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mccloud
Barb O. Saur 
⚧️
Ooooooo looks like we’re gonna get some dom action from Ruth.
You know what this would go good with? Some Mother Bear’s Pizza.
(never actually had any but I hear it’s supposed to be the BEST
)
bully for him
At least he knows the answer is yes.
Only if Ruth gives you one, dude.
You know that.
At least he’s enjoying time with her, I think?
He’s just along for the ride.
At least she asked first, that was nice.
Wait
Is it just me or has cast gotten generally meaner since Halloween? (waiting for that flashback)
Well then brace yourself and have some comfort food at the ready — I just can’t shake the feeling that before then, something TERRIBLE is gonna happen
Mandatory Courage the Cowardly Dog meme:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb0JKZoUwEA
Jim Carrey, Jim Carrey, Jim Carrey, and Jim Carrey. “And then the unthinkable happened!”
Makes sense to me.
Autumn/Halloween: Crisp but nice weather, horror movies, candy, Bobby “Boris” Pickett and Elvira.
Winter/Christmas: Snow, Hallmark movies, gift shopping, Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé.
The choice is clear.
Winter/Christmas: Snow, Hallmark movies, gift shopping,
Mariah Carey and Michael BubléKaren Carpenter and Johnny Mathis.FTFY
Well, it’s been a semester, including a break. Most of the cast have settled into a ‘comfortable’ dynamic with each other which means they’re also less likely to play nice.
They do seem to generally be a bit meaner/obnoxious post time skip. I personally think Mike kind of filled that role and post death the rest of the cast kind of organically became more abrasive because they’re saying stuff usually reserved for him which actually fleshes them out a lot more as characters. Dorothy’s a good example of this.
Dorothy is the one I can’t work out the most, that shes not only joining in on the not telling Joyce thing (which I get because shes stuck between Becky and Joyce) but that she was smiling about it
I do like it that the story is not scared of shaking it up every now and then
Dorothy’s just trying to build some resentment against herself so the Yale letter doesn’t hurt Joyce as much.
(nah, that seems more like a Jennifer game to play)
It was sort of the smile you give when the lie isn’t hurtful, like “no we’re not planning a surprise party for you” sort of smile
I can’t wait for the fallout of it though
Yeah, it’s been one of the writing changes that I feel is pretty noticable- it feels very much like the “empire vs Jedi” debate from Clerks where this big change in the comic is the “dark” period where the innocence is lost and the cast is more prone to conflict and less happy with each other- or at the very least, the conflict has become a lot less big and abstract with suplexes and superheroes and now just kind of everyone snipes at each other a lot.
I get why it’s happening, I just kind of think it’s been spread throughout the entire cast to the point where I feel like there’s no reprieve from it no matter who we focus on.
I feel like it would be more striking if there was more contrast- like how for most of the first ten years, bllie/Ruth and Ethan/amber arcs would be angst and drama fests while Joyce would have storylines about parties or whiteboard dingdongs. It’s not that Joyce didn’t have drama or soap opera plotlines, but they’d get broken up more often.
We can assume its building up to something (and it’ll probably be glorious) but the getting there will be interesting
Not sure I would hold up whiteboard dingdongs as a relief from drama-fests, considering the whole thing was basically Joyce having a mental breakdown.
I also wouldn’t pair up “Joyce” and “Parties” as an example of relief from drama either.
It’s okay Justnobody, we’ve still got Sal and Danny being totally wholesome and kind to one another.
… FOR NOW.
Dum, duh, duh!!!
Most college kids their age don’t get “friend is murdered” as a rite of passage.
(Much as slasher films would have you think)
I would definitely say that Jennifer, and Joyce have gotten nastier, pettier. It is clear that both of them are have a hard time dealing with trauma/emotional/psychological issues, and are just not seeking any help for it.
Alright, let’s make that “I have a boyfriend!” statement out of date!
How much street cred can you possibly get by bullying Jason?
Dude got shoved into his locker so much back in school that it’s the address on his driver’s license.
I don’t think it’s about street cred. I think it’s about resetting and getting back into the mindset she wants to be in.
Also, apologies for reporting you. Fat thumbs.
No worries, the gruel is very tasty, and I’ve started befriending the rats.
Goodbye gruel rodentiphile.
Yeah, Jason is both a sub and not someone she has actual authority over
Doctor Who burnin’ that shit down like it’s Gallifrey on a Wednesday night, damn. Got some dang ol’ crosshairs in Jason, aye? Blondie’s gettin’ served like breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
He beat me to the last silk bowtie at Saks. I will have my revenge.
Oh my.
I’m concerned with Ruth going to her “alpha wolf” mode and causing more issues.
Also, is it just me or is Ruth still in love with Billie/Jennifer?
I’m pretty sure it’s still mutual.
No, weren’t you listening, she screamed “I’ve moved on!!” down the hallway after Jennifer walked by, and Jennifer basically blew up in response. They’re definitely both 100% over each other, completely, utterly, unmistakably.
This was not a clean break for either of them
This worried me Ruth was relapsing back to her old self but she seemed to catch it. Jason might actually be good for something. I never would’ve guessed.
The question is whether Ruth is a bully at heart and she has to change her nature or if its learned behaviour which she can unlearn
Either why it won’t be easy for her but the signs are good
I think it’s a (toxic) coping mechanism for her. Aka a learned behavior. I think she can learn a new way to cope with difficult emotions.
I don’t think there’s really a difference there
She’s not the only one – Jennifer seems to be back to her “recapturing her old popular girl glory days” behavioural pattern as well.
Ruth, no.
Ruth YES
Just take hour licks blonde British Naoto.
News flash: Ruth is a worse dom than Dina.
She’s got consent down. That’s not nothing.
Also recognizing what she wants and is after from others.
Aftercare is key!
Yeah…but in Ruth’s defense, almost everyone is worse than Dina on multiple axis.
Oops. I flagged by mistake. But worse than Dina? Isn’t everyone worse than Dina?
This seems like a healthy realtionship dynamic.
I mean honestly, I think it’s a HUGE improvement over her relationship dynamic with Billie. …Progress?
Slowly dawning realization that the froshs in her care aren’t intimidated by her?
I think she’s actually just trying not to abuse power. That was part of her pre time skip character arc.
Me, trying not to sound like the villain from Metalocalypse: We shall watch as these events unfold…
More that’s trying to make them less intimidated by her and taking out her anger on them is a good way to fuck that up
See, Ruth’s learning. Bully people who aren’t under your authority, and you won’t have to worry about abuse of power!
Ruth, it’s okay to be upset with the way Billie is treating you. You don’t need to blame yourself for her bad behavior.
We technically don’t know why Billie hates Ruth so much, it could actually be a reason that would make us all disgusted if we didn’t know just how broken Ruth is over all this
Not saying we can’t have empathy for Ruth, just that the reason may be bad enough that we’d only maintain empathy because we know just how messed up Ruth is right now
Part of me wonders if whatever Rachel’s issue is came out at Halloween. Because we don’t know how bad that one was, just that Rachel really hates Ruth over it
She didn’t like her all that much before Halloween, either.
They were roommates at the beginning of their Freshman year. Remember how they met?
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-10/01-birthday-pursuit/resort/
What I mean is that whatever happened between Ruth and Rachel might have been the trigger once Jennifer learned about it, depending on how bad it was
Jennifer pushed Ruth away “for her own good” at least a couple times, so what the hell is she supposed to think?
“You stupid motherfucker, you were supposed to get better! You were supposed to leave me behind!”
– Jennifer Billingsworth, about 3 in-universe months ago
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-9-comic/04-vote-for-robin/dying/
And if that wasn’t enough evidence:
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-9-comic/04-vote-for-robin/stormed/
Seriously, the more I revisit that arc the more I think “what the hell did you WANT, Jennifer?!”
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-9-comic/04-vote-for-robin/refusing/
I said back then that Jennifer wanted Ruth to get better and be happy and she wanted to keep drinking. She thought at one point that Ruth would be fine without her, so if they broke up she could keep drinking without hurting Ruth. That failed so she chose to keep Ruth and quit drinking.
And of course it makes perfect sense to be upset here – she was the toxic one, so she needed to push Ruth away for her own good. She can’t comprehend Ruth doing the same, because she was the one who was poison.
Is there relationship not still Ruth holding Jason hostage and Jason coming down with Stockholm syndrome?
see ruth you can’t do it at your job that’s abuse of power! …if you do it in your relationship it’s just a kink.
or, y’know, domestic abuse.
That’s why she asked first. All Jason needs is a safe word and they’ll be good to go! Remember kids, bully consensually.
Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a little femdom.
Doesn’t even have to be that intense. Gentle Femdom is very much a thing.
Everybody talks about how The Lord of the Rings would have been solved so much faster with big eagles, but all they needed was a hot goth woman in high heels with student loans to pay off to defeat Sauron.
Unless of course she uses her Betraying Her Authority Smile.
It’s just not the same when Jason says, “Go Leafs”. Probably since he insists it must be “Go Leaves”.
Yeah, that’s relationship-ending material right there.
It’s femur withdrawal….
This just tickles my funny bone. I thought about scrolling past but I knew I had to call attention to it, in the hopes that it would bring the same joy to others as it did do me.
In my mind’s eye, I see a picture of a kitten with a mournful expression; above it is text that reads, “it’s femuw wiwdrawl….”
Is it just me is or is it weird that Jason always appears to be in Ruth’s dorm latterly (and never his own) and simultaneously does not seem to have any of his own objects or different clothes there. I mean even if he has only been there for a few hours it does not seem he brought a book or anything. Also he is just standing there when Ruth enters. Its … a little creepy.
I mean, we wouldn’t want their relationship to be weird now, would we?
Well, to be fair, this relationship has existed for barely a few days, so it would be more weird if his stuff was everywhere in her room. But we did see in one of his more recent strips that he had a desk with a book and laptop on it in her room.
Though the desk has been there since the Billie days. The laptop is probably his.
I honestly couldn’t remember if the desk was always there. But the laptop or book or both are likely his and are likely the only things of his there and all he can carry because he doesn’t have a laptop case. Which would have more space for carrying books.
he does have a desk. That’s … something?
And it doesn’t seem that weird to me. During the brief time my brother roomed with me before he got his own place, his girlfriend practically lived with us too … but maintained all of her stuff at her own place that she only seemed to go back to in order to access said stuff. Some people are just like that.
Jason, I think you already know the answer to that question, but in case you don’t here’s a hint: You’re wearing suspenders and a bow-tie, and you’re not Alfred Pennyworth.
I really hope he’s into it because it is what he gets
Why am I just now getting the sense that he gets off on that sorta thing?
Look at his relationship with Sal.
Now look at this relationship with Ruth.
…consider, the common elements. Is there a pattern here?
He gets off on hating it.
He’s got the White Man’s fetish for feeling like the victim in scenarios he deliberately creates and/or invites. Heyooooo
Don’t stop bully-ving
Hold on to the feeling!
Canadian Bullying Brit (Gone Wrong/Sexual) lol
Ruth is hot, y’all.
Ruth is feeling less than (Ruthlessthan).
Poor Ruth, at least she has Jason now. She knows he will be with her even in the worst moments ♡. Let’s hope Jason like this kind of situations.
I can honestly say I don’t think I would ship Jason with so much as a deciduous shrub.
Consensual bullying? fine by me.
Some people pay good money for that!
Tune in for the next strip, where we’ll learn wether Jason is offended over not having a choice or Ruth having to ask
fine, just don’t expect me to be all “step on me mommy” about it…
I know that a lot of this is scoped around the dorms, especially Joyce’s floor, but is anyone else getting the impression that Jason may be homeless and basically living with Ruth?
(Also, my thoughts on yesterday’s comic are “holy hell, Ruth hasn’t made much progress, she may not be drinking in excess as much but the self-loathing that lead to it sure hasn’t left”)
Additional comment: it seems Ruth’s stagnation is kind of contrasted with Billie/Jennifer who seems to be reinventing herself for the better.
We’re still at the “ooh, ahh” part, and haven’t gotten to the “running and screaming.” /ianmalcolm
I think the contrast is intentional, but for Jennifer the “seems” is doing an awful lot of work. It’s pretty clear that neither of these two is doing that well.
We’ll see what happens when Jennifer’s new circle of friends comes crashing down.
Of course, you have a choice, Jason; you have every right to say no. Now, old Ruthi would have completely ignored your choice, and just bullied you anyway, but new Ruth is trying to be more respectful, so there may be a chance she will listen.
As long as Jason’s ok with it, this seems fine.
Please don’t Slipshine these two…
Don’t worry. If it does happen, I’ll spare you the eye bleach by letting you know of important story-relevant events or quotes within
Oh no Ruth!
Ruth, if Jason agrees to LET you bully him, it’s not really bullying…it’s foreplay. ;D
Happy Father’s Day, Willis, and to all the Dads and Pops and Papis and Fathers out here reading! Thanks for resisting the urge to become evil masked supervillains! ;-D
(And of course, “Fathers” here includes all those who stand in nurturing roles: no matter whether one nurtures humans, animals, plants, communities, projects, or ideas, or even – ESPECIALLY – oneself.)
*Plays idea-conceiving focus music on the hacked muzak*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCXX91QnZSg