I dunno, hitting him was fine in the other ‘verse where he’s a super strong metahuman with violent tendencies, and she’s an ordinary person, but here he’s a normal guy who’s just kind of a dick and she’s the one with an unhealthy capacity for violence.
After he came back from death and started working for Glasgo it wasn’t clear he was still a superstrong metahuman. He was still into pain though and Amber blackmailing him into a relationship turned him on. But in any case, I don’t think that hitting him was okay because he was super strong. Hitting him was okay because he was Mike.
I would say his “I hope you didn’t internalize that” bit is, in and of itself cruel. If he really had turned over a new leaf, pretending he didn’t really think he could do harm wouldn’t be an option.
It’s a decent prediction. Otherwise, why would we have that whole storyline where Blaine is outmaneuvered by Mike right after Blaine’s sinister plot begins?
I really want some Perils of Penelope Pitstop-esque (or Courage the Cowardly Dog) wacky maneuvers where ToeDad and Blain try to destroy a blissfully unaware Amber/Amazigirl and are constantly foiled by Mike through well-planned traps and improvised hijinks.
Last thing I want. If Mike’s not going to be just an asshole, I want actual character development, not a revelation he was really just helping by being a jerk.
The way I read that storyline, it seemed like Mike actually DOES care about Amber, and especially Ethan. He made the asshole excuse to Blaine to throw him off the trail so he wouldn’t hurt his friends, and he’s kept it up because when other people know how you feel about others they can exploit that. So he minimized his weak spots, though it led to Ethan breaking his heart.
Maybe, but that means he’s spend the last 5 years tormenting Amber and Ethan to minimize his weak spots. Which leaves him an asshole.
I still don’t want a secret hero asshole. If he wants to stop being an asshole, he can start by not being an asshole, not by some contrived master plan to save the day by being one.
I could see it ending with Mike thwarting Blaine’s plan by doing something genuinely nice and/or doing something that exposes real, human emotions behind his assholishness. Because that’s the last thing Blaine would expect.
HOWEVER, the reveal isn’t treated as a “get out of previous behavior free” card by the rest of the cast, and he has to start rebuilding his relationships from scratch.
Yeah, I saw that headline. My reaction is “Oh sure, now you might be subject to what you’ve been doing to others for years, NOW you decide it’s torture”.
Alternatively, part of the plot of Book 10 is that Mike actually IS trying to turn over a new leaf, but nobody believes it because a) it’s Mike and b) New Mike is still a dick because old habits and all that. Ultimately the only way he can prove that he’s trying to be better is by thwarting Blaine’s plan in a way that leaves him hurt and/or in trouble of some kind, which hits the reset button on his relationships with everyone.
But that’ obviously speculation based off of my personal reading of Mike’s backstory chapter. As in I think that deep down he does care for Amber and especially Ethan, and that the Mike we see today is a mask he originally wore to throw Blaine off his trail. The fling with Ethan made him realize that he hates what he’s become.
Now if wasn’t in a serious mood after the last 4 strips I’d express how thirsty I am by saying that I’d take her up on the ass eating offer and I’d enjoy it like it was groceries… but again some Insidious shit is going on and I’m too focused on that right now.
At least here in the US it isn’t explicitly illegal to consume human flesh, but murder, abuse of a corpse and assault with a deadly weapon are all charges that could be leveled depending on the method of procurement and all can be charged regardless of the consent of the person whose flesh was being procured.
We get it, Willis. Joyce x Walky, Amber x Mike, Billie x Danny and other ships aren’t happening in this universe… except Dina x Becky because of some reason I don’t understand related to the weird canon of the Walkyverse.
You make it sound like Dina x Becky was a thing in the Walkyverse, but that never happened. I don’t recall the two of them ever meeting, since Becky was never in SEMME, and I don’t think was introduced until long after Dina’s death.
Oh! Shortpacked! Okay, yeah, that’s Walkyverse too. I was just thinking of Roomies! and IW! leading up to the J&W stories, where Becky’s soon to be introduced. So, he’s talking about Alt-Dina & Alt-Becky, who are from a different universe.
…By which I mean, the DoA relationship pre-dated the Walkyverse relationship, plus there’s no actual exploration of the relationship in the Walkyverse, it’s just that one drawing.
The very last strip of the last universe was Joyce and Walky talking about whether or not they would have fallen in love if they met in a normal environment like college, so I’m really hoping that that ship is what this comic is leading to.
. . . .Man these two have QUITE the interesting friendship huh? I would love to see more of their developing days and how they came to be so loyal to each other even despite the biting words.
FWIW, I’m not sure if it is a friendship or if Mike and Amber know each other well enough that they can anticipate each other and are comfortable,/i> with each other because they know what to expect in interactions. Whether that classifies ‘friendship’ I’m less sure.
Maybe Ethan walking away really was a Road to Damascus moment for Mike? After all, his behaviour finally got him what he wanted… and then took it away again. It isn’t beyond possibility that he really is turning over a new leaf!
I am really curious as to how Walky’s gonna react. The AG/Walky shenanigans the evening before left at an open end so hopefully we get some light on how that went when we have a walky/amber interaction.
See if he were still mean he would say something like “But your ass is so big that would take all day and midterms are coming up! Ask Walky to do it. He’s got plenty of freetime since he’s already a lost cause.” But isn’t mean anymore so he’s letting that be implied through silence.
It is set up for more Mike back story. We got a taste of it and its time for more. Plus Mike could be a valuable ally vs the Dumb Dads. Last we saw kid Mike, he was standing up to adults to protect kid Amber. He can think like and out-think assholes. That would resonate well. I’m holding to that as more Ross and Blaine just makes me sick to my stomach.
for a brief period of time, I forgot that in another universe they did actually hook up, and also have a baby? babies? IDK. There were babies in that other universe. So many babies. It’s almost a shame to make dumbingverse an alternate reality instead of just all the offspring of the cast. Well, Ruth would still be dead, and Dina, so that would certainly suck. Sigh.
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p sure Mike’s into that, Ambs
(I totes paid, too, alt-text)
[no, MORE than a nickel]
$9.99 a month, as i recall
I prefer ~$50 for 6 months.
Never been a fan of monthly reoccurring fees.
That does sound like a better arrangement. If they would actually take my money, that is.
Dumbing of Age book 10: You can eat my ENTIRE ass.
The Most Epic of HateEats.
Hatejobs?
Title of the next Slipshine
Title of the book 10. 😀
Don’t threaten him with a good time, Amber.
Yeah… is it me, or is Mike sexier than he used to be? Like, drawing wise. I don’t remember him being this hot until recently.
Yes, alt-text, I thought of that too.
HARRY MORGAN: MY ASS! (Support Your Local Gunfighter)
YES! love those 2 movies (SYL Sherriff being the other)! thank you for the ref!
Great movies, both of them!
Also Harry Morgan: “HORSE HOCKEY!”
MULE FRITTERS!
Ass.
ASS.
ASS!
ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
(I’m trying to get a new FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE started xD)
Stop the ASSSSES!
Penultimate panel Mike, I just… as they say on the internet, I can’t even
haha… alt-universe sexual tension
Belt him one, Amber. Please.
Honestly, he’s not even doing anything that bad here, he’s just been so generally unpleasant I still want it.
How is turning him on going to do anything?
I dunno, hitting him was fine in the other ‘verse where he’s a super strong metahuman with violent tendencies, and she’s an ordinary person, but here he’s a normal guy who’s just kind of a dick and she’s the one with an unhealthy capacity for violence.
Kinda changes the tone of the whole thing.
Nah, Mike’s definitely more than ‘just kinda a dick’ and since he’s fictional, I don’t care about violence against his person.
After he came back from death and started working for Glasgo it wasn’t clear he was still a superstrong metahuman. He was still into pain though and Amber blackmailing him into a relationship turned him on. But in any case, I don’t think that hitting him was okay because he was super strong. Hitting him was okay because he was Mike.
Only Willis could make all that sweet.
He was when he got in a fight with the Giant Frosted Mutant Honeybun.
Regardless, you’re right about why it’s okay to hit him.
He had the fight with the giant cake thing during Shortpacked and after he was dating Amber, so he does indeed still have his powers.
I would say his “I hope you didn’t internalize that” bit is, in and of itself cruel. If he really had turned over a new leaf, pretending he didn’t really think he could do harm wouldn’t be an option.
ALL OF EVERY LAST BUTT, MIKE
Will Amber and Mike be a thing in this universe? I really hope so.
Is this how Mike is dealing with his feelings for Ethan?
Having Ethan as a morality pet my do Mike some good.
Pretty sure he’s lying. His earlier comments to Walky don’t suggest a new, improved Mike.
Sometimes you have to lie to make the truth hurt enough.
Or sometimes just to hurt.
I suddenly have the idea that Mike will be the one to foil Blaine’s nasty little scheme.
It’s a decent prediction. Otherwise, why would we have that whole storyline where Blaine is outmaneuvered by Mike right after Blaine’s sinister plot begins?
I really want some Perils of Penelope Pitstop-esque (or Courage the Cowardly Dog) wacky maneuvers where ToeDad and Blain try to destroy a blissfully unaware Amber/Amazigirl and are constantly foiled by Mike through well-planned traps and improvised hijinks.
While it looks like mike is just pissing off everybody
It’s certainly possible, given Mike’s done it to Blaine before without Amber even knowing about it at the time.
Last thing I want. If Mike’s not going to be just an asshole, I want actual character development, not a revelation he was really just helping by being a jerk.
The way I read that storyline, it seemed like Mike actually DOES care about Amber, and especially Ethan. He made the asshole excuse to Blaine to throw him off the trail so he wouldn’t hurt his friends, and he’s kept it up because when other people know how you feel about others they can exploit that. So he minimized his weak spots, though it led to Ethan breaking his heart.
Maybe, but that means he’s spend the last 5 years tormenting Amber and Ethan to minimize his weak spots. Which leaves him an asshole.
I still don’t want a secret hero asshole. If he wants to stop being an asshole, he can start by not being an asshole, not by some contrived master plan to save the day by being one.
I could see it ending with Mike thwarting Blaine’s plan by doing something genuinely nice and/or doing something that exposes real, human emotions behind his assholishness. Because that’s the last thing Blaine would expect.
HOWEVER, the reveal isn’t treated as a “get out of previous behavior free” card by the rest of the cast, and he has to start rebuilding his relationships from scratch.
Mike won’t help with Ross, but he’d be happy to send him links like https://thegailygrind.com/2019/09/03/conversion-therapy-group-founder-comes-out-as-gay-issues-apology-to-lgbt-community/
Yeah, I saw that headline. My reaction is “Oh sure, now you might be subject to what you’ve been doing to others for years, NOW you decide it’s torture”.
Alternatively, part of the plot of Book 10 is that Mike actually IS trying to turn over a new leaf, but nobody believes it because a) it’s Mike and b) New Mike is still a dick because old habits and all that. Ultimately the only way he can prove that he’s trying to be better is by thwarting Blaine’s plan in a way that leaves him hurt and/or in trouble of some kind, which hits the reset button on his relationships with everyone.
But that’ obviously speculation based off of my personal reading of Mike’s backstory chapter. As in I think that deep down he does care for Amber and especially Ethan, and that the Mike we see today is a mask he originally wore to throw Blaine off his trail. The fling with Ethan made him realize that he hates what he’s become.
He’ll foil it more out of distain for it being so poorly constructed and executed compared to something Mike would have done than anything else.
Now if wasn’t in a serious mood after the last 4 strips I’d express how thirsty I am by saying that I’d take her up on the ass eating offer and I’d enjoy it like it was groceries… but again some Insidious shit is going on and I’m too focused on that right now.
But that would be unsanitary.
AND I’m pretty sure cannibalism is illegal even if the eaten person consents to it.
At least here in the US it isn’t explicitly illegal to consume human flesh, but murder, abuse of a corpse and assault with a deadly weapon are all charges that could be leveled depending on the method of procurement and all can be charged regardless of the consent of the person whose flesh was being procured.
You guys let your minds go to some very dark places.
They’re just putting their mind where your mouth is.
“…for a nickel.”
Amber’s mom is already banging Joe’s dad, unless he and Mike do a deal.
If it’s about making Amber a mom in the alternate universe, I am sure one day Mike will give his own son a nickel.
Not gonna lie, I thought that last line was Walky, and I thought we were going SERIOUS AU for a second.
We get it, Willis. Joyce x Walky, Amber x Mike, Billie x Danny and other ships aren’t happening in this universe… except Dina x Becky because of some reason I don’t understand related to the weird canon of the Walkyverse.
Though Joyce x Walky could be a a big unexpected surprise.
You make it sound like Dina x Becky was a thing in the Walkyverse, but that never happened. I don’t recall the two of them ever meeting, since Becky was never in SEMME, and I don’t think was introduced until long after Dina’s death.
I assume it happened after Dina got tossed back into the universe at the end of Shortpacked.
Someone didn’t read the Shortpacked! April strips.
Oh! Shortpacked! Okay, yeah, that’s Walkyverse too. I was just thinking of Roomies! and IW! leading up to the J&W stories, where Becky’s soon to be introduced. So, he’s talking about Alt-Dina & Alt-Becky, who are from a different universe.
Yeah, so far there’s no reciprocal rule about DoA relationships getting backported to the Walkyverse.
As much as I’d like to see Joyce and Walky together again, I like the pseudo-frenemy bickering they do as it is.
Walkyverse Dina and Becky were an item for precisely one drawing’s worth of bonus content after Shortpacked! was over, iirc.
…By which I mean, the DoA relationship pre-dated the Walkyverse relationship, plus there’s no actual exploration of the relationship in the Walkyverse, it’s just that one drawing.
There’s the motorcycle pinup that DYW declared canon and the 2018 April 1st comic.
@NickG: Oh, right, I totally forgot they’re presented as a couple in the 2018 April 1st comic. Two drawings, then! Thanks for the reminder.
Is this motorcycle pinup in a public space, or paid content? If the latter, where does one pay?
Nevermind, found it on the itswalky tumblr.
The very last strip of the last universe was Joyce and Walky talking about whether or not they would have fallen in love if they met in a normal environment like college, so I’m really hoping that that ship is what this comic is leading to.
The main exception is Ruth and Billie, though their Walkyverse relationship was mostly retconned flashbacks, IIRC.
awww. a happy, smily amber after several days of blaine is a comfort for sore eyes… and not in any way forboding.
Not at all.
. . . .Man these two have QUITE the interesting friendship huh? I would love to see more of their developing days and how they came to be so loyal to each other even despite the biting words.
FWIW, I’m not sure if it is a friendship or if Mike and Amber know each other well enough that they can anticipate each other and are comfortable,/i> with each other because they know what to expect in interactions. Whether that classifies ‘friendship’ I’m less sure.
I don’t think either friendship or comfortable are words I’d use. Amber knows what to expect from him, that’s true enough.
Amber tolerates him. Mike hangs around. Sounds like friendship to me given Amber’s antisocial tendencies and Mike being Mike.
Amber tolerates him for Ethan’s sake, near as I can tell. She never seeks him out, she never says anything nice about him. (other than his abs)
Mike doesn’t have friends, but he is willing to stand next to her.
Where’s Yotomoe, I suddenly have an idea for a commission.
I wonder what that could be,
Next Slipshine: Mike Eats Amber’s Entire Ass.
Also, DoA Book 10: You Can Eat My Entire Ass
Well now alt-text, now you just gave the readers their next idea for what they want the next bonus strip to be.
Hopefully it was figuratively because I am NOT a guro fan. 😛
The eye squiggle makes me think he’s using sarcasm to tell the truth.
“I’m REAAAL concerned about your mental health.”
“I VALUUUE our FRIENDSHIIIP”
“I’m SCAAARED of DYIIIINNG ALOOOONE.”
I TREAT others like SHIT because I am SCARED that maybe I HATE myself.
Maybe Ethan walking away really was a Road to Damascus moment for Mike? After all, his behaviour finally got him what he wanted… and then took it away again. It isn’t beyond possibility that he really is turning over a new leaf!
As exemplified by his previous conversation with Walky? Mike IS turning over a new leaf. With your mom. For …
In another universe he does! With gusto
I am really curious as to how Walky’s gonna react. The AG/Walky shenanigans the evening before left at an open end so hopefully we get some light on how that went when we have a walky/amber interaction.
“Which one are you this morning?” would be in-character in its insensitivity and presumption that Amber knows as much as he and Amazi-Girl do.
the best of friends
I do like Mike better in this continuity.
All the characters in the Walkyverse tended to have 60-foot shipping containers of mental and emotional issues.
See if he were still mean he would say something like “But your ass is so big that would take all day and midterms are coming up! Ask Walky to do it. He’s got plenty of freetime since he’s already a lost cause.” But isn’t mean anymore so he’s letting that be implied through silence.
Here they are arguing with one another, and suddenly in the last panel she’s flirting…
I don’t think that’s flirting unless Mike’s issues are far worse than they seem.
Mike’s issues have issues, but it wasn’t flirting.
The context isn’t there for this to be insult-flirting.
It is set up for more Mike back story. We got a taste of it and its time for more. Plus Mike could be a valuable ally vs the Dumb Dads. Last we saw kid Mike, he was standing up to adults to protect kid Amber. He can think like and out-think assholes. That would resonate well. I’m holding to that as more Ross and Blaine just makes me sick to my stomach.
Is Ethan’s niceness an STD or did Mike get broken when he realized his crush ain’t settling for a jackhole?
IS ETHAN’S NICENESS AN STD NCSKFSKGDGLDLDOT
That’s a lot of ass
for a brief period of time, I forgot that in another universe they did actually hook up, and also have a baby? babies? IDK. There were babies in that other universe. So many babies. It’s almost a shame to make dumbingverse an alternate reality instead of just all the offspring of the cast. Well,
Ruth would still be dead, and Dina, so that would certainly suck.Sigh.One baby. Her name was Donna and she’d be 7 now.
Aw shit, is Mike drunk?
Nope. No rosy cheeks.
Did anyone else notice that David Willis’ Twitter feed is down on the dumbing of age site?