Topic: Damn you, Willis! (Dumbing of Age) (Read 609576 times)

Masterpiece · « **Reply #50 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 01:32 »

I said "She's also the first character", I didn't say she's the main character because she's the first one to arrive.

Masterpiece · « **Reply #51 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 02:21 »

It's just something Dave Willis wrote as a preface to the comic collection of Dumbing of Age. Joyce - and how she fares in University - was a major inspiration that fueled Dumbing of Age.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #52 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 10:32 »

I'm confused. How could Joyce be an inspiration for Joyce?

That being said, I've read all of DoA fairly recently and I consider her the main character in a McNulty way.

LeeC · « **Reply #53 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 10:35 »

If anything Willis himself is the inspiration for Joyce.

ChaoSera · « **Reply #54 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 11:04 »

As far as I know, Willis has said several times, that Joyce in DoA is largely autobiographical.

LeeC · « **Reply #55 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 11:21 »

that is as I understand it too ChaoSera

explicit · « **Reply #56 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 13:02 »

She's also - arguably - the character that has went through the biggest changes since going to the University. I view it that way because while others seemed to find out more about themselves, Joyce's attitude and beliefs have been consistently warped. There's also a lot of one-dimensional characters in DoA, but there are 20 something characters so not all of them can have an ever changing personality I guess.

LeeC · « **Reply #57 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 13:52 »

I wont argue that she has had some major new life experiences, though some of the other characters have gone through some changes too.

Hell even Dorothy is starting to realize that life cannot be all work and no play. On the flip side of that Walky is starting to learn life isn't as easy as it once was and that life is not all play but also work. Sal is becoming less bully/badass and more her own woman. Ethan is more or less in stasis and I kind of feel the same way for Amber and Danny.

Kugai · « **Reply #58 on:** 21 Jan 2015, 14:47 »

Hmmmm

Being Sals Bitch might just be a good thing for Joyce.

Gladstone · « **Reply #59 on:** 23 Jan 2015, 16:56 »

So, for us noobs, what would you recommend as a starting point for Willis's work? Dumbing of Age, or one of the others? I haven't read any of them yet, but I'm probably going to take a few weeks off from reading QC, and I'll need other webcomics to distract me. And since I keep hearing things about this Willis fellow...

explicit · « **Reply #60 on:** 23 Jan 2015, 17:19 »

You can just start at DoA, they're all independent of each other, but they do have some references to each other that don't really affect the story.

I read Shortpacked, but only saw some bits and pieces of the others, mostly because the artwork in the others is pretty bad -especially compared to DoA and Shortpacked. IMO DoA is the best.

ankhtahr · « **Reply #61 on:** 23 Jan 2015, 19:26 »

Read DoA. If you're interested in the Walkyverse as well, start reading here. That's the first page of "Roomies!", Willis' first comic. He republished it together with some strips he drew later in what he considers "best reading order". He's currently uploading the second Walkyverse comic "It's Walky!" one strip per day on the same site.

Then you can wait for Willis' to upload the rest of It's Walky! (which might take a few years), or you can visit the old comic site, which is still online here, and read the rest of "It's Walky" there. The navigation sucks on that site though.

Well, and once you're done with "It's Walky!" you can start on "Shortpacked!". You miss out on a lot, if you read "Shortpacked!" before having read "It's Walky!".

Gladstone · « **Reply #62 on:** 23 Jan 2015, 19:48 »

Thanks, both of you. I'll give DoA a try.

Kugai · « **Reply #63 on:** 23 Jan 2015, 21:18 »

Today on DoA

Sign Language Argument

cesium133 · « **Reply #64 on:** 23 Jan 2015, 21:19 »

The color he's using to indicate motion makes it look like they have robot hands.

Masterpiece · « **Reply #65 on:** 24 Jan 2015, 05:14 »

It irked me as well.

Kugai · « **Reply #66 on:** 24 Jan 2015, 13:32 »

They were signing at Warp speed

ankhtahr · « **Reply #67 on:** 24 Jan 2015, 17:54 »

Sorry to bother all you non-Patrons: The latest bonus strip was kinda "Damn you, Willis!"-worthy as well.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #68 on:** 25 Jan 2015, 09:35 »

Do you get to see it early or do non-Patrons not see it at all?

ankhtahr · « **Reply #69 on:** 25 Jan 2015, 10:10 »

The Bonus strips are Patron only. There's one we get to vote for and one Willis gets to decide about per month. We get to see the regular strips one day early though.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #70 on:** 25 Jan 2015, 10:11 »

You get to vote what happens?

ankhtahr · « **Reply #71 on:** 25 Jan 2015, 10:13 »

We get to vote about the main character. Last one featured Dina. The choices before were Becky (before we knew that Becky would appear in the regular strips), Galasso's daughter whose name I just forgot, Asma I think, and people like that.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #72 on:** 25 Jan 2015, 10:26 »

Oh. Are they canon or one-offs?

ankhtahr · « **Reply #73 on:** 25 Jan 2015, 10:27 »

They are canon, but do not contain information really relevant to anything.

explicit · « **Reply #74 on:** 25 Jan 2015, 13:03 »

Like most strips that feature Dina really.

Kugai · « **Reply #75 on:** 27 Jan 2015, 13:54 »

Today on DoA

Student/Teacher Ethics.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #76 on:** 27 Jan 2015, 13:58 »

Or lack thereof.

cesium133 · « **Reply #77 on:** 27 Jan 2015, 13:59 »

Eh, it's not as if anyone cares if you're a good teacher when you're a TA...

Banging your students, on the other hand...

explicit · « **Reply #78 on:** 27 Jan 2015, 14:07 »

According to my vast internetting, students have sex with teachers all the time. Also, teachers seem to barely wear anything and have giant boobs.

cesium133 · « **Reply #79 on:** 27 Jan 2015, 14:09 »

"And then sometimes another girl shows up and I'd have to pay $19.99 a month to find out more."

Loki · « **Reply #80 on:** 27 Jan 2015, 15:46 »

*blink* where was that one from?
I know at least two people who banged teachers in their school.

cesium133 · « **Reply #81 on:** 27 Jan 2015, 15:50 »

It turns out I misquoted it, but I think I got close enough.

Loki · « **Reply #82 on:** 27 Jan 2015, 15:53 »

Hah. Well, it was close enough for me to realize it was a reference.

LeeC · « **Reply #83 on:** 29 Jan 2015, 08:16 »

Dammit Sarah. Self fulfilling prophecy much!?

Neko_Ali · « **Reply #84 on:** 29 Jan 2015, 10:32 »

It is kind of hard to find people who want to hang around with you if you drive away everyone who wants to hang around with you...

Orkboy · « **Reply #85 on:** 02 Feb 2015, 21:17 »

Welp, now we know the best way to answer a phone.

cesium133 · « **Reply #86 on:** 02 Feb 2015, 21:20 »

Later. ..

"Hi, Joyce, I tried calling earlier and your nice Jewish boyfriend answered."

explicit · « **Reply #87 on:** 02 Feb 2015, 22:21 »

"I knew public University would do this to her!"

Masterpiece · « **Reply #88 on:** 03 Feb 2015, 09:12 »

Oh my god Mike.

This message is coming from Tapatalk inside my phone!

Welu · « **Reply #89 on:** 03 Feb 2015, 09:51 »

Oh my goodness, Joyce's face.

explicit · « **Reply #90 on:** 03 Feb 2015, 13:52 »

She does kinda look possessed.

Kugai · « **Reply #91 on:** 03 Feb 2015, 15:40 »

If her eyes turn red and she starts speaking in tongues then we'll know.

explicit · « **Reply #92 on:** 03 Feb 2015, 15:50 »

Quote from: Kugai on 03 Feb 2015, 15:40

If her eyes turn red and she starts speaking in tongues then we'll know.

No, it'd be more subtle, like a swear word.

Neko_Ali · « **Reply #93 on:** 03 Feb 2015, 16:27 »

You mean like "poops"? (This IS Joyce after all...)

Method of Madness · « **Reply #94 on:** 03 Feb 2015, 18:33 »

Quote from: Neko_Ali on 03 Feb 2015, 16:27

"poops"

Kugai · « **Reply #95 on:** 08 Feb 2015, 21:35 »

Today on DoA

Real world Revelation for Joyce.

explicit · « **Reply #96 on:** 08 Feb 2015, 22:10 »

As long as this isn't part of some long journey towards Joyce becoming an atheist or something. I can see Willis doing something like that and I already kind of have gripes about how he treats religious people in his comic. I just like that the comic has a religious person who isn't a complete toolbag, but it's kind of just Joyce atm and he portrays her as incredibly ignorant (which I guess can be justified).

Don't get me wrong, everyone should be accepting regardless of religious affiliation or sexuality, I just don't want the only religious character who isn't a jerk to suddenly stop believing in totality. I'm kind of making a leap aren't I...

EDIT - I realize how some of this sounded. Ahem. OF COURSE JOYCE SHOULD FEEL THIS WAY. I've just been thinking about the religion thing for awhile is all.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #97 on:** 08 Feb 2015, 23:28 »

She's mad at organized religion, but she clearly still believes. For now, at least.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #98 on:** 09 Feb 2015, 02:16 »

It's worth noting that Joyce is autobiographical on Willis's part.

And, what about Sierra, for someone who's religious but not a jerk?

Masterpiece · « **Reply #99 on:** 09 Feb 2015, 06:05 »

Or Billie for that matter?

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Damn you, Willis! (Dumbing of Age) (Read 609576 times)