Topic: Damn you, Willis! (Dumbing of Age) (Read 183242 times)

Pilchard123 · « **Reply #3950 on:** 03 Jan 2018, 10:32 »

Is "Hallelujah, chairs at last" the first time that Joyce has casually said anything that could be construed as taking the Lord's name in vain? It's certainly the first I remember, though I'm sure that someone will be a long to correct me shortly.

Welu · « **Reply #3951 on:** 03 Jan 2018, 13:09 »

Joyce swore a lot, for her, during and immediately after the Toedad event. I don't know if this strip is the first instance of Joyce saying "god damn" but it's the most intense and significant so far.

Edit: I think this is Joyce's first "god damn".

BenRG · « **Reply #3952 on:** 04 Jan 2018, 02:36 »

When Joe Rosenthal calls you out on your lack of ethics in your behaviour towards others, you should sit up and take notice. I wonder if Sarah has enough self-respect to do so or will she be more like Amber, believing herself to be a monster and content to be viewed as such?

A Duck · « **Reply #3953 on:** 13 Jan 2018, 11:55 »

I don't like Mike. In a comic full of multi-dimensional and well developed characters, Mike is consistently so... flat.

He's just there to do something to create chaos and drama, and that's pretty much it. And he's had plenty of screentime to get more development, but he never really got it.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3954 on:** 14 Jan 2018, 14:31 »

Is this the first time Walky's said that?

cesium133 · « **Reply #3955 on:** 14 Jan 2018, 14:37 »

The first time he's said it and meant it, yes.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3956 on:** 14 Jan 2018, 14:42 »

Wait, he's said it and not meant it?

cesium133 · « **Reply #3957 on:** 14 Jan 2018, 15:11 »

Back around the time that Becky arrived.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3958 on:** 14 Jan 2018, 15:45 »

Ahhh, cheers. So yeah, definitely the first time he meant it.

A Duck · « **Reply #3959 on:** 14 Jan 2018, 18:54 »

Well, break up incoming, I guess.

BenRG · « **Reply #3960 on:** 14 Jan 2018, 23:12 »

Well, maybe. Willis's characters tend to have too complex interactions to make such a clean and simple outcome likely.

JoeCovenant · « **Reply #3961 on:** 15 Jan 2018, 02:36 »

Me, I was more intrigued by the "throw-away" gag between Joe and Joyce...

Joe's carrying Joyce's books...
Isn't that "American Teen-Speak" for flirting??

A Duck · « **Reply #3962 on:** 15 Jan 2018, 03:46 »

Well, I was close.

Welu · « **Reply #3963 on:** 15 Jan 2018, 13:49 »

Poor Dorothy and Walky. That was very hard on both of them.

JoeCovenant · « **Reply #3964 on:** 16 Jan 2018, 02:23 »

Quote from: Welu on 15 Jan 2018, 13:49

Poor Dorothy and Walky. That was very hard on both of them.

I dunno if *hard* is an appropriate word to use...

... given Walky's current situation....

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3965 on:** 17 Jan 2018, 04:36 »

This might seem like a strange question, but...is this the first time Ethan's kissed a guy? I don't mean in comic, I mean ever.

BenRG · « **Reply #3966 on:** 17 Jan 2018, 09:46 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 17 Jan 2018, 04:36

This might seem like a strange question, but...is this the first time Ethan's kissed a guy? I don't mean in comic, I mean ever.

First time for Dumbingverse Ethan but Walkyverse Ethan had at least two boyfriends, one of whom I'm pretty sure was shown in a lip-lock with him towards the run of Shortpacked!

A Duck · « **Reply #3967 on:** 17 Jan 2018, 11:02 »

Wait, are we 100% sure Ethan never kissed any other dudes offscreen? Even before the comic's time?

BenRG · « **Reply #3968 on:** 17 Jan 2018, 14:31 »

Especially before the comic's time. From what he said to Joyce, he was rather trying to avoid being gay in any way.

LeeC · « **Reply #3969 on:** 22 Jan 2018, 16:15 »

I wish I could eat that many McNugs without getting heartburn. Damn you, youths!

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3970 on:** 25 Jan 2018, 04:30 »

Wait, Billie still doesn't think she's bi?

BenRG · « **Reply #3971 on:** 25 Jan 2018, 06:02 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 25 Jan 2018, 04:30

Wait, Billie still doesn't think she's bi?

I've said this on the DoA site's comments too but I think it bears repeating here: In High School, Billie was probably the type of alpha girl who bullied anyone 'different', be they homosexual, bisexual, members of a non-mainstream religious group or whatever. I'm sure that this has raised enormous barriers in her subconsciousness to allow her to admit to herself what she has turned out to be for fear it will reduce her social standing even further than it currently is.

Now, you and I know her fears are mostly groundless but I've got a feeling that a combination of her upbringing and the extra-familial social conformance pressures during her upbringing will make it very difficult for her to too easily accept being 'non-mainstream' in any way.

Welu · « **Reply #3972 on:** 25 Jan 2018, 09:24 »

Billie has said before that she thinks everyone, including ~~normal~~ straight people, experiences some amount of attraction to multiple genders at some point, even to the point of sex and relationships.

Billie's expressed that she doesn't think bisexuality is a real thing.

JoeCovenant · « **Reply #3973 on:** 26 Jan 2018, 02:12 »

Quote from: BenRG on 25 Jan 2018, 06:02

....In High School, Billie was probably the type of alpha girl who bullied anyone 'different', be they homosexual, bisexual, members of a non-mainstream religious group or whatever.

That's a hella projection there, Ben...? $:-\$

BenRG · « **Reply #3974 on:** 30 Jan 2018, 03:05 »

Well, Billie has opened the Pandora's Box of alcohol during her date with Ruth today (1/30). I'm strongly suspecting that Billie and Ruth will both be so nervous that they'll finish a bottle between them and then have a blackout. Depending on how nice Willis is feeling, what they hear about their overnight behaviour from others in the dorm will be either cutely positive or catastrophically negative.

Best case scenario is Joyce gushing: "Amazi-Girl and her two sidekicks saved you!" (Amber finds them weaving drunkenly across the quad whilst trying to make-out. She, Sal and Danny escort them back to Ruth's room and leave them on Ruth's bed, quite unconscious.)

LeeC · « **Reply #3975 on:** 30 Jan 2018, 09:02 »

Danny and Sal have fun chemistry. Not the shipping kind necessarily, just fun to read/watch.

BenRG · « **Reply #3976 on:** 31 Jan 2018, 02:37 »

I'm not familiar with the oeuvre of Johnny Cash. Consequently, when reading today's strip (31/1), I can only hear Sal singing REM's Everybody Hurts.

JoeCovenant · « **Reply #3977 on:** 31 Jan 2018, 02:37 »

Quote from: LeeC on 30 Jan 2018, 09:02

Danny and Sal have fun chemistry. Not the shipping kind necessarily, just fun to read/watch.

Every since I first read any of Willis' work, I thought Danny and Sal were a great couple.

I hated the way they were never able to be in the right place at the right time for each other.

I'd love to see that resolved in *this* particular iteration of the *MultiWalkyVerse*...

(... but I know that I'll doubtless end up shouting "Damn You, Willis!" fairly soon... after all, the annual "Valentine's Day Massacre" is approaching...)

hedgie · « **Reply #3978 on:** 31 Jan 2018, 08:53 »

Quote from: BenRG on 31 Jan 2018, 02:37

I'm not familiar with the oeuvre of Johnny Cash. Consequently, when reading today's strip (31/1), I can only hear Sal singing REM's Everybody Hurts.

Even though the Cash version is better, it was originally a Nine Inch Nails song.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #3979 on:** 31 Jan 2018, 09:04 »

And by "the Cash version is better", Trent Reznor agrees. To the point that he said it's no longer his song, it's Cash's.

sitnspin · « **Reply #3980 on:** 31 Jan 2018, 11:05 »

I disagree with Trent on the subject, but art is subjective.

A Duck · « **Reply #3981 on:** 31 Jan 2018, 21:25 »

Damn. The one-two punch of Danny wanting to be a "multidisciplinar Dork" and Sal singing "Hurt" hit me hard.

Damn you, Willis!!

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3982 on:** 07 Feb 2018, 04:02 »

Amber, if you have to ask, the answer is always both.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3983 on:** 09 Feb 2018, 04:18 »

Me: Who the fuck is Faz?
(clicks tag)
Me: Oh, shit.

JoeCovenant · « **Reply #3984 on:** 09 Feb 2018, 09:11 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 09 Feb 2018, 04:18

Me: Who the fuck is Faz?

....oh.

BenRG · « **Reply #3985 on:** 09 Feb 2018, 09:14 »

Semi apropos of nothing, I had a dream/semi-waking imagination burst a few months ago when IU got a new mechanical engineering tutor, a USMC veteran named Frank Castle. Blaine, Ross and Faz had chosen an... unhealthy moment to make their return as they quickly (and briefly) learned.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3986 on:** 12 Feb 2018, 04:12 »

Why did I think that Amber's dad was in jail? I know Becky's dad is, but I thought Amber's dad was, too. Was he just beat up really badly and then sent away?

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3987 on:** 14 Mar 2018, 06:19 »

Ok, is nobody reading this anymore? Also I'm wondering why they just took Joe's list at face value and why Penny didn't say something like "um...he wishes". Then again, they also took Penny's word about Jason, so...I don't know.

BenRG · « **Reply #3988 on:** 14 Mar 2018, 06:29 »

I'm still reading this but I don't think that anyone is really all that enthused to the degree needed to discuss it at this point.

Willis has put all the existing arcs on hold whilst he goes off on a tangent and addresses Dorothy's incipient stress-induced breakdown and Walky's academic issues. Whilst valid storylines, they're... not as interesting to the majority of readers as the Amber DID question, Sarah's apparent use of Joyce as a weapon to attack Raidah and the ever-weirder Sal-Danny-Amber/Amazi-Girl triangle. I've noticed significantly reduced activity on the comic's comment board too.

cesium133 · « **Reply #3989 on:** 14 Mar 2018, 06:30 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 14 Mar 2018, 06:19

Ok, is nobody reading this anymore? Also I'm wondering why they just took Joe's list at face value and why Penny didn't say something like "um...he wishes". Then again, they also took Penny's word about Jason, so...I don't know.

It's easier for the administration to just fire a couple grad students than deal with a potential sex scandal breaking out, and as has been shown before (e.g. with Ruth's bosses), the administration is lazy.

Quote from: Method of Madness on 12 Feb 2018, 04:12

Why did I think that Amber's dad was in jail? I know Becky's dad is, but I thought Amber's dad was, too. Was he just beat up really badly and then sent away?

He was beaten up badly enough to end up in the hospital, and we haven't heard from him since. I suspect, with Faz hanging around, that we'll hear from him in this storyline.

sitnspin · « **Reply #3990 on:** 14 Mar 2018, 09:28 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 12 Feb 2018, 04:12

Why did I think that Amber's dad was in jail? I know Becky's dad is, but I thought Amber's dad was, too. Was he just beat up really badly and then sent away?

Blaine is an asshole, but didn't do anything illegal in that story arc. As far as the police are concerned, he's the victim.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #3991 on:** 14 Mar 2018, 12:00 »

He may have been trespassing, actually: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/approved/

sitnspin · « **Reply #3992 on:** 14 Mar 2018, 12:58 »

Fair, but no one pressed charges on that. The only school official who knew about it was Ruth.

BenRG · « **Reply #3993 on:** 08 Feb 2019, 05:28 »

Oh... OWWW!

Today's strip (2/8/19) was brutal but so was the whole micro-arc of about three or four strips leading up to it. In the final few panels, Billie's desperate unspoken plea for Ruth to change her mind about drinking turning into resignation and then anger and then her just walking away with a curt accusation of ruining her plans for day followed by Ruth clearly just standing there for a few seconds before even beginning to think of a reply just cuts to the heart.

I count myself blessed that I've never had to handle a friend or loved one with a serious addiction like Billie's. I don't know if I'm wise enough or level-headed enough not to lose it with them too often and I know that's the worst thing that you can do.

It's rare that a strip cartoon can pile so much emotion into an edition but this was one of those times.

hedgie · « **Reply #3994 on:** 08 Feb 2019, 05:47 »

Billie is sure ruthless

LeeC · « **Reply #3995 on:** 08 Feb 2019, 06:41 »

Quote from: BenRG on 08 Feb 2019, 05:28

I count myself blessed that I've never had to handle a friend or loved one with a serious addiction like Billie's. I don't know if I'm wise enough or level-headed enough not to lose it with them too often and I know that's the worst thing that you can do.

Been there. It wasn't easy. If the other person doesn't recognize that they have a problem nothing will change. They will also get defensive and/or aggressive if you address it too.

Honestly I think this is the best thing for Ruth. She is trying hard not to go to the bottle, and Billie was not making that easy. She needs a non drinking or at least understanding support network ... especially with her home situation.

JoeCovenant · « **Reply #3996 on:** 11 Feb 2019, 00:31 »

Hmmm...
Now what's going on here Amber/Sal/Danny?

I've made no secret that I always felt Danny/Sally relationship from an earlier version of the Walkyverse was cruelly torn apart, when neither of them really wanted it to be. I just believe they could be good together.

BUT, I'm wondering of Amber's casual "He needs someone good and pure", is about to lead into machinations to throw him and Joyce together...?

I'm not sure what I think of that.

BenRG · « **Reply #3997 on:** 11 Feb 2019, 01:08 »

Quote from: JoeCovenant on 11 Feb 2019, 00:31

BUT, I'm wondering of Amber's casual "He needs someone good and pure", is about to lead into machinations to throw him and Joyce together...?

I'm not sure what I think of that.

Some on Willis's own site have said the same thing.

It's interesting because, in the very first of Willis's strips in the Walkyverse, Roomies, Joyce was crushing on and stalking Danny. This didn't go anywhere because she was abducted, mindwiped and forcibly inducted into SEMME where she met Walky and imprinted on him. One of the stated objectives of Dumbing of Age from the start was Willis's desire to see what would happen to the characters if the war against the Aliens had never happened. Given th at DoA!Joyce is a very different person from the one she was portrayed as in Roomies, as is Danny, Willis may be intending to spend at least some time addressing whether time and maturity may have seen them work out together.

BenRG · « **Reply #3998 on:** 19 Feb 2019, 08:17 »

From today's strip (2/19), I desperately want Willis to illustrate a couple of scenes from Commander Julia Grey - Space Ace!. I'm sort of seeing Joyce in a sci-fi jumpsuit with Sal-style long hair, a 1950s-style ray gun and Jacob (in a similar sci-fi jumpsuit) clinging to her for safety.

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Author Topic: Damn you, Willis! (Dumbing of Age) (Read 183242 times)