It’s good that you’ve noticed that he’s clearly not treating himself very well but it would be nice if you could seem a little more concerned about that?
The down side to comics is we only get one facial expression per panel. Maybe that is just her face upon opening the door and it would become more downcast as she truly sees her son? That would likely take too many panels to illustrate however, and break the flow of the comic. I mean, I assume. Mr. Willis is the veteran professional. I’m just some random person on the internet.
I’m guessing she’s the kind of parent who shows “concern” by nagging and lecturing. And then later on insists that she was such a good parent because she always cared.
Dina’s parents. And Hank has improved since splitting with Joyce’s mother. Pretty sure we’ve seen him since the time skip but I could be wrong.
Thag Simmons
I don’t think we’ve actually seen Hank since the timeskip, and Dina’s parents haven’t shown up in the comic proper for like an actual real time decade.
Andrew Kippenhan
Funny enough, neither has Naomi, it’s been about a decade!
True Survivor
Hank was seen in a flashback strip posted in February of this year. So he has been put to ink (to pixel?) after the time skip, but only as a version of himself which existed many years before the period of time skipped.
Could be worse, better than him being complimented b/c it’s ‘better than being too chubby’ unless she doesn’t want him to be ‘lanky’ b/c he should be ‘bulky’/musclely instead but while it’s not /impossible/ i imagine someone ‘nerdy’ like ethan wouldn’t rly focus on that (although it would be interesting/practical to see in a lighthearted gag comic/bonus stuff like , i run 2 hours a day so i can beat ppl to the line/release date of some merch, tho online orders kinda cut out some stuff like that )
It would be a nice change of pace if maybe one or two parents that were bad actively changed for the better. Even if only a little bit. Y’know as a treat for being good readers.
Yumi
We have Hank. We’ll see about Joe’s dad. Blaine got better via dying.
Sirksome
Meh. To me at least Hank and Richard never got to that level and initiated that emotional level of hatred some of the worst parents get in this comic. Don’t get me wrong, Hank has his problems sure, but he’s no Blaine. His ex-wife outclassed him, it’s just hard to get excited that he’s trying to be better. And Richard is kind of similar except I feel like I know even less about him.
thejeff
Certainly not to the Blaine/Ross level, but we only saw Carol outclass him when he started actively changing for the better. From their early parent’s weekend appearance, they seemed pretty much on the same page. Hank was even the one with the “Hitler was maybe partly Jewish” comment.
When he showed up again after Toedad’s happy fun gun times on campus, there was a lot of concern he was fully in line with Carol’s take and Joyce was being brought home to be “saved” from the lesbians.
He defused that quickly by accepting Becky and that’s when we really saw him differentiate himself from Carol.
Yumi
I think it’s great that Hank’s trying to be better, find it very easy to be excited about. Agree that I don’t care that much about Richard, though.
It seems extremely unlikely that the worst offenders are going to improve that much because, well… they’re the worst. But to be more descriptive about it, I think it’s a lot more likely that someone who’s kinda bad and struggles with being what their children need might improve than someone who is really bad, blames and faults their children for everything, and believes they’re always right.
thejeff
There’s been no real conflict with Richard. We can judge him mostly by his effect on Joe’s development, but he hasn’t really caused conflict when he’s come on stage. Wouldn’t surprise me if he got more at some point, tying into Joe’s arc, but we haven’t seen it yet.
Thag Simmons
I mean, Naomi usually doesn’t rank as the worst mom. Mostly because the competition’s hard to beat, and I think she and Ethan did eventually mend fences on Shortpacked!, so I guess it’s possible?
I wouldn’t put money on it though.
thejeff
She doesn’t usually rank that high because we haven’t seen enough of her.
Maybe this is her time to shine.
Dday
Yeah, a story about growth and acceptance would be refreshing vs another Bad Guy Parents episode.
AlexanderHammil
Hard to get much in the way of parental change in a webcomic that spans less than a year of in-universe time, barring something truly shattering like a death or a divorce. The main cast changes a lot, because they’re all college first years, but their parents are pretty settled in their personalities as middle-aged adults.
Needfuldoer
It would contrast her with the likes of Carol and Linda.
Dday
(Also sorry i accidentally flagged your comment, its riiight next to the reply button and the UI for the comment system could use improvement.)
Linda’s a better mom than Carol, but that’s a pretty low bar to clear. All that really means was she was appropriately appalled by Carol’s church paying bail money for a man who had been arrested for showing up on campus with a gun to kidnap his daughter.
Naomi freaked out because Ethan looked at during Amber’s party when they were kids, I don’t think she’d have any chill about a hot guy just happening to be hanging out in Ethan’s room.
Naomi is very much paranoid and hateful enough to find that suspicious. Hell, she probably reacts with suspicion any time Ethan is seen alone with a man.
Gonna have one of those conversations that parents try not to have in front of others because Naomi thinks they’re alone, so Asher gets to hear all of that.
Oh yeah, the loser who got second-hand gay panic or whatever because her son looked in the same direction as another boy, from an angle where she couldn’t even see it.
And years later ends up blaming her sons best friend for “turning him gay” by not dating him properly when she knew he was gay from the fucking start! ?
Oh hey Naomi.
This is gonna be a weirdly healthy visit I predict.
Where she does care and help… yet also pushes Ethan to express negative emotions that shocks him out of the repressive nothing he’s currently in.
148 thoughts on “Exasperated”
NGPZ
dammit why Naomi gotta be spoken
them bongo more plastic than the toy packs never open
eh, whatever
I don’t think you can see that from this picture. She’s, like, too far away.
Dday
This closet metaphor is heavy handed
Just so your gayness don’t get reprimanded
Deanatay
You’re sitting on a pile of toys
Do your best to make no noise
Amós Batista
Dear Lord, Ethan is already suffering everything. I forgot he still got Naomi to deal with
NGPZ
She can’t make him toe the line!
His lover gotz them rainbow shine,
They gonna do the sixty-nine!
anon
well he’s got enough will(?) in him to just not burn that bridge at least or so , versus just cutting her off completely
Thag Simmons
It’s good that you’ve noticed that he’s clearly not treating himself very well but it would be nice if you could seem a little more concerned about that?
TrueVCU
If you expected good parenting you came to the wrong webcomic
True Survivor
The down side to comics is we only get one facial expression per panel. Maybe that is just her face upon opening the door and it would become more downcast as she truly sees her son? That would likely take too many panels to illustrate however, and break the flow of the comic. I mean, I assume. Mr. Willis is the veteran professional. I’m just some random person on the internet.
Bash
I’m guessing she’s the kind of parent who shows “concern” by nagging and lecturing. And then later on insists that she was such a good parent because she always cared.
Throwatron
how can she be concerned? she has no time or energy, from being so disappointed.
Doctor_Who
Been too long since a terrible parent showed up said no one ever.
Thag Simmons
when’s the last time we had a nice parent in this comic
is it pre-timeskip?
Proxiehunter
Dina’s parents. And Hank has improved since splitting with Joyce’s mother. Pretty sure we’ve seen him since the time skip but I could be wrong.
Thag Simmons
I don’t think we’ve actually seen Hank since the timeskip, and Dina’s parents haven’t shown up in the comic proper for like an actual real time decade.
Andrew Kippenhan
Funny enough, neither has Naomi, it’s been about a decade!
True Survivor
Hank was seen in a flashback strip posted in February of this year. So he has been put to ink (to pixel?) after the time skip, but only as a version of himself which existed many years before the period of time skipped.
Needfuldoer
Time temporarily skipped backwards.
DailyBrad
Richard’s being decent right now, he just sucked in the past and there remains the concern he’ll fuck it up again. Amber’s mom is fine, though.
jeffepp
Quite fine. One might say that she, Stacey, a mom, has got it going on.
Michael Steamweed
That’s what Jenny told us, anyway.
anon
Could be worse, better than him being complimented b/c it’s ‘better than being too chubby’ unless she doesn’t want him to be ‘lanky’ b/c he should be ‘bulky’/musclely instead but while it’s not /impossible/ i imagine someone ‘nerdy’ like ethan wouldn’t rly focus on that (although it would be interesting/practical to see in a lighthearted gag comic/bonus stuff like , i run 2 hours a day so i can beat ppl to the line/release date of some merch, tho online orders kinda cut out some stuff like that )
Matty
I know those kind of eyes well
Coatl
And the tension begins
Sirksome
Is Naomi a good mom? Who knows? Lets find out?
Thag Simmons
You already know the answer to that question.
Armadillo
To be fair, this is the first time she’s shown up since 2018.
Sirksome
It would be a nice change of pace if maybe one or two parents that were bad actively changed for the better. Even if only a little bit. Y’know as a treat for being good readers.
Yumi
We have Hank. We’ll see about Joe’s dad. Blaine got better via dying.
Sirksome
Meh. To me at least Hank and Richard never got to that level and initiated that emotional level of hatred some of the worst parents get in this comic. Don’t get me wrong, Hank has his problems sure, but he’s no Blaine. His ex-wife outclassed him, it’s just hard to get excited that he’s trying to be better. And Richard is kind of similar except I feel like I know even less about him.
thejeff
Certainly not to the Blaine/Ross level, but we only saw Carol outclass him when he started actively changing for the better. From their early parent’s weekend appearance, they seemed pretty much on the same page. Hank was even the one with the “Hitler was maybe partly Jewish” comment.
When he showed up again after Toedad’s happy fun gun times on campus, there was a lot of concern he was fully in line with Carol’s take and Joyce was being brought home to be “saved” from the lesbians.
He defused that quickly by accepting Becky and that’s when we really saw him differentiate himself from Carol.
Yumi
I think it’s great that Hank’s trying to be better, find it very easy to be excited about. Agree that I don’t care that much about Richard, though.
It seems extremely unlikely that the worst offenders are going to improve that much because, well… they’re the worst. But to be more descriptive about it, I think it’s a lot more likely that someone who’s kinda bad and struggles with being what their children need might improve than someone who is really bad, blames and faults their children for everything, and believes they’re always right.
thejeff
There’s been no real conflict with Richard. We can judge him mostly by his effect on Joe’s development, but he hasn’t really caused conflict when he’s come on stage. Wouldn’t surprise me if he got more at some point, tying into Joe’s arc, but we haven’t seen it yet.
Thag Simmons
I mean, Naomi usually doesn’t rank as the worst mom. Mostly because the competition’s hard to beat, and I think she and Ethan did eventually mend fences on Shortpacked!, so I guess it’s possible?
I wouldn’t put money on it though.
thejeff
She doesn’t usually rank that high because we haven’t seen enough of her.
Maybe this is her time to shine.
Dday
Yeah, a story about growth and acceptance would be refreshing vs another Bad Guy Parents episode.
AlexanderHammil
Hard to get much in the way of parental change in a webcomic that spans less than a year of in-universe time, barring something truly shattering like a death or a divorce. The main cast changes a lot, because they’re all college first years, but their parents are pretty settled in their personalities as middle-aged adults.
Needfuldoer
It would contrast her with the likes of Carol and Linda.
Dday
(Also sorry i accidentally flagged your comment, its riiight next to the reply button and the UI for the comment system could use improvement.)
Taffy
Murderer. ?
clif
Sh! Maybe they won’t notice.
Thag Simmons
Don’t worry about it. Unless the system’s changed, the threshold for comment removal is high enough to account for a few accidental flaggings.
Sirksome
DAAAHH! IT HURTS USSSS!
Yumi
Oh, I know!
No.
Queezle
She is homophobic, so I doubt it.
Bryy
I’m conflicted. yet another bigot mom would be realistic yet narrative overkill.
DailyBrad
Linda’s a better mom, and I say that with zero hesitation. Well, hesitation choosing her, I mean, I do hesitate even giving her faint praise.
Lex
Linda’s a better mom than Carol, but that’s a pretty low bar to clear. All that really means was she was appropriately appalled by Carol’s church paying bail money for a man who had been arrested for showing up on campus with a gun to kidnap his daughter.
NGPZ
you’d hope
I’m afraid that’s a solid NOPE
Throwatron
she’s currently still alive, so no, she has not yet reached her maximum parenting potential
Icalasari
He literally shoved his boyfriend back in the closet. My lord
AY
Oh no lmao you’re right ?
clif
It’s a good thing she isn’t wearing an outer garment because it’s cold.
One which would need to be taken off and hung up.
In the closet.
NGPZ
he gotta throw his love into the black,
cuz the “no homo” bongo’s back
D:<
Armadillo
No sudden movements! The demon has returned!
Ray Radlein
I understand the panic, but, like, there’s no actual reason to shove Asher in the closet. He’s a friend who’s visiting, that’s all.
Yumi
Naomi freaked out because Ethan looked at during Amber’s party when they were kids, I don’t think she’d have any chill about a hot guy just happening to be hanging out in Ethan’s room.
sultryglebe
But I kind of would love to see Asher glibly replying, “Actually, I’m bisexual.”
Armadillo
Naomi is very much paranoid and hateful enough to find that suspicious. Hell, she probably reacts with suspicion any time Ethan is seen alone with a man.
NGPZ
she forced his love back into the closet
and deserves a damn cold epithet
D:<
anon
Considering he has a ‘hunky’ roommate idk if she’d really care even if asher was straight/single
Taffy
Naomi has uncommonly powerful gaydar. She’ll know immediately.
Nono
Did she dye her hair? I thought she was grey.
eh, whatever
Exact same colors as in the link below.
Yumi
Gonna have one of those conversations that parents try not to have in front of others because Naomi thinks they’re alone, so Asher gets to hear all of that.
Vukodlak
To be fair, Ethan probably isn’t eating enough. Also to be fair Naomi is an insufferable bongo.
Taffy
Oh yeah, the loser who got second-hand gay panic or whatever because her son looked in the same direction as another boy, from an angle where she couldn’t even see it.
Newlland(Henryvolt)
And years later ends up blaming her sons best friend for “turning him gay” by not dating him properly when she knew he was gay from the fucking start! ?
Mr. Random
Oh hey Naomi.
This is gonna be a weirdly healthy visit I predict.
Where she does care and help… yet also pushes Ethan to express negative emotions that shocks him out of the repressive nothing he’s currently in.
Dday
Sigh I just hope we don’t have to sit through her telling him to fuck ladies again, that will be so damn depressing
Newlland(Henryvolt)
“Just fuck the pain away son, that’ll help you forget about Mitch or Mark or whatever his name was.”
mindbleach
“What else is in the tongos of bongooos?