By security he will be detained…
Unless Ruth decides to open his veins
He’ll have only losses, there will be no gains
And he’s gonna have to replace his Hanes.
Even though it brings great pain
In our eyes you hold naught but shame
By breaking the rhyming combo chain
You are the reason the rhyme police came
Though soon you needs must walk with a cane
For now you must run, run from this game.
Why oh why did he break the chain?
Why did the heavens cry when he came?
The answer is simple, for he is insane
He and the evil are one in the same
MIB4u is the one known as Blaine
He is the one, the one that’s to blame.
Hey, guys, let there not be a stain
On MIB4u’s record for breaking the chain.
For we all know that these rhymes are a game
So let us not cast our negativity or blame
At any of our own, for we all know the main
Reason for his joy is our shared hatred of Blaine.
Pretty sure you don’t need your femurs to live. In fact I’m relatively certain that with adequate medical care, he could live sans tonsils, gallbladder, genitals, appendix, ears, eyes, nose, teeth, tongue, coccyx, all four limbs, and also without one each of his lungs and kidneys. It wouldn’t be a FUN existence, but who would argue he deserves that?
He won’t massacre the sons and DAUGHTERS, he’ll massacre the sons and HUSBANDS.(plus, that way, the husbands won’t be around to get jellous) The daughters will be saved until THEY become mothers, and then he will give them a nickle.
Why is everyone talking about Ruth? I was talking about Amber just yelling out he is an abusive man as a way to get people to intervene. It really isn’t the best thing she could have said. (and don’t say it was on the spot, that kiss my ass line would have to be on the spot too)
Actually, it _would_ be a good move. Dragging it out into the open where people can see his rage is already a good idea, calling out his abusive nature is doubly smart since it adds to the implication that her assault of him was in self-defense, and immediately gets everyone within earshot on her side.
True. It’s the same reasoning where little kids are supposed to yell “you’re not my mother/father” if they’re being kidnapped. It immediately a) explains the conflict and b) encourages intervention
Actually, it’s probably more because Blaine’s already chasing and threatening her, add the fact that he’s an abuser, and her having punched him in the face looks very much like self defense.
If she’d said anything else, even that he was attacking her, it could be read as him trying to get back at her for hitting him, which is still wrong, but some might see it as being justified.
This way, it sets up Blaine as the violent asshole that he is, and Amber as the survivor of his abuse, which she is.
“. Mob violence is the only kind of violence I wholly support.”
Well, ya know, lynching has probably gotten plenty of innocents killed through the ages. Ochlocracy/Mob rule is pretty much one of the worst state of affairs to be in.
It really is the best thing she could have said. Any variation of “WAUUUGH MY DAD IS MEAN TO ME” would end up with people misinterpreting and asusming she is the bad guy. But, “HE BEAT MY MOM AND NOW HE’S CHASING ME HELP!” is going to put sympathy on her side. Amber is smart.
Is that like in “An optimist believes we are living in the best of all conceivable worlds. A pessimist knows it.”?
At any rate, of course it is the best thing Amber could have said since it matches what David wrote, and so he does not need to think of another storyline in order to catch up with her diverging from the script.
What weird world are you in where “He abused and beat my mom” is the sign of a good guy? Are you from happy abuse-o land? Would a “realistic” crowd in your world sing his praises, and hold Amber down so he can knock her teeth out?
In the old days bones were used as weapons… Could Ruth use femur-Blaine as a weapon for the rest of his life? It would encourage Ruth to hit more often and it would hurt Blaine more often. Everybody wins!
“This guy was chasing some girl and she said he was a violent abuser, so I stepped in to stop him as indicated by self-defense laws. I only used reasonable force to push him aside – I have no idea how he ended up stuck down that garbage chute with his femurs shoved up his ass. He must have tripped.”
His death will happen in a few seconds. However, given how long it takes for a day to pass in the comic, the next few seconds will finally be resolved on October 12th.
Nah, JBO, Faz will still just be a self-absorbed ass. (I nearly said ‘spaz’ because that would actually rhyme, but that would be rude to anyone with a mental disability who might read this.)
And NightmareWarden, I was going to say “Danny will kick your fanny,” but you’re right, and I laughed pretty damn hard at your comment.
I think spaz would actually be an insult for folks with various kinds of palsy- they’re the ones reclaiming it sometimes, not the folks with intellectual disabilities or developmental ones other than palsys.
But yes, good move on choosing ass instead.
Blaine’s line in panel 2 is so ambiguous that I can’t figure out what he’s trying to convey. I mean, I’m guessing he’s seriously flustered right now, so it makes sense that he wouldn’t make sense (if you follow me) but I’m not entirely clear on what he’s threatening.
That’s usually true of adoptive parents generally, as they WANT the child, and so have to go through all the bureaucratic morass. It’s more of an effort than the organic way, and requires some conscious decision making instead of simply having unprotected sex at the wrong time.
No, see, the Devil hires him because he’s good at his job, then sends him on very long extended trips on the parts of Earth that Satan isn’t planning on visiting for the next century or so.
I couldn’t seem to get why Amber would back down here, considering how stubborn we’ve seen her be, then maybe I figured Amazi-Girl is off to find Danny to healthily work out some of that aggression?
Amber assaulted Blaine. Dragging the situation out into the public where they can see his rage and abusive nature would likely legally protect her from any potential repercussions.
Amber is not interested in letting the situation spiral out of control. Giving both of them room after making her point is helping: it means he has to initiate another attack instead of being able to escalate in self-defense. That means he also has time to take the cost of the last attack into account and contemplate the cost for another one.
Amber may have scored a hit, but it’s in her best interest to maximize its impact so that she does not need more of the same. Her knuckles (or what is left of them) will thank her for it.
It’s also very cool that Sierra’s dad immediately gets between Amber and Blaine. He acts to deescalate the situation, but is also ready to take a punch for Amber if needed.
I want to have a cookout and a few beers with them.
Of course, in the next couple of comics, he’s probably going to just randomly take out his dick or something, because what are the chances that anybody in this comic has normal and emotionally healthy parents?
Just watching him flinch when he realizes the Canadian ginger can and will knock out enough of his teeth to make any hockey player proud will be immensely satisfying. He’s the kind of person who needs to have the fear of a good curb-stomping put in him.
Not necessarily. The divorce and court-ordered payments would certainly be in the file, but the reason for the divorce might not be.
Billie’s stuff was in there, because those were actions taken by Billie herself. Blaine’s actions might not be in Amber’s file because the file is about Amber, not Blaine.
Yotomoe even manages to vote for Sierra when that’s not a poll option.
“Which of the guys do you want to see more of?” “Sierra!”
“Do you think the U.S. should raise taxes?” “Sierra!”
Or, heck, he probably answers EVERY question with it:
“What’s the weather like outside?” “Sierra! …it’s cloudy out.”
…at least I hope that’s what happens.
(And his responses to questions on here don’t disprove that. He probably types “Sierra”, then deletes it and types in an actual response, unless “Sierra” is an appropriate answer, in which case he leaves it there.)
A bully vs. an abuser? Well, at least there’s a canyon of a gap between what Ruth’s done and what Blaine’s done so I still call this black & white morality.
Ruth can make more what? Faces? Blood? She can make an infinite pool of blood?
I’m 100% certain that I’m not the only one hoping to see Ruth, Billie, Amber, and Sarah team up to literally kick Blaine out of the building. Maybe, if we’re lucky, Sal will get to join in on it as well by using him to demonstrate why you DON’T want to go out via a window without years of practice (and with the window closed).
I seriously want to see an already beaten and bloodied Blaine get defenestrated.
I doubt if Willis drew that, and he’s already 8 1/2 weeks ahead on the comic, so there’s no way he’s going to go back and add it, but I still want to see that.
Did Blaine hit Amber’s mom in the Shortpacked continuity? I can’t remember. I felt like he was only psychologically abusive and maybe also a philanderer in that one.
Now, Billie’s and Everyone else.
LET’S GET READY TO RUUUUUUUUUUUMBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ordinarily, I’m not much for violence. But it sounds like this guy is begging for more of it.
Never mind that he’s required to pay for Amber’s college expenses by court order (which means his statement about owning the room is false), but he actually tried to intimidate his daughter into backing down, and then got himself further into it by chasing her around and making wild threats.
He’s not just a bully, he’s a stupid bully. And like many bullies, he doesn’t know how to react when someone isn’t afraid of him.
His statement about owning the room was false anyway. It’s being rented TO Amber AND Dina by the college, who own it entirely. It’s Amber and Dina who are legally rooming there, and it is, again, the college’s property.
Also, I’m almost 100% pacifist, but people who actively abuse others (whether it be physically, psychologically, emotionally, or sexually) are one of my exceptions to the rule.
Much as violence against Blaine is amusing, his misogyny and threatening posture triggering a flashback for Joyce and reducing her to screaming, flailing violence would be one of the more disturbing turns this story could take.
…which, in turn, could trigger the Browns trying to pull her out of IU, and Sarah symbolically redeeming herself for getting her previous roommate pulled out of school by arguing in favor of Joyce staying.
I just kinda hope we get to see Sarah stand up for her “little sister” again during this arc.
I mean, that would not be fun for anyone, and would be a VERY dark turn for the story, but if Willis did decide to go there, it could still turn out more positively (which would actually equal “bittersweet” at best overall, but, yeah).
You’re the one with blood on your face…
But she’s the one fleeing. And you’re the one chasing her. And making threats.
Maybe the witnesses noticed some of those things, too?
“Yes. Yes, you’re the one with blood on your face, and /chasing threateningly after the smaller person involved who is running away/.” So very dickish.
It’s curious; with Joyce I often want to wring her neck and/or hammer sense through her skull with some sort of Matrix information-downloader, but with this character I can just peacefully despise him without any of the same gnawingness. Perhaps it’s ‘hope’, in that Joyce is well-meaning and has horribly flawed ways of acting on that, whereas this character is pretty thoroughly just a lost cause.
Also, Joyce is ignorant, but she is trying to work through her preconceptions as events demonstrate what she’s been taught is not necessarily true. She’s growing. Blaine is too set in his ways to change. In his view, he’s perfect and everyone else needs to do things his way for the world to run right. He is incapable of growth.
He only hit me once (that I can remember, and that was a repressed memory, so…), and he wasn’t so openly emotionally abusive, more manipulative in his psychological and emotional abuse, but just as egotistical.
He did likely hit, or at least threaten my mom, though. She divorced him when I was less than a year old, and he won custody only because she had nobody to stay with in Michigan, so she had to stay with friends of hers in Indiana and that made it incredibly difficult for her to make it to court on time consistently.
She wasn’t able to take me with her, because he wouldn’t let her. This has been stated by both parents, but in a less threatening manner by my dad, trying to paint himself in a positive light.
He’s always seen himself as being infallible. He even quit college and ran off to Yellowstone because he didn’t study for one of his tests, and the professor wouldn’t move it to a different day for him.
He’s also openly admitted to (somehow) lying about having a roommate while working at Yellowstone to keep his room to himself, secretly breaking, then openly repairing a toaster in the kitchen while at college to manipulate his way into getting free food, and other manipulative, scheming things.
He’s also misogynistic, racist, homo/transphobic, and a general misanthrope as well.
He also effectively sexually abused me by making me sleep in the same bed with him for years, despite there being another bed in that very same room (there were only two of us in the house) and other rooms I could have slept in as well.
He’d always build up my ego, then undercut it by ranting and “lecturing” me on the smallest things. Even from a young age he’d start one of those “lectures” with some small thing I did (like leaving my shoes just a bit too far out from the wall after taking them off. Literally.) and move onto other problems in his life, tying it into a whole big ball of blame thrown at me for things I had nothing to do with. He’d also keep dredging up stuff from years past as time went on.
Nothing was _ever_ his fault. He ended up “quitting” an awful lot of jobs as he raised me. Eventually it became obvious that he was getting fired, but I never mentioned that to him, because I didn’t want him turning things on me.
He also alienated all of his former friends. He’d always bongo about people behind their backs, even when I knew he was in the wrong. He’d openly antagonize people (still does, last I heard) then bongo when it got him in trouble, claiming he was the victim.
He’d make everything about himself as well.
Sorry for venting so much about him. I avoid dealing with him as much as possible, but today there was a family lunch at a restaurant and he sat across from me, I couldn’t move from my spot, otherwise it might have caused a scene, because he’s like that. So, anyway, the point is, discussion of Blaine after dealing with that asshole has brought up a lot of stuff I need to vent. Especially since there are a lot of similarities between them.
I do. I’ve been in therapy, and friends (as well as the family members who know about what he’s like) are all supportive as well.
As for the other family members, bringing it up when he’s not actively doing anything would just create drama and wouldn’t help anything, so I just do my best to avoid him around them.
My sister is going to group therapy after her divorce. Her therapist told her that it takes five days to recover every time someone explodes at you. And for every three years of marriage, you need one year to recover. I would say the same for any bad relationship.
It’s one thing to believe something and admit it could be wrong. She essentially said “nuh uh, evolution doesn’t happen” without real question. I know some are taught that it’s incompatible, but lack of knowledge only goes so far.
While Blaine is digging himself deeper, what I want to know is how Amber and her mom can get him permanently out of their lives. In a previous comic I wrote I wanted him fed feet-first into a wood chipper, but realistically that’s not an option. Legally, what can be done that will actually stick? (A restraining order isn’t going to cut it. As a large number of dead women prove, restraining orders don’t work when the man is either too stupid, too crazy, or too effing violent to give a damn about the consequences.)
He’s likely to be banned from the IU campus, which will help Amber somewhat for now, but her mom might still be at risk.
Then again, he’s been content to stay out of their lives for three years now, aside from the court-ordered payments, and the opportunity to lord it over Amber here, now that she’s an adult, so… *shrugs*
I guess we can just hope that Willis ends up killing him off again in this universe.
Thanks for the answer. Suspected this wasn’t an easy problem to resolve.
As for Blaine and the plot, perhaps he’ll have a rage-induced stroke. A friend from college told me that happened to a notorious bully from his HS a few years after graduation.
…I can see that. It’ll more likely be a tazer, unless Willis decided to have the death just off-panel, but I can see Blaine totally attacking the cops and getting f’ed up for it.
I’d be very happy if he attacked the cops, they were forced to shoot him, and we spent at least three cokmics watching him helplessly gurgle out his last moments.
Yeah, he’s so hateful that it wouldn’t seem excessive.
So this is a little meta, but I hope it doesn’t violate one of the rules too much…but are we going to get a Disqus make-over here like you have over in the Shortpacked! comments?
I hope to God not. Lets see how long it takes for Disqus to dissolve into a clusterfuck over at Shortpacked. Upvotes are nice but downvotes and editing will just end in tears.
Totally loving Ruth. Kick his ass over his shoulders. I got a feeling Sierra’s parents will be glad to help.
Smooth move Amber, get it all out in public where he won’t have a leg to stand on legally.
Unfortunately the only way to get rid of Blaine(s) is to move, leaving no forwarding address. Or kill him.
I think Amber might now be my favorite girl in DoA.
Billie had it locked in merely for body type + outfits that accentuate said curves.
Dorothy was second for freckles and having a personality that’s MUCH more my type than Billie’s personality is.
Amber’s got better curves than Dotty (though not quite as good as Billie), she’s also geeky, like Dotty, and now she’s taking down an abuser, which happens to also give me some cathartic relief? Even her attraction to Danny doesn’t lessen her appeal anymore!
(The fact that all three wear glasses is a plus for all of ’em.)
Actually, thinking about it, Billie and Amber are kinda tied in the curves dept… Billie’s got a softer midsection, which I dig, but Amber’s got the hips and butt…
Huh. Ok, we are talking comic strip characters here, but still a favorites sorting order largely based on midriff shaping seems weird to me. Feels like picking one’s favorite beer based on bottle shape. Well, bad example since there is not much else to go by regarding comic strip beer, but you get my drift.
Totz did mention Dorothy’s and Amber’s personality types, interests and recent behaviours, too, not just their relative shapeliness. (Me, I just wanted to make a reference to the previous comic.)
But now you’re causing me to think: Is it OK to objectify a character design? Art *is* an object; a character design doesn’t have humanity to take away. But it does kinda annoy me when superheroines are always super-boobalicious, and I’d feel weird to have this conversation about actual people.
Where’s Leslie? I need to take a Gender Studies class!
Okay, yes, this is exactly what I was hoping for a few days back. An enraged punch doesn’t feel like an Amber reaction, but an enraged punch followed by this exchange is exactly right. Go Willis.
Even if Blaine was a litigating type of guy, I hope this would be considered self-defense, even though Amber punched first. Dude was clearly threatening her, verbally and physically, and he was between her and the door. Amber did exactly enough damage to get away, and none further.
(Although we can always hope for Ruth to bust out her hockey stick. She’d be just like Sarah, only more Canadian!)
I haven’t been able to support Ruth’s “redemption” through the last few months. It shifted too suddenly and she was too awful for me to really buy it. However, it’s nice to see her directing her rage at someone who probably reminds her of her own father.
Ruth just has a lot of aggression, which wasn’t helped by her drinking. She’s still been incredibly imposing, we’ve just gotten a bit more of a three-dimensional view of her.
It’s not “redemption” so much as “character depth being shown by Willis.”
Also, she -wasn’t- awful to anybody but Billie. That’s the point. She -tormented Billie, and now we know why. To anybody else, she was regarded as a hardass, which she didn’t discourage, but even that was mostly because of her treatment of Billie.
Tormenting is something that takes a fair bit of personality development for me to get over. Having been bullied, a few “sorries” and an explanation of the reasoning won’t flip the switch from asshole to okay person. The last bunch of comics showing Ruth have been a lot more sympathetic than I think is appropriate under the circumstances. Most of the commenters are totally okay with her now that her Tragic Past is explained. I can’t let her off the hook that easily.
Also, the kiss and the ensuing romance-ish thing with Billie is still too squicky for me. It’s such a brutal emotional shift that I can hear the transmission complaining and grinding.
I think it’s her grandfather, actually. Early on we see her getting wasted after a conversation with someone she calls ‘sir’. Her parents are presumably dead, hence the move from Canada to the US, but that doesn’t mean her grandfather is nice. Just a thought.
There’s a Louis CK set where he’s talking about a guy telling him to suck a bag of dicks and part of it is him trying to figure out what a bag of dicks would even look like. Well, just take a look at panel two there, Mr. CK. That’s your answer.
While I whole-heartedly side with Amber in this confontation, I do have to worry a little bit about getting a crowd involved. Judging by the fact that Blaine’s not already in jail, I can only assume Amber and her mother never went to the police about the domestic abuse they suffered (or they did but had no evidence), and that either way, while the abuse clearly did occur, she has no evidence to back up the claim she just made, while Blaine now has a busted lip with which he could make a claim of assault. Not that he looks smart enough/willing to further damage his pride in order to do so. Nor do I imagine Willis would be willing to write any story in which Blaine receives anything but his ass handed to him.
Still… I don’t even know what I’m saying I guess. Just that if I launched the first strike, even if I was provoked into doing so by someone who’d done much worse, I’d still probably be a bit wary personally of gathering a crowd who had not seen what the jackass had done first hand. But then, I guess that’s actually one of the issues that victims often have to deal with?
A number of the witnesses know Amber and trust her. Meanwhile, Blaine, who is much taller than her and chasing her while yelling threats.
Even though she did launch the first strike, they’re already assuming it was in self-defense. And honestly? While it was preemptive, it probably would’ve ended up being self-defense had she chosen to continue talking rather than decking him.
I’ve worked with domestic violence crises on occasion. Most DV victims decide not to press charges, for many reasons, including the fear that other people won’t believe them, as you mentioned.
There are many reasons that a DV victim might choose not to go to court yet, even if they have tons of evidence. (for example, they might feel too traumatized, and testifying might feel like re-living the violence. They might want to protect the perpetrator, or fear violent retaliation. They might have false hope that things will get better.)
It’s always the victim’s choice whether to press charges (which is right), but going to court is difficult (which sucks), and not everyone does it, or does it immediately.
Anyway. The fear about not being believed, which you mentioned: you can actually preemptively address that one for people in your life. Please let your friends know that if they ever get in a terrible situation, you’ll believe them and support them. Find a way to bring it up. You never know whom it might help.
But yeah, a friend of mine was raped a few years back while ill, and in some sort of abusive relationship to the point that she was afraid to tell anyone or even get her stuff from his place.
I tried to do what I could to help her, but for the same reasons you said, she was too reluctant to talk to the police about it.
I don’t think it’s right…violent crime should be investigated, victim pressing charges or not. Things like rape are also a crime against the community.
I cannot stres enough how much I love Reno here. He’s offering a way to talk out a situation that has clearly already become violent, and his hand does not leave Blaine’s chest.
That right there is how you do this. Blaine’s got six inches and about two stone on the man and Reno is still in between Blaine and anyone else he can hurt. Willis, Reno is now my favourite character, spinoff please
Yeah, Sierra’s parents definitely seem impressive. I wouldn’t be surprised if her mom is calling campus security off panel. I hope I could react like that in a similar situation. I’m afraid I’d probably end up gaping in horror like the Saruyama’s.
Sierra is transforming into zombie mode with sheer fury.
Also oh HECK, did Ruth’s dad cheat on her mom in this universe as well? No wonder Ruth is the first one here.
Shit, Stacy had absolutely no reason to expect that her piece of shit ex-husband would suddenly show up in their lives again after being gone for three years. Let the lady enjoy some Joe-Sr-ing.
Honestly I’m just hoping she’s getting the most fulfilling sex of her life like she did with Jacob in the walkyverse. That’s the only excuse she can have for not seeing Blaine suffer.
She texted her well after she was supposed to meet her. That still counts as standing someone up. It doesn’t make it any better that she stood her up so she could have a hook-up with some guy she had known for literally about 30 seconds.
Nope, not a lot of slack being given from this quarter.
Super impressed with Sierra’s dad right now. I’m impressed with Ruth, too, but Ruth is an established tough person, and this is what I expected from her. Sierra’s dad is someone we’ve never seen before who’s a full head shorter than this jerk, and he just stepped right up and calmly confronted him.
Alright, here’s something I don’t get. Blaine is required to pay for college, right? And he’s threatening to not pay. Can his wages not be garnished? I know debt collectors can garnish wages, so it would be odd (to say the least) if that wasn’t an option for child support and similar payments.
In some states, I believe child support can cause garnished wages.
However, there’s ways to avoid that (one of which is simply refusing to work above the table), but you’re still liable for it. Failure to pay it is a crime, and you can end up in jail for it.
I would have loved to see Dina’s parents use some Kung Fu on his butt. Being so quiet and polite, but then unleashing a flurry of spin kicks as needed.
I bet they are expexert snipers/marksmen and have been training Dina wife she could hold a weapon. That’s why they are so quiet and appear when they are least expected.
Next time on Dumbing of Age…
Ruth: I’m going to rip out your femurs and beat you four fifths to death with them!
Blaine: What the Hell is a femur?
*Joe’s Dad bursts from a door, half naked, pants around his ankles*
Dr R: It’s the thigh bones, the most proximal (closest to the center of the body) bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. I know about these things, I’m a Bone Doctor!
Stacy: Blaine?!
Blaine: Stacy!?
Yeah, financial aid is prostitution. Same with working your way through college or attending a JC first so as to minimize costs. Or trade school, or simply not going to college.
I love how Blaine is the great uniter. It doesn’t matter your creed, color, or even your opinions on any one character in the comic. Everyone who’s anyone can be joined together in hating this guy. It makes the whole concept of the Code:Geass final Zero plan seem like something to give everyone hope. That someday there will be something that everyone considers so abhorrently an enemy that we join together just to spit in its eye. (Granted I imagine there will still be some argument on how much violence is acceptable. My stance on Blaine being ALL OF IT.)
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YEAH RUTH I LOVE YOU
My sentiments exactly
Kick his ass, baby, I got your flower.
Awww yeah! This is what we’ve been waiting for! The end of Blaine’s femurs! Go Ruthless!!
Re: Current Sitch:
Is there a tvtrope about using evil to stop evil?
as a matter of fact, yes http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EvilVersusEvil
there is also the inverse http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GoodVersusGood
but i think Ruth here is good vs eviling
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EvilVersusEvil
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Anime/SpaceRunawayIdeon
I basically think of “Overwhelming Power” as Ruth’s theme when she’s Ruthless.
Yay everyone’s mad at Blaine
he *is* a pain.
He came from Spain.
Gonna go to jail with a ball and chain.
He’s just like rain, but won’t stay mainly in the plain.
He’s insane in the membrane.
Toasted like a busted mainframe.
Really, I don’t think he’s all that sane…
I’ve had it with these snakes on this motherfucking plane.
And presently his powers wane.
As previously in another brane.
Douchebaggery is the mindkiller… I will let the douchebaggery pass over me and through me, and Blaine will be gone and only I will remain.
All these rhymes are getting inane.
Don’t worry, they don’t stain.
But they might break the water main
After reading these comments, I have a migraine.
As if there was something to gain…
If this rhyming causes you a headache, you need more practice with comment sections. You need to train.
For if you’re not prepared, you shall be slain.
He can’t go to jail, I’m sure he has something to maintain.
That’s it, I’m moving to Maine.
This really isn’t against the grain,
but Amber’s backbone may be his bane
and I hope he goes down in a flame…
-ing mess of pain…
…for without pain, there is no gain..?
I was going to join in in the punning, but I decided to refrain.
It is Blaine not these jokes that are lame, but soon he will be slain.
C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!! XD
Why did you have to break the chain?
By security he will be detained…
Unless Ruth decides to open his veins
He’ll have only losses, there will be no gains
And he’s gonna have to replace his Hanes.
Even though it brings great pain
In our eyes you hold naught but shame
By breaking the rhyming combo chain
You are the reason the rhyme police came
Though soon you needs must walk with a cane
For now you must run, run from this game.
Why oh why did he break the chain?
Why did the heavens cry when he came?
The answer is simple, for he is insane
He and the evil are one in the same
MIB4u is the one known as Blaine
He is the one, the one that’s to blame.
Hey, guys, let there not be a stain
On MIB4u’s record for breaking the chain.
For we all know that these rhymes are a game
So let us not cast our negativity or blame
At any of our own, for we all know the main
Reason for his joy is our shared hatred of Blaine.
Does anyone else want some champagne?
Eeh, it might go against the grain.
And that’s the truth.
Amber acted without hesitation, she’s nothing like the Dane.
Ruth is for real – no need to feign.
I’ve never been more proud of Ruth.
Ruth will show him why she’s known as RUTHLESS!
Femurs! Femurs!
MORE BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!
MORE FEMURS FOR THE FEMUR THRONE!
He may need his femurs to live, but I’m pretty sure no one wants him to live.
I would give Blaine my femurs.
But only if Ruth promises to rip them right back out again.
Pretty sure you don’t need your femurs to live. In fact I’m relatively certain that with adequate medical care, he could live sans tonsils, gallbladder, genitals, appendix, ears, eyes, nose, teeth, tongue, coccyx, all four limbs, and also without one each of his lungs and kidneys. It wouldn’t be a FUN existence, but who would argue he deserves that?
He doesn’t need to live. He never needs to live. He can be evil just fine as a ghost.
“To the death!”
“WRONG! To the pain.”
I will offer up the femurs to Satan, that he may add them to his crown and be even more resplendent in his necktie.
(If you get that reference, you win.)
Omg, THIS. I’m so totally drawing this. If there’s ever only one crossover between DoA and WH40K, it’s going to be Ruth Lesnick: Champion of Khorne!
well that’s not the first thing I would have said if I was trying to get the crowd to stop him.
I don’t think Ruth needs a crowd.
If an army just had one Ruth they’d win every war immediately.
And if Ruth gets injured send in a Billie
And if a Billie gets injured
Send out Sal
And should Sal fall… send in… the Cheese!
Pffffffft send in mike
I think that would go against the Geneva convention. And all morals. Everywhere.
Probably, but it’d be really entertaining, I think we can all agree.
Don’t forget to send him with a bag of nickels… there’s a lot of mothers he’ll be ‘consoling’ after he massacres their sons and daughters.
He won’t massacre the sons and DAUGHTERS, he’ll massacre the sons and HUSBANDS.(plus, that way, the husbands won’t be around to get jellous) The daughters will be saved until THEY become mothers, and then he will give them a nickle.
If you think Mike would kill someone to save them from jealousy, you don’t know Mike.
I have an army-
We have a Ruth.
genetically modified super-soldiers are a thing of the past, Ruth is the USA’s real super weapon
To bad she’s from Canada.
So is Wolverine… I’m noticing a pattern.
Did anyone draw Ruth as Wolverine yet?
Alcoholic, angry, violent, and suppresses all her emotions? Give her some claws and she’s good to go.
and Deadpool….and Scott Pilgrim
The Canadian government originally wanted Ruth for Alpha Flight, but decided she was too violent, so they went with Wolverine instead.
True she may be from Canada…but she’s in the USA
if we didn’t import folks like her we’d be a bunch of unmanly boys.
Yes. Yes we do.
He missed the “Science Bros.” tag on that one.
But what if both armies have a Ruth?
They both go home because the war is cancelled.
Then instead of a war they have a beerpong competition. Without the pong.
IMPOSSIBRU! There can only be ONE!
Loki: “I have an army.”
Tony: “We have a Ruth.”
Did someone get confused about who said what?
Why is everyone talking about Ruth? I was talking about Amber just yelling out he is an abusive man as a way to get people to intervene. It really isn’t the best thing she could have said. (and don’t say it was on the spot, that kiss my ass line would have to be on the spot too)
Actually, it _would_ be a good move. Dragging it out into the open where people can see his rage is already a good idea, calling out his abusive nature is doubly smart since it adds to the implication that her assault of him was in self-defense, and immediately gets everyone within earshot on her side.
True. It’s the same reasoning where little kids are supposed to yell “you’re not my mother/father” if they’re being kidnapped. It immediately a) explains the conflict and b) encourages intervention
Exactly!
It is absolutely the best thing she could have said.
Yup because now everyone on the girls floor of the dorm is just as angry as Amber. Mob violence is the only kind of violence I wholly support.
Actually, it’s probably more because Blaine’s already chasing and threatening her, add the fact that he’s an abuser, and her having punched him in the face looks very much like self defense.
If she’d said anything else, even that he was attacking her, it could be read as him trying to get back at her for hitting him, which is still wrong, but some might see it as being justified.
This way, it sets up Blaine as the violent asshole that he is, and Amber as the survivor of his abuse, which she is.
“. Mob violence is the only kind of violence I wholly support.”
Well, ya know, lynching has probably gotten plenty of innocents killed through the ages. Ochlocracy/Mob rule is pretty much one of the worst state of affairs to be in.
It really is the best thing she could have said. Any variation of “WAUUUGH MY DAD IS MEAN TO ME” would end up with people misinterpreting and asusming she is the bad guy. But, “HE BEAT MY MOM AND NOW HE’S CHASING ME HELP!” is going to put sympathy on her side. Amber is smart.
Indeed!
Crap. Now it’s going to turn out to be the worst thing she could have said.
Exactly! Obvious social implications aside, her words cast the spell “Summon Ruthless.” Therefore, best possible thing to say!
Is that like in “An optimist believes we are living in the best of all conceivable worlds. A pessimist knows it.”?
At any rate, of course it is the best thing Amber could have said since it matches what David wrote, and so he does not need to think of another storyline in order to catch up with her diverging from the script.
What would you have said? And what do you think would be the best thing to say?
How about “When you meet your maker, kindly give him my regards.”
Nope. Dumb choice. Sets _you_ up as the bad guy in the situation, even as you’re the one being chased.
eh I figure this the only kind of situation where a line from a Quinton Tarantino film would really work without sounding like a trope.
What weird world are you in where “He abused and beat my mom” is the sign of a good guy? Are you from happy abuse-o land? Would a “realistic” crowd in your world sing his praises, and hold Amber down so he can knock her teeth out?
Because what you said does not make sense.
Oh, wait. You were commenting about the “meet your maker” line. Never mind. Carry on! I thought you were complaining about what Amber actually said.
Yeah, I can understand how you’d have trouble telling what I was responding to due to the weird nesting of comments on here.
But yeah, you got it right the second time.
I’ve got a User CSS thing I do to make it easier to track comment nesting – need to package it up as a script for firefox and chrome.
Captain Canada for the interception!
I actually laughed out loud at this
Jesus Saves! And Gretzky puts in the rebound!
The Maple Leafs are about to have some penalties come their way.
She’ll get the major for fighting, but I wonder if she’ll get the minor for instigating.
Captain Canada? Pffffffffffffffft. Captain Planet is the best captain.
And Ruth proceeds to do to him what she did to Billie at the beginning of the comic.
That’s much too good for him.
I think it’s time for the femurs treatment.
How much of Ruth’s closet is taken up by femurs?
She’s going to steal Blaine’s cheerleader uniform?
No, because she doesn’t have Blaine’s Secret Lesbian Baby.
She’s going to steal his cheerleader uniform?
Damn it, Cholma beat me to it. 🙁
He is dead, isn’t he?
He will be in a few seconds
This will actually become a very tragic arc where Ruth deals with the emotional and legal consequences of her accidental murder of Blaine.
Law & Order: Campus Crusaders
“He told me he needed his femurs to live. I thought he was just being dramatic. Didn’t know he had a condition.”
Blaine was in fact, 100% femur. His entire body was just a giant feumur which is why he was incapable of love. His heart, too, was a femur.
That makes his heart nigh-unbreakable, yet impenetrable as well.
In the old days bones were used as weapons… Could Ruth use femur-Blaine as a weapon for the rest of his life? It would encourage Ruth to hit more often and it would hurt Blaine more often. Everybody wins!
Ruth will toss him into the air and he will turn into a spacecraft that may or may not be a weapons platform?
You misspelled “entirely intentional”
Luzahn was giving the “told in court” version.
“This guy was chasing some girl and she said he was a violent abuser, so I stepped in to stop him as indicated by self-defense laws. I only used reasonable force to push him aside – I have no idea how he ended up stuck down that garbage chute with his femurs shoved up his ass. He must have tripped.”
We can hope.
Spoiler alert: He has been the whole time.
Blaine, now played by Bruce Willis.
I can see drunk people.
His death will happen in a few seconds. However, given how long it takes for a day to pass in the comic, the next few seconds will finally be resolved on October 12th.
Yay, birthday present for me!
Und Ankh Morpokian law what it would be considered suicide.
In a word? Cadaverific
<3 Ruth so damned much.
Ruthless make you toothless
Amazi-Girl made your stomach swirl.
Billie will knock you silly
Joyce won’t give you a choice
Abortion joke? If so, I approve.
Dina will break your spleen-a.
Sal will kill you, pal.
I would rhyme to, but I don’t have a clue.
Raidah will Fight ya.
Joe will make the blood flow.
Danny will- Oh who am I kidding, Danny won’t do crap.
Faz will beat you with class.
Damn as soon as I post that one I have a better one:
Faz will leave you in a mess.
Walky will knock ye… out.
Nah, JBO, Faz will still just be a self-absorbed ass. (I nearly said ‘spaz’ because that would actually rhyme, but that would be rude to anyone with a mental disability who might read this.)
And NightmareWarden, I was going to say “Danny will kick your fanny,” but you’re right, and I laughed pretty damn hard at your comment.
Faz will violate your ass
I think spaz would actually be an insult for folks with various kinds of palsy- they’re the ones reclaiming it sometimes, not the folks with intellectual disabilities or developmental ones other than palsys.
But yes, good move on choosing ass instead.
Dorothy will sort ye.
Sierra will impair ya.
Mike will drive you through a spike.
See Robin and you’ll be throbbin’
Dot will kill you on the spot.
When he is angry Ethan is lethal.
Jason will get his mace on.
(I’m not going to clarify whether I mean the spray or the melee weapon.)
Sierra the Serrated suggests you stand clear.
The audience’s anger will fill you with fear.
Roz will break your schnoz.
Leslie rips of your flesh-y.
Sarah will scare ya.
Oh god! Not the bat! Not the bat! Nooooooo!
Oh yes indeed!
Becky will break your necky.
YES.
YES. YES. Do it, Ruthless! Sublimate and displace your issues all OVER his FACE.
You probably could of worded that better. Because my mind went somewhere horrible when I read that.
Yeah.
Horrible? Or WONDERFUL?
Horr-er-ful? Sounds like a holiday for Joe’s family.
p-p-p-p-perfect
Woo Ruth to the rescue!
That last panel made me think of Pee-Jee & Aubrey.
Billy has the drunken half-asian part down…
Amazi-Girl/Ruthless team-up!
<3
Ruth the tactical nuke of diplomacy
No that would imply that she is never used.
Pheh, you mean used twice, and dozens of times on defenseless islands as a form of posturing. Never underestimate the utility of a good nuke.
Go ahead, Blaine. Tell Ruth that she’s weak, too. She isn’t as likely to hold back…
Ruth? HOLD BACK ahahahahahaha, you’re a comedian, AgentKeen.
That’s why we love her. We’re masochists.
I’m a sadist…my favorate victim is myself.
Everyone is a masochist for Ruth!!! She is the exception to the binary system!
She is where 01 and 01 make 11.
SHE IS THE 2
“Yay, now is fighty time, fighty time, blood blood blood!”
Love that reference.
You made my day by quoting a game I’ve been playing on and off.
The quote came from the comics first, after Deadpool shoryuken’d Kitty Pryde to get Wolverine to fight him.
Say goodbye to your femurs, Blaine.
Okay, Willis is STARTING to earn forgiveness with this (See previous page for reference).
Blaine’s line in panel 2 is so ambiguous that I can’t figure out what he’s trying to convey. I mean, I’m guessing he’s seriously flustered right now, so it makes sense that he wouldn’t make sense (if you follow me) but I’m not entirely clear on what he’s threatening.
He pays Amber’s college expenses by court order. If he stops paying, he could go to prison. He is threatening to stop paying despite that.
Yeah, not really ambiguous at all.
“No beer and no Maple Leafs playoffs make Ruth go something something.”
Go crazy?
“DON’T MIND IF I DO!”
So, Ruth goes crazy every time she runs out of beer?
Only if there’s no Leafs hockey and Marge is there to remind her.
And then everyone in the dorm teams up and kicks Blaine’s ass in an oh-so-satisfying orgy of violence.
Well, there are several people standing on the same carpet, and there has been violence, so the original definition is already covered!
Sierra’s adoptive parents are the best parents because they raised Sierra.
This is perfectly logical and very true.
That’s usually true of adoptive parents generally, as they WANT the child, and so have to go through all the bureaucratic morass. It’s more of an effort than the organic way, and requires some conscious decision making instead of simply having unprotected sex at the wrong time.
Not always true of foster parents, though. Some are good and loving, but some just want the govt. money.
But they don’t all raise SIERRA. key word.
Femur removal time!
Your avatar makes that all the more perfect.
Who’s the old guy?
see alt-text my friend!
His name is Reno but he looks more like Rude
So he likes both Aerith AND Tifa then?
I always liked Yuffie more myself.
Same, could never figure out why Yuffie got so much hate.
Rude likes Tifa.
Tseng’s the one who likes Aeris.*
Elena likes Tseng.
Reno’s never shown to like anyone specifically.
*(Yes, I know Aerith is the correct spelling, but I still prefer the original mistranslation.)
I get that reference! 🙂
http://squallloir.tumblr.com/post/58671159701/sierras-dad
Miyagi sensei. “Whacks on, whacks…. Oh, never mind.”
“He may try to take my life, but he’ll never take… MY COLLEGE TUITION!”
You know, you can always get student loans. As much as I hate my mountain of debt, I’d take it for a chance to see Blaine sent to prison.
Oh, yes. That’d be worth it.
It might be worth it IF you get a well-paying job as a result, otherwise it just plain sucks.
YESSSSSSS I just knew she would/could enlist the support of, yknow, THE ENTIRETY of the dorm. so happy that she did so!!
Blaine, how many teenage/20-year old girls have to beat you up before you learn?
can we watch them all beat him up?
ok that’s probably getting into a sadistic level.
AH WELL BOMBS AWAY
All of them.
I hope it’s a high number. That way we can see him getting his ass kicked by many people.
..I want like 10+ panels of punches from everyone in the DoA cast to Blaine’s face.
Cue the scene from Airplane!
Depends on how many get to him before Sarah and her bat get to him.
Hopefully, a lot more get to beat him up…
Anyone else think Ruth’s behavior matches that of a particular campus vigilante?
Ruth is Sal!
…wait…
Sal is Amber.
Amber is Ruth!~
…I’m getting closer!!!
Ruth is Sal, Sal is Amazi-Girl, Amazi-Girl is Amber, Amber is Spidercar, Spidercar is Batman. Ruth is Batman. QED
And we are all together. Goo goo goo joob
Blaine might stop paying for Amber’s college even if he goes to prison, but will he even if he goes to HELL?
P.S. I genuinely seriously hope he goes to hell…
I don’t think the devil wants to deal with him anymore than we do.
No, see, the Devil hires him because he’s good at his job, then sends him on very long extended trips on the parts of Earth that Satan isn’t planning on visiting for the next century or so.
Nah, Blaine has way too little charisma. Plus he can’t play the fiddle.
I couldn’t seem to get why Amber would back down here, considering how stubborn we’ve seen her be, then maybe I figured Amazi-Girl is off to find Danny to healthily work out some of that aggression?
Amber assaulted Blaine. Dragging the situation out into the public where they can see his rage and abusive nature would likely legally protect her from any potential repercussions.
I can still imagine her off to don her amazi girl outfit and “working out” with Danny?
Probably later. This sort of stress stays in your system for HOURS.
Amber is not interested in letting the situation spiral out of control. Giving both of them room after making her point is helping: it means he has to initiate another attack instead of being able to escalate in self-defense. That means he also has time to take the cost of the last attack into account and contemplate the cost for another one.
Amber may have scored a hit, but it’s in her best interest to maximize its impact so that she does not need more of the same. Her knuckles (or what is left of them) will thank her for it.
on another note this is the angriest i think i have ever seen sierra (in this universe anyways)
That’s Sierra’s dad, then? Wanna meet that dad.
I love everything about Sierra, including her dad who wants to talk this through.
It’s also very cool that Sierra’s dad immediately gets between Amber and Blaine. He acts to deescalate the situation, but is also ready to take a punch for Amber if needed.
Sierra’s dad is the best dad. Dorothy’s dad seems cool and all, but Reno for #1 DoA Dad all the way.
I want to have a cookout and a few beers with them.
Of course, in the next couple of comics, he’s probably going to just randomly take out his dick or something, because what are the chances that anybody in this comic has normal and emotionally healthy parents?
Dotty seems to.
“Seems” is the right word. They’ve only been in two or three strips, so the jury’s still out.
Now everyone dogpile on Blaine.
Just watching him flinch when he realizes the Canadian ginger can and will knock out enough of his teeth to make any hockey player proud will be immensely satisfying. He’s the kind of person who needs to have the fear of a good curb-stomping put in him.
Ruthless vs. Blaine.
Round one.
Fight! 😀
Seriously, Ruth knew all about Billie’s exploits; it makes sense to assume she’d have been equally informed about Amber’s father.
Not necessarily. The divorce and court-ordered payments would certainly be in the file, but the reason for the divorce might not be.
Billie’s stuff was in there, because those were actions taken by Billie herself. Blaine’s actions might not be in Amber’s file because the file is about Amber, not Blaine.
Well, it doesn’t matter whether the reasons are on file or not. Amber conveniently supplemented the available information just now.
FUCK YES RUTH
oh my god yes yes yes
I am having a revenge orgasm. I am having a vengeancegasm
(These are the parents I voted for.)
I voted for Ruth’s parents.
I voted for Dina’s.
…and instead you got Howard.
“Slice-of-life is boring, I wish this was a zombie comic.”
I vote for Sierra for every poll.
“Who’s your favorite blonde creationist?”
“Sierra!”
“Who wears the best shoes?” “Sierra!”
Yotomoe even manages to vote for Sierra when that’s not a poll option.
“Which of the guys do you want to see more of?” “Sierra!”
“Do you think the U.S. should raise taxes?” “Sierra!”
Or, heck, he probably answers EVERY question with it:
“What’s the weather like outside?” “Sierra! …it’s cloudy out.”
…at least I hope that’s what happens.
(And his responses to questions on here don’t disprove that. He probably types “Sierra”, then deletes it and types in an actual response, unless “Sierra” is an appropriate answer, in which case he leaves it there.)
Which political party do you support?
SIERRA!
Do you prefer Coke or Pepsi?
SIERRA!
Taco Bell or Pizza Hut?
SIERRA!
You don’t know how much Sierra Mist I end up getting cuz of that second question…
I wish I could like that comment, Yotomoe.
Well maybe Willis will soon introduce the new format here two. Then you could up vote it.
Totz the Plaid, if Willis changes the comment to Disqus like he did in SP!, you will be able to like or dislike comments.
Oh gods I hope not. I hate Disqus. Half the time it doesn’t even work on my browser, and it never works well.
I just tried to change one of the option values to “Sierra” using chrome inspector and it said “please pick a valid poll option”.
I called it! Ruth in the hallway with a fist.
A bully vs. an abuser? Well, at least there’s a canyon of a gap between what Ruth’s done and what Blaine’s done so I still call this black & white morality.
Ruth can make more what? Faces? Blood? She can make an infinite pool of blood?
She can make more blood pour out of him and onto his face.
And add to her femur collection.
If this had a soundtrack it would be played by Five for Fighting.
I dunno, last panel put the Mortal Kombat theme into my head.
Yay Ruthless! CANADIAN RAGE! CANADIAN RAGE! CANADIAN RAGE! CANADIAN RAGE!
Death to his femurs!
Nobody is going to let Blaine touch Amber. I hope Ruth tears him up.
Sierra has cool parents. You can see a side shot of her mom who looks outraged and incredulous.
…I think she looks more surprised but we cannot see ANY of her face…sooooo…it’s up to speculation i guess
Big Damn Hero moment!
I’m 100% certain that I’m not the only one hoping to see Ruth, Billie, Amber, and Sarah team up to literally kick Blaine out of the building. Maybe, if we’re lucky, Sal will get to join in on it as well by using him to demonstrate why you DON’T want to go out via a window without years of practice (and with the window closed).
I seriously want to see an already beaten and bloodied Blaine get defenestrated.
I doubt if Willis drew that, and he’s already 8 1/2 weeks ahead on the comic, so there’s no way he’s going to go back and add it, but I still want to see that.
Empirical proof below.
If this turns into a gang-beatdown, I will… explode in messy delight, or something.
YAY!! The Old testament God has sent his Canadian Angel of death to smite the wicked!
Your gravatar is oddly fitting… I have an image in my head, now, of Joyce being just offscreen, having escaped her parents, and telling this to Ethan…
Ruth grab his shirt lock him in and punch him till he falls down and don’t worry worst case scenario you’ll get a five minute penalty!
Five minute penalty is a new slang term for 5 years in prison, right?
Well there is the possibility she could end up in the penalty box. But she could get her penalty reduced to roughing which is a two minute penalty.
I hope Blaine doesn’t get a penalty shot.
Did Blaine hit Amber’s mom in the Shortpacked continuity? I can’t remember. I felt like he was only psychologically abusive and maybe also a philanderer in that one.
He did and he punched Amber in the face once.
http://www.shortpacked.com/2012/comic/book-14/01-deady-dearest/great/
He just keeps stepping in it, doesn’t he?
It’s everywhere.
Ha,what know bongo your in the lions den
Ooh, and now Ruth gets to cold-cock him? Whoo-hoo!
Sierra was adopted?!
…why am I just now finding out about this
News to me too.
I read the blog post that mentioned it, but it had slipped my mind until I saw the alt text.
Everyone’s finding out about it! It’s new information.
Really? I’ve got an odd sense of deja vu about it, like you’d mentioned it somewhere before, and I’d just forgotten…
Hooray diverse types of families!
All we need now is a mixed family and we’re set.
I thought she could take him on her own, since she’s been fighting people left and right.
YOU WANTED HER!
YOU ASKED FOR HER!
WELL, TONIGHT, YOU’VE GOT HER!!
NOW STEPPING INTO THE RING, THREE DAYS SOBER AND READY TO INDULGE IN HER OTHER ADDICTION, VIOLENCE:
RUTH “RUTHLESS” LESSICK!!!!
Now, Billie’s and Everyone else.
LET’S GET READY TO RUUUUUUUUUUUMBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I SO want to see Ruth and Billie tack team that ass.
This is not the context I imagined I’d first hear that statement used in.
Loving your gravatar for this post
Get ‘im Ruthie!
Ordinarily, I’m not much for violence. But it sounds like this guy is begging for more of it.
Never mind that he’s required to pay for Amber’s college expenses by court order (which means his statement about owning the room is false), but he actually tried to intimidate his daughter into backing down, and then got himself further into it by chasing her around and making wild threats.
He’s not just a bully, he’s a stupid bully. And like many bullies, he doesn’t know how to react when someone isn’t afraid of him.
His statement about owning the room was false anyway. It’s being rented TO Amber AND Dina by the college, who own it entirely. It’s Amber and Dina who are legally rooming there, and it is, again, the college’s property.
Also, I’m almost 100% pacifist, but people who actively abuse others (whether it be physically, psychologically, emotionally, or sexually) are one of my exceptions to the rule.
The only thing we need now is to add Joyce’s parents to the mix and the shit will really be stirred then.
The Shitnado has already begun. This is the end of days
Much as violence against Blaine is amusing, his misogyny and threatening posture triggering a flashback for Joyce and reducing her to screaming, flailing violence would be one of the more disturbing turns this story could take.
…which, in turn, could trigger the Browns trying to pull her out of IU, and Sarah symbolically redeeming herself for getting her previous roommate pulled out of school by arguing in favor of Joyce staying.
I just kinda hope we get to see Sarah stand up for her “little sister” again during this arc.
I mean, that would not be fun for anyone, and would be a VERY dark turn for the story, but if Willis did decide to go there, it could still turn out more positively (which would actually equal “bittersweet” at best overall, but, yeah).
Oh, it would have the potential to be fascinating to read, agreed, just disturbing and depressing as all hell.
You’re the one with blood on your face…
But she’s the one fleeing. And you’re the one chasing her. And making threats.
Maybe the witnesses noticed some of those things, too?
Bingo.
I’ve made that exact point in a couple other comments (though with different wording).
Amber’s assault of Blaine will get written off as self-defense because of what the others are witnessing.
I thought he would be the type who backs down if someone really stands up to him.
IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER
Again I’m sorry, Willis. I’m not being sarcastic; I really mean that.
“Yes. Yes, you’re the one with blood on your face, and /chasing threateningly after the smaller person involved who is running away/.” So very dickish.
It’s curious; with Joyce I often want to wring her neck and/or hammer sense through her skull with some sort of Matrix information-downloader, but with this character I can just peacefully despise him without any of the same gnawingness. Perhaps it’s ‘hope’, in that Joyce is well-meaning and has horribly flawed ways of acting on that, whereas this character is pretty thoroughly just a lost cause.
Makes sense.
Also, Blaine’s continued patterns of abuse are worse than Joyce’s ignorance by a long shot.
Also, Joyce is ignorant, but she is trying to work through her preconceptions as events demonstrate what she’s been taught is not necessarily true. She’s growing. Blaine is too set in his ways to change. In his view, he’s perfect and everyone else needs to do things his way for the world to run right. He is incapable of growth.
…just like my dad.
He only hit me once (that I can remember, and that was a repressed memory, so…), and he wasn’t so openly emotionally abusive, more manipulative in his psychological and emotional abuse, but just as egotistical.
He did likely hit, or at least threaten my mom, though. She divorced him when I was less than a year old, and he won custody only because she had nobody to stay with in Michigan, so she had to stay with friends of hers in Indiana and that made it incredibly difficult for her to make it to court on time consistently.
She wasn’t able to take me with her, because he wouldn’t let her. This has been stated by both parents, but in a less threatening manner by my dad, trying to paint himself in a positive light.
He’s always seen himself as being infallible. He even quit college and ran off to Yellowstone because he didn’t study for one of his tests, and the professor wouldn’t move it to a different day for him.
He’s also openly admitted to (somehow) lying about having a roommate while working at Yellowstone to keep his room to himself, secretly breaking, then openly repairing a toaster in the kitchen while at college to manipulate his way into getting free food, and other manipulative, scheming things.
He’s also misogynistic, racist, homo/transphobic, and a general misanthrope as well.
He also effectively sexually abused me by making me sleep in the same bed with him for years, despite there being another bed in that very same room (there were only two of us in the house) and other rooms I could have slept in as well.
He’d always build up my ego, then undercut it by ranting and “lecturing” me on the smallest things. Even from a young age he’d start one of those “lectures” with some small thing I did (like leaving my shoes just a bit too far out from the wall after taking them off. Literally.) and move onto other problems in his life, tying it into a whole big ball of blame thrown at me for things I had nothing to do with. He’d also keep dredging up stuff from years past as time went on.
Nothing was _ever_ his fault. He ended up “quitting” an awful lot of jobs as he raised me. Eventually it became obvious that he was getting fired, but I never mentioned that to him, because I didn’t want him turning things on me.
He also alienated all of his former friends. He’d always bongo about people behind their backs, even when I knew he was in the wrong. He’d openly antagonize people (still does, last I heard) then bongo when it got him in trouble, claiming he was the victim.
He’d make everything about himself as well.
Sorry for venting so much about him. I avoid dealing with him as much as possible, but today there was a family lunch at a restaurant and he sat across from me, I couldn’t move from my spot, otherwise it might have caused a scene, because he’s like that. So, anyway, the point is, discussion of Blaine after dealing with that asshole has brought up a lot of stuff I need to vent. Especially since there are a lot of similarities between them.
That’s okay. This must be a tough storyline for you and similar victims of abuse. I hope you have a support system to ease the burden.
I do. I’ve been in therapy, and friends (as well as the family members who know about what he’s like) are all supportive as well.
As for the other family members, bringing it up when he’s not actively doing anything would just create drama and wouldn’t help anything, so I just do my best to avoid him around them.
My sister is going to group therapy after her divorce. Her therapist told her that it takes five days to recover every time someone explodes at you. And for every three years of marriage, you need one year to recover. I would say the same for any bad relationship.
Also, thank you.
And this storyline’s been a little triggering, but more cathartic since Amber’s been badass about cutting him down to size.
This comment made me cry. Thanks for making me realize that I should leave my family as soon as possible.
It’s one thing to believe something and admit it could be wrong. She essentially said “nuh uh, evolution doesn’t happen” without real question. I know some are taught that it’s incompatible, but lack of knowledge only goes so far.
YES. YES YES YES. FUCK HIM UP, RUTH. FUCK HIM UP.
While Blaine is digging himself deeper, what I want to know is how Amber and her mom can get him permanently out of their lives. In a previous comic I wrote I wanted him fed feet-first into a wood chipper, but realistically that’s not an option. Legally, what can be done that will actually stick? (A restraining order isn’t going to cut it. As a large number of dead women prove, restraining orders don’t work when the man is either too stupid, too crazy, or too effing violent to give a damn about the consequences.)
That’s a tough one.
He’s likely to be banned from the IU campus, which will help Amber somewhat for now, but her mom might still be at risk.
Then again, he’s been content to stay out of their lives for three years now, aside from the court-ordered payments, and the opportunity to lord it over Amber here, now that she’s an adult, so… *shrugs*
I guess we can just hope that Willis ends up killing him off again in this universe.
Thanks for the answer. Suspected this wasn’t an easy problem to resolve.
As for Blaine and the plot, perhaps he’ll have a rage-induced stroke. A friend from college told me that happened to a notorious bully from his HS a few years after graduation.
Did he or she die from it or just suffer brain/nerve damage.
he goes berserk, attacks the police, and either goes to prison for a long time, or is shot in self-defense.
…I can see that. It’ll more likely be a tazer, unless Willis decided to have the death just off-panel, but I can see Blaine totally attacking the cops and getting f’ed up for it.
Death or prison, I suspect. My life seems to bear that out, at least.
RIP OUT HIS FEMURS AND.HIT HIM IN THE FACE WITH THEM, RUTH!!
I can just see him going berserk and attacking everyone in the hall, and then assaulting campus security, and then the police…
…And not showing up in the comic ever again 🙂
^^^this^^^
I’d be very happy if he attacked the cops, they were forced to shoot him, and we spent at least three cokmics watching him helplessly gurgle out his last moments.
Yeah, he’s so hateful that it wouldn’t seem excessive.
Great, I’ve now got an image of Blaine going “Don’t Taze me, Bro!” stuck in my head. I hope you’re happy.
Inspiration!
http://squallloir.tumblr.com/post/58729825952/look-at-me-im-the-one-thats-bleeding
Heh…Amber’s doing just what Ethan only threatened to do the first time Blaine showed up in Shortpacked!
Go ahead Blaine…give Ruth an excuse. Let’s just nail your coffin shut right now.
Woohoo! Go RuthLESS!!!!!
So this is a little meta, but I hope it doesn’t violate one of the rules too much…but are we going to get a Disqus make-over here like you have over in the Shortpacked! comments?
I don’t currently plan on it, but it’s not impossible.
Don’t do it! We’ll end up like YouTube commenters!
I hope to God not. Lets see how long it takes for Disqus to dissolve into a clusterfuck over at Shortpacked. Upvotes are nice but downvotes and editing will just end in tears.
Pffft. I will rule it with an iron fist.
You will kill us all!
Or worse! Let us live
Rule it like a Caesar, Willis, like a Caesar.
Yeah one of Spoony’s videos erupted into a flame war about feminism and the MRA thing.
But tears are delicious!
Totally loving Ruth. Kick his ass over his shoulders. I got a feeling Sierra’s parents will be glad to help.
Smooth move Amber, get it all out in public where he won’t have a leg to stand on legally.
Unfortunately the only way to get rid of Blaine(s) is to move, leaving no forwarding address. Or kill him.
Actually, from the way he interceded, Sierra’s dad strikes me as a peacemaker, not an ass kicker.
Reno, you are a brave braaaave man for touching that disgusting thing. You’d better go wash the filth off your hands before it stains.
All in favor of Ruth beating him up, say “AYE!”.
I think Amber might now be my favorite girl in DoA.
Billie had it locked in merely for body type + outfits that accentuate said curves.
Dorothy was second for freckles and having a personality that’s MUCH more my type than Billie’s personality is.
Amber’s got better curves than Dotty (though not quite as good as Billie), she’s also geeky, like Dotty, and now she’s taking down an abuser, which happens to also give me some cathartic relief? Even her attraction to Danny doesn’t lessen her appeal anymore!
(The fact that all three wear glasses is a plus for all of ’em.)
Actually, thinking about it, Billie and Amber are kinda tied in the curves dept… Billie’s got a softer midsection, which I dig, but Amber’s got the hips and butt…
And a lower center of gravity.
Huh. Ok, we are talking comic strip characters here, but still a favorites sorting order largely based on midriff shaping seems weird to me. Feels like picking one’s favorite beer based on bottle shape. Well, bad example since there is not much else to go by regarding comic strip beer, but you get my drift.
Totz did mention Dorothy’s and Amber’s personality types, interests and recent behaviours, too, not just their relative shapeliness. (Me, I just wanted to make a reference to the previous comic.)
But now you’re causing me to think: Is it OK to objectify a character design? Art *is* an object; a character design doesn’t have humanity to take away. But it does kinda annoy me when superheroines are always super-boobalicious, and I’d feel weird to have this conversation about actual people.
Where’s Leslie? I need to take a Gender Studies class!
Okay, yes, this is exactly what I was hoping for a few days back. An enraged punch doesn’t feel like an Amber reaction, but an enraged punch followed by this exchange is exactly right. Go Willis.
Amber’s too smart to just punch him. That would get her in trouble for assault, potentially.
This makes it look like self defense (which it might have been… preemptively…).
Even if Blaine was a litigating type of guy, I hope this would be considered self-defense, even though Amber punched first. Dude was clearly threatening her, verbally and physically, and he was between her and the door. Amber did exactly enough damage to get away, and none further.
(Although we can always hope for Ruth to bust out her hockey stick. She’d be just like Sarah, only more Canadian!)
I haven’t been able to support Ruth’s “redemption” through the last few months. It shifted too suddenly and she was too awful for me to really buy it. However, it’s nice to see her directing her rage at someone who probably reminds her of her own father.
Ruth just has a lot of aggression, which wasn’t helped by her drinking. She’s still been incredibly imposing, we’ve just gotten a bit more of a three-dimensional view of her.
It’s not “redemption” so much as “character depth being shown by Willis.”
Also, she -wasn’t- awful to anybody but Billie. That’s the point. She -tormented Billie, and now we know why. To anybody else, she was regarded as a hardass, which she didn’t discourage, but even that was mostly because of her treatment of Billie.
Tormenting is something that takes a fair bit of personality development for me to get over. Having been bullied, a few “sorries” and an explanation of the reasoning won’t flip the switch from asshole to okay person. The last bunch of comics showing Ruth have been a lot more sympathetic than I think is appropriate under the circumstances. Most of the commenters are totally okay with her now that her Tragic Past is explained. I can’t let her off the hook that easily.
Also, the kiss and the ensuing romance-ish thing with Billie is still too squicky for me. It’s such a brutal emotional shift that I can hear the transmission complaining and grinding.
I think it’s her grandfather, actually. Early on we see her getting wasted after a conversation with someone she calls ‘sir’. Her parents are presumably dead, hence the move from Canada to the US, but that doesn’t mean her grandfather is nice. Just a thought.
What do you mean, “presumably”? I’m pretty sure it said they were killed outright.
Yeah, she told Billie how a drunk driver killed them, and has referred to being orphaned more than once since.
Yep, found it. Panel 4: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/03-answers-in-hennessy/not-directly/
Billie calls her an orphan here. Panel 2: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/expecting/
Ruth again mentions her parents deaths in panel 2 here: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/cookie/
I love the character tags for helping me find this stuff.
There’s a Louis CK set where he’s talking about a guy telling him to suck a bag of dicks and part of it is him trying to figure out what a bag of dicks would even look like. Well, just take a look at panel two there, Mr. CK. That’s your answer.
While I whole-heartedly side with Amber in this confontation, I do have to worry a little bit about getting a crowd involved. Judging by the fact that Blaine’s not already in jail, I can only assume Amber and her mother never went to the police about the domestic abuse they suffered (or they did but had no evidence), and that either way, while the abuse clearly did occur, she has no evidence to back up the claim she just made, while Blaine now has a busted lip with which he could make a claim of assault. Not that he looks smart enough/willing to further damage his pride in order to do so. Nor do I imagine Willis would be willing to write any story in which Blaine receives anything but his ass handed to him.
Still… I don’t even know what I’m saying I guess. Just that if I launched the first strike, even if I was provoked into doing so by someone who’d done much worse, I’d still probably be a bit wary personally of gathering a crowd who had not seen what the jackass had done first hand. But then, I guess that’s actually one of the issues that victims often have to deal with?
A number of the witnesses know Amber and trust her. Meanwhile, Blaine, who is much taller than her and chasing her while yelling threats.
Even though she did launch the first strike, they’re already assuming it was in self-defense. And honestly? While it was preemptive, it probably would’ve ended up being self-defense had she chosen to continue talking rather than decking him.
I’ve worked with domestic violence crises on occasion. Most DV victims decide not to press charges, for many reasons, including the fear that other people won’t believe them, as you mentioned.
There are many reasons that a DV victim might choose not to go to court yet, even if they have tons of evidence. (for example, they might feel too traumatized, and testifying might feel like re-living the violence. They might want to protect the perpetrator, or fear violent retaliation. They might have false hope that things will get better.)
It’s always the victim’s choice whether to press charges (which is right), but going to court is difficult (which sucks), and not everyone does it, or does it immediately.
Anyway. The fear about not being believed, which you mentioned: you can actually preemptively address that one for people in your life. Please let your friends know that if they ever get in a terrible situation, you’ll believe them and support them. Find a way to bring it up. You never know whom it might help.
Oof! That was long. Sorry to go on a rant, there. Upshot is: Let your friends know that you’ll believe them.
Not as long as my other rant…
But yeah, a friend of mine was raped a few years back while ill, and in some sort of abusive relationship to the point that she was afraid to tell anyone or even get her stuff from his place.
I tried to do what I could to help her, but for the same reasons you said, she was too reluctant to talk to the police about it.
I don’t think it’s right…violent crime should be investigated, victim pressing charges or not. Things like rape are also a crime against the community.
Being confronted to a woman.
Oh yeah,he will react well.
*grab pop corn*
I’ve never been so happy to see one fictional character stand up for herself.
Go on Ruth, get him! Kick his ass!
Nice avy, broheim!
Thanks!
I cannot stres enough how much I love Reno here. He’s offering a way to talk out a situation that has clearly already become violent, and his hand does not leave Blaine’s chest.
That right there is how you do this. Blaine’s got six inches and about two stone on the man and Reno is still in between Blaine and anyone else he can hurt. Willis, Reno is now my favourite character, spinoff please
Yeah. That is pretty badass.
Yeah, Sierra’s parents definitely seem impressive. I wouldn’t be surprised if her mom is calling campus security off panel. I hope I could react like that in a similar situation. I’m afraid I’d probably end up gaping in horror like the Saruyama’s.
I really want Sierra & Mike to get together, that would be great… 🙂
How do you read the alt text and where do you find it?
Just hover over the comic with your mouse and it should show up!
If you’re reading on a phone or tablet, you’re out of luck.
Stop discriminating against tablet users, Willis! Use comic descriptions like a decent person!
I am using a phone. Curses!
Just look at the page source info.
And, as a bonus, if bLaine somehow manages to defeat Ruth, Billie and Howard will probably also show up to kick his ass.
…Though the latter will get beaten in less than a second.
Won’t everybody be surprised when Howard just walks right up behind Blaine and slits his throat while giggling and muttering “Game of Thrones…”
Howard would stumble on the way and slit his own throat accidentally and gurgle “Game of Thrones…” as his last words.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH
NOW YOU FUCKED UP
And here I was hoping for an actual brawl. But no~o~o~o.
No one every writes for the unending fury archetype. Nope, it’s just bullies, jerks and racists.
Even if they send you to prison? Now there’s an idea!
Sierra is transforming into zombie mode with sheer fury.
Also oh HECK, did Ruth’s dad cheat on her mom in this universe as well? No wonder Ruth is the first one here.
And…as repulsive as Blaine is, I’m not cutting Stacy any slack for standing Amber up the way she did. Priorities man.
Shit, Stacy had absolutely no reason to expect that her piece of shit ex-husband would suddenly show up in their lives again after being gone for three years. Let the lady enjoy some Joe-Sr-ing.
I’m surprised they don’t have some form of restraining order…
If a chance for a Joe-ing comes up, you don’t turn it down
Even with Joe’s Dad, it still count as getting Joe’d
Honestly I’m just hoping she’s getting the most fulfilling sex of her life like she did with Jacob in the walkyverse. That’s the only excuse she can have for not seeing Blaine suffer.
She didn’t stand her up. She texted.
She texted her well after she was supposed to meet her. That still counts as standing someone up. It doesn’t make it any better that she stood her up so she could have a hook-up with some guy she had known for literally about 30 seconds.
Nope, not a lot of slack being given from this quarter.
Sierra’s dad! I like him already ^^
I’m now shipping Blaine with Ryan. They’re going to bond over common interests – that is, evil, and being punched in the face.
Now if only Sarah could show up with her baseball bat there’d be the trifecta…
I approve of Reno so, so much.
SOMEONE CALL MIKE FOR DOUBLE THE PUNCHING
Oh, this gon’ be good!
I want to see Ruth destroy him so much
YES! Ruth clearly has perfect timing and continues to be one of my favorite characters!
Super impressed with Sierra’s dad right now. I’m impressed with Ruth, too, but Ruth is an established tough person, and this is what I expected from her. Sierra’s dad is someone we’ve never seen before who’s a full head shorter than this jerk, and he just stepped right up and calmly confronted him.
Indeed! Kudos to everyone except Blaine on this page, really.
Alright, here’s something I don’t get. Blaine is required to pay for college, right? And he’s threatening to not pay. Can his wages not be garnished? I know debt collectors can garnish wages, so it would be odd (to say the least) if that wasn’t an option for child support and similar payments.
In some states, I believe child support can cause garnished wages.
However, there’s ways to avoid that (one of which is simply refusing to work above the table), but you’re still liable for it. Failure to pay it is a crime, and you can end up in jail for it.
I just looked it up, and this: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-rights-book/chapter2-9.html implies that his wages would be garnished for child support if he refused to pay.
PREPEARE, FOR MORTAL KOMBAT! *Turns on Mortal kombat movie theme*
FINISH HIM!
Flawless victory! Ruthless wins. Fatality!
I hereby rename Epic Win to Ruth Win.
I have a sudden, unexpected and mildly disturbing urge to see some violence. Namely, Ruth-destroying-Blaine violence.
Woo! 😀
That would ease her rough image over a little, hopefully get her to come out of her shell a little.
I would have loved to see Dina’s parents use some Kung Fu on his butt. Being so quiet and polite, but then unleashing a flurry of spin kicks as needed.
Dina’s family does not know martial arts.
THEY DO IN MY HEADCANON! DON’T TRY TO RUIN THIS FOR ME!
Dina’s parents are actually masters of pankration.
Not all martial arts are from Asia.
Pffft. Asians who don’t know martial arts. Surely, Willis, you are a master of comedy.
That reminds me of a story one of our teachers told us once …
Gang of hoodlums: we know kung-fu!
She: I know kung-pao!
Gang: O_O (runs away)
They know _of_ martial arts, though… which still doesn’t help them help against Blaine.
I bet they know arts and crafts, though!!!
I bet they are expexert snipers/marksmen and have been training Dina wife she could hold a weapon. That’s why they are so quiet and appear when they are least expected.
Why didn’t Amber finish hi- ah clever.
Amber’s no fool.
“Beat on the brat with a baseball bat, oh yeah, uh-huh!” *channeling the Ramones*
Adding Ruth, who is my favorite character in DOA, to this, which was already awesome, has made it my new favorite moment in the comic so far.
Next time on Dumbing of Age…
Ruth: I’m going to rip out your femurs and beat you four fifths to death with them!
Blaine: What the Hell is a femur?
*Joe’s Dad bursts from a door, half naked, pants around his ankles*
Dr R: It’s the thigh bones, the most proximal (closest to the center of the body) bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. I know about these things, I’m a Bone Doctor!
Stacy: Blaine?!
Blaine: Stacy!?
I hope this becomes canon
I’m calling it. Blaine takes a swing at Ruth and Billie kicks him in the balls for it.
While Ruth beats him with his own blody femurs in the faaaace!
Personally, if I were Amber I wouldn’t touch his money.
Cool, I didn’t know college was free of charge in Indiana.
There are other paths.
Cool, I didn’t know prostitution was legal in Indiana.
Yeah, financial aid is prostitution. Same with working your way through college or attending a JC first so as to minimize costs. Or trade school, or simply not going to college.
You should have mentioned those in the first place instead of leaving yourself open to the same joke twice in a row.
Why? Point is if I were in Amber’s shoes I wouldn’t want the guys money. The rest should be obvious enough as to not require explanation.
I’ve been reading DoA and Shortpacked! for a while and never commented on either.
Tonight, I am compelled to, for the first time, to say this.
OOOOOOOHHHHHHHH, SHIT, HERE IT GO
I HOPE RUTH FARTS ON EVERYTHING HE LOVES!!!
and i regretted wanting to mean JOYCE’S parents…
I love this. He’s getting what he deserves.
aw dang. its about to be violents up in.
She’ll do it!!
I love how Blaine is the great uniter. It doesn’t matter your creed, color, or even your opinions on any one character in the comic. Everyone who’s anyone can be joined together in hating this guy. It makes the whole concept of the Code:Geass final Zero plan seem like something to give everyone hope. That someday there will be something that everyone considers so abhorrently an enemy that we join together just to spit in its eye. (Granted I imagine there will still be some argument on how much violence is acceptable. My stance on Blaine being ALL OF IT.)