It’s also completely different from what I see without CSS and javascript.
And all of the entirety of the strip links to current URL instead of anywhere else, and that pops up on some browsers.
Me, I was wondering if we are getting Framed!-esque fourth wall breakage.
Reminds me a lot of an issue of Zot! which ran the last page of the comic after the first page of the letters column.
Actually, that particular issue was about one of the characters (Terry) being a lesbian (obviously, there was more to it than that) but that still an interesting coincidence. Was this something you did on purpose, Mr. Willis?
The Zot #33 fake-out feels different in that Terry seemed, at the end of the false cliffhanger, to be ready to consign herself to a life of loneliness in general and to give up on Pamela (no, not the same Pamela) in particular.
Maybe I didn’t read this the way I was supposed to, maybe it’s because it was Thursday, but I never thought for an instant that Robin’s final line did NOT mean very good things for their prospects as a couple. I just thought we might have to wait until Friday to see how good.
Yeah, as I said further down the page, there’s been so much build-up toward Robin and Leslie being together that I felt reasonably sure they would end up as such.
Then again, I felt the same thing about Penny and Aggie being together, for the same reasons, and, well. Yeah.
(You know I’m just teasin’ ya, right, T? At least you did leave the question open in the end.)
Yeah, this was most excellent. I got to the bottom of the first one and was fully satisfied for the day. When I saw something at the bottom, I was like “Moar comix???” It was a wonderful bonus, and had the feel of a surprise gift.
Then I actually *read* the second comic. After that, I could think was “YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!”
Leslie confronted Robin on December 24, 2010, and now it’s February 7, 2013. This particular story arc/development/thing stretched for two years, one month, and 13 days. Well done, Willis, I applaud your patience and tenacity.
BUT IT’S ONLY THURSDAY AND THAT MEANS THERE’S STILL TIME FOR SOMETHING SAD TO HAPPEN AND
No I have been waiting for this moment for so long but I’m so scared that it’s happening on Thursday. This entire day is going to be torment for me until we see Friday’s strip.
I’m kinda wondering at this point if we’re seeing more of a phasing out of the original cast.
Let’s face it – the original cast of the comic is growing up and getting their lives in order. The drama is being run down for them – Amber/Mike have a kid and moved on to another city and store, Ethan’s having success on the standup circuit, apparently life stability, and has been appearing less and less (not to mention the fact that the store now employs a younger Transformers fan), and now we’re seeing Robin/Leslie resolve their situation…
We all know that the strip is going to eventually end with nothing but Ninja Rick vs spider jokes. But it definitely feels like the original cast is graduating from the strip – which is definitely not something I’m against. Much as I enjoy the characters, I’d much rather see them leave with their happy endings than be stuck in the strip for all eternity, with their lives inevitably going wrong and right again in a cyclical fashion to provide stories and drama to make the strip interesting.
If this is indeed what Willis is doing, be it conscious or not, I definitely applaud the move. The hardest thing for any creator to do is to let go of characters when the time comes, and let them lead their lives in peace.
One of the reasons I never got the appeal of soap operas. Due to the nature of the genre, you KNOW that the sympathetic characters aren’t going to be getting out in any sort of emotionally satisfying manner.
Yay! I figured they’d get back together eventually; Willis had simply spent too much time building up to their eventual relationship for the “world peace” arc to have been the end of it.
Did you read the rest of this week? Joe said flat out that he was not going to drop Robin for Rachel. So Friday’s strip will start with Joe walking on on Robin and Leslie, and crying our “OH ROBIN!”
He said having Rachel back wasn’t going to mean he’d automaticly break up with Robin for Rachel and that they’d need to talk it out to decide how things went. There seems to have been some time between the previous page and todays so it’s a safe guess to say that conversation went down and things ended up as expected.
Well that is satisfactory discussion to warrant their reunification, though I personally would have preferred for both them to have moved on from each other but am fine with this as well. Although it is possible Willis might zig-zag on this have them decide not get back together after a moment of passion but I doubt that will the case.
Your story telling is wonky awesome!! I was literally holding my breath, and then to my delight, there’s another one below that! I’ve never been this blown away since “Life of Riley” webcomics
I’m confused and a little bit scared … When Willis says he’s Evil, is he talking about the fake 2 parts comic ? Because it’s genius, but not Evil Genius.
Or is he talking about toying with our Feelings ? If it’s the latter, then I fear for tomorrow’s Friday Cliffhanger. Damnit, after years of Trolling his Fans with Friday Clifhangers, is he now going to torture with Thursday Pre-Clifhangers ?
Reading these comics is turining into an abusive relationship, as Willis enjoys himself by dragging us through emotional rollercoasters. How am I supposed to deal with all those feels ???
oh man, those eyes! Yay. I love it. Good job and a very clever double bar.
These two are perfect together.
So, now is the walking Muffin going to fall on them?
People need to stop dissing artificial Christmas trees. They look just as nice, they’re better for the environment, and I don’t feel like I was particularly deprived due to growing up with them.
I’m with you there. I’m actually the one that convinced by family to switch over from cut trees. Though I admit I look down on pre-decorated trees as that is a big part of the fun (except lights, I don’t fault anyone for not wanting to deal with non-integrated Christmas lights).
People are so dismissive of the things they deem “fake” or “unreal”. As if simply because a Christmas tree is made of non-organic materials it is somehow less of a Christmas tree. Why don’t they just go out there and craft some sort log-cabin if they love their organic constructs so much?
Just research before you buy one. Many are from China and may include lead in the plastic to make it flexible, though this becoming less common apparently.
That’s why my family only uses nontoxic, family friendly Alumitrees(tm)!*
Alumitres are made from 100%** nontoxic aluminum and manufactured right here in Canada.
*They actually don’t. My family is vehement in their disaproval of aluminum Xmas trees.
**Approximate figure
Oh, I wasn’t expecting to get ran over by the Feelsmobile tonight.
Well done, Willis. Robin’s speech about life and drama and suchforth summed up hers and Leslie’s break up really well, and the payoff of them getting back together is some masterful writing and planning. I doff my cap to you, sir.
I’m at the same time incredibly happy to see my favourite SP! couple reunite and extremely afraid of the horrible things that will befall them, either Friday or next week.
Willis, I think we need to talk about our relationship. It’s not healthy.
Damn you Willis. I was already tearing up by the “last” panel. Savoring the moment. And then I scrolled down. Just glad noone was around to see me sobbing.
It feels like we’re coming to the end. At least, with the first group of characters of Shortpacked. There’s been tons of character growth. I think all of the original characters have now gone through the valleys and peaks, and arrived at a satisfying resolution to their major arcs.
Ha! I’m amazed that fake-out worked! I mean there’s only a short space between the two sections, and yet it lined up perfectly with my slow scrolling as I read. Well played!
Since I scrolled a bit too fast, I wasn’t caught surprise by the fake navigation bar – I just thought the extraordinary size of the strip messed the code up or something like that.
Oh very GOOD. Talk about your dramatic pause. Now we see this is a Loving embrace – but is it a Goodbye Kiss? Is Leslie going to say goodbye to Robin or is Robin going to give Joe a “goodbye Boink”?
Beautiful comic today with a beautiful moment (and a beautifully wicked fake-out, too). A great end to a very cool storyline, and the beginning of so much more.
I dunno, Willis. I don’t think your that evil unless one of the characters suddenly shoves the other away next strip and screams “FUCK OFF!” while the other berates herself for being stupid. Fortunately you couldn’t possibly be that evil.
Hi, Willis’ conscience here. Haven’t been in his head for quite some time.
Anyways, yeah, he’s totally not that evil. At least he wasn’t when he booted me out.
I really hope this isn’t the end of it because, well… I do want Leslie’s story to be more than “There was a punching bag, and one day it stopped being punched.” Yes, getting back together with Robin is…wonderful, really…well-written and all…but I seriously do not want this to be the end of it.
Soooo, I speant my day at work trying to plan out Leslie and Robin’s theoretical wedding. Anyone wanna help figure out who should be doing what? I figure Amber would make for Leslie’s Maid of Honour but I couldn’t decide who else was closest to her (everyone likes Leslie but who is closest to her opther than Amber and Robin?) and I had trouble with Robin’s side completely, I’m not familiar enough with her It’s Walky relationships to know who might qualify.
Robin wasn’t really tight with anyone ‘cept for Joe in It’s Walky!. I presume she was on good terms with her ex-squadmates–I mean, she did have a pic of them hanging up when the lived in Leslie’s house–but they were kinda incidental, as was most of SEMME.
Then again, Joyce would’ve picked Robin as her maid of honor if she hadn’t met Becky–more out of a lack of other options than anything, but still. Eh, I suppose if Joyce could be Amber’s bridesmaid, even though we never really saw them interact either…
Leslie doesn’t really have a lot of clear options. Amber’d probably be on her side rather than Robin’s, naturally, but beyond that? I dunno.
I dunno, something about this leaves me a tad uneasy as to what the next strip might be….
I don’t want it to be so and I’ll reserve judgement and my thoughts until I see it….
Annnnnnnnnd scene. Nicely done, good closing to a well crafted story.
Hah, almost fooled me with the fake nav bar, but it didn’t look quite right.
Ermighod, it just hit me, it’s only Thursday! What evil has Willis planned for Friday? ARRRGH, I am terrified now, what am I going to read in tomorrows page?
DDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNN YOU WILLIS!!!
I swear after reading webcomics for 5 years you still manage to be the most sadistic of them all.
Barring Aeire, actually, I was re-reading QoW re-run commentary and damn was she cruel to us on purpose like all the time.
YAY LESLIE AND ROBIN
Maybe I’m biased. I spent years with an ex running around trying to manipulate or create situations that would bring me back to her. I don’t like seeing that kind of horribly unhealthy behavior championed, or glorified, so this NOT work for me at all. The things Leslie did were selfish and wrong and her getting back together with Robin as a result of her behavior? Ugh.
Robin and Leslie were already ready to get back together for a while now. Robin always wanted Leslie back and Leslie waited too long to make a move once she was ready to take her back.
This arc wasn’t manipulation, it was a very botched attempt at problem solving to get things the way Leslie wanted them. leslie wants to eb with Robin. Robin wants to be with Leslie. Robin is with Joe. Robin has genuine feelings for Joe so won’t leave him just to be with Leslie unless Rachel comes back to be with Joe. Leslie goes to find Rachel to make that happen.
The only truely bad part of the plan, it was selfish I admitt, was that she was originally looking for any Rachel and not just the correct Rachel.
I’m trying to match up your scenario to Robin and Leslie’s situation and it’s just really not happening. I especially don’t think Leslie has spent years trying to win back Robin’s affections despite her objections. Leslie tried once, just now, and only after it was obvious to her that Robin wouldn’t mind given certain conditions. Before that, it was Robin who was going after Leslie! Were you going after your ex at first? I think you’re projecting.
We all project a little when we read fiction. It’s part of the process.
That said, I didn’t mean to imply that my situation was wholly analogous. Absolutely not. I simply put it out there as a reason that I might be finding this story uncomfortable. Is it because of what I bring to the table? Most likely. You’re a strong storyteller. I’m a big enough fan that I got a signed collected volume from you. But I hate this story. Why? Am I projecting some? Am I (as I originally stated) biased? Perhaps.
Anyway, yes, it was just this once with Leslie. After saying “no” over and over again to Robin. After Robin finally moves on and finds something else. THEN Leslie suddenly is this interested? Enough so that she will move heaven and earth to do what? Break Robin up with Joe?
That part is very much like what I went through. It feels (to me) very much like Leslie only wanted what she couldn’t have.
You may want to reread the last story. Leslie was willing to take Robin back BEFORE Robin got with Joe. she just didn’t find Robin fast enough and Robin hooked up with Joe just as she found her.
True. But that didn’t stop her from being incredibly selfish and working hard to find a way to separate the two. Maybe if she had been willing to work with Robin on their relationship earlier, rather than insisting she change, I would like the outcome of this storyline better. As it is… I suspect I will shift my interest more to Dumbing of Age. Though I loved the pair together the first time around, Leslie and Robin as a couple does not sit well with me now.
willis, you are very evil
In the immortal words of Eddie Murphy, “Evil… is GOOD!”
And in the immortal words of an immortal vampire: “You cheeky d*** waffle!”
Calling it now: Willis and Nazis
That was an excellent misdirect.
Misdirect my ass.
I could tell it was gonna happen either next strip or this one.
Oh fuck I somehow didn’t see the fake menu. NEVERMIND I AM STUPID
And there I was wondering why no one commented on this half of the comic
YYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!
also YAAAAAY!
Even if they don’t get back together, forgiveness is good.
They were pretty intimate in that last panel. Pretty sure they’re back together.
YAAAAAAY! They’re back together! WOOOOO!
This !
One million times this !
and there was much rejoicing
Awww yea depression sex.
*slow clap* The fake navigation bar is a master stroke, I must say. I even clicked on it to leave a comment.
The fake bar didn’t fool me due to the fact that my screen is set to inverted contrast.
It’s also completely different from what I see without CSS and javascript.
And all of the entirety of the strip links to current URL instead of anywhere else, and that pops up on some browsers.
Me, I was wondering if we are getting Framed!-esque fourth wall breakage.
The bar is FAKE!!? I just speant 20 minutes trying to get the page to open for nothing!?
DAMN YOU WILLIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought the site had glitched out somehow.
Reminds me a lot of an issue of Zot! which ran the last page of the comic after the first page of the letters column.
Actually, that particular issue was about one of the characters (Terry) being a lesbian (obviously, there was more to it than that) but that still an interesting coincidence. Was this something you did on purpose, Mr. Willis?
The Zot #33 fake-out feels different in that Terry seemed, at the end of the false cliffhanger, to be ready to consign herself to a life of loneliness in general and to give up on Pamela (no, not the same Pamela) in particular.
Maybe I didn’t read this the way I was supposed to, maybe it’s because it was Thursday, but I never thought for an instant that Robin’s final line did NOT mean very good things for their prospects as a couple. I just thought we might have to wait until Friday to see how good.
Yeah, as I said further down the page, there’s been so much build-up toward Robin and Leslie being together that I felt reasonably sure they would end up as such.
Then again, I felt the same thing about Penny and Aggie being together, for the same reasons, and, well. Yeah.
(You know I’m just teasin’ ya, right, T?
At least you did leave the question open in the end.)
Yes very well done. Scroll, finish reading fist half, awww, scroll to see comments, more comic?, …, dawwwwwwwwww.
Yeah, this was most excellent. I got to the bottom of the first one and was fully satisfied for the day. When I saw something at the bottom, I was like “Moar comix???” It was a wonderful bonus, and had the feel of a surprise gift.
Then I actually *read* the second comic. After that, I could think was “YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!”
It was a magnificent move, I wish I was in an audience watching this drawn live so I could applaud.
I didn’t even see the navigation bar in the center. I somehow tuned it out and noticed more comic below instead.
You cannot fool me with your (well executed) fake nav bar, Willis!!
…I read from an iPad RSS reader.
Only after do I come here to read everyone’s reactions.
*slow clap*
What the… hey, you can’t do that! That’s cheating!
Alright, the timer is stopped. How long was that? Anyone know? Couple years perhaps?
Leslie confronted Robin on December 24, 2010, and now it’s February 7, 2013. This particular story arc/development/thing stretched for two years, one month, and 13 days. Well done, Willis, I applaud your patience and tenacity.
And that’s not counting the Tag.
Or when Rachel was first kidnapped and replaced by HA.
Well I cried.
I done got tricked.
Alas…my long wait is finally over…I can rest…I can finally rest.
I know that feel! (TT-TT)
Willis, you sly bastard.
And now Willis breaks the internet part two.
Along with Willis trolls the fanbase with a fake comment bar.
Got me there with the fake menu thingy.
BUT IT’S ONLY THURSDAY AND THAT MEANS THERE’S STILL TIME FOR SOMETHING SAD TO HAPPEN AND
No I have been waiting for this moment for so long but I’m so scared that it’s happening on Thursday. This entire day is going to be torment for me until we see Friday’s strip.
Hot alternate universe foursome, obviously.
This is true, I would not be averse to that.
The sorter version is to say you are un-averse to universe linked sexcapades (the kind you read about in the ‘verse).
Except that alternate universe Robin is dead.
But, looking on the bright side, alt-Dina isn’t. So let the hanky-panky commence!
Friday’ll be Batman jokes. From anywhere.
Totally, Batman montage Friday.
you mean there’s still time for the threesome to happen. Or Foursome, now that Robin/Leslie are back together.
Or the Orgyverse Foursome. Either one.
I didn’t know… which comment button to click on. O.o
I AM SO CONFUSED.
This…took me a few minutes. My brain was not working well due to HAPPINESS OVERLOAD.
I screamed.
*plays Don Henley’s “Not Enough Love In The World”*
Hmm, I did not know that Henley song. Thanks!
I’m kinda wondering at this point if we’re seeing more of a phasing out of the original cast.
Let’s face it – the original cast of the comic is growing up and getting their lives in order. The drama is being run down for them – Amber/Mike have a kid and moved on to another city and store, Ethan’s having success on the standup circuit, apparently life stability, and has been appearing less and less (not to mention the fact that the store now employs a younger Transformers fan), and now we’re seeing Robin/Leslie resolve their situation…
We all know that the strip is going to eventually end with nothing but Ninja Rick vs spider jokes. But it definitely feels like the original cast is graduating from the strip – which is definitely not something I’m against. Much as I enjoy the characters, I’d much rather see them leave with their happy endings than be stuck in the strip for all eternity, with their lives inevitably going wrong and right again in a cyclical fashion to provide stories and drama to make the strip interesting.
If this is indeed what Willis is doing, be it conscious or not, I definitely applaud the move. The hardest thing for any creator to do is to let go of characters when the time comes, and let them lead their lives in peace.
Man, I’ve been saying this for months now. I don’t think anyone listened to me, but regardless, nice to find someone thinking like I do.
http://www.shortpacked.com/2012/comic/book-14/06-girthday/nicest/#comment-99070
*cough*
Oh, hey, I missed that somehow. But I’m not surprised. You tend to have exceptionally smart things to say about this comic.
One of the reasons I never got the appeal of soap operas. Due to the nature of the genre, you KNOW that the sympathetic characters aren’t going to be getting out in any sort of emotionally satisfying manner.
Well, that’s by and large what he did with most of the original cast of Roomies and It’s Walky at the beginning of Shortpacked…
I think you might be on to something, although I’ll definitely miss a lot of the original Shortpacked! staff.
Maybe we’re approaching the end of Shortpacked! and a new comic to take over instead?
I for one wouldn’t mind reading a comic about the children of all the characters
Bobby, Donna, etc
The evilest, good sir.
Man Willis, you are evil. Damn you and such.
But still, yay they’re back together. I’m happy about that.
it’s okay. I forgive you, Willis.
YES, GOOD.
Very.
*applauds*
No, not…not going to cry…not gonna…*I cried*
YESSS!
RobinXLeslie FTW
Awww, that’s sweet.
Now to keep clicking the fake comment button like an idiot every time I visit this page today.
Hey, if I plan on doing so, it’s not a mistake.
It’s Zot! all over again!
I….
Nope. I’m not giving Willis the satisfaction. Nicely done, sir.
genious
Not evil enough, Willis. The truly evil would have made us wait for the second half of the page.
But then it would have been a friday strip and he couldn’t leave us with horrible cliffhangers!
Actually, no. Allow me to amend that.
The truly evil would have cut away instead of showing the kiss, and then shown only the aftermath of it.
On Monday.
It’s 6:42 in Spain and this is what I’m reading to start my day ^^
Willis, you are a devious son of bitch!
Well played!
Yay! I figured they’d get back together eventually; Willis had simply spent too much time building up to their eventual relationship for the “world peace” arc to have been the end of it.
I can’t stop smiling.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
Wait what about Joe?
Meh he has Rachel. I’m sure he’ll be fine.
Did you read the rest of this week? Joe said flat out that he was not going to drop Robin for Rachel. So Friday’s strip will start with Joe walking on on Robin and Leslie, and crying our “OH ROBIN!”
Followed by “Let me change my pants and I’ll be right back.”
He said having Rachel back wasn’t going to mean he’d automaticly break up with Robin for Rachel and that they’d need to talk it out to decide how things went. There seems to have been some time between the previous page and todays so it’s a safe guess to say that conversation went down and things ended up as expected.
That’s what I’m talkin about.
yerrrs… well played
It’s more evil on tumblr. Even with the hash tags.
Awwww…yeah.
It took me about five minutes to realize this wasn’t a double strip.
Wow, Leslie is so sick of the back and forth nature that she cut off the end of the strip.
Well that is satisfactory discussion to warrant their reunification, though I personally would have preferred for both them to have moved on from each other but am fine with this as well. Although it is possible Willis might zig-zag on this have them decide not get back together after a moment of passion but I doubt that will the case.
Eh, I think he’s been building up to this. Leslie mentioned at one point that Robin has turned into the woman she was always hoping Robin would be.
Your story telling is wonky awesome!! I was literally holding my breath, and then to my delight, there’s another one below that! I’ve never been this blown away since “Life of Riley” webcomics
I’m confused and a little bit scared … When Willis says he’s Evil, is he talking about the fake 2 parts comic ? Because it’s genius, but not Evil Genius.
Or is he talking about toying with our Feelings ? If it’s the latter, then I fear for tomorrow’s Friday Cliffhanger. Damnit, after years of Trolling his Fans with Friday Clifhangers, is he now going to torture with Thursday Pre-Clifhangers ?
Whatever it is, I’m just gonna enjoy this little bit of happiness, only second to this one;
http://www.shortpacked.com/2008/comic/book-7/11-no-on-proposition-469/smoocheroo/
Reading these comics is turining into an abusive relationship, as Willis enjoys himself by dragging us through emotional rollercoasters. How am I supposed to deal with all those feels ???
I scrolled down too far and realized something was up before I tried to click the fake nav bar… but I was this || close!
Well played and well played again Willis!
Love that Robin and Leslie are getting back together!
THAT. WAS. AWESOME.well played ^_^
Thank you so much for the really excellent story line, the extra panels, and *all* the feels.
oh man, those eyes! Yay. I love it. Good job and a very clever double bar.
These two are perfect together.
So, now is the walking Muffin going to fall on them?
Talk about utilizing your medium, I enjoyed that
Let’s see Doonesbury do that in a newspaper.
I love how people are assuming a kiss equals “getting back together”.
Willis is so much eviler that that, people…
I don’t know about that. Considering that Robin’s new beau is doing the same thing with his ex I think it will all work out (awkwardly).
I figured you knew we wouldn’t be fooled by the empty space bit anymore.
People need to stop dissing artificial Christmas trees. They look just as nice, they’re better for the environment, and I don’t feel like I was particularly deprived due to growing up with them.
I’m with you there. I’m actually the one that convinced by family to switch over from cut trees. Though I admit I look down on pre-decorated trees as that is a big part of the fun (except lights, I don’t fault anyone for not wanting to deal with non-integrated Christmas lights).
People are so dismissive of the things they deem “fake” or “unreal”. As if simply because a Christmas tree is made of non-organic materials it is somehow less of a Christmas tree. Why don’t they just go out there and craft some sort log-cabin if they love their organic constructs so much?
Just research before you buy one. Many are from China and may include lead in the plastic to make it flexible, though this becoming less common apparently.
That’s why my family only uses nontoxic, family friendly Alumitrees(tm)!*
Alumitres are made from 100%** nontoxic aluminum and manufactured right here in Canada.
*They actually don’t. My family is vehement in their disaproval of aluminum Xmas trees.
**Approximate figure
Very nice Willis. Now I’m just left wondering if Robin’s right arm is supposed to be that pale in the final panel. >:)
Huh? Which arm are you looking at?
Pretty sure that’s Leslie’s unbroken arm actually.
side effect of ripping HA II into pieces.
It’s an optical illusion, its the same color as the bright side of her face.
I’m not a big Leslie/Robin fan, but I loved the navigation tab fakeout. That was great.
Oh, I wasn’t expecting to get ran over by the Feelsmobile tonight.
Well done, Willis. Robin’s speech about life and drama and suchforth summed up hers and Leslie’s break up really well, and the payoff of them getting back together is some masterful writing and planning. I doff my cap to you, sir.
“What happens next is going to require a lot of
soul-searching and honest discussion”HOT LESBIAN MAKEOUTSWell I guess Joe wouldn’t mind that much.
I think one can safely presume that happened already, probably while Leslie was getting medical attention.
You’ve read Scott McCloud’s “Zot!” haven’t you?
I love you Willis. Once again a master stroke of trolling and heartwarming romance
So has anyone done this one ye? http://amyhartofey.tumblr.com/post/42492127892
You forgot the invite from Robin to Dina for a threesome.
LOVE YOU WILLIIIS!!
I think I hear wedding bells…
Oh. Wait. That’s my alarm.
Wellll….I been Rick Roll
In the next strip, after appearing to enjoy it in the first panel, Robin unexpectedly yells: “N–No! Fuck off!”
You get a gold star
Two gold stars.
You jerk.. you made me cry.. from a webcomic!!!
I remember looking at the bar and thinking, “Only 46 comments?”
Right now I’m only giving Willis half-satisfaction. I’m only crying out of one eye. The other one is being manly and staying dry.
i thank you for wrapping this up, doubly so because now tomorrow can be interesting >:)
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees
Cue the Studio Audience.
“Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw.”
Yay! ^^ *waits for something horrible to happen to balance it out tomorrow*
Cool fake out.
Willis, you son of a bitch.
You Magnificient Son Of A Bitch!!!
Well, that last bit of Robin’s speech sure does sound familiar…
NOW it’s done! It’s definitely done! Whew!
I’m gonna get a t-shirt saying “I survived the Leslie Drama Tag Arc and remained a fan”.
Bravo, sir.
damn you willis. you and your fake menu bar and junk
That’s some serious fourth wall shit there.
And goddamn you if this isn’t over and one of these two dies in the next week.
Is it just me or does it look like Robin is wearing a cape in panel 11?
I’m at the same time incredibly happy to see my favourite SP! couple reunite and extremely afraid of the horrible things that will befall them, either Friday or next week.
Willis, I think we need to talk about our relationship. It’s not healthy.
Oh goddammit Willis stop making me cry over imaginary people in a web comic.
That was a fake out worthy of being on Buffy : TVS Willis.
Awesome job.
Not very evil, after all, you didn’t stretch this conversation out over three or four days! That would have been evil.
Damn you Willis! …for poking me in the feels!
Wait…what the hell just happened!?!
Woohoo!!! Now that’s a Thursday strip for ya!
wait, is this the end of shortpacked?
Evil…? No… Not evil… Not evil at all…
Unless of course you’re foreshadowing something terrible happening tomorrow… That’s what’s happening isn’t it?
Damn you Willis. I was already tearing up by the “last” panel. Savoring the moment. And then I scrolled down. Just glad noone was around to see me sobbing.
Oh yeah, I’m Skeletor now. Crier of manly, skeletal tears.
Yyyyyyyyyyou stinkin’ genius.
Damn You Willis!!
… I hate crying in public…
Willis, you magnificent bastard! You had me going there for a minute!
It feels like we’re coming to the end. At least, with the first group of characters of Shortpacked. There’s been tons of character growth. I think all of the original characters have now gone through the valleys and peaks, and arrived at a satisfying resolution to their major arcs.
Ha! I’m amazed that fake-out worked! I mean there’s only a short space between the two sections, and yet it lined up perfectly with my slow scrolling as I read. Well played!
Well played, Mr. Willis.
Since I scrolled a bit too fast, I wasn’t caught surprise by the fake navigation bar – I just thought the extraordinary size of the strip messed the code up or something like that.
But anyway, well played, Mr. Willis. Well played.
your lesbian is named…Leslie Bean…how have i just now noticed this?
Wait, come to think, is Bean the name she took from her husband, or did she revert after the divorce?
Did she have to get married to become Les Bean?
Her mom is Mrs. Bean, so no, her uberconservative parents gave her that name.
Yeah. Don’t think too hard about it.
Well, even her close friends at Shortpacked only rarely call her Les so why would it have occured to her parents?
Fun Fact: You can’t get batman jokes just anywhere.I tried at the DMV once…
Oh very GOOD. Talk about your dramatic pause. Now we see this is a Loving embrace – but is it a Goodbye Kiss? Is Leslie going to say goodbye to Robin or is Robin going to give Joe a “goodbye Boink”?
Beautiful comic today with a beautiful moment (and a beautifully wicked fake-out, too). A great end to a very cool storyline, and the beginning of so much more.
I dunno, Willis. I don’t think your that evil unless one of the characters suddenly shoves the other away next strip and screams “FUCK OFF!” while the other berates herself for being stupid. Fortunately you couldn’t possibly be that evil.
Right?
……..
………
Hello?
Hi, Willis’ conscience here. Haven’t been in his head for quite some time.
Anyways, yeah, he’s totally not that evil. At least he wasn’t when he booted me out.
That’s a very specific amount of evil.
Well, alright then.
The girls are back together. Let’s see how that goes…
YOU ARE TWELVE EVIL! TWELVE WHOLE EVIL!
I really hope this isn’t the end of it because, well… I do want Leslie’s story to be more than “There was a punching bag, and one day it stopped being punched.” Yes, getting back together with Robin is…wonderful, really…well-written and all…but I seriously do not want this to be the end of it.
im alive woh?
Soooo, I speant my day at work trying to plan out Leslie and Robin’s theoretical wedding. Anyone wanna help figure out who should be doing what? I figure Amber would make for Leslie’s Maid of Honour but I couldn’t decide who else was closest to her (everyone likes Leslie but who is closest to her opther than Amber and Robin?) and I had trouble with Robin’s side completely, I’m not familiar enough with her It’s Walky relationships to know who might qualify.
Robin wasn’t really tight with anyone ‘cept for Joe in It’s Walky!. I presume she was on good terms with her ex-squadmates–I mean, she did have a pic of them hanging up when the lived in Leslie’s house–but they were kinda incidental, as was most of SEMME.
Then again, Joyce would’ve picked Robin as her maid of honor if she hadn’t met Becky–more out of a lack of other options than anything, but still. Eh, I suppose if Joyce could be Amber’s bridesmaid, even though we never really saw them interact either…
Leslie doesn’t really have a lot of clear options. Amber’d probably be on her side rather than Robin’s, naturally, but beyond that? I dunno.
So, I may be reduced to having Robin stick Faz and Galasso in bridesmaid dresses in my mind to make the scene work.
Clearly, Ethan is Amber’s maid of honor.
Wonderful! And Happy Valentines day to you too!
I dunno, something about this leaves me a tad uneasy as to what the next strip might be….
I don’t want it to be so and I’ll reserve judgement and my thoughts until I see it….
So fourway?
February is for Feels.
Annnnnnnnnd scene. Nicely done, good closing to a well crafted story.
Hah, almost fooled me with the fake nav bar, but it didn’t look quite right.
Ermighod, it just hit me, it’s only Thursday! What evil has Willis planned for Friday? ARRRGH, I am terrified now, what am I going to read in tomorrows page?
Panel 7: Their relationship (so far) perfectly summed up. Here’s hoping for happier times again.
DDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNN YOU WILLIS!!!
I swear after reading webcomics for 5 years you still manage to be the most sadistic of them all.
Barring Aeire, actually, I was re-reading QoW re-run commentary and damn was she cruel to us on purpose like all the time.
YAY LESLIE AND ROBIN
Maybe I’m biased. I spent years with an ex running around trying to manipulate or create situations that would bring me back to her. I don’t like seeing that kind of horribly unhealthy behavior championed, or glorified, so this NOT work for me at all. The things Leslie did were selfish and wrong and her getting back together with Robin as a result of her behavior? Ugh.
Robin and Leslie were already ready to get back together for a while now. Robin always wanted Leslie back and Leslie waited too long to make a move once she was ready to take her back.
This arc wasn’t manipulation, it was a very botched attempt at problem solving to get things the way Leslie wanted them. leslie wants to eb with Robin. Robin wants to be with Leslie. Robin is with Joe. Robin has genuine feelings for Joe so won’t leave him just to be with Leslie unless Rachel comes back to be with Joe. Leslie goes to find Rachel to make that happen.
The only truely bad part of the plan, it was selfish I admitt, was that she was originally looking for any Rachel and not just the correct Rachel.
I’m trying to match up your scenario to Robin and Leslie’s situation and it’s just really not happening. I especially don’t think Leslie has spent years trying to win back Robin’s affections despite her objections. Leslie tried once, just now, and only after it was obvious to her that Robin wouldn’t mind given certain conditions. Before that, it was Robin who was going after Leslie! Were you going after your ex at first? I think you’re projecting.
We all project a little when we read fiction. It’s part of the process.
That said, I didn’t mean to imply that my situation was wholly analogous. Absolutely not. I simply put it out there as a reason that I might be finding this story uncomfortable. Is it because of what I bring to the table? Most likely. You’re a strong storyteller. I’m a big enough fan that I got a signed collected volume from you. But I hate this story. Why? Am I projecting some? Am I (as I originally stated) biased? Perhaps.
Anyway, yes, it was just this once with Leslie. After saying “no” over and over again to Robin. After Robin finally moves on and finds something else. THEN Leslie suddenly is this interested? Enough so that she will move heaven and earth to do what? Break Robin up with Joe?
That part is very much like what I went through. It feels (to me) very much like Leslie only wanted what she couldn’t have.
You may want to reread the last story. Leslie was willing to take Robin back BEFORE Robin got with Joe. she just didn’t find Robin fast enough and Robin hooked up with Joe just as she found her.
True. But that didn’t stop her from being incredibly selfish and working hard to find a way to separate the two. Maybe if she had been willing to work with Robin on their relationship earlier, rather than insisting she change, I would like the outcome of this storyline better. As it is… I suspect I will shift my interest more to Dumbing of Age. Though I loved the pair together the first time around, Leslie and Robin as a couple does not sit well with me now.
You son of a bitch, Willis. You totally Zotted us. Yes, I’ve just made Zot a verb. I Zotted it up.
So deliciously evil. Bravo sir.
I will take this kissing strip and hang it up next to my post-Amber-hitting-Mike strip.
Because “I love you” comes out in so many ways.
Beautiful. I’d say more, but the tears are blurring my eyes.
Boooo they’re back together.
I fell for that trickery. But who the fuck cares? This makes everything all better. That is all that matters.