Well to be fair, if Danny did do this exact thing, then by the very nature of the universe it *would* be the wrong thing, but since it’s Walky doing this thing, we’ll have to wait and see how things turn out to see whether there was a better thing to be done.
Yeah, because from our experience of him, it WOULD be wrong if he did it. A lot of what he does goes wrong in horrible ways that make us want to cry at how badly it went wrong.
and now for another round of the internets favourite show: when common sense backfires!
watch today when mr David Walkerton sensibly goes to authorities when his freind is depressed. little does poor david know that the authorities in this case are Billie’s former freind/lesbian love intrest and the depression comes from billie feeling like she betrayed Ruth
For Menthos + Cola, the rough surface of the Menthos serves as catalyst for the sudden decomposition of carbonic acid into water and CO2. What you are left with is a wet Menthos and stale Cola.
Baking soda and vinegar react to form sodium acetate in addition to water and CO2. Some fire extinguishers use this. You get a sour tasting foam.
Not really sure where you got “non-consensual” from either of our comments. I thought I was pretty clearly making a joke about finding “aggressiveness” attractive.
True. ‘Punchy’ is not necessarily the opposite of ‘kissy’. However, I think Ruth’s wearing the ‘get out of my face’ face today, which is the opposite of ‘any social interaction’.
I’m getting “non-consensual” from Ruth, who seems today particularly much like someone who does not want to be kissed by skeevy strangers from the Internet, and who, as I implied in my first comment, I suspect would be likely to react to unwanted kisses with violence.
And while I’ve got nothing against violent ladies, or being attracted to them, if you find ladies who are being violent because of your unwanted sexual advances against them attractive – and that’s the context here – you’ve got problems I don’t want to know about.
I’m… not really sure how to respond to the idea that I, or anyone, intended to force kisses on Ruth?
Let’s be clear that I have no intention of kissing Ruth. For one thing, we don’t know each other. For another, she exists solely as a collection of colored pixels on a computer screen.
Also, I don’t see anyone here discussing “unwanted sexual advances” except for you. Food for thought?
Ahem. Actually, I was implying that she looked sad in a particular fashion that makes me want to comfort her.
It doesn’t hurt that Ruth looks a fair amount like my partner.
I know I won’t be this lucky… Willis is a demon god who will never permit me happiness… But I hope that this might lead to Ruth and Billie having to be in the same room and having an adult conversation about their situation.
Well, to be fair, (a) it doesn’t look like Billie did much sleeping, and (b) I’m pretty sure she didn’t do any “sleeping,” either. (Even if Billie was interested in Walky that way, which she isn’t, I think Walky would have noticed her much sooner if that had happened. Even he isn’t THAT dense!)
Not that that will stop Ruth from wondering why she is in Walky’s bed…
Gah, I know probably no one was planning to click on the link that my name is in the above comment… But just in case someone was, I screwed it up. THIS comment has a corrected link… I’d describe what it is a link to, but it might be a bit crass to overtly advertise a Kickstarter in Dumbing of Age comments… (Although I suspect this correction removes any pretense of subtlety, anyway… Oh, bother…)
If they have a mature conversation it should start by adressing their latest problem i.e. Billie lying to ruth. Billie still has refused to take responsibility for that and just told ruth “i dont have a problem! your the one with the problem!”
Get Joyce then. My mom happens to be also from La Porte, Indiana. I’ve had the “it’s broken after a few months, should really exchange that but do no longer have the receipt” situation. “Give me that, doesn’t matter”. I mean, she was something like 75 at that time and we are talking Germany, the land of regulations.
Yes, she got it exchanged. No idea how she does that kind of thing, don’t really want to know. She’s, like, “I’ve put up with enough in my life”.
no but seriously, welcome to the wild ride that is following this comic as it updates. you think this is a cliffhanger? just wait, my sweet summerchild. 🙂
That is the expression of someone who wants desperately to tell the person asking “Yeah, I’ll be okay” but can’t, because they’re not sure if it’s a lie.
Acceptable? Strictly speaking, perhaps not. But very understandable.
While it may be quite awkward to try to explain this to, say, Dorothy… And even Walky seems rather taken aback, as an objective observer I actually find it quite understandable. Billie is hurt, and even if she publically is trying to accept no blame, deep down I think she has to realize that that very much isn’t the case, and that a lot of her current woes are entirely of her own creation.
This lack of wanting to take responsibility shows a corresponding lack of maturity. And so, when in her conscious mind the whole world seems against her, where does she go? Into Walky’s bed. Not for any adult reasons, but because part of her is still a scared little girl, seeking comfort from a friend. And unfortunately for her, this is the best way she has to articulate (or rather, not articulate) her needs in the situation.
What Billie needs to do is to grow up. And I am hoping that, just maybe, if Ruth comes to Walky’s room, after a bit of initial blow up between them instead of one or both of them storming off angry (and Billie’s storming off taking her on a path to find her next bottle) they might actually have a conversation, and that conversation can start leading to Billie’s maturation.
It hurts me to see Ruth hurting so much… She’s my second favorite character (Amber being my first). Maybe this will somehow lead to things being better for her? :’O
So is it going to be a emotional trauma pileup of epic proportions if Amazigirl (looking for Mike), Ruth (looking for Billie to kick her back to her dorm), Walky and Mike all end up in that room at the same time?
Walky is off doing what Mike would do – something that might be good in then long fun but might be a train wreck right away. Meanwhile, Billie is still using her super saiyan face, minus the grunting.
A thought unrelated to this specific comic, but related to the wonderful new image of Amazi-Girl and Bat Girl… How does Amazi-Girl’s cape attach? Because Edna Mode was right about capes, they can be downright dangerous in the wrong circumstances. (Just ask Dollar Bill from the Minutemen… Oh wait, you can’t! He’s dead!) And that’s what I find most fabulous about Bat Girl’s new costume… Cape gets caught in something, just reach up and undo the snaps! Problem solved.
Maybe next time there’s a lull in the story, there can be a strip about Amber seeing the new Bat Girl design, and having a few ideas on modifying her costume? Especially regarding cape attachment?
Anyway, that is just why, even as someone who isn’t a huge follower of superhero comics, I love the new Bat Girl costume. It actually looks practical for crime fighting. Snap off cape. Flat healed boots. Leather rather then spandex. And none of that stupid “I’m going to take valuable time away from crime fighting by carefully painting the skin around my eyes back!” crap. Where as most female superhero costumes are, “Look at my huge rack and my tight figure!” this one is all, “Yeah, I’m here to kick your butt, and maybe I just happen to look cute, too, but in a very practical way.” I like it a lot.
I had a feeling something like this would happen. Walky is smart enough to not leave Billie alone in her current state. The best person to go to would be the dorm’s RA. Plus, it appears that Walky is at least somewhat aware of their relationship (I’ve gotten the impression they were at least trying to keep it on the down-low).
Agreed, but he’s aware of it. Which makes me wonder how much he knows. Does he know about the betrayal? The smooching? Or does he think they still have an unfulfilled tsundere thing going on?
Ruth and Billie were never officially anything. They were never dating and never a couple. Ruth kissed Billie and was rejected. They sorta became friend of a few days and then Billie kissed Ruth and itall went to hell again.
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Relax, Walky, maybe it’s just… a realistic Billie doll?
Is there a line of merch Willis wouldn’t push? 😀
Off the top ‘a my head, Dumbing of Age adult diapers?
I’d wear DoA branded Depends. Astronauts wear diapers!
Diapers? Pff. So 60’s. Real astronauts use catheters.
depends on age
Would be useful in my line of work. Hard to get to a bathroom when you need to.
It’s called Dumping From Age, and it’s a hot seller.
Brilliant.
They’ll sell like hot wipes!
wait
You should definitely get them off the top, of your head.
Wasn’t that already covered with the SP! Amber body pillow?
A real doll would be far more expensive than a body pillow.
God those things freak me out
a real doll would also convincingly get you waved on by the cops in the HOV lanes
Bless ya Walky, you got the right idea maybe.
Or the exact wrong one. That remains to be seen.
Imagine if Danny did this exact thing, we’d all be screaming “YOU IDIOT!”
Excellent point.
Well to be fair, if Danny did do this exact thing, then by the very nature of the universe it *would* be the wrong thing, but since it’s Walky doing this thing, we’ll have to wait and see how things turn out to see whether there was a better thing to be done.
So . . . basically Danny represents the inverse of the Euthyphro dilemma in this universe?
Yeah, because from our experience of him, it WOULD be wrong if he did it. A lot of what he does goes wrong in horrible ways that make us want to cry at how badly it went wrong.
and now for another round of the internets favourite show: when common sense backfires!
watch today when mr David Walkerton sensibly goes to authorities when his freind is depressed. little does poor david know that the authorities in this case are Billie’s former freind/lesbian love intrest and the depression comes from billie feeling like she betrayed Ruth
oh the laughs we will have
Ouch… that hurts…
Pass the buck.
Pass the salt.
Salt the earth!
Scorch the fields!
pass the courvoisier
Pass the kidney stone.
Sorry, but Mike only takes nickels. From your mom.
Isn’t it the other way ’round?
Now to wait for the next strip….
They’re both responsible for each other and neither for their own actions.
It’s like watching someone find a landmine, then deciding to light a firecracker right next to it.
“C’mon, it’ll be funny”
“Hold my beer for a sec…”
Watch this!
YM “Hey, y’all – watch this!” 😉
No alt text noooo
I pulled up the source code to read it.
Never mind, that was fixed.
Wait, who’s the paper mache volcano in this scenario?
The dorm itself.
Am I the only one not seeing the hovertext?
I seem to be missing hovertext too.
Oh there it is, it’s as good a metaphor as mentos and cola at least.
mentos and cola technically work but baking soda and vinegar is the more well known reaction.
They work in different ways.
For Menthos + Cola, the rough surface of the Menthos serves as catalyst for the sudden decomposition of carbonic acid into water and CO2. What you are left with is a wet Menthos and stale Cola.
Baking soda and vinegar react to form sodium acetate in addition to water and CO2. Some fire extinguishers use this. You get a sour tasting foam.
And now you know.
(cue rainbow)
.
.
.
(dammit, cue rainbow)
What webcomic is your gravatar from? I recognize the character and I’ve been trying to remember the name of it forever so I can read it again.
http://www.lfgcomic.com/
So close, and yet so far
Story of their lives.
+10 x2 to both of you for an excellent gravitar/comment combo.
I wholeheartedly concur with Shadow and award both of you 1 full internet for the awesome situational Gravs.
Sometimes you have to pass the buck, if it’s broken beyond your ability to help it.
Billie’s off warranty.
You can always trade her in for a student of equal value.
I’ve heard that Best Buy can be kinda dodgy in that department.
Wal-Mart is always a good option for trade-ins.
It depends on if Wal-mart delivers to Australia or not and at what cost.
“This was delivered to me in error.”
“Instead of cheerleader package contained bobcat.”
In Billie’s case, how can you tell?
Oh god. Can you imagine if it was Faz that crawled in to Walky’s bed rather than Billie.
I’m going to have nightmares now.
damn ruth, bit ruthless isnt it?
I REGRET NOTHING.
NO REGRETS
Uh, is there no alt-text? Guys? Guys??? I’m freaking out guys
oh thank god
No Sentinel, I’m not seeing hovertext either.
How sad
I found your pet Billie in my bed. Please don’t lose sight of her again. There’s a leash law on this campus.
All that talk about leashes made me think of this.
That is terrible.
“excuse me vinegar, I have this baking soda I need you to look at”
is the hovertext.
Instant volcano.
Mentos and Coke makes a better explosion in my opinion.
But vinegar is sour and baking soda is bitter, which is more accurate in this case.
And one is alcohol gone bad, which is even more accurate.
“I… I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news. You see, Jennifer Billingsworth, she… she turned into a truck.”
So not monkey?
… is it just me, or does Ruth look particularly kissable this comic?
I think it’s just you. The girl is like 90% punching, and that expression isn’t making me think today is the other 10%.
Clearly, we find different qualities attractive in our prospective partners.
I like ’em willing. If you don’t, I don’t want to hear about it.
Not really sure where you got “non-consensual” from either of our comments. I thought I was pretty clearly making a joke about finding “aggressiveness” attractive.
True. ‘Punchy’ is not necessarily the opposite of ‘kissy’. However, I think Ruth’s wearing the ‘get out of my face’ face today, which is the opposite of ‘any social interaction’.
I’m getting “non-consensual” from Ruth, who seems today particularly much like someone who does not want to be kissed by skeevy strangers from the Internet, and who, as I implied in my first comment, I suspect would be likely to react to unwanted kisses with violence.
And while I’ve got nothing against violent ladies, or being attracted to them, if you find ladies who are being violent because of your unwanted sexual advances against them attractive – and that’s the context here – you’ve got problems I don’t want to know about.
Despite your insistence that that’s the context here? That wasn’t the context for any of the people you’re talking to. Ever.
I’m… not really sure how to respond to the idea that I, or anyone, intended to force kisses on Ruth?
Let’s be clear that I have no intention of kissing Ruth. For one thing, we don’t know each other. For another, she exists solely as a collection of colored pixels on a computer screen.
Also, I don’t see anyone here discussing “unwanted sexual advances” except for you. Food for thought?
Ahem. Actually, I was implying that she looked sad in a particular fashion that makes me want to comfort her.
It doesn’t hurt that Ruth looks a fair amount like my partner.
i also lacked hovertext at first and thought it was supposed to have us freaking out as much as walky is.
judging by some of the comments, it’s working. XD
also, high five to walky for telling off mike. good to see him showing a backbone when it counts.
I know I won’t be this lucky… Willis is a demon god who will never permit me happiness… But I hope that this might lead to Ruth and Billie having to be in the same room and having an adult conversation about their situation.
Pweeese?
An adult conversation about their situation would start with Ruth asking “Why are you sleeping around on me?” and deteriorate from there.
I doubt Ruth thinks Billie is getting any action. She looks too miserable.
“I doubt Ruth thinks Billie is getting any action. She looks too miserable.”
We… we may not share the same memories of Freshman Year Sex(tm).
What is this ‘Freshman Year Sexᵀᴹ’ of which you speak?
Must not have been available in the early ’70s.
It was around in the late aughts, but I have to say, the online reviews were misleadingly high.
Well, to be fair, (a) it doesn’t look like Billie did much sleeping, and (b) I’m pretty sure she didn’t do any “sleeping,” either. (Even if Billie was interested in Walky that way, which she isn’t, I think Walky would have noticed her much sooner if that had happened. Even he isn’t THAT dense!)
Not that that will stop Ruth from wondering why she is in Walky’s bed…
Journalism. The word is “journalism”.
Well, on it, anyways. Fully clothed. So I kinda doubt that’s a conclusion she’d be leaping to immediately, especially given Walky’s expression.
Not that there aren’t butt-loads of other ways this can go wrong…
I said ‘adult’. I didn’t say ‘mature’.
Request considered….Request denied.
Lesbian request denied!
Gah, I know probably no one was planning to click on the link that my name is in the above comment… But just in case someone was, I screwed it up. THIS comment has a corrected link… I’d describe what it is a link to, but it might be a bit crass to overtly advertise a Kickstarter in Dumbing of Age comments… (Although I suspect this correction removes any pretense of subtlety, anyway… Oh, bother…)
If they have a mature conversation it should start by adressing their latest problem i.e. Billie lying to ruth. Billie still has refused to take responsibility for that and just told ruth “i dont have a problem! your the one with the problem!”
Uuuuh, that hurts Ruth.
Hopefully for Walky that means there is less danger of walking back into his room and finding Billie and Ruth doing it on his bed.
And that’s a disappointment.
But Mike’s still there, so anything is possible.
And that’s terrible.
Didn’t she specifically ask a different RA to be responsible for Billy due to what happened between them?
You’re thinking of Jason asking another person to be Sal’s TA.
Help her Ruth. You’re her only hope.
Am I the only one imagining Walky walked there with no pants on?
Not even underwear. “Billie’s ex-girlfriend. Weenus pointed”
“In the girls dorm with no pants, weenus pointed… Wait a minute how come there are weenuses everywhere?
Same here. 😀
I do like the Amazi-Girl and her protege Bat-Girl bannered at thepage top.
Not a protege! They’re Co-Equal Platonic Life-Buds!
Walky. Good choice.
Walky should know by now that helpful isn’t a part of Mike’s dictionary… or lifestyle… or thought process.
Walky:” hi I’m here to return this.”
Ruth:” Do you have the Receipt”
Walky:” umm, No?
Ruth:” Sorry then your purchase can not be refunded. “
Get Joyce then. My mom happens to be also from La Porte, Indiana. I’ve had the “it’s broken after a few months, should really exchange that but do no longer have the receipt” situation. “Give me that, doesn’t matter”. I mean, she was something like 75 at that time and we are talking Germany, the land of regulations.
Yes, she got it exchanged. No idea how she does that kind of thing, don’t really want to know. She’s, like, “I’ve put up with enough in my life”.
Just like in my fanfics.
kind of wish i could upvote this
Ohhhh my gosh they’re finally going to probably interact with each other again. All is okay with the world (despite the ominous alt text).
Welp, I’m interested in watching this drama.
Good move, Walky.
Dammit, Walky, now I’m freaking out!
Well, if this does not get the baking soda to rise…
Remember that one time in Shortpacked when Walky just beat the crap out of Mike?
It’s fun to reread without thinking of the context, and just transpalant it here.
I like to imagine that every time we see Mike
But, Mike is awesome. His trolling has been instrumental to helping many situations by making a common enemy.
Maybe but he’s still an unrepentant dick.
Just as an FYI if anyone is looking for this storyline, I’m pretty sure it’s in mid-to-late It’s Walky! rather than Shortpacked!
Right after Dina’s big moment.
Awwwww man, now you’re bringing back memories.
I’m sorry.
It was the best I could do.
Walky might be doing a whole lot of good without knowing it
Just blitz the comic in 3 days… and I get a cliffhanger? AHHHHHH!
in soviet dumbiverse, cliffhanger gets you.
no but seriously, welcome to the wild ride that is following this comic as it updates. you think this is a cliffhanger? just wait, my sweet summerchild. 🙂
Okay- this arc is definitely the best one so far. I’m calling it.
YAY for going to the WRONG people to help someone!
I’m trying to figure out if Ruth’s expression in the last panel is worried, upset, annoyed or neutral.
Here’s (futilely) hoping it’s worried.
It looks to me like ’emotionally drained’. It can be hard staying angry at someone. It can be even harder to stop.
That is the expression of someone who wants desperately to tell the person asking “Yeah, I’ll be okay” but can’t, because they’re not sure if it’s a lie.
Pretty much spot on.
Fucking FINALLY.
OH BOY HERE WE GO
“Pass.”
Never before in the history of literature has a single syllable been so funny.
“Used to be.” is clever as well. Walky is going to miss his class again, isn’t he?
I wonder who Amazigirl’s companion in the top banner is. (Trying hard not to think about how Billie is meticulously planning her suicide.)
batgirl in her new batsuit.
Oh, poor Billie. :<
Her meltdown would have been totally acceptable had it happened in her own bed, or in the bed of any guy who isn’t in a relationship already!
uh…i disagree that there are any circumstances wherein her meltdown is “acceptable”
Acceptable? Strictly speaking, perhaps not. But very understandable.
While it may be quite awkward to try to explain this to, say, Dorothy… And even Walky seems rather taken aback, as an objective observer I actually find it quite understandable. Billie is hurt, and even if she publically is trying to accept no blame, deep down I think she has to realize that that very much isn’t the case, and that a lot of her current woes are entirely of her own creation.
This lack of wanting to take responsibility shows a corresponding lack of maturity. And so, when in her conscious mind the whole world seems against her, where does she go? Into Walky’s bed. Not for any adult reasons, but because part of her is still a scared little girl, seeking comfort from a friend. And unfortunately for her, this is the best way she has to articulate (or rather, not articulate) her needs in the situation.
What Billie needs to do is to grow up. And I am hoping that, just maybe, if Ruth comes to Walky’s room, after a bit of initial blow up between them instead of one or both of them storming off angry (and Billie’s storming off taking her on a path to find her next bottle) they might actually have a conversation, and that conversation can start leading to Billie’s maturation.
Actually, I think that Billie is starting to bottom out. Look at . That’s a pretty solid self-realization that she has a problem.
It hurts me to see Ruth hurting so much… She’s my second favorite character (Amber being my first). Maybe this will somehow lead to things being better for her? :’O
Is it just me or does anyone suspect Billie in the drawing of the penises. She has the means, the motive, and was clearly upset last night…
It’s been posited a few times over the last three days. Willis isn’t talking.
OH SNAP IT’S…
SYDNEY YUS, THE NEVER-SEEN R.A. OF THE OPPOSITE WING
[Sydney can be a boy’s name]
oh man if this cuts to some other characters tomorrow I don’t know how im gonna cope. Really hoping that these two have a chat!
So is it going to be a emotional trauma pileup of epic proportions if Amazigirl (looking for Mike), Ruth (looking for Billie to kick her back to her dorm), Walky and Mike all end up in that room at the same time?
Walky left her alone with Mike!!! No good can come of this!!!
Walky is off doing what Mike would do – something that might be good in then long fun but might be a train wreck right away. Meanwhile, Billie is still using her super saiyan face, minus the grunting.
This could lead to the big reconciliation scene (maybe).
A thought unrelated to this specific comic, but related to the wonderful new image of Amazi-Girl and Bat Girl… How does Amazi-Girl’s cape attach? Because Edna Mode was right about capes, they can be downright dangerous in the wrong circumstances. (Just ask Dollar Bill from the Minutemen… Oh wait, you can’t! He’s dead!) And that’s what I find most fabulous about Bat Girl’s new costume… Cape gets caught in something, just reach up and undo the snaps! Problem solved.
Maybe next time there’s a lull in the story, there can be a strip about Amber seeing the new Bat Girl design, and having a few ideas on modifying her costume? Especially regarding cape attachment?
Anyway, that is just why, even as someone who isn’t a huge follower of superhero comics, I love the new Bat Girl costume. It actually looks practical for crime fighting. Snap off cape. Flat healed boots. Leather rather then spandex. And none of that stupid “I’m going to take valuable time away from crime fighting by carefully painting the skin around my eyes back!” crap. Where as most female superhero costumes are, “Look at my huge rack and my tight figure!” this one is all, “Yeah, I’m here to kick your butt, and maybe I just happen to look cute, too, but in a very practical way.” I like it a lot.
(Grr… Wish I’d proofread before hitting “Post Comment.” Anyway, that should read, “‘… carefully painting the skin around my eyes black!'”
I’m pretty sure the answer to that is in Dorothy’s interview with her. If we are really nice maybe we can read it at some point.
Unnnhhh… I just got caught up after binging this comic for a day. LOVE it. I feel like I can leave my room now, finally… boy is sunshine bright.
Poor Walky, he seems a put out, shocked, perturbed…he’s definitely traumatized. Gods know, I would be.
I had a feeling something like this would happen. Walky is smart enough to not leave Billie alone in her current state. The best person to go to would be the dorm’s RA. Plus, it appears that Walky is at least somewhat aware of their relationship (I’ve gotten the impression they were at least trying to keep it on the down-low).
I think Walky went to Ruth because she is Billie’s RA, not because she is (or was) her SO.
Agreed, but he’s aware of it. Which makes me wonder how much he knows. Does he know about the betrayal? The smooching? Or does he think they still have an unfulfilled tsundere thing going on?
Why do you think he’s aware of it at all? I don’t get that impression from this in the slightest.
Ruth and Billie were never officially anything. They were never dating and never a couple. Ruth kissed Billie and was rejected. They sorta became friend of a few days and then Billie kissed Ruth and itall went to hell again.
It seems like Ruth and Billie are falling into a pattern of taking turns hurting to force the other one to comfort them.
I’m pretty sure that’s an archetypical relationship type, and not a very positive one at that…
Well, it’s worked for many a Kirk/Spock fanfic since back in the olden days. 😉
For a certain value of “worked.”
Every Billie strip has made me sad since 2013…
ow my heart
I am wondering if Billie didn’t pass out from booze poisoning…
i just marathon read this entire comic, and i have to say that it’s fuckin fantASTic
The alt text omg the alt text
HAHAHA CHEMISTRY JOKES