Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

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July 9, 2026

Manliness

by David M Willis on January 16, 2013 at 12:01 am
  • 01 - If the Shoe Splits
└ Tags: dorothy, joyce, walky

Discussion (131) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. David Herbert
    David Herbert
    January 16, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    She wishes she was raised Mormon so she could get in on that too.

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      January 16, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

      Mormons must get way more threeway action then.

      • CanvasWolfDoll
        CanvasWolfDoll
        January 16, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

        sadly not in this day and age…

        • Plasma Mongoose
          Plasma Mongoose
          January 16, 2013 at 12:21 am | #

          So much for my idea of a new Mormon ad campaign then.

          • Josh
            Josh
            January 16, 2013 at 4:31 am | #

            They already have the perfect ad campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD7vKmglHMc

            • Plasma Mongoose
              Plasma Mongoose
              January 16, 2013 at 3:54 pm | #

              Great ad, but not good enough for me to want to convert though.

  2. Resne
    Resne
    January 16, 2013 at 12:03 am | #

    Walky? More like Sulky.

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      January 16, 2013 at 12:20 am | #

      At least he doesn’t skips or else we should call him Skippy or Skips or something.

      • N0083rP00F
        N0083rP00F
        January 17, 2013 at 11:48 am | #

        Sulky McSulkypants?

        ….. I will name him George, and I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him… …and pat him and pet him and… …and rub him and caress him and…

        [Oh god those BBunny scripts were racy]

    • Josh
      Josh
      January 16, 2013 at 4:32 am | #

      Sulky? More like… ermm… GARY!

      • Neospector
        Neospector
        January 16, 2013 at 10:10 am | #

        No! Bad joke! Penalty corner for five minutes!

    • Ziaheart
      Ziaheart
      January 16, 2013 at 11:20 pm | #

      Don’t make me sulky! You won’t like me when I’m sulky!

  3. Wonder Wig
    Wonder Wig
    January 16, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

    Is there a past-tense for shipping? I don’t think shipped works well. Departed?

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      January 16, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

      How about the term Decommissioned, that works.

      • N0083rP00F
        N0083rP00F
        January 17, 2013 at 11:50 am | #

        Dry docked? Sound painful though….

    • That Damn Rat
      That Damn Rat
      January 16, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

      I believe discarded ships are usually referred to as being ‘sunk’.

      • Ancestral Hamster
        Ancestral Hamster
        January 16, 2013 at 12:12 am | #

        Sighted ship. Sunk same.

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        January 16, 2013 at 12:14 am | #

        Sunk suggests that the ship will never sail again, decomissioned ones on the other hand have the possibility of sailing once again.

        • Wonder Wig
          Wonder Wig
          January 16, 2013 at 12:36 am | #

          Shipping events that happened before the first strip. I anticipate … for the past.

      • stikibunn
        stikibunn
        January 16, 2013 at 7:14 pm | #

        That ship has sailed!

  4. Plasma Mongoose
    Plasma Mongoose
    January 16, 2013 at 12:04 am | #

    Why so sad Joyce?

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      January 16, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

      She wants nicer shirts too…

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        January 16, 2013 at 12:07 am | #

        Ideally without the Butt-tacos.

        • Tom Speelman
          Tom Speelman
          January 16, 2013 at 12:26 am | #

          But Butt-Tacos make everything better!

          • Wonder Wig
            Wonder Wig
            January 16, 2013 at 12:34 am | #

            Tossing a Butt-Taco Salad?

    • JA
      JA
      January 16, 2013 at 12:06 am | #

      Deep down she wants in on a threesome.

      Damn you Joe for corrupting the innocent ones!

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        January 16, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

        Ryan ruined a lot of things for her.

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          January 16, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

          Mike ruined your mom for a nickel.

        • Alex Stritar
          Alex Stritar
          January 16, 2013 at 12:29 am | #

          “Well, that party guy ruined guys for me. Well, guess I can becaome a lesbian sinner.” XD

          • Andiemus
            Andiemus
            January 16, 2013 at 8:00 pm | #

            Why am I always drinking when someone says something like that?

            • The Aussie Bloke
              The Aussie Bloke
              January 16, 2013 at 11:22 pm | #

              Because the universe has a sick sense of humour

            • madd
              madd
              January 17, 2013 at 2:42 pm | #

              Because you have a drinking problem?

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        January 16, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

        Everyone’s innocent until proved guilty.

    • Ancestral Hamster
      Ancestral Hamster
      January 16, 2013 at 12:11 am | #

      Her tits are no longer raging.

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        January 16, 2013 at 12:13 am | #

        However, the is a tantrum brewing within those bosoms the likes of which this college has never seen!!!

        • Ancestral Hamster
          Ancestral Hamster
          January 16, 2013 at 1:03 am | #

          Yes! Let them burst forth! Inspiring other female bosoms to do likewise! Let there be a Boob Revolution!

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        January 16, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

        When her mood deflates, so does her cup-size.

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      January 16, 2013 at 12:19 am | #

      Her pet goldfish just died. What do you think?

  5. SplashBoogie
    SplashBoogie
    January 16, 2013 at 12:05 am | #

    Does Joe own any of Dorothy’s shoes I wonder…

    Nah there’s no way right.

    • Corronchilejano
      Corronchilejano
      January 16, 2013 at 9:23 am | #

      September 17, 2010.

  6. Ancestral Hamster
    Ancestral Hamster
    January 16, 2013 at 12:09 am | #

    Apropos of nothing, but if Dina doesn’t have a set of these cookie cutters, she should.

    http://www.suck.uk.com/products/3d-dinosaur-cookie-cutters/

    • CanvasWolfDoll
      CanvasWolfDoll
      January 16, 2013 at 12:16 am | #

      apropos of that comment, if everybody ever don’t have a set of thos cookie cutters, they should.

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        January 16, 2013 at 12:23 am | #

        Why don’t I have dinosaur everything. Granted, my room is painted like a dinosaur, so I guess there’s that.

        • Roborat
          Roborat
          January 16, 2013 at 3:31 pm | #

          You should paint your room like the inside of a dinosaur, that would be mega awesome. Or gross, could go either way.

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      January 16, 2013 at 12:18 am | #

      I for one would be happy to sample Dina’s cookies. 😀

      • Roborat
        Roborat
        January 16, 2013 at 3:45 pm | #

        So to speak.

        • CWR
          CWR
          January 17, 2013 at 7:20 am | #

          Don’t speak with your mouth full.

  7. DiDi
    DiDi
    January 16, 2013 at 12:13 am | #

    Oh Joyce… you shouldn’t have helped them get back together then if this was gonna bother you.

    Perhaps you thought Dorothy would eventually dump Walky right after?

    • Tenn
      Tenn
      January 16, 2013 at 3:46 am | #

      Yeah, that was kind of the whole point of it. “He can’t dump you! Now get back together so you can dump him!”

  8. Sir Robin
    Sir Robin
    January 16, 2013 at 12:15 am | #

    Now I feel bad for Joyce

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      January 16, 2013 at 12:22 am | #

      I understand what Joyce’s been through safe for the dating a gay dude thing.

      • Josh
        Josh
        January 16, 2013 at 4:28 am | #

        To be fair, she still doesn’t know he’s gay.

  9. Aizat
    Aizat
    January 16, 2013 at 12:16 am | #

    For once I agreed with Walky: WHAT?

  10. Melvin Schlock
    Melvin Schlock
    January 16, 2013 at 12:25 am | #

    I don’t think those tits will be calm any time soon.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      January 16, 2013 at 12:31 am | #

      Their power will only continue to grow until they finally achieve maximum exceitedness.

      • CWR
        CWR
        January 17, 2013 at 7:27 am | #

        You’re theorizing that her rack is about to reach a quantum state? Schrodinger’s sweater puppies?

  11. Joel Rice
    Joel Rice
    January 16, 2013 at 12:36 am | #

    Ok, I admit it, I’m completely ignorant on the subject of human emotions so I have got to ask why does Joyce look sad?

    • SplashBoogie
      SplashBoogie
      January 16, 2013 at 12:50 am | #

      I’d wager it’s because she’s being left alone. I mean…who does Joyce really have? Billie’s got Ruth and Walky, Sarah is unpresent for right now, Dina seems to just blend in the background, Sal’s off with Jason “studying” and Walky’s being molded into proper boyfriend material.

      So Joyce just has Joyce.

      Least that’s my two cents.

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        January 16, 2013 at 12:59 am | #

        Soon after this moment, Joyce discovers shoujo anime and she was never quite the same again.

        • Roborat
          Roborat
          January 16, 2013 at 3:40 pm | #

          Yea, that can traumitize almost anyone.

    • Bergina
      Bergina
      January 16, 2013 at 1:03 am | #

      She’s sad cause Ethan has a bunch of shoes, therefore has banged a bunch of chicks.

      • David
        David M Willis
        January 16, 2013 at 1:22 am | #

        hahaha

        • diaivd
          diaivd
          January 16, 2013 at 2:34 am | #

          ahahah

          • a snow ʍousɐ
            a snow ʍousɐ
            December 25, 2015 at 12:01 am | #

            silliw m divad?

        • Joel Rice
          Joel Rice
          January 16, 2013 at 4:38 am | #

          Does the fact that your laughing at this mean its the correct interpretation?

      • Absolom
        Absolom
        January 17, 2013 at 2:01 am | #

        Joyce’s Internal Monologue: “I have all these shoes and nothing to show for it… *sigh* When you wish upon a starrrrr….”

      • newHelm
        newHelm
        January 17, 2013 at 4:03 am | #

        this is hilarious. even better, my bro lives with a friend who is gay. They both have a lot of shoes, one banged a lot of chicks the other banged a lot of dudes, both fashioneastas.

  12. Uniqueantique
    Uniqueantique
    January 16, 2013 at 12:37 am | #

    You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
    You can lead a Walky to store, but can you make him dress?

    • Freezze12
      Freezze12
      January 16, 2013 at 1:34 am | #

      No shirt, no shoes, no ARGH PUT SOME CLOTHES ON

  13. Pivitor
    Pivitor
    January 16, 2013 at 1:22 am | #

    I think Dorothy is lowballing Joe’s figures here.

    I’d be offended if I were you Joe

    • CWR
      CWR
      January 16, 2013 at 3:16 am | #

      Whereas previously she was lowballing Joe’s roommate.

  14. Steven
    Steven
    January 16, 2013 at 3:51 am | #

    Joyce is. . . Joyce needs to talk to someone. She’s definitely not in a good place right now:
    Her best friend is going out with someone she hates.
    She was raised in a protective environment, and then, within a few weeks of entering college, and is almost raped by her protective but anti social roommate, who is dealing with problems of her own.
    And she’s dating a guy who is gay, and while he hasn’t SAID they were in a relationship, has led her to believe it (through no malice, however).
    . . . She needs a chat with Mike. Mike seems to be using his jerkness for good in this universe.

    • Aslee
      Aslee
      January 16, 2013 at 3:55 am | #

      “and is almost raped by her protective but anti social roommate”

      I’m going to assume you meant ‘was almost raped but was saved by her protective…’ because otherwise you just said Sarah almost raped Joyce which is a very different recollection of events than I have.

    • james
      james
      January 16, 2013 at 4:19 am | #

      we need hystroical Jesus or Reagan.

      • Josh
        Josh
        January 16, 2013 at 4:30 am | #

        This sounds like a job for… MORMON JESUS!

  15. Dibullba
    Dibullba
    January 16, 2013 at 3:57 am | #

    Manliness? This calls for a song!!!!
    *ahem*

    Let’s get down to business!!!

    • Josh
      Josh
      January 16, 2013 at 4:09 am | #

      To defeat the Huns!

      • Dibullba
        Dibullba
        January 16, 2013 at 5:10 am | #

        Did they send me daughters!

        • Pagannerd
          Pagannerd
          January 16, 2013 at 5:38 am | #

          When I asked for sons!

        • mrelegos
          mrelegos
          January 16, 2013 at 5:51 am | #

          When I asked…for sons!

          • Josh
            Josh
            January 16, 2013 at 8:28 am | #

            You’re the saddest bunch I’ve ever met!

            • james
              james
              January 16, 2013 at 9:03 am | #

              Gohan, I make a man out of you!….

              ohhh we are not doing the TFS version?…my bad.

              • petsinwinter
                petsinwinter
                January 16, 2013 at 6:40 pm | #

                NERD!!!

              • Dibullba
                Dibullba
                January 17, 2013 at 6:13 am | #

                But you can bet before we’re through

            • Aizat
              Aizat
              January 16, 2013 at 11:57 am | #

              Mister, I’ll make a man out of you!

              • Regalli
                Regalli
                January 16, 2013 at 12:55 pm | #

                TRANQUIL AS A FOREST!

                • Linux
                  Linux
                  January 16, 2013 at 1:52 pm | #

                  But on fire within.

                • insomniac
                  insomniac
                  January 16, 2013 at 2:50 pm | #

                  Once you find your center

                • begbert2
                  begbert2
                  January 16, 2013 at 3:39 pm | #

                  You are sure to win!

                • DaJoshMaster
                  DaJoshMaster
                  January 16, 2013 at 3:59 pm | #

                  You’re a spineless, pale pathetic lot

                • Yotomoe
                  Yotomoe
                  January 16, 2013 at 7:28 pm | #

                  And you haven’t got a clue

                • Regalli
                  Regalli
                  January 16, 2013 at 10:16 pm | #

                  Somehow I’ll…

                • Yotomoe
                  Yotomoe
                  January 16, 2013 at 11:45 pm | #

                  Make a man…

                • Dibullba
                  Dibullba
                  January 17, 2013 at 1:38 am | #

                  OUT OF YOUUUUUU!!!!

                • newHelm
                  newHelm
                  January 17, 2013 at 4:08 am | #

                  my daughter was just watching that as i put her to sleep, thanks people, now it’s stuck in my head again.

                • Josh
                  Josh
                  January 17, 2013 at 4:24 am | #

                  I’m never gonna catch my breath,

                • Dibullba
                  Dibullba
                  January 17, 2013 at 6:11 am | #

                  Say goodbye to those who knew me

                • Josh
                  Josh
                  January 17, 2013 at 9:20 am | #

                  Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym

                • e.e.mc
                  e.e.mc
                  January 17, 2013 at 3:40 pm | #

                  this guy’s got us scared to death!

              • Aegon01
                Aegon01
                January 19, 2013 at 4:04 pm | #

                Hope he doesn’t see right through me

                • Josh
                  Josh
                  January 21, 2013 at 11:35 am | #

                  Now I really wish that I knew how to swim!

                • a snow ʍousɐ
                  a snow ʍousɐ
                  December 25, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

                  BEOWULF

  16. Josh
    Josh
    January 16, 2013 at 4:11 am | #

    Nope, turns out even Joyce’s sad face isn’t enough to make me sorry for her!

  17. GrrArg42
    GrrArg42
    January 16, 2013 at 4:17 am | #

    awwww Joyce needs a hug. I hug Joyce.

  18. T Campbell
    T Campbell
    January 16, 2013 at 4:56 am | #

    Seriously, Walky, you walked right into that one. “What does MIKE know about BEING A DICK?”

  19. The Puzzler
    The Puzzler
    January 16, 2013 at 5:29 am | #

    It just struck me. Last episode, Joe said that he owns six or seven shoes. This one, whatshername said that he’s had sex with at least one per pair.

    Logically, assuming it’s not a lot more due to the word ‘least’, then this means that Joe actually fails a lot at the whole doing the nasty with a number of people. Or prefers quality over quantity.

    • Raius
      Raius
      January 17, 2013 at 9:32 am | #

      I think assuming it’s a lot more because of the word “least” is exactly what we’re supposed to do.

  20. mrlshade
    mrlshade
    January 16, 2013 at 5:42 am | #

    It actually looks like Walky’s managed to outswowl his sister in panels 1 and 2! Next thing you know, he’ll be smoking and crawling out of windows….

    • Josh
      Josh
      January 16, 2013 at 8:29 am | #

      Jumping through windows*

  21. Tenn
    Tenn
    January 16, 2013 at 5:57 am | #

    There’s something wrong with Dorothy’s face in panel 2.

    There, fixed it.

    • Roborat
      Roborat
      January 16, 2013 at 3:35 pm | #

      No. Just, no.

      • Tenn
        Tenn
        January 17, 2013 at 3:08 am | #

        No love for trollface? Maybe I should’ve done Me gusta. 😛

  22. RealMonster
    RealMonster
    January 16, 2013 at 6:46 am | #

    I like this strip because Walky is unhappy.

  23. Bill Murphy
    Bill Murphy
    January 16, 2013 at 7:42 am | #

    So more shoes = more women.
    No wonder she’s pushing him to get a second pair. 😛

    • Josh
      Josh
      January 16, 2013 at 8:42 am | #

      I’m sure Joyce would lend them some. 😛

  24. Melizza
    Melizza
    January 16, 2013 at 9:12 am | #

    So Dorothy’s plan this whole time was to get Walky new clothes! Skank! She purposefully got his shoes lost so that she could get him to buy new clothing.

  25. Todd
    Todd
    January 16, 2013 at 10:00 am | #

    Dorothy is perpetuating the fallacy that manliness and banging a lot of people are connected. You can be manly while still choosing not to sleep around (or wanting to and failing). Or, like me, you can sleep with twice as many people as Joe and still be not-especially-manly.

  26. Maycroft
    Maycroft
    January 16, 2013 at 10:36 am | #

    Poor Joyce, looks like she needs a hug.

  27. zfshiruba
    zfshiruba
    January 16, 2013 at 12:51 pm | #

    Nice parallel, because over in the past of another universe, Joe is currently bongoing about manly shampoo. Obviously, that universe is pre-Axe.

  28. Bernard
    Bernard
    January 16, 2013 at 2:25 pm | #

    PUPPIES!

  29. Ray
    Ray
    January 16, 2013 at 2:34 pm | #

    On the on hand, Walky really does seem like a man-child that would be more at home in kindergarden than university. On the other hand, I agree with what Scott Adams wrote in the Dilbert Principle, which was more or less that engineer/nerd type people don’t really care what their clothes look like as long as the minimum requirement of no naughty bits hanging out is met. As long as Walky has enough sense to dress up a little at, say, weddings, funerals, and job interviews, he’s got every right to dress casually around campus.

  30. Roborat
    Roborat
    January 16, 2013 at 3:38 pm | #

    Love that smirk in Panel 2. And Joyce looks so sad, I actually feel sorry for her now. Or perhaps she is exerting too much pressure when “calming her tits” and it hurts?

    • begbert2
      begbert2
      January 16, 2013 at 3:46 pm | #

      Joyce is sad that Dorothy is happy. Specifically, happy with somebody else. She doesn’t get much sympathy from me.

      • ADHadh
        ADHadh
        January 16, 2013 at 4:11 pm | #

        Hey, other people being happy when you’re not is a good reason to be unhappy.

  31. Dr.Z
    Dr.Z
    January 16, 2013 at 4:54 pm | #

    It looks like Joyce has a sad. 🙁

    This gives me a sad. 🙁

    Have a sad with us. Pity party! :O

    • james
      james
      January 16, 2013 at 7:36 pm | #

      pity party leads to Pity orgy.

      • Scot
        Scot
        January 17, 2013 at 4:34 am | #

        how would THAT get organized?

        “Join our pity orgy! You’ll be sad you came!”

        • TheBenenator
          TheBenenator
          January 18, 2013 at 8:14 am | #

          “You’ll cry . . . from your genitals!”

  32. an ancient indian burial ground
    an ancient indian burial ground
    January 16, 2013 at 11:48 pm | #

    DAMMIT WALKY YOU ARE LEARNING LESSONS BUT YOU ARE LEARNING THEM WRONG

  33. Bill M.
    Bill M.
    January 17, 2013 at 12:55 pm | #

    I now am picturing Joe’s closets, and him having more shoes than Imelda Marcos had.

    • Bill M.
      Bill M.
      January 17, 2013 at 12:57 pm | #

      And now, I facepalm for missing yesterday’s comic.

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