Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

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May 8, 2026

Sighs

by David M Willis on January 20, 2019 at 12:01 am
  • 02 - But the Sun Still Shines
└ Tags: joyce, lucy

Discussion (189) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    January 20, 2019 at 12:02 am | #

    she’s definitely trying

    • Dana
      Dana
      January 20, 2019 at 3:21 am | #

      That joke is trying.

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        January 20, 2019 at 9:21 am | #

        I try not to judge…

        BUT I JUDGE

    • ShinyNeen
      ShinyNeen
      January 20, 2019 at 10:25 am | #

      Overused joke? Excellent running gag?

      Maybe it’s both.

      • SgtWadeyWilson
        SgtWadeyWilson
        January 21, 2019 at 7:56 pm | #

        Both?
        Both.
        Both is good.

  2. shadowcell
    shadowcell
    January 20, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

    Dumbing of Age Book 9: It’s Walky?

    • Clif
      Clif
      January 20, 2019 at 1:30 am | #

      DOA9: I Try Not To Judge.

      • Keulen
        Keulen
        January 20, 2019 at 2:12 am | #

        Dumbing of Age Book 9: Hmmm

        • Dean
          Dean
          January 20, 2019 at 4:06 am | #

          DoA9: So Many People’s Personal Anecdotes About Billie Involve Alcohol Consumption

          • Jam Jar
            Jam Jar
            January 20, 2019 at 4:18 am | #

            And we have a winner.

            • Furie
              Furie
              January 20, 2019 at 10:30 am | #

              I thought we settled on “Book 9 – You Want To Laugh At ‘McNutt’ Don’t You”

          • Hoodiecrow
            Hoodiecrow
            January 20, 2019 at 8:03 am | #

            DoA9→0: Let’s Start Over, I’m Lucy

  3. William Leonard Reese Jr.
    William Leonard Reese Jr.
    January 20, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    . . . .Hell I approve of the LucyXWalky ship but I also like the now canon and on the rocks WalkyXAmber relationship. What to do ,what to do ,what to do.

    • Yumi
      Yumi
      January 20, 2019 at 12:05 am | #

      Multi-shipping hell!

      • Marsh Maryrose
        Marsh Maryrose
        January 20, 2019 at 12:11 am | #

        BOOK NINE TITLE!

        • Neeks
          Neeks
          January 20, 2019 at 5:07 am | #

          Nah, that’s the title for the eventual DOA omnibus.

      • Roborat
        Roborat
        January 21, 2019 at 3:11 pm | #

        Harem manga time.

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      January 20, 2019 at 12:12 am | #

      Cloning. Make copies of everybody and have a big ol’ orgy.

      • Clif
        Clif
        January 20, 2019 at 1:23 am | #

        Cloning. Multiple Mikes. Nuff said.

        • Keulen
          Keulen
          January 20, 2019 at 2:26 am | #

          Make clones of everyone except Mike. He’ll find a way to sleep with multiple people in the same night anyway.

          • Deanatay
            Deanatay
            January 20, 2019 at 9:23 am | #

            ALL of the nickles will accrue

          • Felian
            Felian
            January 20, 2019 at 11:05 am | #

            But if you make clones of Mike, he’ll also have more ways to sleep with multiple Mikes in the same night!

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      January 20, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

      Multi shipping hell!

      One of us! One of us!

    • Jamie
      Jamie
      January 20, 2019 at 12:18 am | #

      As a poly person, I feel like the solution is obvious.

      • a4lbi
        a4lbi
        January 20, 2019 at 12:44 am | #

        *fist bump*

        • LeslieBean4Shizzle
          LeslieBean4Shizzle
          January 20, 2019 at 1:39 am | #

          **multi fist bump**

          Also… yall ninjaed me like an hour and a half ago. That’s what I get for not reading down the comment thread before adding to it. :p

    • LeslieBean4Shizzle
      LeslieBean4Shizzle
      January 20, 2019 at 1:39 am | #

      Polyamory.
      Of course, that’s my answer to basically everything.

      • Freezer
        Freezer
        January 20, 2019 at 2:21 am | #

        The answer is always polyamory!

        Or least, the right answer always is.

      • Felian
        Felian
        January 20, 2019 at 11:08 am | #

        I also think that a) it would solve SO MUCH DRAMA in media and real life, and b) create specific new poly drama.
        And i’d really like to see media about poly drama that is NOT determined to claim in the end that monogamy was the better option after all.

        • Benjamin Geiger
          Benjamin Geiger
          January 20, 2019 at 5:58 pm | #

          Poly guy here: agreed, on all points.

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      January 20, 2019 at 2:22 am | #

      I’ve found myself in the same situation, I like both ships even though they conflict with each other. I also wouldn’t mind if Walky and Dorothy were to get back together eventually. Now I have three conflicting ships.

      • Benjamin Geiger
        Benjamin Geiger
        January 20, 2019 at 5:59 pm | #

        Walky in a cuddle puddle.

        I can dig it.

        And I eagerly await the Slipshine strip.

    • not someone else
      not someone else
      January 20, 2019 at 3:31 am | #

      Personally I’m for LucyxWalky and AmberxTherapy for the forseeable future so I dunno…

    • Icalasari
      Icalasari
      January 20, 2019 at 5:38 am | #

      Simple

      LucyXWalky
      JoyceXDorothy

  4. ValdVin
    ValdVin
    January 20, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    Panel six Lucy face is wonderful. Complete with stratospheric eyebrows.

    • ValdVin
      ValdVin
      January 20, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

      Actually Joyce in six is great too, but one would think that is the face she uses for Billie (breaks out her flask) anecdotes more.

  5. Mr. Mendo
    Mr. Mendo
    January 20, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    Joyce is cribbing Sarah’s Sarah-isms!

  6. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    January 20, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    *plays Steely Dan’s “My Old School” on the hacked Muzak*

  7. Yumi
    Yumi
    January 20, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    Yeah, Joyce, and I try to pull my life together. Yet here we both are.

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      January 20, 2019 at 12:13 am | #

      Have you tried ratchet straps, yet? They’re fantastic.

      • Yumi
        Yumi
        January 20, 2019 at 12:31 am | #

        You know, I’ve mostly been going with bungee cords. Ratchet straps do sound like an improvement.

        • Clif
          Clif
          January 20, 2019 at 1:35 am | #

          Bungee cords sound less painful tho.

          • SeanR
            SeanR
            January 20, 2019 at 1:47 am | #

            Huh. I suspect you don’t know what at least one of those is.

            A bungee cord is some sort of elastic, with a hook, usually metal, on either end. The strap may be a lot of what are basically rubber bands, in a bundle, in a colorful braided sheath that looks something like an old lamp cord.
            Or it could be basically a molded strip of tire rubber with a hook on either end.
            Either way, the thickness tends to less than half an inch, and oftentimes with a rounded profile. Like rope. (Less so with the black rubber ones, which tend to be flat, and kind-of bone shaped, if you squint.)

            A ratchet strap is, a ribbon of nylon, usually about an inch wide, and FLAT, with a buckle-like thing that you feed the end through, then work the level to tighten it.
            The look a little like very long nylon web belts, except the buckle can actually be used to tighten the things, not just hold them fast by friction.

            Bungee cords ~= stretchy rope with hooks on the ends.
            Ratchet straps == flat nylon with a hard metal “buckle”, that is also flat on the back.

            If I was going to be “held together” I’d rather it be done with ratchet straps, not bungee cords.

            • Needfuldoer
              Needfuldoer
              January 20, 2019 at 8:49 am | #

              Nah, go for the gusto. A hand winch will pull just about anything together.

      • foamy
        foamy
        January 20, 2019 at 12:34 am | #

        I can confirm that ratchet straps are, indeed, fantastic.

  8. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    January 20, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    Gosh, Lucy’s adorable.

    Also, I hope Joyce is being a little colorful with the flask thing, but who knows with her, or Billie for that matter.

    I wonder what she likes about Walky. I mean, he’s good looking, and his frankness is probably refreshing, so I imagine that plays into it.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      January 20, 2019 at 12:29 am | #

      She thinks he’s cute. Who needs to go beyond that, at the very first stages of attraction?

      Perhaps in addition she also has a hunch that he’s got a torso sculpted out of caramel. Perhaps in addition she also has a hunch that he initiates relationships by throwing toys at girls’ heads, which to her would be a positive thing.

      But honestly, why look for a better reason than cute?

      • DailyBrad
        DailyBrad
        January 20, 2019 at 12:39 am | #

        Oh, I am not passing judgment, I am more just curious about her “type” than anything else.

        • Marsh Maryrose
          Marsh Maryrose
          January 20, 2019 at 12:49 am | #

          I’m guessing her type is “adorkable.” Opposites may attract, but congruent entities tend to bond.

  9. BBCC
    BBCC
    January 20, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

    No one could blame you for failing this time, Joyce. Sometimes we try but we still judge.

    I mean, I’m pretty sure judging other people’s taste in partners is normally only for people you know, but still. 😛

    • Emily
      Emily
      January 20, 2019 at 5:44 am | #

      I mean, she knows Walky and she knows he’s a manchild who probably baths once a week at best and thinks only owning one pair of shoes is manly so she doesn’t really need to know the person interested in him to think they have poor taste. You have like a photographic memory of this comic has Walky ever done laundry?

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        January 20, 2019 at 8:54 am | #

        I think the only person in this comic who’s ever done laundry is Danny.
        And it was Amber’s laundry.

      • Khyrin
        Khyrin
        January 20, 2019 at 8:58 am | #

        The only persons I can remember doing laundry in this strip are Billie, Ruth, Amber, and Danny. And Danny was just finishing Amber’s Laundry.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          January 20, 2019 at 12:32 pm | #

          I could be wrong, but I don’t think Billie was actually doing laundry, but covering for carrying her clothes to Ruth’s room.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        January 20, 2019 at 10:38 am | #

        I was referring more to Joyce judging Lucy’s taste out loud to her face. ;P

        As in we actually physically see him doing so? I don’t think so. Now, normally I would say that doesn’t mean much – we’ve never seen, for example, Dorothy doing her laundry either, but we can assume it gets done.

        But I also remember this strip exists: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-7/03-the-thing-i-was-before/skip/

        • Emily
          Emily
          January 20, 2019 at 5:45 pm | #

          I think it’s not unreasonable to assume Walky is one of those guys who goes home every break with three bags of laundry for his mom to do for him I just wanted to be sure there wasn’t like direct evidence to the contrary before I made that assumption.

          • BBCC
            BBCC
            January 20, 2019 at 6:01 pm | #

            Walky says ‘a while’ so I’m choosing to believe he has in fact done some laundry since he got here and just is very lazy about it, for the sake of my ability to look at him without gagging.

  10. Emperor Norton II
    Emperor Norton II
    January 20, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

    “I think I’m interested in him”, combined with that face, equals “I can think of nothing else than me and Walky doing naked activities together until we’re too sore to continue… and then we continue anyway.”

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      January 20, 2019 at 12:21 am | #

      Lucy is secretly the horniest character in the entire canon.

      • Spruce Goose
        Spruce Goose
        January 20, 2019 at 12:35 am | #

        The inevitable Slipshine clock continues to tick

        • Marsh Maryrose
          Marsh Maryrose
          January 20, 2019 at 12:52 am | #

          I’m not yet on twitter, but I’m pretty sure “Inevitable Slipshine Clock” will be my first twitter handle. Either that, or it will be the name of my band.

          • Clif
            Clif
            January 20, 2019 at 1:42 am | #

            Band names should have more gravitas . Slipshine would be fine for something of lesser importance, say as the name of your first child.

            • Marsh Maryrose
              Marsh Maryrose
              January 20, 2019 at 2:01 am | #

              I’m pretty sure my first child will be named “Candle-Ends.” Or maybe “Thing-um-a-jig.”

              • NickG
                NickG
                January 20, 2019 at 12:35 pm | #

                Snarkish?

                • Marsh Maryrose
                  Marsh Maryrose
                  January 20, 2019 at 5:17 pm | #

                  Let us hope that no Boojums show up to the birthday parties.

            • AGV
              AGV
              January 20, 2019 at 2:32 am | #

              Hm, so “Life, uh, Finds a Way” should be a good name for my first born

        • 3-I
          3-I
          January 20, 2019 at 6:47 am | #

          “Lucy and Amber Trade Smutty Slashfic”

      • not someone else
        not someone else
        January 20, 2019 at 3:32 am | #

        Now I cannot unsee Lucy as the Isabelle of DoA and I appreciate this thought.

  11. AntJ
    AntJ
    January 20, 2019 at 12:08 am | #

    my goodness is Joyce being… pessimistic?

    • Tacos
      Tacos
      January 20, 2019 at 12:14 am | #

      Joyce turns into Sarah when she’s around Lucy in order to preserve the fabric of reality.

    • newllend(henryvolt)
      newllend(henryvolt)
      January 20, 2019 at 1:56 am | #

      When it comes to the rare occasion of people being more overly Sunny than her and guys she’s made up her mind to be an absolutely “nope” on her radar then yes she’s pessimistic.

  12. laladoria
    laladoria
    January 20, 2019 at 12:08 am | #

    Joyce must be so confused as to why the boy she finds incredibly annoying is getting so much female attention.

    • King Daniel
      King Daniel
      January 20, 2019 at 12:14 am | #

      Gotta be those caramel abs.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      January 20, 2019 at 12:41 am | #

      With the added irony of her having crushed on him when she was a kid and he was a mouse.

  13. newllend(henryvolt)
    newllend(henryvolt)
    January 20, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

    Everyone is just calling it like I see it Lucy, if you look up the definition of the word alcoholic in the dictionary then right next to the word you going to see a pictures of Billie sprawled out on someone’s floor surrounded buy beer cans after graduation night.

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      January 20, 2019 at 12:24 am | #

      The confusing part is, the picture is from six in-comic years later.

      • newllend(henryvolt)
        newllend(henryvolt)
        January 20, 2019 at 3:09 am | #

        Time traveling book huh…sound familiar.

    • newllend(henryvolt)
      newllend(henryvolt)
      January 20, 2019 at 3:08 am | #

      *Calling it like they see it

  14. Kyrik Michalowski
    Kyrik Michalowski
    January 20, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

    I have to ask here, what does Lucy actually see in Walky? I’m confused how Lucy has any interest in him from barely any interaction with him. Is it just because she thinks he is cute?

    Also Joyce, while that may be an accurate thing that Billie says or does, saying it to her roommate may not be the most courteous thing in the world. On the bright side she is interacting with Lucy marginally better, minus the sass for liking Walky of course.

    • Fart Captor
      Fart Captor
      January 20, 2019 at 12:14 am | #

      She thinks he’s cute, and Billie suggested it

      Romantically inexperienced nerds can be highly susceptible to suggestion

    • Emperor Norton II
      Emperor Norton II
      January 20, 2019 at 12:17 am | #

      So far, I’d say it’s the attraction’s entirely on a physical level, which often can take about .9 nanoseconds to establish; especially at that age.

    • Uly
      Uly
      January 20, 2019 at 12:24 am | #

      She doesn’t know him and thinks he’s cute. I mean, does she need another reason to want to know him better?

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      January 20, 2019 at 12:42 am | #

      Walky’s cute, she developed sympathy for him on hearing the stuff he was going through, and Walky can be charming in a frank sorta way.

    • Zero
      Zero
      January 20, 2019 at 1:28 am | #

      I thought Joyce’s point was that she understands why Billie looks at her when thinking of Lucy.
      She is recognizing that they are actually similar, and that Lucy wasn’t making fun of her like she initially thought.

      …although she probably didn’t have to say the bit about sighing and drinking.

    • StClair
      StClair
      January 20, 2019 at 2:18 am | #

      *looks at thread*

      I think it might be because he’s cute, yeah.

  15. ShinyNeen
    ShinyNeen
    January 20, 2019 at 12:11 am | #

    Aww. Lucy’s trying decently hard to make friends with Joyce, but it looks like there’s some hurdles to clear first >.>

    (Also, goodness, I think Joyce just uttered three solid punchlines in a row)

  16. lilyliv
    lilyliv
    January 20, 2019 at 12:13 am | #

    In a different universe, that could be you, Joyce. Don’t judge. 😛

    • lilyliv
      lilyliv
      January 20, 2019 at 12:13 am | #

      (Also Lucy is super adorable as always, but that’s just fact.)

  17. Badgermole
    Badgermole
    January 20, 2019 at 12:14 am | #

    Lucy no you can do better

    • AntJ
      AntJ
      January 20, 2019 at 12:23 am | #

      I kinda want to see how Walky fares in a relationship where his girlfriend isn’t a giant ball of stress for him to defuse

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        January 20, 2019 at 12:28 am | #

        I kinda want Lucy to go out with him just to see how Linda and Charles react, but then I feel bad because Lucy is super adorable and does not deserve that.

        • AntJ
          AntJ
          January 20, 2019 at 12:55 am | #

          oof you’re right

        • krveale
          krveale
          January 20, 2019 at 1:51 am | #

          aaaaaaaaaaaaa lucy no run

        • Schpoonman
          Schpoonman
          January 20, 2019 at 2:01 am | #

          I really want Lucy to go out with him because that is the PERFECT opportunity for Linda to be raked over a few miles of coal.

          • BBCC
            BBCC
            January 20, 2019 at 2:23 am | #

            I mean, his dad’s not going to be much better, but yeah, it’d be nice to see one of them getting called out.

            • ShinyNeen
              ShinyNeen
              January 20, 2019 at 10:16 am | #

              We can shoot for a two-fer, can’t we? There’s gotta be enough coal out there for that.

        • Felian
          Felian
          January 20, 2019 at 11:12 am | #

          Really? Dating people just to upset your parents? … at least give your partner a heads up if that’s what you’re going for, and not just use them. obviously

          • BBCC
            BBCC
            January 20, 2019 at 12:40 pm | #

            I’m not hoping Walky dates her to upset his parents. I’m just saying *I*, personally, want them to start dating, in part because it will upset his parents. And then I feel bad because upsetting the Walkertons tends to go…poorly.

      • newllend(henryvolt)
        newllend(henryvolt)
        January 20, 2019 at 1:53 am | #

        But that’s was one of best part of romantic dynamic when it came to his relationships with Amber and Dorothy.

    • DarkoNeko
      DarkoNeko
      January 20, 2019 at 12:24 am | #

      Litterally

    • GenJen
      GenJen
      January 20, 2019 at 12:26 am | #

      She can do different
      Better’s a stretch

      • Emily
        Emily
        January 20, 2019 at 5:48 am | #

        It’s really not. Walky has the maturity of a 12 year old and throws toys at people like a kindergartner.

    • MatthewTheLucky
      MatthewTheLucky
      January 20, 2019 at 12:44 am | #

      I kinda want to see Willis subvert all our expectations and have Joyce convince Lucy of that.

    • Agemegos
      Agemegos
      January 20, 2019 at 2:01 am | #

      You can find a guy who washes regularly and wears clean clothes!

      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-7/03-the-thing-i-was-before/funk/

  18. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    January 20, 2019 at 12:24 am | #

    Oooooooooh Lucy

  19. Tacos
    Tacos
    January 20, 2019 at 12:25 am | #

    I think Lucy can do better than this.

    • Fart Captor
      Fart Captor
      January 20, 2019 at 12:45 am | #

      She could do a lot worse, too

      • Emily
        Emily
        January 20, 2019 at 5:50 am | #

        That’s because Mike exists not because Walky doesn’t kinda suck.

        • Fart Captor
          Fart Captor
          January 20, 2019 at 2:29 pm | #

          He’s a cute doofus who can be very sweet despite also being very immature. For an eighteen year old he’s doing alright

          • thejeff
            thejeff
            January 20, 2019 at 4:46 pm | #

            He’s also shown an impressive capability to step up when needed, despite that surface immaturity and despite hating to do so.

            I doubt I could have handled the break up with Dorothy so well at eighteen – particularly the planning to break up with her himself so that he didn’t hold her back.

          • Emily
            Emily
            January 20, 2019 at 5:50 pm | #

            For an 18 year old guy maybe but again; low bar. Also doesn’t change the fact that his personal grooming is apparently so bad he gave himself acne on his nethers through sheer grossness of his unwashed clothes.

  20. Artschoolrage
    Artschoolrage
    January 20, 2019 at 12:31 am | #

    I’m actually super bored with so many girls liking walky!! My god! Also, digging how acclimated joyce is nowadays.

    • Michael
      Michael
      January 20, 2019 at 2:33 am | #

      +1 for this. I knew plenty of Walky’s in my early collage years. They were NOT appealing. The parade of ‘interested’ girls in an immature goof-off with little to offer is reaching Mary Sue levels.

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        January 20, 2019 at 8:59 am | #

        Who’s going to be the first to headbutt him in the junk and vomit in his lap, though?

        (It’s a QC reference.)

        • Hoodiecrow
          Hoodiecrow
          January 20, 2019 at 9:22 am | #

          Please, that’s one of the oldest romantic tropes in the book. The hieroglyph for the Egyptian god Heh (search for Heh (god) on Wikipedia) represents the young unmarried man trying to be casual about it.

          In Shakespeare’s time, of course, young boys in women’s clothing did the junkbutting and lapvomiting, but it was still fun.

    • Emily
      Emily
      January 20, 2019 at 5:55 am | #

      It’s getting grating at this point that this entirely mediocre dude is literally landing back to back girlfriends. He brings nothing to the table besides a physique that will vanish as soon as he loses his youthful metabolism and his terrible eating habits and sedentary lifestyle catch up with him and the sense of humour of a small, mean-spirited, child. I guess he has empathy but that’s very much a sometimes thing.

      • the final pam
        the final pam
        January 20, 2019 at 12:57 pm | #

        Even if he’s physically attractive, the dude must smell constantly of shitty fastfood and flatulence. It’s also hard to evaluate how his physique is unless you see him naked, but he wears a hoodie all the time.

        • BBCC
          BBCC
          January 20, 2019 at 4:24 pm | #

          Walky does shower. His laundry habits are gross, but he does shower.

          • the final pam
            the final pam
            January 20, 2019 at 4:30 pm | #

            Showering doesn’t really help from Taco Bell farts. And if Walky’s anything like his self in the rest of the Walkyverse, he has those often and they are rank.

            • BBCC
              BBCC
              January 20, 2019 at 4:33 pm | #

              Walky’s already pretty different from Walkyverse Walky. I think he and Joyce are both much more ‘grown up’ than their counterparts were for most of their time over in It’s Walky.

              For instance, here he seems to eat more McDonalds than Taco Bell.

              • the final pam
                the final pam
                January 20, 2019 at 6:36 pm | #

                http://www.dumbingofage.com/2018/comic/book-8/03-faz-is-great/coldturkey/

                Walky’s still gross, that’s literally all I’m saying.

                • thejeff
                  thejeff
                  January 20, 2019 at 8:05 pm | #

                  Consider the possibility that he was exaggerating or just making it up, just like he doesn’t actually think her stupid pretty face is dumb or that she smells.

                  It’s hard to tell with Walky whether he’s serious about all the gross things he says or whether he’s exaggerating for his slacker image.

                  This is actually a pretty common problem in one way or another in this comic. Sarah’s unreliable about her own actions and motives, because she routinely projects her grumpy misanthropist image to keep from looking like she cares. Becky’s persona is about 95% emotional armor and that made a lot of readers misjudge her.

                • the final pam
                  the final pam
                  January 20, 2019 at 8:52 pm | #

                  http://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-7/03-the-thing-i-was-before/funk/

                  http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-2/03-the-first-step-towards-recovery/congratulations/

                  The idea: Walky is a gross teenage boy with middling hygienic tendencies with a preference for shitty fast food which results in smelly farts, of which he has talked plenty about before and have shown up in canon before

                  Y’all: Walky is exaggerating for his slacker image. Walky eating Taco Bell on the toilet is comparable to Sarah pushing people away because she’s scared of being vulnerable.

                  This is about as deep as a rain puddle, but you’re acting like it’s a lake. I’m joking, but okay seriously- Walky, canonically, is a smell gross boy. He loves potty humor. He wore a t-shirt with a butt taco on it. He doesn’t do his laundry often enough that he has zits on his taint. None of these are particularly attractive traits, especially not something his abs (that are hidden underneath a hoodie) can make up for. This is the literal only thing that is being brought up and somehow, I really fucking doubt Walky’s lying about eating nachitos on the toilet, because that is completely in character for him.

                • BBCC
                  BBCC
                  January 20, 2019 at 9:26 pm | #

                  No argument here, but my point is he probably doesn’t smell THAT bad, although you’re right that he does have an odour as Dorothy put it – that’s probably his non-Dorothy bought clothes. Sal commented his older hoodies stink.

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      January 20, 2019 at 10:56 am | #

      Every Willis comic has that one character who gets way more romantic attention than they logically should.

      • Artschoolrage
        Artschoolrage
        January 21, 2019 at 2:14 am | #

        Blegh. I’m starting to think walky will get no development unless he’s with a woman that’ll “change his ways”

  21. theKOT
    theKOT
    January 20, 2019 at 12:41 am | #

    I think walky’s sense of humor is partly what everyone sees in him.
    The nachitos off the toilet bowl lifestyle isn’t something that you’d know just by looking at him.

  22. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    January 20, 2019 at 12:43 am | #

    Headcanon that Lucy sounds like an older Connie Maheswaran.

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      January 20, 2019 at 12:57 am | #

      That goes well with Ruth sounding like Peridot.

      • AGV
        AGV
        January 20, 2019 at 2:39 am | #

        Aaaaaaaaa why
        Also, Billy sounds like Lapis then (which is quite ironic)

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        January 20, 2019 at 10:54 am | #

        Ruth can not sound like Peridot, if she did she would have never been intimidating.

      • NickG
        NickG
        January 20, 2019 at 12:42 pm | #

        Carla is more of a Peridot, I think.

    • NickG
      NickG
      January 20, 2019 at 12:40 pm | #

      Dorothy sounds like Pearl obviously.

  23. Woof
    Woof
    January 20, 2019 at 1:15 am | #

    Lucy is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

  24. Marsh Maryrose
    Marsh Maryrose
    January 20, 2019 at 1:15 am | #

    Took me long enough to realize this, but…

    Lucy is reacting really calmly to discovering the fact that her new roommate is a notorious alcoholic.

    • Solenoid
      Solenoid
      January 20, 2019 at 1:24 am | #

      The realization dawns slowly. As yet, there isn’t much more than her reputation to show her how severe the problem is.

  25. Lacuna
    Lacuna
    January 20, 2019 at 1:19 am | #

    Is Joyce emotionally aware and/or mature enough to tell Lucy “hey, Walky just broke up with his girlfriend about an hour ago, and that girlfriend was sort of a rebound from another breakup, so you should probably ease off for right now”. In a more Joyce-y way, obviously. Too tired to write good dialogue.

    Joyce has made incredible strides, but I’m honestly not sure if she’d notice that or even think to notice that, since she doesn’t fully understand what’s happening with Walky/Amber.

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      January 20, 2019 at 3:16 am | #

      Given how Joyce and Walky interact in this universe, I strongly suspect that she’s raging in her head and asking why so many women are romantically interested in that… that… that… WALKY!

      Whether Joyce is interested in him or just can’t get why anyone else would be is unclear to me at this point. There is definitely a Calvin and Suzy vibe that suggests that they’d be best friends but for the fact they press each other’s buttons too effectively.

      • Emily
        Emily
        January 20, 2019 at 5:59 am | #

        I really hope she’s not interested in him because the trope of a woman’s dislike for a man actually being a result of repressed desire for him is gross and needs to die.

        • MatthewTheLucky
          MatthewTheLucky
          January 20, 2019 at 11:12 am | #

          God yes. It’s demeaning to women and toxic to men. When I was 11 I was told to try flirting with a bully because her physically attacking me was clearly a sign of comedically bad flirting, after I’d just been injured by her.

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        January 20, 2019 at 10:52 am | #

        I think Joyce understands the physical side of liking Walky but she finds the personality so repulsive it ruins the rest.

  26. Bagge
    Bagge
    January 20, 2019 at 1:24 am | #

    One minute into the conversation, and they are down to their third restart.

    Things going well 🙂

  27. PB
    PB
    January 20, 2019 at 1:44 am | #

    Hmmmmm. I THINK I can still see them becoming friends, but we’ll see.

  28. C.T Phipps
    C.T Phipps
    January 20, 2019 at 2:03 am | #

    I ship Lucy/Walky less than anything else I have shipped in any fandom up to and including the Legend of Korra’s Mako and anyone.

    Walky and Amber 4 ever.

    • Michael
      Michael
      January 20, 2019 at 2:38 am | #

      I ship the incredibly unlikely Lucy/Joyce more than Lucy/Walky.

    • Dana
      Dana
      January 20, 2019 at 2:43 am | #

      My otp is Amber and happiness.

      • Deathjavu
        Deathjavu
        January 20, 2019 at 9:40 am | #

        It seems like your ship is a looooooong way from coming in ;_;

        • ShinyNeen
          ShinyNeen
          January 20, 2019 at 10:19 am | #

          It’s a heck of a long haul, but it’ll be worth the wait!

        • Clif
          Clif
          January 20, 2019 at 10:19 am | #

          Eyh. Happiness is probably a bit much to hope for, but Amber and Walky have a certain unexpected chemistry. I really don’t think that Sal will want to sink the ship and the other icebergs will take a while to hit. So, rough waters ahead, but sail on garbage skow, sail on.

          • BBCC
            BBCC
            January 20, 2019 at 2:13 pm | #

            I mean, regardless of whether Sal cares if they break up, Walky still might not want to date someone who’s stabbed his sister before. Like, that is a lot to take in and it does make things awkward.

    • newllend(henryvolt)
      newllend(henryvolt)
      January 20, 2019 at 3:00 am | #

      I’d rather Walky and Amber try to work through things instead of turning tail at the first signs of things getting rough because I feel like there’s so much being wasted to just end it that quickly.

      People made it apparent that the relationship was unhealthy but I can’t help but to disagree with that. Walkys found someone who can operate on the same wavelength as him in the same fashion as Dorothy only the difference is this relationship can bloom it is something serious in time without knowing from the very start that it’s nothing more then a fleeting moment. While as for Amber she’s gone from ” I’m garbage and I hate myself” to “I’m garbage but it’s not such a bad thing since I don’t haft to be Garbage alone.” It’s nice change for Amber and likes herself better when she’s with him and it’s not hard to see why, she’s more open and honest about herself and that should be a good thing for a person or two people in a relationship to grow properly.

      In short Lucy is cool and there’s no reason to not give her a shot but we already have too much of a good thing what the Walky and Amber going to end prematurely. But even so if that does happen all accepted since I was happy with what I got so far, like Walky said ” it was nice, even if only for a moment.”

      • newllend(henryvolt)
        newllend(henryvolt)
        January 20, 2019 at 3:02 am | #

        *she likes herself better when she’s with him…. damn sometimes I wish gravatar had an edit comment option.

      • Zatar
        Zatar
        January 20, 2019 at 2:39 pm | #

        I don’t disagree but most relationship’s version of “getting rough” is not “She stabbed my sister.”

        • newllend(henryvolt)
          newllend(henryvolt)
          January 20, 2019 at 7:42 pm | #

          True, I don’t know why I keep overlooking that.

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      January 20, 2019 at 10:49 am | #

      I think by the end Mako could have a LI and not completely suck at it, he’s grown as a person.

  29. Danielle
    Danielle
    January 20, 2019 at 2:11 am | #

    the joyce lucy club

  30. HMH
    HMH
    January 20, 2019 at 2:48 am | #

    I so cannot wait for Walky’s mom to have an exceedingly high point of view of Amber, and yet an even lower one of Lucy, even though Lucy is far more like what she might say Lucy is the sort of girl she’d want her son to date…

    • C.T Phipps
      C.T Phipps
      January 20, 2019 at 4:27 am | #

      I believe that would depend on whether Lucy’s family is rich or not.

      • rectilinearpropagation
        rectilinearpropagation
        January 21, 2019 at 2:50 am | #

        Money probably won’t trump the fact that Lucy is darker than Walky.

  31. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    January 20, 2019 at 2:48 am | #

    Yep my ship’s happening. But now Amber’s caught in yet another love triangle.

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      January 20, 2019 at 3:13 am | #

      Amber’s likely response would be to sigh and mutter: “Figures.”

      • JessWitt
        JessWitt
        January 20, 2019 at 6:07 am | #

        *sigh* Yeahh.

  32. bejouled
    bejouled
    January 20, 2019 at 2:52 am | #

    Joyce/Walky is my OTP and if it doesn’t happen in this universe I will be VERY PUT OUT.

    But it seems pretty far away at the moment.

  33. Pablo360
    Pablo360
    January 20, 2019 at 3:05 am | #

    Alternative panel 1 dialog: “Alright, let’s do this one last time. My name is Lucy Glenn.”

  34. NinjaNick
    NinjaNick
    January 20, 2019 at 3:08 am | #

    Don’t hold your breath on that, Lucy.

  35. BenRG
    BenRG
    January 20, 2019 at 3:13 am | #

    I don’t think that Lucy could have chosen a conversational tack less likely to earn Joyce’s approval!

  36. GrantimusMaximus
    GrantimusMaximus
    January 20, 2019 at 3:26 am | #

    CONFOUND THAT WALKY BOY! He’ll drive Joyce to drink! (…Capri Sun)

  37. SpaceshipPilot
    SpaceshipPilot
    January 20, 2019 at 4:32 am | #

    …Yep, I still think these two are twins separated at birth. Joyce’s expression in the last panel is pretty much my expression around my sister.

  38. notlegato
    notlegato
    January 20, 2019 at 5:09 am | #

    so. cute. christ.

  39. Chris Phoenix
    Chris Phoenix
    January 20, 2019 at 5:41 am | #

    OK, Lucy is a saint.
    Joyce: “You suck so badly that you are literally driving your roommate to drink, and she lets everyone know how she feels about you.”
    Lucy: “Wow, I’m alarmed at how much she drinks (I hope she’s OK).”

    As to the Lucy/Walky ship: I perceive Walky’s character as being better than his actions; he’s often foolish and thoughtless, but he’s also kind and caring; he has poor study habits, but he’s intelligent; etc. Given that (similar to Danny) he’s a good egg with often-poor presentation; and she is sensible, forthright, and forgiving of flaws; I have to wonder whether dating Lucy could actually improve his game to the point that he’d be a good match for her?

    • Zaxares
      Zaxares
      January 20, 2019 at 6:21 am | #

      I’m inclined to think so. Walky is overall a good person, as you pointed out. He just has a propensity for laziness and a reluctance to apply himself. (Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Some people are just unambitious, and if they’re content and happy working, say, an entry-level job for their entire life… Well, there are many people who try for the gold and end up bitterly disappointed with what they managed to achieve, so who’s to say which approach ultimately resulted in greater happiness?)

      The one thing that perhaps would give me pause about a Walky-Lucy pairing is that Lucy appears to be an extrovert, particularly how she’s always organizing social events. Walky, in contrast, is very much an introvert. Depending on how much each person cleaves to their type, it could wind up in a situation where Lucy always wants to hang out with their social circle, while Walky just wants to stay at home and watch cartoons with Lucy. It’s possible to compromise on this, of course, but my own observations and experiences with relationships has taught me that usually, one person ends up giving way all the time and eventually comes to resent the other person for either constantly dragging them to social events they have no interest in attending, or unhappy that they’re always staying home and doing the same thing over and over.

      • Samantha Johnson
        Samantha Johnson
        January 20, 2019 at 5:47 pm | #

        I agree with this, I think the bigest Obstacle to their relationship working would be differing social needs. Lucy seems to be very personable adn friendly and outgoing she needs people around and seems to care very much about appearance and very intuitive. Walky is very introverted and prone to laziness and needs time away. It could be solved by Lucy doing a girls night a few times a month to give her a needed social boost and Walky some quiet time away from friends to recharge so I think it could work. I think they could balance each other well.

  40. Emily
    Emily
    January 20, 2019 at 6:01 am | #

    Even when Billie isn’t even in the strip she finds new ways to make me hate her.

  41. sdrainbow
    sdrainbow
    January 20, 2019 at 6:04 am | #

    *starry eyes* Is that a classic Sarah-Side-Eye I spy?

  42. Eldritch Gentleman
    Eldritch Gentleman
    January 20, 2019 at 7:46 am | #

    That’s a lie Joyce, you judge Walky all the time, every time even while you are in deep sleep.

  43. Thomas O.
    Thomas O.
    January 20, 2019 at 8:02 am | #

    Translation: I try not to involve myself in weird alternate timelines.

  44. Whaatt
    Whaatt
    January 20, 2019 at 8:38 am | #

    Lucy: than what’s wrong with your face ? You seem like you think Walky is-
    Joyce: I TRY NOT TO JUDGE.
    I don’t Lucy’s feelings to get hurt tho. It’s kinda obvious Walky isn’t interested

  45. Zee
    Zee
    January 20, 2019 at 9:41 am | #

    Every Lucy page in this strip is adorable and perfect

  46. Deanatay
    Deanatay
    January 20, 2019 at 9:46 am | #

    Joyce: OMG, I see it now! How alike we are! We’re totally alike! We are SO alike in every way!
    Lucy: I think I might be… interested in Walky…
    Joyce: WE ARE NOTHING ALIKE

  47. Booker
    Booker
    January 20, 2019 at 10:23 am | #

    I was torn, but I love Lucy now. That being said. She can do so much better than Walky. I may catch flak for this, but he demonstrates often that he is kinda irresponsible and insensative about many things.

    • DarkoNeko
      DarkoNeko
      January 20, 2019 at 12:57 pm | #

      if you catch flak for saying Walky is irresponsible, you may as well get mauled for saying water is wet.

    • Indoor Cat
      Indoor Cat
      January 20, 2019 at 6:50 pm | #

      Oh, I agree. I wrote a comment that’s probably tl;dr, but essentially, I want to see a Lucy-centered romance plot really badly! But, just, not with any of the currently single male characters.

      • Clif
        Clif
        January 20, 2019 at 10:45 pm | #

        What would you have against LucyxDanny?

    • newllend(henryvolt)
      newllend(henryvolt)
      January 20, 2019 at 7:57 pm | #

      I think Lucy’s new gimmick might as well be “She deserves a lot better then what she’s settling for and doesn’t realize it.”

  48. Indoor Cat
    Indoor Cat
    January 20, 2019 at 6:48 pm | #

    TBH there just aren’t a lot of shippable guys in this story? Jacob is taken, and he’s only really interacted with Raidah-and-Sarah-adjacent people anyway.

    Joe is growing and maturing, which is great, but honestly I can only see him with someone like Roz, or maybe Malaya? Someone who would find stuff like the “do-list” forgivable rather than eternally off putting.

    Mike is just a jerk, Ethan seems to be completely gay rather than bi, Danny is…eh. Nothing really un-shippable about Danny I guess, just not my cup of tea. Actually, I can see a DannyxEthan ship going well.

    Which leaves Walky. He’s single, attracted to women, and his character flaws are more like “immature” and “kinda lazy” rather than “mean” or “judgemental,” something both Amber and Lucy find easy to relate to. So…best of very few options.

    Even if Jacob was single, Lucy and Amber would probably find his confidence and emotional maturity intimidating. He wouldn’t judge them for being less emotionally mature and more anxious, but they might judge themselves by comparison. Whereas confidence and self-assuredness puts people like Sarah and Joyce at ease, and with Raidah it’s a like-attracts-like situation.

    Maybe a currently-minor male character getting ‘leveled up’ would break up some of the romantic plotlines that keep getting so Walky-centered. Zaph, maybe?

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      January 20, 2019 at 8:11 pm | #

      It’s definitely a point I’ve noticed before, mostly in context of possible Joyce ships. Barring new characters she’s pretty much stuck with Joe, since Joyce/Jacob is a disaster.
      And I agree they’re not nearly ready for each other yet. Joyce may find the list forgivable, but she’s also not ready for sex and I can’t see even the new improved Joe going for a long time platonic relationship.

      If you’ve read the Joe/Malaya slipshine, they’re not getting together. And I actually think Roz finds the list less forgivable than most other characters. I suspect their occasional hook-ups are history.

  49. abysswatcher1993
    abysswatcher1993
    January 20, 2019 at 8:34 pm | #

    Joyce, Joyce, Joyce. I could break the fifth wall that separates stories and show you your alternate universe husband. Also, you should know that some women like men with tanned skin and a happy go lucky attitude. Not everyone is like you, running to hunky men (Ethan shares that sentiment with you though). Also, you have to judge people sometimes, specially if they have serious issues like alcoholism.

  50. stoodmuffin
    stoodmuffin
    January 20, 2019 at 9:12 pm | #

    EVEN JOYCE IS HARDENED AND JADED NEXT TO LUCY. HOLY SHIT.

  51. Roborat
    Roborat
    January 21, 2019 at 3:26 pm | #

    OMG, is that a Charlie Brown smile on Lucy? Is Sir Willis sneaking in a meta joke here?

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