This comic makes me really uncomfortable. ǝʎɐℲ's body language isn't merely aggressive, it's outright threatening.
Physical intimidation of ǝɹıɐןƆ is _not_ cool. She's small, she has every reason to fear attacks and she's shown no signs of being able to defend herself with anything but wit.
I didn't even think of this when I read the comic, but since you mention it, yeah, it's kinda scary. I guess that I have just become *used* to Faye
trying to intimidating others with threat of physical violence and have been looking at it like Bugs Bunny hurting Elmer Fudd. You seem to have this disconcerting tendency to make me re-evaluate things.
I don't know if ǝʎɐℲ is reacting to the patriarchy by imitating what it values, aggression or if she's really reacting to feeling threatened herself, at this point it doesn't matter. You do not threaten by word or deed to harm someone because they said something you don't like. That shit is not helpful.
Methinks it's less of a patriarchy thing than it being another "coping mechanism", that like booze, she's going to need to learn to shed. That doesn't excuse her behaviour in the least, but at least it explains it. Faye is one of the many characters in this strip who have some sort of problems interacting with others in a healthy way, but hers are pretty much the worst when it comes to the impact on others. If, like Dora, she continues on the path she's on, she'll soon find herself *very* alone, and for good reason.