463

Replaced
Posted on March 1, 2016 by David M Willis

463 thoughts on “Replaced”

  1. butts

    “Josh” banner? What the hell?

    1. greenergrassgrowing

      “Joshua,” maybe?

      1. Vagabond J

        It’s me, obviously.

        1. DarkoNeko

          MArio ?

        2. doomprix

          LUigi?

      2. butts

        Well, yeah, but what’s it doing there?

        1. Kamino Neko

          Presumably, that’s Jocelyn’s old bed that Becky’s sleeping in.

        2. butts

          …Hmm. So Jocelyn used to sleep underneath a big sign that says “JOSHUA” on it. That seems… uncomfortable.

        3. Cerberus

          Considerably so. Ah, dysphoria infested childhoods. So traumatically nostalgic.

        4. Tan

          *hugs, if you’ll have them*

        5. Emperor Norton

          I’m sometimes starting to wonder if Willis made a machine for looking into memories; and is using it on you to to get inspiration for his strips…

        6. Uniqueantique

          Jocelyn was Joshua when they slept in that bed, I think.

        7. Betty Anne

          Jocelyn has always been Jocelyn. Her parents insisted on naming her Joshua and treating her like a boy.

        8. nightpool

          Fwiw, it seem prudent to point out at this point that this is a pretty complicated issue, and there are some trans people who describe themselves one way and some trans people who describe themselves in a different way depending on their lived experiences.

        9. Yotomoe

          I mean yeah, but if my mom named me Nancy I’d probably be fine with it until I changed my name to Garfield Mcginty, Superhero.

        10. JustCheetoDust

          Is “Superhero” part of the name, like “named Slickback” “Esquire?”

        11. Yotomoe

          You can leave, Superhero out, especially when I’m not saving citizens. But if I’m in costume and you forget it, I will be forced to throw you into the nearest carrot patch.

        12. Random832

          Regardless of all the other aspects of this… she [i]did[/i] have to pick the name Jocelyn (and perhaps hadn’t yet as of when the sign was put up). People aren’t born with names, particularly not names other than the one chosen by their parents.

        13. David

          Society is so predisposed about labels that people have to identify as a gender in order to wear gender-approved clothes or resort to gender-approved behavior.

          Nobody would accept a Soldier Barby army proceding with Gatlings against a Ken on Pink Pony cavalry.

          Woe on the boy who wants to wear a dress (outside of India) or makeup or jewelry. Or the girl who thinks you can stick them where the sun don’t shine.

          Our gender roles are so inflexible that people have to change gender in order to be able to enjoy a different role.

        14. thejeff

          Random832: I don’t know when the sign went up or when she actually settled on Joycelyn, but in a Patreon strip she had it in mind before Joyce was born – as a “pretty name but not for my sister”.

          Regardless, obviously she’s not going to have her real name up in her parent’s house, but having “Josh” up there is just one more constant reminder.

        15. Shadow12000

          See, this is why I like the stories that have a “Real Name” and “Given Name” kind of thing to it. Given name being what your parents gave you, real name being what actually identifies you. People are given names they hate all the time, that’s why you can change them when you had parents that gave birth to a male boy who also identifies as male but decided to name him Susan. Names just be names, you aren’t named for who you are, they’re just something for you to know someone’s referring to you.

          Also this kind of reminds me of Mass Effect, where you have a character named Jack, who is full on 100% identified as female. Later on, you find it out might actually be short for “Jacqueline”. Josh does sound like it could potentially be a short version of Jocelyne still, and might even be a reason she picked that name, because most people call her that.

        16. Romanticide

          My guess for the “josh” sign is misdirection on Jocelyne part… I hope…

        17. Yotomoe

          “I’m totally Josh, y’see guys! 100% Joshin’ it.”

        18. Definitely Joshua

          oh yeah, if I’m so trans how come i got a sign that says josh on it? how do you explain that one, huh atheists?

        19. Zana

          “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

        20. Harvey Janus

          She certainly did promise too much.

        21. weirderthanweird

          Unless she put it up to further convince her parents. Like a file labeled definitely NOT porn.

        22. weirderthanweird

          Whoops, didn’t read all of the replies.

        23. Yotomoe

          What you gotta do is put something innocuous in the “Definitely not porn” folder like recipees or math equations. Meanwhile your “program language” folder is filled with porn.

        24. showler

          Or an attempt to convince herself.

        25. Meyers

          Isn’t her brothers name Joshua?

        26. Spencer

          Joyce’s sister’s name is Jocelyne, who was named Joshua at birth.

        27. LimeSheep

          beckys sleeping in jocelynes room because they wouldnt want her in joyce’s, im assuming

        28. Lord Stoneheart

          I think Joyce’s other siblings all shared a room? I could have sworn Joyce suggested that she was the only to get her own room.

          So maybe it’s a way of identifying who’s space is whose within the room.

        29. meanderling

          Her other siblings shared a bathroom, I think, not a bedroom. It’d be a helluva thing, cramming three (four?) other kids in a bedroom.

        30. Ozzi

          Only in the last few generations. Before that it was normal to top and tale children in the same bed.

        31. LimeSheep

          if they didd originally share a room its still reasonable that jocelyne wouldve been the last to leave, with john being older and jordan being [REDACTED]
          it still couldve been solely her room at some point

        32. meanderling

          I figure Joyce is sleeping in her childhood bedroom so Becky has Jocelyne’s room. Hence the banner.

      3. gkheyf

        or maybe it’s “banjo shrine”

        1. lejwocky

          We can only dream

        2. Needfuldoer

          Jordan was excommunicated from the family because he plays the sitar instead.

      4. Spectre

        That’s what I thought. Jocelyne is still “Joshua” to Joyce’s family, after all.

      5. Willoughby Chase

        Big U2 fan?

        1. Thanks, I'll Have Another!

          Nice pull. 🙂

    2. Cattleprod

      Joyce’s own bedroom was converted to a meth lab as soon as she left, so she’s stuck in another unoccupied room.

      1. Hoxton

        Meth Lab?
        …
        God dammit.
        WOLF!

        1. Amazi-Girl impersonator

          I WAS THERE, TOO HOXTERSON!

        2. Wolf

          Don’t worry. All of the money gained will go to Willis’ Kickstarter for his new book, and all the extra will be kept as rainy day money for me and Amazi-Girl 🙂

        3. Gareth

          Amazi Girl and I.

          Hopefully that meth money can go towards giving you some grammar lessons :p

        4. Chrissy

          Fun fact! The best way to know if you should use “[Name] and I” or “[Name] and me” is to remove the “[Name] and” portion and just check the sentence without, using the corrected tense of course.

          Do you want to steal a car with Joyce and I?
          Becomes: Do you want to steal a car with I? (Incorrect)
          Do you want to steal a car with Joyce and me?
          Becomes: Do you want to steal a car with me? (Correct)

          Me and Joyce are going to commit grand theft auto.
          Me is going to commit grand theft auto. (Incorrect)
          Joyce and I are going to commit grand theft auto.
          I am going to commit grand theft auto. (Grammatically correct though legally incorrect.)

        5. a snow mouse

          Yeah… Maybe Gareth is actually the one who needs grammar lessons?

          It’s actually weird how people overcorrect on the me vs. I issue…

        6. Random832

          It’s because the correction so often formulated with a gratuitous change from “Me and X” to “X and I”, so people incorrectly internalize the lesson as “it’s rude to put yourself first” and ignore the I vs Me aspect

      2. Cattleprod

        Actual explanation: Becky’s in the other unoccupied room, because that’s a different room than the one we saw Joyce in earlier, with a different colored bed.

    3. Ana Chronistic

      OBVIOUSLY it’s part of a longer banner that says “JUST JOSHING YA JOYCE”

    4. CommunistCanada

      Maybe Joyce slept in her room and Becky slept in Jordan’s room?

    5. Rowanmikaio

      I know, right? Everyone knows it should be a “Bruce” Banner.

      1. Opus the Poet

        The Pun Vault from Wapsi Square heard about this post and has teleported over for payment. I suggest a classic Hulk action figure from the ’70s…

  2. Ana Chronistic

    the comic is now called Thelma & LouiseBecky & Joyce

    1. Ana Chronistic

      yup, took like one second too long on that link

      1. butts

        NYAHAHAHAHAHAAAA~

        1. Ana Chronistic

          HAVING SOME REGRETS ABOUT REBUILDING A COMPUTER TO PLAY XCOM 2 AT MORE THAN 10 FPS

        2. butts

          HOW DOES THAT PETARD FEEL

        3. Deanatay

          How petards usually feel – gassy.

          And, explodey.

        4. JustCheetoDust

          Shouldn’t waiting for new drivers and/or an optimization patch (LOL) be the issue here?

          (Note: not playing XCOM 2 so I’m not keeping up with the ongoing performance clusterfuck)

      2. Bagge

        Worth it for the drawing! I love the Joyce-smile in the photo!

    2. Alice Macher

      Hopefully without the tragic ending.

  3. Jacket

    *Plays “Unease” on a Hacked Muzak he made himself*

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBQ7JT-

    HaKc&index=25&list=PL066EAAFFB5CF769F

    1. Jacket

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBQ7JTHaKc&index=25&list=PL066EAAFFB5CF769F

      1. Wolf

        YOU’RE BAD AT LINKS

        AND YOU SHOULD SHAVE

      2. Amazi-Girl impersonator

        Later they’ll probably be another car chase? So cue “Where’s The Van!?” If Steve isn’t back in 5.

        1. newllend(henryvolt)

          I have the Mad Max Fury road OST on stand by just incase.

        2. Bicycle Bill

          Car chase?  Police involvement?
          Sorry, the only song that fits would be R. Dean Taylor’s “Indiana Wants Me”.

    2. Vagabond J

      Alternatively, You can put Ice Cubes “It was A Good Day” on the Hacked Muzak.

      Where is Steven, by the way? You take him hostage?

    3. Knightsky

      Follows up with “Listen” by Jane Jensen on the hacked Muzak.

  4. Brycow

    Anti Joyce is fun

  5. timemonkey

    I’m sure Anti-Joyce would show Becky a real good time.

  6. Tabitha Desanto

    Anti-Joyce returns?

    1. Bagge

      The perfect girl is gone

      1. Hoxton

        Was she really ever there?

      2. Emperor Norton

        Oooor, she just arrived!

        1. Bagge

          +1

    2. Aeron

      “THERE IS NO JOYCE, ONLY ZUUL!”

      “You have a lovely choir voice.”

      1. cesium133

        Anti-Joyce: “ARE YOU A GOD?”
        Carol: “No, but I worship him…”
        Anti-Joyce: “THEN DIE.”

      2. Commodore Jeep-Eep

        Don’t invite those assholes in, all they do is mind control people and have their females shit on the furnishings.

    3. Durandal_1707

      As I understand it, Dumbing of Age has 3 times the readership of Willis’ comics in the old universe. This means that 66% of readers of this strip are wondering what the heck the alt text is talking about.

      1. Vagabond J

        Hell, I’ve been looking into the Walkyverse for some time, and even I don’t know what he means. It’s probably just a nod for the old-time fans.

        1. Cerberus

          The Anti-Joyce plotline: http://www.itswalky.com/comic/hey-walky/

        2. Amazi-Stool

          That won’t explain the alt-text pun.

          To understand that reference, one has to read through the whole Melonpool crossover, approximately starting here.

        3. Roborat

          Nooooo! Not the Melonpool Archives. That makes TV TRopes seem like a quick dip in the shallow end.

      2. It me

        I haven’t read the older stuff but I am familiar with anti-Joyce just from reading the comments section every once in awhile.
        Any way, it was a pretty clever reference whether not readers understood it or not.

  7. Hoxton

    …Wolf, why do I have a feeling you’re gonna end up stealing the car instead?

    1. Wolf

      You know I can’t drive!

      1. Hoxton

        WHEN HAS THAT EVER STOPPED YOU FROM TRYING?

        1. Amazi-Girl impersonator

          Me.

        2. Someone

          You guys go on, Ill deal with her. “does bring it hand sign”

        3. Sokol

          I summon Hockey stick.

        4. Someone

          Pulls out longsword.

        5. Sokol

          Takes out Assault Rifle.

        6. inqntrol

          Launches nuke(s).

        7. lejwocky

          Gets in the goddam Eva

      2. Dallas

        Even the biggest simpletons know that, Hoxton. You sure you’re not some fake?

        1. Hoxton

          Dallas, even the biggest simpletons know that Wolf doesn’t give a shit what he can’t do.

        2. Wolf

          That doesn’t mean I can’t drive, Hoxy Lox.

          Also, ever since Amazi-Girl and I became BF & GF, We’ve been giving several shits about what we can do. After all, she’s a superhero, and I’m a criminal. We gotta keep our image, Y’know.

        3. Hoxton

          I’m well aware of the “image” we have to keep, Wolf.

          We don’t just wear these masks for kicks.

        4. Sokol

          I do.

        5. Hoxton

          I can never tell if you’re joking or being dead serious.

        6. Jacket

          BOLD TEXT! THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING!

        7. Hoxton

          You aren’t SAYING anything, Jacket.
          You’re typing.

          You can’t talk, dumbass.

        8. Jacket

          You know what I mean, Hoxton.

  8. CandidCanid

    She hasn’t blown up the world yet, so I think you’re good, Becky.

  9. Mr. Mendo

    Nah, can’t be Anti-Joyce. She hasn’t asked Becky to shower with her, yet.

    1. BenRG

      Was there ever any indication that Anti-Joyce was bi?

      1. Mr. Mendo

        She was open to a three-way, at least.

        1. butts

          Besides, it’s sort of standard for evil twins.

    2. Commodore Jeep-Eep

      yet.

  10. Bagge

    Joyce is guarding Becky until she wakes up? That is just adorable! …and kinda worrying. Becky noticed.

    1. BenRG

      As I posted yesterday, she’s interpreting Carol’s words as a threat to them both and reacting accordingly.

  11. Stephen R. Bierce

    The Best Part of Waking Up/Is Folger’s In Your Cup!

    1. Stephen R. Bierce

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRrav4Jeew4 <- The campaign Becky is referencing.

      1. Deanatay

        Dark, sparkling Anti-Joyce crystals…

    2. Tomas

      You’re my present this year.

      1. Dean

        Folger’s coffee isn’t available in Australia, so the only Folger’s ad I’ve ever seen is the weird Christmas incest one.

        1. JustCheetoDust

          What the hell was in that box, anyways?

        2. Orion Fury

          I don’t think I’ve seen that one…

        3. Willoughby Chase

          I had to go and google that. Blimey.

    3. JustCheetoDust

      I don’t even remember when I stopped believing that, only because I don’t remember when I first bought a french press.

  12. LimeSheep

    well thats definitely not going to give her parents more reason to think shes being “corrupted”

  13. JessWitt

    Oh no, oh no. This is only going to reinforce Carol’s beliefs. Don’t Joyce!

    1. EvilWriter

      Ha ha ha.

      Your error is in thinking she could possibly do anything that would not reinforce Carol’s beliefs.

      Carol has decided Indiana University and Becky are bad for her daughter. She will find the evidence of this. She WILL find it.

      1. Shiro

        Yep, unfortunately. The one time I ever won against my mom when she’d set her mind that something I was doing was Bad, was when she demanded an answer, and I just stared at her before several moments before clarifying, “Nothing I say is going to change your mind, so I’m not going to bother.”

        Took the wind out of her sails, somewhat.

        1. EvilWriter

          Beating my mother in an argument never took the wind out of her sails. Quite the reverse, she would flip out. Admitting imperfection was one of those things she thought was best left to her children.

          But I digress. I was referring more to the fact that once a fundie has concluded that corruption is present, every minor “imperfection”, even those that already existed, becomes evidence of it. The fundamentalist reliance on “hearing the Holy Spirit”, by which they mean believing every gut feeling was somehow divine and infallible, plays havoc with the ability to properly assess a situation. The Holy Spirit has told Mrs. Brown that IU is corrupting her daughter. She will interpret everything she encounters in the light of that pre-determined, infallible conclusion.

          You know, or Willis will throw me another curve ball and I’ll be completely wrong. 🙂

          Glad to hear you’ve got separation from the toxic relationship.

        2. ischemgeek

          I know that feeling. Lemme guess, it was followed by outragedefault insistence that she is “always” willing to hear you out and you can tell her “anything” and rant rant rant about what an ungrateful and disrespectful kid you are?

        3. EvilWriter

          That last part, yes. There was little pretense that she was willing to hear me out, though, and it was pretty clear that I absolutely could not tell her anything, or most things.

          But definitely that last part. 🙂

          That sounds more like something Mrs. Brown would do, though. “But Joyce, you know you can talk to me about absolutely anything! Oh wait, in talking to me you have indicated you are not doing things perfectly. Now you shall be punished.”

      2. Cerberus

        Yup. If you’re evil and “tainted” then there’s nothing you can do that doesn’t fit into that narrative, because that’s what they’re going to believe. Joyce can plead her case, but she’s really damned either way. Even if she argues her case and wins, it’s just a sign of “her increasing disrespect to her family” “caused by that lesbian and the atheist”.

        Also, *hugs* to Shiro. That shit is never fun to go through.

        1. Shiro

          Hugs appreciated, thank you <3 It’s okay, the worst is over now, things got much better once she moved out and stopped feeling so entitled to control guide me.

        2. Cerberus

          That’s awesome. Separation from toxic family is so critical.

        3. David

          The only way for a screw driver to figure out if it’s itself that is the trouble magnet is to remove all trouble magnets in the vicinity. Few have the strength to be diamagnetic.

    2. Betty Anne

      Well, she and Becky DO need to get away, fast, and without the dragon bongo finding out. Stealing the car is probably not the best solution, but it might be the fastest – I don’t know how easy it is to sneak away from her house. (If there’s plenty of cover, she and Becky should definitely just hoof it to a phone somewhere out of sight; if there’s no cover, speed is essential and the car theft might be a necessary risk.)

      1. Needfuldoer

        Joyce probably wants to talk with Becky about the conversation she just overheard, and knows there’s no way they can talk about it in the house. She can always make the excuse that they went to IHOP for breakfast. (Then again that would give Carol another chance to overreact. She’s not about to lose her daughter to the International Holy Order of Pancakes.)

    3. Svata

      Yeah, cause not offending a rabid fundie is more important than staying in college and maintaining even a modicum of control over your life.

      1. Jon Rich

        Except that Carol can probably pull Joyce out of school by not paying for it anymore. Or, given the likely family dynamic of that kind of fundie, by convincing Hank not to pay for it anymore.

        1. Jon Rich

          Wow, super-appropriate avatar, given the topic. Never got Jocelyn before, I don’t think.

      2. Dandi Andi

        This is about so much more than offending a rabid fundie. Joyce needs to handle this carefully. What happens if Hank isn’t strong enough to stand up to Carol? If Joyce pushes her mother too hard on this, she could lose financial and material support. Joyce’s parents are most likely paying for her college or are at least co-signing on student loans. If she can’t afford college or get loans on her own, she can’t stay in college. She doesn’t have a financial support structure to survive on her own right now. She is an unemployed student with no immediate prospects. She and Becky are truly better off being safe rather than brave at this point. If Carol won’t come around, they need to bide their time and start to establish a financial/social support structure for when they finally do cut Carol out.

        1. CJ

          As someone pointed out yesterday, the parents dialogue might be heard by Joyce as more gun-waving idiots about to come down on them, so to her mind, survival might be more of a priority. Especially, if her experience is that Carol wins disagreements with Hank.

  14. neeks

    i wasn’t watching you sleep that would be weird i was just sitting by your bed facing in the other direction waiting for you to wake up. anyway, road trip? :D?

    1. Leorale

      I totally had this exact impulse when my friend was crashing at my house during a threatening situation (she’s fine now). I wanted to station myself at the foot of her bed like a big guard dog. Nobody betta mess. She is at least twice my size and strength.

      1. Cerberus

        The part that warms my heart is that Joyce was probably doing a little bit of both of those.

        Like, I feel really threatened and scared by what I overheard and they kinda also threatened you so I’m here, because I needed to be with someone and I needed to make sure they didn’t throw you out while I wasn’t there to protect you and anyways, road trip? Cause I really need to not be here right now.

    2. Bagge

      No one messes with Joyce’s Becky. NO ONE!

      1. Cerberus

        My lesbian! Mine!

        1. EvilWriter

          Wait, did we loop back to Shortpacked?

  15. FuryOfFirestorm

    Of course I can tell the difference.

    Anti-Joyce has Flavor Crystals(tm), which gives her a deep, rich flavor and aroma.

    1. Stephen R. Bierce

      “So dark and rich, shouldn’t she switch?”

  16. shadowcell

    the best part of waking up
    is joyce in your cup
    ?

  17. CanadianShinobi

    Oh, I’m sure this will end spectacularly…

  18. inqntrol

    That’s simple to tell Becky, she didn’t try to seduce you and then do kinky stuff(like in the other universe).

    1. tim gueguen

      Having sex with the lights on is probably Joyce’s current idea of kinky.

      1. Needfuldoer

        Isn’t she sheltered to the point that she doesn’t even know the physics?

        1. StClair

          She knows that friction is involved. She’s a little unclear on the anatomy, and relative positioning thereof.

        2. Emperor Norton

          The anatomy, she’s clear on. She did research* for it when she became the ding-dong whiteboard bandit.

          The relative positioning, I’m less sure about. Doesn’t seem like she’s looked into that quite yet; but one cannot say for sure she hasn’t either.

          *Making it one of the extremely rare cases when one can put up the word ‘research’ without quote marks when it is about looking up pictures of penises.

        3. Commodore Jeep-Eep

          I just thought she had a belly rubbing fetish.

  19. NinjaNick

    Time to sneak out of the house without Carol AKA “Ross 2” finding them.

    1. J.A.J.

      ToeMom, but without the Toe.

      (Can’t believe I just made an unironic Cars/Larry the Cable Guy reference. I’ll show myself out.)

  20. Cerberus

    Oh dear, that banner over Jocelyne’s bed must sting like a motherfucker every time she visits home. I’m gonna hope at least that the pink lettering is her touch to it.

    1. Cephalo the Pod

      Why is something like that even still up there? Would there even be that big of a fuss if Jocelyne took it down?

      1. Cerberus

        I’m betting that it would for two reasons:
        A) There’s been subtle hints brewing that the ‘rents have noticed something “odd” about Jocelyne and her gender identity since she was a kid:
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/03-up-all-night-to-get-vengeance/genderidentity/
        B) I’m betting Carol’s the type of mom who tends to make bedrooms into shrines of how the kids used to be, so an attempt to modify it would be intruding on her memories of the past and how dare you disrespect me and now I’ll have to spend all day fixing it back up so it’s “nice”.

        As Jocelyne said back at Family Weekend. You gotta pick your battles and it’s clear that Jocelyne, for whatever reason, has decided that this isn’t worth it for her.

      2. John

        I bet Joyce made it for her as a present, just for the extra emotional knife in the kidneys.

        1. Cerberus

          Oh fuck… that would be so misguidedly sweet and awful.

        2. Leorale

          Head-canon accepted: present from li’l Joyce, who is allowed to use pink.

    2. meanderling

      I gotta wonder if it wasn’t her idea and she just hasn’t been home for a while (or if it’s a shared room and a way of denoting sides). Mama Brown is weird, sure, but I don’t think she’d insist on everyone having their name on a banner in their room.

      1. Leorale

        My first thought is that it was some kind of welcome home banner that they just put up yesterday to surprise “Josh”, but that doesn’t quite make sense unless Joyce got one, too.

      2. Yotomoe

        “Hank, I can’t tell our kids apart anymore. We created a bunch of creepy Blonde haired, blue-eyed triangle smiling freak children. They terrify me to no end.”

        1. meanderling

          That’s what they get for naming them all J- names. Now we gotta put full names on everything instead of initials. Could’ve saved a lot of effort.

        2. John

          On the bright side, it makes monogrammed hand-me-downs practical.

      3. Cerberus

        I’m guessing the side reason is probably the case. I’m betting if we were to see the other side of the room, there’d be a Jordan banner lovingly scotch-taped back together from when Jordan last ripped it down in anger… or who knows. This part is pure speculation.

    3. Belegcam

      My first thought, given the decidedly non-“masculine” color (since the Browns seem like the type to hold on to traditional gender stereotypes with a death grip) was that this was the doing of a young Jocelyne quietly pushing the boundaries a bit. Obviously she didn’t consider coming out to be feasible, so let your true self show however you can.

      1. Regalli

        Yeah, I’d guess there was probably some sort of banners for all the kids thing or the like, but they got to choose their colors so Jocelyne got to go with pink and could easily say it stood out better than other colors that weren’t already “taken” or something.

        Still, that cannot be pleasant.

        1. Cerberus

          Yeah, I can so see that being the origin of the banner, complete with some passive-aggressive shit as young Jocelyne tried to stand her ground.

          “Ah, but (dead name), don’t you want a more manly color?”
          “No, I like this one.”
          “But this nice blue one is more suited and-”
          “No, it looks pretty and besides Jordan already used it”
          “I just think-”
          “HANK! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LETTING (dead name) DO? DO YOU WANT HIM TO GROW UP… you know, that way?”
          (argument escalates)
          (Jocelyne quickly tries to finish and pin it up before her mom can snatch the crayons away)

  21. Yotomoe

    Joyce, have you ever seen the movie Thelma and Louise?

    1. newllend(henryvolt)

      Ooooh a little bit late to make that joke buddy.

    2. KarkatTheDalek

      Becky: “It’s cool and all, but if we’re gonna do the part where we drive off the cliff, can our car fly?”

      1. Yotomoe

        No, Becky.
        Dying is Mainstream #Money

      2. Dean

        Joyce: “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” :flips down wraparound sunglasses:

      3. BenRG

        Got you covered there!

        http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/ave-mizar.jpg

  22. Ana Chronistic

    OKAY HOW IS IT I PLEDGED $300 AND THE TOTAL IS ONLY $121

    1. Spencer

      Obviously somebody pledged -179 dollars.

      1. AgentKeen

        https://youtu.be/VH9TldGrgI4?t=5

        1. JustCheetoDust

          I ain’t touching money with Bill Cipher on it.

        2. inqntrol

          Lol, I just noticed he’s on the bill. How did I miss that?

  23. Betty Anne

    Mmm. The leap from punching a douchebag to grand theft auto. Not bad, Joyce, not bad.

    That said, I’d take the car to a gas station that’s not far but also not familiar to the parental units and call a friend to come and get you, and leave the car for the cops to find. Definitely don’t need pursuit all the way back to uni, and it’ll probably only take the parental units .02 seconds to realize the car, you and Becky were all three gone. :/

  24. Doopyboop

    Oh no…

    So Hank letting Joyce drive home wasn’t just ‘hey kid you can drive home’.

    It was a kind of FORESHADOWING for this moment where Joyce decides to take the car and go as far away as she can from her parents.

    oh my GOOOOOOOOD, I just want to grab Joyce and protect her. Becky too! Hnnnngh.

  25. Mandy

    If Joyce’s parents were freaking out about her before, just wait until they realize she’s disappeared in the car with Becky! That’ll go over splendidly!

    (As an aside, I wonder where she wants to go? I’m hoping it’ll be to pay Jocelyn a visit!)

    1. BenRG

      I’m wondering if they’ll pop over to em>Casa Macintyre to pick up Becky’s stuff. That after hanging out in downtown La Porte all morning and finding out that, yes, after you’ve been to college, the hometown isn’t quite as exciting as you remember from your childhood.

      Oh, I’m also expecting Joyce to lash out at her parents in some small and harmless way… maybe get a subtle tattoo (a butterfly on her hip or something) or have her ears pierced.

      1. Harvey Janus

        Yeah. “Harmless.”

  26. Cephalo the Pod

    My guess: she’s gonna visit Jordan.

    1. newllend(henryvolt)

      Could see that.

  27. MidnaMajora

    Hey, cool subtle It’s Walky! reference! It fits flawlessly without feeling out of place, but is a neat nod for people who have followed from early on!

  28. Kamino Neko

    Wait…how does Becky know those ads?

    I’m pretty sure Willis is only barely old enough to remember those ads.

    1. Spencer

      It has become one of those ubiquitous cultural phrases. I’ve heard it before but I’m not really all that sure on the context. Some kind of coffee commercial?

      1. AgentKeen

        I totally didn’t realize the Folgers commercial is where it started… and I’m still doubtful that it really is.

      2. Kamino Neko

        Folger’s instant coffee crystals, yeah. Trying to convince people that their instant coffee tasted like the real thing.

    2. EvilWriter

      Nostalgia Critic commercial recaps. (Has he done the Folgers commercials? I hope he has. I can’t remember.)

    3. Kelly

      Pretty sure there were Folgers ads into the 2000s at least. Maybe not as common as they used to be, but still around. I haven’t watched enough TV lately to say if they are still airing them in the 2010s

      1. Dr. T

        It would not surprise me if the Brown’s and/or McIntyre’s have a bunch of old VCR tapes of programs recorded off of the TV that are “approved” viewing for their kids, complete with older commercials. We did, though our version of “parent approved” viewing probably went well beyond what theirs would have.

        1. EvilWriter

          I used to obsessively tape shows I liked so I could have the whole collection to watch whenever I wanted. Watching them years later, the commercials were some of the best parts.

      2. wednesday

        All you gotta do is scratch the surface on YouTube and every commercial break since 1976 is right there.

        I am only slightly exaggerating.

        1. StClair

          Youtube is composed of (unequal parts of) piracy, nostalgia, and alleged “funny.”

        2. Leorale

          And cats. Lots and lots of cats.

  29. Hoxton

    Hm.

    If I were Joyce, I’d be seriously considering seeing a therapist.

    I’m just sayin’.

    1. Vagabond J

      It wouldn’t be too far of a stretch to say a bunch of characters should consider seeing a therapist.

      Who’s on the list:
      – Amber/Amazi-Girl
      – Joyce
      – Hm…. Who else?

      1. Hoxton

        That Mike kid.
        That boy ain’t right.

        Also, whatsherface.
        The angry one.
        Ruth.

        1. Vagabond J

          Since we’re adding Ruth, Billie should be added.

          And then there’s Dina, but a therapist isn’t really needed for her, is it?

        2. Opus the Poet

          Therapod maybe? I’ll let myself out.

        3. Spencer

          booooooooo

        4. Syndicaidramon

          I laughed.

        5. Sam

          I think a therapist may help Dina actually but primarily because they’d be able to help her become more socially aware still. She’s not damaged like most of the others mentioned, but it could help to learn how the average person generally interacts so that she could understand her own areas of weakness better.

        6. thejeff

          Dina and Becky should both get some counseling to help them process the effects of Toedad’s happy-fun gun times. Neither of them is showing any real signs of trauma, but that doesn’t mean they’re actually fine. Sometimes stuff like that takes awhile to start to surface.
          Becky likely has older issues as well, all plastered over with loud fun Becky because nobody likes a Debbie Downer.

          I’d add Sal to the list, but she’s seen therapists and she’s not impressed.

      2. butts

        Friggin’ everyone. Amber, Joyce, obviously. Sal, although it’d have to be a damn good therapist to get her to actually open up. Joe’s got daddy issues, Sarah’s got serious misanthropy, Dina could probably benefit from a therapist to help her learn to socialize (although she’s doing pretty well on her own), and Ruth and Billie are just a raging ball of mutually-assured destruction. Hell, even Walky could use someone to help him cope with growing up, and it might help Dorothy with her stress. Really, I can’t think of a single major character who couldn’t use therapy. (Danny doesn’t count. Danny can go screw.)

        1. butts

          I forgot about Becky, but that sort of goes without saying, what with her INDOMITABLE ZANINESS act. Oh, and Mike, who actually is the only one who doesn’t really need therapy. He’s more likely to be the one doing the therapy. To your mom. For a nickel.

        2. Vagabond J

          My mom died as a result 🙁

        3. Willoughby Chase

          Shouldn’t have eaten those wooden nickels. I kept telling her …

        4. Amazi-Girl impersonator

          But Danny’s cool. Well, was cool until Wolf came along.

        5. Vagabond J

          I dunno why, but if Dumbing of Age become live action for some odd reason, I think Michael Cera would play Danny best.

        6. Wolf

          The Awkward Teenager?

        7. Disloyal Subject

          Danny could use therapy too. Boy needs to grow a sense of self-worth.

        8. DinaWho

          Danny definitely needs therapy, given his emotionally abusive parents and completely absent sense of self-worth.

          Of main cast, I’d say probably Dina and Dorothy are the least in need (Dina is doing pretty well managing on her own, and aside from being at risk for burnout, I think Dorothy’s all right?)

        9. butts

          Yeah, Dorothy has a stress problem, but it’s clearly self-inflicted (she’s just trying to do AS MUCH AS SHE CAN POSSIBLY HANDLE) and she’s coping fairly well. Mike’s probably fine, too- after all, his relentless sociopathy only hurts the people around him.

        10. Cerberus

          Therapy! Therapy for Everyone!

        11. Vagabond J

          Now I’ll never be alone again!

        12. Luzahn

          We’re all just weird tall apes that think too much.

        13. StClair

          I’ll drink to that.

      3. Disloyal Subject

        I think those who don’t need to seriously consider therapy would be a far shorter list.

      4. Leorale

        1st tier: Ruth, Billie, Joyce, Amber.
        2nd tier: Becky (mainly preventative; she’d focus on finding resources).
        3rd tier: Sarah, Joe, Ethan. They’re perfectly stable but might benefit from having somebody with whom to chat about their worldviews. Maybe Carla, depending how she is absorbing the hate. Sal’s already had super-unhelpful therapy experiences, she should talk to a friend instead. Dina for social overwhelm, if she wants.

        1. Spencer

          You know, I think Amber might actually respond well to therapy.

          She’s in a bad place now, but she also recognizes that a lot of her behaviour is unacceptable and even told Dorothy that what she wanted was to be normal. She knows that Amazi-Girl is unhealthy, and more of a compulsion and a necessity than an actual positive course of action that will actually heal her.

          She’s fortunate in the sense that she has a clearly defined set of harmful behaviours and thought processes she can try to work out.

        2. Vagabond J

          I mean, vigilantism is illegal in the US, right?

        3. Spencer

          It is, yes.

          Though, really, Amazi-Girl’s actions can be neatly categorized as either “harmless wacky action sequences where a munchkin in spandex beats up dudes twice her size” and “tries to do something important and fails miserably.”

          Seriously, she didn’t even get to land a finger on Sal. She got kneed in the gut while her Joe Chill told her how much of a loser she was, and was then later rescued by her in a motorcycle leap that inspired at least one metal album cover.

          Basically what I’m saying is that it’s easy to overlook that Amber is, in any real world context, a violent criminal, because whenever Amazi-Girl is a plot important character it’s just a countdown until she ruins everything.

        4. Willoughby Chase

          Citizen’s arrests with added spandex and leaping.

        5. BenRG

          Basically note that she never, ever is the one who escalates to violence first. She’ll trash-talk someone into throwing the first punch or attack someone already being violent but she’ll never start it.

        6. No Name

          You forgot the fat lech. Sure, he deserved it, but Amazi-Girl dropped him without provocation.

        7. Spencer

          I dunno. Is it okay to take down dudes who are harassing folks, especially in that case? That could have gotten so much worse.

          But like, that’s kinda what I was getting at. Amazi-Girl commits as many flagrant crimes as Batman, but we laugh and cheer because it’s done completely without consequence and played for laughs and catharsis, and when there is any consequence or weight to her actions, when she fought Blaine and Sal or went after Ross, it’s always her fucking things up because a five foot white girl in a cape can’t actually solve any kind of real problem.

        8. thejeff

          No name: The one chasing the running girl, because “she was hot and he was horny”? That’s well past “lech”.

          Spencer: I’m pretty sure Becky would disagree about Amazi-girl. More importantly, I’m pretty sure Willis would too. Sure, she needed a little help from Sal to stop Ross, but damn if I know what Sal and Joyce were going to do on their own.

        9. Spencer

          I’ve just come to accept that that storyline was based a lot more in fantasy than reality, with Willis even saying that “physics is bruised a bit, but that’s the point.”

          Besides, that sequence ended with Sal telling Amazi-Girl she was an idiot who nearly got her and Becky killed because she needed to prove something.

        10. thejeff

          And we all know that Sal is the one Word of Truth.

          So basically, you decide that Amazi-Girl can’t accomplish anything, because you handwave away everything she accomplishes as “based in fantasy”. She’s just a “five foot white girl in a cape”, obviously she can’t solve any kind of real problem.
          But she’s not just a five foot white girl in a cape, she’s a goddamned SUPERHERO. She actually does get to do (low-level) superhero things. That’s part of the comic too. She’s also a crazy girl in a cape. That combination is what makes it interesting.

        11. Spencer

          I am actually okay with calling the part where Amazi-Girl surfed on a car “based in fantasy” since, y’know, so did David Willis.

          As for that part about how being a five foot white girl means she can’t solve any kind of real problem; What you said exactly, but without the sarcasm. The reason IU is apparently the most petty crime ridden campus in all of North America is because we need situations to justify the existence of Amazi-Girl (who exists because Willis likes drawing action sequences). It’s kinda like how once Batman showed up then every guy with a handgun and a personality quirk decided to wear costumes and menace the National Clown Emporium on February 2nd at 2:22 pm.

          Like, do you know why all the dudes she’s ever beaten up have all been about as developed and characterized as the average Final Fight mook? Because if we actually started focusing on the people this little white girl was beating up, suddenly it stops being fun! That’s why she never actually got her hands on Sal, because if she did, Amber’s being violent on a character who actually matters. That’s why her beating the shit out of Blaine was played for horror instead of triumph, because Amber was completely losing herself and might have actually killed him. That’s why when Danny finds out that Amber was playing Super Mario Bros. on top of speeding vehicles, his reaction is to be completely terrified.

          Anyway, I’m not really up for “she’s good crazy so that makes it okay.” A little too fetishistic for me, the way bad Batman writers insist that he’s actually mentally unstable but it’s okay because he uses his mental instability for good.

        12. Leorale

          Man, I’m a five-foot white girl, too. (ok, Semitic, but that’s very close these days.) I should get a cape? Would that help me solve problems?

        13. Spencer

          Just as long as you’re not using it to prowl the night in search of a superstitious and cowardly lot.

        14. thejeff

          I’m just not sure it’s valid to dismiss parts of the characters storyline because they’re “based on fantasy” and then analyze her as useless and dangerous because you’re handwaving away the good parts.

        15. Spencer

          I’m not dismissing the parts that are based on fantasy. I’m embracing them, because they’re what makes Amazi-Girl a cool character, while also acknowledging how they (intentionally) don’t work in the series.

          Amazi-Girl works, as a character, because she’s usually a fantasy concept whose actions have no consequence. That’s why she gets to beat the hell out of dudes all the time and parkour off of rooftops onto speeding trucks. It’s cool and it’s cathartic and it’s awesome. She only works as any kind of positive force when she’s in situations where beating up dudes is an okay thing to do.

          Consequently, when said fantasy concept interacts with reality, she is useless, violent, and destructive. This is why she let Ryan escape by distracting everyone. This is why beating up Blaine was meant to signal that Amber is deeply unwell. This is why when she actually confronted Sal she spent the entire confrontation being a completely ineffectual clown who got taken down with a knee to the gut. This is why when trying to perform her daring rescue of Becky she nearly got everyone killed fifty times over, and even her positives where she was the catalyst of Becky’s rescue (because as Willis stated, physics were intentionally broken in that arc, which is why we got sequences like Amber being completely coherent after eating windshield and Sal out of literally nowhere, leaping in midair to catch her with one arm) is tinged with the realization that she nearly died and did it to prove she wasn’t the little girl scared of the boogeyman with the knife.

          TLDR: Anytime Amber tries to be the badass outside of the vacuum where beating up random dudes is okay, she’s completely ineffectual, because five foot white girls in capes don’t actually solve problems by punching them.

        16. a snow mouse

          Yeah, I think you’re probably right. Amber is pretty cognizant of her problems.
          I guess the major issue is that her problems are cognizant of her. That is, they’re self-defense mechanisms that could be triggered during the course of therapy.

        17. Spencer

          Amber’s main problem, I think, is that she’s already got one coping method that she thinks is helping. If she wants to get better, she needs to recognize that Amazi-Girl is a terrible course of action, which I think is coming up as Amazi-Girl storylines have veered towards the dramatic more and more as of late.

        18. Leorale

          Oh and I forgot Danny (raised with verbal abuse). Figures that he’d get forgetten again.

        19. Commodore Jeep-Eep

          Assuming Carla’s got any reason to trust therapists – given her history, she might well views them as folks who treat her and people like er like a piggy bank.

        20. thejeff

          We don’t know anything about her history, do we? We know she’s transitioned pretty early and is in college without any known drama. That suggests she came out to her parents and they supported her. It’s been hinted they’re fairly well off. If they actually supported her from the start, it’s likely they would have helped find a good therapist, which she’d need to get hormone therapy. Assuming she’s doing that, which hasn’t been actually stated.
          It’s possible there was more drama and lousy therapists involved, but there’s no real indication of it.

        21. Leorale

          Hard to tell: Carla might not even be on any hormones. She could’ve just redesigned her hair and wardrobe and felt good with it. I hope we learn Carla’s coming out story, and I hope it was generally supportive, to contrast vs. Jocelyn’s situation.

          I did once meet a transgender person who sought out a transgender therapist, because cis therapists kept assuming that their problems came from trans issues, but in fact they were fine with being trans, they just also had unrelated problems. It took a trans therapist to put their identity aside and focus on what was actually bugging them.

    2. EvolutionistX

      What Joyce needs is a community of trustworthy people who can support her and reassure her that she’s not turning into a bad person and she doesn’t need to see her parents as bad people, but that she is changing and finding her own way, which will not be exactly what her parents wanted. If that person shares her religious background and can reassure her that she is still in good standing with God, all the better.

      1. Leorale

        That would be grand.
        I was thinking therapy could focus on the post-Ryan PTSD, like where she can’t be outside alone anymore. But the community saying that she (and Becky) are ok with God just the way they are, and that Ross was 100% wrong, I bet that would be a great relief to her as well.

  30. pendrake

    {jingle singing} The best part of waking up, is Anti-Joyce stealing your cup (& car)…

  31. chromacandi

    whoaaa, can’t surpress the stoked arising here.. go for broke Joyce!

  32. nothri

    I object. Anti-Joyce shows off way more skin. Its the law.

    1. Cephalo the Pod

      Dude, she isn’t even wearing pants!

      1. Bagge

        No pants, no regrets, no fucks left to give.

        1. Cerberus

          Pants. Heh. Where we’re going we don’t need pants!

        2. inqntrol

          But you still need to wear underpants.

        3. Willoughby Chase

          Into the breech and going commando!!!

      2. nothri

        You are correct. Joyce is not wearing pants in this scene. I stand by my statement that Anti-Joyce shows off way more skin.

  33. KarkatTheDalek

    “Wanted: My best friend, but not changing so much so quickly.”

    1. StClair

      Soon to be a different kind of WANTED, maybe.

  34. John

    At least this Anti-Joyce has so far managed to avoid getting shot in the face.

    1. Cephalo the Pod

      “So far”, indeed.

      1. John

        Well, she was kind of flirting with it the day she was born.

    2. Yotomoe

      I avoid that every day and no one ever gives ME credit. HMPH!.

      1. Spencer

        It’s because we trust you not to antagonize crazy ladies when they’re carrying giant rifles. Anti-Joyce was a special case.

        1. Yotomoe

          But I like crazy ladies with giant rifles! I have no idea how they feel about me!

        2. Spencer

          Yotomoe, if you’re using a mindwiped alien abudctee’s repressed sexual fears as a way to cause her pain and also tried banging her squadmates and she points a gun at you, then you might be barking up the wrong tree.

        3. Yotomoe

          “Hey, those were some sexy squadmates!” i mean…

      2. void

        You don’t have a history of being shot in the face.

        1. Yotomoe

          You don’t know me! You don’t know my enemies.

        2. inqntrol

          Who the heck would hate you that much?

  35. motorfirebox

    Oh my god! David Willis is a lesbian!?!?!?!?!?!?

    1. Someone

      He kinda is, in a sense.

    2. Yotomoe

      There’s a lesbian inside us all. Especially those of us who are currently having sex with a lesbian.

  36. EvilWriter

    We’ve replaced the Brown’s brainwashed property with a living, breathing, thinking human being possessed of her own agency. Let’s see if they notice!

    1. Disloyal Subject

      I think they did.

      1. Cerberus

        And they will solve this “problem” by any means necessary.

        1. EvilWriter

          They will attempt it. And when that backfires, they’ll cut her loose like they presumably did Jordan and speak about her only obliquely and with mildly reproving intimations. All while knowing their friends will track her down, even years later, to make sure they know how horrible they were for what they did to their poor, poor, horribly abusive fundamentalist parents.

          Or they will maintain the relationship, but in a weird sort of cold-war way, only occasionally letting slip passive-aggressive comments that show just how much they blame their daughter, but which are innocuous enough that Joyce will likely let them slide. I’ve seen that happen too.

        2. Cerberus

          Hi, John, we’re visiting. Sadly, Jordan is too Jordan to come along. And (dead name) is too (dead name) to join us, but we brought your little sister… er… I’ve just been informed that Joyce is also too Joyce to join us this evening, so it’s just us… heh heh heh.

        3. EvilWriter

          It’s all right mother. I am living proof that you are not bad parents, simply that the world became too corrupt after you had finished raising me, your perfect son. WIFE! BRING OUR SIXTEEN CHILDREN! IT IS TIME TO PRAY TO GOD AND POLISH OUR GUNS! TELL LITTLE JEHOSHAPHAT TO BRING ALONG THE TACTICAL MAP OF THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD FACILITY FOR LATER!

          More casserole before I banish Wife back to the kitchen, Mother?

  37. newllend(henryvolt)

    So Joyce is going off the grid huh.

  38. Uniqueantique

    Joyce just found out how Becky felt, not treated as badly as Becky, but damn. I feel bad for both of them. This sucks.

    I’m guessing she’s heading for the college, when she gets back to the college, her parents are out of luck, arn’t they? She’s 18 I think.

    They can’t force her back home. The can refuse to pay, but this semester is obviously paid. So she has time to get part time work and maybe apply for some grants or scholarships.

    It’s gonna be really bad, if they are caught on the way out, but I don’t think it’s going to stop either one of them.

    1. Cerberus

      Yeah, home no longer feels safe to her and she just wants to run and run away. This is part of the cost of these casual hatreds, training your children to fear you more than they want to remain in your company.

    2. Unluckycharm

      I think her dad would not disown her. He’s proven that he can change a bit so Joyce can be happy. So even if she runs away and her mom kicks her out and wants to stop supporting her I think her dad would still look out for her.

    3. David

      You are assuming that Carol won’t bring out the shotgun if that’s necessary for saving Joyce from evil. She already stated that she is willing to die for her vision of Joyce.

  39. Adam Black

    MOAR anti-Joyce

  40. dailybrad

    Run with us, we’ve go everything you need
    Run with us, we are free.

    1. Kryss LaBryn

      Th-the Raccoons? 😀

  41. Shiro

    1.) Fucking love Becky, as usual
    2.) Yessssss Joyce babe go run off and connect with your big sis
    3.) But at the same time Joyce baby I’m not sure there’s any way this can go well for you, please be safe and keep Becky safe

    1. newllend(henryvolt)

      Don’t think Sarah will Side with Joyce on this so easily.

      1. Shiro

        Her other big sis, the biologically related one.

      2. Disloyal Subject

        I don’t think Shiro meant Sarah.

  42. milliontown

    Where the heck is La Porte IN.??

    1. Opus the Poet

      https://goo.gl/maps/kt4XSYoR2v72
      With directions from Bloomington.

    2. David

      Near to South Bend. It’s the home of Belle Gunness, an American of national fame. The La Porte city museum has an aisle dedicated to her. Look her up. My Grandma might have met her a few times on the street. She hated that aisle in the museum.

  43. Someone

    ANTI-JOYCE RETURNS!

  44. SaruCharmed

    Am I missing something? Who’s Jocelyn?

    1. void

      From what I gather from comments it’s Joyce’s sister that her parents keep calling a guy. I could be wrong though.

    2. Shiro

      Jocelyne is Joyce’s big sister, who is transgender and therefore their parents know her as Joshua.

      1. Cerberus

        This.

    3. tim gueguen

      One of Joyce’s siblings. Joyce and her parents don’t know that Joshua identifies as female, and uses the name Jocelyn when she feels safe to do so.

    4. John

      Jocelyne.

  45. engineer

    I just wonder how Billie is doing right now. Is she sad or angry? Ruth is probably happy to feel sadness, after all she’s feeling just something. Poor Billie, I’d like to jump into the comic and comfort her right now.

    1. Vagabond J

      Avatar checks out.

    2. Spencer

      Well it’s Saturday morning, so she’s probably thinking she’s too sober to deal with things right now.

    3. Disloyal Subject

      Probably something like the last panel here, except with a lot more anger and less shock.

      1. engineer

        That bittersweet drama! Been there, done that…

  46. Megatron

    Quick, check the rubsign.

    1. Hoxton

      And now there’s a giant metal thing here.
      …
      I’m starting to remember why I liked solitary so much.

      1. Megatron

        Is solitary the reason you look like an extra from The Purge Trilogy?

        1. Megatron

          Also, is solitary where Springfield is?

        2. Hoxton

          No. Solitary is basically getting put under maximum lock and key all by yourself. No cash flow, but no huge metal rejects from a sci-fi B-flick from the 60s either.

  47. Yotomoe

    Joyce, that’s a pretty bad idea. I mean, shit, my mom’s great and I’m pretty sure she’d choke slam me if I took her car for a joy ride.

  48. Larkle

    And…this is probably the point where it’s a good thing Becky came along.

    1. Shiro

      Yeah. Joyce may be making the decision to run, but she needs Becky, who’s damn good at thinking on her feet and making shit like this work, if she’s going to succeed.

      1. MM

        Also, Becky would probably like to avoid another car chase if at all possible.

      2. Cerberus

        Oh yeah, this. Becky is crazy good in a crisis and is also pretty on the ball about her triggers (which will also keep her from having a PTSD fueled meltdown during an attempted escape). Yeah, if Joyce wants to run, taking Becky along is a must.

      3. Dara

        I think Becky is going to be talking her out of this.

        I’m betting Becky knows a lot about appeasing unaccountable and unremovable authorities in order to survive. (I know I sure do.)

    2. Dara

      Yeah. Yeah, I think so.

    3. Xelgaex

      Well from what we saw of the argument, it looked like what got Carol started was the fact that Becky is there. Then again, this might have been Carol’s plan for this weekend from the start, Becky or no Becky. Becky visiting might just be her excuse.

      1. Liliet

        Becky visiting might have escalated things a little, but Joyce already feared this weekend before she came. Best case scenario this could have gone, everything gets dragged out with sweet smiles and delayed until another weekend, Joyce comes back to the campus emotionally drained and continues her slow slide into depression. Worst case, Joyce actually caves in to her parents’ nagging and demands and old brainwashing resurfaces, and without Becky there to remind her what she’s fighitng for she just decides to stay home on her own.
        This was an option without Becky visiting too, Joyce would just have been that much more lonely and terrified.

        1. Cerberus

          Honestly, this was going to be the deal either way. If Becky hadn’t come, there’d still have been a nasty passive-aggressive fight, this time about the “disrespect” of her phone call and “I don’t like the influences at that school of yours, first an atheist and now a lesbian” and maybe even a lot more assumptions about Becky based on their ideas of what a lesbian is, some that might have included assuming that Becky was with Joyce in every sense and thus that she’s “corrupted” and in need of “healing”.

          It would have been bad. Honestly, it’s hard to say which is worse, though. This way, Joyce actually isn’t necessarily trapped in the house if she needs to go for a walk or something because of conversations like this. And Becky being a full person with a girlfriend changes the tenor of the conversation, at least for her dad… a little bit.

          I think either way, she would have overheard yesterday’s conversation as I think Carol would be going down this track no matter what just based on Joyce “daring to disrespect her parents” with her pushback on behalf of Dorothy and her angry phone call on behalf of Becky.

          Not to mention that without Becky to defuse the dinner situation, Joyce would have probably gotten into a shouting match over dinner with her mom. Though that still may happen given that there are two more days of passive-aggression for Joyce and Becky to push through.

        2. Xelgaex

          Yeah looking back, some kind of confrontation was probably inevitable once Joyce left that message. Sometimes I forget she already took the “keep your head down and try not to offend the bigots parents” option off the table from the start.

          BTW, when did Joyce get told to come home? I’m guessing it was later in the “I’d die for you” conversation, since I think it happened off panel sometime.

  49. Synnerman

    Thelma and Louise 🙁

  50. Someone

    Becky: Joyce I had the weirdest dream, you kept wiggling your butt! Also you need new sheets.

    1. inqntrol

      Later in the bathroom Carol prepares the washing machine: “Why do this sheets smell so weird?”

  51. Saaaam

    well that’s got to be a fucking bummer to sleep under your deadname when you visit home

    1. Regalli

      Seriously. Gotta wonder why she has a banner like that in the first place.

      1. Cerberus

        I get the feeling that there are a lot of passive-aggressive little touches around to “reaffirm” Jocelyne’s “gender identity”.

        I know before I was out and definitely long before any family will admit to knowing about it, my family was doing all manner of passive-aggressive actions to “affirm” “proper” behavior and encourage me towards a specific form of masculinity. From what I’ve heard from other trans folks, I suspect that might actually be somewhat common.

      2. Lapin

        Well, from what I gather, Joyce had three older siblings? Joyce was the only cis!girl, so what probably happened was that their oldest brother had his own room, Jocelyn and Jordan likely shared, and Joyce had her own room. Jocelyn (then known as Joshua) and Jordan probably had matching banners to designate their side of the room.

        1. Cerberus

          Yeah, I also bet that Jocelyne/Jordan’s room used to be John’s back when they just had one kidling.

        2. BenRG

          “This is my side, that is your side. My side, your side!”

          “No, I’m NOT buying two half-room size carpets for ‘your sides’!”

  52. Bagge

    Becky: *Huh, I just woke up in Joyce’s house and she doesn’t have any pants…. come on, subconscious. That dream is getting old*

    1. Cerberus

      Pantless Joyce, foot of my bed, wants to run away with me… ugh, I hate the false wake-up dreams.

      1. StClair

        (nice.)

  53. Bicycle Bill

    Well, I’m in on the Kickstarter — “Full Magnet Power” again.
    And Kadi Fedoruk (creater of “Blindsprings” which can also be found through Hiveworks) is starting her first Kickstarter in the next few days as well.
    Well, I guess I know where my next paycheck is going…..

    1. Roborat

      I didn’t get there in time, and all the options I was interested in were sold out.

  54. TheGrammarLegionary

    Am I the ONLY one thinking Joyce isn’t trying to pull a runner with Becky, she just wants an hour or so alone to try and figure out how to react to this? And maybe vent a bit to someone who has dealt with asshole parents before?

    1. thejeff

      I’m not sure Joyce is actually planning. But yeah, she hasn’t thought it through and she’s just in “we need to get out of here” mode. So, get out, drive around town, talk to Becky, figure out what’s safe.
      Becky copes with crisis better than Joyce does.

    2. Liliet

      My thought was that she wants to take Becky to visit her home so she has her documents, and figure out what to do from there.

    3. Griffin

      No, that’s exactly what I’m thinking!

    4. Cerberus

      Mental panic attack, planning, same difference.

      But seriously, I think that will occur, but I think the drive to get out now is pure Joyce panic response caused by all the passive threats she overheard.

      1. Cerberus

        And I think that will need to settle down before she’s ready to plan anything.

  55. MM

    That’s not an Anti-Joyce! You can’t even see her midriff!

    1. podian

      Good, because Anti-Joyces have quite a short life expectancy.

    2. Carolyn

      But she’s not wearing pants. Does that fulfill the requirement?

  56. Bagge

    “Becky’s Joyce…” D’awwwwwwwww

  57. Bagge

    Depicted: Another Jordan situation after Joyce being squeezed to hard.

    Hank, smugly: “Told you so”

    1. Cerberus

      Yup. Though I doubt that Carol will either hear or understand the lesson.

      1. Syndicaidramon

        She won’t. Not initially anyway. It will take a lot of contemplation and self-reflection before she does.

        1. Emperor Norton

          And unlike Hank, she’s not much of one for either of those things.

        2. Syndicaidramon

          Indeed.

    2. Harvey Janus

      Hank: Now we gotta buy a new car.

  58. Lapin

    What’s weird is, much as Hank had my back up the last comic, I feel like he’s the one who will come get the car from campus and tell Joyce she can make her own choices. While her mother waits in the other car. And doesn’t get out.

    Also, Becky staying in Jocelyn’s room should be a relief to Carol. It was already infected with rainbow cooties. If Carol knew. I wonder if Jordan knows, or if their older brother does?

    1. Cerberus

      Hey Joyce, I found this powder blue/pink striped thing hidden under the bed last night? Have any idea what’s the deal with that?

      1. Lapin

        I know you’re making a reference but I’m not sure what it is?

        1. Cerberus

          http://www.rainbowdepot.com/Transgender-Flag_p_13442.html

        2. Lapin

          You were referencing the /flag/. (headdesk) I hear ‘thing’ and I think more of an object, and confused myself with overcomplication.

        3. Cerberus

          No worries. 😀

        4. Harvey Janus

          So I have a question. Why do gay people get the rainbow flag and everyone else get the more specific ones? Shouldn’t pansexual people get the rainbow?

          It’s just something that’s bugged me.

        5. StClair

          As I understand it, because (some) people got a flag and promptly turned around on everyone else in a similar position and said, “this is OURS and only ours, get your own. (If your thing is even real.)”

          Because people are people, and having endured bad stuff yourself is no guarantee of sympathy or understanding for others.

        6. StClair

          (hrm. that was snark, and might not actually be true. I should probably have left it to someone better informed to answer. sorry.)

        7. de Combys

          I feel like what you said (StClair) is very true. I’m saying that as a bi and trans person.

        8. Bagge

          My first thought was of a pregnancy test… and then I couldn’t make sense of anything at all.

  59. Shiro

    Oh hey, because I just checked out the kickstarter and am debating which tier to pledge, whaddya think my chances are if I come out to my very conservative parents by handing them the book, then flashing them a winning smile and saying, “Actually, I’m bisexual”? Soften the blow a bit, like yeah sure there’s totally a chance I’ll still make you grandbabies?

    /like 90% joking

    1. Cerberus

      Hmm, I guess it depends on how safe you are currently and if you feel ready for something like that. If so, sure, it’s cute, funny, and disarmingly odd enough to forestall a negative reaction for a little bit allowing you to gauge the silence.

      Either way, if you do decide to do it or another type of coming out, definitely have a friend on standby to lend support either in person or as someone you can go to. And definitely have someone still on hand for when they go home because it’s often the follow-up phone call or email that gets the nastiest.

      Whatever you choose, know that we’ve got your back all the way and believe in you! Go Shiro!

      1. Shiro

        You’re a genuinely sweet person, Cerb. I better wait til I’m out from under my dad’s roof, but those are very good notes for when I finally get there–and hey, the book will keep til then, right? 😀 Thank you for the advice and support, and just generally for being you!

        1. Cerberus

          In the meantime, hold in there. The closet can be a rough place, so take care of yourself in there and remind yourself that it won’t be forever.

          Also, *hugs*

  60. Orion Fury

    It doesn’t say ‘Anti-Joyce’ in the tags, so we should be ok. Mostly.

  61. Drakey

    I seriously had to check the tags first.

  62. ninjazaku

    If you look closely, you can see the exact moment where Joyce lost all faith that what she once believed in!

    1. de Combys

      If you listen closely, you can even hear the crack!

  63. BenRG

    Yeah, her mother’s mindset panicked Joyce enough that she’s afraid for her and Becky’s safety and now she’s about to start running. Whilst I saw it coming, it doesn’t make seeing a family self-destruct any easier. *Sigh* Sometimes, I hate being right!

    FWIW, I don’t think that Joyce will go far; just to somewhere at a psychologically safe distance so she can confront matters without feeling trapped in a hostile environment.

  64. caesaria82

    Joyce is growing as a person and maybe for her right now that means having to get disillusioned with her parents. Or seeing them clearly for the first time. She’s being so strong in the face of her whole world changing. You go, Joyce, you got this.

  65. Carms

    I think… Joyce can probably rely on her dad more.
    Having said, if she tries for that and it fails, she’ll be in an even more untenable position… And if she succeeds it might tear her parents apart. I don’t think either is an acceptable outcome for Joyce

    1. BenRG

      The thing is… this has happened before, with Jordan. If Carol’s rigid behaviour leads to the burning of bridges with two more of Hank’s children, then whose fault is it if he can’t bear to be in a relationship with her anymore?

      1. Syndicaidramon

        What was it that happened with Jordan? When? Does anyone know?

        1. Cerberus

          It’s not made it into the comic yet.

      2. de Combys

        This might or might not be relevant, but my own mother behaved similarily to this, until all four of us let down her expectations, Then, she had to adjust, much to the relief of my dad. After all, family is a very important Christian value, and most people, even rigid ones, are willing to reconsider their own vues if they are the only ones on their own side.

      3. Emperor Norton

        Oh, we all know whose fault it would really be. Unfortunately, whose fault it really is will be practically irrelevant.

        Because Carol certainly won’t believe it to be her fault. Indeed, she will only take this as a sign that she is the only one left in the family with true faith.

        Joyce, on the other hand, will most certainly think it’s her fault. You’ve seen her in this comic. She accepts blame to the point where she’s not really to blame. Most likely because Carol raised her to think that “everything bad is your fault, Joyce”; a favourite tactic of abusive parents to use against their children to ensure that children are being good. We’ve seen it time and time again in this comic that Joyce has the mindset that “if only I’d have done this instead” whenever something goes wrong, regardless of whether she realistically could have done anything at all.

        So yeah, family falling apart, Joyce and Carol will both think Joyce is to blame. And if you think their conversations are awkward as it is right now, just you wait until Carol’s free of Hank and can -really- put on the guilt-tripping!

  66. philip

    Really loving Joyce’s expressions in this one.

  67. BenRG

    There is a sort of narrative irony about Becky sleeping in Jocelyne’s childhood bed, isn’t there?

    1. Jacket

      What, is Jocelyne a lesbian?

  68. Zaxares

    Joyce, I know how trapped you must feel right now, but taking the car and disappearing is exactly the wrong thing to do. It would only prove Carol “right”. Right now, Hank is on your side, and that’s invaluable in parent-child disputes. If you go ahead with this, you’re likely to lose his support, and then it really will be a family break-up.

    1. de Combys

      I feel like trying not to prove her right would be way too much consideration, and that Joyce deserves to do what she feels is a good thing to do, not base her actions on or against what people expect of her.

      1. David

        What Joyce is deserving and what she is getting are two completely separate things. Not just for Joyce. Not just, not just, not just.

        1. de Combys

          Life.

  69. Syndicaidramon

    I’m so freaking proud of Joyce! ^_^

  70. Willoughby Chase

    Plays Nico’s Facing the wind

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEFp7kR5K-A#

  71. Chris (the other one)

    This. This is why some religions and cultures don’t want/allow women to go to school. And sometimes not just women. I would wager that very few suicide bombers passed 4th grade, if that.

    Because once you begin to learn, you learn that everything you were taught is, well, not necessarily not wrong, but definitely not completely right either.

    1. Cerberus

      Which is why authoritarian groups like this hate information access and “uncontrolled” education. And why Carol and Hank were talking about Joyce being “strong” enough to resist the secular education system. Like, she was expected to be “inoculated” enough to hold onto her old “values” no matter what was taught in her classes or said by her peers, so as to remain “pure” enough to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

      Basically that the internal brain workings in this comic would hold sway and she’d be perfectly Mary throughout her 4 years:
      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/02-guess-whos-coming-to-galassos/proven/

      1. de Combys

        Please, people, stop posting earlier comic strips as a reference, I always end up re-reading it for substantial amounts of time T___T

        But, wow, Joyce has evolved so much.

  72. Lurlock

    And the title of this chapter is subtly referenced. “When God Closes the Door” indeed. (“La Porte” literally means “the Door” in case anyone didn’t know.)

    1. de Combys

      French is my mother tongue and I didn’t notice. *hides*

    2. Emperor Norton

      I did not spot that. +17 internet points to you, Lurloc!

    3. David

      Well, somebody let in Belle Gunness.

  73. Zababcd

    Regarding today’s comic, I’m interested to hear Becky’s take on this once she understands the situation.

    More interestingly: I love these Kickstarters. Normally you see someone whose work you love start an ambitious campaign and you’re constantly worried about if they’re going to get funded. For these Kickstarters, Willis is all like “I’m not even asleep yet and I’ve already reached my $22000 goal.” Then it’s all about enjoying the ride as the stretch goals bring even greater happiness to all.

  74. altalemur

    um… i’m worried that this will just prove Joyce’s mom right, that Joyce is defying her elders. but sure, road trip time.

    1. de Combys

      What would be the problem with that? If authority is wrong, it’s your responsibility to defy it.

      1. a snow mouse

        The problem is what Joyce’s mom will think and how she will react.

        1. de Combys

          Yep. But you can’t keep pushing that moment away, either… her limits are too stringent and when her kids grow past them, she has to choices : bend, or break. Or else, it’s the child that’ll break.

  75. metropotamian

    Anyone else hearing death knells in the distance for Joyce’s parents’ marriage in this strip? Methinks Hank has had just about enough of Carol’s alienation of their children and seeing her be so hateful toward their only daughter might be causing him to see their marriage in a different light as well. Being from the same era and part of the country as Willis and having seen these scenarios play out firsthand, oftentimes it takes seeing someone treat YOUR OWN/THEIR OWN child in a way you could never fathom treating another human, let alone one you love for the sane partner to finally realize what a horrible person they are married to.
    Even more dramatic, could you imagine if Hank admits that he has ‘struggled with urges’ himself and turned out just fine with 4 kids after the temptation of public school? Willis could draw her exit like the old cartoons: one panel she is there, the next it’s just her hairpins…

  76. hof1991

    Joyce’s older sibs all made it out alive. Time to consult with one or more of them. Not flee back to IU.

    Plus, is that old Folger’s ad something you whippersnappers are even aware of? Not fair. I miss all gaming and transformer references.

    1. No Name

      If it’s any consolation, I didn’t get it until you pointed it out.

  77. hof1991

    Becky is seriously worried. Her face lacks the usual Beckyness. Not a smart mouth kid but a young adult worried about a friend. Even though she’s cracking a joke, there’s no hint of a smile on her face. A look at the real Becky that she rarely lets out. That breaks my heart most of all.

    1. Bagge

      Agreed. Becky knows immediately that something is wrong – worse than yesterday – and she has no idea how to deal with a Joyce who doesn’t drip what she’s feeling from her pores.

      Becky is not worried for her own sake – what could Carol ever do to her that’s worse than her own father did? But she fears a lot for her best friend.

      1. Cerberus

        Definitely. Carol’s too passive-aggressive to point a gun at her head and the worst she can do is close off her last hope for a family. But she can do a lot of damage to Joyce and that’s got Becky really worried, especially as Joyce has been acting off a lot lately and it’s hard to tell which parts are evolution of her faith and anger and which parts are just micturating trauma.

  78. maarvarq

    Anyone else had a problem with a disruptive (as in taking over the whole page) ad here? I had to resort to Adblock here and over at Weregeek to see the strip.

    1. Jen

      Yes, I had that problem too. After trying to access the site 3 times and only getting an ad, I cleared my internet cache and then the page loaded properly.

    2. Nightsbridge

      No, but you should send information about it to Hiveworks. They manage Willis’ ads.

    3. Spencer

      I find turning off Shockwave on Firefox works for me. Before that it was really bad and constantly crashed the entire browser.

  79. Jen

    Eeep! I was out of town when the kickstarter started! I luckily managed to snag one of the last two Full Magnet Power pledges! Yay!

    I’m also very concerned as to where this is going. I hope they don’t actually steal the car. o_O Or if they do, I hope it’s just to go get breakfast and have a chat and make a game plan.

    1. Dave

      Agreed Jen. Seems like Joyce is getting set to go full on “disobedient”. dunh dunh dunh. I’m worried for her. I really cringe at her mother, (I hope she’s not irredeemable) but would hate to see Joyce just quit on everything and run away – causing more strife. Maybe it would be necessary, but how about as a last last resort?

  80. Antwon

    I just hope other people know who Anti-Joyce is.

    1. Spencer

      I am occasionally reminded that other people didn’t read It’s Walky!, and thus are to be pitied for their mistakes.

  81. Ilerien

    I feel sad for Joyce not only has her perception of the world been turned upside down and her entire set of morals has to readjust but all her hopes get switched arround at past last minute….I hope she doesn’t become lonely smartass like me

  82. Sock_v

    It starts out innocent. Let’s go for a ride, Becky!

    …and then it turns into a direct plagiarism of Thelma and Louise.

    1. Sock_v

      Oh, nobody dies, the comic just ends their storyline with them suspended in the air…

  83. ailorn

    I just realized Becky is sleeping in Jocelyn’s room and “Josh” is in pink letters… Not hiding that much when you can see it.

  84. NLips

    Joyce is legally an adult. The only thing her mother can do to control her is deny her transportation. I don’t know where they live exactly, but I get a feeling the house is kind of isolated and it would be a long walk to leave. If they “borrow” the car and drive back to the University, her parents can be angry, and go get their car back, but they can’t force her to return. They could in theory call the police to report a car theft but I consider that unlikely, since it would come out that they’re trying to essentially kidnap an adult.

    The other thing they can do, which parents frequently use to control their adult children, is finances. A new adult heading out in the world is terrified of being totally financially independent. It’s very easy to just continue depending on mom and dad’s support. Threatening to cut off an adult child is frequently the only threat it takes to get the child to back down and do whatever the parent wants. When in reality, they could just say “screw you,” get a job, and take care of themselves LIKE ALL THE OTHER ADULTS.

    1. Cerberus

      Totes, minimum wage, entry level positions frequently pay enough to survive on.

      But yeah, definitely on the way parents use things like finances and transportation to control. Similarly, there’s the loss of safety nets and community support that’s used to bully people “back in line”. Cause, it’s very brave and awesome, the people who go and never look back, but I can definitely confirm it’s high risk and one nasty spell can mean spending some time on the streets or relying on the kindness of friends for a place to crash and help getting back on your feet.

      1. de Combys

        Your country seems like a very scary place to be :/

        1. Cerberus

          Nonsense, we’ve decreased the wandering radioactive zombie bear hordes by at least 20% and extended the time you can safely spend outside the quarantine zones by at least 5 minutes. It’s really looking quite quite up.

        2. AeromechanicalAce

          The myth of American Individualism has lead a lot of very dim people here into thinking that ‘survival of the fittest’ is a good social standard.

          That and that Donald Trump would be a good president.

          So yes, Yes it is very scary here.

        3. Spencer

          Any problem can be overcome with sufficient application of bootstraps.

        4. de Combys

          While most of us here are having a good laugh about that Trump issue, I’ll take a minute of silence to think about the real folks who would be directly affected by that.

      2. thejeff

        Many minimum wage, probably not full time even if you want it jobs even come with helpful advice from the employers in signing up for the minimal welfare benefits you qualify for since you make so little.
        Good luck trying to get through school working to support yourself, since a lot of employers won’t care to schedule around your classes.
        Trading away parental support through college and the lifelong advantages that early low-debt degree will get you is a hell of a gamble. The chances are really good you’ll never really recover, even if you don’t hit rock bottom.

        And just to make it worse: Becky’s already in the state and relying on Joyce to stay afloat, so Joyce has her to worry about too.

    2. Emperor Norton

      “When in reality, they could just say “screw you,” get a job, and take care of themselves LIKE ALL THE OTHER ADULTS.”

      Yeah, because Joyce was clearly raised to be an independent woman meant to make her own way in the world, and not at all only be allowed to study in college so that she could become better at homeschooling the children she was supposed to have with her future husband.

    3. David

      La Porte is a small town. That house looks like one of the standard houses outside of the town square. Reminds me of Monroe St where my Grandma lived: the house is almost a spitting image of hers, just mirrored. You’d not have all that much of a terrible walk to the next bus station getting you back to the university town (what was it again?) eventually, given enough money. Which might be a problem.

  85. BabyYouCanDriveMycar

    Come on, let’s get to the driving part. Drive it like you stole it!

    1. Leorale

      Username and gravatar for this comment check out, and immediately caused me to imagine cars catcalling car strippers, like, ‘yeah baby, rev that engine.’

  86. Just Me

    So, what will Becky do? What should Becky do? Go along with Joyce without question? Or try to reason with/talk Joyce out of it?

  87. Bicycle Bill

    Barely twelve hours since the Kickstart began and we’ve already got Saturday and Sunday updates stretch-goals unlocked, as well as the Mike and Sarah magnets.  Marcie and Malaya coming up next!!

  88. Kryss LaBryn

    Aargh, you guys. I think I found a blog from Joyce’s family’s church. 🙁

    http://biblicalgenderroles.com/2016/02/21/how-to-help-women-learn-their-place/

    My “favourite” part is down in the comments, where the author argues that slavery is A-okay, so long as the slaves are treated in accordance with the way God says they should be treated (i.e. beating them is fine so long as you don’t injure them), and so long as they have been acquired properly (i.e. not kidnapped; but war captives and parents selling their children into slavery are perfectly fine). ><

    "Absolutely I think people owning other people(under the right circumstances – not because they kidnapped them) is OK if the country you are in had laws that allowed it. If I thought one person owning another person was immoral than I would have to throw out my Bible because it says it is moral under the right circumstances.” (emphasis not added; it’s in the original).

    Oh, and while a woman’s place is definitely in the home, deferring to her husband, it’s totally fine for her to have a job and work–so long as it’s out of her home.

    Now I hate Joyce’s mum on a whole new level. ><

    1. EvilWriter

      The biblical gender roles website is a real treasure, isn’t it?

      I tell people this all the time. Most fundamentalists actually know less about the Bible (or at least about a scholarly view of the Bible) than other Christians. You expect fundies to know more, but study after study shows they actually know less. This is true of Muslims as well, and I suspect most religion. More religious knowledge generally leads to more liberal religious views.

      But there are exceptions. Exceptions like, I’m ashamed to admit, I was. And these are the people who really, really know their iron-age religious books… and believe every single word, and just accept them as is.

      These people are terrifying and dangerous. That includes my assessment of the person I used to be.

  89. JimmyJoe III

    Damn, Joyce has some nice legs. o3o

  90. Marie

    Oh shit I just remembered they (or, well, Becky) can’t go back early

    1. Marie

      I understand that’s not necessarily what they’re doing (could be a think-drive, visiting a sibling, etc), but if they try to go back, they don’t know about Billie or Ruth unless Joyce decides to text Billie (or Sal) that they’re on their way, and while possible that doesn’t seem incredibly likely

  91. Rodimiss

    Where does she want to go? My first instinct was Jordan, which might just be me desperately wanting to know the mystery, but maybe it’ll be Jocylene instead? I think I can recall seeing her in a preview panel.

    Or maybe it’s not to family at all, but I hope it is. I hope Joyce can learn that she’s still got family she can rely on.

  92. Luzahn

    Aww crap, this is gonna turn into “A Lesbian kidnapped our innocent daughter!” isn’t it.

  93. Victor Riley

    Joyce might just be on her way to full-on Atheism at this rate.

    Or at least a non-denominational form of Christianity that isn’t so bigoted and crazy.

    1. Spencer

      I have a hard time seeing Joyce as non-religious. Even in It’s Walky! she lost her faith due to mindwipe but then regained it, and it was treated wholly as a positive.

      1. Commodore Jeep-Eep

        The author has evolved since then, however.

        1. Emperor Norton

          True enough, but I still see Joyce ending up as, well, some form of non-fundie type rather than atheist, at least in the lifetime of this particular comic. And said auther is currently mainly portraying fundamentalism as a negative rather than religion as a whole.

          Oh, and agnostic is also an option, I guess.

        2. Spencer

          “Evolved” might be the wrong word to use.

          Anyway, I just see Joyce’s religious devotion to be a core part of her character. I could be wrong, of course, and Joyce eventually deciding that she doesn’t need to believe in a God is just as valid as a story where she adapts her beliefs in the face of the realities she’s come across since leaving home.

    2. Luzahn

      I don’t know, religion seems pretty deeply ingrained in Joyce and is only partially a bad influence on her life. She gets something meaningful out of it that isn’t just terror.

      While it’s certainly not the case for everyone, my atheism is a result of weak religiosity since childhood, and Joyce doesn’t really fit that. She’s not going through the motions for fear of reprisal, she actually likes her religion.

  94. Foxbite

    I was reading through DoA from the beginning and I got to the one where Joshua texted Ethan his writing website. I absolutely love that actually googling jocelynejbrown.com redirects to this comic!

    1. Stara

      I just tried that, fantastic and glad you actually tried the url. 😀

  95. Roborat

    That last panel is brilliant, well done Sir Willis.

  96. Kayla

    What is Josh is Jordan? And Joyce has an older brother who is a m to f transgender.

    1. Spencer

      Jocelyne (who was named Joshua at birth) is Joyce’s older sister. Jordan is Joyce’s third older brother, and the third oldest after Jocelyne.

  97. zoelogical

    TRAMPS LIKE US, BABY WE WERE BORN TO RUN

    1. Willoughby Chase

      +1

  98. Tenn

    Hey, I understood that reference!

    Looking forward to the reek of blood and sailors.

  99. Willoughby Chase

    Hopefully it’s a Fast Car …

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTIB10eQnA0

    “I wanna ticket to anywhere …”

    “Finally see what it means to be living.”

    1. Stephen R. Bierce

      Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution Goin’ On

  100. Bunk

    Anybody else notice that the Kickstarter goals state that the 22k Goal is Book 4, not 5?

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