147

Friends
Posted on November 3, 2018 by David M Willis

147 thoughts on “Friends”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    “a shitty excuse for an airbag?”

    “yer in back”

    “EXACTLY”

    1. Clif

      You know you’re a long time reader of Willis comics when you see a panel with a large truck and your blood pressure immediately goes up.

      1. AGV

        I try to avoid that by thinking that we’re getting a nice Optimus Prime cameo

  2. AnvilPro

    Best friends

  3. Durandal_1707

    Act with integrity…

    1. Doctor_Who

      They’re safe. Nobody with that taste in hats will ever be without regrets.

      1. LookingIn

        just wearing that hat is a lifelong regret…

        1. Felian

          i think the highest regret might turn out to be not wearing a HELMET though…

        2. Nikol Geier

          I will say, I think people are pushing the “helmet” thing a bit too much. One occasional ride without a helmet isn’t the worst indulgence in the world.

        3. A5PECT

          I’d agree, but it looks like Sal is speeding and weaving through traffic.

          The helmetlessness stands out a hit more in this scenario.

        4. thejeff

          Though the “Oh mi god no helmet” thing started when she first rode up and intensified when she actually picked him up.

          Before even the Patreon folks saw the weaving.

        5. Ed Rhodes

          Well, since you can’t actually plan when you’re going to have an accident, hence why they call them “accidents!” I’m gonna go ahead and say; yes, yes it can be.

      2. Kamino Neko

        I will never comprehend the hate for Danny’s hat.

        1. not someone else

          It’s a very stereotypically Old Man Hat, and Danny’s like 18. There’s an air of silliness about that for many people.

        2. Daibhid C

          I had a hat like that when I was 14. I have a hat like that now. Admittedly, I only wear it to work, because pairing an S-shield baseball cap with a suit doesn’t work. (And if I don’t wear a hat at all, I keep thinking I’ve forgotten my hat.)

        3. OctopusGardener

          I have a hat like that. It was my grandfather’s

        4. Rowen Morland

          I think it looks good.

    2. Jacques Cornelius Parrot III

      I saw those first couple panels and panicked for a second.

      1. Tan

        No worries. Worst case scenario, we get an isekai spin-off.

        1. Shaith

          I would read the shit out of that. I trust our Internet Pornlord to do better than SAO :p

        2. Mr D

          I don’t find the upvote button

        3. Ana Chronistic

          I always mentally follow up Isekai with Shokudou and now I’m imagining Sal in an otherwise normal restaurant full of magical beasts on a Saturday

      2. SgtWadeyWilson

        Me too.

    3. LeslieBean4Shizzle

      No regrets!

      1. LeslieBean4Shizzle

        Poo, I wasn’t fast enough. Poo I say.

    4. Kamino Neko

      ‘Hey, I actually don’t regret this.’

    5. Tacos

      Truck-kun is too tired already of sending kids to different worlds.

  4. Just Me

    Why is his hat still on his head? Shouldn’t it have blown off by now?

    1. Stephen Bierce

      There’s a reason why British sports car drivers have these: Downforce. The faster you go the more likely they’ll STAY on your head.

      1. Tex

        There’s a reason sports car drivers and not motorcycle riders wear these, effective windshields.

        Been riding a while, only hat I’ve found that stays on my head on the highway is a helmet.

    2. tim gueguen

      Hatglue.

    3. King Daniel

      Have one of those hats myself, can confirm they do not come off easily.

    4. Tacos

      It fused to his head.

      1. Khyrin

        I think you mean the moment he put it on it seeded his head and the tendrils through his skull are holding it on.

        1. Rowen Morland

          Every time he thinks about removing the hat it pushes the idea of playing the ukulele instead.

    5. mendel

      The trick is to keep the head down so the wind hits the top side of the brim.

    6. Wizard

      And what about her hair? How is it not totally out of control? I thought maybe it was tucked inside her jacket, but the first panel suggests otherwise. I did that exactly once, and nearly yanked myself bald working out the resulting tangles.

      1. Ana Chronistic

        Sal’s straightening process must involve a lot of hairspray

        or a little, bc… idk I don’t actually know anything about straightening hair but anyway I wouldn’t imagine Sal isn’t used to tangles

        1. Zee

          Well we’ve seen her straightening process involves going to the hair dresser. Presumably involving relaxer

      2. Chris Phoenix

        You think that’s bad, the first time I went skydiving I had hair halfway down my back, and I didn’t secure it… that took a while to untangle!

      3. thereaverofdarkness

        Sal has physics-defying powers of looking cool in all possible situations.

    7. Tex

      More head scratching-ly how can they hear each other? Over 40mph and it’s darned hard to hear someone screaming in your ear without a helmet speaker.

      1. Dalben

        Maybe it’s not over 40 mph? Thus explaining the hat staying on and how moving in front the truck isn’t as dangerous as it seems. It’s hard to judge speed from a static picture.

        For that matter maybe we didn’t see Sal signaling her lane change and the truck might even have tapped on it’s breaks to let her in.

        But yeah, it’s probably just a convention to make the scene work better, instead of:

        D: SHOULDN’T WE HAVE HELMETS!

        S: WHAT!

        D: AH! WATCH OUT FOR THAT TRUCK!

        S: WHAT!

        S: THERE WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT!

        D: WHAT!

    8. Remmington Steele

      it’s COMICFORCE!!

      (Available at your local store or supermarket)

    9. Needfuldoer

      Motorcycles in the Dumbiverse must be equipped with the technology to sustain a bubble of relatively stable air above them.

      Or it’s just cartoony artistic license to support storytelling.

    10. woobie

      Hat Club for Men.

  5. Kris

    Your court mandated probation officer. Undercover of course. Sal can never know!

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Isn’t that illegal?

      1. Kris

        Another reason it needs to stay a secret. Also obviously none of this is true and I was joking.

        1. Clif

          Isn’t that illegal in Indiana?

        2. DSL

          Yes, joking is illegal in Indiana.

        3. Clif

          I thought so.

        4. Makkabee

          If joking is illegal in Indiana, how do we explain Dan Quayle?

    2. thejeff

      In order to keep it properly secret, they didn’t tell Danny either.

  6. meep

    Cutting infront of that truck looks scary, and it’s what made me realize Sal isn’t wearing her helmet.

    1. Kinoko

      Yeahhh. I get that as Danny stated, this is therapy for Sal, and it probably is kinda fun for him, but I wish she wouldn’t demand he hop on her bike and then endanger him by driving super recklessly. :/

    2. Keulen

      Yeah, that looks extremely dangerous, even if they were both wearing helmets. Which they’re not. I like to drive a bit fast but even I wouldn’t cut in front of a semi truck like that.

      1. Betty Anne

        It IS extremely dangerous, and it’s SUPER aggravating to truck drivers, because the tiniest mistake could not only cost the motorcyclist their life, it could cost the truck driver his life or job, or it could cost the lives of people in other nearby vehicles.

        STOP fucking with truck drivers, people.

  7. Doctor_Who

    How does his hat stay on?

    Or is the hat an illusion, an outward indicator of his personality that isn’t really there but we perceive it because it embodies him? Like, ever meet someone who seems to have a cigarette dangling from their lips even when they don’t?

    Or maybe Dina lent him her bottle of hat glue.

    1. foamy

      So what you’re saying is, it’s Miles Vorkosigan’s hat.

    2. Laladoria

      its the style of hat, doesnt fall off easily even in heavy wind

  8. Rocketboy1313

    Speaking as someone who lives (on some level) in far of the day everyone around him reveals it has all been an elaborate practical joke, and no one actually likes me… I kind of get Dan’s reaction here.

    1. Catman

      Same

  9. BBCC

    I see both Sal and Danny have their eye on that truck. Considering Willis I can’t blame them.

    It kinda makes me sad Danny didn’t think Sal would consider him a friend, but I’m super glad she does!

    I’ll have to be super glad inwardly though. My neighbours have informed me very politely I am not allowed to squee at midnight anymore.

    1. Clif

      Wait. I thought that there was an inalienable right to squee or something.

      1. Clif

        There certainly should be.

      2. BBCC

        Maybe not at midnight when your neighbours work early, come home late and have small children.

  10. guavajagular

    At least give Danny a helmet, Sal. That hat ain’t gonna cut it

  11. Cattleprod

    You could be mine
    But you’re way out of line

    1. StClair

      “Come with me if you want to live.”

  12. Morrison

    I want that first panel Embiggened.

  13. Stephen Bierce

    Today’s strip is sponsored by U-Ship trailers for hauling motorcycles. I wonder why.

  14. Kern Wallace

    Danny, that’s just what friendship with Sal feels like.

  15. Badgermole

    Someone you dated in another universe living out a what-if scenario in this one?

  16. Catman

    Okay, I was okay with the no helmets thing because they would obscure facial expressions,
    But having them cut off a truck, while wearing no helmets, and then immediately have the driver turn around!?!
    Sal is being really self destructive here, and Danny is either too trusting or oblivious of the danger.

    Willis is either setting up a (hopefully minor) accident or messing with us.

    1. BBCC

      If there’s an accident, it’ll almost definitely be a minor one. Sal and Danny aren’t going to die or get (more) disabled because the adjustments and angst would go on forever and we’d all get sick of it eventually.

      1. Kinoko

        I’d say more likely some kind of near miss.

        1. BBCC

          Honestly, I’m thinking nothing’s really gonna come of it if only because yesterday Willis was joking about how today’s comments were only gonna be about the lack of helmets (and he said earlier it was so we could see Sal’s facial expressions).

  17. Nico

    Wear your helmet, Sal, please. I am so worried.

  18. TheStranger

    Well, I mean, he’s not WRONG.

  19. Tacos

    I’ll be honest, those first two panels made me anxious. Especially since neither is wearing a helmet.

  20. tirachokko

    Oh Sal
    (yessssss sal and wonderbreadddddd actionnnnnnnnnnnnnn, the healthiest of all my shipsssssssssssssss)

  21. DailyBrad

    I’m glad. Danny and Sal both did needed another friend, anyhow.

  22. ShinyNeen

    C’mon, Danny, this is the friendliest Sal gets! You’re out on her bike, getting to experience all the sweet stunts! Like swerving in front of that truck ohgodsalpleaseno yeeeeeep just the friendliest!

    … Well, at least Danny’s taking it all in stride!

  23. King Daniel

    Guys, we’re all missing the big picture – is this definitely that same truck driver dude as in Roomies!? http://www.dumbingofage.com/tag/definitely-that-same-truck-driver-dude-as-in-roomies/

    1. ShinyNeen

      Well, now that you’ve pointed out that fantastic tag… apparently not! Unless the tags get updated, anyway.

      1. thejeff

        Oddly, he wasn’t in the following strip, which features the same truck. Perhaps he jumped out?

    2. Reltzik

      If so, he’s repainted his cab.

      1. autogatos

        Maybe he’s hoping red will be easier to see and prevent people from constantly trying to drive in front of his truck.

        Clearly not going as he hoped…

        1. Clif

          It’s an unacknowledged fact that all large trucks are driven by the same driver.

  24. Goki

    I think this is the most I have ever liked Sal, I hope they compliment each other (as friends at least)

    1. mendel

      complEment, I expect you mean. Unless you mean that they say nice things about each other to each other.

      1. Delicious Taffy

        That’s such a minor difference in spelling, I’ve never noticed it before. Are you sure you’re not making it up?

        1. BBCC

          It’s a thing.

        2. Clif

          We’re the grammar police. We serve and correct.

        3. Goki

          Well then, Im sorry your so upset, I thought I did my grammar good.

        4. Schpoonman

          Now that’s just uncalled for.

        5. Goki

          Oh I disagree! It was quite called for.

        6. BBCC

          I don’t mind at all. People aren’t strictly grammatical when they talk, and since internet comments are the farthest thing from formal writing I can think of, it’s really not a big deal. I just wanted to say that there is a difference between the words ‘compliment’ and ‘complement’ and that wasn’t made up.

        7. Goki

          Fair enough, honestly I was good till someone ratted me out to the cops. You know what they say, snitches get “your” instead of “you’re”

  25. not someone else

    Why is everyone asking about his hat in the face of the physics of how the hell either of them can hear each other over the wind and not get bugs flying into their mouths

    If there’s anything I’ve learned from listening to people who ride motorbikes it’s that you never open your mouth on the highway because that will be the exact moment an insect happens to be in your line of movement

    That and if you leave the bike outside for more than 30 seconds it will become full of spiders who think this warm metal thing is the best ever place to build a web

    1. Leorale

      That was my qualm too, that they could actually hear each other, but sometimes Willis takes liberties so that we can see them swooshing around on a motorcycle while they chat.

      1. not someone else

        Well, yeah. It’s artistic liberties.

        I just think the hat thing isn’t the most obvious one here

  26. Sean

    The coolest thing about Danny is that he’s completely at ease with his total lack of coolness.

    1. Bagge

      which, incidentally, is EXACTLY Sal’s idea of being cool.

      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-4/01-the-only-dope-for-me-is-you/fudge/

  27. Leo

    I dig how the leaves are multi-colored as we are still in Fall.

  28. Lazarus

    i don’t know if anyone else noticed it but i am pretty sure Dina did a cameo in Phil and Kaja Foglio’s “Girl Genuis” on wednesday. i could be wron, what do you think? http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20181031#.W90plNtKiW8

    1. Abel Undercity

      Oh. My stars. And garters.

    2. Zee

      Yeah it was like half the comments on Wednesday

  29. Stoodmuffin

    Oh. Wait. Is this, parallels with the four of them ?

  30. WalkerOfSorrow

    Honestly, Danny, so did most of the audience.

  31. Kris

    People are understandably worried for Sal and Danny not wearing helmets and practicing proper motor safety, but what’s more worrisome is they also have no protection against their life threatening ignorance to why M&M’s melt in your mouth and not in your hands. They may have dodged that truck, but even Sal can’t out maneuver staying humble.

  32. Zach

    I know you’ve drawn this motorcycle before, but is that Transformers Prime Arcee?

    1. David M Willis

      sal’s motorcycle is older than transformers prime arcee

      1. Clif

        briefly considers googling to try and find out how old Transformers Prime Arcee is in order to make a snide comment about the age of Sal’s motorcycle and then decides it’s not worth the effort.

        1. Alan Lafond

          First appearance of Sal’s motorcycle was Sep 14, 2010. First episode of Transformers Prime was Nov 26, 2010.

  33. Ivy

    Jesus, what the fuck Sal

  34. Bagge

    Soooo…. friends are not defined in singular any longer.

    That is huge.

  35. Axel

    I saw this and definitely thought she was giving hin a taste of Amazi-Girl’s proximity to truck… way after it would have made sense in story. Not because that seems like a Sal thing, just because image and the text being small on my phone.

  36. Nobody

    Danny you need to work on that self confidence even though I totally get where you’re coming from

  37. BenRG

    It’s nice that Sal is willing to admit to having friends. Normally, she strikes me as being too emotionally reserved for something like that. It’s also very in-character for Danny to have poor self-esteem.

    1. Zaxares

      Agreed. Although Sal needs to learn that yelling “You, get on!” is not the right way to invite friends for a bike ride. 😛

      1. Bagge

        She could always try this thing again

        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/03-when-god-closes-the-door/stubb-2/

  38. Mitsukara

    So is this the fateful highway, or a not-so-fateful highway?

  39. chris73

    Its nice Sal is increasing her circle but not so nice shes putting her friend in quite serious danger

  40. Remmington Steele

    It’s not even been his year … or has it?

  41. Dracke

    You are her Jimmy Olsen

    1. Ryek Hvek

      Does he have a signal watch that goes Zee-zee-zee ?

  42. Pylgrim

    Much is said of Danny being lame and milquetoast, but in all honesty, I think he’s super badass for not freaking out right there after those first two panels. I know I would.

    1. Clif

      You have to view this comic in the light of Danny wanting Amber to give up Amazigirl because it was putting her in danger. The sudden shift in Danny’s previously solid support was the first step in reaching where she is now. Sal is an unintentionally hypocrite and Danny is a good egg with no spine.

  43. Darkoneko

    “I broke the whole comic’s ‘fuck’ quota thanks to the game you lent me”

  44. WonderRabbit

    Where IS Sal’s helmet anyway?
    She had it day one.

    Did Joyce end up ‘borrowing’ it permanently at some point or something?
    Now her Sal Shrine is complete…

    1. BBCC

      She probably took off immediately after she talked to Marcie and didn’t bother going to grab it.

    2. BenRG

      Sal’s helmet is probably still in her room. She is far too focussed in running away from Marcie’s condemnatory words to do something like go back for it.

      1. Clif

        Sal’s helmet is still on her head like normal. You just can’t see it because of the telepathic field that allows Sal and Danny to talk over the wind noise. I swear I’ve never seen a group so unforgiving of comic book conventions as the comment section.

  45. Remmington Steele

    Admiring Danny’s composure whilst whizzing pillion.

    A sentence like “Someone who outrageously pratfalls into being in your proximity” is nice.

    Might be tricky to say in a 70mph gale, staring into this mortal coil.

    1. BenRG

      Danny has just tacitly admitted that his role in most girls’ lives so far has been ‘comedy sidekick’, especially with Amazi-Girl.

      1. Clif

        He was emotional support until suddenly he wasn’t.

  46. Vulcanodon

    Amber’s got to be freaking out right about now.

    1. Clif

      Oh, come on. Walky’s not that bad.

  47. Creature_SH

    The sense of scale and speed in the first two panels is amazing and very nervousifying.

  48. Meta

    You GOTTA wear helmets y’all

  49. Robert

    Oh God, Dan is gonna be the next Marcie, isn’t he?

    #BffTurnedRoadKillPartDuex

    1. Arawn

      Well, Willis has to get him to stop playing the ukulele somehow… breaking his hands in a motorcycle accident would work.

    2. WonderRabbit

      I’m getting Liar Liar vibes.
      “Stop recklessly endangering your friends, a**hole!”

  50. ValdVin

    Pratfall used for a second time in a month? Hmmm.

  51. Willinwoods

    Oh, that low self-esteem. It’s like looking in the mirror. 🙁

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