Wack’d’s Best Dumbing Of Age Character poll starts with Round 3 today!
The winners so far have been Dina, Mike, Amber, Joyce, Becky, Carla, Dorothy, and Sal. Some if not all of these folks’ll be up for battle today.
We’re really starting to narrow down now. It’s getting harder to choose! I hate it! But, you know, in a fun way.
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This is still pretty on point for current events
…
SO MANY FEELS RN
Honestly kind of wild how that happens
Willis is secretly an interdimensional time traveller
YES PLEASE AMBER.
Very timely.
IRL maybe.
In universe, I’m wondering why Amber and Joyce are having this conversation in a moving truck being driven by a mad kidnapper. A good and necessary convo, sure, but it is GTFO time!
Amber is too exhausted and they still need Sal to catch back up with the truck to escape.
Well, they can’t do much until Sal catches back up. I mean, they could get a little bit more ready for that to happen.
Hmm, either I messed up the HTML tags, os something else went wrong. Trying without tags:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TalkingIsAFreeAction
GAAH! TVTropes warning needed!! I lost a half-hour to that thing!
Only a half hour? I am impressed, you must have willpower of steel.
1. I had not seen that TVTropes entry before, and I read it as “Talking Is As Fuck”. I agree!
2. Then I clicked the link and saw it’s “Talking is a free action.” Less pithy, but I agree.
3. Yeah, TVTropes will take your life. It’s a never-ending universe; it wants all your time; give yourself to it; all hail the TVTropes.
Momentary distraction from the stream of uncertainty and terror that has been their morning so far?
They can’t GTFO yet, Sal’s still catching up. There’s no way to jump out just yet.
nice callback https://www.dumbingofage.com/2020/comic/book-10/03-when-it-crumbles/violet/
If everyone took that last panel’s advice, this broken world MIGHT be a somewhat better place.
Tired Smiley Joyce in panel 3 is adorable
Joyce told Becky: “Pit you against anything else in my life, you will win every time.”
Same feeling here, and Amber isn’t even Joyce’s lifelong friend.
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-5/01-when-somebody-loved-me/pit/
She also told Sarah, give her the chance, and she’ll forgive her every time.
Okay, it’s obvious we could save a lot of archive digging by listing the people Joyce won’t forgive every time.
Ryan, Blaine, Ross.
She hasn’t actually had a chance to forgive them.
Yeah, she ain’t forgiving Ryan. He’ll never earn that from her.
Yeah, the real question is which list is her mom on.
I’d say we’ll all need to wait for that assessment. Carol and the rest of the church needs to find out who Blaine is, with detailed specificity, and what the result of their actions in giving him that money was and they need to react in whatever manner they may. Once we see that reaction and Joyce knows that reaction, then can we know how far from her daughter’s forgiveness Carol really is.
I mean, Joyce is gonna be pissed either way, because “Ross attempts to kidnap Becky again, cares basically none about who he hurts to do it” was so foreseeable as to be a given, but if they start groveling it may only be moderately pissed. As opposed to red eyes of rage.
Remember what religious background Joyce is coming from. She’s more than capable of forgiving Carol in such a passive-aggressive way as to be vindictive.
Probably Mike’s nickel list.
… Well, given that Joyce is someone based on Willis, if I recall correctly.
… Uh….
The realization that she shouldn’t/couldn’t forgive Ross almost broke her down. And in the end, she still did the right thing for him.
I think the forgiveness needs to be prompted by a sincere desire to be forgiven. Ryan, Blaine, and Ross are not likely ever to get to that point.
There can’t (or at least shouldn’t) be forgiveness without repentance.
Forgiveness can be stolen through lying. But I think Joyce is very perceptive and will see through any possible act by Ryan, Blaine, or her mother.
TOO REAL
If only you believe like I believe…like I believe
We’d get by~y~y~y
Those lyrics ring a bell but I can’t quite put my finger on it. What song is this?
Jefferson Starship, “Miracles”
Just “Starship” by that time because they lost the lawsuit with Paul Kantor over the right to use “Jefferson”.
Nearly two years ago I mention it, so this is a REPRISE.
If I was Joyce that would be the moment I realized my expectations are super freaking low, cuz I’d be happy just to hear her finally say we’re friends. Because it almost feels like Amber fights off anyone’s attempt to be closer to her.
That aside Joyce is kind of right on that. I know this is Amber we’re talking about and her self-loathing issues are off the charts but it hast to be done, in a way the old saying ” A house divided against itself cannot stand” can be applied here.
I still believe in miracles
I swear I’ve seen a few
And the time will surely come
When you can see my point of view
I believe in second chances
And that’s why I believe in you
(I mean, Sal DID call her “Pollyanna” once, and she definitely lives up to that.)
Oh, Joyce. 💖
You’ve come so far.
David, I know you write and draw these weeks or months in advance. Is it not just eerie how these last few strips have such enhanced poignancy and relevance to current events?
The timing with current events is eerie, but then you have to take into account that we’ve been dealing with an escalating curve of bad events for four years at this point.
The text would have been poignant two weeks ago as well, but about different events. It just happened that the predicted pushback aligned perfectly.
everything kinda went to shit once david bowie died
And then the Cubs won the World Series, opening the metaphorical floodgates for the metaphorical release of the Soggies Who May Rule.
… Honestly if someone told me that the slide began when the Walkyverse ended in January 2015, causing early ripples into our timeline, I’d buy it.
Hey, I agree on the Cubs winning, but look how bad everything has gotten since the Nationals surprised mostly the world by winning the most recent one. Even baseball had to take a break after that one.
By the way, Go Nats.
I think the timeline split back in April 2016, when that weasel shut down the Large Hadron Collider.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/29/476154494/weasel-shuts-down-world-s-most-powerful-particle-collider
Oh, actual furry weasel, not the terrible human being kind of weasel.
That just makes it more ridiculous!
Thank you for this <3
Crack Theory: Amber dies taking out her father to safe Joyce. Faz becomes the next Amazi-person.
That’s . . . scarily viable, especially considering that A) she’s close to realizing that they’re not a terrible people (yes, that wording’s deliberate), so redemption arc, and 2) our most likely choice for Character Who Dies At the End is chilling on a sidewalk at this point.
I really hope you’re wrong, but it is Willis we’re talking about.
Afazi-faz
He’s a-fazing
Lucy should be next in the line of Amazi-Succession, following the Shortpacked! model.
How on earth Willis managed to time this strip with current events, I will never know.
Willis caused the current events to promote his comic.
I get that’s a joke but like..a man died sir, several people died..
It was going to happen, the only difference in this timeline is to who and where. In other timelines it was different people in different places, but it always happened. The only changes now are the number of dead and where the graves are.
I hate being Cassandra. I see things coming, but I never see how to reduce the damages, or protect my friends, or protect myself and my family. I just have to cringe and wait for the other shoe.
Not to be crass but can this timeline be one where one of the oldest used scifi bookstores in America didn’t get burned down. Been legit going there since birth and the guy who runs it was so cool I’m sad he and his family are out the books and building. Burning down that family business did nothing to help the situations here in MN.
Pretty crass, I love books but still books < lives.
I’m not good enough at reading timelines to let you know if there even was one where that particular store wasn’t burned.
“You can’t make me be friends with someone that awful!”
“…”
“I did it again, didn’t I?”
“Give me the chance, and I’ll always forgive you. Every time.”
Holy moly, that’s a killer line.
I believe it’s her second time saying it, actually! She said that to Sarah, too, after she learned from Joe that Sarah was trying to weaponize her against Jacob/Raidah. And it IS a killer line. 😀
Joyce is right, of course, but much easier said than done.
Wow. Joyce has leveled up.
A better friend? To myself? Whoa now, there are some bridges that are just too far!
Is it just me, or is Ruth about to meet her Walkyverse fate? We know she knows everyone’s gone and we haven’t seen her since she ran into Amber.
Hopefully not. We haven’t seen her with a car, and she’s not at the kidnap house. She dispatched Sal, Carla, and Malaya, now she’s probably trying to quell rumors and keep everyone calm back at Read Hall. Besides, Willis said before (on Twitter, I think) that he’s enjoying writing stories for an alive Ruth.
The truck is still hungry for blood though, since Sal took its meal away during the last car chase…
Becky, evil bastards will still be on top until everyone else decides to stop fighting each other. Evil feeds on divisions and doubt.
Also, I like these kind of interactions. Both Amber and Joyce found common ground and can help each other, especially help each other escape this particular situation.
amber: “That’s a wonderful thing to say, Joyce. I just wish someone had told me that before, and things could have been very different.”
Danny: “actually, I did say…”
amber: “JUST ONE PERSON!”
(Note: I have nothing against Danny, but I’m well aware of his role in the universe)
“No.”
must resist…urge to ship…fanfiction…already being written
i am the hovertext
Jake Manley: I sense a disturbance in the polls…
Joyce is so sweet♡, and has a point. Amber need to learn how love herself more. It’s nice to see how they are able to doing a conversation like that even during a very dangerous situation.
Next frame: tender moment comes to an end when Blaine opens the door and Joyce and Amber take turns beating the crap out of him.
… what do you mean that would not qualify as a tender moment?
It would be a tenderizing moment.
I am appreciative of your pun and jealous I didn’t think of it first.
Amber: Love myself? Okay, I can try that… but do I have to love Amazi-Girl, too? She’s kind of a bongo…
Amazi-Girl: Pssh, like YOU’RE one to talk.
Amber: SHUT UP!! I HATE YOU!!!
Joyce: Um… do you… two… need a moment alone?
Amber + Amazi-Girl together: Yes, and now we’re going to hatefuck each other, using our conveniently shared body. You may want to put some trousers over your face to shield you from the sight.
I will purchase that Slipshine!
Who wouldn’t dude that sounds not just kinky but hilarious
I love this whole narration arc. These past few weeks, this is the best happenstance, most applicable timing ever.
Ok, this is adorable and all and very important character development but is NOW THE BEST TIME?
yes. It’s not like Sally had caught up to them again yet.
a hard request
For a pair of teenage women bombing down the road well above the speed limit, being driven by a desperate mob madman that just got the snot knocked out of him, they certainly are remarkably calm. I could use some of that.
If feel a skipped heartbeat from having too much caffeine, I’m on the phone pricing caskets.
My first impression is “Joyce is in a remarkably chill pose”, but she’s probably been bracing herself against the jostling of the road.
I dont comment here most times but ‘Be a better friend to yourself’ has me in bits.
I don’t have Ambers particular issues but I have almost zero self esteem. I project really horrible thoughts onto other people about me and it is becoming increasingly hard to interact with people and lockdown has just made all this worse. I can’t bear to look at myself in the mirror. So yeah, could do with being a better friend.
Living with the paranoia that comes from the place I think Amber is, is not a fun place.
Yeeaaahh didn’t like the first bunch of this arc, but I’m really enjoying this section.