255

Somebody’s mom
Posted on July 25, 2017 by David M Willis

255 thoughts on “Somebody’s mom”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    “Well, I also love Pikachu, who is a pocket monster!”

    “MOM”

    “except fuck Articuno, that asshole ran away“

    1. Ana Chronistic

      Amber noooooo go play Dream Daddy and erase the Blaine from your heart

      1. Pablo360

        That game brought joy to so many Internet denizens I adore that I might have to watch Game Grumps now

        1. Pablo360

          I’d say “buy it” but that would cost money and take up far less of my free time than a YouTube binge, and if I am defined by two things it’s frugality and working very hard to waste as much time as possible

        2. Usayasha

          From what I hear, Game Grumps provided funding but wasn’t really involved heavily in the creation, so binge watching Game Grumps won’t really provide a similar experience to Dream Daddy.

          However, watching Let’s Plays of games you can’t afford is a popular past time, and it’s why groups like Game Grumps became popular. So finding a Let’s Player (including Game Grumps) who is playing Dream Daddy will let you play the game vicariously.

        3. Ferret

          I’m pretty sure Game Grumps isn’t doing a Let’s Play of Dream Daddy, since they were involved in production.

        4. Ana Chronistic

          leaving this here: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DFoO3ydXUAEi9-F.jpg

        5. zoelogical

          these seem like reasonable if not excellent goals

        6. weirderthanweird

          I like watching Markiplier. He’s been playing Dream Daddy, too.

      2. Krys Brynhildr

        Well, except apparently not all the daddies are actually that dreamy…apparently.

        Not that themed dating games aren’t prone to slipping in disturbing twists here and there apparently but yeahh.

        1. Shiro

          If you’re referring to the cult rumor, it’s junk left in the code from what appears to be a scrapped Halloween DLC.

          Haven’t actually played it yet, but tumblr tells me so.

    2. Shiro

      SAME. I had an excellent throw, with a golden razz berry, what more do you WANT you high-maintenance ass bird

      1. MatthewTheLucky

        Curved throws are +25%, so remember those.

    3. GreatContagion

      Caught 1 Lugia and 2 Articuno. But that was out of 14 raids I went to, -with- work today. That catch rate is rough when you only have a handful of premiere balls.

      1. Ana Chronistic

        That raid taught me definitively that the ONE time I got a raid to work on my iPad was a fluke–it only Errors out if I try now.

        Regular battling works fine, tho! ¬_¬

    4. Kinoko

      I’m always confused for a sec when I see folks talking about Pokemon Go and I think they’re talking about main series Pokemon games.

      “What the… Articuno doesn’t run away in RBY?!”

      I’m glad Go is still going strong, though! More Pokemon is best Pokemon. :3

      1. Delicious Taffy

        Shit like this is why I get mad about lacking cell service.

  2. AnvilPro

    I wonder if this is the first time Joe’s heard this conversation about his Dad.

    1. Jay

      I’m guessing not. Considering that he gave her a whole box of donuts, I’m guessing that similar situations have come up before and have ended… poorly.

      1. Phil Dog

        Agreed. I think a lot of this is inspired by recognition of what an ass his father is. It’s sad though, he’s repeating the same behaviour despite knowing it’s fucked up, because it’s what his father taught him. This is a good nudge in the right direction.

    2. anonymsly

      I don’t think he’s actually hearing it now. Danny’s use of past tense indicates to me that ‘somebody’s mom’ has moved far enough away that they can’t tell ‘Amber’s mom’ much less hear the conversation.

  3. Yumi

    You know, it’s interesting that in this case, STACY is the mom.

    1. Yumi

      *dramatic, sad comic, with Fountains of Wayne playing in the background*

      1. Tom T.

        The song is about *her* mom, i.e., Amber’s grandma. She also had it going on.

        1. RacingTurtle

          I’ve seen several Stacy’s Mom jokes in comments to strips where Amber’s mom appears, but yours is the first I’ve seen to take the “Amber’s grandma” angle. Well done! *applauds sincerely*

        2. neeks

          Amber’s gram has got fantastic gams.

      2. CJ

        Uhg, can’t bear to watch that video. Do I really need to know what goes on in the minds of 12-year old boys with a crush?
        Interestingly, Stacey’s mom looks visibly airbrushed.

        1. Delavan

          That’s kinda the point. It’s the rosy, ridiculous, hormonal-teenager vision.

    2. Watson the Snail

      And, I’m not ashamed to say, she’s got it going on.

    3. shadowcell

      “Stacey’s Mom” is about a girl who has a seriously shitty day if you think about it from her perspective

      1. Watson the Snail

        Stacy’s mom is a refreshing song about a woman who has given birth to a child, and has borne the stresses of motherhood and come out on top, which was a rarity to appreciate back when it came out. Your big role models for moms at the time were mostly Marge Simpson and Peggy Hill, maybe Lois, not really symbols of feminine beauty.

      2. Yumi

        Plot twist, Stacy is actually a lesbian who was like, “Oh, thank god. I mean, ew, but also, thank god.”

        1. Watson the Snail

          Subsequent plot twist, Stacy’s mom responsibly and thoroughly turns down the young boy because he is 12 at best and she is clearly too old for him.

        2. Yumi

          “But since your dad walked out, your mom could use a guy like me”
          Stacy’s mom: …No?

        3. Watson the Snail

          “I could use a guy with a job. Preferably one who can do his job without running over my birdhouse.”

        4. AgentKeen

          I always thought it was implied that Stacy’s mom thought the narrator was an idiot and the narrator is so oblivious/full of himself to instead think he totally has a shot.

        5. StClair

          He totally is.

          and is, in the process, screwing himself out of what could be a fun and/or learning experience with a girl his age who actually seems to be into him.

        6. MM

          Headcanon accepted.

      3. Oruncrest

        If you thought Stacey had it bad, watch this video by Fred Perry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk08nxbp_JQ

        Misi get’s 3 times the shit, but at least she gets 9999 payback!

    4. Cass

      Even more interesting, there’s a genderswapped version of that song where Richard’s dad is the object of affection (he’s really really rad)

  4. Injuryman

    Stacy is never allowed to date again because she’s been a bad judge of character in the past, confirmed.

    1. Black

      To be fair, she’s apparently a bad judge of character in the present, too.

      1. Leorale

        Also, people who tend to pick jerks can still date. They just need to know that they have a faulty jerk-radar, so while they recalibrate it, they can ask their best pals to screen out the jerks for them.

        1. Chris

          Some simple rules for date screening:

          -Run a TransUnion or Experian credit report, and make sure there are no outstanding medical bills, particularly for “cosmetology” (boob job). If your date is driving a car with 160k miles on the odometer, and has outstanding bills for “cosmetology”, chances are she is or was a stripper, and her employer comped part of the operation to keep her on. Bruised inner thighs are also a strong indicator.

          -Get the plate number of their car, and run it through DMV’s automated system (DAVE in Oregon, but other states have similar systems). If the car isn’t registered to the driver, be cautious. A former boss of mine was moonlighting as the driver for a serial bank robber, and was using his girlfriend’s car with out of state plates as the getaway car. Best night of my life was getting laid off, then seeing his mugshot on the 11 o’clock news.

          -Run a social media search, and include “scam”, “phony”, and other synonyms in your search. A friend of my mother’s was taken in by a local deadbeat school teacher who still pretends to be the long-lost prince of Hungary, scamming widows out of cash. The same happened to our disgraced former governor Kitzhaber. His scam artist girlfriend set up her own Clinton Foundation style operation for six figure government contracts, and had a track record of stealing the inheritance from families by dating older men. Then there’s Bernie Sanders’ role model, Saul Alinksy, but that would take up too much time.

          -Finally, no union employees, period! Whether they’re burning themselves with their Eggo waffles in the locker room, pulling a Wile E. Coyote on a step ladder without an ANSI approved harness, or filing a grievance for chronic constipation that is SOMEHOW related to their carpel tunnel syndrome from twenty years ago, they’re all just one worker’s comp claim away from becoming Soylent Green.

        2. Michael Chandra

          Not sure what the problem is with dating strippers, or why you paint union employees as utter fools deliberately defrauding the system.

        3. CJ

          Did you just took dating advice as an excuse to vent on totally unrelated stuff or are you trying to place some fake news?

        4. Shiro

          What the hell is your problem with strippers and unions?

        5. Zemyla

          Chris has obviously had problems with the strippers’ union.

        6. FacelessDeviant

          Yeah, god forbid if someone is in a union. How dare they try to avoid getting screwed by the companies.

        7. bunivasal

          “Some simple rules for dating:
          Alright, so you’re going to need some wolfsbane, a yearling deer, and the tooth of a child who never lied.”

        8. begbert2

          My simple rules for date screening are:

          1) Must appear to be a human.

          2) Must appear to be female, because I’m a straight male. It’s how I roll, bongo drums.

          3) Must not flee screaming at the sight of me. Walking away wracked with contemptuous, scornful laughter is also a bad sign.

          4) Must not rant about strippers and unions.

          (I have trouble getting past point 3.)

        9. thejeff

          I take it point 4 was recently added. 🙂

        10. Jason

          I’m going out on a limb here and guessing this is Por’s Law in action?

        11. Jason

          POE’S law. Not sure what Por’s law is. (My phone is fine with Poe, but as soon as I add ‘s to the mix it throws a fit.)

        12. CJ

          Googling Poe’s law leads to an interesting variation of hits.
          Wikipedia is a straightforward description but other sources seem to get it wrong and there seem to be creationists view on it, even though those might be parody…

          For a short story 30 years ago, I invented a feminist detection collective who was checking the backgrounds of people’s lovers. Seemed a totally overblown an obviously satirical thing at that time…

        13. MM

          Por’s Law: if you randomly drag unions into a discussion of dating guidelines, prepare to get dragged.

        14. pjeseb

          I thought Soylent Green was people. Aren’t most union employees already people?

      2. Jon Rich

        Yes, she’s definitely a bad judge of character—she thought Joe’s list was “cute.” I mean, Joe’s not as bad a person as, say, Blaine is, but when it comes to relationships, the list should be a red flag, not something to smile at.

        1. firestk

          Is it possible the difference in their opinions is a reflection of the changing values between generations? Just my take.

    2. TheAnonymousGuy

      honestly if her an joes dad were just f u c k buddies then this may have gone over better

    3. pjeseb

      That’s not what Amber said at all.

      Amber couldn’t understand why Stacey would be attracted to Richard, the guy that everybody (even Joe of all people, as Amber pointed out) finds creepy. Stacey responded that once you get to know him, Richard is a good guy. Amber then replied that she isn’t willing to take Stacey’s word for it, based not only on the fact that Stacey used to believe the same thing about Blaine, but also because Stacey loves Amber (who, in Amber’s mind, is also a monster).

      1. anonymsly

        I don’t know, I got the sense that anyone Stacey dated would be a monster to Amber; for reasons of messed-upness, I think Amber may have to believe that her mother only loves monsters because she’s incapable of facing that she herself isn’t one.

        I get the feeling that even if Stacey were dating someone who wasn’t gross, the sweetest kindest person in the world, Amber would find a reason that that guy is just Blaine all over again.

        1. Sev

          Potentially, but that’s not really the case here.

        2. Chris

          I get the sense that Stacey is just one “yes” away from helping a man with a broken arm move his couch from his unmarked cargo van (Ted Bundy).

          Amber at least has enough cynicism that she doesn’t have the trust issues from the maternal line. If Amber does need therapy for anything, it’s PTSD and self esteem issues. The bursts of rage and violence seem to magnify due to low self worth, but you can’t tell me a serial rapist with a knife isn’t worth the application of lethal force for self defense.

          That’s really the only reason Amber is out and about instead of awaiting sentencing. However, that isn’t exactly the reality in most self defense cases, even in states with “stand your ground” laws.

        3. Clif

          Pro tip – Don’t visit Texas, get drunk, and try to force your way into someone’s house.

        4. thejeff

          Yeah, that’s the only reason she’s not in jail. Because it actually was self defense.

          OTOH, that’s also the reason she did it, even if she lost control during the process, so I’m not sure what the point is.

        5. begbert2

          I think it stops being self defense the seventh time you drag back the fleeing suspect and stab him in a vital organ. Or possibly the eighth; I’m a little fuzzy on that.

        6. thejeff

          Depends on the state, I suspect.

          Still, can you link the strip where it was shown she did that?

        7. Jason

          I dunno, it’s hard to say? I mean, Stacy started this by trying to convince Amber that Joe is a nice guy to the point where Amber thought she was trying to set them up. Then instead it turned out that she was involved with Richard. We don’t know what she knows of him but since she knows Joe doesn’t like him she may have a clue that JOE disapproves of how his dad handles relationships- which to her would seem like a huge red flag.
          She’s been guided down the “my mother’s taste in men is terrible” path this entire conversation.

  5. Ivy

    NO

  6. Stu

    Hopefully Amber’s undergoing some form of anger management therapy after that assault incident, because she REALLY needs help.

    1. Mr. Mendo

      Yeah, I think on top of everything else, she might be developing some kind of paranoid personality disorder: you can see the gears turning as she works backwards to turn everything into an indictment of herself…

      1. Adam Black

        Borderline BPD , is enough, ( including disassociation)
        unstable sense of self

        Although , she is one ‘lapsed time’ incident from it, being full Blown DID.

      2. Sam

        If she was going to develop PPD, she would already have it by now (personality disorders are fully developed by 18ish, symptoms start in childhood then develop and worsen through adolescence if not caught and treated). It is more likely for her to develop delusional disorder (though if that Blaine was an actual hallucination this is impossible), just paranoia itself, a persecution complex, schizophrenia (unlikely as there is about a year of depression-like symptoms that precede hallucination development) OR she already HAS a condition that it could be part of such as Borderline Personality Disorder (paranoid ideation when stressed or frequent dissociation is one of the potential criteria, like when she assumed Danny was against her because Sal was nearby).

        1. buckybone

          Personality disorders can also come from trauma…and she’s had a little more of it since she got to college (has it even been a month yet?).

  7. SUGauthor

    Ugh, just see a goddamn shrink already Amber.

    1. Doctor_Who

      Hugo Strange is accepting new patients.

      1. Cass

        Now now, let’s give the poor girl a break. She can see Doc Samson.

        1. Needfuldoer

          Doctor Corrine could always use another referral.

    2. Fart Captor

      I’m sure that if her dad hadn’t poisoned her against the idea and her mom could afford it and she herself wasn’t convinced that she deserves to hate herself, she’d get right on that

  8. Cephalo the Pod

    Oh no oh no oh no oh no

  9. TrueVCU

    oh no oh no

  10. Watson the Snail

    Cue four minutes of her awkwardly standing there while she waits for the elevator to arrive. She’s done this before, and yet she still trusts elevators?! This is the true mental issue she has.

    1. Stephen Bierce

      Remember the Muzak from the elevator scene in Blues Brothers?

      I might have that on speed-dial.

    2. Tom T.

      Then she gets on, but it’s going down to the basement, then when it comes back up, it stops on the main floor again and opens, and her mother’s still standing there, and she’s pressing “door close” again and again, even though intellectually she knows it doesn’t work. Then Joyce calls out “going up?” And sticks her arm in to stop the door from closing….

      She’s never getting out of there.

  11. Irredentist

    I hope Amber’s supervillain alter also gets a cool costume. With like, black and red or something.

    1. Watson the Snail

      She just steals some of Sal’s clothing, and it’s kind of obvious given how it fits. She calls herself ‘Worse Sal’.

      1. JessWitt

        Isn’t that Joyce’s alter-ego?

  12. Passchendaele

    She runs into someone as the elevator opens. It doesn’t matter, because stacy’s already gone.

    ;_;

  13. Kernanator

    SO HOW ABOUT THAT UKULELE, HUH?

    1. SgtWadeyWilson

      For once, it’s not the bluest thing in the strip…

  14. ValdVin

    Oof. This isn’t what Amber needs.

    And I can’t imagine a ton of off-panel character development on Richard’s part which makes Amber’s assessment of Stacy’s choices in men wrong.

  15. Keulan

    Amber really needs to see a therapist or something.

    1. Emperor Norton II

      She’s needed to do so for years. And the reason she hasn’t is because of Blaine. Because Blaine would of course -never- allow her to seek professional help for the problems she’s having. Because:

      a) “Therapy is for losers, and I’m sure as hell not raising a loser.”
      and
      b) That Amber would need therapy would imply he’s not raising her perfectly, that he’s to blame for something. Which is impossible, because he’s goddamn perfect!

      Also, she would not have sought one out on her own. Because even without the trauma of stabbing Sal, Amber as a teen already was introvert, with serious anxiety issues (mostly stemming from growing up with Blaine). Not even a high school that had a good system for this shit would work, because Amber would not have been able to take the initiative; and there are far too few teachers out there like Cerberus: Both dedicated -and- knowledgeable enough about mental health issues to catch people in need.

      In short… Whenever I see Amber in pain, I see the end result of Blaine’s abuse, and goddammit do I hate that man!

      1. butting

        All the aw yeps re Blaine.

        I’m thinking: Amber, you were raised by a loser, and you’re starting to see serious flaws in the other half of that team. You’re doing damn good all things considering, but finding someone to sit down with and unpack some of that shit would be a dead smart thing to do, and we can guarantee they’ll be more appalled about Blaine and Stacy than they will about anything you might bring along. Get yourself down to the med center and have some fun ranting about that hell, you deserve it.

      2. Jason

        That final point is why I identify so strongly with Amber.
        I’m not like her, but she’s close enough to who I used to be. Except her external aggression was directed internally and channeled into self loathing.

  16. Miguel

    SHIT

  17. HL

    i love this page, it’s very emotional and i FEEL for amber
    but all i can think of is that Stacy and Dorothy shop at the same target

    1. Tom T.

      Different Targets have different stuff?

      1. Delicious Taffy

        The differences are often subtle, but yes.

        1. Needfuldoer

          You get more or less artificial popcorn smell, depending on how the stores are arranged.

  18. Shiro

    Oh, Amber, honey :c Very rarely have I wanted so badly to hug a character

    1. DinaWho

      I want to blanket burrito her.

      With her consent, of course.

      1. Shiro

        Hot chocolates and warm snuggly blankets and ice cream of their choice, for both Amber and Stacey. They deserve it.

        and none for Joe bye

      2. MM

        Sympathy via physical contact.

        1. JessWitt

          Paging Dina Saruyama. Your roomie needs you!

    2. Fart Captor

      At this point, my thirst for hugs is unquenchable

  19. DailyBrad

    I think ultimately Stacy would get Amber’s coming from a place of concern, but yeah, total gut punch. Given some of the stuff Amber’s said to Danny in the past, probably not the first time she’s gone for the throat with her mom without meaning to. It’s an established character trait by now.

    1. MM

      I don’t know. That’s not the expression of someone who expected an attack. Maybe it’s just the first time it’s really registered, but hopefully it’ll cue Stacey in that it’s going to take more than donuts to fix this.

      1. Jason

        I agree, for Stacy this came out of left field.
        Why it hit so hard is up for discussion. Is it because she’s secretly asked herself if that’s true already? Is it a fear she’s suppressed for years? Or is it that she legitimately believes she’d found someone she could build a happy future with and she’s seen her daughter throw that in her face? Did Amber’s words sound just like Blaine, for a moment? Or something else?
        (My guess is a combination of the first and last points.)

  20. newllend(henryvolt)

    Damn it Amber that’s to far.

  21. Foxhack

    She’s also quite fond of Mike. Soooooooo she might not be wrong…

    1. Jason

      To be fair in this instance, Mike was perfectly polite and cordial in front of her. I have my suspicions but while I doubt he’s ever been “nice”, I’m guessing a level of decency is a common thing for them.
      I did like that he said her going back to her maiden name was a “good call”.

      1. thejeff

        Mike punches down.
        He’s probably used to being “nice” and polite to adults he’s known since childhood. Their kids know he’s awful, but he’s always been nice to the parents, so he gets away with it.

        1. Fomalhaut

          I mean, isn’t that standard for monsters?

        2. Wereg

          Would you define anything Mike has done, or is implied to have done, as particularly monstrous? I can’t think of anything being “kinda dickish.”

        3. Fart Captor

          Telling Amber she was turning into her abusive father was pretty damn monstrous.

        4. Spencer

          Or telling her she should be proud that people are scared of her.

  22. Derek

    Amber’s destruction mode has been engaged. Before this it was only SELF-destruction

  23. caesaria82

    This is very gutpunch-y and I can feel the tension from here. Yowza.

  24. Sporky

    Top-quality alt-text this week

    1. Sporky

      I meant today. Fuck

  25. Wendy

    Amber needs to acknowledge that she’s not a monster; she’s human. Calling yourself a monster makes it too easy to tell yourself “I can’t help it/I can’t change”. As we can see in how she retreats into the “Amazi-Girl” persona, rather than fighting the uphill fight of bettering Amber – she feels that “Amber” isn’t salvageable.

    Blaine, unfortunately, isn’t a monster. He’s human. That’s what makes his abusiveness despicable. Because he CHOOSES to be the way he is, and he COULD choose differently, but he doesn’t even try.

    Amber can also choose differently. She can choose to work on her violent anger. And I’m sure she will.

    1. Shiro

      Amber badly needs someone to help her, and I’m surprised and disappointed she didn’t get that after the Ryan incident. Or maybe she did, and she just brushed it off because she feels she’s beyond help.

    2. Fart Captor

      Amber needs to be able to believe that she isn’t a monster, which right now she’s not able to do. Sadly, it won’t be as simple as choosing to believe otherwise 🙁

    3. Bicycle Bill

      Amber may think she is doomed to be a monster because of her indoctrination and exposure to Blaine’s attitudes. But she also needs to understad that this is not an irreversible situation, and that persons can change.  The most important thing, though, is that the person has to WANT to change.

    4. Spencer

      That’s the rub of it. Amber wants to be a better person and uses Amazi-Girl to try and be that person, but she’s considers herself inherently broken.

      Amber could leap in front of a speeding truck and save a puppy right now and she’d still hate herself. She’s not choosing to think like this; she’s trapped in it.

    5. Wereg

      You raise a pretty good point that I don’t think enough people acknowledge. There are no monsters, just people with their own justifications. Viewing them as monsters removes the ability to reason with or understand them.

  26. Murgatroyd

    Zero percent the point but Amber’s donut mush disappeared….

    1. DinaWho

      There’s some bins against the wall in panel 2. Maybe she got rid orb it in those while the camera was on Danny and Joe in panel 1?

      1. DinaWho

        *OF. OF NOT ORB.

        1. butting

          I’unno, that’d TOTALLY explain any mysterious orbs visible on security cameras, and it’s not like the poor staff DESERVE to be driven nuts in the absence of an explanation.

      2. Murgatroyd

        That would make sense 🙂

    2. Wendy

      She ate it. Wasting food is a crime…and Amazi-Girl is back on campus.

      1. Murgatroyd

        Teehee. (Although it looked like she gagged it up in the previous comment soooo I’m kind of hoping she threw it out after that.)

  27. Rukduk

    Oh, oh God. That’s a…well that’s not so much a punch to the gut as it is someone slicing open my flesh right below the rib cage and wriggling their hand up to punch my heart. That is the level of emotional pain I am feeling at this strip.

    1. Lingo

      So THAT’S what Amber did to Ryan

      1. Needfuldoer

        Kali mah! KALI MAAAHH!

        1. Schpoonman

          Michael Eisner!? Cover your heart!

  28. Wraithy2773

    ……….yeah, no. I… want to have sympathy for Amber. I recognize that she’s lashing out, that it’s been a hell of a week and she probably doesn’t really mean it, outside of her normal self-loathing.

    But… yeah, that’s a fair bit below the belt, holy shit.

    1. Kindra

      Thank God I’m not the only one who had that reaction to this strip. I have sympathy for Amber and her issues, but she’s lashing out in a VERY cruel way at her mom. This page doesn’t want to make me hug her, it makes me want to shake her.

      1. thejeff

        Given that she’s lashing out at herself as much as at her mom, I’m still down with the hugs.

    2. Spencer

      She does mean it. That’s the problem. She genuinely believes that she’s a monster unworthy of love.

  29. Tarmaniel

    Is Amber just looking for new and exciting reasons to hate herself more at this point?

    1. Fart Captor

      She’s been seeing herself this way for a while now. She just seems to be more sure of it now

      1. Adam Black

        I blame Mike

        1. sliveredtongue

          Honestly, I blame Rachel’s “no such thing as redemption” speech. Amber’s negative self-image has been brewing for a long, long time, Rachel reinforced the idea that she can’t ever be a “good” person (regardless that the target of that speech was Ruth), the stuff with Ryan just seems to prove Rachel right (in Amber’s head), and Stacy, sadly, does not seem to be aware of how much help her daughter really needs.

          Mike just tossed a little more gasoline on an already out-of-control fire.

        2. timemonkey

          I blame Blaine for breaking her mentally and emotionally. Everyone else is just tripping over the cracks in her that he left behind.

        3. Fart Captor

          No, no, Rachel and Mike both made contributions. They didn’t just do things that only happened to be hurtful to Amber because she was already in a bad place. They did things that were awful on on their merits, but which were extra harmful to Amber.

  30. newllend(henryvolt)

    …Monsters don’t care who they hurt, but if amber keeps pushing people away like it doesn’t matter just to conceal her emotions then maybe that might be the path she’s going down because that hurts more than any of the beatings she can give out.

  31. Cholma

    The ALT Text made me think of FLCL: “Those eyebrows!”

  32. Murgatroyd

    On a more serious note, I think it’s interesting that Joe just calls Stacy “someone’s mom,” not “someone’s mom who apparently knows my dad” or something. It seems like even with Danny Joe doesn’t want to discuss his dad’s behavior and how he feels about it.

    The interaction between Stacy and Amber is fascinating. I think Amber likes and admires her mom, because I remember Blaine saying Amber was too much like her mother and Amber responding that she’s not enough like her mother. So I don’t think Amber says any of this out of judgment against Stacy – I think it’s more out of the frustration you get when someone you love keeps making self-destructive mistakes, and/or internalized ideas of Blaine’s about Stacy’s forgiving nature being a sign of weakness.

    1. anonymsly

      I’d almost be more inclined to think it’s the latter, if only because I can see no evidence, currently, that Richard is bad for Stacey. Certainly Amber might see Richard as a self-destructive mistake, but I don’t really trust her judgement either.

      1. thejeff

        I’m sure there was also no evidence (visible to the outside observer, which we are in this relationship) for many years that Blaine was bad for her either.

        The evidence here is what we know of Richard and his habits and that Stacy thinks they’re getting serious. If she was just in it for casual sex, then not a big deal. He will cheat on her. He will lie to her. Assuming he’s not doing both from the start. Barring some drastic off-screen change in Richard.
        Mind you, that’s still a big step up from Blaine. Richard is just a garden variety cheater, not a full on abuser like Blaine.

        1. anonymsly

          Serious =/= monogamy. It is possible to get serious with someone who sleeps with other people.

          I, for example, am in a very serious relationship with my girlfriend of five years, but she is totally free to sleep with whoever she wants. She is not cheating on me, nor is she lying to me, when she sleeps with someone else despite being in a serious relationship with me. She’s just sleeping with someone. Who cares?

        2. thejeff

          It is certainly possible.
          It is not common. It is not the assumed default. It’s possible that Stacy is fully aware that Richard is hitting on any woman who stands still long enough – including girls her daughter’s age – and banging any of them he can, and that she has absolutely no problem with that. It’s just not very likely.
          She’s given no indication of it, though that’s not too surprising at this point. More significantly, Richard is known to be a cheater from his previous marriage. From what I know of open or poly relationships, openness and honesty are very important. Richard isn’t going to do well in that environment.

        3. Fart Captor

          Sure, but Joe’s dad was apparently inclined to hit on women other than his wife while in a monogamous relationship, so it’s not unreasonable to assume that he might not always be upfront about what he’s looking for / what his expectations are when he enters a relationship

    2. BenRG

      It’s probably the case that Joe’s dad has had affairs with so many ‘Moms’ that the modifier ‘… who knows my dad’ would seem to be a redundant phrase.

  33. Tom T.

    “You love donuts!”

  34. CrimsonStorm

    Yeah, actually looks like a pretty reasonable dude without his eyebrows!

    1. CrimsonStorm

      These are… unfortunate. Willis, feel free to delete.

    2. Needfuldoer

      Well.

      That’s… disturbing.

    3. DinaWho

      He looks weirdly like Howie. o___o

    4. 3oranges

      That picture makes him look really happy that the ritual is finally nearing completion.

  35. CrimsonStorm

    Yeah, actually looks like a pretty reasonable dude without his eyebrows!

  36. CrimsonStorm

    Yeah, Blaine actually looks like a pretty reasonable dude without his eyebrows!

  37. Cody Connelly

    I recognize a lot of myself in Amber in this strip, especially with the lashing out at a loved one. I hate to admit it, but I have let my frustration get the better of me, causing me to snap at people.

    I also get the feeling that Amber will kick herself over what she just said, which will just make her feel even worse, probably strengthening that idea that she is just as bad as her father.

    1. Halpful

      I suppress it pretty hard, so it’s a little cathartic to see amber lash out (and not have to deal with aaany consequences myself).

      otoh, waaah, I hope amber gets help soon 🙁

  38. Delicious Taffy

    This is no sort of conduct for the Fall Maiden.

    1. PumpkinWhat

      Obligated to recognize, Taffy. But more importantly, she should have asked Ryan if he believes in destiny.

      1. Delicious Taffy

        That, uh. That probably wouldn’t have ended well.

      2. Halpful

        do you believe in destiny?
        then close your eyes and leave the rest to me

        …uh, no, wrong show. definitely wrong show. 😛
        (I did figure out the reference eventually. took a few minutes.)

        1. Delicious Taffy

          Although….

      3. Emperor Daniel

        “Yes.”

    2. Delicious Taffy

      Sorry, minor RWBY spoilers from two seasons ago. Whatever.

      1. ValdVin

        Okay, not like I need another thing to follow, but: Pitch RWBY to me. What kind of person would like it?

        1. ValdVin

          (Not just Taffy, but anyone can chime in.)

        2. Emperor Daniel

          It’s an ongoing web original anime-esque series available for free from the “Rooster Teeth” channel on YouTube, originally created by the late Monty Oum, and centered around four girls – Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long – as they attend Beacon Academy, one of four academies around the world of Remnant which train their students to become “Huntsmen” (or “Huntresses”), an elite class of warriors whose sole purpose is to protect humanity from the many dangers that roam Remnant.

          The animation quality is a bit low in the first season (or “Volume”) due to the low budget they had in the beginning, but the animation quality increases rapidly as time goes on, starting with the second season (they also use a new animation engine starting in Volume 4 which helps immensely). The choreography is great from the very beginning of the first trailer as well, and ditto for the soundtrack. The episodes are all pretty short early on (in the general range of 4-10 minutes), but the length of each episode starts to increase starting with Volume 2. 🙂

          I’d recommend starting with the four trailers first (titled RWBY “Red” Trailer, RWBY “White” Trailer, RWBY “Black” Trailer, and RWBY “Yellow” trailer) before moving on to the actual series itself, as those four “trailers” are actually shorts which show glimpses of what each of their respective characters (Ruby for Red, Weiss for White, Blake for Black, and Yang for Yellow) is up to before the series proper. I’ll try to link them below. 🙂

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYW2GmHB5xs
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt9vl8iAN5Q
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImKCt7BD4U4
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCw_aAS7vWI

        3. Delicious Taffy

          It’s a bit like a cross between X-Men, Harry Potter, and Dragon Ball, with a fairy-tale candy shell. Everyone is at least mildly badass, the fights are over the top, and the music is generally pretty great. Bad things happen a lot, but the series leans toward optimism, even in the notoriously-bleak third season. Expect at least moderate character development from most characters.

        4. Emperor Daniel

          To slightly paraphrase one of the characters early on, “Bad things may happen…but that’s why we’re here: to make it better.”

        5. rectilinearpropagation

          The episodes are usually rather short, especially in the first season when they didn’t have as much of a budget, so it’s not really a huge time commitment. I think they currently average around 15 minutes.

          Main cast is teenagers, lots of women characters, interesting weapons and abilities, funny (though not a straight up comedy), and as Delicious Taffy said optimistic but not obnoxiously so.

          If you do watch it, don’t skip the World of Remnant shorts. They provide additional background on elements of the world the show takes place in. It’s not (just?) a way to get in exposition that doesn’t fit in the show; it also sneaks in plot points.

  39. Zuzi

    Honestly I relate a lot to Amber here
    I get angry at my mom from time to time for tolerating my dad’s anger issues long enough that he fucked up both me and my little sister. Her first husband was even worse, leaving my brother with a whole string of issues, so it’s not like didn’t recognize what was going on. And for me and my brother, we both had anger issues growing up, so we both deal with the fact that our abuse turned us like our abusers, which is terrifying to us.
    Like, I get it, being in abusive relationship is complicated and it’s not easy to leave them. But I can’t help but feel angry that she didn’t get out of it before there was collateral damage.

  40. Lingo

    So, today I realized that Richard Rosenthal’s name is an even greater pun name than I was previously aware. As we all noted previously, Richard = Dick, haha, that’s easy enough. But that last name:

    Dick Rosenthal.
    Dick ROSE-nthal.
    DICK ROSE.

    It’s almost perfect. The only way it could be better if it were something like Dick Rosenfell….

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Ha. Boner.

    2. C.

      Willis said on Tumblr it was a coincidence as Richard was the name of the father of the person he based Joe on (link in my sig).

      1. Jason

        Accidental puns are the best puns.

  41. Bagge

    Ouch!

  42. Emperor Norton II

    On the subject of the alt-text… OK, I’m not sure I can properly explain why. I might even be totally in the wrong. But it somehow just doesn’t feel right to me. To me, it sort of trivializes Stacy having been charmed by Blaine the abuser, but I’m not sure how…

    Yeah, I can’t really express this feeling that alt-text gives me. And you all know that I usually express myself through writing novels in the comment field. Feel free to help me out, including telling me how I’m wrong.

    1. BigDogLittleCat

      I agree. It falls flat. It seems, almost out of nowhere? forced? artificial?

      1. Jess

        I’ve felt this way about a fair sum of the alt-texts. I get that they’re meant to be a little…lightheartedness/extra info about the comic but some of them just sort of — rub my sensitivities the wrong way I guess, which is even more unfortunate considering how respectful the comic itself usually is.

        1. Jason

          It feels to me like Willis trying to provide a little levity to minimise it feeling a bit too… real? but I agree, with the particular subject matter I also find it a little… off.

    2. Eldritch Gentleman

      I see it as a light joke to lessen the blow.

    3. Vulcanodon

      Most justifications are nonsensical.

  43. RacingTurtle

    Aww, poor Stacy. Poor Amber.

  44. Goki

    Ya know, compared to some of the other dads in this series, this is actually a step in the right (but creepy) direction.

  45. Reltzik

    ………

    ….. so, Dorothy needs to open a “here’s how to be psychologically well-adjusted” consultancy, for the entire cast to use, for a nominal 5c per session.

  46. MrSpkr

    “You love me.”

    Which is the exception that proves the rule.

    1. Emperor Daniel

      Unfortunately, Amber doesn’t see it that way.

    2. Emperor Daniel

      (also, I think I got your intended meaning, but that’s not what “exception that proves the rule” means; Amber being the “exception that proves the rule” would mean that Stacey loves monsters as a rule of thumb, with Amber being the only exception and thus “proving” that the only people in general that she loves are monsters)

  47. Cmd1095

    Oh nonononono Amber don’t go down that train of thought it doesn’t end anywhere you want to be trust me. I have way too much experience with those thoughts. Shit, wonder if it’s been long enough since I took my last dose to take another anti-depressant pill… I feel for Amber so god damn much right now.

    Like my issues are not as deeply tied up with abuse as hers, but I know those feelings too much to not emphasize with her. It’s a very destructive spiral once you start thinking of yourself as a monster/villain. You’ll push away the people who care and stew in a pot of self loathing and fear of yourself and what you’re capable of.

    It can only be worse for Amber because not only does she know what she is capable of, she’s actually done it recently, whereas the last time I had an incident was a decade ago now so at least I can take solace in that I can control the monster inside and keep it caged, even if that terror that it might come out with a vengeance and use my much stronger and now martial arts trained adult body instead of my weak kid body is there.

    Amber doesn’t have that solace of knowing she can control that side of herself, because she just proved she can’t control it when push comes to shove… I can only imagine how bad things will get for her.

    1. Jason

      I think it’s safe to say Amber’s considered herself- at best- to be a bad person for a while now.
      Personally I feel that there are few “bad” people and fewer monsters. To me, “bad” people have embraced their issues and use them to hurt others without allowing themselves to feel compassion or remorse. Anyone who tries to get better* is, in my mind, a “good” person. *(Specifically talking about those who’s issues are notably harmful to those around them.) And those who can’t take those steps are generally overwhelmed.
      But generally I think that labelling people “good” or “bad” is a problem.

  48. egg

    well, that’s a mood

  49. @zombieundergrnd

    Panel 3.
    Does Stacy superglue her glasses to her face?

  50. Whatevsman

    Zoinks, from 4 to 100 in like 10 seconds.

  51. BenRG

    I just wonder how long that accusation (and it’s not exclusively aimed at Stacy either) was waiting to burst out of Amber?

  52. Karishi

    Jeez, Amber, do you talk to your MOTHER wi-
    oh, wait.
    Hmm. Question retracted.

  53. Proto

    dayum.mp4

  54. CianM1301

    Damn, an insult that rebounds and insults yourself, too.

    1. BenRG

      Condemning herself is what Amber is all about isn’t it? How horrible must it be to be convinced that someone loving you is proof of a character flaw on their part?

    2. Vulcanodon

      I don’t think it’s meant to be an insult. It’s her honest appraisal, sliding down the slippery slope right next to her self-evaluation.

  55. JessWitt

    Not all monsters are bad. And you can redeem yourself, Amber. Learn from mistakes and such.

  56. Zaxares

    Oh, Amber… 🙁 And poor Stacey! 🙁 I don’t really blame Amber for lashing out like this, but this is one of those things that you can never take back. Even if you apologize wholeheartedly, the scar will always remain.

    1. Vulcanodon

      I wonder which is the occasion for more pain; the knife, or the words?

  57. TJ Pittsburgh

    Somebody’s mom? Where’s Mike? Moms are his specialty.

    1. Clif

      Yep. “Stacey will love Mike,” is the first thing that flashed through my head on reading the comic.

      Closely followed by “for a nickle.

      1. DinaWho

        Well, Stacy did seem to have a positive impression of him/be on good terms with him when we saw them interact outside the dorm…

        Not meant in the weird sex nickel way though

  58. Freezer

    SOMEONE HUG THAT GIRL!

    AND THEN FROG MARCH HER TO A THERAPIST!

  59. darkoneko

    *beep* that’s the auto-eject button right *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep*

  60. Mr.Morningstar

    Low blow amber. I mean yeah you are definantely not having a good day at all but still

    low blow

  61. Spencer

    Frankly, I think if you’ve never lived that “I am a monster and unworthy of love” experience, you won’t get why Amber says it.

  62. podian

    well that’s cheerful

    1. BenRG

      That’s Dumbing of Age!

  63. C.T Phipps

    I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe Dad turned out to have cheated on his wife many times because he was unhappy but that, now that he’s divorced, is a lot more open and in his own way–less of a sleaze than his son.

    1. Jason

      The way he met Sarah- who is what, nineteen?- was really gross. So sadly, probably not.

    2. thejeff

      I like the way we try to excuse Richard. “He cheated because he was unhappy”, “Stacy’s a horndog/female Joe”, “maybe they have an open relationship”, “maybe Richard’s working on being exclusive (big step for him)”.

      Any of it is possible. We’ve seen almost nothing of their relationship or of Joe’s parent’s relationship.
      What little we know is that Richard is like Joe, but more so – enough to disturb Joe. We know he hit on women before the divorce. We saw him hit on Sarah.
      We’ve got no counter evidence. No reason to think he’s changed. No reason to think he was made miserable by Joe’s mom, rather than bringing about the divorce himself by cheating.

      1. Fomalhaut

        It’s one of the few ways of treating your family horribly that people hate to call out as being horrible. You beat someone, yeah, sure, it’s your fault, you lie to them, put their health at risk, and betray them, you definitely had a good reason! No one would just, y’know, be shit like that, right?! Gotta be an excuse.

        Too many romances glorifying it, I guess.

      2. Pigeon Pollyx

        i wouldnt consider this guy a good indication of the overall audience consensus on richard’s dad considering how they seem to latch onto characters they dislike out of spite, take the worst possible reads on all of their actions even when they display growth and glorify all the characters even vaguely opposed to their target character.

        Seriously CT, my dude, I was alright with you doing this to Mindy cause whatever, that’s your opinion to have, and you don’t have to give joe an inch if you don’t want to, but now you’re literally trying to excuse a creep and cheater that hits on girls literally old enough to be his daughter. Take your crusade down a notch, it’s making me uncomfortable

    3. Temperaryobsessor

      That’s a possibility. I could see Joe’s dad as having learned not to start an actual relationship under false pretenses after his marriage. Although I’m not sure how much each of them are responsible for what happened

  64. Guest

    I get that Richard is by default a ‘Dick’, but honestly, I don’t think he’s a monster.

  65. Orion Fury

    It’s not much of a challenge to believe that a buncha neckbeard types would accept as their grunge band’s top song “Why Do You Love A Monster Instead of Me?”

  66. Heather

    Comic reactions extra distilled:
    Panel 3: Amber, no.
    Last Panel: AMBER.NO.

  67. Felis Leo

    Well, Amber has a point. Willis has written all the dads in this universe to either be monsters or enablers of monstrosity. So if Amber’s mom likes Joe’s dad, and all dads in Willis’s universe are monsters, then Amber’s mom likes monsters. Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

    1. Eldritch Gentleman

      To be fair Grand Admiral Joyce’s dad is kinda okay. His wife though… ehhh kinda less.

      1. Emperor Daniel

        Also Dina’s dad, Dorothy’s dad, Carla’s dad . . . we don’t see them as often because good parenting doesn’t make for as-good drama, but there are good dads in this comic.

        1. 3oranges

          Heck, we don’t see them often for the same reason we haven’t seen much of Riley – the main characters are away at university. We’ve seen parents with family weekend and Joyce’s visit to home. But where else would they show up?

          We’ve had two horrible fathers show up specifically because they were trying to control their children. But it’s not like better parents like Dina’s or Dorothy’s have any reason to show up all the time, right? The first exception has been Stacy now, in response to this specific crisis.

    2. Halpful

      but what she’s forgetting is that there’s no evidence stacy likes *only* monsters. Amber is Affirming the consequent in the last panel. or perhaps cherry-picking.

  68. Temperaryobsessor

    I think Joe’s dad will ultimately be a mistake for Stacy at least if she thinks of their relationship as serious. But I think whether its a mistake which ultimately helps or hurts her is the question. Joe’s dad seems like he will not drag out a bad experience too much but it will be a harsh breakup.
    Honestly you just need to meet him, and charming sounds like she needs to tune her judgement about men.

    1. thejeff

      Unless they get married and she finds out years later he’s been cheating on her the whole time.

      As for “charming”, I think that’s part of the point: Both Blaine and Richard are very likely charming to their targets. “Charming” is a performance. It’s a thing you do, not indicating anything about their actual nature. Abusers very often are charming in the early stages, before they’ve got you hooked. Same with the Richards of the world – they’re very charming while they’re trying to get into your pants.

      To be fair, that’s not really her fault. Richard has lots of practice and there’s little reason she should be able to see beyond the lies. We know, Amber knows, because of Joe.

      1. Fomalhaut

        ““Charming” is a performance. It’s a thing you do, not indicating anything about their actual nature. ”

        Exactly. Being stereotypically charming is, if anything, a red flag. If there’s anyone in the world who sweeps one of one’s feet and *isn’t* trying to sell something, I haven’t heard of them. The good ones are the ones who are there for you without making a show of it.

        1. Temperaryobsessor

          Yea thanks to the internet I know those words alone in defense of anyone is itself a red flag, So is you just need to meet him even though his own son thinks he is bad news. She’s sort of lucky he just wants into her pants and not her life.
          I hope this experience teaches her not to fall for a guy because he is charming and not nobody will ever really love you.

  69. rayrayravona

    How did Amber actually know Joe’s dad is awful? I don’t recall a strip with Joe talking about his dad to her. Something that happened off screen?

  70. Raibean

    The self-hatred is real

  71. Zem

    You love me. Since I hate myself, you’re a terrible person.

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