… am I the only one who is like “oh – it’s all the women that Walky has had sexual relations with between here and the Walky verse all tied up with him…”
Crap, you’re right.
I think I forgot her because the Walkyverse makes it very clear that she and Walky “did not have sex” while the Dumbverse makes it clear that Walky and Amber are “fucking”.
However, that might just be the evolution of Willis’ definition of that term, so it’s entirely possible that Dina and Walky in the Walkyverse also got up to some dry hump action.
Dang it – now I have it on auto-repeat running in my head
Now I’m lookin’ at a flashback Sunday
Zoom lens feelings just won’t disappear
Close-up darkroom sweet-talk in my ear
Her hot-spot love for me is strong
This freeze-frame moment can’t be wrong
I have to admit? I kind of appreciate Walky’s attitude here. Not to say that it’s totally appropriate but refusing to act scared or nervous in the face or earshot of his captors? I approve.
Calling it now. Tomorrow, Sara and Ethan are dropped on top. The day after, Dina and Ruth. The process continues, two by two, day by day, until we have the entire main cast, secondary characters and various parents.
As the man on bottom, Walky’s “FUCK”s get louder and louder.
This continues until finally we get Blain and ToeDad and then Dead Mike.
Only then does this universe’s Monkey Master reveal himself.
On a related note, where are Sarah and Sal? Because I feel like they wouldn’t have let this go easily. Not to mention Ethan, who at least would be able to yell “help” or something
I’m guessing tomorrow’s strip has Ethan and Sarah tossed down on the pile and then one of the next has Mike tied up in the corner telling them to pipe down as he is trying to embrace the sweet release of death and would appreciate some quiet as he did so.
I mean, the fact that there was no crime scene tape down across the way from the student union (Joyce, Dorothy, and Sarah could not miss it if there was a crime scene after Carol called Joyce using her dad’s phone) suggests that Mike was removed from the scene by the Dastardly Dads.
Joyce, Dorothy, and Sarah left the Union to look for Becky at Robin’s condo at Seventh and Rogers. They would not have had to pass Kirkwood Hall (the scene of Mike’s descent) on the way.
Yes, but you could see the back of the Kirkwood, which is the side with the outer staircases, from the entrance of the Union from where they emerged. I find it hard to believe they would have missed it if their was a scene there.
Also, I assumed they went to Becky’s rental at 6th and Rogers and Robin just happened to be there. I guess I did not pay enough attention. I know, they are not that far apart.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure he’s got a better chance of showing up at this point than, say, Wen or Guns. And that’s counting the whole “Alex is my only friend whose character comes back” rule.
But why can they see and speak? These are some pretty obvious bases that aren’t covered, and I don’t undestand why. I mean, maybe I’m relying too much on movie tropes about black-bagging, but… seriously, why can they see and speak?
It would be a boring comic if they couldn’t talk. And we would waste time if they couldn’t see while they sorted out who was there. Narrative demands of the medium.
If my crazy speculation is correct and it is Mike, then this might not be a malicious kidnapping. It could be a protective kidnapping (to keep the Dads from getting to them first) or even a quick and Mike esque way to assemble allies (Since he and Amber got beat the first time.)
I just think Mike showing up would be a hilarious reveal and the lack of seeing Dad faces makes me think that is the sort of twist that’s coming.
I could be wrong – my outlandish theories are often wrong – but every once and a while, they’re right.
My speculation is that one of the Dads called in a favour from their “Legitimate Business Associates” who are very professional in what they do.
So they disguise their faces, wear generic service uniforms, don’t talk, muzzle the targets during acquisition though the Alarm is great cover for any commotion, tape em up while in the van, leave them at a designated location that is remote and soundproof, leave.
Interesting thing I noticed is that they were captured separately.
So at least two teams were involved.
I think it’s because Blain threatened to tell Asher’s grandpa/mob-boss about his leaving of crime behind. Beyond that, I don’t think the mob is involved and Blain is just manipulating Joyce’s church into being his muscle.
If it really is the church I would love to know how they justify kidnapping four separate people two which aren’t directly related to members of their church? Like they know they’re committing a crime right?
Much as I hate to say it, religious people — or more correctly, people who believe themselves to be religious — have always been able to twist their minds into a six-dimensional figure if necessary in order to justify their own actions.
Their stance is evil committed in the furtherance of a good thing is therefore not-evil, because it serves the Greater Good. Kinda how people justify Government Murder.
Why has No One suspected “Sir”? He’s rich, he’s powerful, he could have duped Howard into strong arming every one here so that Ruth could carefully remove their Femurs… or maybe tibias.
Naw, that’s just silly.
See now I’m confused … Blaine is the one with the smarts, not Toe-Dad, so any planning would be his … but he doesn’t care about Becky, he just cares about controlling Amber.
He wouldn’t toss her in a room with her friends, he’d keep her separate and be done with the entire event … so whose actually in charge here? Something doesn’t add up.
I think one of his goals is also getting revenge on Amzi-Girl, and he’s using this kidnapping to draw her out. Of course, being the narcissist that he is, Blain can’t imagine his daughter being Amzi-Girl and thus doesn’t realize he just trapped his nemesis in the basement.
I think you’re right that he’s hoping to draw out AG, but it’s a stupid plan because who it’s going to draw out is the police.
AG interrupts crimes while they are happening. She doesn’t investigate after the event.
Of course I haven’t tested their bonds, but my personal experience with having my arms duct taped behind my back suggests that it’s less of a “trapped his nemesis in his basement” and more of a “placed his nemesis on the inside of his defensive perimeter.”
Sure, it takes a bit to get out of, but if they’re sitting around waiting for AG, there’s time.
But, um, does Joyce know about AG? If so, does Amber know it? That could be more of an obstacle than the tape.
So Blaine’s plan to cause Amber to drop out of college by getting at her through her friends was to kidnap all of them including Amber?
I can see how getting kidnapped would cause Amber to leave college, but one would think that would be enough, I mean, if you’re going to kidnap her, why drag the friends into it? This is just not a good plan. Simple is better.
And how stupid is Toedad to think kidnapping a bunch of people is a good way to “save” his daughter?
I have to think Asher will help. Accessory to kidnapping is not what he signed up for, I’m sure. “Pull the fire alarm during midterms? No problem. Make her fail, crash her grades, she quits.”
Surprise, Asher! Accessory to at least four counts of kidnapping!
I believe that Blaine plans to frame Ross, and I don’t think he cares what happens to Amber as long as he can prove his dominance over her.
Blaine also wants money and revenge against Stacy: how these may be combined is left as an exercise for the reader.
I hate it when professors start showing the proof, then—when they get to the sticky part— then just smile “that smile” and say: “the rest of the proof…l
“As you can see, it is intuitively obvious that …” [Professor stops, stares at the board, leaves the room. Picks up again at the start of next class with “I was right, it is intuitively obvious.”
One Calculus Prof of mine was doing a proof and somehow got turned around and ended up where he started. His only comment was “Dammit”.
Next time he did a proof in class he had everything already on the sliding chalk boards – Panel 1 start – panel 3 the conclusion – panel 2 in huge letters “then a miracle happens” – in smaller print “read the damn book”
This isn’t the Walkyverse, and even there the heroes could do extremist stuff. Real life’s heroes walk among us and can be any of us, but we are just the heroes of our own stories and super powers aren’t real. Their salvation would be a deus ex machina, or some cooperation to escape.
The guy who walked away from two wrecks where the vehicle that ran into him was unable to leave while he walked away with minor cuts and bruises, would like to politely disagree about real-life supers not existing.
I thought it was Joyce saying “Fuck” for the first time. Hence why the others were looking at her. I see that’s wrong, and so the last panel makes no sense to me now.
I note that Walky has a costume, WITH mask. I think they’re going to work together to try put the mask on a reluctant/resisting Amber to draw out Amazi-Girl to rescue them. Aaaaand it’ll be a big superhero reveal!
I would note that she changes quite a lot when she dons the mask. It’s happened before, and i bet it’ll be a BIG change this time.
The mask is not intrinsic to the divide between Amber and Amazi-Girl. We’ve seen Amber with the mask on, and we’ve seen Amazi-Girl without the mask on.
It’s worth remembering that Amber has all the skills Amazigirl has. What Amber doesn’t have is the filter of a comic book moral code that protects others from her unlesshed violent impulses. A certain would-be rapist would have been far better off if he had attacked Amazigirl. She may have been wearing a mask at the time, but it was Amber who put her father in the hospital. Kidnapping Amber could have been a very bad mistake. There is no reason for them to try to put on her mask.
So. . .uh. no one gonna talk about how the deep cut probably references another comic where Joyce and Walky *were* the abductees in “Serf Indulgence”? Or does the alt-text mention it and I can’t see it cause I’m on mobile?
It is a deep cut, but in the DoA universe, “Serf-Indulgence” is an actual episode of the cartoon, “Dexter & Monkey Master”, which itself is a ref to the IW! universe.
The Alt-text says: “If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die making pop culture references”
I mean, the answer’s “no”, practically speaking, since drama requires our characters to deal with this on their own and only bring the authorities in for the mop up at the end, but I’m not sure what you’d expect them to have done at this point.
I really love how Dorothy immediately picks up on Walky’s monkey master reference.
Poor Dotty. She has been a bystander for so much of this horribleness. Now she gets to join in.
Last time ToeDad went up against Joye she was defending Becky. This time she’s defending Becky and Dorothy. I don’t think ToeDad will like this rematch.
I kind of want to tell Dorothy myself…
Wait this means Mike is really alive and he is going to save them?!
that or Ethan could I guess…or he could be thrown in next
Blaine and Toedad are just two men that can be easily defeated by Joyce and Amber. This must be the work of many evil people, including the evil church, Blaine’s wife, Asher and Gash face.
Now I’m just sitting here wondering if this is legitimately just going to be the darkest sudden ending to a web comic ever. Like, I’m pretty sure David won’t end it like that, but just all of them getting killed and it being suddenly over would be super unexpected and I would clap.
I’m pretty sure I read a web comic once where everything was going swimmingly well and then there was a hiatus followed by three episodes which basically killed everyone. Fin.
We supposedly have a buffer watch into June, so it doesn’t seem likely that’s going to happen. Unless, secretly, the buffer he’s counting is on the followup comic
I think Dina saw who took them. I saw her looking at a figure and possibly talking to someone! Quick, someone ask Dina what’s going on, I’m sure she knows!
I’m guessing amber put up more of a fight, since she has more/tougher restraints on her than the others. Everyone else is wrists and ankles, Amber is arms, likely wrists, upper legs, ankles. Either that or Blaine specifically made sure of it after his beat downs.
Blaine hasn’t figured it out, has he? If anything, i kind of imagining him not even bothering to put restraints on Amber, since his opinion of her is usually very low.
As Shariku said, Blaine has a low opinion of Amber. This would have to be somebody who has knowledge of Amazigirl’s identity or of Amber’s own fighting capabilities
The invisible Diana saw what happened and has recruited Sarah for a rescue. How they follow a van on foot is anybody’s guess. But they don’t inform Ruth, who could mobilize resources because the narrative demand the existing characters resolve this. No police showing up to save the day.
Joyce is speaking in the last panel. She’s the only one there that doesn’t realize that Amber being there prevents Amazigirl from coming to their rescue. Walky and Dorothy are rolling their eyes at her, through how Joyce can see Dorothy’s eyes isn’t clear. Alternatively, Amber might have heard the Amazigirl will rescue us comment during her entrance and Joyce could have intended her remarks for Amber and Walky. Ambers expression in the last panel doesn’t really support that though.
So I’m leaving this here to fester:
Everyone’s reactions so far suggest they have NOT seen either Blaine or Ross (Joyce and Amber would certainly not be as relatively calm as they seem in that case). I’m calling it that this is Asher cockblocking Blaine via his connections, with some entangled comedic miscommunication to the involved mob goons until I have more info.
Wait – did Amber manage to hear Joyce before being thrown in? Cause it doesn’t look like Dorothy is in any position to stare at Joyce, nor can Joyce see where she’s looking…
Walky is now with all his girlfriends across all known realities. Question: if he was aware he and Joyce were married in an alternative universe would he scream then?
And they’re all arranged like their kidnappers are playing human jenga or something.
OH I SEE, it’s Human Jenga
hopefully they don’t become a Human Something-Else-I-Could-Name-That-Sounded-Like-a-Cirque-du-Soleil-Act-Until-I-Learned-Otherwise
Blokus?
Human Blokus is what the Asylum rip-off of that movie would be called, if even The Asylum had any interest in ripping it off.
The Human Cent-iPad?
It refuses to read.
Man is going to take them forever to build the tower at this rate
… am I the only one who is like “oh – it’s all the women that Walky has had sexual relations with between here and the Walky verse all tied up with him…”
No one else?
“Is there no one else? Is the NO ONE else?” Sorry, Ive just woken up.
Well, they haven’t closed the door yet.
Dina isn’t here yet.
Well, they haven’t closed the door at the top of the stairs yet. Dina Stealth will play a part in this!
Dina was still there when Ruth commented on everyone else vanishing.
So was Walky.
Not in this one! Ruth asks where “the kid in the cape” went (referring to (walky) with Dina in the background: https://www.dumbingofage.com/2020/comic/book-10/03-when-it-crumbles/gone-too/ (idk how to post links sorry if this showed up weird lol)
Thanks for linking that. I literally can’t link HTML on my phone.
That is not relevant to whether she’s behind the door.
Crap, you’re right.
I think I forgot her because the Walkyverse makes it very clear that she and Walky “did not have sex” while the Dumbverse makes it clear that Walky and Amber are “fucking”.
However, that might just be the evolution of Willis’ definition of that term, so it’s entirely possible that Dina and Walky in the Walkyverse also got up to some dry hump action.
Wasn’t there that one time when they destroyed Professor Doc’s lab with their humping?
If there wasn’t, there should have been.
Basically http://www.itswalky.com/comic/wheres-everyone-off-to-in-a-huff/
Yeah, I just got heavy makeout session from that, but I suppose it might have been through the clothes dry humping. No way to tell, really.
Amber’s here? Ah yikes.
And with extra duct tape. I wonder if it’s because she resisted or because Blain’s just a dick like that.
I’m starting its not the evil dads of evil. Why would Willis be going to such extremes to not show them?
If he doesn’t show them, he doesn’t gotta draw them.
i’m more inclined to think it’s because whoever did the tying up knows amber and/or amazigirl is more likely to be able to bust out of it
Also, if you die, you have ~90 days to cram in any pop culture refs.
Then again, this was no blaze of glory, either.
THEY BOTH HAVE DEXTER JAMMIES awwwwwww
How is it neither yesterday’s or today’s strip have just been titled “WHUMP!”?
there are probably more people yet to go whump
Things that go WHUMP in the night.
*record scratch*
*freeze-frame*
“Yep, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how this all happened…”
“Well, it all started with a cartoon monkey and a little gray alien”
Dang it – now I have it on auto-repeat running in my head
Now I’m lookin’ at a flashback Sunday
Zoom lens feelings just won’t disappear
Close-up darkroom sweet-talk in my ear
Her hot-spot love for me is strong
This freeze-frame moment can’t be wrong
The First Cut Is The Deepest
When it comes to being lucky she’s cursed
When it comes to loving me, she’s worst…
…Try to love again…
When it comes to German sausage, it’s wurst
Spoken like a sour Kraut.
I have to admit? I kind of appreciate Walky’s attitude here. Not to say that it’s totally appropriate but refusing to act scared or nervous in the face or earshot of his captors? I approve.
I like his attitude too.
Calling it now. Tomorrow, Sara and Ethan are dropped on top. The day after, Dina and Ruth. The process continues, two by two, day by day, until we have the entire main cast, secondary characters and various parents.
As the man on bottom, Walky’s “FUCK”s get louder and louder.
This continues until finally we get Blain and ToeDad and then Dead Mike.
Only then does this universe’s Monkey Master reveal himself.
Since you have that all figured out…
Is it Galasso, Sydney Yus, or are they both in the pile, too?
Reply hazy. Ask again later.
I know how to get Batman’s attention! I’ll kidnap Bruce Wayne!
I laughed unreasonably hard at this. Thank you! 🙂
I mean, that would do it.
Time for Mike to come to the rescue, proving to all that he’s actually somehow not mortally wounded!
That’s what I’m predicting.
I’ll take that bet. I’m sure I have a previously-won Internet around here somewhere…
According to the comedic pattern established in panel 4, that prediction should immediately be followed by the kidnappers dropping Mi–
… no, wait, that’s already happened.
You mean the kidnappers won’t drop the Mike?
I’ll let myself out.
Unless Mike is the one that kidnapped them
No, all four of them would be aggressively snarking at him personally, in that case.
Same with the evil dads, come to think of it.
Mike’s further in the basement, chained up in a gimp suit. Just wait’ll they try and take Ruth and Billie.
Seriously, four people that were close together. In a large crowd.
Hoooow? Someone would’ve yelled.
And if these four are here, that means Ethan and Sarah in all likelihood didn’t get away either.
On a related note, where are Sarah and Sal? Because I feel like they wouldn’t have let this go easily. Not to mention Ethan, who at least would be able to yell “help” or something
I am guessing a weapon or two was involved.
I’m guessing tomorrow’s strip has Ethan and Sarah tossed down on the pile and then one of the next has Mike tied up in the corner telling them to pipe down as he is trying to embrace the sweet release of death and would appreciate some quiet as he did so.
I mean, the fact that there was no crime scene tape down across the way from the student union (Joyce, Dorothy, and Sarah could not miss it if there was a crime scene after Carol called Joyce using her dad’s phone) suggests that Mike was removed from the scene by the Dastardly Dads.
Joyce, Dorothy, and Sarah left the Union to look for Becky at Robin’s condo at Seventh and Rogers. They would not have had to pass Kirkwood Hall (the scene of Mike’s descent) on the way.
Yes, but you could see the back of the Kirkwood, which is the side with the outer staircases, from the entrance of the Union from where they emerged. I find it hard to believe they would have missed it if their was a scene there.
Also, I assumed they went to Becky’s rental at 6th and Rogers and Robin just happened to be there. I guess I did not pay enough attention. I know, they are not that far apart.
A good kidnapper covers their victim’s mouth first.
Might I add: it was clearly hella dark.
This further reinforces my theory that more than two people were involved, no way two guys pulled this off on their own.
No, no Asher; it was clear he would only pull the fire alarm.
For this to work out I would expect at least a half dozen, probably even twice that.
Why, Ninja Rick, of course!
I’m seriously considering that, actually.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure he’s got a better chance of showing up at this point than, say, Wen or Guns. And that’s counting the whole “Alex is my only friend whose character comes back” rule.
Maybe the Britjas?
I almost respect how strangely competent whoever’s doing this kidnapping is. Really covering all the bases here!
Hence my crackpot theory that the kidnapper is actually Mike.
Mike is always competent.
But why can they see and speak? These are some pretty obvious bases that aren’t covered, and I don’t undestand why. I mean, maybe I’m relying too much on movie tropes about black-bagging, but… seriously, why can they see and speak?
This is often taken as a sign that the kidnappers don’t expect them ever to testify. That is, as a bad sign.
Also the way they’ve been thrown around without regard for injury.
Seriously, thrown down at least half a flight of stairs on top of each other. Ouch.
It would be a boring comic if they couldn’t talk. And we would waste time if they couldn’t see while they sorted out who was there. Narrative demands of the medium.
If my crazy speculation is correct and it is Mike, then this might not be a malicious kidnapping. It could be a protective kidnapping (to keep the Dads from getting to them first) or even a quick and Mike esque way to assemble allies (Since he and Amber got beat the first time.)
I just think Mike showing up would be a hilarious reveal and the lack of seeing Dad faces makes me think that is the sort of twist that’s coming.
I could be wrong – my outlandish theories are often wrong – but every once and a while, they’re right.
My speculation is that one of the Dads called in a favour from their “Legitimate Business Associates” who are very professional in what they do.
So they disguise their faces, wear generic service uniforms, don’t talk, muzzle the targets during acquisition though the Alarm is great cover for any commotion, tape em up while in the van, leave them at a designated location that is remote and soundproof, leave.
Interesting thing I noticed is that they were captured separately.
So at least two teams were involved.
“Legitimate Business Associates” is definitely going to be the name of my next shell company.
If not for the killer virus, I would briefly consider going down and registering a DBA today.
That and they’re just tied with duct tape – Walkyverse references aside, that’s much easier to get free from than rope.
That’s what zip ties are for. Quick as duct tape, harder to get out of.
And rope requires some skill to tie someone up properly. It’s pretty easy to leave enough slack to wiggle loose.
Cause you farted Joyce.
So, uh, I’m guessing this is Joyce’s church helping Toedad and Blaine and thanks Willis, I hate them.
I doubt it. If that were the case, why would Asher be involved?
I think it’s because Blain threatened to tell Asher’s grandpa/mob-boss about his leaving of crime behind. Beyond that, I don’t think the mob is involved and Blain is just manipulating Joyce’s church into being his muscle.
In Blaine’s own words, because much of the campus is off-limits to him.
(“Him” being Blaine, that is.)
Because Blaine told him he’d tell grandpa about him stealing the mob’s money.
If it really is the church I would love to know how they justify kidnapping four separate people two which aren’t directly related to members of their church? Like they know they’re committing a crime right?
Evil is dumb.
Much as I hate to say it, religious people — or more correctly, people who believe themselves to be religious — have always been able to twist their minds into a six-dimensional figure if necessary in order to justify their own actions.
Their stance is evil committed in the furtherance of a good thing is therefore not-evil, because it serves the Greater Good. Kinda how people justify Government Murder.
Why has No One suspected “Sir”? He’s rich, he’s powerful, he could have duped Howard into strong arming every one here so that Ruth could carefully remove their Femurs… or maybe tibias.
Naw, that’s just silly.
See now I’m confused … Blaine is the one with the smarts, not Toe-Dad, so any planning would be his … but he doesn’t care about Becky, he just cares about controlling Amber.
He wouldn’t toss her in a room with her friends, he’d keep her separate and be done with the entire event … so whose actually in charge here? Something doesn’t add up.
I think one of his goals is also getting revenge on Amzi-Girl, and he’s using this kidnapping to draw her out. Of course, being the narcissist that he is, Blain can’t imagine his daughter being Amzi-Girl and thus doesn’t realize he just trapped his nemesis in the basement.
I think you’re right that he’s hoping to draw out AG, but it’s a stupid plan because who it’s going to draw out is the police.
AG interrupts crimes while they are happening. She doesn’t investigate after the event.
Amazi-Girl investigated the Whiteboard Ding-Dong Bandit after the event.
Compared to now, those stakes were so low they hit oil.
And the price of oil is really low!
The crime is still going on. Rescuing kidnap victims is definitely in Amazi-Girl’s purview. She’s done it before.
She also kept looking for Ryan after the event.
Of course I haven’t tested their bonds, but my personal experience with having my arms duct taped behind my back suggests that it’s less of a “trapped his nemesis in his basement” and more of a “placed his nemesis on the inside of his defensive perimeter.”
Sure, it takes a bit to get out of, but if they’re sitting around waiting for AG, there’s time.
But, um, does Joyce know about AG? If so, does Amber know it? That could be more of an obstacle than the tape.
As noted yesterday and above: My crazy theory is that it’s Mike who has kidnapped them.
Why? No idea. He’s just the only one competent enough to have pulled it off.
Willis: Warning, things are gonna get pretty bad
me now: Holy shit things are getting pretty bad!
I’m not calling it bad until the captors are on-screen.
Cuddle Puddle, some assembly required.
So Blaine’s plan to cause Amber to drop out of college by getting at her through her friends was to kidnap all of them including Amber?
I can see how getting kidnapped would cause Amber to leave college, but one would think that would be enough, I mean, if you’re going to kidnap her, why drag the friends into it? This is just not a good plan. Simple is better.
And how stupid is Toedad to think kidnapping a bunch of people is a good way to “save” his daughter?
I have to think Asher will help. Accessory to kidnapping is not what he signed up for, I’m sure. “Pull the fire alarm during midterms? No problem. Make her fail, crash her grades, she quits.”
Surprise, Asher! Accessory to at least four counts of kidnapping!
I believe that Blaine plans to frame Ross, and I don’t think he cares what happens to Amber as long as he can prove his dominance over her.
Blaine also wants money and revenge against Stacy: how these may be combined is left as an exercise for the reader.
I hate it when professors start showing the proof, then—when they get to the sticky part— then just smile “that smile” and say: “the rest of the proof…l
“As you can see, it is intuitively obvious that …” [Professor stops, stares at the board, leaves the room. Picks up again at the start of next class with “I was right, it is intuitively obvious.”
One Calculus Prof of mine was doing a proof and somehow got turned around and ended up where he started. His only comment was “Dammit”.
Next time he did a proof in class he had everything already on the sliding chalk boards – Panel 1 start – panel 3 the conclusion – panel 2 in huge letters “then a miracle happens” – in smaller print “read the damn book”
And what was the other cop out? . . . and I will leave the rest as an exercise.
I think after the other night, Blaine may actually be less interested in Amber than in getting at Amazi-Girl right now.
Where are you heroes now?!
This isn’t the Walkyverse, and even there the heroes could do extremist stuff. Real life’s heroes walk among us and can be any of us, but we are just the heroes of our own stories and super powers aren’t real. Their salvation would be a deus ex machina, or some cooperation to escape.
The guy who walked away from two wrecks where the vehicle that ran into him was unable to leave while he walked away with minor cuts and bruises, would like to politely disagree about real-life supers not existing.
Yeah, do you believe in miracles? Physics doesn’t have loopholes, but dang, There’s so weird shit with it and pickup trucks, nah?
“Don’t worry. Sal will save us! Um, have any of you seen Sal lately?”
“She’s been hooking up with some old boyfriend.”
“Don’t worry. Billie will, no, that’s not going to happen. Sarah, maybe?”
Sarah was one of the people noted to have suddenly gone missing a few strips ago, along with Ethan. They’re likely to drop in in tomorrow’s strip.
It’s going to suck for them if Ethan is thrown over them, given that he’s most likely the heaviest.
*Sal saves them*
Joyce: “See! I TOLD you amazi-girl would come to our rescue.”
Billie: “I KNEW IT!”
I’ll give credit to the evil dads, kidnapping everyone at once is a little more convenient
First thing I thought of: that desert arc in One Piece. Banana-headed crocodile, anyone?
Captain America: “Language, Joyce!”
“Ouch” is considered “language” now?
I thought it was Joyce saying “Fuck” for the first time. Hence why the others were looking at her. I see that’s wrong, and so the last panel makes no sense to me now.
Oh Cheese. Nevermind. 3rd panel explains it. I reed gud.
Your mistake makes for a great alternate punchline, though.
This plot was defying reality before, but I don’t see how Blaine and Ross could manage to abduct 4 people.
Ruth turned around for a few seconds.
So… that means DINA is the culprit! Only she can act that fast. Plus, with her teleportation powers, it makes it even MORE likely!
And she was very visibly still visible as the others disappeared one by one…
And *that* is why she’s a “clever girl”! Complete deniability!
I’m hoping Amber trained how to get out of duct tape.
That and being immune to criticism.
Ok so… This is how the comic ends? They all die?
Oh, come on. Willis can milk several years out of their slow descent into madness as starvation sets in.
People. People who eat people.
Are the hungriest people, … in the world.
I note that Walky has a costume, WITH mask. I think they’re going to work together to try put the mask on a reluctant/resisting Amber to draw out Amazi-Girl to rescue them. Aaaaand it’ll be a big superhero reveal!
I would note that she changes quite a lot when she dons the mask. It’s happened before, and i bet it’ll be a BIG change this time.
The mask is not intrinsic to the divide between Amber and Amazi-Girl. We’ve seen Amber with the mask on, and we’ve seen Amazi-Girl without the mask on.
It’s worth remembering that Amber has all the skills Amazigirl has. What Amber doesn’t have is the filter of a comic book moral code that protects others from her unlesshed violent impulses. A certain would-be rapist would have been far better off if he had attacked Amazigirl. She may have been wearing a mask at the time, but it was Amber who put her father in the hospital. Kidnapping Amber could have been a very bad mistake. There is no reason for them to try to put on her mask.
hm, good points. Have to wait and see, i guess.
So. . .uh. no one gonna talk about how the deep cut probably references another comic where Joyce and Walky *were* the abductees in “Serf Indulgence”? Or does the alt-text mention it and I can’t see it cause I’m on mobile?
It is a deep cut, but in the DoA universe, “Serf-Indulgence” is an actual episode of the cartoon, “Dexter & Monkey Master”, which itself is a ref to the IW! universe.
The Alt-text says: “If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die making pop culture references”
Alright, so I guess the answer to “Does Indiana University have a campus security force of any kind” is still a hard “No”.
“Competent campus security force” would be a hard no.
“Campus security force that isn’t just for harassing brown and black people” is also a hard no.
People do get kidnapped even in places with cops.
I mean, the answer’s “no”, practically speaking, since drama requires our characters to deal with this on their own and only bring the authorities in for the mop up at the end, but I’m not sure what you’d expect them to have done at this point.
This is all Willis’s fault.
Well your not wrong.
Personally, I blame the Internet.
I really love how Dorothy immediately picks up on Walky’s monkey master reference.
Poor Dotty. She has been a bystander for so much of this horribleness. Now she gets to join in.
Last time ToeDad went up against Joye she was defending Becky. This time she’s defending Becky and Dorothy. I don’t think ToeDad will like this rematch.
I’m just impressed that Joyce could tell Dorothy was rolling her eyes.
I kind of want to tell Dorothy myself…
Wait this means Mike is really alive and he is going to save them?!
that or Ethan could I guess…or he could be thrown in next
…
It occurs to me that trapped-in-villains’-lair duct tape bondage is quite possibly one of Amber’s many Walky-relavent kinks.
Even probably.
I don’t think there was a question.
“We’re looking at you like this because we’re screwed.”
“What, you didn’t realise that with the duct tape and basement in an undisclosed location?”
Blaine and Toedad are just two men that can be easily defeated by Joyce and Amber. This must be the work of many evil people, including the evil church, Blaine’s wife, Asher and Gash face.
You know how I know Mike ain’t dead?
Willis would have done it in panel.
REALLY curious as to how they’re getting out of this one.
Okay, *what*???
When superheroes are kidnapped, who will save them?
(Dina, obviously.)
Now I’m just sitting here wondering if this is legitimately just going to be the darkest sudden ending to a web comic ever. Like, I’m pretty sure David won’t end it like that, but just all of them getting killed and it being suddenly over would be super unexpected and I would clap.
I’m pretty sure I read a web comic once where everything was going swimmingly well and then there was a hiatus followed by three episodes which basically killed everyone. Fin.
We supposedly have a buffer watch into June, so it doesn’t seem likely that’s going to happen. Unless, secretly, the buffer he’s counting is on the followup comic
Time for some edgy torture and interrogation scenes, Tarantino style.
Gotta appreciate the Smoothness of Walky. Anyone else stuck in a basement with his girlfriend and her ex would have find that awkward.
Also, I now notice that in a parallel universe, Waky is also with Joyce. Coincidence?
What’s Mike up to this time?
I think Dina saw who took them. I saw her looking at a figure and possibly talking to someone! Quick, someone ask Dina what’s going on, I’m sure she knows!
It’s only been a WEEK since Walky and Dorothy broke up? Ye gods. O.o
“….my roast is ruined!”
No, no. It’s only a little burnt. You can save it.
Two girls hes sleeping with in this universe and one he is sleeping with in an other. Bondage 4 some, go walky.
I’m guessing amber put up more of a fight, since she has more/tougher restraints on her than the others. Everyone else is wrists and ankles, Amber is arms, likely wrists, upper legs, ankles. Either that or Blaine specifically made sure of it after his beat downs.
Blaine hasn’t figured it out, has he? If anything, i kind of imagining him not even bothering to put restraints on Amber, since his opinion of her is usually very low.
As Shariku said, Blaine has a low opinion of Amber. This would have to be somebody who has knowledge of Amazigirl’s identity or of Amber’s own fighting capabilities
The invisible Diana saw what happened and has recruited Sarah for a rescue. How they follow a van on foot is anybody’s guess. But they don’t inform Ruth, who could mobilize resources because the narrative demand the existing characters resolve this. No police showing up to save the day.
Oh no. AmazinGirl’s secret identity is in Danger!!!
I think this school has some security issues…
My guess for what’s coming:
Sal will run into Asher… figure out that something “hinky” is going on, and she’ll be the one to save the rest of the gang.
I’m puzzled. Who’s speaking in the last panel, and who two are “looking at me like that”?
Joyce is speaking in the last panel. She’s the only one there that doesn’t realize that Amber being there prevents Amazigirl from coming to their rescue. Walky and Dorothy are rolling their eyes at her, through how Joyce can see Dorothy’s eyes isn’t clear. Alternatively, Amber might have heard the Amazigirl will rescue us comment during her entrance and Joyce could have intended her remarks for Amber and Walky. Ambers expression in the last panel doesn’t really support that though.
Ahhhhh.
Joyce can see Dorothy’s eyes through comic convention. Otherwise we’d spend way too much time looking at the back of peoples’ heads in comics.
PS Thanks for the explanation; it’s sorta what I thought.
Plot twist: It’s actually Walky’s parents who have kidnapped them to force him to study for the midterm
So I’m leaving this here to fester:
Everyone’s reactions so far suggest they have NOT seen either Blaine or Ross (Joyce and Amber would certainly not be as relatively calm as they seem in that case). I’m calling it that this is Asher cockblocking Blaine via his connections, with some entangled comedic miscommunication to the involved mob goons until I have more info.
Ah yes. Its the new People ™ line. Gotta catch them all.
It took me this long to get the joke. Joyce is the only one who doesn’t know Amazi-Girl’s identity here?
Who remembers the good old days of lingering dread?
Pepperidge Farms remembers
WHY IS THE *KIDNAPPING* SCENE HILARIOUS WHAT KIND OF HORRIBLE HORRIBLE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO COME?
Wait – did Amber manage to hear Joyce before being thrown in? Cause it doesn’t look like Dorothy is in any position to stare at Joyce, nor can Joyce see where she’s looking…
There’s a full length mirror just off panel?
Walky is now with all his girlfriends across all known realities. Question: if he was aware he and Joyce were married in an alternative universe would he scream then?
And they’re all arranged like their kidnappers are playing human jenga or something.
There’ll be big OUCH!s when they drop Ethan and Sarah on top of the others.
Minutes to a new comic, the tension mounts.
The fact that it’s a couple minutes behind today is driving me batty!
Good work, Willis, I’m staring hard at that Patreon button…
Is it just me who wants this to turn into a slipshine? 😀
I am impressed Amber’s glasses managed to stay on through all this.