As do I; I was living on the tenth floor of a ten floor dorm hall, so every time the fire alarm went off I had to walk down and up ten stories worth of stairs. It was also an older building, so there was no air conditioning making the first two months and the last month or two absolute hell.
I dunno, trying something with that many witnesses and probably first responder arrival isn’t bright.
I suppose someone could pull it several nights in a row just to wear everyone down for finals, but that’s how security camera footage gets checked.
If I was Mike and injured and managed to get to the dorm where my threatened friends were, that might be the fastest way to get everyone’s attention and get an emergency response all at the same time.
If you hit home and scroll down a little, right beneath the post area for the comic there is a blog post from Willis named ‘Blanket Content Warning’ regarding this chapter.
a/snow/mous/e
And considering the title of the storyline as well…
Sunny
It’s going to be about cookie crumbs.
Reltzik
Well, OBVIOUSLY. I mean just look at this comic. I count one… two… three… FOUR of them. With that kind of content in the first strip of the storyline, a blanket content warning is just basic courtesy.
At least now we can sit back and relax, secure that the blanket content we’ve been warned about is done and past.
Cyrus
Joyce’s blanket makes two appearances so I only count three in this strip. There are likely many more to come. Be on your guard.
Meagan
This thread is amazing
Keulen
Any time there’s a strip with a character in their bedroom, we’re likely to see a blanket. I’m sure there will be more blankets in this chapter.
Reltzik
Well, yes, but you can also see Sarah’s in the background of Panel 3, behind Joyce’s socks. Plus Malaya’s and Ruth’s makes 4.
Deanatay
BLANKETS?? *gasp* *covers children’s eyes* Corrupting young minds with… with salacious bedroom content!! I shall write an uncompliementary letter to your editor, sir!
i gotta say, as someone with ptsd, it’s really great of willis to put in a content warning. it’s not my first rodeo, and i’ve been reading this comic for YEARS, but it’s just…………really, really nice.
i remember when he put the content warning for beths mothers suicide as well, it’s something that willis doesnt have to do and does anyway which makes this comic even better
That’s too cool a name for them. Wouldn’t want anyone to think they are like the Sinister Six.
How about DoucheDads Inc? Toe & Schmo? My Two Bads?
Rose by Any Other Name
It’s probably Blaine… but it might also be Amber/AG. We did get the Amber flashback, so it would fit thematically.
Mike also, but someone else already said that.
BarerMender
More like Asher, who would have access to the dorm.
The dark horse candidate is Asher. He doesn’t live in Read, but he might have access to other residence halls. Perhaps this is the inside job Blaine needed from him?
I think we can assume he definitely has access to the other dorms since Amber (mistakenly) told Dorothy that the latter would be safe inside the dorm because they had checked the directory, and therefore thought that Ryan wasn’t a student.
Even money on some member of Blaine’s cabal or someone who saw an actual fire. Bonus points if it’s someone who saw an actual fire caused by Blaine’s cabal.
“If I don’t make it/ know that I loved you all along
Just like sunny days that / we ignore because / we’re all dumb and jaded
And I hope to god I figure out what’s wrong”
Unfortunately, it seems like we’re gonna have to read the writing on the wall. Fuckface is probably doomed, and it’s gonna be a tough read.
Chris Phoenix
The reptile breathes, and smirks, and shows no fear,
Unlike the readers, quaking in their boots
Who know that nowhere’s safe, especially near
A deadly mobster dad, and one who shoots.
This storyline is perilous enough
Without implicit threats toward harmless pets.
Yet Willis (be Him damned) will make it rough;
His readers wait, and fear how tough it gets.
He didn’t even warn us ere Mike fell.
This arc, it seems, is harder yet to read.
What danger’s waiting, only time will tell –
What triggers He will pull to make us bleed.
Though tragedies galore we look beyond,
If Fuckface dies, some readers will abscond.
Loki
Amazing! Where did you pull this from? It reads Shakespear-y, but I don’t recognize it.
clif
It’s the sonnet rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter that make it sound Shakespear-y. What do they teach you youngsters nowdays?
Very nice, Chris.
Chris Phoenix
I wrote it just now. When inspiration strikes, I can bang out a sonnet pretty quickly. Something about “Fuckface is probably doomed” reminded me of a sonnet I wrote near the end of Nimona a few years ago. “Who are we kidding? Life just isn’t fair / If we don’t see her soon, Nimona’s dead…”
Here’s another I just wrote, not very good…
A sonnet’s meter isn’t hard to do.
Just listen for the beats and let words change
So syllables fall where you need them to
By adding and subtracting, or exchange.
A large vocabulary helps with rhyme;
I’ve read a lot, for decades, and it shows.
But if you’re stuck, go back and take your time,
And look for any word that sort of flows.
If inspiration’s powering your work,
The words will out, despite constraining forms.
If frustrated, retrace your steps, don’t shirk;
You’ll find a way to speak within the norms.
Read sonnets, practice meter, practice rhyme,
Learn to rephrase – these skills will come with time.
(I really like rhymezone.com if you’re stuck for a rhyme.)
Bicycle Bill
Offing Fuckface? Willis wouldn’t go that far, would he/
More like Fuckface gets found out and evicted.
clif
Now homeless, he is reduced to begging on street corners for nickles to buy lizard chow. Big apple wins.
In fact actually set a fire. Like a controlled burn. That will get me so fucking hot. Doesn’t even have to be the near the actual dorms just burn some sticks outsid the quad and I will fuck you right then and there. The potential threat of fire really turns me on.
179 thoughts on “Four am”
Ana Chronistic
hey, great reminder just when I was starting to get nostalgic about college ?
Rose by Any Other Name
Ayup. I remember those nights well.
They were most unpleasant.
DrWattson
As do I; I was living on the tenth floor of a ten floor dorm hall, so every time the fire alarm went off I had to walk down and up ten stories worth of stairs. It was also an older building, so there was no air conditioning making the first two months and the last month or two absolute hell.
Kyoulkoa
Oh this bodes well
Shane
I dunno, trying something with that many witnesses and probably first responder arrival isn’t bright.
I suppose someone could pull it several nights in a row just to wear everyone down for finals, but that’s how security camera footage gets checked.
If I was Mike and injured and managed to get to the dorm where my threatened friends were, that might be the fastest way to get everyone’s attention and get an emergency response all at the same time.
Doopyboop
Oh no…
So uh, between this and the content warning, I guess I know what’s gonna happen next. Not good stuff!
Axel
where is the content warning?
Doopyboop
If you hit home and scroll down a little, right beneath the post area for the comic there is a blog post from Willis named ‘Blanket Content Warning’ regarding this chapter.
a/snow/mous/e
And considering the title of the storyline as well…
Sunny
It’s going to be about cookie crumbs.
Reltzik
Well, OBVIOUSLY. I mean just look at this comic. I count one… two… three… FOUR of them. With that kind of content in the first strip of the storyline, a blanket content warning is just basic courtesy.
At least now we can sit back and relax, secure that the blanket content we’ve been warned about is done and past.
Cyrus
Joyce’s blanket makes two appearances so I only count three in this strip. There are likely many more to come. Be on your guard.
Meagan
This thread is amazing
Keulen
Any time there’s a strip with a character in their bedroom, we’re likely to see a blanket. I’m sure there will be more blankets in this chapter.
Reltzik
Well, yes, but you can also see Sarah’s in the background of Panel 3, behind Joyce’s socks. Plus Malaya’s and Ruth’s makes 4.
Deanatay
BLANKETS?? *gasp* *covers children’s eyes* Corrupting young minds with… with salacious bedroom content!! I shall write an uncompliementary letter to your editor, sir!
Dean
And one of them is a Leafs blanket! The horror!!!
Axel
Thank you!
Agemegos
Here it is: blanket content warning. There’s a copy on the main page, too.
a/snow/mous/e
I think you mean https://www.dumbingofage.com/2020/blog/blanket-content-warning-for-this-new-storyline/
Agemegos
Oops! Thanks for covering that for me.
I ought to know better than to try HTML where I can’t edit errors.
Jonah Sanville
i gotta say, as someone with ptsd, it’s really great of willis to put in a content warning. it’s not my first rodeo, and i’ve been reading this comic for YEARS, but it’s just…………really, really nice.
i remember when he put the content warning for beths mothers suicide as well, it’s something that willis doesnt have to do and does anyway which makes this comic even better
Stephen Bierce
*plays “Love And Happiness” on the hacked Muzak–but it’s drowned out by the alarm*
Stephen Bierce
I know it’s not the Al Green version, so sue me.
Doctor_Who
Place your bets for who pulled it. I guess everyone shown in this strip is out of the running.
Except for maybe Fuckface, he’s always got a look that says “Yesssss…according to plan”, so I wouldn’t rule out him being somehow behind it.
Reltzik
Pretty sure it’s one of the Sinister Sires, as part of their plan to do something to Joyce.
Doctor_Who
That’s too cool a name for them. Wouldn’t want anyone to think they are like the Sinister Six.
How about DoucheDads Inc? Toe & Schmo? My Two Bads?
Rose by Any Other Name
It’s probably Blaine… but it might also be Amber/AG. We did get the Amber flashback, so it would fit thematically.
Mike also, but someone else already said that.
BarerMender
More like Asher, who would have access to the dorm.
Needfuldoer
Maybe the batteries in Meredith’s vape exploded.
EvilMidnightLurker
The Dadholes.
TemporalShrew
Mike pulled it. This is all a part of his grand re-entrance.
clif
This.
abysswatcher1993
Everyone suspects Mike, Blaine and Toedad, or Fuckface, but nobody considered Tzeench, the architect of fate and master of all schemers.
clif
No one suspects Big Apple either.
EvilMidnightLurker
Tzeentch is behind every scheme, and therefore is never counted because why bother?
AntJ
The dark horse candidate is Asher. He doesn’t live in Read, but he might have access to other residence halls. Perhaps this is the inside job Blaine needed from him?
Savail
I think we can assume he definitely has access to the other dorms since Amber (mistakenly) told Dorothy that the latter would be safe inside the dorm because they had checked the directory, and therefore thought that Ryan wasn’t a student.
NinjaMaid
I mean, it could be an actual fire.
Keulen
A fire alarm pulled due to an actual fire? Nah, that can’t be right.
FacelessDeviant
I’m thinking it may have been Mike.
Xaeon
Even money on some member of Blaine’s cabal or someone who saw an actual fire. Bonus points if it’s someone who saw an actual fire caused by Blaine’s cabal.
Portland
Galasso
Sombrero
Walky. He’s in panic, he’s too hot or both.
MK15
“If I don’t make it/ know that I loved you all along
Just like sunny days that / we ignore because / we’re all dumb and jaded
And I hope to god I figure out what’s wrong”
Sirksome
I’m sure everything’s fine. We’ve all as a unit moved on passed the death of Mike. Nothing else serious or bad will happen.
Agemegos
Fuckface better not be killed. I would be pissed off.
Sirksome
I’d stop reading. But don’t worry. I know Willis said he broke some rules but he’d never get that dark. Fuckface is immortal.
He Who Abides
He . . . he wouldn’t actually kill Fuckface, would he? I mean, I know he put a content warning on the home page, but he can’t have gone that far.
Delicious Taffy
Unfortunately, it seems like we’re gonna have to read the writing on the wall. Fuckface is probably doomed, and it’s gonna be a tough read.
Chris Phoenix
The reptile breathes, and smirks, and shows no fear,
Unlike the readers, quaking in their boots
Who know that nowhere’s safe, especially near
A deadly mobster dad, and one who shoots.
This storyline is perilous enough
Without implicit threats toward harmless pets.
Yet Willis (be Him damned) will make it rough;
His readers wait, and fear how tough it gets.
He didn’t even warn us ere Mike fell.
This arc, it seems, is harder yet to read.
What danger’s waiting, only time will tell –
What triggers He will pull to make us bleed.
Though tragedies galore we look beyond,
If Fuckface dies, some readers will abscond.
Loki
Amazing! Where did you pull this from? It reads Shakespear-y, but I don’t recognize it.
clif
It’s the sonnet rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter that make it sound Shakespear-y. What do they teach you youngsters nowdays?
Very nice, Chris.
Chris Phoenix
I wrote it just now. When inspiration strikes, I can bang out a sonnet pretty quickly. Something about “Fuckface is probably doomed” reminded me of a sonnet I wrote near the end of Nimona a few years ago. “Who are we kidding? Life just isn’t fair / If we don’t see her soon, Nimona’s dead…”
Here’s another I just wrote, not very good…
A sonnet’s meter isn’t hard to do.
Just listen for the beats and let words change
So syllables fall where you need them to
By adding and subtracting, or exchange.
A large vocabulary helps with rhyme;
I’ve read a lot, for decades, and it shows.
But if you’re stuck, go back and take your time,
And look for any word that sort of flows.
If inspiration’s powering your work,
The words will out, despite constraining forms.
If frustrated, retrace your steps, don’t shirk;
You’ll find a way to speak within the norms.
Read sonnets, practice meter, practice rhyme,
Learn to rephrase – these skills will come with time.
(I really like rhymezone.com if you’re stuck for a rhyme.)
Bicycle Bill
Offing Fuckface? Willis wouldn’t go that far, would he/
More like Fuckface gets found out and evicted.
clif
Now homeless, he is reduced to begging on street corners for nickles to buy lizard chow. Big apple wins.
King Daniel
Who sells lizard chow to woodpeckers, anyway?
Emily
i’M SCARED
clif
You should be. Big apple.
AGV
“Here we are in the future and it’s wrong”
Lieutenant Dan
“Look at Fuckface; he’s not even singing along.”
JetstreamGW
Goddammit, Malaya, don’t assume it’s a crank.
Yotomoe
In fact actually set a fire. Like a controlled burn. That will get me so fucking hot. Doesn’t even have to be the near the actual dorms just burn some sticks outsid the quad and I will fuck you right then and there. The potential threat of fire really turns me on.
Doctor_Who
Took me a sec to realize you were speaking in-character as Ruth, and I had some concerns.
Meagan
I wouldn’t have gotten it if you hadn’t clarified.
Delicious Taffy
What do you take Yotomoe for, some variety of pervert?
Yotomoe
I’d say I’m many varieties of pervert, yes.
clif
I was going to say, “Don’t answer that,” but I see I’m too late.
clif
For the record, Yotomoe is the very best kind of pervert. The artistic kind.
He Who Abides
Oh. I thought Yotomoe was every kind of pervert.
Tan
Yotomoe is 300 tiny perverts in a trenchcoat.
Ahecht
Big apple?
clif