Tomorrow’s the fourteenth anniversary of the beginning of this continuity. I’m celebrating it by doing nothing.
Dumbing of Age, however, is celebrating the first anniversary of its continuity by having a bonus Saturday comic tomorrow . It hasn’t earned its days off yet.
o_O
THOSE EYES WHAT
maybe he’s drunk? XD
…
it would be awesome if he’s serious O////O <3
He was way too mike-esque in the last strip. I think he’s sober
Take a look at the tags guys, hes acting sober
Sixth panel broke my mind.
I whimpered at his sad face.
Although maybe he’s just fucking with Robin too.
ummm… I don’t think he is.
Be afraid, be very afraid. I know I am.
You too, huh?
as amrothery said yesterday, that’s the look that says:
“I’m sorry. This was the best I could do.”
Entire row of bottom panels broke mine.
I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT
awwwwww Mike!
I love her so I have to break her.
“…away from me.”
That too…
He seemed to be doing it with her right there in the room with hi — ohhhh.
“This is why we can’t have nice things!”
Shouldn’t let that blood dry on the floor. That’s how you get ants.
That Red thing there appears to be some manner of basket, with darts, straws or pens sprawled out from it, rather than being blood spatter.
Archer reference for the win.
That’s from Frisky Dingo, recycled for Archer. (both Adam Reed)
I’ve never seen Frisky Dingo, meaning that regardless of origin it was in fact an Archer reference.
I should probably watch FD, though, heard a lot of good stuff about it.
Frisky Dingo is genius, Adult Swim rotates five free episodes on their site. The first few episodes are bleh, because like Archer it leans heavily on running gags – it picks up around the hospital episode and becomes steadily more genius/insane from there. By the final episode, a guy is riding a giant mutant ant-baby through the streets and it doesn’t even seem particularly odd.
Also recently appeared in “Adventurously “Awkward”. Just saying, not a coincidence, probably.
Assuming that you meant “Nerf This”, then yes, it did.
What.No bad heart, stop feeling sorry for Mike.
Why? It’s easy to feel sorry for Mike.
He’s this disaffected, asocial, maladjusted individual. He’s always on auto-scowl. He barely seems to have a bone in his body that can be described as “good”.
But he obviously has feelings. He may say he hates hanging out with the SP! crew, but again: Mike only does things because he wants to. Why would he keep hanging out with them, if he didn’t want to, on some level?
And to say that Mike has difficulty in building relationships is just the understatement of the century.
But he made an effort here. However, Mike being Mike, he had to go about it in a way that could only be described as “terriblawful”.
Because that’s the only way Mike can do things. Even relatively minor nice things, he does in round-about destructive fashions.
It’s easy to feel sorry for a guy like Mike.
Or at least it would be, if he wasn’t already feeling sorry for himself.
Nope. Still don’t feel sorry for him.
If he wanted Amber to stay with him, he could have attempted to change. It’s too EASY to say “this is how I am, if you don’t love me for it, then our relationship must end.” It’s selfish, actually.
Or it’s like you say it would be easy to feel sorry for him “if he wasn’t already feeling sorry for himself.”
(steps off soap box) ._.;;
Ah, but that’s where you’re mistaken. You assume that his goal was for her to stay with him forever.
But it’s not. He believes that she’s better off without him. Thus, since he loves her, he needed to drive her away.
Goal accomplished.
I pity him, that he believes what he believes. As noted elsewhere, he does what he wants to; he could just as easily believe that he’s capable of changing himself because he wants to. Instead, he believes himself locked into his current state, and thus irrepairable.
Ah, but I think you are slightly wrong there. I’m not quite sure that’s it.
I think Mike believes that Amber is required to see him at his absolute worst. Remember, she was the one that wanted to keep him nice and sober. She stated plainly that she wanted the regular Mike, the one who is a dick.
He’s seen her at her worst; manipulative, revenge driven over her father, and throwing around blame in order to protect herself.
On the other hand, she… hasn’t. She’s been on the receiving end of some of his schemes, but even knowing (some of) his past history doesn’t give her the whole story.
Dina DIED because she didn’t understand Mike. I think he wants to make sure Amber does before she makes the same choice.
…You know what? Him being drunk changes this. This means that he hasn’t been truthful to Amber here, in some form. Or that he wasn’t brave enough to do it himself, in his normal sober form, unlike Amber’s first request in this entire relationship.
Either way, he thought he needed to be drunk for Amber to accept him.
Which totally takes my running theory this week of him trying to show Amber his worst to make sure she was sure about her choice and punches it in the dick.
Wow, Mike. Way to trust the girl.
Here’s the thing about Mike being drunk. My take on it is that sober Mike would not be able to hurt Amber at this level, because he (selfishly) doesn’t want to lose her. It had to be drunk Mike that does it, because he cares about her enough to realize that sober Mike is no good for her, and that the relationship is ultimately destructive.
At least, that is what I think is going on in his head. The reader can decide whether he’s right or not.
You’re all overthinking it.
There’s no deep messagery to this. It’s not “Take me as I am”. It’s not “You must see me at my worst to understand what you’re getting into”. It’s not “I’m bad for you and must drive you away” or any of these things.
Imo the truth is that it just seemed like a good idea at the time.
I’m not sure if you’re being serious or not, but far too much forward planning went in to this for it to be “it seemed like a good idea at the time.” This was a surgical strike of magnificent bastard proportions.
Planned, sure. Surgical strike, why not? You wanna call it that I don’t see any reason that it can’t be.
I still genuinely think that this is not how he thought it would turn out, or at the very least that the gravity of what he’d done didn’t fully sink in until he did it.
I mean hell, he was throwing ideas for proposals made out of feline corpses at her and she was accepting it in good humor.
We’ve all had moments like that. Either we think we have an awesome idea that someone will love and we put all this time and effort into pulling it off and then it turns it was only funny to us or the good intentions are completely lost on whoever receives what you thought would be an act of kindness.
Or we set out to hurt someone and create this elaborate means of getting it done, but then when you see the other person crying you realize it was overkill to the extreme. You were expecting them to explode into rage and fury after which high fives would be doled out by your peers, but they just collapsed into a weeping mess and everyone’s looking at you like you’re the villain now.
That this was planned does not mean that the way this was going to look in his head matches the way this all turned out. It certainly doesn’t mean that he can’t be having second thoughts now that he’s actually gone through with his plan.
(cont.)
Story time. Interesting analogy. When I was younger I had this friend I used to roughhouse with a little bit. The guy always handed my ass to me on a silver platter. Could rarely land a hit on him and within moments I’d be on the ground trying to squirm out of his grip. It was all in good fun. All in good fun. One day we’re walking down the street in the evening, I’m a couple steps behind him, and I throw a punch at the back of his head. It lands.
He’s looking at me like “What the hell man? You just punched me in the back of the head. Not cool.” I’m staring gape mouthed in shock that it actually hit him. Thought he was gonna duck or something like he always did.
Well of course it was dark and I was behind him and we were in the middle of a pleasant conversation. Common sense would have told me that he wasn’t gonna know it was coming, but the notion of actually hitting him wasn’t something I was even thinking about. It generally didn’t happen and because that’s how the relationship was I thought he’d expect it and laugh it off if I did land a blow. But of course this moment was different. That wasn’t good natured boyish playfighting anymore. That was a suckerpunch.
Look at their relationship. Amber takes all his shit with a knowing grin. She generally returns the favor by working to put him off balance, catch him off guard, and just make him uncomfortable. She’s the girl who can take everything he gives her and send it right back at him, and for the most part they both seem to enjoy it. He’s been discussing outrageously offensive ideas for the proposal with her for weeks and it’s all been in good fun. She just keeps being unfazed and he just keeps looking for something that’ll catch her off guard, put her off balance, etc etc. It pretty much seemed to be understood by both parties that this was what was happening.
Now he gets here. He’s got his brilliant scheme. There’s no way in hell she’ll see this coming. He executes it flawlessly only to find that this time it wasn’t fun. This time he may have genuinely hurt her. She wasn’t “put off ballance” or “Caught off guard”, she was suckerpunched. Now he’s looking at the crowd giving him the “Not cool, bro” look and he’s just like “Fuck. I so didn’t mean it like that.”
@gangler I’ve got a couple of problems with your analysis. 1) This is Mike we’re talking about here, and Mike appears to have a Batman-like grasp of how people will react to the things he does and says. But more importantly 2) Mike didn’t act like he thought this was ‘all in good fun’. He threw out terrible proposal ideas, and he seemed upset that Amber didn’t react like a normal human being would. Example: http://www.shortpacked.com/2011/comic/book-13/03-fishin-chicks/advice/
I think Amber’s reaction is exactly what he expected, exactly the reaction he wanted. I do agree, however, that he may regret it now (heck, I bet he regretted it before he did it).
Walky blamed Mike for Dina’s death. Maybe Mike agrees on some level. I dunno. But I’m not really sure I see the direct cause-and-effect relationship, and unfortunately I can’t go through the archives right now to double-check.
Put like that, I finally realized that this reminds me of: The last Catman/Huntress issue of Secret Six. Catman staged a Xanatos Gambit to bring Huntress to the point where she finally gave up on redeeming him because he knew that it was best for her, and let him get on with the business of being a bad guy.
One could argue that, since we don’t know why Mike is the way he is, he can’t change. It could be hardwired into him like phrases into a pull-string toy, whether he likes it or not.
But on a side note, you shouldn’t have to drastically reinvent yourself to be with someone. They end up with someone who’s not really you, which means they didn’t like the real you to begin with, and you’re miserable because you’re suppressing your urges and emotions. Little changes here and there for the one you love are fine, but throwing your personality away for them is going to far.
Mike needs to drastically reinvent himself for other reasons, mainly the well-being of those around him.
Mike’s parents would seem to indicate he was a nice guy even when sober at one time, and then he became the devout asshole.
I dunno…. go back and read that arc, till you fin the picture of Kid Mike.
That look on that kid’s face is HAUNTING.
See, look:
http://www.shortpacked.com/2009/comic/book-10/01-this-man-this-manhattan/stuffed/
THE EYES.
The real thing your all missing here is SHOULD Mike change. If he’s happy, there’s no reason for him to change. You should NEVER change for someone, you change for yourself. Changing for someone else will end with both of you being miserable.
For some reason, I have this feeling that this has something to do with Dina’s death…
Oops, that wasn’t meant as a reply.
Oops, misspelled her name wrong yesterday…or the day before. Or something. I agree, that’s just something that’s got to affect you, especially if you get an opportunity to see their spirit again.
Totally expected that.
Awww. His most Mike moment ever followed by his least Mike moment ever. And they are both awesome.
I…think I’m going to cry.
Tears. Tears of maple syrup.
What is happening, guys.
also DAMN YOU WILLIS.
*Hands Tissues*
Damn you Willis! DAMN YOU TO WEBCOMIC HECK!
Look, I didn’t tear up for ALL of It’s Walky! I didn’t cry when I saw that one Nicholas Sparks movie I was strongarmed into! I am literally kind of sniffling right now! *clings* What’s going onnnnnn
…Mike’s face made me feel the world was a terrible place for breaking him. And yeah. I teared up too. A lot. Mike isn’t supposed to look like that…
Not ashamed; I cried.
Fu**in’ pussies.
Is this your status update? If so, TMI.
I knew it!! He does love her!!!
Now they need to get back together!!
Cool friendship punch though, Robin.
That will not be happening, but I love the phrase “friendship punch.” TV Trope of Tomorrow.
It already exists: The Bright Slap!
Bright slap helps bring someone back to their senses and the straight and narrow. Friendship Punch is more to do with taking a swing for the sake of a friend who can’t.
But isn’t that what Robin wants to do, come to his senses and fix things.
… It’s Mike.
I think that Sport has it right that this is just anger on behalf of Amber, rather than because she wants Mike to do anything to fix it. I know if someone had done this to one of my friends, I wouldn’t want them to fix it. I’d want them to die a slow, horrible death.
Yes please!?!?!?!?
He said it! This can be fixed!
Ouch. My heart…
Poor Mike, conflicted between his two loves, Amber, and mother fucking.
Comment Champion of the World, GRRRRRRRIMMMMMLOCKIMUS
http://twitter.com/#!/Shortpacked
David Willis agrees.
Huh, who knew Mike could stop frowning?
You see a smile in there somewhere?
I’m tearing up. DAMN YOU, WILLIS! Making me feel…feelings.
Fun fact: I saw this coming a mile away. Not that anyone will believe me since I never posted about it, but meh.
You may not believe me, but I knew *you* were going to say that.
Then I am impressed, sir, as I didn’t think I posted enough to be recognized on a regular basis, much less anticipated.
Is that you Judge Dredd?
Pains in my heart region…
wat
Remember the last time Mike got beaten up because of something involving a women he was involved with?
Yeah. This could’ve gone MUCH worse for the guy.
Also one of the only other few times that he showed genuine emotion while sober.
How long ago was it? I’m not going to check in the archives, but since I was still in college, it had to be before the first half of 2004 ended.
Back in 2003 I think.
How’s this for you?
http://itswalky.com/d/20030714.html
Tag is drunk Mike….
Oh looky there.
WELP.
… I SO did not notice that.
It explains everything.
Even so, I’m still like 0__0
Maybe he’s PUNCH-drunk.
I have never been more happy to see Friday. I feel like I need a vacation.
“So THIS is what having a heart feels like…”
With Mike you’d think that realization would go down something like Sam Winchester having his soul put back in.
Called it.
Poor asshole. You know Robin’s going to go and tell her what he did.
That or try and convice Mike to fix things up with Amber, that’s how it usually is played out in many stories using this plot twist.
yea but when has willis ever played by the rules of predictability?
Y’know… this makes sense. It would’ve been a true Mike thing if he stayed with her, since it would’ve meant putting her through his shit for her life. That is a very Mike thing to do. But since he loves her, he wants her to be happy and to not suffer his shit, so he breaks her in a way that she’ll never love him again and will move on.
I’m not sure how to react, though.
Nice follow-up on yesterday’s comic. After fourteen years, Willis is better than ever at delivering the dramedy and earning fan damnations (in the best possible way, of course).
Hmm, yeah I thought this is how it would go. I think this proves he loves her more than anything else he could have done. He loves her enough to know that she deserves better than him. Protect her in the long run by destroying her for a little while so she can potentially find health and happiness with someone else. Aww Mike maybe you do have a soul after all.
*just makes unintelligible noises sounding something similar to ‘DAW!’*
And now I’ve calmed down, damn can Robin punch! Mike is BLEEDING! o.o
They both have Alien-enhanced strength. Robin also has the super-speed, and I think Mike received Genius-level Asshole powers.
Robin is an abductee; in addition to being super fast, she’s also super strong.
Did… we ever really figure out what all powers Mike has? Robin’s Signature Super Speed is well documented, but… I guess this is what the wiki is for.
I’ve always assumed it was a hyper-intuitive sense of how to be the biggest asshole possible in any given situation.
It has JUST THIS MINUTE occured to me, though, that his being a genuinely wonderful human being while drunk could also qualify as his Abductee Power, which would be ironic considering what he’s like sober.
It’s a Rocket Punch, she does have super speed after all.
More like a FALCON PUUUNCH!
… Sorry, had to do it.
I thought that FALCON PUNCHS are for getting rid of unwanted pregnancies.
There’s a lot we don’t know about Mike.
Awwwww.
Character depth! Fun for all.
:U
But…Mike…love….what…
Out of all of the comics you’ve ever written (I’ve read all the webcomics you’ve got), this is the one that surprised me the most.
And I hate you for it.
Not the first time Mike said he loved her, but this one was so important and perfect….damn it stop making all the relationships crumble
You forget sometimes that she’s an augment and probably one of the only people around that could hit him like that. Going to be interesting to see the fall out from this week.
lol “augment”? Been playing too much Deus Ex lately huh? The Willis term is “abductee.”
Wow. I love you Willis.
Yesterday, after the new comic came out, I went back in the history to look as some of the “Mike brings up ways to propose” comics, and how angry he seemed to be every time Amber was non-nonchalant about his hints of horrible proposals (dead cats, tattooing, etc.) Was he angry because he felt like she should stick up for herself better, should have higher self-esteem? Sigh. Miiiiiike.
I think it’s more that he had to show her that it’s not all fun and games and horrible action is horrible.
Willis. You are amazing.
That’s all
Okay, you got me. I was really touched by this. The whole thing was brilliantly played out.
And that face really gets me.
WAIT A MINUTE
He’s tagged as drunk Mike….
and all the other tags were changed to drunk Mike…
SO NICE HIM WAS BEING AN ASSHOLE
Because it’s what is best for Amber.
d’awwwwwww times 1000000000
DDDD: this revelation is…interesting
WHAT IS THIS I DON’T EVEN.
Willis, you made me feel sorry for Mike…I applaud your talent
Also, DEFINITE PROOF THAT ROBIN IS IRREDEEMABLY EVIL:
She damaged a valuable flatscreen TV!
I think that’s a computer monitor.
WHICH MAKES IT A BAZILLIONG TIMES WORSE!
Wow. The second time I’ve ever seen this character show an emotion while sober.
And no one had to blow up to get him to do it, either.
…. though all things considered….
According to the tags, he wasn’t sober. Up until today, the past few pages were tagged Mike. Now they’re all tagged Drunk Mike.
…. yeah, that’s weird. Why would all the tags be changed all of a sudden? I mean, it didn’t look like he was drunk. He certainly hasn’t been acting like how he normally would while inebriated…. what gives here?
WAIT WAIT WAIT , I just noticed the tag, he maintained the scowl while DRUNK?
he…he did the most evil thing that he could possible in order to see if she was ready to accept him, incredibly faulty and all? and if not to push her away in order to protect her , and HIM? and while DRUNK
I have a lot of new found respect of Mike.
He also may have just revealed his deepest, darkest secret. All for her sake. Mikeeeeeeeeeeee ahhhhh.
Wow, nice catch. I wouldn’t have seen that tag if you hadn’t mentioned it. Miiiiiiike. D:
Maybe Drunk!Mike did it so Amber would leave him, because he thought it would be good for her. But Sober!Mike would’ve had to think up the plan, and then get drunk to do it!
thats what I asume is the second goal, if she says yes, she accepts hims and truly loves him for who he is, a complete ,yet badass, asshole.
Otherwise she managed to spare them both more time together were this situation would end…..lets just say even more badly.
I think Sober Mike failed in his attempts to free Amber of himself, and even he couldn’t do his to her sober.
After 14 years… Mike finally cracks. Wait… he’s drunk now?
I like what you did with the tags there
Also, I clicked on the drunk mike tag and saw this in the collection:
http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-12/01-dominus-jacobus/keeper/
See, I knew Mike was the good guy in all of this!
Totally calling that Amber’s next encounter with Mike reveals that she was reverse assholing him.
Then accepts his proposal.
She fucked his mom.
Mike’s first sober show of emotion since Dina died, Wow! What happens next?
He’s drunk….
Check the tags.
There are just so many emotions right now!
Shocked beyond belieft he did this while drunk. I mean that’s just…amazing.
belief even.
I had a feeling things were going this way…
Mike wouldn’t have gone along with any of this if he didn’t want to. He genuinely loved Amber…but I guess nobody thought she could take being with Mike for the rest of her life. Not even Mike himself…
As for the drunk Mike tag…well, I’d say he’s a bit punch drunk now.
Except that the drunk mike tag extends back two pages to the start of the proposal.
Didn’t notice that, but I was mostly just going for the awful joke.
He…..he has a heart?! We’ve never seen him with anything other than a frown when he’s sober!
Maybe he’s blushing because he’s slightly tipsy? I can’t imagine a 100% sober Mike ever saying that and looking like that, under any circumstances, no matter how serious.
Nevermind, apparently I was beaten to it. Just noticed a commenter above me pointing out the “Drunk Mike” tag for this comic.
Second thought, they’re both super soldiers, that must have HURT.
Guys, I hate to pour ice water on your ardor, but this is the end for Amber and Mike. There is no path to recovery.
That’s not to say the break will be clean, necessarily. I can see some ex-sex as a possibility in their future. The passion is still there. But in the harsh light of day, Amber will never be able to forget that Mike deliberately pushed an addict back to his addiction. Although Amber’s mom probably does not regret the experience (it’s doubtful she knows about Jacob’s problems), she would still be horrified if she did know how Mike had used her.
And let’s be clear on one important point here. What Mike did WAS EVIL. Not just dickish or assholish or whatever. Jacob’s life for the last year has been choked with misery and it happened only because (1) Mike didn’t care to find a different way to drive Amber away from him and (2) Jacob had to pay for the crime of wanting Amber. There is good in Mike and not just in his drunk side… this now seems all but inarguable. But there is also an evil he will never fully control.
Unless there’s a reading to all this I’m not seeing yet, the ambiguity of Mike’s character has finally been brought to an end. And a very satisfying and well-planned one. But this is a tragedy. The monster will not be getting the girl here.
He’s drunk, and therefore being nice. I’d (nonsarcastically!) would love to see your theories using this info?
The weird thing is that I don’t think he’s drunk.
He’s tagged as ‘drunk mike’. Word of Willis.
The only difference it makes is the degree to which Mike needs alcohol to express what’s in him. I’m not sure if “Drunk Mike” means Mike is actually drunk, or if that’s just the name for the side of his personality that USUALLY requires alcohol to emerge.
Because the thing is, Mike normally has to drink so much that he “reeks of alcohol,” according to more than one description. Seems like Amber would smell it on him. In any case, it makes little difference in the end. Mike generally chooses to get drunk these days, and just like with normal people, that means what he does while sloshed is still ultimately owned by his true personality.
I’m in agreement there. This seems like “Drunk Mike” the character and not actually drunk Mike. As far as Mike and Amber are concerned, had this week been less filled with DAMN YOU WILLIS moments I’d be in complete agreement with you but I still feel like something’s coming out of left field.
Oi! Do you have no respect, sir?! Let us have our moment of hope before we are forced to face the harsh reality of the situation.
I agree, and truth is, I’ll miss it. I never loved it, but they were entertaining, and I’ll miss them being together.
I won’t miss the “it’s non-consensual!” and “He’s emotionally abusing her so Mike and Amber is bad!” Those comments I never want to see again.
unless this breaks Amber in such a way that she falls down with Mike.
There is no sign in her character that this is a possibility. It would go against her character.
But I would find it terribly interesting if the sheer audacity of this action on the part of Mike breaks Amber in such a way that she spends the next year crafting an equally twisted ‘I Do’.
That would actually be believable except for this: Amber has friends. She has Ethan, she has Leslie. Pretty sure Drew likes her. She even has Robin and Jacob. And all those friends are there to make sure she doesn’t reverse the gains she’s made in the last few years to become someone she hates.
“(1) Mike didn’t care to find a different way to drive Amber away from him ”
Actually, if you click on the ‘Mike’ tag to see previous interactions between the two, Mike DID try to find other ways to drive her away, and got increasingly upset when she didn’t seem fazed. See here for an example:
http://www.shortpacked.com/2011/comic/book-13/03-fishin-chicks/advice/
He put this plan in motion over a year ago, but there’s room for debate over whether he wanted to use it specifically as a marriage proposal from the start. Fair ’nuff, but the rest of it holds together.
There’s no way that he begun planning this a year ago.
Until Amber mentioned marriage, there was no need for him to push her away, and therefore, there was no need to plan for such a thing. Actually, Mike didn’t even thought that Marriage was a real possibility before Amber mentioned it: http://www.shortpacked.com/2011/comic/book-13/03-fishin-chicks/devil/
You can’t plan an entire year for something that you don’t know that is even fearsible.
You’re taking as a given that Mike was required to focus his scheme specifically as a marriage proposal. In my earliest mental drafts, it was a birthday gift or dating anniversary present. Mike likewise rolls with the punches to maximum effect.
It’s kinda hard trying to argue with the autor, but heve I go: The point I was trying to make is that there is no way he planned this AS A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL from the start.
Of course that he planned to do something with Amber’s Mom’s recording, or he wouldn’t have recorded it to begin with, but this wasn’t cold-blooded or premeditated. He just became aware of the marriage stuff, freaked out at the possibility of breaking Amber as he broke Dina, and tried to push Amber away. When the soft stuff failed, he used whatever he had at hand that packed the most punch.
Of course, this could break Amber regardless, but Mike was never known for his moderation.
In general I think your read is right on. But the monkey wrench is that Robin is now involved and motivated. She finds herself wanting to patch up her own relationship with Leslie, but unable to do so. So what better distraction to pour herself into than fixing Mike and Amber.
The day Amber takes relationship advice from Robin is the day Ethan will be forced to commit Amber.
Oh, I agree there. Robin cannot effect a change in this by going Dr. Phil on anyone. This will take plotting and scheming if this is going to be done. Manipulating them back together and to the realization of how deeply they really care about one another. And lots of candy.
I don’t know. Mike did point Stacy in Jacob’s direction, but IMO, Jacob wouldn’t have relapsed then and there without having had the day he had, with advances from Roz and Conquest. (Bring back Connie!!!)
One can argue that Mike knew Jacob was vulnerable and engineered the whole thing successfully, but the one responsible for Jacob’s state of mind and relapse was neither Mike nor Stacy, but Roz (and Connie).
-airfox
Sure, and maybe Jacob would’ve fought off that temptation without Roz and Connie. But as Mike says “I knew he was fighting a sex addiction AND a crush on YOU, so I sent him someone who looked a lot like you.” That’s the action of someone who wants Jacob crushed, and if Jacob had fought that off, Mike would probably have tried something else.
I think Mike was actually jealous/upset in his own twisted way that Jacob kept trying to steal Amber. So yeah, I suppose he did want Jacob crushed.
When did Jacob ever actually try and steal Amber? From what I saw in regards to Amber the only thing Jacob was ever guilty of was developing feelings for her.
Ok I don’t know how to do the quote thing…wait there it is by post comment. No I’m not parsing that right in my head so anywho
“And let’s be clear on one important point here. What Mike did WAS EVIL. Not just dickish or assholish or whatever. Jacob’s life for the last year has been choked with misery and it happened…”
Yeah I’m cutting it there because I don’t care why what Mike did was evil, it was Mike we know it was evil. I’m just gonna say though, that what Jacob has done, the entire time, dropping hints that Amber should break up with someone that she has arguably been happy with, that is dickish. The fact that he has continued to do so, even after fucking her mom, even more so. I can’t like Jacob for that reason, because as I see it, the only motivation he has here is selfish. He wants in Amber’s pants, so he is trying to break them up.
Personally I want to see the next appearance of Amber be her kicking in Jacob’s door to tell him off.
^ This.
That might have been true for a while, but maybe it isn’t any more. Jacob’s already told her that he’s off the table for a potential relationship, because he’s at least as mentally unhealthy as Mike is. My take at this point is that he’s showing genuine concern, like he showed for Ethan one page later, that neither of them make mistakes that make their lives go downhill to the extent his did.
Actually, the guy said that he doesn’t care whether she ends up with him or not, he just doesn’t want to see her with a jerk like Mike. And Mike IS a jerk, it’s not like Jacob is imagining that as if usually the case in these situations.
His only crime really is not getting to know her well enough to see that she was happy, or even to see that there’s more to Mike’s Jerkiness than ‘evil’. For example, Mike is honest, and his blunt revelations do cause people to grow.
Mike IS honest, and occasionally his actions cause personal growth in addition to unwarranted pain and suffering, but I really don’t feel like “less evil than you might think, but still evil” makes Jacob’s observation any less valid.
Amber can get and deserves someone better than Mike (and Jacob).
Incorrect. The only person responsible for Jacob’s relapse was Jacob. Without proper counseling and a safety net provided by family or group counseling (Such as AA), and without the proper knowledge of self to know when your sliding and get the help you need, you have no one to blame but yourself. I say this through personal experience, not with addiction but with recurring mental illness, which is very similar in terms of treatment and control.
Please, Jacob would have fallen off the wagon anyway. He was already drunk when Amber’s Mom knocked on his door and being tempted by sex from all sides (Joe’s Library Harem/ Roz/ Conquest). Mike was just the cataylist.
Also, Dina didn’t die because of Mike. Dina already had extreamly low self esteem and then there was a bomb.
I’m not saying Mike did anyone any favors or is, by any stretch of the fan imagination, not an asshole but you can’t place all the blame on him.
Yeah, you can’t put ALL the blame on him, sure, but in both cases Mike acted as a last drop. Had he not acted the way he acted, *maybe* Jacob wouldn’t broke. Maybe Dina would live. Maybe not. But his actions ensured the outcome, and therefore he can be blamed.
Regarding Mike and Dina, the thing is Mike broke Dina beyond repair. Was she faultless in that relationship? No. But he broke her hard, and if he hadn’t, she probably wouldn’t have done what she did. It’s not a 100% his fault, but he did contribute a lot.
I can understand not wanting to blame a character when he’s not responsible, but regarding Dina, he’s shares a lot of responsibility.
Not touching Jacob because that’s much grayer, although it’s kinda depressing all the “Well, he wouldn’t avoid temptation forever.” comments. Give an addict who’s learned to live with his addiction some credit.
Didn’t love Dina, then, huh?
Yes he did, but he learned that drama kills and romance breeds drama. So to save the ones he loves he is pruning the drama tangle.
He loved her, but he was still extremely hurt by her. I still think what Dina did was one of the biggest dick moves ever.
I also don’t think Mike wants another Dina incident.
Aww jeeze. Words are failing me (really, this is the 5th thing that I’ve typed out, the others didn’t work).
“Projekt Nihil” by Stalaggh is turning out to be a surprisingly perfect soundtrack to this page.
Stalaggh? Jeez. The only extreme metal band that legitimately disturbs me. You’re a stronger man that I am.
Drunk Mike doing this is so sad… but stupid as well!
It’s the damn “I love you so much, but I don’t want to hurt you” bullcrap.
Funny thing is, I don’t think Mike is drunk right now.
nevermind, I didn’t read the tags to this comic.
No it’s all right. What I’m surprised didn’t tip me off earlier was the blush.
Then again so many characters have blush in the Walkyverse I might have just dismissed it as the norm.
I missed the blush entirely. It was subtle enough that I didn’t register it. My screen is probably partially to blame.
I thought that we were supposed to be blown away by Mike having such feelings and expressions, or at least expressing these feelings, while he was not drunk. I was really grooving to that idea. You know, in this way, Mike isn’t a complete monster. ONLY in this way, and only in this circumstance … oh well, I am a romantic, I think I can be excused.
Yeah, honestly, I don’t know what to say here. Has that tag been there all week?
If Mike had to liqueur himself up to do this… ugh. We’ll see. I’m not sure I approve.
BAM MOTHER TRUCKER! Wooh!
Anyone seen the movie “Secretary?” I think that’s kind of what Mike and Amber’s relationship reminds me of.
I don’t know I actually fing Maggie Gyllanhaal’s character and James Spader’s characters relationship to be healthier than Mike and Amber’s. Ultimately Mr. Gray made Lee a stronger and happier person as a result of their romance. Mike would make Amber into someone worse.
Whoa no. Secretary is a completely different kettle of fish. Mike’s got a very evil darkness in him, while the James Spader character had desires he was in denial about. And Amber is not the character Maggie Gylenhaal started as or grew into. In the end, Secretary is NOT the same as doing asshole things to be an asshole because you cannot really control it. Look up BDSM dear.
I feel so much better now than I did after yesterday’s strip, BUT I WAS STILL BROUGHT TO TEARS OF SAD ;_; I DIDN’T KNOW MIKE COULD MAKE A FACE LIKE THAAAAAT *sob*
*EXTREME LIP WIBBLING COMPLETE WITH WATERY EYES*
Kudos, Willis. Your comics are the only ones that make me feel genuine emotions for the characters.
I think it’s just because they’re so interesting, unique and well-written. I get drawn in and emotionally invested in them. Same with all your other comics too. I feel happy for them when things go their way, and sad when they don’t.
So yeah, good job to you good sir.
I fucking knew there was something weird about him asking her to be quite and not telling her to shut-up. Didn’t call t that though.
Awwww~ Mike, I figured that was your reasoning; listen closely – there is still hope. You need to learn and grow as a-
Oh who the hell am I kidding; after that – you are totally never gonna win her back.
I do think it’s for the best though – this may be (okay probably flat out is!) – the nicest thing you have ever done for somebody else! It also proves you have human emotions and thus I think can help you grow as a person.
I’d hug you, but you’d probably kill me…
And wow those faces; Mike’s is perfect and Robin’s – just so much anger and sadness. This was just excellent…
Nice to see Mike being more three-dimensional in personality. Makes you feel for him despite all the horrible crap he has done in a way that acknowledges what an ass he has been (and may continue to be).
I won’t forgive him for all the things he did before, but I do feel sorry for him. He just seems so pathetic and lost now; like he’s not only self-aware of his behavior (which I assume he is), but now it’s tearing him apart.
Maybe there is hope for him as a person, although I doubt he could ever reconcile with Amber.
Really now?! He loves her?! OMG then it really was all a rouse to see if Amber could love the beast inside!!!!
….
Hah.Then it appears as if the Beauty arrived too late and the Beast is forever a beast. How pitiable. How very pitiable. :\
1) Robin broke mike (temporarily)
2) mike has feelings and did good in a bad way
3) What is mike up to for an encore?
From now on, I’ll be linking to this storyline (and this strip in particular) whenever I read someone posting negative comments about Robin or Mike.
Robin’s interactions with Mike and Amber this week have been just outstanding.
-airfox
I’m glad Robin punched him. I am also glad to see Mike actually show that he’s a fucking real person. This has always been why I never liked Mike: because he was an asshole and ONLY an asshole. Many of you find that hilariously awesome, but I really never enjoyed the character one bit. I still think it’s better that Amber left him just now (not sure if that’ll be permanent or not, obviously). BUT! I will say that it is good to see a REAL other side to Mike; not the “haha, he’s nice when he’s drunk” stuff, but something legit and human. Mike becomes a real character to me on this day.
But I still don’t like him.
Ah, yet another person who missed the “drunk mike” tag
Aw, seriously? That really blows. I guess I retract my previous statement about actual character growth.
Amber needs to move on. Mike is the worst.
No way. Mike is my favorite character by far.
When Mike’s last girlfriend (from It’s Walky, this strip’s predecessor) got one of the most tragic death scenes I have ever read, he showed genuine shock without inebriation for two consecutive strips.
And, in another moment that’s easy to overlook what with the confusion about how exactly Mike came back, he died pushing Joyce out of the way of a Martian and ended up getting eaten instead. (Granted, his last words were him calling Joyce retarded and then making a “your mom” crack at the expense of the Marian eating him’s skills at tentacle rape, but actions speak louder than words.)
In any case: to me, he’s been a “real character” since 2003.
And I fail to see how him being drunk here nulls out the legitimacy of whatever he’s feeling. Since alcohol loosens inhibitions, he’s actually being more honest here than he would be otherwise.
In my insomniatic ramblings, I somehow forgot that not all Shortpacked fans have read It’s Walky. So your opinion is justified if we’re just going by Shortpacked.
I’d recommend giving It’s Walky a read, though. The early art’s horrible and some of the drama doesn’t quite work, but overall it’s pretty high-quality stuff.
Not necessarily; even going by just Shortpacked! alone, Mike has shown some emotion with Amber, without alcohol, prior to this strip. It’s what made me think their relationship was actually a good thing. Not many people have gotten genuine emotion out of Mike.
For a decade, Mike has been little more than a running joke. I think it even said that in his biography. What’s up with the sudden depth of character now?
That’s the confounding thing about Nike. He’s ALWAYS been complicated. Sometimes he shows it, most of the time he doesn’t. I feel like Willis has inadvertently created the most alien character ever. He clearly has feelings and thoughts but I honestly have no idea what he’s thinking or why he does things.
Don’t worry guys, this will make sense eventually.
Also, I called the “Drunk Mike” thing. Just sayin’.
DAMN YOU, WILLIS.
I would say more but at the moment I’ve been awake for 17 hours and I can’t think of anything witty.
Is “Damn You Willis!!” a meme at this point?
If not, it should be.
If it’s not, it sure comes up an awful lot. I’ve only been her since the start of this summer and I’m already doing it.
Damn you, Johannes Kepler, 17th Century German astronomer!!!!!!
WOW. Beauty and the Beast’d!!!
wow. i did not actually expect to be right yesterday when i put that link to “they really do love each other” trope yesterday. Willis you have made Mike the most psyche-warped character ever, although this might make Amber one of those people too, only in a bad way
What the FUCK?!
Toldya.
Well, fuck.
Ethan and Drew are going to break up next. I’m calling it.
Are Joyce/Walky and Danny/Billie the only two stable relationships left in this entire universe? Robin/Leslie, Joe/Rachel and Sal/Jason are all broken up. Mike/Amber is on it’s way out, and no other canon character couplings spring instantly to mind.
Oh, yeah. David/Maggie exist in this universe. Still puts those paired off in the minority.
Sal/Jason broke up?
I’ve been bad at keeping up with It’s Walky since it went subscription but I loved them…
Yeah, they broke up in Joyce & Walky. They were friends with benefits for a bit, but if I recall correctly when the big wedding rolled around they were still broken up.
I didn’t know their friends with benefits came to an end.
Someday I will be able to afford the subscription.
Oh crap, this was amazing! Knowing that this is drunk Mike doing this makes it all the more heartbreaking
Looking at his expression last strip, I was worried that he might decide to pay AMber back for saying no, and completely wreck her life (which, this being Mike, would mean that it’s utterly hilarious yet iredeemably awful). But his reaction in today’s strip showed that no, he’s not going to.
AMBER BETTER FUCKING SAY YES :C
Miiiiike <3 Amberrrrr C:
Hey, f*** is censored now, as Eff you cee kay goes to f***, but fucking is left intact. Odd.
The comic can swear just fine, though. Someone reading this strip with no problems with the language isn’t likely to be insulted by the comments section.
Screwy, ain’t it?
It’s because one of the ad networks that runs on my site sometimes believes iterations of the f-word makes me a questionable, potentially pornish site, and will drop my ads until I remove the offending words.
Ad network contextualizers can’t read graphics, though, so the comic’s safe.
Huh. Good thing this one doesn’t have a “Search the secret comics database” function, eh?
Robin making use of her superpowers = I have a lesbian girl boner.
Is there any chance we can ever see the second panel without the text?
Voila: http://itswalky.tumblr.com/post/9986369362/somebody-wanted-to-see-the-second-panel-from
Horray, awesome!
you are the best, Willis!
How could this happen to me/I made my mistakes/ Got nowhere to run/ But life goes on/ And I am fading away
Seriously, this is worse than DoA!Danny’s dramatic head swish.
Dramatic head swish?
I love how that song has become shorthand for over-the-top angst, even if I don’t agree with it’s relevance here.
Just quoting it because he’s brought this on himself entirely. It’s ANGST!
Also, the dramatic head swish is from DoA!
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/05-media-rumble/ruined-2/
Oh for pete’s sake, stop making excuses for Mike! He doesn’t, so why should you?
EDIT: that was meant for the main comments.
The punch seems to be an exact mirror of Walky’s punch after Dina’s fate, but perhaps I’m mis-remembering due to the parallels.
Great job, Mr. Willis! I keep enjoying your stories.
If you want to compare…
Besides blood coming out of the same side of Mike’s mouth, the two punches are very different.
Breaking my heart.
I hope this isn’t the end of AmberxMike, but it probably is…
Don’t soft on me Mike….even though u show love in strange ways
I feel that panel of Roz punching Mike reminds me a lot of the Old Transformers Marvel Comic where Ratchet is punching the beez jesus out of Starscream. Anyone else see this? But the question is (IIRC) “How many? Huh? How many have to die for you to get your jolies? How Many!?” Anyone else see it?
I was reminded of that panel as I was drawing it, though it wasn’t intended to be an homage. Here it is, for comparison: http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:Ratchetjollies.jpg
Score. All we need now is panel of a blood and beaten Robin’s face smiling after she puts the drama tag back in and blurb about things coming full circle. Also, thanks for the fantastic comics all week.
The Drama Tag was burned! http://www.shortpacked.com/2006/comic/book-2-pulls-the-drama-tag/06-the-drama-tag/burn/
God. Dammit. Mike.
Last three panels actually brought tears to my eyes.
Well played, Willis, making me acknowledge my emotions.
Willis you magnificent bastard, I read your book.
I’m still asking myself if this is him pushing her away, or a test of if she can really deal with him being himself at his worst.
“You know, if you try to hold a butterfly tightly in your hand, it will die. You have to let it go, and if it comes back, it is truly yours, but if doesn’t, it never really was.” – Amanda Lane
I go with number 1 – I’d say if he was at his worst he would have done something quite a bit different…
“How about if you tear off its precious little wings?” ~ Jane Lane
Huh. That was certainly a comic..
…
…
D’: oh my goodness
So Mike “broke” Amber so she wouldn’t end up with an asshole like him as a husband? I’m assuming? That’s… really touching.
My brain, it is broken.
Robin’s channeling a little Walky, I see.
That’s also the only other time we’ve seen Mike change expressions so drastically.
This, this is a Friday strip. There won’t be any more until Monday.
Damn you.
Just, just…
DAMN YOU WILLIS!
agreed.
Thirded.
You’re wrong, it’s worse than that.
This is the end of the storyarc. For the next month we’ll be getting nothing but inane toy and batman jokes.
Am I one of the few people out there that never liked Amer and Mike’s relationship in the first place? Am I the only one disappointed that by some twisted turn of fate, Mike actually has feelings for Amber instead of pulling through with long up-and-coming scheme like I was hoping for? Yes, probably.
I never minded their relationship, but I didn’t want it to be permanent. I agree with Jacob, Amber could do so much better.
Also I didn’t want something like this to happen. “This” being character development for Mike. I don’t want to think of Mike as a character. I want to think of him as a force of nature. If he is treated as a person he needs to be held accountable for the multitude of downright nasty things he has done.
I agree. Amber could do so much better and has grown and developed a lot as a character through the years. However, I still feel she’s a bit of a glutton for punishment (which is why she’s in this relationship in the first place) and I was really disappointed that Mike didn’t pull through with the punches at such an open opportunity. I feel like this bout of character development was very sudden and I feel kinda jipped out of some sort of huge grand plan.
My response to this was Wait – what? Mike LOVES Amber? That is totally out of bounds. It makes Mike likeable (!) WTF!
I demand a recount! My congressman will hear about this. I’m tellin’ you no good can come of a Mike that I might have compassion for.
Damn you Willis!
I don’t usually comment, but HOLY CRAP!
Words seem to fail me but I feel that I should type many. Brain Broken. Can’t compute….
TT_TT
No Mike, don’t let her go!
D’:
I F-ING KNEW IT!! DAMMIT MIKE, WHY YOU GOT TO DO THIS TO YOURSELF!!!
I knew something was up when I noticed the blush stickers. Mike had to be serious about this. Now I’ve noticed that all the last few comics have been tagged with drunk Mike, and that only reinforces my thoughts. Goddammit Mike.
…Goddammit, you’re right about the Drunk Mike tag. I missed that this whole week.
DAMN YOU WILLIS!
‘s cuz they were changed today.
Awww…
Ouch.
Fucking spittake.
My heart just broke a little. I totally take back what I said yesterday.
Willis, what in god’s name have you done?
You just turned Mike into Edward from Twilight(specifically New Moon).
Yeah –
Well except for the part where Mike is still infinitely more likable and less flat (and perhaps nicer and better looking too!) than Edward…
Yep, Mike has a soul after all. Now we all have to feel bad for wanting to burn him at the stake. Sucks to be us.
Okay, I know this is going to sound ‘cheesy’, but what DRUNK Mike did was actually heroic. Taking a blow to save the girl. Amber won’t be returning to him, I can tell you that already. He thoroughly burnt this bridge as hard as he possibly could with napalm and acid.
And for him to take the high road on this, why wouldn’t he? If there were any chance of her coming back, he knows it would end poorly for her. He purposely tried time and again to find a way to put her off entirely, but nothing seemed to catch… Until…
Granted he probably knew this would probably go horribly no matter what route he took, this one finally cut the line. And it only started when she mentioned the marriage because that was when he started thinking about the idea and effects of long term abuse from him. I can already tell that whatever spirit she has now would probably be worn down until she ended up like Dina, a near spiritless ‘rolls over at ever jab’ woman with no spine.
As for why he had to do it drunk… Chances are he didn’t have to, but would you be able to stay sober while doing this to another person?
does anyone else find the 3rd panel oddly sexy?
Oh. Oh good lord. That’s pretty much my only coherant thought at the moment.
I’ve never been this emotionally invested in a comic. Which is saying something, because I’ve read my fair share, both online and off. Way to smash my heart in a fine powder, willis. ;_;
Also, Robin’s behavior has been lovely this week. I’m growing quite fond of her.
-reaches for tissues-
Well, my first reaction was “ugh”, but noticing that the tags changed to “Drunk Mike”, and realizing that this is actually just his GOOD side coming out to deliberately drive her away and save her from his assholishness makes me just about okay with it.
“No punches”
I actually *do* kinda feel sorry for Mike…sure, the recording was an assholeish way of proposing…but the message was there. It’s Mike being true to himself, in both the message and the way it was presented. I think he does love her, but he couldn’t just come out and say it, he had to do it *his* way.
I don’t think he did that as his way of seriously proposing. I think he believes Amber is better off without him and is trying to drive her away for her own good. Asking her to marry him wasn’t really the point.
Although, if Amber was somehow okay with it and said “yes” I imagine he would have accepted that outcome too.
And there we have it.
D: ULTIMATE MIND FUDGE!!!! That just pretty much screwed with my mind. DX I didn’t think Mike was dunk, I thought he was just trying to destroy the relationship because Amber wasn’t going at his speed. UGH! And then he did that so that she would what? What is to get her to say yes, or so she would break off the relationship? Oh wait…did Amber go home or is she just outside. D: What if she ends up going to the now fat sex attic’s apartment. uhoh…
Y’know, I really wanted Amber to just say yes. :/
WOAH.
Well.. Thats a new face for Mike. He looks sad.
Huh….
Ow…my aching heart.
Called it.
Mike’s a sweaty, if YOU BEAT HIM.
Ha, ha, ha!
You know, with Robin laying him out like that- Mike is going to lose some of his scary cred in front of the others.
Don’t forget–Mike’s not the only one with alien genes. Robin’s also an abductee!
Also, RAGE Robin is awesome.
Robin rules. Her punch out should be a meme.
Has nobody noticed the lack of chalkboard? Where did it vanish too?!
My theory, it’s now kicking back in the Bermuda triangle with Optimus Prime’s Trailer, The Lucky Charms Leprechaun, and White Spider Man.
Wow. Well done. When I read today’s strip, it actually literally made my gut wrench with empathy. That was unexpected… and unpleasant. So, in summary, damn you, Willis.
Juuust off-panel, there is a line of customers waiting patiently to buy some toys.
Boom goes the dynamite
Ah well. I had hope for one day at least. I hate them as a couple, I just do.
I seriously hope Mike is just fucking with Robin and it’s all bullshit. I don’t want him to evolve into a character that loves, I just want him to be a two dimensional asshole. =/
I got it. All that needs to happen is for Amber to track down Mike’s father, seduce him, and then leave a nickel on the bed. She can then return with a recording of Mike’s dad saying “yes, yes, yes…”
…it’s disturbing how easy it was to think of something like that lol
Well.. he asked her to marry him in a way that either
A: She can accept him in any effed up form she can
or
B: See that this was a huge mistake and go running off into… oooh i see what you did there..
Everybody’d like “Aaaawwww mike…” Nobody see the badass punch Robin just did?! Go Robin! But anywho, being the flloormat that Amber seems to be I think in time she’ll forgive him. If she doesn’t Mike will die alone because Amber is pretty much the only girl who can stand him lol. At least that’s my opinion, who knows what will happen. I mean if she’s angry at him there is the awesome thing called angry sex lol
Robin’s a former member of SEMME. Super-human punches are par for the course. She’s one of the few people who [i]can[/i] punch Mike and make him feel it.
Those… those are emotional eyes. Damn, he genuinely loves her.
And when Amber gets home, the hamster’s gonna be dead too. Because we don’t feel bad enough for her and Mike.
Man, I see a lot of comments about people hating the fact that Mike actually has feelings, now. I dunno… I guessed I always sort of sympathized him on some level. He may be an asshole, but he really has come through at times. He’s not just recently developing into a real character, he’s just finally evolving as one.
I feel sorry for anyone who’s tried to buy a toy in that store in the last 10 minutes. All the staff are too busy running out of the door or punching each other. A great week of comics though.
Can the next comic be Robin saying “So?” and just beating the crap out of him some more?
I don’t feel any pain in my heart region, luckily. This does make me sad, though.
Also:
FURIOUS ROBIN IS STARING INTO MY SOUL!
http://s3d4.turboimagehost.com/sp/c5cec98f5002008c4b9842aa47b07182/2011-09-09-why.png
I’m extremely depressed that so many people think that Mike deserves sympathy just because this is his version of being honest.
Ow, my heart.
Not really sure WHAT Mike’s “motives” were for this, lots of theories, but I think I’ll just sit back and watch it play out. Can’t help but hope for a happier ending than being beaten to death, this time…
Also, wow the comments, so much of both sympathy and hatred for this guy… kudos for getting everyone so emotionally invested in the comic, Willis!
Hey.
Hey hey hey.
Remember a loooooong time ago when Leslie asked Robin who her first girl-crush was, and she remembered Amber’s face the first time they met, but didn’t tell Leslie?
Is… is this going to end up with Amber X Robin???
Funny how two days ago we were cheering Mike on for pulling off his most nefarious scheme yet, and now we’re all feeling sorry for him. DYW.
Also, while I get how retroactively changing the character tags made for a good plot twist, in order to avoid confusion something major like that should be determinable from the comic itself, too. Here I thought that sober!Mike was actually showing emotion, and I assumed the blush stickers were from embarrassment rather than drunkenness. I would have never known he was drunk if I hadn’t read the comments.
And finally: ROBIN PUNCH!
Mike used Puppy Dog Eyes…
The reader is now confused.
It’s super effective!
I thought there was something weird about Wednesday’s strip, like he wasn’t talking to Amber in panel two.
http://www.shortpacked.com/2011/comic/book-13/04-remedial-adulthood/proposal/
Now the tags have been changed and we know he was drunk, I wonder if he was talking to his “other” self.
Hm.
Interesting development. But really, I don’t think Mike was being all that evil in this case. I’ll explain.
Please remember that he was blackmailed into this relationship in the first place. He knows that, regardless of how HE feels, Amber’s feelings for him come from a bad place, they come from a desire to have power over him. She’s projecting her anger at her father, who she could NOT control, on Mike, who she suddenly found herself ABLE to control. She’s convinced herself that she loves him, and now wants to marry him.
Mike very well may love her, and it may be sincere. He may have loved her for a long time now, but she’s been unapproachable because, well, she’s AMBER, and that’s just who she is. But now she’s got this blackmail over his head between Drunk!Mike and Sober!Mike, and it’s in the way of any possibility of a real relationship based on mutual love and trust. Before they could even consider a real, honest marriage, that has to go, and she has to be the one to release him from it — he can’t free himself, or it’ll be just her father all over again, seizing power over her, and she’ll never be able to trust him in any way.
Also, there might be a bit of simple jealousy involved. If Mike truly loves Amber, the LAST thing he wants is a rival in Jacob. Sending Jacob someone else to fixate on removed that obstacle. Why Amber’s Mom? Well, aside from his own love for “your Mom” jokes, abusive fathers rarely succeed long-term without an enabler in the mother. (I speak from personal experience here.) While it’s frequently a form of Stockholm Syndrome, that doesn’t make it any less enabling. This was Mike’s form of justice for those actions, and it may help to break Amber away from any remaining negative influence from her mother.
Of course, it might just be that Willis is f**king with our minds, Mike is an evil bastard, and none of this is even on the same planet, much less being close. But this is my wild guess.
“But now she’s got this blackmail over his head between Drunk!Mike and Sober!Mike, and it’s in the way of any possibility of a real relationship based on mutual love and trust. Before they could even consider a real, honest marriage, that has to go, and she has to be the one to release him from it ”
She released him from the blackmail a long time ago. And he admitted he loved her when she released him from it.
I don’t understand how so many people can forget/ignore a HUGE story development like that. :/
I’m fairly certain Mike could get out of the whole “blackmail” thing if he put his mind to it. He’s gotten out of worse.
How do I know this? Simple:
http://www.shortpacked.com/2009/comic/book-10/01-this-man-this-manhattan/motive-2/
Ok, for those folks who apparently don’t read the comic, yet comment on it anyway, here is Amber releasing Mike from the blackmail”
http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-11/02-the-relationshipocalypse/matters-2/
And if you want some history, here are the inciting events prior to the release:
http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-11/02-the-relationshipocalypse/jaccuse/
http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-11/02-the-relationshipocalypse/punch/
http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-11/02-the-relationshipocalypse/smile/
http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-11/02-the-relationshipocalypse/why-2/
Now you know. And knowing is half the battle!
Well twist my nipple-nuts and call me Charlie! I missed something that tumbled from Willis’ godlike orifice! Please excuse me while I scourge myself.
So, I’m all sad for Mike and Amber and stuff. But I gotta say, Mike just got owned pretty hard by Robin.
And now I know what the sound of my heart being ripped out and stomped on is. It’s a sort of unholy squeak as I attempt to draw a breath while the gravity of the situation crashes down on me.
I…I totally did not see Mike being Drunk coming and that makes the past few strips even sadder.
Son of a bitch, Willis. Always on a bloiting friday…
and now just to screw with everyone Robin and Mike make out and become a couple!
HAHAHA! Heh I so want Robin right now ! ^_~
I want to know what he did on the Chalk Board that made Robin flip out like that. He said it would change their lives…?
There was an arrow that went both ways from him to amber. He crossed it out meaning he thought he ended the mutual attraction.
Er, he just crossed out the arrow from Amber to Mike on the ‘love dodecahedron” chart that Robin made. Robin didn’t flip out over that, she flipped out over the fact that Mike just crushed Amber utterly with his vile proposal.
Apologies if you were just being sarcastic, it’s hard for me to tell on the internet sometimes.
I mean, he crossed the arrow between himself and Amber, but he drew an new line from somebody to Amber. Who is that other person?
You know what they say, “If you someone set them free, if they don’t come back-it was never meant to be.”
Nope, he didn’t add any arrows, he just crossed one out. I do wish I had a link to the comic that originally had the full chart in it, though, because I wanted to remember what arrows went where, but I think if the rest of the arrows mattered, then Willis would have made them more clear. The only one that mattered was the one Mike crossed out.
http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-12/04-change-is-coming/pentagon/
Awesome, thank you.
“Yet each man kills the thing he loves,
By each let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!”
-Oscar Wilde, “The Balled of Reading Gaol”
Mike looks like he was going to cry. Poor Mike. I think he does genuinely love her. She’s the one chick out there who gets him and who had the balls to blackmail him into a relationship, which I think he respects. Now, now he’s alone. All alone. Poor Mike.
I think he’s testing Amber…. it’s not the “I love you but I’m bad fer you so I’m lettin’ you go” but an ultimate test of “I really am a giant asshole, will you still love me?” but maybe I’m just readin too much into it…(like everyone else
)
I hope things will work out in the end anyway
they are my favorite couple DX <3<3<3
btw, dosen't drunk Mike seem like a bigger asshole since he still sez what he "would" say if he was sober? XD
That proposal was not something Mike could make himself do. He had to be drunk to do it. He’s at his nicest drunk and sober Mike could never have driven her away like that. For the last few weeks he has been trying to shock her with horrible proposal ideas. This was the sacrifice Mike made, strip off all the wool, show Amber how much he truly schemes to be an ass. I am the great and powerful MIKE, go ahead and open the curtain, you see the demon there at the controls? He’s worse than the horrible visage you see looming over you now! You expected some kindly old man? The demon ate him!
I just jizzed my pants.
Willis is laughing at us all right now for the level of analysis we’ve all put this through. I just know it. Look at those walls of text up there!
Willis you are a magnificent bastard. Don’t ever change.
Hit him again Robin!
HOLY SHIT! Mike has a soul!!
It was at panel two that I remembered those two both have super-strength. Weird.
I thought Robin only has super-speed.
All Abductees are at least a little stronger and more resilient than normal iirc.
I KNEW he loved her! I KNEW it!
GAH you make me love you and hate you, Dave Willis.
POW! Right in the kisser!
If there was any real effect of pulling the Drama Tag, it’s that nobody can ever reach a point of equilibrium with the characters around them anymore. Once a character gets too comfortable in a relationship they do something to break that which gives them comfort.
Of course, that is essentially the definition of drama, so this may not be surprising to anyone.
We should be afraid if it starts to look like someone is settling down in their relationship. Last time that happened Walky died and the comic ended.
Not sure which possibility is scarier, that drunk Mike can still act like asshole Mike even though he’s drunk, or that asshole Mike can act like drunk Mike even when he’s not drunk. It all hinges upon whether or not he’s actually literally drunk right now.
Aww! I just aww’d Mike, wow, but how could you not!
Happy 14th, It’s Walky! Willis, you’re always great.
No punch
Wow, Willis. Just… wow.
What? What is this feeling…? Could it be… sadness? Felt for Mike? I think it is. Whoa.
for those who are freaked out, READ THE TAGS!
damn you willis.
That face kills me. Even the most perma-scowl, mean spirited people have feelings, and even they can find love.
I honestly believe, as Mike seems to make clear here, that he did it because he loved her and he didn’t want to keep her from finding someone he thinks she deserves.
And as to why he did it so horribly? Probably to ruin all chances of her ever loving him again, since people who get dumped usually tend to still have feelings for the person who dumped them after, and Mike probably didn’t want that.
My opinion, though I think the look on Mikes face pretty much makes it believable.
Well shit.
FARRUKON PAWUNCH!
BEST MOMENT. EVAAAAAAAAAR
it would seem mike has hurt the one person he’s never hurt before:
himself.