Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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i guess it's a good sign that whenever you write a character they become your favorite
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May 8, 2026

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by David M Willis on March 26, 2014 at 12:01 am
  • 02 - I Was a Teenage Churchmouse
└ Tags: amber, ruth

Discussion (176) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. NCP19
    NCP19
    March 26, 2014 at 12:01 am | #

    The highest of fives?

    • Wonder Wig
      Wonder Wig
      March 26, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

      The cheesiest of fives.

    • Cheryl
      Cheryl
      March 26, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

      OMG I LOVE YOU!!

      • Doctor_Who
        Doctor_Who
        March 26, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

        Shouldn’t you have changed your name to Shirleen and added poofy hair to your avatar by now?

        • Mr. Random
          Mr. Random
          March 26, 2014 at 3:25 am | #

          Carol changed into Shirleen.

          • DRen
            DRen
            March 26, 2014 at 3:57 am | #
        • Felix
          Felix
          March 26, 2014 at 3:17 pm | #

          …and stop calling me Shirly!

    • cybik
      cybik
      March 26, 2014 at 8:58 am | #

      B* please.

      Higher than the highest of fives.

      • N0083rP00F
        N0083rP00F
        March 27, 2014 at 8:29 am | #

        I would hasve thought Hi C – Grape or Orange though?

        • Jeff K!
          Jeff K!
          March 27, 2014 at 5:24 pm | #

          Ecto Cooler.

  2. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    March 26, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    Neither is sexy makeouts…stupid outdated manual.

    • KingMabel
      KingMabel
      March 26, 2014 at 12:11 am | #

      I’ve heard that next year’s manual will include training for sexy makeouts.

    • newllend
      newllend
      March 26, 2014 at 12:18 am | #

      I will help you fund a sexy makeout manual , but no promises I’m broke as shit.

      • Badeyes
        Badeyes
        March 26, 2014 at 12:40 am | #

        And thus the donation can was passed around, gaining much coinage.
        Strangely there wasn’t a nickel to be found though…

        • Opus the Poet
          Opus the Poet
          March 26, 2014 at 1:33 am | #

          Mike has all the nickles.

          • Tenn
            Tenn
            March 26, 2014 at 10:13 am | #

            Not all. Various mothers have some too.

            • No
              No
              March 26, 2014 at 7:15 pm | #

              Not for long…

      • ocbrad1
        ocbrad1
        March 26, 2014 at 9:29 am | #

        I hear there’s a couple of useful manuals over at Slipshine…

      • Porglezomp
        Porglezomp
        March 26, 2014 at 7:54 pm | #

        But are you going to get bought out by facebook? I don’t know if I want to fund your manual if you’re gonna get bought by facebook.

  3. EvergreenFir
    EvergreenFir
    March 26, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    Ruth is your favorite Willis? Mine too!

    • Jay Eff
      Jay Eff
      March 26, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

      Ruth is my favorite Willis, too!
      Which Willis is your favorite, everyone??

      *ducks*

      • Jen Aside
        Jen Aside
        March 26, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

        What Willis choo talkin bout?

      • CanvasWolfDoll
        CanvasWolfDoll
        March 26, 2014 at 12:40 am | #

        ItsWalky!era willis. dunno, the character just seemed more fun-loving then.

    • Van Dyne
      Van Dyne
      March 26, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

      huh, David is my favorite Willis.

      • Doctor_Who
        Doctor_Who
        March 26, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

        He’s my third, after Bruce and WhatChuTalkinBout.

        • MM
          MM
          March 26, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

          Mr. Cartoonist Willis, sir, if you turn this into an official poll, I promise I will vote for you.

          • Ess
            Ess
            March 26, 2014 at 3:48 pm | #

            I’m partial to Damnyou Willis, myself.

          • Porglezomp
            Porglezomp
            March 26, 2014 at 7:53 pm | #

            Seconded

    • Jen Aside
      Jen Aside
      March 26, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

      says “whenever” so it must change based on who he’s writing for?

    • someguywithakatana
      someguywithakatana
      March 26, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

      Bruce is my favorite Willis. Although Chuck is a close second.

      • someguywithakatana
        someguywithakatana
        March 26, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

        that moment you post a joke and realize you’re entirely unoriginal and nothing you say is funny and nobody loves you and the room is full of spiders and they’re burrowing into my eyes Jesus Christ help

        • Deathjavu
          Deathjavu
          March 26, 2014 at 12:27 am | #

          Maybe lay off the acid? I’m not a doctor, but it seems like it might help your situation.

          Cutting out meth could help too. Again, no expert.

          • Badeyes
            Badeyes
            March 26, 2014 at 12:42 am | #

            Until he brought up spiders just figured it was due to the Mary avatar.

  4. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    March 26, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    Do a high-five hug! That way you cover all bases, save liability insurance.

    • Paidraig
      Paidraig
      March 26, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

      That sounds like a recipe for a concussion. Ruth’s repertoire grows ever deadlier.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      March 26, 2014 at 12:23 am | #

      Just do the black guy handshake! It covers all the bases.

      • Drunken Nordmann
        Drunken Nordmann
        March 26, 2014 at 2:14 am | #

        How does it go?

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          March 26, 2014 at 3:21 am | #

          First you hold your hand out and give your companion a psuedo waist high high-five (mid-five?)
          Afterwards you grab each other’s hands and interlock fingers into a tight grip.
          Finally you pull towards one another and using your free arm rap it around your companion. You may pat their back if your bond is particularly strong.

          • Drunken Nordmann
            Drunken Nordmann
            March 26, 2014 at 4:41 am | #

            Some parts of it remind me of the handshake we used in my youth.

          • Geo
            Geo
            March 26, 2014 at 6:19 pm | #

            We call that “the man hug.”

  5. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    March 26, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    “Sympathy via light physical contact? I’ve got a source for that, actually.”

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      March 26, 2014 at 12:23 am | #

      “I used to have one of those…but she is a lying drunk”.

      • Kaiden
        Kaiden
        March 26, 2014 at 12:34 am | #

        “Well you can share mine if you want. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know what alcohol is.”

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          March 26, 2014 at 12:39 am | #

          OR MAYBE SHE’S SO WASTED SHE FORGOT HOW TO BE A HUMAN.

          • Doctor_Who
            Doctor_Who
            March 26, 2014 at 12:53 am | #

            It’s hard to imagine drunk Dina. Maybe her personality reverses like Mike.

            So she’d be an extroverted creationist. Basically Joyce, then.

            • BlackIo
              BlackIo
              March 26, 2014 at 9:49 am | #

              Well, she did get drunk enough in the Walkyverse to end up sleeping with Mike.

              • begbert2
                begbert2
                March 26, 2014 at 10:32 am | #

                I’m not sure she was the one who was drunk. Now hush before Willis swoops down and crushes us both, leaving only fire and ruin in his wake.

                • Gigafreak
                  Gigafreak
                  March 26, 2014 at 11:17 am | #

                  http://www.itswalky.com/d/20030531.html

                  It’s not explicit that Dina has already drank from the bottle, though it is heavily implied.

                • nothri
                  nothri
                  March 26, 2014 at 9:18 pm | #

                  So…a typical Friday night, then?

  6. Raine
    Raine
    March 26, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    High fiving is a sacred art. It took my sensei decades to perfect it.

  7. Dorsilus
    Dorsilus
    March 26, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    I’ve actually been really eager to see if Ruth would ever go talk to Amber. I’m excited it’s happening, and once again I find myself way too invested in this comic. Damn you, Willis!

  8. Poklonskaya
    Poklonskaya
    March 26, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    Enough of this “who beat up who?” stuff, author! We need to find out who this vigilante is!

  9. Kernanator
    Kernanator
    March 26, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    I’d suggest both, but that would probably be awkward and uncomfortable to pull off.

    • andmangrewproud
      andmangrewproud
      March 26, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

      Christian side hug plus arching high five. Next.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      March 26, 2014 at 12:24 am | #

      Clearly you’ve never done the black guy handshake!

    • Jen Aside
      Jen Aside
      March 26, 2014 at 12:42 am | #

      The bro hug?

  10. Mr. Random
    Mr. Random
    March 26, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    This. Is. Interesting. For a second I thought she was saying she knew it was her. I’m slightly disappointed.

    • Jay Eff
      Jay Eff
      March 26, 2014 at 12:10 am | #

      Hey I thought that, too!
      It was beginning to look like Ruth was going all Maxine Gibson on us..

  11. Triniking
    Triniking
    March 26, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    Not sure if it’s a bad sign that I breathed a sigh of relief that Blaine ain’t dead.

    • Triniking
      Triniking
      March 26, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

      And Ruth was kinda close to doing a Gendou Ikari pose in the last panel.

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      March 26, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

      That would be because you don’t want Amber to be a killer, especially a patricidal killer. Silly spell check, patricide and variants thereof are perfectly valid words, like suicidal.

  12. Super Duper
    Super Duper
    March 26, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

    Guys:
    What if Amber accidentally kills her own father, and has to live with the consequences? And she feels bad and stuff.

    • Sock
      Sock
      March 26, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

      She’d be like batman!

      Only darker!

    • Soulend
      Soulend
      March 26, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

      Girls : Why are you not affected by this?

      Then she’ll give her Amazi-girl costume to Dina, and make a super-villain’s one for her new career

      • tinfoil theory
        tinfoil theory
        March 26, 2014 at 3:28 am | #

        Aren’t all vigilantes villains by definition anyway?

        • Opus the Poet
          Opus the Poet
          March 26, 2014 at 10:26 am | #

          Just like the difference between a freedom fighter and a terrorist.

    • newllend
      newllend
      March 26, 2014 at 12:14 am | #

      That might send her over the edge she’s already wondering if she’s a bad person that would just convince her.

  13. Plasma Mongoose
    Plasma Mongoose
    March 26, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

    Are hugs part of your training Ruth?

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      March 26, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

      The dialog would say so. Maybe not a practiced part but a part none the less. I did like the high five suggestion for Blaine being in the hospital.

    • Triniking
      Triniking
      March 26, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

      How else is she gonna squeeze the angst out of her charges?

      • Doctor_Who
        Doctor_Who
        March 26, 2014 at 12:13 am | #

        “BE HEALED!” ~Hug

        …I can actually totally see Joyce doing that.

        • petsinwinter
          petsinwinter
          March 27, 2014 at 12:30 am | #

          That’s how Butters does it, basically.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      March 26, 2014 at 12:27 am | #

      I don’t know how she passed her training then.

      • begbert2
        begbert2
        March 26, 2014 at 10:36 am | #

        “Okay, good, good -let’s see how you did. Oh. Well, you only broke *one* rib this time; that’s a big improvement! I have a feeling it’s only going to take one or two more tries for you to pass! Okay, bring in the next volunteer!”

      • John
        John
        March 26, 2014 at 9:40 pm | #

        “Thank you for your, ah… assistance with the trust falls, Ms. Lessick. Now we’re going to be practicing ‘showing sympathy through light physical contact’. Everyone turn to your training partner and give them a caring, reassuring hug.”

        *Ruth slams her partner against a wall and kisses her*

        “… Oh, what the hell, good enough. We haven’t got all day here. But you might try using a little less tongue next time, Ms. Lessick. Now, moving on to ‘establishing yourself as a kind and caring leader’…”

    • Drakkin the Alien
      Drakkin the Alien
      March 26, 2014 at 1:31 am | #

      would they hug and share feelings?

  14. Sensedog
    Sensedog
    March 26, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

    “Blaine wasn’t attacked. He simply fell on his keys…”

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      March 26, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

      You don’t often see too many fist-shaped keys these days.

    • MM
      MM
      March 26, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

      He ran into my fist. He ran into my fist ten times.

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        March 26, 2014 at 12:24 am | #

        He had it coming.

        • Batman
          Batman
          March 26, 2014 at 12:29 am | #

          He only had himself to blame.

          • Charlie Spencer
            Charlie Spencer
            March 26, 2014 at 8:57 am | #

            If you’d been there, you’da done the same.

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        March 26, 2014 at 12:25 am | #

        …and that’s terrible. =3

        • Jay Eff
          Jay Eff
          March 26, 2014 at 12:37 am | #

          Did you hear? A huge whale just took Amazi-Girl’s shoes!

      • Cholma
        Cholma
        March 26, 2014 at 12:30 am | #

        “He had it coming, he had it coming
        He only had himself to blame
        If you’d have been there, if you’d have seen it
        I betcha you would have done the same”

      • TPman
        TPman
        March 26, 2014 at 12:42 am | #

        The first time I was just doing some stretches when he ran at me from my blind spot.I couldn’t see him ‘kay?
        Then when he got up, I guess he thought I punched him so he ran at me again. I just kind of held my fist out in front of me- unmoving, just holding it there, you know, to keep some distance between me and him. Then he runs into it again. Like 7 or 8 times again.
        Then the cops show up and somehow it’s my fault.

        • TPman
          TPman
          March 26, 2014 at 12:42 am | #

          And officer Mick’s kind of a clutz, right? So he drops his gun and I pick it up for him, but being the butterfingers I am…

        • Bill
          Bill
          March 26, 2014 at 2:29 am | #

          Mit kersek, en itt?
          Azt mondjok, hogy a hires Lakem lefogta a ferjemet en meg lecsaptam a fejet.
          De nem igaz, en artatlan vagyok.
          Nem tudom mert mondja Uncle Sam hogy en tettem.
          Probaltam a rendorsegen megmayarazni de nem ertettek meg.
          De csináltam?
          Huh-uh! “NOT GUILTY”

    • The Meek Ninja
      The Meek Ninja
      March 26, 2014 at 12:17 am | #

      I thought he fell down a flight of punches.

      • newllend
        newllend
        March 26, 2014 at 1:06 am | #

        No it was more like a flight of…fists

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      March 26, 2014 at 12:29 am | #

      He mistakenly opened up a can of whoopass.

      • newllend
        newllend
        March 26, 2014 at 1:02 am | #

        Haha best one yet

        • Drunken Nordmann
          Drunken Nordmann
          March 26, 2014 at 4:43 am | #

          I bet it exploded in his face.

          • Zephyr, God of the West Wind
            Zephyr, God of the West Wind
            March 26, 2014 at 6:56 pm | #

            FAAAAAAAACE

    • Heavensrun
      Heavensrun
      March 26, 2014 at 8:49 pm | #

      He fell down an elevator shaft.

      …onto some bullets.

  15. David Herbert
    David Herbert
    March 26, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    It’s been switched out for a fist-bump.

    • John
      John
      March 26, 2014 at 3:06 am | #

      I’m pretty sure only terrarists do that.

      • Gamaran Sepudomyn
        Gamaran Sepudomyn
        March 26, 2014 at 6:02 pm | #

        Those iguanas sure are vicious.

  16. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    March 26, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    To visit or not to visit? That’s a tricky question.

  17. Darwin
    Darwin
    March 26, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    Ruth using the tiny amount of empathy in her toolbox. I find this character growth and salute it.

  18. Cheryl
    Cheryl
    March 26, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    the highest of fives!

    • KingMabel
      KingMabel
      March 26, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

      Don’t tempt her, getting high is a gateway drug.

      Thats why i stopped buying markers.

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        March 26, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

        Especially the gold and silver markers.

        • KingMabel
          KingMabel
          March 26, 2014 at 12:13 am | #

          Oh don’t get me started. It took me months to work my way down to one green marker a day. Happy to say I’ve been marker free for 3 months.

          • Badeyes
            Badeyes
            March 26, 2014 at 12:48 am | #

            Sooo, Sharpie, MarksALot, or Sanford King Size?

            • Opus the Poet
              Opus the Poet
              March 26, 2014 at 1:37 am | #

              Crayola dry-erase… The colors…

  19. Pteropine
    Pteropine
    March 26, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

    It’s okay, Ruth, you’ve done plenty of things that aren’t in your training.

  20. nothri
    nothri
    March 26, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

    I can think of literally no two characters in this whole goddamn comic more in need of a hug than these two. So kill two birds with one stone over here!

    • moby
      moby
      March 26, 2014 at 7:27 am | #

      Stepping stone towards a great friendship between two broken people working together to heal…if only they would open up to each other… [seperate spotlights on each of them, to emphasize loneliness, as rest of stage is covered in darkness] [sad and sentimental music plays]

      Dumbing of Age stage musical production, apparently??

      • Tainnryst
        Tainnryst
        March 26, 2014 at 8:49 am | #

        And then, all of a sudden, I started picturing a musical DoA, with Amber as the main character. And it was all about how she became Amazi-Girl and – where the heck are we gonna find an actor/singer who can also do the over-the-top battle-dance moves…?

        • begbert2
          begbert2
          March 26, 2014 at 10:40 am | #

          I wonder if Chloë Grace Moretz can sing…

  21. newllend
    newllend
    March 26, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

    I think this is harder for Ruth than it is for Amber, and HO NO, someone attacked Ambers dad!? This is something Amber didn’t know and is not in anyway involved in said attack.

    • TPman
      TPman
      March 26, 2014 at 12:45 am | #

      How much do you think Ruth knows? I think she suspects that Amber was involved somehow.

      • tinfoil theory
        tinfoil theory
        March 26, 2014 at 3:32 am | #

        Ruth is here to apply for the position of sidekick.

  22. xain
    xain
    March 26, 2014 at 12:10 am | #

    Blaine is in the hospital ….HIGH FIVES FOR EVERYONE!

  23. Dierna
    Dierna
    March 26, 2014 at 12:17 am | #

    So all he got was some cracked ribs? Meh…

    • Charlie Spencer
      Charlie Spencer
      March 26, 2014 at 8:57 am | #

      She should visit him. Apparently she missed a few.

      • Jen Aside
        Jen Aside
        March 26, 2014 at 2:15 pm | #

        ^ haha this

  24. newllend
    newllend
    March 26, 2014 at 12:21 am | #

    You know what would be Ironic? Danny get blaimed for the attack.

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      March 26, 2014 at 12:26 am | #

      It’s not like there’s anything to link anyone to Danny. He certainly didn’t leave behind any evidence or anything that could be used to identify him.

      • newllend
        newllend
        March 26, 2014 at 12:45 am | #

        Except hanging out with him the entire day then leaving with out a trace rite after he got beat up. That kind of makes him the prime suspect dude.

        • tinfoil theory
          tinfoil theory
          March 26, 2014 at 3:34 am | #

          Certainly a person of interest, if only as a witness.

      • RK
        RK
        March 26, 2014 at 12:46 am | #

        Except a big ol’ wad of his DNA he so kindly gobbed onto the “victim” in question.

        • The Weirdo
          The Weirdo
          March 26, 2014 at 1:47 am | #

          You mean the saliva that likely got washed away in the rain and was never even noticed by Blaine because he was already unconscious?

          Yes, those crafty forensic scientists sure are something.

          In all seriousness, an actual DNA test for an attacker’s identity is worthless unless the perpetrator is already in their database. Nevermind the fact it takes from several weeks to several months to correctly process a DNA sample. As a matter of fact, because of these drawbacks, DNA tracing is rarely used in the actual process of finding the perp, despite what CSI would have you believe. It’s more commonly used to corroborate his identity so that the trial may go along more smoothly. The actual investigation has to be done through old-fashioned footwork.

          TL;DR: That big ol’ wad is useless unless Danny is a registered criminal.

          • tinfoil theory
            tinfoil theory
            March 26, 2014 at 3:39 am | #

            It doesn’t take that long to process DNA anymore.

            Either way, DNA tests don’t identify a person uniquely. (Just think of identlical twins, for example, but it’s actually even less precise.) DNA evidence can only be used to exclude suspects.

      • Rutee
        Rutee
        March 26, 2014 at 12:56 am | #

        Danny’s white, so nobody’s going to assume he beat Blaine senseless just because Blaine says so. People will actually look at which one is bigger, and listen to Danny when he says “nope”.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      March 26, 2014 at 12:35 am | #

      Everything is Danny’s fault.
      Actually if you think about it…in this case that’s not really wrong.

      • begbert2
        begbert2
        March 26, 2014 at 10:42 am | #

        You’re right; Blaine was truly an innocent victim.

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          March 26, 2014 at 3:33 pm | #

          That’s not what I was saying at all, begbert.

    • Drunken Nordmann
      Drunken Nordmann
      March 26, 2014 at 2:17 am | #

      Who in their right mind would believe that Danny could beat anyone up? I mean, he just looks – soft.

      • blah
        blah
        March 26, 2014 at 9:18 pm | #

        Well, same applies for amber, so..

  25. Deathjavu
    Deathjavu
    March 26, 2014 at 12:28 am | #

    Confused, outside-her-comfort-zone Ruth is pretty great. More interesting than alpha-bongo Ruth and less annoying than mopey emo-Ruth. Character development!

  26. TPman
    TPman
    March 26, 2014 at 12:44 am | #

    So your dad got beat up, high five?

    • Badeyes
      Badeyes
      March 26, 2014 at 12:51 am | #

      More like-
      So your abusive sociopath asshole sperm donor got beat up, HIGH FIVE!!!

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        March 26, 2014 at 12:57 am | #

        We have proof he was also a Chauffeur at least once.

        • Jen Aside
          Jen Aside
          March 26, 2014 at 2:14 pm | #

          Unwillingly, though, like “I expect to be paid for this service” kinda chauffeur.

  27. coolhandluke
    coolhandluke
    March 26, 2014 at 12:51 am | #

    I feel like we are gonna find out about Ruth’s dad soon as she seems to also have father issues. This should be interesting/heartwrenching.

    • David M Willis
      David M Willis
      March 26, 2014 at 12:56 am | #

      It’s a very short story.

      • Deathjavu
        Deathjavu
        March 26, 2014 at 1:36 am | #

        It’s quite impactful. You might want to sit down first. Yeah, in this car seat. It’s…comfy.

      • Animal
        Animal
        March 26, 2014 at 7:28 am | #

        He’s a midget.

    • newllend
      newllend
      March 26, 2014 at 1:00 am | #

      But Ruth already said that….you know what if you do know I’m not going to spoil it for you.

      • coolhandluke
        coolhandluke
        March 26, 2014 at 1:40 am | #

        did she? I sort of caught myself up in one swoop so I remember the bit on the phone but not the specifics

        • John
          John
          March 26, 2014 at 2:05 am | #

          Ruth’s parents were killed by a drunk driver several years ago.

          Howard lives with their grandfather, who’s probably who Ruth was talking to on the phone that day.

      • coolhandluke
        coolhandluke
        March 26, 2014 at 1:52 am | #

        found it and that sure is heartwrenching

  28. Jesse
    Jesse
    March 26, 2014 at 1:01 am | #

    I think the last few strips are the first time I liked Ruth.

    • Bill
      Bill
      March 26, 2014 at 2:35 am | #

      Also started to have some likes for her when she was trying to make amends to Billie by repairing and returning her “Dragons” top.  The fact that she followed it up with a stolen cheerleader’s outfit only shows that old habits die hard.

    • John
      John
      March 26, 2014 at 3:10 am | #

      I’ve liked Ruth since back in Roomies! when she punched Danny.

      • Jesse
        Jesse
        March 26, 2014 at 4:51 am | #

        I’ve only read this and Shortpacked, though.

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        March 26, 2014 at 9:53 pm | #

        But that was an entirely different, and much more likable, Ruth

    • begbert2
      begbert2
      March 26, 2014 at 10:47 am | #

      I liked Ruth when she showed up and nearly made Joyce piss herself out of femur-fear. Admittedly my fondness for her shriveled a little when she showed that she was a sadist in deed as well as word…

  29. Kladeos
    Kladeos
    March 26, 2014 at 1:25 am | #

    Go Ruth.

  30. The Weirdo
    The Weirdo
    March 26, 2014 at 1:43 am | #

    It’s not really connected to this much, but…

    I’m really happy to see Ruth here. Specifically, trying to help Amber. She’s soldiering on, despite having lost some very important emotional support by no fault of her own. She’s still doing her job to the best of her ability, and doing a fine job of it, too.

  31. Zaxares
    Zaxares
    March 26, 2014 at 4:00 am | #

    … Ruth, you just gained +15 Influence with me. 🙂

    • Zaxares
      Zaxares
      March 26, 2014 at 4:01 am | #

      And my comment takes on double meaning with my gravatar. XD

  32. Incubus
    Incubus
    March 26, 2014 at 4:19 am | #

    That awkward moment in the DOA timeline when Dina is better at comforting someone that Ruth.

  33. MrMyerst
    MrMyerst
    March 26, 2014 at 4:39 am | #

    Is it just me, Or does Ruth’s reaction imply she knows, more or less, what happened? I mean, she doesn’t really hand out the high fives- and this is exactly the sort of thing that might impress her :p

    • GhostWriterL
      GhostWriterL
      March 26, 2014 at 4:58 am | #

      I don’t think she has any idea what Amber does in her spare time or why she’s hard to find. I don’t think she really cares, either. Her extent of caring right now is that she knows Blaine is an asshole and had to forcefully evict him from the dorm already, and given that Amber is perceivably such a shut in, can guess what kind of abuse he doled out on his daughter and that Amber hates him when she’s not terrified of him… so the best way she thinks to show that she understands is to essentially be all like “Good news, your dad got his ass beat!” except a bit more subdued.

    • Joe
      Joe
      March 26, 2014 at 8:40 am | #

      She knows that Blaine’s an utter jackass, that he’s not allowed to visit Amber at school, and that he tried to do so anyway, resulting in an altercation in the dorms. She probably put together that, even if she doesn’t know exactly what went on between the two in their past, it must’ve been pretty damn bad to result in that ban on visitation.
      This is probably more of a “That ass got what was coming to him! Woo-hoo!” kind of high five.

      • BlackIo
        BlackIo
        March 26, 2014 at 9:50 am | #

        Probably fueled by her own issues with her grandfather, if past dialogue is anything to go on.

    • Jerden
      Jerden
      March 26, 2014 at 2:38 pm | #

      Possibly. Probably not though.

  34. asmcint
    asmcint
    March 26, 2014 at 9:02 am | #

    Ruth has no idea how much that high five would be appreciated.

  35. ocbrad1
    ocbrad1
    March 26, 2014 at 9:32 am | #

    “That second option’s not in my training.” I heart Ruth!

  36. RandomRedMage
    RandomRedMage
    March 26, 2014 at 10:17 am | #

    I cast my vote towards High-Five.

  37. Tenn
    Tenn
    March 26, 2014 at 10:31 am | #

    Ruth is adorable doing the “moral support” part of her job. ^_^

  38. hack
    hack
    March 26, 2014 at 12:26 pm | #

    that hospital visit probably not a smart idea.

  39. Alexx
    Alexx
    March 26, 2014 at 12:35 pm | #

    Man, that’s strange. I commuted to my classes all through college, so I never experienced this RA thing. Then again, my wife stayed at her college and barely experienced an RA either. Are they supposed to do this? Do they actually hold floor meetings and stuff like that? Hadn’t thought of it until now.

    • Tyler
      Tyler
      March 26, 2014 at 1:29 pm | #

      Speaking as a current RA, yes, this is exactly the sort of stuff that we’re expected to do (well if you’re a good RA and actually do your job anyways). Floor meetings, programs, bulletin boards, door decorations, all that sort of stuff. It varies depending on colleges though of course. Mine’s pretty big on RAs being a pretty active part of the residential community and actually doing their jobs while others are much more lax and laid back about things. Every RA is different, though, so your experiences will vary even in the same building.

    • John
      John
      March 26, 2014 at 10:07 pm | #

      Most of my RAs were more like the guys’. “I’m holding this floor meeting because they said to. Drunkenness is not consent, remember to wrap it, now get outta here, I’m missing the Simpsons.”

      One of my friends was an RA one year. He spent basically all his time that he wasn’t actually the RA on duty and required to be there outside his dorm so that he couldn’t be roped into assisting the morons residents on his floor.

      Of course, he’s also the one who wrote himself up for underage drinking one night – personally handed the form to the dorm director and everything (who filed it away safely under ‘B’, for “blackmail material”) – so he may not be the ideal RA role model.

  40. Volkai
    Volkai
    March 26, 2014 at 12:39 pm | #

    Yes, yes that is a good sign.

    • ZORK
      ZORK
      March 26, 2014 at 2:35 pm | #

      It is indeed.

      After I commented here on DoA for the first time and saw that the gravatar I got was Ruth, my first thought was “Oh great, I got the mean RA”, but now i’m warming up to her.

      (also, I mostly replied to Volkai’s post so that Volkai’s Amber-avatar and my Ruth-avatar are actually looking at each other)

  41. Sir Robin
    Sir Robin
    March 26, 2014 at 4:57 pm | #

    Is Ruth putting together a Super-Team?

  42. Vree
    Vree
    March 26, 2014 at 6:51 pm | #

    She’s in “Dina mode”.

  43. blah
    blah
    March 26, 2014 at 9:09 pm | #

    This is where amber smiles, cracks her knuckles, and says, “I have no idea who did that.”

  44. bob99938
    bob99938
    March 26, 2014 at 10:11 pm | #

    Oh Ruth, if only you knew

  45. kirwar4face
    kirwar4face
    March 26, 2014 at 10:25 pm | #

    Looks like I’ll have to stop reading till I can upgrade to a computer that can handle the video ads. By that time there should be a nice big backlog of DoA strips for me to read through. : )

    • slicedtoad
      slicedtoad
      March 26, 2014 at 11:13 pm | #

      adblock my friend. Or at least some script blocker

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