The director of the agency I work at has braces. I think they’re getting more common for adults.
Hollis
My brother got braces in college and didn’t have them in HS. He also started T in college, so literally nobody thought he was old enough to be in college and led to some reeeaaallllly awkward observations of classes (because he was observing junior high and high school science classes) because the kids thought he was the same age as them despite being 20-21 at the time.
Blaine might be in jail, Ryan’s missing atm, ToeDad is in jail, and Joyce’s family aren’t villains, just kinda dicks.
Yeah actually I’m kinda with Edhead. Mary’s the only actual heel present at the moment. If Ryan or Blaine show up again, I’d amend, but so far they’re not about.
You are right. I am slightly drunk from watching tonight’s smackdown, and forgot about all of those guys.
Mary is the top heel right now.
Carol/John and the hometowners are a bunch of on borrowed time midcarders.
Blaine and Ryan are only part-timer heel draws.
Amber and her Amazi-girl gimmick is slowly turning heel.
Some1
Mary has got to be one of the last threatening though. I mean 18 year old girl who says slurs can’t really compete with guy who brings shotgun onto campus.
Edhead
And yet, who is still here?
Edhead
Just imagining Willis reading the comments and laughing diabolically while he prepares to rip all of us a new one with a great heel.
Some1
Wait, who haven’t we seen yet…
Dargon Chesterfield!
Edhead
Oh god. What is the residence Manager Mary was talking about in the last comic is Daragon?
Some1
I feel like Dargon would work better as something akin to a mob boss.
I vote for the residence manager being the head Martian but no-one ever notices or reacts to it.
Leorale
Mary’s a result of the same toxic environment that made Ross think that his actions were a noble idea. She’s also trying her best to cause such an environment to persist and spread. So, no, she’s not Ross-level bad… but she will be, as soon as she has some kids to teach.
Edhead
Well she isn’t allowed to fornicate unless wed, and that requires someone to find her attractive… or someone that can submit to her will.
*Looks at Danny. Naw… lets keep with with Ethan
*Looks at Faz. Perfect.
And, though we haven’t so much seen signs of it with this Mary, the other universe’s was an enormous hypocrite about the whole premarital hanky-panky thing. Also apparently did not understand how to operate birth control.
segnosaur
Is it true that she’s against pre-marital hanky panky? I can’t think of any strip where she’s ever explicitly stated it (at least in this universe).
I know Joyce is against pre-marital sex, and its common for fundamentalist christians; however, its not a universal stance, and various christian sects can pick and choose their beliefs almost at random. Certainly not out of the question for someone to be a christian, be bigoted against gays and trans, but have no problem having sex before marriage.
Yeah, they’re all pretty big heels. The difference is that Mary is very careful not to (publicly) engage in behavior that could get her punished by the authorities. Blaine, Ryan and Ross are all terrible people, but they’ve also run afoul of the legal system and/or been ostracized from their respective communities. Warrants have been issued, notices have been passed around, and punishments are, at least in one case, pending. The system has, to a greater or lesser extent, recognized these people as the threats they are, and responded accordingly.
But Mary is a problem that the system isn’t able to deal with, in part because her behavior isn’t considered particularly unacceptable. For better or worse, there are very few policies protecting trans students from bigotry, and the only person who could possibly punish her for the times where she’s gone over the line actually has violated clear policies with long-standing precedents. Mary knows this, and also knows that any retaliation against her would likely gain the support of not only the college, but also the local (and perhaps national) religious community.
In many ways, this makes Mary the most difficult antagonist to deal with, because even though she’s personally quite weak, she knows the rules and knows how to manipulate them to her ends. Blaine and Ross might get sent to Jail, and Ryan might be barred from any parties from here on out, but people will bend over backwards to accommodate Mary, and that makes her quite dangerous in her own right, especially if someone decides to retaliate against her.
Edhead
Mary is pretty much Stephanie Machmahaon and HHH in their ‘Authority’ gimmick the past few years.
Minus the nose.
And double the chest hair.
Orion Fury
and triple the poetry?
Leila
MrInsecure: “Barred from parties” is not particularly severe, and really only the guy who gave the girls a ride home really knows to bar Ryan. So basically, Mary is NOT the only antagonist the “system isn’t able to deal with”. He got away with it, he’s still out there, and Joyce is afraid to leave her dorm alone. Mary still has competition as worst villain that hasn’t been neutralized.
He’s one of those heels that everybody likes and is practically a face even when I’m heel persona. Think someone like CM Punk. Or Cesaro, who was technically a heel for the longest time, with the gimmick of an evil Swiss banker of all things, but everyone loves him because he is pound for pound one of their best performers. Or Brock Lesnar. People always want to see Brock break other wrestlers.
Emperor Norton II
I disagree. I think DoA Mike is the type of one-note heel that would be absolutely hated if he had been used more often. I’d say that as such, he reminds me of Drew Macintyre when he was “the chosen one”, except that unlike Vince, David Willis has the good sense of not pushing him on us over and over whether we want to or not.
Or heel Batista. Yeah, Mike is defintely heel Batista. Ignore what I just said about Drew.
156 thoughts on “Handle”
Doctor_Who
I think we can all agree I had no choice.
Spidergirl
Billie: I rigged it.
Mkvenner
You win the comments.
Mordecai
Agreed
Edhead
Would you smooch a cheeleader?
Yes.
Heck yes!
Wheelpath
Very nice. TBH I expected the link to be “act with integrity” or something like that to hurt us, but no, well played
Cephalo the Pod
I’m cool with Dumbing of Age being a Gravity Falls AU.
Edhead
That’s the only way Gravity Falls is gonna continue.
Doctor_Who
Can Galasso be Grunkle Stan?
Mordecai
Who could be Mabel but Joyce? And who will be Dipper?
Spidergirl
Danny could be Dipper.
SundaesChild
This could work, but first he needs to develop a hopeless (or is it?) crush on Sal. I mean, she’s clearly the Wendy of this AU, right?
Doctor_Who
Becky is an extroverted redhead, maybe she’s Wendy. Which sorta makes a crush on her from Danny hopeless by default.
Anyway, Mike is Bill Cipher.
kryptoknight
I think Joe would be the best candidate for Soos.
JessWitt
It is peculiar that no one in DoA has braces.
Doctor_Who
Maybe someone has the clear kind, and it’s hard to notice?
Marisa Mockery
In college? Most people stop needing them by high school.
JessWitt
I’ve known people in (and beyond) college who still had braces. Heck, in college I had retainers.
Carriethedragon
I can’t think of anyone I know in college that has braces. One person might’ve? But she also had a huge underbite and is getting surgery soon.
Historyman68
The director of the agency I work at has braces. I think they’re getting more common for adults.
Hollis
My brother got braces in college and didn’t have them in HS. He also started T in college, so literally nobody thought he was old enough to be in college and led to some reeeaaallllly awkward observations of classes (because he was observing junior high and high school science classes) because the kids thought he was the same age as them despite being 20-21 at the time.
Bagge
You had no choice.
Architex
Absolutely Brilliant
TheNinthShade
Would you like your internets mailed or sent electronically?
SundaesChild
Great, now I’m imagining all of DoA recast with GF characters (or vice versa.)
*mouths “thank you,” hands Doctor -$12 bill*
Edhead
Mary is the one heel in the entire DOA right now.
Well played.
Cephalo the Pod
Seriously?
Not Blaine? Not Ryan? Not the Gunman (who is, admittedly, quite out of comission)? Not Carol or John or who-knows-else from Joyce’s hometown?
Spidergirl
She’s the one who’s most present currently, but yeah, you got a point there
JetstreamGW
Blaine might be in jail, Ryan’s missing atm, ToeDad is in jail, and Joyce’s family aren’t villains, just kinda dicks.
Yeah actually I’m kinda with Edhead. Mary’s the only actual heel present at the moment. If Ryan or Blaine show up again, I’d amend, but so far they’re not about.
Some1
Ruth: Mary is the worst person ever, no one could be shittier then her!
Billie: What about the guy who wanted to beat his daughter during the Freshman Family Weekend?
Ruth: Okay besides that asshole.
Billie: Also the guy who brought a gun onto campus!
Ruth: There is that guy…
Billie: I think someone tried to rape Joyce
Ruth: wait..WHAT!
Spidergirl
Oh, right, nobody told Ruth.
Or really anyone outside of those who were there that night and Becky.
segnosaur
Well, Walky and Sal too I think. (They were not at the party, but were there the following morning.)
Falling Star
…Yeah, I can see that.
Edhead
You are right. I am slightly drunk from watching tonight’s smackdown, and forgot about all of those guys.
Mary is the top heel right now.
Carol/John and the hometowners are a bunch of on borrowed time midcarders.
Blaine and Ryan are only part-timer heel draws.
Amber and her Amazi-girl gimmick is slowly turning heel.
Some1
Mary has got to be one of the last threatening though. I mean 18 year old girl who says slurs can’t really compete with guy who brings shotgun onto campus.
Edhead
And yet, who is still here?
Edhead
Just imagining Willis reading the comments and laughing diabolically while he prepares to rip all of us a new one with a great heel.
Some1
Wait, who haven’t we seen yet…
Dargon Chesterfield!
Edhead
Oh god. What is the residence Manager Mary was talking about in the last comic is Daragon?
Some1
I feel like Dargon would work better as something akin to a mob boss.
Clif
I vote for the residence manager being the head Martian but no-one ever notices or reacts to it.
Leorale
Mary’s a result of the same toxic environment that made Ross think that his actions were a noble idea. She’s also trying her best to cause such an environment to persist and spread. So, no, she’s not Ross-level bad… but she will be, as soon as she has some kids to teach.
Edhead
Well she isn’t allowed to fornicate unless wed, and that requires someone to find her attractive… or someone that can submit to her will.
*Looks at Danny. Naw… lets keep with with Ethan
*Looks at Faz. Perfect.
John
The dude she married in the other universe has been in at least one comic.
And, though we haven’t so much seen signs of it with this Mary, the other universe’s was an enormous hypocrite about the whole premarital hanky-panky thing. Also apparently did not understand how to operate birth control.
segnosaur
Is it true that she’s against pre-marital hanky panky? I can’t think of any strip where she’s ever explicitly stated it (at least in this universe).
I know Joyce is against pre-marital sex, and its common for fundamentalist christians; however, its not a universal stance, and various christian sects can pick and choose their beliefs almost at random. Certainly not out of the question for someone to be a christian, be bigoted against gays and trans, but have no problem having sex before marriage.
doubleW
She’s thew zerg creep, not the zerg
Jhon
No shotgun in DoA.
MrInsecure
Yeah, they’re all pretty big heels. The difference is that Mary is very careful not to (publicly) engage in behavior that could get her punished by the authorities. Blaine, Ryan and Ross are all terrible people, but they’ve also run afoul of the legal system and/or been ostracized from their respective communities. Warrants have been issued, notices have been passed around, and punishments are, at least in one case, pending. The system has, to a greater or lesser extent, recognized these people as the threats they are, and responded accordingly.
But Mary is a problem that the system isn’t able to deal with, in part because her behavior isn’t considered particularly unacceptable. For better or worse, there are very few policies protecting trans students from bigotry, and the only person who could possibly punish her for the times where she’s gone over the line actually has violated clear policies with long-standing precedents. Mary knows this, and also knows that any retaliation against her would likely gain the support of not only the college, but also the local (and perhaps national) religious community.
In many ways, this makes Mary the most difficult antagonist to deal with, because even though she’s personally quite weak, she knows the rules and knows how to manipulate them to her ends. Blaine and Ross might get sent to Jail, and Ryan might be barred from any parties from here on out, but people will bend over backwards to accommodate Mary, and that makes her quite dangerous in her own right, especially if someone decides to retaliate against her.
Edhead
Mary is pretty much Stephanie Machmahaon and HHH in their ‘Authority’ gimmick the past few years.
Minus the nose.
And double the chest hair.
Orion Fury
and triple the poetry?
Leila
MrInsecure: “Barred from parties” is not particularly severe, and really only the guy who gave the girls a ride home really knows to bar Ryan. So basically, Mary is NOT the only antagonist the “system isn’t able to deal with”. He got away with it, he’s still out there, and Joyce is afraid to leave her dorm alone. Mary still has competition as worst villain that hasn’t been neutralized.
erisdyscordia
Blaine is a pain, and that’s the truth!
trlkly
I’m okay with it. Mary’s the only one who’s a real character. The others were just villains for an arc.
John so far is also only a single-arc villain, and neither he nor Carol are as bad as Mary. Nor would I could Mike as such.
Reltzik
What about Mike?
Edhead
Mike is the ultimate tweener of both face and heel, but is more face leaning due to the outcome of his actions.
Rukduk
He’s one of those heels that everybody likes and is practically a face even when I’m heel persona. Think someone like CM Punk. Or Cesaro, who was technically a heel for the longest time, with the gimmick of an evil Swiss banker of all things, but everyone loves him because he is pound for pound one of their best performers. Or Brock Lesnar. People always want to see Brock break other wrestlers.
Emperor Norton II
I disagree. I think DoA Mike is the type of one-note heel that would be absolutely hated if he had been used more often. I’d say that as such, he reminds me of Drew Macintyre when he was “the chosen one”, except that unlike Vince, David Willis has the good sense of not pushing him on us over and over whether we want to or not.
Or heel Batista. Yeah, Mike is defintely heel Batista. Ignore what I just said about Drew.
Cerberus
Now I kinda want to see an AU Dumbing of Age where it’s all a wrestling company.
Just imagine:
Ethan: “Danny, I want to see you in the steel cage!”
Danny: *gulp*
Carla doing a Stone Cold-esque anti-hero babyface shtick.
Sarah running riot with a baseball bat to build heat.
Rukduk
Now I’m picturing Joe as being a Seth Rollins style heel. Just larger and not quite as good looking. Wait, does this mean Ruth is the DoA Undertaker?
Rukduk
Wait, he’d probably be a John Cena style “heel who is under the delusion that he is a face”.
Orion Fury
Amber seems to be heading into Randy Orton territory.
Joe would probably fancy himself the Godfather.
Rukduk
But who would be the DoA Dean Ambrose? Who? I need to know this.
Orion Fury
I don’t know about Ambrose, but what about Becky as Bailey?
Idontcarenomore
Awww.
inqntrol
Come on Ruth, you could have said “hi” at least.
Yet_One_More_Idiot
Alt text: The future is dumb.
Me: The future is dumbing. And there’s nothing we can do to stop it.
Falling Star
You’ve got it right there.
Oh god I wish we could stop it.
Mr. Mendo
Man, I hope these two will be alright… 🙁
Wheelpath
Flipping several shits right now. This ship is so real, gives me the most visceral feels
Proxy
It’s too real, I can’t handle it.
ChrisHerself
Too real too real, too many feels I’ve felt in real life I can’t
Nicster216
Ruth: part time girlfriend, part time dictator, FULL TIME GRAMMAR NAZI!
Stephen R. Bierce
*looks for some Sex Pistols to play on the hacked Muzak*
Opus the Poet