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Clockwork
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Cog Kleinschmidt is a diligent, quiet worker at the Mercia Fortress, the world power's leading stronghold. His orderly life is thrown into chaos when an enemy kingdom sends a diplomat for peace talks. This diplomat needs something from Cog - whether he agrees to their terms or not!
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And here we have the incredibly rare and woefully under-appreciated interrobang.
This is an incredibly special & unexpected opportunity to see such a marvellous specimen in its natural habitat; usually exposure to the interrobang is limited to grammatical journals and Wikipedia.
This IS the game, Ethan. This is literally it. Staying emotionally detached while you get hung up on the first actual source of sexual attention you’ve allowed yourself to experienced from the gender you’re attracted to. PLEASE find a boyfriend before he’s able to destroy you with this.
Panel 7 Mike looks more like resignation. Ethan knows Mike is right; he’s offered no illusions. There will never be strings attached. Mike isn’t going to be Ethan’s boyfriend or husband. This would just be a temporary fling, and Ethan shouldn’t be surprised if Mike goes out and screws another guy three hours later.
Mike is putting it all out on the table, and goes, ‘but you’re still going to want to take the carrot, aren’t you?’. Because better deal with the devil you do than the angel you don’t.
Mike in the Walkyverse specialized in being an asshole and yet being brutally honest at the same time. Yeah, it’s sincere, but at the same time he knows Ethan won’t just do it anyway.
Pretty much. From Ethan’s angry expression in panel 6, I think he even knows this. But the makeouts are hot and Mike is convenient, so he’ll still fall for it -_-
Especially when you can be upfront about them meaning nothing, keep your promise not to touch the guy he has a crush on and still leave them both destroyed emotionally when you’re done.
I don’t think you get Mike at all. Mike doesn’t care about hot makeouts. Mike cares about hurting people. That’s it.
I think you’ve actually got Mike wrong, or at least, your not seeing the depth. Hurting people is the normal result of his actions, but more importantly, it’s about making them hurt THEMSELVES.
He’s a catalyst, not a cause. If his ‘victims’ turn out miserable, it’s only because they were always going to be miserable eventually, he just cut through the years of denial and self-deception that usually precedes that. At least, that’s how he’s rationalizing it. Mental illness runs deep.
Making them hurt themselves makes it better, of course.
I’m far from convinced there’s anything beyond that. Maybe a rationalization, as you say. Mostly it seems to be a matter of vulnerability and proximity.
Dang, called out, I guess? All I meant was I’m with Mike on what he’s saying. And I am pro-makeouts. I know Mike likes to hurt people. Apologies for not being clearer, I suppose.
I am happy for Ethan here. Even though this is not going anywhere for Ethan, but he is still able to experience things which otherwise is difficult for him to come to terms with. I hope he doesn’t develop feelings for Mike, but maybe on the other hand that’s not so bad :-/
It would be interesting to see what happens when Ethan realizes he needs more than just smooches, but till then ride the ship, Ethan, just ride the ship.
Oh no, this is going somewhere. It’s being very carefully steered.
I’d say Ethan’s an idiot for falling for it since he knows Mike, but then we’ve got readers falling for it and they’re not distracted by hormones and Mike’s told us what he’s planning.
Well, I mean, if a piece of media DOESN’T do that, then what’s the point?
I mean, three of my favourites (besides DoA) are Game of Thrones, Redwall, and Steven Universe. That state of flux is so normal for me now I just roll with it now.
Me while reading: Noooo! My poor sweet babies! AUTHOR, WHY MUST YOU TORMENT YOUR CHARACTERS SO?
Me while writing: This character has been orphaned, whipped, sentenced to death, thrown overboard by pirates, captured by enemy soldiers, near-fatally poisoned, put on trial for his life before an angry mob, tortured in front of his best friend, and thrown into prison again.
…
Let’s stab him.
Tbh I’ve reached the point where I’ve lost the “Nooo my babies”, and now I’m just like “Bwahahahaha yesss Willis, destroy the foolish mortals. You brought the small pervert? Eeexcellent. The blonde Agent of chaos is back? Oh my favourite, how wonderful. I can’t wait to see how his deliciously eeeevil plan works out~”
Though I don’t actually see mike as a one dimensional evil piece of shit like everyone else does but w/e
This is exactly why mike is my favorite character. I know that every time he comes around, he’s up to something bad, but it’s so deliriously entertaining from a story standpoint.
Ahh, I think maybe this is it. He has been pretty unimpressed with Ethan’s internalized homophobia, and the Joyce relationship. Maybe he wanted Ethan to recognize his neglected needs?
Then again, maybe he enjoyed himself, too. It’s not like he was a ton more openly enthusiastic in Shortpacked with Amber when they started, either.
It would be interesting to know more of their history. How good of friends were they in high school? Did Mike ever get involved with guys before his recent making out with Ethan?
There’s a scene in an earlier strip somewhere where he was coming out of another dude’s room some pretty blatant implications. I think Mike’s attracted to… whatever is most entertaining at any given moment.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Mike is spite-sexual. If having sex with someone means he’ll be able to spite someone (either the one he’s sleeping with, or someone else), then that’s what turns him on. The physical attributes of his partner is secondary.
In addition to the stuff people have mentioned, even before college, Mike was known to Ethan as not being straight, at any rate. Ethan mentions it to Amber, who was incredulous before thinking it over, so I don’t know that he’s dated guys exactly, but he’s certainly fooled around with them.
While I *personally* don’t think he is, the idea of Mike being all tsundere is… oddly adorable? (Shut up, it’s not like I just like tsundere characters or anything. D-dummy…)
*plays the Doobie Brothers again on the hacked Muzak*
—You say ‘Comfort me!’
To anyone who approaches
Chalkin’ up the hurt
You live and you learn
But we both are old enough to know
That we’d trade it ALL right now
For just ONE MINUTE of Real Love…
In addition, if you’re a pretty passive guy (like Ethan), ‘hotness’ can actually work against you; either you’re attractive but want people to hit on you (and they won’t because they’re either intimidated or assume a “hot guy like him definitely already has someone attached”), or people just want to use you for your body (see: Jacob). Actually finding someone to date can be more difficult.
Of course, the best thing to do is to force yourself out there.
I’m not sure he has a brain wired up correctly to ‘like’ like someone. He clearly enjoys certain people’s company and is not antisocial in any way. However, romantic attraction in a non-abusive scenario just doesn’t seem to be something that he is capable of.
Hah, more proof that the only thing worse than having your first experiences with an experienced partner is having them with an inexperienced one. At least this way only one of them gets hurt.
Self-esteem issues, mostly. If you’re both new to it you can kinda fumble your way through it together, if you’re nervous about your other partner being much more experienced you might do things you’re not prepared to do yet.
I just think it’s *possible* Mike feels that he’s giving Ethan an out here by telling him this means nothing to him, and that this means that if Ethan keeps doing this anyway and gets hurt, it’ll be his own fault.
Or, he could just be warning Ethan just to mess with him and/or help Ethan convince himself that he knows what he’s doing.
Mike doesn’t really do ‘friends’ but, yes, I can imagine that his favoured intimate relationship would be just purely done for pleasure without any emotional baggage (preferably not even with names attached).
That morning the burly fisherman Askel came out of his room to meet with his strange guests.
Askel: Morning, I hoped you slept well.
An exhausted Joyce lifted herself into the air and nudge Walky awake.
Walky: Five more minutes…
Dorothy: C’mon Walky, we have places to be.
Askel: Ah, where are you going?
Joyce: We don’t really know yet.
Danny: I need to get in better touch with the goddess. I’m hoping that reaching the top of this mountain will help with that.
Askel: I have heard a legend that at the very tip of this mountain there lays a marble temple that shines like the sun. However, it will only open up to those who make the journey alone.
Joyce: We can’t go with him?
Askel: No, it is meant to be a pilgrimage of solidarity.
Danny: Well I’ll be seeing you guys.
Dorothy: Danny wait, lets think about this, we can’t allow you to climb a mountain alone.
Danny: I’ll handle it.
Dorothy: Fine but at least take my spell book.
Joyce: And my sword.
Danny takes the weapons and fixes them to his belt.
Danny: Thanks guys.
Danny puts on his warm clothes and steps out into the snow. He thinks for a moment and then steps back into the room.
Danny: I have no idea where I’m going.
Askel: Ah yes, I can guide you to the base of the mountain.
And so, the two of them set out, walking through the small village and up a peaceful snowy pass. Small animals with white fur can be seen running around. Eventually they come across a steep incline with a sign that reads “Danger”.
Askel: I’m sorry, this is far as I can tread. You must make the remainder of the journey alone.
Danny: Thanks.
Danny started to walk up the snow filled incline. His boots sinking deep into the ice covered snow. Small pieces of snow glanced off his face, and he breathed deeply into the scarf he had wrapped around his mouth and nose. As he climbed the wind picked up and it became harder to see.
Danny: Jeez, this is what hell would look like frozen over.
After a while an exhausted Danny came before a large clearing, where it seemed the snow had been trampled down. Giants foot prints of some unknown beast lay on the ground.
Danny walked carefully around this prints, terrified as he observed the sheer magnitude of the wolf prints that were half the size of his body. Suddenly he heard a panting and slowly looked behind him to see the creator of the prints, a massive white wolf.
Danny quickly unsheathed Joyce’s sword and pointed the tip at the monster. The monster lunged, but just before it could strike, a massive icy blue hand even bigger then the monster itself seemed to come out of the wind blown snow and lift the beast high into the sky. A massive crunch could be heard and Danny leaped out of the way as the wolf’s head smashed into the snow in front of him.
Danny watched as a face loomed into view, massive and dripping with wolf blood. It was a young woman, with white hair and white eyes. She eyed him curiously and tried to place a serious look on her face, before she finally broke out into a massive grin.
I knew someone would make this reference. Also doesn’t really work, she was always a giant woman. Although I may give her the ability to shrink down in order to make her easier to write and interact with Danny.
Unpopular opinion: Ethan and Danny are good friends, but are both so self-deprecating that if they were to get into a relationship they’d each self-implode after their first fight.
At least Mike is being very up front about it. I only hope that the physical contact doesn’t cause Ethan to develop feelings for him. Some people are polyamorous and able to have relationships with more than one person with varying degrees of commitment and emotional attachment (not to be confused with poly fidelity). Some people are aromantic/gray romantic/demiromantic while still having a sexual identity. Some people can seperate those they see as fuck buddies who they have no romantic attachment to and partners who they do. Mike probably fits in one of those categories.
And then there are people like me and probably Ethan. The serial monogomists who date and fool around with one person at a time and tend to form emotional attachments to people they fool around with. God help um.
Mike might be being up front about his lack of emotional/romantic attachment here, but he’s also being very manipulative with Ethan’s feelings. He already made it clear that he was planning on seducing Ethan (or Danny, he wasn’t picky) to fuck with both of them. So, his words might be up front, but his actions really aren’t. And that makes him a giant asshole IMO
Oh yeah. I totally agree. I’m just saying if Ethan had the personality type to just mess around, it wouldn’t be as rough on him. But that doesn’t seem to be the case. I was with someone like this once and let me tell ya. It stung.
Well, the point is to turn Danny into a jealous, depressed, snivelling mess, and that would hurt Ethan regardless of whether he wanted to mess around casually.
I’m not sure where this is going. Either Mike is trying to teach Ethan the difference between physical pleasure and actual emotional connection (something that Mike himself seems to find it impossible to connect) or Mike really is falling for Ethan in his strange way.
It would be somewhat uncharacteristic of Mike to fail to notice that Danny has other things on his mind other than Ethan – Specifically Sal and Amber. Danny would be puzzled by a putative Ethan/Mike ship but I don’t think it would particularly ‘mess with him’.
He hasn’t actually been on panel with Danny since, according to the tags. He may not be aware of whatever else Danny’s got going on.
Maybe his plan won’t actually work, but there’s little reason to think he’s not still carrying through – especially since he’s doing exactly what he said he would.
There’s a scene I rather like, by Frank Miller – yes, Mr. “whoreswhoreswhores” himself – where a character is suddenly offered a literal “temptation of the flesh”, in a situation where he knows it can’t possibly be real. And so, recognizing it as a trick and a deception, he tells himself that he will reject it… in a moment.
Ethan, on some level, knows this isn’t what he really wants. That it isn’t real. He may even tell himself that next time, he’ll say no. But not right now.
In a moment.
Ok, this seems like a good time to ask all you native speakers…
What does ‘making out’ exactly imply? What extent of contact does the expression allow? Only smooching? Light petting? Heavier petting? More?
Making out is primarily kissing, though some petting or fondling might be involved. It’s an extended activity of at least several minutes — brief kissing encounters don’t count as making out. It’s also implied that the participants are embracing and/or lying down together — if they’re instead just sitting next to each other and kissing, that’s necking, not making out.
Ethan is a vampire. He has no reflection in the mirror (just casting a shadow) from the light source well back of him).
Now he is going to turn Mike into one.
The Walkyverse changes forever.
Genuine expressions here, kids! Mike’s plea to Ethan could be seen as caring, even as far as emotionally invested.
I know this is a hopeless pairing – panel 3&5 are just baits to lure us to our doom – yet I cannot stop myself hoping for both of them nonetheless. The tiny wee smiley down the left corner mocks me as I write this. Damn you, Willis!
I’m just seeing Loki in early movies here: “I knew you would fall for this, yet somehow I’m still surprised you fell for this”. His expressions there are so great
(and then Thor gets wise to his shit and we get Dark World and Ragnarok which I just saw today and it was pure bliss)
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“Hey Ethazoid, wanna give up all your self-worth and dignity for some meaningless smoochin’?”
“DO I‽‽‽”
Did you just… interrobang?
You can’t interrobang in here, this is a family webcomic!
And yet that ad on the left…
This strip is the prelude to interrobang.
And then, after the inevitable yet totally unforeseen breakup, it becomes … exterrobang ! ?
–Dave, will symbolize for food
– David Attenborough
(Blockquote cite fail)
Much appreciation occurs. I would have said “much liking occurs”, but with this crowd, that would have triggered a pun storm.
i appreciate the bred
Oh my heart… Ethan needs so badly. He made Mike’s eyes change. I think onion ninjas are in my room.
“Yes, Faz was there, sitting in one of the stalls so you could not see him.”
This IS the game, Ethan. This is literally it. Staying emotionally detached while you get hung up on the first actual source of sexual attention you’ve allowed yourself to experienced from the gender you’re attracted to. PLEASE find a boyfriend before he’s able to destroy you with this.
Like…I do wonder if panel 5 is 100% sincere, but that’s counter to everything we know of DoA!Mike, so…probably me being optimistic? Idk
Panel 7 Mike looks more like resignation. Ethan knows Mike is right; he’s offered no illusions. There will never be strings attached. Mike isn’t going to be Ethan’s boyfriend or husband. This would just be a temporary fling, and Ethan shouldn’t be surprised if Mike goes out and screws another guy three hours later.
Mike is putting it all out on the table, and goes, ‘but you’re still going to want to take the carrot, aren’t you?’. Because better deal with the devil you do than the angel you don’t.
Mike in the Walkyverse specialized in being an asshole and yet being brutally honest at the same time. Yeah, it’s sincere, but at the same time he knows Ethan won’t just do it anyway.
We actually already know Mike’s game!
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/04-it-all-returns/percent/
Panel 5 is totally sincere but leaves some important information about his motive out of it.
But Danny doesn’t seem aware and I don’t know that he’d care.
Danny and Ethan have already discussed their mutual attraction and decided to not go anywhere with it. Because they’d be the worst.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/03-when-god-closes-the-door/chest/
…Yet. He doesn’t know yet.
Mike’s ability to play the long game is legendary. Do you remember Shortpacked!? Pepperidge Farm remembers.
…true. This conversation is definitely also part of the game, though
Mike can be sincere when sincerity would hurt more.
Oh hey you made my point first.
Pretty much. From Ethan’s angry expression in panel 6, I think he even knows this. But the makeouts are hot and Mike is convenient, so he’ll still fall for it -_-
Last-panel Ethan is adorable even if he’s going to do something *very* unwise.
I mean, I definitely get Mike here. Makeouts with hot friends that mean nothing are great.
Sierra agrees!
I don’t think she does.
I don’t read Mandy/Grace/Sierra as “meaning nothing”. Could be wrong, we haven’t seen much of them.
Especially when you can be upfront about them meaning nothing, keep your promise not to touch the guy he has a crush on and still leave them both destroyed emotionally when you’re done.
I don’t think you get Mike at all. Mike doesn’t care about hot makeouts. Mike cares about hurting people. That’s it.
I think you’ve actually got Mike wrong, or at least, your not seeing the depth. Hurting people is the normal result of his actions, but more importantly, it’s about making them hurt THEMSELVES.
He’s a catalyst, not a cause. If his ‘victims’ turn out miserable, it’s only because they were always going to be miserable eventually, he just cut through the years of denial and self-deception that usually precedes that. At least, that’s how he’s rationalizing it. Mental illness runs deep.
Making them hurt themselves makes it better, of course.
I’m far from convinced there’s anything beyond that. Maybe a rationalization, as you say. Mostly it seems to be a matter of vulnerability and proximity.
And reminded why I don’t bother commenting on things for the most part anymore, so thanks for that.
Dang, called out, I guess? All I meant was I’m with Mike on what he’s saying. And I am pro-makeouts. I know Mike likes to hurt people. Apologies for not being clearer, I suppose.
I am happy for Ethan here. Even though this is not going anywhere for Ethan, but he is still able to experience things which otherwise is difficult for him to come to terms with. I hope he doesn’t develop feelings for Mike, but maybe on the other hand that’s not so bad :-/
It would be interesting to see what happens when Ethan realizes he needs more than just smooches, but till then ride the ship, Ethan, just ride the ship.
Oh no, this is going somewhere. It’s being very carefully steered.
I’d say Ethan’s an idiot for falling for it since he knows Mike, but then we’ve got readers falling for it and they’re not distracted by hormones and Mike’s told us what he’s planning.
On a ‘character as person’ level – Nooooooo, Ethan, no. You KNOW Mike. You know this is going to end badly.
On an ‘out of universe’ level – Oh, this is going to be a train wreck, and I am SO interested in knowing what’s going to happen.
DoA puts me in a state of constant flux between “Noooo, my poor babies!!!1!” and “Bwahaha, this is going to be a glorious disaster.”
MTMTE/Lost Light does the same for me. Both the angel and devil on my shoulders can’t look away.
Well, I mean, if a piece of media DOESN’T do that, then what’s the point?
I mean, three of my favourites (besides DoA) are Game of Thrones, Redwall, and Steven Universe. That state of flux is so normal for me now I just roll with it now.
Me while reading: Noooo! My poor sweet babies! AUTHOR, WHY MUST YOU TORMENT YOUR CHARACTERS SO?
Me while writing: This character has been orphaned, whipped, sentenced to death, thrown overboard by pirates, captured by enemy soldiers, near-fatally poisoned, put on trial for his life before an angry mob, tortured in front of his best friend, and thrown into prison again.
…
Let’s stab him.
— fialleril @ tumblr
Me. This is just me.
Tbh I’ve reached the point where I’ve lost the “Nooo my babies”, and now I’m just like “Bwahahahaha yesss Willis, destroy the foolish mortals. You brought the small pervert? Eeexcellent. The blonde Agent of chaos is back? Oh my favourite, how wonderful. I can’t wait to see how his deliciously eeeevil plan works out~”
Though I don’t actually see mike as a one dimensional evil piece of shit like everyone else does but w/e
This is exactly why mike is my favorite character. I know that every time he comes around, he’s up to something bad, but it’s so deliriously entertaining from a story standpoint.
Ahh, I think maybe this is it. He has been pretty unimpressed with Ethan’s internalized homophobia, and the Joyce relationship. Maybe he wanted Ethan to recognize his neglected needs?
Then again, maybe he enjoyed himself, too. It’s not like he was a ton more openly enthusiastic in Shortpacked with Amber when they started, either.
Honestly, I think Mike is bored and screwing with people gets him off. . .
Mike tends to be fairly honest.
We KNOW why Mike is doing this. It is 100% to mess with Ethan and Danny. He has said so.
“Do You Want to Make Out Some More?”
another fine book title for Dumbing of Age!
Mike telling the truth in panel 5 is how he is going to suduce and than dump you Eathan, trying to break your heart with the truth man.
It would be interesting to know more of their history. How good of friends were they in high school? Did Mike ever get involved with guys before his recent making out with Ethan?
He did at least hook up with a guy before Ethan, but that was very conspicuously placed where Ethan could see him leave the dude’s room.
There’s a scene in an earlier strip somewhere where he was coming out of another dude’s room some pretty blatant implications. I think Mike’s attracted to… whatever is most entertaining at any given moment.
There was this one strip where Mike had a one-night-stand with some fellow named Eric.
And I am so very late.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Mike is spite-sexual. If having sex with someone means he’ll be able to spite someone (either the one he’s sleeping with, or someone else), then that’s what turns him on. The physical attributes of his partner is secondary.
In addition to the stuff people have mentioned, even before college, Mike was known to Ethan as not being straight, at any rate. Ethan mentions it to Amber, who was incredulous before thinking it over, so I don’t know that he’s dated guys exactly, but he’s certainly fooled around with them.
Is Mike being Tsundere?
While I *personally* don’t think he is, the idea of Mike being all tsundere is… oddly adorable? (Shut up, it’s not like I just like tsundere characters or anything. D-dummy…)
*plays the Doobie Brothers again on the hacked Muzak*
—You say ‘Comfort me!’
To anyone who approaches
Chalkin’ up the hurt
You live and you learn
But we both are old enough to know
That we’d trade it ALL right now
For just ONE MINUTE of Real Love…
Never a bad time for some Doobie Brothers.
Well, this finally got me somewhat invested in Mike’s character. Let’s see if some nuance is gonna develop.
“Find a boyfriend” yeah okay, just gonna go to Gay Men “R” Us and pick one up!
Well there, or, y’know, anywhere other than his dorm room.
…wasn’t that literally an actual plotline in Shortpacked?
Yes, the Wal*Mart “manwhore” Robin bought that coincidentally resembled Ethan’s current boyfriend Manny.
Maybe not quite that easy, but also not so hard if you’re out (and an adorable hunk like Ethan)!
Self-confidence is a very effective barrier.
In addition, if you’re a pretty passive guy (like Ethan), ‘hotness’ can actually work against you; either you’re attractive but want people to hit on you (and they won’t because they’re either intimidated or assume a “hot guy like him definitely already has someone attached”), or people just want to use you for your body (see: Jacob). Actually finding someone to date can be more difficult.
Of course, the best thing to do is to force yourself out there.
Good points…
Mike definitely has an ulterior motive behind his making out with Ethan.
Despite all of his protests, does Mike actually like Ethan? I mean like like?
If (and that’s a big IF) he does, this could be a character breakthrough for Mike.
I’m not sure he has a brain wired up correctly to ‘like’ like someone. He clearly enjoys certain people’s company and is not antisocial in any way. However, romantic attraction in a non-abusive scenario just doesn’t seem to be something that he is capable of.
He’s very antisocial. Virtually everything he does is antisocial. What he isn’t is asocial.
Yes Ethan, please find a boyfriend! This merry-go-round must stop.
Hah, more proof that the only thing worse than having your first experiences with an experienced partner is having them with an inexperienced one. At least this way only one of them gets hurt.
…Eh? Why would an experienced partner be bad?
Self-esteem issues, mostly. If you’re both new to it you can kinda fumble your way through it together, if you’re nervous about your other partner being much more experienced you might do things you’re not prepared to do yet.
I suppose that’s true, for some people. Personally, I prefer an experienced partner, especially a patient one.
As I said, because when it ends only one of you gets hurt.
As for your sexual preferences, ewww
Actually I’d prefer an experienced partner. I want someone who actually knows wtf they’re doing so everything is more comfortable
my first (physical) time was with an experienced partner, and that was definitely better than if neither of us knew what we were doing.
I don’t think Mike’s experience is the issue so much as his indifference about other people’s feelings.
He clearly knows Ethan is likely to get hurt here, but he lets Ethan make that mistake anyway because he doesn’t want to be bored.
That is an extremely generous reading of Mike.
Hurting is the purpose. He’s told us why he doing this.
Oh, I know it’s generous.
I just think it’s *possible* Mike feels that he’s giving Ethan an out here by telling him this means nothing to him, and that this means that if Ethan keeps doing this anyway and gets hurt, it’ll be his own fault.
Or, he could just be warning Ethan just to mess with him and/or help Ethan convince himself that he knows what he’s doing.
This IS his game, Ethan. He’s fucking with you.
Exactly what’s happening right now. That’s the game.
Friends with benefits?
Totally, except there’s 0 chance Ethan would be satisfied with that long term, or wouldn’t catch feels
Friends with detriments.
Mike doesn’t really do ‘friends’ but, yes, I can imagine that his favoured intimate relationship would be just purely done for pleasure without any emotional baggage (preferably not even with names attached).
Mike’s favoured intimate relationship is one where the other party walks right into their emotional torment with their eyes wide open.
Like Ethan is doing now.
https://imgur.com/a/BMfwY
I heard through the grapevine that my favorite little creep is back.
I feel like I should tell you the truth, but I’m scared of what you’d do if you’d knew.
Yeppers, and your hilarious drawing is only slightly off from what’s happening in the actual strip . . .
The dialog is very, very true to the character.
Dungeons and Dumbing part 16
That morning the burly fisherman Askel came out of his room to meet with his strange guests.
Askel: Morning, I hoped you slept well.
An exhausted Joyce lifted herself into the air and nudge Walky awake.
Walky: Five more minutes…
Dorothy: C’mon Walky, we have places to be.
Askel: Ah, where are you going?
Joyce: We don’t really know yet.
Danny: I need to get in better touch with the goddess. I’m hoping that reaching the top of this mountain will help with that.
Askel: I have heard a legend that at the very tip of this mountain there lays a marble temple that shines like the sun. However, it will only open up to those who make the journey alone.
Joyce: We can’t go with him?
Askel: No, it is meant to be a pilgrimage of solidarity.
Danny: Well I’ll be seeing you guys.
Dorothy: Danny wait, lets think about this, we can’t allow you to climb a mountain alone.
Danny: I’ll handle it.
Dorothy: Fine but at least take my spell book.
Joyce: And my sword.
Danny takes the weapons and fixes them to his belt.
Danny: Thanks guys.
Danny puts on his warm clothes and steps out into the snow. He thinks for a moment and then steps back into the room.
Danny: I have no idea where I’m going.
Askel: Ah yes, I can guide you to the base of the mountain.
And so, the two of them set out, walking through the small village and up a peaceful snowy pass. Small animals with white fur can be seen running around. Eventually they come across a steep incline with a sign that reads “Danger”.
Askel: I’m sorry, this is far as I can tread. You must make the remainder of the journey alone.
Danny: Thanks.
Danny started to walk up the snow filled incline. His boots sinking deep into the ice covered snow. Small pieces of snow glanced off his face, and he breathed deeply into the scarf he had wrapped around his mouth and nose. As he climbed the wind picked up and it became harder to see.
Danny: Jeez, this is what hell would look like frozen over.
After a while an exhausted Danny came before a large clearing, where it seemed the snow had been trampled down. Giants foot prints of some unknown beast lay on the ground.
Danny walked carefully around this prints, terrified as he observed the sheer magnitude of the wolf prints that were half the size of his body. Suddenly he heard a panting and slowly looked behind him to see the creator of the prints, a massive white wolf.
Danny quickly unsheathed Joyce’s sword and pointed the tip at the monster. The monster lunged, but just before it could strike, a massive icy blue hand even bigger then the monster itself seemed to come out of the wind blown snow and lift the beast high into the sky. A massive crunch could be heard and Danny leaped out of the way as the wolf’s head smashed into the snow in front of him.
Danny watched as a face loomed into view, massive and dripping with wolf blood. It was a young woman, with white hair and white eyes. She eyed him curiously and tried to place a serious look on her face, before she finally broke out into a massive grin.
Giant Woman: Hello there.
Danny: “terrified” he…hello.
Giant Woman: I’m Skadi, what’s your name.
Thoughts
1. I’m really sorry I’ve been lacking on updates recently.
2. I’m starting to worry its a bit to obvious which characters I find the most interesting.
All I want to do, is see you turn into, a Giant Woman (a giant woman)…
I knew someone would make this reference. Also doesn’t really work, she was always a giant woman. Although I may give her the ability to shrink down in order to make her easier to write and interact with Danny.
So, you are doing a crossover with Katie Rice’s characters now?
Mike appears to be headed into a shower.
Are Ethan and Mike gonna make out in the shower?
One of the best environments for it.
As long as others in the shower, or nearby, don’t mind, anyway.
–Dave, it occurs to me we have rather less detail on the guys’ floor’s background-y characters…
Hey, you wouldn’t hear me complaining.
I. Do not know how to feel about this. Poor bby Ethan tho this is not gonna end well for him. Or maybe even mike, honestly.
What no one realizes is that Mike’s plans always turn out to do good in the end. His plan will someone end up getting Ethan and Danny together.
Unpopular opinion: Ethan and Danny are good friends, but are both so self-deprecating that if they were to get into a relationship they’d each self-implode after their first fight.
More like, “what everyone pretends”.
His biggest successes so far were driving Ethan back into the closet and pushing Amber farther into believing she’s a monster.
At least Mike is being very up front about it. I only hope that the physical contact doesn’t cause Ethan to develop feelings for him. Some people are polyamorous and able to have relationships with more than one person with varying degrees of commitment and emotional attachment (not to be confused with poly fidelity). Some people are aromantic/gray romantic/demiromantic while still having a sexual identity. Some people can seperate those they see as fuck buddies who they have no romantic attachment to and partners who they do. Mike probably fits in one of those categories.
And then there are people like me and probably Ethan. The serial monogomists who date and fool around with one person at a time and tend to form emotional attachments to people they fool around with. God help um.
Oh no! Forgot which email I used for this and I don’t have my old phone to look O_O
Oh well. At least I got s better image than grumpy Sarah XD
Mike might be being up front about his lack of emotional/romantic attachment here, but he’s also being very manipulative with Ethan’s feelings. He already made it clear that he was planning on seducing Ethan (or Danny, he wasn’t picky) to fuck with both of them. So, his words might be up front, but his actions really aren’t. And that makes him a giant asshole IMO
Oh yeah. I totally agree. I’m just saying if Ethan had the personality type to just mess around, it wouldn’t be as rough on him. But that doesn’t seem to be the case. I was with someone like this once and let me tell ya. It stung.
Well, the point is to turn Danny into a jealous, depressed, snivelling mess, and that would hurt Ethan regardless of whether he wanted to mess around casually.
GOD, ETHAN, WHY IS EVERY VERSION OF YOU LIKE THIS?
Is it bad I kind of want Mike’s ulterior motive to be dating Ethan? (Yes it is and I’ll see myself out.)
I can’t see how this can possibly end well.
me neither, but i still wanna see how we get to the inevitable disaster
…Mike’s angry eyebrows are gone. HE’S BEEN DRINKING.
I’m not sure where this is going. Either Mike is trying to teach Ethan the difference between physical pleasure and actual emotional connection (something that Mike himself seems to find it impossible to connect) or Mike really is falling for Ethan in his strange way.
SP! Mike ended up falling for Amber, so… not impossible?
Or Mike is carrying out his explicitly stated plan of seducing Ethan to mess with Danny (and Ethan).
It would be somewhat uncharacteristic of Mike to fail to notice that Danny has other things on his mind other than Ethan – Specifically Sal and Amber. Danny would be puzzled by a putative Ethan/Mike ship but I don’t think it would particularly ‘mess with him’.
Perhaps. It’s still exactly what he told us he was going to do.
He hasn’t actually been on panel with Danny since, according to the tags. He may not be aware of whatever else Danny’s got going on.
Maybe his plan won’t actually work, but there’s little reason to think he’s not still carrying through – especially since he’s doing exactly what he said he would.
.
2por que no los tres?
–Dave, hasta la banana peel-o
There’s a scene I rather like, by Frank Miller – yes, Mr. “whoreswhoreswhores” himself – where a character is suddenly offered a literal “temptation of the flesh”, in a situation where he knows it can’t possibly be real. And so, recognizing it as a trick and a deception, he tells himself that he will reject it… in a moment.
Ethan, on some level, knows this isn’t what he really wants. That it isn’t real. He may even tell himself that next time, he’ll say no. But not right now.
In a moment.
Was that from the Robocop vs Terminator comic, by any chance? And yes, that was an absolutely magnificent scene.
Got it in one.
What, like, right there? No!
Ok, this seems like a good time to ask all you native speakers…
What does ‘making out’ exactly imply? What extent of contact does the expression allow? Only smooching? Light petting? Heavier petting? More?
Typically it means passionate kissing. It’s more explicit then smooching, but not explicit enough so that it couldn’t be seen in a children’s movie.
Making out is primarily kissing, though some petting or fondling might be involved. It’s an extended activity of at least several minutes — brief kissing encounters don’t count as making out. It’s also implied that the participants are embracing and/or lying down together — if they’re instead just sitting next to each other and kissing, that’s necking, not making out.
Holding hands and reading about dinosaurs.
Ethan is a vampire. He has no reflection in the mirror (just casting a shadow) from the light source well back of him).
Now he is going to turn Mike into one.
The Walkyverse changes forever.
You are a very very stupid man Ethan.
I usually don’t like your comments. But I’ll agree with you.
And that stupidity is what’s going to make this storyline so fun.
Mike has genuine expressions!
Genuine expressions here, kids! Mike’s plea to Ethan could be seen as caring, even as far as emotionally invested.
I know this is a hopeless pairing – panel 3&5 are just baits to lure us to our doom – yet I cannot stop myself hoping for both of them nonetheless. The tiny wee smiley down the left corner mocks me as I write this. Damn you, Willis!
Add panel seven Mike to that, if you would.
Ethan’s wide eyes in panel eight (not just his answer) suggests Mike’s expressions are working.
I’m just seeing Loki in early movies here: “I knew you would fall for this, yet somehow I’m still surprised you fell for this”. His expressions there are so great
(and then Thor gets wise to his shit and we get Dark World and Ragnarok which I just saw today and it was pure bliss)
This is why it’s called dumbing of age, everything Mike just said literally went through one ear and out the other.
Well, not EVERYTHING. Ethan managed to retain “Do you want to make out?”
Oh Ethan
Oh, are we reaching the climax of the Ethan/Amber/Danny triangle?
If anyone climaxes here it’s probably going to be Ethan
Good for him, he really needs that… BUT NOT WITH MIKE!
hmm.
Everytime Mike closes his eyes, I am amazed at how thick his lashes are.
Swooning
No! Stop! Don’t fall for his roguish charms!
Mike really, REALLY does it for me.
I swear to god mike is my favourite character
Oh boy…one of my favorite parts about Mike is that you can never tell his sincerity from falsehood, but when he’s sincere, he’s sincere.
And when is that?
Shortpacked as his drunk self tends to be sincere.
Fair enough. Drunk Mike is almost an entirely different character.
He had his own tag.
Shit. Good point.
It’s kind of disappointing that Mike probably isn’t the kind of person to indulge in underage drinking.
Could it be possible that Mike actually likes Ethan even a teensy bit? We also told ourselves that he was only toying with Amber in Shortpacked.
I feel incredibly called out. I’m both of them. This is a callout for both sides of my sad gay ass.
Honest Mike is scary Mike.
ok this is kinda cute
Poor schmuck’s hooked on a drug…
OOGA CHAKA OOGA CHAKA OOGA CHAKA OOGA CHAKA
–Dave, where is that Muzak hacking device?
…I still can’t trust Mike, even though I want to.
The RSS feed does not seem to be updating; the last it has was the comic from the 15th.
… and now it’s fixed; thanks!
It almost looks like Ethan is pouting in the third last panel.