Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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unseen: ruth smacking joyce on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper
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July 11, 2026

No

by David M Willis on May 31, 2014 at 12:01 am
  • 03 - Up All Night to Get Vengeance
└ Tags: dina, joyce, ruth

Discussion (186) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Tacdud2
    Tacdud2
    May 31, 2014 at 12:01 am | #

    Bye Dina.

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      May 31, 2014 at 12:33 am | #

      “I am now getting lunch. I hope they have cereal. They do, I am now happy.”

      • KingMabel
        KingMabel
        May 31, 2014 at 12:45 am | #

        “Oh hey you just missed it! Some guy just chugged all the milk in the cafe! Lady said they needed an hour to refill the milk.”

        • Plasma Mongoose
          Plasma Mongoose
          May 31, 2014 at 3:07 am | #

          Refill the milk from what? A nak?

        • TheGrammarLegionary
          TheGrammarLegionary
          October 21, 2015 at 9:16 am | #

          Mike…

    • JWLM
      JWLM
      May 31, 2014 at 11:35 am | #

      I read Dina as making it very clear that she is sneering at Ruth: no sentence there has any emphasis, so I’m reading it as if she’s pretending to do a very bad reading of a line: “Oh. No. It. is. Ruthless. I. am. frightened.” She just called Ruth by her nickname — a name she is known to dislike.

      Dina is socially inept and may be borderline autistic. She’s not profoundly affected, though: she *can* look into people’s eyes, she can express sympathy at an appropriate time by touching someone, etc. Ruthle — I mean, Ruth — is the one who’s missing social cues here.

      • Nyzer
        Nyzer
        May 31, 2014 at 12:08 pm | #

        Not quite. Dina doesn’t seem like a “sneering” type. Ruth just said earlier that Dina should still be afraid of her. Dina, of course, isn’t, but she’s trying to follow Ruth’s wishes anyway since she doesn’t seem to care either way.

      • Sir Wafflington
        Sir Wafflington
        May 31, 2014 at 2:50 pm | #

        We Aspies feel sympathy., it’s empathy we have a hard time with. Detecting someone’s emotions or intentions is something we can do as well, it’s expressing those ourselves and how deal with them. I’d say that the way she is not profoundly affected by Autism would be that we’ve never seen her break down or yell. She’s hardly socially inept, either.

        That being said, It may be sarcasm, but it’s more likely she simply doesn’t care but doesn’t want to upset Ruth further, so gives a half-assed attempt at acting scared.

        • Eebiot
          Eebiot
          May 31, 2014 at 11:42 pm | #

          Couldn’t have said it better myself, Wafflington. There’s not nearly enough awareness in the world of what Autism actually *is.* Understanding emotion isn’t the problem. Expression of emotion is more difficult, but can be mitigated with experience.

          See? Told you I couldn’t have said it better myself 😛

          • Rachel Roth
            Rachel Roth
            August 6, 2014 at 1:07 am | #

            Agreed on the awareness thing. Of course the terms people use when referring to it don’t exactly help (Please don’t use them. Also, I can’t spell, so of course I spelled it wrong). Terms such as “Disorder” and “Disease” (no seriously, I’ve heard it called that) carry the wrong message. Just so people are aware moving forward, the number one thing with aspergers or autism is over-stimulation, which leads to the aspie blocking out the world. THIS is the cause of basically everything else, as not partaking in the world (which explains why we are not as skilled socially), the capability to hyperfocous, “stimming” (think pacing or tapping when stressed) and attachment to a single niche instead of a wide range of interests (like Dina’s Dinosaurs).
            In other words: Dina is one of us, only much better at tying people up with a grappling hook!

  2. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    May 31, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    6th panel is Joyce being thrown out of that window.

    • Viktoria
      Viktoria
      May 31, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

      And there was much rejoycing.

      • angierhafai
        angierhafai
        May 31, 2014 at 12:58 am | #

        Oh god that pun… why? Must we throw you out a window too?

        • Deanatay
          Deanatay
          May 31, 2014 at 10:00 am | #

          RE: Joyce

      • Joe
        Joe
        May 31, 2014 at 1:13 am | #

        “How can he be ‘rejoycing’? He hasn’t done me yet.

        A quote uttered by my friend Joyce in college.

    • Unspeakable Anger
      Unspeakable Anger
      May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

      I’d throw money to another kickstarter for that.

    • Izumi Ryu
      Izumi Ryu
      May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

      Ruth isn’t THAT ruthless…okay, maybe moreso to the likes of Blaine, but Joyce?

      • Historyman68
        Historyman68
        May 31, 2014 at 3:36 am | #

        Joyce is learning there are consequences to rebellion.

    • JustCheetoDust
      JustCheetoDust
      May 31, 2014 at 12:04 am | #

      Maybe that should be a recurring thing, though not limited to Joyce.

    • Kennerly
      Kennerly
      May 31, 2014 at 12:14 am | #

      No, not being thrown, Joyce jumps out the window both to get his gloves back, and also to imitate Sal who always enters and leaves through a window.

      • Mr K
        Mr K
        May 31, 2014 at 12:32 am | #

        And then breaks her neck.

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      May 31, 2014 at 12:34 am | #

      Leaving via the window will just make her MORE like Sal.

      • Historyman68
        Historyman68
        May 31, 2014 at 4:37 am | #

        Yes.

    • Oliver
      Oliver
      May 31, 2014 at 6:30 am | #

      The word you’re looking for is defenestrated

  3. Jim
    Jim
    May 31, 2014 at 12:02 am | #

    Dina knows sarcasm. I learn something new about her in every appearance.

    • Viktoria
      Viktoria
      May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

      She’s running away there.i don’t think she was being sarcastic.

      • Shade
        Shade
        May 31, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

        I think she’s just emulating everyone else.

        • Gigafreak
          Gigafreak
          May 31, 2014 at 12:20 am | #

          Yeah, that IS what she was doing last time the two interacted.

          • LJoL
            LJoL
            May 31, 2014 at 1:45 am | #

            Ooh nice catch Giga. I had forgotten that interraction.

      • Jim
        Jim
        May 31, 2014 at 12:06 am | #

        Doesn’t look like she’s running. Plus, the phrasing indicates she isn’t sincere about being frightened

        • pyrophobia
          pyrophobia
          May 31, 2014 at 5:42 am | #

          In NORMAL PEOPLE, yes.
          This is DINA we’re talking about.

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        May 31, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

        She’s looked into the eyes of Ruth and saw her own demise.

        • JustCheetoDust
          JustCheetoDust
          May 31, 2014 at 12:11 am | #

          Or the demise of her clothes.

      • Pantheon the Mantheon
        Pantheon the Mantheon
        May 31, 2014 at 12:19 am | #

        If I recall correctly, a previous strip showed Ruth informing Dina that she should be scared of her. I believe that is what this is about.

    • Kathleen
      Kathleen
      May 31, 2014 at 4:53 am | #

      I don’t think she’s being sarcastic, she’s trying to be polite bc this is what Ruth wants.

    • Chris
      Chris
      May 31, 2014 at 8:58 am | #

      Dina is socially clueless but wants to learn. Last time, Ruth said she should fear her, so Dina adopted that as social propriety. Dina isn’t quite emotionless, but so far she seems to actually have no fear of anything.

      • Jim
        Jim
        May 31, 2014 at 10:45 am | #

        Right, I forgot about that.

  4. David Herbert
    David Herbert
    May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    But the big question is, did Joyce take them off first or did Ruth rip her hands off?

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      May 31, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

      And then the rest of the comic Joyce has CYBORG HANDS.

      • Aizat
        Aizat
        May 31, 2014 at 12:12 am | #

        Courtesy of Mann Co.

  5. MrSirk
    MrSirk
    May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    Damn.. she was having so much fun.

  6. Mistress Monkey
    Mistress Monkey
    May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    What’s girl gotta do to get a little glove around here?

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      May 31, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

      No glove, no love??

      • KingMabel
        KingMabel
        May 31, 2014 at 12:46 am | #

        The glove is extra. $5 extra for some glove love.

        • Plasma Mongoose
          Plasma Mongoose
          May 31, 2014 at 3:10 am | #

          An additional fee of $5 if these gloves are used.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6r7edRmXl0

      • Lamachine
        Lamachine
        May 31, 2014 at 7:00 am | #

        Warehouse 13 FTW

        • Cybersnark
          Cybersnark
          May 31, 2014 at 11:11 am | #

          Oh God, now I’m picturing Joyce as an agent.

  7. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    FX: *Buzzer*

    SPORTSCASTERS (in unison): DE-FEN-ES-TRA-TED!

    • Darwin
      Darwin
      May 31, 2014 at 3:11 am | #

      YES! You used my favorite word! I offer you an internet cookie.

  8. newllend
    newllend
    May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    I’m surprise she didn’t throw Joyce out the window…then again that would help her to be even MORE like Sal.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      May 31, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

      Only Sal throws Sal out of windows.

      • newllend
        newllend
        May 31, 2014 at 12:10 am | #

        Its funny I actually tried to imagine her doing that.

        • Aizat
          Aizat
          May 31, 2014 at 12:19 am | #

          Sal grabbing her ass and then propelled herself towards a window.

          • KingMabel
            KingMabel
            May 31, 2014 at 12:47 am | #

            I saw that in a porno once.

          • Mass Confusion
            Mass Confusion
            May 31, 2014 at 3:02 pm | #

            Like the Lorax

  9. Plasma Mongoose
    Plasma Mongoose
    May 31, 2014 at 12:03 am | #

    Sorry Dina, but Ruth has no time for your patronising attempts at showing fear.

    • newllend
      newllend
      May 31, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

      Its weird she understands the concept but she just doesn’t know a good example to assimilate it.

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        May 31, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

        She needs moar borg-technology.

        • Ocbrad1
          Ocbrad1
          May 31, 2014 at 10:47 am | #

          Everyone needs moar Borg technology!

      • Zach
        Zach
        May 31, 2014 at 12:25 am | #

        It was a bad concept to learn. Don’t do it Dina! Be totally disaffected by Ruth. It drains her power…

  10. Khaner
    Khaner
    May 31, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    Thought one:
    Oh thank God Ruth is okay.

    Thought two: This is the man always keeping us down! Help Help I’m being oppressed!

    • Kernanator
      Kernanator
      May 31, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

      Oh and now we see the thievery inherent in the system!

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      May 31, 2014 at 12:10 am | #

      Bloody peasant.

    • LeslieBean4Shizzle
      LeslieBean4Shizzle
      May 31, 2014 at 12:12 am | #

      I was wondering if anyone else was going to be happy to see Ruth alive and apparently healthy.

      Glad I wasn’t the only one.

      • John
        John
        May 31, 2014 at 1:57 pm | #

        Amazi-Girl said she was fine!

  11. DrBear
    DrBear
    May 31, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    The gloves were followed by her femurs. Which she needs to live.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      May 31, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

      Joyce has a condition where her lungs and kidneys are in her femurs.

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      May 31, 2014 at 12:12 am | #

      That’s funny, I only need my femurs to walk and ride my bike. I was able to live without them, well survive. Wasn’t much fun…

  12. Plasma Mongoose
    Plasma Mongoose
    May 31, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

    The nearest that will get to happening is if someone throws an Optimus Prime Truck plushie at her.

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      May 31, 2014 at 12:15 am | #

      Or a model truck. The tiny model truck.

      • Roborat
        Roborat
        June 2, 2014 at 3:19 pm | #

        No, those big metal Tonka trucks, those suckers hurt.

  13. Aizat
    Aizat
    May 31, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

    Ruth smacking Joyce with a rolled up newspaper? Bad Joyce. Now go sit in the corner and think about your life.

    • KingMabel
      KingMabel
      May 31, 2014 at 12:48 am | #

      “But… but I’m cool now… I’m cool…”

      • LJoL
        LJoL
        May 31, 2014 at 2:07 am | #

        I’m the one that’s cool!

  14. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    May 31, 2014 at 12:07 am | #

    Now Ruth, what do you have against winter gloves? You’re Canadian!

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      May 31, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

      Even a good Canadian knows you need to ration those gloves until you need them.

      • JustCheetoDust
        JustCheetoDust
        May 31, 2014 at 12:17 am | #

        Unseen in Ruth’s room: a WW2-style propaganda poster illustrating this idea.

        • JessWitt
          JessWitt
          May 31, 2014 at 5:03 am | #

          We can Ruth it?

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      May 31, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

      Yeah…but Joyce is American.

      • JessWitt
        JessWitt
        May 31, 2014 at 5:02 am | #

        Winter glove love is universal, y’all.

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      May 31, 2014 at 12:14 am | #

      What self respecting Canadian requires gloves?

      • -Sentinel-
        -Sentinel-
        May 31, 2014 at 1:10 am | #

        The kind of Canadian who lives in Canada.

        • timemonkey
          timemonkey
          May 31, 2014 at 6:00 am | #

          I barely even need pants let alone gloves.

  15. LiaHansen
    LiaHansen
    May 31, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

    IT IS RUTHLESS

    • Lamachine
      Lamachine
      May 31, 2014 at 7:04 am | #

      HIDE YOU FOOLS

  16. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    May 31, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

    Adorable little dork.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      May 31, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

      Adorkable little door.

      • LuckyStar7
        LuckyStar7
        May 31, 2014 at 10:55 am | #

        A donkable little fork.

  17. newllend
    newllend
    May 31, 2014 at 12:08 am | #

    Is Ruth just pissed right now and is looking for people to lash out at?

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      May 31, 2014 at 12:11 am | #

      http://bbsimg.ngfiles.com/1/24508000/ngbbs51255359f0b71.jpg

      • George
        George
        May 31, 2014 at 9:16 pm | #

        Dude, it’s one of those old-school SWATbots! That takes me back.

  18. Aizat
    Aizat
    May 31, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

    Joyce…when Ruth asks you to not do something, you listen. The last poor sod who didn’t listen is now eating food through a straw.

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      May 31, 2014 at 12:13 am | #

      Only because she’s an alcoholic.

      • newllend
        newllend
        May 31, 2014 at 12:17 am | #

        No that’s the who lied to her and has now lost their chance to get some Ruth loven.

  19. BlueRam
    BlueRam
    May 31, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

    RIP winter gloves: 2014-2014

  20. Kernanator
    Kernanator
    May 31, 2014 at 12:09 am | #

    When respect for authority fails, use force! Repeat until respect is reinstated.

    • Opus the Poet
      Opus the Poet
      May 31, 2014 at 12:14 am | #

      Yes that has always been effective in instilling respect for authority, right up until someone else has more force. Then it’s civil war.

    • Zach
      Zach
      May 31, 2014 at 12:15 am | #

      I can’t tell if your hat is diminutive or authoritative.

    • Bill
      Bill
      May 31, 2014 at 12:25 am | #

      “The beatings will continue until morale improves.”

      • Aizat
        Aizat
        May 31, 2014 at 12:32 am | #

        Hey, my uncle has that poster.

  21. Spack
    Spack
    May 31, 2014 at 12:10 am | #

    Ruth’s totally alive!
    Also drink lots of water!
    While wearing gloves!

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      May 31, 2014 at 12:13 am | #

      RUTH’S ALIVE?

      • Cholma
        Cholma
        May 31, 2014 at 12:59 am | #

        Ruth! Ruth, I love you! But we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!

        • kelticat
          kelticat
          May 31, 2014 at 1:31 am | #

          Savior of the Universe!

          • Lawzlo
            Lawzlo
            May 31, 2014 at 3:04 am | #

            What do you mean “Ruth Lessick approaching!?”

  22. Zach
    Zach
    May 31, 2014 at 12:13 am | #

    My monie is on Joyce getting all up is Ruth’s business. Dictating how others can dress is the most disrespectful I think Ruth has been!
    Ruth’s dickey VS Joyce’s sence of entitlement. GO!

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      May 31, 2014 at 12:23 am | #

      A dickey? They still make those?

      • Zach
        Zach
        May 31, 2014 at 12:29 am | #

        Dickerry. Damn spellcheck

        • Jen Aside
          Jen Aside
          May 31, 2014 at 1:46 am | #

          Haha, I was gonna say, it looks like Ruth’s wearing a WHOLE shirt under that!

  23. timemonkey
    timemonkey
    May 31, 2014 at 12:15 am | #

    Did my post disappear?

    • Lamachine
      Lamachine
      May 31, 2014 at 7:07 am | #

      No, I ate it.

      • Sam
        Sam
        May 31, 2014 at 11:50 am | #

        You really shouldn’t eat those things, they contain a lot more calories than you’d expect.

  24. Sageress
    Sageress
    May 31, 2014 at 12:15 am | #

    I don’t think Ruth has the authority to do that but I don’t care.

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      May 31, 2014 at 12:20 am | #

      Ruth only has one rule: Don’t fuck with Ruth.

      • Zach
        Zach
        May 31, 2014 at 12:30 am | #

        And no gloves, as seen here.

        • Batman
          Batman
          May 31, 2014 at 10:49 am | #

          Two; her two rules are Don’t @#$% with Ruth, No Gloves, and Dina get lost…

          …wait, let me go out and try it again.

  25. arank11
    arank11
    May 31, 2014 at 12:15 am | #

    I half expected Joyce to be the one thrown out the window

    • newllend
      newllend
      May 31, 2014 at 12:18 am | #

      And that makes 3

  26. Van Jealous
    Van Jealous
    May 31, 2014 at 12:16 am | #

    So, from the dialog, I surmise we are now averaging about 1 week’s worth of storyline covered over the course of 1 year. Is that about right?
    Talk about your suspended animation (oh, sorry, this strip isn’t animated….yet)!

  27. caesaria82
    caesaria82
    May 31, 2014 at 12:16 am | #

    I love you, Ruth.

    • Aizat
      Aizat
      May 31, 2014 at 12:22 am | #

      We all love Ruth.

  28. Aizat
    Aizat
    May 31, 2014 at 12:17 am | #

    Yeah, Joyce. Cool people wear fingerless gloves.

    • pyrophobia
      pyrophobia
      May 31, 2014 at 5:52 am | #

      Joyce, you ain’t hardcore enough honey! Ya gotta mutilate those gloves first. Come back when you’re wearing PROPER cool-woman gear.

  29. Gram91
    Gram91
    May 31, 2014 at 12:20 am | #

    I wish there were animated shorts. I would want to here how Dina saying that would sound.

    • Chris
      Chris
      May 31, 2014 at 9:37 am | #

      Some think she should sound like Nagato (Yuki), but to me that’s way too monotone and slow. She can at least express wonder and annoyance, but here she’s neither frightened nor being sarcastic. Maybe she’s just saying that to reassure Ruth she remembers how she was instructed to behave around her.

  30. Speedball
    Speedball
    May 31, 2014 at 12:23 am | #

    This is surprisingly petty even for her.

  31. Bill
    Bill
    May 31, 2014 at 12:27 am | #

    Next thing going out the window is the pair of sunglasses.
    And what happened to the pencil?  Did Joyce swallow it?

    • LJoL
      LJoL
      May 31, 2014 at 2:13 am | #

      And what happened to the pencil?

      Her name is Ruthless remember? Joyce learned a whole new usage for that pencil.

      • StClair
        StClair
        May 31, 2014 at 5:58 am | #

        “Wanna see a magic trick?”

        • Bo
          Bo
          May 31, 2014 at 10:39 am | #

          “MAGIC ISN’T REAL, YOU IDIOT read a book MAGIC ISN’T REAL YOU IDIOT”

        • xKiv
          xKiv
          May 31, 2014 at 2:17 pm | #

          Isn’t that usually done with a pointy hat?

  32. Rutee
    Rutee
    May 31, 2014 at 12:39 am | #

    Dina, you and Ruth should be bestest friends, because I <3 you both together.

  33. Kodra
    Kodra
    May 31, 2014 at 12:48 am | #

    It’s still september? I would’ve figured we’d be to october by now. I thought there was a couple week time skip, although I might have imagined that.

    Man, I’m really looking forward to seeing Dorothy Dinkley sometime in 2017.

    • John
      John
      May 31, 2014 at 10:24 pm | #

      We skipped three days waiting for pajama jeans, and two with Dorothy studying. Those were the only lengthy timeskips.

      Today is Tuesday of their fourth week of classes. I’m not sure exactly when IU classes begin, but I figure it’s mid-to-late September now.

      (My freshman year, we had several inches of snow by this point. But I went to college atop a hill in central Vermont a couple decades of global warming ago.)

  34. Pete Mack
    Pete Mack
    May 31, 2014 at 12:59 am | #

    Window is wrong — that kind of window opens bottom-out top-in, so that rain doesn’t get inside. But I agree with ruthless: “No.”

    • Jen Aside
      Jen Aside
      May 31, 2014 at 1:48 am | #

      She pulled out the entire pane of glass to ditch the gloves.

    • John
      John
      May 31, 2014 at 1:54 pm | #

      I’ve seen them that open as depicted here, and it’s a real building that Willis actually lived in, so I’ll trust him on the architectural details.

      But Ruth does appear to have thrown at least one of those gloves directly through the glass…

  35. MacBone
    MacBone
    May 31, 2014 at 12:59 am | #

    I seriously don’t get how Ruth is still an RA with the way she abuses her parents. Surely at least one of the first years would complain about her, either to the Student Life office, their parents, or someone else. Older students like Sarah can just ignore Ruth’s crap, as can people who really don’t care about authority like Sal, but what about rational people like Dorothy? Part of me wants the humor to continue, but it’d be nice to see Joyce grow a spine here and stand up to Ruth.

    • MacBone
      MacBone
      May 31, 2014 at 1:00 am | #

      Abuses her residents, not her parents. Doh! =)

      • Jen Aside
        Jen Aside
        May 31, 2014 at 2:00 am | #

        Pretty sure she covered that: the ends justify the means, so “no rules broken” = carte blanche to do whatever it takes to keep things that way

        • Jen Aside
          Jen Aside
          May 31, 2014 at 2:02 am | #

          [broken femurs aren’t against the rules lololololol]

        • Nono
          Nono
          May 31, 2014 at 8:34 am | #

          There’s already been a fire alarm pulled this year though, so who knows, they might start cracking down on her a bit more harshly.

          • Jen Aside
            Jen Aside
            May 31, 2014 at 11:30 pm | #

            “Yeah, but Dudley doesn’t know that!”

            [read: unless EVERYONE has the photographic memory they use in movies to show flashback sequences, the residents most likely got the gist of “I have the authority to do whatever I want to get results” and haven’t been keeping perfect tabs to realize that the fire alarm would in fact be a ding against her, so effectively she still holds sway over them]

  36. NinjaNick
    NinjaNick
    May 31, 2014 at 1:00 am | #

    Next out the window will be the pencil.

    • LJoL
      LJoL
      May 31, 2014 at 2:15 am | #

      Ruth probably already showed Joyce a Ruthless way of disposing of that…..

      Joyce cried.

      • Kiggy
        Kiggy
        May 31, 2014 at 4:32 am | #

        I picture Joyce crying very much like Usagi in Sailor Moon. ^_^

  37. nothri
    nothri
    May 31, 2014 at 1:03 am | #

    ……
    ……
    ……
    Man, Ruth really needs to loosen up. She should get herself a girlfriend.

    (I’m sorry. I’ll go now.)

    • MacBone
      MacBone
      May 31, 2014 at 1:11 am | #

      You get all the thumbs up. =)

    • Willoughby Chase
      Willoughby Chase
      May 31, 2014 at 4:53 am | #

      Umm, I was too old when I went to uni to be in halls, but it strikes me that Ruthless is paying more than average interest in Joyce’s, um, well-being.

    • Rachel Roth
      Rachel Roth
      August 6, 2014 at 3:20 pm | #

      You know, I think there’s a reporter out there somewhere that might be interested. . .

  38. Packy
    Packy
    May 31, 2014 at 1:05 am | #

    David, I didn’t think you could draw Joyce in a way to make me crush on her more.

    Then I saw her eyes in panel 4.

    Damn.

  39. Eukie
    Eukie
    May 31, 2014 at 1:15 am | #

    Yes… Ruth is back in the green shirt and black sweater vest! 😀

  40. desai
    desai
    May 31, 2014 at 1:36 am | #

    Dina keeps her promises.

    • Kernanator
      Kernanator
      May 31, 2014 at 2:19 am | #

      For those unsure what desai is referring to (like I was) this is the strip being referenced:

      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/02-i-was-a-teenage-churchmouse/terms/

  41. Coco
    Coco
    May 31, 2014 at 1:45 am | #

    Poor Joyce. D:

  42. Orangey
    Orangey
    May 31, 2014 at 2:15 am | #

    For some reason, I really thought this was going to be Billie telling them No, but Ruth is just so so so much better

  43. Megatron
    Megatron
    May 31, 2014 at 2:19 am | #

    Good job Ruth. I approve.

  44. Idon'tcarenomore
    Idon'tcarenomore
    May 31, 2014 at 2:38 am | #

    Joyce, you have to know that you don’t say no to Ruth. Even when she’s in a good mood, you just don’t do it.
    (Actually, Ruth is doing her a favor here, if Joyce thought she was laughed at for the strap-on deal, wait until classes break and someone actually see’s her. ‘We’ might think she’s cute, but….think about it, if you saw this in your dorm…)

    Where’d the pencil go?

    Love the sarcasm Dina, you are learning.

  45. Idon'tcarenomore
    Idon'tcarenomore
    May 31, 2014 at 2:42 am | #

    Doodled in book 3? Ok, I’m 2 hours past bedtime, so what in heck is this?

    Ruth, Dorothy and Sarah are upperclassmen, I think. Can’t remember Billies age in relation to Ruth, but younger?

    So does this mean they may not return?

    Or am I totally reading all this wrong. (sorry, I’m tired)

    • David M Willis
      David M Willis
      May 31, 2014 at 7:40 am | #

      The poll is just asking which character’s head is being hand-drawn by me on the inside of the third Dumbing of Age book.

    • John
      John
      May 31, 2014 at 1:50 pm | #

      I’m not really sure what you’re reading or how, but…

      Dorothy is a freshman, though at 19 she’s a little older than the average freshman. Sarah is a sophomore. We haven’t been told specifically which year Ruth is in, but they don’t typically let freshmen be RAs, and she’s 20, so probably a junior. Billie’s a freshman, 18-ish, so a couple years younger than Ruth.

  46. Alex
    Alex
    May 31, 2014 at 2:55 am | #

    Poor Joyce, now her hands will be cold during the winter. (Luckly, the snow won’t start falling for at least another decade)

  47. Kiggy
    Kiggy
    May 31, 2014 at 4:21 am | #

    And Ruthless strikes back!

  48. Tomas
    Tomas
    May 31, 2014 at 6:50 am | #

    Fashion Police brutality!

  49. Animal
    Animal
    May 31, 2014 at 9:24 am | #

    Shit, now I’m going to have that old Boomtown Rats song stuck in my head all day. DAMN YOU WILLIS.

  50. maxlines
    maxlines
    May 31, 2014 at 9:56 am | #

    Now lets see Billie or Amber show up.

  51. Mollyscribbles
    Mollyscribbles
    May 31, 2014 at 10:07 am | #

    Ten years from now, when it’s actually winter, there will be a reference to Joyce not having any winter gloves. Because continuity is in play.

  52. Throng
    Throng
    May 31, 2014 at 10:41 am | #

    Yay, Ruth is ok!
    Oh no, Ruth’s still a world-class asshole!

  53. Kirbilius Clausius
    Kirbilius Clausius
    May 31, 2014 at 10:54 am | #

    At least were getting a scale of ‘comic book time’ in this.

  54. drs
    drs
    May 31, 2014 at 11:27 am | #

    So, it’s not just her “attracted to drunk driver” issues with Billie; Ruth is a violent asshole in general. Sympathy… dropping.

    • Tenn
      Tenn
      May 31, 2014 at 4:40 pm | #

      You say it as if it wasn’t the first thing we learned about her.

    • cmd1095
      cmd1095
      May 31, 2014 at 10:33 pm | #

      well we don’t know it all yet, Ruth’s got other issues that have been hinted at, hence her drinking problem

  55. Sambo
    Sambo
    May 31, 2014 at 11:41 am | #

    “I will simulate that for you best I can”
    – Dina

  56. Just Me
    Just Me
    May 31, 2014 at 11:59 am | #

    Right now I’d like to see Joyce channel Badass Joyce from It’s Walky and kick Ruth’s butt across the campus.

  57. Rybridge
    Rybridge
    May 31, 2014 at 12:35 pm | #

    Damn it Ruth, this is why we can’t have cool things.

  58. Kernanator
    Kernanator
    May 31, 2014 at 5:14 pm | #

    Gloves are SERIOUS BUSINESS.

  59. Volkai
    Volkai
    May 31, 2014 at 6:11 pm | #

    No, Joyce. Just… no.

  60. SilverArrowArtemis
    SilverArrowArtemis
    May 31, 2014 at 9:00 pm | #

    “Adhere to the status quo.”

  61. halcyon1234
    halcyon1234
    May 31, 2014 at 9:25 pm | #

    I am deeply dissapointed in the direction David Willis is taking the comic, and this panel is the exact reason why. This is what, the third, fourth instance of items of clothing being thrown? Obviously David Willis is just trying to push an agenda here, and it literally sickens me to it.

    I mean, I was fine when it was hidden away in subtext– you know, throwing toys. Even tho the subtext was very thin, but at least then it was IN YOUR FACE like this constant throwing of clothes is.

    I mean, I’m not one of those people, but I just think it’s funny (not really funny) that suddenly everyone is throwing clothes. Not just one character. Everyone one. He even forced it into a plot point! Way to twist the plot just to fit in your agenda, David Willis.

    This comic was so much better during it’s earlier run, before clothes throwing became it’s one-note joke. =(

    I’ve been reading this comic for twenty years, but I’m done. Done. Unless you stop this clothes throwing agenda (and you shuld to keep me as a reader).

    • David M Willis
      David M Willis
      May 31, 2014 at 10:19 pm | #

      hahahaha

  62. PedanticJerkass
    PedanticJerkass
    May 31, 2014 at 9:43 pm | #

    Of all the things for Ruth to flaunt her authoritah over, this seems rather petty.

  63. Idon'tcarenomore
    Idon'tcarenomore
    June 1, 2014 at 12:05 am | #

    Thank you for the answer to the doodle question 🙂

  64. lol
    lol
    June 1, 2014 at 6:50 am | #

    theyre still in september? dafuq

  65. Hinoron
    Hinoron
    June 2, 2014 at 9:54 am | #

    Upon sighting a predator species approaching, the wise herbivore quietly retreats the area just in case one victim is not enough to sate the hunter’s hunger.

  66. Nathan
    Nathan
    October 16, 2014 at 3:08 am | #

    Goddammit why is Dina always the funniest thing ever it is not fair

  67. Lordess of Madness
    Lordess of Madness
    July 2, 2015 at 11:15 am | #

    You may be super cool, but you’re dealing with Ruthless

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