Maybe the alt-text is like “huh, I didn’t realize at the time that the way I’d drawn Sal helping Joyce down from the van makes it look like she’s holding her back.”
I’m reminded of a Justice League episode. Whole season plays with the idea of Superman going full dictator after he kills Lex Luthor, and at the very end of the season Lex (apparently) kills the Flash and Superman looks like he’s going to flat out murder him.
Wonder Woman goes to intervene, but Batman stops her. This is something they need to decide for themselves. Who are they in their darkest moment?
All I could think when I saw the line “You’re welcome” was….
“I know what’s happening here…you’re face-to-face with greatness and it’s strange. You don’t even know how you feel – it’s adorable! Well it’s nice to know that humans never change…”
You may find it odd that she can wear overalls under her costume without it looking all clumpy, but actually making several layers work is a vital superhero skill.
^ Yep, pretty much this. He knows he’s screwed either way. His identity is revealed, his reputation is in tatters, he’s going to jail at the very best. The last, only measure of revenge he can take is to insinuate into Amber’s mind that he’s pleased with what she’s become.
It kinda seems like that, but just a few panels ago they were both perched on the van saying ‘friends.’ So I’m not sure. There is certainly some type of transformation happening, perhaps an integration – would that be a death? I could see it both ways (as a death or not).
Well, when matter and anti-matter meet, they cancel each other out. The explosive release of energy that occurs when that happens, however, is truly cataclysmic.
There will be no survivors.
(puts on half glasses and quickly shaves facial hair down to a neckbeard)
(patronising voice) “Actually, the plural is either Tardii, or Tardipodes, depending on whether you define Old Gallifreyan as being closer to Latin or Greek”. 🙂 🙂 🙂
… I … I’m just so proud of this comment thread! I made a bad Doctor Who joke and it turned into a discussion of grammar. This could not have gone better if I’d actually planned it.
No, I think it’s Amber getting ready to kill him. She started the superhero thing to contextualize her violent tendencies in a way where she couldn’t maim or kill anyone because Superheroes don’t do that.
She should go no further than ruin his looks with broken teeth and scars—narcissists hate that. Then, she should back off and let him live. He has pissed off the Mafia. Imprisoned or free, he will eventually be found dead with certain amputated body parts adorning his face.
Tear him to pieces Amber, the courts will go easy on you. You can claim temporary insanity, probably.
Does anyone know if she actually could get away with killing her father here? Would it be mitigated by the fact that he took her hostage?
This. “Pleading insanity”, in addition to being extremely difficult in real life (you basically need to prove that you were literally incapable of discerning right from wrong), does not mean that you walk free even if the courts accept the plea.
Temporary insanity has been used as a defense before but as far as I know, it generally is used as a mitigating factor rather than a fool proof defense.
I mean, that’s kind of the point. Not to avoid going away, but to go somewhere with medical professionals who can provide you the treatments you need rather than the incredibly overcrowded and underfunded prison system.
I think in some places, the verdict would be “guilty but mentally ill.” Meaning they’d send the murderer to a hospital for treatment. When they were considered to be mentally well again, they’d be sent to jail.
In this case, I think that would be a good thing.
The man she murdered was kidnapping her friends and murdered someone in front of her, AND was her father. I bet the judge, jury, and prosecution would all WANT to be lenient on her. The murder isn’t premeditated and could be argued down to manslaughter.
She’s also in the public eye and probably has the support of a congressman. She may well receive a pardon! Or at least an early parole.
If there is a minimum sentence for manslaughter, could they make her serve out her sentence at the psych ward?
Yeah, but unless that comic is going to occasionally switch to legal drama with Amber and few to no other known characters for what would be he next decade or so of real world time, that would still effectively remove Amber from the comic indefinitely. So I don’t see it going that way.
I expect that we might see the aftermath of (or flashbacks to) a trial where Amber and the rest of the gang testify against Blaine, so that’s something to look forward to.
Well, she only chased him down to stop the kidnapping, so that’s perfectly legit. He’s on the ground, but it’s not entirely clear he’s helpless. They had him down and tied up before and he still got away with a kidnap victim. At this point, I’d say it’s legit to do whatever you need to keep him helpless on the ground.
Which might just be watch him. Or threaten him if he tries to get up or crawl away. Hit him again, if he doesn’t stop. Bind him, if you’ve got the means at hand.
Women who commit violence crimes are routinely sentenced to ten times what men receive. There’s this notion that violence doesn’t come naturally to women.
A 2001 University of Georgia study found substantial disparity in criminal sentencing men and women received “after controlling for extensive criminological, demographic, and socioeconomic variables”. The study found that in US federal courts, “blacks and males are… less likely to get no prison term when that option is available; less likely to receive downward departures [from the guidelines]; and more likely to receive upward adjustments and, conditioned on having a downward departure, receive smaller reductions than whites and females”.
In 2012 Sonja B. Starr from University of Michigan Law School found that “men receive 63% longer sentences on average than women do,” and “[w]omen are…twice as likely to avoid incarceration if convicted”, also based on data from US federal court cases.
In 2006, Ann Martin Stacey and Cassia Spohn found that women receive more lenient sentences than men after controlling for presumptive sentence, family responsibilities, offender characteristics, and other legally relevant variables, based on examination of three US district courts.
Highlander immortals don’t do it after the “I made you strong” bit.
“My child. You have come to me, my son. For who now is your father if it is not me? Who gave you the will to live? I am the wellspring, from which you flow. When I am gone, you will have never been. What will your world be, without me, my son? My son.” -Thulsa Doom
Is Blaine trying to die? Like he is in enough pain, could be dying slowly anyhow, maybe realizes jail is his future if he lives, and is trying to commit suicide by Amber?
Quite possibly, I’m convinced he’s type of ass that would take pleasure from making her go over the edge. He’d consider it a win, even if it kills him and at this point he may prefer it over prison or what the mob might do to him.
Eh, he can pretend he “won” as he rots away in prison. The important thing is to get him as far away from amber as possible so she doesn’t have to deal with his bullshit any more.
“Yes! Yes! Killing me only proves how right I was! Yes! Taking off my leg vindicates me! Yes! The flow of blood from the stump is only a reminder of how right I am at all times! Yes!”
Amazi-voice isn’t an indicator of who’s in control though, it’s just a voice either of them can put on. She’s had cheek blushies the whole time, so Amber was the one driving.
The cheek blushes (along with the tags) are the reliable clue. And you need the blushes in strips where they’re both tagged because there’s a switch within the strip. Or for other reasons like the most recent appearance of both: which was Amber on the roof of the van with a blue image of Amazi-Girl agreeing that they’d be friends.
Thulsa Doom: My child, you have come to me my son. For who now is your father if it is not me? I am the well spring, from which you flow. When I am gone, you will have never been.
Thats what happens when studios decide to go the PG route to make more money, it always makes the movies worse, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome is a good example (even though I did like the actual Thunderdome part)
That’s it, Amber, embrace your hatred and bash my brains in. Then you can take your place by my side. Only by accepting the power of the dark side can you ever hope to truly—OW! HEY! No hitting! SHE’S HITTING ME! AUGH! MAKE HER STOP!
“Good, I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon. Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!”
She’s like Carol Danvers in her original Ms. Marvel series. Back when she had a split personality thing going on and had different hairstyles in her Carol and Ms. Marvel personas.
Blaine, you didn’t create her. You somehow made her body through sickening sex, and twisted her mind with your abuse, but she forged herself with the help of her loved ones. Ethan, Mike, Danny, Sal, Joyce, Walky… They all helped her become who she is.
You aren’t different from the school bully in middle school, the abusive boyfriend from high school, the utilitarian professor at college, or the cynical artists that moicks their fans. You are just a side note on the road, and when you dir no one will miss you, not even the wife that you abused, nor the boy you pretend that isn’t your son. Even your korean mobster wife will ditch your for someone richer and hoter. You suck.
Hopefully, this is leading up to a “big in the opposite direction of anger” moment for Amber. (Not saying she should forgive him, just that she should do something to emphatically reject further violence.)
… You know, weirdly, there’s a quote from the Nightmare on Elm Street remake that fits, but it’s specifically in the unused ending and it’s Nancy’s line (which she’s quoting from Freddy saying it to her earlier):
“LOOK AT ME! Look at what you did to me!”
Now if we can only make this end with Blaine catching fire somehow…
Amber don’t he isn’t worth it. If you attack you’ll only be proving him rightt. I think one of the easiest ways to punish Blaine is to not feed hls narcissism. That being ssid, the perfect punishment would be locked up in a supermax. 23 hours a day in a cell and no contact with the outside world. Thst would break him inside of a month.
And the Bible also says that there was a time when Christ was so pissed off He flipped tables and made a whip out of the cords of His robe to drive the moneychangers and merchants out of the Temple in Jerusalem (John 2: 14-16). So she’s got precedent for unleashing the beast.
Fun fact: After Amber first found out that Joyce was seeing Ethan and she flipped a table, when she was talking to Danny about how her anger made her a bad person he invoked Jesus chasing money collectors from the temple.
I think the ideal thing would be for her to pull his arms behind his back and cuff him. Master her anger against him, don’t rise to the bait, and show her contempt for him by leaving him lying in the street.
And if she should accidentally dislocate his shoulder, alas.
That WOULD be the final ijsultm Not giving into her hatem. Liie I said, supermax. He will be forgitten and he will never see anyone outsiide of the prison. The world will just pass him by. And since it’s solitary 23 hours a day, he’ll eventually go crazierc than he already is.
Blaine, you just don’t know when to give up, do you? You just don’t know when continuing to try to control Amber has become so fantastically bad for your health!
I think that both young ladies have agreed that Amber should be the one who says what’s coming next without any confusion about it.
Meanwhile, I think Sal knows enough about parents and children with toxic relationships that she knows Joyce shouldn’t interfere. As much as Joyce wants to take her friend by the hand and help her walk away, something needs to be said and done.
(It’s actually a super-cut of every time she says it so if you want to see the whole thing, you can just delete everything in the URL after the question mark.)
I know its usually no how it works, but the split personality that goes to kick criminal ass
Is the sane, rational, good personality in members split psyque
I know she is pissed…but the “healthier” part of amber might be dying
also how the fuck was she wearing that under her costume?
I think they attempted to “integrate” more to one, but Blaine is making it very hard for the good parts of the “Amaziber Integrated” (or AI for short) to show.
Tomorrow’s strip will be a guide about cleaning your superhero-gear, with particular emphasis on removing bloodstains, bone fragments and 20 unexpected things you can do with a (detached) human mandible.
The best-case scenario I can imagine is one where Amber contains her anger, refuses to give Blaine the satisfaction of one last beating, and tells him to his bloodied and beaten face that she renounces his surname in favour of her mum’s surname. Something that removes any and all ties to this indescribably-terrible man.
But I’ll admit, part of me wants to see him get exactly one (1) swift kick to his gentlemens.
Kim is right. This is textbook abuse. Taking credit for all her accomplishments. When she is weak, it is her own fault. When she is strong it can only be because of his influence.
Honestly my inner viciousness might be showing here but my tolerance for unrepentant abusers is low.
Shatter his hands. Break his legs. Rip out his tongue. And then… make sure he lives. Let him feel dependant for the rest of his life, unable to physically hurt anybody or even say or write anything to hurt others. Make him into his own idea of “weakness” and then force him to live with it.
Few have seen the full fury of Amber in action. Sal was on the receiving end of it. The guy who attempted to sexually assault Joyce was on the receiving end of it. Becky witnessed that.
The list is about to get larger. (Unless Amazigirl stays Amber’s hand, Which I’m guessing the the Crowning Moment of Awesome that’s coming. )
Joyce however, will probably give Blaine a taste of what she gave Toedad.
Blaines a dead man anyway. As soon as the mob realizes a nutcase has been handling their money, and he’s going to be in police custody soon, he’s toast.
I think that means Blaine’s going to strike a deal with prosecutors for everything he knows about the mob’s finances, in exchange for a new identity, witness protection, and a sentence served out under house arrest far away from any prison.
1. Amber’s next move, is to…do nothing physical. nobody else holds her back, or stays her hand. she does it herself, because she is stronger than Blaine.
2. really, truly, horrific thought here: Blaine really IS proud of her.
She can’t kill or severely beat him on campus in front of dozens of students with cameras. That would take the narrative elsewhere. National TV and social media. There would be lawyers. The end of her semester at least.
Having him cower in fear is the height of this. Her friends need to save her right now. Where is Danny? He saved her last time. He’s been off screen this whole time but we’re right back on campus when he would be walking through.
One thing that’s gone unexplained for way too long is why Blaine is togged up in superhero gear too.
What was in his past that inspired this facet of his personality?
Getting his ass kicked by Amazi-Girl. He was beaten by a superhero so he became a super-villain. Also I think its meant to imply that Amber’s personality split is a hereditary mental illness
Thanks for that (Why did I not even conceive of someone dedicating part of a website to tracking the chronological progress of a web-based comic?) So, not counting summer vacation and assuming a rate of about 1 Day In The Life of DOA = 1 Chapter, it will approximately be summer of the year 2180 by the time these kids graduate (54 DOA Days = 10 years, 115 days per semester in for 8 semesters = 170.4 actual years, with DOA starting Sept. 2010 – And YES I have a lot of free time on my hand (maybe I should start publishing a web comic :-).
whoa damn, “become what you hate” time
PLS one of y’all stop this, Joysal D=
alt-text like “haha NOPE”
Maybe the alt-text is like “huh, I didn’t realize at the time that the way I’d drawn Sal helping Joyce down from the van makes it look like she’s holding her back.”
…. yeah, okay, probably not.
That actually makes sense, considering that Sal’s posture barely changes between panels 2 and 6
This is one of my favorite alt-texts ever.
Agreed.
How do I read the alt-text on a Kindle?
I’m reminded of a Justice League episode. Whole season plays with the idea of Superman going full dictator after he kills Lex Luthor, and at the very end of the season Lex (apparently) kills the Flash and Superman looks like he’s going to flat out murder him.
Wonder Woman goes to intervene, but Batman stops her. This is something they need to decide for themselves. Who are they in their darkest moment?
“I was mistaken earlier. I think this is the part where you kill me.”
(Yup, I thought of the same.)
All I could think when I saw the line “You’re welcome” was….
“I know what’s happening here…you’re face-to-face with greatness and it’s strange. You don’t even know how you feel – it’s adorable! Well it’s nice to know that humans never change…”
Same, still in my head
You may find it odd that she can wear overalls under her costume without it looking all clumpy, but actually making several layers work is a vital superhero skill.
I’m just amazed that she can do incredible acrobatics in denim.
Amazi-Girl is immune to criticism and chafing.
Acrobatics are a little easier if they’re looser, but that makes it hard to hide the bagginess.
Is it denim? Spousal Ms Valdvin has some pairs of “jeggings” or “spungarees” which are much more flexible than denim proper.
There is also denim weaved with spandex that is very stretchy.
He is truly an ogre, for he is layered like no one else.
I just chalk it up to the same costume phenomena that fits all of Sal’s hair inside that helmet.
Actually… wait… how DOES that work?
It’s bigger on the inside…
Blaine, you stupid fuck. You realize Sal’s gonna let her do whatever she wants to you right?
I think at this point he realizes he’s fucked, and getting Amber to go over the edge would definitely be a win in Blaine’s mind, even if it kills him.
Suicide cult mentality.
^ Yep, pretty much this. He knows he’s screwed either way. His identity is revealed, his reputation is in tatters, he’s going to jail at the very best. The last, only measure of revenge he can take is to insinuate into Amber’s mind that he’s pleased with what she’s become.
Maybe Sal thinks Amber needs to not kill him without anyone interfering? Else, she will always question if she would have, if no one stepped in.
We are witnessing the death of Amazi-girl. It has been a long run
Amber may get rid of the costume, but it won’t get rid of Amazi-Girl.
Amber’s tried that a few times before already.
It kinda seems like that, but just a few panels ago they were both perched on the van saying ‘friends.’ So I’m not sure. There is certainly some type of transformation happening, perhaps an integration – would that be a death? I could see it both ways (as a death or not).
Or, perhaps Amber doesn’t want to sully Amazi-girl by committing murder so she chooses to do it as Amber?
Well, when matter and anti-matter meet, they cancel each other out. The explosive release of energy that occurs when that happens, however, is truly cataclysmic.
There will be no survivors.
About time. But do you believe in resurrection?
“Do you believe in the hereafter?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGtR9t4_nS8
I think we’re witnessing the Amazi-Amber amalgam wanting Blaine to know exactly which one of them will be kicking his ass this time.
Amazi-Girl… NO MORE!
“It was cold, I dressed in layers.”
…. so wait.
Amber was wearing overalls under the Amazisuit?
THAT’S NOT WHAT OVERALLS MEANS!
…. oh, and also stuff about awful dads and red panels.
If you turn overalls inside out then they contain the universe. Only then are they truly overalls.
… and that’s how they make Tardises.
(the irony of who I am replying to is not lost on me)
(puts on half glasses and quickly shaves facial hair down to a neckbeard)
(patronising voice) “Actually, the plural is either Tardii, or Tardipodes, depending on whether you define Old Gallifreyan as being closer to Latin or Greek”. 🙂 🙂 🙂
(Sorry, couldn’t resist) 🙂
Don’t get Tardipodial with us young man.
Ha! Well played. Well played indeed! 🙂 🙂
Tardis, Tardis, f.
The Plural is Tardes.
Ooh, using early modern/middle English as a model (from the French possibly). Respect! “A hit, a very palpable hit”. 🙂
Er, that was Latin. 3rd declension, as ‘Tardis’ would be. Not all Latin plurals end in – i. Hardly any end in -ii.
I retire defeated. 🙂
Yep. Simple Latin.
Tardii would be the plural of Tardius.
Tardipodes would be, I think, the plural of Tardipes.
… I … I’m just so proud of this comment thread! I made a bad Doctor Who joke and it turned into a discussion of grammar. This could not have gone better if I’d actually planned it.
Wait. It was a bad joke?
I’m so confused.
But the Amazi-Suit is actually a pair of coveralls, which are superior to ‘overalls’ by one full letter.
In fairness, I think there’s something to be said, from an esthetic point of view, in favor of coverjusttheimportantbits.
In Amber’s case, they are UNDERalls…
Well, “over-everything-but-the-boiler-suit-s” was too long to fit on the price tag.
As much as I wouldn’t mind Blaine getting his ass beat, I hope someone holds her back before there is a second murder in this comic.
… is this her about to lay a beatdown on Blaine, or is it her discarding the thing he approves of?
I guess the latter. But I have a really bad track record for understanding Willis’s characters.
No, I think it’s Amber getting ready to kill him. She started the superhero thing to contextualize her violent tendencies in a way where she couldn’t maim or kill anyone because Superheroes don’t do that.
I think you hit it right on the head. Amber could get stabby on him in a heartbeat. I hope Amazigirl can make her realize he’s baiting her.
She should go no further than ruin his looks with broken teeth and scars—narcissists hate that. Then, she should back off and let him live. He has pissed off the Mafia. Imprisoned or free, he will eventually be found dead with certain amputated body parts adorning his face.
I love a happy ending!
“Unfortunately for you, I’m not Amazi-Girl.”
this
Red panels in the morning, Blaine take warning.
Blue panels at night; flashback delight.
Something about Blaine’s face just makes me want to staplegun it with a really, really large-gauge staplegun. I dunno why. Just does.
Tear him to pieces Amber, the courts will go easy on you. You can claim temporary insanity, probably.
Does anyone know if she actually could get away with killing her father here? Would it be mitigated by the fact that he took her hostage?
Pleading insanity is a good way to get yourself involuntarily committed to a mental institution for a very long time.
This. “Pleading insanity”, in addition to being extremely difficult in real life (you basically need to prove that you were literally incapable of discerning right from wrong), does not mean that you walk free even if the courts accept the plea.
The guy who shot Reagan pled insanity. He would have gotten out sooner if he’d pled guilty.
If you shoot the president of the United States, you are not going to get out, ever.
Not under normal circumstances anyway. If it gives you a 64% approval rating, I’m not actually sure what happens.
What happens if you shoot a make-believe president?
Asking for a friend.
…Mike Pence becomes president?
Bravo.
Temporary insanity has been used as a defense before but as far as I know, it generally is used as a mitigating factor rather than a fool proof defense.
I mean, that’s kind of the point. Not to avoid going away, but to go somewhere with medical professionals who can provide you the treatments you need rather than the incredibly overcrowded and underfunded prison system.
(also everything that everyone else just said)
I think in some places, the verdict would be “guilty but mentally ill.” Meaning they’d send the murderer to a hospital for treatment. When they were considered to be mentally well again, they’d be sent to jail.
Not sure what the law is in Indiana though.
In this case, I think that would be a good thing.
The man she murdered was kidnapping her friends and murdered someone in front of her, AND was her father. I bet the judge, jury, and prosecution would all WANT to be lenient on her. The murder isn’t premeditated and could be argued down to manslaughter.
She’s also in the public eye and probably has the support of a congressman. She may well receive a pardon! Or at least an early parole.
If there is a minimum sentence for manslaughter, could they make her serve out her sentence at the psych ward?
Yeah, but unless that comic is going to occasionally switch to legal drama with Amber and few to no other known characters for what would be he next decade or so of real world time, that would still effectively remove Amber from the comic indefinitely. So I don’t see it going that way.
I expect that we might see the aftermath of (or flashbacks to) a trial where Amber and the rest of the gang testify against Blaine, so that’s something to look forward to.
Amber already used her Get Away With (Attempted) Murder Free card on Ryan, 2 in-universe weeks ago.
Pretty sure that technically-self-defence doesn’t have a usage limit.
The first time, you have to convince the investigator. The second time, you have to convince the jury.
Pretty sure that actual-not-at-all-technical-self-defence doesn’t either.
Yeah, but it stops being self defence when you chase the person down and have them helpless on the ground.
Well, she only chased him down to stop the kidnapping, so that’s perfectly legit. He’s on the ground, but it’s not entirely clear he’s helpless. They had him down and tied up before and he still got away with a kidnap victim. At this point, I’d say it’s legit to do whatever you need to keep him helpless on the ground.
Which might just be watch him. Or threaten him if he tries to get up or crawl away. Hit him again, if he doesn’t stop. Bind him, if you’ve got the means at hand.
Women who commit violence crimes are routinely sentenced to ten times what men receive. There’s this notion that violence doesn’t come naturally to women.
Thats not wht the studies suggest:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentencing_disparity
A 2001 University of Georgia study found substantial disparity in criminal sentencing men and women received “after controlling for extensive criminological, demographic, and socioeconomic variables”. The study found that in US federal courts, “blacks and males are… less likely to get no prison term when that option is available; less likely to receive downward departures [from the guidelines]; and more likely to receive upward adjustments and, conditioned on having a downward departure, receive smaller reductions than whites and females”.
In 2012 Sonja B. Starr from University of Michigan Law School found that “men receive 63% longer sentences on average than women do,” and “[w]omen are…twice as likely to avoid incarceration if convicted”, also based on data from US federal court cases.
In 2006, Ann Martin Stacey and Cassia Spohn found that women receive more lenient sentences than men after controlling for presumptive sentence, family responsibilities, offender characteristics, and other legally relevant variables, based on examination of three US district courts.
Don’t I just understand the legal lingo or did they forget to control for actual crime circumstances?
Ha ha… No. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/01/20/how-far-can-abused-women-go-to-protect-themselves
Relevant: https://aeon.co/essays/what-can-be-done-to-rehabilitate-the-insanity-defence?
(Tagline: “The insanity defence offends the conscience, has no basis in modern psychiatry, and penalises poor and black defendants”)
/popcorn intensifies
Give ‘im a wedgie an’ leave ‘im hangin’ from a tree!
[Clicks on name link]
…I should’ve known.
Probably time for Sal to go back for Faz (but maybe circle the block a few times before she brings him there)
“Your dad was around here somewhere, let’s ask one of the forensics guys photographing that red smear on the pavement if they’ve seen him.”
Faz kills Blaine.
Faz: In Theravada Buddhism there are five grave sins. The first is the killing of one’s own father. Good thing your my stepdad.
*shoots him*
Yes, but is he?
Do you mean, is Blaine Faz’s stepdad? Word of Willis is that in the Dumbiverse, Amber is Blaine’s only biological child. So yeah, he is.
That was from back at Faz’s first appearance, I believe. When he showed up again Willis said he’d forgotten that he’d said that.
It hasn’t been established as canon yet, but it seems pretty clear that Faz is his biological son.
This.
No one stops him. Not Amber. Not Sal. Not the paramedics stabilizing Blaine’s case of Spontaneous Femur Loss.
Time for the Conan move. (Chop his head off.)
I thought that was the Highlander move.
Highlander immortals don’t do it after the “I made you strong” bit.
“My child. You have come to me, my son. For who now is your father if it is not me? Who gave you the will to live? I am the wellspring, from which you flow. When I am gone, you will have never been. What will your world be, without me, my son? My son.” -Thulsa Doom
… that took me a second. I was like “when did Conan O’Brian cut someone’s head off?”
Season 2.
I was like „Edogawa Conan taking heads off?“
Add Arthur Conan Doyle and fight crime.
Is Blaine trying to die? Like he is in enough pain, could be dying slowly anyhow, maybe realizes jail is his future if he lives, and is trying to commit suicide by Amber?
Hey, it is a way to get out of paying for her college…
Quite possibly, I’m convinced he’s type of ass that would take pleasure from making her go over the edge. He’d consider it a win, even if it kills him and at this point he may prefer it over prison or what the mob might do to him.
No, he’s just dying to own the libs.
He’ll eat a shit sandwich if it means you have to smell his breath afterward.
If she kills him, she’ll have to leave college, so Blaine wins. (I know, I know, Blaine’s logic is kind of strange).
Uuuuggghhhh. Neither giving him the satisfaction of being right or walking away the “bigger person” feels good here.
On top of everything else, Blaine even ruins my ability to feel relief at his comeuppance. FUCK!
Not caring about him would drive him insane tho
Eh, he can pretend he “won” as he rots away in prison. The important thing is to get him as far away from amber as possible so she doesn’t have to deal with his bullshit any more.
“I don’t need your goddamn pride!”
At times like these you must ask yourself: “What would Joyce do?” i think she’d, wait she’s right there, let’s ask her.
Yes, please. Ask Joyce.
“Yes! Yes! Killing me only proves how right I was! Yes! Taking off my leg vindicates me! Yes! The flow of blood from the stump is only a reminder of how right I am at all times! Yes!”
So, the suit comes off just like that?
Danny could tell you…
She’s been Amber during the whole confrontation with Blaine.
She was speaking in Amazi-voice from the “Friends” reply through the “You weren’t to teach me stick” comeback.
“…weren’t around to teach…”
Amazi-voice isn’t an indicator of who’s in control though, it’s just a voice either of them can put on. She’s had cheek blushies the whole time, so Amber was the one driving.
It is more than just the voice… There was a comic recently that had both the amber and Amazigirl tags.
The cheek blushes (along with the tags) are the reliable clue. And you need the blushes in strips where they’re both tagged because there’s a switch within the strip. Or for other reasons like the most recent appearance of both: which was Amber on the roof of the van with a blue image of Amazi-Girl agreeing that they’d be friends.
“A tear-a-what now?”
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/04-it-all-returns/kazam/
I was genuinely disappointed there wasn’t some form of “Boy Named Sue” reference so far with this.
Look again. I made one yesterday.
Ditto.
Yep, there were five of us.
“Hang on, she has a point”
Is this a “Trump has furthered the cause of feminism by clearly demonstrating the need for feminism” thing?
“Thanks to the brave arsonist, the fire department is not running out of job any time soon”
Or the Westboro Baptist Church furthering the cause of gay rights by making the opposition look so bad.
I will give Blaine this – he is making the opposition to amber look just as bad as the Westboro Baptist Church.
Obligatory Conan Moment:
Thulsa Doom: My child, you have come to me my son. For who now is your father if it is not me? I am the well spring, from which you flow. When I am gone, you will have never been.
*Amber chops his head off*
Theres more than a few characters on here that should sit down and watch that movie a few times…especially Walky (yeah I’m a big fan of the movie)
The first movie was so good, and yet, somehow, the second one was soooo bad.
Thats what happens when studios decide to go the PG route to make more money, it always makes the movies worse, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome is a good example (even though I did like the actual Thunderdome part)
That’s it, Amber, embrace your hatred and bash my brains in. Then you can take your place by my side. Only by accepting the power of the dark side can you ever hope to truly—OW! HEY! No hitting! SHE’S HITTING ME! AUGH! MAKE HER STOP!
“Good, I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon. Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!”
I knew there would be Star Wars references in here, and lo, there is not one, but two.
? Called it ?
Blaine: “Also, I stabbed a puppy.”
In the previous universe, Amber lamented that Blaine died before he could see how strong she became without him.
Be careful what you wish for, I guess.
Seriously. Ouch.
And magically her hair defloofs…. it’s really Amber time now.
She’s like Carol Danvers in her original Ms. Marvel series. Back when she had a split personality thing going on and had different hairstyles in her Carol and Ms. Marvel personas.
Blaine, you didn’t create her. You somehow made her body through sickening sex, and twisted her mind with your abuse, but she forged herself with the help of her loved ones. Ethan, Mike, Danny, Sal, Joyce, Walky… They all helped her become who she is.
You aren’t different from the school bully in middle school, the abusive boyfriend from high school, the utilitarian professor at college, or the cynical artists that moicks their fans. You are just a side note on the road, and when you dir no one will miss you, not even the wife that you abused, nor the boy you pretend that isn’t your son. Even your korean mobster wife will ditch your for someone richer and hoter. You suck.
Hopefully, this is leading up to a “big in the opposite direction of anger” moment for Amber. (Not saying she should forgive him, just that she should do something to emphatically reject further violence.)
I’m with Sal on this.
Yes, there will be a heck of a price later, but that’s later.
… You know, weirdly, there’s a quote from the Nightmare on Elm Street remake that fits, but it’s specifically in the unused ending and it’s Nancy’s line (which she’s quoting from Freddy saying it to her earlier):
“LOOK AT ME! Look at what you did to me!”
Now if we can only make this end with Blaine catching fire somehow…
Glad she wore clothes under the costume. This confrontation would be a lot weirder in underwear.
Amber don’t he isn’t worth it. If you attack you’ll only be proving him rightt. I think one of the easiest ways to punish Blaine is to not feed hls narcissism. That being ssid, the perfect punishment would be locked up in a supermax. 23 hours a day in a cell and no contact with the outside world. Thst would break him inside of a month.
Yeah, this would be the right time to break down crying. It’s been a long day Amber, you can let Sal handle him.
And Joyce. Certainly the Bible says to turn the other cheek, but when you run out of cheeks it’s time to swing.
And the Bible also says that there was a time when Christ was so pissed off He flipped tables and made a whip out of the cords of His robe to drive the moneychangers and merchants out of the Temple in Jerusalem (John 2: 14-16). So she’s got precedent for unleashing the beast.
Fun fact: After Amber first found out that Joyce was seeing Ethan and she flipped a table, when she was talking to Danny about how her anger made her a bad person he invoked Jesus chasing money collectors from the temple.
It remains quite possibly my favorite comeback in the comic’s history.
I thought Joyce would be more suited to care for Amber, but hey, a few whips never hurt anybody. Or they did and that’s exactly the point.
I’m sure they can turn Blaine’s other cheek.
All of tomorrow’s comic is just Amber awkwardly fumbling to get her legs out of the boiler suit while still wearing her boots.
Denim and canvas don’t like to cooperate, especially not with each other.
(Probably not. That was just a flippant joke because I think the tonal whiplash would be hilarious.)
I think the ideal thing would be for her to pull his arms behind his back and cuff him. Master her anger against him, don’t rise to the bait, and show her contempt for him by leaving him lying in the street.
And if she should accidentally dislocate his shoulder, alas.
That WOULD be the final ijsultm Not giving into her hatem. Liie I said, supermax. He will be forgitten and he will never see anyone outsiide of the prison. The world will just pass him by. And since it’s solitary 23 hours a day, he’ll eventually go crazierc than he already is.
Amber NO
just incapacitate him
Don’t let him destroy your life further
Chokehold! Chokehold! Chokehold!
Blaine, you just don’t know when to give up, do you? You just don’t know when continuing to try to control Amber has become so fantastically bad for your health!
I think that both young ladies have agreed that Amber should be the one who says what’s coming next without any confusion about it.
Meanwhile, I think Sal knows enough about parents and children with toxic relationships that she knows Joyce shouldn’t interfere. As much as Joyce wants to take her friend by the hand and help her walk away, something needs to be said and done.
She’s also probably feeling a little catharsis watching someone give their abusive parent a little payback.
Sal knows to keep the hell away from Amber when she’s going full Red Panel.
… uhm, famous last words, Blaine?
yes, let the hate flow through you
Dammit, you’re not helping! Lol
I’m reminded of Russel Peter’s monologue about “Somebody’s gonna get a hurt real bad.” and I love it.
~applauds~
Wait, I know exactly what will happen!
A Scene change!
Cut to Riley eating 5 different types of breakfast cereal.
OH HE’S OMEGA DEAD
…he may not survive THIS one
I suppose she probably shouldn’t murder Blaine too much right now, but I sure wouldn’t mind if she stomped the shit out of his broken ribs.
Ambulance would probably get there in time to save him.
Honestly she should keep kicking him in the nutsack until the Ambulance get there so he won’t be able to make any more kids to abuse.
Prediction: She will ultimately show him mercy, and he’ll interpret it as weakness.
I can see that to9. Reply to him satying she weak. “Don’t drop the soap.”
That’s a really well designed tearaway costume.
I found this video on YouTube that perfectly encapsulates my reaction to Blaine’s “I’m going to credit my ongoing abuse for your strength” speech:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/KZnihI3pQxM?start=8&end=12
(It’s actually a super-cut of every time she says it so if you want to see the whole thing, you can just delete everything in the URL after the question mark.)
How does she DO that rapid-change thing?
And nary a phone booth anywhere.
Called it!
Dangit, now I’ve got the image of Blaine singing the Moana song, as peformed by Dwayne Johnson, stuck in my head.
I know its usually no how it works, but the split personality that goes to kick criminal ass
Is the sane, rational, good personality in members split psyque
I know she is pissed…but the “healthier” part of amber might be dying
also how the fuck was she wearing that under her costume?
I think they attempted to “integrate” more to one, but Blaine is making it very hard for the good parts of the “Amaziber Integrated” (or AI for short) to show.
Neither of them is the “good” persona. They both have their strengths and their flaws. It was Amazi-girl doing the Sal-stalking, for example.
Amber thinks she’s the monster and AG is the good one, but we’ve clearly seen that she’s wrong about that.
Her costume is a jumpsuit/coverall thing. It’s designed to go over other clothing.
Overalls under the coveralls aren’t over all, and coveralls under overalls don’t cover all.
That outfit is a paradox.
Tomorrow’s strip will be a guide about cleaning your superhero-gear, with particular emphasis on removing bloodstains, bone fragments and 20 unexpected things you can do with a (detached) human mandible.
Remember, you heard it here first!
The best-case scenario I can imagine is one where Amber contains her anger, refuses to give Blaine the satisfaction of one last beating, and tells him to his bloodied and beaten face that she renounces his surname in favour of her mum’s surname. Something that removes any and all ties to this indescribably-terrible man.
But I’ll admit, part of me wants to see him get exactly one (1) swift kick to his gentlemens.
Is Blaine trying to get himself killed?
He is trying to win.
Textbook abuse
(I think!)
Kim is right. This is textbook abuse. Taking credit for all her accomplishments. When she is weak, it is her own fault. When she is strong it can only be because of his influence.
Honestly my inner viciousness might be showing here but my tolerance for unrepentant abusers is low.
Shatter his hands. Break his legs. Rip out his tongue. And then… make sure he lives. Let him feel dependant for the rest of his life, unable to physically hurt anybody or even say or write anything to hurt others. Make him into his own idea of “weakness” and then force him to live with it.
To the pain.
This whole arc is such a mess… It keeps jumping from serious to goofy from one day to the other, nothing makes sense :/
It’s always been both serious and goofy at the same time. Still is.
I disagree, Joyce getting roofled, the first appearance of toedad on the campus, these were all very serious.
So it’s any arc in Dumbing of Age?
Oh Man,
Amazi-Girl was the only thing holding Amber back.
She may actually kill him, or try.
Is Patricide on the menu?
Tune in tomorrow!
Same Amazi-girl time, same Amazi-girl channel.
”I am Amazigirl. And I defy Your will”
Gonna be proud AND severly injured in a bit.
The slap of the century seems to be coming.
Lots of people have seen Amazigirl in action.
Few have seen the full fury of Amber in action. Sal was on the receiving end of it. The guy who attempted to sexually assault Joyce was on the receiving end of it. Becky witnessed that.
The list is about to get larger. (Unless Amazigirl stays Amber’s hand, Which I’m guessing the the Crowning Moment of Awesome that’s coming. )
Joyce however, will probably give Blaine a taste of what she gave Toedad.
Blaines a dead man anyway. As soon as the mob realizes a nutcase has been handling their money, and he’s going to be in police custody soon, he’s toast.
Amazi-Girl is the worst and I hope Amber sheds her.
They’re both good people with problems. They need to work together because there is no “shedding”.
They’re both crappy people who have a chance to be better. Beating Blaine to death pisses that chance away.
I think that means Blaine’s going to strike a deal with prosecutors for everything he knows about the mob’s finances, in exchange for a new identity, witness protection, and a sentence served out under house arrest far away from any prison.
I’d much rather face Amazi-Girl than Amber
You are a smart Vulcan.
couple of wrongthink thoughts here:
1. Amber’s next move, is to…do nothing physical. nobody else holds her back, or stays her hand. she does it herself, because she is stronger than Blaine.
2. really, truly, horrific thought here: Blaine really IS proud of her.
She can’t kill or severely beat him on campus in front of dozens of students with cameras. That would take the narrative elsewhere. National TV and social media. There would be lawyers. The end of her semester at least.
Having him cower in fear is the height of this. Her friends need to save her right now. Where is Danny? He saved her last time. He’s been off screen this whole time but we’re right back on campus when he would be walking through.
Very reminiscent of Spider-Man’s Kingpin beatdown during One More Day. “I’m not here to kill you.” “*I* am.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFGBL6ToeIE
One thing that’s gone unexplained for way too long is why Blaine is togged up in superhero gear too.
What was in his past that inspired this facet of his personality?
Getting his ass kicked by Amazi-Girl. He was beaten by a superhero so he became a super-villain. Also I think its meant to imply that Amber’s personality split is a hereditary mental illness
I mean I don’t know that it implies that. Blaine doesn’t really act different in costume.
I agree. I don’t think there are any signs of actual split in Blaine.
He did talk about how the mask was freeing when he first put it on.
Blaine can enjoy his handiwork beating the crap out of him.
So, Blaine, of all the wrong things you could have possibly said, that is pretty much the wrongest. I think you just unleashed the Kraken.
curb stomp his ass.
Aaaand back to Amber hair uh oh
So, judging from the tree color motif,are we in late October now?
Yes; according to the DoA timeline this is all happening on the 20th of October, 2XXX.
Thanks for that (Why did I not even conceive of someone dedicating part of a website to tracking the chronological progress of a web-based comic?) So, not counting summer vacation and assuming a rate of about 1 Day In The Life of DOA = 1 Chapter, it will approximately be summer of the year 2180 by the time these kids graduate (54 DOA Days = 10 years, 115 days per semester in for 8 semesters = 170.4 actual years, with DOA starting Sept. 2010 – And YES I have a lot of free time on my hand (maybe I should start publishing a web comic :-).
Strong? Blaine is wrong, she is a broken statue held together with packaging tape. She is in 2 minutes from midnight and in bad need of repair.
You wanna play games? oKay. I’m right here, for real mfr