Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
RSS
‹
›
  • Home
  • About/Read before posting
  • Archive
    • by calendar
  • Cast
  • Store
    • Main Store (books and stuff)
    • T-shirts
  • Patreon
    • Patreon (regular)
    • Patreon (NSFW)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
we have a volunteer
First Previous Random 169Comments Share Next Latest
Reddit Digg Facebook MySpace Delicious Stumbleupon Buzz Up! Mixx Technorati Google Bookmarks Yahoo Bookmarks Yahoo MyWeb Windows Live Propeller FriendFeed Newsvine Xanga LinkedIn Blinklist Twitter


BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

May 19, 2026

Late shift

by David M Willis on September 29, 2015 at 12:01 am
  • 01 - To Those Who'd Ground Me
└ Tags: joyce, marcie, sal

Discussion (169) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    September 29, 2015 at 12:01 am | #

    “Ah got, like, friends out the WAZOO. They’re like ROACHES. Care ta squash a few?”

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      September 29, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

      (I know it’s supposed to represent motion, but Marcie looks a bit Phantom Limb-y here)

      • AgentKeen
        AgentKeen
        September 29, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

        But Sal’s the one with an arch.

        • Ana Chronistic
          Ana Chronistic
          September 29, 2015 at 8:46 pm | #

          this one?

      • Reltzik
        Reltzik
        September 29, 2015 at 2:54 am | #

        I like to think she’s wearing these weird pale blue glow-in-the-dark gloves that come up past her elbows.

        (And now you can’t unsee it.)

        • Matt
          Matt
          September 29, 2015 at 9:36 am | #

          “Two by two, hands of blue.”

          • Clif
            Clif
            September 29, 2015 at 11:32 am | #

            Shush. Are you trying to get the network to cancel the comic after only one season?

            • Disloyal Subject
              Disloyal Subject
              September 29, 2015 at 1:31 pm | #

              Can’t stop the signal.

            • Someone
              Someone
              September 29, 2015 at 8:19 pm | #

              Well if a season is around a year, were about to season 5 now

              • LiveWire
                LiveWire
                September 30, 2015 at 9:46 pm | #

                Or if it’s a year in comic time, we’re still in Month 1.

            • MichaelHaneline
              MichaelHaneline
              September 29, 2015 at 9:30 pm | #

              As huge of a fan of Firefly as I am, in retrospect I’m actually REALLY glad they canned it before Joss could ruin it.

        • extremist343
          extremist343
          May 12, 2016 at 2:36 am | #

          Oh that’s easy what will be really hard to unsee is the motion sensitive material that her gloves are made of that turns pale blue only when her arms are moving and is completely transparent when her arms are still.

      • Max
        Max
        September 29, 2015 at 7:37 am | #

        The cross-over none of us were expecting. Hoping deep down, but not expecting

    • Plasma Mongoose
      Plasma Mongoose
      September 29, 2015 at 2:03 am | #

      You have friends coming out of your wazoo? That sounds jolly painful. 😛

      • Dean
        Dean
        September 29, 2015 at 5:16 am | #

        Surely the idea is to have them going into your wazoo.

        • Plasma Mongoose
          Plasma Mongoose
          September 29, 2015 at 6:58 am | #

          Only “beneficial friends” should be allowed to enter your wazoo.

    • Someone
      Someone
      September 29, 2015 at 10:40 am | #

      Ah so your theory is that Sal has plenty of friends, they’re all just very tiny. Well it makes more sense than the Walky and Sal had their grades switched theory.

      • Someone
        Someone
        September 29, 2015 at 9:15 pm | #

        Its really the only way Marcie could squash Sals friends. Unless she had a giant hammer or something.

  2. otusasio451
    otusasio451
    September 29, 2015 at 12:01 am | #

    Yessssss, Sal, YESSSSSS. COME TO THE LIGHT SIDE OF THE FORCE. WE HAVE COOKIES.

    • inqntrol
      inqntrol
      September 29, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

      OY!Get your own advertising method,the Dark Side already ha the cookies thing.

      • Ryan
        Ryan
        September 29, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

        The light side uses white chocolate chips.

        • otusasio451
          otusasio451
          September 29, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

          WITH MACADAMIA NUTS. If you’re not allergic or adverse to them.

        • Disloyal Subject
          Disloyal Subject
          September 29, 2015 at 12:32 am | #

          Ick. Black robes look good on anyone anyway.

          • Ghostforge
            Ghostforge
            September 29, 2015 at 12:52 am | #

            I know right? heck, they even make Mickey flippin’ Mouse look badass!

            • John
              John
              September 29, 2015 at 11:45 am | #

              How is Mickey Mouse’s ordinary wardrobe not badass? He dresses like Sal!

          • Plasma Mongoose
            Plasma Mongoose
            September 29, 2015 at 2:04 am | #

            And black is so slimming. ^_^

          • HMRC4EVR
            HMRC4EVR
            September 29, 2015 at 5:27 pm | #

            Given Sal and Walky’s parentage there might be some uncomfortabalness running around in robes no matter the color.

      • Miss Teddy
        Miss Teddy
        September 29, 2015 at 1:40 am | #

        The dark side may have the cookies, but the light side has the milk!

    • Someone
      Someone
      September 29, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

      The dark side has cookies too. Unfortunately there oatmeal raisin, mwahaha!

      • Justin
        Justin
        September 29, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

        nuh uh. oatmeal is too healthy. they have like, double fudge, sugar cookies, redvelvet, high calorie sorta things

        • maxyai
          maxyai
          September 29, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

          Send me to the dark side then!

        • Wire Segal
          Wire Segal
          September 29, 2015 at 12:13 am | #

          But those are tasty…
          They have double fudge, sugar, red velvet cookies… but they all have raisins.

          • No Name
            No Name
            September 29, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

            Hey I like raisins!

            • Disloyal Subject
              Disloyal Subject
              September 29, 2015 at 12:37 am | #

              So do I, but not in cookies.
              Looks like I’m stuck with gray, as usual.

          • Dean
            Dean
            September 29, 2015 at 5:17 am | #

            The dark side has CAROB.

          • -Sentinel-
            -Sentinel-
            September 29, 2015 at 9:17 am | #

            Of course they are tasty! The Dark Side is all about seduction and sin.

        • otusasio451
          otusasio451
          September 29, 2015 at 12:19 am | #

          Gooood, GOOOOOOD! Let the diabetes FLOW through you!!!

        • Plasma Mongoose
          Plasma Mongoose
          September 29, 2015 at 2:07 am | #

          I used to love Lane’s Oatmeal Cookies for many years until they were discontinued over a decade ago, they were simple but enjoyably moreish when you also have gingernut cookies with them.

    • Stephen R. Bierce
      Stephen R. Bierce
      September 29, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

      *plays the Frozen Fudgies jingle from the G.I. Joe cartoon on the Muzak*

    • jeffepp
      jeffepp
      September 29, 2015 at 12:50 am | #

  3. LeslieBean4Shizzle
    LeslieBean4Shizzle
    September 29, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    What we need to have is for Becky to walk up and be like “huh” at the way Joyce is practically drooling over Sal.

    • Wire Segal
      Wire Segal
      September 29, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

      I think of it as a Leslie-Robin kinda relationship. Robin’s straight with a notable exception.

      • Mr Ak
        Mr Ak
        September 29, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

        Argh! It’s all about bangin’ with you people, isn’t it?

        • Wire Segal
          Wire Segal
          September 29, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

          Well… uh…
          *ships it*

        • Someone
          Someone
          September 29, 2015 at 1:01 am | #

          GOSH DARN IT PEOPLE! MUST THE HANKEY PANKEY BE THE ONLY DARN THING YOU THINK ABOUT!

        • Plasma Mongoose
          Plasma Mongoose
          September 29, 2015 at 2:08 am | #

          If Willis draws it, there will be a porno version of it somewhere.

          • Yotsuyasan
            Yotsuyasan
            September 29, 2015 at 5:18 am | #

            …which is likely also drawn by Willis.

            • Deanatay
              Deanatay
              September 29, 2015 at 8:19 am | #

              It’s like his very own subset of Rule 34!

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        September 29, 2015 at 7:11 am | #

        Robin’s not straight and never was. She just didn’t want to admit it.

      • drs
        drs
        September 29, 2015 at 10:08 am | #

        But Joyce has two notable exceptions. Just that neither of them is Becky.

      • John
        John
        September 29, 2015 at 12:00 pm | #

        Walkyverse Robin has at least three “exceptions” that she’s admitted to or demonstrated in-comic. She’s not “straight with an exception”. She’s “bi and not comfortable with it”. Like Danny, but less so.

        (Or “kinda indefinably queer”, as she put it. I think she came up with a more refined form of her identity after that, but I don’t remember what it was.)

        And I think most of Joyce’s problem is that she learned how to act towards your platonic best friend from a girl who wants to bang her like a screen door in a hurricane.

        • TsunamiJane
          TsunamiJane
          September 29, 2015 at 2:35 pm | #

          “And I think most of Joyce’s problem is that she learned how to act towards your platonic best friend from a girl who wants to bang her like a screen door in a hurricane.”

          THIS.

          • Screwball
            Screwball
            September 29, 2015 at 8:34 pm | #

            Indeed…

        • Spencer
          Spencer
          September 29, 2015 at 4:54 pm | #

          Willis talked on his tumblr how Robin thinks “generally indefinably queer” describes her better than bisexual, as she feels more comfortable and relaxed being attracted to guys than girls.

          Actually, I liked reading that. It helped normalize some other stuff for me.

  4. Mada
    Mada
    September 29, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    A WILD JOYCE HAS APPEARED.

    SAL ATTEMPTS TO USE PUSH.

    • inqntrol
      inqntrol
      September 29, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

      PUSH IS INEFFECTIVE

      • Grantimusmax
        Grantimusmax
        September 29, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

        WILD JOYCE USED CLOYING OPTIMISM

        • otusasio451
          otusasio451
          September 29, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

          IT’S NOT VERY EFFECTIVE

          SAL USED NICOTINE CLOUD

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      September 29, 2015 at 1:11 am | #

      I don’t know that Joyce could ever be categorized as “wild” tbh

      • Plasma Mongoose
        Plasma Mongoose
        September 29, 2015 at 2:11 am | #

        WILD synonyms: uncontrolled, unrestrained, out of control, undisciplined, unconstrained, uncurbed, unbridled, unchecked, chaotic; uninhibited, extrovert, attention-seeking, unconventional; wayward, self-willed, ungovernable, unmanageable, unruly, rowdy, disorderly, riotous, lawless; rarecorybantic

        I’m certain that at least one of these fits Joyce.

        • podian
          podian
          September 29, 2015 at 2:22 am | #

          Only “extrovert”.

          • No Name
            No Name
            September 29, 2015 at 8:50 am | #

            I was thinking “rarecorybantic”, but only because it looks like such a fun word to say.

  5. Funhouseinabox
    Funhouseinabox
    September 29, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    Love how Sal doesn’t look pissed. Her eyebrows kinda have a “deadpan” look.

  6. poppaboo2electricboogaloo
    poppaboo2electricboogaloo
    September 29, 2015 at 12:02 am | #

    I can’t tell, is Marcie moving her hands really fast in that second panel or does she actually have long blue gloves on?

    • Aislashu
      Aislashu
      September 29, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

      Panel 3 has nothing on her arms so I’d say it’s motion indication.

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      September 29, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

      The blue hands are Marcie signing. In the fourth panel you can see most of her right arm, doesn’t look like she’s wearing anything larger than cut-offs.

      • Aislashu
        Aislashu
        September 29, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

        I totally meanrt panel 4, not three. x.x;

        • Clif
          Clif
          September 29, 2015 at 11:39 am | #

          I just assumed it was the blue shift in the light due to the speed of her hands. It would have been a red shift if they were going the other direction.

    • Random832
      Random832
      September 29, 2015 at 1:37 am | #

      I think at this point it’s more just to clearly indicate the fact that she’s doing sign language. I don’t think we’ve ever seen anyone else’s hands like that no matter how fast they’re moving.

      They’re her speech bubbles.

      • poppaboo2electricboogaloo
        poppaboo2electricboogaloo
        September 29, 2015 at 3:14 am | #

        So what you’re all saying is that she’s the Flash.

        • Jepmz
          Jepmz
          September 29, 2015 at 7:54 pm | #

          1st panel is 6 seconds
          2nd panel is 12 seconds
          3rd is 6 seconds

          She clearly has enough time to allow her arms to dangle and for Joyce to run up to the conversation. If all three are the Flash, Joyce would instantly die from internally impacting Sal’s hand

    • TheGrammarLegionary
      TheGrammarLegionary
      September 29, 2015 at 6:04 am | #

      She’s actually hunting River Tam… Been an interesting few days for the Serenity. Crashed into another ship near Persephone, blue boxy thing captained by a guy with a bowtie and an accent. Apparently he likes taking cover as a teacher.

  7. Aislashu
    Aislashu
    September 29, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    Now the real question: Has she REALLY been picking up double shifts, or is she lying and really spending all this time with Malaya?

    • JessWitt
      JessWitt
      September 29, 2015 at 12:07 am | #

      No, the REAL real question is if there are any job openings at Marcie’s place, particularly for a plucky redheaded lesbian runaway?

      • Dean
        Dean
        September 29, 2015 at 12:31 am | #

        I’m just curious about what kind of job Marcie has.

        • JessWitt
          JessWitt
          September 29, 2015 at 12:43 am | #

          That too!

        • Bicycle Bill
          Bicycle Bill
          September 29, 2015 at 1:18 am | #

          Likewise.  I highly doubt that it’s waitressing or any other job that requires customer interaction.

      • Kryss LaBryn
        Kryss LaBryn
        September 29, 2015 at 7:39 am | #

        Certainly if there actually are extra shifts to pick up, it sounds like a good place to start.

        However, somehow I think this is sort of the college equivalent of “Sorry, honey; I have to stay late at the office again tonight…”

      • NotPiffany
        NotPiffany
        September 29, 2015 at 8:02 am | #

        That’s what I was thinking. If Marcie (and coworkers) are picking up extra shifts, her boss may be willing to hire another person. Plus Marcie’s probably in a non-customer-facing position, which might be an extra bonus for a young woman who doesn’t want to accidentally run into her dad.

    • Leorale
      Leorale
      September 29, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

      The bags under her eyes and her ability to live independently suggest she’s telling the truth. Maybe she could use a roomie named Becky to split the rent.

      • No Name
        No Name
        September 29, 2015 at 12:17 am | #

        Just because she spending her time with Malaya doesn’t mean she’s doesn’t mean she’s getting a lot of rest during this time.

    • Proxiehunter
      Proxiehunter
      September 29, 2015 at 12:11 am | #

      I’m pretty sure she’s been double shifting Malaya.

      • Aislashu
        Aislashu
        September 29, 2015 at 10:11 am | #

        “Can you feel what sign I’m making? How about now? What if I use both hands?”

    • Eric
      Eric
      September 29, 2015 at 12:14 am | #

      The second was my assumption.

    • Bicycle Bill
      Bicycle Bill
      September 29, 2015 at 10:34 am | #

      Getting back to the original question, I would say that this is related to a job, not to hanky-panky with whomever.  In the first panel, Marcie is making the sign for “work”; although I think she would have been showing two fingers with the right hand (“double work”) to indicate a double shift.

      And in the third panel, that is the sign for “friend” or “friendship”.

  8. Rocketboy1313
    Rocketboy1313
    September 29, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    I appreciate the difficulty of depicting a language that requires motion in a medium that is … not motion.

    Good job, I hope this has helped to make you more creative. And not a source of frustration.

  9. AgentKeen
    AgentKeen
    September 29, 2015 at 12:03 am | #

    Not shown: Joyce had actually already gotten a couple blocks away before this happened.

    (I know, I know, she was just off-panel, but it’s funnier in my head this way).

    • inqntrol
      inqntrol
      September 29, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

      I thought only Dina has teleporting powers.

      • Opus the Poet
        Opus the Poet
        September 29, 2015 at 12:21 am | #

        No, Dina has the hide-in-plain-sight feat with tons of ranks in Hide. Joyce has the Teleport spell loaded in 3 slots a day.

        • Dean
          Dean
          September 29, 2015 at 12:27 am | #

          Dina has a prestige class feature that gives her a circumstance bonus to Hide checks when there is an open door nearby.

        • John
          John
          September 29, 2015 at 12:11 pm | #

          Joyce also has minor creation on her spell list.

          She’s a divine caster, obviously.

  10. TrueVCU
    TrueVCU
    September 29, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    Sal’s got friends like Walky’s got passing grades HEYOOOOOOOOO

  11. gkheyf
    gkheyf
    September 29, 2015 at 12:04 am | #

    it’s cool to find out that when sal lifts her hand she can summon joyce’s head

    • detective boomwolf
      detective boomwolf
      September 29, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

      I wonder if different hand motions summon different heads. Like if she flips someone off, does Malaya’s head show up?

    • Someone
      Someone
      September 29, 2015 at 12:05 am | #

      COME TO ME MY MINION!

      • JessWitt
        JessWitt
        September 29, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

        Apt avatar is apt.

      • inqntrol
        inqntrol
        September 29, 2015 at 7:14 am | #

        Imagine if Galasso had control over the Minions from Despicable Me.

        • gkheyf
          gkheyf
          September 29, 2015 at 12:48 pm | #

          the next kickstarter?

  12. Explosions
    Explosions
    September 29, 2015 at 12:06 am | #

    LOVE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or something close to that may be what Joyce is getting at

  13. Mr. Random
    Mr. Random
    September 29, 2015 at 12:08 am | #

    A random Joyce appeared. It used Tri Smile.
    …it’s not very effective.

  14. caesaria82
    caesaria82
    September 29, 2015 at 12:09 am | #

    Hahahahahahaha. Amazing.

  15. LiaHansen
    LiaHansen
    September 29, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

    SAL/JOYCE ARC SAL/JOYCE ARC

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      September 29, 2015 at 2:52 am | #

      Very possibly and, I think, one that may have a few surprises.

  16. Romanticide
    Romanticide
    September 29, 2015 at 12:15 am | #

    If Marcie was my friend I am sure I would miss her too… she does have a point though

  17. 3dGuard
    3dGuard
    September 29, 2015 at 12:17 am | #

    Joyce: “Did someone say we should be friends!”

  18. Heavensrun
    Heavensrun
    September 29, 2015 at 12:18 am | #

    Double shifts, eh? Sounds like Marcie’s workplace might need to hire someone…

    • Ancestral Hamster
      Ancestral Hamster
      September 29, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

      That would adversely effect quarterly profits, thus angering shareholders. So no new hires.

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      September 29, 2015 at 8:35 am | #

      Either that or ‘double shifts’ is code for ‘pre-marital hanky-panky with Malaya’ and Sal hasn’t been read in on that secret yet.

      • 3-I
        3-I
        September 29, 2015 at 3:07 pm | #

        In which case, Marcie’s relationship might need to hire some- wait no

  19. Sophia
    Sophia
    September 29, 2015 at 12:21 am | #

    I love this one. lol

  20. Cerberus
    Cerberus
    September 29, 2015 at 12:22 am | #

    I don’t think Marcie’s as enamored of the “I have and only need one friend” life as Sal is.

    • Idon'tcarenomore
      Idon'tcarenomore
      September 29, 2015 at 1:12 am | #

      Agree.
      Marcie looks tired. Maybe she is working double shifts, that and time for Malaya would be about her limit.

      When younger a good friend of mine wandered away from our friendship, for the companionship of another who was more of a party animal that I was at the time. I missed her, took time to adjust. So I know how Sal feels.

      That’s when I got 2 friends 😉

    • Spencer
      Spencer
      September 29, 2015 at 4:48 pm | #

      I don’t think it’s necessarily that Sal only wants one friend, but that Marcie is the only person she feels safe calling her friend.

  21. Cheryl
    Cheryl
    September 29, 2015 at 12:23 am | #

    ROFL Joyce

  22. newllend(henryvolt)
    newllend(henryvolt)
    September 29, 2015 at 12:26 am | #

    Well I guess one Joyce is already to many, new discussion hey Marcie can you or can you not hook up our friend Marcie with a job?

  23. hikaru
    hikaru
    September 29, 2015 at 12:28 am | #

    not that friend.

  24. Arianod
    Arianod
    September 29, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

    It’s… it’s Overly Attached Joyce!

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      September 29, 2015 at 8:19 am | #

      That famous image is actually probably the closest a human being has ever come to imitating Joyce’s smile.

      • Arianod
        Arianod
        September 29, 2015 at 1:09 pm | #

        Not sure whether that’s disturbing or Extremely Disturbing.

        • extremist343
          extremist343
          May 12, 2016 at 2:49 am | #

          It’s super-mega disturbing. A whole new class of disturbing.

  25. tim gueguen
    tim gueguen
    September 29, 2015 at 12:33 am | #

    More Marcie is always appreciated.

  26. NF
    NF
    September 29, 2015 at 12:39 am | #

    It would be funny if Sal actually took Joyce under her wing. For like a whole day she’d be (poorly) emulating Sal, everyone else would be wondering if Joyce was taken by pod people, and Sal would give up after she compares something Sal is trying to teach her to some Christian pop culture thing.

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      September 29, 2015 at 2:19 am | #

      I do think that the time has come for Sal to actually talk to Joyce about how she’s always pestering her and her feelings about it. Joyce isn’t stupid and she isn’t socially unaware and would actually ease off if Sal asked her to do so. The problem is that Sal isn’t comfortable with interacting with people outside of her tiny circle and typically tries a strategy of avoidance and antisocial behaviour to try to drive them away. Unfortunately, Joyce simply doesn’t get it; she needs to be told.

      The thing is? I have a sneaking suspicion that, if they get to actually talking, Joyce and Sal may have a lot of surprises in store for each other. Neither of them will get what they want from the conversation but they may get things that they need.

      Possibility: Joyce will be hanging out with Sal in town, learning more of her real like (as opposed to the cool illusion), so ToeDad can’t find her in campus when she returns.

  27. Badgermole
    Badgermole
    September 29, 2015 at 12:54 am | #

    Cue Joyce popping in a lollipop cigarette and following Sal around all day.

  28. Idon'tcarenomore
    Idon'tcarenomore
    September 29, 2015 at 1:04 am | #

    Probably would be the only way to get rid of Joyce though.
    Throw her on back of bike, pick up a six-pack, and cruise.
    If possible, go to a bar, play pool, pick a fight with about 3 big people.
    Get arrested.
    Joyce will never bother you again.

    • hikaru
      hikaru
      September 29, 2015 at 1:09 am | #

      she would try so hard to accept it and probably explode but tbh shed probably stick around

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      September 29, 2015 at 1:37 am | #

      It would backfire spectacularly. Joyce would politely deny the sixpack, introduce herself to everyone in the bar and immediately get adopted as the cutest queen of the drunk ever. When the fight came she would have an entire squad of bodyguards.

      • StClair
        StClair
        September 29, 2015 at 1:47 pm | #

        This.

  29. Skizz
    Skizz
    September 29, 2015 at 1:05 am | #

    OhMyJeepersWeWouldBeSuchGreatFriendsWeCouldGoRidingOnYourMotorbikeAndICouldHelpYouStopSmokingAndFindRoomInYourHeartForJesus!!!!

  30. 6Qubed
    6Qubed
    September 29, 2015 at 1:08 am | #

    I can see Joyce making that face while busting through Sal’s bathroom door with an axe

    • Jen Aside
      Jen Aside
      September 29, 2015 at 1:13 am | #

      The Joyceing

      • Bicycle Bill
        Bicycle Bill
        September 29, 2015 at 1:21 am | #

        And if she does it again, would it be the Re-Joyceing?

        • inqntrol
          inqntrol
          September 29, 2015 at 2:45 am | #

          HERE’S JOYCE!

          • Ana Chronistic
            Ana Chronistic
            September 29, 2015 at 8:49 pm | #

            no, here

  31. Bagge
    Bagge
    September 29, 2015 at 1:19 am | #

    Even if Sal is grumpy about it they actually do a good job communicating a tough issue. Sorry Sal, you don’t have exclusive rights to Marcie.

    Friends let friends brush their hair, right?

  32. Lapin
    Lapin
    September 29, 2015 at 1:21 am | #

    Please hang out with that poor child just she gets a Reality Check on the idea that Cool People in College with Motorcycles also spend their time studying, sleeping, and doing their laundry.

  33. BenRG
    BenRG
    September 29, 2015 at 2:10 am | #

    The really funny bit about this strip is that Sal knows Joyce well enough to be able to intercept her interjection without looking at her!

  34. Pink Freud
    Pink Freud
    September 29, 2015 at 2:35 am | #

    Joyce comes from out of f**king nowhere…

    • neeks
      neeks
      September 29, 2015 at 3:21 am | #

      Given her current relationship status and level of sexual repression, an orgasm certainly would be unexpected.

      Or was that not what you meant? 😉

      • Pink Freud
        Pink Freud
        September 29, 2015 at 5:08 am | #

        Haha it’s what I meant now!

  35. neeks
    neeks
    September 29, 2015 at 3:19 am | #

    Sal: friends? Ah got loads of–
    Joyce: 😀
    Sal: not you.

  36. BenRG
    BenRG
    September 29, 2015 at 3:32 am | #

    In a way, it is sad but inevitable that Marcie is beginning to draw away from Sal in this manner. However, the fact is that their lives are starting to diverge. Marcie is right to say that Sal needs to widen her circle to avoid isolation. Of course, for Sal, friendship equals vulnerability. She’s naturally nervous about lowering her defences in that manner.

    Joyce can be overwhelming sometimes but she is, ultimately, a good person and you have to push her really hard to make her act in a truly malicious manner. Thoughtless behaviour is another matter altogether and is something of Joyce’s interpersonal behaviour vice. Of course, that’s a risk with anyone.

    I’m thinking that Sal could do worse than at least get to know Joyce better.

  37. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    September 29, 2015 at 6:02 am | #

    Joyce heard that from 100 meters away and teleported.

  38. Kilo
    Kilo
    September 29, 2015 at 6:56 am | #

    Headcanon: Marcie signs really quickly, so that her arms are literally blueshifting.

    • HMRC4EVR
      HMRC4EVR
      September 29, 2015 at 5:23 pm | #

      Maybe she’s a member of the Power Rangers in this universe and she’s getting ready to Shift into Turbo…or something.

  39. Spencer
    Spencer
    September 29, 2015 at 7:25 am | #

    I’m guessing a part of Sal’s frustration with Joyce is that, as far as she’s aware, Joyce is a huge fangirl over her for superficial reasons.

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      September 29, 2015 at 8:34 am | #

      Then again, on what other basis does Joyce know Sal? She’s too skilled at hiding behind emotional walls for anyone to know her except in the form of the superficial illusion of the cool uber-rebel that she presents to the world.

  40. Deanatay
    Deanatay
    September 29, 2015 at 8:22 am | #

    “Ah said ‘FRIENDS’. Not ‘adulators’ or ‘worshipers’.

    Ah got too many a’ those already.”

  41. Ryek Hvek
    Ryek Hvek
    September 29, 2015 at 8:26 am | #

    “Hey Marcie, watch me pull a rabbit out the side of this panel!”

  42. Deanatay
    Deanatay
    September 29, 2015 at 8:29 am | #

    Willis (or anyone else who knows this area): Are rents high around IU? I live in a college town in CA, which also popular among retirees. Rent is VERY high here. It sounds like Marcie’s gotta work pretty hard to keep above water there?

    • Ars Linguistica
      Ars Linguistica
      September 29, 2015 at 8:36 pm | #

      Nah, Bloomington is by far the best place to live in Indiana, but it’s still surrounded by that near-unbroken wasteland of corn and soybeans. You can’t compare it to California. Personally, my rent about doubled (for a similar situation) when I moved from B-town to Northampton, an even smaller college town. So you can see Western Mass. is desirable enough for a much higher cost of living, or QC is just a far more popular webcomic.

  43. OnyxIdol
    OnyxIdol
    September 29, 2015 at 9:25 am | #

    I just realized, I have the same problem as Sal.

    • Clif
      Clif
      September 29, 2015 at 11:51 am | #

      Joyce wants to be closer than you feel comfortable with?

    • Roborat
      Roborat
      September 29, 2015 at 3:19 pm | #

      You have disembodied heads attached to your hand?

  44. hof1991
    hof1991
    September 29, 2015 at 11:26 am | #

    So, Marcie is working at a place that needs someone to cover hours? And might need a roommate? And all Joyce hears is an opportunity to get closer to Sal? Come on Joyce, all the plot devices are installed and ready to go.

  45. Pat Myers
    Pat Myers
    September 29, 2015 at 11:55 am | #

    Sal already has one friend. Any more would be *exhausting*.

  46. Sunny
    Sunny
    September 29, 2015 at 1:18 pm | #

    Does this mean we can start shipping Becky and Sal? Friendshipping them, that is.

  47. Blackbird
    Blackbird
    September 29, 2015 at 1:47 pm | #

    This will hopefully lead to more Sal/Carla interaction. We are pleased.

  48. 3-I
    3-I
    September 29, 2015 at 3:10 pm | #

    I still feel like Marcie’s being a little mean here. I mean… With practically no warning she’s kind of just stopped hanging out with Sal entirely. And she’s REALLY not trying to, and it feels like that’s just happening because of Malaya.

    I know it’s understandable and reasonable and human, but. Being friend-dumped sucks.

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      September 29, 2015 at 10:40 pm | #

      She’s not being friend-dumped, she has a life that doesn’t completely revolve around Sal. It’s not her fault Sal refuses to make other friends to occupy her when she’s busy.

  49. B.D
    B.D
    September 29, 2015 at 4:14 pm | #

    My cat does that. Somehow he acts like both Sal AND Joyce here, at the same time.

  50. Miles
    Miles
    September 29, 2015 at 4:18 pm | #

    Ok who taught Joyce how to teleport?

  51. Spencer
    Spencer
    September 29, 2015 at 4:44 pm | #

    I’d love to see some strips with Sal and Marcie speaking together solely in sign language.

    The way Willis works the illusion of movement with Marcie’s sign language is genuinely rad.

  52. Shadow12000
    Shadow12000
    September 29, 2015 at 5:09 pm | #

    Does nobody else find it weird that Joyce either has bleached the entirety of her mouth, or wears a white triangle on her face?

    • jjX
      jjX
      September 29, 2015 at 5:40 pm | #

      I know people with smiles that wide.
      They scare me.

      • potatoaddict
        potatoaddict
        September 29, 2015 at 11:49 pm | #

        Neoteny; It doesn’t always work out.

    • No Name
      No Name
      September 29, 2015 at 6:37 pm | #

      Eyebrows in this universe are symbiotic creatures that fly off when their host is experiencing great emotion. I think Joyce’s triangle smile fits right in.

  53. potatoaddict
    potatoaddict
    September 29, 2015 at 11:53 pm | #

    While everyone’s rather terrified of Joyce’s next-to-telepathic awareness of an issue she could possibly be involved with, I just want to say that I like the lines under Marcie’s eyes. Tis a nice touch to detail, to convey that her routine’s leaving her rather wrecked. I can empathise with that.

  54. Nena
    Nena
    September 30, 2015 at 12:02 pm | #

    I think Sal has been hurt and betrayed a lot and therefore has trouble trusting others.

Who should be the default doodle for Book 14?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
CONVENTION APPEARANCES


May 3, 2025 - FCBD @ Laughing Ogre Comics in Columbus, Ohio

©2010-2025 Dumbing of Age | Powered by WordPress with ComicPress | Subscribe: RSS | Privacy Policy | Back to Top ↑