Chapter 17 | Page 6b: Looking for Engagement

In today’s Evil Inc update, Hailey pauses long enough to take a selfie with a fan — which, naturally, turns into a full-blown interrogation about Captain Heroic. Is he romantic? Is he waiting for the perfect moment? Is a dramatic public proposal imminent? Rosie says Hailey is looking for engagement — but not that kind of engagement!

This scene does a lot of quiet work behind the scenes. It reinforces just how public Hailey’s personal life has become, how invested complete strangers are in her relationship status, and how effortlessly she turns that attention into engagement. Emotional engagement. Social engagement. Algorithmic engagement.

And yes… the pun is very much intentional.

Meanwhile, the diner gang keeps things grounded. Ralph briefly dares to dream of a retirement funded by a viral proposal, while Rosie delivers the kind of reality check that only comes from someone who’s seen this cycle play out before. Romance is great — but it’s not always the thing being chased.

This chapter isn’t about a proposal.

It’s about expectations — who sets them, who profits from them, and who’s quietly rolling their eyes from the next booth over.

More Ways to Hang Out with Evil Inc

If you’re looking for more places to interact with Evil Inc (and fellow readers), I’ve been busy building out some community spaces:

• The Evil Inc Subreddit is now live! I’ve been posting Evil Inc there and sharing pages on r/comics and r/webcomics. If you spend time on Reddit, keep an eye out for familiar faces — and feel free to toss an upvote our way. It's also a place for readers to share posts like this — a comprehensive guide to who-slept-with-who in the Evil Inc universe.

• The Evil Inc Discord continues to be a hub of lively conversation and camaraderie.
  Folks share cartoons they’ve scrolled across and loved (like the recent Jim Benton gem below), mini-reviews of what they’re reading, spicy images they’ve stumbled upon… and yes, sometimes they even talk about Evil Inc. 

If you enjoy comics as a shared experience, Discord is a great place to hang out. It's a friendly, raucous place brimming with comics fans who love the same stuff you do.

Alt Text

A full-color comic page set inside a cozy, well-lit diner. The page is divided into one large panel on the left and three smaller panels stacked on the right.

In the large left panel, Hailey stands in the foreground taking a selfie with a female fan. Hailey is a young woman with short, chin-length purple hair styled in a bob, green eyes, and a confident smile. She wears a black sleeveless tank top, dark blue fitted jeans, and a red heart-shaped pendant necklace. Her posture is relaxed and practiced, leaning slightly toward the fan with one arm raised in a peace sign pose.

The fan beside her is a young woman with shoulder-length red hair that fades into blonde at the tips. She wears a short white dress layered over a light gray top and holds a smartphone up and angled toward both of them to take the selfie. Her expression is excited and slightly starstruck, with wide eyes and parted lips.

A caption box at the top of the panel reads, “Later…”. A speech bubble from the fan asks, “So… what’s Captain Heroic like on a date?” Hailey replies with a casual smile, “Well… he hasn’t asked me out.” A smaller speech bubble adds, “Yet.”

In the background of the diner, several patrons sit in red vinyl booths watching the interaction. Some look amused or intrigued. A chalkboard sign near the counter reads, “Selfies with Hailey $11.99.” The diner interior includes hanging lamps, warm yellow walls, and large windows letting in daylight.

On the right side of the page, the top small panel shows Hailey and the fan standing side by side against a blue gradient background. The fan clasps her hands excitedly and says, “Omigod! That’s so romantic! Do you think he’s waiting to sweep you off your feet?” Hailey looks thoughtful but composed.

In the middle right panel, the fan holds her phone up again, pointing it toward Hailey as if following her online. Hailey gestures lightly while saying, “If he does, you’ll be the first to know!” She then adds with a knowing look, “You are following me, aren’t you?”

The bottom right panel cuts to two diner employees nearby. Ralph, a stocky man wearing a green cap and white shirt, grins while holding a stack of cash. He says, “If he pops the question here at the diner, I’ll be able to retire.” Next to him is Rosie, an older woman with gray hair pulled back and wearing a waitress uniform. She knows that Hailey is looking for engagement. She looks unimpressed and replies dryly, “Relax. That ain’t the engagement she’s looking for.”

The overall tone of the page is lighthearted and conversational, blending influencer culture with everyday workplace humor, while emphasizing public fascination with Hailey’s personal life.