Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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at this point in time, amber is probably (still) the only person in north america who owns that toy of tailgate
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July 11, 2026

Briefly

by David M Willis on April 28, 2014 at 12:01 am
  • 02 - I Was a Teenage Churchmouse

└ Tags: amber, dorothy, tailgate, transformers

Discussion (143) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Jen Aside
    Jen Aside
    April 28, 2014 at 12:01 am | #

    NOPE NO ONE ELSE HAS EXACTLY THE SAME TRANSFORMERS AS AMAZI-GIRL NOPE

    • David Herbert
      David Herbert
      April 28, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

      Damn, her poker face is too strong, how can I prove who she really is?

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        April 28, 2014 at 12:10 am | #

        I’d know that Amazi-rack anywhere!!!

        • Kaiden
          Kaiden
          April 28, 2014 at 12:15 am | #

          Don’t forget the Amazi-Hair.

          • ninja_jesus
            ninja_jesus
            April 28, 2014 at 12:36 am | #

            And dat Amazi-Booty.

            • JustCheetoDust
              JustCheetoDust
              April 28, 2014 at 12:50 am | #

              Indeed.

            • nothri
              nothri
              April 28, 2014 at 11:09 am | #

              And that Amazi-ass.

              What? She uses a mule to carry her equipment on the really serious missions. She can’t keep everything inside a pocket, you know.

              • killerbeareater
                killerbeareater
                May 5, 2014 at 1:49 am | #

                Tell that to batman.
                CURSE! i forgot he has a utility belt

    • GoldStarz
      GoldStarz
      April 28, 2014 at 12:29 am | #

      If this were a suspense-thriller thing, then this would be the part where Dorothy either gets murderer or where Amber gets all creepy. But since it’s not. we get Transformers throwing!

      • Unkind fish
        Unkind fish
        April 28, 2014 at 3:53 am | #

        Even better than murder.

    • Undrave
      Undrave
      April 28, 2014 at 3:10 am | #

      I’d have the same Transformers as Amazi-Girl if they would come out. WHERE’S MAH TAILGATE HASBRO?!!

      • David M Willis
        David M Willis
        April 28, 2014 at 3:23 am | #

        It’ll be a while before you have Crosscut.

    • Prior Semblance
      Prior Semblance
      April 28, 2014 at 3:22 am | #

      It might not prove anything but the less evidence the better

  2. EvilPenguin
    EvilPenguin
    April 28, 2014 at 12:01 am | #

    Dorothy was engineered to be manhandled by Walky.

    • Jay Eff
      Jay Eff
      April 28, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

      …..who is sorta like a five-year-old, himself.

      • Carlos
        Carlos
        April 28, 2014 at 5:57 am | #

        I now find myself disturbed…. Thanks Jay Eff, I’m gonna go be alone for a while now.

        • Andrusi
          Andrusi
          April 28, 2014 at 9:32 am | #

          Thoughts of Dorothy and Walky make us all want some alone time.

  3. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    April 28, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    Are we gonna call this Tailgate-Gate?

    • LiaHansen
      LiaHansen
      April 28, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

      Yes I believe we are.

  4. Hoboturtle
    Hoboturtle
    April 28, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    For a brief moment I misread the comic. I thought Dorothy was going to touch one of the Transformers and Amber threw it yelling “hit the deck!”

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      April 28, 2014 at 12:11 am | #

      And then it blows up like a grenade. Dorothy actually found Amazi-girl’s secret stash of weapons cleverly disguised as Children’s toys.

  5. newllend
    newllend
    April 28, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

    Way to act like you have nothing to hide amber, smooth.

  6. ridtom
    ridtom
    April 28, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

    Smooth Amber, now leap out the window while she’s distracted!

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      April 28, 2014 at 12:12 am | #

      Or when she’s not distracted. She won’t question you if she thinks you’re INSANE.

      • JustCheetoDust
        JustCheetoDust
        April 28, 2014 at 12:15 am | #

        It worked for Helga in The Oblongs.

  7. Wonder Wig
    Wonder Wig
    April 28, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

    Built for a five-year old, strong enough for an Amber.

  8. HMRC4EVR
    HMRC4EVR
    April 28, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

    Hey…she’s terrified of what might happened, but she’s still got it together enough to know that’s the one toy Dorothy does NOT need to see.

    • Kaiden
      Kaiden
      April 28, 2014 at 12:11 am | #

      What about the shoe and USB cable? Although, I guess the cable is pretty nondescript. Or… (gasp) the Amazi-Girl costume hanging in her closet?

  9. Rob S
    Rob S
    April 28, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    Is that Generations Doubledealer I see?

    • Rob S
      Rob S
      April 28, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

      Or is it Whirl? Hard to tell…

      • Rob S
        Rob S
        April 28, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

        … yeah, now that I really look at it, I think it’s Whirl.

    • Kamino Neko
      Kamino Neko
      April 28, 2014 at 12:43 am | #

      In his post of the comic on Tumblr, Willis points out that the selection of toys are the crew of the Lost Light, so definitely Whirl. Also, Skids, Swerve, Tailgate (duh), Cyclonus, and Ratchet (I THINK…he’s kind of a white and red blob at this resolution, but the details SEEM to be Ratchet’s).

      • David M Willis
        David M Willis
        April 28, 2014 at 12:47 am | #

        Crosscut.

        • Kamino Neko
          Kamino Neko
          April 28, 2014 at 12:55 am | #

          Darnit. Ah, well, at least my guess made sense.

  10. JustCheetoDust
    JustCheetoDust
    April 28, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    Andy Samberg approves.

  11. Kaiden
    Kaiden
    April 28, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

    Somewhere, in another universe, Ethan is having a heart attack.

    Oh, yeah, and Amber is dangerously close to a nervous breakdown, what with beating the shit outta her dad and trying not to get caught.

    • KingMabel
      KingMabel
      April 28, 2014 at 12:10 am | #

      “Feeling… disturbance….almost..as if…Transformer was…damaged in…some other dimension…

      • Kaiden
        Kaiden
        April 28, 2014 at 12:14 am | #

        “It’s as if a million transformers collectors suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.”

        • leftwingfox
          leftwingfox
          April 29, 2014 at 5:05 pm | #

          “It’s as if a million transformers collectors suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced won’t shut up already!”

  12. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    April 28, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

    Tailgate? I don’t even know anyone who owns a transformer.

    • newllend
      newllend
      April 28, 2014 at 12:31 am | #

      Willis probably has 30 in his room, 25 in his closet, And 200 in his basement. Which if he sold them he could make About $50,000, but not like he’s ever going to sell them.

      • David M Willis
        David M Willis
        April 28, 2014 at 12:32 am | #

        I have probably 800 in my basement.

        • newllend
          newllend
          April 28, 2014 at 12:39 am | #

          OK now I’m serious how many do you own I’m just curious?

          • David M Willis
            David M Willis
            April 28, 2014 at 12:42 am | #

            Probably 900-1000. I haven’t counted in a few years.

            • LWS
              LWS
              April 28, 2014 at 7:07 am | #

              Given the value, do you have them insured? I can just imagine the insurance agent’s face: “Hi, I’d like a quote on insuring 1,000 Transformers please.”

              • Ocbrad1
                Ocbrad1
                April 28, 2014 at 9:22 am | #

                Definitely a conversation to be recorded!

        • Bill
          Bill
          April 28, 2014 at 3:09 am | #

          Something like that would definitely be a dealbreaker on “Baggage”.

    • Jerden
      Jerden
      April 28, 2014 at 1:59 pm | #

      That’s because, apparently, Willis has them all.

    • OldFart
      OldFart
      April 28, 2014 at 3:32 pm | #

      Whew! Thought I was the only one, like maybe Transformer obsession was a requirement for readership. Thanks for setting me straight, Yotomoe.

  13. Henry
    Henry
    April 28, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

    So I’m sort of rooting for Dorothy to become the Lois Lane to Amber’s Amazigirl. Yes, like that. I ship it.

    • LiaHansen
      LiaHansen
      April 28, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

      Oooooooohohoho, I hadn’t even thought of it that way.

    • Historyman68
      Historyman68
      April 28, 2014 at 7:37 am | #

      Danny would be even more pissed.

    • JustCheetoDust
      JustCheetoDust
      April 28, 2014 at 11:21 am | #

      I never would have expected the Spanish Inquisition to be a fan of the Amber x Dorothy pairing.

      • Jerden
        Jerden
        April 28, 2014 at 1:57 pm | #

        No one expects…

        Sorry. I’ll show myself out.

        • xKiv
          xKiv
          April 28, 2014 at 8:54 pm | #

          That’s a highly dubious statement, considering the rate of birth in the world.

  14. Shanunu
    Shanunu
    April 28, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

    Hmm, is Amber nervous about being caught or is she reverting to shut in Amber?

    • Kaiden
      Kaiden
      April 28, 2014 at 12:12 am | #

      Both.

    • Sam
      Sam
      April 28, 2014 at 12:13 am | #

      Pretty sure she is nervous about Dorothy recognising that transformer and putting the dots together that she is Amazi-Girl, which is why she quickly found a reason to throw it far away from her.

    • insomniac
      insomniac
      April 28, 2014 at 12:29 am | #

      Keep in mind, we know Dorothy’s following up a vague lead about it being Amber’s dad who Amazi-Girl beat up.

      For all Amber knows, the jig is up and she’s already been found out.

      Which is a problem for someone who created the entire persona as a way to hide parts of herself, as well as being a source of perfectly rational fear of going to jail for assault and battery.

  15. MM
    MM
    April 28, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

    So…best-case scenario, Dorothy decides Amber is way too flaky to have engineered a beating and fled the scene?

  16. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    April 28, 2014 at 12:11 am | #

    If this story ends with Dorothy finding some evidence that Amazi-Girl lives here…and deciding it’s Dina, I’ll be SO happy.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      April 28, 2014 at 12:13 am | #

      Of course. It was right in front of my face. The Athletics. The full Figure. The hair and voice. It could ONLY be Dina.

      • Doctor_Who
        Doctor_Who
        April 28, 2014 at 12:14 am | #

        Well, you know how when Superman pretends to be Clark Kent he acts all timid and shy, so you’d never suspect him in a million years?

        Clever girl.

        • KingMabel
          KingMabel
          April 28, 2014 at 12:25 am | #

          And look at you! I’ve discovered your secret identity and you haven’t moved a muscle. As if you have no grasp on the concepts of surprise or fear.

      • newllend
        newllend
        April 28, 2014 at 12:25 am | #

        Of course! Who just stands in the same place all day it hast to be her!

        • Blue Dragon
          Blue Dragon
          April 28, 2014 at 6:21 am | #

          Once people get used to her standing in the same place all day, she cleverly replaces herself with a cardboard figure while she goes out to fight crime.

  17. LiamAldam
    LiamAldam
    April 28, 2014 at 12:12 am | #

    Hmm, Amber has a really powerful throwing arm for someone who plays on her computer all day.

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      April 28, 2014 at 1:50 am | #

      Rage-quitters are known for their throwing skills.

      • John
        John
        April 28, 2014 at 2:06 am | #

        Amber can play Mario Kart with gloves on while beating up purse-snatchers. I’m thinking she doesn’t have a need to rage-quit very often.

        • No Name
          No Name
          April 28, 2014 at 5:02 am | #

          But Dorothy doesn’t know that.

    • Prior Semblance
      Prior Semblance
      April 28, 2014 at 3:24 am | #

      Throwing a toy halfway across a tiny room = powerful throwing arm?

  18. otusasio451
    otusasio451
    April 28, 2014 at 12:12 am | #

    She’s losin’ it. SHE’S LOSIN’ IT!!

    • KingMabel
      KingMabel
      April 28, 2014 at 12:25 am | #

      Did she ever have it?

      • Some1udontknow
        Some1udontknow
        April 28, 2014 at 12:46 am | #

        Didnt she just have it in her hand?

    • maxyai
      maxyai
      April 28, 2014 at 3:22 pm | #

      abandon ship! Abandon ship! Jettison the lifeboat! Shutdown imminent!

  19. Maycroft
    Maycroft
    April 28, 2014 at 12:21 am | #

    Amber’s just reeeeally enthusiastic about transofrmers.

  20. Deathjavu
    Deathjavu
    April 28, 2014 at 12:23 am | #

    Oh man, Amber’s only going to get more jumpy when Dorothy starts asking her questions.

    I know I should feel bad because Amber’s obviously super stressed, but Dorothy is too nonthreatening and these antics are far too silly.

  21. GoogerGeiger
    GoogerGeiger
    April 28, 2014 at 12:26 am | #

    Amber really can’t catch a break, can she?

  22. timemonkey
    timemonkey
    April 28, 2014 at 12:27 am | #

    Amber’s already losing it and Dorothy hasn’t even mentioned Amazi-Girl or her dad yet.

    • Clif
      Clif
      April 28, 2014 at 2:13 pm | #

      Amber’s not loosing it. She’s taking a coolly rational action to remove a piece of relevant evidence.

  23. Jack Finch
    Jack Finch
    April 28, 2014 at 12:28 am | #

    OK. I’m missing what that transformer has to do with being identified as Amazi-Girl. (help me out here, it’s too late to scroll back through the comics)

    • KingMabel
      KingMabel
      April 28, 2014 at 12:31 am | #

      It’s not.

      It’s supposed to prove that she is nervous/guilty/sleep-deprived/crazy/a bit hungry

      • Clif
        Clif
        April 28, 2014 at 2:15 pm | #

        I’m not sure what comic you’re reading here.

    • No Name
      No Name
      April 28, 2014 at 12:33 am | #

      That particular Transformer is the one Amazi-Girl rescued back when Dorothy and Walky were chasing her. As the title text states, It’s probably still rare, if not unique, in this universe, and therefore a definite connection between the two identities.

      • tinfoil theory
        tinfoil theory
        April 28, 2014 at 4:10 am | #

        But Dotty doesn’t know that.
        (But Amber doesn’t know that Dotty doesn’t know.)

    • ninja_jesus
      ninja_jesus
      April 28, 2014 at 12:34 am | #

      This.

      • Rybridge
        Rybridge
        April 28, 2014 at 1:26 am | #

        Yeah, crazy as it seems, that was a strategic move on her part.

  24. Kernanator
    Kernanator
    April 28, 2014 at 12:43 am | #

    Amber is as smooth as sandpaper.

  25. Idon'tcarenomore
    Idon'tcarenomore
    April 28, 2014 at 12:57 am | #

    Amber is skating on thin ice, but still has enough presence of mind to get the transformer out of Dorothys line of sight.

    Someone asked what she has to worry about from Dorothy? Dorothy is a reporter, and one who is too close. Amber has a lot to fear from her snooping.

  26. Ridureyu
    Ridureyu
    April 28, 2014 at 12:59 am | #

    As Dorothy well knows, haphazardly throwing toys is a mating ritual.

    • JustCheetoDust
      JustCheetoDust
      April 28, 2014 at 1:08 am | #

      By that logic Amber is wooing the carpet floor.

    • John
      John
      April 28, 2014 at 1:31 am | #

      And Joyce totally wants Dorothy.

      • Heavensrun
        Heavensrun
        April 28, 2014 at 1:21 pm | #

        I ship it.

        • Jerden
          Jerden
          April 28, 2014 at 1:54 pm | #

          I think we already have.

  27. Ancestral Hamster
    Ancestral Hamster
    April 28, 2014 at 1:00 am | #

    Are Transformers really engineered for manhandling by five year-olds? My experience of toys is unless they were the old-style Tonka trucks made of steel, toys ain’t engineered to stand up to nothing.

    • JustCheetoDust
      JustCheetoDust
      April 28, 2014 at 1:12 am | #

      Perhaps you’ve exposed an elaborate ruse to get people to try it out of misguided curiosity, thus driving up the value of toys owned by those who know better?

      • Ancestral Hamster
        Ancestral Hamster
        April 28, 2014 at 4:05 am | #

        Could be. That reminds me of an acquaintance who would buy Star Wars figures and actually take them out of the blister! Other people were shocked and would advise him to keep them “Mint in box”. His response was, “You should thank me. I’m increasing the value of your collection.”

        I agree with him. Have not bought many action figures, but they are posed on my bookshelf, not MiB. And in theory my miniatures are meant as game pieces but in practice spend more time in storage than on the tabletop. Basically, I collect, but I want to play with my collection, not keep it pristine for posterity!

        • Bill
          Bill
          April 28, 2014 at 10:41 am | #

          I thought everybody had seen “Toy Story 2” and realized that toys were meant to be played with.

          • Ancestral Hamster
            Ancestral Hamster
            April 28, 2014 at 5:42 pm | #

            Some people treat toys as investments for the future. *Shrug* Doesn’t seem much fun to me.

        • JustCheetoDust
          JustCheetoDust
          April 28, 2014 at 11:09 am | #

          I have more stuff packaged rather than out in the open despite my preference for the latter, but that speaks more to my inherent laziness.

    • David M Willis
      David M Willis
      April 28, 2014 at 1:36 am | #

      If I recall, your experience is a few decades out of date!

      • Ancestral Hamster
        Ancestral Hamster
        April 28, 2014 at 3:56 am | #

        Yes, yes it is!

        • David M Willis
          David M Willis
          April 28, 2014 at 5:25 am | #

          Well, starting in the mid eighties, toys started being generally indestructible. Child safety laws are pretty damn strident.

          • Jerden
            Jerden
            April 28, 2014 at 1:51 pm | #

            From my childhood memories, they don’t make them durable enough.
            I mean, the rotors on toy aircraft should be able to withstand being dropped down stairs.
            And what’s up with Action Men breaking after being bashed against climbing frames and then left outside in the snow?
            And little plastic army men should be able to withstand the full weight of a human body!
            Okay, maybe me and my brothers were very destructive. In my experience, actual action figures can withstand everything short of an act of God, but the vehicles they come with are considerably less resilient.

            And Lego is, for all intents and purposes, completely indestructible outside of a lab.

            • John
              John
              April 28, 2014 at 3:13 pm | #

              I have a lot of broken Lego pieces. The weapon clips on probably half my saddles are broken. I’ve got quite a few broken minifig hip pegs (though I took those apart more than I think you’re intended to), hinges, and the like. A fair few of the long Technic beams with the holes in broke near the middle. I even managed to break a 4×12 plate in half once. A lot of clear 1×1 plates, especially the round ones, where the edges have broken off… the bases of clear antennae, too. The clear plastic was more brittle than the opaque. I think they’ve changed the plastic to something a little softer and more resilient now, though.

              • xKiv
                xKiv
                April 28, 2014 at 9:12 pm | #

                I think I have a lego figurine somewhere that is missing a leg (unintentionally).

          • Ancestral Hamster
            Ancestral Hamster
            April 28, 2014 at 5:40 pm | #

            Thanks for the answer.

            Re: Industructible. That’s good, both from a parental POV and a child’s view.

            Re: Lego. Lego is pretty durable overall, although some of my childhood Lego is broken. The fancier pieces John mentioned below seem like they might suffer under much handling, but those came after my childhood and so the ones I have were purchased as an adult.

  28. Bruticus1254
    Bruticus1254
    April 28, 2014 at 1:07 am | #

    am I the only one who noticed that her Transformers are the cast from IDW’s More than Meets the eye Comic?
    From left to right its Tailgate, Skids, Swerve, Cyclonus, Ratchet and finally Whirl :O

    • David M Willis
      David M Willis
      April 28, 2014 at 1:31 am | #

      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/02-i-was-a-teenage-churchmouse/briefly/#comment-220764

  29. JustCheetoDust
    JustCheetoDust
    April 28, 2014 at 1:12 am | #

    Perhaps you’ve exposed an elaborate ruse to get people to try it out of misguided curiosity, thus driving up the value of toys owned by those who know better?

    • JustCheetoDust
      JustCheetoDust
      April 28, 2014 at 1:13 am | #

      Damn, reply fail.

  30. Rybridge
    Rybridge
    April 28, 2014 at 1:22 am | #

    Dorothy should go into product testing.

  31. Nafanid
    Nafanid
    April 28, 2014 at 1:30 am | #

    The dino crossing sign in the last panel has me hoping that Dina will make an appearance soon. Than again, I’m always hoping Dina will make an appearance soon. I wonder if Dina were not so elusive would I love her just as much? The answer is yes. Most definitely.

  32. Zoop
    Zoop
    April 28, 2014 at 1:55 am | #

    Dorothy has actually met Amber twice–once with Danny and Joe, and then again when Amber discovered Ethan was dating Joyce and stormed up on their double date.

  33. Bill
    Bill
    April 28, 2014 at 3:05 am | #

    Is recognizing a specific Transformer as dorky a skill as my being able to recognize a specific make of bicycle at a distance by its color?

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      April 28, 2014 at 5:34 am | #

      While Dotty might not recognise Transformers by name, Dotty might be able to recall seeing a similar looking light blue and white figurine that Amazi-Girl was holding before.

  34. Megatron
    Megatron
    April 28, 2014 at 3:38 am | #

    That Autobot had it coming.

    • Cybersnark
      Cybersnark
      April 28, 2014 at 7:38 am | #

      Just a pity it couldn’t be Whirl.

  35. Thasvaddef
    Thasvaddef
    April 28, 2014 at 4:49 am | #

    Playin’ it cool.

  36. ZORK
    ZORK
    April 28, 2014 at 5:51 am | #

    Is Tailgate that rare, even in the US? I mean, I live in Germany, I’m used to to the fact that most Transformers toys won’t get released here, but North America?

    • No Name
      No Name
      April 28, 2014 at 6:20 am | #

      It wasn’t actually available when Amazi-Girl dropped it, but Willis thought it would be when he wrote about a month before. Apparently, it’s still not out. I wouldn’t know. I’m not a Transformers nerd.

  37. Carlos
    Carlos
    April 28, 2014 at 5:54 am | #

    Very smooth Amber. I’m sure chucking a transformer toy across the room, on the floor, and under your desk is very normal behavior. There’s NO way Dotty will find that AT ALL suspicious.

    • LimeTH
      LimeTH
      April 28, 2014 at 6:53 am | #

      Considering she met Walky when he threw a toy at her head, she might find it arousing!

  38. AgentKeen
    AgentKeen
    April 28, 2014 at 7:22 am | #

    “I TAKE CAR FROM YOU!”

  39. Keith the verbos and boring
    Keith the verbos and boring
    April 28, 2014 at 7:28 am | #

    I’m not a collector…honest. But, lucky her

  40. Kschenke
    Kschenke
    April 28, 2014 at 8:15 am | #

    This is how I imagine Clark Kent acting all the time.

  41. Pat Myers
    Pat Myers
    April 28, 2014 at 8:42 am | #

    I’ve been waiting for that little guy to come back.

  42. MrSirk
    MrSirk
    April 28, 2014 at 8:58 am | #

    Hey there trying to get along. This all might work out after all.

  43. Al Schroeder
    Al Schroeder
    April 28, 2014 at 9:22 am | #

    It would be funny —since, as remarked before, they are practically identical except for the hair color—if people started suspecting DOROTHY of being Amazi-Girl, on the theory that, like Clark Kent, she is reporting all of Amazi-Girl’s doings. Of course, Walky would know better, but people seeing how smitten he is with her would realize he’s hardly a disinterested source.

    • Deathjavu
      Deathjavu
      April 28, 2014 at 11:39 am | #

      Their body types are really nothing alike, the only real similarity is their face.

      Which is the least likely thing to trigger an association, what with Amazi-Girl not wearing glasses and having a mask.

      • John
        John
        April 28, 2014 at 12:10 pm | #

        Not even their faces. Willis has a handful of basic faces he uses, and Amber and Dorothy have different ones. Dorothy’s is a rounded oblong while Amber’s is heart-shaped. I mean, look at panel one of this strip.

        Their biggest similarity is that their hairstyles have roughly the same silhouette. And they wear glasses. (Which Amazi-Girl doesn’t. And she changes her hair, too.)

        Willis seems to be drawing them more differently now than back in the beginning of the strip (some of which I think is just part of a general trend towards more realistic head/body proportions, which makes the difference in builds more obvious), but even back in that strip where Joe lampshaded the “clone” thing, the main reason they look so alike is just that they’re in the same pose.

    • Kamino Neko
      Kamino Neko
      April 28, 2014 at 11:55 am | #

      I thought the fact that Lois was the one who wrote most of the stories on Superman was pretty well known…it made it into the Reeve movies and all…

      A lot of the time Clark actually refuses to report on Superman – sometimes because it feels weird and dishonest to report on himself, sometimes because he feels there’s more important things to report on. And when he’s not being too Boy Scouty to report on himself, Lois regularly beats him to it honestly, or is actively assigned the story by Perry.

  44. OmegaDez
    OmegaDez
    April 28, 2014 at 12:49 pm | #

    I’m always super happy to see Amber and Dorothy in the same panel. =D

  45. Jerden
    Jerden
    April 28, 2014 at 1:43 pm | #

    Panel 2 is why nobody suspects her of being Amazi-girl (in universe).
    She just looks so vulnerable. There’s no way she could beat anyone up!

    As she said, I think that wearing the mask helps.

  46. Charles Phipps
    Charles Phipps
    April 28, 2014 at 2:44 pm | #

    This should end up with Dorothy unconscious due to getting clubbed with a laptop from behind.

  47. SilverArrowArtemis
    SilverArrowArtemis
    April 28, 2014 at 2:52 pm | #

    You found Sanity!
    Who does this belong to?

    • StClair
      StClair
      April 28, 2014 at 6:01 pm | #

      Nobody here, that’s for sure.

  48. Pickle
    Pickle
    April 28, 2014 at 3:07 pm | #

    For some reason, people always seem compelled to throw toys whenever they meet Dorothy for the first time. Compare when Walky first met her: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2010/comic/book-1/02-uphill-from-here/throw/

    • John
      John
      April 28, 2014 at 3:21 pm | #

      It’s the accepted method of showing romantic interest in the Dumbiverse. Joyce also threw a toy at Dorothy’s head.

      Ruth’s main problem is that she got flustered and threw Billie instead of throwing something at Billie.

      • xKiv
        xKiv
        April 28, 2014 at 9:21 pm | #

        She also threw *up at* her, which is probably not any better.

  49. Charles Phipps
    Charles Phipps
    April 28, 2014 at 4:04 pm | #

    Will Amber call Ethan to dispose of Dorothy’s (still-living) body? Because, I think I’ve seen this movie before.

  50. showler
    showler
    April 28, 2014 at 7:43 pm | #

    Will we see the ultimate Danning it Up?

    Dan comes to see Amber and yells at Dorothy “I told you to leave her alone.”

  51. man in black
    man in black
    April 28, 2014 at 8:58 pm | #

    She’s not nervous at all

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CONVENTION APPEARANCES


September 13/14, 2025 - Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland

David M Willis! avatar
David M Willis!
@damnyouwillis.bsky.social
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 6h
Dumbing of Age: "Stop" www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/b... #webcomics #webcomic
www.dumbingofage.com
Stop
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 10h
Hair's getting grayer
I'm looking up
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Kory Bing🔜SDCC 1229 @korybing.bsky.social ⋅ 11h
My family legacy: my grandmother drew the Kenny Loggins Jesus
An illustration of white jesus looking a lot like Kenny Loggins. It’s. Worksheet with typed questions and written answers:
- Who is this man? “Kenny Loggins”
- How does his death help us? “No more bad songs.”
- Why is it important that we remember him? “Highway to the Danger Zone was ok.”
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Karla Pacheco! @thekarlapacheco.bsky.social ⋅ 3d
How I Loss My Wife 




(pictures of the CEO who got caught cheating at the Coldplay concert, in the timeless format of
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 11h
IS THIS POKÉMON JESUS
8
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 16h
you know you're old when you get excited it's started to rain because it means you can go outside and weed without bees
3
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Cohen is a Ghost @skullmandible.bsky.social ⋅ 17h
this guy's got the juice man
zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's user avatarZohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social ⋅ 20h
Good morning! I'm in Uganda to visit family and friends. But depending on your perspective, don't worry or I'm sorry: I'll be back by the end of the month. See you soon, NYC.
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Alex Zandra @zandravandra.com ⋅ 1d
DEFEAT ALFRED E. NEU MAN
getequipped.bsky.social's user avatarGet Equipped With @getequipped.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
get equipped with no worry
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
Dumbing of Age: "Asma" www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/b... #webcomics #webcomic
www.dumbingofage.com
Asma
1
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Luke! @koltreg.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
A great episode that also just had to be like "Okay, for this one specific criminal, Metropolis has the death penalty so he can't reveal Superman's secret identity."
nemalki.bsky.social's user avatarJeff Harris @nemalki.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
"The Late Mr. Kent" is damn good television. Probably one of the best-written episodes of television written in the 1990s. Not just animation. Television period.
2
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
hey youtube, i'm not sure the short circuit 2 score by charles fox belongs in this "Music of Asia" algorithm
5
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Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
looking at the 30+ democracies that have successfully prosecuted heads of state for violating their constitutions over the past 15 years
imgflip.com
DOZENS OF OTHER
-DEMOCRACIES OUSTING AND ARRESTING
LEADERS WHO ATTEMPT COUPS
implausibleblog.bsky.social's user avatarFarrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Brazilian president to the American people, "If Trump was Brazilian and did what he did at the Capitol, he'd be on trial in Brazil"
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
(august 29, 2025)
Raidah approaches the Read Hall center desk while Asma sits there at a laptop.
3
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
some adult in pokemon: it's weird, nobody's ever seen a pokemon egg before! for thousands of years, no pokemon eggs have ever been discovered by humans! ash: well let's go find one! *fifteen minutes later* ash: oh hey
3
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Always up for a bonus taking-a-shit face
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Raidah!
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Paul Tobin @paultobin.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Still researching old sleaze paperbacks and legitimately wondering if the book designer asked the author or editor what should be the tagline at the top and they mumbled out the above tagline and the book designer just...wrote it down.
34
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Cochu @cochu.bsky.social ⋅ 4d
Amen break whenever Mario vibrates extremely rapidly while emitting a barrage of "ha", "hoo", and "hmm" soundbites
mariobrothblog.bsky.social's user avatarSupper Mario Broth @mariobrothblog.bsky.social ⋅ 5d
In Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, crouch-walking against a switch will make Mario vibrate extremely rapidly while emitting a barrage of "ha", "hoo", and "hmm" soundbites.
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Haus of Decline @hausofdecline.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Alex says
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UNIT DLX @unitdlx.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Terrible news! The back of box render for the Classified Series Legacy Firefighter seems to imply Shipwreck's house caught on fire.
The back of box render for the GI Joe Classified Series Legacy Collection Firefighter. A firefighter in the foreground poses dramatically with the jaws of life. Another firefighter in the background sprays a wrecked car with foam. A third firefighter even further back escorts a man away from a burning house.
A firefighter escorting a man wrapped in a fire blanket away from a burning house. The man bears a strong resemblance to the GI Joe Classified Shipwreck figyre.
3
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
"explore the unknown"? mary, it's new york city, this is at least your third time here, and the last time you were here you got mad at your taxi driver for using a gps
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
one of the kids yelled at the other to "drink my BUTT" and i've just picked up a new invective
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
D8
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Qasim Rashid, Esq. @qasimrashid.com ⋅ 2d
Dem Party: We are spending $20M to figure out how to talk to male voters. Mamdani: Save your money. I have +45 favorability with male voters & +73 with men under 45. Endorse me. Dem Party: No way dude. Now—why is our favorability is -54? Let's spend $20M on wealthy consultants to figure it out!
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Chris @ary.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
old man yaoi
Lumiere and Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Dumbing of Age: "Supplier" www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/b... #webcomics #webcomic
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
toxic yuri
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Asma!
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
not sure that beats "for sale: baby shoes, never worn"
5
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Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬 @daveyfwright.bsky.social ⋅ 3d
"i asked grok" "i asked chatgpt" yeah well i asked carl sagan and he said the greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge 🧪
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