233

Flesh
Posted on September 8, 2017 by David M Willis

233 thoughts on “Flesh”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    “except that it’s just the one enemy”

    “I KICKED HIM IN THE NUTS, TOO (in my headcanon)”

    “ok, got me there”

    1. Ana Chronistic

      “also, what about Toedad”

      “were you wearing that then?”

      “…I brought home some souvenir flesh?”

      *Sarah backs away slowly*

      1. Arawn

        “I have the skeletal scars and a brace to remember it by!”

        1. Scar Man!!!

          speaking of that, shouldn’t she still be wearing that brace? It’s been less than a month

        2. MatthewTheLucky

          It was just a light sprain.

          I dunno if a week is reasonable for that though.

        3. King Daniel

          I think it’s been a couple of weeks since the incident by this point. It was only mid-to-late September or so then, and we’re now well into October.

        4. Scar Man!!!

          Ah. I thought it was a break

    2. Aeron

      Each nut counts as a separate enemy.

  2. Doctor_Who

    Jinkies for the Jinkies god.

    Scooby Snacks for the Scooby Snacks throne.

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Like, zoinks.

  3. Foxhack

    I DON’T LIKE THE LOOK OF THAT RAISED EYEBROW IN PANEL FOUR

    1. Foxhack

      Shit, I meant panel 5.

      That is not a look that says “happiness” to me. That’s a look that screams “I’m about to lose it.” Those eyes are bothering the heck out of me.

      1. Nobody

        To be fair Joyce hasn’t mastered facial expressions aside from the snails yet

        1. Nobody

          *smile
          Damnable auto correct

        2. Opus the Poet

          Autocorrect is why I hesitate to enter text on my phone. It even tried to “correct” a password once. And I haven’t found the flag to turn it off yet.

  4. AnvilPro

    It’s actually really nice to see that she can still at least wear the sweater after what happened

    1. Gwen

      Plus, this is progress. She had that sweater buried at the bottom of her closet before because she wasn’t ready to deal with it. So along with everything else, she also lost the ability to enjoy one of her favorite articles of clothing. She’s taking the sweater back, and also reframing the meaning of that night. Yeah, she was victimized, but she was also the same bad-ass Joyce we’ve since seen in other crises.

      1. Gwen

        Man, I’ve got to stop playing grav roulette… that’s the worst face for my comment!

        1. Jhon

          What?

  5. MatthewTheLucky

    Hot.

  6. Meta

    Joyce is kind of a nerd, isn’t she

    1. Meta

      (I love this strip)

  7. Stephen Bierce

    *plays REO Speedwagon’s “Keep On Loving You” on the hacked Muzak*

    1. Deanatay

      CAUSE ITS THE ONLY THING I WANNA DO-OOO-OOH

  8. MM

    This is the most adori-badass Joyce has ever been. She’ll need that for whenever she does meet Malaya.

    1. Nono

      I hope Joyce charms Malaya and then Malaya, Sal and Sarah get into a three-way tussle over who’s the best sisterly figure.

      1. Yumi

        This was a reminder for me to read to the end of comments before having a reaction.

        1. Chered

          Ok glad I wasn’t the only one

      2. Scar Man!!!

        Sarah’s probably the most realistic in my experience as a brother with a brother. Gripe about them all the time until they’re really hurt, then kick monkey ass to save them.

        1. Scar Man!!!

          that’s it, getting a gravatar. damn system switched me back

        2. Jhon

          What’s the problem?

  9. Mr D

    Good on ya Joycey.

    Also, I’d like to comment on yesterday’s Strip, since today’s comments will be read more than yesterday’s:

    Oh god, Sal’s hands must smell funkier than her brother’s underwear.

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Oh gods, I bet they’re awful.

      1. Needfuldoer

        As long as she rotates through a few pairs as she showers, things should be okay..

        Despite the poor decisions she made in her school years, Sal’s the responsible one.

        1. N0083rp00F

          I am too lazy/scared to read through everything from yesterday.
          Doesn’t she wear the gloves to hide the scar from being stabbed in the hand?

        2. Jdorr

          While it isn’t confirmed that that is the reason, it is highly likely that she does wear the gloves to hide her hand stab scar

  10. AgentKeen

    That’s not a bad way to look at it, actually.

  11. ValdVin

    I wasn’t expecting Joyce to tackle it that way.

    And “barge in smile-first”? Sarah does know.her.

    1. ValdVin

      Joyce’s eyebrows in panel one will soon enter low-earth orbit.

      1. CianM1301

        One small step for eyebrows, one giant leap for eyebrowkind.

    2. butting

      I kinda want to see her barge in smile-first with Malaya. How many seconds before Malaya’d be pestering Asma for another room change?

  12. Keulen

    If Joyce is trying to be a Klingon she’s still far too nice.

    1. inqntrol

      Not to mention that she has better looks than them.

      1. N0083rp00F

        But only to humans, tlhIngans would most definitely think much differently on the matter.

        1. Scar Man!!!

          “BAH! YOUR FOREHEAD IS SOFT AND DISGUSTINGLY SMOOTH!”

        2. Pablo360

          “IT IS AS SMOOTH AS A BABY’S BOTTOM!”

          “So?”

          “BABIES ARE GROSS AND ANNOYING POOPING MACHINES”

        3. Scar Man!!!

          WHO CAN’T FIGHT!

        4. Kamino Neko

          You’ve never met a Klingon baby, have you? <_<

        5. Scar Man!!!

          I have not had the pleasure

  13. Leorale

    Way to reclaim it, Joyce. Feel the wind in your ponytail, hear the lamentations of his parents, etc.

  14. newllend(henryvolt)

    I guess that’s a good way to cope with it.

  15. Kernanator

    Joyce, don’t be ridiculous. Human flesh makes for poor leather.

    1. Stephen Bierce

      And when he died we tanned his hide…
      –It’s out there hanging on the shed!

      1. Arian

        Altogether now! Tie me kangaroo down, sport…

        1. Arian

          Ugh! Not Malaya!

        2. Arian

          That’ll pass. 🙂

        3. Delicious Taffy

          I find myself wanting a wobble-board, suddenly.

      2. thejeff

        he drives a hard bargain
        While trading for leather or skins
        He’ll let you keep yours for a cookie!
        My God, how the cookies roll in!

    2. Rukdug

      At the same time, said delicate leather from human flesh is surprisingly soft and smooth according to some accounts.

  16. BBCC

    You go, girl!

  17. Passchendaele

    Under specific circumstances, Joyce’s smile is so powerful it expands into her surroundings, meaning that she *will* arrive smile-first. And sometimes smile-only. :p

    1. tyersome

      Joyce as a Converse Cheshire Christian? … naw, she’s not nearly catty enough …

      1. King Daniel

        But Joyce is a total cat person!

        http://www.itswalky.com/comic/hello-kitty/

        1. Pablo360

          She’s doing it wrong. Cats are tsunderes, and the only way to fight tsundere is with more tsundere. Put on The * War or Yuri on Ice, and the cats will come to you.

          (What? Victor is a total tsundere. Fight me.)

          In all seriousness, making clicking noises with your tongue is remarkably effective, as is having a warm laptop or an empty box. No two cats are exactly alike, but they usually don’t respond to the same stimuli as dogs, and a cat person (even one who’s never owned a cat) should know this, if for no other reason than through research or exposure to other cat people, such as Neferpitou.

        2. Delicious Taffy

          Subjecting your pets to The Asterisk War is legally considered animal abuse.

  18. Delicious Taffy

    Okay, that’s pretty metal.

  19. Irredentist

    Yeah, but probably not what you want to wear to attract Jacob. But I mean who knows, maybe he has a tattered flesh fetish or something.

    1. Hannah

      I’m no good with links so you’ll have to take my word for it, but I think Jacob said something like ‘she wears a wrist brace from punching a kidnapper, how is that not alluring?’ in response to Joe saying she’s excised from his ‘do list’. So if she mentions to him that the blood from the sweater is from her would-be-rapist that she cut, it could serve to help Jacob fall for her.
      Although she probably won’t tell him this, seeing as they don’t know each other that well and that is hugely sensitive information, I think this is meant more as a symbolic message for the readers. It seems to me like Willis is setting up a contrast between this ‘modest’ battle- worn sweater with the more skin-showing never-worn dress that Sarah wanted her to wear.
      This shows how to Sarah he is a sex object, something he has explicitly stated he does not want to be seen as, so her attempt to get Joyce to seduce him is by using a dress that appeals to more physical emotions. But what actually attracts Jacob to Joyce (and I think to some extent he already is attracted to her a little judging from his comment to Joe) is her personality. Her bravery, intelligence and dedication to her values.

      This contrast shows why Sarah can never have him because she cannot get out of her tendency of seeing him from a purely sexual angle, even when he has told her in no uncertain terms that he prefers for the sexual side of things to come second in a relationship. Whereas Joyce completely innocently picks something that would actually appeal to him more as it reflects her strong character.

  20. Tarnish

    Mixing fibers? That’s banned by Leviticus! How dare she?

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Leviticus was a liar and a thief.

    2. Reltzik

      Bah. That’s old testament.

      1. Random832

        It also doesn’t apply to synthetic fibers (and maybe not to cotton, depending on to what extent “linen” is read as symbolic of other plant fibers)

        1. Ryek Hvek

          Knowest thou of Old Testament pronouncements upon synthetic fibers?

  21. Ninjamaid

    Joyce is getting super Biblical up in here.

  22. Yumi

    I adore Joyce’s line in the last panel.
    When I was thirteen I got more dressed up than usual one day, with makeup and stuff, and later that evening I was sexually assaulted. After that I would have anxiety around being more dressed up, even if I was in an environment that seemed like it should be safe. I didn’t wear makeup much until I was in college, and the super red lipstick trend was in, and I really liked it and wanted to wear some myself. I bought a shade of red that I dubbed “Blood of My Enemies” and began wearing it occasionally, gradually feeling less anxious about doing so.

    So. Good comic.

    1. Shiro

      Major high five for your journey. For me, it was the color green–one specific shade–and the scent of spearmint. It’d make me anxious whenever I smelled it, and for years I hated green.

      One day I finally went no, fuck that, he doesn’t get to take a whole color from me. Fuck that guy.

      1. Gwen

        For me, it’s riding a motorcycle. Not quite there yet, partially because money and partially because fuck PTSD. But I still want to learn some day, from somebody who isn’t using it as an excuse to isolate and assault me.

    2. Vivid Grim

      *appropriate gesture of support* I’m sorry that happened to you, and I’m glad you feel more comfortable wearing things you like.

  23. Shiro

    Hell fucking yeah, Joyce. I’m so proud of her.

    1. Yumi

      [insert “you’re doing amazing sweetie” meme]

  24. Jezi

    “I want to keep loving this sweater” hit me pretty hard. I was introduced to Garbage (the band) by my then-best-friend who I ended up cutting ties with because she was emotionally abusive/manipulative/generally awful. They were her favorite band and the only music we had in common. I had to consciously choose to keep enjoying them and not let the connection to her ruin that for me.

    Wear the hell out of that sweater, Joyce. Do me a favor and blare ‘Right Between The Eyes’ when you do it.

  25. Tacos

    Yes Joyce, wear the flesh of your vanquished foes. Hear the lamentations of their kin.

  26. Halpful3

    <3

    that is such a big, wonderful thing that she's able to do that now 🙂 🙂 yay

    I had my own little trigger incident today, and managed to stay present and process some of the emotional pain 🙂 a lot more draining than dissociating it away, and more physical symptoms, but, yay healing 🙂 it felt like the sort of thing that needed to get more painful before getting better. although in other aspects it already *was* a fair bit better – the feelings were intense but bearable. bearable is huge progress 🙂 and I think it'll be significantly less terrifying next time something similar happens.

    1. Cerberus

      Congratulations! And *appropriate gesture of support*

    2. Scar Man!!!

      congrats!

    3. Gwen

      Glad to hear that! With trauma, it’s important tonremember we are not weak because we were hurt. We are strong because we get up as many times as it takes.

  27. Marsh Maryrose

    When I saw the phrase “tattered flesh of my vanquished enemies,” I assumed it was either a biblical quote or some pop culture reference. But a quick google of that exact phrase turns up nothing; it is in fact original dialog by Willis.

    Let us all reflect on how fortunate we are that, at least so far, Willis continues to use his powers for good.

    If Willis were to use the Krell machine from Forbidden Planet, humanity would be doomed.

    1. Clif

      About the whole humanity being doomed thing, I may have bad news.

      1. Dellaran

        You say that as if the doom of humanity is a bad thing. I think we should embrace it.

        1. King Daniel

          Eat Arby’s.

        2. Clif

          Winning comment wins Interwebs.

      2. Marsh Maryrose

        As pessimistic as I am, I don’t believe that humanity is necessarily doomed. Except, of course, in the sense that evolution will sooner or later result in humanity’s descendants no longer resembling modern humans. Yes, something with the immediate devastation of a Chicxulub impact could do us in, but that is really unlikely.

        The near-term collapse of civilization as we know it, however, is both preventable and all but inevitable. It’s happened before — see Eric Cline’s 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed — and if global warming doesn’t get us within 50 years, peak phosphorus gets us in at most 200 years.

        But in all likelihood humans will still be around — albeit in much smaller numbers — even after civilization collapses. It’s happened before and it will probably happen again.

        1. Delicious Taffy

          …So, you’re saying I might be able to sit in an old rocking chair, telling the little mutant toddlers about the Before Times? Pardon me while I go research life-prolonging diets and fitness routines.

        2. Marsh Maryrose

          You won’t have time for rocking. You’ll be too busy scavenging for food and supplies to get you through another day. When you’re not fending off other roaming tribes of scavengers.

        3. Delicious Taffy

          Oh, don’t be such a defeatist. There’s always time for rocking.

        4. thejeff

          Last time around we were able to do a lot less damage to the world around us as we went.
          We weren’t causing a mass extinction event. We weren’t causing global warming. We didn’t have nuclear weapons. We really could wipe ourselves off the planet in ways we’ve never been capable of before.

        5. Marsh Maryrose

          The nuclear weapons I will grant you. If enough of them go off, even accidentally, that could be a humanity-ending event.

          But as far as humans are concerned, the main effect of global warming is likely to be a major shock to the global food supply at the same time as entire populations become climate refugees. Historically, that kind of situation tends to lead to famine and war. Horrific for those who live through it, but not a species-ending event for a sufficiently-adaptable species like humans.

          If we were a wiser species, we might be able to avoid all that. Unfortunately, while humans as individuals are pretty smart, as a species we are, collectively, about as smart as yeast, so…

        6. Halpful3

          er… you’re not making the connection from war to nuclear weapons? war *before* nukes was not a species-ending event. war with nukes could be. That was the whole deal with the cold war, iirc; both America and the USSR had the technology to detect nukes headed their way early enough to retaliate, but they didn’t have the technology to make the incoming nukes not nuke something.

  28. Gaia

    So is Joyce starting to go old testament now…?

    1. King Daniel

      Nah, the Old Testament forbids mixing cotton and synthetic fibers.

      1. Delicious Taffy

        What synthetic fibers did they even have, back then? Some variant of rayon?

        1. Leorale

          It’s mixing two types of fibres. At the time, it would’ve meant like mixing flax with wool.

      2. Scar Man!!!

        Linen and wool actually are the banned mixers. They d8dnt even have snthetic fibers or cotton

        1. Scar Man!!!

          Whoops, didn’t see this had already been said

        2. Jhon

          Linsey-woolsey was a thing in colonial America.

    2. Reltzik

      Joyce is starting to go SELECTIVELY old testame-….

      ….. er, I mean, CONTINUING to go selectively old testament.

  29. OnyxIdol

    Next thing you know, she’ll be yelling “Blood for the blood god! Skulls for the skull throne!”

    Now that I think of it, she would better fit the role of a Sister of Battle than that of a Khornate cultist…

    1. Deanatay

      Hey, the OT God liked the smell of burning flesh better than that of burning grains, so He’s kinda a ‘Blood God’.

      1. vlademir1

        That makes a certain amount of added sense, as there is some limited amount of evidence (much of it hotly debated) from archaeological anthropology that suggests IHVH originated as the war god of the pantheon worshiped by the Hebrew people before they became monotheistic. Of course since this is from the period around the late Bronze Age collapse and it’s following dark age, when writing more or less kinda went away for a while, it’s exceptionally hard to be conclusive about.

    2. vlademir1

      I don’t know, considering the Khornate views on the Slaaneshi and what they stand for I could see a Joyce going all in for the blood god 😀

      Meanwhile I feel like she’d have all sorts of issues with any role within the Adepta Sororitas or even the Adeptus Ministorum as a whole as it now exists and as her views currently sit. I could however see her making a solid Commissar in the Guard if we wanna insist on non-heretical Imperium.

      1. Rukdug

        …Joyce would make an awesome Commisar with the proper training. She’d be like a more chaste Ciaphas Cain.

    3. John

      Milk for the Khorne flakes!

      1. Clif

        Raisins for the bran bowl!

    4. Ntrovert

      I am not going to get worried until I hear “Blood and souls for Arioch”…

      1. Gaia

        Thanks…now I have to buy a new book series… I’m not made of money you know!

  30. MatsuoTanuki

    Methinks that “Ryan” getting sent upstate in a bloody Hefty bag did wonders for Joyce’s trauma.

    1. Needfuldoer

      Well, yeah of course. The possibility that he could be right around the next corner is gone.

      1. Gwen

        But as she said to Joe, the possibility that somebody *else* could be around that next corner has not. This is progress, and it’s both empowering and adorable, but don’t expect Amber’s actions to have totally cured Joyce’s issues.

  31. King Daniel

    Operation Enduring Friendship is on standby it seems.

  32. Iforgetwhatiputhere

    Save us from people who think they know what “metal” means…

    1. Bagge

      Chemists?

      1. King Daniel

        Smiths?

        1. Gaia

          Alchemists?

      2. A Scientist

        Yes?

        1. Bagge

          Do someone need to save us from you?

        2. Clif

          Considering the Mike gravitar, probably.

    2. Needfuldoer

      How about we use the Nathan Explosion ‘brutal’ meme instead?

    3. Delicious Taffy

      Implying people have deeply-held beliefs in regards to what “metal” does or doesn’t mean.

      1. Delicious Taffy

        Also, I was the only one who said it, unless every other use is misspelled.

  33. Rukdug

    Judging by panel 6, I’m going to guess the Browns had at least a couple Viking ancestors.

  34. jimbotherisenclown

    With that little gesture of kindness, Sarah shows again why she’s the best big sister figure in the comic.

    1. Gwen

      I dunno, Jocelyn’s not bad… or are we disqualifying her for being a literal rather than figurative big sister?

      1. thejeff

        Jocelyn’s awesome, but a) she hasn’t been able to be a “big sister figure” since she’s still closeted and b) she hasn’t been around enough – it’s been more than a year since we’ve seen her.

        1. jimbotherisenclown

          Yeah, the lack of presence kinda excludes her from the running. She can get the title of ‘cool big sister’ though, howaboutthat?

  35. Bagge

    “What are little girls made of”

    1. BBCC

      Sugar, spice, and the blood of our enemies!

    2. TemperaryObsessor

      Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, and everything else!

      1. Gwen

        Hopefully not too much lead, now that we took it out of paint and gasoline

  36. WingedBeast

    Being triggered would have been a perfectly acceptable reaction. But, this is good, too. In part because Joyce wearing the broken flesh of a felled enemy just brings her close to what we all know she is.

    …

    SOCIAL JUSTICE BARBARIAN! [Que echo]

    1. John

      Yeah, screw Social Justice Warrior. Warrior’s an NPC class!

      Though, really, I think Social Justice Paladin is more her speed.

      1. Eldritch Gentleman

        Until she roars and butchers her opponent with the random thing she has in her hand.

        1. Clif

          A phone?

        2. Eldritch Gentleman

          Joyce is like that one spy dude from a series I watched a long time ago. She’d be probably able to wreck someone with chopsticks or a sponge…

        3. WingedBeast

          I imagine, some day, Joyce facing someone, perhaps someone from her old church, being in conversation with them, then laying them out with a combination of using a gender-studies book as a blunt weapon and her completely articulate rage-speech-powers.

      2. WingedBeast

        You have to remember her rage-based-powers. Specifically, what she did to a door just after thinking about the injustice that was done her friend.

        That, and Joyce is on a path of disillusionment with religion, but learning the value and control of her anger and rage as a weapon.

        Plus, wearing the blood of your felled foes, totally a barbarian move.

        Social Justice Barbarian.

  37. Lingo

    It would have been really funny if Malaya had switched roommates just to get Joyce.

    1. Bagge

      Heh, I bet she will see a lot of her anyway.

  38. Bagge

    I wanna her Joyce’s friendship speech. I bet Malaya wanna her it too

    1. Marsh Maryrose

      I am sufficiently slow that it wasn’t until a third or fourth reading of the coming that I twigged to Joyce having prepared a speech about “enduring friendship,” exactly paralleling Lucy’s introductory greeting.

      Sarah exactly gets it with “don’t barge in smile-first.”

      1. Clif

        Given Malaya’s probable reaction, Sal would be so conflicted.

  39. Stella

    I love Joyce’s reclaiming of her sweater.

    But also? I love that Sarah was being thoughtful about it.

    I think lately we’ve been hit by a lot of Sarah’s unlikable character traits: her petty scheming to break up a decent relationship, her perpetual grumpiness, her strange combination of self-righteousness and self-loathing.

    But she cares deeply about people she lets herself get close to. She cared about her freshman roommate enough to be the only one concerned she was doing hard drugs. And she cares about Joyce enough to want to go after her when she went to the party on the chance she might get hurt, and enough to hide her sweater because it might be triggering.

    I love Sarah a lot actually.

    1. Gwen

      Agreed. And in the past when she’s tried to protect Joyce, Joyce has needed it. So now we get to see how Sara will continue to be a good big sister as Joyce grows into her own autonomy.

  40. DrWattson

    Judging by her reaction to Lucy in yesterday’s strip, Malaya would probably take one look at Joyce and “nope” her way out of yet another dorm.

    1. Bagge

      Nah, she would stay to spite Sal.

      1. thejeff

        That Malaya knew she was moving in with Sal and still opted to go through with it is interesting.

        1. Clif

          Very.

        2. Bagge

          I don’t think Malaya minds being around Sal. After all – how would Sal otherwise know that Malaya is cooler than her?

  41. BenRG

    Every now and then, Joyce does something that can only be responded to with a fixed, terrified smile and slowly backing towards the door. This is one of those times. 😮

    1. Chris Phoenix

      I disagree – 1) she’s earned the right to be hardcore, 2) she’s a deeply good person. Badassery in good people should be appreciated, not fled from.

  42. Plasma Mongoose

    Besides how will she be able to cosplay as Velma without it?

  43. Badgermole

    I would be down to watch Joyce the Barbarian rain righteous fury on a series of butthole antagonists, accumulating bloodstains on her orange sweater like trophies.

  44. Sdrainbow

    I’m intrigued by how Joyce seems to be actively avoiding the idea of going to church. And also why Sarah is pushing it so hard.

    Which one are they even going to? IIRC they’d been church hopping a bit? I think the last time was when Joyce had the PTSD flashback to Toedad.

    ohhhhhh….

    1. Marsh Maryrose

      They’re going to Jacob’s church, at Jacob’s invitation. Jacob’s church is Episcopalian, or, as Joyce thinks of it, “a hippie church.”

      This is not part of a spiritual quest, but one small part of a campaign to separate Jacob from Raidah. Joyce and Sarah have different understandings on how this is to be accomplished, and what happens post-Raidah, but they agree on that immediate goal.

      1. Jhon

        Oh, Joyce.
        Episcopalian means they have bishops, not hippies.

  45. Eldritch Gentleman

    Good Joyce, Good. Now you just need to drive your enemies before you and enjoy the lamentation of their men and women (depending on gender and sexuality of the enemy). The last part might get a bit problematic as some couples are probably battle couples and after vanquishing and driving them there will be no one to lament for them… Their dog maybe, cat would probably just shrug and go find new willing slaves.

    1. Arioch

      Depends on the dog or cat, we have had a few animals in our family that would surprise you with their capacity for lamentations or revenge – both in the dog and cat variety. So, there may come a need to vanquish animal populations and that is where I think Joyce might draw the line. 🙂

  46. BenRG

    You know, panel 2 really, really makes me wish that someone would create a My Little Pony of Joyce. She’d fit right in with all that talk of the ‘power of friendship’!

  47. HeySo

    Apparently cuddling with Walky at night caused an interdimensional personality sync, and DoA Joyce has now embraced the philosophies of her SEMME self.

  48. NinjaNick

    Hasn’t that sweater been washed yet?

    1. OnyxIdol

      They probably tucked it away and avoided thinking about it.

    2. wwwhhattt

      Blood takes ages to get out, one wash would not do it.

      1. Nono

        I remember reading that hydrogen peroxide would help.

      2. TacosForever

        Pssshhht, blood is like any other stain as long as you use cold water and don’t let it sit there for too long. It should only take one try normally. But NOW it’ll take them ages to get it out because they understandably avoided it.

        1. bucket

          At this point, Lestoil is your friend. But you can’t let it sit too long or it’ll remove the dyes.

  49. BlueBlur95

    Anyone else notice the drenched bed?

    1. Deanatay

      In panel 1? Yes, I saw the shadowing, but I think it’s a different room. I’d love to be wrong, tho.

      1. thejeff

        No, this is Joyce’s room and it was Joyce’s bed they were in.

  50. poofdepoof

    somebody analyze and let me know what’s changed since http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/03-the-butterflies-fly-away/schnazzy/

    1. Doopyboop

      She almost got shot by a man she knew since childhood, her best friend was nearly kidnapped by said man, and she punched him in the face. It’s similar to how she was previously unable to walk around outside alone but has since proven able, as shown here: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/02-that-perfect-girl/elsewhere/ . To summarize it, I think she’s sadly had more traumas since then to occupy her mind. More distance from the attack and reminders of it help too. Sometimes the brain can only handle one thing at a time, and for now she’s focused on the more recent things. I think it also helps that Ryan has since then been beaten up and hospitalized. It’s definitely not a cure to her trauma, but knowing he’s in pain might make her feel more at ease with what happened.

      1. Clif

        What’s changed? Time, events, and Joyce.

      2. Gwen

        It’s not just that she’s had more traumas, but she’s also had tough events that have demonstrated to her that she is a strong person. And yeah, Ryan no longer lurking as a potential physical threat to her is also helping, even if she does recognize that there are more like him out there.

  51. ZORK

    Oh Joyce, from adorable to grimdark whimsical in a matter of seconds.

    1. BenRG

      I think that Joyce believes that the real world would be a lot nicer if it was more like a comic book. I can’t say that I disagree with her all that much!

      1. ZORK

        I can relate to that.

        Also, I’m surprised to see that I got a new Gravatar

  52. Vulcanodon

    Joyce will amazed to discover the difference between churches she’s experienced before and a ‘hippie church’. It may be a turning point for her.

    1. Scar Man!!!

      I feel like the amount of singing will stay the same? So what will change besides the content of the sermons? I honestly don’t know. I’m from a fairly liberal Jewish congregation.

  53. Tenchan

    Oh Joyce! How I love thee! Let me count the ways…

  54. jbear

    Mixed fabrics? Doesn’t god hate those?

    1. Scar Man!!!

      why must everyone make that joke? It’s not even the craziest law in the Torah

      1. Marsh Maryrose

        I’ll bite. What is the craziest law in the Torah?

        1. Scar Man!!!

          There’s over 600 of them. I couldn’t say off the top of my head. I will say there’s enough that th3 Talmud has a whole category called basically: ” Laws made for reasons we don’t get, bit we should be mindful of them anyway”

    2. Scar Man!!!

      besides, it’s only the mixing of linen and wool that’s banned. And only sheep/lamb/ram wool, so llama wool, for example, can be mixed with linen

      1. ObiKemnebi

        What’s linen, specifically?

        1. King Daniel

          It’s a kind of cloth woven from plant material. Less insulating than, say, wool.

        2. Scar Man!!!

          Very much less insulating. It’s meant to be breathable and light, suitable fo sun-blocking tunics and headwear that don’t trap heat

        3. Scar Man!!!

          Ok, why is my greatest back to normal when I post on my phone?

        4. Jhon

          Greatest victim of auto-correct…

  55. TacosForever

    Am I the only one who finds it weird that Malaya is already awake and moving in on a SUNDAY while Joyce and Sarah are getting ready for church? You have to get up EARLY for church. (One of the many and admittedly more minor reasons I stopped going to church a loooooong time ago.) I can’t see Malaya being a morning person. Plus, Billie and Sal are already awake too, what is this madness?

    1. Positron

      Could be that Malaya was woken by her bright and happy roommate (the one that triggered the move in the first place) causing her to want to move early since the option had finally opened up.

    2. spoopyfox

      anything to leave Lucy

      1. ValdVin

        Yeah, Malaya may well have asked Forest*, “It’s 12:01am, therefore Sunday. What do you mean I can’t move right now?”

        (*Until he gets a name, that’s Asma’s counterpart at the other dorm.)

    3. Bagge

      On the other hand, I’m sure LUCY is a morning person and has spent all morning fussing over Malaya, heartbroken about her leaving

      …something like this
      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-8/01-face-the-strange/production/

      So yeah, I’m sure Malaya found the inspiration to leave quickly.

      Billie just want to get out and get it over with, and Sal – I think – is awake to say goodbye to Billie. She may not be the hugging kind of family but she worries about her kinda-not-really sister.

      1. Bagge

        Heh, seems like more than one of us got the not-very-farfetched idea that Lucy was involved.

        Positron – you have the BEST gravatar.

  56. TomHCinMI

    Go Joyce! Maybe she’ll get over the agoraphobia Stabby McRapeface gave her.

    1. Scar Man!!!

      …she might learn to cope, eventually? getting over it, who knows. If she’s otherwise neurotypical, it could happen I guess. I’m not a psychologist.

  57. Cerberus

    Comic Reactions:

    Panel 1: I love this to death. It’s Joyce doing her typical excited no boundaries thing and it’s Sarah making sure to check that impulse and giving a good consent reason why. That it’s important to let folks settle before pouncing on them. And it really shows how much Sarah has embraced this big sister role.

    Panel 2: And it’s a good thing she stopped her too. That would have been an epic disaster.

    Panels 4-6: There are no words to express how massive this is. After an assault, there are objects and smells and places that trigger intensely and that can last years. I have a specific event I have a hard time going back to because I was raped there.

    And we know this sweater in particular was that. Like, lest we forget, the last we saw this sweater, it was Becky pulling it out of the closet and Joyce going into a full spiral seeing it again that lead to the reality of her assault being discussed.

    Both Becky and Sarah have independently tried to hide this sweater knowing how harmful seeing it and remembering was. But here, she is genuinely heart-warmed and happy to see it and has found an internal narrative that allows her to win back this object she loves and turn it into an object of strength rather than pain.

    And that reclamation is huge, frequently extraordinarily difficult, and can be a massive part of reclaiming one’s power back.

    Cause that’s one of the enduring things from an assault, the way someone steals your body autonomy, leaving you feeling powerless with unbidden triggers poisoning things you used to love or feel neutral about. Each trigger can feel like another way that rapist has managed to have enduring power over you. It makes the reliving of the violation that much worse.

    So to be able to do something like this, reclaim the object is a huge thing. It is her managing to fight and take back what was stolen from her and it is likely this is part of why she was so adamant about letting Amber know how grateful she was.

    Because knowing that her rapist got ripped apart has allowed his hold on her subconscious to weaken enough to let her crawl out from under some of her triggers.

    And I can’t blame her for wanting to share that and make it heard, because as a survivor, there are no words for how amazing it feels to finally do something you’ve had triggers about and have it not feel like pain and death.

    1. Bagge

      Big sis is doing good. Reining in little sis when she is about to be overly obnoxious is a good part of it.

      And Joyce’s victory over her internal Ryan is EPIC. I doubt she will see him multiplied wandering around campus that often anymore.

      1. Clif

        Overly obnoxious –》gloriously obnoxious to Malaya

        Fixed that for you. 😉

      2. Deanatay

        Well, now, she might. Trauma doesn’t just go away – it’ll always be a part of her. But now, when it happens, she’ll have the armor and weapons to fight back.

      3. Pablo360

        I see in her eyes that a lot of it is bravado. She’s not over the trauma, she’s just making a concerted effort to not let it control her. Still amazing, but the opera’s not over ’til the fat lady sings.

    2. Gwen

      Cerb, I love this analysis about reclaiming power and vanquishing triggers, but I’ve got a question. I’m someone who’s been sexually assaulted, but not raped. Arguably, that is also true of Joyce. I also do research on non-rape sexual assault, so have plenty of information about how what is frequently referred to as a “minor” incident can wreak havoc in people’s lives.

      As a result, the use of “rapist” as a catch-all bothers me, especially because other types of sexual assault are likely to get trivialized because they weren’t rape. The only word I’ve thought of as a replacement, “assailant,” feels overly clinical. So I guess what I’m asking is, what vocabulary can we use to capture the awfulness of people who commit any kind of sexual assault, including the infinite variants other than rape?

      1. Gwen

        (And I can think of all sorts of words that can’t be used in polite company, but I’d also like one that can be used with policymakers, students, and educators)

        1. Deanatay

          I actually like ‘assailant’ for this. ‘Attacker’ might also work.

          You might also reconsider ‘rapist’. Just because they’re not TECHNICALLY rapists, doesn’t mean that what they’re doing isn’t in the same general vein. To have your consent violated, your body violated, is ‘rape’ enough.

        2. Gwen

          Thanks. I think I need to steer clear from using “rape” for things that are not technically rape because A. The sorts of policymakers and political types I’m trying to convince to make changes will accuse me of exaggerating the problem and B. it unintentionally reinforces the idea that assaults other than rape aren’t “really” bad when they can, in fact, have consequences that linger for years.

        3. Buli-Buli

          Might you try molester? And/or violent molester? It already carries all the correct negative sexual connotations.

        4. Kryss LaBryn

          I like that option myself, yeah. “Sexual molester” gets the idea across succinctly (as does being “molested” as opposed to and as a complement term to being raped); and as you say, already has a whole host of negative connotations thanks to the use of the word in the phrase “child molester”.

          “Accosted” might be a good one as well, for instances of sexual harassment that, thankfully, didn’t get physical. Possibly also “violated”/”violator”?

  58. Scar Man!!!

    Ok, I got a gravatar, but it’s not showing up. How do I fix this?

    Also, I wish my trigger was as badass as Joyce’s. Mine is just organizing filing systems. Not even connected to any one event, my anxiety just makes it a nerve-wracking experience.

    1. Gwen

      We can’t choose our triggers. Remember that Joyce’s also involve less glamorous things like just being outside alone. And as someone who can have a panic attack about sending an email, I sympathize with your plight!

      1. Scar Man!!!

        Thank you. Now, about my gravatar. I uploaded a custom one, bit it’s not showing up

        1. Delicious Taffy

          Is it rated G? I had that issue.

        2. Scar Man!!!

          I rated it PG, since it’s the C:tL skull

  59. segnosaur

    When I first read this strip, I wondered why Sarah would be holding Joyce’s sweater in the first place.

    I had to go back to look at the previous strips to see Billie returning the sweater, and Sarah grabbing at it to hide it.

  60. Nym

    Sarah is such a good friend.

    I love the line, “I choose to wear the tattered flesh of my vanquished enemies.”

    1. Clif

      Would make a Chapter title.

  61. ajm5007

    Synthetic fibers? C’mon, Joyce. Go wool or go home.

  62. Tenn

    Even the characters have caught on to how the book titles work. Soon they’re all going to speak in potential book titles and no one’ll know what’s what anymore.

  63. Gordon

    I honestly feel like Ryan should be tagged in this.

    1. King Daniel

      There is precedent for tagging him on the sole basis of his blood (see: the last time he appeared in the strip).

  64. Kazumi

    I love it when a character’s eyebrows try to escape through liftoff.

  65. Micki

    Last panel: LOL, Walky is rubbing off on Joyce.

    1. Roborat

      Huh, I thought he was doing that on Dorothy.

  66. Scar Man!!!

    Wait, panel 1. Are those her eyebrows up there?!

  67. Passchendaele

    I am now very, very, *very* happy that Joyce didn’t meet Malaya. If anybody could make Joyce mad (probably not punch-mad, but definitely scary-mad), it’d probably be Malaya ignoring her/taking shots at her oppressive sunniness.

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