There’s a lo-o-o-o-ong list of things Ultra Car doesn’t get about humanity, like the fact that sometimes we really NEED to talk about personal problems. UC, it’s not like when Ethan talks about Transformers: you can’t shame them into shutting up with your disinterest.
Besides, UC isn’t stealing them, he’s simply converting them from the one mode to the other. When he picked up Lugnut, it was in Robot mode; when that strip was over he was setting it back down in Plane mode.
If only it were that simple. But that’d be vaguely insulting to the last loving gesture Leslie made toward her.
Leslie didn’t kick Robin out just because Robin hurt her. Leslie kicked Robin out because Robin’s words and actions convinced Leslie that she, Leslie, was an obstacle to Robin’s happiness and self-actualization. The timing of the DeSanto/Manley Act only confirmed this in Leslie’s mind.
It’s a ridiculous claim, of course. Show me a story that features them together before “Bi Partisan” and I’ll show you a case where Robin’s life was better for having Leslie in it. Even the issue with Amber wouldn’t be resolved if Les didn’t exist– rather, Amber would most likely be the one to find out about it, and then she’d move out on her own. Or else Mike would figure it out, and then oh crap. It’s a ridiculous claim.
But it’s what Leslie believes. The very things that made her bond with Robin so strong– her belief in Robin’s genius, her willingness to self-sacrifice– are now obstacles to overcome.
Oh, and while we’re at it, so is Robin’s ADD, or as Leslie would put it, fitfully brilliant spontaneity. If Robin never recaptures that spontaneity which Leslie loved (and may still love) so much, then a reconciliation will be a tough sell. Yet the dark side of such spontaneity is that it can lead you to just up and decide you need to bang a dude to make your life complete or whatever.
And all of this is only even relevant if Robin decides that she wants to get Leslie back. She may not feel she deserves Leslie, or may feel that the risk to Leslie outweighs the potential reward. She’s already looked into Les’s face once and seen her mother’s eyes staring back… the prospect of ever seeing that again, now that she knows it can happen, must scare the crap out of her.
Oh, and, and, one can’t expect Les to be sitting around and staring at her toes while Robin figures all this out. She might. It’s possible. Or Robin may come back from this trip to learn Leslie’s moved to Borneo and shacked up with a reconstituted Anti-Joyce.
The Head Alien wishes that he designed psychological traps as diabolical as this one. Robin’s taken a couple of very right first steps, but she’s got a hard road ahead.
I just keep coming back here surprised to see such a detailed response listing the ways in which this incredibly silly suggestion wouldn’t work. Good read though. Laid out a lot of aspects of their relationship problems I’d never really properly considered. I think it shows a certain level of realism that the situation is as complex as it is, and it’s impressive that you were able to state the situation so succinctly.
Robin, your problem is that you haven’t progressed far enough down the path of your father yet. Just keep making these decisions and it stops being so hard. Eventually you have a crippled and useless conscience that remains largely silent, and when it speaks only encourages you to do bad things.
Really, once you make it past the point of no return it’s all smooth sailing from there. Embrace the darkness Robin. It’s happy on the dark side of the force. A regular party zone. Just ask old Anakin in the corner.
An interesting feminist take on Robin’s issues here if you look hard enough. Joe (who we accept is a misogynist) calls Amber “Mike’s chick”, in the sense of possession (despite it arguably being the other way around)… and Robin doesn’t correct him. It’s a side issue, easily dismissed, but given that she’s also about to go on to say how huge an impact the screwing around of her father, the hypothetical male role model, has been on her self-definition. Maybe Robin can’t be happy (and deal with her responsibilities to others) until she stops defining herself in terms of male-determined concepts?
But hey, I’m reading far too much into it, obviously.
When Joe says “Mike’s chick” he is merely using a familiar reference point. He doesn’t know Amber so to him the reference was confusing. Just last night, my friend mentioned a “Toni” and I only know of one so I asked “Mark’s girlfriend?” not as a statement of ownership but as a clarification. And yes indeed they were talking about that person. Though Joe’s usage of the term “chick” is still a minor issue, it was not intended as a personal slight or a statement on Amber as a person or gender discrimination.
To continue to read too much into a webcomic’s gendered subtext, the fact that defining someone–even someone whose identity you’re not sure of–by zir significant other is somewhat misogynist. I mean, it’s one thing to say, “Mark’s girlfriend?” and it changes the whole ballgame to say, “the Toni who is dating Mark?” One implies that Mark has a girlfriend, name not so important except to identify which girlfriend (I know he probably only has one, but that’s the connotation); the other implies that there is a person named Toni who is dating your friend Mark. Toni gets to be her own whole person BEFORE the nominative possessive of Mark. Just throwing that out there. I realize David probably didn’t think that deeply when he wrote the dialogue, but to say that it’s not misogynist/gendered and mildly insulting would be disingenuous.
I’m pretty much the least PC person on Earth, but I do pay close attention to semantics. I’m an English major, it happens.
All the social commentary and exploration of Robin and Leslie’s relationship is fantastic. But I just wanted to comment about how much I love Joe’s Beard. When he first showed back up, I thought it was crazy and ridiculous. But it’s just so very perfect on him now that when I read DOA, I can’t help but imagine him with the beard. Love it.
Was ultra-car expecting them to stop through the power of his sarcasm?
Also, is he going to steal all of Joe’s transformers?
There’s a lo-o-o-o-ong list of things Ultra Car doesn’t get about humanity, like the fact that sometimes we really NEED to talk about personal problems. UC, it’s not like when Ethan talks about Transformers: you can’t shame them into shutting up with your disinterest.
…Okay, bad example.
Besides, UC isn’t stealing them, he’s simply converting them from the one mode to the other. When he picked up Lugnut, it was in Robot mode; when that strip was over he was setting it back down in Plane mode.
Joe was JUST complaining that he didn’t have enough shelf space. Ultra-Car is helping him out!
Did Ultra-Car just break Primus??
I assumed he was swearing because he just realized Joe was his own deadbeat Dad.
I really like Robin in panel 2 she just looks so vulnerable, like a little girl almost. Very well done Willis.
Once down the Dark Side you go, forever will it dominate your destiny…
Your Gravatar is perfect for that comment. Now I can’t help but see Chiyo as a Jedi Master.
“Size matters not. Judge me by my size, do you, Miss Sakaki?”
Isn’t that one of those absolutes that only Sith deal in?
Oh Robin, you know what you need to do:
Put on a collar and sign a contract that makes you Leslie’s slave until she forgives you.
If only it were that simple. But that’d be vaguely insulting to the last loving gesture Leslie made toward her.
Leslie didn’t kick Robin out just because Robin hurt her. Leslie kicked Robin out because Robin’s words and actions convinced Leslie that she, Leslie, was an obstacle to Robin’s happiness and self-actualization. The timing of the DeSanto/Manley Act only confirmed this in Leslie’s mind.
It’s a ridiculous claim, of course. Show me a story that features them together before “Bi Partisan” and I’ll show you a case where Robin’s life was better for having Leslie in it. Even the issue with Amber wouldn’t be resolved if Les didn’t exist– rather, Amber would most likely be the one to find out about it, and then she’d move out on her own. Or else Mike would figure it out, and then oh crap. It’s a ridiculous claim.
But it’s what Leslie believes. The very things that made her bond with Robin so strong– her belief in Robin’s genius, her willingness to self-sacrifice– are now obstacles to overcome.
Oh, and while we’re at it, so is Robin’s ADD, or as Leslie would put it, fitfully brilliant spontaneity. If Robin never recaptures that spontaneity which Leslie loved (and may still love) so much, then a reconciliation will be a tough sell. Yet the dark side of such spontaneity is that it can lead you to just up and decide you need to bang a dude to make your life complete or whatever.
And all of this is only even relevant if Robin decides that she wants to get Leslie back. She may not feel she deserves Leslie, or may feel that the risk to Leslie outweighs the potential reward. She’s already looked into Les’s face once and seen her mother’s eyes staring back… the prospect of ever seeing that again, now that she knows it can happen, must scare the crap out of her.
Oh, and, and, one can’t expect Les to be sitting around and staring at her toes while Robin figures all this out. She might. It’s possible. Or Robin may come back from this trip to learn Leslie’s moved to Borneo and shacked up with a reconstituted Anti-Joyce.
The Head Alien wishes that he designed psychological traps as diabolical as this one. Robin’s taken a couple of very right first steps, but she’s got a hard road ahead.
I just keep coming back here surprised to see such a detailed response listing the ways in which this incredibly silly suggestion wouldn’t work. Good read though. Laid out a lot of aspects of their relationship problems I’d never really properly considered. I think it shows a certain level of realism that the situation is as complex as it is, and it’s impressive that you were able to state the situation so succinctly.
The problem here is the word “until”. You want her to have some motivation to forgive her eventually. “If” would be better.
Which job description sounds like a better deal, “$8 an hour if you mow my lawn” or “$8 an hour until you mow my lawn”?
Robin, your problem is that you haven’t progressed far enough down the path of your father yet. Just keep making these decisions and it stops being so hard. Eventually you have a crippled and useless conscience that remains largely silent, and when it speaks only encourages you to do bad things.
Really, once you make it past the point of no return it’s all smooth sailing from there. Embrace the darkness Robin. It’s happy on the dark side of the force. A regular party zone. Just ask old Anakin in the corner.
Come to the darkside Robin. we have (Cadbury) Cookies.
NOM NOM NOM
Umf… Fou fneed to gef mwah gookief.
*Swallows*
Y’know, UC, you could, you know, go wait somewhere else…
But he gets to see his dad so rarely.
I hardly doubt that’s the reason. It’s pegging his interest, but yet he’s disgusted but what he’ll hear.
An interesting feminist take on Robin’s issues here if you look hard enough. Joe (who we accept is a misogynist) calls Amber “Mike’s chick”, in the sense of possession (despite it arguably being the other way around)… and Robin doesn’t correct him. It’s a side issue, easily dismissed, but given that she’s also about to go on to say how huge an impact the screwing around of her father, the hypothetical male role model, has been on her self-definition. Maybe Robin can’t be happy (and deal with her responsibilities to others) until she stops defining herself in terms of male-determined concepts?
But hey, I’m reading far too much into it, obviously.
When Joe says “Mike’s chick” he is merely using a familiar reference point. He doesn’t know Amber so to him the reference was confusing. Just last night, my friend mentioned a “Toni” and I only know of one so I asked “Mark’s girlfriend?” not as a statement of ownership but as a clarification. And yes indeed they were talking about that person. Though Joe’s usage of the term “chick” is still a minor issue, it was not intended as a personal slight or a statement on Amber as a person or gender discrimination.
So yeah, you were reading too much into it.
To continue to read too much into a webcomic’s gendered subtext, the fact that defining someone–even someone whose identity you’re not sure of–by zir significant other is somewhat misogynist. I mean, it’s one thing to say, “Mark’s girlfriend?” and it changes the whole ballgame to say, “the Toni who is dating Mark?” One implies that Mark has a girlfriend, name not so important except to identify which girlfriend (I know he probably only has one, but that’s the connotation); the other implies that there is a person named Toni who is dating your friend Mark. Toni gets to be her own whole person BEFORE the nominative possessive of Mark. Just throwing that out there. I realize David probably didn’t think that deeply when he wrote the dialogue, but to say that it’s not misogynist/gendered and mildly insulting would be disingenuous.
I’m pretty much the least PC person on Earth, but I do pay close attention to semantics. I’m an English major, it happens.
At first, I thought that Ultra Car was holding a toy of VINCENT from THE BLACK HOLE.
That would have been awesome since they kinda have the same eyes.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/180669_1739580322024_1014120709_31892587_6753241_n.jpg
And yes, that is Dr. Doom’s left arm in the background.
That’s pretty dang awesome
The entropy of a closed system always increases or remains constant.
Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear WOAH-OH, Livin’ on a prayer!
DAMMIT! That was going to be my reply!
*Guitar solo*
“Amber… that’s Mike’s Chick, right?”
Wow, Joe… just… wow. Amber loses her uniqueness once dating. Joe is one of those guys I wanted SO badly to kick in the nuts in high school.
Joe doesn’t know Amber. He’s only met her in the context of Mike.
He knows Mike. He doesn’t know Amber. Therefore, his only knowledge of Amber is via her relation to Mike.
It isn’t that she only exists as Mike’s girlfriend, just that she is only known to him by that relationship.
Yay! finally caught up on all three comics. funny thing is that short packed makes a whole lot more sense after reading Joyce and Walky.
I like that the URL didn’t change when you changed the name of the comic from “dammit” so it looks like it’s swearing at us.
So I checked out My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and now I imagine Robin with Pinkie Pie’s voice.
Buuuuut I love Robin and I love Pinkie Pie, so I can dig it
All the social commentary and exploration of Robin and Leslie’s relationship is fantastic. But I just wanted to comment about how much I love Joe’s Beard. When he first showed back up, I thought it was crazy and ridiculous. But it’s just so very perfect on him now that when I read DOA, I can’t help but imagine him with the beard. Love it.