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Dumbing of Age

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June 14, 2026

Rhetorical

by David M Willis on July 17, 2018 at 12:01 am
  • 04 – Of Mike And Men
└ Tags: amber, ethan, mike

Discussion (108) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    July 17, 2018 at 12:01 am | #

    maybe talk about this guy?

    • Nomothehomo
      Nomothehomo
      July 17, 2018 at 12:09 am | #

      ya sure

    • cbwroses
      cbwroses
      July 17, 2018 at 12:09 am | #

      I vaguely remember this…

  2. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    July 17, 2018 at 12:01 am | #

    What good are friends who aren’t into transforming robots?

    • Felix
      Felix
      July 17, 2018 at 3:02 pm | #

      Everything but transforming rowboats. And robots.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      July 17, 2018 at 8:39 pm | #

      I read this as “What good are friends who aren’t transforming robots?”

      • Fogel
        Fogel
        July 18, 2018 at 8:03 am | #

        Answer: not much?

  3. William Leonard Reese Jr.
    William Leonard Reese Jr.
    July 17, 2018 at 12:02 am | #

    . . .Interesting. I wonder how much time has passed since we last saw Flashback Mike.

  4. Nono
    Nono
    July 17, 2018 at 12:03 am | #

    I’m actually trying to figure out how old the kids are at this point. I’d have guessed early teens from how they look, but do they have star quarterbacks then?

    This is coming from someone who didn’t grow up with football at all.

    • MM
      MM
      July 17, 2018 at 12:04 am | #

      Star quarterbacks were a high school thing (ninth grade, so 14ish) where I came from, but they might start earlier in Indiana.

    • Yumi
      Yumi
      July 17, 2018 at 12:05 am | #

      I was wondering if they’re older in this strip than previous flashback strips. Mike, at least, looks a little older to me, but mostly it’s the “star quarterback” thing.

      • Haven
        Haven
        July 17, 2018 at 12:09 am | #

        These seem to be the same designs Ethan and Amber had in the convenience store flashback, so I’m thinking early high school.

      • SpookyFox
        SpookyFox
        July 17, 2018 at 12:11 am | #

        it’s the same classroom and seats though

      • Jed!
        Jed!
        July 17, 2018 at 1:51 am | #

        They seem to still be getting to know each other, so I don’t think it could be that long.

      • Khno
        Khno
        July 17, 2018 at 6:25 am | #

        Ethan was a late bloomer

    • Cass
      Cass
      July 17, 2018 at 12:08 am | #

      “Serious” football started in seventh grade where I grew up, though at that age someone being called a star player by other kids had less to do with their showing any special talent and more with their being the most popular person playing that position

    • Tom T.
      Tom T.
      July 17, 2018 at 6:25 am | #

      My assumption is that this guy is known to them as the town’s star quarterback, but that’s assuming a pretty small town with only one high school. This makes the situation creepy because he’s a 17-year-old getting it on with an apparent middle schooler.

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      July 17, 2018 at 10:26 am | #

      From what I remember of the US school system, they’ve got to be in middle school, since they’ve got a home room and separate classes for different subjects, which generally starts then.
      This also seems to be before the traumatic robbery, since it hasn’t been mentioned and also led up to the divorce. (I’m assuming the Patreon flashback with Amber babysitting Faz is also in this time, but that only makes it clearer.)
      Amber was 13 then, her birthday is this weekend. Thus I conclude she must be 12 now. Mike and Ethan somewhere around the same. Probably 7th grade.

      • geno
        geno
        July 17, 2018 at 1:45 pm | #

        That was how it worked in my highschool. Though homeroom was pretty lax. Wasn’t hard to get out of

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        July 17, 2018 at 10:47 pm | #

        The robbery didn’t CAUSE the divorce, it just finalized around then, after Blaine got her self defence classes instead of therapy.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          July 18, 2018 at 7:02 am | #

          True, but I’m mostly just thinking of the timing.

  5. Sporky
    Sporky
    July 17, 2018 at 12:03 am | #

    they’re good toys, bront

  6. Yumi
    Yumi
    July 17, 2018 at 12:04 am | #

    Mike’s gonna play tonsil hockey with the quarterback? Good for him.

    • Deathjavu
      Deathjavu
      July 17, 2018 at 12:06 am | #

      Looks like “Make out with other dudes to make Ethan jealous” might have been a longer running scheme than we thought.

      Or maybe not, who knows.

      • Jason
        Jason
        July 17, 2018 at 12:35 am | #

        I dunno, looking at Mike’s face in panel five, he looks bothered by telling Ethan- and that face isn’t for Ethan’s benefit since he’s turned away. I don’t think he’s manipulative jackass yet- not always nice, but definitely not full Mike yet.
        He MIGHT be trying to provoke a reaction from Ethan with regards to sexuality, but he doesn’t seem to be trying to upset him for the sake of it.

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      July 17, 2018 at 1:52 am | #

      Lil’ Ethan is jealous and a bit disappointed, but can’t quite put his finger on why.

      • merbrat
        merbrat
        July 17, 2018 at 12:46 pm | #

        I thought it was incredulous and reluctantly impressed. New kid, who Ethan is trying to include in their plans, is already hanging-out with school’s Numero Uno.

      • Unusually Angry Hippie
        Unusually Angry Hippie
        July 17, 2018 at 4:35 pm | #

        Mikes definitely onto Ethan, probably knew he was gay for a long time before he came out. That ‘Amber does look disappointed’ line is pretty pointed. Amber doesn’t care, Ethan is inviting Mike for his own benefit and Mike knows it.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          July 17, 2018 at 5:23 pm | #

          Well, Amber’s also crippling shy and withdrawn at this point. Ethan would naturally be the prime mover in any attempt to expand her social circle and even if she might actually want that, it’s scary enough she wouldn’t be disappointed it didn’t happen.
          It doesn’t all have to be unrecognized sexual tension, especially at this age.

  7. shadowcell
    shadowcell
    July 17, 2018 at 12:04 am | #

    “i want the FRUTH!”

    “you can’t handle the Fruth!”

    • abysswatcher1993
      abysswatcher1993
      July 17, 2018 at 2:35 am | #

      That sounds like Jack Nicolson making a gay scene.

    • Van Jealous
      Van Jealous
      July 17, 2018 at 11:13 am | #

      The FRUTH shall set you free!

  8. butts
    butts
    July 17, 2018 at 12:04 am | #

    Oh that’s right I forgot this arc was about Mike

    • Inahc
      Inahc
      July 17, 2018 at 12:07 am | #

      yeah me too. and I have no idea how to interpret this comic.

    • ShinyNeen
      ShinyNeen
      July 17, 2018 at 12:09 am | #

      Yyyyeaaah, huh. I’d been idly thinking “gee it sure has been a while since we had a Mike flashback” on and off for… um, at least four days I think.

      But it’s here! It’s happening! Mike is the star again!

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      July 17, 2018 at 1:02 am | #

      I completely forgot that this arc is titled “Of Mike and Men”.

  9. Passchendaele
    Passchendaele
    July 17, 2018 at 12:04 am | #

    Amber’s birthday at her house is a phrase that vaguely terrifies me

    • Stephen Bierce
      Stephen Bierce
      July 17, 2018 at 12:07 am | #

      And me as well.

      • Passchendaele
        Passchendaele
        July 17, 2018 at 12:15 am | #

        damnit if Willis brings in the ambulances, I swear

    • Sol Karas
      Sol Karas
      July 17, 2018 at 12:19 am | #

      Abusers tend to be able to put on a charming show in front of outsiders, so I doubt anything’d happen. Not during the party, anyways.
      It’s also possible this is further along in the timeline and Amber’s parents are divorced now, unsure…

      • Nono
        Nono
        July 17, 2018 at 12:23 am | #

        Amber’s never mentioned her mom in any of her flashbacks, I think. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

      • alice
        alice
        July 17, 2018 at 12:23 am | #

        honestly that’s almost scarier. the charming show can be just as harmful (in different ways) imo

        • Havtorn
          Havtorn
          July 21, 2018 at 8:27 pm | #

          The main thing it does is isolate the victim. People who hear of the abuse go “No, Kind Steve couldn’t possibly be a wife-beater, she must be crazy or she’s lying to get full custody of the kids.” and stuff like that. People WANT abusers to just be monsters like Blaine, but your average abusive spouse comes off as an entirely normal person.

  10. cbwroses
    cbwroses
    July 17, 2018 at 12:06 am | #

    Why am I reading/hearing Mike’s lines in a snooty posh tenor?

    • Inahc
      Inahc
      July 17, 2018 at 12:08 am | #

      probably the use of “quite”. and some of the other phrasing is rather stiff too.

      • cbwroses
        cbwroses
        July 17, 2018 at 12:11 am | #

        Possibly. Or maybe because I’m watching Code:Realize which had some snooty jerk characters.
        Or both.

  11. cbwroses
    cbwroses
    July 17, 2018 at 12:08 am | #

    So was it Amber leaving Mike alone after he went to talk to the teacher that suddenly has him showing his jerk side to them?

    • Fart Captor
      Fart Captor
      July 17, 2018 at 12:28 am | #

      He was acting like this before that too, so I doubt it

      • cbwroses
        cbwroses
        July 17, 2018 at 1:16 am | #

        Didn’t come off like that to me.
        What mean jerk things did he say to them in the other flashbacks?

  12. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    July 17, 2018 at 12:12 am | #

    It’s sometimes easy to forget Ethan wasn’t always built like a superhero.

    I’m curious where this is going. Mike’s not necessarily the easiest guy to read at the best of times, but I’m finding flashback Mike actually more difficult to get a read on. He doesn’t have the visible mean streak yet, but there’s still some cynicism.

    • Nono
      Nono
      July 17, 2018 at 12:20 am | #

      I’m wondering how Ethan got built. I don’t think it’s completely genetics (neither of his parents looked that jacked). Amber mentioned she was in track and field, so there was presumably some stage in their life where they both did athletics?

      • JessWitt
        JessWitt
        July 17, 2018 at 12:56 am | #

        His dad looks pretty sturdy so genetics is a sure bet. Wonder if we’ll see Ethan level up puberty-wise in these flashbacks.

        • ValdVin
          ValdVin
          July 17, 2018 at 1:11 pm | #

          Per Amber, “At sixteen he suddenly became hot…” so it’s a question of how long these flashbacks go.

          • JessWitt
            JessWitt
            July 17, 2018 at 6:15 pm | #

            Aw darn. Maybe not in this chapter then.

  13. Tacos
    Tacos
    July 17, 2018 at 12:19 am | #

    Clearly they’ll be talking about Yugioh.

    Also what kind of name is Brent Fruth?

    • Delavan
      Delavan
      July 17, 2018 at 12:43 am | #

      The kind of name for someone who really wants to be Brett Favre

      • JessWitt
        JessWitt
        July 17, 2018 at 12:56 am | #

        Well that explains where the character name came from.

        • David M Willis
          David M Willis
          July 17, 2018 at 9:33 pm | #

          It is not.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      July 17, 2018 at 12:46 am | #

      “Fruth” is a German name, so Brent Fruth is probably the descendent of German immigrants. Lots of those in the Midwest. Certainly lots of those in southern Indiana.

      • OnyxIdol
        OnyxIdol
        July 17, 2018 at 7:20 am | #

        It is? Never heard it before.

        • Marsh Maryrose
          Marsh Maryrose
          July 17, 2018 at 8:45 pm | #

          I didn’t say it was a common name. But the people with that name who aren’t in the US are mostly in Germany and Austria, according to Namespedia.

      • Ana Chronistic
        Ana Chronistic
        July 17, 2018 at 11:55 pm | #

        Oh? I got: “fruth; (noun) a type of video photography where fruits engage in sexual intercourse”

        🤔

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      July 17, 2018 at 1:55 am | #

      It’s a good name, “Brent”.

  14. Laladoria
    Laladoria
    July 17, 2018 at 12:23 am | #

    Mike may not even have plans. He may be upset with Amber from when she left while he was fighting for her with that teacher.

    Alternatively, Mike and Brent may have a SECRET RELATIONSHIP, OOOOOO!!

    • Raen
      Raen
      July 17, 2018 at 12:30 am | #

      …secret?

      • Mr. Random
        Mr. Random
        July 17, 2018 at 12:32 am | #

        might?

  15. Tan
    Tan
    July 17, 2018 at 12:38 am | #

    “We’re Not Gonna Be Talking About Transforming Robots, I Guarantee You” would be a terrible book title, as it would get Willis sued.

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      July 17, 2018 at 1:03 am | #

      But what about as a Slipshine title?

      • Raen
        Raen
        July 17, 2018 at 10:20 pm | #

        That would get him arrested.

  16. Keulen
    Keulen
    July 17, 2018 at 12:58 am | #

    The expression on Mike’s face in the last panel is weirding me out.

  17. Bagge
    Bagge
    July 17, 2018 at 12:59 am | #

    That’s a Billie level AAAAALPHA BOOONGO!

    • abysswatcher1993
      abysswatcher1993
      July 17, 2018 at 2:29 am | #

      Nope, he is supreme bongo. he can seduce any man without looking drunk and without fake cutesy girl talking.

      • Bagge
        Bagge
        July 17, 2018 at 3:45 am | #

        …and then flaunts hm like a trophy. I stand by my statement.

  18. brasca1
    brasca1
    July 17, 2018 at 1:19 am | #

    Well Mike has Goku’s uncanny gravity defying hair.

  19. ShinyNeen
    ShinyNeen
    July 17, 2018 at 1:31 am | #

    So, this comic kinda reinforces where I think the flashbacks have been going, and how it ties into Mike in the present.

    We’ve seen a bunch of scenes of Mike’s assholery being constructive for his targets, right? Like, he’s always an asshole, but sometimes by forcing people to confront their problems that they’ve been avoding (like trying to force Joyce to walk back her discomfort with homosexuality after Becky came out). With the way he tried to help Amber in this flashback sequence, it looks like he used to be a lot more straightforward about helping people. Flashback!Mike had a better opinion of people, and figured that if he just told folks what was wrong with them they would fix their problems.

    But, between Amber ditching him, and seeing that Ethan’s pretty childish for his age (not that I can throw shade about that though), and of course everything with that shitty teacher, he’s getting jaded about people in general. Like, being relatively straightforward (talking to the teacher on Amber’s behalf) didn’t work, and now he’s started getting it in his head that people are generally bullshit and that he’s a step ahead of them basically all the time. Well on the path to becoming the Mike we know and have many varied opinions about today!

    • abysswatcher1993
      abysswatcher1993
      July 17, 2018 at 2:32 am | #

      That is surprisingly accurate. Mike has gone through the path of Rick Sanchez and Raven Branwen and just gave up on being good and only does what makes him feel a small amount of pleasure, like punching Joe for fun, or having sex with a random stranger.

  20. Slicey
    Slicey
    July 17, 2018 at 2:07 am | #

    Does anyone else soul hurt watching baby mike try to make friends but struggling and basically prostitute himself for personal companionship? Because OMG want hug Mike!

    • stoodmuffin
      stoodmuffin
      July 17, 2018 at 3:32 am | #

      Think of what you just said.

      Also: YES. OF COURSE.

  21. abysswatcher1993
    abysswatcher1993
    July 17, 2018 at 2:28 am | #

    Wow, Mike’s start of evil went fast. 1)Traumatic experience of good and evil. Checked. 2)Unhealthy romantic behaviors. Checked. 3)Murdering Walky… where did one come from?

  22. stoodmuffin
    stoodmuffin
    July 17, 2018 at 3:32 am | #

    Willis. No. Put his Childhood down. NO. DON’T DO THIS. DON’T DO THIS TO ME.

    • JBento
      JBento
      July 17, 2018 at 12:22 pm | #

      *Willis puts Mike’s childhood down… from the top of the Empire State Building*

  23. stoodmuffin
    stoodmuffin
    July 17, 2018 at 3:33 am | #

    Oh no we are getting Mike back story during the “Walky and Amber” arc… Wills, you sicko what are you planning? How do you intend to hurt?

    • King Daniel
      King Daniel
      July 17, 2018 at 11:05 am | #

      Technically considering the chapter title, we’re getting Walky+Amber relationship developments during the Mike Backstory Arc.

  24. Ainara
    Ainara
    July 17, 2018 at 3:52 am | #

    christ Mike

  25. joe archer
    joe archer
    July 17, 2018 at 5:10 am | #

    A penny for your fanfic in that moment, Amber…

  26. Daisy
    Daisy
    July 17, 2018 at 6:26 am | #

    Anyone else suspect Mike’s pretending in that last panel and his Brent-the-Star-Quarterback appointment is of the “meet me outside in five and imma beat you to a pulp” variety?

    • Red Comet
      Red Comet
      July 18, 2018 at 12:28 pm | #

      I got some kind of weird vibe off of his expression in the third panel, yes.

  27. TrueVCU
    TrueVCU
    July 17, 2018 at 6:41 am | #

    Ok i know it’s not on purpose but i kinda hate how the only two bi male characters swing between the extremes of the sadistic Chad Mike and the pathetic “virgin” Danny

    • Ainara
      Ainara
      July 17, 2018 at 2:32 pm | #

      Aw c’mon, Danny’s not that bad. Him being kind of a pathetic loser WAS most of his deal at the beginning, but I feel he’s grown a lot through his relationships with Amber, Ethan and Sal. Hell, he’s probably one of the characters that has changed the most (for the better at least… I love Billie but watching her is like watching a trainwreck in real time) other than like, Joyce. I was barely even aware of his existence at the beginning and now he’s probably one of my favorites.

      • Pat
        Pat
        July 18, 2018 at 2:27 am | #

        Real time?

  28. leadsynth
    leadsynth
    July 17, 2018 at 7:38 am | #

    Ooh… a bOy/GIRL party!

  29. Andrusi
    Andrusi
    July 17, 2018 at 8:35 am | #

    Oh!

    They’re going to be talking about Action Masters.

  30. JBento
    JBento
    July 17, 2018 at 9:03 am | #

    Ooooooookayyyyy…

    Between this and Mike’s expression during his “power dynamic” commentary, I’m beginning to think that he’s been sexually abused as a kid.

  31. C.T Phipps
    C.T Phipps
    July 17, 2018 at 9:12 am | #

    So, I assume he’s going to have sex with his friend’s mom.

  32. SolomonK
    SolomonK
    July 17, 2018 at 9:43 am | #

    Mike exists in a universe that confirms the notion that he knows others thoroughly down to their deep motivations and experiences that they cannot understand in themselves. This universe is also set up so that it confirms the notion that confronting people, especially with their deepest motivations and fears, can be intended to help them and can succeed at helping them, even if the help is inadvertent. If Mike were not in a universe set up this particular way, with him all-knowing and always right about people, his arrogance and misanthropy would cause him not to have any human connections at all.
    People in the helping professions can assist others in seeing their own issues more clearly and dealing with them. In my experience, psychotherapists do not confront people with their deep motivations and fears, because that approach does not help, and therapists can help, in part, because their patients can trust them.

    • ego
      ego
      July 17, 2018 at 12:07 pm | #

      yeah, in a story you can’t really afford the bandwidth to have your characters make routine human errors, so you wind up with this presentation of any character who is just really supposed to be “smart” as _confidently_ omniscient.

      larry niven is one of my favorite authors, but like 35% of all his characters have this trait, it’s pretty much poisoned his entire “known universe”

  33. maarvarq
    maarvarq
    July 17, 2018 at 10:43 am | #

    Was Mike gay or bi in previous incarnations in the greater Walky-verse and I just missed it?

    • King Daniel
      King Daniel
      July 17, 2018 at 11:12 am | #

      He slept with Dina in It’s Walky!, and with both Amber and Ethan – separately, in the same night – in Shortpacked!. So visibly bi or pan even in the Walkyverse, yeah.

      (Much later down the line, he eventually entered into a relationship with, had a kid with, and ultimately married Amber.)

    • Sibre
      Sibre
      July 17, 2018 at 11:17 am | #

      Yes, he slept with both Amber and Ethan in Shortpacked early on, among other incidents. But I don’t think he’s ever labeled himself, except as “Whatever you don’t want me to be.”

    • Mr.Morningstar
      Mr.Morningstar
      July 17, 2018 at 11:18 am | #

      He was yes. Though my guess would be more pan than bi

    • abysswatcher1993
      abysswatcher1993
      July 17, 2018 at 12:29 pm | #

      He slept with Dina?! Oh my stars, I think I need to shoot something in the shape of Mike.

      • King Daniel
        King Daniel
        July 17, 2018 at 12:44 pm | #

        Yeah, it was a big part of Dina’s final It’s Walky! arc – after she and Walky broke up (Walky had been dating her in lieu of getting over his feelings for Joyce), she turned to forcibly keeping Mike drunk to keep him nice so that he would be her boyfriend; when he finally caught a moment to let the alcohol wear off, he immediately broke up with her for the obvious reason.

        Later, she got herself drunk in a depressing final attempt to make people like her, and then (if memory serves) Mike found her, got himself drunk, and then slept with her.

        The next day, Dina was killed by a bomb planted by Britjas during their attack on SEMME headquarters, having chosen in the heat of the moment to take the Britjas on unarmed rather than allow them to mind-wipe her and destroy her years of research.

        • abysswatcher1993
          abysswatcher1993
          July 17, 2018 at 5:31 pm | #

          That went darker than expected. I better avoid alcohol.

        • BBCC
          BBCC
          July 17, 2018 at 10:46 pm | #

          Got drunk, hooked up with her, and left before she woke up so she’d feel EXTRA worthless.

          • King Daniel
            King Daniel
            July 17, 2018 at 11:00 pm | #

            Pretty sure she was awake before he was: http://www.itswalky.com/comic/wordless-boozy-bang/

  34. Red Comet
    Red Comet
    July 17, 2018 at 1:01 pm | #

    Mike doesn’t look all that happy about this in the third panel. His expression only changes when his answer bothers Ethan.

    • abysswatcher1993
      abysswatcher1993
      July 17, 2018 at 5:33 pm | #

      Only evil bastards find happiness and borthering people instead of the happiness of self gratification. Now I am worried.

  35. Tealjoy Grove
    Tealjoy Grove
    July 18, 2018 at 9:30 am | #

    I thought the last panel was mean till my brother read it over my shoulder and said, “That sounds like some gay activity to me.” and I fucking lost it.

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