My initial thought, but I’m coming to accept that Amber does whatever it takes to get what she wants and have as little drama as possible at the same time. Like most people really. I may not like it, but the way she acts is actually very realistic.
It’s just surprising she’s never been called on it, and probably never will.
Probably because she does try to help her friends and not cause problems. Combine that with the fact that the rest of the cast is worse, and she looks like an angel in comparison.
….what comic are you reading? An angel in comparison to the others? How is Ethan, Robin or Leslie worse then Amber? Yes, they’ve made mistakes, but so has she.
And she done some quite mean things, such as rub it cruelly in Ethan’s face she was sleeping with Mike. I’m surprised no one remembers that. She’s not an angel. They’re…alll human and make mistakes.
She just happens to be a human that avoids confrontation.
I think she’s become pretty good at the whole confrontation thing, actually. She went from “terrified and avoiding confrontation” to “going overboard and being cruel to her friends” to somewhere in the middle, where she addresses problems but has some empathy while doing so.
Her cruelty before was, I think, mostly due to not having figured out the difference between standing up for herself and being a dick. It mostly happened in a pretty short span of time, during which she was going through a lot of emotional readjustment and learning how not to be a doormat anymore.
It’s completely believable and understandable that someone who had spent her whole life cowering in the corner wouldn’t really know what was appropriate when she finally decided to be assertive. She fucked up at first, and was super cruel to Robin and to Ethan in a bid to feel powerful. But now she seems to have found some balance between confidence and kindness.
As others have posted, it’s Bay Area Rapid Transit.
Great trains (I rode it in 2005 from San Fran to Oakland so I could get to Oakland Int’l Airport), but why did they have to not use standard gauge tracks?
Another fun ride was the Vallejo-San Fran ferry. San Fran also has old PCC (President’s Conference Committee) trolley cars, including a lot of them from my hometown SEPTA (Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) from Philly. I didn’t get a chance to ride the storied cable cars, though.
For someone who suggested “Frisco…”, I get – and like – the acronym, but people in the Bay Area hate the term “Frisco” – they call it “San Fran”.
What the hell man??? You just used the words “Boston”, “T” and “inefficient” in a sentence (OK, technically 2) without dissing the MBTA. How the hell could that happen?
I think it’s been pretty well established that Ethan OS gay in this continuity family. He realized it right hatter he hooked up with Connie. That’s why he failed to provide Glasso with an heir.
If it’s Mike’s kid, she only has 2 choices. She either gets really drunk so the fetus is drunk and therefore nice enough not to chew it’s way out of the womb, or she gets really drunk and climbs a tall staircase. Going through with that pregnancy sober is not an option.
Amber COME ON. I don’t even care about the manager thing, but STOP FORCING ALCOHOL on others. I’m so glad the Mike debacle taught her absolutely nothing. :/
She should be VERY careful about using drink to ply people at all. No, she isn’t forcing it down his throat, but being like “Drinks dammit!” is not what she should do. It’s stupid anyway, what if he feels fine about it while they’re drinking but then forgets and she has to tell him again when he’s sober? Or what if he does remember and is immediately pissed about it once he’s sober? It’s a stupid tactic.
That’s kind of a dumb question. If you’re wondering, I’m a “stands way too close and thinks up ‘amazing’ stories” drunk. But anything that seemed like a great idea when I was drunk was not something I would follow up on sober. And I wouldn’t emotionally accept apologies or explanations while drunk either, if they seriously wanted me to accept them, I would have to be sober.
She’s not forcing it on Ethan, she was asking Ethan about it. She also suggested that she has some selfish motivations behind her offer, but that is in NO way forcing it on Ethan. There is no forcing at all in this comic.
Well, at least there was a mention of the Ninja Rick “brick joke” so it’s no longer a “what happened to the mouse?” type of situation.
And, aw, man! – it would be ginchy to see what kind of new day would dawn if Amber and Ethan were to get drunk with each-other again! Another awkward sexual experience, anyone? Come on, it’s my b-date: something awesome has got to happen SOMEWHERE even if it’s not to me…
- a_o_t_8.
Digidestined of Trust/Megaligo Ranger-Silver Dragon Knight (Tim)
Using “the BART” helps those who aren’t natives, though. In a comic where everything’s all caps, it just looks to anyone from outside San Francisco that Amber wants Ethan to take a dude named Bart. Putting “the” in front of it clarifies that it’s not a guy but a thing to the other 99% of the world.
Having him sloshed is a bad idea. Alcohol acts as a depressant. And then if it makes him so depressed he drinks to the point he can’t remember, you’ll have to tell him again!
I do love how the store knows about Ninja Rick stabbing people and would be totally culpable if he were to be ever caught. Just seems about right for this place.
So it wasn’t until I read the comments that I realized she’s likely talking about her promotion. I just figured that she was working up the nerve to tell him about Faz.
I expected the punchline to be more on the lines of…OMG -inser transformer toy name here- was recalled/cancelled/sold out? (Or any other toy related media panic of your choice.)
BART isn’t very useful when you’re trying to just get around the city. It’s more useful to get outside of SF than anything else. Inside SF, I’d rather take Munni or just walk.
Stay classy, Amber.
My initial thought, but I’m coming to accept that Amber does whatever it takes to get what she wants and have as little drama as possible at the same time. Like most people really. I may not like it, but the way she acts is actually very realistic.
It’s just surprising she’s never been called on it, and probably never will.
Probably because she does try to help her friends and not cause problems. Combine that with the fact that the rest of the cast is worse, and she looks like an angel in comparison.
….what comic are you reading? An angel in comparison to the others? How is Ethan, Robin or Leslie worse then Amber? Yes, they’ve made mistakes, but so has she.
And she done some quite mean things, such as rub it cruelly in Ethan’s face she was sleeping with Mike. I’m surprised no one remembers that. She’s not an angel. They’re…alll human and make mistakes.
She just happens to be a human that avoids confrontation.
I think she’s become pretty good at the whole confrontation thing, actually. She went from “terrified and avoiding confrontation” to “going overboard and being cruel to her friends” to somewhere in the middle, where she addresses problems but has some empathy while doing so.
Her cruelty before was, I think, mostly due to not having figured out the difference between standing up for herself and being a dick. It mostly happened in a pretty short span of time, during which she was going through a lot of emotional readjustment and learning how not to be a doormat anymore.
It’s completely believable and understandable that someone who had spent her whole life cowering in the corner wouldn’t really know what was appropriate when she finally decided to be assertive. She fucked up at first, and was super cruel to Robin and to Ethan in a bid to feel powerful. But now she seems to have found some balance between confidence and kindness.
But it sounds like he’s all ready for a(nother) Ninja Rick stabbing!
Oh My God!
Rick Stabbed Linkara and Amber’s the new pregnant assistant manager!
The BART?
Is that like a BAT with a buzz cut that says “Eat my shorts”?
Bay Area Rapid Transport.
‘Bay Area Rapid Transit’
where i come from we have ictc (ick tick) isabella county transportation company
Wish they’d call it Frisco Area Rapid Transit.
FRISCO? Ew. I’m not even from SF and that word makes me cringe. Blecch.
As others have posted, it’s Bay Area Rapid Transit.
Great trains (I rode it in 2005 from San Fran to Oakland so I could get to Oakland Int’l Airport), but why did they have to not use standard gauge tracks?
Another fun ride was the Vallejo-San Fran ferry. San Fran also has old PCC (President’s Conference Committee) trolley cars, including a lot of them from my hometown SEPTA (Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) from Philly. I didn’t get a chance to ride the storied cable cars, though.
For someone who suggested “Frisco…”, I get – and like – the acronym, but people in the Bay Area hate the term “Frisco” – they call it “San Fran”.
They call it “SF” more than anything.
Man, that’s inefficient. Boston just calls it the T.
What the hell man??? You just used the words “Boston”, “T” and “inefficient” in a sentence (OK, technically 2) without dissing the MBTA. How the hell could that happen?
aww, ethan doesn’t want to go to S. America again? that’s going to disappoint U.C.
He’s already moved on to slapstick pies. He found it just as satisfying and far cheaper.
Pregnancy, right? This sounds like the pregnancy introduction.
She is pregnant with managerial responsibility!
It seemed like she had a pregnant pause there, too.
…by getting drunk? Yikes, man.
It will be Ethan’s won’t it? Stop messing with our minds! Or at least as often!
ETHAN’S PREGNANT?!?!??!?!??!??!?!
AND CONNIE’S THE FATHER?
Would that make the child Gallaso’s heir, or not…?
We don’t know if Ethan’s gay in this universe, so it could happen!
I think it’s been pretty well established that Ethan OS gay in this continuity family. He realized it right hatter he hooked up with Connie. That’s why he failed to provide Glasso with an heir.
If it’s Mike’s kid, she only has 2 choices. She either gets really drunk so the fetus is drunk and therefore nice enough not to chew it’s way out of the womb, or she gets really drunk and climbs a tall staircase. Going through with that pregnancy sober is not an option.
no wire hangers?
no wire hangers ever?
Yes, Mommy Dearest! *Cringes in corner*
But what if its twins…
In the military, she’d be obliged to treat everybody to drinks, now that she’s a newly minted member of the officer cadre.
Wait, did I miss something? What’s going on? Tell me your news Amber!
She’s assistant manager!
Until you reminded me of that I though Ascension was on the mark with the pregnancy thing.
“Well yes, Rick stabbed three customers today, but that’s not the point!”
“why would you need to be drunk to know that? He stabs someone everyday, it should no longer be shocking ethan,”
Amber COME ON. I don’t even care about the manager thing, but STOP FORCING ALCOHOL on others. I’m so glad the Mike debacle taught her absolutely nothing. :/
She’s not “forcing”, she’s taking his no for an answer.
Man, find me a panel here where Amber forces anything on anybody.
Well, blackmailing is considered ‘forcing’ to a lot of people. So, you know, there’s that.
Yeah, “here” means “today,” wise ass.
Hey, you can’t call the Jesus-allegory lion a wise ass!
Well, you totally can, but I’m just going to sit here and look dour about it…as usual.
I think shoebox is just imagining things
Well, I couldn’t find a panel where Amber is forcing alcohol on Ethan. So, I decided to make one.
A DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION OF THE STRIP
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y185/Ridureyu/forumstuff/ethanambercartoon.png
PERFECTLY. CANON.
OMG, that’s the secret right there! Amber is Unicron!
She should be VERY careful about using drink to ply people at all. No, she isn’t forcing it down his throat, but being like “Drinks dammit!” is not what she should do. It’s stupid anyway, what if he feels fine about it while they’re drinking but then forgets and she has to tell him again when he’s sober? Or what if he does remember and is immediately pissed about it once he’s sober? It’s a stupid tactic.
You’ve never been drunk, have you.
That’s kind of a dumb question. If you’re wondering, I’m a “stands way too close and thinks up ‘amazing’ stories” drunk. But anything that seemed like a great idea when I was drunk was not something I would follow up on sober. And I wouldn’t emotionally accept apologies or explanations while drunk either, if they seriously wanted me to accept them, I would have to be sober.
Says the man who has characters who pass out after one drink or have complete personality inversions from drinking. Totally accurate portrayals!
I love those elements of those characters and would never want them any other way, but yeah, you have a point.
I don’t think “asking” and “suggesting” can be construed as “forcing.”
She’s not forcing it on Ethan, she was asking Ethan about it. She also suggested that she has some selfish motivations behind her offer, but that is in NO way forcing it on Ethan. There is no forcing at all in this comic.
yep no forcing at all, your mom took mikes penis very willingly…for a nickel
Forced jokes in the comments, on the other hand…
She’s about to tell him she’s Spider-Car and they’re going to do the upside-down make-out scene because is Ethan gay in this universe?
I just looked at those dolls in the b ackground, and realized who it was.
I am afraid now. So very afraid.
What? Mattel’s Justin-Bieber-in-a-frilly-dress doll TM?
No, Tony from It’s Walky.
I swear I look at Ethan and his priorities, and I envy him so much for having someone like Drew who would tolerate his crazy.
Bring an umbrella, the shit is going to hit the fab.
The fab? Couldn’t it hit the Faz instead?
Oh why not
everyone and everything else does.
The Fab Four?
The Pre-Fab Four?
The cast of Absolutely Fabulous?
YES YES and more YES!
(Actually I meant to type fan, but I’m sure you realised that)
I thought street date was the 15th. Seems a little early yet.
But then, MY goddamn Toys ‘R Us seems to get everything TWO FRIGGIN’ MONTHS after everybody else does.
Mike wants a threesome for his birthday?
…no, wait. That’s nightly unlikely. *sigh*
. . . Ethan continues to be the Shortpacked character I find most disturbing.
Well, at least there was a mention of the Ninja Rick “brick joke” so it’s no longer a “what happened to the mouse?” type of situation.
And, aw, man! – it would be ginchy to see what kind of new day would dawn if Amber and Ethan were to get drunk with each-other again! Another awkward sexual experience, anyone?
Come on, it’s my b-date: something awesome has got to happen SOMEWHERE even if it’s not to me…
- a_o_t_8.
Of course……
look at those rosy cheeks! who’s to say ethan isn’t ALREADY drunk?
Well as Rose of Sharon Cassidy often says “And then a fight started”
Dammit, Ninja Rick, Ninjas are supposed to have CONTROL. You’re a shame to your fellow ninj- *STAB*
Are those “TONY” dolls in the background? (Tony as in ‘Sal shot him’, was re-generated then possessed by then squished dead again by Martians Tony?)
No, those are just dolls.
Ethan’s last line should be the ending line of every Shortpacked comic ever from now on. Who’s with me?
Quick correction: it’s not “the BART”, it’s just “BART”. It’s a proper name.
It’s okay though. I know you’re not a native speaker.
Next lesson: the proper use of “hella”.
Using “the BART” helps those who aren’t natives, though. In a comic where everything’s all caps, it just looks to anyone from outside San Francisco that Amber wants Ethan to take a dude named Bart. Putting “the” in front of it clarifies that it’s not a guy but a thing to the other 99% of the world.
You win this round.
Being accompanied on a toy hunt by Bart O’Ryan would be pretty epic, though.
Ninja Rick? Stabbing? When was he last seen…
..omg! Is Linkara ok???
Having him sloshed is a bad idea. Alcohol acts as a depressant. And then if it makes him so depressed he drinks to the point he can’t remember, you’ll have to tell him again!
the BART? nobody in teh Bay Area calls it “the BART” (unless they’re a transplant from Minnesota, donchaknow); ’round here it’s just BART.
So, don’t people named Bart find that kind of confusing, what with always thinking people are going to take them somewhere?
No more than p named Washington living in abject depression from day to day.
“The” Bart? It’s like saying? I took The Alaska Airlines.
I do love how the store knows about Ninja Rick stabbing people and would be totally culpable if he were to be ever caught. Just seems about right for this place.
If the BART is anything similiar to the DART then cool.
DANM why must things only make sense to you americans?
So it wasn’t until I read the comments that I realized she’s likely talking about her promotion. I just figured that she was working up the nerve to tell him about Faz.
Poor Ethan, he and several real collectors never learn. Every retail store will be lousy with DOTM toys.
I expected the punchline to be more on the lines of…OMG -inser transformer toy name here- was recalled/cancelled/sold out? (Or any other toy related media panic of your choice.)
BART isn’t very useful when you’re trying to just get around the city. It’s more useful to get outside of SF than anything else. Inside SF, I’d rather take Munni or just walk.
There aren’t many Targets inside the city.
Wait stabbings aren’t normal?
I love how Ethan’s first instinct, upon hearing there is news he won’t like, automatically assumes Ninja Rick has stabbed somebody. Again.