A new poster is available in the store! “At Galasso’s” is 11×17″ on glossy cardstock and features Becky, because. It’s technically a preorder, as the posters are still on their way to me, but I wanted to give you all a taste of it anyway.
Discussion (176) ¬
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to be fair, Becky probably talks about things other than how awful Joyce is
Yeah, she probably talks about how Joyce is like a little sister to her.
Sarah never called Joyce awful. Everyone else, sure, but not her little sis. She was just laughing at her general behaviour and beliefs. Totally different.
Any superciliously advanced mockery is indistinguishable from malice.
And there’s definitely been times when she could’ve tried talking to Joyce like this, but was being grumpy instead (specifically, she went with Joyce and Billie when they went clothes shopping). Not that Sarah doesn’t have reason to be grumpy most of the time, but I still can’t really blame Joyce for this.
That’s Arthur C. Malarke’!
+2001 points
“Yeah, the old testament god.”
Besides, Sarah opens up a bit with Joyce. Just… not with JAcob. Because she (presumably) doesn’t want to sleep with Joyce.
I think we’re jumping to conclusions here
The fun kind! Yeah, that’s kinda what we do here.
The sisterhood.
Of the traveling hoodies.
I misread that as ‘boobies’. XD
The implications of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Boobies” are just horrifying.
Do they have to share pants?
Sharing pants!? How Lewd.
They don’t HAVE to, but it’s fun!
Are pajama jeans roomier?
you mean like these, amirite??
At least for Billie and Ruth, they prefer no pants.
Maybe this is a sign…
When you ask for something as generic as “a sign”, then anything can be interpreted as a sign, even things that nobody intended as a sign.
This renders “a sign” as basically useless for determining what some supposed “signer” wants.
Jealousy
somebody’s jealous
Love Sarah.
And Sarah knew she was wrong and stopped that.
Glad to see Joyce has a friend to cheer her up. Even if Joyce makes me nuts.
Joe needs to get in on this action
Actually he’s got this pool…
Filled with pudding.
The Huggs Boson!
[inertia increases]
[mmmm ass created]
[starts to attract things gravitationally]
*Singularity is formed*
Your icon is perfect.
Also, your name is perfect for your icon.
Good Joyce is happy. I’m not needed until tomorrow.
Umm no, don’t think Sarah is jealous, just surprised that Joyce can talk about stuff besides getting a M.R. and Jesus.
Becky already knows all about that stuff, so they can just take it as read and move on.
Either the next or in two strips, I call things get melodramatically, yet understandably, tragic.
You’re already leagues ahead of others by being able to draw two or more characters in one panel and make them look like theyre actually standing next to eachother. With the hugs, you’ll be nigh unstoppable.
Hugs are always hard when erections are involved. 😀
Also Elections. You wanna hug them enough to think you care about the people, but not so long that they think you’re molesting them.
Makes the whole politicians kissing babies thing seem that much worse.
Ya know, politicians are like a weird sort of celebrity aren’t they? Kissing babies, having scandals (both in political and private matters), almost killing other important people in crazy hunting accidents, it’s just a bunch of really good or really crazy actors.
It’s all staged. Just like pro wrestling.
IT’S ME, AUSTIN!!
Next page: Becky either reveals that she’s in love with Joyce, or that she’s transgender. Joyce gets confused.
Or Becky judges Joyce for snuggling with Ethan and having sinful thoughts
I’m considering the possibility that Becky actually is fine with everything Joyce has so many problems adjusting to.
… An this sends Joyce into even more of a downward spiral as she realizes that most of her social awkwardness and inadequacy is self imposed.
That’s what I think… or at least that Joyce will have trouble handling Becky’s lack of judging her. Joyce wants to be judged to affirm that her worldview is correct.
“Joyce wants to be judged to affirm that her worldview is correct.” DING DING DING DING. At least, that was me for years. Like…people who were affirming of my personhood and decisions and feelings were TERRIFYING to me. They hinted at possibilities that, if true, would completely change my life. It took 7-8 years, but I finally realized that they were right.
I’m not really speaking of experience here, so I might be out of my depth, but what would be more terrifying for Joyce and other in her position? That she – a teenager, fresh out of home and with all these conflicting emotions and hormones and thoughts and things – is wrong, or that her parents, religion, ideology, childhood friends, idols and entire world building is wrong?
If Joyce is wrong she needs to be judged for it, and Becky is someone who a) knows Joyce in and out, b) loves and trusts Joyce and would do the tough love of judging her if needed, c) knows just as much of the will of God (as presented to them by their community) as Joyce herself.
If what Joyce is doing and thinking and feeling is wrong, then she needs to repent for it. She needs to be judged. People like Becky need to think less of her (but ultimately forgive her, because that’s what people like Becky does).
But if Becky doesn’t judge her… if Becky doesn’t tell her that what she does is wrong… if Becky even supports her… Yup, scary. That’s how I think this will go down.
YES
Why not both?
Maybe she eloped with her bisexual professor and is now exotic dancing.
And their backup dancers are the Lust Wolves, of course.
You’re working really hard for that Walkyverse badge, huh?
@Either of you who the hell is that behind Mr. Bowtie anyway?
It’s Wack’d. He got a cameo in the IW! redraw. With a character tag and everything!
Neat! And now I see Sal has a long history of awesome that I am far too busy killing spiders to go read.
Unusual hobby, but to each their own.
“One sec, killing spiders” :3
That said, FFXIV has no spiders, so they are metaphorical. I could say Boars, but I don’t live to win.
How does one access some of the later chapters such as “kill your friends?”
Honestly, it just felt like a natural outgrowth of the rampant speculation that Becky had “strayed from the path” or whathaveyou. I do try to keep my references relevant, lest I become the Seth MacFarlane of this comment section.
But if there’s a badge I’ll gladly take it.
Becky was sent by Joyce’s parents (and/or at the behest of the religious leaders at Anderson) to bring her back into the fold.
D: I hope not
Option 1 is optimal.
I’m surprised Becky isn’t asking why Joyce is just getting home this morning. You’d think that would kinda be a red flag
1st, cuz that’s not one of the first things you ask a person after seeing them after a while. and 2. I’d probably assume it’s a morning class.
A morning class she attended shoeless?
I mean, come on, at least she should take off her SOCKS, too!
So many girls I’ve seen wear cute shoes that are uncomfortable and take them off halfway into class cuz they can’t keep wearing them.
hell, I do the same thing, and I’m a boy who wears tennis shoes.
Ditto. I wish it was feasible with the heavy shop boots I have to wear every other day for welding.
She could pretty easily have stepped out for breakfast. Pretty sure we’ve seen people grabbing cereal in their pajamas at some point.
Becky may have a loose understanding of the school accommodations.
I bet that Becky just ran away from home.
Thats a big call
I fold.
I’ll see that call and raise you a “then dumped spineless boyfriend over the phone”
no wait that would be weird
I feel like this is a reference to something, but I cannot put my finger on it lol.
then an “also, climbed in through the window”
http://www.itswalky.com/comic/cutester/
This ring any bells? (If not, then: holy cow, someone even less versed in the old iterations than me! I must be making progress!)
Don’t worry, I started reading DOA like 4 months ago and have tried but never gotten into the old ones. You’ll always have that
Oh man.
Yaaay, normal human interaction.
We got chicken in the corn/In the corn/Whose corn?–My corn!
Don’t worry, Sarah. Someday you’ll find a cold, aloof girl who hates everything too.
Ummm….
Eh, I ship it.
Ship Sarah and Mary?That’s a very scary ship.
Sarah/Sarah? Nah, they’d hate each other.
Exactly; it’s been documented that the most epic of hatefucks are delightful spectacles to behold.
Or so I’ve been led to believe. Slipshine has yet to receive my money, but they will.
Mai/Sarah?
I personally wouldn’t ship it but…
…I don’t follow. Are you saying that Azula being such a psychotic monster frees Mai to be shipped with Sarah?
But RE: Mai/Sarah: I SHIP IT. Dear mercies of heaven I never knew I shipped it so hard.
Once again, Becky has narrowly avoided partially blinding Joyce in a hug-related pointy chin accident.
Becky has been trained from a young age to avert her chin when hugging, just to avoid such accidents.
Stick ’em with the pointy end.
“You know, for Fundies, our shorts sure are short.”
Don’t worry if the repression techniques don’t work then there is always Everclear.
What does she mean canceled? Did the Almighty intervene and make the Anderson lose its accreditation?
cancelled for the day. it happens in college. professors have something come up at the last minute, or they just decide to cancel because they “found” something more important to do
Or the school received a bomb threat!
YAY BOMB THREAT IMMA GO SEE MY PALS AND HAVE THE BEST DAY EVAR!
what the hell kinda world do we live in now, srsly
A fun one?
….wait, what does that response say about ME?
Oh god I hope DoA world doesn’t have GG.
I thought DoA was so Willis could LOVE his characters again, not meaninglessly torture the shit out of them
[there’s a difference between “I love Amber b/c she represents strength of character and overcoming adversity” and “I just wanna make torture-porn of Amber forever”]
…
Grevayard Greg hasn’t updated Gaming Guardians in ages now
…
OK this pair is heavy on the cute, but as Sarah noted Becky seems to be the only person Joyce can relate to as a normal human being.
Candy corn is horrifying stuff. Becky in that sweatshirt is definitely not.
I concur. And hunger for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and raspberries. (Strawberries are overrated.)
Strawberries are a sugary goddess of awesome and fun times.
The worst part about Halloween is candy corn. Because candy corn is the only candy in history that hasn’t been advertised. And I think I know why. Because all the candy corn ever made, was made in 1911.
And everywhere the candy corn companies send out men to into the villages and collect the thrown away candy corn. They wash it! THEY WASH IT! And then get it ready to sell for the next year.
Who’s bit was that? I’m not mad I just genuinely don’t remember.
Remember kids if your Joyce is sad find a Becky!
I’m surprised people are so doom and gloom about the whole Becky thing. From what I can tell, this seems to be a positive and good thing.
Sure, classes being cancelled errs slightly suspicious, but it does happen, and even if Becky was fibbing, it’s possible she genuinely wanted to surprise Joyce. And given that Joyce already has some religiously charged people that are close to her (her parents), I don’t think Willis wants to retread that storyline.
As for Becky herself, I don’t know how she is in other universes, but in this one she’s Joyce’s best friend. I’d give the girl some credit and assume that Becky isn’t going to be a Mary.
Plus the poster seems to show Becky interacting with the cast in a friendly manner and I wouldn’t think Willis would want to sell something of a character people are going to hate.
whats suspicious is that joyce has called Becky multiple times over the last few weeks wanting to talk. and not only did Becky never answer, but she never called Joyce back either. And now she shows up here as a surprise. i wouldnt be shocked to learn somethings up.
Why would you assume that there would be as yet unknown drama underneath the surface of an otherwise happy development in this comic?
Why. Indeed.
It’s the first scene in jaws. A girl is going for an innocent mid-night swim but beneath the waves …
dun … dun … dun dundundun …
Maybe Becky is that kind of person that NEVER answers phone calls and who you’ll have to actually threaten in voicemails before they call you back ?
OMG Becky has been replaced by a clone!
I think I missed that happening. Can you provide a link or specific comic that you’re referring to where this was mentioned?
One time was during the dingdong bandit story.
Thanks. Strolling through the archives I found a few more cases like http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/03-answers-in-hennessy/pick-u/
Mr. Willis.
There can never be too many hugs.
Now kiss?
“Has that Ever actually Worked?”
I mean if that’s the kind of attitude you are going to have, then no.
Yes.
Only for Lucy.
She has the power!
Perfect gravatar is perfect.
I love how well Joyce’s actions around her now line up with the way she acted in the first few strips.
Joyce and Becky perform a hug.
Lol, that’s gotta be a slipshine thingy now!
The imagined juxtaposition is humorous, until you realise that there must be peeps out there with hug fetishes…
Hmm, in retrospect, I think I’ve met some.
I’m just going to leave this here and let you come to your own conclusions… http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/guard/
Sarah’s jealous.
Becky is starting to look like Danny to me. Back in the black/white Roomies! days, I imagined Danny having a more reddish hair color.
Take note, Sarah, she behaves like a normal human being as well. Be less like a bongoy, misanthropic killjoy and you too may have people converse with you like a normal human. …or so I’m given to understand by watching other humans.
But I sympathize with you. We can huddle in similar areas with our crusty exteriors and study alone semi-together.
bongoy, misanthropic killjoys unite!
Separately. Far, far away from each other.
Ahhhhhh I really like Becky but I know something is going to go horribly wrong between these two and I really don’t want it to
What’s gonna happen with Becky? revealed to be a closeted lesbian that’s been in love with Joyce for years? here to steal Ethan? place your bets!
She’s a closeted lesbian who is here to steal Ethan. Calling it now.
Seriusly though, I am hereby calling Walky/Becky.
I – wh-
Forget it, I’ll be back tomorrow. I’m too susceptible to shipping when I’m on an empty stomach.
She is an alien wearing a Becky suit.
*looks at strip*
*looks at chapter name*
Oh boy, that title was never about Sal at all, was it…?
Holy balls, I just noticed.
Yeah, it’s almost like Joyce can let her defenses down and be herself with Becky, isn’t it Sarah?
Also: Oh my Gosh – Happy Joyce is adorable Joyce.
WHY IS THERE SO MUCH HAPPINESS. IS THERE GOING TO BE A TIDAL WAVE OF SAD. Billie is happy, Joyce is happy now, Ruth is happy, Sal was adorable then awesome…THIS CAN’T END WELL. D8 *Gets drama helmet to brace self*
Dammit Willis! Did you have to take down the Dinobot poster?! I had it bookmarked so I could get it for my brother’s birthday (November 28th)
Please! Bring it back!
I actually will buy one, right away. Email me!
So, Becky is running away, right? Trying to escapé overbearing parents, isn’t she?
Was Becky a character in Previous Willisverse?
She popped up in J&W! basically to be Joyce’s friend.
Why are people saying it’s not gonna end well with her?
Because Willis has trained us to be suspicious of anything that looks like happiness.
Good, Good. He has taught you well…
Typo alert: I think it’s supposed to be “You’d spend” (You would spend) rather “You’d spent” (You had spent).
Knowing Willis’ writing style, I would say it was suppose to be “You’da spent”
I’m not saying that Sarah and Becky can’t be just friends, but between this and the At Galasso’s print, well.
Speaking of the “At Galasso’s” print, blow it up large and check the background (the benches). Given what I know about Galasso in the ‘Dumbing of Age’ world, I have to hold in high esteem anyone who would have the chutzpah to tag the benches in his place.
Amazi-Girl is apparently one of those people.
Let’s have a look at the evidence:
“I’m insanely jealous.”
“A place for you to become, y’know, a woman.”
“I’ll miss you, Joyce!”
“Becky, you told me you wanted me to ‘grow into a woman’ or whatever.”
“How’s having a roommate? Has she replaced me in your heart, yet?”
“Oh, I understand. Things are crazy here, too.”
Plus, I mean, come on.
I love that this is actually considered evidence in this fandom
Shippin’ ain’t easy.
Huh. My first thought is that Joyce’s parents probably sent Becky over to talk some sense into her about the whole “my best friend Dorothy, the atheist” thing.
Or possibly one of her siblings sent her to check out their lil’sis to make sure she is doing OK.
Sarah, you don’t converse like a normal human girl to anyone. Don’t talk. Also, I think Joyce tried to talk fashion with you once. You were not exactly encouraging.
Sarah’s awkward in her own right, but at least she didn’t state her reason to go to college as “finding a good man to marry.”
I for one enjoy her separation of sheltered Christians & functionable human beings. Then again I’m rather biased when it comes to people telling me how to think of God, & love itself.
To be honest, I think the reason Joyce converses “like a normal human girl” to Becky is because she’s “one of us.” She believes the “right” things, so Joyce has no fear of stepping on toes.
Everybody at university is different in scary ways; Joyce, wanting to be liked, tries to step outside her comfort zone without actually leaving it behind, and so she appears less-than-normal in her interactions with those people.
Joyce is the most inconsistent fundamentalist I’ve ever seen — and I grew up in and around them. I was the homeschooled, politically and theologically conservative, dating-is-a-curse-word guy.
Joyce does have a lot of similarities to my own upbringing, but there’s an important difference: I’m a guy, she’s a girl. As much as it sucks, girls in fundy homes are less than guys, and miss out on a lot of opportunities that their brothers regularly get.
Joyce wears pants, which is contrary to most fundamentalist girls, who are dresses and skirts only. Joyce is going to a public college, which is a HUGE no-no (even for a lot of fundy guys), because it’s a LIBRUL and DEMONIC place that fills young, impressionable kids’ heads with EVIL. Joyce is dating within a few weeks of beginning classes, whereas almost all fundy girls would be wanting him to call her father and begin a courtship (which is not quite an arranged marriage, but certainly is a lot more structured than dating).
My point is that she’s not as fundamentalist as she seems on the outside. Evangelical would probably be a better label. Even so, she’s changing awfully fast for someone who was brought up in the way she was. When I was that age, I was convinced beyond all doubt that I was right. Ten years on I see how utterly wrong I was (and now hold almost completely opposite opinions), but at the time nothing could sway me. It took a couple or three years of college to make me start to think critically about what I believed; until then I was just regurgitating what I’d heard ol’ Brother So-n-so say.
Still, it’s kind of amusing to watch it unfold. It all seemed so important at the time, and now it just isn’t.
A Christian fundamentalist is merely someone who believes the Bible is inerrant. “Evangelical” is often a synonym of “fundamentalist,” but it’s not a particularly useful label because it’s a term that has a different meaning in different contexts — kind of like how the word “theory” means either “guess” or “thus-far proven hypothesis” depending on who you ask.
I grew up in a fundamentalist church surrounded by girls who were homeschooled. They wore pants. Many of them went on dates. The term “evangelical” wasn’t really used to describe our beliefs because that had the connotation of belonging to the Evangelical Free movement, while we were nondenominational. I’ve been to those churches, too — they weren’t very different. The idea of a distinction was probably more important to us than the actual literal differences.
I write Joyce as having grown up in the church I went to for most of my childhood. Like most of the girls I knew, she’s homeschooled, she wears pants, she believes the Bible is inerrant, that dating isn’t a bad word, and that she belongs to a fundamentalist nondenominational church but not an evangelical one. Like a handful of them, she got sent to a LIBRUL college. Unlike a smaller handful of them, she’s not going to come home crying after a few weeks.
As always, read #8 in the FAQ.
That poster is one big tease 🙂
> hugs are hard
The foreshortening on the 4th panel is cool.
Danny and Ethan in the print. YESSSS.
Is Becky putting on Dannys flirt face in panel 2?
Re-reading this page, it really looks like Becky is sporting a thick unibrow in two panels. And now I’ll never be able to unsee it.
Now I’m suddenly wondering wether Becky’s colour-blind