Topic: Damn you, Willis! (Dumbing of Age) (Read 638760 times)

Method of Madness · « **Reply #350 on:** 07 May 2015, 17:11 »

Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever reread a webcomic. Especially not one as long as DoA. Seems daunting.

Gladstone · « **Reply #351 on:** 07 May 2015, 17:18 »

I just read it for the first time about a month ago. Took less than a week. The daunting part comes when you catch up and realize you have to wait for daily updates like everyone else.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #352 on:** 07 May 2015, 17:23 »

Yeah, that's what I did last year. I don't know if I'm up for doing it again.

Gladstone · « **Reply #353 on:** 07 May 2015, 17:39 »

Ah, gotcha. I'm not usually one for binge-reading, but DoA somehow worked out that way. On the other hand, I'm enjoying Gunnerkrigg Court at a nice leisurely pace, and will probably take a few weeks to catch up.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #354 on:** 07 May 2015, 18:00 »

Quote from: Gladstone on 07 May 2015, 17:39

Ah, gotcha. I'm not usually one for binge-reading, but DoA somehow worked out that way. On the other hand, I'm enjoying Gunnerkrigg Court at a nice leisurely pace, and will probably take a few weeks to catch up.

Did that with Girls With Slingshots a xouple months ago. It was nice, but this is a fast-paced run-through

Method of Madness · « **Reply #355 on:** 07 May 2015, 18:12 »

Oh man, you had the worst timing. At least I had a year or so with GwS before it ended. (Unless you did it because it ended.)

chaospersonified · « **Reply #356 on:** 07 May 2015, 18:47 »

No, see, I began my read-through, then three days later, Danielle announced she was finishing up

chaospersonified · « **Reply #357 on:** 07 May 2015, 18:48 »

Finished my leisurely read through about a week before the series was ended

chaospersonified · « **Reply #358 on:** 07 May 2015, 19:00 »

Oh shit, I suspect I now know what was hidden by Masterpiece in his spoiler. Damn. Intense.

Kugai · « **Reply #359 on:** 07 May 2015, 23:10 »

Low blow Joyce, low blow.

BenRG · « **Reply #360 on:** 08 May 2015, 04:05 »

This is just a guess but Becky has been a fixture in Joyce's life for a long time. So long a time that I thinks she's become something of an emotional life preserver. Confronted with someone advocating letting go of this, it isn't surprising that Joyce became violently defensive. Irrespective of whether Joyce is romantically interested in Becky in any way whatsoever, I think that she is strongly opposed to her not being constantly available to her as, frankly, I think she would feel lost without her presence.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #361 on:** 08 May 2015, 04:46 »

That makes me think of a possible plotline, actually - what happens if/when Becky finds a girlfriend, and has less time for Joyce?

Welu · « **Reply #362 on:** 08 May 2015, 05:13 »

Quote from: chaospersonified on 07 May 2015, 18:47

No, see, I began my read-through, then three days later, Danielle announced she was finishing up

Not as bad because it was announced a year in advance but when I finally read all of Shortpacked! I finished on the day Willis announced he was ending it.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #363 on:** 08 May 2015, 05:26 »

Quote from: Welu on 08 May 2015, 05:13

Quote from: chaospersonified on 07 May 2015, 18:47
No, see, I began my read-through, then three days later, Danielle announced she was finishing up

Not as bad because it was announced a year in advance but when I finally read all of Shortpacked! I finished on the day Willis announced he was ending it.

Okay then, no, I missed THAT. I started just before the 'one-month-until' announcement. I kinda assumed that was the first she'd said...

Method of Madness · « **Reply #364 on:** 08 May 2015, 05:28 »

Ok, who is Dana again?

Re: GwS, I don't remember seeing the "one year until thing" when I was reading, and I'm pretty sure I started more than a year before she finished, but maybe I started reading soon after that announcement.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #365 on:** 08 May 2015, 05:35 »

Quote from: ssǝupɐW ɟo poɥʇǝW on 08 May 2015, 05:28

Ok, who is Dana again?

Sarah's freshman roommate. Drug addict. The reason Sarah's Freshman-year friends abandoned her.

Welu · « **Reply #366 on:** 08 May 2015, 06:18 »

No, I mean Shortpacked!, different Willis webcominc, did a one year in advance announcement of its ending, that happened to be announced the day I caught up with the archive. GWS only announced a couple months in advance.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #367 on:** 08 May 2015, 11:49 »

Welp, shattering all predictions, it has taken me a little less than three days of unemployed slackery to read through Dumbing of Age up to where I came in. I didn't read it daily at first, so I've got probably a dozen or so more strips before it happened that I was hooked, and then I'll probably just read through the rest anyway because why not

BenRG · « **Reply #368 on:** 14 May 2015, 05:19 »

I've only really just started reading DoA seriously but, already, the thing that strikes me is how fundamentally nice Joyce is. She's in many ways the antithesis of the Christian fundamentalist as generally portrayed in modern popular culture. Not only does she follow the moral strictures but she also embraces the commandment to show unselfish and unconditional love to everyone.

I think that was why her snapping at Sarah caused such a huge shock in the fandom. It is massively out-of-character for Joyce to be malicious, even when angry (which is rare in its own right). I think it may be an indicator of just how seriously she's taking 'looking after' Becky until she can get back on her own two feet. Justifiable or not, I think that she misunderstood what Sarah was saying as meaning: "I want you to abandon your friend in need because I don't want here in my room". That isn't what she said, of course, but it's what Joyce heard.

I'm wondering if Becky will return to the room to find Joyce and Sarah holding on to each other and crying their eyes out. We'll never know what they said to each other, of course.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #369 on:** 14 May 2015, 05:31 »

It's also worth noting that Joyce is an autobiographical character on Willis's part, which really can explain a lot, I'd say.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #370 on:** 16 May 2015, 09:02 »

Billie, you fucking moron.

* bhtooefr puts $1 in the swear jar

Method of Madness · « **Reply #371 on:** 16 May 2015, 09:09 »

I thought the t-word was "tapioca". It's fun to say as a minced oath, even if it doesn't sound like any actual swear words I can think of.

Kugai · « **Reply #372 on:** 16 May 2015, 15:59 »

Tequila

explicit · « **Reply #373 on:** 19 May 2015, 21:07 »

"don't subvert what I really hope is God's will" I don't know why I find that as funny as I do.

BenRG · « **Reply #374 on:** 19 May 2015, 23:22 »

The really worrying thing about today's strip really suggests Joyce has some kind of plan in work. It's worrying because Joyce isn't typically any good at that sort of thing.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #375 on:** 20 May 2015, 04:33 »

Fuck, is it her old roommate?

Masterpiece · « **Reply #376 on:** 20 May 2015, 04:56 »

No dudes, she wants to invite Jacob.

Kugai · « **Reply #377 on:** 20 May 2015, 16:02 »

Hypergolic

BenRG · « **Reply #378 on:** 20 May 2015, 23:30 »

Now I've got the feeling that Sarah and Roz are going to have their own 'Jacob sucks!' mini-party whilst Joyce futilely tries to cheer them up!

Method of Madness · « **Reply #379 on:** 21 May 2015, 07:47 »

Damn it, Jacob, even ignoring the whole Sarah thing, if you get invited to a party that's specifically only for invited people, you don't bring someone else without asking in advance.

Also is that just a random girl we've never seen before or is that a character?

BenRG · « **Reply #380 on:** 21 May 2015, 07:57 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 21 May 2015, 07:47

Also is that just a random girl we've never seen before or is that a character?

Jacob couldn't have chosen more poorly. That's Raidah - She is one of the group of students that seemed to centre around Sarah's former roommate, Dinah. Sarah, as you know, got Dinah thrown out of the college for serious drug abuse, so serious that she was in danger of killing herself from ODing. From the look Raidah is shooting at Sarah, bygones are definitely not bygones.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #381 on:** 21 May 2015, 08:02 »

When Raidah was introduced: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2010/comic/book-1/02-uphill-from-here/taken/

Method of Madness · « **Reply #382 on:** 21 May 2015, 08:09 »

Daaaaaaaaang, I went back and read the story and I forgot how completely and utterly blameless Sarah was. I'd forgotten what she did, I thought maybe she snitched on Dana or something, but Dana was fucked up in many ways, and Sarah just called her dad. Her friends were pretty terrible friends, really.

That being said...are we sure that's Raidah? It sort of looks like her...but not quite.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #383 on:** 21 May 2015, 08:16 »

Protip: The tags for each comic list the named characters in each comic, and Raidah has a tag in the latest.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #384 on:** 21 May 2015, 08:44 »

...oh. Well that's useful to know. And clicking on her name gives me all the comics in which she appears! Ok then.

Mlle Germain · « **Reply #385 on:** 21 May 2015, 09:37 »

I am very unhappy about this -- I really don't understand how anyone can put blame on Sarah for what happened with Dana. In my opinion, she did what she had to, and was able to, do. Dana's friends, like Raidah, were ignoring how badly Dana was doing; and thus not really acting like friends.
I don't like Raidah because she acted so shittily towards both Sarah and, indirectly, Dana, and I wish she wasn't at the party. Kind of shitty of Jacob to bring her without asking beforehand -- at which point it would have become clear that neither Joyce nor Sarah would want Raidah there.

I guess maybe this is a setup for Raidah showing that she's changed for the better and apologising? I certainly hope so.

BenRG · « **Reply #386 on:** 21 May 2015, 10:05 »

Quote from: Mlle Germain on 21 May 2015, 09:37

I guess maybe this is a setup for Raidah showing that she's changed for the better and apologising? I certainly hope so.

Or her being an utter [censored], ruining the party and leaving poor Joyce in tears - A drama that leads several pending matters (relationship-wise and otherwise) crystallising out under the pressure. Does Amber realise that she can be a hero without wearing the cape? Do unexpected people come to Joyce's defence? Does Jacob dump Raidah on the spot for her behaviour? Does Ruth get attracted by the noise and ban parties in the dorms for the rest of eternity?

We'll just have to wait and see.

Welu · « **Reply #387 on:** 21 May 2015, 10:17 »

I assumed Becky would have explained it was invite-only because that's super important but maybe she brain-farted? Jacob doesn't seem jerky enough to invite someone after being told not to do so.

I can kind of understand from the other side that Raidah and all missed, whether through ignorance or more likely hoping their friend would snap out of their issues, that they think Sarah over-reacted. I think also likely is they just want a scapegoat to blame. I wonder if they're still in contact with Dana? Which might be why they're so hard on Sarah if Dana insists she was fine. Although that's mostly me giving a lot of benefit of the doubt.

Kugai · « **Reply #388 on:** 21 May 2015, 14:47 »

Hooo boy!

Stoon · « **Reply #389 on:** 21 May 2015, 19:40 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 07 May 2015, 18:12

Oh man, you had the worst timing. At least I had a year or so with GwS before it ended. (Unless you did it because it ended.)

I discovered Dar Comic 2 weeks before it ended.
http://www.darcomic.com/

Stoon · « **Reply #390 on:** 21 May 2015, 19:49 »

Quote from: BenRG on 19 May 2015, 23:22

The really worrying thing about today's strip really suggests Joyce has some kind of plan in work. It's worrying because Joyce isn't typically any good at that sort of thing.

She's truly awful at it, if truth be told.

BenRG · « **Reply #391 on:** 21 May 2015, 23:39 »

Okay awkwardness abounds in today's strip. I don't think that either Raidah or Sarah are inclined to start trouble; if anything, neither of them seem to know what to do or even think! Meanwhile, Jacob is entertainingly clueless about what he may have triggered.

Also, Dina is Dina and reminds us why we want to hug her!

Masterpiece · « **Reply #392 on:** 22 May 2015, 02:18 »

I really don't get why everyone likes Dina so much. She's such a onenote character

Method of Madness · « **Reply #393 on:** 22 May 2015, 04:43 »

Comic relief can be pretty damn important.

Also wait, why would Sarah be in the same dorm room two years in a row?

Also, Raidah needs to leave now.

Welu · « **Reply #394 on:** 22 May 2015, 08:34 »

I personally identify with Dina a lot, she and my younger self have a lot in common. Except when I did similar things, I was read as difficult and when she does it, she's being read as naive but endearing, for the most part.

ChaoSera · « **Reply #395 on:** 22 May 2015, 08:37 »

It's the hat. You probably didn't have the hat.

Welu · « **Reply #396 on:** 22 May 2015, 08:39 »

True. The closest is that I used to have a giraffe hat.

Kugai · « **Reply #397 on:** 22 May 2015, 15:39 »

Pillows a thirty paces

Stoon · « **Reply #398 on:** 22 May 2015, 16:48 »

Quote from: Welu on 22 May 2015, 08:34

I personally identify with Dina a lot, she and my younger self have a lot in common. Except when I did similar things, I was read as difficult and when she does it, she's being read as naive but endearing, for the most part.

Oh, I'm not the only one who identifies with Dina a lot?

chaospersonified · « **Reply #399 on:** 22 May 2015, 19:48 »

Quote from: Stoon on 22 May 2015, 16:48

Quote from: Welu on 22 May 2015, 08:34
I personally identify with Dina a lot, she and my younger self have a lot in common. Except when I did similar things, I was read as difficult and when she does it, she's being read as naive but endearing, for the most part.
Oh, I'm not the only one who identifies with Dina a lot?

Trust me, you're not

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Author Topic: Damn you, Willis! (Dumbing of Age) (Read 638760 times)