“Orrrrrrr… we start making out until we’re banging on the floor and are eventually caught by your mom, who will either have a heart attack and die OR give us all her money?”
Selfies of making out passionately and post on Facebook (or appropriate social media dictated by the floating time-line). Carol can show her friends and Liz will be so happy for Joyce.
She’s a fundamentalist boomer, of course she’s on the Face Book. She doesn’t understand the process behind logging in and thinks she got hacked every time she has to do it, but once she’s in she gets to blame it on “these damn liberal hacker trolls” and have people support her. She can also share her “patented’ “home” “recipes” (boiling premade noodles and pouring jarred, unaltered marinara sauce on top) with her “friends” and rake in the… Likes? Does The Face Book have likes still? Re-faces? Face-orites? It’s been like 5-7 years since I used it for anything other than a single group chat I’m in for D&D.
Don’t forget about answering and sharing those “nobody under the age of 30 will get the right answer” basic algebra quizzes. She never gets the correct answer because she gets the order of operations wrong, but so many other people of her cohort also post the wrong answer that she thinks she’s right.
God, this is gonna sound like a weird comment, but Joe is reminding me why I love my husband so much. A partner who is willing to have that conversation with you and willing to do whatever you want on it is worth so much of their weight in gold. I’ve had so many partners who just went full appeasement or full nuclear, and Joe is reminding me a lot of my husband who is similarly considerate and I love how it’s making Joyce feel better.
Yep. My husband knows I hate asserting myself and am bad at it and is willing to “be the bad guy” but will also ask me if I want him to do that. Validates me. Listens. (Advises on medication when things hit the stage that that makes sense…)
Is also way better at playing off saying the thing but calmly and with a smile and so it isn’t a huge deal than me.
Or they could just leave and go hang out in Joe’s room. But all of these options fly in the face of the dramatic necessity of eating in the same place as Walky’s parents.
Probably still as horny as a barn fulla bulls, but at least this fictional big guy is depicted as a little bit more than just some unhinged sex machine now.
I realized that Joyce may be the first girl who ever treated him like a person, not a hunky sex toy or a monster. She cared enough to plumb her own trauma to explain why she was repelled by his attitudes and actions, giving him a chance to be better. Even when they were severely at odds, she’s been a friend.
Were I in such a position, I’d be thinking hard how to be worthy of that.
“Let’s jump up and down on the bed so it sounds like we’re having sex from the other room.”
“Why though”
“It’ll make her feel awkward so she has to leave, and also parallel when you met my mom in the other universe”
“…so does that mean there’s a copy of the Kama Sutra in one of those bins,”
According to the newspaper article of the time discussing it, yeah. She could have pamphlets on women’s suffrage in there. And also carry all her own things including items if self-defense.
that is a great theory, actually. DANGER POCKETS.
Men are so weak that nothing they can put in their giant pockets could harm a woman. The other way round tho……. DANGER.
i’d prefer they break up versus dina and becky but it might be amusing for them to do one breakup/ take a break, date another person and then end up back to each other
Joyce is all in for this relationship, seemingly more so than the others she started.
That said, both her growing relationship with Joe (not only in the romantic sense) and her attraction to Joe have existed a lot longer than those other interests as well.
That plus her growing freedom from her fundamentalist hangups makes her seem especially affectionate and enthusiastic (yet more relaxed) for this relationship.
This is the first relationship of all the ones we’ve seen where she’s actually gotten to know her partner as a person. They had the abortive attempt at dating at the start, which fit more with the pattern we saw with Ethan and Jacob, but after that crashed and burned she got to know Joe as a person rather than a mountain she could climb. That makes a difference.
It also helps that Joe got to know her as a person as well. So they met each other in the middle, as two friends, instead of leading with their respective bits and then trying to figure it out after the fact.
I think the fact that he’s actually single and attracted to her play a factor
On a serious note tho this is already the most healthy relationship she’s been in, not just because the guy is actually in a position to date her but also because i think this is the first time she’s in a mindset where she can handle dating. No more fear of God and grandma’s wrath from heaven, finally starting to work on her purity issues, taking a class in her passion, getting a little more understanding of herself with the autism referral. She’s been less tightly wound in general lately (when her friends are off her back at least.)
Joe is knocking this supportive (boy)friend thing out of the park. First he comes running when Joyce calls for hlllp, now he’s explicitly asking what she wants so he can follow her lead through this.
Joyce, if you wanted your pillow talk to consist of the guy talking about how he was going to fuck with your mom, you should have jumped on Mike when you had a chance.
i imagine an overbearing mother like hers would pull them apart if they started making out versus being uncomfortable and leaving but good to know that joe is ride or die lol
This is extremely similar to conversations I’ve had with my wife about her family members. “Which version of me do you need, the Shepherd or the Doom?”
I love this. Joe is honestly being a good person here; he’s thinking only of what is best for Joyce right now and not about himself (for example, if he alienates Joyce’s mom, he can’t know what that will mean for his relationship with the rest of Joyce’s family). He is being a good romantic partner AND a good FRIEND. Thoughtful moments like this, IRL, are the reason why I’ve been with my current partner for over 10 years. <3
Knowing Willis, I’d bet she overhears them and tries something on brand for the bad parents here and tries to cut off her tuition to get her out of there, as they are “clearly a bad influence” at the collage.
(Joe and Joyce are in obvious pre-smooch position, Carol emerges from crapper) “So this is how you repay me for all I’ve done for you?! I just drove four hours to bring you your things! Are you on hussy pills? You’re on hussy pills, aren’t you?“
Wow, this one really hits close to home. I had very similar conversations with my wife when we were dating. She was surrounded by shockingly toxic family members, and I was more than happy to get them out of her life for her or fully back her up if she wanted to do it herself.
I’m sure we’ll see something like this in upcoming strips, but… unfortunately, it’s still not easy.
Joe is doing this surprisingly well.
He’s communicating and asking what kind of support Joyce actually wants, instead of just taking charge as cis men very often do (and/or think they’re expected to…)
Wow. Joe is really trying hard to be a guy who doesn’t make assumptions. This is really sweet and wholesome, and I’m sure we’re all very proud of Joe, but I am bracing for the “discourse” next time someone is angry about Joe for something he’s done rather than happy about something he is currently doing.
I think more people in-universe need to experience New Joe, so we in the audience can hopefully avoid or at least mitigate such “discourse” in the future.
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“Orrrrrrr… we start making out until we’re banging on the floor and are eventually caught by your mom, who will either have a heart attack and die OR give us all her money?”
“Go on… ♥”
meant to link but couldn’t find it even though no one cares: http://www.itswalky.com/comic/dinky-slinky-relations/
I care! I like reasons to look at the old stuff.
That’s the kind of embarrassment that would make one migrate to Bulmeria
Wow, now there is a reference that goes waaaaaaay back.
This might be the purest interaction with a woman Joe has had since puberty
Yeah this is a very good showing for him.
And you’ll notice he’s blushing at all her less lewd but romantic comments.
Joe is learning the difference between romantic attraction and sexual attraction, and this is the former.
He’s probably thinking right now, “Daaaaaammmm that was smooth.”
Earlier Joe would be taking notes right now. But Today Joe is very distracted and is a bad student.
Sounds like a pretty clear directive to me! 😀
Ah you’ve chosen option 4. Make out passionately in front of her until she’s uncomfortable and leaves.
It’s going in that direction, yup.
Selfies of making out passionately and post on Facebook (or appropriate social media dictated by the floating time-line). Carol can show her friends and Liz will be so happy for Joyce.
I’VE KISSED THE LIPS THAT KISSED YOU!!!
Carol? On Facebook?
She’s a fundamentalist boomer, of course she’s on the Face Book. She doesn’t understand the process behind logging in and thinks she got hacked every time she has to do it, but once she’s in she gets to blame it on “these damn liberal hacker trolls” and have people support her. She can also share her “patented’ “home” “recipes” (boiling premade noodles and pouring jarred, unaltered marinara sauce on top) with her “friends” and rake in the… Likes? Does The Face Book have likes still? Re-faces? Face-orites? It’s been like 5-7 years since I used it for anything other than a single group chat I’m in for D&D.
Don’t forget about answering and sharing those “nobody under the age of 30 will get the right answer” basic algebra quizzes. She never gets the correct answer because she gets the order of operations wrong, but so many other people of her cohort also post the wrong answer that she thinks she’s right.
I think it’s “You’ve been faced”. I haven’t been on there is so long, it won’t even let me log in to delete my accounts.
It’s a power move, really.
That’s one way to assert dominance, I suppose…
Seems like a reasonable request to me.
Joyce fighting to sudden urge to go do some laundry.
…. go do some laundry with Joe. Are the laundry rooms co-ed?
God, this is gonna sound like a weird comment, but Joe is reminding me why I love my husband so much. A partner who is willing to have that conversation with you and willing to do whatever you want on it is worth so much of their weight in gold. I’ve had so many partners who just went full appeasement or full nuclear, and Joe is reminding me a lot of my husband who is similarly considerate and I love how it’s making Joyce feel better.
I love this ship so much.
Yep. My husband knows I hate asserting myself and am bad at it and is willing to “be the bad guy” but will also ask me if I want him to do that. Validates me. Listens. (Advises on medication when things hit the stage that that makes sense…)
Is also way better at playing off saying the thing but calmly and with a smile and so it isn’t a huge deal than me.
Maybe when she comes out pretend neither of your recognize her and ask who she is and what she is doing here?
Or they could just leave and go hang out in Joe’s room. But all of these options fly in the face of the dramatic necessity of eating in the same place as Walky’s parents.
Priorities, Joyce.
I think her priorities are pretty damned clear.
Yep. Focus on the things you can control. Can’t do much about the house or divorce at this point.
awe 🥺
*plays “Hanezeve Caradhina” from Made in Abyss OST*
One of the most romantic things you can do is to be a willing accomplice. Seriously, Joe’s nailing this boyfriend thing.
A good partner knows where the bodies are buried.
A great partner helped you put them there.
Joe is being really sweet here. Hard to believe this is the same horndog that was at the start of the strip. He’s even blushing! 🙂
Probably still as horny as a barn fulla bulls, but at least this fictional big guy is depicted as a little bit more than just some unhinged sex machine now.
I realized that Joyce may be the first girl who ever treated him like a person, not a hunky sex toy or a monster. She cared enough to plumb her own trauma to explain why she was repelled by his attitudes and actions, giving him a chance to be better. Even when they were severely at odds, she’s been a friend.
Were I in such a position, I’d be thinking hard how to be worthy of that.
“Let’s jump up and down on the bed so it sounds like we’re having sex from the other room.”
“Why though”
“It’ll make her feel awkward so she has to leave, and also parallel when you met my mom in the other universe”
“…so does that mean there’s a copy of the Kama Sutra in one of those bins,”
A copy of the *rest* of Kama Sutra, all the non-sex stuff that gets left out.
I wonder if there’s a market for the All New Censored and Sanitized Kama Sutra.
I honestly love that Joe is giving Joyce the options that she herself can’t voice to herself just yet.
May the bridges you burn behind you light your way forward, Joyce.
Light ’em up.
Plays the “Burning Bridges” song from “Kelly’s Heroes.”
Do you mean this one?
Great movie, by the way.
Get get now, while she’s vulnerable, before she turns into another parent supervillain
Why is Joyce so good at being Smooth as hell lmao. It seems she just has a big backlog of smooth things to say in any situation lol.
She’s been planning them her whole life. Probably has some written down in her back pocket for emergencies
She’s a girl. Not permitted pockets. Pockets might make her dangerous to men.
Dangerous to men? What’s she gonna put in her pockets, a sticky note with the word “NO” written on it?
According to the newspaper article of the time discussing it, yeah. She could have pamphlets on women’s suffrage in there. And also carry all her own things including items if self-defense.
A big backlog of smooth things to say in a given situation.
We just went over this.
“that sign can’t stop me because i can’t read“ – way too many cis men -.-
I would be lying if i said I didn’t miss pockets.
that is a great theory, actually. DANGER POCKETS.
Men are so weak that nothing they can put in their giant pockets could harm a woman. The other way round tho……. DANGER.
they are so sweet. how did this borderline crack-ship end up so sweet
I don’t trust Willis to let it last.
Appropriate gravatar is appropriate
It’s Joyce’s first relationship. I give it literally 8 arcs.
Nah, the only webcomic that hates its character that much is QC. R-right?
QC has been hella wholesome the last couple months though
i’d prefer they break up versus dina and becky but it might be amusing for them to do one breakup/ take a break, date another person and then end up back to each other
Joyce is all in for this relationship, seemingly more so than the others she started.
That said, both her growing relationship with Joe (not only in the romantic sense) and her attraction to Joe have existed a lot longer than those other interests as well.
That plus her growing freedom from her fundamentalist hangups makes her seem especially affectionate and enthusiastic (yet more relaxed) for this relationship.
This is the first relationship of all the ones we’ve seen where she’s actually gotten to know her partner as a person. They had the abortive attempt at dating at the start, which fit more with the pattern we saw with Ethan and Jacob, but after that crashed and burned she got to know Joe as a person rather than a mountain she could climb. That makes a difference.
It also helps that Joe got to know her as a person as well. So they met each other in the middle, as two friends, instead of leading with their respective bits and then trying to figure it out after the fact.
It’s gonna make her panic attack because of the unresolved dickface assult trauma hit like a freight train for both of them, isn’t it?
Hopefully they can look back on their initial beat-cute and laugh.
(“Beat-cute” because Mike kept punching Joe when he thought he was leering at Joyce, remember?)
I think the fact that he’s actually single and attracted to her play a factor
On a serious note tho this is already the most healthy relationship she’s been in, not just because the guy is actually in a position to date her but also because i think this is the first time she’s in a mindset where she can handle dating. No more fear of God and grandma’s wrath from heaven, finally starting to work on her purity issues, taking a class in her passion, getting a little more understanding of herself with the autism referral. She’s been less tightly wound in general lately (when her friends are off her back at least.)
UwU
“Hold me close and keep talking about arson.”
“I’m not taking about across bridges, it’s a metaph—”
“No keep going, now do we tie my mom to the bridge before we light it on fire or…?”
Arson? I thought you said “Our son”
Arson is 93 million miles away.
Just ask Sal.
But where are his Brothers Morder and Jaywalky?
Isn’t Jaywalky getting ready for lunch with his parents and his girlfriend Jaylucy?
Mork calling Arson… come in, Arson.
Jesus, that is an ollllld reference. RIP, Robin Williams.
I said Nanu Nanu to my daughter the other day and then had to try to explain what I was referencing…
Well…shazbot
AND THAT’S WHY IT LOOKS SO SMALL
Oh my god they’re adorable.
DIRECT EYE CONTACT?? in CLOSE PROXIMITY???
o///o
those pills are turning her into a hussy after all! g’wan girl! keep making sweet direct eye contact with that hunk!
Closeface ♥
cap_reference.gif
There’s a blurry girl at the end of my nose.
Making eye babies
Joyce, that’s inappropriate.
I’m going to pretend you’re referencing the alt-text.
i got nothing to say this is just sweet and i love it
UGGHHH christ i love them so much together. UGH. What an earnest, sweet interaction between two people who need it.
Joe is knocking this supportive (boy)friend thing out of the park. First he comes running when Joyce calls for hlllp, now he’s explicitly asking what she wants so he can follow her lead through this.
Proud of you, Joe. You made things a bit weird yesterday but I give your score for this update an easy 10/10.
this is such a thoughtful supportive thing to ask. hes doing such a great job.
Joyce, if you wanted your pillow talk to consist of the guy talking about how he was going to fuck with your mom, you should have jumped on Mike when you had a chance.
woudl’ve been interesting to see how mike would’ve interacted with other parents lol
She couldn’t afford the nickel.
Mike wouldn’t give you choices, though. Mike would just execute the plan and then tell you about it.
i imagine an overbearing mother like hers would pull them apart if they started making out versus being uncomfortable and leaving but good to know that joe is ride or die lol
This is extremely similar to conversations I’ve had with my wife about her family members. “Which version of me do you need, the Shepherd or the Doom?”
Joe you’re doing such a good job right now, I needed this
The birth control misconception (yes pun intended) is gonna bite him in the ass, though.
Wait what misconception is there? He already knows she’s on birth control.
Probably means Carol is going to find them and assume that Joyce and Joe are “using” them for their intended purpose.
…Huh?
I am literally incoherent right now. This is the sweetest most romantic thing I think I’ve ever seen. What the fuck.
GO JOE!!!!!
I am pretty happy to be getting this of all strips on my birthday.
Happy b-day!
Happy birthday!
Now kiss :3
I love this. Joe is honestly being a good person here; he’s thinking only of what is best for Joyce right now and not about himself (for example, if he alienates Joyce’s mom, he can’t know what that will mean for his relationship with the rest of Joyce’s family). He is being a good romantic partner AND a good FRIEND. Thoughtful moments like this, IRL, are the reason why I’ve been with my current partner for over 10 years. <3
Jesus… so to speak… getting the definite impression Joyce is about to use her birth control for something other than her dysmennorhea.
This is allyship against abusive parents. A very nice dramatization of This Specific Talk!
Bets on how Carol is going to ruin this moment, go.
Knowing Willis, I’d bet she overhears them and tries something on brand for the bad parents here and tries to cut off her tuition to get her out of there, as they are “clearly a bad influence” at the collage.
(Joe and Joyce are in obvious pre-smooch position, Carol emerges from crapper) “So this is how you repay me for all I’ve done for you?! I just drove four hours to bring you your things! Are you on hussy pills? You’re on hussy pills, aren’t you?“
Yay! Joe being awesome!
Joe, I thought you were the guy who had 100% sex talent, and 0% romance talent. ;P You’re crushing that romance talent part preeeetty great right now.
Joe tells himself a lot of things (about himself) that aren’t true.
sexy ass talk or sexy ass-talk?
Given how much Joyce likes his butt, both.
With this strip, I feel that Joe has completed his heel-face turn.
I’m so proud of both of them but especially Joyce for being direct with what she wants
Thinking about all the veteran JoeJoycers that have been here for this since the mf 90s. They won … we won … :’)
I want a partner like Joe.
I love them your honor
Wow, this one really hits close to home. I had very similar conversations with my wife when we were dating. She was surrounded by shockingly toxic family members, and I was more than happy to get them out of her life for her or fully back her up if she wanted to do it herself.
I’m sure we’ll see something like this in upcoming strips, but… unfortunately, it’s still not easy.
Yeah this is pretty sweet.
As a bonus he might list a good idea she hadn’t thought about.
Joes trying to boyfriend but Joyce is making him do a Husband. Damn Gurl.
Joe is doing this surprisingly well.
He’s communicating and asking what kind of support Joyce actually wants, instead of just taking charge as cis men very often do (and/or think they’re expected to…)
Wow. Joe is really trying hard to be a guy who doesn’t make assumptions. This is really sweet and wholesome, and I’m sure we’re all very proud of Joe, but I am bracing for the “discourse” next time someone is angry about Joe for something he’s done rather than happy about something he is currently doing.
I think more people in-universe need to experience New Joe, so we in the audience can hopefully avoid or at least mitigate such “discourse” in the future.
No
Why not?
Some further options, in no particular order:
Barricade the bathroom door before she comes back (and also the hallway door)
Go find Ruth
Both run away right now
Provide cover while Joyce runs away
Go slash Carol’s tires, dump sugar in her gas tank, etc
Pull the fire alarm
Set actual fire
Straight-up murder
Set up an elaborate musical number with all Joyce’s friends to convince Carol to change her ways
Aliens. Just aliens.
Why not go find Carla?
How about summoning Dina by calling dinosaurs Lizards?
The Empress of Evolution would surely make quick work of Carol.
Because it isn’t Carla’s job to deal with every transphobe in the world? But I mean sure, add it to the list.
Carla’s a tough girl but she should be kept as far away from Carol as physically possible. She can set up a pie booby trap in advance and dip
Goddamn, Joyce has rizz!
Have we ever seen Joe blush before? Ever? In any continuity?
Yes. https://www.dumbingofage.com/2021/comic/book-12/02-ill-leave-you-a-phantom/tedium/
Several times with Joyce. And once with dina
Joyce desperately needs some kind of physical relationship as demonstrated by her last word bubble.
The realest answer.
I think that’s sexy arms and sexy eyes talk, not sexy ass talk
I love how supportive joe is of Joyce. Showcases some very strong character progression since this webcomic began.
Elan!
More like “I want you to list a few more approaches so I can reuse the panel art some more” amirite
I was tearing up, because the only partners I’ve had that type of support from also cheated on me like bonobos on Molly.
Then I read the alt text.
Now I’m cleaning up coffee that sprayed out of my nose.
I’m sorry about that.
awww that’s really sweet
It’s really weird seeing Joe be all supportive-boyfriend-y.