Chapter 17 | Page 13b: Hard bargaining

At Evil Inc, even labor negotiations can spiral out of control — especially when “hard bargaining” takes on a whole new meaning. Cassie Cruz just realized that the conference room she prepped for Dr. Muskiday’s… unconventional solution… is already booked for a high-stakes union negotiation. Unfortunately, it looks like Doctor Threat and the henchpersons may have already reached an agreement.

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Transcript

Panel 1
Cassie Cruz (angry):
“We are NOT having an orgy at our desks!”

Dr. Muskiday (calmly defensive):
“Of course not! I stocked the conference room with mattresses and lube.”


Panel 2
Cassie Cruz (panicking):
“The conference room?! Doctor Threat is scheduled to negotiate a new contract with the henchpersons’ union in there!”


Panel 3
Cassie Cruz (looking toward a slightly open door):
“Where’s Doctor Threat?”

Dr. Muskiday (matter-of-fact):
“I believe that’s him in the middle of — erm — ‘collective bargaining.’”

(Sound effects from behind the closed conference room door:)
“Hhh hhh”
“Plap Ngh Plap Plap”
“Hngh hhh”
“mmf mmf mmf”


Detailed Alt Text

A three-panel comic set inside an office at Evil Inc.

Panel 1: Cassie Cruz, a professional woman with short brown hair, red glasses, a white blazer, and a low-cut yellow top, stands beside her desk looking furious. A small pink “emotion cloud” with a skull icon floats near her head, indicating anger. She shouts that they are not having an orgy at their desks. Standing nearby is Dr. Muskiday, a short humanoid with a fly’s head—large red compound eyes, small body, and lab coat—who calmly explains that he already prepared the conference room with mattresses and lube.

Panel 2: Close-up on Cassie clutching her head in alarm. Her expression is wide-eyed and panicked. She exclaims that the conference room is supposed to be used for an important union negotiation between Doctor Threat and the henchpersons’ union.

Panel 3: Cassie and Dr. Muskiday stand in a hallway facing a slightly open conference room door. Cassie asks where Doctor Threat is. Muskiday gestures toward the door and awkwardly suggests that Doctor Threat is inside, in the middle of “collective bargaining,” implying something sexual. From inside the room comes exaggerated, comic-style sound effects indicating vigorous activity: heavy breathing (“hhh hhh,” “hngh”), rhythmic “plap” noises, and muffled sounds (“mmf mmf”). The implication is that the union negotiation has devolved into an orgy inside the conference room.

Comics Previews: Dec. 3


NOTE: Due to last week’s Thanksgiving holiday, comics will arrive on Thursday, Dec. 3, this week. The Five to Pull / One to Pass will post as usual on Wednesday.

Courtesy of Comic Book Resources:

Marvel Comics

Anita Blake: The Laughing Corpse – Eecutioner #2
Black Widow & The Marvel Girls #1
Captain America; Theater of War: Prisoners of Duty #1
Dark Avengers Annual #1
Deadpool Team-Up #898
Fall of the Hulks Alpha #1
Iron Man: Requiem #1
Iron Man Vs. Whiplash #1
The Marvel’s Project #4
Nova #32
Psylocke #2
Siege: The Cabal #1
Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without A Face #1
Starr The Slayer #4
Strange #2
Thor #604
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #5
Uncanny X-Men #518
What If? Secret Invasion #1
X-Babies #3
X-Force Annual #1

Image Comics:

Existence 3.0 #1
Invincible Presents: Atom Eve and Rex Splode #2
One Model Nation
Savage Dragon #155
The Sword #20

Dark Horse

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Slaves of the Republic
Robert E. Howard Chronicles Slipcase
Misery Obscura: The Photography of Eerie Von
Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess
Dr. Grordbort Presents: Victory
Crossing the Empty Quarter
The Chronicles of Kull Vol. 1: A King Comes Riding
Beanworld Book 3: Remember Here When You Are There!
Empowered Special: The Wench Witha Million Sighs
Aliens #4
365 Samurai and a Few Bowls of Rice

Courtesy of Newsarama:

DC

JSA All-Stars #1