Charter
Posted on June 8, 2016 by David M Willis

362 thoughts on “Charter”

  1. Doctor_Who

    “No! Smarter! This calls for a monocle!”

    1. Ana Chronistic

      smarter, not smarmier

    2. JustCheetoDust

      That’s for looking rich.

      At least, that’s what Space Ghost says.

    3. LOLDWELL

      And a top hat for class

      1. Silamy

        And a cane so they’ll respect you when you’re walkin’ around all fancy-like!

        1. Doctor_Who

          And opera glasses! You can put the monocle on the end, so it’s not weird that you have both!

        2. Tacos

          Don’t forget one of those long cigarette holders.

        3. Doctor_Who

          But then you can’t smoke a cigar, the tobacco product of choice for fancy pants folks.

          …Unless you get that thing Captain Hook had that let him smoke two cigars at once! Extra fancy!

        4. Tacos

          Might as well just chomp down on two cigars at once. It’d probably get her points with the anime/manga crowd cuz they’d think she’s trying to cosplay as Smoker from One Piece.

        5. Willoughby Chase

          I say, chaps. Steady on. Cigars *before* dinner?

        6. Lurlock

          Cigar? Surely all of the respectable people wouldn’t be caught dead smoking anything other than a pipe. I say. Harrumph.

        7. Guairdean Beatha

          Hook was an amateur. http://i.imgur.com/NkyRqoo.jpg

        8. Dean

          Yes, I DO want to look exactly like the Monopoly guy!! Why is this so hard for you to understand, aide?

        9. Willoughby Chase

          Putting on the Ritz!

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZOJoV6H2UM

    4. Cephalo the Pod

      Made of DIAMOND!

      1. LOLDWELL

        While sipping tea because you gotta look fancy

    5. newllend(henryvolt)

      Monical’s are for the evil kind of smart person and people don’t vote for someone who’s evil…. unless you’re Trump or Clinton.

      1. Tacos

        Monocles are for popping out dramatically after witnessing something incredible.

        1. CrazyJ

          Get the unlubricated ones and that won’t happen.

        2. icalasari

          Be sure to be prepared

        3. Roborat

          I was waiting for someone to make the reference. I bought the three pack.

        4. Dana

          My favorite bit from the Kickstarter FAQ was the question “Are they available lubricated?” and the answer “Eww.”

        5. Willoughby Chase

          By George, he’s got it!

    6. Reltzik

      Smarter than that! TWO MONOCLES!

      1. Travalanche

        …but both on one eye, right?

        1. Reltzik

          Well, duh. It’s not like she actually needs corrective lenses, so the two can cancel each other out. Because SMART.

    7. TheAnonymousGuy

      are all of willis comics connected? if soo this could be the mid point of shortpacked where robins on Cadbury

      1. 4th Dimension

        They are connected as in these are same characters, but Walkyverse (of which shortpacked is a part) does not include DoA verse. Consider them alternative universes, same characters different situations. Like here DeSanto is a conservative delegate? while in Walkyverse she was liberal.

        1. Shade

          Alien abduction tends to affect one’s views.

        2. Bob Bobberman

          Wait.. didn’t she actually solve the world’s problems in the Walkyverse… at least for a while? Clearly she didn’t fit the labels of conservative OR liberal.. at least not as normally used in the US.

        3. MatthewTheLucky

          Please don’t start.

    8. Mkvenner

      More like a flying dildo

    9. AgentKeen

      “Wait! Glasses and monocle together!!”

    10. Needfuldoer

      Because monocles are a universal symbol of intelligence and competence.

      1. Willoughby Chase

        I’ll have you know it’s a sign of being a cad, sir!

    11. Plasma Mongoose

      Always insist on Unlubricated Monocles.

    12. Rowen Morland

      No Aide, winners use single use monocles.

  2. Ana Chronistic

    WARNING: HIJINKS AHEAD

    (also Riley?!)

    1. Wheelpath

      OOOOOOOOOOOOOOh, I’ll gladly accept more school liking cereal eater

    2. Spidergirl

      MORE RILEY IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING

    3. Orion Fury

      I thought it was Kyle…

    4. Anorak

      I read that as HUNKS AHEAD and was wondering if that meant Ethan was going to be back soon.

      1. Annie

        I saw that too.

  3. Tabitha Desanto

    Yay mommy

    1. JessWitt

      K, this shook me out of my blues. 🙂

    2. Pl0x

      Hahahahahahaha

      +10

  4. Demon-Something

    Poor Kyle, not even the tags respect him.

    1. Cattleprod

      You know you’re reading a good comic when the *tags* make you laugh.

  5. AnvilPro

    Until Willis changes the tags I’m picketing.

    1. Doctor_Who

      It won’t heal if you picket.

    2. -Sentinel-

      #AideNamesMatter

      1. Plasma Mongoose

        #AntiMatterCollidesWithMatter

        1. a snow mous e

          #ConvertingMassIntoEnergy
          #PetitionForTheConservationOfMassAndConservationOfEnergyLawsToBeCombinedIntoALawOfTheConservationOfMassEnergy #MassEnergyConservationLaw

        2. a snow mous e

          (oops that second hashtag ran over… I think it was “Petition for the conservation of mass and conservation of energy laws to be combined into a law of conservation of mass and energy”)

    3. Foxhack

      Leave your nose alone!

      1. JessWitt

        Yeah, your brains will fall out! Or so my dad says.

    4. Bicycle Bill

      It also appears to be the same aide as when she visited Leslie’s ‘Gender Studies’ class, so Willis will have to go back to put the name in the tags there as well.

  6. JerrmyFe

    Wow. Can’t wait to see where this goes.

    1. Doctor_Who

      To the glasses shop! More smartness is required!

      1. Needfuldoer

        Next time we see her she’ll be wearing a pair, with a second hanging from one of those chains like librarians stereotypically wear, and a third will be sitting on top of her head.

        By the time she leaves she’ll have a pair hanging from each pocket and poor Congressional Aide will be following her around with a wheelbarrow full of glasses.

    2. JustCheetoDust

      Well, the jet already landed.

    3. Reltzik

      Into Leslie’s classroom, and other locales.

      1. gkheyf

        Oh, goodness! Don’t let the voters catch you talking like that

  7. Conuly

    I like that sky. That’s perhaps a strange comment, but there ’tis.

    1. Soundwave

      ‘Tis very pretty indeed.

    2. Dara

      that is very much an 8-bit sky

      i mean that in a good way but it is very much an 8-bit sky

    3. John Brewer

      What time is it? Dawn the next day?

      1. NinjaNick

        Or a sunset?

      2. -Sentinel-

        Pretty sure, yeah. A chapter = a day, and this is a new chapter.

    4. JessWitt

      It’s very Beach City-esque.

    5. Awnman

      I just find it cool that it looks like the bisexual flag colors. I’m pretty sure that wasnt deliberate but if it was thats rad

      1. Cerberus

        Given that Robin’s arc in Shortpacked! centered around figuring out her bisexuality… sorry, her “undefinably queer”ness, I’m pretty sure it was all the intentional.

        1. Awnman

          OH YEAH. I forgot Robin was bi because shes been a touch outta focus in this comic but of course.

        2. Deanatay

          I believe Robin described her sexuality as ‘straight, but with an exception’.

        3. xKiv

          “Kinda undefinably queer”: http://www.shortpacked.com/index.php?id=1994 (diversity closet)

        4. gkheyf

          Whoa…that just blew my mind. That sky is so significant 0_0

        5. Gamaran Sepudomyn

          Also, it’s pride month. So Willis probably realized what month this storyline would fall into and colored it accordingly. And the fact that Pride month coincides with Carla’s contraption probably isn’t accidental either.

  8. Stephen R. Bierce

    The plane is a mishmash of an Aerostar and something more modern. Which means I need to find that airshow footage of Zar the Gallant…Watch this space.

    1. Stephen R. Bierce

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3Rd0gf3T88 <- He was a stig before there was THE Stig.

    2. WaytoomanyUIDs

      I thought he confused the wing tanks of a Lockheed Jetstar for engines

    3. Specter177

      The Aerostar Jet. Only one flying right now. http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/jets/aerostar-jet-flying

      1. WaytoomanyUIDs

        Yeah, you’re right, I vaguely remembered that from the wiki page about the Aerostar.

        1. Roborat

          I wasn’t aware of any small corporate jets that used wing mounted engines, they tend to be fuselage mounted.

        2. WaytoomanyUIDs

          It’s an experimental conversion of a Piper Aerostar by the company that bought the type certificate for the Aerostar. Apparently they were hoping to manufacture it as the AeroStar Jet, but have so far failed to gain FAA certification.

          I did some more reading about it today, got sucked down into aviation blogs and just resurfaced

        3. Stephen R. Bierce

          http://aviationweek.com/blog/mcdonnell-s-orphan-bizjet-survivor
          They show up every so often.

  9. Mkvenner

    *resisting the urge to through my laptop against a wall*

    1. Orion Fury

      Did you mean “throw” or did I misunderstand the comment?

      1. Mkvenner

        No you didn’t misunderstand the comment.

        1. Orion Fury

          And now I’m wondering why’d you want to hurt a poor laptop.

  10. NotaDoctor

    why are we off campus, what is this

  11. Mav

    People take taxis to different towns?!?

    1. NotPiffany

      If they’re close enough, sure.

      1. tim gueguen

        Or if they have a congressional expense account.

    2. -Sentinel-

      According to Google Maps, Bloomington is slightly more than an hour’s drive away from Indianapolis. Long taxi ride, but certainly cheaper than a chartered plane.

      1. -Sentinel-

        (Although I do wonder how such long taxi rides work. Does the driver ask payment for his return trip as well, or does he take a chance that another client will need a ride from Bloomington to Indianapolis?)

        1. merbrat

          Coulda chartered a limo! Then the arrival would’ve been seen by constituents, too!

        2. segnosaur

          I knew someone who once took a taxi from my city (Ottawa) to a small outlying town about an hour away, at a time when it was too late to catch a bus. The taxi company had a flat fee for making long trips like that. (They were told up front “the fee will be $X.)

          Not sure if taxis that would be used in the comic would have the same payment scheme.

    3. Viktoria

      She’s a Congresswoman, the party would usually provide a ride with a volunteer who has a nice car.

    4. Kris

      Not sure on the geography of Indiana too much but if the drive is only a few hours away it would cost less than a plane ticket or “chartering” which I’m not rich or powerful enough to know what that involves.

      1. tbf

        Google Maps says it’s 50 miles, or an hour’s drive.

        I think the plane may have taken longer than driving.

    5. JustCheetoDust

      You can, within reason.

      On a side note, some people actually thought Will Smith took a cab from Philadelphia all the way to LA.

      1. AgentKeen

        It was cheap because of the “fresh” smell.

    6. danuis

      I took a taxi from new bedford to providence, once. Was fun. Was expensive.

      1. Orion Fury

        Hoped you packed a lunch.

        1. danuis

          Didn’t take long, actually. The i-95 was empty that day for some reason.

        2. Orion Fury

          95 or 195? Wonder what happened.

  12. inqntrol

    Robin yeah! How long has it been since we last seen her?

    1. LeslieBean4Shizzle

      I was going to post something along the lines of “Yay! Robin!” but I figured I should check if anyone got there first and I found your post. So yeah – Yay! Robin!

    2. Spidergirl

      According to her tag, the last main site Robin appearance was September 18th, 2013. She’s been in a few Patreon bonus comics since then, but if you don’t count those it’s been nearly three years since we last saw Robin.

    3. Emily

      Not long enough.

  13. Cholma

    *plays Top Gun Anthem for first panel*

    1. Reltzik

      “Highway to the Danger Zone” would be more apropos if the lead character (er, lead character’s boss) was not giving a speech about shunning the highway.

  14. Silamy

    Oh Robin. ….Never….? change.

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      …your underwear.

  15. tim gueguen

    Sorry to break it to you, Robin, but I doubt the “look-smarter” glasses will help you look smart.

    1. Mkvenner

      It will make her look more like an IL politician.

    2. tim gueguen

      And you should be nicer to your aide. It may keep him from testifying against you when you end up under investigation for campaign funding irregularities, or improprieties with your congressional expense account.

      1. Mkvenner

        The guilty police themselves in that case not the FBI.

        1. tim gueguen

          I was thinking of testifying before an oversight committee, not the court system.

        2. Mkvenner

          Like I said the guilty policing themselves.

      2. -Sentinel-

        Who would have guessed that Cadbury eggs were not covered by the food allowance?

      3. Dana

        Winners don’t come under investigation.

    3. StClair

      Tell that to the Doctor.
      (He calls them “the brainy specs”.)

  16. Nerd Herder

    Ooh, looks like someone went to the Rick Perry School of Political Image Management.

    1. Mkvenner

      Looks more the Trump University of Politics and Making [insert name of country/subdivision] Great Again.

  17. Woobie

    Charlie Sheen-Trump

  18. Brute

    real life politics have made it difficult for me to deal with Robin plots.
    sigh.

    1. Regalli

      Yeah it’s… as a Shortpacked fan I am happy to see her again but I definitely have much lower tolerance for Congresswoman DeSanto at the moment.

    2. -Sentinel-

      Who would she have backed in the GOP primary, do you think?

      1. Cerberus

        Waspinator.

        1. Regalli

          Definitely Waspinator.

        2. Reltzik

          Now THERE’S a candidate that could generate some buzz.

          …. sorry. I didn’t expect that pun to sting so bad.

          …. or that one to bee so awful.

        3. Regalli

          We’d say boo, but then our candidate just got ripped to shreds for the third time twenty minutes ago so eh, whatever.

          (Poor, poor Waspinator.)

        4. Tan

          Change you can beelieve in.

          Not afraid to roll up the sleeves of his yellow jacket.

          Whether you’re a white anglo-saxon protestant or you ride a Vespa, Waspinator can relate.

          Trumpets and hornets for the new regime.

          Hymenoptera.

        5. Orion Fury

          He does have Plans…

      2. C.

        She may not even be a Republican.

      3. Commodore Jeep-Eep

        Seriously speaking, given how much of a mercenary operator she is, she’d have been behind trump rather rapidly.

  19. tim gueguen

    Hmmm, that last panel makes me think Robin is what Walky would be like if he was female.

    1. Bagge

      She is living the dream.

  20. Cephalo the Pod

    Holy shit, what sort of Third Impact-esque shenanigans are going on in that sky?

    1. lia47

      that would be “sunset”

      1. Bagge

        THE DAY-ORB ASCENDING?? WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF NEXT????

        1. Tacos

          Iunno. Maybe the Day-Orb descending?

        2. Cerberus

          Now that’s just crazy talk!

        3. Bagge

          #MindBlown

      2. AgentKeen

        I think it’s actually sunrise. It’s a new storyline/chapter, so it should be morning of the next day.

        1. Cephalo the Pod

          …Huh. That never occurred to me.

    2. Mkvenner

      Indianapolis is burning while Robin fiddles.

      1. gkheyf

        What representative Desanto does while in the privacy of her plane is her business and is not within the interests of the voters!

    3. Thark

      All Joyce had to do was getting into that damn robot !

  21. NinjaNick

    Whee! The Congresswoman is back!

  22. newllend(henryvolt)

    What the fuck is the time in this strip? Early morning.

    1. Mkvenner

      Massive forest fire next county over.

      1. EvilMidnightLurker

        I initially read that as “next comic over.” I wonder if any webcomics are having a forest fire atm.

    2. Tacos

      Naw, not early morning. Third Impact. *nods*

  23. Regalli

    Robin! I miss Robin!

    I don’t really miss this Robin, but I will accept this Robin all the same if it ends in happiness for at least one (1) lesbean.

    … I didn’t even entirely intend that as a typo I was just half-thinking but I AM KEEPING IT especially since, y’know, there’s only one age-appropriate lesbian in the strip at the moment and it is she of the beans.

    1. Bagge

      Here is for a hot, steamy leslie-date!!!

      1. Cerberus

        So, we’ve got Joe potentially mellowing out and now we have Robin in town looking to build herself up. And we’re going to have a Joyce coming out of the ringer and ready for another shake-up.

        Who else is suddenly extra excited for the next Gender Studies strip?

        1. Regalli

          And a newly-extra-homeless Becky, don’t forget about that. (Because I doubt the Billie-Ruth-Mary-blackmail thing is going to resolve itself so easily, which might finally be the push they need to bring Leslie in on this as the Cool Lesbian Mentor… who immediately goes “crap I am SO screwed if this were a scifi series”.)

        2. Reltzik

          …. when are we not?

        3. Spidergirl

          Maybe not the other people in the class?
          … Nah, the drama in that class is probably better than most stuff on TV, and with a lot less killing-off-female-leads.

        4. Orion Fury

          I don’t think I’m never not existed for that, but I think I blocked out the Roz Drama that had lead to a filter.

        5. thejeff

          Yeah, but even that was worth it for the filter alone.

        6. Orion Fury

          And that was supposed to be ‘excited’.

        7. Amazi-Stool

          Well, it is sunday morning, so Gender Studies won’t happen for several months real-time!

    2. Historyman68

      I miss Robin too. In a way, she’s sort of the cartooniest of the Sp! bunch, and tends to have the most fun and over-the-top adventures.

  24. Kris

    See now if aide was smart he’d record all everything Robin says and blackmail her with it later….but he doesn’t which is why he’s an aide.

    1. -Sentinel-

      “It’s called a hustle, sweetheart.”

    2. Some1

      who says he isn’t?

    3. Bagge

      Blackmailing only works if the person you try to blackmail doesn’t OWN THE FUDGE of the traits you try to blackmail her for.

      congressional aide: “…and as you can see, she treated me like shit.”
      Media: “In shocking news, congresswoman deSanto treats her aid like shit!!!!”
      Voters: “You go, deSanto. You tell them how it really is!”
      Robin: “Fo rizzle!”

      1. Cephalo the Pod

        “The rims just got 1 inch thicker!”

        1. Plasma Mongoose

          The rims would suit her best.

      2. Cerberus

        Robin: “I treated him like shit for the economy!”
        Aide: “That doesn’t even make sense. Also, stupid tags, my name is Kyle.”
        Voters: “Yay, economy!”
        Aide: “I… I…”
        Robin: “Forget about it, Aide, it’s Indiana.”

        1. Reltzik

          Aide: “You wasted taxpayer money on unnecessary plane flights!”
          Robin: “Which stimulated the economy!”
          Aide: “But… you always said that government spending doesn’t-”
          Robin: “ECONOMY, bongo!”

      3. Reltzik

        Robin owns fudge? And HASN’T eaten it yet?

  25. Betty Anne

    As long as she doesn’t spray herself orange, I think she’s going to do fine with the appearance-altering gig. :3

  26. Lan

    Please tell me her briefcase has like fake-ass glasses for ANY AND EVERY type of situation. I used to have spare frames for when my lenses fell out that I’d use like that. Hell sometimes I’d just get those shitty Dollar Tree frames and pop my lenses into those because I’d get ten frames for ten bucks and they’d last me over a year in my house!

    1. Reltzik

      If not EVERY TYPE of situation, at least a spare pair of sexy rims for seducing Leslie.

    2. Bicycle Bill

      She does.  “My vision’s fine; they’re just for good first impressions.”

  27. Thor

    At least, the real protagonist of Dumbing of Age!

    1. Orion Fury

      Wait, Mike’s there? He’s not in the tags…

  28. Bagge

    The thick rims? It’s ON!!!

    1. Jay Eff

      *puts on thick-rimmed Look-Smart Glasses*

      I am so smart!
      I am so smart!
      S-M-R-T!
      i mean, S-M-A-R-T!

      1. Bagge

        +1

      2. Roborat

        That reminded me of a song:

        “I can’t spell VW but I got a Porsche
        I am a blonde
        B-L-I don’t know”

        1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

          ‘Cause I’m A Blonde – Julie Brown

  29. Cephalo the Pod

    This is gonna be about the Gunman, right?

    1. Kris

      Is it? Are school shootouts where no one died big enough things for a congressional representative to show up to? Maybe because her sister goes to school there?

      1. Cephalo the Pod

        If the Gunman Incident isn’t big enough, then what is? Are we gonna be introduced to a whole new subject at the tail end of this Book (which has been all about the Gunman Incident and its repercussions)?

        1. Bagge

          It will be all about Riley and Dina’s relationship.
          WILL THEY STILL BE FRIENDS AFTER THEY DISCOVERED THE AGE DIFFERENCE?
          WILL THEIR FRIENDSHIP SURVIVE THAT DINA DISCOVERED THE JOY OF SMOOCHES WHILE RILEY STILL THINKS GIRLS ARE GROSS?
          WHAT ARE BECKY’S FAVORITE CEREALS???
          the DRAAAAAAAMA

        2. Kris

          Becky only likes Captain Crunch “Oops all berries” it’s a strong point of contention in their fledgling relationship that Riley will have to help them work through.

        3. Kris

          It’s definitely plausible, especially from a story perspective, just saying in these troubling times were some form of shootout happens every month an event were no one dies sometimes isn’t even enough for the mayor to show up sadly. At least that’s been my experience from watching the news.

    2. showler

      Probably all about the Leslie.

    3. Cephalo the Pod

      Oh, I just remembered the Carla/Mary fued. Did Roz call her sister about Mary, maybe? That sounds a little too extreme, I guess.

      1. Cerberus

        Oh… fuck… I don’t think Roz would do that, but now I’m genuinely terrified that Robin is going to go the Ted Cruz route of trying to bolster her campaign by building up a scare story of Carla using the dorm washrooms.

        1. Regalli

          I imagine if she tried though, that might be a step far enough that Roz would go “No, I am NOT allowing you to use me as a prop in your shitty transphobic fearmongering” and actually start trying to sabotage her campaign.

          Which, crap, sounds scarily plausible and I don’t think Roz would have the reach to counteract her Congresswoman sister, but on the other hand we do know that God does in fact answer lesbian prayers in this universe so I remain slightly hopeful?

        2. Rutee

          I don’t think we’ll have an arc centered on the politics of right the hell now. I think you were right to read that as background for Carla’s arc, but Carla’s arc was centered on Carla.

          I could be wrong.

        3. Cerberus

          Okay, yeah, thanks Regali, Rutee, and Historyman68 for talking me off that worry. Robin is a wild card so I’m curious to see what she gets up to on campus, especially as she’s mostly written it off in favor of the more “family values” crowd surrounding it.

        4. Historyman68

          Though I was yelling at someone the other day for presuming to know what Willis will do next with storylines, I’m gonna say that an entire storyline about trans bathroom rights doesn’t sound like his style. For one thing, these storylines are written way in advance (not that this controversy hasn’t been going on for long enough). But also, we already have one unambiguous transphobe. There’s enough of them in reality; I doubt Willis would decide to fill this strip with them when one is enough to contend with (and has been contended with rather well, at the moment).

        5. Commodore Jeep-Eep

          On the other hand, the way that transphobe has been contended with means that she will be looking to strike back; if she and Robin meet, they could easily come to an accordance – vengeance for Mary, red meat for Robin’s base.

        6. Historyman68

          Hmmmmm. I could see that potentially happening…

        7. Historyman68

          Though I don’t know exactly what she’d tell her. “A trans person wouldn’t stop roller skating and then I ended up with pie on my face” is even less outrageous than “a lesbian asked me to make them a cake.”

          So, I guess it could happen…

    4. DinaWho

      Could be a general campaign event? We’re in early October here, so it could be a reelection thing not related to recent events. The in-comic time is an ambiguous and shifting ‘this year’, but since she’s in the House, she’s up for election every 2 years, so it would still be a factor 50% of the time.

      1. TheGrammarLegionary

        She’s been referenced in comic as being up for re-election, so I think that will remain constant until the election actually happens.

    5. anonymsly

      I think it’s more likely to be about Roz’s promise to Leslie back in the day, to get Robin to come in to talk to the Gender Studies class because Leslie wants to get her flirt on.

      As referenced in this strip: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/02-that-perfect-girl/behave/

      1. thejeff

        Though it’s Sunday, so it’s not directly for coming to class.

  30. JessWitt

    Aww, Robin. No one can top your political ridiculousness, Annoying Orange V.2.0 exempted.

    1. Cephalo the Pod

      Is it weird that I, a millenial (b. ’94) have managed to completely avoid The Annoying Orange?

      1. JessWitt

        Not weird, but blessed.

  31. Historyman68

    Something about this strip is VERY anime, and I love it.

    1. Cephalo the Pod

      Primarily non-blue sky.
      Character looking into the distance in a…whatever that pose is called…monologuing dramatically.
      Yeah, I can understand that reaction.

  32. Mkvenner

    1. Orion Fury

      ?

      1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        !

        1. Historyman68

          Interrobang!

        2. TheGrammarLegionary

          I love that one… ‽

        3. Orion Fury

          But none of this answers my question.

  33. John

    I want to see Robin challenge Trump to a duel to the death for the nomination.

    1. Mkvenner

      I wish someone would.

    2. Spidergirl

      I mean, worst comes to worst, I’d vote for her.

    3. Emily

      I hope it ends in a tie.

    4. Gamaran Sepudomyn

      Both would lose to Dina. Remember, dinosaurs hate Trump.

      1. MatthewTheLucky

        Nah, Dina hasn’t got the inclination for all this fighting over who’s alpha.

  34. Bicycle Bill

    Well, I think I’m going to put her into the “typical politician” niche now and avoid the rush later on.

  35. Professor Fate

    “We din’t take a taxi ’cause it din’t cost ‘nuthin’, the taxpayers are paying for it. Once more around the taxiway, aide.”

    “My name is Kyle.”

    “Whatever.”

  36. showler

    I love Robin.

    However, in DoA I sometimes feel like she is an evil plot to trick me into liking Sarah Palin.

    1. Some1

      I love Robin, but I wouldn’t vote for her.

      1. Cerberus

        So… you’re Leslie?
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/06-yesterday-was-thursday/knock/

        1. Some1

          Lets see here…

          Were both liberal
          we both like girls
          we both spend a lot of time in a school.

  37. Some1

    LITTLE GREEN!

    1. Falcon

      And then when she’s betrayed by her aide, leading to her impending loss against a nutjob in the other party: LITTLE GREEN, WHY?!

      My name is Kyle.

      1. Some1

        Mary: you…aide thing..heal me

        Kyle: oh I’m sorry I’m having a hard time hearing you over my party’s blood on your hands.

        Mary: Oh no, do not be that guy right now

        Kyle: Oh I’m going to be that guy right now.

        Mary: I am literally going to die!

        Kyle: Okay…how bought this, I’ll heal you…on one condition.

        Mary: and that is?

        Kyle: Say my name.

        Mary: oooohhh uhhhhh

        Kyle: you don’t even know my name

        Mary: Oh I do! Its uhhh um uh…little aide

        Kyle: hahahhaha No, it’s Kyle…say Kyle.

        Mary: Kyle

        Kyle: Now say, please heal my Kyle

        Mary: Please heal me Kyle

        Kyle: Well sense you asked so nicely

        leaves in plane

        Mary: Come back congressional man!

  38. caesaria82

    lmao Robin is hilarious (I mean, as long as she’s fictional and I don’t *actually* have to live in a place where she has actual power to decide actual laws and such^^)

    1. That Damn Rat

      But soon, America Could be getting the closest real-life facsimile, one Donald Trump.

      1. caesaria82

        Ugh yeah. Don’t even. As a kid I always wanted to be American so bad (I blame pop culture and Hollywood lol), but these days I’m glad I’m not (not that I’m totally happy with my own country’s government either, but tbh, at least they’re not Trump-style bad).

      2. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        I blame Obama. He found this mysterious tag sticking out of his desk in the Oval Office and tugged on it.

    2. Mkvenner

      Not if you’re American.

      1. caesaria82

        I’m not, but I do know that people like this are very real and they’re very real in every country. I’m just saying, if Robin was real, she’d be awful to have as a person with actual power 😉

  39. sun tzu

    You know, it’s funny. In Shortpacked, while I considered Robin a valuable member of the cast who contributed a lot to the comic, I also despised her most of the time, for being incredibly callous, selfish, inconsiderate, and willfully ignorant.

    In a way, I find DoA Robin refreshing: There isn’t ANY pretense that she isn’t a horrible person.

    1. Cerberus

      It’s Robin minus all the positive influence of Ethan and Leslie plus the negative influence of running for office and actually caring about winning in central Indiana.

      1. Regalli

        I’d say “basically it’s Robin as an actual politician” but then I remember she somehow won her seat in the first place by courting the Star Wars necrophiliac vote.

        1. Cerberus

          That’s really where Ted Cruz’s election went wrong. Not enough courting of the Star Wars necrophile voting bloc.

        2. Mkvenner

          And his name was foreign sounding unlike Trump.

        3. caesaria82

          #makedonalddrumpfagain

        4. Mkvenner

          The bastard won’t die unfortunately.

  40. Bicycle Bill

    “I enter you on a chariot, a champion.”

    And the aide, standing behind her, says “Respice post te, hominem te memento.”

    1. Mkvenner

      Valar Morghulis

    2. Lumin

      *applause*

      1. StClair

        *joins the applause*

    3. Reltzik

      And Robin responds, “Hey, I don’t actually know how to speak Spanish, Aide.”

      1. Mkvenner

        Where’s Hannibal Barca when you need him.

        1. Tacos

          Somewhere in Carthage probably.

        2. inqntrol

          Three Punic Wars later
          Rome: “Carthage? What Carthage?”

        3. StClair

          delenda est

  41. ConfusedServal

    I feel compelled to complement Willis on the colours in this strip. Really diggin’ the pink and purple sky. Very anime.

  42. Dean

    You just know that the next patreon strip will feature either Congressional Aide or Anonymous Sal Fangirl.

    1. Cerberus

      I’m genuinely hoping for a Bonnie.

      1. thejeff

        Definitely voting for Bonnie in the next poll.

    2. Tacos

      Or that one waitress that served Joyce and Co.

      1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        Robin and Aide doing a meet-and-greet at the restaurant where ASF is visiting with her folks.

  43. Kodiak

    Every aspiring politician in 5 panels..

  44. Chonos

    This is something politicians on all sides of the spectrum are guilty of. Trump has a 737 I think, Hillary goes all over the place in a GLF4 or 5.

    1. MatthewTheLucky

      Because taxis make soooooooo much sense for travel between the east and west coast.

      1. Zasz

        They’ve both used jets to go from JFK to EWR.

  45. wakeangel2001

    Private jets are the least efficient way to travel that exists, especially over short distances, she just lost the environmentalist vote.

    1. Reltzik

      That can’t be right.

      …. I mean, surely a personal jet pack would be less efficient.

      …. and more likely to get votes.

      …. dammit, she’s RIGHT.

  46. DSL

    That plane has a lot of extra lights on it, is all I wanna say.

    1. DSL

      Well, that, and a plane that size with underwing engines presents a real and very interesting risk of an impatiently deplaning Very Important Passenger being sucked into an engine.

      1. David M Willis

        I … I didn’t make the plane up. I drew it from a real one!

        1. Some1

          wait is this the image you used?

          http://www.bjtonline.com/sites/bjtonline.com/files/805_inside-charters10-765_0606.jpg

        2. Some1

          I know realize although they look quite similar, the engine placement is different.

          Whoops!

        3. Reltzik

          But…. but…. why would you apply perspective? PLANES ARE 2-DIMENSIONAL!

          ….

          I’ll just show myself out.

        4. WaytoomanyUIDs

          The only business jet I’ve seen that looks like that is an experimental conversion of a Piper Aerostar to jet engines. It was never put into production, presumably because of the problems DSL mentioned and also I imagine debris ingestion (other than impatient Congresswomen) would have been a real issue.

        5. DSL

          Here’s a bit of a write-up on the Aerostar conversion. The only reason I could see for an underwing jet mount on a plane that size would be the reduced cabin noise would appeal to the kind of person who spends that much money on a small plane. (Also, Shortpacked! Robin would probably be sucked into a jet engine only to emerge out the other end with super-, or perhaps ultra-, powers. Anyway … http://airinsight.com/2011/08/01/aerostar-jet-makes-first-appearance-at-oshkosh/

        6. WaytoomanyUIDs

          Thanks for the link, didn’t see that one while i was diving through flying blogs today. Stared looking for info on the Aerostar jet and ended up just browsing through flying blogs. Even more dangerous than wiki walking.

      2. doubleW

        Desanto picks planes for their coolness, not their practicality.

        1. Tacos

          So should I presume her plane shoots lasers and can transform into a robot?

        2. Will

          Ruttech lasers that spell her name and campaign motto?

      3. Mkvenner

        One can only hope.

  47. Kkiten

    Our favorite congresswoman Ms. Desanto is back!

    1. Mkvenner

      Unfortunately she is being over shadowed by Trump. And the anarchists in Oregon.

  48. doubleW

    Leslie just got really turned on and she doesn’t know why

    1. Mkvenner

      Oh she knows.

  49. Kamenhero25

    Wow, that is some professional level politicianing.

    She just needs someone standing by to let her make false promises to and she’ll have the complete package.

  50. Spidergirl

    The sky seems to know what’s up with our resident closet bisexual politician.

    1. Commodore Jeep-Eep

      I honestly hope her kid sister outs her at some point.

  51. Creatrix Tiara

    My dad was watching the news in Brisbane about the government wanting to cut funding to social services and such, and on the screen was the Queensland Premier (Campbell Newman) coming out of a private plane to meet constituents in regional Queensland.

    My dad immediately commented “if you’re trying to cut down on your budget the first thing you can do is get rid of your private planes and go take the bloody train!”

    1. Bicycle Bill

      You’ve got a country (continent, actually) the size of Australia and your leader is supposed to take a train?  Not too bloody likely, I’d say.

      1. Creatrix Tiara

        This was just one state, not the whole country.

  52. Tenzhi

    And now I expect her to use mind bullets…

  53. BenRG

    ‘Robin de Santo’ and ‘smart’ are such differing concepts that you could never mistake one for the other!

    1. Bicycle Bill

      I would use “Robin de Santo” and “smart” in the same sentence quicker and with far less irony that I would for “Donald Trump” and “smart”.

  54. Dana

    Before I even read the comments I can already hear Robin and Leslie shippers squee.

    1. Bagge

      To be fair, we have been doing that since they first met.

  55. Charles Phipps

    Do Leslie and Robin have a snowball’s chance in hell in this universe? Would we want them to? The Robin of this universe is kind of an awful person.

    1. Orion Fury

      That implies that the Robin of the previous wasn’t.

    2. Bagge

      Dunno, but I know what I hope for for the next slipshine

    3. BenRG

      In the Walkyverse, Robin was initially a selfish and narcissistic woman who deliberately waved her ignorance around like a club as an excuse not to think too hard beyond her immediate whims and desires. She had to be forced to grow beyond that and it was Leslie (and, to a certain extent, Joe) who gave the impetus to motivate her to do so.

      The Robin in this universe hasn’t had that brake on her and has spent years in the ethically-toxic environment of Washington DC. Simply put, no, she is not a nice person and she will need to be changed by someone or something.

      1. Charles Phipps

        I think it’d be a cool subversion if it turns out Robin is just bad in this world.

      2. Jason

        “In the Walkyverse, Robin was initially a selfish and narcissistic woman who deliberately waved her ignorance around like a club as an excuse not to think too hard beyond her immediate whims and desires. She had to be forced to grow beyond that.”

        Wow, she really WAS Walky 2.0!

  56. Orion Fury

    hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

  57. KSClaw

    well howdy Robin, haven’t seen you in a while o.o

  58. anonymsly

    Hi Robin! Finally succumbing to the manipulationg of Roz, I see, and visiting IU campus to be ogled and flirted at by its awesome Gender Studies teacher. (Though I’m sure Roz didn’t let you know that’s why she wanted you to visit.)

  59. ianmorris

    i want jacob manly to show up

  60. Willoughby Chase

    *monocle pops out* I say, old thing. Steady on.

  61. Emily

    Oh gross, it’s Robin.

  62. Willoughby Chase

    Isn’t a bit pointless coming by jet if there’s no peasants one to see you arrive?

    Landing by chopper in the IU playing fields …. now that’s an entrance …

  63. aiimy

    YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS MY CHILD

  64. Spencer

    Robin is so bisexual that the sky bows to her presence.

    Also because I’m probably never going to get another chance to talk about this, I genuinely though that Shortpacked!Robin was one of the best written bi characters in all of webcomics.

  65. Björn

    Hooray, Robin! I’ve missed her shenanigans so!

  66. L!ghtn!ng

    Yay, Robin! How I’ve missed her antics!

  67. JBento

    Eeeeew, Robin.

    I’ve got nothing else to add, but with everyone else seemingly so excited for her, I felt I needed to voice my dislike of her.

    1. timemonkey

      Maybe this time she’ll do something that isn’t terrible?

      1. Commodore Jeep-Eep

        LOOOOOL!

      2. Emily

        It’s a nice thought but all precedent says no.

  68. nothri

    Uhhhhh….sure. When I see a politician egregiously wasting tax payer money on shit like chartering a private plane I totally just wanna run right the fuck out ad vote for them right then and there. Just chomping at the motherfucking bit.

    1. Charles Phipps

      What makes you think Robin is a GOOD politician?

    2. Guairdean Beatha

      This would have been done with campaign funds, not taxpayer funds.

  69. Kirbilius Clausius

    Did I miss the answer on whether the Dumbing-verse version of Robin was still a war vet?

  70. prime_pm

    Yay! Humor!

  71. Guairdean Beatha

    Whether or not the colors have a special significance, the coloring in this strip really stands out. Well done, sir.

  72. Bicycle Bill

    Addressing this to Willis — is Robin supposed to be a Democrat or a Republican?  I know ‘her’ district (the 5th Congressional District) has historically been Republican for 41 of the last 47 years (and counting), but does that carry over into the story or not?

    1. cesium133

      It’s at least heavily implied that that carries over into the story: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/06-yesterday-was-thursday/district/

      1. Bicycle Bill

        Yeah, I know that’s the district as it was designated in 2011; it got redrawn, losing some of both the eastern and western portions in 2013 and now runs more-or-less straight north and south from Indianapolis to the Ohio River border.  But what little we’ve seen of Robin — she’s been in only a half-dozen strips until today — doesn’t really go all that deeply into her political affiliations or loyalties.

        1. thejeff

          “keep my vow of preserving traditional family values”

          “down here live all the peeps who think you’re a hellbound slut. An those peeps are what keep me in office”

          And Leslie “voted for the white guy she ran against”.

          At the very least, she’s running as a conservative. Little reason to think she’s not Republican, but Blue Dog Democrat is possible.

        2. Commodore Jeep-Eep

          I hope the characters find a way to mess that filth up.

    2. danuis

      5th? Looks more like the 9th.

      1. Bicycle Bill

        You’re right, my bad.  It is the 9th, which was represented by a Democrat between 2007 and 2011.  So I’ll lean in the direction of her being a DINO (Democrat in Name Only).

        1. bhtooefr

          I’m gonna say Republican.

          Preserving traditional family values? http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/06-yesterday-was-thursday/forgiveness/
          Pandering to old scared homophobic white dudes (OK, redundant)? http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/02-i-was-a-teenage-churchmouse/gag/
          And, finally, to be conclusive… Leslie voted against her? http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/06-yesterday-was-thursday/knock/

          Let’s face it, if Robin was the Democrat, Leslie wouldn’t have voted for the Republican. That means that she’s the Republican.

  73. GhostWriterL

    So in the Dumbiverse… Robin is Sarah Palin?

  74. Slartibeast Button, BIA

    Red sky at morning, sailor take warning.

  75. hof1991

    And somewhere Roz feels a great disturbance in the Force. She says “I got a bad feeling about this.”

    1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      As if a million shippers cried out, and suddenly launched the USS Robean.

  76. Teddae

    for some reason i still like robin in this universe…

  77. Reed

    She’s one white cat away from being a supervillain.

    1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      She already has a secret underground base full of Uzi-wielding minions?

  78. graham

    We already did this plotline in Australia last year; Bronwyn Bishop and a $5000 50 mile helicopter ride paid for by the taxpayer, which finally ended her career.

    1. Mr Ak

      <3

  79. nicostrat

    Don’t keep changing characters while leaving so many story arcs so damn open! It’s making me -even more- anxious to see what happens!!!

    damn you Willis ¬¬

  80. Bob Bobberman

    Is aide Kyle related to Mike?

  81. JBento

    Total and complete aside:

    Apparently, there’s a site called http://www.isidewith.com, that matches your stances on issues with the (purported ones) of the current US Presidential candidates. I took it, and my scores were:

    95% Sanders, 93% Clinton, 91% Jill Stein; which are all close enough to be essentially the same thing.

    70% Gary Johnson, whoever that dude is? Apparently, a libertarian?

    15% Trump.

    Any of the commentariat took that test? I’m half curious about what other people got.

    Disclaimer: not american myself. Over here, we’re basically saving money to buy all the popcorn we’ll be eating during the general campaign and, quite possibly, the next four years.

    1. ninja_jesus

      I got 100% with Sanders. As I would.

      1. thejeff

        As did I.
        And 99% with both Stein & Clinton.

        5% with Trump.

        Voted for Bernie. Will happily support Hillary in the general. Fully expect to be alternately disappointed, elated and frustrated with her, as I have been with Obama.

    2. TheGrammarLegionary

      Thanks for the link, that was very informative and worthwhile. And, for the record;
      93% Sanders
      93% Stein
      92% Clinton
      72% Johnson
      17% Trump (a little high for my liking, but at least it’s still WAY at the bottom)

  82. Lulu

    So Trump or Hillary?

  83. Mara

    Doesn’t Robin know that it’s risky to provoke Kyl(o R)e(n)?

  84. Heather

    Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning.

    (Pretty as hell though).

  85. Tenn

    This would go so much smoother if his name was Adrian instead.

  86. Eyebrow

    Would anyone like to speculate on the significance of the title of the last storyline, “When God Closes The Door”? At least three answers, maybe more?

    1. Mr Ak

      Well it completes as “he opens a window”, and they broke in by opening a window. There could be underlying meaning too, but I’m happy with surface level interpretation.

      1. AUnicornNoOneAskedFor

        Does that mean Joyce is God? :O

        1. Ragnarok101

          Well Willis did say she was basically an author avatar with regards to her upbringing, IIRC, and author avatars have a tendency to hit God-Mode….

    2. CJ

      Never before heard the closing-door simile in a theistic wording, only as a general “if a door closes, another one opens” mostly meaning that things ending allow a new beginning and sometimes meaning that you need to actually end something before something new can begin.
      (no Christians with proselytizing tendencies in my background, obviously).
      So I rather saw this chapter as an “all things end” arc, leading to the hiatus before the new doors open.

      1. David M Willis

        I would also like to point out that Joyce/Becky’s hometown is La Porte, and also maybe look up what that means in French.

        1. TheGrammarLegionary

          … Just when this story couldn’t get any better, there are puns in French. Merci beaucoup, M. Willis.

    3. thejeff

      Mary should have closed the door.

  87. Amazi-Stool

    HA HAS A NAME AND IT’S KYLE, YOU JERK

  88. Crumplepunch

    Tremendously smart.

  89. Griffin

    what a bi sky

  90. Jhon

    Will that plane be pink the next time we see it?

  91. Iridium

    His name may be Kyle, but to me he will always be Jeremy Renner.

  92. TPman

    I have to wonder how much Trump’s arrival on the political scene impacted this depiction of Robin.

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