So, he just observed the first 8 million times, and now he’s ready to manipulate the situation..? Or has he been doing so all along? I know which answer goes best with the Marx we’ve gotten to know and loathe.
Notice that Duffy is still wearing the amulet that Chic gave him.
I’m glad that Marx has jolted Duffy out of his desire to suicide, moving him past this moment of despair. Presumably, the next step for Marx is to let the restored Wally finish sorting out his thoughts before he whisks them off to the next adventure. Hopefully to where Kirbee and Chic are, to rescue them.
Act #?; Scene 8 million 1:. Marx seems quite OK with playing through the probabilities as he needs his disparate batch of oddballs along to, well, something? Since we now know that Duffy still has the amulet, maybe we would be fair in thinking that its inclusion is a new wrinkle in the story of Scene 8 million1.
So interesting anatomy fact, the finger missing from Cardoodles is the middle one. In Duffy’s grexxed mind, he was intending to give him “the finger,” but instead raised the two he could….sort of like splitting the difference. Neat.
Looks to me that Marx decided this time to stop Duffy. Marx may have an idea that to fix realities he has to make a course change. In the multiverse time and realities are best explained as a infinite wide multilane highway. Each lane goes on some times merging other times ending. Events along the lane affect the path of the lane. 8 million times Marx has let Duffy die. The realities stay messed up. This time he gave Duffy a chance…seeing a possibility that Duffy’s survival can change the realities to a different path.
So now the question is, does Marx have the soul of Duffy’s brother, Benny? We saw Duffy get attracted toward a soul earlier, and Marx made him let it go, but did he do a switch of some sort? Was he holding not just Wally but Benny as well? If so, does that mean Marx has another stop to make before leaving this doomed dimension? If this is the over eight millionth time he has done this route, it isn’t totally beyond belief. We don’t really know what Duffy’s role is at this point. In fact we aren’t even 100% sure Benny is dead, we are only assuming he is. And if we haven’t learned anything else, we have all learned to not assume ANYTHING in a Neathery Endtown strip!
Eight million falls…but each one was in a slightly different spacetime reality. Every time Marx “returns to an event” a myriad of other slightly-linked random changes have happened. Marx waits until jump Eight-million and…it’s time to intervene because other changes have occurred…possibly including Duffy’s attitude.
I wonder if the “soul ball” Duffy grabbed was his own, screaming on the way down. Another point: I tend to use big numbers when exaggerating rather than “gazillion” for example. My niece pointed out the number 9 was always somewhere in the number. 8 million to Marx may just mean “many.”
Marx’s expression is one of desperate resignation. He’s been doing this a long time and expects to be doing it a lot longer. It rarely changes and he wants so much for it to change. His face is pleading for change.
Robert Nowall Premium Member over 1 year ago
It’s said that when you jump, you have plenty of time to regret it on the way down.
crookedwolf Premium Member over 1 year ago
So, he just observed the first 8 million times, and now he’s ready to manipulate the situation..? Or has he been doing so all along? I know which answer goes best with the Marx we’ve gotten to know and loathe.
shawnkh over 1 year ago
once a month posting …… i can live with that… now if i can only stop checking every day : )
Kyneris Premium Member over 1 year ago
Notice that Duffy is still wearing the amulet that Chic gave him.
I’m glad that Marx has jolted Duffy out of his desire to suicide, moving him past this moment of despair. Presumably, the next step for Marx is to let the restored Wally finish sorting out his thoughts before he whisks them off to the next adventure. Hopefully to where Kirbee and Chic are, to rescue them.
gary.eddings4157 Premium Member over 1 year ago
Act #?; Scene 8 million 1:. Marx seems quite OK with playing through the probabilities as he needs his disparate batch of oddballs along to, well, something? Since we now know that Duffy still has the amulet, maybe we would be fair in thinking that its inclusion is a new wrinkle in the story of Scene 8 million1.
Diat60 over 1 year ago
The last two panels. The expressions on Duffy’s face. Brilliant!
TheBigPickle over 1 year ago
Quite profound.
LightWarriorK over 1 year ago
So interesting anatomy fact, the finger missing from Cardoodles is the middle one. In Duffy’s grexxed mind, he was intending to give him “the finger,” but instead raised the two he could….sort of like splitting the difference. Neat.
Vet Premium Member over 1 year ago
Looks to me that Marx decided this time to stop Duffy. Marx may have an idea that to fix realities he has to make a course change. In the multiverse time and realities are best explained as a infinite wide multilane highway. Each lane goes on some times merging other times ending. Events along the lane affect the path of the lane. 8 million times Marx has let Duffy die. The realities stay messed up. This time he gave Duffy a chance…seeing a possibility that Duffy’s survival can change the realities to a different path.
Tarry Plaguer over 1 year ago
So now the question is, does Marx have the soul of Duffy’s brother, Benny? We saw Duffy get attracted toward a soul earlier, and Marx made him let it go, but did he do a switch of some sort? Was he holding not just Wally but Benny as well? If so, does that mean Marx has another stop to make before leaving this doomed dimension? If this is the over eight millionth time he has done this route, it isn’t totally beyond belief. We don’t really know what Duffy’s role is at this point. In fact we aren’t even 100% sure Benny is dead, we are only assuming he is. And if we haven’t learned anything else, we have all learned to not assume ANYTHING in a Neathery Endtown strip!
boydpercy Premium Member over 1 year ago
The most amazing thing to me is that Marx is sitting in mid-air!
Ida No over 1 year ago
Marx: “Now, shall we go back to the deli, shall we?”
Otterhead over 1 year ago
Heavy words marx. Heavy but definitely needed.
Coyoty Premium Member over 1 year ago
This dialog should be standard for all suicide hotlines and negotiations.
toastmastermazanec over 1 year ago
Is that ‘fun fact’ literally true?
mikekcindyk over 1 year ago
He watched him jump 8 million times. He has so much time on his hands!!
bscruffy over 1 year ago
Eight million falls…but each one was in a slightly different spacetime reality. Every time Marx “returns to an event” a myriad of other slightly-linked random changes have happened. Marx waits until jump Eight-million and…it’s time to intervene because other changes have occurred…possibly including Duffy’s attitude.
gary.eddings4157 Premium Member over 1 year ago
Purdey over 1 year ago
I wonder if the “soul ball” Duffy grabbed was his own, screaming on the way down. Another point: I tend to use big numbers when exaggerating rather than “gazillion” for example. My niece pointed out the number 9 was always somewhere in the number. 8 million to Marx may just mean “many.”
JanBic Premium Member over 1 year ago
I guess I missed the fact that Duffy was only fourteen. Yes, save him.
reedkomicks Premium Member over 1 year ago
My favorite “chapter” was when Wally came upon the lizard people, and all that ensued…
Prescott_Philosopher over 1 year ago
Q: What are you doing Duffy?
A: Oh, hanging around.
markkahler52 over 1 year ago
I was once near suicide and I wanted to see what survival could do. It does a number, to be sure, but I’m still here
Coyoty Premium Member over 1 year ago
Marx’s expression is one of desperate resignation. He’s been doing this a long time and expects to be doing it a lot longer. It rarely changes and he wants so much for it to change. His face is pleading for change.
Yakety Sax over 1 year ago
Look familiar?
https://cdn.acidcow.com/uploads/posts/2023-02/1675254549_mn_22.jpg
https://euvw.blogspot.com/2018/05/
bedd022 over 1 year ago
Biggest cliffhanger yet!
Vet Premium Member over 1 year ago
If he can get it to post this next is one of the best. Seen it via Newsletter. GoComics is having a bit of issue internally for posting.
diverleo over 1 year ago
Everyone check your email and/or junk file. Aaron emailed the next segment due to technical issues.