I doubt it! If I’m not mistaken, Willis has said he’s trying not to retread canon endgame relationship grounds here. I mean, okay, it could be one sided on Carla’s part for the dramas, but it really doesn’t feel like there’s any point to establishing that in the broader narrative. Right now, Marcie has her smoochin’ sights set on Malaya, and that’s the main conflict of her story – her essential “homewrecking” of Sal and Marcie’s long friendship. Introducing “also Carla wants to spend time being gay with Malaya without direct contact with her gross fluids” really doesn’t add anything to that story.
I think that Carla is misreading Malaya’s self-centred misanthropy and trouble-making for being someone like her – A loud, brash and playful person who likes pranking and insulting. In fact, I argue that the two are about as different as you can get and I’m waiting for Malaya to break Carla’s heart because she has a whim to do so or she is clearly of no use to her in pursuing her vendetta with Sal.
or at least a friend, a single intimate and/or confidante. Sort of like serial monogamy, but not necessarily romantic/sexual.
Malaya assumes that Sal wants the cult (which, I suspect, she actually wants for herself, and as a one-way relationship – they adore her, she gives them nothing). Sal, I believe, wants just one True Friend (or a very very small number).
What do you need two for, even? I only have one, and I make do perfectly well.
…Just so we’re on the same page, ‘friends’ are electric, right? The ones that make the bread go brown? I only have the one in my kitchen… I mean, I suppose I could have one at work, but I think my co-workers would frown at that sort of thing.
That would require Malaya to both be capable of friendship and qualify as people, and I know she’s not a person so this relationship is already headed downhill.
(1) Malaya is capable of friendships, this is established in the other universe; in fact, one of her longest-lasting Walkyverse relationships (running right up until the end of the Walkyverse) was with Ultra-Car/Carla. (2) Malaya most certainly is a person. A quite misanthropic person sure most probably, but that doesn’t deny her personhood status.
1. Her relationship with Carla in the Walkyverse was a romantic one, or at least became one, which for a number of people makes the term “friend” a little weird to apply in that situation. Not everyone. Maybe not even most people. But a number of people would definitely hesitate there.
2. These are similar, yet different people in this universe. Their personality traits are not a one to one match. For example, Walky in the Walkyverse pretended to be stupid to avoid responsibility while actually being very intelligent. Here Walky admits to being intelligent pretty easily. And he doesn’t avoid responsibility so much as he avoids feelings, doing so through almost constant sarcasm and snark. Similar yet different.
Now is it more likely that Carla will make Malaya better, or that Malaya will make Carla worse? (also, I’m getting the strangest sense of deja vu, has this happened before?)
Alſo, anyone want to bet that Carla juſt intentionally, literally ſlammed the door in Mary’s face in the firſt panel there – but with a touch of plauſible deniability ſhould Mary complain?
(also, my ſpell-checker recognizes words ſpelled with a long-s as being grammatically correct, which is aweſome)
In celebration of that vein, here is today’s tranſcript, brought to you by Long-S®:
*ſlam!*
Malaya:“Sal, you’re juſt jealous ‘cuz you uſedta draw the crowds.” Sal: “I never wanted thoſe crowds!”
Malaya:“Didn’t you?” Carla:“Yeah, Sal, lying to yourſelf iſn’t an attractive trait.” Sal:“An’ what, Carla, you’re fine with bein’ reduced to a Malaya hanger-on?” Carla:“I– I’m not a Malaya hanger-on! I’m juſt here for the iguana. Who I don’t even like that much, really.”
Now I really want to see Carla babysit Faz. There is no possible way that it can’t be amazing. Will Carla be willing to weaponize Faz’s creepiness? Will Faz have his mind placed into a robot and shifted to another universe where he becomes the basis for a new era of AI and eventually ends up in the home of a indie rock fan?
On the one hand 2 out 3 people in this room deserve to die, on the other hand Sal can’t afford any more blood on her hands. Where’s Mike and a bag of nickels when you need them?
wow. do you wanna think of the implications of saying a trans woman character deserves to be beaten to death by a cis man and woman because you don’t like her and maybe take a step back.
That wouldn’t make it sound any less nasty or hateful. Intent doesn’t just magically make context irrelevant.
Hell, even if it’s only about Carla’s personality, “she deserves to die” would be uncalled for. And as nev pointed out, the fact that Kyrik thinks these two deserve death just for being abrasive jerks, but is totally okay with Mike’s outright abuse makes me rather skeptical that personality is the main issue.
Actually it was absolutely about their personalities and the implication for Mike to do it instead of Sal was it would ruin his life instead of hers. Still you and the other comments are right I was way out of line and over the top. I was already at the end of a bad day but it’s still not an excuse for calling for the death of characters I find to simply be frustrating, especially for something as minor as making someone else mad. I’d delete the comment entirely but don’t have an actual account so I can’t, let it sit there as a reminder to myself if nothing else.
Cool. I’m always glad to learn I was right to give someone the benefit of a doubt.
Everyone fucks up from time to time (especially when they’re mad), which is why admitting it, apologizing, and trying to do better is important. Good on you for being able to do that. 👍
I respectfully call Your Majesty’s attention to this piece on your most illustrious namesake. A truly informative essay, although some quoted in it comes perilously close to lèse-majesté in questioning the Emperor’s mental state.
If Your Majesty will condescend to take my advice, it might perhaps be best for Your Majesty to listen to the audio first, and then skim the written essay for gems left out of the audio portion.
Respectfully submitted,
Yr obt svt,
Marsh Maryrose, Baron of Whosis
We are pleased with your offering, and We would enjoy as many as possible to read this thoughtful piece.
As for the former Emperor’s mental state, We see no harm in it being called to attention. We like to think, as was quoted in the Sandman story about him, that his madness kept him sane.
Maybe it’s the skating, maybe she’s fun when she’s skating.. Maybe also honestly Malaya is abnoxious only when she’s with people she doesn’t like, like Sal and Mary. Sal did hate her from the get go so why should she be nice to her? I wished they get along though, Sal is my fave, don’t like this happening to her. I mean yeah she was shitty to Malaya out of jealousy but, y’know, new starts maybe
Calling out needs that your claims of what is bullshit is legit. Malaya is projecting a bunch of ideas over who and what Sal is based on what she think is Sal’s motivations. Its not callout, its harassment.
And Carla tagging along makes it downright bullying.
Seems weird that someone who puts effort into “appearing cool” tries so hard to avoid people.
I mean, what effort is she putting in?
The gloves she never takes off (probably due to the knife wound she has)?
The long hair (that she keeps straight probably due to her wanting acceptance from her parents)?
The motorcycle (because she can’t just like motorcycles)?
The fact that she’s usually alone (seeing as her best friend is currently mad at her and she has very few other people she wants to spend time with)?
The temper she struggles with (which she can’t really vent as she’s already been in trouble with the law and her parents and has yet to find a positive outlet)?
The smoking (cause there haven’t been decades of advertising trying to reverse the idea of smoking being cool and a number of laws that make it harder to smoke than it once was)?
Pretending not to care? Yeah ok, she does care about people more than she lets on, but hiding one’s feelings is a Walkerton family tradition. It’s probably on their coat of arms.
Sometimes people aren’t trying to be cool, but are simply being themselves.
This is not calling out, this is projection and harassment. You don’t have to like Sal but 95% of the time she is just being herself and the only time she isn’t is when she pretends to care less about people than she really does.
This is more like if I said you just love being a pretentious condescending jerk – it really wouldn’t matter how you respond, as I could just go ‘there you go again!’ and it would be frustrating because you wouldn’t really care that I dislike you, but that I was FALSELY accusing you of thinking, feeling and acting in a way just to be a jerk to others. That I was falsely projecting an image onto you, telling you that was who you are, and refusing to let you get a word in while I told you your motivations and reasons as if I know you better than you know yourself. Also, if you have a legitimate complaint, I can then just accuse you of being bad in some other way e.g. like when Malaya was shining a bright light in Sal’s face and Sal complained, she proceeded to call her an animal hater, edgy and an asshole… for not wanting a bright light to be shined directly into her face.
This is not calling someone out for projecting a false image or for harmful actions, this is just emotionally harassing someone in such a way that if they say nothing, you can claim they agree with you, and if they disagree, you can just attack their character more.
Here we are reminded of Malaya’s current Theory of Sal which is that she’s basically a poseur trying to impress the gullible with her ‘too cool for school’ shtick. I don’t think that theory is accurate although I do suspect that there may be a bit of transference from Malaya there.
I’m wondering how long it will be before Carla realises that Malaya is barely aware of her presence and that Fuckface is too stoic and aloof to show that he cares about anyone? That might be a bit of a blow to her – the first person like her that she’s met actually doesn’t care about her in the slightest.
The Ire is ‘earned’ because Sal smokes, rides a motorcycle, acts aloof, wears her gloves even in bed.
OBVIOUSLY all of that is a performative act to make Sal seem cooler than she is really! (Hint: we know why ONE of those things is for-sure not performative.)
on Sal’s Side, she’s not a fan of Malaya’s personality (especially since it seems to be 90% Everything I Do, I Do It To Annoy Sal ) and at one point Sal was afraid that Malaya was trying to drive a wedge between her and Marcie. Then Sal Beat Up a Not-yet-proven-to-be-violent-rapist at a rally for which Marcie was part of the security team.
It’s unclear. We don’t see their meeting, but the first appearance together does show Malaya’s attitude, but nothing directed at Sal. Just bongoing about only splitting a 6-pack. Sal does make a comment about hating that they’ve befriended Malaya, so that animosity is there from the start.
In retrospect, while Malaya’s attitude certainly doesn’t help, a good part of it is Sal resenting the intrusion on her and Marcie.
The way I remember it she showed evident dislike for Malaya from the start than when she tried tp be a bigger person she gave Malaya permission to be friends with Marcey.
Like yeah, Sal’s behaviour does feel kinda performative to me but also shut up Malaya why do you care so much about this it doesn’t matter at all and it hurts nobody you’re just being a jackass.
Humans are very good at adapting to things. Often, we even adapt to things we don’t WANT to adapt to.
Sal, for example, may not have wanted ‘those crowds’ – but she got used to them. Now, maybe she misses them?
This is what I love about the Sal/Malaya relationship – Malaya’s the perfect foil for Sal, drawing out all the hidden anger and pain inside her and giving them a convenient target.
No, I think she only wants Marcie.
And if she can’t have Marcie (all to herself), then she still wants her to be happy.
Malaya… just wants stuff. For herself. Only.
And assumes that everyone else too, and is probably offended by people “trying to pretend” that they aren’t just as simple and selfish. That they’re better then her.
But the truth is… some don’t have to try. They just are. Even in not actually caring whether they are.
I don’t take this as Sal missing being any kind of center of attention. I think she’s just pissed off that yet another friend of her is inexplicably drawn to Malaya. The more people you know who are mutual friends with someone you hate the more you are forced to interact with that person and make nice to not start shit with your friends. That’s exhausting. It’s also probably pretty annoying to her that she has made it very clear how much she dislikes Malaya (and Malaya is being openly obnoxious to her at the moment) and we have Carla not doing shit and Marcie has basically replaced Sal with Malaya. Marcie has reason to be pissed but she’s also being very deliberately hurtful to Sal.
Is there a common etiquette for when you haven’t been explicitly invited to a wedding, and despise the idea of going in the first place because their relationship is disgusting, but then you’re told that if you don’t go, it’ll be held against you with the same severity as lying about a family member’s death, which you didn’t even do, but they’re using it to guilt you into going anyway?
Crash the wedding. Then when the photographer is taking group photos, follow them around and crash all the photos. Groomsmen? Delicious Taffy is there too. The couple’s parents? Also Delicious Taffy.
Really, that sounds like a tough situation. I have crashed a few weddings/receptions in my day, so I guess that’s my advice. Also, my phone autocorrects “Taffy” to “Daddy,” so I had to edit this a few times as to not call you Delicious Daddy.
Send them a congratulations card if anyone asks say you never got an invitation and weren’t sure if they wanted you there.
If the only issue is that you find it gross either try to get over it, or bow out of there lives, and ignore your gross feelings when you interact with them. If there is a power imbalance and you think the one you love could get hurt ask someone else about that.
Check with the people actually getting married as to whether you are invited or not – if they say no you have an easy out; if they say yes, just show up, shut up, and smile. Also, it might be a “wedding ceremony open to all, but wedding dinner invite only” since it is the dinner that is expensive with more guests, so make sure to clarify what, if anything, you are invited to.
Common etiquette is to suck it up and help make the wedding a joyous occasion for your family member getting married even if you personally have misgivings about the relationship. You can even tell the person getting married how you really feel weeks ahead of the wedding in the hopes of being uninvited, but that specific day is about them and you don’t mess with it.
We should handcuff her to Joyce. We’d see how long would it take for her to beg for mercy. We’ll need someone with rattlesnake reflexes to man the stopwatch.
One of those few cases where the IUB gremlins haven’t yet screwed over Willis: Read Hall residents have a choice between on-floor or lofted beds. I assume most residents without accessibility issues choose lofted, to maximize floor space.
Forest Hall does have bunk beds but doesn’t have double-loft. Bunk beds…present problems if one is not comfortable with one’s bunk mates, and I assume that’s why the Forest Hall scenes have so far only shown bed-on-floor situations.
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Fuckface is indeed the best iguana.
We’re all just here for the iguana.
So is Carla romantically interested in Malaya? She seems really forward about hanging out. Also Sal is totally in denial
I want that but also Marcie?
Solution: Carla-Malaya-Marcie poly relationship.
Just by coincidence, Carla recently ordered this T-shirt.
I doubt it! If I’m not mistaken, Willis has said he’s trying not to retread canon endgame relationship grounds here. I mean, okay, it could be one sided on Carla’s part for the dramas, but it really doesn’t feel like there’s any point to establishing that in the broader narrative. Right now, Marcie has her smoochin’ sights set on Malaya, and that’s the main conflict of her story – her essential “homewrecking” of Sal and Marcie’s long friendship. Introducing “also Carla wants to spend time being gay with Malaya without direct contact with her gross fluids” really doesn’t add anything to that story.
sal wrecked that pretty well on her own. :/ malaya just rubs salt in the wound. aggressively.
I think that Carla is misreading Malaya’s self-centred misanthropy and trouble-making for being someone like her – A loud, brash and playful person who likes pranking and insulting. In fact, I argue that the two are about as different as you can get and I’m waiting for Malaya to break Carla’s heart because she has a whim to do so or she is clearly of no use to her in pursuing her vendetta with Sal.
Nah, Carla is being tsuntere towards Fuckface, obviously.
I dunno, I don’t think Sal IS lying to herself. She kind of genuinely didn’t want the hangers-on. I don’t think she’s in denial.
Also, Malaya doesn’t deserve Marcie.
I think you are right. She does clearly want friends though.
or at least a friend, a single intimate and/or confidante. Sort of like serial monogamy, but not necessarily romantic/sexual.
Malaya assumes that Sal wants the cult (which, I suspect, she actually wants for herself, and as a one-way relationship – they adore her, she gives them nothing). Sal, I believe, wants just one True Friend (or a very very small number).
mm!
C’mon, Carla. We all love the iguana.
Well, you give every iguana 11s or 12s. It doesn’t even make any sense.
They’re good iguanas, Brent
What happened to people being friends?
Psh, no one really has more than two friends maximum.
…Right?
Yep, any more is definitely a conspiracy!
Exactly. If there’s three then one is definitely out to kill you.
If you have enough friends to fill up a moderately-sized Sedan the you’re either the leader of or a follower in a very small cult
Or you’re in high school.
–Dave, in college there’ll be more, but most will be “acquaintances” due to your time constraints
What do you need two for, even? I only have one, and I make do perfectly well.
…Just so we’re on the same page, ‘friends’ are electric, right? The ones that make the bread go brown? I only have the one in my kitchen… I mean, I suppose I could have one at work, but I think my co-workers would frown at that sort of thing.
There are real advantages to having a friend in the bedroom.
Toast crumbs in the bed is not really an advantage.
If your electric bedroom friend is a toaster, ur doin’ it rong.
–Dave, and shocking revelations might be in store
That would require Malaya to both be capable of friendship and qualify as people, and I know she’s not a person so this relationship is already headed downhill.
(1) Malaya is capable of friendships, this is established in the other universe; in fact, one of her longest-lasting Walkyverse relationships (running right up until the end of the Walkyverse) was with Ultra-Car/Carla.
(2) Malaya most certainly is a person. A quite misanthropic person sure most probably, but that doesn’t deny her personhood status.
1. Her relationship with Carla in the Walkyverse was a romantic one, or at least became one, which for a number of people makes the term “friend” a little weird to apply in that situation. Not everyone. Maybe not even most people. But a number of people would definitely hesitate there.
2. These are similar, yet different people in this universe. Their personality traits are not a one to one match. For example, Walky in the Walkyverse pretended to be stupid to avoid responsibility while actually being very intelligent. Here Walky admits to being intelligent pretty easily. And he doesn’t avoid responsibility so much as he avoids feelings, doing so through almost constant sarcasm and snark. Similar yet different.
o.0 unless you meant “not a person because fictional”, that is… not cool.
*plays Alice Cooper’s “Under My Wheels” on the hacked Muzak*
OH NO they paired up
Now is it more likely that Carla will make Malaya better, or that Malaya will make Carla worse? (also, I’m getting the strangest sense of deja vu, has this happened before?)
Walkyverse?
No, in the sense that I feel we’ve had this conversation before. Like I already asked the question.
smooth, Carla, Sal will never suspect. 😛
but it does locl Mary out. Always worthwhile. Mary will think they are plotting against her.
… “call”? — oh, “lock”, okay.
–Dave, nothing to see here, carry on
Lizards are kind of cool and intriguing….also there’s a lot of sweet burns going around in this strip.
Carla is just looking for some of that sweet Fuckface disdain.
It’s why Fuckface is there – basking in the heat of the sweet burns.
I like how Fuckface gets a finer line to be drawn with than the hu-mons.
–Dave, delicate but uncaring
I also am just here for the iguana.
We’re all just here for the iguana.
Twinsies!
Just realized we just stumbled upon the best chapter title.
‘I’m Just Here For The Iguana’
I sure hope we get an Iguana chapter title. I’m ready for this Faz chapter to be over.
Fuckface helps fill the Comics Iguana gap left after Foxtrot stopped updating daily
Alſo, anyone want to bet that Carla juſt intentionally, literally ſlammed the door in Mary’s face in the firſt panel there – but with a touch of plauſible deniability ſhould Mary complain?
(also, my ſpell-checker recognizes words ſpelled with a long-s as being grammatically correct, which is aweſome)
In celebration of that vein, here is today’s tranſcript, brought to you by Long-S®:
*ſlam!*
Malaya: “Sal, you’re juſt jealous ‘cuz you uſedta draw the crowds.”
Sal: “I never wanted thoſe crowds!”
Malaya: “Didn’t you?”
Carla: “Yeah, Sal, lying to yourſelf iſn’t an attractive trait.”
Sal: “An’ what, Carla, you’re fine with bein’ reduced to a Malaya hanger-on?”
Carla: “I– I’m not a Malaya hanger-on! I’m juſt here for the iguana. Who I don’t even like that much, really.”
Hrmm, with a bit more of the old-faſhioned ſpeech-patterns…this could be ſomething.
It lookf like you’re talking with lifpf, which is awefome.
(I could research how to type a long ‘s’, but using ‘f’ works fine for me.)
“Why would you wish to spend time with an iguana when Faz is available?”
Now I really want to see Carla babysit Faz. There is no possible way that it can’t be amazing. Will Carla be willing to weaponize Faz’s creepiness? Will Faz have his mind placed into a robot and shifted to another universe where he becomes the basis for a new era of AI and eventually ends up in the home of a indie rock fan?
That…. That just makes too much sense. New head cannon accepted.
Well, turns out Carla wasn’t up next, but it’s certainly a future option!
–Dave, in a day or two comic time maybe?
Hmm, odds on Carla shutting the door not only to be rude to Mary, but prevent her from seeing the iguana?
Iguana is like, “Tsunderes gonna Tsundere.”
Someone who talks about punchable faces easily has the MOST punchable face in panel 4 there.
For real. Damnit, Malaya!
On the one hand 2 out 3 people in this room deserve to die, on the other hand Sal can’t afford any more blood on her hands. Where’s Mike and a bag of nickels when you need them?
…“Carla and Malaya deserve to die”, what I can’t even
What’s that you’re saying about Carla, Kyrik?
wow. do you wanna think of the implications of saying a trans woman character deserves to be beaten to death by a cis man and woman because you don’t like her and maybe take a step back.
thanks tbh
this and what Fart Captor said
I’m pretty sure that it has nothing to do with Carla’s gender and everything to do with her attitude.
That wouldn’t make it sound any less nasty or hateful. Intent doesn’t just magically make context irrelevant.
Hell, even if it’s only about Carla’s personality, “she deserves to die” would be uncalled for. And as nev pointed out, the fact that Kyrik thinks these two deserve death just for being abrasive jerks, but is totally okay with Mike’s outright abuse makes me rather skeptical that personality is the main issue.
yup.
Actually it was absolutely about their personalities and the implication for Mike to do it instead of Sal was it would ruin his life instead of hers. Still you and the other comments are right I was way out of line and over the top. I was already at the end of a bad day but it’s still not an excuse for calling for the death of characters I find to simply be frustrating, especially for something as minor as making someone else mad. I’d delete the comment entirely but don’t have an actual account so I can’t, let it sit there as a reminder to myself if nothing else.
Cool. I’m always glad to learn I was right to give someone the benefit of a doubt.
Everyone fucks up from time to time (especially when they’re mad), which is why admitting it, apologizing, and trying to do better is important. Good on you for being able to do that. 👍
also the fact you’re apparently okay with Mike but think Carla and Malaya deserve death for their crimes is not a good look.
I hope that sentiment came out a lot more fucked up than it sounded in your head, Kyrik. What the hell
No idea what your issue with Carla is but uh, I’ve got no problem with Malaya “disappearing”
….. okay, I think the alt-text just kinda confirmed Cerb’s speculation about Sal/Carla.
Well, that or Malaya/Carla, or Fuckface/Carla
She’s pretending not to like a lot of people/reptiles here
iguanadere
To His Majesty, Emperor Norton II:
I respectfully call Your Majesty’s attention to this piece on your most illustrious namesake. A truly informative essay, although some quoted in it comes perilously close to lèse-majesté in questioning the Emperor’s mental state.
If Your Majesty will condescend to take my advice, it might perhaps be best for Your Majesty to listen to the audio first, and then skim the written essay for gems left out of the audio portion.
Respectfully submitted,
Yr obt svt,
Marsh Maryrose, Baron of Whosis
We are pleased with your offering, and We would enjoy as many as possible to read this thoughtful piece.
As for the former Emperor’s mental state, We see no harm in it being called to attention. We like to think, as was quoted in the Sandman story about him, that his madness kept him sane.
Tsundere, tsunderer, tsunderest
Tsundere, tsunderer,
I loved a kuudere
Tsunderest,
He loved them too!
You’ve been…
Tsundrestruck!
*rythm guitar intensifies*
*stock picture of audience dressed in 18th-century garb, somewhat battered, all sitting there ‘wtf?’ except for one little girl with shining eyes*
–Dave, I’m not sure 2Cellos will play on the hacked muzak, so here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT3SBzmDxGk
I’m failing to see what Carla sees in Malaya. Or what anyone sees in her really. Sure she annoys Mary at tiems, but that doesn’t make me like Malaya.
Freckles
Point
Becky has freckles and isn’t a toxic nexus of negativity she should go hand out with Becky.
I can like both nice freckles and jerk freckles
I’m very complicated
Pure, utter nihilism. Not my thing, but chacun son goût
Also, don’t discount the butterflies that won’t fly away.
Maybe it’s the skating, maybe she’s fun when she’s skating.. Maybe also honestly Malaya is abnoxious only when she’s with people she doesn’t like, like Sal and Mary. Sal did hate her from the get go so why should she be nice to her? I wished they get along though, Sal is my fave, don’t like this happening to her. I mean yeah she was shitty to Malaya out of jealousy but, y’know, new starts maybe
Who has Malaya not been obnoxious to? Of those she’s spent any time with, only Malaya seems to qualify. Maybe Carla.
I honestly don’t think Malaya’s been obnoxious with Marcie, at least, not lately.
Gah. Meant to say only Marcie, not only herself.
Yeah, she’s been decent to Marcie all along.
Marcie only likes her for her body.
She’s too dangerous Sal. Strike her down now
Do it.
…… oh no.
…… what if Carla is shipping Sal and Malaya like she did Ruth and Billie?
Malaya’s face in panel 4 may be the most annoying face that Willis have ever drawn. I want to punch something when I see that face.
He’s drawn a more annoyingly punchable faaaace before.
To be fair, that Iguana is pretty awesome. I would believe it.
I like Panel 1. That’s the proper way to deal with Mary.
YAS MORE CALLING SAL OUT IT GIVES ME LIFE
Why?
Because I dislike her as a character and enjoy seeing other characters unimpressed by her.
Calling out needs that your claims of what is bullshit is legit. Malaya is projecting a bunch of ideas over who and what Sal is based on what she think is Sal’s motivations. Its not callout, its harassment.
And Carla tagging along makes it downright bullying.
Sal does put a lot of effort into appearing cool and pretending she doesn’t care. Probably not to the extent that Malaya believes but it is there.
Seems weird that someone who puts effort into “appearing cool” tries so hard to avoid people.
I mean, what effort is she putting in?
The gloves she never takes off (probably due to the knife wound she has)?
The long hair (that she keeps straight probably due to her wanting acceptance from her parents)?
The motorcycle (because she can’t just like motorcycles)?
The fact that she’s usually alone (seeing as her best friend is currently mad at her and she has very few other people she wants to spend time with)?
The temper she struggles with (which she can’t really vent as she’s already been in trouble with the law and her parents and has yet to find a positive outlet)?
The smoking (cause there haven’t been decades of advertising trying to reverse the idea of smoking being cool and a number of laws that make it harder to smoke than it once was)?
Pretending not to care? Yeah ok, she does care about people more than she lets on, but hiding one’s feelings is a Walkerton family tradition. It’s probably on their coat of arms.
Sometimes people aren’t trying to be cool, but are simply being themselves.
The ironic part is Malaya’s fixation on this is way more pathetic and tedious than the affectation she claims to be “calling out. “
Somewhat in Carla’s case; but most certainly in Malaya’s case, it’s not so much calling out as it is projecting.
yeah, this is really making me disappointed in Carla. 🙁
Same. Then again, everyone in this strip gets to be young and stupid at times.
This is not calling out, this is projection and harassment. You don’t have to like Sal but 95% of the time she is just being herself and the only time she isn’t is when she pretends to care less about people than she really does.
This is more like if I said you just love being a pretentious condescending jerk – it really wouldn’t matter how you respond, as I could just go ‘there you go again!’ and it would be frustrating because you wouldn’t really care that I dislike you, but that I was FALSELY accusing you of thinking, feeling and acting in a way just to be a jerk to others. That I was falsely projecting an image onto you, telling you that was who you are, and refusing to let you get a word in while I told you your motivations and reasons as if I know you better than you know yourself. Also, if you have a legitimate complaint, I can then just accuse you of being bad in some other way e.g. like when Malaya was shining a bright light in Sal’s face and Sal complained, she proceeded to call her an animal hater, edgy and an asshole… for not wanting a bright light to be shined directly into her face.
This is not calling someone out for projecting a false image or for harmful actions, this is just emotionally harassing someone in such a way that if they say nothing, you can claim they agree with you, and if they disagree, you can just attack their character more.
“I-i-it’s not like I LIKE you or anything, Fuckface-kun!”
the alt text is full of a very evil energy today
Sal would admit, to the right people, some of the new drawn crowds are growing on her.
Malaya is not “the right people” to admit to. She has few friends and cares less about that, or her front does.
Here we are reminded of Malaya’s current Theory of Sal which is that she’s basically a poseur trying to impress the gullible with her ‘too cool for school’ shtick. I don’t think that theory is accurate although I do suspect that there may be a bit of transference from Malaya there.
I’m wondering how long it will be before Carla realises that Malaya is barely aware of her presence and that Fuckface is too stoic and aloof to show that he cares about anyone? That might be a bit of a blow to her – the first person like her that she’s met actually doesn’t care about her in the slightest.
Agreed on all points.
We need Marcie and Carla to develop some sort of dumb jealousy for the clusterfudge to be complete.
Either way, Fuckface has the moral high ground.
It’s been ages so I don’t really remember, what did Sal do to warrant this amount of hatred from Malaya?
The Ire is ‘earned’ because Sal smokes, rides a motorcycle, acts aloof, wears her gloves even in bed.
OBVIOUSLY all of that is a performative act to make Sal seem cooler than she is really! (Hint: we know why ONE of those things is for-sure not performative.)
on Sal’s Side, she’s not a fan of Malaya’s personality (especially since it seems to be 90% Everything I Do, I Do It To Annoy Sal ) and at one point Sal was afraid that Malaya was trying to drive a wedge between her and Marcie. Then Sal Beat Up a Not-yet-proven-to-be-violent-rapist at a rally for which Marcie was part of the security team.
I mean she also physically threatened Malaya and manhandled her but I think the mutual dislike was already pretty well established at that point.
I thought that threat and mishandling only occurred BECAUSE of Malaya’s attitude?
It’s unclear. We don’t see their meeting, but the first appearance together does show Malaya’s attitude, but nothing directed at Sal. Just bongoing about only splitting a 6-pack. Sal does make a comment about hating that they’ve befriended Malaya, so that animosity is there from the start.
In retrospect, while Malaya’s attitude certainly doesn’t help, a good part of it is Sal resenting the intrusion on her and Marcie.
The way I remember it she showed evident dislike for Malaya from the start than when she tried tp be a bigger person she gave Malaya permission to be friends with Marcey.
Like yeah, Sal’s behaviour does feel kinda performative to me but also shut up Malaya why do you care so much about this it doesn’t matter at all and it hurts nobody you’re just being a jackass.
Marcie, Carla, I don’t understand you girls. (Carla you deserve the loviliest gurl in the world why herrrrr. >.< I mean I guess she's your type)
No offense Malaya, y-you're great
I can see this ending up with someone getting hurt if the anger goes too far and it might be sal thats doing the hurting..
I would just like to show my appreciation for the strip beginning by slamming a door in Mary’s face.
yeah, that part was pretty awesome. 🙂
Today’s comic is actually a completely accurate sociological portrayal of college dorm life.
…so is anybody else wondering what Malaya is reading on her phone in frames 5 and 7 that is putting that expression on her face?
Now I am.
I’m surprised no-one has commented on the irony of Carla’s panel seven utterance immediately following her panel five assertion.
Humans are very good at adapting to things. Often, we even adapt to things we don’t WANT to adapt to.
Sal, for example, may not have wanted ‘those crowds’ – but she got used to them. Now, maybe she misses them?
This is what I love about the Sal/Malaya relationship – Malaya’s the perfect foil for Sal, drawing out all the hidden anger and pain inside her and giving them a convenient target.
No, I think she only wants Marcie.
And if she can’t have Marcie (all to herself), then she still wants her to be happy.
Malaya… just wants stuff. For herself. Only.
And assumes that everyone else too, and is probably offended by people “trying to pretend” that they aren’t just as simple and selfish. That they’re better then her.
But the truth is… some don’t have to try. They just are. Even in not actually caring whether they are.
I don’t take this as Sal missing being any kind of center of attention. I think she’s just pissed off that yet another friend of her is inexplicably drawn to Malaya. The more people you know who are mutual friends with someone you hate the more you are forced to interact with that person and make nice to not start shit with your friends. That’s exhausting. It’s also probably pretty annoying to her that she has made it very clear how much she dislikes Malaya (and Malaya is being openly obnoxious to her at the moment) and we have Carla not doing shit and Marcie has basically replaced Sal with Malaya. Marcie has reason to be pissed but she’s also being very deliberately hurtful to Sal.
Is there a common etiquette for when you haven’t been explicitly invited to a wedding, and despise the idea of going in the first place because their relationship is disgusting, but then you’re told that if you don’t go, it’ll be held against you with the same severity as lying about a family member’s death, which you didn’t even do, but they’re using it to guilt you into going anyway?
Crash the wedding. Then when the photographer is taking group photos, follow them around and crash all the photos. Groomsmen? Delicious Taffy is there too. The couple’s parents? Also Delicious Taffy.
Really, that sounds like a tough situation. I have crashed a few weddings/receptions in my day, so I guess that’s my advice. Also, my phone autocorrects “Taffy” to “Daddy,” so I had to edit this a few times as to not call you Delicious Daddy.
does the person trying to manipulate you into going have the authority to invite people? do they have any power over your life?
Send them a congratulations card if anyone asks say you never got an invitation and weren’t sure if they wanted you there.
If the only issue is that you find it gross either try to get over it, or bow out of there lives, and ignore your gross feelings when you interact with them. If there is a power imbalance and you think the one you love could get hurt ask someone else about that.
Check with the people actually getting married as to whether you are invited or not – if they say no you have an easy out; if they say yes, just show up, shut up, and smile. Also, it might be a “wedding ceremony open to all, but wedding dinner invite only” since it is the dinner that is expensive with more guests, so make sure to clarify what, if anything, you are invited to.
Common etiquette is to suck it up and help make the wedding a joyous occasion for your family member getting married even if you personally have misgivings about the relationship. You can even tell the person getting married how you really feel weeks ahead of the wedding in the hopes of being uninvited, but that specific day is about them and you don’t mess with it.
What is Malaya looking at so intently in the final two panels?
“Bring to me, this Faz, that I may poop on his head.”
I am interested in your product and/or service and should like to subscirbe to your newsletter.
–Dave, I live in hope that it may be illustrated, per haps even with one or two colors tinted in
We should handcuff her to Joyce. We’d see how long would it take for her to beg for mercy. We’ll need someone with rattlesnake reflexes to man the stopwatch.
Come on, Carla, you’re in college now. It’s “WHOM I don’t even like that much”.
1) Carla is objectively awesome.
2) I really don’t get the rabid hatred for Malaya, she’s an arsehole, but Willis’ best characters are arseholes.
Here here!
Hm…did Malaya just get an important text? Her expression looks somewhat worried.
Oh yeah, did they switch beds or did Fuckface, and by extension Malaya, just start boggarting Sal’s bunk?
I think Malaya has the top bunk – she was up there when she was shining a light into Sal’s eyes.
I think each resident has a “top bunk” that is above her desk of study carrel or whatever they call it.
One of those few cases where the IUB gremlins haven’t yet screwed over Willis: Read Hall residents have a choice between on-floor or lofted beds. I assume most residents without accessibility issues choose lofted, to maximize floor space.
Forest Hall does have bunk beds but doesn’t have double-loft. Bunk beds…present problems if one is not comfortable with one’s bunk mates, and I assume that’s why the Forest Hall scenes have so far only shown bed-on-floor situations.
UGH BUT MARY IS IN THE ROOM
(Mary creeps me the fuck out)
carla deserves more
Here Here.
Oops, I was trying to reply to an earlier comment. Please ignore.
How do iguanas manage to look so smug?