Even then, I predict at least two new forms for Ethan, to coincide with the next wave of the DoA toy line. Will they be necessary? Ehh, but it does keep him off the chopping block when it’s time to thin out the cast for the new toy characters.
DoA time passes at about a 66:1 ratio compared to real time, and at that rate 4 DoA years would be 96,360 real days. Count up from September 1, 2010, and we land on DoA wrapping in June 2274.
Probably not accurate anymore since that ratio’s a couple years old now, and it never took gradually increasing chapter lengths into account, but it gets us in the ballpark.
Needfuldoer
So yeah, DoA’s timeline should last it until the Enterprise gets sent off to intercept V’ger.
I mean, I totally remember thinking that once I hit college I’d have most stuff figured out pretty quick, because I was finally free to pursue what interested me… and now, multiple graduate degrees in politics/philosophy later, I’m considering going into counseling/social work.
Does he, though? As has been asserted by many a gentleman through the years, “bigger” does not equal “better.”
Unless it’s a non-feathered gigantic stuffed dinosaur that you can sleep on, unethically purchased with campaign funds, in which case quality can go fuck itself in favor of sheer size and awesomeness.
…but somehow I doubt that Ethan’s sixteen mediocre boyfriends rise to that criteria.
That being said, he may in fact still soon have the BIGGEST collection, which is still something to be proud of, naturally.
I dunno, I kinda like the idea of him sending his mother a picture of him reclining on a giant pile of 16 boyfriends, all wearing nothing but strategically placed Christmas/elf hats/stockings/mistletoe with a little note inside saying “Having a great time at college, won’t be coming home for the holidays after all – just too busy, I’m sure you understand”…
I am wondering if this urge should be tempered by the fact I am now a parent myself but as I can’t imagine calling my children disappointments etc, and my main concerns if this was how one of them chose to nuke the closet would be “Are you using protection? Are you sure everybody is on the same page about the level of commitment etc involved here? Do you have friends as well as playmates? Are you studying too?” I feel I can stand by this suggestion…
Terry
Fun as that would be, probably a good idea to wait until he is no longer a minor at the least. He’s likely still relying on her to help him out financially by helping pay for college, co-signing academic loans, providing some spending money, etc. She also still has decision-making authority for him in regards to anything official. If she is offended enough, she can make his life a whole lot harder. Hopefully not to the extent of Toedad, but he lost a lot of his power when he was arrested for felonies. Power that Ethan’s mom still retains. So I’d say wait until he is an adult and can move his stuff out of her home (so she doesn’t sell it all or destroy his transformers, etc) before rubbing her face in his sexuality.
thejeff
He’s already not a minor legally, so she doesn’t have decision making authority for him, but he is probably still financially dependent as you suggest.
Lin
He’s … not a minor. While his shitty mother may be helping him pay for school (though I don’t remember seeing any confirmation of that–I never assume since so many people’s parents can’t/don’t), she has no legal authority over him now that he’s over 18. Which is one reason why so many queer kids come out after 18–because the cutting-us-off thing is still a possibility, but our parents don’t have the same amount of legal control over our lives.
vitalProximity
No, I would say it’s totally cool that you feel that way despite being a parent. I’m not a parent, but I am an educator, and I work with a lot of students with some pretty short fuses, and I’m not gonna lie, I secretly love it a little when students cuss me out, because I know I could never get away with it but they totally can, and even while I’m dealing with the situation, there is always a little part of me cheering them on in the back of my head, going “Yeah, you tell ’em! Stick it to the man!!!” …even though I am, in fact, the proverbial man in the scenario.
*shrug* I’ve been called so many awful things before… and I know it rarely, if ever, actually has anything to do with me personally – it’s usually something else going on with them that set them off – so even though I feel bad that they’re upset, and determined to help them calm down before they do something they can’t take back… it’s sometimes also a bit of a challenge not to giggle and offer them a high five. ;D
Sooo… yeah. I think having those kinds of conflicting urges is part of being human, and I think having the self-awareness to recognize them in yourself and resolve the cognitive dissonance is a good sign that you are a reasonably intelligent and somewhat down-to-earth individual. 🙂
Gaaa! I missed your reply before making the very same comment! Obviously I should not be posting at this hour of night. I concede victory, you have triumphed (this time [mwhaa haa haa (cough, cough), no really, well done you!]).
My far-fetched theory is that he’s mad at Danny for not reacting in whatever way Mike wanted him to react. Like, maybe Mike wanted him to be even more of a whimpering, jealous mess (I don’t remember the exact words he used) and Danny sitting quietly in the corner, keeping mostly to himself, is contrary to that?
Mike’s rage is compressing his face down to neutronium density. I predict one of two possible outcomes:
-Mike’s face explodes in a supernova of hate, annihilating UI and everyone in it,
– Mike’s face collapses into a black hole, sucking UI and everyone in it in.
I am picking up some hints that some major Mike-Ethan stuff happened. Did I forget to read Dumbing of Age for a few weeks? Did it happen in a Slipshine? Maybe it always as offscreen and referenced entirely by hints? Well it doesn’t ruin anything, I just know I have a gap in understanding.
Mike gave him the confidence boost he needed to truly accept himself and then had sex with him, knowing it would be a one time thing and that it was bringing up his childhood feelings of actual affection. Now he is stuck living with his feels, knowing that he will likely never be on Ethan’s radar that way again and that Ethan has very likely long outgrown his crush on him, so he just has to stew in his jealousy, knowing that there is no one he feels able to talk to about it.
Because he has no self-preservation instinct, and also enjoys suffering? He’s got a masochistic streak a mile-wide, and/or believes he deserves to be miserable and is punishing himself for making such a stupid mistake as to actually develop feelings for someone? Idk, man. Jealousy makes people do really dumb stuff, and while fandom may debate about Mike’s merits as a human being on a moral scale, I don’t think anyone could argue he’s unintelligent… However, that’s very unlikely to help him here, as the long-range, big picture, analytical understanding he seems to have of most emotional/social situations tends to go right out the window for most people as soon as they’re emotionally invested in the situation themselves. Also, like I said, people do dumb shit when they’re jealous. He’s probably not thinking as clearly as he normally is.
I wouldnt call Ethan good on morality. Good in physical traits, yes. I am straight, but one can appreciate good body shapes. In terms of morality, Ethan is having a good time as a hedonist and can be kind of an asshole when it comes to Transformers.
I mean, jealous? Yes. Asshole in relation to that jealousy? (As opposed to asshole in conversation with Mike, which, to be fair, is probably at least karmically justified, if not situationally.) Not necessarily. Please correct me if I’ve forgotten something, but I don’t recall any instance of Danny being an asshole to Ethan about dating the dudes, or even being an asshole TO any of the dudes. Or, actually, even trash talking anyone involved in the situation. Besides Mike, obviously. But other than that, I think I’ve only ever seen him express some jealousy and/or frustration about the situation, in private conversation(s), and in ways that were just him expressing his emotions, not being an asshole.
…Now, in terms of PREVIOUS relationships… Maybe a different story. But… could we be seeing growth? :O (Despite the hat and ukulele??!)
Well, Amber is right. If Danny loves Ethan, he should let him enjoy is own harem of pricks and geeks. There are other fish on the sea, Danny.
As for Mike, can we compile all the frames where he is showing anger? I ant to feel sorry for him, but he kind of got what he deserved after years of being an asshole.
125 thoughts on “Higher tier”
Ana Chronistic
I think “Final Form” in college is a bit of a premature estimate
unless you mean for Willis’s foreseeable lifespan, then yeah ok
Regalli
Even then, I predict at least two new forms for Ethan, to coincide with the next wave of the DoA toy line. Will they be necessary? Ehh, but it does keep him off the chopping block when it’s time to thin out the cast for the new toy characters.
(Sorry, Joe, it was you or Waspinator.)
Doctor_Who
Masterpiece Ethan though will stick to the classics, so all of his accessories will be Boyfriends.
Regalli
Do they Powerlinx, or have we come up with another name for that gimmick, or have we all just stopped caring?
darkgloomie
That’s the Slipshine Limited Edition version
HeySo
“It was you or Waspinator”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqnCj8WLwUw&feature=youtu.be&t=42
plasticwrap
lol seriously this comic will be 40 years old by the time they graduate.
Ana Chronistic
add a trailing zero to that
Needfuldoer
DoA time passes at about a 66:1 ratio compared to real time, and at that rate 4 DoA years would be 96,360 real days. Count up from September 1, 2010, and we land on DoA wrapping in June 2274.
Probably not accurate anymore since that ratio’s a couple years old now, and it never took gradually increasing chapter lengths into account, but it gets us in the ballpark.
Needfuldoer
So yeah, DoA’s timeline should last it until the Enterprise gets sent off to intercept V’ger.
Delavan
I mean, I totally remember thinking that once I hit college I’d have most stuff figured out pretty quick, because I was finally free to pursue what interested me… and now, multiple graduate degrees in politics/philosophy later, I’m considering going into counseling/social work.
Look. We were not smart at 18.
Chiatroll
Now ethan is going to assume dotty is gay.
Chiatroll
Danny even. oops
Axel
I’m pretty sure Danny’s out to him as bi
Needfuldoer
Correct.
AutobotDen
Danny, be a good egg and walk Amber home.
BarerMender
Danny knows Amber is better off walking out at night without him.
Librain
I don’t know that walking Amber home would be for Amber’s benefit.
shadowcell
Dumbing of Age Book 10: And How Gay
Keulen
DoA Book 10: Inter Won’t Net Itself
Fiiiiilo
DoA Book 10: Free pizza my one true love
Doctor_Who
Ethan is a natural collector, figures he’d extend that philosophy to boyfriends as well.
Nono
Insert Frozen meme here.
Delicious Taffy
Well, I guess you could say Ethan’s shown himself. To several people, in fact, and that’s totally okay.
Bagge
Ethan has the BEST collection
vitalProximity
Does he, though? As has been asserted by many a gentleman through the years, “bigger” does not equal “better.”
Unless it’s a non-feathered gigantic stuffed dinosaur that you can sleep on, unethically purchased with campaign funds, in which case quality can go fuck itself in favor of sheer size and awesomeness.
…but somehow I doubt that Ethan’s sixteen mediocre boyfriends rise to that criteria.
That being said, he may in fact still soon have the BIGGEST collection, which is still something to be proud of, naturally.
Miri
I dunno, I kinda like the idea of him sending his mother a picture of him reclining on a giant pile of 16 boyfriends, all wearing nothing but strategically placed Christmas/elf hats/stockings/mistletoe with a little note inside saying “Having a great time at college, won’t be coming home for the holidays after all – just too busy, I’m sure you understand”…
I am wondering if this urge should be tempered by the fact I am now a parent myself but as I can’t imagine calling my children disappointments etc, and my main concerns if this was how one of them chose to nuke the closet would be “Are you using protection? Are you sure everybody is on the same page about the level of commitment etc involved here? Do you have friends as well as playmates? Are you studying too?” I feel I can stand by this suggestion…
Terry
Fun as that would be, probably a good idea to wait until he is no longer a minor at the least. He’s likely still relying on her to help him out financially by helping pay for college, co-signing academic loans, providing some spending money, etc. She also still has decision-making authority for him in regards to anything official. If she is offended enough, she can make his life a whole lot harder. Hopefully not to the extent of Toedad, but he lost a lot of his power when he was arrested for felonies. Power that Ethan’s mom still retains. So I’d say wait until he is an adult and can move his stuff out of her home (so she doesn’t sell it all or destroy his transformers, etc) before rubbing her face in his sexuality.
thejeff
He’s already not a minor legally, so she doesn’t have decision making authority for him, but he is probably still financially dependent as you suggest.
Lin
He’s … not a minor. While his shitty mother may be helping him pay for school (though I don’t remember seeing any confirmation of that–I never assume since so many people’s parents can’t/don’t), she has no legal authority over him now that he’s over 18. Which is one reason why so many queer kids come out after 18–because the cutting-us-off thing is still a possibility, but our parents don’t have the same amount of legal control over our lives.
vitalProximity
No, I would say it’s totally cool that you feel that way despite being a parent. I’m not a parent, but I am an educator, and I work with a lot of students with some pretty short fuses, and I’m not gonna lie, I secretly love it a little when students cuss me out, because I know I could never get away with it but they totally can, and even while I’m dealing with the situation, there is always a little part of me cheering them on in the back of my head, going “Yeah, you tell ’em! Stick it to the man!!!” …even though I am, in fact, the proverbial man in the scenario.
*shrug* I’ve been called so many awful things before… and I know it rarely, if ever, actually has anything to do with me personally – it’s usually something else going on with them that set them off – so even though I feel bad that they’re upset, and determined to help them calm down before they do something they can’t take back… it’s sometimes also a bit of a challenge not to giggle and offer them a high five. ;D
Sooo… yeah. I think having those kinds of conflicting urges is part of being human, and I think having the self-awareness to recognize them in yourself and resolve the cognitive dissonance is a good sign that you are a reasonably intelligent and somewhat down-to-earth individual. 🙂
Stephen Bierce
*imagines Danny playing “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)” on the ukulele*
tisvana18
I don’t know what song this is, but I’m imagining “Violet Hill” by Coldplay on a ukelele and I’m not sure if I need this in my life now.
abysswatcher1993
I am more into If You Love Me Let Me Go by Panic! at the Disco.
Keulen
I was gonna suggest “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” by Sting.
DaveM
Gaaa! I missed your reply before making the very same comment! Obviously I should not be posting at this hour of night. I concede victory, you have triumphed (this time [mwhaa haa haa (cough, cough), no really, well done you!]).
DaveM
Slides Sting’s “If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free” in to the playlist of the hacked Muzak.
Mra
Mike looks pissed.
vitalProximity
Agreed, but is he glaring at Amber, Ethan, or both? Also, to what extent is Amber aware of Mike’s sudden case of the feels?
Deadjolras
My far-fetched theory is that he’s mad at Danny for not reacting in whatever way Mike wanted him to react. Like, maybe Mike wanted him to be even more of a whimpering, jealous mess (I don’t remember the exact words he used) and Danny sitting quietly in the corner, keeping mostly to himself, is contrary to that?
(Listen, I already said it was far-fetched!)
darkgloomie
Amber’s learned not to buy any that Mike is selling, so I doubt he’d go to her. Even if she’s the ckosest thing he has to a friend.
Deanatay
Mike’s rage is compressing his face down to neutronium density. I predict one of two possible outcomes:
-Mike’s face explodes in a supernova of hate, annihilating UI and everyone in it,
– Mike’s face collapses into a black hole, sucking UI and everyone in it in.
Either way, bad for the comic.
Shane
I am picking up some hints that some major Mike-Ethan stuff happened. Did I forget to read Dumbing of Age for a few weeks? Did it happen in a Slipshine? Maybe it always as offscreen and referenced entirely by hints? Well it doesn’t ruin anything, I just know I have a gap in understanding.
Sol Karas
While the nitty gritty was shown on slipshine, it’s pretty explicit within this comic that Ethan and Mike fucked.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2018/comic/book-8/04-of-mike-and-men/hmph/
Sam
Mike gave him the confidence boost he needed to truly accept himself and then had sex with him, knowing it would be a one time thing and that it was bringing up his childhood feelings of actual affection. Now he is stuck living with his feels, knowing that he will likely never be on Ethan’s radar that way again and that Ethan has very likely long outgrown his crush on him, so he just has to stew in his jealousy, knowing that there is no one he feels able to talk to about it.
Zee
Really? It looks more to me like general emotional suffering. He looks upset and I really don’t know why he hasn’t left yet
vitalProximity
Because he has no self-preservation instinct, and also enjoys suffering? He’s got a masochistic streak a mile-wide, and/or believes he deserves to be miserable and is punishing himself for making such a stupid mistake as to actually develop feelings for someone? Idk, man. Jealousy makes people do really dumb stuff, and while fandom may debate about Mike’s merits as a human being on a moral scale, I don’t think anyone could argue he’s unintelligent… However, that’s very unlikely to help him here, as the long-range, big picture, analytical understanding he seems to have of most emotional/social situations tends to go right out the window for most people as soon as they’re emotionally invested in the situation themselves. Also, like I said, people do dumb shit when they’re jealous. He’s probably not thinking as clearly as he normally is.
Roborat
Maybe that is his normal, relaxed face. He has resting pissed face.
Paradox
Ah, tier lists. I dunno, if we’re doing the objectifying rank assignments then Amber is probably up there for a few people.
The current meta does favor people with the anti-hero feature, though. So that Amazigirl (whomever she is) is top tier, maybe one tier above Amber.
BarerMender
Amber is the hottest lady in the strip. Even above Amazi-girl.
BarerMender
If Amazi-girl had a chest window, on the other hand….
Beef
Damn an over 9000 joke? I feel nostalgic
Plasma Mongoose
I’m surprised there are no tiers in her eyes. 😛
ValdVin
Is that an AU human form Lapis?
noiob
sixteen boyfriends but at least fourteen of them are Transformers
StClair
“What does the scouter say about his Kinsey scale?”
Plasma Mongoose
*points scouter at him* “It’s 6”
*points scouter at Becky* “It’s over 9000!”
CLOSETS EXPLODE!
Delicious Taffy
WHAT, nine thousand!? There’s no way that can be right!
Needfuldoer
It’s an older meme, but it checks out.
James
“IT’S- one thousand and six.”
Charles Phipps
Ethan is too good for you Danny. Not because he’s cooler or better looking but because you’re kind of a jealous asshole.
abysswatcher1993
I wouldnt call Ethan good on morality. Good in physical traits, yes. I am straight, but one can appreciate good body shapes. In terms of morality, Ethan is having a good time as a hedonist and can be kind of an asshole when it comes to Transformers.
vitalProximity
I mean, jealous? Yes. Asshole in relation to that jealousy? (As opposed to asshole in conversation with Mike, which, to be fair, is probably at least karmically justified, if not situationally.) Not necessarily. Please correct me if I’ve forgotten something, but I don’t recall any instance of Danny being an asshole to Ethan about dating the dudes, or even being an asshole TO any of the dudes. Or, actually, even trash talking anyone involved in the situation. Besides Mike, obviously. But other than that, I think I’ve only ever seen him express some jealousy and/or frustration about the situation, in private conversation(s), and in ways that were just him expressing his emotions, not being an asshole.
…Now, in terms of PREVIOUS relationships… Maybe a different story. But… could we be seeing growth? :O (Despite the hat and ukulele??!)
He Who Abides
I believe he was an asshole to Drew earlier this in-comic day.
timemonkey
To be fair, Drew seemed to think that was normal.
Miri
He also tried to pick up Sal in a really weird objectifying her to “get back” at Walky but quickly realised how absurd he was being with that…
Adam Black
Danny tell her you want Ethan.
He Who Abides
After Amber split up him and Amazi-Girl, I highly doubt he’d trust her about something like that.
abysswatcher1993
OVER NINE THOUSAND?!
Well, Amber is right. If Danny loves Ethan, he should let him enjoy is own harem of pricks and geeks. There are other fish on the sea, Danny.
As for Mike, can we compile all the frames where he is showing anger? I ant to feel sorry for him, but he kind of got what he deserved after years of being an asshole.