Foot forward
Posted on October 2, 2013 by David M Willis

339 thoughts on “Foot forward”

  1. Geminia999

    But who won the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. David Herbert

      We all just lost it. Thanks.

      1. Joebo

        I hadn’t until you said something. Jerk.

        1. nothri

          How the game works, my friend. Once one person loses it, he makes sure everyone else loses it. Makes no sense not to. If I gotta go down in flames I’m taking all of you with me.

        2. Bizze

          Au contraire! One of the rules of The Game is that, once announced, all within earshot have a grace period to forget about it.

    2. Zaszamonde

      The other team. This is IU we’re talking about.

      1. Rick

        Heyooooo

    3. Judoka715

      BUT WHAT ABOUT BOOMER!?

      1. NeutroBlaster

        Boomer will live.

    4. John

      We all won the game.

    5. Whittier

      This is an Indiana football game. IU lost.

    6. ironbillie

      Well the did play Minnesota so they might of had a chance. I say they won. 1 everyone looks pretty happy and 2 it not because they are wasted either. The stadium is a dry zone after all.

  2. Tunaro

    I think I’m beginning to understand Sal’s issues with her folks

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      At least they won’t push Sal into medical… I hope.

      1. saltchocolate

        Not through the employees’ entrance…

    2. Pinja

      Her mum is pushy, ergo crime?

      1. taekwondogirl

        Unable to live up to expectations set, plus not getting the same amount of attention her brother gets could quite easily lead to her doing crime as a way to try and get some attention and rebel at the same time.

        1. Bill

          She already did — stuck up a couple of convenience stores as a juvie.  Wasn’t that already noted as the explanation for why she got stuck into a Catholic boarding school?

        2. danshive

          I’m pretty sure that’s what they’re referring to.

        3. taekwondogirl

          I am aware. Pinja, the person I was replying to, was implying the only reason Sal turned to crime is because the mom is pushy.

        4. Narf

          That at least is what you inferred.

    3. Ourorboros

      Her issue is that she wants some of her parent’s attention but can’t get any why David gets it all without trying.
      That’s why Sal wouldn’t drop out of calculus, though it seems doubtful that her major (if she has one) requires it. It’s also why she dressed up in her Catholic school stuff to meet them.
      All she got was “oh, you let your hair go curly?” from her father.

      Then she got her hair straightened up, though I think she was uncomfortable anyways.

  3. Kelly

    Poor Walky!

    1. Doctor_Who

      That’s Doctor Poor Walky.

      1. Tunaro

        Poor Walky Walkerton, Caramel M.D.

        1. Yotomoe

          I didn’t go to medical school all these years to be called “Poor”. That’s the Loan Office’s job!

        2. Tristan B.

          Lord have mercy on his soul. Pre-med is horrifying!

        3. Roborat

          Yea, it’s called science. Sorry, but that was a pet peeve of mine when I was in University. I would hear, “I am in pre-med” or “I am in pre-law”. And my response would be: “No, you are in science, and you are in arts”.

        4. Twirls

          Some universities have ‘pre-med’ or ‘pre-law’ as totally separate tracks with majors and everything.

        5. Vree

          Wait, why “Caramel”?

        6. Tenn

          It is funny that your avatar is Dorothy, because http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-2/03-the-first-step-towards-recovery/caramel-2/

      2. Mr. Random

        Captain Doctor Poor Walky.

        1. Darkproject8

          That’s Mr. Dr. Prof. Poor Walky to you…

        2. Lokitsu

          Proc Walky- that would be an awesome name for an 80’s band.

  4. Casey

    Oh no…
    Freud was right

    1. Tunaro

      Which part?

      1. Casey

        You do date your parents

        1. Yotomoe

          I don’t….
          I DON’T DATE ANYONE!!!
          *cries*

        2. tpman

          As Freud would expect of an artificial human.

        3. Matues

          Misread that as: GO DATE YOUR PARENTS.

        4. Batman

          And the results were hilarious.

        5. Logan

          you can’t date the dead

        6. begbert2

          That just means you’re not trying hard enough.

        7. Reg

          Sure you can. Has something to do with the isotopes of carbon. Or something.

        8. Aizat

          And this is why I secretly don’t date.

        9. Pat

          You secretly don’t date?

        10. Badeyes

          Yeah cause putting that on here is sure to keep it secret.

        11. Muspel

          His secret is safe with THE INTERNET.

  5. madock345

    So she’s THAT kind of mom, huh?

    Figures.

  6. David Herbert

    Oh Linda, you so horrible.

  7. Jen Aside

    Is she in on that “the one alternate universe where Walky’s a doctor” thing…

    1. Sensedog

      Indeed, it does seems to be a reference to that.

  8. Rheinman

    Being the favorite kinda sucks, too.

    1. Leorale

      That’s exactly what I was thinking. I’m curious how this started, too. Exactly when did Walky start getting all the attention and expectation (for better and worse)?

      1. saltchocolate

        Well, I have a friend who would say it probably started when Linda saw her babies’ plumbing, so to speak.

      2. DudeMyDadOwnsADealership

        The second his mother noticed his combination of gifted smarts and arrested development-level motivation and independence. Sal’s too prone to live her own life, so she gets to be Jan Brady.

      3. begbert2

        Probably around the time Sal acted out and broke the law.

        1. taekwondogirl

          I’d wager Sal acted out and broke the law because of the very obvious favorites being played here, though.

        2. begbert2

          Hmm, having been in a possibly vaguely similar situation (and projecting a bit), I see a different scenario. When faced with pressure to be something you don’t want to/can’t do, it’s often easier to do the exact opposite. if nothing else it gets you unique attention!

          Which is why I didn’t do a single bit of homework from second to eighth grade. (Didn’t knock over any 7-11s though.)

  9. Wonder Wig

    Dammit Jim I’m a telecommunications major not a doctor!

    1. Eromer

      I am so happy about this comment.

      1. Danielle

        Agreed. Best comment.

    2. saltchocolate

      Star Trek?

      1. someguywithakatana

        No. Boku no Pico.

        1. someguywithakatana

          I misused that joke. It’s supposed to be anime-specific. I am a failure. Kill me. It is our code.

        2. Ancestral Hamster

          You mentioned you had a wakizashi. You know what to do, someguywithakatana-kun.

        3. someguywithakatana

          That you remember that amazes me.

          Alas, I’m at college at the moment. For some reason the school frowns on students bringing weapons into the dorms, so it’s back at home.

        4. Ancestral Hamster

          Re: That you remember that amazes me.

          Not everyone has a katana. Since I have an interest in samurai and feudal Japan, that’s the kind of detail that sticks.

          Okay, you can do this yakuza style then. Just borrow a steak knife from the DC and take off the first joint of the left pinky.

        5. someguywithakatana

          Okay. Well, my computer’s covered in blood now. I don’t know where I expected to go with this.

        6. Ancestral Hamster

          Ah, but you have atoned for your misuse of that joke! You may now continue with your life as if had never happened!

        7. John

          So if you don’t have your swords, doesn’t that make you just “someguy”?

        8. someguywithakatana

          … Oh God… I’M HAVING AN IDENTITY CRISIS YOU GUYS!!!

        9. Roborat

          “Someguywithakatanaathome”

        10. Ghostforge

          do you even KNOW the special kind of perverted crap that which you referenced is?! (read:”I” definitely do.)

        11. someguywithakatana

          I do. Are you at all familiar with the joke or does that comment just sound completely out of left field to you?

        12. Aizat

          Crap is right. Never before I wanted to hack someone with an axe after watching that.. well there’s the “corn” scene I watched from AMV Hell.

        13. someguywithakatana

          Shit. You actually watched it? Why would you watch it? Why would you ever watch Boku no Pico?

        14. Aizat

          Some jackass tricked me into watching it…I made him watch Genocyber and keep repeating the gory bits as punishment…he’s a bit squeamish, you know.

        15. someguywithakatana

          He’s squeamish, but he was able to sit through Boku no Pico long enough to make you watch it?

        16. Aizat

          It goes like this:
          “Hey, dude. I got this new anime, I heard it’s really good. Wanna watch?”
          “Sure.”
          “Why don’t you watch it first? I’ll get something to drink.”*leaves room*
          “OK” *watched the anime* “You son of-”
          *I turned around and saw him laughing his ass off*

        17. begbert2

          Shut up you guys, now you’re making me curious.

          And from the sound of it that could turn out really badly.

        18. Aizat

          begbert, just don’t, OK? Curiosity killed the cat…though in my case, the cat rose from the grave, tied up curiosity and then forced curiosity to watch gore.

        19. someguywithakatana

          And that’s when you break out the katana.

    3. Robert

      “You can’t just pour concrete over a school bus and call it an egg salad sandwich!”

  10. Darbs

    Ohhh boy. These parents are just getting worse and worse.

    1. Yotomoe

      I have altered the parents, pray I do not alter them any further.

      1. Wack'd

        Oh wait, here’s another alteration. You didn’t pray hard enough!

      2. Aizat

        Settle down , Darth Yotomoe.

      3. Roborat

        And now you have me remembering Robot Chicken.

    2. Pinja

      Worse and worse? I dunno, this doesn’t seem nearly so bad as Joyce’s and not even within sight of Amber’s.

      Hell, I would say Danny’s were worse too.

  11. Doctor_Who

    In every relationship I’ve ever had, I’ve never been afraid of meeting her parents, or having her meet my parents, but having our parents meet each other is terrifying.

    Part of my just knows the moms are secretly discussing reserving a church and having a reception catered.

    1. Yotomoe

      Haha. You can’t tie Dr. Who down!

      1. Casey

        Tell that to River S-
        Oh wait
        no you’re right

      2. Shadow12000

        I’m sure his favorite parent to have met was Jackie Tyler.

        1. Drakey

          I thought Jackie hated him.

          Or was that someone else?

        2. Mehri

          Jackie didn’t trust him for a long time, but by the end they were on very good terms.

        3. Heavensrun

          Well, her only competition was Martha’s mom, who was….yeeeaaaaah.

        4. 90percentgeek

          And Donna’s mum who wanted to kill him every time she saw him. I guess that’s why with River, he got to know her mum first!

        5. Khantalas

          Did he? I thought Nine met River Song first, and it wasn’t until Ten that he met her mother.

        6. Doctor_Who

          You are one Doc behind. Ten met River, Eleven met her mum.

        7. Reg

          But in reverse order if you take River’s perspective.

      3. xKiv

        Dr. Who (bow)ties himself. He’s all grown up now.

    2. Roborat

      Or discusssing how many grandchildren they will have.

  12. Pizzathehutt

    Isn’t everyone’s mom like that!?

    1. Mo

      Nah, mine was chill. But my dad and my stepdad…. (The latter wanted me to doctor, the former hoped I’d program computers even though it is 2013 and HE still doesn’t have a frigging e-mail address.)

      1. Andiemus

        Get this: my family is like the inverse of every 80s movie cliche ever. My dad is disappointed that his son (me) became a jock instead of an artist like him.

        1. Lanval

          …Were you raised by Monty Python?

          Because this is my mental image; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPSzPGrazPo

        2. Andiemus

          Well my dad’s Canadian but other than that, that’s pretty good.

    2. Leorale

      Mine supported me even when I ran away and joined the circus. They worried like hell, but they still supported me and didn’t try to force me to do something else.

      1. vsophi

        Is this… Did you really do this?

        Because if so, you are my new hero.

        1. Leorale

          Aw shux! Yes, I did, for ~3 years. It was equal parts awesome and stressful.

    3. Daibhid C

      Mine was cool with whatever I wanted to do. Ironically, when she tried to defend my right to do whatever I wanted to do to the school, because I was going along with whatever the teachers said I should do and then being depressed about it, they assumed she was like this.

      Also, to judge from her expression in the final panel, Linda isn’t like this, and it gives her the creeps.

      1. Daibhid C

        Darnit, Deborah, not Linda! Linda is the one giving her the creeps.

    4. vonnegut

      I have “whatever you want to do, darlin, I just want you to be happy and fulfilled” parents.

      Because they are awesome.

      In some ways.

    5. JK

      Haha, you know, its funny, because I thought so too. Until I started telling people about the things my parents have said to me over the years.

      My parents are both doctors, and I always thought they were very supportive of whatever I wanted to do with my life… except when I got to college I sort of looked back and realized how carefully (and subtly) they’d pushed me towards science and medical school. Now, I love science. But I never wanted to be a doctor, and I told them that.

      They were cool with it, I thought, except apparently the whole time they were doing exactly this – just biding their time waiting for me to “make the right decision.” When I got out of school and didn’t apply to medical school there was this sort of… “Wait what?” moment. I’m 26, I’m studying medical and scientific art now, which is AT a medical school but definitely not medicine, and they’re still dropping hints about how I could probably transfer to the medical school if I wanted…

      Don’t get me wrong, they’re loving and supportive parents, and I’m very privileged to have them, but goddammit if they aren’t still trying to get me to become a doctor!

      1. Mo

        Food for thought. My wife the doctor (yeah, I married one instead) doesn’t want our kids to do it. Or so she says right now. We’ll see if that stays in place as they get older.

    6. The kid

      Mine where the opposite. “you want to go to college? No, you’ll just fail out and waste money, it’s better if you just became a nurse (mom) or a HVAC tech (dad).”

      1. The kid

        Whoops sorry forgot something important.
        “….waste OUR money.”
        Guess who’s paying them self though college.

        1. Leorale

          Mad props, The Kid. That’s tough to do and you are a badass for doing it. Good luck!

        2. Andiemus

          *fistbump*

        3. Roborat

          Good for you, that is very difficult. And having put one kid through, and the second in her final year, I kind of wish they had been that independant and resourceful, my retirement fund has taken a major hit.

      2. taekwondogirl

        …Don’t you have to go to college to become a nurse?

        1. anifreik

          LPN just takes Tech School

          @The kid, shoulda took the HVAC tech, makes better money and has waaaaay better hours than your average doctor. Doctors schedule sucks green canal water.

        2. The kid

          The thing is a had absolutely no interest in becoming an hvac tech, that and my father kept calling it part of his “plan”. Kindof like Glassco but instead of taking over the world we would watch MST3K and I would get married at 26.

          Also “Damn it anifreik i’m an Anthropologist not a doctor!”

        3. Roborat

          Depends on what kind of nurse you are talking about.

    7. Spiny Creature

      Thankfully, no. And judging by the look on Dorothy’s mother’s face, she is not one of the moms who is ‘like that’.

      My parents are delightful in that they never cared/asked about what schools I’m looking into, what jobs I’m applying for, and what I want to study. But once I came to a decision about those things, they became interested because they care about, y’know, my life and interests and goals.

    8. John

      Mine sort of are. Whenever I take an interest in something (be it doodling journal comics, studying archaeology) they decide I’m going to be world famous until I flee in panic.

      Well, not the archaeology thing yet. Still doing that. Just hiding from her it’s to improve my writing, because I still remember when I was writing short stories and she started finding magazines for me to submit stories.

    9. Whittier

      My mom has always assumed I’m doing my best, whether I actually am or not.

  13. Regalli

    That last panel is the face of realization. Soon to be followed by the face of “RUN AWAY, CHILDREN, RUN AWAY!”

  14. Yotomoe

    Yes, that is a very suspicious thing to say.

  15. Darth

    David Walkerton is………..DOC WALK.

    1. Yotomoe

      Doccy Walky.

      1. Mr. Random

        Davey Doc

        1. Aizat

          Walky Doc.

        2. Tunaro

          Walky Docky

    2. Matt

      Until he switches minds with Amazi-Girl and swears to be THE SUPERIOR AMAZI-GIRL man that joke is getting a little too nerdy and hard to understand.

      1. Kernanator

        I got it! I understood that reference!

        1. Heavensrun

          And I understood that one!

    3. Historyman68

      Daisy Docs?

  16. Dragonwheel

    Doctor Walky will from this day on be a recurring nightmare for me.

    1. Yotomoe

      He preforms surgery with nachitos all over his hands.

      1. Wack'd

        Not, like Nachito dust. Actual, full-sized Nachitos. He’s stuck them to his hands with saliva and he’s saving them for later.

      2. Doctor_Who

        I see great minds think alike.

      3. hexalm

        Nachirurgie!

        …for anyone who knows a little german, or possibly latin…

    2. Doctor_Who

      “The bad news is you seem to have developed an infection from a mistake during the operation. The good news is, Nachitos have a very long shelf life, so when I get it back out of you it should still be fresh.”

  17. Mr. Random

    I do not enjoy parents who try to run their kids’ lives. IN real life or fiction.

  18. Shadow12000

    She’s…pretty hopeful. I’d be scared if Walky were my doctor.

    1. Leorale

      I’d be even more scared if Walky was my surgeon.

      1. Yotomoe

        I’d be even more scared if Walky was a Dr. like Dr. Dre is a Dr.

        1. Clare

          It’d be worse if he was a doctor like Groucho was a doctor.

        2. MichaelHaneline

          Walky actually reminds me of a gynecologist I know.

          (That is actually not a joke.)

        3. Plasma Mongoose

          Gyno: “There seems to a breakout of orange vaginal dust in all of my patients recently”.

        4. Historyman68

          Ewwwwwwww

        5. saltchocolate

          +20

    2. JK

      As someone taking classes at a medical school (not a med student but I’m in classes with med students) you would be… surprised? Not surprised?

      Seriously these people are only 22-25 and they are drinking and partying and smoking and eating junk food… they’re also brilliant, but supposedly so is Walky…

      … I’m just saying it doesn’t seem like much of a stretch to me…

    3. Starscreamer

      I wouldn’t be worried if he were my Doctor. He’s actually awesome at things when he puts his mind to it. It’s just tough finding something he wants to put his mind to. If people’s lives were in the balance, I imagine he’d put his mind to it.

  19. John

    I keep liking Deborah more and more, and Linda less and less. And I didn’t like Linda very much to start with.

    And I was hoping for more DeSantos before we left the box.

    1. Yotomoe

      The Desanto clan is a proud and sexy clan with a rich heritage of being awesome.

      1. Aizat

        THE PRIDE AND SEXINESS HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THE DESANTO LINE FOR GENERATIONS!

  20. Aizat

    Is it just me or is Linda giving out a Chi Chi vibe?

    1. Yotomoe

      GOHAN, GET IN YOUR ROOM AND STUDY OR I WILL UNLOAD A BEATING UPON YOU THAT’LL MAKE FRIEZA LOOK LIKE YAMCHA!!!

      1. timemonkey

        EVEN THOUGH YOU COULD PROBABLY KILL ME BY SNEEZING IN MY DIRECTION.

        1. Yotomoe

          Clearly you forget that Chi-Chi took a full powered Super Saiyan Goten punch to the gut and got up in time to call him a delinquent.

        2. Aizat

          Here’s a question that really bothers me about Goku, where did he learn to, you know, “do it?”

        3. Yotomoe

          Chi-Chi taught him, of course.

        4. Aizat

          Which brings me to question number 2: How does Chi Chi could withstand that?

        5. timemonkey

          They started at roughly the same level and her power level’s been increasing enough that she can handle him when he’s powered down and beign gentle. There’s entire episodes dedicated to Goku learning how to control his higher power and not destroy everything in the house, her included

        6. Aizat

          Roughly at the same level? Goku just blew her away in one shot. Heck, at that point, Goku is pretty much the strongest person on Earth.

        7. Yotomoe

          People underestimate Chi-Chi. She’s been fighting since she was Goku’s age. She could probably beat Yamcha at least.

        8. Aizat

          Everyone could beat Yamcha. Anyone who lost to Yamcha are weaklings. That’s says a lot about the folks who lost to Yamcha during the Tenkaichi Budokai qualifiers.

        9. Mr. Random

          I believe in canon she’s the strongest woman in the world. They basically started the Adult relationship after Goku beat her at the end of Dragon Ball. Seriously, she has enough focus to use Kaioken. She can wreck you.

        10. ICSM

          “I believe in canon she’s the strongest woman in the world.”

          Number 18? She did get pregnant.

        11. Yotomoe

          Strongest, unmodified woman in the world.

        12. timemonkey

          Doesn’t change the fact that Gohan blew waaaaaay past her before in like a year.

          The thing about Chi Chi is, while she rides the kids hard she’s not actually forcing them to do anything they weren’t already inclined to do.

        13. Mr. Random

          Then again, Gohan has super alien fighter blood in him.

        14. begbert2

          The cheater.

        15. Aizat

          Dude, when her husband, who could fist fight gods, is afraid of her…that is saying something.

        16. timemonkey

          Not really. Goku’s only really into actual physical fighting, verbal fighting he’ll cave to almost anyone he likes.

    2. timemonkey

      Linda wishes she was as cool as Chi Chi.

  21. xain

    A universe where Dorothy and Walky are together a hints towards Walky going into medicine. Willis why do you give me ammo for paranoid rants.

    1. Pureed Madness

      I thought that as well. But then I remembered that the Head Alien doesn’t exist in this universe outside of cartoons and comics. SO SAYETH WILLIS.

      1. Elva Rodríguez

        Also he isn’t suppose to meet Sal in that universe so, can’t be

        1. Alex Stritar

          … I feel like I’m missing some big piece of Walkyverse lore. Is that much really in Joyce and Walky, the only Willis comic I haven’t fully read yet?

  22. Aizat

    Hey, look at the bright side…at least you can get someone to say “What’s up, Doc?”

    1. Yotomoe

      All you need for that is carrots.

      1. The kid

        Will Nachitos work….I mean they are orange right?

        1. Leorale

          And triangular.

  23. Astraea

    Y’know, eerily, Dorothy’s mom reminds me of mine, particularly in this comic. She wears her hair similarly, with the bangs swept to the same side, similar face shape and height, and *definitely* similar behavior. The greatest differences are in the nose, hair color and clothing.
    I’m not entirely sure what that says about me, but I do know that I like her 🙂

    1. Leorale

      It says that you’re pretty lucky! Your mom’s a classy lady.

  24. Bemmie

    Finally, a surgeon who would be willing to perform a butt taco transplant!

    1. Yotomoe

      “It was touch and go there for a minute but we managed to get the cheese transplants. Your taco meat should start popping up in a week”

  25. Plasma Mongoose

    But Pre-Med requires lots of actual study, if he does become a doctor, I hope it’s not as a brain-surgeon… *shudders*

  26. Juliecat

    This is going to end with Walky committing suicide by Nachito overdose and the rest of the cast standing up on their desks screaming “O Captain, my Captain!” at Leslie, isn’t it?

    1. Jason

      I’m glad I’m not the only one to think of that movie! But I like your version better.

  27. David

    David, did you grew up as an orphan? Or do you wish you did?

    This is really “parent visiting day” like in “I was visited by a spectre”.

    1. Ancestral Hamster

      He was raised in the wilds of Toontown by a pack of animated animals, and became, Willis, Lord of the Toons! He now uses his toon powers to entertain humanity!

      1. The Candyman

        But they were fundamentalist toons, so he struggled with that for a couple years before becoming the cynical mastermind we love today.

    2. StClair

      “This month you shall be visited by three many sets of parents, each more terrible than the last!”

  28. vsophi

    ok, linda’s kind of an asshole

    1. saltchocolate

      Second!

      1. Tristan B.

        Thirrrd!!!

    2. Matt

      All parents are assholes in one way or another. I don’t know what fantasy world you guys are from where your parents were wonderful all the time.

      1. -_-

        Parents may be assholes from time to time but linda is a major one for trying to force walky to do something he dont want to do

        1. Casey

          To be fair to linda we have yet to see her force walky to do anything. She is “making plans” for him so to speak, sure, and yes that is stupid and assholish of her, but we don’t know that she is gonna force anything.

        2. Mr. Random

          Well, they forced him to go to college. The question is, at what point does it crossover from making up for their son’s laziness, to forcing their kid down a path he’ll resent?

        3. Historyman68

          Eternal question for parents everywhere.

      2. POSTER

        Actually, my parents are pretty wonderful like… always.

      3. vsophi

        ???

        So we can’t criticize assholish behaviors when we see them?

      4. Batman

        My parents are dead. The murderer killed them right in front of me. I held my mother as she died.

        You jerk.

      5. 90percentgeek

        This is one of my favourite poem’s from Phillip Larkin, seems appropriate here –
        They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
        They may not mean to, but they do.
        They fill you with the faults they had
        And add some extra, just for you.

        But they were fucked up in their turn
        By fools in old-style hats and coats,
        Who half the time were soppy-stern
        And half at one another’s throats.

        Man hands on misery to man.
        It deepens like a coastal shelf.
        Get out as early as you can,
        And don’t have any kids yourself.

        1. saltchocolate

          I love this poem. It’s the only one I can say from memory, pretty much!

  29. Galatine

    Oh my god, Debbie’s faaaaaaace!

  30. Baker

    I’m starting to think she wants success from Walky as bad as Ethan’s mom wants heterosexuality from her son.

    1. Casey

      they should get together over a cup of coffee and discuss unrealistic expectations.

    2. Yotomoe

      I can’t really hold that against the former though…I mean…every mom does.
      Not every mom is Ethan’s mom. Thank God.

      1. Ancestral Hamster

        That last line scans to the last line of Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom”:

        “Now every mom is Ethan’s mom.”

      2. John

        The problem isn’t that Linda wants Walky to be successful. The problem is that Linda seems to want Walky to be successful on Linda’s terms rather than his own.

    3. Steve

      But only apathy is keeping Walky from being what his mother believes he can be. Maybe if he EVER shows passion for something she will support him in that but so long as he doesn’t really give a shit why NOT push him towards something meaningful?

  31. Fuzzydaemon

    I love that Mrs Keener says “You don’t have to try so hard.” Linda, meanwhile, is impervious. And, yes, she is giving out a chi-chi vibe.

    1. -_-

      And that chi chi vibe is over 9000

    2. Aizat

      Thanks, Fuzzydaemon.

    3. saltchocolate

      Deborah may actually need to be trying harder.

  32. Aizat

    “What do you mean change his mind?”
    “Let’s just say that he won’t be seeing Monkey Master…for a long, long time. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”
    “Mom, I can hear you laughing maniacally.”

    1. Yotomoe

      Linda: Was I doing the monolouge thing.
      Charles: Why did I marry a cartoon villain. Oh right….kinky sex. It’s not sex without a death laser pointed at your nads.

      1. Mr. Random

        How would that… Huh.
        Either a gyroscopic mount on her, or a motion sensitive laser guide.
        I’m tired and apparently a cartoon villain in training.

        1. Aizat

          Ever seen Goldfinger?

        2. begbert2

          Sex on the laser table would definitely be kinky, and she’d get to be on top, but on the downside it probably wouldn’t encourage his staying power much.

  33. timemonkey

    I’m starting to hope all the parents came on a bus and something bad will happen to that bus when they leave.

    1. Yotomoe

      Poor Dina’s parents…and Amber’s mom…and Mr and Mrs. Keener, and Mike’s parents, And kinda Joe’s dad.

      1. Tristan B.

        Joe’s dad probly had sex with Amber’s mom. He can’t be bad at all!

      2. timemonkey

        Their sacrifices will be honoured in the coming empire.

        1. SiggimusMaximus

          Calm down there Prothy.

        2. timemonkey

          Do not call me that, primitive, or I shall throw you out the airlock.

    2. Plasma Mongoose

      Except for Joe’s dad, I bet he came by helicopter.

      1. Yotomoe

        He banged his way across the country.

      2. Andy

        I was under the impression that Joe’s dad came in Amber’s mom.

        1. Casey

          Boom there it is

        2. Opus the Poet

          Waiting for that one.

        3. Rex Hondo

          Did he come in her, or did he just come across her after he got there?

        4. Psiberkiwi

          Both.

  34. saltchocolate

    I can only think of mean things to say about Linda! Like: does anyone want to help me understand what Charles sees in her? And: maybe he should have had a chat with the dean before getting involved…

    1. Yotomoe

      Well you know what they say.
      “Once you go white…”

      1. Aizat

        “You’ll stay high like a kite”?

        1. saltchocolate

          You’ll lose your eyesight?

      2. Tristan B.

        “…you die of fright!”

      3. Plasma Mongoose

        “You’re doomed to fight?”

      4. Doctor_Who

        You’re too uptight?

      5. Clare

        your sources you cite?

        1. Plasma Mongoose

          “You will be at it all night?”

        2. Drakey

          You get “just-went-white-blight”?

      6. vsophi

        all else is trite?

      7. Casey

        You’ll quake at the sight?

      8. Rex Hondo

        “Once you go bongo, she won’t let you switch.”

      9. nick

        Your life becomes shit (w/ British accent, so pronounced shite)

    2. vsophi

      Charles might suck too.

      1. Casey

        But Linda blows so it all works out

        1. vsophi

          +1 was waiting for someone to make that joke

  35. Bilfred

    A nice departure from all them feels.

  36. Taara

    Ah Christ I see way too much of my parents in this conversation.

  37. bibulb

    We’re only Making Plans for Walky.

    1. Steve

      I will totally sing it that way next time it comes on my phone at work!

  38. Plasma Mongoose

    But to qualify for Pre-Med, dontcha need a pretty high entrance score/highschool grades?

    1. timemonkey

      Walky’s a straight A student.

      1. Plasma Mongoose

        I bet he will wish that he wasn’t such a good student soon that’s for sure.

  39. Ancestral Hamster

    Deborah in that last panel is thinking that Walky is a nice boy, who needs some time to find himself (like most people at that age), but his mom is bat***t crazy.

    1. Casey

      I wouldn’t say bat shit crazy. Controlling? Sure. Strict? Probably. An asshole? Yeah. But not bat shit crazy. That’s a bit far reaching.

      1. taekwondogirl

        Yeaaaaaaah, there is a huge difference between even minimally crazy and an oppressive asshole.

    2. DudeMyDadOwnsADealership

      Linda Walkerton’s reasoning being a little off is as much as defining trait of the character as her Son’s fondness of being Childlike and her Daughter’s habit of being a Drama Queen. Frankly, I was expecting a more…Erratic version of what we got. At least this Linda’s a much more predictable kind of awful person.
      Still awful either way, though. Tiger’s don’t change their stripes.

      1. Nezumi

        “Reasoning being a little off” is a very polite way of putting it.

  40. derick

    Sal’s reaction to her family is starting making a lot more sense.

  41. Kernanator

    This reminds me of some uncomfortable conversations I’ve had with my (normally pretty chill) father.

    No Dad, I’m not going to go into Math or Science. Yes, I know I found them interesting as a kid. I also found cardboard boxes interesting, and I’m not going to try to make a career out of them. Yes, I know you made a pretty successful career as a computer programmer, and I could do the same with some work, but I’m just not that interested in math. Yes, I was good at it. Being good at something and being interested in it are not the same thing.

    1. Ancestral Hamster

      Re: I also found cardboard boxes interesting, and I’m not going to try to make a career out of them.
      But … but …. CARDBOARD BOXES!

      1. TaintedSpud

        Cardboard box fort engineer is where the money’s at.

        1. Aizat

          No, a cardboard tank engineer is where the money’s at.

        2. Chexwarrior

          So that’s where all that DOD money disappeared to.

        3. Kernanator

          That, and the box-smashing room.

    2. Alexis

      “I also found cardboard boxes interesting, and I’m not going to try to make a career out of them.”

      Man have you never read Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro.

      You can do ANYTHING with cardboard.

      ANYTHING.

      1. Aizat

        Yes, like a cardboard tank or cardboard ambulance or a box bomb or box that looked like a bale of hay.

    3. begbert2

      I think you vastly overestimate how much math you need to program computers. Heck, I can barely add anymore and it doesn’t matter – on the once-a-year instance I need to do some math, there’s the calculator application right there.

      Which is not to say you should like CS of course.

  42. Gottawonder

    Sal’s reaction to her family is definitely justified I think.

    All parents want good things for their kids, but the ones who assume they have the right to chose their kids life are out of line.

    What makes Linda so dislikable to me anyway, is that she is so damn smug.

    1. Casey

      I agree 100%. Its the smugness that gets me too.

    2. begbert2

      I get the impression that Sal’s reaction to her family was ‘start knocking over 7-11s’, so she may have gone just a touch overboard actually.

      1. Heavensrun

        I believe that gottawonder is referring to her more -recent- reaction to her family. We still don’t know what led to the robbery incident.

  43. Anonymous

    Either brilliantly manipulative or delusional… hmm.

  44. Kaci

    That will be me. Just smiling and nodding. “Yeah, controlling kids TOTALLY works… oh my gosh she’s forgotten everything about actual life”

  45. Barf Ninjason

    I know it’s gonna be difficult because of our age difference and her status as a fictional character, but I really gotta find a way to glom my mouth onto Dorothy’s mom’s face forever.

  46. Jack Faire

    Good mom. Horrible human being. I get that she think’s it’s what’s best for Walky but while I love Walky he doesn’t have the right personality to be a doctor and if you put other people’s lives in his hand on a daily basis it will destroy him and his patients.

    There are other ways for your son to have a successful life that don’t involve him being miserable.

    That being said Sal is the weak one and Walky is the strong one. It’s like me and my brother both of us our parents had these dreams and goals and they focused most of their “I will put you in this round hole you square peg” on my older brother because he broke down and rebelled.

    Me I did what Walky is doing. I said, “sure folks whatever you say” then quietly go do your own thing. Walky isn’t letting his parents dictate his life either by doing what she wants or doing the opposite he is walking his own path and that is a strong move.

    1. Heavensrun

      I’m sorry, my brain shorted out at the words “Good mom”, so it took me a couple of minutes to read and parse the rest of your post. Being a good parent -starts- with being a good human being, and no person who A) Blows off one child as irrelevant and/or B) railroads the other into pursuing -her- life goals rather than his own, can be considered -either-.

      1. Andiemus

        Thank you. Trying to dictate your adult child’s life choices is the exact opposite of good parenting.

    2. anifreik

      Not saying his mother is correct, at all, ever, but c’mon I could totally see a more grown up Walky as a pediatrician. Working with kids? He’d be perfect. But only if that’s what he decided to do.

  47. MsSchiff

    Sweet chocolate monkey Buddha on toast. This story arc reads like “The Aristocrats” of parenting.

  48. JoeMerl

    I think these two should trade moms.

  49. Sethorien

    oh look it’s my mom!

  50. Yarner

    In Walky’s case, Pre-med might turn out to be the short for “premeditated” if the mom pushes him too hard…

  51. 90percentgeek

    Walky could be a doctor though, he just needs to watch every season of MASH and then become a doctor like Hawkeye. I could totally see him in scrubs with a nachito martinii and a Monkey-Master scrub cap!

  52. Alexis

    Mrs Walkerton just cause you got a brown kid doesn’t mean he can suddenly shift gears in the middle of college and automatically excel at pre-med.

    The Kumar Syndrome is not a healthy stereotype to perpetrate.

    1. AHA

      Middle of college? It’s week 4. You don’t have to decide on pre-med until the beginning of your second or third year.

      1. Alexis

        I’m assuming her plan for Walky is long term and would involve getting him to switch at second or third year ie the middle of college.

        This is a four year college, right?

  53. caesaria82

    I’m having a really uncomfortable flashback to an actual conversation between me a my mother right now, so good job on the realism there, Willis!

  54. Norj

    Does Walky realise how similar his mom and girlfriend are?

    1. Rex Hondo

      I think the very important distinction is that, while Dorothy has a very clear plan for her own life, Walky’s mom has a very clear plan for his life.

    2. timemonkey

      Dorothy’s not trying to control Walky’s life.

      1. John

        Isn’t she? Who picked out his clothes, again?

        1. Leonou

          Because offering nice clothes to your significant other is controlling someone’s life and acting like a control freak ?

        2. The Candyman

          She insisted that he wear what she wants, but her judgement was admittedly good in that case.

        3. Kas

          And it’s not like she made him get rid of all his old clothes, either. She just wanted something a little nicer for him to wear–and in situations like their current one, I’d say it wasn’t an unreasonable demand.

        4. tahrey

          As in “you are NOT going to wear the butt-taco shirt in front of my parents at your first meeting”? I think that’s not unreasonable 😀

        5. timemonkey

          And who let him pick out whatever he wanted for her and wore it just like she promised to?

        6. Heavensrun

          That’s the key, isn’t it? There was a compromise involved. Walky’s mom has thus far not shown the -slightest- care about what either of her own children are actually thinking or feeling. Sal is written off, to her, and Walky is -going- to be what she wants him to be.

          But honestly, even if that wasn’t there? DOROTHY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RAISING WALKY. She has influence over him, but she isn’t the person who brought him into the world and is responsible for seeing that he is well-prepared for the world in front of him.

  55. Doktor doktor professor

    I skipped pre-med, med, and jumped straight into post-med. Woo hoo.

  56. Michael

    Arhum. WHAT AN ASSHOOLE! *Audience laughs and claps*

  57. Tenn

    Please tell me that’s not a Dirty Sanchez on Deborah’s lip?

    CAN’T UNSEE!!!

    1. Pinja

      OH MY GOD, CANNOT UNSEE!

      It’s like that time someone suggested the lip-gloss-gleam in Naruto/Bleach was semen

    2. kixon shadowbane

      Do I even whant to know what a dirty sanchez is

      1. Heavensrun

        No.

  58. Sam

    Dorothy’s mum must be thinking this by now: ‘Why are all other parents so controlling of their children? I don’t know how to deal with this…I’ll just nod and smile until it is over….’

  59. Hotsauce

    Love the suddenly-awkward-grin

  60. Ashley

    To quote another comic: “Parental expectations… they buuuuurn meeee”

  61. Pinja

    Honestly while this isn’t ideal I think people are overreacting a little…

    1. Pinja

      “Apparently you can’t major in that? “Telecommunictions” has “tele” in it, just like “television,” right? He likes watching television! So, hey, close enough.”

      I mean it’s not like he is really invested in doing Telecommunications. Honestly trying to get him to do a better major when he’s drifting is good parenting. Maybe not ideal, but better them letting him plod.

      1. Jen Aside

        I don’t know if FORCING someone to be a doctor is a good idea. I mean, if he sucks at it, lives are at stake =/ Surely there are skeevy high-paying jobs that DON’T include malpractice suits [unless as, say, a doctor’s lawyer]?

        1. someguywithakatana

          True, but Walky’s actually kind of really, really smart. He just doesn’t apply himself at all. If he got into it, he’d probably be a pretty good doctor.

        2. Plasma Mongoose

          IF being the major factor here.

        3. tahrey

          He’s possibly a bit too ADHD I think. He’d get distracted by the shiny scalpels halfway through an op and take his mask off to make stupid faces in the reflection.

    2. vsophi

      I agree that the DoA fandom tends to jump all over characters at the slightest hint of badness, but what she’s doing here still isn’t cool. Based on her actions thus far, it’s pretty safe to assume that she’s dismissed Sal as the problem child, while putting pressure on Walky to be something he’s not…

      …which actually reminds me of a certain girlfriend of his, come to think of it. People were totally defending Dorothy’s stupid ultimatum when she gave it. Why isn’t Linda getting a pass for it?

      1. Pinja

        Because they were over reacting over Dorothy’s ultimatum and it was far less important than a live-career choice.

  62. Raen

    Linda is reminding me of someone, but I can’t think who.

  63. The E-man

    Wow reading this comic and the comments has led me to really change my view of the Walkerton family quite a bit. When I first read today’s comic, I didn’t think much of it, as it just seems to be that Mrs. Walkerton is just a little intense but eh, whatever.

    Then the comments section DESPISES her. Which I was surprised about, because to me, she has a plan for her son, but it’s not like her son has come up with a different plan (or really any plan at all). So in my head I thought “Well, we’ll see what she’s like when Walky tells her he doesn’t want to be a doctor. That’ll be a better test of what she’s like.” (if he doesn’t plan on being a doctor)

    …then I decided to read everything Sal had to say about her parents and damn. What a family. Not only has Walky himself barely talked to her for five years but her parents gave her lectures on how she’s a failure and what kills me is that those lectures were likely before she left for boarding school when she was thirteen.

    And then, when we finally get to see Sal and her entire family interact, Lindaignores Sal. Because your son’s freshman year girlfriend apparently takes precedence over your own daughter.

    da fuq Walkertons. da fuq

    1. vsophi

      yep

  64. Thad guy

    Perfect example of Zach Weiner’s Uhhh-rabola.

  65. Lel

    Am I the only one noticing that MY GOD LINDA DOES NOT HAVE A SINGLE CURVED LINE ON HER BODY.
    I mean look. Her head is literally a cube.
    The only possible explanation for this is that she’s been abducted and replaced with an androi- oh wait this isn’t Its Walky.

    1. Zach

      She’s just a square.

  66. ajm5007

    So who else was all, “Who the fuck is David?” For a moment before they remembered “Walky” is not his given name?

  67. I don't know what to put here.

    He’s in Telecommunications?
    …
    So he’s…
    WALKY TALKIE!?
    Eh?
    Eh!?
    EH!?

    1. tahrey

      That made me chuckle more than it should have done. Have a cookie.

  68. tahrey

    The Walkeenertons went in two by two, aha, aha

  69. Wynne

    Whelp, I think we can officially give the “DOA Best Parents Award” to the Keeners and Sierra’s parents. Congratulations, you guys act like kind, supportive, and responsible adults, without resorting to passive aggression! The Warner’s are a close runner up, with third place going to Dina’s folks!

  70. Hinoron

    Art critique: I think you should make a point of avoiding shading a female character’s upper lip (the intent was lipstick, right?) with a colour almost identical to said character’s hair.

    It looks like she has a mustache. 😛

  71. DarkoNeko

    Walky&Sal’s mom really is starting to creep me out.

    …That interaction also explains so many things.

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