I don’t remember which one Anna is. Was she one of the two women from the supermarket and is she specifically the one that she didn’t go on a date with? I think she’s either a dentist or a dental hygienist or a dental assistant or something like that? Maybe black, but I might be wrong there? They randomly bumped into each other and Leslie asked her to coffee which is why I remember the dental thing?
…yes I can remember all of this, but I can’t remember her name.
I sincerely hope nobody wants Leslie to be referring to Sierra in panel 7.
HeySo
Personally I’m hoping for [sweet positivity] and [charming snark] [instead of relationship drama].
It’s not about context, but about subtext. 😛
HeySo
Also, I’d love to see the fringe characters get more appearances.
And Mike. Mike needs to show up more as well.
This comic has a distinct lack of Mikery going on.
Raijin
The comic can’t handle too much Mike at a time. Bad things will happen if you are exposed to too much Mike!
Emily
If I could have all of Mike’s appearances replaced with like any other character that’d be great.
HeySo
Replace all characters with Mike, you say?
It’s daring, and potentially world-ending but- sure, why not!
LovelyMonsters
The thing you don’t like about Mike is that he is flat, a part of the scenery, rather than round–a character. He always behaves the same way (chaotically and maliciously) and is never given interiority. He’s an NPC, basically.
I strongly suspect he is intentionally so constructed.
But at the same time, I kind of long for Willis to characterise Mike fully, or at least dissect him. What is it that makes him the way he is? Is he a realistic character? Is he a sociopath, or just an asshole? Can he change into a less destructive person? If he can, what would cause that change? I’d love to know.
Even Faz is preferable to Mike because the comments don’t try to pretend he’s a remotely beneficial human being.
HeySo
@Emily
Sounds like you don’t “get” Mike (rereading both Walky and Shortpacked can help with that). That aside, who cares about what other people comment, as far as it relates to your own experiences?
Mike adds a fresh, wild card dynamic to everything he participates in, and that kind of thing is always interesting to follow the development of.
Carla, while a much more inherently likable character, adds a similar “screw expectations, let’s do things my way” element, but she does so in a less self-involved way than Mike. Both of them tend to shove problems into the light where they can be fixed, but Mike tends to force people into deeper self-examination through the process.
Mike never does anything untoward- he never forces anyone into something they don’t agree to on their own. If someone cheats on their lover with Mike, then regardless of how much Mike likes revealing human flaws and hypocrisies, that responsibility falls on the person violating the trust of their partner, not on Mike. Mike is always honest about who and what he is- which is understandable, given his displayed dislike of hypocrisy and false pretensions.
Yeah, we’ve got Dina for honesty, and she’s far more adorable at it. But sometimes a bit of Mikery is exactly what a situation calls for..
..besides, the snarky characters always make for the best humor portions of the comic.
Regardless of all of that, Mike is a core Walkyverse character, who had a primary role in both preceeding comics. It’s a bit weird seeing him benched so much compared to the other primary characters. Everything else aside, he’s a distinct Walkyverse flavor, and having him both present in the comic but also relegated to the sidelines? Frankly, that doesn’t fit his dive-into-messy-situations character.
It’s clear the comic is exploring more in-depth romantic developments than previous comics, a process to which Mike would be overly destructive. At the same time, having all the drama broken up every now and then by Mike’s snide but no-BS commentary, isn’t a bad change of pace. Faz, on the other hand, never contributes anything but slapstick relief.
HeySo
*cheap, groan-worthy slapstick relief, at that.
Yumi
This isn’t It’s Walky or Shortpacked, so no, she doesn’t need to read or reread those to “get” Mike in this universe. And lots of people care what other people comment…that’s often why we discuss things.
You can like Mike or not; I’m personally not that invested in it. But you come across as condescending when you say the reason someone dislikes him is because they don’t “get” him.
thejeff
Yeah, perhaps it’s being too invested in how he was in that other series that makes some not “get” how Mike is in this one. 🙂
I liked Mike in SP! by the end, not so much in IW!, but he doesn’t work the same way here.
Willis, himself, has said that Walkyverse!Mike and DoA!Mike are not the same person, because DoA’s universe is not the Walkyverse, therefor Mike’s antics lack the same absurdist context and are therefor just shitty behaviour. Which is why he uses him so little.
I could go for [relationship drama] well-mixed with [charming snark] myself; it’d be even better with a dash of [surreal coincidence] (or maybe [squirrel coincidence]?) thrown in.
Expecting [sweet positivity] in a Willis comic, though? I mean, yeah, it happens, but never where you expect it!
–Dave, also usually some [pith & vinegar] is involved
In small doses, yes. And when they have other settings than the snarky surly one. It becomes tiring fast, and if their interlocutor aren’t in the proper mindset, it can become harmful for potentially both parties.
I don’t hate Anna, I’m just reluctant to see her getting together with Leslie, because as of now, they look like they have entirely different mindsets when it comes to relationships.
FUN FACT, “NIMROD” WAS NOT ORIGINALLY AN INSULT. HE WAS A BIBLICAL MESOPOTAMIAN KING, DESCRIBED AS “A MIGHTY HUNTER BEFORE THE LORD”. BUGS BUNNY SARCASTICALLY CALLED ELMER FUDD NIMROD AS A REFERENCE TO THAT, BUT PEOPLE ASSUMED IT WAS AN INSULTING TERM, AND IT HAS BEEN USED AS SUCH EVER SINCE.
I DON’T KNOW WHY I’M SHOUTING ALL THIS, BUT IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE MR. TORGUE, SO I’M OKAY WITH IT. ҉.
DON’T JINX IT, MIGHTY HUNTER BEFORE THE LORDS OF TIME. (Goes off to Google Mr. Torgue)
Keith
actually calling a person Nimrod when the usage started was a sarcastic way to say in what word today you use the whole sentence ‘real bright genius’ also in rebellion to all this silly shouting i refuse to use capital letters.
But… don’t you just think them up? Like is there a real thing somewhere on earth that we are counting?
I’m not being obtuse, I really don’t understand math.
Discussion (208) - “Grumpily”
AnvilPro
Pls no Anna strips incoming
Doopyboop
I don’t wanna be mean or anything but…I second this. Pls Leslie, pls don’t mean Anna. I’m sure Anna is a fine woman but LESLIE… NOOOOO…
Some Random Name
I don’t remember which one Anna is. Was she one of the two women from the supermarket and is she specifically the one that she didn’t go on a date with? I think she’s either a dentist or a dental hygienist or a dental assistant or something like that? Maybe black, but I might be wrong there? They randomly bumped into each other and Leslie asked her to coffee which is why I remember the dental thing?
…yes I can remember all of this, but I can’t remember her name.
Some Random Name
So Google is a thing. That is her.
Deadjolras
In the future, I suggest checking the tags! They’ve helped me quite a bit through the course of this strip.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/tag/anna/. (I hope I linked that properly.)
HeySo
Personally, I’m hoping for Sierra strips and Sayid strips.
Pablo360
Context, HeySo. In the context of this strip, I don’t think any of us want Sierra strips.
a4lbi
Says you.
Pablo360
I sincerely hope nobody wants Leslie to be referring to Sierra in panel 7.
HeySo
Personally I’m hoping for [sweet positivity] and [charming snark] [instead of relationship drama].
It’s not about context, but about subtext. 😛
HeySo
Also, I’d love to see the fringe characters get more appearances.
And Mike. Mike needs to show up more as well.
This comic has a distinct lack of Mikery going on.
Raijin
The comic can’t handle too much Mike at a time. Bad things will happen if you are exposed to too much Mike!
Emily
If I could have all of Mike’s appearances replaced with like any other character that’d be great.
HeySo
Replace all characters with Mike, you say?
It’s daring, and potentially world-ending but- sure, why not!
LovelyMonsters
The thing you don’t like about Mike is that he is flat, a part of the scenery, rather than round–a character. He always behaves the same way (chaotically and maliciously) and is never given interiority. He’s an NPC, basically.
I strongly suspect he is intentionally so constructed.
But at the same time, I kind of long for Willis to characterise Mike fully, or at least dissect him. What is it that makes him the way he is? Is he a realistic character? Is he a sociopath, or just an asshole? Can he change into a less destructive person? If he can, what would cause that change? I’d love to know.
Clif
It has possibilities.
Drs
The Great Faz is happy to oblige.
Emily
Even Faz is preferable to Mike because the comments don’t try to pretend he’s a remotely beneficial human being.
HeySo
@Emily
Sounds like you don’t “get” Mike (rereading both Walky and Shortpacked can help with that). That aside, who cares about what other people comment, as far as it relates to your own experiences?
Mike adds a fresh, wild card dynamic to everything he participates in, and that kind of thing is always interesting to follow the development of.
Carla, while a much more inherently likable character, adds a similar “screw expectations, let’s do things my way” element, but she does so in a less self-involved way than Mike. Both of them tend to shove problems into the light where they can be fixed, but Mike tends to force people into deeper self-examination through the process.
Mike never does anything untoward- he never forces anyone into something they don’t agree to on their own. If someone cheats on their lover with Mike, then regardless of how much Mike likes revealing human flaws and hypocrisies, that responsibility falls on the person violating the trust of their partner, not on Mike. Mike is always honest about who and what he is- which is understandable, given his displayed dislike of hypocrisy and false pretensions.
Yeah, we’ve got Dina for honesty, and she’s far more adorable at it. But sometimes a bit of Mikery is exactly what a situation calls for..
..besides, the snarky characters always make for the best humor portions of the comic.
Regardless of all of that, Mike is a core Walkyverse character, who had a primary role in both preceeding comics. It’s a bit weird seeing him benched so much compared to the other primary characters. Everything else aside, he’s a distinct Walkyverse flavor, and having him both present in the comic but also relegated to the sidelines? Frankly, that doesn’t fit his dive-into-messy-situations character.
It’s clear the comic is exploring more in-depth romantic developments than previous comics, a process to which Mike would be overly destructive. At the same time, having all the drama broken up every now and then by Mike’s snide but no-BS commentary, isn’t a bad change of pace. Faz, on the other hand, never contributes anything but slapstick relief.
HeySo
*cheap, groan-worthy slapstick relief, at that.
Yumi
This isn’t It’s Walky or Shortpacked, so no, she doesn’t need to read or reread those to “get” Mike in this universe. And lots of people care what other people comment…that’s often why we discuss things.
You can like Mike or not; I’m personally not that invested in it. But you come across as condescending when you say the reason someone dislikes him is because they don’t “get” him.
thejeff
Yeah, perhaps it’s being too invested in how he was in that other series that makes some not “get” how Mike is in this one. 🙂
I liked Mike in SP! by the end, not so much in IW!, but he doesn’t work the same way here.
Kamino Neko
Willis, himself, has said that Walkyverse!Mike and DoA!Mike are not the same person, because DoA’s universe is not the Walkyverse, therefor Mike’s antics lack the same absurdist context and are therefor just shitty behaviour. Which is why he uses him so little.
David DeLaney
I could go for [relationship drama] well-mixed with [charming snark] myself; it’d be even better with a dash of [surreal coincidence] (or maybe [squirrel coincidence]?) thrown in.
Expecting [sweet positivity] in a Willis comic, though? I mean, yeah, it happens, but never where you expect it!
–Dave, also usually some [pith & vinegar] is involved
Colineo
I want Sierra to strip for Mindy…
Needfuldoer
With the Lez? No way!
(Magic School Bus theme song too much of a stretch here?)
Deanatay
I’m open to anything, as long as Willis makes it funny.
Historyman68
Screw all y’all, I like Anna and think it’s weird that everyone decided immediately that they hate her. Snarky surly people can be fun, right?
dralou
In small doses, yes. And when they have other settings than the snarky surly one. It becomes tiring fast, and if their interlocutor aren’t in the proper mindset, it can become harmful for potentially both parties.
I don’t hate Anna, I’m just reluctant to see her getting together with Leslie, because as of now, they look like they have entirely different mindsets when it comes to relationships.
Historyman68
Yeah but we’ve seen her like five times? We haven’t seen her enough to really know any of that.
thejeff
OTOH, we haven’t seen anything else from her. Maybe she’ll reveal hidden depths eventually. At the moment, she’s a pile of screaming red flags.
And the relationship with Mindy doesn’t help.
Reltzik
YES EVERYTHING’S PERFECT NOW THIS CAN’T GO WRONG AT ALL!
Doctor_Who
AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER AND LESLIE GAVE THE CLASS COUPONS FOR 50% OFF A TOOTH CLEANING.
Mr. Bulbmin
DON’T JINX IT, NIMROD!
Doctor_Who
FUN FACT, “NIMROD” WAS NOT ORIGINALLY AN INSULT. HE WAS A BIBLICAL MESOPOTAMIAN KING, DESCRIBED AS “A MIGHTY HUNTER BEFORE THE LORD”. BUGS BUNNY SARCASTICALLY CALLED ELMER FUDD NIMROD AS A REFERENCE TO THAT, BUT PEOPLE ASSUMED IT WAS AN INSULTING TERM, AND IT HAS BEEN USED AS SUCH EVER SINCE.
I DON’T KNOW WHY I’M SHOUTING ALL THIS, BUT IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE MR. TORGUE, SO I’M OKAY WITH IT. ҉.
Clif
DON’T JINX IT, MIGHTY HUNTER BEFORE THE LORDS OF TIME. (Goes off to Google Mr. Torgue)
Keith
actually calling a person Nimrod when the usage started was a sarcastic way to say in what word today you use the whole sentence ‘real bright genius’ also in rebellion to all this silly shouting i refuse to use capital letters.
Kamino Neko
To be more complete – Nimrod was known as a mighty hunter, which is why Bugs compared Elmer to him, albeit sarcastically.
hof1991
Welcome to the UP, home of the Nimrods.
http://www.watersmeet.k12.mi.us/
also the Flivvers and Speed Boys. Yup, the Yuppers are a bit weird.
Bicycle Bill
Just FYI, it’s spelled “Yoopers”.
shadowcell
commence 200-comment thread trying to figure out what she’s humming
Stephen Bierce
The Beatles’ “Good Day Sunshine” works.
Opus the Poet
Doesn’t scansion. 4 syllables where Leslie is singing 3.
DanLovatClark
It’s the Star Wars theme.
Some Random Name
I honestly think it is. Specifically the Imperial March.
brionl
I gotta go with Imperial March too.
Does Leia even have a theme?
Reltzik
Yes.
tim gueguen
“Lark’s Tongue in Aspic Part II.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy3UiXb2uDQ
Cattleprod
Leslie’s Theme from Dumbing of Age: the Movie.
Dean
The theme from ‘Firefly’.
Marsh Maryrose
Come and Get Your Love
Deanatay
This song plays ALL THE TIME in LEGO Marvel Super-Heroes 2, so of course it’s stuck in my head…
Goz
Du Hast
hof1991
She’s not banging her head, though she is likely banging.
Dave M
Patti Smith’s Gloria: In Excelsis Deo? It fits musically AND thematically!
Roborat
I am going with Thunderstruck.
Johan
Here comes the bride. Or the imperial March. IDK they seem similar to me.
DanLovatClark
Well, we played both at my wedding, so.
Pablo360
Jingle Bell Rock. Check it, it works.
HeySo
I think it’s rather clear that she’s humming Freaky like me.
TemporalShrew
I want off of Leslie’s love life rollercoaster.
newllend(henryvolt)
I’d say “Same” but you know what if trial and error is what it takes for her to find what she really needs then so be it.
Wack'd
but it will attract artie, the strongest man in the world, like A GIANT FUNK MAGNET
Deanatay
Oooh, I LOVE rollercoasters! Just know, if one day your emotional state makes a complete 180, I’ll be holding my hands up and shouting WOOO!
DarkoNeko
Subtle.
Roger
aw that’s nice. I’d be happier if I trusted Anna more.
butting
She has terrible eyebrows. Literally the WORST. She forgot Mindy like *snaps fingers* THAT. 🙁
adjudicus
So THATs why my math teacher was inexplicably so happy for two months before reverting back to “if you talk too much I’ll throw you out the window”
Reltzik
Nah, that was probably because they came to the unit where they had to explain imaginary numbers.
Leorale
They’re ALL imaginary though
Reltzik
No, they’re all abstract. There’s a difference.
Leorale
But… don’t you just think them up? Like is there a real thing somewhere on earth that we are counting?
I’m not being obtuse, I really don’t understand math.