Fun
Posted on August 31, 2017 by David M Willis

259 thoughts on “Fun”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    Wow, who’da thunk they’d have a threesome with Sarah looking =o

    *runs away*

    1. LeslieBean4Shizzle

      **raises hand**

      1. LeslieBean4Shizzle

        Mostly cause there’s pretty good chemistry between Dorothy, Joyce, and Walky.

        1. Xenocide

          Well, they say the best way to get over your fears is to confront them head on, Walky and Dorothy are just being nice, helpful friends!

        2. zoelogical

          SO NICE AND HELPFUL

        3. darkoneko

          That is so, so happening

        4. abacuswizard

          There really is a lot of chemistry between Joyce and Walky; I almost feel like they could’ve been a couple in another lifetime.

        5. Shariku

          Yeah, with its own website and limited prints.

        6. Yet_One_More_Idiot

          Joyce, Dorothy and Walky for OT3! 😀

    2. Ana Chronistic

      Danny stop sending uke pics to people

      1. Indiana Bones

        Hang on, if Danny’s the Uke, does that make Joe the SEMME?

        1. Carms

          you won the internet today

        2. Yumi

          See, every time someone makes a joke in this vein, I grow less and less enthused about this comic having a ukulele in it.

        3. Keulen

          Ba dum tiss

        4. Beachfox

          Shame. *rings bell* Shame. *rings bell* Shame.

        5. Wyze

          Semi-sorta.

        6. darkoneko

          Yes. yes it does.

        7. McBogue

          But Joyce was wearing the SEMME shirt today (yellow stripe and all).

      2. BenRG

        There is a deep and powerful internet ukulele community; Danny is probably just now proving his credentials to them so he can join the Tribe.

      3. Bodmans

        SEND UKES

        1. Marsh Maryrose

          UKE THE WHALES

        2. Remmington Steele

          UKE ME UP!

        3. Knuf Wons

          Uke me up inside
          (Can’t uke up)
          Uke me up inside
          (SAVE ME)

    3. SgtWadeyWilson

      Though oddly enough, she’s not in bed with them because she doesn’t like to watch.(Dexter and Monkey Master)

      *Also runs.*

    4. Reltzik

      “Wait, JOYCE is in a threesome? … yeah, I’d pay to see that. And maybe point and laugh at her noobness.”

    5. Valdrax

      I’m more surprised the Joyce let Walky on her bed even in an innocent situation with his funk.

    6. Just Here

      Is Sarah… smiling? Just a little?

      1. Just Here

        Also, the avatar I was randomly assigned…ewww.

        1. Xenocide

          Welcome to club Meredith! There are worse possible gravatars.

        2. Xenocide

          (that would have made more sense if I hadn’t forgotten to change the capitalisation of my email back after playing around with it for a bit)

        3. Moonlord

          Thanks, I had no idea who this character was.

        4. Kamino Neko

          Then why the ‘ewww’?

        5. MatthewTheLucky

          Different person.

        6. Felgraf

          Because it kind of looks like (at least in this pose!) someone shoved Mary’s face onto Sal’s head.

    7. Walky_Talky

      She’s smirking. So, maybe it was a foursome.

  2. Doctor_Who

    Oh good, Dorothy decided to do something fun. Now Ruth won’t have to be concerned.

    1. Sev

      And you won’t like her when she’s concerned.

    2. Leorale

      Definitely no reason to be concerned about any characters at all.

      1. Doctor_Who

        Of course not. I mean look, Amber’s returned to the TMNT fandom, and is considering how best to display her new Leonardo mask.

        1. Delicious Taffy

          Lets’ just be realistic, here. If she’s got a favorite Turtle, it ain’t Leo.

        2. podian

          I’m like 70% certain that it was mentioned in Shortpacked! that her favourite turtle is Leonardo.

        3. podian

          Oh wait, just saw a link that confirms that it’s Donatello.

        4. Delicious Taffy

          Textbook case of failing to check oneself prior to wrecking oneself.

        5. FacelessDeviant

          Everyone loves Donatello.

          He does machines, you know.

        6. Reltzik

          …. wait, Leonardo?

          NOT Donatello?

          …….

          ……

          …. okay, she’s not all right.

        7. Delicious Taffy

          Agreed. Don is objectively the best.

        8. Grethelwveir

          no Mikey is deFINITELY THE BEST COME FIGHT ME

          (don’t actually though, I love them all)

        9. Delicious Taffy

          Even….

          Venus?

        10. SgtWadeyWilson

          Better question: Even Leo?

        11. Grethelwveir

          Not really sure who that is. I can’t say I’ve poured over TMNT like a few other series. I’ve only seen the recent show to the end of the space/Triceraton arc.

        12. Delicious Taffy

          *Sinister giggling*

        13. Grethelwveir

          So now I had to look her up and oh god why does she have tits wtf can we stop giving non-mammals tits?!!?!??

        14. Bicycle Bill

          You’re talking about fictional reptiles (as well as a rodent, Master Splinter) that have become bi-pedal, articulate, intelligent, and have somehow evolved opposable thumbs so they can grasp and become proficient with weapons like nunchaku, sai daggers, and a bo staff — that you can accept — but you’re freaking out over the fact that the franchise introduced a female character and gave her boobs?

        15. Hielario

          It’s boring and lazy.

        16. thejeff

          There’s pretty no pretense at scientific accuracy in the depiction of “turtles” in TMNT. I’m not sure why this should be any different.

          They are anthropomorphized animals. Animals with human characteristics. That can include tits, along with hands and bipedalism and the changes to vocal cords to allow human speech and everything else.

          Honestly it’s only marginally worse to give reptilian humanoids tits than most other anthropomorphic animals. Permanent, pronounced breasts are a human trait. You’ll notice that female cats have no obvious breasts, unlike every cat girl ever.

        17. SgtWadeyWilson

          Somewhere that makes it clear that the other four are more important. Maybe even five if you count Slash.

        18. Needfuldoer

          I don’t remember a Turtle with a top hat and guitar…

        19. SgtWadeyWilson

          https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash_(Teenage_Mutant_Ninja_Turtles)

        20. Emperor Norton II

          Look, Willis has said that there are a few character constants between the different Walkyverses.

          And Amber loving Donatello the most is one of them.

  3. AnvilPro

    Daw, Joe and Danny are bros. Even if it is New Danny.

    1. TemporalShrew

      Nonsense, that *can’t* be new Danny – there’s no hat!

      1. Delicious Taffy

        Speaking as a person who wears a hat, maybe Danny just takes it off for bed. I know I do, since it would just come off on its own anyway.

        1. SgtWadeyWilson

          Mmhmm, hats-on sleeping is for when you’re sitting in a lighted area.

        2. Dean

          If you fall asleep with both feet on the floor, etiquette states that any friend present is entitled to draw a dick on your face.

        3. SgtWadeyWilson

          Well, I guess it’s lucky I don’t have any friends. (Yeah, so not lucky.)

          Plus, my family has a “Don’t mess with hats” rule, and the hat kinda goes over your face.

        4. Sunny

          Does that mean you will never get a dick drawn on your face if you only have one foot (or fewer)?

        5. Bagge

          Dina just gave you a strange look.

        6. TemporalShrew

          If he really wanted to be a new person, he would graft that hat to his head.

  4. Sev

    Ah, the traditional ‘everyone in bed’ (not necessarily together) ending. Fewer pensive/troubled faces than usual, which seems kind of weird given everything.

  5. Mada

    Protip: Dina’s under Becky’s blankets

    1. Doctor_Who

      I think Becky would look less bored if that was the case.

      1. Delicious Taffy

        This is the one situation in which Becky can keep a poker face. Think about it; her phone is on and her hands are behind her head instead of on the phone. What else could explain that?

        1. Reltzik

          She’s listening to all that godless music she’s missed out on up until now?

        2. Doctor_Who

          She’s playing whatever indie rock song this montage is set to.

        3. Yumi

          I’m imaging her listening to “Comes and Goes (In Waves)” by Greg Laswell now, and I’m listening to it while staring at this strip. It’s nice.

        4. VeryCreativeUsername

          I think she listens to the soundtrack of the Buffy-episode “Once More With Feeling”.

        5. SgtWadeyWilson

          “Where do we go~o… from heeeeree!”

        6. NickG

          “You make me come….plete”

        7. VeryCreativeUsername

          “Where do we go from here” fits the entire theme of the strip, but “Under your spell” fits Becky, because she’s a redheaded lesbian.

          Which makes me think we should arrest all people that even slightly resemble Warren Myers, just as a way of precaution.

        8. jeffepp

          youtu.be/12bM1CqHoBY

        9. jeffepp

          youtu.be/37H9rMisFI0

        10. A Different Sierra

          Well that sent me on a Toad listening binge. Thank you for that.

        11. jeffepp

          youtu.be/CnQ8N1KacJc

        12. jeffepp

          youtu.be/CepNWAGCNJY

        13. Delicious Taffy

          What, without having more windows and tabs open on top of it? Please, there’s obviously some Mesozoic mischief going on under that blanket.

    2. Yumi

      Under the blankets like curled on top of Becky’s stomach in a cat-like manner? I could see that.

      1. thejeff

        Not with that look on Becky’s face. She looks troubled and not in a resisting temptation fashion.

  6. Citizen Ant

    Yessiree, It’s been a looooong day!

    1. Roborat

      Yea, feels like it has been weeks.

  7. NF

    This is really sweet.

    1. Haven

      Right!? I am just…so happy with that last panel.

  8. TrueVCU

    Well this a nice peaceful scene of joy to have before everything gets demonstrably worse

    1. thejeff

      Which is a refreshing change. Normally we have scenes of misery before everything gets demonstrably worse.

  9. Stu

    So – what are the odds on the next book starting a month or so further down the line?

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Pretty low, I think, since this is a daily comic.

      1. SgtWadeyWilson

        I assumed Stu meant timeskip in-comic.

        1. Delicious Taffy

          What is this, Bleach?

        2. SgtWadeyWilson

          I don’t think so, but now I’m Curious about Becky’s Bankai.

        3. Delicious Taffy

          It’s probably called something like Kyōryū no Kanojo.

        4. Felgraf

          Nah, can’t be.
          This show isn’t going “This clearly adult-looking peson is, in fact, FOURTEEN” (Looking at you, Ichigo-at-the-start-of-the-series.)

    2. Cephalo the Pod

      Considering that Willis does not want to move the plot beyond the first semester, slim to none. At the current rate, one in-universe month typically gets covered over about five real-time years. And Willis wants this comic to last for a long time. Massive time skips like that are counter-productive.

      1. Yumi

        Is it confirmed that it’s not going beyond the first semester? I thought it was the first year, but at it’s rate, I guess I could sticking to the first semester.

      2. vlademir1

        I seem to remember it was first year not first term. That said a while back I posted the following:
        “…[I]t hit me that this DoA year, presuming the existing ratio of RL time to DoA time persists and Willis doesn’t get tired of doing DoA, won’t end prior to late 2050 and even if the story continues to be told at the same rate beyond that point by others these kids won’t graduate before August 2212.” (here’s a link to the original for those interested).
        Even first term is going to take the better part of the next decade, and Willis will likely start a new project again eventually…. I suspect that if he does so, and he handles it similarly to the way my one friend handled fatherhood (he turned down promotions and other work stuff that would eat his family time until his eldest was in school), that we have at least five more years before that becomes a thing.

    3. Reltzik

      Welll…..

      …. I don’t think we’ve actually got any urgently unresolved plot threads to resolve. Willis could in fact timeskip forward and not have it be a huge cliffhanger.

      So, no, there won’t be a timeskip.

    4. Needfuldoer

      I think tomorrow’s strip starts the next in-world day (Sunday, October 10).

      There’s a preview panel of Billie with her luggage on a sidewalk that’s supposed to run in about 3 real-time weeks. A month would be a long time to move half a dorm’s worth of stuff!

      1. Pl0x

        Also Joyce is going to church with Jacob! (according to a preview panel and a character model of Jacob holding a bible)

  10. Delicious Taffy

    Staring at that mask isn’t gonna make it any tastier, Amber. Just eat it already, and then you can go get a Crunchwrap. It’s important to have a balanced diet, after all.

    1. SgtWadeyWilson

      …
      …
      …
      ?

      1. AGV

        You don’t seem to understand the importance of a mask-based diet

  11. DrWattson

    There’s just something about that last panel that I like. Maybe it’s Walky’s face, or the way all three of them are positioned on the bed, or maybe it’s just the fact that Sarah is even in the room with them.

    1. timemonkey

      Sarah’s not just in the room, she’s smiling at them!

      1. Thorn

        Yeah, smiling Sarah. Superweird, but also adorable.

  12. Passchendaele

    *Danny starts playing “Closing Time”*

  13. Kater

    I think I’m more skeptical of three people on a dorm bed than I am of the vigilante story line.

    1. Sev

      Well, they are all fairly light people, so that might help I guess?

      1. timemonkey

        Not just light but also small.

    2. John

      Been there, done themthat. You just have to be well-acquainted.

      And if you aren’t already, you will be.

  14. Yumi

    I’m kind of sad for Becky here. It’s great that she has a place to stay, but I’m just thinking that if she had been permitted a normal college experience, she might also be spending her Saturday night surrounded by friends. I mean, I know Dina was over earlier, but she is a bit cut off from everyone as things are.

    I also read Becky as being sad when she’s alone, which may be a good thing in some ways– she deserves space to be sad. I’m just a fan of seeing happy Becky.

    1. RacingTurtle

      I agree, even if that’s not why she looks so pensive right now. Becky would totally thrive in a good dorm atmosphere with lots of things going on. The fact that she doesn’t get to have that because of her father’s rules is a travesty.

    2. Bagge

      Agreed. Those little reminders of how much she is missing out on are heartbreaking. Especially when we see her friends in a cozy ball of fun in the last panel while she is all alone.

      I’m glad she got some Dina-snuggles at least.

    3. Rectilinear Propagation

      I was about to ask why Becky looks slightly sad here but I think you nailed it.

  15. Stephen Bierce

    That’s All Folks?

  16. Cephalo the Pod

    Book 7 ran for exactly 52 weeks.

  17. BBCC

    Awwwww, that last panel is so cute!

    1. BBCC

      Blech, Mary, fuck no.

      1. BBCC

        Better.

        1. Reltzik

          Positively Radiahnt.

        2. BBCC

          I like your Nash icon as well.

        3. Pl0x

          Nash’s facial expression is amazing.

  18. Ivy

    aaaAAAAAAWWWW DOROTHY!!!!

    1. Ivy

      Damn it, now I’m bedroom-eyes Danny

      1. SgtWadeyWilson

        Hard to read that as a bad thing…

        1. Sev

          Especially with that face saying it.

  19. newllend(henryvolt)

    This is a Mix bag but the last panel worms my heart.

    1. Yumi

      Damn, well, I think they make pills for that.

    2. Cephalo the Pod

      Oh dear Pod, go see a doctor!!!

  20. Gesc

    For a moment I thought Joyce was dead asleep with those blindfolds people use to sleep and they were watching cartoons using her as a support for the laptop.

    And jeez, even Sarah is kinda sorta smiling.

    1. Reltzik

      Yeah. Kids are less likely to bug grown-ups when they’re watching cartoons.

  21. Meta

    The last panel is the greatest thing I’ve ever seen by far

    1. John Merklinghaus

      Mood aside, the artwork on that last panel is incredible! Willis’s artwork shows incredible growth from what he started as. He really shows what’s possible with years of consistent regular work at a craft.

  22. Derek

    how in the heckin is Joyce comfortable in that last panel?? like five minutes of that makes the neck go very stiff and the hot laptop on your torso hurts…

    1. BBCC

      ……I sit like that constantly. I am right now in fact.

      Not all laptops run too hot to put on your lap or stomach.

  23. auroki

    can we get that last panel as a full wallpaper?

    1. DrWattson

      I know, right? I wouldn’t even mind seeing it expanded into a full print at some point.

  24. Carms

    wat the shit where is Dina

    1. John

      Behind the door.

  25. Reltzik

    So tonight, Grav Roulette has given me….

    …. Manic-looking who-knows-who guy.

    AGAIN.

    …..

    Okay, Grav Roulette.

    I get what’s going on here.

    You’re tired.

    It’s been a busy week. Everyone’s been overworking you. Most people have been cussing you out. You have a thankless job no matter how you spin it.

    You deserve a vacation.

    Well, you don’t get one. Every job has its slow days and its fast days, and you’ve had a pretty slow season for a while now. I mean, it’s been, what, a year since your last peak usage? Things were pretty cushy and relaxed for a while there, right?

    But surely you knew that you’d eventually have to work hard again! Demand comes and goes. Just like every job.

    This will pass and you’ll be able to get a vacation in once things slow down once more.

    But until then, TOUGH NOOGIES.

    1. Fart Captor

      That’s Nash! I like her face

    2. nightsbridge

      Gravatar cares not what you do.

  26. Yumi

    Also, I kind of imagine Joyce thinking something like, “That’s right, Walky, watch the cartoons while I stare at your girlfriend.”

  27. StClair

    Huh. Leslie’s not home yet from her date.

  28. Grath

    The real question: is Danny taking a picture to sell the ukelele or is he using it as a dick euphemism?

    1. Fart Captor

      Preparing to start sending unsolicited uke pix

    2. Bagge

      Yes

  29. Delicious Taffy

    Wait, are Walky and Dorothy even at semi-passable angles for watching that? It looks like they’re barely even able to see the laptop in their peripheral vision, and even if they can see it, they’re practically snapping their necks to look.

    1. Deathjavu

      It’s Walky and Dorothy watching a show they edit the wiki for, though. They probably don’t need to see it at all to know what’s happening.

    2. Kamino Neko

      Walky’s at about the same angle I usually watch TV at. Listen, follow the general action out of the corner of the eye, turn when something particularly interesting is happening.

  30. Minder

    CAKE DONUTS WINS

    1. Yumi

      I blame it on people not understanding what cake donuts and yeast donuts are.

      Also, the Russians.

      1. SgtWadeyWilson

        I’ve done the Krispy Kreme tour; I’ve seen the yeast. I prefer cake.

        (I voted for yeast anyway.)

        1. Delicious Taffy

          [Power Rangers 2017 reference]

        2. SgtWadeyWilson

          “No, no, no. Don’t jump. Jason! That’s not a piece of cake!”

      2. Kamino Neko

        No, it’s clearly from knowing what cake and yeast donuts are, and voting for the one that exists as something other than a glaze vector.

        1. Yumi

          Hey, if that’s your understanding, your understanding is weak.

        2. RacingTurtle

          Mmm, glaaaze vectooors.

      3. John

        I’m just assuming that 45% of voters have never eaten a cake doughnut. (Those powdered things that come out of vending machines don’t count.)

        I’ve converted multiple people from the yeast heresy by the simple method of handing them a krueller from the local bakery. Once you’ve tasted a decent doughnut, you’ll never go back to those lumps of fluffed paste covered in sugar glaze that Krispy Kreme pretends are doughnuts.

        1. Yumi

          I have definitely eaten, like, at least two people’s share of donuts, divided among cake and yeast. My stance is that a really good cake donut is really good, but a really good yeast donut is better. Meanwhile, and average cake donut is eh, while an average yeast donut is still good.

          Though I do agree with the stance taken in regards to cookies in yesterday’s comments: fine, you eat the cake ones– more of the ones I like for me.

        2. Emperor Norton II

          Are you Brun from Questionable Content?

        3. Yumi

          With worse social skills

        4. Emperor Norton II

          I don’t know, Brun showed some… interesting social skills in the latest strip (which just went up).

  31. timemonkey

    Three of the above panels are really great. The other two are ambiguous. the positions of Amber and Billie lives could shift to very good or very bad places. I know Amber seems like she’s in a very bad place, and she is, but if Amazi-Girl has truly lost then maybe Amber can resume her life full time and start healing (assuming the division hasn’t progressed to the point where Amazi-Girl is permanent).

  32. Emperor Norton II

    So… end of chapter. And what a chapter this has been.

    The main focus of this chapter has been on two people, Joe and Amber, that’s been dealing with a very specific problem: Not just having a shitty father, but also dealing with the fear that they might become their father, that they might repeat the same mistakes their respective fathers did.

    And both of them dealt with this in ways that were not healthy, to say the least.

    To take Joe first, he’s been the more straightforward one: He saw in his father someone who would betray someone they loved. And yes, I believe Joe’s father did love, or at least care for, his wife. But he still betrayed the relationship he had with her.

    And from that, Joe took the following lessons: That if you don’t have feelings for someone, you can’t betray them. If it’s only physical, it can’t be emotional. And perhaps worst of all: That if it’s never serious, it can never harm someone.

    Needless to say, those were not the right lessons.

    And worst of all, the way that Joe tried to run away from being his father… Made him more like his father.

    Meanwhile, Amber… I have said so many things about Amber, and I could say so many more things right now. But I will be (relatively) short this time:

    Amber’s main mistake about her father is that she doesn’t see how Blaine’s actions stems from the motive of pure selfishness. That Blaine truly does not care about other people’s feelings. Blaine never wanted her to stand up for Ethan because it’s the right thing to do (nevermind that it’s incredibly fucking stupid for a completely untrained person to go up against someone with a knife), it’s because it makes her look strong, look “alpha”. And Blaine would never actually risk his neck for anyone; but he’d make sure to tell you that he did so anyway.

    And Amber cares about other people. Sure, she has all other sorts of issues that makes it problematic for her to show this properly, but she does care. She does not wish to use her violent capacities for selfish reasons.

    So Amber is now so afraid that she’s just like her father… She can’t see the really big and important way that she isn’t.

    Two people. Two horrible fathers. Two attempts to escape the fate of repeating history.

    One has finally started the road to success.

    The other can’t see how they have in fact been succeeding at it.

    End of chapter.

    1. Chris Phoenix

      +5 Insightful.

    2. bucket

      Whoops – seems adding dots to the email changes things-
      Your description of Blaine sounds a lot like President 45.

      1. Emperor Norton II

        That is sadly correct.

        Now I have a big sad.

  33. ADLegend21

    so are we gonna see Joe’s lack of self-worth be addressed an improved or did that line just exist to feed into Joyce’s speech?

    1. Emperor Norton II

      I think that Joe’s self-worth is tightly woven together with his attitudes towards sex and relationships and feelings. Thus, treating others will respect will also make him feel better about himself.

      1. Trolldrool

        Unless the realization that many/most of his sexual advancements have been extremely unwelcome and uncomfortable becomes the catalyst that sets him down a gradual spiral of self deprecation. Especially when he sees his past behaviour in the context of how it has harmed people he now deeply cares about and respect. Especially when he’s still as young as he currently is. I also don’t see the most recent events ridding him of all his toxic masculinity which could prevent him from seeking help, whether in the above hypothetical scenario or something else.

  34. void

    If I was to sum up the most recent stuff in one word I’d pick “hope”.

    1. void

      There are some parts that don’t fit this of course but there’s a lot to hope for. Also I got Billie nice.

    2. vlademir1

      Funny, I’d go with “self-identity”
      Book seven starts with the Leland (still, thankfully, not Bob) flashback then goes right into the “Ryan” end of the DeSanto Rally and most everything since has been main characters changing their outward persona to reflect their current understanding of their self-identity and/or what they want that self-identity to eventually be.

  35. Keulen

    Last panel looks like a really uncomfortable way to watch a TV show.

    1. Minder

      There’s a lot you’ll put up with to do it with friends.

      1. SgtWadeyWilson

        With the winking grav, I can’t tell if you meant the double entendre…

        …or if I’m just reading it that way because my mind was halfway there already.

  36. MatsuoTanuki

    Let’s just live!
    Day by day…
    And not be conquered by our sorrows!
    The past can’t hold us down, we must break free!
    Inside we’re torn apart…
    But time will mend our hearts!
    Move onward, worry not, let’s just live!

    1. VeryCreativeUsername

      Wasn’t it
      “Move Onwards, Not There Yet, let’s just live!”?
      I thought they made it so the letters spell Monty.

      1. MatsuoTanuki

        Checked the lyrics… and you are correct. My mistake. ^~^;

  37. Emperor Norton II

    Going back to today’s strip…

    Becky seems to be waiting for Leslie. Sure, she has many, many reasons to think about a lot of things, but right now, my money is on Leslie not having returned yet (I do tend to be wrong in predicting future strips, though, so make of that what you will). I’ll be honest, this is probably a bit biased of me because if I’m waiting for someone to come home, it’s almost impossible for me to sleep until they do. Right now Leslie represents stability in Becky’s life, and if she’s out later than usual, the mind does tend to wander and make worrying thoughts.

    And even then… Well, she’s probably finally allowing her armour to be down for a moment, and she’s contemplating lots of things in a way she dares not discuss even with Dina yet…

    …Or perhaps she does dare, but only on the phone?

    Already spoke a lot about Joe, so all I’ll say here is that I love how he’s now accepting New Danny for who he wants to be. Seriously, that shoulder-touch speaks volumes.

    What Amber is thinking right now… A million different thoughts, and only one or two of them good for her to think.

    Billie is resigned to her fate of physically moving… But she’s clearly not going to stop seeing Ruth. Even if there was nothing else, the fact that there are jerks out there who wants her to not see Ruth will make her keep doing it out of spite.

    And fortunately, there is something else; she has genuine emotions for Ruth.

    Last, but not least: Sarah.

    Yeah, I know, Dorothy actually taking some time out is good. I assume she and Walky did at least a bit of revision together (end of chapters are usually close to midnight, and it was 21:20 when she met Walky) before meeting up with Joyce to watch Dexter and the Monkey Master.

    But what I really like about this last scene is Sarah. Sarah is now accepting that Joyce has good friends that helps her. Sarah is accepting that Joyce is managing to be Joyce (albeit a more grown-up one than in the beginning) and still be happy. And Sarah is managing to be happy on Joyce’s behalf.

    Sarah might even have started to tolerate Joyce’s sunshine awakenings… Nahh, that seems a bit unlikely, even for this comic. 😉

  38. Bagge

    Becky all alone in the first panel is a gentle reminder of the fundamental unfairness of her situation.

    If her father had been less of a tyrant, if her school had not thrown her to the wolves, if society was less homophobic – she could have been with her friends in the last panel, laughing and having fun. Instead she has to relay on what scraps of goodwill she can get. She is doing fine – she has built a great life for her these few weeks, but sometimes it hits home.

    How I love that Dorothy took Ruth’s advice. “Have some fun”, she said, so here she is with Walky and cartoons and some sweet, sweet upside down Joyce time. And just enough passive friendship for Sarah to feel content.

    1. Emperor Norton II

      Bagge’s thought process upon reading this strip:

      WOO, MORE BECKY… wait, Becky has a sad?

      1. BenRG

        Becky is thoughtful; maybe what Cerberus says is true and there is a lot of sadness and introspection under the Wacky Becky exterior.

        1. Emperor Norton II

          Oh yeah, if I gave the impression that Bagge was surprised by Becky’s sadness (and I can see why it would look like that), then that was not my intention. I was just trying to be a bit silly.

          Because Bagge knows Becky’s armour for when she’s around other people, only letting herself down when alone, or in (very) brief bursts around the few people she trusts.

        2. Bagge

          Sad Becky makes me love happy Becky even more… and the other way round. People who only see her mask might be tempted to find her obnoxious. People who only see her sad might be tempted to find her too tragic.

          She is BOTH tragic and obnoxious, and she is also heartwarming, hilarious and all-over awesome.

  39. Tristin taylor

    Hmmm what song would u have going on if this were a scene in a tv show?

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Welcome to the Future, by Hypnogaja

      1. Delicious Taffy

        Not everyone loves Truth Decay as much as you do, Nathan.

    2. Needfuldoer

      Probably something breathy and slow, like they use for ending NCIS episodes heavy on character development.

    3. Emperor Norton II

      Oh, no question about it:

      Jake Shimabukuro playing Ehime Mahu.

      I still don’t understand how that’s not several instruments being played at once.

    4. VeryCreativeUsername

      “Ghost” by Jamie Lee Kriewitz?

  40. Orion Fury

    A lot to unpack there, not all of it great. Perhaps move onto something topical and uplifting then? So…thoughts on the new Taylor Swift song?

    1. VeryCreativeUsername

      I like the Google Translate Version by Milanda Kathleen Reese.

      1. CJ

        Thanks for making me aware of her. Up to now, I like the Beatles medley best…

        1. Orion Fury

          I’m going to have to check both of those out, they’ll probably be better than the original.

        2. VeryCreativeUsername

          My favourite is her take on “Shape of you”.
          And “Be prepared”.

  41. Orion Fury

    Oh, and obligatory comment: New Map.

    1. Delicious Taffy

      But can I play as Bedhead Mei yet?????

  42. Mr D

    JoyceXDorothyXWalky Threesome

    1. BenRG

      Only in the friendship type of relationship. Ironic because, in the Walkyverse, Dorothy was a psycho stalker and Joyce ended up having to rescue Walky from her when she kidnapped him!

      That said, with all the personality-shaking events that Dorothy and Joyce have experienced recently, it’s good to see them smiling and happy.

  43. Shiro

    That last panel is so wonderfully comfy

  44. Morrison

    Aw

  45. Badgermole

    Lookit these panels, putting my feels on a rollercoaster ride. Good chapter, Willis.

  46. BenRG

    If someone were to ask me what really struck me above all other things in this strip it would be Sarah’s smile in panel 5. For all she loves to play the curmudgeon and genuinely has a hard time being happy, she genuinely is coming to love Joyce as a kid sister and seeing her happy, especially after being afraid and angry for so long must do her good.

    Right now, I think that Amber is having the hardest possible conversation she can have: With herself.

  47. Loren

    But but but….where is Dina? 🙁

    1. BenRG

      Is there some sort of curfew at the dorm? If so, she needs to be back before a certain time. From the looks of it, she and Becky have been texting continually since they parted!

      1. thejeff

        No curfew I know of, but I don’t think Dina would stay over anyway. Neither of them are really ready for that yet.

        1. Emperor Norton II

          Well, they have already slept in the same bed, though it was more of necessity than because they thought they were ready for it.

          Though I actually think Dina is fine with the idea by now, but she’s not going to push Becky on this because she’s super-careful about not pushing boundaries.

          Also, Leslie was not aware of Dina’s presence, so she’d have to leave before Leslie was expected to be back.

          Finally… it’s a couch Becky’s sleeping on. Sure, people have (non-euphemistically) slept together on couches since they were invented… And usually the next morning, their bodies would be all “Why did you do this to me?!?”

  48. darkoneko

    W-Walky ?!

    1. BenRG

      It’s amazing, isn’t it, what a single panel can do if you take it out of context? Triad-tease anyone?

  49. acher4

    Last panel: Wonderful, uplifting and background material. 🙂

  50. Danni

    aw yeah! good times! a great distraction from getting deadnamed!

  51. chedlord

    Hi new to the comments, is there a name for the ship that is walky/dorothy/joyce triad

    1. Shadow Eagle

      yeah, THREESOME!!!

      1. Eldritch Gentleman

        The Good (image of Dorothy shining with competence and good nature) The Bad (image of Joyce doing a gangster impression) and the Ugly (image of Walky doing his dork thing)

  52. podian

    That last panel is pure adorableness, but… why is nobody looking at the screen?

    1. Bagge

      Because Joyce is looking at Dorothy

    2. BenRG

      Write your own fan-fic in your head! Maybe they’re exchanging joking banter? Sarah’s expression certainly suggests so!

    3. Trolldrool

      Fairly certain that’s what Walky is doing. Unless he’s stoned out of his wits and laughing a the dancing monkey in the ceiling.

    4. ValdVin

      Joyce and Dorothy may be looking at each other for a moment.

      Artistic license, too, and no complaint from me. Look at their neck and spine angles: This was composed to not demonstrate how three (not-tall) collegians fit on one bed to comfortably watch a DVD while maintaining good posture, but simply how to have fun.

      1. Jhon

        If Joyce were looking directly at the screen, we’d only see the top of her head. My head canon is that Walky and Dorothy are watching the reflection in a mirror placed over the head of the bed.

    5. Emperor Norton II

      In addition to what others have said:

      They may not actually be in need of truly -watching- this episode. It’s 99.9999999% likely that Walky and Dorothy have already seen it; and still 99% likely that Joyce has seen it.

      And Sarah doesn’t care about the cartoons, she just cares about the good friendship being involved.

  53. Skoyatt

    Oh boy. Something’s about to happen.

    1. Emperor Norton II

      When is ever something not about to happen in this strip?

  54. L!ghtn!ng

    Aw, panel 2 and 5! Nothing makes me schmoopy like happy friends. (I am fully prepared for Willis to destroy that schmoop in creative ways.)

    Looking forward to Book 8!

  55. Cerberus

    Comic Reactions:

    Panel 1: … This panel is fascinating to me and I might be reading too much into it, but I wonder if it is related to a specific thing I’ve experienced living through times of intense trauma.

    And that is the calm after it is the worst. Like, when things start improving and getting good again and I can take time and breathe is when my brain dumps all the emotions I’ve been pushing aside to survive the traumatic time on me and wants to sort it all at once.

    Again, this is probably wildly off, but I could definitely see Becky in that position. I mean, her life overall is going very well and things are finally starting to slow down into a rhythm where she no longer needs to worry about daily survival.

    She’s got a girlfriend she loves, she has relatively stable housing, folks who are serving as created family, and is starting to get her legs under her financially. But that just means the emotions she’s been putting her mask up to avoid have time to come to the surface and beg to finally be processed and dealt with.

    And if that is the case, I worry for her. It’s really easy in that headspace to think that you don’t have a “reason” to be unhappy and plagued by that emotional stuff when things are “going well” and beat yourself up for it.

    Of course this all might be wasted fluff if I’m totally off-base.

    Panel 2: This is beautiful. They’ve rekindled a real friendship and I don’t think Joe will be trying to poison it again after what Danny stood by him through and what he heard from Joyce. And I think both will be grateful for it. Like Danny will benefit to having someone besides Ethan to talk about stuff to and Joe will benefit from having someone check him when he’s going too far. It’s heartwarming.

    1. OBBWG

      Panel 1: Your analysis is excellent. Becky finally has time to reflect and process. I think she is strong enough that the processing, while hard, will not end with her beating herself up too much. She will be tentative about happiness and constantly looking over her shoulder, but not beating herself up. Dina will certainly help her with that.

      Becky eventually will have an emotional breakdown/catharsis where she finally just lets it all out. Then true healing will begin. Barring further crises, in the long run Becky will be okay.

      Panel 2: Neither Joe nor Danny will poison the friendship intentionally, but I do foresee Joe Joeing it up and Danny Dannying it up occasionally. Hopefully, mostly for sitcom humor. Ya can’t have a good sitcom without cracking a Good Egg. (And roll closing credits…)

  56. Cerberus

    Panel 3: Oh no… oh no no no.This is bad from an alter perspective and I’m really worried Amber is going to make some bad decisions that will make her condition way worse (likely involving trying to cut out one of her alters entirely because that’s the inaccurate general society impression on what “fixes” that condition).

    Things are not going well but hopefully is getting close to a bottom they can rise from.

    Panel 4: I’m also worried about Billie. She’s still a suicide risk and may or may not still be in the therapy program she was supposed to go into and she seems to be treating her situation as a reason to start distancing herself emotionally from a lot of the people in her life and her previous support network.

    Panel 5: This is just ultra adorable. I can’t say anything other than that.

    1. BenRG

      Panel 5 just reminds me of a line at the end of a fanfiction based in the Farscape universe. D’ago is complaining to Zhaan about Crighton, Aeryn and Talyn ‘acting like children’. Zhaan replies that it’s a good thing that, despite all the awful things that have happened “the children are still playing”.

      That’s the lesson from panel 5, IMO. Despite everything that has happened, Joyce and Dorothy (and Walky too, who is having problems with Billie’s move and his own academic difficulties) are still able to be happy and feel joy.

    2. Rectilinear Propagation

      I wasn’t around to leave a comment when the comic was originally posted but I suspected that Amber’s “Amazi-girl failed” comment meant that she was getting rid of her. But panel 3 made me wonder if the event had somehow made Amazi-girl go away or make her…inaccessible? Is the look on Amber’s face indicating that she wants to put the mask on but can’t bring herself to do it?

      I don’t even know if that’s possible so I apologize if that’s a ridiculously wrong guess.

      1. thejeff

        I still wonder if part of that is “Why didn’t Amazi-Girl come out and handle that? She’s supposed to protect me and keep me from losing control like that.”

        1. McBogue

          I think the situation forced her into it.

          Ryan already had Amber pegged as Amazi-Girl, so if the AG persona came out it would prove him right and her cover would be blown – especially since AG would leave him in a position (i.e. alive) to blab to anyone who would listen later on.

          So she had to face him as Amber to both “prove him wrong” and maintain a non-zero chance that he might not survive the encounter (as Amber confessed to Joyce – she was trying to kill him).

          Since Amber has mentally invested so much into the “Amber=Bad, AG = Good” concept, the loss/inaccessibility of AG just leaves her the “angry, violent, evil Amber” who is beyond help. Now it’s a question of how much worse this is going to get before it can get better.

          P.S. – Damn You, Willis.

    3. Michael Chandra

      Don’t you mean ultracarladorable?

      Eh? Eh??

      Yeah, I’ll see myself out.

      1. Cerberus

        YES! Yes I do!

  57. Rowen Morland

    That last panel looks about as cute as it looks uncomfortable. (Ok, maybe a bit more cute than uncomfortable)

    1. thejeff

      When you’re 18, your body can tolerate an awful lot of uncomfortable for a bit of closeness.

      1. Rowen Morland

        I wasn’t very happy with closeness at 18, so I’ll take your word for it 🙂

  58. Roborat

    Yay, Walkie finally gets a threesome.

    Hey, it is only Thursday, this seems like a Friday page.

  59. Tenn

    It’s like Danny’s taking a dick pic, except the dick is his ukulele. Maybe–

    …Maybe he’s made an appointment to have it surgically attached tomorrow? (OoO)

  60. Remmington Steele

    And the day closes down, and you had a little bit too much to feel
    Put your hand around the moon and it will come to you
    As if it never left, as if it always sat there hoping you would stay

    Let the clouds drift through and pass, let the stars shine on and peel
    Like bells across the ocean of a wasted epoch looming large
    A stranger feeling staying here and tucked into your home

    Lay your tent down upon the silver sand, a breeze can stir the grains
    I will lie down as the sickle moon waves and says goodnight
    Good night. A heart at rest and spinning motionless.

  61. zellgato

    Joyce really chilled out on the whole “space of bubble in beds” thing

  62. Rabid Rabbit

    I can’t decide if Joe is in the post-coital glow of having just had great sex with Danny, or if that’s a proud “That’s my boy” smile on noticing that Danny’s on Grindr.

    1. SgtWadeyWilson

      Yes?

    2. Emperor Norton II

      …
      …
      …
      …
      Shippers are weird people.

    3. moo

      I don’t even ship them and had the same thought

      1. moo

        Anyway it’d be cute if it were the latter, I like “bros” Joe and Danny

      2. Rabid Rabbit

        I don’t even ship them myself. Glad to know I’m not the only one.

  63. tekjr

    Where’s Dina?…Is she under the blanket…?

  64. ailorn

    The final panel is so cute 🙂

  65. 4shizzle

    Is that Sarah smiling?!?

    1. 4shizzle

      Also, is that the Head Alien??

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