I would love to see it done, in a semi-realistic way. I imagine that maybe their version of heartbroken and worried will be like other people’s normal?
Mike’s parent’s come in perfectly chipper. Amber eventually makes some comment about Mike’s condition. Mike’s mom reveals that he regained consciousness that morning and will be fine. Mike bemoans that he wanted to keep Amber going at least another hour.
BTW my own Dad’s been in the hospital a few times so all those medical sounds are fresh in my head. The “neener neener” sound by the pneumatic leg massagers (to keep comatose patients from getting blood clots after surgery). The thunder of the air conditioner ducting. The humming of the flourescent lighting…
Mr. Bierce:
If you go to visit a parent in the hospital, and you are greeted by name by Any of the staff, -OR- if they joke about your acquiring a Reserved Parking Spot because you are a frequent flyer, you have got Trouble. My sympathies to you.
We know we’re getting the Browns and Walkertons in addition to the Warners. I would be gobsmacked if we don’t see Stacy, and likely also Richard as support. The Siegals probably also have some serious thoughts on ‘our son’s best friend/ex’s mobster father kidnapped them and put their other friend in a coma’ that should be… interesting to hear.
I hope we get the Saruyamas as some light relief. Not that they won’t be concerned their daughter got involved in this situation (even if she got herself involved, rather than being an initial kidnapping victim), but they’ll get to meet Becky, that might be nice. (Though we’ll also likely get some ‘damn, we let a MOBSTER who ended up MURDERING A MAN into our daughter and her roommate’s dorm room, we feel even WORSE now!’ Not that they could’ve known, but seriously, damn.) Similarly the Keeners are known to be supportive and we will NEED that.
Finally, we have never met the Clintons because it was FRESHMAN Family Weekend, so if they show up that could be interesting. We have no idea what they’re like, but that’s part of the interest!
I will give the Walkertons and Siegals this, they had no way whatsoever of predicting ‘mobster kidnapping ending in homicide.’ I mean, the Siegals likely know about Blaine from proximity to Amber and Stacy, but there was no reason to expect him showing up with another random Evil Kidnapping Father and, well, doing this. I may have serious issues with both sets but this is not on them.
Last storyline was big and dramatic for two very good reasons:
1) Character development for everyone but especially AmbG, including the start of ‘we really should be trying to work through how much we hate ourselves and our need to get along for everyone around us’s wellbeing’ and the ‘I made me.’ moment. (Owning responsibility for Amber’s bad and good points, acknowledging the latter do exist, and denying Blaine satisfaction. Yay!) We can also expect some fallout with Walky, minimum, specific to the being kidnapped aspect. Wouldn’t be surprised if Ethan has more trauma there as well, and Dorothy.
2) So much ammo that will be fired from many, many mantles involving parents. The Brown fallout will be SPECTACULAR, but every set we see show up are probably going to be at least a little freaked out by this all.
On the one hand, I’m hoping Amber doesn’t have to explain how this happened. On the other hand, I don’t see a way out of her having to explain, unless she leaves before they get there. Is there a chance that Mike’s parents would blame this on Amber?
We have no reason to believe Mike’s parents are terrible so I’m very interested in hearing Amber’s justification for preventing them from finding out their son has is in a coma! No! I never once believed Mike was in danger of being assassinated by corrupt cops or mob thugs!
We have no reasons and Amber (as she probably already knows them quite well since they grew up together) has also no reason (that I can remember) to think his parents would flip out but you never know how someone might react, especially given that this situation isn’t what most parents (most good parents) would hope for.
I know I don’t know how the parents of my friends would react if their kids ended up in a coma due to (partially) my involvement.
Yeah, especially given how this situation and the fact that she knows the Warners fairly well mean it’s totally possible she discloses about AG and the memory split. Like, there aren’t really ways to explain this (since it happened the day before the kidnapping) without it. And Amber has very good reason to worry about their reaction. DID is one of the Scary Mental Illnesses TM.
Actually we know just the opposite… We saw Mike’s parents at the family freshment weekend, and they were completely different from Mike. (Overly friendly… trying to give Sarah a hug.)
If they’re anything like their Walkyverse equivalents, then they’re nice, kind, sweet and generally rays of sunshine to the point where Mike’s behaviour can be interpreted as an exasperated attempt to escape what is otherwise a smothering blanket of uncontextual positivity.
Oh, an Mike’s mother was rather pushy about the ‘right’ way to care for baby Donatella too.
I thought I was well past ready to see this go back to being a comic not about kidnapping and murder, but now I realize I want it to keep going until after we get to see Amazi-Girl kicking the butts of a bunch of mob goons who have come to assassinate Mike.
There are a number of bad things you’ve done in your life, Amber, things for which you can justly blame yourself. What happened to Mike is not one of them. He found a cause for which he was willing to fight and, due to his situation with Ethan, he was a lot less careful about it than he normally would be.
I’m hoping that Mike’s parents respond to all of this by thanking you for saving his life and so many others besides.
Based on the previous times we’ve seen them, I suspect if Mike’s parents do show up soon they’ll be more understanding than many other characters’ parents might be.
Why does she think Blaine’s “associates” would come after Mike now? Mike’s Attempted Manslaughter at max. That’s probably fourth in order of severity of the charges he’s currently facing. None of which gets eliminated by offing one witness.
At a guess? Blaine MIGHT have had some competent mob cronies on board with randomly killing whoever he asked, but if so he didn’t have enough to help him with the kidnapping.
On the other hand, the reason why Blaine decided ‘you know what, let’s kill him’ was because Mike had started shouting about how Blaine was a money-launderer for the mob, and how he has conflicting tax records. If he ever wakes up, he can still spill, and that will bring trouble for more than just Blaine. So long as Mike can wake up, he is a major threat to the mob itself. So if Blaine passes that info on, they might just decide to off him no matter what they decide to do with Blaine.
That said, I’m doing this logic from the perspective of someone, y’know. Not also paralyzed with survivor’s guilt and fear. Just as much a reason for Amber to be doing this is, as she says, an excuse/distraction, and I wouldn’t expect purely rational threat analysis from someone who’s just been kidnapped by her mobster dad, who murdered someone, anyway.
I think I will spittake if they’re STILL chipper and unbearably positive
which at least explained Shortpacked!Mike but I guess we’ll see with DOA!Mike
Oh yeah… I’d forgotten about OG Mike’s parents! That WOULD be interesting!
But we’ve met them already, and they were. https://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/guard/
Unless you mean in this specific situation, which would indeed be mind-boggling.
I would love to see it done, in a semi-realistic way. I imagine that maybe their version of heartbroken and worried will be like other people’s normal?
I mean, his mom immediately burst into tears when SP!Amber brought up the war/death, so I expect to see them react like humans to Mike in a coma.
Mike’s parent’s come in perfectly chipper. Amber eventually makes some comment about Mike’s condition. Mike’s mom reveals that he regained consciousness that morning and will be fine. Mike bemoans that he wanted to keep Amber going at least another hour.
This totally checks out as a thing that could happen. ;D
:C
Having some ‘splainin’ to do always sounds more fun when it’s Lucy, not you. (No, not THAT Lucy…)
Why “shuffle”? (Have we seen Mike’s parents before?)
Yes, during Freshman Family Weekend. They’re absurdly nice and welcoming.
Maybe they just don’t lift their feet far enough off the floor when they’re walking.
Or maybe they’re just VERY avid poker players.
You can do this, Amber.
There’re going to be unsolicited hugs, aren’t there?
*looks for some Muzakized Kenny Loggins*
BTW my own Dad’s been in the hospital a few times so all those medical sounds are fresh in my head. The “neener neener” sound by the pneumatic leg massagers (to keep comatose patients from getting blood clots after surgery). The thunder of the air conditioner ducting. The humming of the flourescent lighting…
*a few times THIS YEAR*
Not COVID, thank goodness. But still bad news of a sort.
Ugh, sympathies.
The only thing worse than your parents in the hospital is your children in the hospital.
Sorry to hear it’s been rough this year. I hope it gets better for you and him soon.
Mr. Bierce:
If you go to visit a parent in the hospital, and you are greeted by name by Any of the staff, -OR- if they joke about your acquiring a Reserved Parking Spot because you are a frequent flyer, you have got Trouble. My sympathies to you.
My sympathies. I work in healthcare. This is a rough time to be a patient.
TBF, Kenny Loggins is already pretty Muzak.
The one time amber’s standard approach to deal with dads won’t work.
It might distract them from the stuff Amber doesn’t want to talk to them about.
And won’t that be an awkward conversation in a chapter I assume will be FULL of awkward parental conversations.
Kinda feel like having a babaroo kidnapped is one of those ‘well, fuck me sideways’ parenting moments.
Mike wasn’t kidnapped. Amber can’t explain what happened unless she explains how she knows what happened.
Though, I suppose she could just stick with what her father said during the kidnapping. That, of course, centers on having Mike killed.
A lot of people were kidnapped though and at the very LEAST Linda’s coming in this storyline. We’ve been shown this in preview panels.
“We were leaving a friend’s birthday party when a couple of guys jumped us. Mike protected me but he got hurt so we rushed him here.”
Doesn’t explain the extended gap where they weren’t contacted, but it’s not that far from the truth…
Stick with whatever story she told the cops. Which involves the scooter chase, since Dorothy knew about it, and thus probably Amazi-Girl, not Amber.
A TL;DR approximation is close enough until they get over the shock of seeing their son comatose and on life support in a hospital bed.
*INITIAL shock.
We know we’re getting the Browns and Walkertons in addition to the Warners. I would be gobsmacked if we don’t see Stacy, and likely also Richard as support. The Siegals probably also have some serious thoughts on ‘our son’s best friend/ex’s mobster father kidnapped them and put their other friend in a coma’ that should be… interesting to hear.
I hope we get the Saruyamas as some light relief. Not that they won’t be concerned their daughter got involved in this situation (even if she got herself involved, rather than being an initial kidnapping victim), but they’ll get to meet Becky, that might be nice. (Though we’ll also likely get some ‘damn, we let a MOBSTER who ended up MURDERING A MAN into our daughter and her roommate’s dorm room, we feel even WORSE now!’ Not that they could’ve known, but seriously, damn.) Similarly the Keeners are known to be supportive and we will NEED that.
Finally, we have never met the Clintons because it was FRESHMAN Family Weekend, so if they show up that could be interesting. We have no idea what they’re like, but that’s part of the interest!
I will give the Walkertons and Siegals this, they had no way whatsoever of predicting ‘mobster kidnapping ending in homicide.’ I mean, the Siegals likely know about Blaine from proximity to Amber and Stacy, but there was no reason to expect him showing up with another random Evil Kidnapping Father and, well, doing this. I may have serious issues with both sets but this is not on them.
That blame should be reserved for Carol.
[Old, haggard sailor voice] Yep, there’s a shitstorm a-comin’.
That explains that old adage:
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight,
Red sky in the morning, a shitstorm a’coming”.
Last storyline was big and dramatic for two very good reasons:
1) Character development for everyone but especially AmbG, including the start of ‘we really should be trying to work through how much we hate ourselves and our need to get along for everyone around us’s wellbeing’ and the ‘I made me.’ moment. (Owning responsibility for Amber’s bad and good points, acknowledging the latter do exist, and denying Blaine satisfaction. Yay!) We can also expect some fallout with Walky, minimum, specific to the being kidnapped aspect. Wouldn’t be surprised if Ethan has more trauma there as well, and Dorothy.
2) So much ammo that will be fired from many, many mantles involving parents. The Brown fallout will be SPECTACULAR, but every set we see show up are probably going to be at least a little freaked out by this all.
On the one hand, I’m hoping Amber doesn’t have to explain how this happened. On the other hand, I don’t see a way out of her having to explain, unless she leaves before they get there. Is there a chance that Mike’s parents would blame this on Amber?
Conveniently, there are some bad guys to blame. It’s even actually their fault!
Well that’s one “your mom” reference in a Mike comic that I didn’t see coming
Roflmao OMG I was not expecting that, plus it’s so Mike!!
Suddenly I have Mortal City stuck in my head.
I hear one thousand hearts beating at the hospital
And one thousand hearts by their bedsides waiting
Saying that’s my love in the white gown
We have no reason to believe Mike’s parents are terrible so I’m very interested in hearing Amber’s justification for preventing them from finding out their son has is in a coma! No! I never once believed Mike was in danger of being assassinated by corrupt cops or mob thugs!
Because she gets to tell them *she’s the reason that he’s there*
We have no reasons and Amber (as she probably already knows them quite well since they grew up together) has also no reason (that I can remember) to think his parents would flip out but you never know how someone might react, especially given that this situation isn’t what most parents (most good parents) would hope for.
I know I don’t know how the parents of my friends would react if their kids ended up in a coma due to (partially) my involvement.
Yeah, especially given how this situation and the fact that she knows the Warners fairly well mean it’s totally possible she discloses about AG and the memory split. Like, there aren’t really ways to explain this (since it happened the day before the kidnapping) without it. And Amber has very good reason to worry about their reaction. DID is one of the Scary Mental Illnesses TM.
You may not have believed it, but AG did.
So did Mike.
Actually we know just the opposite… We saw Mike’s parents at the family freshment weekend, and they were completely different from Mike. (Overly friendly… trying to give Sarah a hug.)
Amber is suffering from extreme low self-esteem. She will expect to be blamed for this.
If they’re anything like their Walkyverse equivalents, then they’re nice, kind, sweet and generally rays of sunshine to the point where Mike’s behaviour can be interpreted as an exasperated attempt to escape what is otherwise a smothering blanket of uncontextual positivity.
Oh, an Mike’s mother was rather pushy about the ‘right’ way to care for baby Donatella too.
Including letting her sleep on her stomach which…no, Harriet. NO.
look she’s from the 50s
I thought I was well past ready to see this go back to being a comic not about kidnapping and murder, but now I realize I want it to keep going until after we get to see Amazi-Girl kicking the butts of a bunch of mob goons who have come to assassinate Mike.
I’ll get the popcorn.
I don’t think the corrupt cops or the Korean mob care about a low scum like Blaine enough to murder Mike.
Also, DAMN YOU, WILLIS!
Oh man I am so looking forward to all the throwings down coming up
There are a number of bad things you’ve done in your life, Amber, things for which you can justly blame yourself. What happened to Mike is not one of them. He found a cause for which he was willing to fight and, due to his situation with Ethan, he was a lot less careful about it than he normally would be.
I’m hoping that Mike’s parents respond to all of this by thanking you for saving his life and so many others besides.
Based on the previous times we’ve seen them, I suspect if Mike’s parents do show up soon they’ll be more understanding than many other characters’ parents might be.
Maybe you’ll be lucky, Amber, and both the parents and the assassins will turn up at the same time.
Every beep you taaake~
Every sound you make~
etc etc~ i’ll be watching you~
Hol’ up, that is a good question.
Why *must* feelings?
So Ethan left?
Why does she think Blaine’s “associates” would come after Mike now? Mike’s Attempted Manslaughter at max. That’s probably fourth in order of severity of the charges he’s currently facing. None of which gets eliminated by offing one witness.
At a guess? Blaine MIGHT have had some competent mob cronies on board with randomly killing whoever he asked, but if so he didn’t have enough to help him with the kidnapping.
On the other hand, the reason why Blaine decided ‘you know what, let’s kill him’ was because Mike had started shouting about how Blaine was a money-launderer for the mob, and how he has conflicting tax records. If he ever wakes up, he can still spill, and that will bring trouble for more than just Blaine. So long as Mike can wake up, he is a major threat to the mob itself. So if Blaine passes that info on, they might just decide to off him no matter what they decide to do with Blaine.
That said, I’m doing this logic from the perspective of someone, y’know. Not also paralyzed with survivor’s guilt and fear. Just as much a reason for Amber to be doing this is, as she says, an excuse/distraction, and I wouldn’t expect purely rational threat analysis from someone who’s just been kidnapped by her mobster dad, who murdered someone, anyway.
And Mike’s parents are so easygoing too. Hope they don’t dump all the blame on Amber like Ethan’s mom.