I mean, a couple of books ago we had the title “The Machinations of my Revenge Will Be Cold, Swift, and Absolutely Ridiculous” – 23 syllables – so we could go with “Let’s Go Commit Something Mildly Subversive” – 13 syllables – at the very least?
I think he’s got a self-imposed rule that they have to be the complete sentences though. “Let’s Go Commit Something Mildly Subversive Which, at Worst, Will Serve as a Humanizing Anecdote and Not as Anything Truly Threatening to the Power Structures at Hand” is something like 45 syllables. A bit much – though actual word/character count is probably more important, considering it needs to be printed on the book cover.
–Strike at the Stroke of Midnight
Jump on the bones till the girls say when
Sweep up what’s left by daylight
When Fuckface goes home–apologies to Steely Dan
Kudos sir. It’s not often someone makes a reference to the classic “Aja.”
Damn, now I need to put my copy on the turntable and cue up “Josie”. And then play the whole album, probably followed by Pretzel Logic. Welp, there goes the night. 🙂
subterfuge, subterfuge
doesn’t do anything that’s huge
can they throw down The Man?
no they can’t, that’d be bad
look ouuuuuuuut, here comes team subterfuge
At first, I mistakenly thought that the hovertext referred to panel five.
Let’s Go Commit Something Wildly Subversive Which, At Worst, Will Serve As a Humanizing Anecdote and Not As Anything Truly Threatening to the Power Structures At Hand! would be a great title, but the amount of text would sure limit the possibilities for the cover art.
Thirty (in-comic) years from now, this photo will be brought forth as evidence that Candidate Keener is in cahoots with reptilian overlords, which given changing demographics over the decades will be as damning an accusation as proof today that a candidate is in cahoots with the Devil.
Can the Soggies just maybe rule THIS universe, too?
*Remembers that whole meta about the Soggies representing the metaphorical straight white dudebro and thus Shortpacked fighting douchebag fans would never die* Never mind, they already do.
In a presidential election, 40-some years from now:
Candidate Adolf Shitstain McHannibalLecter may have committed a little tax fraud, money laundering, grand theft auto, methamphetamine dealing, first-degree serial murder, genocide, and treason, he might have blown up the entire state of Delaware as a science project, and he might have built a doomsday device and held the Earth ransom for one million dollars, but shrug, boys will be boys, amirite?
But what’s this? Candidate Dorothy once assisted in hiding an illegal iguana! IGUANAGATE! IGUANAGATE! LOCK HER UP!
McHannibalLecter is a great man, and it is such a disgrace to the country that he is being subjected to an election just so the other party can try to keep him from being president.
No bet- this is the perfect setup for them to slam straight into an angry Malaya, wondering where her iguana went.
Also, what do you mean about Dorothy thinking like a politician? The way she’s maybe tricking Joyce into getting excited to return Fuckface? The respecting power structures bit?
The answer is that Ruth’s sanity probably would benefit from not knowing. I mean… Dorothy and Joyce as rebels? That’s brain-twisting enough to make the colour balance of the world shift slightly!
Let’s each try to predict what happens next, I’ll go with this seemingly innocuous attempt at controlled subversion spirals into some wacky hijinks followed by grim and sobering consequences far beyond their predictions
Ruth catches them. In desperation, Joyce tries Head Iguana Hypnosis and it works! Another hint that, just maybe, Joyce has the telepsychic powers of her Walkyverse counterpart!
Meanwhile, Ruth spend the rest of her life believing that, if she spends too long without Billie, she starts hallucinating people wearing animal hats.
It’s a reminder of, their religious positions aside, how very similar Dorothy and Joyce actually are. They’re both women who want to be daring and live interesting lives but are, in the end, too nice and generally lawful-good to want to really cause problems or break any serious rules! So, being mildly mischievous and finding minor rules to break is a major thing for them!
Eventually, all of this is going to get back to Ruth and she won’t have the slightest clue what she’s supposed to do or even think about all of this!
I think Ruth will very much want to maintain plausible deniability. With everything else going on, she doesn’t want to have to go all tyrant over a fudging lizard.
When an optimistic Christian and a moral atheist make a team they are unstoppable, but they still limit themselves to avoid breaking the rules of society.
The only thing that could make it better is if Sal agreed to let her ride on her bike’s pillion again (at just mildly more-than-absolutely-safe speeds)!
Doesn’t need OCD to explain it. She’s got a semi-flirty (from her perspective at least) steps taken competition with Jacob. You can bet she’s watching her step counter pretty closely as the final figure can be used to start, or change the subject if needed in a conversation with Jacob. I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t been keeping count of movements too small to be considered “steps”, but when added together make a significant change to the outcome. 🙂
Especially taken in conjunction with other traits, like the food thing. There are a lot of things that can result in that attitude towards food, but it’s fairly safe to say it’s SOMETHING going on there, anxiety or compulsion or ARFID or what. And it’s definitely long-standing given her entire family knows and considers it normal Joyce.
Hesitant to give a single diagnosis, but I pretty definitely believe Joyce is some form of neurodivergent. There’s a lot there, and I definitely relate to Willis’s experience with religion of peeling back the fear and finding no true belief underneath and that was definitely an anxiety thing for me. With Joyce poised to take at least some of the same steps, I can see it being an anxiety thing for her, too.
I wonder… Is this meant to be some sort of commentary about social media politics today? About how people will forward aggravating memes and posts to each other, get all self-righteous about it, but ultimately it just fizzles out and nothing truly changes, but people still have the impression that they’re being subversive and challenging the system by engaging in these acts that in reality have no true substance and create no lasting change?
I’m amused that with all their careful planning for the subterfuge, they don’t even consider carrying Fuckface anywhere less conspicuous than on Joyce’s head.
Since panel five is sure to be too long for a book title (right?), I like just “SURPRISINGLY UP FOR THIS SUBTERFUGE”. And if you don’t use it, I think I have a band name now.
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building that Jesus Christ witness testimony, one minor infraction at a time
She is a rebel
A rebel with a cause. Or at least a reptilian overlord.
Lojinks ensue.
The laws of the universe require that somewhere a webcomic with this name exists.
Well, apparently a record label with the name “Lojinx” exists… Two of their artists include The Posies and They Might Be Giants.
MILD EXCITEMENT SQUAD IS GO!
I am so stealing this line. I don’t know when I’ll need it, but when I do I’ll be glad I to have it.
Oh man, these dorks.
…dorks
This might be the most Squirrel Girl-esque you’ve ever gotten. Squirrelesque. I’ll show myself out.
Joyce would make a good Squirrel Girl.
Willis, Quick! Trademark Iguana-Girl while it’s still available!!!
Iguana-Girl, Iguana-Girl, does whatever an iguana does
Wears an iguana, on her head
Look out, here comes the Iguana-Girl!
“Squirrelesque” sounds suspiciously like a furry burlesque production.
woah what
I wish the book 9 cover could fit Dorothy’s panel five line
who knows i might try
Joyce’s panel 5 line would be good too
Really anything from the second half of this strip
Yeah, I would certainly settle for the panel 4 line.
I mean, a couple of books ago we had the title “The Machinations of my Revenge Will Be Cold, Swift, and Absolutely Ridiculous” – 23 syllables – so we could go with “Let’s Go Commit Something Mildly Subversive” – 13 syllables – at the very least?
and ninja’d by Willis himself, huh.
I think it’s mostly the size when there have to be two characters on the cover, assuming I’m remembering the process for Put Down The Ukulele.
Panel 4 in its entirety is only about 16 syllables, but that may not be long enough.
I think he’s got a self-imposed rule that they have to be the complete sentences though. “Let’s Go Commit Something Mildly Subversive Which, at Worst, Will Serve as a Humanizing Anecdote and Not as Anything Truly Threatening to the Power Structures at Hand” is something like 45 syllables. A bit much – though actual word/character count is probably more important, considering it needs to be printed on the book cover.
I do too, but there would be no room for the cover art.
–Strike at the Stroke of Midnight
Jump on the bones till the girls say when
Sweep up what’s left by daylight
When Fuckface goes home–apologies to Steely Dan
Kudos sir. It’s not often someone makes a reference to the classic “Aja.”
Damn, now I need to put my copy on the turntable and cue up “Josie”. And then play the whole album, probably followed by Pretzel Logic. Welp, there goes the night. 🙂
This strip is fantastic
Dummbing of Age Book 9: Every Line is a Potential Book Title
Dumbing of Age Book 9: A Series of Humanizing Anecdotes, None of Which Are Truly Threatening to the Power Structures at Hand
Dumbing of Age Book 9: I’ve Never Before Felt This Exact Portion Alive!
Dumbing of Age Book 9: Go Team Subterfuge-Within-Certain-Outlined-Parameters!
Dumbing of Age Book IX: You’re Surprisingly Up For This Subterfuge
Dumbing of Age Book 9: If You Think You Can Run The 33 Steps…
Dumbing of Age Book 9: I’m Cool! I’m Hip! I’m Chill!
“Alright, alright, alright. From henceforth, we’re all to be known as Team Alpha Super Awesome Cool Dynamite Wolf Squadron.”
Dumping of Age Book 9: “Too late! The magical fantasy I’ve written for this iguana on my head has already taken hold!”
(OK, it’s a combiner from yesterday’s comic and this one).
*facepalm*
subterfuge, subterfuge
doesn’t do anything that’s huge
can they throw down The Man?
no they can’t, that’d be bad
look ouuuuuuuut, here comes team subterfuge
*claps*
I’ll make a make-out Kickstarter pledge if you pick panel five for book nine’s title!
The time slot between 8.15 and 8.24 in Dorothy’s schedule reads only ‘Shenanigans’. And with Walky gone, Joyce is the perfect outlet!
Look at these two REBELS. They are having fun 🙂
SHENANIGANS SISTERS!!!
SHENANIGANAUTS
Shenanisters?
Huh. The boyfriend is gone, dang if she didn’t reclaim her Dotty-time.
…yeah this is going to go a lot worse than they expect isn’t it
Plot Twist: On the way back Dorothy sees Walky coming out of Amber’s room
He’s over at Billie’s dorm getting ‘advice’ from her.
And Amber’s in class
So what you’re saying is that the plot twist is time travel?
I will actually back a kickstarter and get the book if panel five is its title or subtitle
Ah. . Here we see the Lawful Good Rebels. Subverting the Rules by doing a good thing.
At first, I mistakenly thought that the hovertext referred to panel five.
Let’s Go Commit Something Wildly Subversive Which, At Worst, Will Serve As a Humanizing Anecdote and Not As Anything Truly Threatening to the Power Structures At Hand! would be a great title, but the amount of text would sure limit the possibilities for the cover art.
And now I’m suddenly realizing that the bottom would be an even greater title.
* The bottom text of panel three. I was not intentionally referring to Willis-Jacques Syndrome.
But(t) it’s too late, you have already revealed a telltale symptom.
Same universe but no ai here oddly.
Thirty (in-comic) years from now, this photo will be brought forth as evidence that Candidate Keener is in cahoots with reptilian overlords, which given changing demographics over the decades will be as damning an accusation as proof today that a candidate is in cahoots with the Devil.
Oh god dammit.
Well, I still think mine was funnier. 😛
STILL FUNNY, DAMMIT!
Can the Soggies just maybe rule THIS universe, too?
*Remembers that whole meta about the Soggies representing the metaphorical straight white dudebro and thus Shortpacked fighting douchebag fans would never die* Never mind, they already do.
Well, not the universe. Hopefully.
Stupid reptilian overlords
Will Dorothy’s last caption be the title of the next book?
oh my god that last panel is joy
In a presidential election, 40-some years from now:
Candidate Adolf Shitstain McHannibalLecter may have committed a little tax fraud, money laundering, grand theft auto, methamphetamine dealing, first-degree serial murder, genocide, and treason, he might have blown up the entire state of Delaware as a science project, and he might have built a doomsday device and held the Earth ransom for one million dollars, but shrug, boys will be boys, amirite?
But what’s this? Candidate Dorothy once assisted in hiding an illegal iguana! IGUANAGATE! IGUANAGATE! LOCK HER UP!
“No, wait, she has the iguana on her head. SHE SEEMS VERY TRUSTWORTHY NOW FOR SOME REASON”
McHannibalLecter is a great man, and it is such a disgrace to the country that he is being subjected to an election just so the other party can try to keep him from being president.
I’m sure this will not end horribly at all…
Ok, I finally understand why they get along so well.
adorkable
RE: ALT-TEXT: Heck why not just go for broke and have this entire conversation as the title?
>.>
<.<
Just paste the entire strip. All you need to do is slap “Dumbing of Age” somewhere.
Well at least they’re finally putting the iguana back! Who wants to bet Malaya’s in her room now?
Also, hooray, Dorothy’s finally thinking like a politician!
…Wait, shit, she’s thinking like a politician.
Malaya’s in her room, Mary’s stalking the halls like her icky self, and somehow Dorothy finds out Walky’s skipping class again.
I’d be okay with just Malaya. Just because, well, it’ll be hilarious.
That part’ll be hilarious and awesome. I fear the other parts because since when do things ever NOT cascade in this comic.
No bet- this is the perfect setup for them to slam straight into an angry Malaya, wondering where her iguana went.
Also, what do you mean about Dorothy thinking like a politician? The way she’s maybe tricking Joyce into getting excited to return Fuckface? The respecting power structures bit?
The power structures thing.
is it just me or did the alt-text change? I could’ve sworn it referred to panel 4 before.
It’s not just you.
I’m starting to think that Dorothy has reached that level of sleep deprivation where you are, for all intents and purposes, stoned.
Iirc research shows that the effect of sleep deprivation on the brain is the same as that of alcohol, soooooo…
Cue the Mission Impossible theme.
No pink panther
There is no way that this will end well …….. (smiles evilly and gets some popcorn ready)
Well, we will see how cool, hip and chill Dorothy is…… mwahahahahha
YAY! ENJOYABLE CHARACTER MOMENTS AGAIN!
Fuckface’s face just says to me “UUUUUGGGGGHHHHH” in panal five.
“Uuuuggghhh, what have I gotten myself into”
He’s rapidly coming out as the sane one in this trio.
Fuckface: “The things I put up with because of being ectothermic.”
Ruth: what’s all that yelling about?
The answer is that Ruth’s sanity probably would benefit from not knowing. I mean… Dorothy and Joyce as rebels? That’s brain-twisting enough to make the colour balance of the world shift slightly!
Way to anime, Joyce and Dorothy.
They can celebrate with the snack of sneakery: subterfudge.
Personally I’d like “I’ve never before felt this exact portion alive!” as a book title.
so wood i
As WOULD I
Let’s each try to predict what happens next, I’ll go with this seemingly innocuous attempt at controlled subversion spirals into some wacky hijinks followed by grim and sobering consequences far beyond their predictions
Ruth catches them. In desperation, Joyce tries Head Iguana Hypnosis and it works! Another hint that, just maybe, Joyce has the telepsychic powers of her Walkyverse counterpart!
Meanwhile, Ruth spend the rest of her life believing that, if she spends too long without Billie, she starts hallucinating people wearing animal hats.
Okay, from yesterdays comic I denfitely did NOT expect this outcome.
But I love it anyway, especially the last panel! (Plus, they somehow remind me of myself in my teenage years)
It’s a reminder of, their religious positions aside, how very similar Dorothy and Joyce actually are. They’re both women who want to be daring and live interesting lives but are, in the end, too nice and generally lawful-good to want to really cause problems or break any serious rules! So, being mildly mischievous and finding minor rules to break is a major thing for them!
Eventually, all of this is going to get back to Ruth and she won’t have the slightest clue what she’s supposed to do or even think about all of this!
“It’s cute you think I know more than you.” http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/06-yesterday-was-thursday/predrunk/
I’m guessing that was the strip that birthed the Joyce/Dorothy ship?
Or possibly this one
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/04-the-bechdel-test/hic/
Or this one with their first date.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/05-media-rumble/boo/
Joyce and Dorothy are friggin’ adorable, is what I’m saying.
Joyce having Dorothy’s back is also a high note.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/06-yesterday-was-thursday/idea/
Ooooh, oooooh, Joyce threw a toy at Dorothy’s head. They are basically married.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-2/01-pajama-jeans/studying/
(Yes, I’m reading through the Joyce+Dorothy-tag. A day well spent in my book.)
CHURCH DATE!!!
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-2/02-choosing-my-religion/sierra/
It seems you want to be the Syria’s unofficial librarian. You got my vote.
Wait, that’s not how it works?
And of course one of my favorites – a bit of relationship drama, my, my.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-5/02-threes-a-crowd/cheating/
I am Joyrathy trash forever, and this is the one that started it for me.
I think Ruth will very much want to maintain plausible deniability. With everything else going on, she doesn’t want to have to go all tyrant over a fudging lizard.
That’s the most boring way to say “Let’s get dangerous”
You say boring
I say adorable!
A-boring-ble? :v
When an optimistic Christian and a moral atheist make a team they are unstoppable, but they still limit themselves to avoid breaking the rules of society.
Being a rebel together with Dorothy is such a dream coming true for Joyce
The only thing that could make it better is if Sal agreed to let her ride on her bike’s pillion again (at just mildly more-than-absolutely-safe speeds)!
Fuckface is unamused at all this. Which is amusing.
They are totally breaking each other’s 4th wall. It’s weird, but that’s the only way I can find to really describe this strip.
Of course Joyce knows the exact number of steps between her and Dorothy’s door
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-8/02-this-is-the-way-that-we-love/sweatband/
Seriously, Joyce has been shown to have some OCD symptoms so being aware of things like that is entirely to be expected.
Doesn’t need OCD to explain it. She’s got a semi-flirty (from her perspective at least) steps taken competition with Jacob. You can bet she’s watching her step counter pretty closely as the final figure can be used to start, or change the subject if needed in a conversation with Jacob. I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t been keeping count of movements too small to be considered “steps”, but when added together make a significant change to the outcome. 🙂
Now it doesn’t need it. That she knew it before she got her step counter or started the competition with Jacob, points in that direction.
Especially taken in conjunction with other traits, like the food thing. There are a lot of things that can result in that attitude towards food, but it’s fairly safe to say it’s SOMETHING going on there, anxiety or compulsion or ARFID or what. And it’s definitely long-standing given her entire family knows and considers it normal Joyce.
Hesitant to give a single diagnosis, but I pretty definitely believe Joyce is some form of neurodivergent. There’s a lot there, and I definitely relate to Willis’s experience with religion of peeling back the fear and finding no true belief underneath and that was definitely an anxiety thing for me. With Joyce poised to take at least some of the same steps, I can see it being an anxiety thing for her, too.
There’s a book title if ever I saw one.
These two are possibly dorkier than first season Venture Brothers! I mean there’s at least three quarters of a Mecha Shiva here.
Straight White Capitalist Feminism in a nutshell right here.
Am I the only one who now hears Fuckface making Lurch-like groans every time either Joyce or Dorothy says anything?
Dorothy seems unusually hyper. Is that sleep-deprivation? Stimulant pills?
Either way, I’m panel 5 Fuckface: So much eyeroll.
I think with Walky gone, and with Roz’ and Billie’s words about being “too perfect” still ringing in her ears, Dorothy has a need for shenanigans.
One aspect might also be finding an arena for her and Joyce to have fun together, without bumping into uncomfortable topics.
I wonder… Is this meant to be some sort of commentary about social media politics today? About how people will forward aggravating memes and posts to each other, get all self-righteous about it, but ultimately it just fizzles out and nothing truly changes, but people still have the impression that they’re being subversive and challenging the system by engaging in these acts that in reality have no true substance and create no lasting change?
Dorothy is very self aware.
I doubt it. It sounds to me more like politicians who do the bare minimum but never actually seem to vote or make motions that could actually help.
Besides, at least those memes inform and venting is cathartic. I’m not sure what the hell we pay politicians for if not to at least try to fix things.
Me too, Joyce, me too! Oh my gosh this is SO CUTE!
Also I’m really glad somebody on tumblr asked for panel 5 w/o the dialogue. Thank you, whoever you are!
Dorothy’s a liberal alright
This is the best encapsulation of their relationship and why they like each other so much in this entire comic so far.
In my top 10 favorite DoA strips, for sure.
I love it! Dorothy and Joyce are a delight together, and it’s great to see them just having fun
Dorothy’s messy hair continues to be adorable.
NOT THAT WALKY NOTICES OR CARES OR ANYTHING *cries*
He’s gonna see it and not know what to do, Amber will see Walky’s deer-in-headlights and become jealous and muss her hair up like Amazi-Girl’s.
It gets weirder before it gets better, folks.
You have called it. I’m sure you are right.
I, for one, look forward to reading 33 STEPS.
Last panel iguana has had enough of this shit.
LET THE POODLE POKING, RULE-ABIDING REBELLION BEGIN!
THE REVOLUTION WILL BE CIVILIZED!
Mayhem!
Albeit, quite restrained mayhem!
Parameters rule!
So, was Joyce this careful sneaking the iguana into Dorothy’s room?
I’m amused that with all their careful planning for the subterfuge, they don’t even consider carrying Fuckface anywhere less conspicuous than on Joyce’s head.
FWIW, I’m expecting them to walk right into Ruth outside of Dorothy and Sierra’s dorm because Rule of Funny.
Blondes do have moderately more fun.
Under controlled circumstances.
Those watches tho
I am beginning to realize why these two get along.
okay mood
Of course Dorothy is up for subterfuge (within certain outlined perimeters). She wants to go into politics, after all.
Since panel five is sure to be too long for a book title (right?), I like just “SURPRISINGLY UP FOR THIS SUBTERFUGE”. And if you don’t use it, I think I have a band name now.
33 steps -Dumbing of Age book 9