In fact, his not having a drink (as I assume) is a better development of his character than the cartoonish “only nice when drunk”. Walkyverse Mike is the kind of jerk that will blithely inconvenience or harm himself if that’s what it takes to be nasty to others. This one seems to actually put some value on his own desires and comfort above being a jerk.
That, or this is just part of an elaborately cruel plan that we’ll only see coming to fruition later this year.
Meamoi
I forget, is it walkyverse Mike or dumbingverse Mike who is a jerk for philosophical reasons?
thejeff
This was explicitly stated by Mike in an earlier appearance to be part of an elaborately cruel plan.
Belleif
Danny is scheduled to walk in the bedroom any second now. All according to
I think, inferring from the reinitiation, that he was saying he wasn’t finished yet I guess? Cuz it’s like *extended makeout* *inevitable conclusion of make out* “hmm… you know what? still bored” *restarts makeout*
I’d say Mike was probably bored except we know his plan and that is sadly not it.
Reltzik
Except Mike’s plan isn’t to have sex with Ethan. Mike’s plan is to seduce Ethan and thus tear Ethan and Danny apart with jealousy. Sex might be part of that, but it works just as well without.
And this right here? If this will make Danny jealous, mission accomplished.
This really IS the book full of bad/sad romance choices. At least Ruth and Billie are bucking the trend for once and going out on a date as opposed to their usual lesbian suicide pact stuff.
I’m a little worried about that date being because Ruth is insecure about Billie being in another dorm, and I’m worried she’ll try to ignore that, but it’s easily the LEAST bad decision being made romance wise right now and I’m much more confident in them figuring it out than Ethan right now.
Honestly, same. I’m worried about how their date will go, but if they can survive everything else they’ve been through so far, I feel like they should be okay. The biggest downside for them is that Ruth’s grandpa has planted seeds of doubt and Ruth’s gotta overcome that, probably with help from Billie or at least reassurance.
Ethan though…oh Ethan.
BBCC
I hope you’re right. But Valentine’s Day is coming up and I don’t trust ANY bad romantic decisions in this strip around Valentine’s.
Ethan, stop, you don’t know where that boy’s been.
Doopyboop
My fingers will be crossed all month for Valentine’s! As for Mike, Ethan does at least know ONE place he’s been…that one Eric dude down the hall.
Bisexual suicidal pact, on Billie’s end. I am not entirely sure as to Ruth’s exact orientation. I wanted to say she was bi, too, but I am not very sure why my brain is hopping to that
Oh I know! Sorry, didn’t mean to mis-identify anybody’s sexual orientation, both ladies involved are indeed bi! I just called it the ‘lesbian suicide pact’ because that’s what they had dubbed it years ago.
Okay, I think I’m getting my terminology confuzzled again. I thought that while the individuals involved were bisexual, the relationship (and particularly the sexual/romantic aspects of it) was lesbian, because it was between women. Is that incorrect?
Doopyboop
I’d say it depends on what the individuals involved prefer, since they might feel that calling it ‘lesbian’ could erase their orientation identity if one or both are bi/pan instead of lesbian. I’ve seen people use terms like ‘mlm’ and ‘wlw’ to be more inclusive since they mean ‘men who love men/women who love women’. I guess it’s iffy since lesbian seems used nowadays to identify a person rather than a relationship.
thejeff
I kind of agree. It seems natural to me to use lesbian to describe a relationship between two women, even if one or both is bisexual. You’re describing the relationship, not the people in it. Some however claim that’s unacceptable and it should be referred to simply as a same-sex relationship.
In this case though, as others explained, it is canonically a “sexy lesbian suicide pact”
Sam
Generally people prefer to use mlm or wlw or nblw or nblm or nblnb etc. instead because it can feel like erasure if the person saying it is themselves not bi/pan/poly but is saying so to a bi/pan/poly person or about a bi/pan/poly person, especially given the stereotypes that ‘bi/pan/poly people are really just GAY and internally homophobic or really just STRAIGHT and trying to seem more inclusive’.
So like, generally you should stick with mlm or wlw or nblw or nblm or nblnb unless they themselves express a different preference.
Being pansexual myself, I wouldn’t really appreciate being called a lesbian or being told I’m in a lesbian relationship if I was dating a woman because… I’m still pansexual, and that implies that I am gay, which feels inaccurate and like an attempt at erasure.
However, Ruth and Billie’s themselves deemed it the ‘sexy lesbian suicide pact’, so they chose that, not someone else, and it is their choice what they call themselves. You just shouldn’t force it on someone else if they say it feels like erasure for you to call their relationship ‘straight’ or ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’.
Ntrovert
Sam, apologies if this is an insensitive question. But would it be similarly erasing to just say relationship without any adjectives? It seems simpler NOt to label, and less pigeonholed. Thoughts?
BBCC
You should probably be fine just calling it a relationship, but the adjectives can be useful in certain scenarios. Such as if you need to describe gender dynamics involved (for example, when discussing people impacted by lesbophobia, talking about wlw isn’t inappropriate) or when discussing sexuality you don’t know the specifics of (for instance, if you know Ruth is dating Billie but don’t know what her sexuality is exactly, you could describe her as a wlw if you ever had to).
thejeff
Do people really use things like “wlw” in actual real life conversation? I just don’t normally think in textspeak abbreviations, even when I’m writing.
I do see the nb part would be weird, since that explicitly isn’t a gay or lesbian or straight relationship – even with the assumption that you’re describing the relationship not the people involved. It couldn’t usefully be described as a same-sex or opposite-sex relationship.
BBCC
Most people un-abbreviate them in real life, at least in my experience.
And while there ARE non-binary people who describe themselves as gay or straight, it varies.
Joy
“wuh-luh-wuh” …. anyway, like yeah tho u can be a nonbinary lesbian–nonbinary people don’t rlly tend to fit entirely in their own box like a third gender*! I should know.
*I mean some do lmao. It depends.
Doopyboop
I know how you feel about being called a lesbian when you aren’t one. After a bad split with a toxic friend, he went on to accuse me of “trying to be a lesbian” when I had NEVER identified myself as one and HE had been the one to suggest that I might have been a lesbian rather than pan as I identify now. Muddling the issue even more, my girlfriend at the time(we’ve split since, but remain good friends) has since come out as trans so…fuck him, lol.
Doopyboop
*and by him I don’t mean my ex, I mean the ex-friend that was accusing me of ‘trying to be a lesbian’. Which, to expand a bit more, he saw me as ‘faking’ my attraction to my s.o. at the time and being ‘not-real’ because we’re both kinda ace. So he was just a big ole bag of shitty opinions and assholery.
189 thoughts on “Bored”
Ana Chronistic
not normally the pillow talk one expects after a first make-out, I expect
Rosicrucian
What I wonder is has Dumbiverse Mike actually ever taken a drink?
Does he have a horrible revelation coming when he has his first?
Rodrigo
I sure hope so. Mike had no development in DoA yet.
Clif
Something to look forward to. But not this year.
Pylgrim
In fact, his not having a drink (as I assume) is a better development of his character than the cartoonish “only nice when drunk”. Walkyverse Mike is the kind of jerk that will blithely inconvenience or harm himself if that’s what it takes to be nasty to others. This one seems to actually put some value on his own desires and comfort above being a jerk.
That, or this is just part of an elaborately cruel plan that we’ll only see coming to fruition later this year.
Meamoi
I forget, is it walkyverse Mike or dumbingverse Mike who is a jerk for philosophical reasons?
thejeff
This was explicitly stated by Mike in an earlier appearance to be part of an elaborately cruel plan.
Belleif
Danny is scheduled to walk in the bedroom any second now. All according to
Belleif
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/04-it-all-returns/percent/
N0083rp00F
Isn’t The Horrible Revelation located in Northampton?
Maybe there is a franchise here in town.
Rowen Morland
Would underaged drinking have upset his parents? They seemed pretty tolerant of everything on the otherside of the multiversal walls.
Ivy
Are they dating now?
Leorale
Nah. Just smooching.
Reltzik
Not until they go on an actual date.
Miguel
GAY!!!!!!!!
saltchocolate
Also, BI!!!!!!!
(Maybe?? Who knows what Mike identifies as . . . )
Doctor_Who
WHATEVER YOU DON”T WANT ME TO BEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
skylar
idk I kinda think that whatever this is is definitely what Ethan wanted him to be
Jack Spade
You’re not thinking long term. Sure right now it’s what he want, but tomorrow? Ethan will be wishing that Mike had been specifically strait.
King Daniel
Wishing for Mike to be a narrow body of water between two landmasses?
Clif
Sure, why not?
LookingIn
As long as you pay your nickel
Kamino Neko
Spitesexual.
Charlie Spencer
Looks more like spit-sexual.
Eldritch Gentleman
Sufferingsexual. He is basically the same thing as Kotomine Kirei now that I think of it.
spam
mike identifies as actual hate
he is also hatesexual
geno
Mike is whatever you don’t want him to be. (Or maybe that only applies to Robin)
JetstreamGW
We all know what Mike identifies as. He identifies as an asshole.
He’s only doing this because it’ll piss someone off, and we all know it.
auroki
Damn Mike. Yiu may.be a great kisser but I’m still not convinced there isn’t ulterior motives at work.
Arawn
You’ll find out that he invited Danny over in 30 minutes Dumby Time. Which will be around Valentines day in real life.
StClair
Thirty-five minutes, no?
newllend(henryvolt)
There is I know there is.
BBCC
You’d be right – Mike’s already said he wanted to seduce Ethan to reduce Danny to a jealous, whimpering mess.
sun tzu
…You say that like the possibility of Mike NOT having an ulterior motive is worth considering. oO
David DeLaney
You also say that like the possibility of Danny reduced to a jealous, whimpering mess isn’t the proper start to a three-way.
–Dave, and then Joe has to hear about it for the next two weeks and learns some stuff
Frox
Here’s the comic w/ the ulterior motive:
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/04-it-all-returns/percent/
Arawn
Wait, it’s been like 4 days in real life and they’re still kissing?! What’s the big deal? That’s only a few minutes in Dumby time.
Shiro
…man, that is the kind of comment that would make me drop your ass and leave. Rude.
DailyBrad
Ethan’s self esteem ain’t great, though yeah, I don’t think I’d be thrilled, either, in his shoes.
Vigil
I think, inferring from the reinitiation, that he was saying he wasn’t finished yet I guess? Cuz it’s like *extended makeout* *inevitable conclusion of make out* “hmm… you know what? still bored” *restarts makeout*
CoffeeBurps
Ethan knows Mike tho. He knows what Mike’s like. I’d say they’re both doing this out of boredom and they’re both ok with that
BBCC
I’d say Mike was probably bored except we know his plan and that is sadly not it.
Reltzik
Except Mike’s plan isn’t to have sex with Ethan. Mike’s plan is to seduce Ethan and thus tear Ethan and Danny apart with jealousy. Sex might be part of that, but it works just as well without.
And this right here? If this will make Danny jealous, mission accomplished.
Joy
plus he’s having fun :T
Eromer
I had that same thought. Byeeee
Emily
I feel like Mike walking into the room is enough to make most people with a healthy sense of self-respect walk out.
Ensiform
You don’t get it. “Still bored” means he wants to up the ante to tongue. Look at the picture sequence.
Char
Challenge accepted?
CyanoFal
Mike’s eyes are so well-defined, is this what he’s looked like up-close all this time?
Doopyboop
This really IS the book full of bad/sad romance choices. At least Ruth and Billie are bucking the trend for once and going out on a date as opposed to their usual lesbian suicide pact stuff.
BBCC
I’m a little worried about that date being because Ruth is insecure about Billie being in another dorm, and I’m worried she’ll try to ignore that, but it’s easily the LEAST bad decision being made romance wise right now and I’m much more confident in them figuring it out than Ethan right now.
Doopyboop
Honestly, same. I’m worried about how their date will go, but if they can survive everything else they’ve been through so far, I feel like they should be okay. The biggest downside for them is that Ruth’s grandpa has planted seeds of doubt and Ruth’s gotta overcome that, probably with help from Billie or at least reassurance.
Ethan though…oh Ethan.
BBCC
I hope you’re right. But Valentine’s Day is coming up and I don’t trust ANY bad romantic decisions in this strip around Valentine’s.
Ethan, stop, you don’t know where that boy’s been.
Doopyboop
My fingers will be crossed all month for Valentine’s! As for Mike, Ethan does at least know ONE place he’s been…that one Eric dude down the hall.
DailyBrad
Bisexual suicidal pact, on Billie’s end. I am not entirely sure as to Ruth’s exact orientation. I wanted to say she was bi, too, but I am not very sure why my brain is hopping to that
BBCC
It’s okay, you’re right. Ruth is indeed bi.
Doopyboop
Oh I know! Sorry, didn’t mean to mis-identify anybody’s sexual orientation, both ladies involved are indeed bi! I just called it the ‘lesbian suicide pact’ because that’s what they had dubbed it years ago.
Ainara
The joke is that Billie herself called it a “lesbian suicide pact”
Reltzik
Okay, I think I’m getting my terminology confuzzled again. I thought that while the individuals involved were bisexual, the relationship (and particularly the sexual/romantic aspects of it) was lesbian, because it was between women. Is that incorrect?
Doopyboop
I’d say it depends on what the individuals involved prefer, since they might feel that calling it ‘lesbian’ could erase their orientation identity if one or both are bi/pan instead of lesbian. I’ve seen people use terms like ‘mlm’ and ‘wlw’ to be more inclusive since they mean ‘men who love men/women who love women’. I guess it’s iffy since lesbian seems used nowadays to identify a person rather than a relationship.
thejeff
I kind of agree. It seems natural to me to use lesbian to describe a relationship between two women, even if one or both is bisexual. You’re describing the relationship, not the people in it. Some however claim that’s unacceptable and it should be referred to simply as a same-sex relationship.
In this case though, as others explained, it is canonically a “sexy lesbian suicide pact”
Sam
Generally people prefer to use mlm or wlw or nblw or nblm or nblnb etc. instead because it can feel like erasure if the person saying it is themselves not bi/pan/poly but is saying so to a bi/pan/poly person or about a bi/pan/poly person, especially given the stereotypes that ‘bi/pan/poly people are really just GAY and internally homophobic or really just STRAIGHT and trying to seem more inclusive’.
So like, generally you should stick with mlm or wlw or nblw or nblm or nblnb unless they themselves express a different preference.
Being pansexual myself, I wouldn’t really appreciate being called a lesbian or being told I’m in a lesbian relationship if I was dating a woman because… I’m still pansexual, and that implies that I am gay, which feels inaccurate and like an attempt at erasure.
However, Ruth and Billie’s themselves deemed it the ‘sexy lesbian suicide pact’, so they chose that, not someone else, and it is their choice what they call themselves. You just shouldn’t force it on someone else if they say it feels like erasure for you to call their relationship ‘straight’ or ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’.
Ntrovert
Sam, apologies if this is an insensitive question. But would it be similarly erasing to just say relationship without any adjectives? It seems simpler NOt to label, and less pigeonholed. Thoughts?
BBCC
You should probably be fine just calling it a relationship, but the adjectives can be useful in certain scenarios. Such as if you need to describe gender dynamics involved (for example, when discussing people impacted by lesbophobia, talking about wlw isn’t inappropriate) or when discussing sexuality you don’t know the specifics of (for instance, if you know Ruth is dating Billie but don’t know what her sexuality is exactly, you could describe her as a wlw if you ever had to).
thejeff
Do people really use things like “wlw” in actual real life conversation? I just don’t normally think in textspeak abbreviations, even when I’m writing.
I do see the nb part would be weird, since that explicitly isn’t a gay or lesbian or straight relationship – even with the assumption that you’re describing the relationship not the people involved. It couldn’t usefully be described as a same-sex or opposite-sex relationship.
BBCC
Most people un-abbreviate them in real life, at least in my experience.
And while there ARE non-binary people who describe themselves as gay or straight, it varies.
Joy
“wuh-luh-wuh” …. anyway, like yeah tho u can be a nonbinary lesbian–nonbinary people don’t rlly tend to fit entirely in their own box like a third gender*! I should know.
*I mean some do lmao. It depends.
Doopyboop
I know how you feel about being called a lesbian when you aren’t one. After a bad split with a toxic friend, he went on to accuse me of “trying to be a lesbian” when I had NEVER identified myself as one and HE had been the one to suggest that I might have been a lesbian rather than pan as I identify now. Muddling the issue even more, my girlfriend at the time(we’ve split since, but remain good friends) has since come out as trans so…fuck him, lol.
Doopyboop
*and by him I don’t mean my ex, I mean the ex-friend that was accusing me of ‘trying to be a lesbian’. Which, to expand a bit more, he saw me as ‘faking’ my attraction to my s.o. at the time and being ‘not-real’ because we’re both kinda ace. So he was just a big ole bag of shitty opinions and assholery.
Nono
Well that was a real tongue-in-cheek response.
Scoops
Eh? Eh? Eh?
merbrat
omg, scoops, your avatar! “Wink wink, say no more! Eh? Eh?”
saltchocolate