! reaction here.)

    • Disloyal Subject
      Disloyal Subject
      November 5, 2015 at 3:40 am | #

      “Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst.”
      I need to read that book. The movie’s fun, but doesn’t really go into the meaningful parts.

      • Bantha
        Bantha
        November 5, 2015 at 10:37 am | #

        Ahhhh. Starship Troopers. Good times.

      • Ross
        Ross
        November 5, 2015 at 11:31 am | #

        THERE’S A MOVIE?!?! HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS!?

        • Roborat
          Roborat
          November 5, 2015 at 3:00 pm | #

          Because it, and the sequels, are aweful. Stick to the book.

        • Bill M.
          Bill M.
          November 5, 2015 at 4:31 pm | #

          Because it’s like The Never Ending Story, the movie is okay, not great, but the sequels get worse and worse.

  58. Mr.J
    Mr.J
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    JOYCE SMASH!!!!

    • Jesse
      Jesse
      November 5, 2015 at 3:37 am | #

      This comment was inevitable, and I appreciate that.

    • fallingwaters2
      fallingwaters2
      November 5, 2015 at 8:00 am | #

      ROSS SCREAM!

  59. Bladeglory
    Bladeglory
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    In a surprise twist of fate, Joyce is the most horribly injured (excluding Toedad) because she doesn’t know how to punch properly and fractured her hand on his jaw. It is her that we follow to the hospital and nobody else.

    • DarkoNeko
      DarkoNeko
      November 5, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

      Nah, the punch threw ToeDad on the road and he got hit by a car.

      • Flipz
        Flipz
        November 5, 2015 at 12:51 am | #

        Naw, man, the semi totally turned around to make sure everyone was okay, and ToeDad gets hit by that truck.

  60. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    I wonder if Sal will get Amazi-girl to “safety” before authorities arrives.
    I’m not sure she’d have a reason to.

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      November 5, 2015 at 3:11 am | #

      She does, the biggest and most important motivator that she’s got: She hates the authorities and, no matter how much she despises Amazi-Girl, she despises them more.

      • Marie
        Marie
        November 5, 2015 at 3:52 am | #

        Plus, I don’t think Sal is maliciously against her. She thinks she’s dumb, but I doubt she thinks she should be ‘punished’ beyond the direct consequences (injury, seeing she failed).

        • Steve
          Steve
          November 5, 2015 at 6:33 am | #

          Amazi-Girl failed? She went over the top but Sal didn’t have any options other than follow and alert police if she wasn’t going to go where Amazi-Girl did…

          • Marie
            Marie
            November 5, 2015 at 8:57 pm | #

            I don’t think she failed, but I think finding out she fell off, passed out, and left Joyce and Sal (innocent and nemesis) to solve the situation will count as failure to her, and I imagine Sal agrees, if not for the same reasons (based on yesterday).

  61. Spidergirl
    Spidergirl
    November 5, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    I think the end of that sentence is “to get my damn face smashed in.”

  62. brumagem
    brumagem
    November 5, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

    Nice good punching stance from Joyce there. She’s got her fist with the inside facing up, not toward her as some novices might do. Only mistake is she’s about to fall over for lifting her foot up during the follow through.

    • Clif
      Clif
      November 5, 2015 at 3:45 pm | #

      She looked it up on the Internet.

  63. I Eat Cheese
    I Eat Cheese
    November 5, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

    BIFF

  64. caesaria82
    caesaria82
    November 5, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

    *heart eyes emoji*

    • saki
      saki
      November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

      ♡ω♡

  65. LuniasM
    LuniasM
    November 5, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

    She probably just punched him in the face. Don’t be surprised if she just broke her hand or something.

    • DarkoNeko
      DarkoNeko
      November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

      especially since she had the whole momentum from running toward Becky.

  66. evilmidnightlurker
    evilmidnightlurker
    November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    “Refunneled?”

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      November 5, 2015 at 12:45 am | #

      Y’know, God gave strength that was originally going to Toedad and funneled it to Joyce instead.

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        November 5, 2015 at 2:25 am | #

        Oh !

  67. maxh
    maxh
    November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    Apparently god has given you the strength to die of waif-fu.

  68. Shiro
    Shiro
    November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    Sure, now that the gun’s history and he’s donating blood to the pavement, NOW he’s all ready to do the talky thing.

    Pity for him that Joyce is all done talking.

  69. MightionNY
    MightionNY
    November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    (Would it be nitpicky to point out Becky is on the wrong side of Joyce in the last panel?)

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

      must’ve punched so hard she did a 180

    • TheGrammarLegionary
      TheGrammarLegionary
      November 5, 2015 at 1:06 pm | #

      Looking at all the comments about how little Joyce has knocked big Ross flying, I’m interpreting this as Ross having some momentum coming for Joyce and she sidestepped as she punched.

  70. Rani
    Rani
    November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    And with a well timed punch and Toedad’s glass jaw, the Indiana Holy War came to a close.

    • Commodore Jeep-Eep
      Commodore Jeep-Eep
      November 5, 2015 at 12:48 am | #

      You serious? With the shitstorm this will bring from Joyce’s folks and with her sister about to emerge from the closet… the show’s only starting.

      • ninja_jesus
        ninja_jesus
        November 5, 2015 at 1:04 am | #

        So it’s more like “the punch heard around the Bible Belt”.

  71. Sluthy
    Sluthy
    November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    “And it comes to all in time, boys. For on the day they died, boys, God…was on the other side, boys.”

  72. Andrusi
    Andrusi
    November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    That last panel looks like the toenail has broken off. Ow.

  73. miados
    miados
    November 5, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    i hope she doesn’t apologize or say it was wrong at any point in the future because of family pressure.

    • Marie
      Marie
      November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

      “I’m sorry… SORRY YOU’RE AN ASSTOE” snapsnapsnap

      • Fran
        Fran
        November 5, 2015 at 11:40 am | #

        Hahahaha! +1 xD

  74. 0kami
    0kami
    November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    Go Joyce! Stub that toe!

  75. Someone
    Someone
    November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    She got so pissed she temporarily fazed dimensions together giving her the strength of walkyverse Joyce

  76. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    I dunno man. God must be giving him strength because I was very sure that his legs were fucked up.

    • syd
      syd
      November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

      Leg Day, unfortunately for Ross, was Sunday.

  77. Just A. Thinker
    Just A. Thinker
    November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    Comments flying fast and furious… Gentleman, Ladies, Gender-queer folk, and those who just plain don’t want to conform to society’s norms and expectations (like myself), we may well break the record for most comments on a strip.

    • Disloyal Subject
      Disloyal Subject
      November 5, 2015 at 3:47 am | #

      Not by a LONG shot. It’s been up nearly four hours, and we haven’t even broken 500, let alone reached multi-thousands.

  78. Skizz
    Skizz
    November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    *sniff* Sal Buscema would be so proud

    • Abel Undercity
      Abel Undercity
      November 5, 2015 at 4:52 pm | #

      “And the Lord did say: ‘Sweet Mother of Me, I’m tired of hearing that guy talk. Let there be a Sal Buscema punch.
      “And there was. And it was good.”

  79. syd
    syd
    November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    JOYCE!

    We keep our feet on the *ground* when we punch! More leverage behind it, right? Strong foundations and all that.

    • JetstreamGW
      JetstreamGW
      November 5, 2015 at 12:52 am | #

      Hey now. Judging by how he went flying if she had more leverage he’d be dead.

    • AutobotDen
      AutobotDen
      November 5, 2015 at 1:55 am | #

      And we punch from the shoulder. More power that way.

      • Disloyal Subject
        Disloyal Subject
        November 5, 2015 at 3:47 am | #

        Power comes from the hips.

        • inqntrol
          inqntrol
          November 5, 2015 at 7:25 am | #

          This guy knows it.

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      November 5, 2015 at 7:18 am | #

      Maybe no. I think she was in motion through the whole sequence. Puts the whole momentum of running into that punch.

  80. Carolyn
    Carolyn
    November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    And this time stay down, you massive bastard.

  81. Ranial
    Ranial
    November 5, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    in before Joyce has to go to the hospital for a broken finger because she doesn’t know how to throw a punch

  82. Just Here
    Just Here
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    Thus always to tyrants.

  83. Badeyes
    Badeyes
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    Nice starting position and a great follow through.

    • Jhon
      Jhon
      November 5, 2015 at 5:49 pm | #

      I thought Joyce would abuse Ross verbally, not physically. But yes, she brought it up from the ground with plenty of follow through. Ross will be feeling that one for a good while.

  84. Gangler
    Gangler
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    God has given you bloody noodles where your legs should be. Lie down and wait for medical attention if you know what’s good for you.

  85. TrueVCU
    TrueVCU
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    Panel 4 is the most cathartic thing in ever

    • Clif
      Clif
      November 5, 2015 at 3:49 pm | #

      Wait until you see the eventual reckoning with Ryan.

  86. Ace
    Ace
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    GO JOYCE GO! ToeDad is down and OUT!

    Now where is Dina?!?!?!

    • Disloyal Subject
      Disloyal Subject
      November 5, 2015 at 3:48 am | #

      He is down. Whether he is out remains to be seen.

    • spiderfan14
      spiderfan14
      November 5, 2015 at 5:03 pm | #

      in line buying tickets to the Good Dinosaur for all the people who helped get Becky back.

  87. Cerberus
    Cerberus
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    And of course, he had to throw in a snide dismissal due to age. Because there is no way in which that turd-blossom isn’t an asshole. Just full on, oh hey there, little girl, you couldn’t possibly understand the super important adult man things I’m doing here, so you just run along now. What. A. Dick.

    • Marie
      Marie
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      It heavily reminds me of two different ex friends of mine, although they were less scary because they had no power over anyone but maybe more obnoxious because they were peers.

      (one was a ‘you just can’t understand, children’ type and the other a ‘listen to men they’re more logical you should try to be like that’)

    • AeromechanicalAce
      AeromechanicalAce
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      Watch now as he flies into utterly impotent rage at the fact that no one is buying into his BS.

      And if he tries anything, let’s not forget that Sal is nearby, and could probably have taken ross back before he into a car wreck, then knocked on his ass.

      • Commodore Jeep-Eep
        Commodore Jeep-Eep
        November 5, 2015 at 12:49 am | #

        I can totally see him standing up only to get thumped again and again before he finally sits the fuck down.

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        November 5, 2015 at 2:28 am | #

        Sal could go all Akira Clown gang on him. Y’know, the wheel to face thing.

        • DarkoNeko
          DarkoNeko
          November 5, 2015 at 2:35 am | #

          that thing

    • saki
      saki
      November 5, 2015 at 12:25 am | #

      On the bright side, this made him completely underestimate her ability to knock his ass to the ground.

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      November 5, 2015 at 1:15 am | #

      To be fair it kinda IS hard to understand the whole pointing-a-gun-at-my-daughter-but-that-actually-mean-I’m-saving-her-thing. For the uninitiated it just looks like horrible abuse.

      …yeah, I meant that to be flippant but I think I just correctly described his world view.

      • Cerberus
        Cerberus
        November 5, 2015 at 9:12 am | #

        The differences are subtle, admittedly, abuse is something bad that probably foreigny or non-white types do to their children, whereas he was correcting a horrible grievous error in his Godly property and showing how strong and manly he was in the process. You can tell the difference largely due to how white and proper Christian he is and…

        Dear Bob, I spent way too many years around that subculture. A bunch of racist “oh those types hitting their wives and children. What? Bill? No, they’re just having problems and you know how much of a handful Clarice is, but they are working it out to save the family with the pastor.”

        • Marie
          Marie
          November 5, 2015 at 9:08 pm | #

          > abuse is something bad that probably foreigny or non-white types do to their children
          > A bunch of racist “oh those types hitting their wives and children

          and from this rose the barbaric practices act/[attempted] hotline (it’s a hotline because you can’t call 911 on your neighbour for being Muslim), if you didn’t see all the garbage Canada went through this year (or if you missed that between the rest of the garbage)

  88. Lone Wolf
    Lone Wolf
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    And Sal thought Amazi-girl was gonna escalate the situation.

    Now… FINISH HIM!

    • saki
      saki
      November 5, 2015 at 12:27 am | #

      After shots literally being fired and a car crashed, a punch is actually closer to de-escalation than it is to escalation. XD

  89. FriendlyNeighborhoodDave
    FriendlyNeighborhoodDave
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    Wow!Go Joyce!

  90. Auroki
    Auroki
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    todays been a lot of firsts for Joyce and I couldn’t be happier~

  91. Nick Morgan
    Nick Morgan
    November 5, 2015 at 12:10 am | #

    One!
    Two!
    Three!
    Four!
    Five!
    Six!
    Seven!
    Eight!
    Nine!
    Ten!
    DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!
    The winner, and neeeeeeewwwww CHAMPION
    JOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEE
    BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  92. -Sentinel-
    -Sentinel-
    November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    Just like Joyce, Becky has a mouth that’s a portal to a dimension of white.

    • John
      John
      November 5, 2015 at 12:42 am | #

      It’s contagious. She caught it when she kissed Joyce.

      • DarkoNeko
        DarkoNeko
        November 5, 2015 at 2:35 am | #

        Then soon, Dina…

        • inqntrol
          inqntrol
          November 5, 2015 at 5:46 am | #

          “Cough soggies cough”

  93. Rani
    Rani
    November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08yO7DDJccc

  94. OrtyBortorty
    OrtyBortorty
    November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    This strip is awesome!

  95. Sarah
    Sarah
    November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    God had given Joyce the strength to protect Becky from Toedad.

    Seriously, he must have. There’s no other way Joyce would have been able to send him flying like that.

    • MatthewTheLucky
      MatthewTheLucky
      November 5, 2015 at 12:39 am | #

      Adrenaline? Secretly working out? Alien powers?

      • John
        John
        November 5, 2015 at 12:43 am | #

        Joyce having alien powers? That’s just crazy.

      • Commodore Jeep-Eep
        Commodore Jeep-Eep
        November 5, 2015 at 12:50 am | #

        The fact that he’d probably have fallen over again if she didn’t krump him.?

  96. SUGauthor
    SUGauthor
    November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    Seriously? Ross had half his body out the window of a moving car when flipped over. He shouldn’t be alive, let alone standing.

    • Aziraphale
      Aziraphale
      November 5, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

      Well, he’s not standing now…

    • Marie
      Marie
      November 5, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

      He probably fell out before it flipped (thus the distance from the car yesterday), but yeah, he ain’t now.

  97. Tenchan
    Tenchan
    November 5, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

    Joyce, you are a certified badass!!!

  98. newllend(henryvolt)
    newllend(henryvolt)
    November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

    Oh wait wait wait I got something perfect for this :https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0yK4lxBarpE

  99. walden
    walden
    November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

    hahahahahahaha

    oh man

    okay seriously where is todays comic

  100. Cheshrin
    Cheshrin
    November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

    Let’s assume that Toedad is around 5’6″, given how he’s been drawing in strips and how he’s been directly compared to Sal’s height. Not a tall man, but still taller than Joyce. Given his body shape, he’s probably got a lot of muscle and a low body fat percentage, which means he’s going to be built like a solid brick made out of smaller bricks. Doing some research, it’s reasonable to hazard a guess that he is somewhere around 160 lbs, probably a bit more. Point, is, he’s not exactly a light dude.

    And Joyce punched him with enough force to send him flying.

    Goddamn, no wonder Willis put her in the SEMME homage outfit this arc.

    • Riku
      Riku
      November 5, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

      It also looks like he’s struggling to stand in the first panel.

    • Hammmmm
      Hammmmm
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      That body type in a 5’6″ person would be pushing closer to 200 pounds. I’m 5’8″ with no where near that shape and I’m like 180.

      • Cheshrin
        Cheshrin
        November 5, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

        Fair enough. I’m a scrawny thing, so I have no idea how muscles work.

        Still, that makes it more impressive. Don’t fuck with Joyce Brown’s friends.

    • Hi There
      Hi There
      November 5, 2015 at 12:32 am | #

      My husband, who is around 5’6″ tall, has a very stocky body build with big muscular arms and broad shoulders, and apparently he looked emaciated at the one point that he was around 160 pounds in college. He’s around 245 currently. My husband’s build has more of a stomach than Becky’s Dad (granted, he could stand to lose a few pounds), so I’d really put Becky’s Dad over 200 pounds, probably closer to 220. Becky’s Dad is probably heavier than he looks. Everyone underestimates my husband’s weight when they go by just looking at him.

    • ninja_jesus
      ninja_jesus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:52 am | #

      Highly doubt he went flying. Perspective and artistic license, etc. But the punch was enough to send him to the ground.

    • EvolutionistX
      EvolutionistX
      November 5, 2015 at 2:33 am | #

      The average woman these days weighs over 160 pounds. Toedad definitely weighs more than that.

    • Kryss LaBryn
      Kryss LaBryn
      November 5, 2015 at 7:41 am | #

      If he’s much less than 200 lbs, I would be shocked. 160 is nothing for a guy built like that; he’d have to be like four feet nothing. My dog is 100 lbs, and he’s a retriever. There’s gotta be the mass equivalent of at least two retrievers there. Plus he’s only slightly shorter and is wider than my husband, and he’s almost 200 (and military, so not all fat).

    • Dragon_Nataku
      Dragon_Nataku
      November 5, 2015 at 11:32 am | #

      To add to the pile, I wrestled in high school (and for those who might’ve caught on somewhere that I’m a chick we didn’t have a chick wrestling team so I was on the guys’ team) and most of our guys were short (5’8″-ish) and we had a lot of dudes in the 152/160 lb weight classes and none of them had Toedad’s build. So more evidence to agree with everyone else who’s said even at 5’6″ Toedad should be at least 200 lbs, if not over.

    • Trolldrool
      Trolldrool
      November 5, 2015 at 10:48 pm | #

      Shawn L. made a good point in another comment further down the page. What we’re seeing isn’t Toedad flying through the air, but struck hard enough to fall down, seen here from a low, ground level camera angle. It is conceivable that his feet didn’t actually rise into the air until the moment his fact hit the dirt.

  101. Sir Tripalot
    Sir Tripalot
    November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

    What did Sal say about not escalating the situation?

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

      I notice, pointedly, that she’s not intervening at all here. Sal knows what’s up.

    • Riku
      Riku
      November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

      He approached her in a threatening stance with his arm reaching towards her, at that point it’s self defense.

      • nothri
        nothri
        November 5, 2015 at 12:50 am | #

        That, and he basically threatened to murder her with a loaded rifle. You don’t exactly need a crack legal team to sort this one out.

  102. cobaltergeist
    cobaltergeist
    November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

    Geeettttttt dunked on!!!
    If you’re really doing God’s work, you won’t come back.

    • SomeGuy
      SomeGuy
      November 5, 2015 at 8:49 am | #

      Damn. That is ludicrously appropriate considering both Ross and Joyce are running on newfound determination.

  103. rheinman
    rheinman
    November 5, 2015 at 12:12 am | #

    For me, this is the second most satisfying punch thrown in this strip. Amber’s critical hit on Blaine right in the smug still reigns supreme.

    • Riku
      Riku
      November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

      That’s fair. At least Toe Dad thinks he’s helping. Blaine was 100% malevolent and knew it

      • Disloyal Subject
        Disloyal Subject
        November 5, 2015 at 3:54 am | #

        That, and Amber/Amazi-girl are capable of a certain malice that Joyce is above. Rightous fury is great, but there’s something even more satisfying about the enjoyment of throwing a punch.

      • Gamaran Sepudomyn
        Gamaran Sepudomyn
        November 5, 2015 at 5:27 am | #

        The fact that he thinks this is doing good makes him more of an asshole than Blaine to my eyes.

        • Dragon_Nataku
          Dragon_Nataku
          November 5, 2015 at 11:35 am | #

          I think both of them (and Ryan) need to be set on fire. Kinda like the “how much does the semi weigh?” “After a certain amount of weight a ton or two more is irrelevant” comments from yesterday (day before?), after a certain level of being a worthless piece of garbage asshole douchebag they are all the same.

  104. zmm
    zmm
    November 5, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

    Yeah!
    Man I missed Joyce who could kick ass.
    Just hope you didn’t punch him to his weapon. and I hope Sal is behind you ready to properly shut him down.
    Also hope Amazigirl won’t see Sal realize and go rage.

    • dailybrad
      dailybrad
      November 5, 2015 at 12:32 am | #

      I imagine Amazigirl’s too worn out and too occupied with Joyce and Becky’s wellbeing to be giving it too much thought at the moment.

    • Disloyal Subject
      Disloyal Subject
      November 5, 2015 at 3:58 am | #

      Speaking of, whose weapon is that going to be, legally, when all this is over? I assume the police confiscate it, but after felonies like Ross has been comitting like he’s going for a hat trick, I can’t imagine he’ll get it back. Is there a system in place for the resale of confiscated firearms, or would it just sit in evidence lockup indefinitely? I don’t really see it passing into Becky’s hands; if Ross forfeited it by the severity of his crimes, then it seems it’d be forfeited to the state, not his heir.

      • Kryss LaBryn
        Kryss LaBryn
        November 5, 2015 at 7:47 am | #

        The police will sell a lot of things that have been confiscated for criminal reasons when they’re done with them, but I doubt weapons are in there. I don’t know how licensing works in the States (you guys don’t seem to require licenses to possess firearms, just for hunting) but I’d be willing to bet that even if licenses are required, Becky doesn’t have one, so they couldn’t hand it off to her. Plus, Ross is still alive (for now, at least) so she couldn’t claim it as part of his estate, assuming she even for some reason wants to have the gun her Dad tried to kidnap her and threatened to kill her friends with; I wouldn’t.

        Pretty sure when the cops are done with weapons that they’ve confiscated for being involved in a crime, they then destroy them. At least, I’m pretty sure they do in Canada.

        • Dragon_Nataku
          Dragon_Nataku
          November 5, 2015 at 11:37 am | #

          Pretty sure here in America they stay in evidence forever unless they’re needed for undercover ops, like “I’m not a cop I’m actually a drug dealer/hitman/pimp/whatever, look at my gun!” or “I’m not a cop I’m a black market weapons dealer, see my large array of questionably-acquired merchandise?”

        • Tadpole7
          Tadpole7
          November 5, 2015 at 12:00 pm | #

          Depends on the state. In AZ it’s illegal to destroy functional, safe firearms. Police must hold or sell them. Most police that I’ve heard on this subject prefer to destroy guns, for safety and avoiding the hassle involved in setting up gun sales. Personally I find it ridiculous not to let the police dispose of fire arms as they wish, especially as guns are very easy to get in this state. Still Toedad’s rifle impacted the ground at speeds so I think it’s nonfunctional

  105. Rosicrucian
    Rosicrucian
    November 5, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

    BLESS YOU WILLIS.

  106. Chinoy Industries, Ltd.
    Chinoy Industries, Ltd.
    November 5, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

    Sorry, but I still call BS. This feels too easy. Joyce isn’t that strong. And although she has learned a lot about the real world and real people in the last few weeks, I can’t help but expect her 18 years of indoctrination to keep her from so abruptly trying to knock out an adult who she’s probably known much of her life, since she and Becky were homeschool buddies as kids.

    Why can I not enjoy happy things?

    • Gangler
      Gangler
      November 5, 2015 at 12:17 am | #

      Joyce doesn’t have to be that strong. The man just survived a car crash without a seatbelt. Flew straight out of the vehicle and skidded across the concrete. It’s a miracle the guy’s even standing. He’s in no shape to be trading blows with anybody.

      • Cerberus
        Cerberus
        November 5, 2015 at 12:20 am | #

        His leg is wobbling. Honestly, he didn’t need much to topple right back over. And Joyce is pumped on adrenaline and fury, and might be full on in a fight mode of trauma response (so, yeah, Sal or somebody might want to pull her back so she doesn’t actually end up killing him), so she’s definitely going to be humming more than usual. Not enough to send him flying, but definitely enough to do the equivalent of her glass to the face with Ryan.

        • Marie
          Marie
          November 5, 2015 at 12:25 am | #

          great attention to detail, cerberus, I missed those wiggles

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          November 5, 2015 at 12:35 am | #

          KNEES WEAK, ARMS ARE HEAVY.

          • Tacos
            Tacos
            November 5, 2015 at 1:03 am | #

            Something something something MOM’S SPAGHETTI.
            (Sorry. Not sorry)

      • Clif
        Clif
        November 5, 2015 at 12:21 am | #

        But to answer your question, you can’t enjoy happy things because you’ve been over socialized – so that you can be controlled better.

    • Dr. T
      Dr. T
      November 5, 2015 at 12:25 am | #

      Let me help you enjoy it, then. Joyce hit him running. Her lower center of gravity and his wobbly legs meant that most of her momentum was transferred to his body at the moment of the punch. Also, you are sort of falling victim to the perspective of the extreme close=up to Toedad. I imagine tomorrow you will find that he will land no more than a handful of feet away from Joyce, which is not much farther than he would land if he simply fell over on his own.

      Feel better?

    • ninja_jesus
      ninja_jesus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:38 am | #

      I disagree. First off, Ross was just flung out of a crashing car, so he’s shaky enough to be knocked down with a decent hit. No matter how tough you are, you wouldn’t be walking away from that crash without feeling weak and sustaining injuries.

      Secondly, it’s not all about how physically strong you are. Look at Joyce in the last panel. She looks a lot like this picture. She threw her body into that punch, kinetic energy traveling from foot to fist, giving her the extra force to knock Toedad, who we’ve already established does not have good footing, onto the ground.

      Thirdly, that point is moot unless you’ve been through 18 years of indoctrination. I wouldn’t be able to say anything on it either. Anyone with experience want to weigh in on that?

      So, aside from the third point, I think Joyce punching Toedad is very realistic. She’s had her best friend taken away from her by someone who wholly believes he can “fix” her, similar to how Joyce had tried to “fix” Ethan, except through more violent means.

      This is Joyce facing herself, seeing her own shitty actions, and stepping up to solidify her belief that there is absolutely nothing wrong with Becky, or Ethan, or anyone who is gay.

      • Silamy
        Silamy
        November 5, 2015 at 1:57 am | #

        Weighing in on the indoctrination bit. I was raised with fairly strict ideas about the role of the child (especially a girl) in a situation that ….often wasn’t pretty. It is absolutely possible to summon the strength and fury to send an adult flying when you’re feeling furious, terrified, and betrayed -and it seems to be a pretty safe bet to say that Joyce is feeling all of those things -and that the motorcycle ride and flying Amber have probably given her an extra adrenaline boost.

        • Cerberus
          Cerberus
          November 5, 2015 at 9:17 am | #

          That would also fit what we’ve seen in Joyce. The last time she was betrayed by someone who wore the trapping of her culture, she similarly went ape-shit and probably would have kept going if the drug hadn’t kicked in.

    • saki
      saki
      November 5, 2015 at 12:46 am | #

      I get what you’re trying to say about it being unlikely that Joyce would punch Ross given how she grew up knowing him etc, but I think all that went away when he pulled out a gun and actually pointed it at his own daughter. Even without that being the case, right in this moment, the only thing Joyce could think about was getting to Becky, so when Ross put himself between them, she most likely punched him out of pure instinct, without any conscious thought about it.

      • Idon'tcarenomore
        Idon'tcarenomore
        November 5, 2015 at 1:04 am | #

        I think she was very conscious of what she was doing. And derived great satisfaction from it, I hope.

      • Rheinman137
        Rheinman137
        November 5, 2015 at 11:44 am | #

        Reminds me of Hermione blasting Snape in Prisoner of Azkaban. She was badass in the moment, but afterwards was hyperventilating over hitting a teacher.

    • Bicycle Bill
      Bicycle Bill
      November 5, 2015 at 2:41 am | #

      Take the righteous anger/indignation of Joyce.
      Mix with a dirtbag who is already battered, shook up, and undoubtedly not at 100% peak peformance.
      Now add the element of surprise (of all people, Joyce is probably the last person Ross would believe capable of physical violence).
      Result — ToeDad flat on his kiester.

    • ICSM
      ICSM
      November 5, 2015 at 4:15 am | #

      To add to everybody’s reply, Joyce IS the youngest simbling of four older brothers. It is full believable that she learned hot to correctly punch someone square in the jaw from one of them.

      I know I have taught my younger sister to knock someone out in case she ever needs to.

      • Dragon_Nataku
        Dragon_Nataku
        November 5, 2015 at 11:51 am | #

        Finally somebody brings this up so I don’t have to. Pretty sure she stated in-comic that she knows how to fight/throw a punch exactly because of this (sorry, can’t be arsed to find the comic to link to).

    • Kryss LaBryn
      Kryss LaBryn
      November 5, 2015 at 7:51 am | #

      When I was 17 and about 126 lbs soaking wet (so a loong time ago 😛 ), I got in a snowmobile accident and broke my arm. I then, by myself, with a concussion and a broken arm, flipped the 300 lb snowmobile the right way up again.

      Adrenaline is fucking amazing, yo. Even without his legs being as wibbly as they seem to be, I have no problem whatsoever believing that with as much adrenaline as will be pumping through Joyce right now, that she was able to send him flying. None at all.

  107. 6Qubed
    6Qubed
    November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

    Can the next strip just be Joyce going Full Amber on toedad please.

    • MatthewTheLucky
      MatthewTheLucky
      November 5, 2015 at 12:36 am | #

      Why just Joyce? It isn’t like the others don’t have a bone to pick with him. Frankly, I’d be fine with the next couple weeks just being new characters showing up at the scene and punching him.

      • merbrat
        merbrat
        November 5, 2015 at 1:20 am | #

        That scene in “Airplane!”… everyone taking turns to slap the hysterical woman.

        • Carolyn
          Carolyn
          November 5, 2015 at 2:51 pm | #

          And now I want to see Maggie getting in the line to punch Ross. Because why not?

      • Slyfincleton
        Slyfincleton
        November 5, 2015 at 3:44 am | #

        Speaking of bone to pick, I hope we find out more about what happened to Dina soon.

      • podian
        podian
        November 5, 2015 at 4:23 am | #

        MIKE.

  108. RandomDude
    RandomDude
    November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

    Really? Nobody? Okay then:
    FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCEEEEEEEEEEE!

  109. Catullus
    Catullus
    November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

    FISTS

    OF

    FURY

  110. Bleu
    Bleu
    November 5, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

    YEEEEES

  111. DT
    DT
    November 5, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

    Joyce used Righteous Fury!
    It’s super effective!

  112. Clif
    Clif
    November 5, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

    She didn’t assault and batter him; she defended herself from his attack. We all saw it.

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

      He threatened her with a gun! … (ten minutes ago). Totally counts!

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        November 5, 2015 at 9:40 am | #

        He’s still in the process of kidnapping. He’s still committing a felony. At this point, force is justified, not just to keep him from succeeding, but to detain him for the cops.

    • ninja_jesus
      ninja_jesus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:55 am | #

      He did make a threatening move toward her, hand outstretched, as if to grab her. It’s completely fair game.

      • Nightsbridge
        Nightsbridge
        November 5, 2015 at 9:37 am | #

        I’m not sure how it works in court, but he was also STILL attempting to keep help from reaching Becky, his kidnapping victim. There’s probably some good Samaritan law about that sort of thing.

  113. Dave
    Dave
    November 5, 2015 at 12:17 am | #

    By the might of Samson, she hath smited thee!

    • jy3
      jy3
      November 5, 2015 at 12:41 am | #

      She hath struck thee down with great wrath, and thou shalt know that she is the LORD!

    • Jezi
      Jezi
      November 5, 2015 at 1:17 am | #

      And you will know her name is the Protagonist when she lays her vengeance upon thee!

  114. Dara
    Dara
    November 5, 2015 at 12:17 am | #

    UN-DAMN YOU WILLIS

    • aradica
      aradica
      November 5, 2015 at 7:50 am | #

      *eye twitch*

      That’s my name…

  115. Mkvenner
    Mkvenner
    November 5, 2015 at 12:17 am | #

    Its been revoked.

  116. Synnerman
    Synnerman
    November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

    Joyce learned Kaio-Ken!

    • MaximumZero
      MaximumZero
      November 5, 2015 at 12:35 am | #

      Kaio-what now?

      • Synnerman
        Synnerman
        November 5, 2015 at 10:13 am | #

        Goku’s power up maneuver learned fro King Kai eeeeeearly in Dragon Ball Z.

        http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Kaio-ken

        • Dragon_Nataku
          Dragon_Nataku
          November 5, 2015 at 11:53 am | #

          MaximumZero’s quoting a recurring line from DBZ Abridged (a web video parody, give it a go if you really like DBZ, it is hilarious)

          “No, seriously, Kaio-what?”
          “Kaio-crap!”
          “That’s what I thought”

          ^^ (could not stop quoting that throughout the latest DBZ Kai ep)

  117. cmd1095
    cmd1095
    November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

    Sorry toedad, God’s doling out strength, and unfortunately for you Joyce is first in line

  118. Xerxes93
    Xerxes93
    November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

    i just lost a family member and i really needed this, thank you.

    • ninja_jesus
      ninja_jesus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:47 am | #

      My condolences.

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      November 5, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

      I’m sorry for your loss.

    • Bob Ellis
      Bob Ellis
      November 5, 2015 at 1:02 am | #

      Condolences and sympathy.
      I’m glad this came along for you when it did.

    • Kryss LaBryn
      Kryss LaBryn
      November 5, 2015 at 7:55 am | #

      So sorry to hear of your loss. Hopefully this continues for a while and keeps helping a bit.

  119. Wublub
    Wublub
    November 5, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

    HELL YEAH, GO JOYCE! PUNCH THAT SUCKER RIGHT IN THE TOE!

  120. Tacos
    Tacos
    November 5, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

    Ok so he didn’t have broken legs like I thought last strip but at least he punched in his fucking face. That’s good enough for me.

  121. Henry
    Henry
    November 5, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

    God himself couldn’t give you enough strength to overcome a well-and-truly pissed Joyce.

    Partially because he’s giving Joyce that strength. Not for her character. For her fists.

    • A Scientist
      A Scientist
      November 5, 2015 at 12:37 am | #

      “…and I would warn God himself not to get in the way.”

      • Rheinman137
        Rheinman137
        November 5, 2015 at 11:48 am | #

        I can tell you with no ego, this is my finest sword. If on your journey, you should encounter God, God will be cut.

  122. Cody
    Cody
    November 5, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

    FATALITY.

  123. Packy
    Packy
    November 5, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

    Damn. New favorite panel. 🙂

  124. Nena
    Nena
    November 5, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

    Holy shit, Joyce is full of surprises.

  125. Professor Fate
    Professor Fate
    November 5, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

    Joyce has the strength of ten because her heart is pure.

  126. Dan
    Dan
    November 5, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

    “the strength to”
    Get knocked out by a 98lb girl.

  127. Commodore Jeep-Eep
    Commodore Jeep-Eep
    November 5, 2015 at 12:24 am | #

    KICK THAT VERMIN WHILE HE’S DOWN!

    • Commodore Jeep-Eep
      Commodore Jeep-Eep
      November 5, 2015 at 12:31 am | #

      http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/996/122/0cb.gif

  128. Tandel
    Tandel
    November 5, 2015 at 12:24 am | #

    Joyce just sucker punched her way back into the top slot in my heart.

    • newllend(henryvolt)
      newllend(henryvolt)
      November 5, 2015 at 12:27 am | #

      Your fist has touched my heart~

    • Jhon
      Jhon
      November 5, 2015 at 6:13 pm | #

      Sucker Punch? There’s no way he didn’t see that coming. He just didn’t believe it was happening.

  129. newllend(henryvolt)
    newllend(henryvolt)
    November 5, 2015 at 12:24 am | #

    Joyce I think it’s safe to say that you have now officially graduated from Jr.Rebel to Rebel of badassness, your training is now complete.

  130. Kiggy
    Kiggy
    November 5, 2015 at 12:26 am | #

    ROCKETTO PUNCH!!!!!!

  131. kodykid168
    kodykid168
    November 5, 2015 at 12:26 am | #

    KO!!! You WIN!

    • kodykid168
      kodykid168
      November 5, 2015 at 12:29 am | #

      This was all I was hoping for. A satisfying punishment for the villain. Hopefully there’s more.

  132. Retrikaethan
    Retrikaethan
    November 5, 2015 at 12:28 am | #

    well shit, i’m not sure what i was expecting but that was not it. kinda surprised idiotoedad continued with his idiotic religious spiel in spite of nearly being killed because he got out of the drivers seat through a window of a moving vehicle to shoot a person on the roof of his car. but hey. that’s your brain on religion, folks. endangering yourself and your children because you think you’re right.

    in other news, i really hope joyce didn’t just break her hand/wrist/forearm cuz that would suck.

    • Just Me
      Just Me
      November 5, 2015 at 12:32 am | #

      Scars of battle, wear them proudly Joyce.

    • Disloyal Subject
      Disloyal Subject
      November 5, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

      Correction: that’s your brain on crazy.
      The radical fundamentalism certainly didn’t help, of course.

      • Dana
        Dana
        November 5, 2015 at 12:45 am | #

        No, amazi-girl is crazy. He’s just an incredible asshole.

      • Retrikaethan
        Retrikaethan
        November 5, 2015 at 1:14 am | #

        when fundamentalists look like that there’s something wrong with their fundamentals. ain’t no fundamentalist secular humanist kidnapping people cuz they’re “unclean” or “broken” or the like. basically, this kind of crazy does not exist outside of the religious spectrum. worse still is when people point out that the religion is makin people crazy people like you go ahead and say “ain’t crazy cuz religious!” which is just not true, especially in instances like this. dude is literally monologue-ing about how god has given him the power to “fix” his daughter after literally kidnapping her at gunpoint. ain’t not much more obvious a situation of religiously inspired insanity than that.

        • AutobotDen
          AutobotDen
          November 5, 2015 at 2:12 am | #

          I think I could hear the cheering from the fans an hour ago.

          Gotta love Newton’s Laws. Specifically the first: “An object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.” In this case, the object in motion is Joyce’s fist, and the outside force is it meeting Toedad’s jaw. But she’s got enough momentum from her running start, as well as good form and follow-through to continue in motion.

          /slightly nerdy moment

        • EvolutionistX
          EvolutionistX
          November 5, 2015 at 2:27 am | #

          There’s plenty of crazy all over the place if you poke around. Stalin was an atheist, but that didn’t stop him from murdering millions of people. Toedad isn’t even a real person, so his actions don’t make a real argument against religious fundamentalism.

          The majority of the world’s people are religious, and most of them have never kidnapped any of their kids at gunpoint. Even the majority of fundies whose kids came out as gay probably haven’t kidnapped them at gunpoint.

          (And for what it’s worth, I’m an atheist.)

          That said, Toedad’s actions are definitely driven by a combination of personal inclination toward authoritarian violence and a particular brand of religious fundamentalism.

          • Retrikaethan
            Retrikaethan
            November 5, 2015 at 7:14 pm | #

            false equivocation. atheism isn’t a dogma. i’m not saying the world would be perfect without religion, i’m saying it would be better. yer still gonna get power hungry fucks but in no situation can a lack of belief in santa clause be a cause for murder (cuz that’s basically what you’re saying. everyone who doesn’t believe in santa is as bad as anyone who is the same and murdered someone). as for toedad not being a real person… well, that’s completely irrelevant. people in real life do worse than this guy has done.

            and yet where religion rules, the place is infinitely worse off. saudi arabia? check fuck it, pretty much the entire middle east right now. the vatican? check. fuckin hell, the republicans of the USA are effectively the christian theocratic party now. the majority of the world’s religious people won’t kidnap their children, sure, but a good amount of them do, as well as killing their children via “exorcism” and the like (such as denying life saving blood transfusions) as well as promoting bigotry borne of the bible (cuz if you didn’t notice, that thing is absolutely filled to the brim with it). so, no. your thought process lacks the required knowledge to make any kind of noise on the issue.

            your being an atheist is irrelevant. all it says is you don’t believe in any gods.

            “god gives me the power” is all you need to hear. it’s really pretty cut and dry in this case.

        • Gamaran Sepudomyn
          Gamaran Sepudomyn
          November 5, 2015 at 5:35 am | #

          Fundamentalists exist in all forms, not just religious. They just all seem somewhat religious, because they all ascribe themselves the sort of properties commonly ascribed to gods (knowing everything is a common one).

          • Retrikaethan
            Retrikaethan
            November 5, 2015 at 7:15 pm | #

            this is literally the subject i was trying to make obvious. if your fundamentalists act like toedad has then there is something clearly wrong with your fundamentals.

        • SDGlyph
          SDGlyph
          November 5, 2015 at 2:30 pm | #

          *waves*
          Non-crazy religious person here, popping up to say “Religion doesn’t make bigots; it just makes bigots more obnoxiously self-righteous.” Or, as I’ve said many times before, institutional religion is basically a tribal structure (see also: political affiliations, sports teams), and that tends to bring out the worst kind of authoritarian gatekeepers.

          • Retrikaethan
            Retrikaethan
            November 5, 2015 at 7:25 pm | #

            incorrect on both accounts. religion makes people selectively insane and typically, especially in the three yahweh religions, promotes bigotry as well as misogyny. every single argument against reproductive health aids are religious. first term abortion? check. condoms? check. sexual education? checked in triplicate. i mean, shit, they’re still trying to promote abstinence-only as an effective educational platform. it doesn’t fucking work! plus, every single argument against the LGBT community: religious. all of them. when you teach people to be bigots do not fucking be surprised when they act like bigots.

            sure, i get it, not every single religious person is a monster but honestly so many are it’s just not funny anymore. that said, religion by definition is selective insanity. if you’re not insane, you’re not actually religious.

            • SDGlyph
              SDGlyph
              November 5, 2015 at 9:30 pm | #

              I fear you may have confused American evangelicalism/fundamentalism with religion in general. Not that surprising, given that they make such a noise about being the only valid form of religion, but it’s ironic that you’ve swallowed their claims wholesale without bothering to educate yourself. Also, if you’re going to call someone else a bigot, probably best not to make sweeping negative value statements while you’re doing it.

              Thanks for letting me know I’m insane by the way! I might never have known if not for your enlightened argument! 🙂

              • Retrikaethan
                Retrikaethan
                November 6, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

                religion in general still makes you insane. sorry. granted, i might have a more hazy view of religious people in general, but the point still stands that being religious is effectively being selectively insane. at the same time, i’ll stop being a bigot when people stop murdering their children for religious reasons like denying blood transfusions, performing exorcisms, or otherwise exposing babies to probably contaminated water, as well as murdering people because they’re atheist/gay/different. i really really really hope that can happen one day soon but i honestly don’t see it ending in my lifetime. though, i suspect you will throw something like “what makes you better than them?” to which i have to point out i’m just a guy posting on the internet. i’m not out bombing churches or murdering people and/or children.

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              November 5, 2015 at 10:06 pm | #

              Yeah, that’s way to extreme.

              I agree that the vast majority of people who are anti-LGBTQ and anti-sex & women and general are so because of religion, at least in the US, but that’s different than most religious people being anti-LGBTQ or anti-sex or anti-women. There’s a particular nasty strain of fundamentalism that pushes such things, but there’s a lot of religion that doesn’t.

              And I say that as a long time atheist.

              • Retrikaethan
                Retrikaethan
                November 6, 2015 at 12:16 am | #

                the major problem is that the “not fundamentalist” religious people produce the fundamentalist people eventually. when you tell kids there’s literally a magic man in the sky who wrote a rulebook for you to follow that if you don’t you go to a magic place where you will be tortured for an infinite amount of time it’s really not surprising when they take it literally/fundamentally. the books themselves are fucking horrid and yet they keep printing them.

                there’s no such thing as nasty fundamentalism. the fundamentals of christianity (islam and jusaism too) are fucking nasty.

  133. Wallace
    Wallace
    November 5, 2015 at 12:29 am | #

    FUCK. YES.

  134. Sam
    Sam
    November 5, 2015 at 12:30 am | #

    HAHAHA YES, GOOD.

  135. Just Me
    Just Me
    November 5, 2015 at 12:31 am | #

    …”and god has given me the strength to ….” POW!!!!

    New addition to my Top Five favorite DoA moments.

  136. Disloyal Subject
    Disloyal Subject
    November 5, 2015 at 12:31 am | #

    SMITE
    EVIL

  137. Nakama
    Nakama
    November 5, 2015 at 12:31 am | #

    It’s like everyone is getting a crowning moment of awesome! And now it is Joyce’s turn! YOWZA!

    • Kryss LaBryn
      Kryss LaBryn
      November 5, 2015 at 8:07 am | #

      Good lord, you guys; the Crowning Moment of Awesome page doesn’t have a DoA listing! Like, at all!

      Sadly, I have no idea how to make one. Anyone else?

  138. MatthewTheLucky
    MatthewTheLucky
    November 5, 2015 at 12:32 am | #

    Would not be surprised if Head Alien shows up tomorrow.

  139. Kaunisenkeli
    Kaunisenkeli
    November 5, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

    Oh my. Never mess with an enraged Joyce or he friends and loved ones. Gotcha.

    • Kaunisenkeli
      Kaunisenkeli
      November 5, 2015 at 12:34 am | #

      Curse you, typos!

    • SDGlyph
      SDGlyph
      November 5, 2015 at 2:25 pm | #

      Joyce is Mother Bear. Galasso’s lucky he took over before she got there.

  140. dixiesaurer
    dixiesaurer
    November 5, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

    im kind of worried about that “you came after me” line. like we know beckys not totally over joyce and this is a pretty spectacular thing joyce just did. im afraid of the potential emotional turmoil that might come from suffering such a traumatic event and being rescued by someone you love but are trying to get over

    • Commodore Jeep-Eep
      Commodore Jeep-Eep
      November 5, 2015 at 12:40 am | #

      Cue Joyce’s struggles with her own sexuality.

      • Retrikaethan
        Retrikaethan
        November 5, 2015 at 1:16 am | #

        inb4 dina offers to help them both.

        • Cerberus
          Cerberus
          November 5, 2015 at 9:19 am | #

          OT3? or should it be OT4 because Dorothy?

  141. Rodimiss
    Rodimiss
    November 5, 2015 at 12:34 am | #

    I think God gave all the strength to Joyce for that punch. You go, Joyce.

    But it’s really, really telling about how messed up this has gotten that Joyce has realized it’s no use trying to reason with him.

    • neeks
      neeks
      November 5, 2015 at 12:45 am | #

      well i mean he’s the guy who brought a gun to a knife fight family meeting

  142. Gangler
    Gangler
    November 5, 2015 at 12:36 am | #

    So remember when Joyce had that encounter with Joe. Beat him up, Joe got pissed, Joyce was all “But I thought girls couldn’t hurt guys, because girls are weak and guys are strong.”

    Ross also comes from that same environment. He views himself as strong, Joyce as weak to the point of being harmless, but more than that, he thinks that Joyce shares these views. He’s not truly expecting a fight. He thinks that he can just be all “Rargh! Me Big Dad! You Tiny Girl!” and Joyce will step aside knowing there’s nothing she can do to impede him.

    Joyce however has learned a thing or two since last they spoke, and she’s ready to pass the lesson on.

    • saki
      saki
      November 5, 2015 at 12:50 am | #

      YES.

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      November 5, 2015 at 1:21 am | #

      ToeDad: “I JUST CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT WENT WROOOOOOONG. GOOOOOD, WHY DON’T YOU HELP ME PICK ON LITTLE GIRLS???”

      God: “Yeah, that really is a mystery of the ages, isn’t it?”

  143. Hoboturtle
    Hoboturtle
    November 5, 2015 at 12:36 am | #

    Wow, Im not sure that this isnt the version of Joyce with alien super powers.

  144. Kitschensyngk
    Kitschensyngk
    November 5, 2015 at 12:36 am | #

    Toedad just got STUBBED!

    • nothri
      nothri
      November 5, 2015 at 1:12 am | #

      No, no, no, no….

      Toedad….::sunglasses:: just got NAILED.

  145. Lordess of Madness
    Lordess of Madness
    November 5, 2015 at 12:36 am | #

    And God has given Joyce the strength to toetally kick your butt!

    Joyce looks seriously awesome in that third frame

  146. nothri
    nothri
    November 5, 2015 at 12:37 am | #

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l_U6eJpKco

  147. lumen
    lumen
    November 5, 2015 at 12:39 am | #

    FALCON FUCKING PUNCH

    • TheNinthShader
      TheNinthShader
      November 5, 2015 at 7:51 am | #

      Getting punched by fucking falcons sounds awkward, what if they continued fucking while they punched you?

  148. Streben
    Streben
    November 5, 2015 at 12:40 am | #

    The Strength to be punched out by a young naive girl apparently.

  149. Boom
    Boom
    November 5, 2015 at 12:41 am | #

    This pleases me.

  150. Streben
    Streben
    November 5, 2015 at 12:41 am | #

    Sorry, giant sarcasm quotes around young and naive there. Not the same girl Ross remembers.

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 9:22 am | #

      Loss of the certainty of your faith and a realistic exposure to the world as is rather than as sold to you will do that to a person.

      Which is why these cultures fear secular university and things like the internet so much. Because when you say everything you say is true and then they go out and find out, oh, some of it is complete bollocks, then they are more likely to keep pulling at the strings to find out what else is bollocks.

      • SDGlyph
        SDGlyph
        November 5, 2015 at 2:23 pm | #

        Especially when one of the tenets of fundamentalism is that you have to accept ALL of it or you lose everything. Once kids who were raised to believe that find out that much of what they were taught about the physical world is bogus, they often reject the spiritual stuff too. Hence, fundamentalism is a leading cause of atheism.

  151. kenny
    kenny
    November 5, 2015 at 12:42 am | #

    joyce has evolved so much in the last 2 minutes

    • ninja_jesus
      ninja_jesus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:49 am | #

      I’m sure it’s been longer than that.

  152. Arianod
    Arianod
    November 5, 2015 at 12:42 am | #

    Well, someone has given Joyce the strength, too XD

  153. neeks
    neeks
    November 5, 2015 at 12:43 am | #

    god has given him the strength to get punched the heck in the face

  154. Daimonion
    Daimonion
    November 5, 2015 at 12:43 am | #

    Leave the men where they lay
    They’ll never see another day
    Lost my soul, lost my dream
    You can’t take becky from me.

  155. Cattleprod
    Cattleprod
    November 5, 2015 at 12:44 am | #

    If the next week or so of strips was just the cast taking turns beating up Ross like the hysterical passenger in the movie Airplane, I would be cool with that. Characters who have no reason to know any of this happened could queue up.

    • Hogan
      Hogan
      November 5, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

      *volunteers… then remembers he is not a character…* 🙁

    • 3oranges
      3oranges
      November 5, 2015 at 2:01 am | #

      He’s really been stuck in encounters this whole time, huh?
      Dina attacks and scratches his face, but he is too much for her.
      So Amazi-girl attacks and takes his gun, but his car is too much for her.
      So Joyce attacks and knocks him over.

      Is Ross ready to give up, or does he need a few more? Note: Ross being ready to give up may involve being unconscious.

  156. NinjaNick
    NinjaNick
    November 5, 2015 at 12:45 am | #

    Joyce FTW!

  157. Gob Hobblin
    Gob Hobblin
    November 5, 2015 at 12:47 am | #

    FUCK HIM UP!

  158. djkaiba
    djkaiba
    November 5, 2015 at 12:50 am | #

    To quote lucifer from the Constantine movie: “Looks like somebody doesn’t have your back anymore.” Feels ironic quoting that in the situation but I still felt it worked.

    • ninja_jesus
      ninja_jesus
      November 5, 2015 at 1:01 am | #

      Toedad is sort of a fallen angel.

  159. saki
    saki
    November 5, 2015 at 12:52 am | #

    About the alt-text, at first I read “oops, re-funded” and thought it was some sort of pun about fundamentalism.

  160. desertpetrichor
    desertpetrichor
    November 5, 2015 at 12:53 am | #

    I wonder if this is going to be the start of Joyce healing from her assault. She just proved that she is capable of amazing feats to protect Becky, and just slam dunked Toe-dad across a field. Maybe this will show her that she has strength of her own and will start becoming less afraid to walk across campus on her own, and convince her to seek help with coping.

    • desertpetrichor
      desertpetrichor
      November 5, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

      Also:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vIARjtWLbA&t=0m59s

    • Arianod
      Arianod
      November 5, 2015 at 7:12 am | #

      It may work out like that at first -but wait until her parents hear of this… :c

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 9:26 am | #

      I don’t know. Currently the PTSD of her assault is intertwining itself with her sexual repression and her faith, which is not great for her. But this might be a stake blow to said faith and the assumptions of morality it makes. Seeing how her faith looks when followed as unerring truth and without bend, seeing the similarities in mistreatment and threat and traumatization, she may be seeing those bonds start to crack, which might at least let her start talking about it openly to a select few, which would be good. Becky, especially, would be good to talk it out with, because she’s made a similar break with the restrictions of her faith and has that long history of trust that will be so necessary as she talks this out.

  161. nothri
    nothri
    November 5, 2015 at 12:53 am | #

    Funny thing is I’ll just bet Goliath thought he was the hero too.

    • detective boomwolf
      detective boomwolf
      November 5, 2015 at 12:58 am | #

      I mean he was fighting for his country if memory serves. Might not be rememberin all the details, but dude was most likely just followin orders.

      • Leorale
        Leorale
        November 5, 2015 at 1:14 am | #

        Yep. The Philistines and the Israelites each picked a champion (so that they didn’t have to fight each other with their whole armies and have lots of casualties). Goliath was chosen to represent the Philistines, because he was friggin’ huge. There’s no reason to think he’s evil or anything.

        • WingedBeast
          WingedBeast
          November 5, 2015 at 1:23 am | #

          Yeah, not his fault that the Israelites chose to send in the time’s equivalent of a sniper.

          • nothri
            nothri
            November 5, 2015 at 11:37 am | #

            Well, to be fair, putting a sniper in plain sight on the front lines where the enemy can easily get near and attack them is probably the worst thing you can do with one.

            Well, barring something really stupid or nonsensical like slathering them in barbecue sauce and throwing them into a lion pit. Its the worst thing that still kinda makes some kind of sense tactically speaking.

            • Dragon_Nataku
              Dragon_Nataku
              November 5, 2015 at 12:03 pm | #

              … but then his cover would be lions. Nobody would look for him under a pile of lions! Perfect camoflauge, what are you on about.

              • nothri
                nothri
                November 5, 2015 at 6:07 pm | #

                Hard to aim at anything from inside a lion’s stomach. That’s all I’m saying.

  162. Proto
    Proto
    November 5, 2015 at 12:54 am | #

    You know, say what you will about him, but damn, God must’ve given him some kind of strength. Most people don’t just pop out of a car wreck that flips the car. Or just recover from hanging out of a car window while in a high speed chase. That would be enough to exhaust pretty much anyone. But Ross is some sort of Terminator. (And I guess it’s genetic since Becky seems ay-oh-kay with zero trauma from this whole scenario)

    • ninja_jesus
      ninja_jesus
      November 5, 2015 at 12:59 am | #

      It wasn’t God who gave him strength. He’s just rapture-ready.

      • nothri
        nothri
        November 5, 2015 at 11:39 am | #

        I know what you mean, but suddenly I’m imagining Toe-Dad as a Big Daddy and his actions make so much more sense now. I wonder if we can harvest any Plasmids from him?

    • segnosaur
      segnosaur
      November 5, 2015 at 1:03 am | #

      Remember though, we never actually saw what happened to Toedad or anything that happened after Amazigirl lost her grip on the rope. Perhaps he just fell out of the car as it was slowing down. A fall from a few feet up onto the ground might hurt but it probably wouldn`t be a devastating injury.

      • merbrat
        merbrat
        November 5, 2015 at 1:34 am | #

        I was imagining him holding the rope, when the car started tipping. The rope lost the slack, pulling him out the window…now his legs fling out behind him like a jack-knife (he is parallel to the ground, now, and face down) Lets go of the rope, and crashes to the ground, hence the knees?

  163. starkruzr
    starkruzr
    November 5, 2015 at 12:54 am | #

    are…

    are we sure she’s not an abductee in this universe

    ‘m just asking questions

  164. Asthin
    Asthin
    November 5, 2015 at 12:54 am | #

    Joyce’s alien abductee powers activate!

  165. SargeAbernathy
    SargeAbernathy
    November 5, 2015 at 12:54 am | #

    Oh. I really did enjoy this strip. 😀 Joyce with strength. I hope this strength sticks around.

    • SargeAbernathy
      SargeAbernathy
      November 5, 2015 at 12:56 am | #

      You know, if there is a God that does … once in a while … grant strength. That was it right there XD.

  166. Plasma Mongoose
    Plasma Mongoose
    November 5, 2015 at 12:55 am | #

    I wonder if Joyce ended up cutting her fist on his teeth.

  167. Tenzhi
    Tenzhi
    November 5, 2015 at 12:57 am | #

    The power of Joyce propels you! The power of Joyce propels you! Pertundam ergo fugis… Amen.

    • nothri
      nothri
      November 5, 2015 at 1:04 am | #

      Plus 50 internets to you.

  168. Bagge
    Bagge
    November 5, 2015 at 12:57 am | #

    YOU GO JOYCE!!!!!

    Hey, ToeDad – what she said.

  169. Hogan
    Hogan
    November 5, 2015 at 12:59 am | #

    Sorry Toedad, God distributed strength through another schedule, but dont worry, you’ll get a taste of the heavenly gifts 🙂

  170. quietlythundering
    quietlythundering
    November 5, 2015 at 12:59 am | #

    Yessssssss.
    After dealing with the previous strips in this arc, this is just really, really satisfying.

  171. detective boomwolf
    detective boomwolf
    November 5, 2015 at 12:59 am | #

    Yeah, well whatever strength you got, apparently Joyce got it 2 times over. Get 50 shades of rekt man.

  172. Gabriel
    Gabriel
    November 5, 2015 at 12:59 am | #

    So i’ve been following DoA (Dumbing of Age not Dead or Alive, funny coincidence though) since the beginning and only now i noticed that there are other three or so comics with the same characters.
    So are the other comics within the same lore but in parallel universes that make the story change? Or they just look like the same characters but are different people?
    Also could someone (if it’s not to much of course) please give me an critical analysis about the other comics so that i can evaluate if i’ll read them too?

    • TheLurkerAbove
      TheLurkerAbove
      November 5, 2015 at 1:10 am | #

      No, totally different lore, beyond the characters themselves. Even then some of them aren’t 100% the same. It’s Willis’s earlier work, starting from the late 90s. He’s re-running them, and currently at the early part of his second comic set in that alternate universe.

      Dumbing of Age has far better storytelling and art, because well, he’s clearly improved since those early efforts. He re-drew the first part of It’s Walky and had me wishing for more. A re-make if you will. 😛

    • SDGlyph
      SDGlyph
      November 5, 2015 at 3:51 am | #

      It goes something like this:
      – Roomies! was Willis’ original comic, starting off as a mostly slice-of-life college strip that went very dark after a character death.
      – It’s Walky! was the followup in the same universe, which moved out of college into a sci-fi romp with aliens, action and occasional high drama.
      – Shortpacked! then followed some of the IW! characters into civilian life working in a toy store, with a lot of pop-culture gags (and occasional high drama, because Willis).
      – There’s Joyce & Walky! too, also a followup, which takes Joyce and Walky (the original OTP of the comic) into a domestic sitcom. It does introduce a few characters and plot threads that show up here, but a fair number of the relevant comics were subscriber-only and are now available to Patreon supporters.

      Dumbing Of Age is basically a complete reboot of the entire thing with the benefit of 15 years of writing and drawing experience, going back to the slice-of-life setting of the original Roomies! (with occasional high drama). Characters are mostly drawn from Willis’ previous comics, generally keeping their design and personality outlines, but it’s a fresh start for all of them.

      Hope that helps!

      • SDGlyph
        SDGlyph
        November 5, 2015 at 3:53 am | #

        D’oh, I meant to link to Bring Back Roomies! / It’s Walky!, which currently re-running almost all the old strips in story order, one per day.

        • SDGlyph
          SDGlyph
          November 5, 2015 at 7:34 am | #

          Oh, and hey, there’s a timely interview with Willis over at The Mary Sue!

  173. Robert
    Robert
    November 5, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

    The guy who looks like a foot has a jaw of glass. *GASP*!!! He’s like a Cinderella man!

  174. Architex
    Architex
    November 5, 2015 at 1:00 am | #

    Joyce probably broke her hand, to be honest

    • NinjaNick
      NinjaNick
      November 5, 2015 at 1:55 am | #

      Maybe a bruised fist. I hope we’ll see more hits in the next strip. Who’s next in line to hit Ross the Toe-headed punching bag? Sal? Amazi-Girl?

      • Robert
        Robert
        November 5, 2015 at 8:53 pm | #

        The Truck.

  175. Robert
    Robert
    November 5, 2015 at 1:03 am | #

    Seriously though who heard the words “Flawless Victory” in their heads after Ross hit the ground?

    • Jhon
      Jhon
      November 5, 2015 at 6:30 pm | #

      Speak for yourself. I heard “I’m making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS”

  176. Someone
    Someone
    November 5, 2015 at 1:06 am | #

    The truth is, is that Joyce actually multiplies her strength every time she swears. Her aversion to swearing isn’t because she sees it as a sin but because she doesn’t want to risk hurting anyone. Her DAMN IT! was simply her powering up.

    Hell: X5
    Damn: X10
    Crap:X15
    Shit:X20
    Fuck:X50
    Seven dirty words you can’t say on Tv said in quick succession: X500

    • Robert
      Robert
      November 5, 2015 at 1:10 am | #

      So that’s why Cartman turned into Goku…

    • newllend(henryvolt)
      newllend(henryvolt)
      November 5, 2015 at 1:12 am | #

      I want that power.

  177. Foxhack
    Foxhack
    November 5, 2015 at 1:07 am | #

    THE POWER OF CHRIST PROPELS THIS FIST

    • Foxhack
      Foxhack
      November 5, 2015 at 1:08 am | #

      Alternate comment:

      YOU GOT KNOCKED THE FUGG OUT

  178. Idon'tcarenomore
    Idon'tcarenomore
    November 5, 2015 at 1:09 am | #

    Damn good shot. Perfect right hook.

    Heck, If AG can doing flying acrobatics on a speeding car, and Sal can do same on her bike….then why can’t 90 lb. Joyce deck 250 lb Toedad?

    Seriously, most satisfying strip in ages.

    Where is Dina?

    • Robert
      Robert
      November 5, 2015 at 1:12 am | #

      I think she’s hunting in the woods for food.

  179. nothri
    nothri
    November 5, 2015 at 1:09 am | #

    Also, incidentally, Becky has officially never been more lesbian than she is right now.

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      November 5, 2015 at 1:24 am | #

      Honestly, she looks more worried than anything else.

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 9:31 am | #

      Confirmed girlfriend who likes her back. Rescued by superheroine, hot motorcycle woman, and her crush. Plus her crush decked out her homophobic dad.

      Yeah, she’s probably hitting just about peak lesbian right now.

      • nothri
        nothri
        November 5, 2015 at 11:10 am | #

        Feel free to insert whatever hackneyed DBZ joke about numbers exceeding 9000 or this not being her final form or whatever. I’m too tired this morning.

        • Spencer
          Spencer
          November 5, 2015 at 11:47 am | #

          UM ACTUALLY the real line is “Over 8000” and it was butchered by evil gaijin dubbers.

          #trufan

          • nothri
            nothri
            November 5, 2015 at 6:13 pm | #

            Yes, that’s true. However, the MEME, which is what everyone goes nuts over, was born from the mangled dub line. Ergo, 9000.

  180. Leon real
    Leon real
    November 5, 2015 at 1:14 am | #

    Joyce knows a hell of a lot more about what a father’s duty should be, you selfish, fundie moron.
    Now kick him in the head until death.

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 9:33 am | #

      “Dads know how to make everything right”

      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-5/01-when-somebody-loved-me/fix/

      Damn that arc was rife with foreshadowing.

      • Peduncle
        Peduncle
        November 5, 2015 at 8:01 pm | #

        It’s been a wonderful sequence, with this as one of my favorites.

      • Peduncle
        Peduncle
        November 5, 2015 at 8:18 pm | #

        And this.

  181. Anywhere
    Anywhere
    November 5, 2015 at 1:18 am | #

    So glad to see the spirit of It’s Walky! Joyce has arrived.

  182. Shanunu
    Shanunu
    November 5, 2015 at 1:19 am | #

    YOOOOOOOOO

    • Shanunu
      Shanunu
      November 5, 2015 at 1:21 am | #

      Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, I realize the car accident pretty much guarantees that Ross is going to prison.

    • Shanunu
      Shanunu
      November 5, 2015 at 1:27 am | #

      A few pages ago I was wondering how badly Becky would let Amazigirl beat him up. I can’t believe I should have been worrying about Joyce.

  183. Anywhere
    Anywhere
    November 5, 2015 at 1:22 am | #

    “Oh great he’s talking about father’s duty again. Lord, give me the strength to not punch him square in the jaw, or at least the strength to do so.”
    …
    “God’s will be done.”

  184. merbrat
    merbrat
    November 5, 2015 at 1:23 am | #

    Damn skippy, Willis!

  185. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    November 5, 2015 at 1:26 am | #

    Okay, is anyone other than me reading “God gave me strength” and then imagining that as a “Magic staff, make my monster grow!” sequence?

    …

    Okay, so you didn’t, but now you can’t stop thinking it, right?

    • Anywhere
      Anywhere
      November 5, 2015 at 1:28 am | #

      Damn you, now I’m picturing Toedad dressed as Rita Repulsa.

      • Reltzik
        Reltzik
        November 5, 2015 at 1:37 am | #

        My work here is done.

      • Time Sage
        Time Sage
        November 5, 2015 at 2:04 am | #

        As long as it’s not the rita action figure outfit with the boob cones…..

      • Commodore Jeep-Eep
        Commodore Jeep-Eep
        November 5, 2015 at 8:46 pm | #

        -Brain sizzles like a frying egg-

    • nothri
      nothri
      November 5, 2015 at 11:14 am | #

      That’s a big problem….

      We only have three people involved in the rescue. We can’t assign everyone a Ranger.

  186. Sunny Day
    Sunny Day
    November 5, 2015 at 1:27 am | #

    Wow a real Joyce vs Goliath story, she defeated the Ass by hitting him on the jawbone.

    • Anywhere
      Anywhere
      November 5, 2015 at 2:55 am | #

      +1

    • Cephalo the Pod
      Cephalo the Pod
      November 5, 2015 at 12:46 pm | #

      Isn’t that a reference to the Judge Samson? He beat a bunch of…Palestinians, was it?…with the jawbone of an ass. And thus he made an ass of them all.

  187. Freezer
    Freezer
    November 5, 2015 at 1:31 am | #

    FALCON JOYCE!

  188. Tim C.
    Tim C.
    November 5, 2015 at 1:31 am | #

    In the words of LL cool J:

    Joyce is gonna knock you out…. mama said knock you out…. I’mma gonna knock you out….

  189. podian
    podian
    November 5, 2015 at 1:32 am | #

    …Joyce sent Toedad flying…

    Are you sure there’s no Martian interference in Dumbiverse?

    • SDGlyph
      SDGlyph
      November 5, 2015 at 3:37 am | #

      Well, she couldn’t have done this before she devoted herself to Dexter & Monkey Master…
      (Causality shmausailty)

  190. Azarafel
    Azarafel
    November 5, 2015 at 1:35 am | #

    Probably been said before, but, youngest child with 3 older brothers equals not weak physically or super manipulative possible but for j I don’t think the latter is the case

    • Cerberus
      Cerberus
      November 5, 2015 at 9:35 am | #

      3 older presumed to be brothers at least. Jocelyn was in that mix. But still, yeah, I imagine she knows how to rough and tumble when needed.

  191. ninja_jesus
    ninja_jesus
    November 5, 2015 at 1:37 am | #

    You know, I think this whole event speaks a lot about Amber’s effectiveness as Amazi-Girl. As far as serious crises goes, she’s 0 for 2 in terms of helping people, and 0-1 in instigating a fight with Sal. Amazi-Girl has only ever made things worse, or was otherwise useless, and I’m sure it’s because she’s not doing the “superheroine” thing for other people; she’s doing this to avoid confronting her issues, arguably at the expense of others. While I do understand that trauma is hard to work through, I think her current method of coping isn’t just dangerous; it’s selfish and self-serving, with the pretense of helping others as an excuse. It doesn’t mean I hate her; I just hope she realizes this and stops.

    Contrast that with Joyce, who’s had more victories than defeats by just being herself when it comes to fighting. She’s successfully defended Dorothy from her over-religious parents, she defended herself from a bible-quoting rapist, and now Joyce is in the process of defending Becky from her dangerously religious father. The difference between Joyce and Amazi-Girl is that Joyce genuinely cares.

    Sure, Amazi-Girl cares about human life as a general vigilante rule, but she has neither the passion nor the drive that Joyce has when it comes to confronting danger, especially for the benefit of others. Amazi-Girl is an emotional self-defense created by Amber, she isn’t there to help people; that’s just a result of imagining these crises as her past traumas.

    I think that one of the best lessons Joyce learned from growing up in a fundamentalist home is that you should defend and put your whole faith into your beliefs. Be passionate about them. We’ve seen her do that when trying to justify her belief in the Bible and God. Right now, Joyce has placed her belief in Becky, in her best friend, and she’ll do everything she can to defend her.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      November 5, 2015 at 2:01 am | #

      Great analysis! As with all good character analyses, the correct thing to do here is disagree. Because internet. =)P

      While I won’t disagree with you about Amazi-Girl’s motives or high-risk methods, she doesn’t seem short on passion where asshole abusive fathers and their victim daughters are concerned, and however badly it nearly turned out in this case she deserves at least an assist. She wasn’t ineffective. The biggest threats were (1) Toedad escaping in the Toemobile with Becky and going off to do… whatever he was planning, (2) Toedad shooting someone; and (3) State troopers ka-spewing Toedad’s brains in front of Becky and traumatizing her for life. However risky her methods, she neutralized all three threats. I have NO IDEA how Sal and Joyce were planning to get him to stop, but it wouldn’t have been pretty either.

      As for Joyce, I’m going to again disagree. Joyce is normally a confused and conflicted individual, handicapped by her upbringing. She leans towards kindness, compassion, and acceptance. These are at her core and are a great source of strength and determination, and they’re about character, not beliefs. She could be capable of almost anything through this. But she is held back alternatively by confusion regarding the, erm, harsher parts of Christianity, and by uncertainty stemming from exposure to the myriad things from which she had been previously sheltered. Her strength emerges not from the application of faith in any sense beyond dedication to people, but instead from setting aside this confusion and uncertainty when it truly matters.

      • ninja_jesus
        ninja_jesus
        November 5, 2015 at 5:20 am | #

        Her passion is based on her psychological trauma, trying to “correct the wrong” that happened by using this trauma as a “weapon for good”. That is very passionate, sure, but it’s a self-serving passion that fizzles out when confronted with reality. On the flip side, Joyce is protecting her best friend when she could’ve just let Amazi-Girl do her thing. She is held back by her confusion, yes, but it’s overridden by the powerful instinct to help others when they’re in need, and that instinct is validated through her faith.

        Joyce’s beliefs are something to consider, because prior to Becky showing up, Joyce still thought homosexuality was something to “cure”. She tried to “cure” Ethan because she thought that’s what her beliefs called for. Here, she is facing that belief in the form of Toedad, and rejecting it. That alone is a very powerful message about how her beliefs and faith have changed.

        The story of Joyce is the story of coming to terms with one’s religious upbringing, how society challenges those beliefs, and how one chooses to react. Time and again, Joyce has chosen to use her faith in the defense of people that fundie Christians like toedad or her parents would condemn. She’s rejecting their interpretation of their shared faith in God and Jesus Christ and asserting her own; one that isn’t cruel or discriminatory against anyone.

        Rather than setting aside her confusion and uncertainty, I think it becomes clearer to Joyce on what she does and doesn’t believe in. She believes that Becky is valid in who she is, and she doesn’t believe that what Becky’s father is doing is right or morally just.

    • doubleW
      doubleW
      November 5, 2015 at 2:16 am | #

      Joyce is cool as hell (hah), but try imagining this strip with Toedad still armed and with a running car.

      • ninja_jesus
        ninja_jesus
        November 5, 2015 at 4:42 am | #

        I imagine it would’ve gone better than a car crash that could’ve potentially killed the red vehicle driver (because Amazi-Girl lost her grip), Amazi-Girl herself (if Sal wasn’t there to catch her), Toedad and Becky.

        Secondly, there is more than one way to stop a car, just as there is more than one way to disarm a person.

        • BenRG
          BenRG
          November 5, 2015 at 5:29 am | #

          I don’t agree. I think that it is much more likely that it would have ended with bloodshed and multiple fatalities.

        • Mindlink
          Mindlink
          November 5, 2015 at 9:52 am | #

          I imagine it would’ve ended in a car crash anyway, after Toedad trying to ram through police fortifications, possibly while shooting/being shot at, with a lesser chance of survival.

    • Torra
      Torra
      November 5, 2015 at 2:28 am | #

      I really like this analysis! I agree with all that actually, it all makes a lot of sense. Amazi-Girl does what she does *for herself* instead of other people, whereas Joyce does things the other way around, even if its hard or its something that is against her original beliefs.

      Amber definitely needs some help. I’m hoping this will help her realise it!

      • BenRG
        BenRG
        November 5, 2015 at 3:17 am | #

        That may have been the case once but read ‘hostage’ again. See what Amazi-Girl’s reason is for keeping up the pursuit despite having smashed into a windscreen at 20mph: “I cant… fail anyone!”

        She may be crazy and self-deluding, but she believes that she’s doing this to help people.

        • shadowcell
          shadowcell
          November 5, 2015 at 3:33 am | #

          well, yes, “*I* can’t fail anyone!” as good as her intentions are, it’s still about her. which is what you’d expect when Amazi-Girl is a coping mechanism.

        • SDGlyph
          SDGlyph
          November 5, 2015 at 3:34 am | #

          That’s still more about her own issues than actually helping people, I think, and goes back to both the end of WBDDB and Blaine berating her for not being able to do anything about Sal taking Ethan hostage. I dunno, I’m struggling to articulate the impression I got from it.

    • Tilty
      Tilty
      November 5, 2015 at 3:35 am | #

      -Rolls eyes-

      This is a very biased, unfair, and inaccurate analysis of both Joyce and Amazigirl. It feels less like you understand either character, and more like you want to find knit-picky reasons to attack Amber/Amazigirl and will twist information to suit this conclusion.

      For the record, I am not saying that was Amazigirl is doing is healthy. It is not. Burying her emotions, problems like domestic abuse, under layers of anger and disassociation is not healthy. Still, that doesn’t mean that she hasn’t helped in these situations, particularly in this violent kidnapping.

      The facts are:

      1) Toedad was ALREADY violent and talking about fighting the police over custody of his daughter.

      2) Toedad was ALREADY endangering both himself and Becky by driving recklessly.

      3) Toedad was already several minutes ahead of Sal before Amazigirl slowed them down.

      Those are indisputable facts shown through the dialogue and storytelling.

      We also know that any discussion with Becky could have led to more anger and escalation. Particularly if she had called 911 without being prompted by Amazigirl! He was already prepared to strike her for even trying to keep them from getting in a wreck, and had they continued that is a very likely outcome – particularly with Sal in pursuit.

      Do you think that if he saw Joyce in the rearview instead of Amazigirl this situation would have been resolved more peacefully? Or, more likely, would he have started behaving more recklessly in the name of “Defending” his daughter? In which case, there wouldn’t have been anyone to disarm Ross. Or keep him from hitting the pavement and dying (Traumatizing Becky). Or kept the car from flipping.

      Sal simply DOESN’T HAVE THAT SKILLSET. Without Amazigirl to disarm and stop Ross, she would have escalated the situation as well simply by being present.

      And don’t even get me STARTED on cops, who would have likely have tried to flip the car anyway.

      So, sure, Joyce got in the last punch, but it was only after Amazigirl disarmed Ross, stopped his vehicle, and got him just injured enough that Joyce was capable of knocking him down. Heaven knows she couldn’t do it at the fountain!

      In fact, I am going to double down on this stance and say that Joyce put Becky in DANGER by refusing to contact people who would be able to help her friend. She didn’t want to tell Dorothy or Amazigirl – the two people who would be most capable of preventing this situation in the first place! Dorothy is an incredibly intelligent woman with a strong understanding of the world, law, and how to help others. She’s also an aspiring politician who understands how to pull favors with connections, and her boyfriend’s mother knows the Dean. She would have been the most able to find a safe and legal way to keep Becky on campus, but Joyce would not tell her because of personal reasons. That was selfish.

      Amazigirl/Amber, had she known about Becky, could have helped ensure she wasn’t spotted and that Ross wouldn’t endanger Becky at the school. Not only is she highly educated about the LGBT+ community, and so more likely to know of resources to help Becky, but she is also generally more experienced at ensuring that she isn’t caught by the wrong people. She wouldn’t have overlooked the fact that Becky’s orange hair was a red flag. She also would have been more hyper-vigilant in ensuring that if Becky was spotted, she wasn’t put in that much danger.

      By not contacting her friends and assuming Becky could just sleep in her dorm with no fallout, Joyce CAUSED this entire arc. Without Amazigirl, people probably would have died.

      • Kirbilius Clausius
        Kirbilius Clausius
        November 5, 2015 at 12:33 pm | #

        For Amazi-Girl’s ‘real world superheroing’, she’s not doing so bad. She’s been shown to have actually stopped other crimes in progress, or are we not counting the time she saved the woman being harrassed on the street because she’s nameless? She actually did stop the White-Board Ding-Dong Bandit. So far she has exactly two in-panel failings: picking a fight with Sal & crew and allowing the escape of Ol’ Gash Face. And honestly, after Dorothy reports _this_ incident of Amazi-Girl being hit by a car and stopping a ToeDad (a campus shooter) people might actually calm down as much as people did in Seattle after Phoenix Jones’ secret identity was revealed to be MMA. Even in this incident, Amazi-Girl may not have ‘saved the day’ but she certainly kept the day from slipping into that cold black night by disarming ToeDad, bringing the car to a stop and simply helping when it was shown that the police were not going to.

        Amber’s psychological problems are still more of a burden on Amazi-Girl than her ‘official’ record.

      • SDGlyph
        SDGlyph
        November 5, 2015 at 12:51 pm | #

        Um. I think you’re way off the mark on a few things here.

        First, from your ‘indisputable facts’, number 2 is flat wrong. Becky got Ross to slow down and drive normally already – telling him to stop at stop signs before they even got off campus, and to ‘drive casual’ when she saw the cops coming (and before she saw AG).

        Secondly, Joyce did tell Dorothy about Becky. Becky turned up on Thursday, and Joyce told Dorothy about her situation the very next day; Dorothy discreetly raised the subject of shelters in their Gender Studies class after lunch. As for Amazi-Girl – she was the person Joyce contacted, via Dorothy, as soon as she knew Ross was back on campus (when Becky called her while running through the meadow, and before Ross turned up at the fountain with the gun). Joyce certainly didn’t “refuse to contact people”, and I think you’re doing exactly what you’re accusing ninja_jesus of here.

        Also, your whole thing with Amazi-Girl having the skills to save Ross and Becky from the crash neatly sidesteps the fact that AG caused the crash in the first place by blowing out Ross’ tyre. I’ve said my piece already in the last couple of days so won’t repeat everything here.

        It wouldn’t have been as exciting, but the best possible reaction from Amazi-Girl (in terms of Becky’s safety) would probably be something like this:
        AG: “Joyce, listen to me. Do you know where they’re going?”
        J: “Y-yes. I think so. Becky said he wanted to take her home. To La Porte.”
        AG: “Joyce, you need to call the police right now. Tell them what’s happened, where they’re going, and describe the car. They’ll catch him and get Becky out of there, I promise. Now I’m going to go find Dina and make sure she’s okay too.”

        • Spencer
          Spencer
          November 5, 2015 at 1:05 pm | #

          +1

        • Tilty
          Tilty
          November 5, 2015 at 2:28 pm | #

          Oh please. This is drivel.

          Firstly, Becky told Toedad to drive casual, but there was very little indication of him doing so. And, in fact, the second that anyone would have entered pursuit his reckless behaviors would have continued. It doesn’t matter if we’re discussing Amazigirl, Sal, or the police. Anyone tailing Toedad would have escalated the situation, and SOMEONE WOULD HAVE PURSUED HIM. Even if your “Best case scenario,” the police would have pursued, Toedad would have either tried to escape through reckless driving (Prompting either the pit maneuver or tire shredding strips – which would have flipped the car anyway), or he would have taken the gun out and ended in a shoot off. The fact that you believe that calling the police on a man with a rifle holding his daughter hostage in a high speed chase would have ended better than no one getting seriously injured is LAUGHABLE at best.

          Joyce might have MENTIONED Becky’s situation, but she didn’t take anyone’s advice. She wanted Becky to just live in her dorms with no one noticing, just forever. She was told this wasn’t feasible, and she didn’t care. She was told it was short-sighted, and she didn’t care. She was told of places which could help Becky AND SHE DIDN’T CARE. She, like a short-sighted child, believed that she could just hide a full grown woman away in a dorm forever with absolutely no fallout.

          There’s a difference between telling someone, and seeking help and taking that help. Joyce didn’t. She did things her way. She put Becky in danger because of it.

          But let’s return to the police again, shall we? In our universe, the police are a mixed bag. Sure you have good police officers who can and do resolve dangerous situations, but you also have a police academy which teaches force before negotiation and acceptable losses. One hostage in a car has less value than the potentially dozens who could be killed when Ross gets in a high-speed shootout. Pedestrians, other drivers, police officers… They’re not going to put everyone in danger over Becky. Period.

          And that is OUR universe.

          In the Dumbing world, the police seem to be incompetent to the point of comedic effect. Not only do they make NO effort to find an illegal vigilante on premises, they can’t even distinguish between an animal attack and a beating – from when Amber assaulted her father. After the shooting, they made no effort to secure the premises, and let a speeding car (With a girl riding behind it on a skateboard) drive right past them. Because, you know, fleeing the scene of a crime isn’t suspicious at all.

          What do you think the best-case resolution would be with cops who can’t even be bothered to do their jobs? Do you sincerely, honestly think it’d be better than disarming a dangerous man and getting everyone out alive?

          • SDGlyph
            SDGlyph
            November 5, 2015 at 5:34 pm | #

            Hmm. Wow. You seem to be very convinced of a lot of things that ‘would’ have happened, and of what you say characters were thinking when, I believe, the text clearly shows otherwise. You’re also trying to move the goalposts after you’re been shown to be wrong (“Joyce didn’t tell Dorothy! Okay, well, she might have mentioned it but…”).

            Protip: Dismissing someone else’s reply as ‘drivel’ and then proceeding to shout at them is not conducive to any kind of discussion. You’ve clearly got some kind of raging hate-on for Joyce and aren’t interested in listening to anyone else’s interpretation, so I’m out. Have a nice day.

            • Tilty
              Tilty
              November 6, 2015 at 4:54 am | #

              I don’t hate Joyce at all. I am pointing out that saying she “Saved the day” or resolved the conflict is completely wrong when she is part of the root cause of the conflict. To be honest, I had forgotten that she had made mention of Becky to Dorothy, but she didn’t pursue advice. She didn’t even acknowledge that there was a need for long-term goals. Becky staying at a school where she would be spotted with no protection, while being stalked by her father IS in part Joyce’s fault based on the choices she made.

              And I am countering the ‘should’a, could’a, would’a’ with another perspective. The idea that contacting the police wouldn’t escalate the situation is just plain wrong. Police CONSTANTLY escalate situations. They’re trained to apprehend, and in this situation they would not have let an armed assailant escape, and Ross already said he would fight the police if they gave chase. There’s no good end there. None.

              Joyce and Amazigirl have some similarities. They are both victims of assaults that have left them psychologically scarred. They are both resistant to getting help. They’re both more willing to handle situations outside of their control independently, rather than seek help. They both need help in dealing with the roots of these issues, rather than burying trauma under coping mechanisms. They both played a role in how this chain of events played out – both in a positive and negative way.

              My problem is that the OP is fixating on one action by Joyce and saying it resolved the entire situation and that she saves people just by being herself, and that is simply not true. Joyce played just as much of a role in escalating this to violence as Amazigirl had, while Amazigirl had managed to successfully avoid getting anyone seriously injured. As far as comic-book-worlds are concerned, that’s a win! It’s more than what many heroes could say, honestly.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          November 5, 2015 at 4:04 pm | #

          Just a point: Ross caused the crash by abandoning the wheel and climbing out of the moving car to shoot Amazi-girl. A crash was pretty much guaranteed from that moment.

          • Spencer
            Spencer
            November 5, 2015 at 4:14 pm | #

            Would he have let go of the wheel to shoot police cars?

            Would there be caltrops on the road puncturing his tires and sending them spinning into a truck?

            Would some random bystander end up getting her windshield smashed?

            It’s ultimately kind of pointless to ask about could/should, but I think the entire argument over the last week is less about whether Amber did a good job and more that she really shouldn’t have been physically able to without plot armor.

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              November 5, 2015 at 5:32 pm | #

              That was specifically in reply to “neatly sidesteps the fact that AG caused the crash in the first place by blowing out Ross’ tyre.”

              I also suspect, you and the author may have different ideas about the kind of realism to expect in the strip. We’ve got a lot of emotional and psychological realism – everyone involved is going to dealing with the emotional consequences of this for years of our time, much like Joyce still (not) dealing with the attempted rape.
              And there’s no aliens or super-tech kind of weirdness. Still, Amazi-girl’s been playing by super-hero rules the whole time. Both in terms of physical prowess and things like the secret identity trope.

              More broadly, how else could this have gone, narratively? It’s all well and good to talk about the best realistic option being to call the cops and let them handle it, but that doesn’t work story wise. What would that look like? We see Joyce call the cops and give a report, go down the station and give a statement, then hear that Ross is dead and Becky’s been taken to the hospital for observation?
              Or we could follow Becky, sitting helplessly as Ross crashes into the police blockade and drags himself from the car with his gun, to be blown away?
              Or just wait a couple of months real time before we find they found him at home and were able to rescue her.

              The protagonists needed to be the ones to stop Toedad. How could that be arranged, without breaking your suspension of disbelief?

              • SDGlyph
                SDGlyph
                November 5, 2015 at 5:49 pm | #

                Agree that narratively, simply calling the cops would have been unsatisfying – and certainly less exciting, as I said. I don’t think that precludes discussion of whether Amazi-Girl did the right thing within the story.

                Please note that saying “Amazi-Girl made the situation worse” is not* the same thing as “Amazi-Girl made the comic less enjoyable” or “Willis shouldn’t have written it this way”. The last week or so has been a wild and exciting ride building up to a fantastic point of catharsis, and none of it would have happened if Amazi-Girl hadn’t escalated the situation. But I absolutely think she did escalate it – again, within the story – and that plays into the ongoing arc of Amber’s psychological issues.

                (*for me; I recognise that some people have found the last week less enjoyable. Nothing wrong with that, either: people like different things.)