"Back to normal" edition or whatever
I'd call this masturbatory.
>>154978482preview and commentary not that it matters
>>154978506Lucy's actions, the comic itself, or the thread?
>>154978482I can't believe Mike did this.
>>154978482>oh right i'm a self-centered bitch haha yeah awesomeI remember how Lucystans gave Mike shit for his shift into yay Sandy mode after tearing Lucy apart. It's nice to see the shoe on the other foot now, with less justification to boot.Anyway, why is Augustus wearing a GoPro on his neck?
>>154978482>Ah yes, class, the class I share with Mike.>Thank god my white knight Augustus separated us.
is that her chest????
>>154978512>preview>Lucy trying to be all friendly now to duck AugustusIt'd be funny if Daisy and co were tired of bow cat's antics from earlier and ducked her right back. But no, I'm sure this will work, Augustus will get no answers, and he will assume the worst.
>>154978526You choose. I was kinda wondering why Mike was pissy in Intervention about Lucy needing him, but this whole chapter has now been about Lucy needing little "stress relief" to get back to normal.
>>154978526Yes
>>154978482>We're you outside hanging out with Mike? You know the rules, Lucy.
>>154978482>Heh! Consequences avoided once again! Phew~ I almost learned something
>>154978641>Now we'll have to put him down
>>154978611> but this whole chapter has now been about Lucy needing little "stress relief" to get back to normalAnd here's why that's a good thing.
>>154978512>I... Uh... Lift the Daisy ban from you! Go cuck Paulo!
>>154978744>hey Daisy come make things uncomfortable for my teddy bear who's earned some punishment
I bet the guy that said "Mike deserves everything that happens next" feel very good with themselves
>26 pages of lucy realizing she's bad for mike too I don't think she's leaving the table, and I don't think this realization is easing her state of mind so what even is the point
>>154978482Well, at least (for now) this isn't the worst-case scenario I was fearing, with Augustus being like "How dare Mike somehow deceive you into going outside!" and charging outside to try to beat him up or something. He actually seems kind of irritated with Lucy here.
>>154978512>had eye bags through the chapter's beginning>now, rosy cheeksLearned nothing. Went to rub herself against Mike and got away with it.
>>154978548>Anyway, why is Augustus wearing a GoPro on his neck?It's court-ordered as part of his parole.
Cool, more of literally nothing
>>154978482Lucy literally went outside to use Mike, probably left him in a worse state that he was already in, cried a bit and ignored her own conscience, and came back as fresh as the morning because fuck all of you, it's walls up all day every day for Lucy. Oh that scamp that never wants anything
>>154978548It's a collar so Lucy can walk him back home
>>154978482Kek she really was just trying to use him again
>>154978816Look at her expression. Mike's out of sight and out of mind. She doesn't want to feel bad for scarf cat because wuh oh that's a personal weakness. Empathy is for losers. If anything, she might act even worse toward him to overcompensate.
>>154978482>drain Mike of what little mental energy he has left>immediately feels bettershe really is an energy vampire
>>154978482HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAShe met Mike´s bully.
>>154978482missed the bell sound effect and thought lucy had randomly turned british for a second
>>154978816>realization She literally abandoned him and ran away before she had any time to dwell on what she had done and now is celebrating that, in a very Lucy way, the universe gave her an excuse to get out of there and not think about it>>154978822He's irritated at her but that doesn't change the fact that exile wasn't enough because she'll end up going after him anyway, and that might have him expand the terms and services od the exile. I don't think Mike is coming back to class
Mike knew her waterworks meant shit, my god. Lucy is just a string of baffling desicions
>>154978822>He actually seems kind of irritated with Lucy hereBy all rights, Augustus should be. They went through all that song and dance only for Lucy to *still* throw herself at Mike in some way or another. Of course experience suggests he will focus that annoyance on Mike instead of the one responsible. Because poor little Lucy just can't help herself.
>>154978611It's really odd to me how Taeshi insists that Mike and Lucy are mutually at fault, how they're both toxic/crazy/whatever but neither are bad or unsympathetic, etc., but keeps writing Lucy as worse and confirming the most hateful and uncharitable interpretations of her character.Like, I thought that the point of Mike's rants during Intervention or December was that he was sick of Lucy, and exaggerating their uniquely bad personal relationship out to a universal "she's awful and utterly without redeeming qualities". But apparently everything he said was 100% correct? And she's still supposed to be sympathetic, somehow?
>>154979133Can't wait for the tumblr posts explaining why we should celebrate Lucy resisting Mike's masculine wiles.
>>154979073>Class, love.>Oi Luce, you got a loicense for that BPD?
>>154979138It'd be funny if he went to her mom about it.>>154979133
>>154979189>Bit rude to kick me in the gut, innit?
>>154979022Unexpectedly whatever he's going through is not enough to weight in her conscience. Mike is but an object
>Lucy now all fine and dandy the second the bell rings>She really was aiming to use him all along and just ended up making him feel worseAnother day of Mike being right
>>154978482>Hey I think it's very misogynistic people see Lucy as a remorseless agitator like she isn't also suffering >The suffering Lucy
>>154978482>>154978512My God man, it's worse than I thought.I imagined she'd run away crying when faced with Augustus, not that she'd go back to things as if everything was well. It makes it hard to take her seriously, or her emotions as genuine.I've gotta give credit to Taeshi in the sense that she always surprises you with bullshit.
>>154978838All she had to do was latch onto Mike for like ten seconds and she's back to normal, she really is a parasite holy shit.
>>154979177Considering that Lucy is Taeshi's idealized self-insert, and said author refuses to accept her own shittiness, this approach does make a certain amount of sense. It's either try to convince everyone else that Lucy/herself deserves their sympathy or admit that's not true. The problem is that people who embrace their own BPD are objectively terrible. So it's no great surprise that her justifications rely on selective memory, empty assertions, and outright denial.
>>154978482Jeez she really is a parasite unironically
For added pottery Augustus will find Mike fading away like he found Lucy after the jump but he will just turn around and leave
Seems Mary gets flustered so very easily
>>154979262I think that Lucy did genuinely feel bad about what she did to Mike. I also think she pushed those feelings down and congratulated herself for finding that "inner strength." Caring about other people opens her up to getting hurt = weakness = a bad thing which should be resisted. Which is why she will never grow as a person.
>>154979339Got a laugh out of me, anon.>>154979384I like the peanut gallery of kids just watching this whole exchange, presumably waiting for an opportunity to go "yeah but what about my marbles".
>>154979387Apparently not bad enough for it to really matter or stick as you said, so it really doesn't matter. She still proves that his take of her was right on the money.
>>154978589I think it's a hand
>Lucy is actually very kind and lovely person deep down who is manipulated by Mike not letting her be>Just trust me bro
>>154979440>She still proves that his take of her was right on the moneyOh, no doubt. I think Mike does feel badly for Lucy but is well aware this was just another temporary breakdown rather than some big chance to reconcile. Ironically, while Lucy is congratulating herself for breaking the cycle, Mike's the one who actually did it by refusing to take part.
>>154979387>I think that Lucy did genuinely feel bad about what she did to Mike.
>>154979586>a crumb of Mike attention is enough to sustain Lucy's ego until the next meltdown
>>154979558>Lucy saw Mike's sideways glance and realized he was just manipulating her again>his last expression was pure disappointment at failing to lure her in>and yet she still apologized for refusing to play along>selfless as alwaysOr so I figure the argument would go.
>>154979586Based on the commentary, I think this was meant to be her getting all hot and bothered, realizing this was another Tumblr sexyman Mike moment like she had back in Eternal Flame. Hence her rejection.
>>154978482So what’s she worried about? It’s not like she’s not allowed to talk to Mike, it’s the other way around.
Mike just standing there was manipulating her.
>>154979702>oh shit my pet attack goth knows that i caved and ran outside like a needy little toddler looking for my teddy bear>i just achieved my victory high and do not wish to dwell on this embarrassment>also he'll probably say i'm being irresponsible or something
>>154979702Her going out of her way to go to Mike of her own volition just proves it was never a Mike instigated problem and the whole exile and LitS event was entirely for nothing.When you support a dude being emotionally executed for your benefit and to have him stay away from you to a nonsense degree only to then proceed to go out of your way to engage with him anyway you just look like a fucking asshole to even the people who tried to "help" you
>>154979705I am not fond of Lucy's mini Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer schnoz.
>>154979702Lucy is a creature of pride and appearances, she can't look weak in front of Augustus or he will come back and babysit her again. The only reason he agreed to leaving her on her own was because she was going to be with a group of friends that are very patient and supportive of her on her own volition
>>154979313Yeah but why would an IDEALIZED self-insert act like a parasite with no redeeming qualities? If Lucy was actually a halfway decent friend (to everyone not named Mike) most of the time, except for her crashouts, then she would be sympathetic. And since Mike is also a decent friend most of the time, except for crashouts, the whole "Mike and Lucy are both victims, they're equally at fault, can't blame them for being crazy!" thing would make sense.But every single time Lucy shows up she's mean-spirited or selfish. Even when she's being "nice", she makes sure to get her jabs in, gassing up her own ego by being mean and making unflattering comments towards her "friends". Y'know, like a parasite. So how is she supposed to come across sympathetic?I'm genuinely asking. If we have any Lucyfags in here, whether native or peeking in from the discord/tumblr or whatever, please answer me. I can't promise that you'll receive a warm welcome from other anons, but I'LL be nice about it.
>>154979855>Yeah but why would an IDEALIZED self-insert act like a parasite with no redeeming qualities?Because the author is insane?
>>154979775I half think Augustus knows full well that Lucy can't control herself but, being a highly biased party, finds that forgivable and worth his sympathy (even though in the past he found that sort of thing absolutely insufferable). Since Mike is the able-minded half of this equation, that makes him the problem.
>>154979702Its like dealing with a drug addict>Mike is the cause of my suffering and psychosis!>Ban Mike so now he isn't even around her and she now has everything else she supposedly wanted>Purposely going to the banned source of her suffering on her own despite getting what she wantedShe already looked like a psycho bitch but now its getting to be too much even with the retardation debuff everyone around her suffers. She's the problem and nothing short of Mike going to another school is going to stop her from inevitably going after the supposed source of her "suffering"
>>154979854and the comical part is that them being so patient with her seems to be what made her freak out because she thrives on drama and being a victim.
>>154979892>>154979893Which makes me think that's where this arc is headed, Augustus plan has always been to skip town once he can go to college and everything is going well except that his meal ticket might crumble the moment he's gone (like she just did) so the exile was a taste of leaving a new status quo for her, but turns out she's obsessed so nothing sort of getting rid of Mike will ensure Lucy won't be jumping ketchup anytime soon
>>154979855>Yeah but why would an IDEALIZED self-insert act like a parasite with no redeeming qualities?As already stated, Taeshi does not want to recognize her own behavioral proclivities, mirrored in Lucy, as negative traits. Lucy is idealized in that she's beautiful and popular and super insightful in ways that Taeshi herself has never been. Lucy is not meant to be a better person, because that would admit flaw in the author. If the Goldiemald model of BCB is correct, this is not a surprising outcome.
>>154979855Because the author genuinely believes that nice people are two-faced assholes that are only nice to you because they want something out of it, while assholes and sociopaths are always honest and upfront with you. She really thinks those kind of cunts are cool, mainly because she and her husband are massive cunts themselves.
>>154979981Sadly, Augustus does seem to genuinely care about Lucy even though he should feel mounting exasperation toward her. I'm sure he wouldn't want her to relapse the moment he's gone...which she just proved is exactly what would happen, at least in his mind. The end result is the same: He clearly needs to get rid of Mike for real.
>>154980165Murder arc please
>>154980101Don't forget she thinks Mike deserves shit because he wanting friendship with others is the same as holding them back because he can't bear not being the center of attention, while Lucy manipulating and gaslighting others "for their own good" is seen as positive and selfless
>>154980165That's what I meant, this is all pointing to Augustus getting rid of Mike. How many pages of the chapter are left? There might be enough time for him to play bully once again before it ends
>>154980297He still has the cell phone. Is this comic going to jump the shark by having him call Alejandro on Mike?
>>154979652Meanwhile, Mike doesn't even recall how he ended up on the track.
>>154980396Possible but its a really stupid move from all angles.>Lucy is still obsessed with Mike and getting him outright hurt will likely aggravate her and she is aware of the phone to put it on him>Al probably also wants to beat the tar out of Augustus with the little games he's been playing>Absolutely any and all support for him is lost which will cause Taeshi to sperg out when even her sycophants call him a fucking asshole like what happened with James
>>154980165>Augustus realises Lucy would last 4 hours tops once he leaves for college>calls Alej to jump Mike when he's walking home in a daze>drags Mike's malnourished and beaten body to Lucy's home>handcuffs him to a radiatorJob well done.
>>154980438Just have Augustus ask Lucy if she's ok with it, she'll either say yes to not look needy or scream and leave it up to him which is also an affirmationThere's also the whole divorce thing, Lucy's mom is very close to Mike's, the family problems just need to slip once for anyone to take advantage of them
>>154979384>Mary when someone suggest that she likes boys
If this was the big "run outside and hug" moment that Taeshi's been hyping up for like 2 years, then that was underwhelming.On the other hand, if it WASN'T, and Taeshi is pulling her signature 'foreshadowing" that's just having the thing happen early then undoing it so it can happen again "properly", then that's going to be even more disappointing.Hmmm.
>>154980297Not enough time to bully Mike proper, but enough to show Augustus scowling and scheming on how to further destroy scarf cat.Given Mike is supposed to start getting better in a couple of chapters, either this plot thread is dropped/sent into cryostasis or goth boy's enhanced fuckery triggers Mike to begin his transformation into a beautiful, lovable asshole butterfly. Because Taeshi would consider that a move in the right direction.>>154980396Gus is stupid but not outright retarded. Still, dumber things have occured in service to the plot.
>>154978482We had the briefest moment of clarity from Lucy discovering that Mike is a wreck as a result of her systematically isolating him and assaulting him verbally and physically, and her immediate emotional response to this is... horny?
>>154980632>then that was underwhelmingMuch like Eternal Flame, which Taeshi insisted had changed everything. These events are incredibly important in her mind but she refuses to (or can't) explain why to her readers, so they come off as lame or unnecessary to relatively sane people.
>>154980642Yes. Lucy being a massive slut with a fixation on Mike isn't news. Doesn't matter if she kicked him in the gut and had him publicly shunned like a week ago. She's got a mental problem with Mike specifically
>>154978482
>>154980642The cycle of abuse dictates that after isolation and severance from his friends Lucy presents herself as the one that gets it and the only one person he still has. Lucy is ecstasyc that Mike is starting to disassociate and soon she can start making him dependant on her. You have to drop Sandy, Mike, only I understand that you're going through. You can trust me Mike, I'm sorry, it won't happen again, we can be happy together if you behave better. You owe it to me
>>154980642>>154980710She will probably recontextualize her regret and guilt as side-effects of that fixation. Good thing she's strong enough to overcome such failings!
>>154979274>ass
>>154980728Lucy trying to seduce Mike would at least be interesting to watch.
>>154980783Oh what could have been.
>>154980632More often than not when Taeshi proclaims THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME about a chapter it ends incredibly disappointing
>>154979189>BPD>BCB
>>154980859This is true. Remember when she played up "an explosive first date?" All that happened is we found out Paulo is a disappointing slob of a boyfriend and Jordan finally got the hint about Tiff.
>>154979893>nothing short of Mike going to another school is going to stop her from inevitably going after the supposed source of her "suffering"Bro I fully believe if Mike changes school we would get an entire sequence of Lucy skipping class and running (limping) all the way to his new place.And then have a very loud, very public meltdown so Mike's social life is ruined there too.
>>154979010>>154979387>>154980756>I, Lucy Whitecat, have overcome the weaknesses of guilt! My love is true, my passion pure, untainted by compassion or care!What, is Lucy a fuckin' C-tier cartoon villain? Is the out for her to stay "sympathetic" going to be that actually she was being manipulated into being evil by palpatine or a luferian or the dark gods the whole time, so it wasn't REALLY her fault?
>>154980932I think she might just find another boy at Roseville High, much like she did at the other school. Remember that back when Paulo proved himself no longer "trustworthy," she tried this on pre-reformed Augustus of all people.
>>154980949I am sure she will try to pull some mental absurdity to absolve herself of blame and treat it all as fine and good while anyone with basic sanity will see Lucy as a psycho and Mucy being radioactive shit that needs to die
>>154980921Tiff herself was kind of fun. She's the most based character we've had ever since McCain got recruited by the Technocracy disappeared.
>>154980949Taeshi pulled the "in her mind she was just being friendly" card at the start of the chapter, so going "she didn't know what she was doing" is already on the table as an excuse
>>154980932This >>154980971 Mike is just her favorite chew toy. When Mike is out of reach, she'll latch on to the nearest convenient boy that tickles her fancy even if only slightly. They'll be inferior to Mike, but that won't stop her
>>154980949I have unfortunately interacted with individuals who claimed that feelings of regret or guilt are selfish. They were not nice people, nor fun to be around.
>>154980983>Lucy is too stupid for basic accountabilityThat's an awfully Victorian mindset for a modern woman to harbor.
>>154980971>>154981035That's actually not a bad solution to the entire problem.>Mike leaves for a while>Lucy immediatedly wraps her tentacles around some other poor sap.>After some time he can just come back and continue to leave quietly>Lucy is happy with her new teddy bear>the table is happy now that Lucy is appeased by her teddy bear>Augustus can relax and leave for College without fear>Mike is no longer harassed and can move on>Paulo's mother still doesn't fucking love him
>>154978482>>154980949>>154980983For real. I know Taeshi draws a lot of inspiration from manga and the like, and I can't imagine a romance manga featuring what was supposed to be an extremely heartbreaking moment this way.She LITERALLY just saw the guy she supposedly loves sooo much in a mindbroken state. She JUST left the field he was in, and her first reaction when she is out of it is comically acting like it never happened? the fuck?I don't think even a very comedy-reliant romance manga would do it if it intended for the romance aspect to be taken seriously. Hell, I don't think even a mostly comedy manga with just a tiny bit of romance would try to do that.
>>154981354>Paulo's mother still doesn't fucking love himThe ancient ritual persists.
>>154981388I think Taeshi is BPD and believes this is an entirely rational reaction from Lucy. Because it's one she envisions herself having under the same circumstances.
>>154981354>The only way to make everyone happy is to give Lucy a sacrificial boy to obsess over>"Those that leave Roseville"Also kek at that last one
>>154981388Now you know how Mike feels
>>154981388Agreed. It was way too jarring and just makes her look like a sociopath. It's almost comical how Mike with Lucy is supposed to be endgame but man she keeps finding new ways to make it look worse and worse
>>154978611>spoilerDid you really think he was pissy at Lucy for no reason? Remember, this back and forth was constant for years in-universe. Imagine dealing with this since you were like 6.
>>154980971I would like to once again remind you all that Augustus's "sarcastic banter" with Lucy was NOT him just being himself and letting his guard down, but a deliberate ploy to bait Lucy in. One that worked far, far better than even he anticipated. It wasn't until AFTER he'd successfully caught her that Augustus started developing something approaching a friendship with her, and according to Taeshi herself, it wasn't until Lucy gave him a place to stay that Augustus's thoughts on her moved from "that bitch" to "my best friend/surrogate sister".This is a tangent, but the chapter is also yet another example of Lucy's obsession with Mike being ridiculous. It opens with her finding that Paulo put all the candy he got from halloween in her locker with a note saying "Please don't tell Jazz / You still got me" (something something emotional cheating), and then goes on to Daisy having planned and organized a whole surprise party and sleepover on Lucy's behalf. But Lucy's still SAD because Mike isn't trying to give her a birthday surprise this year. Mike's not even hostile or pointed, he's just ignoring her completely. Lucy then spends most of the party being mean to girls who came to her birthday party. Also, I'm not a Mikefag, but even I can't help but notice that Mike's birthday has never been celebrated in the comic.
>>154981578Mike sat at a tree and got sad about Lucy on his last birthday. And I think the last one before that was when everyone blew their nose in his scarf if I'm not mistaken
>>154981621>And I think the last one before that was when everyone blew their nose in his scarf if I'm not mistakenIf true that only makes Mike not really trusting his friends make more sense.
>>154981578>>154981621There's literally a chapter called "Mike's birthday">It's another "Mikefag imagining up some slights that didn't happen" episode
>>154980396>Things will look up for Mike in Chapter 133>Because he’ll be in heaven
>>154981354I'm not sure Lucy wouldn't just glomp onto Paulo yet again, given that he's her default backup, she's bad at making new friends, and likes falling into bad old habits. Sure, it'd immediately cause massive problems within the social circle, but since when has Lucy cared about that? It's not like she has any respect or regard for Daisy's feelings.
>>154981740That was a one page intermission, but true, I did forget it. Mea culpa.
>>154981520I couldn't point the major reason for it. Both of them almost died and Lucy is reasonable still processing it by crying at Mike, but he is not fully there and is visibly annoyed. Then he gives the fuck that bitch speech to the pedo. Victim Complex felt like we're finally going somewhere, but maybe this is the most normal it has ever been. She opens herself to Mike, but its all just hysterics that doesn't mean anything and then she gets to feel good about herself afterwards.
>>154981980Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but didn't Lucy also go through the same reset she did here?>Mike looked like he was upset/different >Oh well, whatever, hope he gets over it soon>Just want things back as they were, only he has to change
>>154978482Looks like Lucy just came back from spending lunch with her secret boyfriend in the parking lot
>>154981742>132 is the divorce >133 the dad leaves Roseville and takes Mike with him
>>154981980I thought that Mike's reaction in that situation made a lot of sense. From Mike's perspective:>David was fucking around and almost got us both killed (again)>I heroic defied basic physics to save Lucy's life>She's fine (physically) while I'm all banged up>But it's STILL all about Lucy and her feelings>She's crying at me about how SHE felt and how it affected her and I'm having to comfort her and go "there there" while still nursing bruises
>>154982288>Last shot of Mike has them driving away>Mike glances in the rear view mirror where Lucy only just arrives in the distance>Mike simply closes his eyes and smiles once more>He was free
>>154981898Wow, what an amazing celebration. I'd feel so loved.
>>154982475anonit's a gag
>>154982604Woah, really?
>>154982741no.
>>154981098I could see an argument there; expressions of regret can be selfish IF the guilty party is making a bigger deal out of their own feelings than the injured party's. Demanding sympathy and forgiveness rather than genuinely trying to fix things. But I imagine that's not what you're talking about. And Lucy's doing the worst of both. Cuz she IS demanding sympathy rather than trying to fix anything, and making a bigger deal out of her feelings than those of the people she hurts, but "her feelings" don't even come across as guilt, because she never regrets anything until it effects HER. Lucy's main emotions seem to be cruelty, spite/resentment, and lust.>>154981388I expect to be disappointed, because Taeshi consistently manages to be stupider than I predict, but I no longer think Mucy is endgame. I think the "bittersweet" ending that Taeshi has planned (at this moment, even odds she changes her mind about her endgame again and starts hard shipping LucyXAugustus or something) is that Mike and Lucy both go on to quietly regret not getting together with their tRuE lOvE but at least they're happy and functional.
>>154982796Another rehashing of FITR2? I hope not, reading that made me physically nauseous.
>>154981098>>154982796i don't think they're reserving it for special cases when they say something like that.i feel like it's a mindset you can really only get to via projection - they aren't feeling any actual remorse themselves (i.e. they're never upset with themselves for hurting someone, or upset that someone else was hurt (unless it directly affects them); at most they're only upset about potentially facing personal consequences for it). to rationalize that, they construct a worldview that assumes everyone else is broken the same way and just pretending not to be.it's the "everyone else is as bad as me, i'm just more 'honest'" delusion. forget Lucy, this is what Taeshi is like.
>>154982962It's still better than Mucy. And since in the canon timeline Lucy won't become a single mother (presumably, the odds of Taeshi canonizing SC are low but never zero) she won't have a child to take her frustration out on like she did in FITR2. And hopefully Sue will escape Lucy's orbit rather than being stuck forever as her mindslave.
>>154982752Jeepers
>>154978482>What were you doing out there?>Why are you all sweaty?>Why are you out of breath?>Why do you smell so bleachy?
>>154982796Taeshi letting loose with her full BPD by proxy and trying to justify it makes me expect that, unfortunately, Mucy is still on.
>>154982317>>She's crying at me about how SHE felt and how it affected her and I'm having to comfort her and go "there there" while still nursing bruisesReminder, this page is still undefeated. Mike was actually underselling how right he was. Taeshi has never managed to come up with a good counter, and the only thing the story does is try to gaslight Mike to date Lucy when he should be with neither white cat.>This entire comic is just shaming Mike for not dating his abuser.>Said abuser then beats and socially exiles him, alter decigin to come outside for a pick-me-up from him.>Story tries to say Mike is the bad guy.This story is disgusting. Dogs are still fucking pointless.
>>154978482This reads like she's actually getting off to making Mike suffer.
>>154979555look at where her arm is in the prior panelit's a tiddy
>>154983311Like I said, I expect to be disappointed. But if you browse through Taeshi's blog (don't, ragebait is psychic poison), she keeps referring to Mucy as "unhealthy" in various ways and saying that what they NEED is to get over each other. When she does talk about how good Mucy is, she qualifies it by going "but IF they were to get together it'd have to be a long time from now, after they've done some healing". It's always possible she relapses on Mucy at some point (or jumps the shark in some other way like bringing back LucyXLarken), but the past year or so she seems to be aiming for "Mike & Lucy endgame is amicable separation (at best)".
>>154983440It's really cool how big Lucy's tits are
>>154983376>Taeshi has never managed to come up with a good counterI think that's because, back then, Taeshi unironically meant for Mike to be right about Lucy. The tragedy of it all was that Lucy learned to modify her behavior too late for it to matter. It wasn't until around when Lucy came back that Taeshi's writing took a turn for the masturbatory. Hell, we didn't see the absolute disconnect from reality until Line in the Sand.
>>154983529I've always thought those blogposts were an exercise in plausible deniability, and that feeling intensified after Lucy's return. Because otherwise Taeshi could just up and finally kill the ship. It's long overdue and would not impact either the patron numbers nor the readership in general. Nobody likes Mucy. I don't think anyone even wants these cats to share the same zip code. Yet Taeshi keeps trying to make it this oh so tragic situation when it just keeps pissing everyone off.
>>154983529>But if you browse through Taeshi's blog (don't, ragebait is psychic poison),Taeshi also said Lucy's suicide attempt wasn't known to the cast, so everything shared on that blog is subject to change.>>154982288Based on how the comic frames it, Mike's dad is liable to bail on the entire family.
>>154983386Does she not already? There's plenty of times she's enjoying his anger and suffering.
>>154983585>Hell, we didn't see the absolute disconnect from reality until Line in the Sand.I don't think we cna ever see that level of disconnect again.>Agustus tries to frame Mike as the abusive husband>All that gaslighting and trying to say he is using James as a replacement for Lucy.> Lucy showing up and doing nothing but cling to Agustus.>Miek getting sick of his shit and throwingg his ass to the ground with a shove. james saw that.>Lucy then hearing Mike say lucytreated him Like shit and then watch her kick him int he gt and try and galsight.>I feel sorry for your girlfriend.Genuinely, I don't know how you write a chapter like that and think it makes Lucy and friend look good. She didn't even try to write Lucy an easy way out by having Augustus do this on his own. She's a hanger-on and talk shit, and hit Mike. With half the so-called good times being Lucy hitting or treating Mike badly. The shit wiht James pretty much sunk him as a character to the point that he ain't coming back from. No sad backstory will make up for the shit he said. Don't be surprised when he fades into the background like the seniors.
>>154983529She's pretty consistently said that too, there was a stream right after Lucy came back where Taeshi outright said that Lucy shouldn't end up with anyone.Also everytime someone tries to shit on Mike and Sandy Taeshi insists Mike is the problem between them right now, someone said "God I hate Mike" back when she was drawing this comic and she said "Why? he's just having fun with his girlfriend, Lucy's being a downer"
>>154983746If we somehow ever get another Line in the Sand level shitshow then something's gotta give with this mess.
>>154980577>Lucy's mom is very close to Mike's, the family problems just need to slip once for anyone to take advantage of themThe whole Whitecat family really are cunts, aren't they?
>>154982604I'm sure he's aware of that, the point he is attempting to highlight is that while celebrations of Lucy's birthday are genuine affairs given dramatic focus and importance, the singular instance of celebrating Mike's is a one-off gag.
>>154983696>Based on how the comic frames it, Mike's dad is liable to bail on the entire family.Oh god damn it, the impending solution to the Lucy-Mike conflict was already revealed and been staring us right in the fucking face this entire time. Mike's gonna hit her with the "At least your Dad fucking loved you!"
>>154984096That or retarded or both
>>154980641>Mike to begin his transformation into a beautiful, lovable asshole butterfly.As the (self-declared) #1 Mikefag in these threads I must admit that if he loses the fundamental compassion, kindness, and patience for others' failings that has thus far been the key part of him as a character, I'll completely lose interest in him. It is practically his defining aspect that while many might fall in the face of chaos, not this one. Not today.
>>154984096That's incest for you
>>154984363I'm torn on the matter. In general, you and I are in agreement. But, should Mike the Asshole turn on the people responsible in a kind of low heat Carrie scenario, i.e. roasting them in the metaphorical sense rather than literal, that might be fun to watch.
>>154984533An excellent update. I for one like this version of Gus much better.
>>154980396The shitshow from that would be biblical. Despite the hate for mike, most of taeshi's don't want to see him get put in the kind of danger that would get him killed. They got widly uncomfortable when a small number of them started wishing for his death. Taeshi having Augustus get Alejandro on him would destroy his rep and she'd lose her fucking mind trying to justify any of it or pull out 'This isn't a comic about Karma!" again.That's just from the reader's point. In universe it would be even worse. As bumfuck retarded as she is, Lucy doesn't want to see Mike physically hurt or killed (unless it's by her). Alejandro wouldn't just stop at Mike. He'd go after Lucy, Sue, Paulo, and Daisy too if he's as capable of tard rage as Taeshi says he is and remembers everyone involved. Even Augustus would get his ass beaten.If any of the other kids get hurt, Lucy and her family run the risk of dealing with multiple enraged parents because of the guy they took in as one of their own. They're looking at potentially large legal and reputational damages.
>>154983779>Also everytime someone tries to shit on Mike and Sandy Taeshi insists Mike is the problem between them right now, someone said "God I hate Mike" back when she was drawing this comic and she said "Why? he's just having fun with his girlfriend, Lucy's being a downer"I'm still confused as to why she keeps batting for Sandy at this point. This comic is currently raking Mike over the coals for some fucking letters and playing it up as him leading Lucy on. How do you write all of that but then turn around and go "No, it's totally Mike's fault for not being as invested anymore" after he actually got cheated on? Why do this if Sandy's presence is such a problem for the group as a whole?
>>154984533Damn, that's good!
>>154984785She has BPD and is legally insane/
>>154984785I suspect it's overcompensation so that her irrational anger toward the effigy of her most hated enemy does not become painfully clear.
>>154983376Mike was/is right
>>154984785I think Taeshi really likes Sandy's design, and if she likes asshole characters then Sandy's top dog as a cheater.Most of the bluesky art she made was of Sandy after all
>>154984533I love those. Thank you for your work anon.
>>154985955It's more than that. Lucy is the self-insert of Taeshi as she is, where her flaws are actually strongpoints that people love. Sandy is the idealized self: kind, compassionate, well-loved and successful, that Taeshi knows she can never achieve, hence why she is almost godlike in her ability to reduce Lucy and her girlbossness to little more than a worm quivering on the asphalt beneath a burning summer sun. This of course relates to Goldiemalding, as Taeshi still feels inferior to a 12 year old girl that her husband talked to nearly thirty years ago and thinks that had she not disappeared Suitcase would have been with her instead.
>>154984533Kek
>>154983688Well Mucy is the primary dramatic fulcrum of the comic. Once she kills it off, there's not even a meta-level reason for Lucy to stick around in Roseville, and Mike has no problems left (his depression seems more situational than chronic). Plus, the only thing Taeshi likes to write other than Mucy is Pauloshow, and in her mind that's already wrapped up with a bow. God forbid we actually finish Daisy's character arc properly instead of just relegating her to cheerleader for the REAL characters...>>154983779SSS Platinum Ultra-Rare Taeshi moment of being based. I love Sandy, all glory to her inevitable victory.
>>154983779This reads like an NTR fetish
>>154983779>>154987134I don't like Lucy, but I see no reason for being pro-Sandy either, at least not her modern version.She just has zero redeeming qualities man, she cheated (probably still does), just talks about shallow stuff, doesn't share interests with Mike, doesn't really care about him, just wants to talk about herself...I understand finding her an interesting character for the fact that she sets things in motion, and I get not wanting Mucy to be endgame, nobody does at this point, but why defend Sandy as if she is some sort of nice character?
>>154987187I was confused too but I guess this is about mike cheating on sandy with lucy?? Is she implying mike doomed the relationship from the start?
>>154987283Man who knows what Taeshi means, she makes no sense. Her takes make no sense.Not to be a Mikefag, but how exactly is he to blame for his relationship going sour with Sandy?>he was head over heels for her>was excited for her visit>called her all the time before EF>was always loyal to her, never cheated.>tried his best to make things work, and even pardoned her cheating.What more could he have done? What more does she want?Is she saying that he is to blame because he is not feeling as enamored as he once was? If that is so, can you even blame him, after Sandy just straight up told him she cheated and she liked it?
>>154987187>She just has zero redeeming qualities man, she cheated (probably still does), just talks about shallow stuff, doesn't share interests with Mike, doesn't really care about him, just wants to talk about herself...You're conflating Sandy's "redeeming qualities" entirely with whether she benefits Mike, which is really weird, but just super quickly>Sandy stopped cheating and Mike pretended to forgive her while holding a grudge, which is the only reasonable problem with the relationship right now>the stuff she talks to Mike about is more consequential than anything Mike has ever said because she's a famous model dealing with adult problems and Mike is in highschool>Mike literally has no interests aside from gaming which might as well be offscreen character at this point, we haven't seen him play his MMO since he started>Sandy single handedly gave Mike a spine from volume 1 to volume 4 through her being the only character to care about him>Everytime Sandy tries to move the conversation to something about Mike he goes "N-no I wanna hear about you!" so what's she supposed to do
>>154984533Lucy, you have to stop! Just stop!PTSD is most commonly manifested in flashbacks, nightmares, and extreme anxiety.If Kizuna were still alive, she'd likely suffer from PTSD. So, really, she's the lucky one.The US education system has a strict policy against the bullying of students.Persistent antisocial tendencies within interpersonal relationships are often a warning sign for violent behavior.The suicide rate for US students has climbed steadily over the last two decades. Today, it is a leading cause of death.All actions are equivalent and are on principle doomed to failure.It's Mike. He did it. All of it.Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two conflicting ideas simultaneously.You are still a good person.The US education system does not condone the use of violence on its campuses. But this isn't real, so why should you care?This is all your fault.I exist and I find it nauseating.
>>154987319>never cheatedthat's the thing, according to taeshi (and mike himself in the comic) he did cheat on sandy with lucy back when they made it official
>>154987187Because she's based, and I like being on the winning side.Besides, look at that smile! How can you look at that and not sympathize with her and want to see her happy?
>>154987332>Sandy stopped cheatingDebatable.>Mike pretended to forgive her while holding a grudgeDo you really want to blame the victim? She is the one who cheated. She said she enjoyed it. If anything Mike shouldn't have forgiven her, but he did out of fear and pity for her.>the stuff she talks to Mike about is more consequential than anything Mike has ever said because she's a famous model dealing with adult problems and Mike is in highschoolThat's just ridiculous.Nothing she says is consequential, she talks about shallow stuff, not deeply intellectual or insightful things. They're both kids, kids who should be enamored with each other, so what Mike did, tryin to talk with her, was just a boyfriend wanting to keep in contact with her GF.What, because she is a model, she can only talk with adults or people in her field? Get real.>Mike literally has no interests aside from gamingShe only talks about frivolous things as well, like gossip and herself and clothes.>Sandy single handedly gave Mike a spine from volume 1 to volume 4 through her being the only character to care about himOld Sandy was different, she actually did care about him, but she changed drastically to her current form.>Everytime Sandy tries to move the conversation to something about Mike he goes "N-no I wanna hear about you!" so what's she supposed to donotice that something is wrong with her BF and try to talk about it.
>>154981578>spoiler about lucy being meanthat's not really relevant to mike, that's just tae's misogyny leaking through her self-insert
>>154987385>Debatable.She's texting and calling him all the time, which both proves she's sincere about wanting to be with him and also unless she's amazing at multi-tasking proves she's not doing much else.>Do you really want to blame the victim?He's not a victim of anything anymore, he wanted to stay together and he chose to "forgive" her, what is Sandy supposed to do? Break up with him despite him wanting to be together?>That's just ridiculous.Not really, Sandy has an important job and for example one of the things she talked to Mike about is being in Japan for a show that relies entirely on her, and the most important thing Mike talked about is friendship troubles with Lucy or glazing James and the track gang (She was fully supportive and attentive to both regardless)>She only talks about frivolous things as well, like gossip and herself and clothes.She talks about other things, but even those, frivolous as they are, are something, Mike only had one thing to talk about and it was track, and now he doesn't even have that, Mike is the one choosing not to talk about himself btw>Old Sandy was different, she actually did care about him, but she changed drastically to her current form.They're the same character, current Sandy is hard carrying the relationship, she's the one to call and text and bring up stuff to talk about.>notice that something is wrong with her BF and try to talk about it.How's she supposed to do that? It's a LDR and Mike isn't speaking up about himself like he usually does, and given how Mike shuts down when anyone asks him if he's okay it probably wouldn't go anywhere anyway.Current Sandy is doing everything she can and Mike's stonewalling
>>154987187her 'modern' version is her ONLY version - she is barely a character before her supposed 'heel turn.' who the fuck knows what Taeshi is doing, but certain readers have been conflating infatuated daydreams Mike had about her (and mikefag daydreams they were having) with her actual character for the last 20 years.it's not defending Sandy for them, they're defending the idea of Sandy they imagined based on almost nothing and still can't let go of.>>154987283>>154987319it is ALWAYS a mistake to take Taeshi's blogs and comments seriously. even on the rare occasions you might somehow agree with parts of them.
>>154987319Okay, so since the other anon is arguing the in-universe aspect of Sandy's innocence, I'm going to argue the meta aspect. The thing is, it requires you to ignore Taeshi's very intentional framing and focus on the literal aspect of what she's written:Mike never payed much attention to Sandy.Now, this sounds crazy; the clear intent with the Lucy/Mike/Sandy love triangle is to frame Sandy as the wrong choice, the distant jet-setting model who doesn't really know and care about Mike the way Lucy does. The rarity of their interactions is SUPPOSED to underline this framing. But if you look at the comic itself, and pay attention to who's initiating those rare interactions, it's almost always Sandy. The exception where Mike is the main pusher is their texts, which are only actually shown a few times:>The first is just "ILU" back and forth.>Much later (Volume 6 chapter 96.5), Mike texts Sandy asking for a call, but he follows it up with "Actually, don't worry about it. I'm fine." out of self-consciousness. >The next time is Eternal Flame, when we see that he's texted Sandy asking for a call again, but again follows it up with self-consciousness (although this time he just says "If that's okay. Sorry if that's a bother" rather than outright backing down)>While Sandy is never shown texting back, she clearly does, and seemingly in big bursts where she sends Mike tons of photos and long stories of what she's been up to.(1/2)
>>154987566With regards to their in person interactions, Mike initiated ONE; every other time was Sandy's doing. With regard to initiating phone calls, Mike makes excuses to Paulo about why he can't call with Sandy, rather than claiming he has but she hasn't picked up. We only see Sandy called from Mike's phone four times in the comic: >Once in Volume 1, where she picks up and Mike asks "What are we, are we a couple?">Much later (Volume 6 chapter 91), he wakes up from a nightmare, calls her a bunch of times in a row, she doesn't pickup (but in fairness it is like 2am), and he yells "FUCK YOU" and throws the phone.>In Witch Hunt Paulo steals Mike's phone and calls Sandy, leaves a message, and she calls back barely a minute later.>Again in Eternal Flame, we see Mike call her a bunch of times in a row fairly late, but this time she picks up.Every other phone call they have in the comic (the 4 or so that we see, anyways) is Sandy calling Mike.As to the content of their conversations, almost every dialogue between Mike and Sandy is about Mike. When Sandy is talking about herself, Mike doesn't listen or respond much, he's just enamored with Sandy's presence (or more recently, too depressed to even blink). Again, the framing is such that the intent is clear: "Sandy is so vapid, prattling on about herself while Mike is too in love/sad to say anything. The bitch isn't even noticing his devotion/depression!". But if you think about it, Sandy has been shown to sincerely care about Mike, offering both emotional support and compassionate advice for his problems when she knows about them. So from a more neutral perspective than Taeshi herself offers, the tragedy of their relationship isn't that Mike cares so much while Sandy doesn't. It's that they both care about and love each other, but distance (plus Sandy and Mike both being kind of dumb) prevents them from noticing each other's problems unless they explicitly mention them, which they're both too autistic to do.
>>154987484Here here, anon! Warms my icy heart to see another Sandyfag in the wild.
>>154980396Oh god please if so it would be the best ,the comic closer to an end.Unfortunately we will have a "Happy Mike" arc in the future so it won't be the case
>>154987664Sandy a cuteI appreciate your effortposts anon, keep fighting the Sandy Slander when you see it :)
>>154981898Whatever the other anon tried to prove, I think showing this celebration had the opposite result of what they had in mind
>>154987527>The anons asserting that Mike is a bad boyfriend and singing Sandy's praises are Mikefags!Get a grip and stop fighting ghosts, anon.
>>154987724really not the rebuttal you think it is if that's the word you're immediately hyperfixated on
>>154987566She's wlways initiating because he can't initiate anything with her - it's a structural reality of their relationship that the one with completely unpredictable free time is the only one who has the ability to initiate anything, because anything has to be pre-initiated by her becoming available to spend time with.You also can't forget that nearly ALL of their communication is happening offscreen.And this cope about her texting and calling him all the time has got to be from people completely unable to parse the emotional subtext of Sandy's messages. She's just using him as someone to vent at.>s-she talks about other thingsSuch as? I get that Sandyfags need to be in almost complete denial of Sandy's dialogue at the beginning of LitS, but the fact she never ASKS about Mike never actually goes away.
>>154979384>the box contains an actual heart
So is this "Mandy is totally Taeshi's endgame" shit the new retarded take being used to try and start arguments to keep threads bumped?Forget reading Taeshi's incomprehensible tea leaves for a moment, forget trying to extract themes from a work half-written by untreated mental illness, and just look at the story as a whole... ..Did everyone forget that literally nothing about the characters or plot in BCB (including Mandy developments) progresses unless it is directly tied to Mucy developments?
>>154978482>lucy: talking to mike and he.. he... (starts crying)>everyone runs out to get mike
>>154978482I hadn't read this webcomic in two months, I honestly forgot it existed. What in the actual fuck was that chapter? Why do I still read this thing?
>>154988046Not that anon but lol @ the barely concealed asspain in this post over a very polite bit of sandyfagging, like where's this anger coming from?>She's wlways initiating because he can't initiate anything with her - it's a structural reality of their relationshipWhat is this cope lmaoYou're acting like Sandy isn't texting and calling Mike completely when it's convenient for HIM and has nothing to do with her.She calls when he gets home from school, she calls before he goes to bed, she's calling before his date with James and is texting him on the way to school and between classes, literally every single time it's been convenient for Mike, so despite Sandy having a literal JOB and STILL GOING TO SCHOOL it's Sandy's job to initiate because... she has less free time. Sure man, makes sense.>You also can't forget that nearly ALL of their communication is happening offscreen.This is completely pointless to bring up, what are you even trying to say here?>And this cope about her texting and calling him all the time has got to be from people completely unable to parse the emotional subtext of Sandy's messages.Pure headcanon, back when Mike wasn't stonewalling conversations all of their conversations were about Mike, his new friends and his feelings, I don't say this is headcanon lightly, you literally are just imagining some emotional subtext that isn't there and you can't begin to back up.>Such as?We've gone over everything multiple times, you're ignoring it and just trauma dumping.>I get that Sandyfags need to be in almost complete denial of Sandy's dialogue at the beginning of LitSIt's Sandy's fault Mike is too busy moping over James to participate in a conversation? it's actually hilarious how you put 100% of the burden on Sandy to do everything in this relationship, Mike just has zero agency at all and needs to be told how to be a boyfriend.>but the fact she never ASKS about Mike never actually goes away."Fact" hahaha
>>154988138yes to both
>>154988138Thank you for the blog, I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here 24/7 letting us know you disapprove of some random post in the thread.
>>154988138In fairness, it's not their fault there's nothing interesting to talk about.
>>154984533Oops, he clipped out of Lucyspace just a little. Nothing that a little hotfix won't patch though.
>>154988449>there's nothing interesting to talk about.This
>intentional sandyfags>Actually defending the cheating whore who ghost her "boyfriend for like a third of the comic" >Even said to her "boyfriend" that maybe she should fuck her driver cause of her mommy issues.Just let the fucking thread die.
>>154988138>Getting so emotional on behalf of a character who chose to stay with his cheating girlfriend you somehow double greentext Stop and appreciate how sad this is.
>>154988568Cause if Mike isn't with Sandy then he'll be back with Lucy in the status quo for some reason, is the justification according to a bci. Not like he couldn't be back with her in the status quo regardless since lucy says she wasn't trying to date Mike.>Couldn't counter the driver comment.Bite me. Neither Lucy nor Sandy are good girlfriends and much less friends.
>>154988171Didnt something like this happen before because of Paulo?
>>154988895Are you talking about the cheater mob that Paulo lead to beat the shit out of Mike or something else?
>>154988938The former yea
>>154987134>Once she kills it off, there's not even a meta-level reason for Lucy to stick around in RosevilleSo no change at all, then, given that's already the case.>Mike has no problems left (his depression seems more situational than chronic)Taeshi has proven plenty creative at finding Lucy-independent ways of tormenting him. Sandy's cheating, James turning out to be a flighty backstabber, and Mike's family problems are not dependent on Lucy, let alone any romantic tension between her and Mike.
I don't see the point in debating with Sandyfag(s). It's at least one anon's bit they refuse to drop for whatever reason, and any actual unironic Sandyfags are going to end up disappointed by what happens to her anyway. Best to let the next, oh, half-decade of comic play out, given Taeshi's alleged timeline.
>>154989138>half-decadeHey now. Be reasonable We might even make it out of the cafeteria by september.
>>154989096>Taeshi has proven plenty creative at finding Lucy-independent ways of tormenting himPlus Mike is still alone. Moving solves the Lucy issue(maybe) but we don't know if it will solve the need for a friend in his corner. Only made worse via a parental split. Taeshi could write the divorce painfully.>Parents start pitting the kids vs the other parent.>Visting days and parents dating new people.Just be glad taeshi hasn't had loud arguments down stair and Mike and/or Haley covering their ears to not hear it.
Did Lucy really have to put a bomb collar on him?
>>154990141Couldn't take any chances after her last punching bag got away
>>154990141It's a memorial pendant for the balls Lucy deprived him of.
>>154989096The meta-level reason for Lucy to stick around is that she has a role to play in the plot. There's no IN-UNIVERSE reason for her to reenroll in the same highschool she left, but that's not the same thing. If Mucy wraps up conclusively then Lucy's story is done; she doesn't have any other plot-relevant relationships. And Taeshi's not going to MAKE any other relationships of Lucy's plot-relevant, because that would require her to write non-romantic friendships as mattering, which she refuses to do.>Taeshi has proven plenty creative at finding Lucy-independent ways of tormenting him.Those are OSTENSIBLY not dependent on Lucy, but come on. You and I both know that if Mike didn't have [guilt for Lucy] hanging over his head like an executioners axe, all those other problems would dissipate. Look at the three chapters between Mike meeting James, and James going "I don't want to play with you anymore" because David showed up; sure, it was a set-up, but it still demonstrates that the second "He hurt Lucy, get him!" is not the overriding focus of Mike's story, he starts eating again, stops being depressed, reconnects with existing friends, and isn't worried about stuff beyond his control.
>>154978611It wasn't stress relief. She used her parasite powers to siphon away more of Mike's power.
Riddle me this, /bcb/man, if Mucy isn’t endgame why has there never been a Mucy BCI?The time Mike plays Please Bang My Wife with Paulo doesn’t count.
>>154990733Muh subversion and no assurance such a BCI will never happen as the can is still being kicked down the road of the plot.
>>154990654>then Lucy's story is doneI'm sure that Taeshi could invent something else for Lucy to do, like moving onto Augustus or some other third party. As has been made abundantly clear, Lucy's boy dependency issues are not limited to Mike and would survive him.>if Mike didn't have [guilt for Lucy] hanging over his head like an executioners axe, all those other problems would dissipateFundamentally untrue. All of those issues are completely independent of Lucy. Should the Lucy situation resolve, Mike only has one less stressor in his life. Sandy would still be unfaithful, Mike would still feel obligated to stay with her despite the drainage. His family would still be going through a rough patch or actively falling apart. James would still be James. He would still be rejected because muh Sandy, and still prove to be a vile treasonous snake over some other matter. All that would change is Mike either not getting torn down in LitS or Taeshi figuring out some equivalent. And I'm sure that Taeshi could find additional ways of amusing herself at Mike's expense, because that is what she has demonstrably done.
>>154990654> that would require her to write non-romantic friendships as mattering, which she refuses to do.I've never realized this, somehow. Even David and Paulo have romantic undertones on occasion.I suppose my only counter is Jessica and Rachel, but they're so sidelined it doesn't really matter.
There is only one true choice Mike can make to be happy. Abscond together with Haley.
>>154990825James may as well be dead to the plot at this point.
>>154991112I have my suspicions that Taeshi is keeping him around for more than just sucking Lucy off, given how deeply he's wounded Mike. His presence is certainly keeping scarf cat away from track team practice, and that's just the passive effect.
>>154979384WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
>>154990825>Sandy would still be unfaithful, Mike would still feel obligated to stay with her despite the drainageI'm curious if someone not with a tainted connection, Lucy & Sandy, could gradually have pulled Mike from her or convinced him to do so. Each time it has been attempted, there has always been an undercurrent of it being related to Lucy or wanting Mike romantically & having it done quickly. Makes me think a longer-term friend could have gotten through as Mike grows less happy with her.Though I wouldn't expect a major improvement afterward if they did. If anything, Mike might get worse, short-term.
>>154991168Isn't that what every character is for now?
>>154991304>I'm curious if someone not with a tainted connection, Lucy & Sandy, could gradually have pulled Mike from her or convinced him to do soJames came the closest, and there is a BCI in which Mike realizes staying with Sandy is dumb so accepts the offer. James had a much stronger pull on Mike than Lucy did, amusingly (and fittingly) enough. That's the power of a fresh start, I suppose.
>>154991392It is kind of entertaining to watch Taeshi find ways for each character to either hurt Mike or abandon him.>the laughable BPD maldfest that is lettersgate>Augustus goes full Dunning Kruger>Paulo is guilt tripped into sticking by Lucy's side and stop asking questions>Daisy out of the blue stops giving a flying fuck>Sue is Team Lucy all the way and probably still holds a grudge against Mike>Amaya is not a real character>David is not a real character>James is crowned the duplicitous king of confirmation bias>oh and also Mike's family is getting torn apart my marital problems that were totally happening all this time offscreen fr frAbbey and the track team are still at least passively supportive, so I can hardly wait to see how Taeshi fixes that.
>>154991424If James showed us something is that all you need to have Mike at your side is being kind and supportive of him without trying to get inside his pants right away Actually I find it amusing that doing same thing to Lucy made her have a meltdown
>>154991937Daisy supporting Sandy for cheating and somehow trying to shift the blame on Mike was fucking baffling. Also after she betrayed his confidence to boot.It sucks we'll never get Mike going full Ned Flanders December on all the tablefags and not just Lucy
>>154991995>Actually, I find it amusing that doing the same thing to Lucy made her have a meltdownI can see why Mike is like this, but what non-mental/meta reason is Lucy?>None of her siblings hate her>Her parents love her>She had this behavior before meeting AlejDid I miss something in her backstory?
>>154992008I believe Taeshi ruined her own comic with the whole "it wasn't abuse it was just the victim trying to fight back unwanted attention" because that's the mother of all retcons, any character can go "actually we didn't take your side because the way you wanted us to pay attention to you by being amicable and apologizing made us uncomfortable, it was too selfish" and justify whatever shit they want
>>154991937I'm just waiting for Sandy's visit to see if she's fucked up in some manner and will be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
>>154992087Watch her walk it back in a few chapters and pretend she never said it.
>>154992075mental illnessnot even kidding, that's the current explanation Taeshi has provided
>>154988938>>154989032isn't that scene more of a one-off slapstick gag? IIRC it's like one or two panels
>>154992075If it's something with her backstory it's not something we've seen. It doesn't help that neither Lucy nor the plot explain what she's thinking ever and any time someone tries to decipher Lucy's hangups she either throws a bitch fit while explaining nothing or ignores them.As far as we know she just homed in on the first boy to show any amount of toleration for her crazy ass as a child and made him a permanent staple in her status quo
>>154992502I think you summed up everything there.
>>154984533These edits are always the best part of these threads.
>>154992467Makes sense. If everything Lucy does is due to mental illness, she can never be held at fault.
>>154992728she's a toddler who gets everything handed to her when she screams or cries or pisses herself.There's no complexity to her these days, she's literally just a damned toddler who can't possibly know what's right or wrong, and gets everything on a silver platter.
>>154992728You can't ever be wrong if you ain't right yourself
>>154992211Oh right, somehow I forgot to list>lobotomized kind insightful Sandy into a vapid cheating whore>>154992008You know what's kind of the worst? That's not a terrible basis for a character arc and yet it won't be followed up on.
>>154990825You're conflating the story's text with it's subtext with it's metatext. Like I said, all those things are ostensibly independent of Lucyguilt, but the framing strongly implies that these are things Mike is suffering because he's wronged Lucy. All the pages with Jame's red flags are also pages where Mike is thinking about Lucy. Every time Mike is sad while talking with Sandy, it's because he's thinking about Lucy. Taeshi's commentary is constantly going "Mike's problem is that he's obsessed/comparing with Lucy". All that is *technically* coincidental, but come on, you have eyes, it's obvious what Taeshi's doing.When the focus ISN'T on "Mike has wronged Lucy, the bastard!", he's happy with Sandy, getting along great with his friends both new and old, his family is doing well. Then Mike remembers Lucy (or she rematerializes out of thin air) and he gets smacked (literally) down again. But remember: Taeshi doesn't write karma.
>>154992502>neither Lucy nor the plot explain what she's thinking everNot completely true. The plot gave insight into Lucy's distrust toward her friends, what with the dream and all. Turns out she's just insanely entitled with impossible standards.
>>154992910Even then we don't really get a solid explanation why. Especially since it seems Mike no longer appears in the dreams among those she seems to view as bad in them, yet he's the one getting targeting. Also it probably(??) being related to the damn phone but she won't say shit to Augustus about how that's the likely cause of the nightmares. It just cycles back to her never explaining shit and just rolling with whatever spontaneous sperg reactions she throws out to whatever is going on. I don't think even she understands and is just making up the wise and self sacrificing perception to make herself feel better.
>>154992896>you have eyes, it's obvious what Taeshi's doingYeah, I know what she's doing. And my point is that's a whole lot better explained by her own personal obsession with this ship than some theoretical inability to continue the comic if Mucy dies on the table. I have explained how Lucy is absolutely not a requirement for Mike's suffering. She is, at best, tangentially related to these matters at hand, shuffled in to make Mike feel bad. But the truth is she's unnecessary and, frankly, would be the least relevant problem on his plate were it not for LitS.
Hey /bcb/, I've been outta the loop for a while. Haven't read the comic or opened these threads since Mike got told to get his ass back inside the cafeteria. Are they still on Namek? Has anything remotely interesting happened since then?
>>154993145Turns out Lucy's hangups are even dumber than anyone imagined and James is a retarded asshole.
>>154993145Not really. Mainly just the ongoing thing right now which can be summed up roughly as>Mike is exiled and is staying outside while starving himself>Lucy still having nightmares>Lucy goes full bitch mode on all tablefags with a smile on her face because she's having yet another crazy episode>Said tablefags being patient and accommodating of her behavior ends up somehow causing her to sperg out more>Has a panic attack in the lunchroom that nobody seems to notice or give a shit about at the time. Her current teddy bear Augustus is out of reach so instead she rushes outside to use Mike as a security blanket. Yes really.>Mike, too exhausted and fed up with this, doesn't entertain her latest mental episode and attempt to latch onto the nearest boy>Lucy is...somehow shocked by this (again this is probably like a week after LITS). Starts to get angry and then registers "oh right...all the stuff I did.">She bitches and moans "apologizing" and retreats back inside>Her crazy episode literally just turns off at the ring of a bell and now she's trying to save face in front of her current teddy bear for purposely seeking the same person they had all just exiled for her sake a week ago.TLDR, Lucy continues to be a parasitic nutjob
>>154992975I think it's part of the unreachable standards, even if Mike isn't part of the dream he isn't doing anything about it, he isn't reading her mind and trying to confort her, or dealing with the friends himself by calling them out for not doing enough for Lucy that day. Just like she doesn't want to ask the table to exile him until they do on their own she expects Mike to do as she thinks he has to because anything else is betraying her perception of her, damn her if she even says what it is
>>154993145Ironically the most exciting part of this arc is Mike doing absolutely nothing
>>154992975>Especially since it seems Mike no longer appears in the dreams among those she seems to view as bad in them, yet he's the one getting targetingI think it's because Lucy still un(?)consciously considers Mike a savior of sorts. His absence from the dream is the point--his sin is not showing up. Everyone else's sin was either trying to rape her or failing to fight hard enough in her favor.
>>154993262It was a refreshing change of pace and did cause Lucy to accidentally reveal her true, even worse self. I'm still kind of flabbergasted about how fast she recovered.
>>154993145Current chapter: Lucy has reconquered the cafeteria and is a huge bitch to everyone, while Mike is exiled to the wastes. But she went outside to glomp onto him and cry a bit before going back inside while saying "sorry" a bunch of times.Other than that, you just missed two and a half chapters. Quick rundown:>Paisy sucks, character we've barely seen explains why it sucks, and Jordan (Lucy's younger brother in case you've forgotten) is a simp and a dumbass>Lucy's thralls profess concern for Michael Greycat, but Lucy refuses to release her grip on their souls>Suemiliation ritual in which best girl was once again thrown under the bus by her friends; Paulo and Lucy were huge bitches and rigged a contest over nothing. Also a Paisy interlude to show it still sucks.And now you're caught up.
>>154993248>How dare you not do anything about these nightmares you don't about while I kick you in the balls and let others kick you out while I take your spotYeah sounds about right.>>154993309>Not showing up despite me making every conceivable effort to push him away, Also in the event the nightmare in question is related to he DID save her ass.Yeah sounds about right. She's just insane.
>>154993220>>154993262So Mike finally regrew a bit of spine? I might have to go back and read that part after all.>>154993183I will never let Taeshi's badly written James fanfiction ruin him.
>>154993377I dunno about regrow a spine exactly. He had to resist instinctively comforting her when she pulled the sobbing card. I'd say it was more 90% exhaustion/starvation and 10% "bitch are you really pulling this shit AGAIN?"Still, ultimately he resisted the urge and didn't give her what she wanted so it's something I suppose.
>>154993377>Mike finally grew a bit of spine?More like he finally hit rigor mortis, him attempting to path Lucy's back and backing off shows the gaslighting got to him, he doesn't think anything he can do will be good so he just stopped trying and remained still, avoiding looking at her in the eyes
>>154993377>I will never let Taeshi's badly written James fanfiction ruin himI suppose everyone has reason to embrace this mentality. Sandyfag obviously does, but Paulofags should probably feel free to reject his bizarre post-convention/Behind Closed Doors crybaby bitchfest since it does feel pretty jarring, even with the later pity parties. Likewise Mikefags with the sperg arc, Daisyfags with the phantom bisexuality and Paisy in general...Lucyfags are not so lucky but they can't understand that to begin with.
>>154993377>I will never let Taeshi's badly written James fanfiction ruin him.Sorry bro, she's the writer. It's canon. Go and have your fanfic but that's the way things have worked out.
>>154993430In fairness he isnt wrong. The only winning move is not to play as far as Lucy's involvement is concerned
>>154993430It's ironic that, in accepting that momentary slice of the constantly mutating Lucyspace worldview as objective truth, Mike inadvertently anchored himself in that single frame. Now current Lucyspace cannot dislodge this singular instance of its own frozen past.
>>154993482I like how you could say it is a mirror to the hug she gave him back in Acapulco: Lucy comes crying NOT because of the situation Mike is in, but because she needed her teddy bear back, and Mike instantly noticed, but instead of the angry glare of someone who feels used this was the avoidant glare of someone who felt hopeless and tired, and it's only after the fact that Lucy wonders why is he upset at all. Even her snapping back to normal is similar to how she expected things to go back to status quo after Mike got over it
>>154993543It's fun in the sense that the universe and narrative twist themselves to keep Lucy from having to face consequences, and by actually following suit Mike became an actual consequence instead of just bouncing back on so Lucy could reap some comfort
>>154993220>Has a panic attack in the lunchroom that nobody seems to notice or give a shit about at the time. Her current teddy bear Augustus is out of reach so instead she rushes outside to use Mike as a security blanket. Yes really.Did she specifically look for Augustus at any point? I didn't notice it, and interpreted it as her defaulting to Mike. It would have a different context if so.
>>154993825Saw Augustus at the older table and decided to fuck off rather than bother him. > It would have a different context if so.Was Mike not joking about her being an object to her? LITS had the parasitism at full display.
>>154993559Imagine if that was all part of Lucy's (noticeably looped) character arc.
>>154993872Ah fair enough, if she had went to Mike without checking Augustus first it could've been charitably interpreted that she still loves him when the pretense is stripped away, but nope.
>>154993825>It would have a different context if soWhile it disabuses the notion that Mike will always be her default teddy bear, it correspondingly reinforces the idea that he's always been a replaceable source of comfort who Lucy does not seriously care about. She's now embodies every awful thing Mike's said about her, and I'm not sure whether Taeshi has failed to notice this or is going to blame Mike for it too.
It's pretty crazy how Lucy was somehow surprised that Mike was treating her like the plague. Line in the Sand happened not too long ago didn't it?
>>154993992she's just a retarded toddler, and nothing in this comic will get better/
>>154993947Yeah I had thought that Lucy went to Mike first, which would be evidence against Mike's claim he was just disposable, but turns out she's just as bad as the worst accusaion.
>>154993947>She's now embodies every awful thing Mike's said about her, and I'm not sure whether Taeshi has failed to notice this or is going to blame Mike for it too.She'll say Mike manipulated her into this way of thinking by letting Lucy make her own choices or something equally retarded. Bcb as a story would make more sense if Lucy was a 9-year-old with the way people treat her.
>>154994015I mean there's retarded and there's short term memory loss
>>154993458Sandy and Daisy are already perfect as they are. The only thing they've ever done wrong is have mediocre taste in boys.
>>154993992Any sane person would take that as evidence that Lucy does not concern herself with the perspectives of others. What I want to know is how Taeshi will try to spin it as a very understandable and sympathetic trait.
>>154993825If I remember correctly she was on her way to Augustus, and then bumped into HIGH IMPACT SEXUAL VIOLENCE dog, then she started panicking and seeing her other school classmates so she went to hide behind a pilar, and it was closer to the door outside than Augustus
>>154994044Well, Daisy did let herself go and is now the size and shape of a fridge.
>>154994083>then she started panicking and seeing her other school classmatesWhich I choose to interpret as>oh no people who figured out what a twerpy unlikable psycho bitch i am
>>154994044They both have a bad case of wandering eye. Not marriage material.
>>154993893We are all trapped in the samsara of BCB. It is a cycle without end.>>154994061I think Lucy may not have developed theory of mind as a baby. It's not just that she doesn't care about other people's feelings, she seems mostly unaware that they have them at all. Hence why she's like "huh? Why are they doing this, what's happening?" whenever Paulo/Mike/Daisy avoid or snap at her after she's been yelling at them.
>>154981354doesn't work, lucy literally latched onto augussy and it still went to shit for mike because lucy is a parasite
I honestly don't know what Mike is supposed to do. Being near Lucy bad. Staying away from Lucy also bad?
>>154994367Get so far away from Lucy that she can't follow. Him moving and/or going to another school is unironically the best option. Sure she'll have that persistent feeling of hollowness with Mike gone, but seeing as he is out of convenient reach for her to hunt him down she will just latch onto another boy similar to how she supposedly did when she was at the other school. By that point it's no longer Mike's problem what she fucking does. Not that it should be his problem now but you get my meaning.
>>154994367Hence his depressive conundrum, though I think the most obvious solution in his mind is to simply stay away from Lucy and hope she finds some other boy to latch onto. It's not as if she needs him in particular. This is really Augustus' problem to work out now.
>>154994441>>154994500The poor boy is truly hooped
>>154994540this would be 10x funnier with "I should kill myself NOW!"
>>154994644
>>154994893>>154994540excellent
>>154994540>>154994893Bravo
>>154994367He needs to begin anew, everything around him is too tainted by Lucy's presence and the guilt it makes him feel. He needs to redefine what makes a friend, a relationship, etc. Sadly the author has vehemently decided he can't leave Roseville because "he wouldn't make it"
>>154995018Ironically Lucy was the one who apparently "couldn't make it" outside Roseville. Especially if her recent hallucinations were those at the other school who wouldn't put up with her bullshit and just called her a fucking cunt like most other people would.
>>154995018>He needs to redefine what makes a friend, a relationship, etc.He got so close with James. So damn close. That cat was the best friend we'd ever seen Mike have, a massive improvement over anyone at the table. And so of course he was just a horny cat boy. A stupid, flighty, insincere one at that. Oh yes, I'm sure that Mike wouldn't make it elsewhere. But only because Taeshi would never stop throwing catfish his way.
>>154995110>Ironically Lucy was the one who apparently "couldn't make it" outside RosevilleNow that's hardly fair, anon. Lucy's proven she can latch onto a guy anywhere she goes, after all.
>>154994367Find a dog gf.
>>154993337> Lucy's younger brotherIt's still really funny to me that people can still misremember that Jordan is actually older than Lucy and is a senior. Admittedly I remember he's older by knowing that Lucy is the youngest and most coddled rather than him havi g the qualities of a middle child.
>>154995191The question is what exactly went down at the other school. Did her mom shut it down or did the mysterious replacement Mike immediately shut Lucy's shit down once she thought she was comfortable and began being a cunt again?
>>154995275>Lucy gets rejected by a boy she likes>tries to kill herself>gets sent to the funny farm then another school>Lucy finds another boy she likes>gets rejected>oh for fuck's sake she really can't go anywhere huh?>mom interrupts the cycle and brings her back>Lucy...finds another boy she likes>brings him home to live under the same roof>this is perfectly fineMaybe everyone in the whitecat family is just retarded.
>>154994540>>154994893I love this shit.
>>154995373It is important that we have fun.
>>154995455I do rather appreciate the fan content. It's not as if Taeshi provides any entertainment value, outside of her ever-mounting insanity. And there is something to be admired about people who channel their creative energies against the tide of frustration. Especially when the subject deserves no such attention.
>>154994893amazing
>>154995275If I had to guess>Lucy spends most of it in rehab>She's all parched up while going to school, her bandages and casts hiding some bits gives her some peace of mind that no one's going to go after her for her body>That somehow helps her make friends and has the doctors want to get her out of therapy sooner>There's even a guy that takes a liking to her and she starts liking him too>Finally everything comes off, Lucy as we knows her>She's getting a lot of attention now, her issues come back like a freight train and takes it on what little friends she had made>Believes that new guy will only like her for her body, he doesn't even recognize her because of how awful she's been acting >New crisis, gotta take her back pronto! Leave the pets behind as diversion for predators
>>154995018>Sadly the author has vehemently decided he can't leave Roseville because "he wouldn't make it"Mike wouldn't be able to make it because of his "Main Character Syndrome" but Lucy is the one that came back because she had some incident with a boy and can't stand not being number one in Mike's heart.
>>154995275>Did her mom shut it down or did the mysterious replacement Mike immediately shut Lucy's shit down once she thought she was comfortable and began being a cunt again?My guess is the latter. If it was the former, then they wouldnt have taken in Augustus as quickly as they did. Lucy came back acting like she didn't learn a goddamn thing, so my guess is that she tried to do what she usually did and, realistically, nobody put up with it.Honestly, the "Lucy's past with a mysterious boy" thing is in the same category as "James backstory plan". No matter what Teashi writes, it can't justify the shit either of these characters have done.
>>154994090Genetics and puberty are both bitches. She can always get in shape once her growth spurt stops!
>>154995845>No matter what Teashi writes, it can't justify the shit either of these characters have done.I'm pretty sure either explanation will only intensify its respective problem.
>>154995891I miss when Daisy was still cute.
>>154995742Look I don't want to slut shame but couldn't she just wear clothes
>>154995275>Did her mom shut it downI'm pretty sure this is the implication
>>154996259The funny thing, her mom's intervention could well have been entirely reasonable and to Lucy's benefit. Bow cat is too unreasonable to given the benefit of the doubt.
>>154990957It's weird, isn't it? I know it's a romantic melodrama by genre, but it's so incredibly monofocused on the topic that we barely even know what characters DO aside from pine after each other.Almost every conversation in the whole comic is between or about love interests. The only examples I can think of that AREN'T are between blood relations (or adoptive parents, in Abbey's case), or involving Sue, who's whole schtick is that she's irrelevant (she's still best girl though).
>>154995891Daisy has amazon genes from her mom, she just has to work with what she has
>>154996381Lucy is just upset that her mom called the cops on her older boyfriend. She still dreams about him every night.
>>154996259I love how her face becomes evil
>>154996721>when my stupid fat chud daughter wants to talk to graycat
>>154990733There's been at least two, three if you count Another Flame getting released from behind the paywall.
>>154996717Kek
>>154997679Ah, well, I'm stupid then. I don't think Another Flame counts, though, they just sorta went back to their old dynamic.
>>154997679To be fair they are "what if they stopped being idiots and started dating", not really a look into their long term love life. Something like the one with Paulo that showed they were good for fucking but made each other miserable, something with way more meat
>>154996717
Whatever came of that guy making the pixelart RPG game about Amy and Mike's kids? Did he too disappear into the ether, gone like the mists of morning on a hot day?
>>154998884Nah, I still lurk here. I’m still working on the project, just more slowly. And if I lose interest I take some breaks from it before going back to it. That and I got a job, which takes up a lot of my time.To give you bit of an update tho, I got most of the art done for the first part of the game I have in mind (70%~). Got a decent draft of story done for that section, though I’m still debating on how it should end. Hell, I haven’t even touched the battle system yet. I have to eventually learn all of that stuff
>>154999223Ahh good to know you're still at it. No shame in you thinking "Wait a second, this comic fucking sucks and doesn't deserve the time effort I'm putting into this game when I've got better shit to do" though.
my fellow anons, i am curious. what is the most crack ship possible in BCB?
>>154999676Mucy. It STILL being teased as a plausible endgame doesn't make it any less crack.
>>154999776eh. abusers and people who hate each other being shipped is pretty trite.give me the most schizo ships you can possibly imagine. i'll start with an example: try to come up with something even more absurd than, say, David x McCain
Someone should get Lucy hooked on drugs so she has something other than boys to obsess about.
>>154998638
>>154999912amazing
What is this?
>>155000695Cat drama comicRead the originals at https://bcb.cat/misc/ebooks/vol1.zip https://bcb.cat/misc/ebooks/vol2.zip and https://bcb.cat/misc/ebooks/vol3.zipOr read the retcon'd comic at https://bcb.cat
>>154996717Next chapter is Lucy testifying in court to get the charges dropped
>>155000981While Alej begs to be put in jail where it's safe.
>>154999912>Where did I go wrong?At birth since lucy showed signs of this before 7.
>>155001007>You DON'T get to escape me, little teddy bear!
>>154999676Mike X Justin, Paulo X Clara, Abbey X Molly, Yashy X Lucy, Carter X David, Carson X Augustus, Kizuna X Alejandro.
Y'know as much as I like Mandy, there's just no salvaging it at this point. No matter what taeshit says, Sandy torpedoed their relationship when she had an affair. You could argue that it wasn't totally her fault, that she was groomed, manipulated, or even that Francis was the better option since he was next to her and in the same industry. But the damage is done, these are teenagers who haven't fully matured and have heavy expectations on their shoulders. Mandy is a doomed relationship, no matter how hard Sandy tries to save it, and no matter how hard vero tries to excuse her cheating.
>>155002229Anyone with sense already knows a relationship with either white cat should be doomed and ended already. This is not a sensible comic however.
>>155002229Didn't Taeshi waffle back and forth whether it was grooming or not?
>>155002229Mike's total lack of interest might also be a minor factor.
>>155002385Mike is asexual
>>155002405Right, I forgot, all interest is sexual. That means Lucy's mom wants to bang her own daughter.
>>155002405Mike is a sexual MENACE! Leaving all thise girls high and dry after manipulating them into liking him. He should have a heart of gold like paulo and fuck any hole that walks by him.
>>155002742This comic would be more fun if we had a (not) JJJ cat or dog constantly proclaiming Mike is a menace and sexual monster on the school announcements
>>155002742>He should have a heart of gold like paulo and fuck any hole that walks by himExcept for Daisy, who he might get around to doing by retirement age. And Sue, who would be better but also frankly too good for him.
>>155002767That's Augustus' role to fill.
>>155002798Augustus doesn't have the actual charisma and fun for it
>>155002767Get me pictures of Graycat! Talking courteously to everyone? DON'T BE FOOLED! That menace is manipulating you! Anyways here's a column about how Lucy never fucking wanted me to publish this.
>>155002817BCB falls short in most areas.
>>155002853Tangential, but what I want to know is whether this whole nice and thoughful of others = manipulative paradigm extends to other characters like, say, Abbey trying to help Paulo. Or the few times Lucy has stuck her neck out for others.
>>155002742In some other, better timeline, Taeshi gave us harem comic.
>>155002924No, it's exclusive to Mike because of the Goldiemald clause.
>>155002924In terms of the world dunking on him, just Mike. Though there were those images showing a comparison of Abbey and Mike in situations with Lucy and Lucy despised Abbey for being too nice and not competitive enough. if that counts.
>>155002229>But the damage is done, these are teenagers who haven't fully matured and have heavy expectations on their shouldersDude, adult relationships typically torpedo or lead to murder when cheating is involved. Why would a teen romance fare any better? The only real reason he is with her is for meta reasons, since Lucy would have jumped his dick the second he was available. Hell, she tried to jump his dick when he explicitly isn't available or supposed to be near her.
>>155002767I mean David's right there. Paulo unironically filled that role also during Freshman year I believe, or in their last year of middle school when he sicced those batshit girls against Mike for perceived "cheating".
>>155003440>cced those batshit girls against Mike for perceived "cheating".Doesn't Paulo later emotionally cheat on several girls afterwards?
>>155003374Ironic that Mandy ended up becoming the Michael Graycat Protection Program, if poorly managed and inept.
>>155003503Lucy sure thinks so.
>>155002480No that one's in their incestuous nature
>>155003503It's ok when you're an asshole because you can regret it later, while if you didn't mean to makes you a manipulator
Mike>Literal devil and an 'emotional cheater'Paulo>Aww he's just a lil guy who did nothing wrongAlways makes me laugh. It's like everything before volume six just doesn't exist for (((some of the people))) out there.
>>155003830No but you see! He cried about it so he's all good! Maybe Mike just needs to kill himself and he'll be redeemed too
Mike really just needs to have sex desu
>>155003948With who?
>>155003961Any female not named Lucy.
>>155003830Maybe Taeshi does hold it against Paulo and stuck him with Daisy as a punishment.
>>155003961Sandy, she has experience and probably gives good head
>>155003961Quickie with Rachel
>>155003961stacy
>>155003961Yes.
>>155003948Mike needs a lot of foreplay, skip the sex, and then lots of aftercare and cuddles
>>155004437Would Lucy dig that? She only ever seems to utilize sex as a means of feeling worthwhile, reacts poorly to others desiring sex with her, yet feels offended if they don't.
>>155002405Mike is only allowed to be sexual towards Lucy, which his evil evil nature traumatized her with.
>>155004523Only if it's Mike, otherwise she's more likely to be intimacy repulsed until her libido builds up and then she'll get desperate to get right to it and regret it afterwards. It's only Lucy and Mr Bat against the world
>>155004437No, that only exacerbates his problems. He needs violent raw sex
>>155004738>Gives Lucy the roughest facefuck of her life.>Is back to his original self the next day>Lucy completely submissiveYou have to rape her good, Mike.
>>155004825>Lucy asks Mike to wear a red bandana on his head>no wait that's not quite right>adds the scarf back in>...>makes love to Mike like a crazed weasel in heat>gray cat completely drained come morning
>>155002013>Kizuna x Alejandronow THIS is crack shipping
Still somehow Mike's fault, and Augustus is still the perfect sex predator.
What are the chances that Augustus is pissy with Lucy or against Mike?
>>155004976>>155004982Yeah, Mike is FUCKING DEAD
>>155004976>I'm THIS close to graduating and my meal ticket is going to ruin everything in the final hour!
>>155005003He can only hope.
>>155004976>>155004982Shoulda made a new thread, this one's lookin like Mike rn
>>155004982>>155004976
>>155005048>Augustus you have to FUCK that cat's BUTT
>>155005048>to be fair Mike is her addictionDemonstrably untrue. Lucy only passed on Augustus because he was unavailable and resorted to Mike afterward. Lucy's addiction is not limited to a single boy.
>>155004976>>155004982It'll be absolutely nonsensical if he gets pissed at Mike for this so that's probably what's going to happen.
>>155005048The only happy ending for Lucy is for her to become Mike's sex slave. Not even a gf, a slave.
>>155005110Why not? It's what he did before. Many anons expected that Augustus was growing tired of Lucy's antics but, no, turns out all his anger was directed toward the vile scarfcat from which all troubles in Lucy's life flow.
>>155005023>i can't believe Mike fucked me over like this>what did i ever do to him?
>>155005143Last time he had the flimsy excuse regarding their "deal" about him remaining inside. It was bullshit of course and Mike shouldn't have even entertained him by agreeing in the first place but it was 'something'. Here there is absolutely nothing for him to blame him directly about aside from existing and the slut he is tard wrangling having zero self control.
>>155005048Feels like he's mad that Lucy strategically latched onto Daisy so he couldn't talk to her.
>>155005169Augustus is a petty faggot who used to run with a gang of thieves and rapists and was a near rapist himselfHe would totally beat Mike for this
>>155005048Augusta being jealous
>>155005196>beat MikeKek he isn't doing shit. He never goes for fisticuffs because he's a weak pussy who would get beaten by a toddler. At most he'd try to do his verbal assault shit and at this point Mike probably won't even give a damn what he had to say since he's already dead inside.
>>155005169>Last time he had the flimsy excuse regarding their "deal" about him remaining insideNope, what I'm referring to led Augustus to impose said "deal."
>>155005196Well, lambast him, anyway. It would be funny if Augustus got himself into hot water with Lucy by dropping the suicide nuke on Mike's head without her permission. Or maybe that will remind her of Mike's sins and she'll cheer him on. Things could go either way.
>>155005196>He would totally beat Mike for thisDude, Mike was already starving himself when he threw Augustus to the ground; Augustus has a punch strength lower than Molly's. I don't think he has ever won a fight physically. Lucy had to defend him from Paulo
>>155004982I wonder if Augustus will attack Mike over this, because scarf is already weak and on the verge of fainting.
>>155004976>>155004982>Latches onto Daisy specificallyShe really is a manipulative cunt huh?
>>155005169I'm glad you consider he needs a reason to act beyond trying to get rid of the problem because that means you're a good person. But Augustus is a goon who has survived by being a rat little fuck, so taking it on Mike "just because" or making up a new transgression like "you ran towards Lucy so technically you approached her"
>>155005323Even in his current state, Mike would still probably body his ass.
Rape Augustus
>>155005311>Lucy had to defend him from PauloWith she shittiest block ever. Though to be fair, Taeshi has convinced herself it's a very effective move, given the alt-LitS joke comic where Mike and Lucy hit each other and make out. Or maybe everyone in BCB is a fucking awful fighter.
>>155005341Lucy has already tried but there is nothing stopping her from having another go at it.
>>155005340>Augustus reads Mike the riot act>scarf cat barely hears him>so damn tired>faints and falls atop Augustus>goth cat is trapped like Principle Skinner under a pile of newspapers
Let's say that you have a friend that is in a toxic relationship with another friend.Psychologically manipulating them or socially forcing them to disengage from the other friend is equally toxic.You don't force people to act like you want just because you deem them wrong.
>>155005213fem augustus would be cute
>>155005381>Lucy comes outside to look if Mike was feeling sorry for her yet>AUGUSTUS HOW COULD YOU>This was your plan all along! Get close to me so you could claim Mike all to yourself!
>>155005451Tell that to TaeshiWhile you're at it tell her it's disgusting to glamorize suicide in a story aimed at teenagers
>>155005451Augustus' regards Lucy with something not unlike the racism of low expectations. Or maybe he's somehow convinced himself that Mike really is some master manipulator, because otherwise it's Lucy who would be at fault. Which would mean that all of Gus' attempts to help her have been in vain, he had too much faith in her, basically got tricked, and hitched his horse to the wrong wagon. And maybe, just maybe, he might realize he's just the latest in a line of designated comfort blanket boys.
>>155004982I'm more surprised he actually thought she would stick to her words once she wasn't houndedI wonder how many people are going "yeah Augustus go confront Mike for Lucy!" without a shred of self awareness
>>155005489I'm glad that Taeshi's made it abundantly clear she thinks Gus is in the right. Most people would not self-report like that.
>>155005499>I wonder how many people are going "yeah Augustus go confront Mike for Lucy!" without a shred of self awarenessIt's one of those random days when the patrons demonstrate a shred of basic sanity and recognize that Mike isn't to be blamed here.
>>155005489This story is aimed at teenagers? I thought it was aimed at furfags eternally trapped in their moms basement.
>>155005459This is the next step in Gus' master plan to ratatouille Mike into fucking Daisy and live vicariously through him.
>>155005538It's aimed at that magical combination of low expectations/bad taste and susceptibility to peer pressure.
>>155005492Augustus is very fucking lucky that Lucy has not gotten physical with him, I mean, aside from the rape attempts
>>155005529Which is why Augustus will go overboard, so that Lucy can have a fated "Why is everyone making decisions for me?" while defending Mike in a bittersweet moment.
>>155005590Lucy suffers from chronically low self-awareness, but I will give her this much: She's learned to not be quite so rough with her combination teddy bear-punching bag. Of course she's also lucky that Augustus takes things like the rape commemoration cupcake in stride. Or maybe that was just her being a charming asshole and everyone would have loved such a hilarious hilarious joke.
>>155005492>Or maybe he's somehow convinced himself that Mike really is some master manipulator, because otherwise it's Lucy who would be at fault.Can't be that; Augustus has to assume Mike cannot be a master manipulator, or his actions against him make no sense.>If Mike was an M.M then guilt-tripping him about Lucy doesnt work>when he was asked to "stay away" in the first place, before Augustus tried to alter the deal. M.M Mike would've flipped him the bird.Augustus can't fight for shit, so if Mike was some Light Yagami, then all Augustus could do was impotently seethe.
>>155004976>Lucy why are you acting like a crazy fucking bitch
>>155005659I think the master manipulator paradigm could work if Augustus projected onto Mike. Think about it:>manipulative yet feels guilt over certain subjects>is an easily bullied wussOtherwise he could just assume that Mike fooled him into thinking he sincerely cared about Lucy but oh noes it was just for the sake of sympathy and getting Augustus off his back. Which might Augustus to feel personally butthurt over falling for it.
>>155005724As if Augustus would ever be treated as wrong. The author framed the grooming and attempted rape of Daisy as something for her benefit.
I wouldn't put it pass augustus to confront mike if lucy continues to be dodgy with him, but augustus knows the mental state mike was in when he was left behind at the end of LiTS, he knows mike can't do shit and it's mostly lucy's crazy ass
>>155005796Augustus would enjoy hurting Mike the same way Lucy does; they're two impenitent and spoiled brats who are worshipped like gods and always get their way.
>>155005770Which is wild considering that even Taeshi's paypig circle of cultists can see Augustus went way overboard, even as they struggle to justify the general intent from the alternate universe they inhabit.
I LOVE Mike!
>>155005941
>>155005796I think Augustus could easily dehumanize Mike, regarding him as a chronic source of Lucy problems rather than someone who deserves basic pity.
>>155005821Now now, there's no "spoiled" for Augustus, sure her family has taken a big liking to him but I wouldn't put him on the same level as Lucy
>>155005957Cute!
>>155005971Spoiled as in always treated as correct and always gets their way.
>>155005971I was going to agree but then considered the patron comics that showed how thoroughly he's been integrated into the family. I would not call him so careless as Lucy (it's hard to match her) but edging himself with the phone is a very stupid indulgence.
>>155005796I mean, he made it very clear he didn't give a shit about him or his mental estate, and he also made it very clear he would bully him until he gave up and fucked off, so I don't really expect a normal reaction of sympathy
>>155006061This. The only things that might cause Augustus to reconsider and regret his attitude is scarf cat saving Lucy's life or stepping in to aid him of his own accord.
>>155002924Yes, but not as often. Taeshi does hate Abbey for some reason, and has gone on the record as saying that he's sexist, manipulative, judgemental, and so on. She lightly painted Jasmine as a judgy homophobe, and has claimed Daisy, Tess, Sue, and Amaya (somehow) are all schemers, manipulative, or judgemental too. She's even said that nuPaulo is dishonest, but notably only with the moments he's NOT actively being a dick. Most of the time she says this stuff, it's in response to commenters/asks basically going "(Abbey/Daisy/Sue/Amaya/nuPaulo) get bullied so much when they're just trying to be nice, it doesn't feel fair", so I read it as Taeshi implying (but not outright saying) "Well actually they suck and they deserve to be knocked down a peg". So Taeshi does paint pretty much all "nice" behavior as secretly manipulative and deserving of being kicked around. But I think Mike is unique in that he's the only "nice" character who Taeshi actually LIKES, so she writes him frequently. She finds Abbey/Jasmine/Daisy/Sue/Amaya boring and lame so they only show up (to get bullied) on rare occasion, and most of the time nuPaulo is still kind of a prick. But Mike is both main cast and nice as a core trait, so he shows up for his daily dick flattening with conspicuous punctuality.
>>155005661Augustus is long overdue for his Mike 3.0 epiphany and character arc. He's been taking her bitchcraft in-stride like a champ. To the point that I wonder whether he's got no self-esteem or is just too fucking stupid to notice.
>>155005451>Let's say that you have a friend that is in a toxic relationship with another friend.I haven't been in this situation, but I HAVE been in situations where two friends fucking hated each other and I was stuck trying to play mediator.I later realized that one was right, the other did just suck, and I should have dropped them sooner.
>>155006061Who said anything about sympathy? You said yourself, Augustus doesn't care about Mike. Why would he bother when everything points towards Lucy's fault? You guys are acting like he's blinded by rage and he needs a punching bag to let out his frustrations when these days he barely hangs out with Lucy to be bothered by her little snaps and backhanded comments.
>>155005957Once you go canid, you ain't going back (except Polo)
>>155006366>(except Polo)Canids make a cat act unwise, which doesn't work cause on Paulo, cause he was born retarded.
>>155005311There was a bunch of edits too around that time about Mike beating his ass.
>You guys are acting like he's blinded by rage and he needs a punching bag to let out his frustrationsA novel interpretation of what's actually been said.>>155006366>except PoloThe absolute fumbling fool.
>>155006531Also meant in reply to >>155006357
>>155006511I think everyone just wants to see Augustus stop being such a smug prick who gets away with everything. Everyone save for Taeshi, of course.
>>155006843It's been said before but Augustus current characterization is fucked by his previous characterization being the one that got him a lot of fans and popularity, the current Augustus has some Sonic Mandate level bullshit going on where his image has to be protected to keep the popularity going more put of inertia than actual character
>>155006843I hope he never suffers any consequences because it's hilarious how much this thread seethes over it.
>>155007257Much as is the case with Lucy, Augustus would be a much more interesting character if only he was allowed to fall flat on his face per cause and effect. Or even just be acknowledged as in the wrong when that is readily apparent fact.
>>155007347>Augustus would be a much more interesting character if only he was allowed to fall flat on his face per cause and effect.That applies to all hate-generating characters in BCB.
>>155007399They all generate hate for the same basic writing mistake. Well, other than James. I think it's too early to say he has avoided just punishment, given he's hitched his wagon to a psychopath. No doubt Taeshi will sweep him into the same overcrowded trash bin at some point.
>>155006843It's partly because they're pretty shitty attempts that make no sense in reality but he still gets treated as some kind of super charismatic mastermind. Kind of like Lucy, he needs to be hard carried by the plot or the author's self insert shielding him from someone just gut punching him or simply calling him a rapist to shut him down immediately.
>>155005341
>>155007575>simply calling him a rapist to shut him down immediately.It's so frustrating that nobody uses this bombshell on him
Paulo is for cucking
Taeshi deciding to have Augustus put his Ire at Mike for this is going to lead to her having to play defense even to her fanbase. It'd be different if she has the ability to show that this was bad, but she doesn't.
>>155007729>C'mon guys, this isn't a moral comic! So what if Augustus kicked down a fainted Mike? Doesn't mean anything >Mike? Nah yeah he deserved that for *pulls out book of grudges*
>>155007575That is true. Augustus is the prophet of Lucyspace and embraces the divine insights it grants him. He is protected from harm by virtue of being Totally Right About Everything You Guys, FR FR.
>>155007667augussy is the biggest bottom in this comic
>>155004982I know the focus is on usual Lucy shenanigans but HOLY FUCK DAISY did you eat all that?
>>155008235Daisy's gotta have a good meal.
>>155008122
>>155008399>Grip the sheets, I'm going to make December look like April
>>155008399Augustus is the bottom in this relationship btw
>>155008399that's not sweat
>>155008479razberry jello
>>155006472>PicAlways makes me smile to see my dumb bullshit reposted.>>155008235I assume she's clearing her friends trays as well, since it's not like she could carry that many to the table at once, and she's basically Paulo's surrogate mom.
>>155008424>>155008479>>155008520What's with these nonsensical bot responses?
>>155008571what's with this bot observation?
>>155008235I'm more puzzled by why she's eating rocks. Surely she's heavy enough already.
>>155008235Daisy provides certain services in exchange for food
>>155008573Lucy having and then abandoning her kid from Paulo right before coming back to Roseville High would be an interesting writing choice.
>>155008573Slutcat a cute
>>155008750Imagine if Lucy just learned a few life lessons and grew a little less repulsive on the inside.
>>155004976You know, the Gumby-ish proportions of their bodies actually makes the bobble head look a tad less ridiculous. The effect is lost in every close up panel, of course.
>>155004976God, Lucy is just the worst. But this page is pretty fun. I like the implication that she's become an expert at this bullshit; going over to Daisy to dodge Augustus, and then making a lucky guess as to what Daisy's up to in order to seem more friendly/attentive than she actually is.
>>155008917Lucy? Using people? I thought that was a sin exclusive to the wretched vile fiend, Michael Graycat!
>>155004976Hmm.Seriously though why did Taeshi phrase it like that? It's a very awkward way to say it, "did you just go outside" would be more standard. Did she do it to make this edit possible?
>>155008937Know it's sarcasm, but the author is legally insane, so don't expect any of this to make sense.
>>155009072She was afraid of all the pee jokes that would ensue.
>>155008565See, I know that makes more sense but that's also very funny because there's like 3 guys at the table and she's the one picking up everything like a neglected housewife, not even her boyfriend is rushing to help
>>155009222She should be proud of the jokes!https://files.catbox.moe/diblk6.webp
>>155008399This is even funnier if you remember he's still living at Lucy's house.
>>155008857She should grow a couple babies on the inside instead
>>155009458Mid-fuck Mike kept being put off by the phone ringing.
>>155009846>I'll turn off mine if you turn off yours
Will Augustus be upset to find out Lucy's been using his phone as a vibrator?
>>155009458>Mike coming upstairs after sex with Augustus>Alejandro coming downstairs after sex with Lucy>Fight starts>Lucy and Augustus run into the living room going "stop, I love him!"
>>155009908>"you don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say those words" ... says Alej, running to embrace Augustus
So, serious question: What in the hell's got Taeshi splitting so hard that she's making up blatant bullshit that does not actually fit the comic at all? I don't want to believe there's some big Mike Was Right moment inbound because nothing good ever happens in BCB. Yet I also can't think of anything else Taeshi would rebel this hard against.
Amaya :D
>>155010057She's bipolar. That's kind of how they are. Best case scenario we get lucky and she has an episode that results in Mucy's demise and Mike being put on a bus for a long time if not for good.
>>155010108Is Amaya ftm or mtf?
>>155010057She's been trying for baby so she might unironically be off her meds
>>155010057Taeshi is convinced the only way to push the story along is by developing narrative parallels. She's doing it with Mike/Lucy, but Mike's written problems are so deviated away from Lucy's, she has to force a square peg into a round hole. Ala, Mike is now ultra-possessive to match Lucy's fear of abandonment.
>>155010128Kill yourself.
>>155010163But it's canon that Amaya is trans isn't it?
>>155010108Soo :D>>155010128Nonbinary, I think.
>>155010211nopenonbinary at most (except everyone uses feminine pronouns for her and she does not ever mind)maybe think less about trannies
>>155010211She is drawn as female and with kids in all future Amaya requests by Taeshi. She just don't give a shit about it
>>155010268This looks like a trans flag, not a non-binary flag?So Amaya is trans?
>>155010139>Ala, Mike is now ultra-possessive to match Lucy's fear of abandonment.But Mike hasn't shown ultra-possessiveness. If we compare this with James, it is a night-and-day difference. Lucy was actively messing with Mike, to boot.
>>155010597i really wouldn't take that seriously, given how Taeshi is about this sort of thing. David as bi? he doesn't appear to have normal emotions or physiological responses at all
>>155010597>This looks like a trans flag, not a non-binary flag?non-binary falls under the trans umbrella
>>155010929This is why I think Taeshi is splitting. Her accusations read like she's assigning the worst possible motives in post, thinks she wants to believe about this or that character.
>>155011051Non-binary has its own flag though?You understand the distinction between NB and trans which is why you got mad at me saying Amaya is trans so...?
