Dumbing of Age Book Seven

Dumbing of Age

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November 8, 2022

Stormed

by David M Willis on August 5, 2019 at 12:01 am
  • 04 - Vote for Robin

└ Tags: jennifer, ruth

Discussion (101) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    August 5, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

    “You know why I hate you so much? BECAUSE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!”

    yikes

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      August 5, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

      actually I bet there’s a Mad-Libs for couples fighting tho

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      August 5, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

      My favorite is Billie’s “I hate your stupid grumpy face. I wanna kiss it.”

      Basically sums these two up.

      • Clif
        Clif
        August 5, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

        I think this is going about as well as it’s going to go.

        • Ana Chronistic
          Ana Chronistic
          August 5, 2019 at 11:58 pm | #

          Dumbing of Age Book 9: I Will NEVER Hate You, Except ALL THE GODDAMN TIME

          • Ana Chronistic
            Ana Chronistic
            August 5, 2019 at 11:59 pm | #

            (psst, Ctrl-F failed)

            Dumbing of Age Book 10: I’d Say It Ultimately Backfired

  2. jeffepp
    jeffepp
    August 5, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    “I love/hate you too!”

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      August 5, 2019 at 12:12 am | #

      Ruth being an English major, she could go with “Odi et Amo.”

      • wwwhhattt
        wwwhhattt
        August 5, 2019 at 3:59 am | #

        English majors study latin?

        • Badgermole
          Badgermole
          August 5, 2019 at 5:36 am | #

          Dissecting etymology is our one party trick.

          • Reltzik
            Reltzik
            August 5, 2019 at 10:38 am | #

            I thought puns were on the list somewhere.

            • BrokenEye, the True False Prophet
              BrokenEye, the True False Prophet
              August 5, 2019 at 6:44 pm | #

              That’s a great way to have your English Major badge revoked

              • Kat
                Kat
                August 5, 2019 at 11:50 pm | #

                Your screenname makes me ponder. Do you give true sounding prophetic statements in a questioning tone? Do you give Prophecies about quantum particles? Are your prophecies only Boolean type? The mind wobbles…

              • Rabid Rabbit
                Rabid Rabbit
                August 6, 2019 at 1:04 am | #

                Only if you don’t know to refer to them as”fatal Cleopatras.”

        • Marsh Maryrose
          Marsh Maryrose
          August 5, 2019 at 12:09 pm | #

          They study Catullus. At least I hope they still do.

      • Kamino Neko
        Kamino Neko
        August 5, 2019 at 5:44 am | #

        If Odie et ammo, Jon’d better give him a purgative.

        • Charles Kuhman
          Charles Kuhman
          August 5, 2019 at 6:30 am | #

          and then leave the premises.

    • BrokenEye, the True False Prophet
      BrokenEye, the True False Prophet
      August 5, 2019 at 6:44 pm | #

      I’ll kill you too, buddy. I’ll kill you too.

  3. ValdVin
    ValdVin
    August 5, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    Book titles abound: “I will never hate you, except all the goddamn time”.

    • Danielle
      Danielle
      August 5, 2019 at 12:08 am | #

      it’s cool, i know that one

      • Clif
        Clif
        August 5, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

        “It’s Excruciating, and I Long For the Peace of the Grave” is gong t be really hard to beat though

        • LeslieBean4shizzle
          LeslieBean4shizzle
          August 5, 2019 at 12:57 am | #

          It’s a day later and that one still brings tears of mirth to my eyes.

          Although it’s better with the main title included.

        • Needfuldoer
          Needfuldoer
          August 5, 2019 at 1:59 am | #

          A perfect title for the eventual multi-volume collection of books that take place during finals.

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      August 5, 2019 at 1:53 am | #

      Really sums up their relationship, doesn’t it?

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      August 5, 2019 at 11:41 pm | #

      What’s a DoA strip without two or book titles?

      “Maybe A Side of Revenge”
      “I Don’t Do This Shit Anymore”

  4. Sporky
    Sporky
    August 5, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

    get outta here axel

    • Lacuna
      Lacuna
      August 5, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

      You really do remember me this time? I’M SO FLATTERED!

      But you’re too late!

      • Delicious Taffy
        Delicious Taffy
        August 5, 2019 at 12:50 am | #

        Two!?

        • MatthewTheLucky
          MatthewTheLucky
          August 5, 2019 at 1:29 am | #

          Got it memorized?

    • abysswatcher1993
      abysswatcher1993
      August 5, 2019 at 12:16 am | #

      He was busy solving some plots before the end.

  5. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    August 5, 2019 at 12:08 am | #

    It’s just The Same Old Song
    But with a different beat since you’ve been gone…

  6. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    August 5, 2019 at 12:09 am | #

    Billie, don’t be a wino
    don’t be a fool with your liiiiiiiiiife

  7. Newllend(henryvolt)
    Newllend(henryvolt)
    August 5, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

    Dumbing of age book 9: “I don’t hate you, expect all the God damn time.”

  8. Madock345
    Madock345
    August 5, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

    They’re way too good together to be so terrible together

    • Happilychaotic
      Happilychaotic
      August 5, 2019 at 6:12 am | #

      This.

  9. BBCC
    BBCC
    August 5, 2019 at 12:11 am | #

    Oh, you beautiful, pissy little dandelions, I will pay for your therapy myself if you’ll both just GO.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      August 5, 2019 at 12:13 am | #

      “Pissy Little Dandelions” is my next band name.

    • Kyrik Michalowski
      Kyrik Michalowski
      August 5, 2019 at 12:16 am | #

      If Billie just wanted to get better and would go to the therapy she has been provided with then maybe they could work this out. But it only works if Billie wants it to work and wants to get better.

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        August 5, 2019 at 2:03 am | #

        “Yeah but that’s hard and it takes effort!”
        – Billie’s internal monologue, probably

        • Annamal
          Annamal
          August 5, 2019 at 5:59 am | #

          Billie has a collossal supply of self-hatred andshe believes that she ruins everyone around her.

          That kind of feeling does not really prompt you into putting effort into self-care…

          • Happilychaotic
            Happilychaotic
            August 5, 2019 at 6:16 am | #

            Yeah, you have to believe first that the therapy can actually work… Which is a hard mental leap to make when you think that you are just bad and that’s it.

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              August 5, 2019 at 7:47 am | #

              Yeah, that’s pretty much it. I’m sure it being hard plays into it, but mostly it’s just that she’s poison and therapy’s not going to fix it, so why bother with a doomed effort.

              • Sunny
                Sunny
                August 5, 2019 at 8:16 am | #

                She would probably just ruin the therapy for everyone else. Or so she’s convinced herself.

                • thejeff
                  thejeff
                  August 5, 2019 at 10:36 am | #

                  “I can’t go to therapy. It would be bad for the therapist.”

                • StClair
                  StClair
                  August 5, 2019 at 10:56 am | #

                  There’s a really twisted bit of ego there, too: the notion that one is uniquely and especially terrible and toxic, and the therapist has never seen a case as bad as yours.
                  (ha ha, no.)

                • thejeff
                  thejeff
                  August 5, 2019 at 2:47 pm | #

                  It’s a common one though.

                  Rooted in the “I’m too messed up. No one can help me. It’s hopeless.” dynamic.

                • Needfuldoer
                  Needfuldoer
                  August 5, 2019 at 3:27 pm | #

                  See also: Amber.

    • JBento
      JBento
      August 5, 2019 at 7:38 am | #

      I mean, that might be part of the issue for Ruth, but Billie’s reason for not going to therapy (or doing anything else, really) is never going to be “that costs money”.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        August 5, 2019 at 4:24 pm | #

        No, see, it’ll work, because who doesn’t love free stuff?

  10. abysswatcher1993
    abysswatcher1993
    August 5, 2019 at 12:12 am | #

    Yes, yes, they are talking seriously about their problems. Now, I WANT TO SEE HOW THE LEAGUE OF EVIL PARENTS IS DOING!

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      August 5, 2019 at 12:16 am | #

      I don’t. If the next strip had a footnote saying that Blaine died on the way back to his home planet, I’d dance with glee.

      • abysswatcher1993
        abysswatcher1993
        August 5, 2019 at 12:20 am | #

        Willis: “We all know that fictional characters can come back to life. However, here’s a contract that establishes that Blaine wouldn’t appear in Dumbing of Age ever!”

      • Dean
        Dean
        August 5, 2019 at 12:34 am | #

        Next strip: Asher is standing next to an elderly Korean man. Two guys with shovels are filling in a hole.

        ASHER: Sorry to bother you about this, Grandpa.
        GRANDPA: It’s fine. I never liked that guy anyway.

        • Josh Spicer
          Josh Spicer
          August 5, 2019 at 12:38 am | #

          This is how we’re introduced to Grandpa, but not by burying Blaine (because of course not), just him doing his job and Asher bein like “so yeah I got this thing.”

        • Nico
          Nico
          August 5, 2019 at 5:12 am | #

          i chuckled. god i wish this would happen.

        • Marie
          Marie
          August 5, 2019 at 9:19 am | #

          Hahaha! Thanks for the mental picture. I laughed.

      • jmsr7
        jmsr7
        August 5, 2019 at 8:06 pm | #

        Oh Poochie, we hardly knew ye – wait. No, you were a horrible mistake and i’m glad you’re dead.

    • Clif
      Clif
      August 5, 2019 at 12:20 am | #

      Thou shalt not tempt the Willis.

      • Marsh Maryrose
        Marsh Maryrose
        August 5, 2019 at 1:08 am | #

        Pfft. Like any of us could out-evil the Willis.

        “I choose to wear the tattered flesh of my enemies!”
        “I’ll snap off your legs and feed them back to you through your eye sockets!”
        “I will beat you both to death myself with your own bloody femurs.”

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      August 5, 2019 at 2:44 am | #

      I’d much rather see Billie and Ruth talking about their problems than the league of evil parents. Which means the next strip will probably go back to them.

  11. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    August 5, 2019 at 12:17 am | #

    Off tangent but I feel robbed we didn’t see more of Sydney Yus, emergency driver.

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      August 5, 2019 at 1:53 am | #

      AND THAT WILL BE OUR UNDOING!

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      August 5, 2019 at 2:44 am | #

      I’m sure we have not seen the last of her.

      • Clif
        Clif
        August 5, 2019 at 7:23 am | #

        You have to leave something for the patrion strips.

    • JBento
      JBento
      August 5, 2019 at 7:41 am | #

      Sydney will appear in the next Blaine strip.
      Blaine: “Rules are for inferior people. I refuse to take the trouble to look both ways before crossing the road.”
      *a car hits him*
      Sydney: “FOOL! THAT HAS BEEN YOUR UNDOING!”
      Last panel: “This was a DOA PSA, because now that I have kids I have to take every opportunity to reduce the chances that their monkey brains don’t get them killed.”

  12. Pocky
    Pocky
    August 5, 2019 at 12:22 am | #

    Pissy weary love

    • Clif
      Clif
      August 5, 2019 at 7:34 am | #

      The second and third panels sum up the core of their relationship.

  13. Rabid Rabbit
    Rabid Rabbit
    August 5, 2019 at 1:09 am | #

    Gasp! Is it at all possibly that without her glasses, Billie is defenceless? Or at least vulnerable.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      August 5, 2019 at 1:11 am | #

      An’ possibly mundane!

  14. Sunfish
    Sunfish
    August 5, 2019 at 1:20 am | #

    Ermagerd the KH ref yaaaassss

  15. Bagge
    Bagge
    August 5, 2019 at 1:56 am | #

    Horray, their relationship is back on track again!

    …that’s good, right?

    • fire_daws
      fire_daws
      August 5, 2019 at 2:16 am | #

      Let’s hope that it’s not the railroad that leads to destruction.

      • Bagge
        Bagge
        August 5, 2019 at 2:18 am | #

        …whenever has it ever been something else?

        • Willoughby Chase
          Willoughby Chase
          August 5, 2019 at 2:41 am | #

          I choose to believe, gainst all the evidence, that this time they’re going to make it.

          • DailyBrad
            DailyBrad
            August 5, 2019 at 2:57 am | #

            They’ve seemingly had some revelations, so there’s that, at least. Kinda early to tell if anything will come of it.

            I do wish Billie would tell her what happened with Alice, though, given that might give additional context as to her keeping up barriers with Ruth and her fear of being poison. But hey, one step at a time.

        • fire_daws
          fire_daws
          August 5, 2019 at 3:18 am | #

          Huh. Well full steam ahead then.

    • JBento
      JBento
      August 5, 2019 at 7:42 am | #

      How could it not be?

      *Warning: Bridge out ahead*

      Oh.

  16. Delicious Taffy
    Delicious Taffy
    August 5, 2019 at 3:01 am | #

    Since Willis deliberately quoted Axel Kingdomhearts on purpose, what’s everybody’s favorite Keyblade?

    I like Kingdom Key W and Midnight Blue.

    • Nenja
      Nenja
      August 5, 2019 at 11:32 am | #

      I really like Guardian Bell and Pumpkinhead

      • Delicious Taffy
        Delicious Taffy
        August 5, 2019 at 1:48 pm | #

        Out of the Didney world Keyblades in KH1, those two are the best-looking.

    • Rayndel
      Rayndel
      August 5, 2019 at 5:10 pm | #

      Oblivion. Hands down.

  17. Shane Wegner
    Shane Wegner
    August 5, 2019 at 3:32 am | #

    It kinda is your fault, Billie, or at least you shared in it and contributed. Cold shouldering Ruth because she stood up for yourself was CRUEL, and you can feel now what Ruth was trying to prevent.

    On the upside, this should brushable under the rug as far as her RA job, it’s not wrong to go to the hospital for worry about an allergic reaction.

    • C.T Phipps
      C.T Phipps
      August 5, 2019 at 6:44 am | #

      Ruth made an ultimatum and Billie walked out on her, I don’t see how that’s not healthy behavior.

      Oh wait, it’s because it’s over alcoholism.

      :sarcasm intended:

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        August 5, 2019 at 8:06 am | #

        “Stop trying to kill me” is a hell of an ultimatum. I can see how Billie is completely at fault here.

        Of course, none of that is what happened, as Billie is telling us here. She didn’t leave because Ruth made an ultimatum. She left because she thinks she’s poison and dangerous to Ruth and tried to piss her off so she could leave without it hurting Ruth so much.
        Which is fucked up in so many ways, but well-intentioned, I guess.

      • TemperaryObsessor
        TemperaryObsessor
        August 5, 2019 at 6:49 pm | #

        Ultimatums for dickish people who want to control the other party, and for people who can’t get the other party to respect basic boundries any other way.
        Also for business deals but please only make them in groups or if your okay with the other party following through.

  18. etherealdesiign
    etherealdesiign
    August 5, 2019 at 4:10 am | #

    im not sure if i love this or hate this, even though i love billie and ruth’s relationship a lot more than i would than if it were real life friends of mine dealin with something this toxic.

    it looks like they’re both really trying, just, really, really badly.

    so, carry on, i guess.

  19. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    August 5, 2019 at 7:43 am | #

    Finally a true discussion between them!

  20. Alan in DC
    Alan in DC
    August 5, 2019 at 8:11 am | #

    Other than providing a compelling story arc here, there is no reason in real life a relationship like this would continue. Billie is 18, Ruth is 20 — they would either outgrow each other or realize thru therapy that they are unhealthily codependent.
    Having been through a few relationships with toxic people, I can tell you these dont last. To expect their love to last by the time Billie hits her mid-20 is unrealistic.
    Of course, the fact that freshman first semester has taken 15+ years here makes the situation feel more draining to us than to them.

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      August 5, 2019 at 10:37 am | #

      That’s true, but it doesn’t make those teenage/college age relationships seem any less serious or important while you’re in them.

    • Sam
      Sam
      August 5, 2019 at 11:37 pm | #

      While they don’t usually, I have heard of a select number of couples who have had unhealthy toxic relationships but later surprisingly turned them around because both of them decided to work for it. It isn’t unrealistic or impossible – it just isn’t the most common of outcomes, and usually because one of them has no interest in committing to doing anything differently. I’ve also heard of a couple where a terrible relationship turned into a great relationship then was ended for different reasons too so even if they turn it around, it doesn’t guarantee anything.

  21. BenRG
    BenRG
    August 5, 2019 at 8:16 am | #

    Ruth’s bad attitude is alcohol-impelled confirmed.

    Meanwhile, I think that the time has come for Billie to realise that she and Ruth are going to have to heal together or not at all.

  22. CMasta
    CMasta
    August 5, 2019 at 9:02 am | #

    I don’t think this interaction could be more self-destructive unless they Thelma and Louise’d themselves

  23. Marie
    Marie
    August 5, 2019 at 9:07 am | #

    Aw, I love these two.

  24. Mouse
    Mouse
    August 5, 2019 at 11:31 am | #

    Angry Ruth is normal. Vulnerable Billie is creepy.

  25. ego
    ego
    August 5, 2019 at 11:51 am | #

    panel 2 is the best single line you have ever written, david.

  26. Leorale
    Leorale
    August 5, 2019 at 11:52 am | #

    It’s cool how they know their pattern. Self-aware characters, woo!

  27. PB
    PB
    August 5, 2019 at 1:16 pm | #

    This is … oddly reassuring.

  28. Megz
    Megz
    August 5, 2019 at 6:59 pm | #

    To everyone who is saying that Billie needs to stay with Ruth in order for Ruth or both of them to heal: You Are Never In Charge Of Someone Else’s Healing! They can break up and then get help separately. Ruth might need a support network right now but it doesn’t need to involve Billie. This kind of feels like Ruth is (unintentionally) emotionally blackmailing Billie to stay with her right now.

    Yes, Billie shouldn’t have left the way she did but Ruth gave her an ultimatum that she (Billie) wasn’t interested in dealing with and she left thinking that Ruth was better without her. They were both stupid but they can continue to do so separately.

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      August 5, 2019 at 10:20 pm | #

      Or together. They could stay together and get help too.

      I get what you say about emotional blackmail, but I don’t think that’s what’s happening here, even unintentionally. Billie wants to stay with Ruth, but thinks she’s poison and will hurt her if she stayed, so she pulls the self-sacrifice ploy and leaves, trying to piss Ruth off so she won’t be hurt as badly.
      And that backfires, so here we are.
      Now we get to see if Billie can really step up or if this has to still get worse.

    • Sam
      Sam
      August 5, 2019 at 11:11 pm | #

      I don’t think they need to stay together to heal but I do think Billie needed something like this to happen to learn that you can’t protect someone by trying to forcibly tear yourself out of their heart and life when they clearly do not want that.

  29. Shane
    Shane
    August 6, 2019 at 12:01 am | #

    “Durr I could get better too, with you, but that sounds hard”

    Because this way is so easier, amirite Billie?

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