« this HOO-MAN once had no model for a class so we all took turns modelling (*clothed*) and WOW when you aren’t used to it, holding an action pose for two minutes is a special brand of TORTURE
If they agreed to take turns, it would technically be bartering rather than free. Legally, they would have to report the value of the modeling received in return for their modeling as income.
Bicycle Bill
Report the value? Hogwash!
I follow the “Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe” principle of taxation: “If they want it, let ’em come and get it!”
I haven’t done action pose modeling ever, but I’ve helped my dad with construction and wow even just holding a wire in place above your head for 2 minutes is torture too
I mean, not regarding recieving a crush. This isn’t a Folgers commercial, that isn’t the sisterly part.
I mean the part where she defaults to needling the heck out of somebody.
JA
Wow, now there’s an obscure reference I was not expecting to see in the wild.
Mr D
Two days in a row!
Liara
I mean, Willis made that same reference in yesterday’s hovertext
I’ll double down on it being terrible. This is probably the first time EVER that Joe has attempted to show genuine vulnerability and emotion, and he is immediately being attacked for it. It is an easy step towards reinforcing that he isn’t allowed to show emotional vulnerability, and in context it looks like he immediately put his shields back up.
Not trying to blame Joyce or anything, I say “attacked” because I am trying to empathize with Joe on this and express (in my personal interpretation) what he thinks of her words. I don’t think she is actually trying to be malicious or anything like that, I would even guess she thinks she is being nice. But I don’t think Joe is interpreting it that way, I think he REALLY needed her to take him seriously in that moment and she kinda didn’t. Which is a bummer.
Hopefully she turns it around immediately and stops teasing. Let him know how pleased you are, that he didn’t blow it, that he might have a chance. It wouldn’t take much, reaching out to hold his hand would do it. It’s her turn to be vulnerable here. Or she could just stop talking and smile at him.
Leorale
Y’all are so kind and serious! ♡ I really like that.
However, I think Joe is OK, and indeed, making fun of herself / him / the situation might be a fine way to show him that his vulnerability didn’t change how she’s going to treat him! He can retreat back into his comfort zone, they can still playfully needle each other, telling her his feelings didn’t mess anything up.
Leorale
…I read it again, she’s really making fun of herself way more than making fun of Joe. It’s basically “Why would somebody like me? I’m a total weirdo!” vs. “I see that you have normal human feelings, and I’m gleeful about this whole thing”.
High-energy and needle-y as she is, her teasing definitely carries an implied “feelings are normal, you’re OK” and “this doesn’t instantly change our whole dynamic” and “oh I see that you are a real person with feelings (and not a libido with a face)” and, most of all, “omg I’m delighted that you have a crush on me!!”
She’s flirting, gang! This is Joyce and Joe’s version of flirting her face off.
Needfuldoer
Yes! This!
We’ve probably got a couple more days until they settle down, but this is a net positive for both of them.
Taffy
Mild self deprecation as flirting, delivered with an absolutely massive triangle smile! It even gives him an opening to fire back with his actual reasons, which could range from “No, those aren’t why, but these are” to “Yes, exactly, all your little quirks PLUS this other stuff”. He’s a teenage boy, he might have spent his “strategic balls reserves”, so to speak, on the act of admission, which is no small feat on its own.
Lan
Have y’all just, like, not paid attention to Joyce and Joe’s relationship at any point ever?
y3k
I’m starting to suspect that a sizable fraction of this audience has just somehow never had an interaction with a flesh and blood person before.
Johan
FR.
This has been all of 15-30 seconds?
It’s a normal amount of “tehe omg really you like me???”
Remember, these are 18 year olds and have been “friends” for a bit.
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever disliked Joyce as much as I do in this strip. She’s being a total a-hole to Joe over what was described to her as his biggest anxiety.
UrsulaDavina
I view this is more of Joyce flirting there is no malice behind this. She could have gone after Joe by declaring him a pervert walked out or told him to stop messing with her or all three i,nstead she is acknowledging his feelings and trying in her own way to be cute. This sort of teasing is kind of normal at least in my realtionship and other folks.
I disagree completely. If I were in Joe’s situation, the way Joyce is taking it would put me at ease. This is friendly teasing, not malicious. It shows that Joe hasn’t scared her away.
Taffy
Aye, me too. I’d be sighing with relief even, like thank fuck she’s not flipping out or being mean or ripping my heart out of my chest and piercing it with a creepy ritualistic dagger in front of the entire class as an offering to her nameless ancient god.
StClair
She doesn’t have a god right now, but the one she followed until a few months back definitely has a name.
And in Latin, it starts with an I!
Taffy
Nameless ancient gods aren’t especially known for their strict adherence to linear time, but I do take your point.
I can see how it can be read that way, but I don’t see this as bad in any way. If Joyce had reacted with disgust or discomfort, that would have been bad. But Joyce instead reacted with humor and basically saying “oooh, what of my weird quirks do you like about me?” is probably the best response Joe could have gotten outside of “I also like you,” and was basically the same thing my current relationship started as. As my girlfriend and I have talked about, there is nothing better for a relationship than being able to laugh with each other and poke fun at each other, as long as there is no maliciousness involved in it.
Zal
Yeah and in theory I might agree. But counterpoint, they are not in a relationship, at best they are trying to plant one. Like I said, I think this is far from unsalvageable, we are dwelling on a moment and it could easily turn around in the next.
But it’s worth remembering that Joe is an emotionally repressed young man. As someone who has also been an emotionally repressed young man, this reads as infantilizing and invalidating. Yes, rejection would suck; and an “eww, gross” would probably be worse. But this still feels like his emotions are being invalidated, like they are immediately being turned into a joke because that is all they are worth. An “I’m sorry, but no I don’t feel that way about you” would hurt but at least it would be an acknowledging them as real. That would be better (imo).
Again, this could easily turn around. WE know Joyce isn’t trying to be malicious. This might turn out to be exactly what they need. This could also turn in to Joe crumping up his drawing and quietly walking out without another word, and mostly I just want to preempt people thinking this is totally harmless in case that happens.
No prob. The naked truth is that puns comments tend to be quickfire sketches rather than fully fleshed out jokes, so it can be hard to perceive them, rather like… hmm like… I feel like there’s a metaphor there. Feel free to pencil it in.
Reltzik
In a pun war, it’s a good idea to question any phrase that seems sketchy.
I think the model deserves a name (and a tag). If Willis can create a tag for a rom-com miniseries on HBO, he should certainly do this for the model. Especially since she got lines!
Huh. Here I was prepared to ironically argue to the end of time in favor of a stealth pun name… and instead everyone goes along with it. You people really cramp my style.
245 thoughts on “Like-like”
Ana Chronistic
HOO-MAN
« this HOO-MAN once had no model for a class so we all took turns modelling (*clothed*) and WOW when you aren’t used to it, holding an action pose for two minutes is a special brand of TORTURE
True Survivor
You did it for free?!?!
Rule of Acquisition #21: Never place friendship above profit.
Clif
If they agreed to take turns, it would technically be bartering rather than free. Legally, they would have to report the value of the modeling received in return for their modeling as income.
Bicycle Bill
Report the value? Hogwash!
I follow the “Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe” principle of taxation: “If they want it, let ’em come and get it!”
Needfuldoer
Quark told me it’s “HUGH-MON”.
ButWhyASpoon
“A HOOMAN?! YABO-SHI!” – Ferngully The Last Rainforest, 1992
Kazuma Taichi
I haven’t done action pose modeling ever, but I’ve helped my dad with construction and wow even just holding a wire in place above your head for 2 minutes is torture too
Johan
There’s a webcomic on webtoons called “Spirit Fingers” where they draw croquis of each other doing weird poses. It’s a romance, completed and cute.
… Am I allowed to mention other comics? If not, I’ll refrain in the future.
Ana Chronistic
I think we’d all be in trouble if mentioning other things were disallowed
in particular bc of the BUTTS DISEASE
Johan
? My poor butt… Gone but not forgotten.
The Wellerman
YEAH!!!! I can tell lot’s of people here are gonna get their groove on tonight!!!
? ✌️? ?
*plays “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire on hacked muzak*
True Survivor
Great song.
Doctor_Who
Teacher: Silence please, your speech bubbles are blocking the students’ view.
Tan
“No thought bubbles either”
….
“Nor internal narration!”
RacingTurtle
joyce.
Leorale
The little-sister instincts are strong with this one.
Leorale
I mean, not regarding recieving a crush. This isn’t a Folgers commercial, that isn’t the sisterly part.
I mean the part where she defaults to needling the heck out of somebody.
JA
Wow, now there’s an obscure reference I was not expecting to see in the wild.
Mr D
Two days in a row!
Liara
I mean, Willis made that same reference in yesterday’s hovertext
Yet_One_More_Idiot
“In your face, human!”
“No—”
“FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE”
Yep, time for that old meme to finally make a reappearance. 😛
Holly
To this day I struggle to explain to bemused friends why hearing the phrase “…your face” makes me giggle and say “Your FAAAACE!”
Yet_One_More_Idiot
I have never had to explain it to anybody, but yeah, same exact reaction when I see or hear “your FACE!”- especially anywhere in this very comic. ;D
Taffy
See, before I even finished reading your comment, the phrase “your face” made me immediately think of CD-i Ganon.
Aura
My wife and I do that at each other and I have no idea how to even begin to explain the context behind that one :p
Aura
I should clarify, she doesn’t read webcomics, she just thought it was funny enough when I did it one time that it stuck.
Needfuldoer
She’s sassin’ back, and Joe’s givin’ a time.
They’re absolutely on the same page.
Johan
Ty
Grimey
And it’s over. Joyce made it terrible in seconds.
Okay maybe not terrible. This reminds me of Miss Congeniality. “You lllliiiiikkkkkeee me! You want to kkkkiiiisssss me!”
Zal
I’ll double down on it being terrible. This is probably the first time EVER that Joe has attempted to show genuine vulnerability and emotion, and he is immediately being attacked for it. It is an easy step towards reinforcing that he isn’t allowed to show emotional vulnerability, and in context it looks like he immediately put his shields back up.
Not trying to blame Joyce or anything, I say “attacked” because I am trying to empathize with Joe on this and express (in my personal interpretation) what he thinks of her words. I don’t think she is actually trying to be malicious or anything like that, I would even guess she thinks she is being nice. But I don’t think Joe is interpreting it that way, I think he REALLY needed her to take him seriously in that moment and she kinda didn’t. Which is a bummer.
Vanessa
Hopefully she turns it around immediately and stops teasing. Let him know how pleased you are, that he didn’t blow it, that he might have a chance. It wouldn’t take much, reaching out to hold his hand would do it. It’s her turn to be vulnerable here. Or she could just stop talking and smile at him.
Leorale
Y’all are so kind and serious! ♡ I really like that.
However, I think Joe is OK, and indeed, making fun of herself / him / the situation might be a fine way to show him that his vulnerability didn’t change how she’s going to treat him! He can retreat back into his comfort zone, they can still playfully needle each other, telling her his feelings didn’t mess anything up.
Leorale
…I read it again, she’s really making fun of herself way more than making fun of Joe. It’s basically “Why would somebody like me? I’m a total weirdo!” vs. “I see that you have normal human feelings, and I’m gleeful about this whole thing”.
High-energy and needle-y as she is, her teasing definitely carries an implied “feelings are normal, you’re OK” and “this doesn’t instantly change our whole dynamic” and “oh I see that you are a real person with feelings (and not a libido with a face)” and, most of all, “omg I’m delighted that you have a crush on me!!”
She’s flirting, gang! This is Joyce and Joe’s version of flirting her face off.
Needfuldoer
Yes! This!
We’ve probably got a couple more days until they settle down, but this is a net positive for both of them.
Taffy
Mild self deprecation as flirting, delivered with an absolutely massive triangle smile! It even gives him an opening to fire back with his actual reasons, which could range from “No, those aren’t why, but these are” to “Yes, exactly, all your little quirks PLUS this other stuff”. He’s a teenage boy, he might have spent his “strategic balls reserves”, so to speak, on the act of admission, which is no small feat on its own.
Lan
Have y’all just, like, not paid attention to Joyce and Joe’s relationship at any point ever?
y3k
I’m starting to suspect that a sizable fraction of this audience has just somehow never had an interaction with a flesh and blood person before.
Johan
FR.
This has been all of 15-30 seconds?
It’s a normal amount of “tehe omg really you like me???”
Remember, these are 18 year olds and have been “friends” for a bit.
Theyre gonna have a childish rapport.
Plonker
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever disliked Joyce as much as I do in this strip. She’s being a total a-hole to Joe over what was described to her as his biggest anxiety.
UrsulaDavina
I view this is more of Joyce flirting there is no malice behind this. She could have gone after Joe by declaring him a pervert walked out or told him to stop messing with her or all three i,nstead she is acknowledging his feelings and trying in her own way to be cute. This sort of teasing is kind of normal at least in my realtionship and other folks.
Reltzik
Yes, Joe put his shields back up.
Unfortunately, there’s a like-like present. His shields don’t stand a chance.
Taffy
Poor guy may as well have put up a piece of tissue paper with the word “shields” scrawled on it in barbecue sauce.
Reltzik
Nah.
Like-likes only eat shields. They don’t touch written notes like the ones that let you buy potions.
Alaric
I disagree completely. If I were in Joe’s situation, the way Joyce is taking it would put me at ease. This is friendly teasing, not malicious. It shows that Joe hasn’t scared her away.
Taffy
Aye, me too. I’d be sighing with relief even, like thank fuck she’s not flipping out or being mean or ripping my heart out of my chest and piercing it with a creepy ritualistic dagger in front of the entire class as an offering to her nameless ancient god.
StClair
She doesn’t have a god right now, but the one she followed until a few months back definitely has a name.
And in Latin, it starts with an I!
Taffy
Nameless ancient gods aren’t especially known for their strict adherence to linear time, but I do take your point.
Caninse
I can see how it can be read that way, but I don’t see this as bad in any way. If Joyce had reacted with disgust or discomfort, that would have been bad. But Joyce instead reacted with humor and basically saying “oooh, what of my weird quirks do you like about me?” is probably the best response Joe could have gotten outside of “I also like you,” and was basically the same thing my current relationship started as. As my girlfriend and I have talked about, there is nothing better for a relationship than being able to laugh with each other and poke fun at each other, as long as there is no maliciousness involved in it.
Zal
Yeah and in theory I might agree. But counterpoint, they are not in a relationship, at best they are trying to plant one. Like I said, I think this is far from unsalvageable, we are dwelling on a moment and it could easily turn around in the next.
But it’s worth remembering that Joe is an emotionally repressed young man. As someone who has also been an emotionally repressed young man, this reads as infantilizing and invalidating. Yes, rejection would suck; and an “eww, gross” would probably be worse. But this still feels like his emotions are being invalidated, like they are immediately being turned into a joke because that is all they are worth. An “I’m sorry, but no I don’t feel that way about you” would hurt but at least it would be an acknowledging them as real. That would be better (imo).
Again, this could easily turn around. WE know Joyce isn’t trying to be malicious. This might turn out to be exactly what they need. This could also turn in to Joe crumping up his drawing and quietly walking out without another word, and mostly I just want to preempt people thinking this is totally harmless in case that happens.
Jürgen Hubert
…I don’t think Joyce will give up on her new pet THAT easily.
Sirksome
Poor some out for the model. They be the real heroes here.
Reltzik
Real heroes? I’m pretty sure they’re posers.
King Daniel
Nah, they’re a model for everyone to follow!
huehuetotl
how do you figure?
BarerMender
*whispers* Psst. It was word play.
milu
*whispers* let me draw your attention to huehuetotl’s own pun… Happens to the best of us. No shade <3
BarerMender
Thanks. I had to go back and figure it out.
milu
No prob. The naked truth is that puns comments tend to be quickfire sketches rather than fully fleshed out jokes, so it can be hard to perceive them, rather like… hmm like… I feel like there’s a metaphor there. Feel free to pencil it in.
Reltzik
In a pun war, it’s a good idea to question any phrase that seems sketchy.
Reltzik
New fanon: The model’s name is Charlene Colt.
Bicycle Bill
I think the model deserves a name (and a tag). If Willis can create a tag for a rom-com miniseries on HBO, he should certainly do this for the model. Especially since she got lines!
Amós Batista
yes, it would be fun to tag. Willis has done it to some pages before.
As an example, the Sierra’s parents.
Taffy
That’s an excellent name. I accept and propagate your fanon.
Reltzik
Huh. Here I was prepared to ironically argue to the end of time in favor of a stealth pun name… and instead everyone goes along with it. You people really cramp my style.
davidbreslin101
Well, I guess not every joke can be greeted with a spasm of mirth.
Taffy
Wait, it’s a pun?
…Charlie Horse. Damn it.
Still a great name.
anon
googling that name gives a result for a lawyer so it might have to be changed even tho i doubt she’d see and sue over it lol
Mollyscribbles
Now her only problem is making sure not to laugh and change her expression dramatically mid-pose.
Bruh
Yep, like I said, adorably earnest.
The Wellerman
“In your face, human!”
This is now my new catchphrase! ✌️?
Nono