Chapter 17 | Page 13b: Hard bargaining

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Brad Guigar

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.

I’d love your help with something big: Nominations are now open for the 2026 ’Ringo Awards, and reader nominations make all the difference. If the comic has ever made you laugh, please consider nominating Evil Inc for Best Humor Webcomic — it only takes a minute, and your support truly means a lot. You can submit your nomination here: https://go.evil-inc.net/ringo

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.

Five to Pull / One to Pass: Sept. 23, 2009

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Brad Guigar

Amazing Spider-Man #606
Creative team: Story by Joe Kelly; Art by Mike McKone

Villain to Watch (and we do mean watch): Black Cat

They say: Look out, Spidey! Hot on the heels of his old girlfriend’s trip home, The Black Cat’s back (and front!), sexier and more dangerous than ever! The deck is STACKED as the one woman that loves Spider-Man more than Peter Parker is up to some devilish shenanigans…and nothing bugs Spidey more than shenanigans! BRAce yourself for danger, Spidey! It’s gonna be …umm…sexy?

I say: Usually, I strip the all-caps out of these solicits, but in this case, I left them in so I could take a moment with the writers of these things. Writing STACKED in all-caps when the comic-in-question features a notorious cheesecake character is… kinda amateurish, but forgivable. But “BRAce yourself”?

Do better.

Solicits aside, this looks like a must-have ish in the new, post OMD, Spider-Man continuity. Black Cat has excellently played her part in a Peter Parker – M.J. – Black Cat – Spider-Man love triangle (er, trapezoid), and the cover to this book portends a re-addressing of that situation.

Even if you don’t pull this title regularly, it’s a storyline that you’re going to want to stay aBREAST of.


Fantastic Four #571
 Creative team: Story by Jonathan Hickman; Art by Dale Eaglesham

Villain to Watch: Galactus

They say: Reed continues his quest to right all wrongs while Ben and Johnny prepare for a trip to Nu-Earth. Val figures out what her dad is up to and Sue wants to know ‘is that an ultimate nullifier in your pocket?’ All that and a world-eater before breakfast!

I say: I’m still pulling the FF while the new creative team proves itself. And, to be honest, I think they’re proving themselves pretty nicely. The League of Reeds concept has tons of promise. But I’m hoping for the best when I see that Galactus corpse on the cover. A Galactus corpse played a big role in the previous FF story. Even the League of Reeds — which I love — picks up a thread from the earlier arc (the exploiting of potential from FFs across a multitude of dimensions).

I’d hate to see this story become redundant by retreading too much ground from the previous storyline. The FF has always been about breaking new ground and being ahead of the curve in the Marvel U. So let’s break ground already, shall we?


Justice League of America #37
Creative team: Story by Len Wein; Art by Tom Derenick

Villain to Watch: Royal Flush Gang, Roulette and Amos Fortune

They say: It’s the epic finale of the 3-part Royal Flush arc as Roulette and Amos Fortune raise the stakes, and the JLA go all in! But with the odds against them, the team had better pray for a last-minute miracle before their chips are cashed in for good.

I say: The story has been good, but not great. However, there’s my Plastic Man right there on the cover (and not hidden like before), and that alone qualifies this a a solid Pull in my book. It’s the end of the storyline, so the real question is not going to be whether Our Heroes can stop the evil menace of the Royal Flush Gang. The real question is going to be whether these second-banana JLAers are going to stick around and become full-timers in this era of roster uncertainty.

Here’s hoping that the answer is Yes — at least for our Pliable Prankster.


Power Girl #5
 Creative team: Story by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justine Gray; Art by Amanda Conner

Villain to Watch (and we do mean… well, you get it): Three sexy aliens

They say: As the trio of sexy alien marauders continue their rampage across Earth, Power Girl tries to figure out how to stop ’em! But with aliens this gorgeous, readers won’t ever want them to leave!

I say: Palmiotti/Gray/Conner is quickly becoming one of the best teams in comics. There’s something about the way the writing and the art blend so elegantly that makes this series an absolute delight to read. This series could have focused on the eye-candy aspect of the main character, and it would have sold fantastically even if it never went any further. Instead, they’ve given us some really solid writing — and cheesecakey goodness.

And they don’t write solicits that make them look like BOOBS.

So any other team that promises a character like Power Girl squaring off against a “trio of sexy alien marauders” would get an eye roll. From this team, you just know it’s going to be a good read.


Spider-Woman #1
Creative team: Story by Brian Michael Bendis; Art by Alex Maleev

Villain to Watch: Unknown

They say: The explosive Eisner award-winning team of Bendis and Maleev reunite for their first ongoing series since Daredevil! Ripped from the pages of New Avengers and Secret Invasion, watch as the gorgeous and mysterious Jessica Drew reenters a society she did not make…as an AGENT OF S.W.O.R.D. This brand new series is a perfect companion to the dazzling Spider-Woman motion comic. Containing new story and artwork not available in any other format. This is the start of a major chapter in one of the most high profile characters in all of Marvel Comics.

I say: Speaking of top creative teams, the much-anticipated Bendis/Maleev Spider-Woman run begins this week. Spider-Woman has become established as a cornerstone character in the Marvel Universe. And these two comics creators have established themselves in a similar spot among comics fans. So this book has got to be an instant Pull.

…And One To Pass…


Final Crisis Aftermath Dance #5
Creative team: Story by Joe Casey; Art by Chris Cross and Rob Armstrong

Villain to Watch: DC, for not giving this series a merciful death

They say: Something sinister is going on in the Super Young Team’s homeland of Japan. Can they put their bickering aside long enough to find the truth? Or will the promise of a more lucrative future keep them from uncovering their nation’s deadliest secret?

I say: This sorry reminder of Final Crisis still walks among us even though the life has long been drained out of it. Actually, considering the state of the DC Universe, that’s kind of fitting, isn’t it? Seriously, A couple of the Aftermath titles have been enjoyable — such as Escape — but this one is unintelligible, indecipherable and unreadable. Pass.