247

Polled
Posted on April 18, 2016 by David M Willis

247 thoughts on “Polled”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    she says “people who like her” as though it’s more than just Marcie

    1. Joshua503

      Are you saying there are people other than Sal who DON’T like her?

      1. Joshua503

        Thank you Gravatar Deity.

      2. nothri

        Yep. Totally guilty, right here!

      3. Rutee

        Most characters, I imagine. It wouldn’t be Malaya if she were liked by people who actually deal with her XD

    2. Leorale

      Well, Willis seems to like her, but he sure does love those acerbic jerky characters.
      Different strokes.

      1. Some1

        Problem is, there not really Jerks, people just fail to realize that their friends are like that as well, especially 18 year olds. Problem is we can’t look over what our friends say and analyze it in same way we can do with a comic.

        1. Flipz

          Actually, some of us can…to the considerable detriment of our social relationships. >_<

        2. El Chupacabre

          I’m just as likely to analyze what my friends say, and if I think they’re being jerks, I’m a bit more likely to comment. I think people in general are more likely to take criticism from someone with whom they share mutual affection and respect, than anyone else. In that sense, you are uniquely able to help your friends to be better…..and I am uniquely motivated to extend the effort for friends, as opposed to strangers 😉

          Detriment might be a strong word. I think most people have a sweet spot between quality and quantity of relationships.

        3. TachyonCode

          I for one have never despaired of being able to do so, when it comes to making decisions about how I should behave in turn when engaged in social dealings with those I have connections to.

          However, when I observe people who are in relationships with one another, who are behaving like jerks *to one another*, usually there is a combination of factors in one or both individuals that has entrapped them in such behavior patterns (or possibly even their relationship) in the first place.

          Lack of experience dealing with the *outcome* of being “jerkish” is a common factor, as well as a lack of desire or care for following a *different* path (possibly due to high levels of obliviousness to the fact there even *can* be a different path, or that it would benefit them to seek one), strong opinions about frivolities, and excessive optimism or even faith that everything will turn out alright regardless of what they do and how they act. All of these factors reside in the minds of… frankly, most people I know who aren’t reclusive and detached like me.

          Often, these people are strongly gendered (in the sense of how they think their biological sex should somehow be represented in their personalities and thereby dictate their social behavior) – and are often, therefore, not following the most favorable path to a desirable status quo, and thus also avoidance of future conflicts.

          To me, it seems an addiction of sorts: they become addicted to the response to virtually any of their attempts to garner positive feedback by mimicking the behavior of others.

          I suppose what I’m saying in a very roundabout way is that most “jerks” make the mistake of clinging to role models who are less than ideal and far from personable.

        4. Mr. Bulbmin

          Most people in general are jerks, friend or foe alike. Your mileage may vary on how many jerks, and what kinds, you may tolerate.

    3. Yotomoe

      Maybe she knows that through the 4th wall, a jerkass named Yoto loves her.

      1. GuruBuckaroo

        There are at least 552 of us suffering in solidarity, according to the latest poll.

        1. Max

          561

        2. Dana

          I’m proud to be one of them.

      2. Some1

        Your not a jerk Yotomoe! I probably like you the best out of everyone here, you give us free sexy shit!

        1. Yotomoe

          So what you’re saying is…I could start charging?

        2. Rusty

          Yeah, but no more than a nickel.

        3. Rusty

          Curses. Foiled again by the Gravatar deities.

      3. Kim

        Aaaaand Kim!

        1. Yotomoe

          I love Kim? No one told me about that!

    4. mucklegalloooly

      she says “people who like her” as though it’s more than just Marcie

      that’s cause she’s the best character

    5. SDGlyph

      Once again mistaking her own dumb opinion for everyone else’s, I guess.

    6. Emily

      I like her whenever she’s bugging the crap out of Sal.

      1. Spencer

        It is kinda funny having one person who just unabashedly hates Sal so much where it isn’t a crippling character flaw, given how near everyone in comic thinks the world of her and implicitly trusts her. Malaya just brings out the worst in Sal, and it makes for great character beats.

        1. Emily

          For a second I thought your were referring to me and not Malaya because we both have pretty much the exact same opinion of Sal.

        2. Spencer

          Sal was kinda grating on me for a while because it seemed like her storyline was a long list of people being wrong at her.

          Which is still fine, especially given the material Sal is dealing with, but I also like the acknowledgement that someone can be kind of a douche sometimes and still deserve basic human decency. So seeing her pull an Amazi-Girl and try to beat the hell out of Malaya for a stupid reason, I thought, was a nice moment.

        3. Rutee

          As far as that goes, those two idiots want a fight, it’s Marcie who doesn’t, and they respect that.

    7. Drake

      And even Marcie mostly only likes her because she wants to bone her, seems.

      1. Yotomoe

        That’s not a bad reason to like someone!

  2. Leorale

    SLAMP!

  3. AnvilPro

    Malaya looks like she only realized she didn’t understand the message at that moment.

    1. Disloyal Subject

      If she was distracted when they parted, that might be a good sign for the M&M ship.

      1. darkoneko

        M&M : “melt in your mouth, not in your hand” ?

    2. SmilingNid

      The last panel has my new favorite expressions for both these characters. It is all in the eyes.

      1. SDGlyph

        That’s twice in one week that the Walkertwins have suddenly developed sclera for particular expressions. I… like it? But I can’t figure out quite what the pattern is.

        Maybe they stole Ruth’s from that panel a while back.

        1. Needfuldoer

          Anger and shock have both done it so far.

    3. Kamino Neko

      Yes. That is, by far, the best part.

      1. Kamino Neko

        Also, I’d love the followup to be thus:

        ‘Forget it, I’ll just sign the message…’ ‘Don’t be stupid, Malaya, we both know ya can’t s–‘ *Malaya rattles off a perfectly signed message* ‘… She said that?’

  4. Mr. Mendo

    Here’s hoping they go a few rounds this time. 😉

  5. MatthewTheLucky

    Did we, alt-text? Did we really?

    1. Doctor_Who

      Sort of.

    2. John

      [insert tired joke about the quality of our aim]

    3. Bicycle Bill

      I’ve missed you, Malaya.  But I’ll warn you, my aim is improving.

      1. Deanatay

        We missed you, Malaya. But don’t worry, I have LOTS more bullets.

        1. Scar Man!!!

          +1 for sprucing up a tired meme

    4. Opus the Poet

      Well I kinda like the little misanthrope.

    5. Tacos

      Eh, I’m indifferent.

    6. Briny

      I definitely not part of that “We”. Maybe it’s a “Royal We” from the god-king of the WalkyVerse.

    7. SgtWadeyWilson

      557 of us did, as far as the poll says.

    8. darkoneko

      yay, Malaya !

  6. Doctor_Who

    “I think Marcie asked me if I wanted to have spex. I don’t know why, my vision is 20/20.”

    1. Jay Eff

      “She also said ‘Purple Monkey Dishwasher.’ Fuck if I know why– guess she just really like The Simpsons.”

    2. pjeseb

      Wow, that is an unfortunate name for a brand of eyeglasses

      1. Sunny

        Why unfortunate? Spex -> Specs -> Spectacles. Makes sense to me.

    3. Random832

      The only possible response to that is “apparently not.”

  7. Wheelpath

    Yay, Malaya! Also now she’s being kind of a bongo, but to be fair Sal has that coming to her.

    1. Durandal_1707

      And just like a percussion instrument, she’s about to get beat on!

      1. cesium133

        Marcie wants to hit that bongo.

        1. Tacos

          So does Sal. Just in a different way.

        2. Rutee

          …so you’re saying she’d like to bang her like a drum?

    2. AeromechanicalAce

      Malaya is congenially incapable of NOT being a bongo.

  8. cesium133

    It was “Fuck if you know.” Unfortunately, Malaya didn’t know.

    1. Doctor_Who

      Marcie (signing quickly): PersonWhoWantsToHookUpSaysWhat?

      Malaya: What?

      Marcie: No backsies.

      1. SgtWadeyWilson

        You didn’t even sign that time!

  9. Mandy

    Oh my god, Malaya, you actually really made me laugh in that last panel.

    1. inqntrol

      And the expression on her face makes it even funnier.

      1. Emily

        It looks like she’s having flashbacks to the war.

  10. Stephen R. Bierce

    Again, there are ten virtues that are required for a Buddhist to possess in order to attain Nirvana, and if Malaya has any of them, it might be one too many.

    1. Opus the Poet

      Not true, I don’t know anyone not currently in prison that does not have at least two of the ten. Donald Trump is an exception to that, but then there are some that say the only reason he’s not in prison or under it is money buys silence and good lawyers.

    2. jhon

      Um, why would Malaya wish to attain Nirvana?
      Does she wish an end to suffering?
      Or to make others suffer?

      1. Lawzlo

        She just really likes “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

  11. JessWitt

    Shoot, I must have missed that poll.

  12. Cheshrin

    Man, the Walktertons have had the best Grumpy Faces this month, haven’t they? First Walky being sour about the thank-you note, and now the last panel of this comic.

    I love it.

    1. Rukduk

      I kinda like how only their grumpy faces cause the whites of their eyes to show.

  13. Yotomoe

    I really hope it was “I Banged the hot, brown, freckled girl’s brains out”
    http://i.imgur.com/2CZTEBp.png
    (This is an oldie but Malaya and Marcie are some favorites of mine)

    1. Bagge

      Pretty sure Marcie use that sign here
      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/03-the-butterflies-fly-away/fuck/

  14. Ancestral Hamster

    Can’t Marcie just text Sal? *Shakes head*

    1. inqntrol

      Now that’s a good question.

    2. No Name

      She could, but where’s the fun in that?

      Besides, If Marcilaya works out, Sal is going to have to get used to it, and there’s is no other way to do it, really.

    3. Bagge

      The fact that she sends Malaya IS the message.

    4. Yotomoe

      She’d rather Sext Malaya

      1. Bagge

        Malaya would be rather surprised if she knew what all those signs she didn’t understand REALLY mean.

  15. rezby

    i dunno why everybody hates on malaya. she’s great! she’s probs either my favorite DoA character or a very close second to carla. heck, those figures hold for the walkyverse too.

    1. Disloyal Subject

      She’s pretty abrasive. Some folks don’t find rudeness charming.
      The rest of us tend to think she’s hilarious.

      1. Bagge

        Yeah, I’m in camp hilarious!

        And despite her bad qualities she does pretty well for herself. Takes her studies seriously, is on the team and has caught the eyes of Marcie. Also, in the conflict with Sal she comes out looking like the less petty, less vindictive and generally less dumb person, which is pretty funny given how cool Sal manage to be in most other interactions. Malaya is the brat Sal deserves.

        1. Bagge

          Another thing that makes Malaya not only tolerable but enjoyable for me is that very few people come out worse from their interaction with her.
          Amaziegirl: Malaya falls on her butt.
          Carla: Malaya is snarked.
          Lucy: Same sunny self (and I strongly suspects she dials it up a bit just to annoy Malaya)
          Marcie: Genuine positive relationship, if not EXACTLY what Marcie hopes for. Yet.
          Sal… yeah, Sal suffers from interacting with Malaya, but that is just as much on her as on Malaya.

      2. Emily

        For me it depends on who she’s interacting with. If she’s in the company of fellow jerkasses then she’s incredibly entertaining but when she’s being a horse’s ass to perfectly pleasant people she’s much more unlikable.

        1. Rutee

          I still find that funny, but I read the joke as “Man Malaya’s a complete asshole”.

          I’d like to see Lucy on her own merits though, not just to make Malaya look like a heel.

    2. Cephalo the Pod

      Generally speaking, when interacting with people she largely ignores anything which anyone other than her cares about.

    3. Leorale

      Because she’s kinda mean and petty, and so far, she hasn’t really got any positive qualities or interesting stories happening that make up for it.

      I might change my mind if and when she goes on a RAD ADVENTURE, but so far she hasn’t, so, meh.

      (I’ll still enjoy the comic, obviously, just Malaya’s really unlikely to ever be my favourite character.)

      1. Nono

        I dunno, I find her easier to read than Carla or Mike. Maybe because some of her points re: Sal are actually valid.

    4. trlkly

      Me neither, but only because I don’t see how they’ve seen enough of her to even form an opinion one way or the other. The only reason I even remember she exists is because she’s Marcie’s girlfriend, and Marcie is herself a secondary character, who I only know of as Sal’s signing friend.

      I mean, it seriously took me until I saw her name to be sure who she was. And, even then, a lot of that has to do with Sal knowing her name and then them talking about Marcie.

      I mean, maybe she was in that group who were jerks to Sarah and Dina that everyone acted like we should know but I’d never seen before? I assumed they were basically cameos from an earlier comic, thrown in just to let you know what they were doing in this reboot, but I seem to remember at least one showing up in other situations.

      1. Leorale

        Yes, out-of-universe prejudice is coming into play. She was a major character at the end of Shortpacked!, in which she often defined herself as somebody who hated on everyone and everything (with one notable exception, but that’s a spoiler).

        In this ‘verse, we haven’t seen her much, but we know she likes skating, and both of these changes are major improvements.

      2. John

        Raidah and posse are new characters in DoA. (Dana and Carl aren’t, but they were perhaps even less notable in Roomies! than in DoA.)

        Malaya was, as Leorale says, a major character in the latter part of Shortpacked!. And she was awful. Dumbiverse Malaya doesn’t seem nearly as bad, really – I think she hasn’t yet had the experiences that led her to being a bitter, hateful jerk doomed to working in retail (though Sal’s working on it) – but it’s difficult to separate them.

        I have similar issues with Carla. Her Walkyverse counterpart, Ultra Car, was seriously the worst. Like Mike but without the creativity or insight. She got some character development towards the end of Shortpacked!, but it didn’t get her much past “tolerable” before the strip ended.

        I like Carla more the more we see of her. It gets easier to separate her from Ultra Car, and she seems more likeable in this universe. I suspect the same will happen with Malaya when we see more of her. (Carla’s had just over twice Malaya’s appearances at this point.)

    5. Briny

      There’s maybe three or (at most) four characters I really “like” in this strip. The vast majority of them, I just find to have interesting enough stories to want to see them followed through.

      Malaya is not one of those 3-4 characters.

      1. StClair

        This, right here.

    6. Torra

      I love Malaya! Woo Malaya’s back!

      1. John

        I like to see Malaya back. It means she’s walking away.

  16. gkheyf

    i smell sitco~m!

    1. SgtWadeyWilson

      *Starts singing.*
      Rorschach and Deadpool!
      A nut and a fool!
      He’s a mental case,
      music’s not his thing.
      So, I wrote the theme.
      I’m so talented!
      Copyright Deadpool!
      Copy and I’ll sue!
      I think that the song should end right here!

  17. Cacturne

    Slamp bamp thank you ma’amp get on the ~floor~ table we JAMP

  18. nothri

    You know, I’m starting to see how she and Carla got together in another universe. I find them completely exasperating for largely the same reason.

    1. timemonkey

      They made such a cute couple.

  19. yodadamax

    Seeing this strip made me realize that I actually did miss Malaya

  20. chris73

    Malaya totally deflats Sals ego in the fourth panel

  21. Bicycle Bill

    “…off all the ways to wake you up, that polled as my favorite”.
    ———————–
    “Plus, I could do it from the other side of the table, where I was safely out of your immediate reach.”

    1. Yotomoe

      To be fair, it’s startling but not the worst way to wake up. Anyone who’s ever been woken up by tickling can testify to that.

      1. timemonkey

        People always think that’s so funny….until my foot hits their stomach and they learn otherwise.

      2. John

        The worst way to wake up, IME, is a toddler leaping knees-first onto your junk.

        1. Yotomoe

          Once my dog was sleeping parallel to me and my mom called her and she kicked me, full strength in the stomach and ran away. The worst part is I can’t even get mad at her! She doesn’t understand what she did.

      3. kelticat

        I think that the guy woken up by a mouthful of Wasabi can argue against tickling being the worst.

  22. Idontcarenomore

    Malaya is her usual snarky self I see. Wonder what she’d be like if she ever decided to be nice to someone for a change; probably give ’em a heart attack ;). Gotta admit she is does liven the place up.
    Good question why Marcie didn’t text Sal. Cells set on vibrate work really well to get your attention if in your pocket. Mine bounces itself right off the table.

  23. shadowcell

    Malaya polls are so methodologically terrible Nate Silver doesn’t even use them in his projection models

    1. Dana

      /me breaks his finger trying to click nonexistent like button.

  24. Greg

    Panel 6 Sal face is my new favorite Sal face.

  25. miados

    hmmmm mild passive aggression by not asking for her to write the note down if you didn’t get it, but i know those two aren’t the closest so…..

  26. Viktoria

    Huh. I think I figured out my opinion of Malaya finally. I only like her if she’s in a comic with chars who like her. She’s good with UC in SP!, or around Marcie in DoA, because she actually puts in effort with them. Around chars who dislike her, so do I, because she reacts to the dislike by being as aggravating as possible whether the situation warrants it or not.

  27. Charles Phipps

    I would very much like Ken to be here. Then again, I enjoyed him more than Ethan.

  28. Rukduk

    1. That’s kinda meta of Malaya.
    2. Hey, the whites of Sal’s eyes are showing up in that last panel.

  29. Cas madocki

    Sal’s eyes in that last panel have me absolutely cackling.

    She’s ready to rip out the jugular.

  30. Charles Phipps

    Sal really really resents having to share Marcie.

  31. Lapin

    Sometimes, I think maybe Sal wants to hate-fuck Malaya, and is a bit thrown off by the fact Marcie wants to be with Malaya, and so the hate-fucking will never happen.

    1. Vonniesaur

      Shipping it

  32. kkiten

    How did Malaya know where she was?

    1. Bagge

      Probably just ran into her. Either that or Sal has picked that spot for day-sleeping before and Marcie told Malaya where to look.

      1. kkiten

        I don’t think she has picked up enough sign language for Marcie to give her that type of specific information.

        1. Random832

          Maybe she pointed it out on a map? Heck, I might do that rather than come up with an unambiguous way to describe the location.

  33. Charles Phipps

    I really do think it would work wonders for Sal to start a fight with Malaya and then get her ass kicked.

    1. timemonkey

      I was all for it the first time, I’m all for it now.

    2. Spencer

      I’m reasonably certain that if that fight continued Malaya would have gotten her ass kicked.

      1. Charles Phipps

        Sal’s not naturally vicious….and Malaya really really is. Has Sal ever BEEN in a fight?

        1. Spencer

          She’s said she’s never lost one before, and when she was drunk with Jason she was insistent on finding someone to fight, so I think she’s been in some.

        2. jhon

          So if we get Malaya drunk…

  34. Just Me

    I said Sal should have fallen asleep on the grass underneath a tree. If she had, Malaya couldn’t have used the book slam to wake her up.

    1. Tacos

      Sure she could. Just drop the books on her face >.>

    2. Bagge

      Bad planning on Sal’s part.

  35. Bagge

    Malaya!!!!

    Something I like with her is how half her posing is on her own expense “Fuck if I know”. She tries so hard to play up the “too cool to care” persona, and when she overcompensates it’s just hilarious.

    1. darkoneko

      She spent the whole page with her arms crossed. Body language talk “urgh, do not want ; bracing myself”

  36. Professor Fate

    “Tell you what, Malaya, let’s pretend that’s what she did say. AARRGGHHHH!” “EEEEEK!”

  37. trlkly

    Don’t really see much wrong with the book slam to wake her up, really. Sure, the attitude after that isn’t nice, but neither of them like each other. It’s not like Sal was ever nice to her, either.

    Like I said above, there just doesn’t seem to be enough info to get a read on her–at least, in this universe. I do not want who someone is in another universe to get in the way of how I see people here.

    1. trlkly

      In other words, I have no idea what they are like. I found trying to read comics set in different universes with the same characters to be way too confusing. I can handle different mediums, and sometimes vastly different art styles, but not two web comics with characters that look the same.

      1. Cephalo the Pod

        Take it from someone who’s read Shortpacked and Dumbing of Age in their entireties: Malaya’s largely the same between universes.

        Although she never interacts with Sal (who is very different between universes).

      2. Leorale

        Fair ’nuff.

    2. Charles Phipps

      Sal keeps wanting to drive Malaya off but the problem is the latter isn’t remotely scared or impressed.

    3. Rukduk

      I’m going to be honest here, I actually haven’t read any of Willis’s other comics. And so far I really like Malaya. Apparently other versions of her have some major baggage attached, but this version has done nothing to garner my dislike. This is kinda a round about way of saying that I agree with you about characters and the multiverse.

      1. Rutee

        The other version of her is basically the same. She’s hated for being a jerk and a woman at the same time.

        Out-of-setting. In-setting,s he was hated because /have you seen how she acts/. But character feelings don’t have to color my own.

    4. Rutee

      Well, given that the only massive changes in who characters are, is that Mike can’t really demonstrate benevolence, and Carla is not a robot, the other universe is relevant. And waking Sal when you can’t actually deliver a message is pretty dickish. It strongly leads me to believe that she’s the same abrasive dick who is often wrong that she was in Shortpacked!

      This makes me happy, because I adored Malaya.

  38. podian

    [to panel 4]

    No, Malaya, she isn’t.

  39. Yotomoe

    I once woke a friend by blowing trombone at his face. He’s still mad and that was like…8 years ago.

    1. Cephalo the Pod

      Well, I mean…did you apologize?

      1. Yotomoe

        What was there to apologize for?
        (no but honestly there’s no way I could remember that, but probably)

        1. Emily

          Being a jackass?

        2. Yotomoe

          He was my friend in middle school. By that point he was already aware I was a jackass. I don’t have to apologize for continuing to be one!

    2. Dara

      Was it with Sad Trombone noise? Because it should’ve been with Sad Trombone noise.

    3. Rukduk

      That was my AP Art History teacher’s favorite way of waking up people who fell asleep in class back in senior year of high school. As soon as he noticed he’d just non-chalantely continue lecturing while going to where he kept it, taking it out of it’s case, assemble it, and then walk up to the desk of his victim and just blow that trombone as loudly as possible. It was a very good class.

      1. jhon

        But what did you learn?
        I mean what elsedid you learn?

        1. Rukduk

          Caravaggio was a complete dick, romanticism style painting is boring, Impressionism isn’t my thing, Gothic cathedral’s borrow from Islamic architecture, never say a woman is Rubenesque, and Giotto is massively under appreciated in the art community. Also, Islamic poetry and calligraphy is a amazing. Like I said, good class. Wacky/crazy teacher, but he made the lessons stick and was quite entertaining.

  40. timemonkey

    Always happy to see Malaya.

  41. Charles Phipps

    Malaya hasn’t been rude to anyone who isn’t Sal, who is an enormous jerk to her for no reason other than vindictive jealousy, so I don’t actually have any problems with her in this reality.

    1. Cephalo the Pod

      Well, there was her attitude towards Carla when she only bought a six pack of beer for their group of four. And I’ve got a hunch that that wasn’t a very exceptional moment.

      1. ninja_jesus

        The difference was it was due to lack of beer, not Carla.

        1. Rutee

          Yes, but it’s also her being an ingrate and a jackass. I mean, I *like* Malaya, but part of liking her is acknowledging these things. She’s been on camera with 5 people – Sal, Carla, Malaya, Amazi-girl, and Lucy. She’s been a jerk to or about at least 3 of them (Ain’t got nothing against her for defending herself from violence with violence)

    2. Spencer

      Yeah, of all people, Malaya probably deserves to think poorly of Sal, and Amazi-Girl, for that matter. People need to stop trying to beat her up.

      Or more people need to try. I dunno.

      1. Charles Phipps

        Since Sal has been in a private school since she was a small girl and she was just posing when she robbed that store, I’m fairly certain she’s never been in an actual fight. Malaya by contrast strikes me as someone who has been fighting since adolescence.

        1. Fenrir's Daughter

          A) private schools can be worse in many regards, and “hazing” can turn deadly B) Sal was sent to boarding school AFTER the robbery, to “straighten her out C) that’s where she got tattooes and lost her virginity.

        2. No Name

          She didn’t go to a private school, she went to a Catholic school. Private schools are privately owned, Catholic schools are owned by the Catholic Church, which not usually considered a private entity. There’s even a term (parochial school) solely developed to differentiate church-owned schools (of any denomination) from privately-owned schools.

          Also, having been enrolled in a private school myself, I can assure you they can be just as violent as public schools. They’re just more secret about it because the grounds for expulsion are more stringent.

        3. Roborat

          I have always heard Catholic, and other religious schools, described as private schools.

        4. Dara

          This depends upon where you are. Lots of eastern Canada institutionalised Catholic schools as parochial schools, for example, but here in our part of Cascadia, they are private schools, with a religious affiliation.

        5. Rukduk

          I can help attest to this. For the most part in the states they are just referred to as private schools, at least in California and Michigan anyway.

  42. Cephalo the Pod

    I really hope we’re not gonna be expected to view either of these two as “in the right”.

  43. Architex

    What is up with that “Z” Bubble in the second panel though?

    1. Tacos

      Tis the “startled-awake-Z-bubble.”

      1. inqntrol

        I’m surprised that Sal didn’t choke her. That’s usually her habit when somebody wakes her up.

        1. tim gueguen

          Malaya’s in the wrong position for easy choking.

        2. darkoneko

          It may be the very reason why should chose a “no touching” approach

  44. Plasma Mongoose

    How do we solve a problem like Ma-lay-ya?
    How do you catch her off-guard and pin her down?

  45. Daniel Shive

    Malaya rules.

  46. Vonniesaur

    Malaya is cute

  47. ninja_jesus

    Loving Malaya. Like, there’s something to say about her tactlessness, but she’s too honest for me to hate.

    And hope Malaya at least memorized the hand signs Marcie used so she could replicate them.

  48. Yotomoe

    Y’know what. I wanna do another.
    http://i.imgur.com/8gXMLTk.png

    1. Some1

      See, this is why I like you.

    2. Rukduk

      I heartily appreciate this!! God help us all if you ever use your drawing and shipping skills for evil instead of good Yotomoe.

      1. Yotomoe

        I use it for evil all the time. I no longer post my more controversial ones because there was one commenter who wouldn’t let it go for MONTHS AND MONTHS after the fact. I’d rather everyone either tell me they like it or don’t and leave it at that. (Plus of all the places on the internet that I frequent, this is the place with the most easily offended people.)

        1. Needfuldoer

          No we’re not! How dare you say such a thing! I take offense to that!

          /s

          (Seriously though, nice work as always!)

        2. Yotomoe

          *Blush*

        3. Bicycle Bill

          (Plus of all the places on the internet that I frequent, this is the place with the most easily offended people.)
          ————————
          Yotomoe, obviously you and I do not visit all the same places on the internet.  Generally, this place is positively laid-back compared to some of the places I frequent.

        4. Yotomoe

          I don’t envy you.

        5. Spencer

          Eh, I’ve long held that being offended by something isn’t grounds for someone automatically being a tumblr pandering Ess Jay Dub with a loose definition of the word “trigger”, and is inherently worth of mockery and that one abused Stephen Fry quote. Being offended by art is a valid reaction.

          Folks just have shit that bugs them. That’s okay. Whoever this commenter was could have learned to drop it, though.

        6. Deanatay

          Dammit, Yotomoe, now I want to see the evil stuff!!

        7. Yotomoe

          I’ll make a deal, since I do love showing people my art. I’ll post a bulk imgur link of all the DOA related stuff I’ve drawn over the past 4 months or so, under the rule that y’all don’t hold anything against me or bug me about it offending you or something. I mean if you don’t like something you can just say so and leave it alone but I’m not a fan of walking on eggshells around people. I wear my heart on my sleeve.

        8. Spencer

          I don’t want to dissuade you from sharing your art, but I think it’s unfair to say that people aren’t allowed to get angry at something that’s offensive to them. Within reason, I mean. Being offended isn’t carte blanche to be a total douchenozzle, but I feel someone going “hey that’s not cool” isn’t unreasonable, if only because you’re not under obligation to take what they say to heart.

        9. Yotomoe

          Yeah. I even said you can tell me “I don’t like this, that’s not cool, etc.”
          After that, we’re done. I don’t need you bringing it up at a later date. I don’t need you responding to every comment I make bringing it up. I don’t need messages to me about it. You have a right to not like something. I’m just saying I have no desire to argue or constantly defend my art. I just want to share it with the handful of people who might also like it :3.

        10. jhon

          “not a fan of walking on eggshells”
          But eggshells are crunchy!

    3. Bagge

      Oooooh! Sexytimes!

    4. Yotomoe

      One for the road.
      “Why’s Marcie actin all weird. We’re just hangin’ out!”

      1. Bagge

        “Huh, what does that sign mean, Marcie?”
        [“NOTHING, YOU SAW NOTHING, THAT MEANS NOTHING!!!”]

      2. Spencer

        Have you ever considered doing your own series? Cause man, I’d read the hell out of it.

        1. Yotomoe

          Yes. But I’m lazy.

        2. Some1

          Can I write it? Cause I would really like to write it.

  49. BenRG

    Malaya, did it seriously not occur to you to ask Marcie to write a note?

    1. Bagge

      Well, that would require for her to care about Sal receiving the message (which she doesn’t) and think ahead (which she is too cool for), so no.

  50. Kim

    Yay! Malaya! 🙂

  51. MissFortune

    In the last three strips we’ve seen the whites of their eyes for both Sal and Walky. I’m going to pretend this is a sign of future bonding between them.

  52. Sam

    I for one have not missed Malaya, and not necessarily because she’s annoying, but because every time she shows up everyone whines how annoying she is.

    Also I really wanna get back to Joyce’s storyline, with Jocelyne, because I love her.

  53. DEG1377

    The more of my life I live, the more of MYSELF I see in Malaya.

    This is disturbing, and yet I can’t help but love her more because of it.

    F@#k the world, Malaya. They all suck anyway.

    1. SgtWadeyWilson

      You remind me of Tucker in The Chorus Trilogy of Red Vs. Blue.
      “I hate my life.
      (Washington yells at him)
      You know what, I take it back, I hate everyone else’s lives. Wish they didn’t have ’em. Oh my God, am I turning into Church?”

      1. Charles Phipps

        Better to be Caboose.

  54. TheEighthShader

    Maybe she was supposed to give a massage, not a message.

  55. Darkoneko

    Seeing taping on Sal’s shoulder may have resulted in strangulation or a broken arm, I can’t really blame Malaya for staying clear.

  56. Leila

    Hey, it’s an opinion I share…

  57. What Was The Question Again?

    Is that Z from sally made up of tiny elphants? What’s the elephant connection with Sally?

    1. No Name

      Her name is Sal, not Sally. Sally is what her mother calls her.

      1. Kamino Neko

        And only her mother.

        1. JQuire

          Not…quite: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/03-the-butterflies-fly-away/bimbo/

    2. Willoughby Chase

      I thought they were ducks?

  58. JQuire

    So if the sexualities carry over between universes, I’m really not looking forward to Marcie having this moment with Malaya: http://www.shortpacked.com/index.php?id=1584

    1. Spencer

      Well, her girlfriend was Ultra Car, remember, and she was hella into Ultra Car’s chasis.

      Personally, I think Malaya is demisexual. I don’t think she’ll be into Marcie, though.

      1. JQuire

        I dunno. She states a few strips after the one I linked to that she did love Leslie, she just wasn’t attracted to women.

        As far as UC was concerned – Malaya was very into the fact that UC was not human (in a way that can’t carry over into the dumbiverse) : http://www.shortpacked.com/index.php?id=2070

        1. JQuire

          I mean, she does make it very clear that her attraction is specific to UC: http://www.shortpacked.com/index.php?id=1994

        2. Spencer

          I think that emotional connection she had with Ultra Car, that she connected with her on a level she never had and then felt immense sexual attraction to her, is more than just Malaya being into robots. Malaya isn’t into girls or guys; she’s into people.

        3. jhon

          Then why isn’t she into me?

        4. JQuire

          Eh, the sexual attraction kicked in pretty much the exact moment that UC got her new chasis. In fact. It did. The same strip in which UC reveals the new chasis is the same one where Malaya starts wondering about whether it’s ‘fully functional’.

          Unless you’re suggesting that Malaya’s sexual attraction developed while UC was still a car?

        5. Spencer

          No, that’s just the point where the only being on the planet Malaya could relate to suddenly became a cute robot girl with an extendo arm.

        6. JQuire

          And the point at which Malaya became overtly sexually interested.

          The whole attraction for Malaya is that UC isn’t people. She says it more than once. Her inhumanity is the crux of the understanding and a component of the attraction….which doesn’t pop up until UC has a humanoid chasis that can do things humans can’t.

        7. Spencer

          Of course she only became attracted to Ultra Car after she got her new chassis. She used to be a car! You can’t bang a car!

          Anyway, I’m fine theorizing Malaya as demi, if only because robosexual and misanthropesexual aren’t real things.

        8. John

          Oh you sweet summer child.

          People are into all sorts of things. Even things that aren’t people.

        9. JQuire

          *stands with jaw working for a minute*

          ….the links I could dig out for you!

        10. Spencer

          I’m okay, thanks.

          I’d like to retain at least some measure of normalcy.

        11. JQuire

          Exposure to diverse interests is pretty normal…

        12. Spencer

          I don’t wanna see robosexual porn! I didn’t want to think of it as a thing that existed!

        13. JQuire

          And I ain’t showing ya! It isn’t my thing either, but it’s not even all that rare, you’re being unnecessarily negative and stigmatizing towards what is, all things considered, is a pretty damned harmless kink and most-defnitely-a-thing-that-exists.

        14. StClair

          You’re reading a comic whose creator is a semi-major figure in Transformers fandom, how could you not be aware of the existence of such things?

    2. BenRG

      It will be sad but I doubt that Willis will drag it out too much. He’s already basically already written the arc only with Malaya and Leslie instead of Marcie.

  59. smooti

    I really like the idea that most people don’t give that much of a shit about Malaya, like there’s maybe a joke about how she’s a bit of a callous jerk, but they still hang out with her, and Sal’s the only one who takes any of it seriously.

    Like from everyone else’s perspective Sal has this cartoonishly rivalry with Malaya for no reason.

    1. Bagge

      Yeah, I really think so. Apart from Sal and Marcie, we have seen her with Carla (who sneers at her just as much as at anyone else), Amazie-girl who barely registered her as a hang around to Sal (I’m SURE Malaya appreciated that) and Lucy who have such a mom/teenage brat-dynamic with her that it is adorable.

      Sal is the only one who seem to take her jerkiness seriously, and for anyone else it is just silly.

      1. Kamino Neko

        and Lucy who have such a mom/teenage brat-dynamic with her that it is adorable.

        More of a little sister/big sister. Lucy didn’t offer refreshments and periodically check that they were OK (standard mom behaviour), she tried to engage them, both by approaching them and by trying to draw them into what she was doing (classic little sister behaviour).

        1. Bagge

          That’s completely true. Still adorable!

    2. jhon

      What does Malaya have that Sal doesn’t?
      Freckles!

  60. Fairyth

    I like Malaya. XD

  61. Kay

    Nobody likes you, Malaya…. I CAN LOVE YOU WITHOUT LIKING YOU.

  62. Flame_Warp

    Can Malaya get into an adorable/hilarious relationship so I can start liking her again

    I liked liking Malaya at the end of shortpacked. I don’t want her to be the scrappy again.

    1. Flame_Warp

      And of course right after I say that it’s made clear Marcie has the hots for malaya

      Well played, Willis.

  63. Scar Man!!!

    Oh my god, this is so fudging hilarious and the comment section just makes it even better

    That said, plaid dress shirt one size too small so you can show off your midriff? Seriously? Malaya should become friends with Sal just so Sal can be her fashion mentor. She’s just crying out for help and she could really rock the biker look Sal’s got going.

    1. Charles Phipps

      Sal has awful fashion sense. I like Malaya’s much better.

      1. Scar Man!!!

        different strokes for different folks

        Though I admit to not liking that outfit where her underpants were pretty much on-display for everyone.

  64. Scar Man!!!

    Also, what exactly does Marcie see in her? Maybe it’s just the art style, but she’s got nothing that Carla ain’t got in spades

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