My Friends

Ted tells Louisa everything about his past with the artist and Joar. Twenty-five years ago, some older girls are bullying Ali, so Joar comes up with a plan to help her, spreading gossip that turns the girls against one another. Some evening soon after, Joar, Ali and the artist hang out in Ted’s basement. They’re reading comics, and Joar likes when Ted recites inspirational quotes by superheroes. Joar’s favorite quote is by Beta Ray Bill, “If there is nothing but what we make in this world, brothers, let us make good.” Joar is also fascinated by the concept of an “antihero,” which Ted explains is a good person who sometimes does bad things. Joar fears that he is bound to become evil like his father, but Ted tries to reassure him that he’s nothing like his dad.

Twenty-five years later, Ted explains to Louisa that Joar wanted to be like a hero and protect the people around him, but this was a ticking time-bomb. He still resists telling Louisa the full story—that the reason why Joar was obsessed with making the artist famous before the end of the summer is because he already had a plan to kill his old man or die trying. Louisa tells Ted that she and Fish used to like Batman, since he was an orphan too. Ted continues with the story.

During that summer 25 years ago, before Joar finds the art competition, there is a boy called the Bulldog who bullies Ted by stuffing him into lockers. When Joar hears about this, he wants to kill the Bulldog, but Ted warns him not to by quoting Superman. Instead, Joar tricks Bulldog into sticking himself into a locker, locking bulldog inside. That day, when the school janitor cuts the lock off to free Bulldog, Joar notices that the janitor has tattoos of skulls on his arms.