Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

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July 11, 2026

Why

by David M Willis on November 24, 2010 at 12:01 am
  • 02 - Uphill From Here
└ Tags: dorothy, joe, joyce, leslie, walky

Discussion (108) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Jen Aside
    Jen Aside
    November 24, 2010 at 12:02 am | #

    Is it to learn to be psychic??

    XD

    • Shift
      Shift
      November 24, 2010 at 2:56 pm | #

      I knew you were going to say that.

    • Jenny Creed
      Jenny Creed
      June 3, 2013 at 5:43 am | #

      That’s only vegan gender studies.

      • Gram91
        Gram91
        August 11, 2013 at 8:22 pm | #

        Ha haa, Scott Pilgrim.

    • Hinoron
      Hinoron
      July 15, 2013 at 3:45 pm | #

      Yes Joyce, of course being a lesbian is prerequisite. You should have covered that in high school.”

  2. Jabberwocky
    Jabberwocky
    November 24, 2010 at 12:03 am | #

    Teacher-Leslie is win.

    • David Herbert
      David Herbert
      November 24, 2010 at 12:07 am | #

      So true.

      And Joyce, remember you can always learn.

    • Rodrigo
      Rodrigo
      December 19, 2010 at 8:12 am | #

      I love Leslie! She should appear more!

    • Digidestined of Trust (Tim)
      Digidestined of Trust (Tim)
      February 17, 2011 at 1:39 pm | #

      Aaack!

  3. Johaely
    Johaely
    November 24, 2010 at 12:04 am | #

    Damn, you should have included Joe’s reaction.

    • Mirenheart
      Mirenheart
      November 24, 2010 at 12:52 am | #

      Which would be “Giggity” ?

    • Wackd
      Wackd
      November 24, 2010 at 1:25 am | #

      He probably just walked out.

      • No0ne
        No0ne
        November 24, 2010 at 2:15 am | #

        This is JOE, we would stay anyway if only to watch the lesbian girls…

        • Zaratustra
          Zaratustra
          November 24, 2010 at 8:10 am | #

          his pupils are dilating to four times their regular size now

          • MrGBH
            MrGBH
            November 24, 2010 at 11:24 am | #

            He’s probably setting up a webcam.

            • All Hail Dina
              All Hail Dina
              February 11, 2015 at 8:26 pm | #

              GAH! NO NO NO NO NO!!!! BAD IMAGE! BAD BAD BAD! (Due to the combo, not the post alone.)

  4. wnderjif
    wnderjif
    November 24, 2010 at 12:04 am | #

    oh joyce, how little you understand sarcasm.

    and go joe! man’s got priorities and dreams. why hate on him?

    • No0ne
      No0ne
      November 24, 2010 at 2:16 am | #

      If Leslie has been through the same arcs in Shortpacked! it might not all be sarcasm…

  5. addude
    addude
    November 24, 2010 at 12:04 am | #

    I took the class the same reason as Walky, the teacher dosen’t even collect the homework and still gives us the answers

  6. Ragnal
    Ragnal
    November 24, 2010 at 12:07 am | #

    So wait, why’s Joyce here again?

    • mpark6288
      mpark6288
      November 24, 2010 at 12:36 am | #

      She is an ed major, if I recall. Probably a required class.

    • Just for kix
      Just for kix
      November 24, 2010 at 1:02 am | #

      She is in this class to learn how to be a good wife

      • TexasNinjaBuzzard
        TexasNinjaBuzzard
        November 24, 2010 at 3:44 am | #

        She’s there to learn how genders are different in the pants region.

  7. Inara
    Inara
    November 24, 2010 at 12:08 am | #

    Somehow, I don’t see this really deterring Joe…

    • Joebo
      Joebo
      November 24, 2010 at 12:10 am | #

      It’s a challenge.

      • landbasered
        landbasered
        November 24, 2010 at 12:57 am | #

        motorcycle sal is a great avatar for that comment

        • Cha
          Cha
          November 24, 2010 at 3:53 am | #

          Joe is an even greater avatar for that comment.

          • JDavis
            JDavis
            November 24, 2010 at 5:08 pm | #

            And Osaka looking up at those avatars is… okay I’ll stop now.

  8. Drpepperfan
    Drpepperfan
    November 24, 2010 at 12:09 am | #

    Gender Studies apparently follows the same guidelines as Japanese girl’s schools. Or at least the one’s I’ve seen….

    • Joebo
      Joebo
      November 24, 2010 at 12:10 am | #

      In this case it follows Willis’ rule of every character under the sun being gay.

      • Drpepperfan
        Drpepperfan
        November 24, 2010 at 12:14 am | #

        Even Monkey-Master?

        • MadarFoxfire
          MadarFoxfire
          November 24, 2010 at 12:19 am | #

          Especially Monkey-Master.

        • NF
          NF
          November 24, 2010 at 12:21 am | #

          Especially Monkey-Master.

          • NF
            NF
            November 24, 2010 at 12:22 am | #

            Also, your mom.

          • No0ne
            No0ne
            November 24, 2010 at 2:17 am | #

            I doubt anyone’s mom is gay… or at least the odds are against it…

          • Gizen
            Gizen
            November 24, 2010 at 3:14 am | #

            My mom is gay. >.> It’s actually not as unlikely an event to happen as you’d think, since due to the stigma against homosexuality, many people who are gay end up trying to lead heterosexual lives before they come to terms with who they really are.

          • TexasNinjaBuzzard
            TexasNinjaBuzzard
            November 24, 2010 at 3:51 am | #

            D00d, haven’t you heard about Heather?

          • Cha
            Cha
            November 24, 2010 at 4:03 am | #

            If everyone’s mom is gay, then how does Mike have such popularity among moms?

            • Plasma Mongoose
              Plasma Mongoose
              June 17, 2011 at 4:08 am | #

              Maybe Mike has got a mangina.

          • Heather
            Heather
            November 24, 2010 at 9:24 am | #

            What abot me TNB?

    • Shift
      Shift
      November 24, 2010 at 2:58 pm | #

      @Cha:

      They didn’t start out gay. Mike is just such an amazing beast in bed, that he ruins dick for women and nothing is ever as good for them again, and they have no choice but to visit va-jay-jay-land.

  9. Lokitsu
    Lokitsu
    November 24, 2010 at 12:15 am | #

    I have a feeling the rest of the class will be from Squad 48

    • maggiemarmalade
      maggiemarmalade
      November 24, 2010 at 7:08 am | #

      YAY IT IS LOKI

      • Lokitsu
        Lokitsu
        November 25, 2010 at 12:21 am | #

        IT IS ME
        (Hi Maggie!)

  10. Trent
    Trent
    November 24, 2010 at 12:16 am | #

    Oh Dave Willis. Leslie is probably the best character you’ve ever invented.

    • Mute
      Mute
      November 24, 2010 at 1:24 pm | #

      That’s usually the way it goes, isn’t it?
      Some of the best characters are the ones that start out in random, unimportant side roles and quietly grow a personality and a following.

  11. Dierna
    Dierna
    November 24, 2010 at 12:29 am | #

    *lmao* Poor Joyce

  12. NT-DR
    NT-DR
    November 24, 2010 at 12:30 am | #

    Walky, you forgot to outline Dorothy’s hands…

    • David
      David M Willis
      November 24, 2010 at 12:37 am | #

      Those aren’t Dorothy’s hands. And I can’t “forget to outline” something! Everything starts out black-outlined to begin with.

      • No0ne
        No0ne
        November 24, 2010 at 12:58 am | #

        Although it does look like she has tiny mutated hands there…

        But I shouldn’t be one to talk my art is waaay worse…

        • Malph
          Malph
          November 24, 2010 at 1:41 am | #

          Mine’s worse.

          • ADHadh
            ADHadh
            November 24, 2010 at 7:08 am | #

            Cheer up, emo.

          • MrGBH
            MrGBH
            November 24, 2010 at 11:26 am | #

            I can’t even draw stick figures.

          • KHNO
            KHNO
            November 25, 2010 at 10:09 am | #

            I can’t even draw ascii

        • Technyx
          Technyx
          August 21, 2011 at 5:59 pm | #

          There is someone sitting behind her. You really only see the hands

    • agentksilver
      agentksilver
      November 24, 2010 at 12:56 am | #

      Those are someone else’s hands.

    • begbert2
      begbert2
      November 24, 2010 at 2:58 pm | #

      Background objects and characters are outlined in color*, foreground characters are outlined in black**.

      * even when a foreground character is sitting on them, apparently.
      ** except Joyce’s irises, which is awesome.

  13. Sporkaganza
    Sporkaganza
    November 24, 2010 at 12:34 am | #

    Leslie is way better in Dumbing of Age than she has ever been in Shortpacked, that’s for damn sure.

    • agentksilver
      agentksilver
      November 24, 2010 at 12:57 am | #

      I agree. She definitely seems very comfortable in her role as a teacher. Maybe it’s because she’s not a love interest?

      • Cratacon
        Cratacon
        November 24, 2010 at 1:21 am | #

        We’ll see what JOE has to say about her not being a love interest!

    • Kamino Neko
      Kamino Neko
      November 24, 2010 at 2:05 pm | #

      Roger this. I think it’s due to the lack of creepy stalkertude.

  14. Qaxis
    Qaxis
    November 24, 2010 at 12:41 am | #

    Oh man, Leslie is the greatest teacher ever.

  15. George
    George
    November 24, 2010 at 12:42 am | #

    I love that look on Joyce’s face. It’s just so… freaked-out.

    • Reboot
      Reboot
      November 24, 2010 at 1:41 am | #

      Good thing she doesn’t know she has nearly the same haircut as “trying to pretend she’s not a lesbian and not managing it” Leslie…

  16. agentksilver
    agentksilver
    November 24, 2010 at 12:59 am | #

    I’m not sure if I should infer that Dorothy is a lesbian or just snickering at a joke the teacher made.

    • G.S.Mercs
      G.S.Mercs
      November 24, 2010 at 1:18 am | #

      Why can’t it be both? With that kind of FAAAAACE it could mean anything

      • Blightning
        Blightning
        November 24, 2010 at 11:18 am | #

        It might even be a good reason that she wanted to keep Danny as a long distance boyfriend – he was her beard.

        • Shift
          Shift
          November 24, 2010 at 3:00 pm | #

          Is beard the right term for a woman trying to hide lesbianism? I know it is for men, but for a woman who likes women, I’d have thought maybe a dress or a stylish purse?

          • Plasma Mongoose
            Plasma Mongoose
            June 17, 2011 at 4:12 am | #

            A beard is a man or woman that a lesbian or homo dates and sometimes marry as to keep up the appearence of being hetro.

  17. kate
    kate
    November 24, 2010 at 1:54 am | #

    I love Leslie.

    In shortpacked, too. 😀

  18. Doom Shepherd
    Doom Shepherd
    November 24, 2010 at 2:12 am | #

    Required “diversity” elective course.

    Generally the last of the three types of college courses (need to take, want to take, and are forced to take), the diversity elective can either be the most worthless, or… well, I learned a couple important things in “History of East Asia,” so it can be a good thing. But from what I hear, usually it is meh.

    I’m sure Leslie’s class will be the interesting kind. It might even be a Type 2 course.

  19. Acher4
    Acher4
    November 24, 2010 at 2:12 am | #

    Ah, Leslie is perfect!

  20. Alechsa
    Alechsa
    November 24, 2010 at 2:29 am | #

    Either Dorothy is so in on that joke… or it explains EVERYTHING.

    …EVERYTHING.

  21. Cha
    Cha
    November 24, 2010 at 3:56 am | #

    Poor Joe. It seems he won’t be getting the kind of action he was hoping for.

  22. Björn
    Björn
    November 24, 2010 at 4:07 am | #

    Dorothy wears lipstick. At least on her upper lip. Looks weird when there’s none on her lower lip.

  23. creativerealms
    creativerealms
    November 24, 2010 at 7:58 am | #

    Leslie just works so well as a teacher. Better then a cashier or a toy store employee.

  24. ziggy78eog
    ziggy78eog
    November 24, 2010 at 8:54 am | #

    You need to read the fine print, Joyce. But since you were allowed to enroll in this class…I hate to tell you this Joyce, but…..

  25. Tim
    Tim
    November 24, 2010 at 8:56 am | #

    Beautiful expression in the last panel!

  26. WAT
    WAT
    November 24, 2010 at 9:31 am | #

    Alright, Leslie!
    My gender studies professor was kind of a spaz, but the _class_ was fun. It was also a S.S. :-\ but that’s not really important.

    • Heather
      Heather
      November 24, 2010 at 9:36 am | #

      …What’s an S.S?

      But yes, Leslie does rock.

  27. rax
    rax
    November 24, 2010 at 9:40 am | #

    I teach a gender studies class at IU, and the students aren’t all lesbians, although we are certainly well-represented. Other than that you’ve got this pretty much spot on, and it’s super exciting to see the department represented in a webcomic. 🙂 Especially given that we didn’t even exist the during the Roomies era…

  28. stealthwise
    stealthwise
    November 24, 2010 at 10:14 am | #

    Wait, something about college that actually has scenes take place in class?

    My god, it’s been so long…

  29. zuche
    zuche
    November 24, 2010 at 10:26 am | #

    Still glorious.

  30. Angelicfiend
    Angelicfiend
    November 24, 2010 at 11:55 am | #

    i have so much Leslie love right now!

  31. Cassidy
    Cassidy
    November 24, 2010 at 12:09 pm | #

    lol…. Joe would be sooooooooooo angry/traumatized.

    • begbert2
      begbert2
      November 24, 2010 at 2:55 pm | #

      Are you kidding? Joe would take it in stride. Possibly starting by asking for proof!

  32. ArchSchnitz
    ArchSchnitz
    November 24, 2010 at 1:13 pm | #

    Poor, poor Joyce.

  33. Dahlia
    Dahlia
    November 24, 2010 at 1:52 pm | #

    Haha, Leslie is over Awesome-thousand! xD

    Poor Joyce, if only she had the same sense of humor Dorothy had!

  34. Shift
    Shift
    November 24, 2010 at 3:03 pm | #

    Well, at least Joyce took the lesbian joke better than I thought she would. She’s just adorably confused.

    I was worried she’d turn out to be one of those religious girls who starts screaming “LESBIAN! OH NOES! YOU’RE ALL GOING TO HELL AND DRAGGING ME WITH YOU! AUGH!!” before jumping out the window, and leaving a confused and awkward silence in her wake.

    • Dahlia
      Dahlia
      November 24, 2010 at 3:19 pm | #

      >/////<;;; You have no idea how depressed it makes me that most people judge christian girls as the type who would scream that after a lighthearted joke like that (probably increased to a few decibels short a lions roar if it wasn't a joke at all)…I've seen it happen in real life which is worse…

      I mean I'm religious, but jeez Louise I'm respectful of others beliefs (especially their religious ones) plus their choices and a strong believer of the Golden rule…D:

      • zuche
        zuche
        November 24, 2010 at 4:14 pm | #

        In fairness, Shift did write “religious”, not “Christian.” Even the mention of a hell doesn’t indicate too much, though it does seem it would be an inappropriate comment among hardcore devotees of certain faiths.

        Then again, you sometimes meet folk for who such things are practically foreplay. There are always a few sporting a religious image as a lure, rather than a belief, the sort that postscript that “DRAGGING ME WITH YOU!” with a silent “please”.

        We got all kinds.

        • Dahlia
          Dahlia
          November 25, 2010 at 2:54 pm | #

          Yeah… D:

          • Shift
            Shift
            November 29, 2010 at 12:21 pm | #

            It was never that I was judging Christians or religions in general with my comment Dahilia. Rather that Joyce’s a girl heavily influenced primarily (and possibly solely) by her religion and who has been raised in a somewhat isolated environment (home schooled). She’s very sheltered, and possibly hasn’t been able to develope around people who weren’t raised in the same manner as herself.

            From personal experience those who are so sheltered are the ones who don’t react the best to jokes like Leslie made.

  35. JDavis
    JDavis
    November 24, 2010 at 5:12 pm | #

    There is a line inside Walky and Joe’s hair shading… Did Willis get lazy with the fill tool?

    • Zammachus
      Zammachus
      November 24, 2010 at 7:32 pm | #

      There’s a line in Joe’s as well. Here’s a better question though. Who gives a damn? It’s a hilarious strip. Don’t nitpick.

    • Cassidy
      Cassidy
      November 24, 2010 at 7:33 pm | #

      there is an asshole in the comments, did someone get lazy with their gratitude?

      these comics are free, you don’t have to pay, and you don’t have to be an asshole.

      I don’t see you making any effort at all to produce 2 comics a day.

      • Nobody
        Nobody
        December 6, 2010 at 9:47 pm | #

        I like that a question like that’s perceived as being entitled or nitpicky when it could very well just be an innocent question.

        Even moreso that someone throws a fit about it.

        Ah, well. If even half the internet practiced what they preached (‘bluh bluh quit complaining’) comment threads wouldn’t be half as fun to read.

        Either way, I don’t see any line. Also, Joyce’s panic is adorable.

        • David
          David M Willis
          December 6, 2010 at 10:03 pm | #

          If someone wants to ask an innocent question, they can start out by not calling me lazy.

  36. Zammachus
    Zammachus
    November 24, 2010 at 7:34 pm | #

    Love that I got angry Billie for my avatar. Perfect pairing.

  37. RedComet
    RedComet
    November 24, 2010 at 8:37 pm | #

    My Gender Studies teacher made the same lesbian joke. <3

  38. Richie9999
    Richie9999
    November 24, 2010 at 8:49 pm | #

    Haha. Love how Leslie zeroes in on the reasons for Joe, Walky and Dorothy for taking that class, the looks on their faces and the look on Joyce’s face in the last panel. Good Job.

  39. Jao
    Jao
    November 25, 2010 at 9:59 am | #

    My comment was swallowed up? ): Well, I’ll just register that I really like the first pannel, then.

  40. Unconquered Sun
    Unconquered Sun
    November 30, 2010 at 1:55 pm | #

    I’ll admit. I’d probably be their the for same reason Walky is there.

  41. Azreal
    Azreal
    December 1, 2010 at 1:07 am | #

    Joyce ruined the joke.

    • nothri
      nothri
      November 6, 2014 at 7:50 pm | #

      If by ruined you mean “made better” then yes!

  42. Cinder
    Cinder
    December 1, 2010 at 1:54 am | #

    I wish Leslie was my teacher. She’s awesome.

  43. Hinoron
    Hinoron
    December 10, 2012 at 9:08 pm | #

    “And if you’re not lesbians yet, it is the goal of this course to convert you into one by end of term. Firm hertos and men will receive a 40% automatic deduction from their final exam score.”

  44. RandomPerson12
    RandomPerson12
    October 16, 2014 at 10:25 pm | #

    I doubt that changed Joe’s attitude towards the class.

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