What if Mike is dead, and instead of bringing it up, Willis just keeps cutting back to different characters who don’t even acknowledge that Mike isn’t there, much less what happened to him.
Maybe in like a year we’ll cut to Blaine and Toe Dad in prison together, but no mention of what got them in there, and then back to the main cast.
Mostly because she doesn’t have the vocabulary to properly express the, so they all come out as 50 tone, volume and pronunciation variants of “DAMMIT!”
a congresswoman will see a whole box of cereal and ask “is anybody going to eat that?” and then eat it raw without waiting for a response
woobie
I worked with someone who would pull someone’s lunch from the break room fridge, ask “is this anybody’s”, and if the owner wasn’t there he would eat it.
Senator material?
Greebs
“No, it just appeared overnight. The magical fucking food fairy must have left it there in case someone got hungry.”
That shit just makes me so mad! Who does something like that? Not even surreptitiously taking other people’s food, but broadcasting to the entire room?!
Charlie Spencer
That’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a loaded sandwich. I favor a core of Tabasco and roaches in these cases.
Some Ed
I recall working with someone who had worked with someone who had tried Tabasco and dog food, the day before my acquaintance showed up for their first day. Unfortunately the guy liked it.
As mentioned, my acquaintance showed up the next day. Completely unaware there was a refrigerator thief around, they put their lunch in the refrigerator. A few hours later, he was “cured”, by which I mean rushed to the hospital to make sure his mouth and GI tract would survive the ghost peppers my acquaintance had as part of their normal lunch.
Just saying, so you know.
(Note: the fact that someone actually likes to chow down on ghost peppers indicates they’re not a sure fire fix, either. But different people like and dislike different things, and you can usually find something the person will want to forever avoid.)
I think it’s determination. I don’t think she’s gonna make out with him. I think she’s going to call his nihilism (and hers) bullshit and start trying to care again.
They’ve had a very interesting build. Like, when the comic began, I wouldn’t have called it, but it’s been one of Joyce’s most interesting inter-personal relationships. They’re very different, and also have more in common than she does with her other friends on some points, like their parents being split up.
Always a shame to learn Joe STILL hasn’t learned that a core issue of The List was that he WAS a stranger detachedly hurting people by objectifying them, but… sigh, it is Joe.
That reminds me, we still don’t know what happened to Mike.
someone
He dead like norwegian parrot painted on door nail
Clif
Mike will never be dead as long as there are moms and nickels.
Specifically, your mom.
Clif
It was actually Amazigirl that died that night. It’s why Amber has a sense of loss.
King Daniel
I don’t recall Amber having a sense of loss.
IIt really doesn’t feel like that describes her emotion.
IIow you would come to that conclusion mystifies me.
Look here, Amber and Amazi-Girl are inseparable.
plus he got some perspective after his list got out (from Joyce, regarding that objectifying girls ‘harmlessly’ still matters bc it means there’s more people than just predators who don’t see you as human, and Rachel (other Rachel? idk) about him endangering them by basically leaking a map of all the girls in their building)
His parents split up because Richard, his dad, slept around. Joe liked sleeping around because it kept him form getting close to anyone, so he wouldn’t hurt them like Richard did his mom. He thinks he’s trash, and doesn’t think he can get out of a bad fate.
Joe also thinks the issue is, specifically, sleeping around in a committed relationship, so if he never forms one of those and tanks most of his interpersonal relationships, he’s fine, right?
(He is not fine.)
thejeff
Specifically, he thinks that if he does get in a relationship he will be like his father and cheat.
He hates his father because he broke his mother’s heart by being a cheating scumbag while in a relationship with her and he has (it’s implied), done this in other relationships as well where he has said he would be faithful then wasn’t and it hurt the women most of all. He got really mad at Richard when he said he was dating Stacy because he is used to his toxic patterns. He is also creepy with the way he mentioned Stacy’s age as well, and Joe definitely gave him a hard look for referring to college girls as ‘sexually mature women as defined by the state’.
As such, Joe, while someone with a high libido, doesn’t let people get close or try to have an actual relationship. He is always upfront about it and hates cheating. Joe thinks that his dad can’t change. That he can’t change. So he never tries very hard to. And it is a struggle for him to accept he isn’t as far removed as he thinks – his list still hurt women, he still has an impact on others, and you will always have responsibility for your actions.
Joe. . . wait did I just say that? . . .Would Joyce go for that?
Also . . . as much as I love this as a ship I can’t help but imagine that it would be rather unhealthy. But perhaps seeing Joyce like this would shock Joe into trying to shape up for her and thus help her see the world in a more idealistic place?
164 thoughts on “Mills”
Sporky
Here we go! This conversation has been a long time coming.
miri
Does that mean we’ll cut back to Mike soon?
He Who Abides
No.
Jade
What if Mike is dead, and instead of bringing it up, Willis just keeps cutting back to different characters who don’t even acknowledge that Mike isn’t there, much less what happened to him.
Maybe in like a year we’ll cut to Blaine and Toe Dad in prison together, but no mention of what got them in there, and then back to the main cast.
Lux
I can’t figure out what Joyce’s emotion is in that last panel.
Mada
Her mind is an endless torrent of unutterable profanities.
sirconanad
She’s writing 100 Julia Gray stories in her head right now.
Deanatay
They all involve the appearance of her nemesis, broodingly handsome ace fighter pilot Brody “Broseph” Joesenthal.
Happilychaotic
I want to read this fanfic right now!
Deanatay
After posting this, I realized I’d missed out on the opportunity to name the character ‘Joestar’. Or, maybe, ‘Brostar’?
Freezer
Mostly because she doesn’t have the vocabulary to properly express the, so they all come out as 50 tone, volume and pronunciation variants of “DAMMIT!”
Thursday Violist
She’s thinking of a pun but doesn’t want to say it because it’s actually a good pun but she was raised to think all puns are bad
Clif
They are. Particularly if they’re good ones.
Yotomoe
Nothing, she just saw Robin down an entire box of coco puffs with out any milk.
Doctor_Who
Didn’t even bother to open the box.
unrachel
a congresswoman will see a whole box of cereal and ask “is anybody going to eat that?” and then eat it raw without waiting for a response
woobie
I worked with someone who would pull someone’s lunch from the break room fridge, ask “is this anybody’s”, and if the owner wasn’t there he would eat it.
Senator material?
Greebs
“No, it just appeared overnight. The magical fucking food fairy must have left it there in case someone got hungry.”
That shit just makes me so mad! Who does something like that? Not even surreptitiously taking other people’s food, but broadcasting to the entire room?!
Charlie Spencer
That’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a loaded sandwich. I favor a core of Tabasco and roaches in these cases.
Some Ed
I recall working with someone who had worked with someone who had tried Tabasco and dog food, the day before my acquaintance showed up for their first day. Unfortunately the guy liked it.
As mentioned, my acquaintance showed up the next day. Completely unaware there was a refrigerator thief around, they put their lunch in the refrigerator. A few hours later, he was “cured”, by which I mean rushed to the hospital to make sure his mouth and GI tract would survive the ghost peppers my acquaintance had as part of their normal lunch.
Just saying, so you know.
(Note: the fact that someone actually likes to chow down on ghost peppers indicates they’re not a sure fire fix, either. But different people like and dislike different things, and you can usually find something the person will want to forever avoid.)
miri
https://www.askamanager.org/2016/07/a-coworker-stole-my-spicy-food-got-sick-and-is-blaming-me.html
And the amazing follow-up: https://www.askamanager.org/2016/10/update-a-coworker-stole-my-spicy-food-got-sick-and-is-blaming-me.html
Seem relevant here…
Ed Rhodes
Senator? He’ll, let’s put an exploratory committee together for a White House run!
Needfuldoer
She just unhinged her jaw like a snake and downed it whole, box and all.
Reltzik
“Wait… it’s JOE’s fault! HE’S why this is happening to me!”
mycotic
I think she wants to get fucked up – and the last panel is like her realizing sje wants to punish herself w/ joe – something like this 🙁
Clif
That would be interesting, but I doubt that’s where this is going.
Azhrei Vep
I don’t think she can either.
Nep
I think it’s determination. I don’t think she’s gonna make out with him. I think she’s going to call his nihilism (and hers) bullshit and start trying to care again.
(CAN WE GET STATUS ON MIKE PLEASE WILLIS)
Leadsynth
I think Joyce’s emotion is… “Crap, I let Joe get close to ME. Now I must be effed up.”
emithecheme
wow its incredible to see the parallels in what are two such different people
DailyBrad
They’ve had a very interesting build. Like, when the comic began, I wouldn’t have called it, but it’s been one of Joyce’s most interesting inter-personal relationships. They’re very different, and also have more in common than she does with her other friends on some points, like their parents being split up.
DailyBrad
(Not that Carol and Hank are split up yet, but it ain’t looking hopeful)
Tandel
The Parent Trap is a vitally important tag and will be this year’s favorite character.
Tacos
Now let’s see how many people vote The Parent Trap and Blowjob Cat for the new bonus strip.
Tandel
That conceptual pairing is quite distressing.
Jamie
Why? Blowjob Cat seems to function pretty well as a tourist trap already.
shadowcell
Dumbing of Age Book 10: The Hayley Mills Version Specifically
Keulen
DoA Book 10: When I Get Close To People, They Tend To Get Fucked Up
Clif
DoA Book are we only up to 10: Yeah, See?
BBCC
Sadly, you two, I don’t think it works that way. Unfortunately, you can still hurt people while you’re detached. Sometimes that’s HOW you hurt people.
Regalli
Always a shame to learn Joe STILL hasn’t learned that a core issue of The List was that he WAS a stranger detachedly hurting people by objectifying them, but… sigh, it is Joe.
StClair
“If I just do the complete opposite of (someone who does) a thing I don’t like, that means I’ll always be right!”
(wrong)
Jon Rich
I mean, that’s how Trump tries to deal with Obama’s legacy, so you’re definitely not wrong.
miri
“Wait – I can blame you for that? Hooray, it wasn’t my fault! I wonder if Jacob will also buy this?”
Or
“I’m already fudged – fucked – up” *smooch*
Also, where are everybody else atm?
Kravis
… in bed.
Jon Rich
With your mom. For a nickel.
Keulen
That reminds me, we still don’t know what happened to Mike.
someone
He dead like norwegian parrot painted on door nail
Clif
Mike will never be dead as long as there are moms and nickels.
Specifically, your mom.
Clif
It was actually Amazigirl that died that night. It’s why Amber has a sense of loss.
King Daniel
I don’t recall Amber having a sense of loss.
IIt really doesn’t feel like that describes her emotion.
IIow you would come to that conclusion mystifies me.
Look here, Amber and Amazi-Girl are inseparable.
Kravis
My mother would never sleep with a guy like Mike.
She’s to boring and conservative to do that kind of thing.
Especially if it were for a nickel.
Stephen Bierce
All of a sudden I want both of them to start wearing Mouseketeer beanies.
Woomy
Do we have any Joe backstory? Seems like he just suddenly went from being a ladies-man to being deep
Sporky
Short version: Parents divorced because his dad’s a creep
Axel
plus he got some perspective after his list got out (from Joyce, regarding that objectifying girls ‘harmlessly’ still matters bc it means there’s more people than just predators who don’t see you as human, and Rachel (other Rachel? idk) about him endangering them by basically leaking a map of all the girls in their building)
DailyBrad
His parents split up because Richard, his dad, slept around. Joe liked sleeping around because it kept him form getting close to anyone, so he wouldn’t hurt them like Richard did his mom. He thinks he’s trash, and doesn’t think he can get out of a bad fate.
Regalli
Joe also thinks the issue is, specifically, sleeping around in a committed relationship, so if he never forms one of those and tanks most of his interpersonal relationships, he’s fine, right?
(He is not fine.)
thejeff
Specifically, he thinks that if he does get in a relationship he will be like his father and cheat.
Sam
He hates his father because he broke his mother’s heart by being a cheating scumbag while in a relationship with her and he has (it’s implied), done this in other relationships as well where he has said he would be faithful then wasn’t and it hurt the women most of all. He got really mad at Richard when he said he was dating Stacy because he is used to his toxic patterns. He is also creepy with the way he mentioned Stacy’s age as well, and Joe definitely gave him a hard look for referring to college girls as ‘sexually mature women as defined by the state’.
As such, Joe, while someone with a high libido, doesn’t let people get close or try to have an actual relationship. He is always upfront about it and hates cheating. Joe thinks that his dad can’t change. That he can’t change. So he never tries very hard to. And it is a struggle for him to accept he isn’t as far removed as he thinks – his list still hurt women, he still has an impact on others, and you will always have responsibility for your actions.
Happilychaotic
You summed it up really well.
Mr D
…I still feel rather off put that Joyce describes the new Parent Trap as “The one with the slut in it”
Sporky
Described, past tense. I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t say that now!
Deanatay
Pretty sure that description was aping her mother’s opinion.
Yotomoe
Joyce and Joe? Looks like it’s about that time.
https://imgur.com/a/uccuKH7
LeslieBean4shizzle
^^
Very cute. I like.
Mister Gray
I still ship them!
Sunny
Those are nice, and very much in-character for both.
William Leonard Reese Jr.
Joe. . . wait did I just say that? . . .Would Joyce go for that?
Also . . . as much as I love this as a ship I can’t help but imagine that it would be rather unhealthy. But perhaps seeing Joyce like this would shock Joe into trying to shape up for her and thus help her see the world in a more idealistic place?
Mister Gray