The Dumbing of Age Book 10 Kickstarter has crept past $40K, which means that the tiers for MEREDITH and AGATHA magnets have now been unleashed! You can pledge to get either of them with your book, opt for PICK THREE or PICK FIVE MAGNETS tiers so you can choose a small assortment, or if you go all-in for COMPLETE MAGNET POWER you get both of them plus everybody else who we’ll unlock!
Up next at $45K is the HOSTAGE AMBER magnet.
Loading ...
“APRIL FOOL I will actually use a meat cleaver”
April Fool! Danny the Prophet called it for once.
Well…he did ask for this. I actually feel like Joe doesn’t deserve being rewarded with exactly what he wanted based on his actions.
Secretly he’s into this now.
That date with Joyce where she and Mike beat the shit out of him? Awakened something.
If this leads to a casually bi Joe, I’m for it.
I mean, he did show a bit of interest in a late It’s Walky! strip (spoilers for the endgame of that strip, probably).
It is a weird (not necessarily incongruous with his character) take on Joe, for sure.
Joe insists on never letting the Dreaded Feels influence his life so that he can constantly go out and have no strings attached sex, and now he’s telling Joyce’s big sister she can be an asshole to *him* for no reason so she doesn’t take it out on anyone else.
That’s wack and I want to know more.
Because he loves Joyce and wants to make sure Joyce is happy because he’s just a broken dude.
That part is definitely canon, it’s just surprising to see Joe undo the lock on his bullshit seemingly with no effort so he can offer something of himself to another person, and it is probably *extremely telling* that Joe thinks the only thing he can do is listen to Sarah scream and hate him.
It also just occurred to me that Joe right now, if for whatever reason he and Joyce had some kind of romantic instance, not sex or kissing or even just holding hands or whatever but just any moment of emotional intimacy between the two of them, everyone around Joe probably up to and including Danny would immediately come to the conclusion that he was trying to take advantage of the naive churchy girl to get his jollies.
I interpret Joe as being significantly into Joyce as a person to a degree where he doesn’t even realize he’s romantically interested in her, and I wrote that because it occurred to me if Joe ever did realize any kind of fondness for Joyce n his head he would probably immediately deluge himself with thoughts of what everyone else would say of him because of his past actions and persona he built up, and he’d believe it.
Aww, you might be right, and that makes me sad for him
Just FYI – there’s a Slipshine comic that’s relevant to this topic.
And it’s pretty clear from the Slipshine storyline that Joe has conscious awareness of his romantic crush on Joyce.
I thought the Sonic crossover wasn’t canon?
In fairness, that WAS Joe’s plan when he first met Joyce. He wanted to, and I quote, ‘fix her with his penis’. And SARAH KNOWS THAT. I think it’d make sense to be suspicious if he started dating Joyce.
And I think that’s the rub of it. Joe would not simply be dealing with unwarranted musings where people assume he’s some indomitable sex monster taking advantage of Joyce, that is exactly who Joe was at the beginning of the comic and that was his explicit intent with Joyce, albeit he was acting under the assumption that Joyce would immediately overcome her religious upbringing brand sexual repression and start throwing herself at him that very night, I highly doubt even Joe at the start of the comic would ever outright lie and manipulate Joyce for sex, because Joe’s views on women were built by porn.
Joe’s view of women is likely shaped more by his dad than by porn. More importantly, Joe’s view of himself is shaped by his dad. Joe’s shown very few signs of caring about other people assuming he’s a “sex monster taking advantage of Joyce” and far more about he assuming he’d hurt Joyce by cheating on her.
I don’t think Joe’s views were influenced directly by his dad, but in opposition to them. Joe’s dad is a bad person who cheated on his wife and Joe decided that is what he himself would do in that situation, so he just has casual sex and builds his identity around that because Joe is like his dad but with enough moral composition to go into the opposite direction leading to the same result; he hurt someone he cared about by doing what he thought was completely acceptable and natural.
This actually makes me really curious about Joe’s mom. We’ve only gotten the vaguest of hints that she even exists and I wonder how much her presence or possibly lack thereof is responsible for shaping Joe’s views on women. Speaking from personal experience being raised by a single mother, respecting was practically beaten into me. Joe on the other hand seems like he spent most of his crucial formative years with his pops. So was his mom not around to set the example? I mean they’re obviously divorced, but did she have an active role in his life. Teach him how women should be treated? I don’t really care about Joe but that is an angle I’d like to see explored. Meeting Joe’s mom could answer a lot of questions or just raise even more.
Certainly true that he’s in opposition to his dad, but his dad still shaped his opinion on how he’d behaved.
I think the divorce was relatively recent – enough so that they were together for those crucial formative years.
But yes, I’d like to see something of his mother.
I used to excise all my anxieties into fictional characters who definitely didn’t have feelings for each other. …Then I got out of denial land, got together with my wife, and… well, okay, I still excise all my anxieties into fictional characters who definitely don’t have feelings for each other, lmfao
(Okay, I keep forgetting about my new avatar and it cracks me up every time.)
It’s actually kind of funny to imagine Doc saying all that.
That’s my story line. For the last decade that’s my storyline, You don’t get to write My story’s line.
(Serzly, now, what’s gonna happen next??)
Asking for a friend?
I didn’t think Sarah would come around so quickly but clearly I underestimated her.
So Joe, let me know how your hate sink plan is working now.
Just not the face, ok?
The next comic will involve both of them in bed.
Sh! Don’t jinx it.
I prefer to think they will end up at a batting cage where Sarah demonstrates exactly how proficient she is with a bat.
They have a fun date night together?
Yeah, I can see Sarah being into hate sex.
Sarah in particular or just anyone with a bat in general?
I assume she’s inviting him to join her at the batting cages where she will work out her anger by hitting baseballs.
I so want them to go on a batting cages date!
Apparently I have found my people.
Darn, I had the same thought!
Joe: Yeah sure go for it.
Sarah: >:(
Sarah: *walks away*
Joe: Wait was that NOT the proper response to somebody wanting to vent on me with violence?
Maybe he should have said something more provocative like “bring it on” instead
Masochist: Hit me!
Sadist: No.
Way to ruin her fun, Joe.
I kind of still think Walky should have this newspaper comic gig but I think it’s safe to say Joyce blew him out the water on this one. That is at least and entire story arcs worth of content in that stack and Walky quit working on jump kicking monkeys and laughing dinosaurs to go make an outdated Bully Maguire reference.
Well it’s not over yet. Plenty of time to catch up, if he can be bothered…. Yeah, Joyce has this in the bag
It would be very on-brand if Walky finally stopped coasting through life not because he was failing classes but because he had a comic schedule to keep.
Joyce may have a story arc’s worth of content there but it only manages to advance the plot as much as Walky’s monkey kick comic.
I don’t think those are all comics. Most of it is probably her world building notes.
That’s a problem, though. How many people read the school newspaper often enough to keep following that story? What about new students next semester who missed these updates? What about graduating students who will regret missing the ending?
Meanwhile, Walky’s jump kicking monkeys requires no setup, and leaves no untied ends.
I mean, I’d much rather read Joyce’s comic than Walky’s, but I question its suitability for the format.
The inverse of that theory is that JAWsome or any version of the laughing plus jump kicking format can get repetitive and boring. Even LAWsome didn’t make it that far.
That depends on what Daisy prefers for the school newspaper’s comic strip. If Walky manages to give her something she likes more than Joyce’s comic, like maybe he adds a superheroine with a chest window to his comic, he might still get the job.
You’re forgetting that daisy is the one picking. She will choose Joyce, not cuz it’s the better comic but because it has women. Women who might be into each other
She might also pick Joyce’s comic because it’s written by a women, and Daisy has been shown to both A) not always respect that idea of not making a move on a subordinate, and 2) be thirstier than a jellyfish in the middle of the Sahara.
Well that whole “characters who definitely don’t have feelings for each other” line from Joyce smell a little like denial so there’s a very plausible chance there’s a least subtext in her comic she may or may not be aware of. It’s pretty plausible Daisy could read into it and become enticed by the world’s slowest burn unintentional yuri comic strip.
*plays Weird Al’s live remake of “Beat On The Brat” on the hacked Muzak*
Very good, very, very good.
Haven’t heard it, but I’m intrigued!
Found it! Amazing!
I like the visual depth too with Joe in the front
Hi Danny. Bye Danny.
He isn’t the one getting the bat
So long, Bi Danny
Hi, Rebecca St. James! Bi Danny!
He did, Joe. This one is on you.
I wonder if Danny’s ditching the hat, or just inside.
Interesting development. Seeing Sarah bounce off of Joe (no pun intended???) should be fun.
The hat was one of many casualties at the end of Book 10
So, last page of this storyline.
The next one is titled “HOMPK!” which sounds like it could be onomatopoeia for a cork popping, and everyone’s favorite alcoholic Canadian is turning 21.
Yeah, this can only go well
Also the Joyrothy vibes just keep getting stronger and stronger and I’m all here for that
Also probably more cartoon stuff, and some roller derby
Everyone’s favorite Canadian will need the alcohol AND the drugs in order to get through a date with Daisy.
Much as I want Ruth and Jennifer to get back together eventually, I am looking forward to a) seeing them get more individual development and b) Daisy getting some development, after having finally read It’s Walky and seeing her counterpart’s role in that comic’s finale.
Has anyone noticed just how flat Danny’s head is? Or is it just me?
[preps for the “Just you” comments]
No, Danny’s head is definitely flatter than yours.
Since Meese are not particularly known for their flat heads, this seems a good bet.
I love these two.
Yes, Danny and Sarah are an underrated duo. Not many scenes together if any at all but when it happens it’s always gold!
I’m not a fan on this ship but it’s happened before.
Danny appearing in this storyline has finally made it good.
I wanted to ask, “where’d she get a baseball bat?” but she had that back in August or September when Joyce drugged.
Hammerspace!
Technically, Batspace.
Why does Joyce telling Sarah she loves her trigger anger/ hate?
Emotion goes in -> causes internal conflict -> defaults to anger -> be angry.
Also known as, “I would rather die than think about my feelings.”
Or more aptly, “I would rather you die than think about my feelings.”
I read this arc of Sarah’s mystical cosmic event of happiness as being, transparently, Sarah trying really hard to pretend she’s never allowed to be in a good mood and everyone is only allowed to see her as the curmudgeony hateful asshole she insists she is, and Joyce is nudging her that she saw through everything and that Sarah can be loved not just for the grumpy big sister who will take a bat to a motherfucker, but she can be kind and loving and jubilant and still be the Sarah that Joyce already loves.
Aww. Sarah really does want to be able to give Joyce the smiley version of herself when they’re both happy
I just realized… we haven’t seen Ethan yet this term. Not since the hospital.
You didn’t know Willis had spun Ethan off into his own comic? Didn’t you get the invitation? They went out at midnight.
He won’t get an invitation. Remember how we voted him out?
Nope, and he wasn’t included in the reveals for the banner, which makes me nervous. I don’t think he’s been dropped entirely, but I think it’s possible his role has been severely curtailed. After all, he and Amber were probably the hardest hit by Mike’s death, and Ethan’s support system is decidedly less supportive than Amber’s. I don’t quite know what to expect, but it isn’t good.
OR… Willis is concealing him deliberately for a surprise reveal at some point.
Ethan has been removed from the core cast. He might be in the occasional flashback, be a background passer-by or be a ‘response’ character to be the other end of a conversation but arcs centred on him are a thing of the past.
He’s still listed on the cast page along with the other members of the core cast. Are you basing this on Word of Willis or are you predicting?
Still on the cast page, but unlike everyone* else, hasn’t been updated for the new season. That’s still the 2014 link.
That said, I expect BenRG is at least partly wrong. When he shows up again, it won’t be a casual background thing. He’ll get focus and an arc. Keeping him completely offstage so far means there’s too much narrative tension about why and what’s changed to not be important. If he was just going to be shuffled into the background, we’d have seen him by now. There’s a reveal to be had there.
*Jacob is the only other holdover, I think.
Good plot strategy analysis! I’ll be interested to see exactly how Ethan fits back into the story.
Hmm. Since Dorothy is pretty sure she’s straight (and moving to Yale), is Doris/Julia the version of the Joyrathy ship that is *actually* going to sail? Unlike Joyce, I feel like Dorothy would’ve actually considered whether she’s some flavor of bi/pan by now. Then again, she’s ambitious and lives in Indiana, so that’s a pretty good reason to be in denial. I don’t ship Joyrathy, but it’s interesting to think about
When you say you don’t ship this ship that you’ve obviously thought about enough to come up with an appropriate name, I have no choice but to believe you.
I borrowed it from my fellow shippers, whom I love and respect despite shipping different characters
I *feel* like I coined it, but I’m not very confident about it. I remember arguing against “Jorathy” because it could be easily mistaken for Joe/Dorothy.
DuckDuckGo says you are in fact the first to use “Joyrathy” on DoA back in 2012!
You’re also the first to say “Joyrothy” which seems like a more reasonable name, why the A?
Anyway, go forth and brag =P
I would ship it, but it’s pretty clear Dorothy is straight. Remember how she freaked (a little) when Joyce cherished breathing the same air?
Also when discussing the Kinsey scale with Danny, she said she was likely a 0, as far as she could tell. Unless something changes (or she’s deeply closeted, which seems less likely given context, but not impossible), she’s on the record as considering herself straight.
Agreed; that strip is the one I got “pretty sure she’s straight” from!
True, but she also said that that estimate might change. And it’s not like Danny knew he was bi before starting college– hell, Ruth was in her third year before she figured it out.
My worry is that Dorothy is going to do something selfish like suddenly decide to be receptive to Joyce and maybe have a quick affair to round off her IU experience before racing off to Yale and put it all behind her. I’m not sure if Joyce would be able to handle being treated that way.
Before anyone complains about this – Yes, Dorothy is capable of being this cruel and selfish. Her total focus on her self-image just stops her from being aware of the harm that she’s doing to people.
I really don’t think she would do that. She’s been pretty mature about her past relationships, meaning, knowing when to break up, but still being nice and supportive.
huh. where is this coming from? i don’t remember Dorothy putting her self-image above caring for people, especially close friends?
If this is about Danny – she had been trying to discourage him from following her to college, and the breakup occurred after he actively denigrated her plans (though it was likely she wanted to do so even if he hadn’t, because he was not taking the hint that planning his future around her was a bad idea.) They had previously been dating for several years – highschool relationships happen all the time, and it was not unreasonable for Dorothy to expect a ‘maybe we’ll try long distance in college, maybe it won’t work out, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it’ or something similar.
If you mean Walky, they broke up because Dorothy doesn’t know how to manage work/life balance (by which I mean she does not recognize that leisure time and like, adequate sleep are necessary even if you have a lot of work to do), which is an entirely different character flaw. She did initially find his slacker appearance frustrating, but she did in fact cool that.
“Ok, but put the bat down first” twenty minutes of listening later “here I have an old printer let’s bring the bat” then joe is an ally even though he may or may not be trashed by himself.
Not an ally of the printer it seems.
Maybe not, but inkjets had it coming.
Joyce admitting, finally, that she has feelings for Dorothy?
And of course it comes on April 1st, robbing me of all hope and confidence.
that’s what it sounded like, all right ^^
No. She’s denying that even the cartoon versions have feelings for each other.
She could be bi-romantic and not even know that’s a thing. She clearly has feelings she doesn’t know what to do with, but she doesn’t know the many containers available to her. She only knows (or approves?) of the one hetero box, and even that, she’s a little squeamish about pursuing. But it’s interesting that she’s even aware that she *has* feelings.
Poor Joyce – always interested in who she thinks is the wrong person (Jacob, Joyce) and unaware of who may be a “right” person (Joe, ??).
Bi-romantic and heterosexual might fit. And would definitely confuse her.
I can confirm that this combination is infinitely confusing if you don’t know there is such a thing as “bi-romantic”.
And I’m beginning to think this fits Joyce pretty well.
Does she? What are you (and all the other commentors) basing this off of? I’ve never gotten this impression, and let me tell you, I can engage in some very wishful thinking when it comes to potential gay lady relationships.
Her reaction to Jennifer’s bosom way back when was a flashing neon sign (can’t make links work, someone please have my back).
Here ya go!
Welp for the first time I’m buying the theory that Joyce has a crush on Dorothy.
The first time? Really?
It seems to be the first time she’s admitted it, anyway. In a previous strip she had the epiphany that growing up BFFs with Becky may have warped her sense of normal behaviors with platonic friends, but this is AFAIK the first time she’s realizing there might be deeper feelings there.
It’s interesting to watch this progress, but I kinda hope she doesn’t get with Dorothy — (a) it’s incredibly obvious, ohof course Joyce is in love with Dorothy (and probably Sal, too), and (b) Becky would be absolutely crushed.
It’s giving me flashbacks! Poor clueless child. lol Many missteps to enlightenment ahead, I’m guessing.
And thus was born DOA’s first ever true kismesitude.
I had to sit down and think about what is happening in today’s last panel. I think that it is that Sarah likes Joyce loving her and smiling. So, she has to generate as much negative vibes at her end of the symbiotic link as possible to generate Joyce’s happiness. Joe ‘volunteered’ to help her.
I ship it.
I ship it all the way to Bulmeria
How many teeth would you like to lose, Joe?
Does this feel weirdly self-aware, and all for the sake of a punchline, to anyone else?
There is always a sense that Willis is talking directly to us through the fourth wall about which the characters are hazily aware is transparent from the other side.
mmyeah… like the hate sink thing is all in good cheer, but a baseball bat?! that’s like when you got into a slapping fight in middle school, if the other one suddenly pulled out a jackknife. It’s like, oh fuck what the fuck i don’t think this is appropriate to the level of hostility here!
I guess the one thing that makes some sense, though it would be weirdly friendly considering where these two left off, is if Sarah was actually offering Joe to go practice their batting in a batting cage as others have suggested. Idk
I need to go buy a bat.
So begins a protracted story arc where Joe is conspicuously absent for all events while the community develops a growing dread that he may have been actually murdered.
I’ve seen this ship in real life. It never ends well.
No hat. This must be Willis’s April fool. there is no way Danny wouldn’t be wearing his hat. Look, he is not even trying, there isn’t even a ukulele. Does he believe his readers are that gullible?
He… lost the hat? remember?
yes i know, tragic, etc
Kismessitude
There’s a chance to see Sarah covered in blood with a psychotic smile? Joe, we need to see this! You have to sacrifice yourself!
I’d like to know who or what Sarah’s planning to hit with that baseball bat. Somehow I suspect it won’t be baseballs.
It’s Joe.
Softballs.
I would *love* to see Joe and Sarah at the batting cages.
Joe: I can help you with your stance.
Sarah: Back off, boy! And pitch me another one! I’ll aim for your stupid face.
Joe: Coming right up. *Adjusts mask*
“Now taste my fast ball, bongo!”
And so we end a storyline parodying roomies with a strip which what could have come from roomies. Brava.
Happy Trans Visibility Day!
wait, Joe discussed it with Danny forehand ?
Not the deal specifically, but generally pissing off Sarah (or other girls) being likely to lead to this.
I’m just surprised Sarah knows which dorm room is Joe’s.
Be careful what you wish for, Joe.
I bet the only thing that surprises Dan about this situation is that she’s not pregnant with Joe’s kid.
That’s probably the only difference between the murder that’s about to happen and the one he thought would happen.
Is Joyce low-key admitting that she has feelings for Dorothy? Because she was drawing Julia and Doris just a few strips ago.
Shh! Spoilers!
I may not have much hope of Dorothy/Joyce ever being canon (even though they’re my top ship), but it sure would be nice to have bi Joyce confirmation after all the jokes about it.
awfully fatalistic of you, Danny
While y’all are busy shipping Joyce/Dorothy (which he’s that would be epic) or Joe/Sarah (puts the hate in hatef***) I’m over here fantasizing about the Joe/Danny slow burn that could be
Huh Gravatar checks out
Yeah I ship that one pretty hard.
Jesus, Sarah, you need to go to the gym and take up boxing.
“Excise”? Interesting word choice. Almost like … therapy?
It’s a coin-flip whether or not Joe just finds this kinky.
Hey now, he’s not Faz…
(Only a baby step away, but still.)
Oh my god is this a new ship?
No. It’s more foreshadowing of Joyce and Dorothy as a couple.
Predictive Algorithm of Rule of Natural Consequences says: Joe takes the beating “Like a Man” which is good, because Sarah’s going to freak out when her first swing breaks bones instead of having that ‘cartoon bop’ sound. After which, he refuses to press charges and insists he fell down the stairs, into a doorknob.
repeatedly. It won’t win her over, but it WILL freak her the fuck out.
I thought he was supposed to be a hate sink, not a punching bag.
I could see the next strip with Joe curled up in a defensive posture, resigned to his fate, and depending on drama, Sarah either walking away or getting a few hits in before noticing how hollow it is.
This is a Better Origin story for the New Bat Woman
So did a comic featuring Sarah’s bat run on MLB opening day on purpose?
Oh wow, this is a great ending panel here, especially with the appearance of Danny.