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
hey if you have anxiety all pleasures are guilty
First Previous Random 105Comments 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:

June 14, 2026

Belong

by David M Willis on August 25, 2020 at 12:01 am
  • 04 - Is a Song Forever?
└ Tags: amber, walky

Discussion (105) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    August 25, 2020 at 12:03 am | #

    “our ‘it’s complicated'”

    “idk, garbage doesn’t seem too complicated”

    • clif
      clif
      August 25, 2020 at 1:23 am | #

      Well it doesn’t have to be. On the other hand it can get a lot more complicated than this. Suppose Dorothy had weakened and then regretted it while Imaginary Mike had seized control of Amber.

      • Khyrin
        Khyrin
        August 25, 2020 at 10:47 am | #

        The image that conjures in my head is Imaginary!Mike-controlled Amber/Dorothy makeouts.

    • Sunny
      Sunny
      August 25, 2020 at 8:45 pm | #

      Garbage can get really complicated if you want to sort it for recycling, though.

  2. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    August 25, 2020 at 12:06 am | #

    I’m in the alt-text and I don’t like it.

    • not someone else
      not someone else
      August 25, 2020 at 12:11 am | #

      Why they gotta come for us like that mang

    • StClair
      StClair
      August 25, 2020 at 12:12 am | #

      yup.

      either “guilty” or “meaningless and irrelevant and why are you trying to distract yourself from the thing you should be obsessing about right now“

      • LiterallyJustSomeGuy
        LiterallyJustSomeGuy
        August 25, 2020 at 12:25 am | #

        I feel targeted

    • AndieStardust
      AndieStardust
      August 25, 2020 at 12:34 am | #

      Yep, so intensely

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      August 25, 2020 at 8:04 am | #

      Alt-text calling me out

    • JetstreamGW
      JetstreamGW
      August 25, 2020 at 8:42 am | #

      Hahahahahahahahahahahaahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha *gasp* ahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahaha….

  3. Scott
    Scott
    August 25, 2020 at 12:08 am | #

    Good to see this couple interacting again. I hope Wally fights his parents for Amber.

    • Mra
      Mra
      August 25, 2020 at 12:14 am | #

      I wouldn’t expect that anytime soon. Maybe after some more character growth, but the amount of spine it took for him to just give a single statement that his mom hadn’t been treating Sal well tells me that might be a while.

  4. Bicycle Bill
    Bicycle Bill
    August 25, 2020 at 12:09 am | #

    Ah, to be young and unsure whether you’re in love, in like, or in lust.

    • Geneseepaws
      Geneseepaws
      August 25, 2020 at 12:38 am | #

      Well, it’s complicated

      • clif
        clif
        August 25, 2020 at 12:56 am | #

        Particularly since none of them are mutually exclusive.

        • Needfuldoer
          Needfuldoer
          August 25, 2020 at 5:43 am | #

          And neither of them know if they are, either.

        • Deanatay
          Deanatay
          August 25, 2020 at 8:06 am | #

          ‘or’ can be inclusive?

          • Julez
            Julez
            August 25, 2020 at 5:23 pm | #

            In logic, yes. ‘Or’ kind of means ‘either’ so regardless of if one or both conditions are met the statement is true.

  5. Mra
    Mra
    August 25, 2020 at 12:12 am | #

    Well, it’s good Sal has at least one family member willing to stand by her.

    • LiterallyJustSomeGuy
      LiterallyJustSomeGuy
      August 25, 2020 at 12:27 am | #

      Right? It’s great to see Billie standing up for Sal!

      • clif
        clif
        August 25, 2020 at 12:59 am | #

        Agreed. Though to be fair, it was only because she was her brother’s sister.

  6. Spencer
    Spencer
    August 25, 2020 at 12:12 am | #

    I wasn’t the only one who read Walky’s last talk with Dorothy after the kidnapping as him saying he still wanted to be with her right?

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      August 25, 2020 at 12:31 am | #

      I definitely got the vibe feelings were still there, yes.

      • clif
        clif
        August 25, 2020 at 1:01 am | #

        That’s definitely how she read it. But she isn’t going to let what she wants interfere with her goals.

    • Scott
      Scott
      August 25, 2020 at 11:12 am | #

      I see it as him testing himself and Dorothy to see if there was still something there. Dorothy turning him down proved that their romance is over, and he needs to focus on Amber and his family issues.

  7. Bagge
    Bagge
    August 25, 2020 at 12:14 am | #

    Garbage roof is back on!

    …one of them is going to break up with the other for stupid reasons, aren’t they?

    • Kyrik Michalowski
      Kyrik Michalowski
      August 25, 2020 at 12:21 am | #

      I was thinking the exact same thing honestly, this relationship is too good to not be destroyed by Willis.

    • LiterallyJustSomeGuy
      LiterallyJustSomeGuy
      August 25, 2020 at 12:24 am | #

      They can’t break up (again)! They aren’t on The Stairs!

      • Bagge
        Bagge
        August 25, 2020 at 12:25 am | #

        as long as they stay on the roof they are fine.

        • clif
          clif
          August 25, 2020 at 1:03 am | #

          Garbage has a certain stability. If you’re expectations are low, it’s hard to be disappointed.

          • thumb
            thumb
            August 25, 2020 at 7:15 am | #

            Wait, does the roof symbolise a safe and stable position from which you will eventually have to move because you can’t just live there?

            And do the stairs represent the precarious change from one stable state to hopefully a more sustainable one?

            Do the car chases embody the concept of running away from your problems while also taking them with you and how dangerous it can be when things come to a head?

            Was the kidnapping basement the lowest point for our heroes?

            Have I just dangerously galaxy-brained? Should you all keep a safe distance while my mind is blown?

            • clif
              clif
              August 25, 2020 at 10:20 am | #

              Sure. To all of the above.

            • Khyrin
              Khyrin
              August 25, 2020 at 10:49 am | #

              There’s only one way to be sure: What does that goddamned Red Semi represent?

            • Bagge
              Bagge
              August 25, 2020 at 10:33 pm | #

              *mind blown*

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      August 25, 2020 at 5:49 am | #

      They had better not!

      At least let Linda find out first…

      • Bagge
        Bagge
        August 25, 2020 at 6:02 am | #

        I really predicted Walky threatening to leave college if Linda didn’t back off from being mean to amber, but it seems he won’t have to.

    • Zee
      Zee
      August 25, 2020 at 12:56 pm | #

      Technically they are broken up, they just don’t act like it.

  8. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    August 25, 2020 at 12:14 am | #

    I really want them to make out on garbage roof. I want them to do OTHER things on garbage roof but it’s probably not the best time but I definitely want some garbage snogging.

    • Kyrik Michalowski
      Kyrik Michalowski
      August 25, 2020 at 12:23 am | #

      I don’t know, makeouts/sex after such stressful events might be just the relaxer that they need. Besides, it’s better than talking about/thinking about Amber’s uncertain future at the school.

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      August 25, 2020 at 12:24 am | #

      If they manage to shoot this relationship down before we get a slipshine out of it I’m going to be SO CROSS

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        August 25, 2020 at 12:32 am | #

        If they do I guess I’ll just have to draw it myself…y’know…at my leisure. very slowly. I’d make it kinky as hell though.

        • Bagge
          Bagge
          August 25, 2020 at 12:52 am | #

          You have the power!

          • Yotomoe
            Yotomoe
            August 25, 2020 at 12:56 am | #

            Let’s not forget I have done it before
            https://imgur.com/a/W3bImzi (NSFW)

            • clif
              clif
              August 25, 2020 at 1:27 am | #

              You could make a regular feature of it and name it Garbage with Benefits.

            • Bagge
              Bagge
              August 25, 2020 at 2:52 am | #

              That’s really hot! Especially amber’s kinda annoyed expression

            • LiterallyJustSomeGuy
              LiterallyJustSomeGuy
              August 25, 2020 at 11:18 am | #

              That’s great, Yotomoe!

              In terms of a Slipshine from Willis, I guess we could already get one for “dry humping to climax” instead of studying?

            • a/snow/mous/e
              a/snow/mous/e
              August 25, 2020 at 10:23 pm | #

              Nice~ <3

    • Captain Oblivious
      Captain Oblivious
      August 25, 2020 at 2:46 am | #

      Nah, it’d end up just bein another trashy sex scene.

      • wwwhhattt
        wwwhhattt
        August 25, 2020 at 8:20 am | #

        That would be kinda rubbish

  9. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    August 25, 2020 at 12:15 am | #

    Love will lift us Up Where We Belong…

    • Captain Oblivious
      Captain Oblivious
      August 25, 2020 at 8:24 pm | #

      Mr. Bierce, Where does your extensive knowledge of music come from?

  10. Octopus Ink
    Octopus Ink
    August 25, 2020 at 12:19 am | #

    Wow, the social dysfunction’s gettin’ kinda thick ’round these parts.
    Hopefully wacky hijinks will once again ensue pretty soon-ish. I love this comic and, like most here, have a longstanding history with them (or analogues of them).
    It kinda actually pains me to see so many of them hurt so deeply and all at the same time.
    There’s enough malaise IRL. These students need a break from all the “ugh”!

    • clif
      clif
      August 25, 2020 at 1:36 am | #

      Well, we know the blanket warning extends till June. We just don’t know which June.

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        August 25, 2020 at 8:12 am | #

        What if it’s IN-COMIC June?

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        August 25, 2020 at 8:21 am | #

        Their June.

        Which will be something like our 2050.

        • clif
          clif
          August 25, 2020 at 11:06 am | #

          At which time I’ll be 101. I hope my eyes hold out.

          • Captain Oblivious
            Captain Oblivious
            August 25, 2020 at 5:41 pm | #

            Surviving to 101, I’m less worried about my eyes holding out, than Willis’ ability to draw/create.

  11. Rose by Any Other Name
    Rose by Any Other Name
    August 25, 2020 at 12:20 am | #

    #GarbageScowForever

    • clif
      clif
      August 25, 2020 at 1:37 am | #

      #LongMaySheSail

  12. Kyrik Michalowski
    Kyrik Michalowski
    August 25, 2020 at 12:20 am | #

    Garbage Roof love prevails where all others may fade away. Truly this is the relationship we need, if not the one we deserve.

    Also what are the odds one of them ends this relationship in the near future?

    • clif
      clif
      August 25, 2020 at 1:29 am | #

      We really don’t want to know.

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      August 25, 2020 at 2:43 am | #

      I have hope that the SS Garbage Scow will keep sailing for a while longer. Not much hope, but a little at least.

  13. BBCC
    BBCC
    August 25, 2020 at 12:21 am | #

    I’ve heard of worse labels!

  14. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    August 25, 2020 at 12:28 am | #

    Bleh to Walky. I still remember how you tried to lowkey get with your ex the same day your “guilty pleasure” friend saved your life. You deserved a day with your shitty parents.

    • Geneseepaws
      Geneseepaws
      August 25, 2020 at 12:49 am | #

      I dunno. After getting kidnapped, then botching guarding the prisoners, then seeing his Mom treat his sister like trash,… I’m not treating any of them too harshly. I can see Walky grabbing for any good feels he can as a way to block out the tragedy that is his life at the moment. He doesn’t even know if his room mate will live through the night.
      I’m not judging any of them for flailing at anything to hold onto. They are not well experienced at this level of chaos, except maybe Amber and Sal… and Marcie.

      • Sirksome
        Sirksome
        August 25, 2020 at 1:23 am | #

        Tragedy? Look I’m not gonna discredit the traumatic event they all went through, but Walky has it relatively easy overall. Like aside from recent events things just kind of work out for him. I’m not even sure how he really feels about Mike. They were not really friends or at least it’s not been depicted as a close relationship.

        • Geneseepaws
          Geneseepaws
          August 25, 2020 at 8:21 am | #

          Yeah, imma gonna call what Walky is living, ATM, a tragedy, because he’s a tragic figure; He fails at everything. He is Unprepared for school (at this academic level), unprepared for love, for an invested adult emotional relationship. He is capable of going to class and getting his meals, but more than that, no, he is totally out of his depth. And doesn’t seem poised to change, to grow to meet his challenges, … and I think that makes him, if not tragic, then at least a doomed figure.

          • SalleighG
            SalleighG
            August 25, 2020 at 5:06 pm | #

            Traditional Greek tragedy required the downfall to be due to the person’s bad choices when they had the potential to do better. In modern times we would look at a story about (say) an innocent child struck by bullets shot through a wall and dying and say “What a tragedy!” but to be Greeks, Tragedy was reserved for failures caused by the self.

            I mention this because so far it not clear to me that Walky *could* have done better.

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              August 25, 2020 at 7:41 pm | #

              Walky’s smart. He could certainly be doing better at school. Probably couldn’t have kept Dorothy, since that was basically all about her.

              Now you could say that his personality and upbringing made it so that he couldn’t put in the work to do better in school, but that’s basically how good tragedy (or any good characterization) works – they could chosen differently, but their choices grow out of who they are, so they really can’t.

              That said, I don’t believe this story is a tragedy and I don’t think Walky is doomed. He will grow to meet his challenges. In fact, he already is. He’s just not all the way there yet.

              He’s also shown the ability to step up and be very mature on some occasions, so the potential is there, which just makes it all the more frustrating when he doesn’t most of the time.

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      August 25, 2020 at 12:51 am | #

      Did he, though?

      • clif
        clif
        August 25, 2020 at 1:08 am | #

        Pretty definitely did.

  15. Delicious Taffy
    Delicious Taffy
    August 25, 2020 at 12:53 am | #

    Jeez, ads. Ya order one shirt and suddenly it’s the Leafs merchandise catalogue up in this B.

    • clif
      clif
      August 25, 2020 at 1:13 am | #

      Hey, for a couple of hundred bucks, I’ll compose you a Go Leaf’s song.

      • Delicious Taffy
        Delicious Taffy
        August 25, 2020 at 2:10 am | #

        ….only if it sounds like Ron Wasserman

        • clif
          clif
          August 25, 2020 at 10:40 am | #

          So you want the Mighty Morphin Leafs. Pretty sure that Ron Wasserman gets more than a couple of hundred bucks though.

  16. C.T Phipps
    C.T Phipps
    August 25, 2020 at 1:24 am | #

    “Oh and I also tried to guilt Dorothy into loving me again. It didn’t take.”

    • abysswatcher1993
      abysswatcher1993
      August 25, 2020 at 2:26 am | #

      That is a red flag. Walky is slowly becoming like BoJack Horseman, jumping from one relationship to another in the most toxic way possible.

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        August 25, 2020 at 8:24 am | #

        Or Walky’s just still a bit hung up on his ex. Which isn’t great, but hardly a toxic pattern.

        • Newllend(henryvolt)
          Newllend(henryvolt)
          August 25, 2020 at 8:59 am | #

          I second this, him not being over his first girlfriend and first girl he had a serious romantic feelings for only after a few weeks makes more sense.

          • Schpoonman
            Schpoonman
            August 25, 2020 at 12:50 pm | #

            Someone will always find the least-charitable interpretation of a character possible.

  17. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    August 25, 2020 at 1:40 am | #

    Alt-text: I thought that was Catholicism and/or Puritanism.

  18. Romanticide
    Romanticide
    August 25, 2020 at 2:00 am | #

    well at least there is an admision of pleasure.

  19. BenRG
    BenRG
    August 25, 2020 at 2:17 am | #

    Yeah, with everything that’s been happening recently (and still is happening), I think that the time has long since come for Walky and Amber to figure out what ‘this’ really is!

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      August 25, 2020 at 6:03 am | #

      One of the main appeals with amber for Walky is that he doesn’t have to.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      August 25, 2020 at 7:42 am | #

      Eh, labels are overrated.

  20. abysswatcher1993
    abysswatcher1993
    August 25, 2020 at 2:24 am | #

    1)I will burn down the garbage roof, 2)Walky and Amber must be honest about what they want of their relationship. Do they want love? Do they want sex? Do they want marriage? Do they want benefits? nIf they aren’t honest about what they want the two will hurt each other. Just imagine marrying someone you don’t really love and spending years hating each other, or on the opposite end, loving each other always but not having the guts to be honest about that love.

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      August 25, 2020 at 8:29 am | #

      It’s been less than 2 weeks. Sure, they’ve got to figure it out, but it’s a bit early to be picturing years of loveless marriage.

    • Sirksome
      Sirksome
      August 25, 2020 at 10:08 am | #

      I think it’s a very casual, no pressure or committment, sort of comfort relationship. “Guilty pleasure” Something you enjoy but maybe feel bad about later. I can appreciate that and I think it works for Amber better since she’s not really mentally composed enough to commit to a serious romance. (As far as my opinion on a fictional character goes anyway). Walky might even be good for that. My problem is the whole “garbage roof” part. They’ve given themselves justfication to act like assholes maybe even to each other if given the chance. Walky did try to get back with his ex the day after heavy grinding with Ambs. Is that okay in this garbage relationship? Who knows?

  21. Lars
    Lars
    August 25, 2020 at 2:45 am | #

    It’s already dark outside. That was a very short chapter compared to last one. But hey, at least Ruth got to suplex an old lady.

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      August 25, 2020 at 8:29 am | #

      Off panel! That doesn’t count.

      • clif
        clif
        August 25, 2020 at 11:10 am | #

        Yeah, really. What’s with that, Willis?

  22. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    August 25, 2020 at 4:47 am | #

    now moosh

  23. ADLegend21
    ADLegend21
    August 25, 2020 at 4:48 am | #

    “If you have anxiety, all pleasure is guilty” first of all how dare you second, you’re right.

  24. Delavan
    Delavan
    August 25, 2020 at 8:10 am | #

    IminthiscomicandIdontlikeit.gif

    Don’tAtMeWillis.jpeg

  25. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    August 25, 2020 at 8:38 am | #

    Sigh. They were such a great couple. But life is cruel…. And Walky has yet to tell Amber that his mom wants to kick her out of college and has the possibility to do it.

  26. Newllend(henryvolt)
    Newllend(henryvolt)
    August 25, 2020 at 8:56 am | #

    “Guilty pleasure” she makes it sound like they’re not happily shameless about it.

    • clif
      clif
      August 25, 2020 at 10:30 am | #

      Shameless is how you act. Guilty is how you feel. Pleasure is transient. Happiness is a myth.

      Eat at Arby’s.

      • NelC
        NelC
        August 25, 2020 at 2:19 pm | #

        I thought for a moment you were going to end with, “Burmashave”.

      • Van Jealous
        Van Jealous
        August 25, 2020 at 8:15 pm | #

        and “Cabbage is a vegetable!”…Frank Zappa

  27. hof1991
    hof1991
    August 25, 2020 at 9:53 am | #

    Maybe they’re just tired and hungry. Snogging, a Snickers or some sleep might help. Taking a break from your anxieties can make a difference.
    http://existentialcomics.com/comic/356

  28. Vulcanodon
    Vulcanodon
    August 25, 2020 at 9:59 am | #

    Just a shout-out for the alt-text today

    • MK15
      MK15
      August 25, 2020 at 10:25 am | #

      It is truly great.

      Also did Jeph and Willis coordinate today or what?
      https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4337

  29. Spriteless Girl
    Spriteless Girl
    August 25, 2020 at 11:45 am | #

    Who designed a shirt where starman is depressed and understated?

    • JessWitt
      JessWitt
      August 25, 2020 at 4:17 pm | #

      Hot Topic?

CHOOSE A SIDE, NO COWARDS

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 ↑