124

Billboard
Posted on September 17, 2021 by David M Willis

124 thoughts on “Billboard”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    well at least it’s not the fuckin’ Liberty Mutual Emu or whatever

    1. Decidedly Orthogonal

      Leavin’ on a bike ride,
      ….

      1. Clif

        Don’t know when I’ll be be bike again…

        1. a/snow/mous/e

          No brakes, I hate to slow…

    2. Needfuldoer

      Why does every insurance company have to turn their commercials into a cinematic universe? Is it because of GEICO?

      1. egg egg

        I think it started with cereal commercials, honestly. But it’s not a uniquely American thing. Have you heard of long-long man? Give that commercial a search on YouTube.

        1. gossamerwillow

          The Long Man commercials became a running joke with a friend when we went to Ireland and saw the Long Room at Trinity College. Now Every so often, he calls and goes, “Long, Long Roooooooooooooooom!”

    3. Rampage

      Those ads are so fucking annoying that I wish I had Liberty Mutual Insurance just so I could cancel it.

  2. Radiance

    I’m glad they’re having fun.

  3. Thag Simmons

    Haha. Very funny reference.

    For the people (not me) who don’t get it, could someone please explain.

    1. Svata

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z92bmlcmyq0

      1. Thag Simmons

        Oh so that’s where the title came from. Thanks for explaining it to the idiots (not me!) who didn’t get it.

        1. Clif

          (not me either!) Now see, I though the title came from the nun who sells dope to school kids.

          https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/the-real-story-behind-night-rangers-sister-christian

        2. milu

          a reasonable interpretation.

        3. Decidedly Orthogonal

          That’s some solid news reporting Fox. “never destroy the dream.”

        4. brute

          there is absolutely no shame in being unfamiliar with Night Ranger.

        5. khn0

          When I begun reading Willis’s works, it was with Shortpacked and I I knew naught about toys (or fandoms fo what it is). I looked a bit upon this and that and learnt many things in the process. Then I had to learn about the bible and pop songs, and that’s where I draw a line. You see, I actually like literature and music, but as a snob.

        6. june gloom

          Speaking as a snob, there’s plenty of value in both religious texts and pop music, but go off I guess.

        7. milu

          why would you pride yourself on being a snob, that’s so crass

          wait

        8. khn0

          good pick, Crass is a fine band

        9. Decidedly Orthogonal

          Also, _golf clap_

        10. khn0

          rereading myself, not only I’m sounding arrogant (what is more or less normal, even if not really positive), but like I’m quitting reading over literary and musical tastes. I’m not! Cue to the wave of numerous people sighting (presumably for unrelated reasons).

        11. ValdVin

          Agreed.

          My theory is that every “hair” band has one good record. To my ears this isn’t theirs.

          “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” is their good song, but this was a much bigger hit, so you don’t hear the other one on the radio today.

        12. DaveM

          Ok, “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” immediately made Fleetwood Macs ‘Tusk’ lock itself into my head. After hearing what you meant, I’ll keep Fleetwood Mac thanks. It’s not that your example is bad, just where I went first is subjectively better.

        13. ValdVin

          Yeah, I can hear what you mean.

      2. Tawnee

        I have so many questions, and want that 4 minutes 16 seconds back.

      3. Sunny

        There’s worse music out there, but also better. I can see how you can get that song stuck in your (or someone else’s) head, though.

        1. milu

          well, i liked it!

        2. Roborat

          Every time I see that video, I am left wondering what it is the girls are throwing out of the car when they drive off into the sunset.

      4. Keulen

        I’ve heard the song plenty of times, but I couldn’t remember all the lyrics to know Sal was singing the next line there.

        1. thejeff

          I would never have been able to predict the line, but as soon as I read it I knew. Didn’t remember the song was called “Sister Christian” until I saw it mentioned in the comments, despite the prompt of the story title.

          I’m not sure the song was really big enough that Sal and Danny would recognize it from decades before they were born, but maybe it was in some movie or something I missed.

        2. tim gueguen

          Depends on whether classic rock stations in their neck of the woods play it. And whether they actually listen to radio.

        3. thejeff

          Probably more on whether their parents listened to it.

    2. TGS

      The song referenced here always and forever makes me think of the Alfred Molina sxene from Boogie Nights, which is just a master class in building tension. Lots of parallels:

      In both scenes, “Sister Christian” is shown to have way more power than it should.

      In both scenes, a flawed protagonist gets coerced into doing something they may not have wanted to do.

      Also, in both scenes, a ton of snow involved.

      Here’s hoping the reference wasn’t meant to foreshadow bad omens.

  4. carms

    got this one in my head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybEJGjisgg4

    1. Thag Simmons

      Link to the scene where that track plays. Definitely seeing the similarities.

  5. Doctor_Who

    Danny: ?Country Rooooaaaads!?

    Sal: (justifiable homicide)

    1. Bruceski

      I was drivin’ down the road trynta loosen my load I got seven women on my mind..

    2. He Who Abides

      Ye best nae be dissin’ John Denver, Doctor.

      1. Clif

        To be fair, (justifiable homicide) goes with just about anything.

        https://genius.com/Dying-fetus-justifiable-homicide-lyrics

        1. milu

          i like to think you’re a huge death metal nerd, and did not just search for these words randomly on the chance there might be a joke to make =D

        2. Clif

          It’s kind of odd. I hate death metal as “music ” but I love death metal lyrics. But my “expertise” is very scattershot.

          But don’t put searching the Internet for a joke past me.

  6. BBCC

    Damn earworms. That was LOW Danny. XD

    1. Devin

      Could’ve been worse. Just thinking about this song I’ve linked means it’ll be stuck in my head for days.

      1. Sunny

        Some of those guitar bits _are_ pretty catchy.

      2. milu

        oooh, we sharing earworms? i’ve been hearing/dancing to this song at parties for a decade, every other party it seems, and then i’ll find it stuck in my head for days.
        the weird thing is though, i still really like it?!

    2. Needfuldoer

      Earworm, you say?

      https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xvuccbcCcsI

      1. deliverything

        Or how about https://youtu.be/ydqReeTV_vk – more comprehensible than the original, too.

    3. maarvarq

      That’s not an earworm. This is an earworm!

    4. Deanatay

      *lowers fishhook into ear to catch earworms*

      What, that’s NOT how it works??

      1. Decidedly Orthogonal

        Indeed, none of those are real earworms. If you want something really catchy this is a real earworm to get in your head.

    5. Mikoshaine

      https://youtu.be/ytWz0qVvBZ0
      In my head for months. Enjoy.

  7. Svata

    I mean, with the storyline title I guess you kinda HAD to didn’t you

  8. RassilonTDavros

    So at first I thought that they were quoting some advertising jingle I’m not familiar with, but it turns out that what they’re quoting is… the song this story is titled after! Aha!

    Once I find my headphones I really ought to make a playlist and listen to all the songs that are referenced by DoA story titles.

    1. King Daniel

      Off the top of my head, the only two – or possibly three – songs-that-inspired-DoA-chapter-titles I can think of that I’ve listened to are:
      Defying Gravity, from the musical Wicked (inspired Book 6 Chapter 1, “To Those Who’d Ground Me)
      Let It Go, from the movie/musical Frozen (possibly inspired Book 6 Chapter 2, “That Perfect Girl)
      You’ll Be Back, from the musical Hamilton (inspired Book 10 Chapter 2, “To Remind You of My Love)

      1. Thag Simmons

        Well, I’ve never listened to a Rich Mullins song but from the alt-text here pretty sure “sometimes the sky was so far away” is from one of his songs. Sometimes by step according to google.

      2. Daibhid C

        I thought “When Somebody Loved Me” was a song, but I wouldn’t swear to it. I’m pretty sure “Saturday’s All Right For Slighting” and “Up All Night to Get Vengeance” are riffing on Elton John and Daftpunk, although they’re not direct quotes.

        1. milu

          …not to mention “As long as it’s free” being from Bad Romance by Lady Gaga

        2. milu

          OK here’s my guesses for a few more,
          “Choosing my religion”: REM – Losing my religion
          “The only dope for me is you”: My Chemical Romance – The Only Hope For Me Is You
          “This is the way that we love”: Mika – Happy Ending
          (upcoming) “I’ll leave you a phantom”: My Chemical Romance – Welcome to the Black Parade

        3. Schpoonman

          God, I love My Chemical Romance so much. I really need to actually get The Black Parade and their new album, I’ve been listening to Three Cheers and Danger Days for a long time now.

        4. Schpoonman

          When they come out with a new album, anyway.

        5. Needfuldoer

          It’s the tearjerker from Toy Story 2, where Jessie reminisces about the girl she used to belong to.

    2. Thag Simmons

      Would we count the Walking with Dinosaurs theme among them?

      1. milu

        YES

  9. Stephen Bierce

    *does absolutely nothing in response*

    1. Decidedly Orthogonal

      *jiggles the switches*
      *twists the knobs*
      /shrugs/ “Weird, the Hacked PA System is off, but there’s still music.”

      …
      Does the PA even reach this far? What _would_ be making music out here? An out of frame car radio?

    2. Deanatay

      There is a time and a place for the hacked Muzak.

      This is not it.

  10. Reltzik

    An ex-girlfriend of mine once discovered that I didn’t like Gwen Stefani’s “Sweet Escape,” and from then on made a point of trying to get it stuck in my head at every opportunity.

    … note that I said she’s an EX-girlfriend.

  11. Qube

    danny using his bard powers for evil now, I see

    1. Opus the Poet

      He does rock a Chaotic Good alignment, which does imply doing evil things for good purposes.

      1. Proxiehunter

        No it doesn’t. It implies disregard for *law* not morality.

  12. Jammy

    I’m 35 and barely know this song. There’s no way these barely not-children know it by heart. Wait, is this a meme thing?

    1. Thag Simmons

      I don’t think so. But it isn’t that weird for them to be familiar with older music, kids can have weird musical tastes and both of them are pretty musically inclined.

      And maybe in the Dumbing of Age-verse it was part of a marvel movie or something.

      1. alongcameaspider

        There’s also a greater then 0 chance they know the song through their parents

        1. Clif

          It’s on the Internet and the Internet is forever. Or at least until the Singularity.

    2. brute

      I’m 33 and have known it since i was a teen and the 80s came back in style and i was listening to hair metal all the time. i wasn’t cool.

      1. brute

        oh also they play it on XM radio pretty regularly these days.

    3. DailyBrad

      They’re in Indiana, they’re not exactly on the bleeding edge.

    4. Reltzik

      Danny’s enough of a dork to know music from ye olden times, and Sal’s now in ensemble.

    5. khn0

      Last year I worked in suburb populated by many migrants and social fringe. I’ve been amazed how 70’s and 80’s pop music was a common denominator among the kids, along newest radio songs – possibly more since there wasn’t a quarrel about nonexistent scenes then.

    6. Keulen

      I’m 32 and I kinda inherited a liking for a lot of 80s songs from my parents, so when I listen to the radio in my car I end up hearing a lot of 80s songs like that one. I don’t know how likely it is that people who are currently 18 would know and really like a lot of 80s songs though.

    7. ValdVin

      I’m…somewhat older than you and remember when this song came out.

      The reason the young folks today know this song, and 30-somethings know so many songs from before they were born: Compared to other generations, boomers have an outsized grip on what radio plays and what tunes are popular for music cues in movies, etc.

      This song is IIRC 37 years old. Imagine, in 1984, how many songs which were hits in 1947 were played on commercial radio, how widespread, how often, to have actual programming genres named after them.

    8. Azhrei Vep

      I’m 37 and quietly sang the entire song (including badly riffing on the guitar licks vocally when there were no lyrics) from heart, because it’s just ingrained in there that deeply.

      Like Keulen, I inherited a love for 80s music from my parents, the only worthwhile thing they gave me. Even after they moved on to more modern stuff … nah. Mid-60s to late 80s all the way for me.

    9. powerpowerpow

      I am around the same age these two are, I’m pretty sure it’s not a meme thing but I know this song pretty well. I think it’s a teenager thing to just randomly find old music in YouTube and go “yeah, this is pretty dope”

      Headcanon that Sal and Danny sang this song together during a ukulele jam sesh in the timeskip.

    10. OBBWG

      Just attended a Grass Roots concert. There were some teens and twenty-somethings singing along. Obviously their grandparents had earwormed them. (Other than that, a whole bunch of 60 and older people trying to party like it was 1969.)

  13. P!enapple

    <3

  14. Kravis

    The last time we saw THAT MUCH ROAD in this strip there was a shotgun, a Toe, an Amazing Gal and a speed chase involved!

    1. Clif

      That was street. This is open road.

      You know. With trucks.

    2. thejeff

      That street had a truck too.

      And given the alt-text, I’m guessing it’s the same road.

      1. Deanatay

        I think you’re right. They were pretty far out from town by the time of the appearance of The Truck, this could easily be the same road.

  15. StClair

    so is Danny “Mr. Right” after all?

    1. Clif

      Well, at the moment he’s not Mr. Wrong. So let’s enjoy that for now.

      Sufficient unto the day is the angst thereof.

  16. ADLegend21

    [TFS Vegeta voice] OH MY GOD THEY’RE SO GOD DAMN CUTE!

  17. Prime_pm

    One gripe, minor, fairly moot, I think the song should’ve started in the second panel rather than the third. Then we’d have the third panel as a pause long enough for Sal to decide to start singing. Again, moot.

  18. Clif

    Four panels and they still haven’t passed the dammed sign

  19. Tim C.

    THEY WILL MAKS CUTE BABIES!

    1. Miri

      Linda will not be thrilled…

      1. Fist_of_Life

        My understanding of Linda tells me she will be if they take after Danny’s skin tone.

  20. darkoneko

    Let’s just hope there isn’t a sudden ice zone
    (my worst fear when biking in winter)

  21. Bagge

    Desperado…

  22. Bogeywoman

    You looked so pretty as you were a’ridin’ alooooong..you looked so pretty as you were singing this sooooong

    A-round, round, wheels goin’ round, round, round
    Down up pedals, down up down
    But I gotta get across to the other side of town
    Before the sun goes dooown

  23. Jenny Islander

    Cute!

  24. Bobcat

    Danny is being faultlessly smooth so far. I’m still waiting for the penny to drop and for him to Dan it up.

    1. Lone Duck

      I dunno. With Dorothy and Amber (aka Brunette Dorothy), Danny had some desperation. Like he needed the girlfriend to meet masculinity expectations (Thanks Joe). Now that he is comfortably accepting that he’s bi, he’s not so clingy. Not saying things won’t go wrong, but Danny has come a long way since year 1.

    2. Buli-buli

      It’s because Sal, despite being super-hot and in to him, is his friend first, (potential?) romantic partner second. He’s comfortable around her the same way he is around Joe.

      I’m expecting the relationship drama to start if and when they finally have a conversation to clarify their relationship and what expectations they have from it.

  25. Rabisch

    This is the result of months of singing together in the schoolyard. Danny knows the songs Sal can’t help but sing, even when she seems to hate them. I wonder if Sal can do the same trick.

    1. thejeff

      That’s possible. If they’d established they both knew the song earlier that would make more sense than Danny singing a random 80s tune and expecting it to ear worm her.

      1. milu

        good point! headcannoned.

        btw seeing as earworm is being turned into a transitive verb (as well it should) can we go ahead and use it like kick ass

        eg.: “i came here to worm ear and chew bubblegum. and i’m all out of bubblegum.” *breaks into BABY SHARK*

  26. BenRG

    A random thought: At some point, Sal actually broaches the possibility of simply never turning back. Danny has to talk her into not running away on the very good grounds that:

    (1) It doesn’t solve anything

    (2) At this time of year, neither of them would last more than 24 hours as homeless wanderers in the wilds of Indiana.

  27. Doom Shepherd

    “It’s been a long road, getting from there to here…”

    1. Keulen

      “It’s been a long time, but my time is finally near”

  28. Keulen

    “Sister Christian” is actually one of the few catchy 80s songs that I don’t really like much. And I’m having trouble fully enjoying these strips of Danny and Sal biking together. I keep worrying about when and how Willis is gonna sink this ship.

    1. milu

      OK while i understand and appreciate a shipper’s fear of icebergs, there’s lots of worthy story beats a ship can sail through short of downright unmitigated disaster. A ship can get lost, there can be differences of opinion among the crew, maybe there’s pirates, or engine trouble… or… oops I drove my metaphor into a ditch.

      Some pirates would be rad though!

    2. Reltzik

      Willis has bills to pay, so there will be at least 1 Slipshine before the iceberg hits. That’s been legal precedent ever since the Titanic movie.

      1. milu

        Titanic: “draw me like one of your french girls”
        Dumbing Of Age: “ride me like one of your japanese motorbikes”

  29. Chris (the other one)

    All my kid’s friends wonder wtf is up with both of them needing to watch old western movies with John Wayne, like Rio Lobo and Rio Bravo, _literally_ every time they come on some channel or other.
    I overheard my daughter tell her boyfriend (later husband) “well, it’s what my Dad watched when I was little, and it’s … soothing to me.”

    You never know what children pick up from parents.

  30. two-star

    It bothers me that “Motorin'” is three syllables, and yet there are five notes around the bubble.

    1. Reltzik

      Maybe Danny’s hitting chords rather than single notes? By singing? With his solo voice? That’s impossible, isn’t it?

      1. milu

        2 notes is feasible; it’s called overtone singing.

  31. Spencer

    Here is my Walkercox take: they’re boring and that’s a feature, not a bug.

    Relationship drama is bread and butter but sometimes it gets so fictionalized that it gets grating. It always needs to be on some level exciting and endearing, but what we have here is an extremely simple dynamic between these two coming at each other at the best point in time.

    Danny at the start of the comic was a straight-up romantic fantasist and a decade later he’s not that guy anymore. He’s not willing to latch himself onto his partner and slavishly devote himself anymore, he’s able to stand up for himself and believe in his own worth.

    Sal, meanwhile, is someone who has been so emotionally guarded for so long that we get a new take where someone who is constantly presented as worldly, cynical, and experienced gets to be a total nutbar with zero filter, and more importantly we get to see Sal when she’s willing to be open and vulnerable around someone else and in a romantic context where even across the Walkyverse and to now she never really got because she was with Jason the only person in the universe as emotionally constipated as her.

    In a series filled with really bombastic and loud characters these two have a totally relaxed dynamic so far that lets Danny show off some of his character development and puts Sal in a new context she’s yet to really have the chance to express. Even putting aside that this kind of relationship is one both of them want (Danny now approaching dating more sensibly, Sal with someone she can be open around) it’s one the comic itself doesn’t really have, even Becky/Dina for all their incredibly healthy dynamic still have problems like the big one that’s eating Becky up right now, so right now after all the drama they’ve gone through Danny and Sal just get to vibe together for a bit without any major hangups, and once drama does rear its head it’ll be for a relationship they’ve put some time into and is now worth putting in the effort to overcome.

  32. Raen

    I dunno, do kids these days listen to oldies stations? I know this is a staple on pretty much all the Clear Channel/”I Heart” oldies stations.

    1. Raen

      …huh. That was meant to be a reply to one of the comments above. Oh, well.

  33. Ray

    “…and white-bread’s Mister Right…”???

  34. Roe

    Definitely putting on Sister Christian to read through the next month’s worth of strips today

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