152

Carry
Posted on January 14, 2018 by David M Willis

152 thoughts on “Carry”

  1. CandidCanid

    A A A A A A H H H H H h H H

    If comics like these start becoming a trend, Willis is going to give me heart attacks solely via his writing. There are only so many characters he can go through before we run out of nervous tension to culminate.

    1. Doctor_Who

      Monday:

      Joe: Joyce, I love you.

      Tuesday:

      Mike: Ethan, I love you.

      Wednesday:

      Sal: Fuckface, I love you.

      1. Frost Magi

        I’d love to see the Sal one happen lmao

        1. Andy

          Maybe if Fuckface bites Malaya

        2. Deanatay

          Sal: Just give me a couple minutes to MURDER MALAYA, and we can be together forever…

      2. Peter

        Mike wasn’t so much “Ethan, I love you” as “Klytus, I’m bored”.

        1. Lieutenant Dan

          “What plaything can you offer me today” has suddenly taken on new meaning. :-/

      3. TheLurkerAbove

        Thursday:

        Fuckface lives up to its name.

        1. ozzi

          Malaya has a mouth baby.

      4. Aeron

        Go on…

      5. The_L1985

        How can you NOT love Fuckface? He’s a luttle cutie lizard, yes he is.

    2. David DeLaney

      Did you mean

      Flash! A A A A A A H H H H H h H H

      ?

      –Dave, _see searches related to Queen_

      1. Blackbird

        Thursday:

        Captain Khan: My Hawkmen, I love you.

        1. Lokitsu

          Now DIIIIIVVVEEE!!!!

  2. Ana Chronistic

    “Just wanted to let you know that I love you even though you aren’t naked right now.”

    1. Rosicrucian

      Oh good, you’re back.

      1. Screwball

        And using Joyce as an Avatar. Amusingly appropriate, from what I’ve seen… ?

        1. Rosicrucian

          Well I mean, I heard she was off terrorizing sheep, or something.

      2. Ana Chronistic

        Where did I go?

        1. Yumi

          Look, I don’t know who told you that you were allowed to take breaks from commenting on here soon after updates, but they were wrong, apparently.

        2. foamy

          I feel like there should be a Cotton-Eye Joe joke in here somewhere.

        3. Deanatay

          Been a long time, been a long time gone

          (Several hours, at least)

  3. King Daniel

    “I know.”

    1. Stephen Bierce

      You mean The Empire Strikes Back, but that line just makes me want to play the Yello song.

      1. nothri

        Huh? I was thinking SAO Abridged.

        1. AndieStardust

          That might be kinda obscure for some people on here, star wars is more spot on, lol

        2. HeySo

          Wait, are you trying to imply people haven’t seen SAO Abridged? That sounds preposterous, are you sure that’s a thing?

        3. Lokitsu

          *Googles SAO Abridged*

          Huh, I figured it would be an encyclopedia or something…

        4. Jack Spade

          SAO abridged is my favorite show, and I am so pumped to see them correct the fairy dance arc.

        5. nothri

          I’m impressed how they pretty throughly nuked the incest issue from orbit. Also, explained the main character’s least impressive social traits.

        6. Roborat

          Well, my guess was close, it had something to do with SAO. Aaaaaand you have given me something else I didn’t need to monopolize what little free time I have. What little I have seen looks interesting so far.

  4. AnvilPro

    No hesitations…

  5. adjudicus

    Oh, walky, please don’t do this…

    1. Ivy

      Danny looks like he wants walky to do this

  6. Ivy

    Screw these people, I wanna see Mike and Ethan make out

    1. Yumi

      A strip of panels about Walky and Dorothy’s relationship interspersed with panels of Mike and Ethan making out.

    2. Inahc

      Yup. Every once in a while, my libido has terrible taste.

      1. HeySo

        You kidding? Did you see that last panel of Mike? I can totally get why people are seduced by him despite their better judgement. Willis really nailed the art there.

        1. Jack Spade

          Personally I’d attribute Mike’s seduction to the smooth as wine one liners, but sure, that was some nice facework.

        2. HeySo

          some nice facework

          Especially the parts involving his tongue, ey? ?

          That said, I did in fact mean that Willis did a great job in having the art portray how well the one-liner was delivered. I really could imagine Mike actually silkily sliding those words out- the words delivered with all his usual confidence and aloofness, but with his usual naughty playfulness suddenly taking on fresh, more inviting tones, and the whole affair tinged with just enough of a new inclusion of teasing tenderness to highlight all his best traits while promising something new and special.
          His usually straight and standoffish demeanor suddenly softening, his hand gently yet firmly sliding to cup your chin, his face flushing with genuine warmth, his breath hot on your cheek..
          And then, your body quivering against his undeniable hold, he leans in to catch you with those assertive eyes, and you see only yourself reflected within them. Slowly, he runs his mouth just over your skin, warmth tickling enticingly across flesh, bringing his lips up to your ear- and then, your flushed body feeling as though it’ll overload in anticipation, his words come commandingly yet invitingly forth..

  7. newllend(henryvolt)

    Glad he got this out of the way before the other thing he’s about to do.

  8. Rodimiss

    Dorothy’s face is also what my face looked like.

  9. Marsh Maryrose

    Faz the Great cannot take a damn hint, can he.

    “This chart explains why I cannot wait until mid-February the many ways in which I am great.”

  10. Kyrik Michalowski

    So is Walky saying this because he actually means it, because he thinks Dorothy would be better off without him, or some combination thereof?

    1. Marsh Maryrose

      I’m going with:

      He genuinely loves her, and he thinks she would be better off without him, and he is steeling himself up to deliver the “we need to break up for your sake” speech. Whether or not he actually gets to deliver it is in the hands of DYW, but I’m guessing that the narrative arc will best be furthered by him awkwardly getting about halfway through that speech before Dorothy cuts him off with some kind of bombshell narrative escalation.

      1. Stu

        Seconded. Alternatively – “Our relationship can be put on hold – I’ve got no problem waiting for a woman like you”, though more in Walky-ese, likely involving a toy getting thrown.

        1. Deanatay

          Walky’s already exceeded his toy-throwing allotment for the day. If he throws another, he’ll lessen their emotional impact.

        2. Achallenger

          True, his arm is probably getting tired and that would soften the blow

    2. foamy

      Alternatively, because everything is awful: He breaks up with her on the stairs, in a twisted echo of Dorothy breaking up with Danny.

      1. adjudicus

        Oh god, Willis is so going to do this, isn’t he?

        1. HeySo

          I lost count, but I think it’s been about 51 days since we last had a “Damn You Willis” moment. Seems like we’re about due.

        2. Aislashu

          We need a “Damn You, Willis!” counter.

          “It has been 51 Days since the last Damn You, Willis.”
          Tomorrow:
          “It has been 0 Days since the last Damn You, Willis!”

        3. HeySo

          Like, every time [X] number of “Damn You Willis” votes are reached for a single strip, the counter resets to 0? That’s.. that’s kinda brilliant. I think we need that.

  11. Marsh Maryrose

    That was supposed to be:

    “…until mid-February to explain to you the many ways…”

    Clearly, unlike Faz, I am not great. Especially in the editing-before-posting department.

    Of course, this will probably all be moot by the time I have posted this correction.

    1. Yumi

      Yup.

    2. Kamino Neko

      I am confused. Where does Faz come from all of a sudden?

      1. deliverything

        I’m fairly sure that’s a question that’s frequently asked, along with “And how can we send him back?”

        1. Eldritch Gentleman

          I’d suggest informing Death Watch that there is a Genestealer on the loose.

      2. Deanatay

        You should take a look at the next book title…

      3. Yumi

        The title for the next storyline has to do with Faz, and originally this strip was showing as being in that storyline.

      4. Marsh Maryrose

        He came from a brief anomaly in the space-time continuum, and presumably that’s where he returned to. Never mind. Nothing to see here. Pay no attention to the accidental foreshadowing.

        And definitely (fnord) do NOT click on the (fnord) “Archives…” navigation menu on the left (fnord) and scroll to the end.

  12. Passchendaele

    YESSSS (until the other foot drops, in which case ;-; )

  13. Keulen

    I really hope Walky has changed his mind about breaking up with Dorothy.

  14. BBCC

    Oh, Walky…

    If only you had someone who loved you back.

    1. Peter

      She does love him back, I’m sure. But being with him is not good for her, and he is big enough to see that. And, I feel certain, she is intelligent enough to recognise it, too.

      1. JBento

        This is entirely the wrong take. Killing yourself by cramming a 40-hour workload into every 24-hour day is what’s not good for her.

        1. Eldritch Gentleman

          And Walky with his silly cartoons and stuff was the only stress relief she’s been getting. If she looses that she will land in hospital before long.

        2. BBCC

          …I was just making a Frozen joke.

        3. Eldritch Gentleman

          You threw a snowball which turned into an avalanche. Good job!

        4. C.T Phipps

          Walky: Let me go, let me go, go away and slam the door.

        5. JBento

          It has thawed.

  15. Cholma

    No, no, Hover Text, it’s “but we only have 14 hours to save the Earth!”

    Get your ’80s movie quotes right. ;P

    1. Marsh Maryrose

      Lasers hit the bunker, and droids surround the base
      Do you really still believe that failing Math class is the worst case?

    2. HeySo

      Yeah, that confused me a bit. I don’t think it’s meant to be an original Walkyverse reference, either..?

  16. Paradoxius

    Anyone gonna mention that tight Queen reference in the alt-text? ‘Cause now “Flash” is going to be stuck in my head for the next twelve hours.

    1. David DeLaney

      Done, and done!

      –Dave, there are far worse things that could be stuck there. Mike will be happy to whisper some in your ear

      ps: I like the quiet continuity of Joe disappearing stage left in panel 3. I also like the subtle indrawn breath Dorothy takes in the last panel. “only what’s necessary”.

      1. ValdVin

        Agreed on the PSs for this strip’s drawing.

        Also, does Joe’s absence mean he didn’t hear Walky?

  17. Poofdepoof

    WORRIED

    http://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-8/02-this-is-the-way-that-we-love/driven/

  18. PB

    (HOPEFUL PUPPY NOISES)

  19. Rukdug

    Well, damn. Guess Valentine’s Day is coming early this year.

    1. Fire_daws

      Naw, we’ve got the Billie/Ruth drama bomb to look forward to for that 🙁 I’ve a pre-Damn-you-Willis primed and ready to go.

  20. ninjazaku

    OH NO

    I FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE “I LOVE YOU BUT I’M NOT ‘IN LOVE’ WITH YOU”

  21. Deadjolras

    I went from “yay, Joe and Joyce are interacting! He’s even carrying her books!” to “oh no, Dorothy… Wait, ‘I love you’!?” in a matter of seconds so now I’m suffering from major mood whiplash. Willis, please, have mercy.

  22. Yumi

    In a twist, this strip was actually presented in a nonlinear narrative manner, and the two people Amber is going to break up are Dorothy and Walky.
    Are they fighting or fucking? We still don’t know.

    1. gen

      Big if true.

    2. RacingTurtle

      Revisiting that strip, I just have to say “I’m not even good at being a jackass” is the Most Depression Sentence Ever.

  23. DrWattson

    Right as I was reading this, Power of Love came on in the playlist I was listening to. Poor timing, iTunes shuffle.

    1. vlademir1

      Was that The Power of Love, The Power of Love or The Power of Love? I mean they’re each very, very different songs and imply vastly different emotional responses.

      1. papercurse

        I’d like to believe it’s this cover of The Power of Love… because it’s pretty cool… and heartbreaking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl6Ery4Q_uE

        1. DrWattson

          Believe it or not, you are 100% correct.

  24. brasca1

    Well as power ballads go you can’t go wrong with Queen.

  25. Danni

    WHA

  26. Lingo

    31 days and counting down. Ticky tocky Walky.

    1. nothri

      What happens in 31 days?

      1. Yumi

        The Valentine’s Day Strip.

        Also, Valentine’s Day.

        1. Reltzik

          With the anti-Valentine’s-Day events. Seriously, check the archives for what always happens on Valentine’s Day around here.

  27. Bicycle Bill

    Careful, Walky.  I told my girlfriend that once and she shot me down like the Red Baron.

    1. nothri

      Oooooooh.

      1. Yumi

        This made me laugh so much.

    2. HeySo

      And now I want pizza, you jerk. 😐

      (:P)

      1. Mitsukara

        She frowned like Freschetta’s,
        Told him off like Totino’s,
        Tossed him out like Tony’s,
        Ditched him like Digiornio’s,
        and didn’t even stop to ask what he wanted on his Tombstone….

        1. HeySo

          ..and so he ended up out of Amy’s Kitchen, by way of Newman’s Own and a Screamin’ Sicilian, into a California Pizza Kitchen?

    3. jy3

      Did it go something like this?

      1. Bicycle Bill

        ot exactly, ut either wa it was a shot to the heart.

      2. Bicycle Bill

        Not exactly, but either way it was a shot to the heart.

  28. nothri

    ……What?

  29. nothri

    Dorothy knowing Walky the way she does should either immediately ask “What did you do?” or just start running for a bombshelter without another word.

  30. Reltzik

    So Walky FINALLY tells Dorothy he loves her, after all that prodding and him refusing to say it for so long.

    … RIGHT AFTER he accepts on garbage roof that he’s going to have to break up with her.

    ….

    Dorothy’s right. She’s in love with an idiot.

  31. Randrius

    And… Boom goes the dynamite…

  32. Sporky

    I usually don’t think of saying “I love you” as a bad thing, but this is definitely a bad “I love you”.

  33. Bagge

    Hey, hey, HEY WALKY!!! That’s not the kind of language we expect from a leading garbage roof member!!!

    …also, I’m proud of you, little buddy.

  34. saltchocolate

    Dorothy: I said, *not now,* Walky!!

    (Okay, that’s totally not her response, but in an(other) alternate universe . . . .)

  35. Bagge

    “Three hours? You can get plenty of studying done in three hours”

  36. Johnnyo

    Do you write these mouseover texts when you draw the comics? Because the whole ‘save the world’ thing on the day after the entire state of Hawaii briefly thought the world was ending is almost too perfect.

  37. CJ

    Suddenly the hovertext doesn’t work on my iPad ?.
    What is driving Dorothy? Did she come to the conclusion she has to drop Walky and is trying to avoid the issue? Is she grappling with severe self-doubt because she’s “failing”? What is going on in her head.
    (And Willis let us hanging about Leslie. It was such a nice preview panel, promising good things in Leslie’s life.)

    1. Liliet

      “but we only have three hours to save earth” <= hovertext

    2. CJ

      Thanks.

  38. Keulen

    The alt text made me think of this song. I literally haven’t listened to that in years.

  39. JessWitt

    Dang smash cut to other subplot.

  40. Jay

    DON’T MAKE ME CRY. DON’T DO IT WILLIS. I’M WARNING YOU.

  41. miz

    unrelated

    but when did willis change the way he draws walky’s hoodie? for some reason my brain can’t parse it as a hood. more like…a chunky cowl neck. with strings, i guess.

    it’s not necessarily a bad look but it’s very different from how it used to be

    1. miz

      i mean, dorothy is literally also wearing a hoodie in this very strip and hers is drawn the old way so what’s with walky’s. is it SUPPOSED to be some kind of turtleneck hoodie? we’ve seen it from the back and it’s definitely got some kind of hood. this is so irrational but it’s gonna bug me forever. WHAT’S WITH THE HOODIE.

      1. David M Willis

        Some hoodies have differently-shaped hoods.

        1. miz

          and as always, the simplest explanation is the one that will make me feel dumb

      2. Pat Myers

        I think he’s wearing a high collar hoodie. If he pulled it up over his head, the bottom front would be covering his chin. He would look like some anime mage.

        Please put your hood up, Walky.

        1. Roborat

          Or look like Kenny.

  42. Ainara

    …Awww?
    Can I awww about this? This is a good thing, right?

  43. BenRG

    I think that there are two distinct ‘Aww!’ moments here. The obvious one is Walky and Dorothy and I strongly hope that both of them use this realisation to move away from destructive and self-loathing behaviours.

    The other is Joe and Joyce. I think that she’s the first woman whom he’s become attracted to mostly on an emotional level rather than a physical level (mostly because his initial physical approach was rejected). He’s trying to be a friend right now and it’s actually quite funny how Joyce is trying to keep independent even when she needs help.

    I wonder if Joe is trying to protect Joyce from Sarah’s schemes by giving Joyce an alternate boyfriend?

    1. ValdVin

      Walky said it about Dorothy (to) Becky way back when Becky came on the scene. I was wondering if he ever said it directly to Dorothy.

      Looks like a bombshell dropped.

    2. saltchocolate

      That same thought (about Joe trying to distract Joyce from Jacob and thus foil Sarah) has crossed my mind . . .

  44. kitty

    im still shook over about joyces toenail

  45. Stoodmuffin

    That’s not breaking up. Unless you were going to do it in one of the worst possible ways

    1. Needfuldoer

      Smarting of Age: A webcomic about always making the best choices by David “thank you” Willis.

      1. Clif

        What? You mean this isn’t the best of all possible worlds?

  46. Stoodmuffin

    HOPE YOU STICK WITH THIS MOTIF AND NOT YOUR ROOF ONE.

  47. CJ

    Panel one was published as the preview panel for tomorrow. Was a strip withdrawn?

    1. David M Willis

      I just changed the order.

  48. Goki

    Remember the last time someone said they loved her…… it did not end well. I hope Walky didn’t Danny himself just so she would dump him on purpose. Dang it man, not like this….

  49. DarkoNeko

    “But it’s time we stop this”

    1. DarkoNeko

      (also : well played, alt text. Well played.)

  50. Remmington Steele

    “I love you. That’s why we have to split.”

    Points for not buggering off like a ghost.

  51. BeatleJWOL

    #unexpectedflashgordon

  52. JBento

    But… these are the wrong stairs for a break-up.

    1. Bagge

      Aha! THAT explains why he said “I love you” instead.

      1. JBento

        And tomorrow we’re going to get a version of “it’s not you, it’s me”, aren’t we? At least this time, it’s meant.

        I mean, it’s not TRUE, but it’s meant.

  53. JBento

    Shiiiit, how did I not know of this until now?:

    https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/space-odyssey-the-video-game-science/x/18008780#/

    Does anyone know when this campaign ends? I can’t find an end date in this thing.

  54. moo

    Aw, this is so sweet and sad. Dorothy’s shock reminds me of how she talked about not wanting a serious relationship because of transferring to Yale, becoming President, saving the world, and so on.

  55. C.T Phipps

    What should happen next is Ashton Kutcher stepping out and going, “Dorothy, you have been punked!”

  56. Micki

    What a whirlwind past couple of days, Willis!

  57. Puckish Rogue

    As much as i want to see Joe and Joyce together its now looking, to me anyway, like Joe is thinking and acting more like a big-brother

    Which is good but it means a romance will be way off in the future plus it could lead to Joe becoming over-protective and smothering

    Nope no personal experience with this at all…

  58. Rowen Morland

    Those benches (and the foliage you can see through them) came out really nicely.

    1. Rowen Morland

      Actually there is something about panels 3-4 where the background just looks really awesome. I think the colours and the perspective are just really selling it.

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