Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

May 12, 2026

Statements

by David M Willis on July 12, 2020 at 12:01 am
  • 04 - Is a Song Forever?
└ Tags: jennifer, sal, walky

Discussion (170) ¬

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

    idk, I like people who aren’t kidnapped

    …

    not saying that as a 45-ism, just that people I like have not been kidnapped (that I know of)

    • neptune432
      neptune432
      July 12, 2020 at 1:17 am | #

      That you know of? Sounds to me like you shouldn’t be talking so confidently.

    • Jothki
      Jothki
      July 12, 2020 at 3:21 am | #

      Kidnapped people are just so needy.

    • Anna
      Anna
      July 12, 2020 at 5:40 am | #

      I really like someone who’s been kidnapped.

      I don’t know if any other friends were ever kidnapped though.

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        July 12, 2020 at 9:27 am | #

        I now feel weirdly left out that i don’t know anyone (to my knowledge) who’s been kidnapped. Is my life emptier as a result?

        • Bicycle Bill
          Bicycle Bill
          July 12, 2020 at 12:37 pm | #

          I don’t know if you’d actually call it “kidnapping”, but when I was in college and pledging a frat some of the members grabbed me and another one of the pledges, blindfolded us, and hauled us out into the countryside, and dropped us off. They then told us to ‘find our way back’ and drove off.

          What they DIDN’T know is that I was already a serious cyclists and knew just about every highway and crossroads in the county.  Within three minutes I knew exactly where we were, where we had to go, and – to make a long story short – we were sitting comfortably at a crossroads tavern enjoying some adult beverages within about a half-hour or so of being dumped off.

          • Ana Chronistic
            Ana Chronistic
            July 13, 2020 at 12:03 am | #

            that’s a hazing

            possibly a kid-dumping

          • BrokenEye, the True False Prophet
            BrokenEye, the True False Prophet
            July 19, 2020 at 7:26 am | #

            I did that to myself once, accidentally. Fucking Apple Maps.

        • nothri
          nothri
          July 12, 2020 at 4:41 pm | #

          Well, if your feeling left out there isn’t anything to do but start kidnapping people!

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      July 12, 2020 at 11:42 am | #

      Seems like an odd thing to judge someone for. Usually it’s not their fault!

    • McBogue
      McBogue
      July 13, 2020 at 2:06 am | #

      I like kidnapped people – if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have kidnapped them.

  2. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    July 12, 2020 at 12:03 am | #

    I still say she was concussed by the toy.

    • clif
      clif
      July 12, 2020 at 2:23 am | #

      As attractive as the time travel hypothesis is, I must admit your explanation is more probable.

  3. OtterBoy1
    OtterBoy1
    July 12, 2020 at 12:03 am | #

    Ayy it’s Billie!

  4. Nono
    Nono
    July 12, 2020 at 12:04 am | #

    Wow, we haven’t seen Billie in DoA in like, four months.

    • clif
      clif
      July 12, 2020 at 2:24 am | #

      She was talking.to Ruth just yesterday.

      • Ray Radlein
        Ray Radlein
        July 12, 2020 at 3:20 am | #

        So TEN months, then

  5. BBCC
    BBCC
    July 12, 2020 at 12:04 am | #

    I like how Walky is admitting that him standing up to them even MILDLY is going to have them be dickbags.

    And I love Billie and Walky. As per usual.

  6. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    July 12, 2020 at 12:04 am | #

    Meh. Basically everything Walky said is debatable.

    • deathjavu
      deathjavu
      July 12, 2020 at 12:09 am | #

      His parents are definitely in town, it’s hard to debate that.

      • Delicious Taffy
        Delicious Taffy
        July 12, 2020 at 12:14 am | #

        Physically, their bodies may be present. Spiritually and mentally, they appear to be elsewhere entirely.

      • Sirksome
        Sirksome
        July 12, 2020 at 12:32 am | #

        Actually I would argue Bloomington, Indiana is a lot larger than what technically would qualify as a town by most commonly recognized definitions. It’s probably the most debatable aspect of his statements.

        • Cholma
          Cholma
          July 12, 2020 at 12:40 am | #

          Except that NO ONE says “my parents are in city” “in village” “in hamlet” or any other variant of “town”. It’s a colloquialism that’s used for any-sized community, and therefore not debatable.

          Now, as to whether or not Walky’s statement that he is “wildly desirable” is debatable depends on your personal preferences vis a vis attractiveness.

          • Thanatos
            Thanatos
            July 12, 2020 at 12:47 am | #

            Ah, but his statement points out that it’s not just physical attractiveness. In this case he was desired as someone who could be used to influence someone else. You can’t argue that he is desired. He is desired (by a couple people) as a romantic partner, by at least one as an emotional hostage, and by hoards of people to throw things at when he makes bad jokes.

            • Sirksome
              Sirksome
              July 12, 2020 at 12:52 am | #

              In the spirit of debate I guess, I would note that Walky was actually kidnapped on accident because he was dressed like a superhero and Blaine’s douchbro hires were characteristically incompetent. Not because he was desired as any form of leverage.

              • EnerPrime
                EnerPrime
                July 12, 2020 at 12:25 pm | #

                He’s Amber’s friend and her current romantic interest, and just about any surveillance of her life would reveal that. For Blaine’s goal of getting leverage over Amber, Walky is one of the best of the kidnapping victims for that goal alongside only Ethan. Joyce, Dorothy and Sarah have far more distant friendships with Amber, and wouldn’t get nearly the same level of emotional response from Amber as Walky and Ethan. So depending on how much groundwork Blaine had done, Walky could very very likely was a specific kidnapping target.

                • Sirksome
                  Sirksome
                  July 12, 2020 at 3:32 pm | #

                  I mean WE know that, but even Blaine specifically doesn’t know why Walky was there.

                  https://www.dumbingofage.com/2020/comic/book-10/03-when-it-crumbles/hires/

                  Unless he also has a disassociated identity keeping information from himself. I’d believe it.

          • Sirksome
            Sirksome
            July 12, 2020 at 12:47 am | #

            Look friend…I-I know the saying. I was trying to be obnoxious and pedantic as a way of roasting Walky because I don’t like him okay. Please don’t take that away from me. I don’t have much of value in these uncertain times.

            • clif
              clif
              July 12, 2020 at 2:27 am | #

              You can have toilet paper or being right about Walky, but not both.

              • clif
                clif
                July 12, 2020 at 2:28 am | #

                Fair is fair.

              • Ana Chronistic
                Ana Chronistic
                July 12, 2020 at 10:41 am | #

                Dangit, are they sold out of being right about Wally again?!

          • ughhh
            ughhh
            July 12, 2020 at 8:04 am | #

            Ugh, unfortunately it’s tautalogical. That it is being debated is the proof that it is debateable. But it’s like talking to my ex. Just because any reasonable person can see the answer, doesn’t end their attempt to argue it anyways.

          • Deanatay
            Deanatay
            July 12, 2020 at 9:30 am | #

            “broadly”, not “wildly” (which I think you may be mistaking for “widely”). Walky is not referring to intensity of feeling, but range. A lot of people desire him, they do not intensely desire him.

    • TemporalShrew
      TemporalShrew
      July 12, 2020 at 12:24 am | #

      Hey, he clarified that he stood up to them “an inch,” which is a sufficiently diminutive way to put it.

      Not like he’s claiming he flipped a table on ’em.

    • Tan
      Tan
      July 12, 2020 at 1:32 am | #

      Objectively-speaking, he was in fact kidnapped.

      • clif
        clif
        July 12, 2020 at 2:31 am | #

        You mean at birth when the head alien switched him with the real Walky?

        • Koms
          Koms
          July 12, 2020 at 2:41 am | #

          Take my internets

  7. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    July 12, 2020 at 12:06 am | #

    Q: What toilet paper had the best jingle?

    • Cholma
      Cholma
      July 12, 2020 at 12:15 am | #

      I don’t know about “best jingle”, but Mr. Whipple was the best spokesman!

    • Agemegos
      Agemegos
      July 12, 2020 at 1:55 am | #

      It isn’t quite a jingle, but I always liked the line “Wipe your bot with Lady Scott”, which used to appear in ads.

      Someone called Lady Scott sued and lost.

      • clif
        clif
        July 12, 2020 at 2:35 am | #

        What did her bot think about the matter?

        Or was it required to approve by the three laws?

        • Ana Chronistic
          Ana Chronistic
          July 12, 2020 at 10:43 am | #

          I’m retroactively upset that both my brother and I were named after sanitary products

          (not really, but if it were like second grade again, and “Julie” sanitary napkins were remotely popular, it’d be an issue)

      • Leadsynth
        Leadsynth
        July 12, 2020 at 3:36 pm | #

        Wait, what? Was it a toilet paper just for ladies?

        • Agemegos
          Agemegos
          July 13, 2020 at 12:18 am | #

          No, it was just a brand of TP with “Lady Scott” written on the package. But now that you mention it, a well-known ploy for increasing sales volume and profit margins is to create a “for women!” range that is just your usual product with “for women!” written on the packet and a higher price.

    • Ryek Hvek
      Ryek Hvek
      July 12, 2020 at 10:41 am | #

      the correct answer is “None of them.” – we are waiting for the introduction of a new brand, by the makers of Sharkbite plumbing fittings.

      • Bicycle Bill
        Bicycle Bill
        July 12, 2020 at 12:41 pm | #

        I’m waiting for “Cornholio” brand, so someone will finally create a song about needing “TP for my bunghole”.

  8. C.T Phipps
    C.T Phipps
    July 12, 2020 at 12:07 am | #

    Dorothy is kind of a terrible girlfriend, Billie.

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      July 12, 2020 at 12:15 am | #

      You’re 100% right. Just for starters, she’s not even dating him, which seems like a really low bar to clear and she’s just… not clearing it.

    • Mra
      Mra
      July 12, 2020 at 12:19 am | #

      I was about to disagree with you, but then I kind of remembered how she dumped Danny saying that she couldn’t be in a relationship with her ambitions then got with Walky not to long after. I wouldn’t say she is a terrible person in general, but in the dating game she has made some hurtful decisions

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        July 12, 2020 at 12:20 am | #

        She dumped Danny because he wasn’t supportive of her ambitions, not because of her ambitions.

        • Plain Marie
          Plain Marie
          July 12, 2020 at 12:25 am | #

          Speaking of Danny, we haven’t seen him in comic for…. weeks? Months? He’s out of the loop.

          • Slartibeast Button, BIA
            Slartibeast Button, BIA
            July 12, 2020 at 8:22 am | #

            He fell through a dimensional warp into an alternate universe where he is The Chosen One. He will be back soon, 40 years old and all buff.

        • He Who Abides
          He Who Abides
          July 12, 2020 at 12:26 am | #

          She told him that it was her greatest kindness to him. That’s not cool, especially when his own parents think he’s worthless without her.

          • timemonkey
            timemonkey
            July 12, 2020 at 12:32 am | #

            It was absolutely correct given he was following her around with no ambition or aim in life other than them being together and that somehow making everything work.

            And she’s not responsible for what his parents think or do.

        • JetstreamGW
          JetstreamGW
          July 12, 2020 at 1:47 pm | #

          Don’t forget that he was also being a codependent smothering pain in the ass.

      • Chubsius
        Chubsius
        July 12, 2020 at 1:05 am | #

        If I remember correctly, Danny hoped out loud that Dorothy would change her mind and stay at this school with him, despite the fact that she had repeatedly told him she wouldn’t, gone over her plans, and even suggested he go to a different school in the first place.

        And the fact that she didn’t dump him prior to this says to me that she was willing to try a long distance relationship. Danny, however, was not actually willing. He was being a bit of a weasel about it. That’s why Dorothy dumped him, he had talked the talk, but then tried to walk it back.

      • SuperZero
        SuperZero
        July 12, 2020 at 1:19 am | #

        She also treated Walky really condescendingly, and expected her orders regarding his clothing to be obeyed without question.

        • Tan
          Tan
          July 12, 2020 at 4:02 am | #

          Being fair, she seemed willing to be reciprocal on that matter.

      • paleotectonics
        paleotectonics
        July 12, 2020 at 7:56 am | #

        She’s (at most) 18, thinks she’s acting like she’s 40, actually acts like she’s 12. IOW teenager.

        (…scares the living shit out of me)

        • BBCC
          BBCC
          July 12, 2020 at 1:40 pm | #

          She’s 19, or nearly 19.

    • Yenklette
      Yenklette
      July 12, 2020 at 9:07 am | #

      I wouldn’t call her a terrible girlfriend, but I do think that the readers tend to ignore Dorothy’s clear flaws because her flaws happen to be highly relatable ones like “workaholic”. But yeah, Dorothy isn’t the best partner or friend these days, and she’s not very kind to herself, either.

      I’m honestly worried that Willis is going to be unwilling to tell a burnout story with her because he’ll feel like it’s sexist to tell that story about a character like Dorothy. It’s the most obvious crisis for her to have, and the only realistic direction for someone in her situation.

      • KJ
        KJ
        July 12, 2020 at 11:35 am | #

        My burnout was in high school, and that was rough enough. Burning out in college has gotta be terrible

      • Cyrus
        Cyrus
        July 12, 2020 at 5:00 pm | #

        Isn’t burnout basically her current story arc?

  9. deathjavu
    deathjavu
    July 12, 2020 at 12:12 am | #

    “Look, someone I’d never even met before wanted me badly enough to hire goons to kidnap me! I’m desirable merchandise!”

  10. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    July 12, 2020 at 12:13 am | #

    I dunno, Billie. Star Wars doesn’t have time travel. I’m thinking you’re a Star Trek nerd as well.

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      July 12, 2020 at 12:15 am | #

      *ahem*, I’ll have you know that Star Trek is not the only science fiction franchise to prominently feature time travel!

      …There’s also Back to the Future.

      • Delicious Taffy
        Delicious Taffy
        July 12, 2020 at 12:17 am | #

        Can’t forget Red Dwarf.

        • He Who Abides
          He Who Abides
          July 12, 2020 at 12:23 am | #

          And the oft-forgotten Mr. Peabody and Sherman.

          • Anthony Paoli
            Anthony Paoli
            July 12, 2020 at 12:40 am | #

            We can’t leave* Bill and Ted* out in the rain, either.

            • clif
              clif
              July 12, 2020 at 2:39 am | #

              Or Heinlein’s By His Bootstraps.

              • hof1991
                hof1991
                July 12, 2020 at 7:06 am | #

                Let’s forget Heinlein. He used time travel to go back and boink his mother. Like most 50s and 60s SF, he is barely readable now. There’s classic SF and old SF and he’s the second.

                • Bicycle Bill
                  Bicycle Bill
                  July 12, 2020 at 12:54 pm | #

                  I wish to dispute that statement.  Sure, some of his work didn’t wear so well, but there are other examples — such as “Stranger in a Strange Land”; you don’t win a Hugo Award in 1962 or get selected fifty years later by the Library of Congress as one of eighty-eight “Books that Shaped America” by writing dreck — that are and always will be classic sci-fi.

            • davidbreslin101
              davidbreslin101
              July 12, 2020 at 6:44 am | #

              You can’t forget that British TV series that was / all about / time travel….

              Primeval.

              • Bathymetheus
                Bathymetheus
                July 12, 2020 at 10:25 pm | #

                Way better than the American knockoff.

      • Mra
        Mra
        July 12, 2020 at 12:22 am | #

        And The Terminator.

      • StClair
        StClair
        July 12, 2020 at 12:39 am | #

        and if you go back a bit further, there’s… oh, it’s on the tip of my tongue…
        that’s it! The Time Tunnel!

      • Reltzik
        Reltzik
        July 12, 2020 at 12:45 am | #

        Well, yes to all of this. But I still think Billie’s objections to being called a Star Trek nerd would be the funniest option.

      • StClair
        StClair
        July 12, 2020 at 12:47 am | #

        Also, while it’s not so much a “franchise” as a single original work – the definitive one, I daresay – and various adaptions, we really should mention H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.

        • KSClaw
          KSClaw
          July 12, 2020 at 12:55 am | #

          Don’t forget Doctor Who

          • StClair
            StClair
            July 12, 2020 at 1:28 am | #

            What?

            • Jeff K!
              Jeff K!
              July 12, 2020 at 1:51 am | #

              Where?

              • Bicycle Bill
                Bicycle Bill
                July 12, 2020 at 1:57 am | #

                When?

              • Agemegos
                Agemegos
                July 12, 2020 at 1:58 am | #

                I happen to know two doctors Watt, a Dr Hu, and a Dr Wear.

          • nobilis
            nobilis
            July 12, 2020 at 2:11 am | #

            “Doctor what?”
            “I’ll go with that.”

            • Slartibeast Button, BIA
              Slartibeast Button, BIA
              July 12, 2020 at 8:24 am | #

              Doctor Who on Witch World.

        • A Fan
          A Fan
          July 12, 2020 at 8:10 am | #

          Thank you!

      • Droewyn
        Droewyn
        July 12, 2020 at 7:04 pm | #

        No love for Babylon 5? For shame.

    • Jamie
      Jamie
      July 12, 2020 at 1:21 am | #

      …I feel like there was a really popular movie that only came out last year where time travel played a somewhat central role…

      • Jeff K!
        Jeff K!
        July 12, 2020 at 1:52 am | #

        Yes, but which year was last year?
        Are we measuring from time of departure, or time of arrival?

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        July 12, 2020 at 9:37 am | #

        Ooh, I loved Primer!

  11. Bagge
    Bagge
    July 12, 2020 at 12:29 am | #

    I love when Sal and Bille gets to do some sisterly bonding. United by low expectations.

  12. William Leonard Reese Jr.
    William Leonard Reese Jr.
    July 12, 2020 at 12:30 am | #

    . . .Hm. I wonder if what Walky just said can explain why some people are so into the idea of Yanderes. Simply the idea that someone finds *you* so attractive or desirable that they would do anything to be with you.

    Of course in real life, and many fictional stories, this ends. . . not happy for either of the pair but still it does kind of put it into words.

  13. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    July 12, 2020 at 12:40 am | #

    I just noticed Carol is beating Ross in the bad parent poll and I just gotta ask how? I’m not saying Carol’s a good parent but Ross has set the bar so high! I don’t remember Carol physically abusing her children or kidnapping people or shooting at her daughter’s girlfriend with a loaded gun. Just saying she should be in third probably.

    • SuperZero
      SuperZero
      July 12, 2020 at 1:20 am | #

      She sent Ross to do those things, though.

    • Jamie
      Jamie
      July 12, 2020 at 1:29 am | #

      Maybe it’s just because I’ve experienced both, but I’d prefer physical abuse to emotional abuse.

      • Captain Oblivious
        Captain Oblivious
        July 12, 2020 at 10:39 am | #

        Though Ross certainly seemed to deal in both anyways.

      • KJ
        KJ
        July 12, 2020 at 11:36 am | #

        The people I know who have experienced both always say the same

    • clif
      clif
      July 12, 2020 at 2:44 am | #

      Carol has the advantage of not being dead, death being somewhat of a handicap in being truely horrible.

      • Sirksome
        Sirksome
        July 12, 2020 at 3:34 pm | #

        That’s a good point actually.

    • Lanie
      Lanie
      July 12, 2020 at 3:05 am | #

      In all fairness Ross is my second choice, but gaddang, how could I not pick Blaine? Like, I 100% am terrified of people like Ross who can justify or turn a blind eye to anything with religion, but in a weird, terrible way I still think he thinks he’s doing the “right” thing. Carol is basically just Ross without kidnapping on her resume. Then we have Blaine, who legitimately knows he’s just doing whatever he wants, even though it’s morally and ethically atrocious, and he’s now (officially) got murder on his resume. Yikes! They’re all awful! Off to the bad parent place with all of them!

      • Captain Oblivious
        Captain Oblivious
        July 12, 2020 at 10:42 am | #

        Are the members of Ross’s congregation team (inc Catol) accessories?

    • darkgloomie
      darkgloomie
      July 12, 2020 at 3:59 am | #

      As bad a parent Ross was, one could argue he was also a depressed man who turned to zealoutry after the death of his wife and love. It doesn’t make it right, or justify it, but there’s a spark that can catch someone’s empathy.

      Carol has none such justifications (that we know of) Her bigotry is innate.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        July 12, 2020 at 4:18 am | #

        He was already a zealot on par with Carol before Bonnie died. He was saying the same ‘Disney is evil’ crap Carol does. Ross wanted Becky out of school when she was ‘misbehaving’ like Carol did. The difference is when Becky resisted, he took off after her with a gun.

      • Miri
        Miri
        July 12, 2020 at 4:49 am | #

        But it sounds like he was always like that? Hank didn’t say he turned extreme after Becky’s mum died, he said they wouldn’t have had much to do with him if it weren’t for Becky.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          July 12, 2020 at 7:50 am | #

          One might be able to argue that his wife was enough of a moderating influence that he wouldn’t have turned to kidnapping.

          • clif
            clif
            July 12, 2020 at 6:48 pm | #

            To be fair, Disney is evil. Just not for the reason Carol thinks.

            Don’t get me started on copyright and the abuse of money and lawyers to get more than you’re entitled to.

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              July 12, 2020 at 10:44 pm | #

              “Nobody fucks with the Mouse.”

      • Captain Oblivious
        Captain Oblivious
        July 12, 2020 at 8:25 am | #

        Dude… Ross’ behaviour is (hinted at) what drove her to his wife herself. Him having grief over that (which he doesn’t actually seem to) is like a physical abuser not understanding why they can’t keep a partner.

        Maybe someone can recall the reference, but didn’t he even make some comment about Becky’s mom being weak? She wasn’t a moderating influence, she was just a bumper catching most of his abuse.

        • temperaryobsessor
          temperaryobsessor
          July 12, 2020 at 6:01 pm | #

          I don’t think its ever explicitly implied but that is my head cannon.

        • Sunny
          Sunny
          July 12, 2020 at 7:10 pm | #

          He was shown to be very sad in one of Becky’s flashbacks to just after her mom died, so I think he did in fact grieve her death. I think Ross was a very narrow-minded person in the literal sense, for him things have to be the way they are supposed to be, if they aren’t then someone (possibly the devil) is sabotaging them. He didn’t even realize he was fucking up and probably thought he was doing the best he could as a father and husband. He probably really could not have understood that he was one of the causes (if not THE cause) for his wife killing herself.

          Philosophically and ethically speaking he is an interesting character because he is convinced his intentions and methods are good.

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      July 12, 2020 at 9:40 am | #

      As long as Blaine is winning (and he is, by a long shot), I don’t really care about the order of the others.

      • Captain Oblivious
        Captain Oblivious
        July 12, 2020 at 10:43 am | #

        Do you ‘win’ at being the worst person in a poll?

  14. Rabid Rabbit
    Rabid Rabbit
    July 12, 2020 at 12:41 am | #

    Billie: bad at pretending not to be a nerd.

  15. BarerMender
    BarerMender
    July 12, 2020 at 12:41 am | #

    Billie’s last speech would’ve been easier to figure out with a hyphen. “Time-traveled.”

    • clif
      clif
      July 12, 2020 at 2:48 am | #

      It depends on whether it was time that traveled or whether time stood still and Walky’s singular moment meandered through it.

  16. Cass
    Cass
    July 12, 2020 at 12:53 am | #

    I like the detail of how Billie’s fully referring to them as Walky’s parents to Sal; it’s not “your parents” “your mother”, just “his”. Which pretty much hits it on the head, yup.

    • Miri
      Miri
      July 12, 2020 at 5:03 am | #

      Yeah, I noticed that too.

      It must be kinda weird being the favourite child of people who aren’t even your parents and who you recognise are pretty cruddy parents to their own kids, but who are at least present in your life, unlike your actual… Maybe it’s not that surprising Billie’s an alcoholic.

      I’ve also just noticed that Walky and Billie both use a nickname derived from their surnames and am wondering if this was something to help her feel more like part of a family…

  17. Hazel
    Hazel
    July 12, 2020 at 1:02 am | #

    Seeing them interacting really cements them all being family.

  18. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    July 12, 2020 at 1:05 am | #

    RE alt-text: “…these are the days of our lives.”

    • JetstreamGW
      JetstreamGW
      July 12, 2020 at 1:50 pm | #

      so are the days of our lives

      • JessWitt
        JessWitt
        July 12, 2020 at 4:16 pm | #

        Whoops, so then ^ ^

  19. Lingo
    Lingo
    July 12, 2020 at 1:32 am | #

    Ugh, Billie, this high-school mean-girl act of yours is so tiresome, give it up already.

    • Captain Oblivious
      Captain Oblivious
      July 12, 2020 at 10:46 am | #

      She is (slowly). But this is still first semester of freshman year. She has lots of time left to drive you completely around the bend. Also, this is more sibling/childhood rivalry, so it won’t stop until one of them is dead, and even then it only becomes one sided. (Unless the become Mike-like mental force ghosts, taunting each other after death).

  20. Derek
    Derek
    July 12, 2020 at 1:38 am | #

    The last sentence Billie says is freaking confusing and it convoluted; doesn’t sound like something a real person would say out loud

    • CMasta
      CMasta
      July 12, 2020 at 1:45 am | #

      Yeah that took me a couple of reads to understand what she was saying

      • Azhrei Vep
        Azhrei Vep
        July 12, 2020 at 6:22 am | #

        Really? It was both immediately apparent to me, and is exactly the kind of thing everybody I know would, has, and probably will say again. It’s a pretty solid good-natured insult.

        • Deanatay
          Deanatay
          July 12, 2020 at 9:45 am | #

          I would have said, “It suddenly makes sense now, why Dorothy would date you! She somehow sensed that through all of your usual stupid crap, you would have an awesome moment. At some point. Waaaaay in the future…”

      • Captain Oblivious
        Captain Oblivious
        July 12, 2020 at 10:48 am | #

        Azhrei has it right. I tracked on what she was saying without issue. And as for confusing, maybe it’s because of the time travel. That always confuses people. 😏

  21. abysswatcher1993
    abysswatcher1993
    July 12, 2020 at 2:03 am | #

    I agree with Billie. Walky has barely any attractive points besides being tanned as caramel. He is immature, obnoxious, has no goals, has no great virtues, isn’t a gentleman, isn’t DETERMINED, has no talents, etc. His only points to consider are that he looks cute and is funny to hang out, but eventually Amber will get fed up of him. I know people say that youy have to be yourself, but let’s be realistic.

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      July 12, 2020 at 2:12 am | #

      Dorothy very explicitly told Walky that he was her ‘bit of rough’, her experiment with a wholly unsuitable partner to just sate her physical desires and maybe any desire for rebellion.

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        July 12, 2020 at 7:53 am | #

        She also told him she loved him.

        I understand that some people here don’t see it, but she did actually like him.

      • Rani
        Rani
        July 12, 2020 at 6:14 pm | #

        Kind of racially coded that her idea of a bit of rough was a biracial POC.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          July 12, 2020 at 10:46 pm | #

          I’d have to see the actual scene. Did she actually say “bit of rough”?

          • BBCC
            BBCC
            July 13, 2020 at 6:34 pm | #

            No.

    • Azhrei Vep
      Azhrei Vep
      July 12, 2020 at 6:23 am | #

      He does have one attractive point. You even listed it: He isn’t a gentleman.

      • Jhon
        Jhon
        July 12, 2020 at 6:57 am | #

        No gentleman would have sucker-punched Asher.

        • abysswatcher1993
          abysswatcher1993
          July 12, 2020 at 3:21 pm | #

          What about gentlemen extraordinaire Jonathan Joestar?

        • abysswatcher1993
          abysswatcher1993
          July 12, 2020 at 3:21 pm | #

          Being a gentleman isn’t the same as beinbg a coward that doesn’t punch.

    • paleotectonics
      paleotectonics
      July 12, 2020 at 8:01 am | #

      As was explicitly illustrated, he’s carrying a 15 pound ham in his shorts. That may prove some draw.

  22. BenRG
    BenRG
    July 12, 2020 at 2:11 am | #

    I love these three’s sibling interaction thing! I can hear Lucy saying: “So… What you’re saying is that those two aren’t your brother and sister? Who knew?”

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      July 12, 2020 at 9:49 am | #

      “So, you’re OK if I pursue your brother?”

      “HE’S NOT MY BROTHER!! And, yeah, sure, go to town.”

      • Captain Oblivious
        Captain Oblivious
        July 12, 2020 at 10:51 am | #

        More like, “He’s not my BRO-THER. And ugh, god, whatever, why would you even want to?” 🤢🤮

        • BenRG
          BenRG
          July 12, 2020 at 2:06 pm | #

          “I’m just glad you aren’t after my ‘sister’!”

          “Oh, everyone knows that she’s off limits! She’s Joyce Brown’s girlfriend!”

          “Everyone knows I’m what?!?“

  23. nobilis
    nobilis
    July 12, 2020 at 2:15 am | #

    Past!Dorothy: “There is still good in you. I can feel it. Anakin SkyWALKY is the name of your true self.”

  24. Dave
    Dave
    July 12, 2020 at 2:15 am | #

    Billie didn’t you literally play matchmaker for Walky and Dorothy, I’m not sure you can do that back then and then be like “oh yeah btw you never deserved her” now

    • Azhrei Vep
      Azhrei Vep
      July 12, 2020 at 6:24 am | #

      Sure she can. Sisters can walk anything back to get a dig in at their annoying brothers.

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        July 12, 2020 at 9:52 am | #

        They don’t even have to walk back, really. They can just pretend that the nice things they said earlier never happened.

  25. drs
    drs
    July 12, 2020 at 3:02 am | #

    Man, this interaction.

    “Our parents are in town, and they like you, you should go see them.”
    “They like Walky too! Because we’re suddenly being in the open about how they hate their actual daughter.”
    “I stood up to them!”
    “You did? I am amazed, because we are also in the open about how you’re a pushover mama’s boy.”

    • Miri
      Miri
      July 12, 2020 at 5:31 am | #

      Siblings: you can say this stuff and it’s somehow loving and supportive because They Know.

    • Apostate
      Apostate
      July 12, 2020 at 5:08 pm | #

      This is a fairly typical sibling interaction, in my experience.

    • StClair
      StClair
      July 12, 2020 at 8:38 pm | #

      What they said.

  26. lightsabermario
    lightsabermario
    July 12, 2020 at 3:32 am | #

    I would like to believe that Walky standing up to his parents will lead to a self-realization that they aren’t the best parents and genuinely want to know what they’ve been doing wrong, thereby establishing a message that not all parents are close-minded towards their children. You know, like normal people behave. This would make for a refreshing change of pace with regards to parents in this comic, and give rise to the theme that adults can change and strive to be better people. While I would like to believe all that, they say to write what you know, and this is a Willis comic, soooo….

    Yeah, I’m not getting my hopes up.

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      July 12, 2020 at 4:16 am | #

      Hank is the parent you are looking for. Hell, we might be getting that from Ethan’s parents soon – they chilled out in the Walkyverse so they might have it in them. The Walkertons (or at least Linda) are shit in all universes.

    • Azhrei Vep
      Azhrei Vep
      July 12, 2020 at 6:27 am | #

      I dunno, Mario. Aside from Blaine and Ross, they all definitely seem like pretty much how real normal people behave toward their children, or mild exaggerations of how normal people treat their children from my own observations of various parents that I’ve interacted with and observed across my life.

      • Captain Oblivious
        Captain Oblivious
        July 12, 2020 at 10:52 am | #

        Azhrei, who are you and how do you have such a solid grip on people’s nature? Do you have a journal I can subscribe to?

  27. Ron again
    Ron again
    July 12, 2020 at 3:41 am | #

    I don’t understand what Sal and Walky are coming to Billie for. To me it could be either “our parents are in town and they like you so go entertain them” or “be aware, our parents are in town, you are likely the next person they’ll try to talk to”

    • Valerie
      Valerie
      July 12, 2020 at 5:15 am | #

      I think they want to see if she can convince them to leave Amber alone.

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      July 12, 2020 at 5:31 am | #

      I think that they need Billie’s help to navigate the labyrinth of Linda’s brain so that they can call her off from her crusade against Amber. Remember: She’s the most favoured child, maybe even more so than Walky!

    • Azhrei Vep
      Azhrei Vep
      July 12, 2020 at 6:28 am | #

      I think they just want their formerly second-favorite child who they both assume just got upgraded to favorite to go deal with them so Sal and Walky don’t have to.

    • Captain Oblivious
      Captain Oblivious
      July 12, 2020 at 8:32 am | #

      I read it like Billie came to THEM for interview, then came back to actually check on them after other interviews because being friend/sibling. (frienbling?)

      • drs
        drs
        July 12, 2020 at 3:49 pm | #

        Twins are in the hallway. Yeah Billie interviewed them earlier, but they’ve come to her room.

  28. Ron again
    Ron again
    July 12, 2020 at 3:43 am | #

    In other news:YAY, the hovertext works again on mobile 😀

    • A Fan
      A Fan
      July 12, 2020 at 7:59 am | #

      Yay!

  29. mesquite
    mesquite
    July 12, 2020 at 7:38 am | #

    I cannot read the top line of text on the comic because the Karna ad overlays the comic at top.

  30. ValdVin
    ValdVin
    July 12, 2020 at 11:16 am | #

    Just re-realizing that in our world it’s been years since Billie told Walky “Dorothy is out of your league” yet it’s only been two months for them.

  31. drs
    drs
    July 12, 2020 at 4:07 pm | #

    Whoah, that’s weird. I choose an icon on blogspot and that somehow propagates to gravatar.

  32. Dracke
    Dracke
    July 12, 2020 at 6:41 pm | #

    Thats one hell of a burn

  33. Alan in DC
    Alan in DC
    July 12, 2020 at 7:43 pm | #

    Having nothing to do with the current story arc … I just wanted to write this down before I forgot it.

    I just checked the IU website and discovered there are more than a dozen Christian organizations on campus. If Joyce did a little homework beforehand, she would have dropped right into campus life and one of these organizations with almost no drama to speak of.

    Of course, the webcomic series would also have ended the day it was rolled out.

    • David M Willis
      David M Willis
      July 12, 2020 at 8:09 pm | #

      When I went to IU as a similarly-minded young Christian, I actually tried to join one or two of these groups. But they weren’t my groups from home, and none of the faces were familiar, and it just wasn’t the same. And I very quickly stopped trying to participate in them. I’ve tried to echo a lot of these same sentiments in Joyce’s thoughts, even if she arrived at them without these particular steps.

      • Alan in DC
        Alan in DC
        July 12, 2020 at 9:51 pm | #

        Didn’t have the same experience, but I can sure sympathize.

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