Shortpacked! by David Willis

Discussion (54) ¬

1. 
   fishamaphone

   February 23, 2011 at 12:03 am | # | Reply

   I love the Canada story!

   • 
     David Herbert

     February 23, 2011 at 12:26 am | # | Reply

     It was friggin’ hilarious.
   • 
     Cholma

     February 23, 2011 at 12:28 am | # | Reply

     Yes, it rocks. Love the nod to Avalon (R.I.P., great comic)

     For those who missed the Canada story, it starts here:
     http://www.itswalky.com/d/20031109.html

     • 
       Cholma

       February 23, 2011 at 12:30 am | # | Reply

       Or, you know, you can click the EXACT SAME LINK David put in his blog post.
       *face palm*
     • 
       Digidestined of Trust (Tim)

       February 23, 2011 at 12:33 am | # | Reply

       That Canada series was pretty well written, confused me for a few strips when reading through it, but I liked it.
   • 
     Malph

     February 23, 2011 at 3:30 am | # | Reply

     The Canada story was AWESOME!!!

     Also, yay for an 8 year old reference!
   • 
     Lokitsu

     February 23, 2011 at 5:07 pm | # | Reply

     One of my favorites. I still have the print in a frame on my bookshelf.
2. 
   Jen Aside

   February 23, 2011 at 12:03 am | # | Reply

   What are we gonna do about it?

   Read it again, mebbe? =D

   • 
     Wackd

     February 23, 2011 at 12:17 am | # | Reply

     My favorite line ever came out of that Canada storyline.

     “Why Canada?” “I figured, ‘Who’d fucking notice?’ GodDAMN was I right!”

     • 
       Jason

       February 23, 2011 at 11:32 am | # | Reply

       That’s my favorite line too. “Seriously, how’ve ya been?”

       • 
         Blightning

         February 23, 2011 at 12:50 pm | # | Reply

         “And bloody hell, I’m a fish!” is mine.
     • 
       StClair

       February 23, 2011 at 9:11 pm | # | Reply

       “What’s it like?”
       “Like keeping a little dog around that barks at everything.”

       (and yes, that’s pretty accurate.)
3. 
   superpeach

   February 23, 2011 at 12:04 am | # | Reply

   first time joyce has ever been mentioned in shortpacked…. whoaaaa

   • 
     Wackd

     February 23, 2011 at 12:18 am | # | Reply

     Except, you know, that time she showed up. http://www.shortpacked.com/2009/comic/book-9/11-nerdfight/twelveyears/

     • 
       Digidestined of Trust (Tim)

       February 23, 2011 at 12:37 am | # | Reply

       I remember that from reading through the whole Shortpacked series a couple weeks ago, but was highly confused as to why. Now I understand since I’ve read through the WHOLE Joyce and Walky series.
     • 
       Joebo

       February 23, 2011 at 8:29 am | # | Reply

       I can honestly say that I had forgotten this strip, and that bothers me.
4. 
   Brendan

   February 23, 2011 at 12:07 am | # | Reply

   …of course, she’s only ever hit on one girl. And that girl’s name was Leslie friggin’ Bean.

   …also, Joyce. Although Joyce is, indeed, a grey area, and has been since she was twenty or so. Probably should have spoken with a doctor about that, but meh, if it hasn’t hurt her by now, it’s not going to.
5. 
   General Tekno

   February 23, 2011 at 12:08 am | # | Reply

   I’m going to have to buy that comic off you now, aren’t you?

   Given Lugnut’s in there and all.

   So is Ultra Car planning on scalping him, given most people don’t actually own the guy?

   And more importantly – did Joe somehow get his hands on him at retail, or did he go the impatient “stolen Chinese toy” route I took to tide me over until Hasbro’s comes out?

   • 
     David Willis

     February 23, 2011 at 12:16 am | # | Reply

     I own him, and I didn’t steal him!

     • 
       General Tekno

       February 23, 2011 at 12:22 am | # | Reply

       Yes, I saw your review.

       Me, I’m waiting on that wave 1 Voyager case I preordered so long ago to get my legit extras. Though at this rate, I’ll see it at retail in Canada before that preorder comes in.
     • 
       Abrogate

       February 23, 2011 at 12:23 am | # | Reply

       Yeaaah, I got Lugnut from BBTS. People don’t want to pay their prices, then whimper when they can’t find it at retail. /shrug

       Ultra Car is transforming Lugnut in the middle of their conversation, right? That’s cute
6. 
   JediAutobot

   February 23, 2011 at 12:11 am | # | Reply

   me? I’m going to smile.
   
7. 
   Rognik

   February 23, 2011 at 12:12 am | # | Reply

   I don’t know what Ultra Car is going to use that story for…

   The blackmail for that could be solid gold, though.

   • 
     T Campbell

     February 23, 2011 at 12:14 am | # | Reply

     Pretty sure UC is thanking Joe for NOT telling him the “Jayce” story before now. UC finds human sexuality distasteful in all its forms.
8. 
   Wackd

   February 23, 2011 at 12:20 am | # | Reply

   Am I the only one who, upon hearing Robin wonder why she didn’t like Joe, instantly remembered that she was pissed at him for being a manslut like her old man?

   Seriously, this has been bugging me since Joe first showed up in SP! What the hell happened to all of that character development? Even without that, where’s Rachel? They must’ve split up because I can’t see her approving of his closet of hot librarians.

   • 
     Wackd

     February 23, 2011 at 12:24 am | # | Reply

     This is, to me, even more unsettling because Joe knew this. Robin’s behavior towards him coupled with his feelings for Joyce were the entire impetus for his character development, was it not?
   • 
     T Campbell

     February 23, 2011 at 12:45 am | # | Reply

     I’d only quibble with the word “wonder” there. I’m pretty sure Robin knows exactly why she didn’t like Joe; she’s just trying to remind him of same. Joe certainly admitted he knew at one point, but dealing with his own emotional issues has never been his forte.

     Sometimes people regress. Joe was seen in a couple post-SEMME sequences with Rachel, but yeah, his current lifestyle doesn’t exactly scream “in a committed relationship.” Still, let’s not leap to conclusions: Rachel may be out of the picture for reasons unrelated to Joe’s libido.
9. 
   thenoirguy

   February 23, 2011 at 12:29 am | # | Reply

   No wonder he’s called Ultracar, he can transform a toy with one mechanical hand.

   • 
     Dedlok

     February 23, 2011 at 2:33 am | # | Reply

     You should see what he can do with a cherry stem.
10. 
    ShinGetterPoPo

    February 23, 2011 at 12:37 am | # | Reply

    I’m going to silently rage at the irritation of one of my least favorite storylines from it’s walky showing up in shortpacked…… CURSES I FAILED AGAIN
11. 
    T Campbell

    February 23, 2011 at 12:49 am | # | Reply

    And wow, I really thought I’d covered all the angles, but I sure wasn’t expecting THAT to come up.

    Robin did hit on Joe once, after SEMME was technically disbanded, but even Joe may be aware that that’s a topic best left alone.

    • 
      Bunny Suction

      February 23, 2011 at 1:31 pm | # | Reply

      I KNEW I remembered that. Weird how Joe glosses over it.
12. 
    andersonfire

    February 23, 2011 at 12:50 am | # | Reply

    Man, I miss the It’s Walky! days, and especially Joe and Robin’s friendship-thing. I never did think it got enough screentime. Glad to see some more, even if it’s eight whole years later!
13. 
    Black Bumblebbee

    February 23, 2011 at 1:00 am | # | Reply

    Looks like a perfect opportunity to have a guest appearance by Joyce and Walky, since we only get to see them in “Earth 2″ comics, so to speak I’m curious to see what happened to the “original” J & W.
14. 
    Shift

    February 23, 2011 at 1:13 am | # | Reply

    I don’t know why, but I find this conversation odd for Shortpacked. I mean, yeah, it did happen in the other comics, and its in continuity, but we never really hear too much about their super-sci-fi adventures very often, so it just seems weird to hear it now.

    And the idea of a gender swapped Joyce seems even more hillarious due to the fact that I’m currently thinking about the DoA version of Joyce and her hyper-bible thumping. I wonder how that version would handle suddenly spouting a dick.

    • 
      zuche

      February 23, 2011 at 11:53 am | # | Reply

      I read that as “hyper bible-humping” and now that image is stuck with me for the rest of the morning.
15. 
    Cespinarve

    February 23, 2011 at 1:37 am | # | Reply

    God damnit, who said I had time to go re-read It’s Walky for the third time, that’s just re……… OH GOD I MISSED THIS STRIP SO MUCH. SAL, DINAH, WALKY, EVEN THE POOP JOKES!

    *sob*

    THis strip got me through high school…
16. 
    palaeomerus

    February 23, 2011 at 2:03 am | # | Reply

    What am I gonna do about it? I’m gonna yawn and get my ass kicked at Killzone 3. Some more. I’m a pretty crap Helghan.
17. 
    Nickchad

    February 23, 2011 at 2:31 am | # | Reply

    DYW! Once I clicked that link I had to keep reading… next thing I know it’s 1:30 D:
18. 
    Sailor Arashi

    February 23, 2011 at 6:09 am | # | Reply

    I’m going to cry!

    What are you going to do about THAT? HUH!?
19. 
    NF

    February 23, 2011 at 7:41 am | # | Reply

    Does Joe also remember why he didn’t like her at first? (“I wouldn’t Joe her if she was the last girl on earth.”)

    It was because she was incredibly annoying to everyone in Squad 128. Although, she got better when she realized that, and it seems she was only so hyper-annoying because she was sort of star-struck by being in Squad 128.

    This also led to a little soul-searching on unit cohesion in Squad 128. (“Isn’t there anyone in this apartment we all like?” “What about the dog?” “F— the dog.”)

    • 
      Wackd

      January 1, 2012 at 7:59 pm | # | Reply

      Robin is clearly broken up about something. Joe seems to know that reminding her all her old friends used to hate her is not the best way to remedy this.
20. 
    Chaun

    February 23, 2011 at 7:46 am | # | Reply

    I think the sad thing is, is that I re-read all of It’s Walky! yesterday.
21. 
    Doctor Who

    February 23, 2011 at 7:50 am | # | Reply

    I am SO glad that about a month ago I read through the entire Roomies/It’s Walky/Joyce & Walky archives for the first time.

    I would be completely out to sea if I hadn’t. And then I’d click that link and end up having to read that story right now. And then I’d have to read all the stories before that. And the ones after that.

    And by the time I’d have forgotten what was going on in Shortpacked, and have to re-read that.

    /”Damn You Willis” narrowly averted.
22. 
    Kumata

    February 23, 2011 at 10:03 am | # | Reply

    My favourite line from that story is still “The EIGHTIES? This is CANADA, you loser!”
23. 
    XLR

    February 23, 2011 at 11:06 am | # | Reply

    You know I think I made a good call in reading all of “It’s Walky” a few days ago. I managed to do it too.

    Otherwise I would have NO idea what Joe was talking about.
24. 
    Jason

    February 23, 2011 at 11:31 am | # | Reply

    Man, anyone here NOT read the entire IW archive in the last couple of days??

    • 
      zuche

      February 23, 2011 at 11:55 am | # | Reply

      Yes, though I’ve meant to get around to it for years.

      Maybe in 2024.
    • 
      Malph

      February 24, 2011 at 12:13 pm | # | Reply

      I was most of the way through when I had an unforseen problem prevent me from using the internet for almost a month (I tried using my Wii’s internet channel, but that’s kind of annoying and was just a way to get a fix). Obviously that’s not an issue anymore but I haven’t gotten around to reading the last few months of IW! yet.
25. 
    Mystrana

    February 23, 2011 at 12:09 pm | # | Reply

    Well I know what I’ll do – read from that link to the end of It’s Walky! and start crying because no matter how many times I read it, it still hits me like a sledgehammer when Walky dies. v_v

    • 
      Mystrana

      February 23, 2011 at 12:59 pm | # | Reply

      My apologies if that needed a spoiler alert btw. ><

      • 
        Wewec

        February 23, 2011 at 6:31 pm | # | Reply

        Mhe, he got better anyway.

        I never liked It’s Walky as much as I like Shortpacked, but the Canada Arc is always worth it. That and Dina, obviously.

        -Why Canada?!
        -I figgered, “Who’d f****n’ notice?” Goddan was I right. Seriously, how’ve you been?
    • 
      Wack'd

      September 6, 2012 at 1:25 pm | # | Reply

      “I’m gonna miss your face…your beautiful face…”

      *sniff*
26. 
    Tedimus

    February 23, 2011 at 5:35 pm | # | Reply

    Ultracar has his priorities set right…