should have been closed for longer for a better *cool off* period
as much as I have fun here, Willis shouldn’t be too proud to just nuke comments in advance for lotta shit
in this political climate, the topic of these discussions is of some very real impact on peoples’ lives
they are in fact, NOT a game of BeyBlade
Clif
Hey, I’m just looking forward to seeing Walkyverse Joe and Rachael again.
J
Wait. Why would that happen?
Rowen Morland
Did they close as a response to specific comments or was it planned in advance to close for a specific strip that was judged to be too likely to be toxic discourse.
The scary part is that apparently the hater containment thread was reported away – Willis had to reinstate it manually.
Adept
Well, I must say these comments from Willis do not fill me with confidence.
Dr. T
That sort of upsets me. Not the locking part, as that can be healthy at times. I am upset that people get that worked up about fictional characters that merely explore real life dynamics between people. These characters are capable of some nuance in personality, just like people in general are. I appreciate the fact that many characters have character flaws as well as positive traits. I don’t want Mary to show any positive traits, mind you, but Raidah being something other than a pure heat sink isn’t a negative thing. Once you start interacting with other people, life can fail to match your idealized version. There’s nothing wrong in that
Adept
Yeah, I kind of enjoyed Raidah’s attempted reality check, and the rather crazy response from Joyce.
Lumino
Like I said on BSKY the other day: Raidah was being cruel and unfair, but she wasn’t WRONG. And Joyce needed to hear that directly from somebody, because the only other person who tried was Sarah, and she cared too much about Joyce’s feelings to be hard on her.
Raidah didn’t give a crap about Joyce’s feelings. Raidah ALSO doesn’t give a crap about Joyce actually improving, she just wanted to be mean for the sake of being mean, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t benefit from what she said.
thejeff
But she was also being homophobic, at least in the first strip, which probably fed into Joyce’s “heroically gay” thing yesterday.
Big Z
Yeah, I honestly don’t know that I foresee GREAT discussion around “Carla’s Parents/Ruttech” given the whole circumstance.
Adept
Will it be a recent addition, or something that was there all along?
I don’t think Raidah did, no. She was very judgmental of the protest’s effectiveness when she encountered Joyce and Dorothy. She seems to feel it’s entirely performative activism, so between that and the lack of tear gas/knowledge of the protest happenings until the IU issue was printed, I don’t think she was there.
justin8448
I’m not sure I would assume that Raidah thinks the *entire* protest was performative activism. If she did think that, I don’t think she would have gotten so worked up at Daisy for reporting on the protest as two women kissing while other things also happened.
Also, looking back at the comic now, she specifically says “I’m not cynical about protests, I’m cynical about white Freshman.”
So I guess we definitely know that she thinks Joyce and Dorothy specifically were engaged in performative activism. But not necessarily everyone else who attended.
I agree with you that she almost certainly wasn’t there herself. But that could be for other reasons.
I saw they were gone yesterday by the time I got here. What did I miss? And feel free to completely ignore that if there’s any chance of something that can shut comments down kicking off again simply by talking about it.
I was told there’d be doughnuts. It was me. I said it. And then went and got some from the local Pop ‘n Pop. And so there are doughnuts. Sorry I can’t deliver y’all.
That sounds like an awesome band name, Villainously Bisexual could open for Kittie or maybe a re-formed Jack Off Jill! I’d pay for either of those shows!
With any luck we might actually find out details about Bulmeria!
I have a $5 bet that Raidah is going to be revealed to be Bulmerian American and that the reason she wasn’t at the protest is the not unreasonable belief she’d be deported if she was there.
Bulmeria: It’s Syria but if Westerners had paid attention to the civil war I guess???
C.T Phipps
I wouldn’t hate it if Bulmeria is Syria-Palestine-Ukraine rather than just Palestine.
Poster: Combining those makes it completely divorced from RL politics.
Yes.
Veronica
Add a little Myanmar in there for good measure.
The mention of RL politics makes me wonder…have these kids lived through an allegory of the Obama, Trump, Biden and Trump Again presidencies in like six months? I would kind of love of the DoA world had four US presidents in half a year and none of the cast commented on it. That’s just normal in DoA world. America has had 200 presidents so far.
Silphael
Plus Sudan, Yemen, and Congo.
JBento
The Myanmar conflict is a civil war, though – that makes it INCREDIBLY distinct from Ukraine or Palestine.
thejeff
But Bulmeria appears to be some kind of civil war as well. At least the clues we’ve been given have the genocide being done by Bulmeria in Bulmeria.
Veronica
Yes, but the conflict in Bulmeria is also a civil war (from what I remember it’s the government targeting it’s own citizens). Willis has very clearly mashed a bunch of different conflicts together in to one story.
BorkBorkBork
Six months = ten years.
So for every year that passes in DoA, twenty pass for us.
Washington became the first President in 1789.
We have had 45 Presidents over 60 presidential terms, which gives us a ratio of 3:4 Presidents per term.
(2025-1789)*20/4*0.75
The Dumbing of Age America has had 885 Presidents. Maybe like 65 of which was in Joyce’s lifetime.
So yeah, Trump probably doesn’t get mentioned, because Presidents are just a blip. She probably doesn’t even know his name other than “that reality TV show guy.”
Congress, though… if Robin’s campaign is any indication, US senators have a 120-year term, at least according to our way of reckoning time.
Decidedly Orthogonal
And Rwanda, Bosnia, Somalia, Congo, Afghanistan, Crete, East Timor, Haiti, …
For future proofing, Venezuela, and any country that’s being prepped for US destabilization freedom and democracy.
Ololo-518
Thing is – in Ukraine american bombs support opressed and attacked country. Syria status was… very unclear (because it was civil war). But Palestine is bombed by american bombs (dunno if still is, I’m treating my depression and I don’t follow news).
So you cannot protest both in favour of and against american weapon support.
Also, it’s much harder (once you realise that there are different cases) to judge american involvment in other wars. Yeah, Middle-East has no reason to love USA… unless you count Syria and Kurds. But Ukraine is putting up good fight because of american help. Not to mention Taiwan is in much better position just because USA says if something would happen they would react
thejeff
Foreign policy is far more complex than just “America bad. Military bad.”
Even if America is bad and the military is bad. It’s still more complex.
Porto
Hey! That’s NUANCE! That shit’s illegal, get your conpulsory pithily-stated ideology back on! If I can’t sum up your political take in one swntence that’s BAD AND HARD TO UNDERSTAND why would you do this to me, specifically, in this vicious personal attack?!
C.T Phipps
Nuance in these comment boards would DESTROY REALITY.
Soggies would rule!
ResRam
Even the seemingly black and white Ukrainian situation is more complex than that in its genesis.
While without any doubt russia started an illegal war of agression with its invasion?
The fundamental conflict was at least strongly provoked and egged on by US foreign policy investing heavily in “flipping” ukraine.
By supporting the maidan protests against a legally (and rather fairly) elected governement that tried to straddle pro-western groups and 1/3rd of its population being ethnic russians and russia being its most important neighbour.
Provoke a violent-prone dictator like Putin by pushing his weak neighbour into a “us or them, no middle ground”-conflict? Some responsibility is due.
At this point the choice is clear. Help the invaded against the agressor.
But I still hold to the belief that this war could have been avoided by not supporting and financing a violent popular coup against the governement that tried to keep doors open on both sides.
C.T Phipps
I mean that’s not really more complicated. Ukraine doesn’t want to be part of the Russian Empire anymore and absolutely is more prosperous on its own. They accepted the weapons from NATO because they knew Russia was going to force the issue (and obviously had). There was a large portion that was pro-Russian.
And then Russia invaded and all those people now hate Russia for the atrocities done to them.
ResRam
Eh.
You are arguing from the current state of affairs and “our side” war narrative. Instead of looking at the developing geopolitical situation since the nineties.
Possibly reversing cause and effect in your train of thought.
From the russian narrative, NATO arming ukraine was the main reason for the influence struggle peaking in the invasion. Rather than the result of it.
While in the west we get served the fearmongering message of an agressive russia wanting to re-establish its empire?
The russian public view has been the danger an ever-enclosing, overwhelmingly powerful NATO flipping and arming all of its former vassals and buffer states one after the other.
Breaking all of its promises to not expand east, not to arm the new eastern members, not to station first-strike capable weapons in striking distance of moscow.
They explain their demand for ukraine not to fully orient west as a security interest – which was ignored.
Still not a justification for an invasion, of course.
But then putin IS a dictator with no qualms about using military violence to enforce his interests.
Which was well known in Washington when they sent Nunes to the Maidan with heaps of money, promises of support, and a regime-change plan for after Janukovich was toppled.
Its all moot at this point, in that you are correct.
After hundreds of thousands of dead, rump-ukaine will not accept a strong russian influence or even neutrality for generations. If they can avoid it, that is. Neither will russia give back the lands it has taken at a dire cost.
Again: I´m not arguing the war was justified or somebody else but putin started it.
I´m arguing it could have been prevented by smart geopolitics respecting russias long-standing, incessantly communicated security interests.
thejeff
The problem is that “Russias long-standing, incessantly communicated security interests” are a matter of dominance and control of the nations around it. We see this from the old Russian empire through the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact to more modern actions in places like Chechnya and Georgia before Ukraine.
Yes, I was wrong to doubt Raidah’s motives for being angry at the girls, I admit it. She is however still going to have to die mad about it as long as she doesn’t want to tell people what she’s angry about.
Also yes, this conversation should be enlightening no matter what direction it takes.
This is something i’ve been looking forward to. The parental figures of this series usually fall into certain groups. We have classic bad guys (Blaine, Toedad), systemically deranged bad guys (Joyce’s mom, Walky and Sal’s mom, Ruth’s grandfather), the enabling victims of the badguys (Joyce’s dad, Walky and Sal’s dad), ‘Karen-types’ (Ethan’s mom), good people that don’t really stir the pot (Dorothy’s parents, Dina’s parents, Amber’s mom), and Joe’s Dad.
Usually these parents fall into these groups kinda retroactively, since their children were created in the strip first, and then presumedly Willis worked backwards to think what kind of parents these characters would have. So most of them fall into expected groups. Amber’s insecurity is something that’s been majorly influenced by her asshole father. Joyce’s religious dogma mixed with strong ideals are a melting pot that in part comes from her mother’s dogma and her father’s desire to do ‘what’s right’ (however you may define that). Dina and Dorothy, while not being free of personal problems, are shown to have parents that clearly care for them and have brought them up to be able to handle problems (even if that has resulted in Dorothy burning the candle at every conceivable angle).
In comparison, Carla’s parents are not only mostly an unknown to us, but a bit of a dichotomy in what we do know. They’re tech billionaires who were okay with their daughter being trans (seemingly, i know there was a patreon strip, but i never saw it). They are one half part of the problem plaguing society and one half progressive and accepting in their thinking towards their daughter.
I feel i honestly don’t know how this conversation is going to go. Are they going to be casually dismissive, telling Carla not to worry about their business stuff with big smiles on their faces, as they generate excuses that they’ve used to justify themselves? Are they going to rip the mask off and confirm that they just don’t care? Are they going to realise that if they’re daughter is coming to them on this, that maybe they’re doing something wrong? Some other thing i haven’t considered?
I see two outcomes. Option 1 is Carla actually convinces them to divest and the is a sort of resolution to this protest background story. I think if Willis wants to keep the sort of status quo with Carla and her relationship to her parents that has to happen. Option 2 is they don’t divest and Carla has to reconcile with the fact her parents are not as great as she thinks and possibly change as a person.
I personally find it more interesting if they don’t divest. Perhaps they are even genuinely nice people with good excuses and justifications. But Carla changing slightly as a person, her actually having to confront and make a decision about the cost of her privilege is the more compelling story to me.
Astariel
I would really like it if Carla’s parents turn out to be perfectly nice people who accept her concerns gracefully and address them in a manner that satisfies her. But unfortunately, that’s not the most narratively interesting option or the one that’s going to lead to character growth for Carla, so I suspect that’s not what’s going to happen.
Sharizard
Could be that they address her concerns in a way that satisfies her, but when she brings it up to Charlie, it’s immediately easy to see the problems behind their response, leading to Carla realizing her own viewpoint is quite privileged.
thejeff
There’s also the more fundamental question of what a satisfactory response could or should be. Is it just drop any arms industry contracts whatsoever?
I wonder if any of their systems are being sent to Ukraine?
Big Z
There’s a gonzo option that turns into basically the plot of Iron Man happening in the background, where Carla’s parents divest from military tech and abruptly Carla no longer has access to as much money or tech resources due to there being severe corporate infighting about it.
The Queer Agenda [frog memes]
Power armor would give Carla even more ways to annoy her enemies. Stomping in the hallway might just go through the floor, though.
I’m actually kind of hoping for something like the moment from The Prince of Egypt when the Pharaoh Seti (Patrick Stewart), so wise and kind, tries to comfort his troubled son:
“Oh my son… they were only slaves.”
432 thoughts on “Connecting”
NGPZ
aaaaaaaaaaaand the comments are back (unfortunately) :/
and ooooh, goodie, looks like it’s time for that other shoe to drop
prepare for trouble, and make it double O3O
True Survivor
Why do you think the return of the comment board is ill fortune? Did you not miss us?
To protect the world from devastation
NGPZ
should have been closed for longer for a better *cool off* period
as much as I have fun here, Willis shouldn’t be too proud to just nuke comments in advance for lotta shit
in this political climate, the topic of these discussions is of some very real impact on peoples’ lives
they are in fact, NOT a game of BeyBlade
Clif
Hey, I’m just looking forward to seeing Walkyverse Joe and Rachael again.
J
Wait. Why would that happen?
Rowen Morland
Did they close as a response to specific comments or was it planned in advance to close for a specific strip that was judged to be too likely to be toxic discourse.
Tan
Willis posted this about it: https://itswalky.tumblr.com/post/799470320111239168/closed-comment-section-probably-a-safe-bet-for
Chris
Thank you, I was wondering about that also.
eh, whatever
The scary part is that apparently the hater containment thread was reported away – Willis had to reinstate it manually.
Adept
Well, I must say these comments from Willis do not fill me with confidence.
Dr. T
That sort of upsets me. Not the locking part, as that can be healthy at times. I am upset that people get that worked up about fictional characters that merely explore real life dynamics between people. These characters are capable of some nuance in personality, just like people in general are. I appreciate the fact that many characters have character flaws as well as positive traits. I don’t want Mary to show any positive traits, mind you, but Raidah being something other than a pure heat sink isn’t a negative thing. Once you start interacting with other people, life can fail to match your idealized version. There’s nothing wrong in that
Adept
Yeah, I kind of enjoyed Raidah’s attempted reality check, and the rather crazy response from Joyce.
Lumino
Like I said on BSKY the other day: Raidah was being cruel and unfair, but she wasn’t WRONG. And Joyce needed to hear that directly from somebody, because the only other person who tried was Sarah, and she cared too much about Joyce’s feelings to be hard on her.
Raidah didn’t give a crap about Joyce’s feelings. Raidah ALSO doesn’t give a crap about Joyce actually improving, she just wanted to be mean for the sake of being mean, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t benefit from what she said.
thejeff
But she was also being homophobic, at least in the first strip, which probably fed into Joyce’s “heroically gay” thing yesterday.
Big Z
Yeah, I honestly don’t know that I foresee GREAT discussion around “Carla’s Parents/Ruttech” given the whole circumstance.
Adept
Will it be a recent addition, or something that was there all along?
Carla's #2 Fan
Just replying to compliment your gravitar (spelling?)!
anon
I know asma went but did raidah even go to the protest?
Imagine how furious she’d be if all it took was one phone call from charlie to solve this bulmeria issue, at least as far as ruttech is concerned
NGPZ
yeah no, wishful thinking 9-9
pope suburban
I don’t think Raidah did, no. She was very judgmental of the protest’s effectiveness when she encountered Joyce and Dorothy. She seems to feel it’s entirely performative activism, so between that and the lack of tear gas/knowledge of the protest happenings until the IU issue was printed, I don’t think she was there.
justin8448
I’m not sure I would assume that Raidah thinks the *entire* protest was performative activism. If she did think that, I don’t think she would have gotten so worked up at Daisy for reporting on the protest as two women kissing while other things also happened.
Also, looking back at the comic now, she specifically says “I’m not cynical about protests, I’m cynical about white Freshman.”
So I guess we definitely know that she thinks Joyce and Dorothy specifically were engaged in performative activism. But not necessarily everyone else who attended.
I agree with you that she almost certainly wasn’t there herself. But that could be for other reasons.
Furie
I saw they were gone yesterday by the time I got here. What did I miss? And feel free to completely ignore that if there’s any chance of something that can shut comments down kicking off again simply by talking about it.
Dr. T
They were pre-empted yesterday, which probably was wise.
JWK
Am I the only one disappointed that only your first responder and you know about Team Rocket?
Adept
I never realised I had accidentally used two versions of my nickname here
Decidedly Orthogonal
Wait… are you saying you’re not very adept at comment identities?
Decidedly Orthogonal
I was told there’d be doughnuts. It was me. I said it. And then went and got some from the local Pop ‘n Pop. And so there are doughnuts. Sorry I can’t deliver y’all.
Sirksome
Supremely disappointed the line villainously bisexual isn’t relevant today.
NGPZ
ugh PLEASE, they will wear the dunce hat when it is THEIR turn ):<
Pocky
Villainous Bisexual sounds like either a conversion camp video, or a punk rock band name.
KayBee
That sounds like an awesome band name, Villainously Bisexual could open for Kittie or maybe a re-formed Jack Off Jill! I’d pay for either of those shows!
Jon
The Ruttech logo looks a lot like the Team Rocket logo. And if anyone’s villainously bisexual, it’s Team Rocket!
StClair
so we’re gonna have this conversation now!
neat.
C.T Phipps
With any luck we might actually find out details about Bulmeria!
I have a $5 bet that Raidah is going to be revealed to be Bulmerian American and that the reason she wasn’t at the protest is the not unreasonable belief she’d be deported if she was there.
But her anger is 100% genuine.
Veronica
Bulmeria: It’s Syria but if Westerners had paid attention to the civil war I guess???
C.T Phipps
I wouldn’t hate it if Bulmeria is Syria-Palestine-Ukraine rather than just Palestine.
Poster: Combining those makes it completely divorced from RL politics.
Yes.
Veronica
Add a little Myanmar in there for good measure.
The mention of RL politics makes me wonder…have these kids lived through an allegory of the Obama, Trump, Biden and Trump Again presidencies in like six months? I would kind of love of the DoA world had four US presidents in half a year and none of the cast commented on it. That’s just normal in DoA world. America has had 200 presidents so far.
Silphael
Plus Sudan, Yemen, and Congo.
JBento
The Myanmar conflict is a civil war, though – that makes it INCREDIBLY distinct from Ukraine or Palestine.
thejeff
But Bulmeria appears to be some kind of civil war as well. At least the clues we’ve been given have the genocide being done by Bulmeria in Bulmeria.
Veronica
Yes, but the conflict in Bulmeria is also a civil war (from what I remember it’s the government targeting it’s own citizens). Willis has very clearly mashed a bunch of different conflicts together in to one story.
BorkBorkBork
Six months = ten years.
So for every year that passes in DoA, twenty pass for us.
Washington became the first President in 1789.
We have had 45 Presidents over 60 presidential terms, which gives us a ratio of 3:4 Presidents per term.
(2025-1789)*20/4*0.75
The Dumbing of Age America has had 885 Presidents. Maybe like 65 of which was in Joyce’s lifetime.
So yeah, Trump probably doesn’t get mentioned, because Presidents are just a blip. She probably doesn’t even know his name other than “that reality TV show guy.”
Congress, though… if Robin’s campaign is any indication, US senators have a 120-year term, at least according to our way of reckoning time.
Decidedly Orthogonal
And Rwanda, Bosnia, Somalia, Congo, Afghanistan, Crete, East Timor, Haiti, …
For future proofing, Venezuela, and any country that’s being prepped for US
destabilizationfreedom and democracy.Ololo-518
Thing is – in Ukraine american bombs support opressed and attacked country. Syria status was… very unclear (because it was civil war). But Palestine is bombed by american bombs (dunno if still is, I’m treating my depression and I don’t follow news).
So you cannot protest both in favour of and against american weapon support.
Also, it’s much harder (once you realise that there are different cases) to judge american involvment in other wars. Yeah, Middle-East has no reason to love USA… unless you count Syria and Kurds. But Ukraine is putting up good fight because of american help. Not to mention Taiwan is in much better position just because USA says if something would happen they would react
thejeff
Foreign policy is far more complex than just “America bad. Military bad.”
Even if America is bad and the military is bad. It’s still more complex.
Porto
Hey! That’s NUANCE! That shit’s illegal, get your conpulsory pithily-stated ideology back on! If I can’t sum up your political take in one swntence that’s BAD AND HARD TO UNDERSTAND why would you do this to me, specifically, in this vicious personal attack?!
C.T Phipps
Nuance in these comment boards would DESTROY REALITY.
Soggies would rule!
ResRam
Even the seemingly black and white Ukrainian situation is more complex than that in its genesis.
While without any doubt russia started an illegal war of agression with its invasion?
The fundamental conflict was at least strongly provoked and egged on by US foreign policy investing heavily in “flipping” ukraine.
By supporting the maidan protests against a legally (and rather fairly) elected governement that tried to straddle pro-western groups and 1/3rd of its population being ethnic russians and russia being its most important neighbour.
Provoke a violent-prone dictator like Putin by pushing his weak neighbour into a “us or them, no middle ground”-conflict? Some responsibility is due.
At this point the choice is clear. Help the invaded against the agressor.
But I still hold to the belief that this war could have been avoided by not supporting and financing a violent popular coup against the governement that tried to keep doors open on both sides.
C.T Phipps
I mean that’s not really more complicated. Ukraine doesn’t want to be part of the Russian Empire anymore and absolutely is more prosperous on its own. They accepted the weapons from NATO because they knew Russia was going to force the issue (and obviously had). There was a large portion that was pro-Russian.
And then Russia invaded and all those people now hate Russia for the atrocities done to them.
ResRam
Eh.
You are arguing from the current state of affairs and “our side” war narrative. Instead of looking at the developing geopolitical situation since the nineties.
Possibly reversing cause and effect in your train of thought.
From the russian narrative, NATO arming ukraine was the main reason for the influence struggle peaking in the invasion. Rather than the result of it.
While in the west we get served the fearmongering message of an agressive russia wanting to re-establish its empire?
The russian public view has been the danger an ever-enclosing, overwhelmingly powerful NATO flipping and arming all of its former vassals and buffer states one after the other.
Breaking all of its promises to not expand east, not to arm the new eastern members, not to station first-strike capable weapons in striking distance of moscow.
They explain their demand for ukraine not to fully orient west as a security interest – which was ignored.
Still not a justification for an invasion, of course.
But then putin IS a dictator with no qualms about using military violence to enforce his interests.
Which was well known in Washington when they sent Nunes to the Maidan with heaps of money, promises of support, and a regime-change plan for after Janukovich was toppled.
Its all moot at this point, in that you are correct.
After hundreds of thousands of dead, rump-ukaine will not accept a strong russian influence or even neutrality for generations. If they can avoid it, that is. Neither will russia give back the lands it has taken at a dire cost.
Again: I´m not arguing the war was justified or somebody else but putin started it.
I´m arguing it could have been prevented by smart geopolitics respecting russias long-standing, incessantly communicated security interests.
thejeff
The problem is that “Russias long-standing, incessantly communicated security interests” are a matter of dominance and control of the nations around it. We see this from the old Russian empire through the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact to more modern actions in places like Chechnya and Georgia before Ukraine.
Amelie Wikström
Yes, I was wrong to doubt Raidah’s motives for being angry at the girls, I admit it. She is however still going to have to die mad about it as long as she doesn’t want to tell people what she’s angry about.
Also yes, this conversation should be enlightening no matter what direction it takes.
Lokitsu
Dear God, I forgot what started all this! XD
Pocky
y’know, just from afar is all. I’m sure they are very busy with that whole supplying weapons stuff.
Bryy
I’m interested to see if we get a super subdued Carla.
jeffepp
How’s my
Liddle brodudder
Cholma
And now, a reading from… “Ulysses”.
Needfuldoer
Don’t go hiking with Joe Spivey.
Cholma
What if I *like* poison ivy? Now, Leonard Skinner after dinner? He’s the one I avoid!
The Queer Agenda [frog memes]
Has anyone seen Jeffrey Hardy?
Liara
Will Carla learn her parents aren’t as great as she thinks? Find out next time!
Lumino
“My family has done some pretty awful things, but being a bad family was never one of them.” -Another Webcomic
Sharizard
This is something i’ve been looking forward to. The parental figures of this series usually fall into certain groups. We have classic bad guys (Blaine, Toedad), systemically deranged bad guys (Joyce’s mom, Walky and Sal’s mom, Ruth’s grandfather), the enabling victims of the badguys (Joyce’s dad, Walky and Sal’s dad), ‘Karen-types’ (Ethan’s mom), good people that don’t really stir the pot (Dorothy’s parents, Dina’s parents, Amber’s mom), and Joe’s Dad.
Usually these parents fall into these groups kinda retroactively, since their children were created in the strip first, and then presumedly Willis worked backwards to think what kind of parents these characters would have. So most of them fall into expected groups. Amber’s insecurity is something that’s been majorly influenced by her asshole father. Joyce’s religious dogma mixed with strong ideals are a melting pot that in part comes from her mother’s dogma and her father’s desire to do ‘what’s right’ (however you may define that). Dina and Dorothy, while not being free of personal problems, are shown to have parents that clearly care for them and have brought them up to be able to handle problems (even if that has resulted in Dorothy burning the candle at every conceivable angle).
In comparison, Carla’s parents are not only mostly an unknown to us, but a bit of a dichotomy in what we do know. They’re tech billionaires who were okay with their daughter being trans (seemingly, i know there was a patreon strip, but i never saw it). They are one half part of the problem plaguing society and one half progressive and accepting in their thinking towards their daughter.
I feel i honestly don’t know how this conversation is going to go. Are they going to be casually dismissive, telling Carla not to worry about their business stuff with big smiles on their faces, as they generate excuses that they’ve used to justify themselves? Are they going to rip the mask off and confirm that they just don’t care? Are they going to realise that if they’re daughter is coming to them on this, that maybe they’re doing something wrong? Some other thing i haven’t considered?
Looking forward to it.
Sirksome
I see two outcomes. Option 1 is Carla actually convinces them to divest and the is a sort of resolution to this protest background story. I think if Willis wants to keep the sort of status quo with Carla and her relationship to her parents that has to happen. Option 2 is they don’t divest and Carla has to reconcile with the fact her parents are not as great as she thinks and possibly change as a person.
I personally find it more interesting if they don’t divest. Perhaps they are even genuinely nice people with good excuses and justifications. But Carla changing slightly as a person, her actually having to confront and make a decision about the cost of her privilege is the more compelling story to me.
Astariel
I would really like it if Carla’s parents turn out to be perfectly nice people who accept her concerns gracefully and address them in a manner that satisfies her. But unfortunately, that’s not the most narratively interesting option or the one that’s going to lead to character growth for Carla, so I suspect that’s not what’s going to happen.
Sharizard
Could be that they address her concerns in a way that satisfies her, but when she brings it up to Charlie, it’s immediately easy to see the problems behind their response, leading to Carla realizing her own viewpoint is quite privileged.
thejeff
There’s also the more fundamental question of what a satisfactory response could or should be. Is it just drop any arms industry contracts whatsoever?
I wonder if any of their systems are being sent to Ukraine?
Big Z
There’s a gonzo option that turns into basically the plot of Iron Man happening in the background, where Carla’s parents divest from military tech and abruptly Carla no longer has access to as much money or tech resources due to there being severe corporate infighting about it.
The Queer Agenda [frog memes]
Power armor would give Carla even more ways to annoy her enemies. Stomping in the hallway might just go through the floor, though.
StClair
I’m actually kind of hoping for something like the moment from The Prince of Egypt when the Pharaoh Seti (Patrick Stewart), so wise and kind, tries to comfort his troubled son:
“Oh my son… they were only slaves.”
Charlie Spencer
Oh, great, more parental problems.
Mr Ak
Be so weird if it *is* Joe and Rachel
Dot
Josh and Rachelle.
Doctor_Who
Or genderswap them, Jo and Rafael.