Did you know Dear Abby and Ann Landers (I think that was the other advice columnist’s name) were blood sisters in real life?
That threw me for a little bit when I first heard it.
*just double checked Wikipedia to make sure I wasn’t talking out my ? : the 2ND Ann Landers’ twin sister was Dear Abby.*
Y’see if this was on Facebook I would have definitely clicked on the heart emoji because I remember the Cesar Romero Joker from when it played “Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel”.
As far as I’m concerned, Cesar Romero IS the original Joker… and apparently the producers felt the same way. Not only did they NOT make him shave off his normal moustache (they just slathered white greasepaint over it), I read that they always had a script featuring his character ready and available at a moment’s notice just in case he dropped by unannounced.
I mean possessiveness and the ensuing jealousy is definitely a facet of the character, the LEGO Batman movie plays it up for all it’s worth and that’s like my fifth favourite Joker, but it’s just not my first association with the character
brionl
The LEGO Batman Joker is about the only recent one I don’t thoroughly despise.
Thag Simmons
Heath Ledger was great but he kind of ruined the character forever.
Nova
This. So much this. If Ledger’s Joker was allowed to exist on it’s own without forever twisting all the ensuing Jokers with this sudden need to be twitchy and edgy it would have been great.
Wizard
Interesting character, but I just can’t think of him as the Joker.
Freemage
What about the Joker in the Harley Quinn cartoon? It’s an… interesting take, at least, with way more nuance than some of the others.
Taffy
I really like that version. He’s an actual character and not yet another reference to something better. As much as that show parodies the various takes on characters (Bane especially), it doesn’t come off nearly as insecure as some (most) of the more “serious” stuff that’s been put out in the last 10 years.
It’s actually a meme implying that the speaker is going to become a violent nihilist in response to some kind of inciting factor, often something small but infuriating like people not tagging spoilers, or someone writing a paragraph explaining the “I’m going to become the Joker” meme.
I think she would be way more jealous of Dorothy if she grasped the full concept of the feeling still present between you two and also the true origin of how her relationship started. But I guess Jennifer’s the bigger threat.
I think it’s less about Jennifer being a *romantic* rival and more about her being jealous that so many people see Jennifer as a better giver-of-advice than her.
Lucy kinda looks up to Jennifer. She’s got a strange fascination with her. I think she’d be way more intimidated by Walky confiding in her than with his own girlfriend. But confiding in his ex? Eh probably not a big issue.
I think relationship wise, Lucy is pretty secure/confident in being able to keep Walky. Plus, she might just think so highly of Walky that she’d never believe he’d cheat, hence not being jealous of Dorothy. Plus, I’d honestly say Dorothy and Lucy are in the same grouping as far as being nerdy and smart women. Whereas with Jennifer…
Lucy is definitely jealous of Jennifer’s social status. Jennifer came to the wing and immediately had everyone tied around her finger just by virtue of existing. Lucy, try as she might, is still a little attached to high school attitudes. So she sees this confident, badass cheerleader who has a hot motorcycle boyfriend and she’s jealous of her status. I do think Walky going to her to advice over Lucy would break Lucy’s heart more than him going to his ex.
Can you imagine Lucy if her boyfriend showed up, but to talk to Jennifer? She’d know it was about her. Like Walky might not have heard her talking in the middle three panels here: https://www.dumbingofage.com/leader/ but I doubt that’s the first time she’s talked like that about Jennifer.
Because Lucy is inherently more jealous of Jennifer. If you go back and look at early Lucy comics when Jennifer was first moved to a new building, Jennifer gets everything Lucy wants and has worked for, without trying and without even wanting the success when she gets it. Also she’s Walky’s childhood best friend and Lucy is a fankid who likes Starfire, so… Yeah, she’s a much bigger threat on multiple levels than some girl Walky has known less than sixth months.
Lucy is tired of everyone going to Jennifer for help, when she can be just as good and helpful! (Reread her conversation with her brother again, especially the strip where she tells Walky she loves him too.) If her own boyfriend goes to Jennifer for help regarding /their/ relationship, I think Lucy would combust.
I read it that Lucy (at least as far as Walky is concerned) holds some level of resentment/jealousy for Jen for being (on the surface, anyway) everything Lucy wants to be (popular, helpful, alpha bongo, whatever) so Walky bringing his relationship problems to her would just add fuel to the fire. Admittedly, I think it might just be a weak excuse to talk to Dorothy rather than Jen while acknowledging how… let’s call it “unconventional” it is to approach your ex (whom you definitely haven’t gotten over) for relationship advice, especially in this situation, even if it’s unclear how Walky is approaching his current issue
Lucy caught feelings for Walky at a movie night she had arranged for the dorm where he was the only one to show up. The reason everyone suddenly bailed on movie night which Lucy arranged regulary and that people seemed to have shown up for before was because it was more fun to just hang out with Jennifer, Lucy’s new roomate who had just replaced super hostile Malaya.
Lucy had established herself as the helpful, resourceful go-to person of the dorm and got the rug pulled under her, and Jennifer doesn’t even seem to make an effort about it while Lucy worked hard. That kind of sensation can make you feel unlovable or that the love you recieve is transactional while others get it unconditionally.
While I agree with the general take, she’d caught her feeling for Walky before then. When she invited Walky and he agreed to come she was already kind of hoping no one else showed, so she’d get him alone.
Nah, bruv. I think she’d be flattered, but the Lucy I’ve seen does not have the guts to go through with that. She couldn’t even ask Walky out herself. I like Lucy, but she’s kinda introverted toward romance stuff.
I’m not sure going to Dorothy was the best move but we are here so we might as well run with it. Or in other words: https://e.lvme.me/2b02ewx.jpg
I’m still holding out hope that Walky and Lucy break up, and Walky gets back with Dorothy. My top 3 relationships I want to see/continue in order of most to least are: Sal×Danny, Becky× and Dorothy×Walky.
Joe x Joyce, Becky x Dina, Sal x Danny probably (though I do not hate the idea of Amber x Danny again if she got her shit together down the line, necessarily). I do really like both Walky x Dorothy and Walky x Lucy, though, so I am torn.
In any case, I don’t think Dorothy’s necessarily a bad choice here, since she knows some of Walky’s hangups and can walk him through that a bit. I just wonder if Dorothy’s going to be in the right mood to help, regardless of her offering.
Like, if she does help successfully, it might improve her mood, but she also might be in a compromised state right now.
145 thoughts on “Free moment”
Ana Chronistic
‘spose he could write to Dear Abby
cbwroses
Did you know Dear Abby and Ann Landers (I think that was the other advice columnist’s name) were blood sisters in real life?
That threw me for a little bit when I first heard it.
*just double checked Wikipedia to make sure I wasn’t talking out my ? : the 2ND Ann Landers’ twin sister was Dear Abby.*
BarerMender
I always liked Abby better. Also, she was a babe.
Nova
I’m calling conspiracy – they were the same woman double dipping in advice columnist money.
And I support it.
For Fussy Reasons – this is a joke.
Danimagoo
Not just sisters. Identical twins. And they did NOT get along as adults.
Skater Girl
And their real names were Pauline Ester and Ester Pauline.
Danimagoo
Oops, didn’t see your comment when I wrote mine. Sorry.
Decidedly Orthogonal
So mom or dad were chemists huh? Or textiles industry?
Danimagoo
And their birth names were Esther Pauline Friedman and Pauline Esther Friedman.
thejeff
That’s just cruel of the parents.
Taffy
Yeah, that’s like, basically child abuse honestly.
Ana Chronistic
like George Foreman?
Decidedly Orthogonal
Wait… So was Dear Abby the greatest, “stop copying me,” “stop copying me,” of all time?
Ana Chronistic
Yeah, although the current Abby is the daughter of OG Abby (Ann did not birth a successor that I’m aware)
Roborat
Didn’t one of the sisters write both columns for a while?
Doctor_Who
If Lucy became the Joker she’d be the Cesar Romero version. Too nice to be one of the homicidal ones.
She’d be challenging Amazi-Girl to surfing contests by day’s end.
Stephen Bierce
“Continued on NEXT Elephant”
Opus the Poet
Y’see if this was on Facebook I would have definitely clicked on the heart emoji because I remember the Cesar Romero Joker from when it played “Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel”.
Bicycle Bill
As far as I’m concerned, Cesar Romero IS the original Joker… and apparently the producers felt the same way. Not only did they NOT make him shave off his normal moustache (they just slathered white greasepaint over it), I read that they always had a script featuring his character ready and available at a moment’s notice just in case he dropped by unannounced.
shadowcell
Dumbing of Age Book 13: Pile of Lesbos
BarerMender
It took me a while. I thought it was foreshadowing a strange new plot, at first.
Thag Simmons
Becoming the joker does not necessarily mean “jealous”, which honestly is not the first emotion I would associate with the character
Doctor_Who
I dunno, ever see the time Luthor actually left him speechless?
Thag Simmons
I mean possessiveness and the ensuing jealousy is definitely a facet of the character, the LEGO Batman movie plays it up for all it’s worth and that’s like my fifth favourite Joker, but it’s just not my first association with the character
brionl
The LEGO Batman Joker is about the only recent one I don’t thoroughly despise.
Thag Simmons
Heath Ledger was great but he kind of ruined the character forever.
Nova
This. So much this. If Ledger’s Joker was allowed to exist on it’s own without forever twisting all the ensuing Jokers with this sudden need to be twitchy and edgy it would have been great.
Wizard
Interesting character, but I just can’t think of him as the Joker.
Freemage
What about the Joker in the Harley Quinn cartoon? It’s an… interesting take, at least, with way more nuance than some of the others.
Taffy
I really like that version. He’s an actual character and not yet another reference to something better. As much as that show parodies the various takes on characters (Bane especially), it doesn’t come off nearly as insecure as some (most) of the more “serious” stuff that’s been put out in the last 10 years.
Tan
I believe the association intended is supervillain who is always smiling but not in a good way
june gloom
It’s actually a meme implying that the speaker is going to become a violent nihilist in response to some kind of inciting factor, often something small but infuriating like people not tagging spoilers, or someone writing a paragraph explaining the “I’m going to become the Joker” meme.
Daibhid C
All it takes is one bad day…
Sirksome
I think she would be way more jealous of Dorothy if she grasped the full concept of the feeling still present between you two and also the true origin of how her relationship started. But I guess Jennifer’s the bigger threat.
drs
Threat? Jennifer is like Walky’s sister.
Yotomoe
True, but she doesn’t know her well enough to really realize that.
Yotomoe
I can absolutely get being intimidated by Jennifer. She kinda has a “steal your boyfriend” energy radiating off her.
Doctor_Who
We call that “Jolenergy”.
The Wellerman
Delicious energy,
ripe for the siphoning ?Erica
She’s not a threat, Lucy wants to be her
Imogen
I think it’s less about Jennifer being a *romantic* rival and more about her being jealous that so many people see Jennifer as a better giver-of-advice than her.
anon
i feel like jen would also unintentionally give bad advice or so
Needfuldoer
Talk ’bout dang ol’ broken clocks, man.
saltchocolate
Given Dorothy’s opening line here . . .
Also: Walky! Does it have to be her?? You do have a pretty brilliant sister, you know.
Jess
I really like the lighting on Dorothy’s hair here.
BarerMender
That is well done.
Yotomoe
Maybe she read my Billie/Walky comic 😛
Sirksome
Still technically plausible!
Nathan
She does read a lot of fanfic
TrueVCU
Does anyone else have trouble parsing what’s happening here? Why would going to Billie be more of a problem for Lucy than Dorothy?
HueSatLight
Lucy is incredibly jealous of Jennifer’s charisma.
Yotomoe
Lucy kinda looks up to Jennifer. She’s got a strange fascination with her. I think she’d be way more intimidated by Walky confiding in her than with his own girlfriend. But confiding in his ex? Eh probably not a big issue.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
Dorothy is an ex-girlfriend. Jennifer is a possible future girlfriend.
Sirksome
Also Lucy is maybe aware of Dorothy being Walky’s ex but doesn’t know they still have feelings for each other or that Dorothy initiated the setup.
Doopyboop
I think relationship wise, Lucy is pretty secure/confident in being able to keep Walky. Plus, she might just think so highly of Walky that she’d never believe he’d cheat, hence not being jealous of Dorothy. Plus, I’d honestly say Dorothy and Lucy are in the same grouping as far as being nerdy and smart women. Whereas with Jennifer…
Lucy is definitely jealous of Jennifer’s social status. Jennifer came to the wing and immediately had everyone tied around her finger just by virtue of existing. Lucy, try as she might, is still a little attached to high school attitudes. So she sees this confident, badass cheerleader who has a hot motorcycle boyfriend and she’s jealous of her status. I do think Walky going to her to advice over Lucy would break Lucy’s heart more than him going to his ex.
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2022/comic/book-13/02-turning-saints-into-the-sea/triumvirate/ Here’s an example from earlier in this very storyline of Lucy being a bit put out that someone’s going to Jennifer for advice over her.
HueSatLight
Can you imagine Lucy if her boyfriend showed up, but to talk to Jennifer? She’d know it was about her. Like Walky might not have heard her talking in the middle three panels here: https://www.dumbingofage.com/leader/ but I doubt that’s the first time she’s talked like that about Jennifer.
BOOSTER SHOT
Because Lucy is inherently more jealous of Jennifer. If you go back and look at early Lucy comics when Jennifer was first moved to a new building, Jennifer gets everything Lucy wants and has worked for, without trying and without even wanting the success when she gets it. Also she’s Walky’s childhood best friend and Lucy is a fankid who likes Starfire, so… Yeah, she’s a much bigger threat on multiple levels than some girl Walky has known less than sixth months.
k
Lucy is tired of everyone going to Jennifer for help, when she can be just as good and helpful! (Reread her conversation with her brother again, especially the strip where she tells Walky she loves him too.) If her own boyfriend goes to Jennifer for help regarding /their/ relationship, I think Lucy would combust.
Lan
I read it that Lucy (at least as far as Walky is concerned) holds some level of resentment/jealousy for Jen for being (on the surface, anyway) everything Lucy wants to be (popular, helpful, alpha bongo, whatever) so Walky bringing his relationship problems to her would just add fuel to the fire. Admittedly, I think it might just be a weak excuse to talk to Dorothy rather than Jen while acknowledging how… let’s call it “unconventional” it is to approach your ex (whom you definitely haven’t gotten over) for relationship advice, especially in this situation, even if it’s unclear how Walky is approaching his current issue
Lars
Lucy gets her relationship advices from Jennifer. She doesn’t like to share.
Nymphie
Lucy caught feelings for Walky at a movie night she had arranged for the dorm where he was the only one to show up. The reason everyone suddenly bailed on movie night which Lucy arranged regulary and that people seemed to have shown up for before was because it was more fun to just hang out with Jennifer, Lucy’s new roomate who had just replaced super hostile Malaya.
Lucy had established herself as the helpful, resourceful go-to person of the dorm and got the rug pulled under her, and Jennifer doesn’t even seem to make an effort about it while Lucy worked hard. That kind of sensation can make you feel unlovable or that the love you recieve is transactional while others get it unconditionally.
thejeff
While I agree with the general take, she’d caught her feeling for Walky before then. When she invited Walky and he agreed to come she was already kind of hoping no one else showed, so she’d get him alone.
Yotomoe
I unironically think that if Jennifer offered up a menage a tois Lucy would jump at the chance. And she’d brag about it too.
Sirksome
Nah, bruv. I think she’d be flattered, but the Lucy I’ve seen does not have the guts to go through with that. She couldn’t even ask Walky out herself. I like Lucy, but she’s kinda introverted toward romance stuff.
cbwroses
She’s also not bisexual, at least she wasn’t when described Joyce as a white bisexual version of her.
But I could see Lucy giving it a try if it was sold as giving her and Walky tips.
Kyrik Michalowski
I’m not sure going to Dorothy was the best move but we are here so we might as well run with it. Or in other words: https://e.lvme.me/2b02ewx.jpg
I’m still holding out hope that Walky and Lucy break up, and Walky gets back with Dorothy. My top 3 relationships I want to see/continue in order of most to least are: Sal×Danny, Becky× and Dorothy×Walky.
What are your top 3 ships?
Kyrik Michalowski
Becky×Dina*
Apparently my auto correct deleted Dina, or I’m dumb.
deliverything
She was probably hiding behind something.
DailyBrad
Joe x Joyce, Becky x Dina, Sal x Danny probably (though I do not hate the idea of Amber x Danny again if she got her shit together down the line, necessarily). I do really like both Walky x Dorothy and Walky x Lucy, though, so I am torn.
In any case, I don’t think Dorothy’s necessarily a bad choice here, since she knows some of Walky’s hangups and can walk him through that a bit. I just wonder if Dorothy’s going to be in the right mood to help, regardless of her offering.
Like, if she does help successfully, it might improve her mood, but she also might be in a compromised state right now.
Yotomoe
AmberxWalky
SalxDanny
JoycexJoe
Honorable mention to BilliexRuth. I’m pulling for them.
BarerMender
Yeah, I’m still unhappy Billie & Ruth broke up. Which I think was because Willis ran out of story for them.
RassilonTDavros