Dumbing of Age Book Eleven

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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and now lyle has more appearances than in the walkyverse
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BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

September 18, 2023

Normal

by David M Willis on December 8, 2022 at 12:01 am
  • 02 – Turning Saints Into the Sea

└ Tags: lucy, lyle, walky

Discussion (101) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    December 8, 2022 at 12:01 am | #

    Everybody Loves Walky

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      December 8, 2022 at 12:01 am | #

      I once received two joke drawings of a less-known character of mine, and I told the artist, “now there are as many fan arts of him as real arts”

      • True Survivor
        True Survivor
        December 8, 2022 at 12:17 am | #

        Hey, fan art is real art. As a person whose never generated fans or fan art, I feel very confident speaking about this in strong opinions on the internet.

        • Ana Chronistic
          Ana Chronistic
          December 8, 2022 at 11:59 pm | #

          immediately regretted saying real instead of “official” but apparently I have COVID now so I’m even more tired than usual! =/

      • AbacusWizard
        AbacusWizard
        December 8, 2022 at 12:17 am | #

        I love the phrasing of “real arts”

      • Carla's #2 Fan
        Carla's #2 Fan
        December 8, 2022 at 7:46 am | #

        You have a webcomic?

  2. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    December 8, 2022 at 12:01 am | #

    Easy come, easy go, Lucy. In fairness, I didn’t see the word “dibs” on any of those texts you sent Lyle, so Walky’s up for grabs. Them’s the rules.

    Maybe you could seduce Sal away from Danny as a replacement? How are your Mario Kart skills?

  3. bootshivers
    bootshivers
    December 8, 2022 at 12:02 am | #

    Lyle my beloved

    • Clif
      Clif
      December 8, 2022 at 1:28 am | #

      Lucy’s getting the brother all right.

  4. BBCC
    BBCC
    December 8, 2022 at 12:02 am | #

    I adore Lyle. I hope we get more than in Shortpacked.

    • Regalli
      Regalli
      December 8, 2022 at 12:03 am | #

      He officially has as of now per the alt text, but yes!

      • The Wellerman
        The Wellerman
        December 8, 2022 at 12:07 am | #

        Yeah! I sure hope he stays around longer than Liz 😗

    • Purblebirb
      Purblebirb
      December 8, 2022 at 12:03 am | #

      Feels like we already are, even

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      December 8, 2022 at 3:07 am | #

      That bar has already been cleared

  5. RassilonTDavros
    RassilonTDavros
    December 8, 2022 at 12:03 am | #

    I love Lyle already

  6. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    December 8, 2022 at 12:03 am | #

    Yeah I’d marry Walky. He seems exactly my speed for a husband.

    • anon
      anon
      December 8, 2022 at 12:08 am | #

      maybe a little bit more responsibility unless he some how falls backwards into riches

      other wise he’d be another one of those stereotypical “my husband is helpless without me/doesn’t help out with the kids/basically treats me as a mom/maid”

      • Dana
        Dana
        December 8, 2022 at 12:11 am | #

        I’ve never considered how that dynamic might manifest in a same sex relationship. /me ponders

        • not someone else
          not someone else
          December 8, 2022 at 12:53 am | #

          From persinal experience, mostly shit just doesn’t get done. Sometimes this is a blessing (the house does not actually need to look impressive to guests you don’t have) and sometimes it’s a curse (oh oops literally neither of us realized X needs to be done).

          Our issues are in part caused by disability, like, I’m not treating my boyfriend like a maid because I just expect that of him, I’m doing it because each hospitalization is taking more and more time to recover from… Which is also something that never gets brought up re: the het dynamic… but they’re definitely also in part caused by us both having other priorities and that can be an issue.

          • Nova
            Nova
            December 8, 2022 at 4:30 am | #

            Well it generally isn’t brought up in the het dynamic (as much) because women are as likely to be disabled as men are, and there is also the possibility of pregnancy which is a temporary but still difficult disability to work around. Yet women in het relationships are often expected to do the majority of the emotional and mental labour for the household, the housework, the child rearing, as well as taking care of their partner. Shile men in a het relationship often believe that working 40hrs entitles them to untouchable free time after even if it comes at their partner’s expense and often times don’t even notice the amount of pressure they’re putting on their partners (though there is the rare jerk who notices but doesn’t care).

            The discussion of the het dynamic is about deeply internalised social pressures and sexism. While disability certainly impacts that (for one thing, women who become disabled or seriously ill are more likely to be left by their partners than men who become disabled or seriously ill), it does feel like a symptom of the issue at the moment. Or, at least, a separate issue to be discussed in its own light.

            Intersectionality is so important, so I’m not suggesting that the issues aren’t related or don’t compound one another, but sometimes things do need to be discussed in isolation to begin working on the issue.

            • Nova
              Nova
              December 8, 2022 at 4:31 am | #

              Shile = While

              oops!

          • Axel
            Axel
            December 8, 2022 at 4:59 am | #

            hey, no one warned me that you were me

        • TheCatCameBack
          TheCatCameBack
          December 8, 2022 at 10:02 am | #

          From my personal experience with wlw relationships, it’s about who has the most internalized sexism/mommy issues or who has the most spoons. The person who likes doing chores, or feels compelled to do chores, or feels guilty if they don’t do chores, or has more ability/time to do chores, does more chores.

      • Johan
        Johan
        December 8, 2022 at 12:48 am | #

        Ain’t now way he’s not a trust fund kid.

        His mom has pull at the school and they could afford to send Sal to boarding school and then both to university.

        • Sirksome
          Sirksome
          December 8, 2022 at 4:52 pm | #

          This is actually a bit of a mystery to me cause I have no idea how the Walkertons make money. We don’t really know how many of the parents actually earn a living but neither Charles or Linda really seem like they work to me. Yet somehow the Walkertons seem very comfortably in the middle class, maybe even upper middle considering Sal’s boarding school tuition you mentioned. I’m curious.

          • King Daniel
            King Daniel
            December 8, 2022 at 11:32 pm | #

            Maybe Linda runs an MLM

          • thejeff
            thejeff
            December 8, 2022 at 11:38 pm | #

            It’s never really come up, but why would you think they don’t work? We haven’t seen enough of them to know, but also not even for it to be surprising that we haven’t seen it mentioned.

    • Sirksome
      Sirksome
      December 8, 2022 at 12:24 am | #

      Don’t be fooled by his good looks and love of cartoons. Guy probably doesn’t know how to pay a bill, cook anything requiring more skill than boiling water, or pushing a button, pump gas, or have the capacity to command a child’s respect. He’s a project is what I’m saying. A hot project, who probably won’t cheat on you, but a project nonetheless.

      • Savail
        Savail
        December 8, 2022 at 1:28 am | #

        Hm, when I was Walky’s age, I managed to burn ramen in the microwave. So don’t count him out just yet. If he ever learns that you can make larger quantities of certain tasties at home for less money and arguably less work (don’t have to go out and get them; they basically just cook themselves in the oven!), he’ll pick up at least some cooking quick-like.

        • Savail
          Savail
          December 8, 2022 at 1:30 am | #

          Gah, not the oven, the stove. Yummy chicken nuggets from scratch work better on the stove. And then I guess a little oven time after if you want.

  7. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    December 8, 2022 at 12:03 am | #

    Lyle has made more progress in 2 sentences than Lucy has in however long she’s been hopelessly pining for Walky before Dorothy laid him up for her. I ship it!

    • Nono
      Nono
      December 8, 2022 at 12:06 am | #

      We haven’t had a M/M ship since the timeskip. Give us something!

      • milu
        milu
        December 8, 2022 at 8:21 am | #

        i had a mental image of Walky in an open relationship with both Lucy and Lyle before i could stop myself, and now i can’t decide if i find that irresistible or revolting

        (i mean)
        (it can be both)

  8. Rose by Any Other Name
    Rose by Any Other Name
    December 8, 2022 at 12:03 am | #

    I love Lucy’s eyes throughout.

    • justin8448
      justin8448
      December 8, 2022 at 12:57 am | #

      Lucy, the great connoisseur, continues to have great faces!

      https://www.shortpacked.com/comic/faces

      • justin8448
        justin8448
        December 8, 2022 at 1:38 am | #

        *great connoisseur of faces!

        Not sure how I messed that up.

        • Amaya/Polaris
          Amaya/Polaris
          December 8, 2022 at 10:41 am | #

          Maybe she just has great taste!

          Then again, she’s dating Walky for a serious boyfriend.

  9. RassilonTDavros
    RassilonTDavros
    December 8, 2022 at 12:03 am | #

    Dumbing of Age Book 13: My Intentions Are To Not Watch Cartoons Alone

    • True Survivor
      True Survivor
      December 8, 2022 at 12:23 am | #

      Its not all I want out of life, but it is a surprising large (and yet illusive) part of it.

      • Xujhan
        Xujhan
        December 8, 2022 at 12:45 am | #

        Illusive as in illusion, elusive as in elude. Not trying to cause ruckus over a trivial spelling thing, just wanted to share a cute mnemonic that one of my grade school English teachers showed me.

        • Clif
          Clif
          December 8, 2022 at 1:31 am | #

          on the other hand cartoons,, drawings that move, are pretty Illusive.

        • True Survivor
          True Survivor
          December 8, 2022 at 7:55 pm | #

          That is useful. Thank you.

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      December 8, 2022 at 4:06 pm | #

      Amazing what a difference a comma makes.

      “My Intentions are to Not Watch Cartoons, Alone.”

  10. Nono
    Nono
    December 8, 2022 at 12:04 am | #

    I wonder if there are inter-warring cartoon preferences in the Glenn household. Does Lyle like the DC/Dexter stuff like Lucy? Is he more of a Steven Universe/Avatar person? Does he consider Archer a cartoon?

    • Sirksome
      Sirksome
      December 8, 2022 at 12:19 am | #

      They seem close in age. Dexter (whether the one with the lab or the one that murders people) is before their time. They’d have to look it up which requires special interest. Kinda the same with Avatar (the bending kind and the big blue cat people kind) both came out like 15 years ago. It’s probably more of a She-Ra remake/ Voltron remake versus Craig of the Creek/Teen Titans Go.

      • Nono
        Nono
        December 8, 2022 at 12:29 am | #

        I was gonna say Dexter the Head Alien… though that doesn’t exclude him having a lab OR murdering people.

      • Blume
        Blume
        December 8, 2022 at 12:43 am | #

        I’m around the same age as these guys and… Yeah, no, us kids at that age watched all those shows. There were tons of reruns back then.

        • Sirksome
          Sirksome
          December 8, 2022 at 1:00 am | #

          I’m not saying the shows didn’t air, just that if Lucy’s 18 than she would be a year old when Avatar the Last Airbender first debuted. Dexter’s Lab ended before she was born. Both Avatar’s are popular enough to remain in cartoon relevancy plus Avatar later had Legend of Korra but knowing about Dexter would mean they had an active interest in old cartoons. It’s close to 30 years old.

          But Nono wasn’t even talking about that Dexter and I have no idea what the televised history of fictional cartoon Dexter and Monkey Master is.

          • thejeff
            thejeff
            December 8, 2022 at 7:46 am | #

            The nice thing about it being a fictional series is that it can be tied to the comic timeline. It aired during their childhoods.

            Both back in 2010 when the comic started and now.

  11. Suet
    Suet
    December 8, 2022 at 12:05 am | #

    Someone better turn off Walky’s Demo mode before dejection begins

  12. Kyrik Michalowski
    Kyrik Michalowski
    December 8, 2022 at 12:07 am | #

    Lucy’s eyes in the last panel are concerning, I get the feeling Walky’s statement has something to do with it. That, or she is upset that her brother is about steal her boyfriend.

    • anon
      anon
      December 8, 2022 at 12:18 am | #

      lol it would be a bit more awkward tho if more guys were openly bi , i can imagine there would be siblings stealing each others partners but i imagine that’s kinda an unspoken rule/awkward tho i have heard of ppl marrying their sibling’s ex or so

      but idk if it’d be worth the drama considering you have to live with your sibling if it’s during your high school years lol other than enjoying being petty

    • True Survivor
      True Survivor
      December 8, 2022 at 12:19 am | #

      Quite possibly. However, I think she might just be pissed he went right back to needling Walky after she asked him to behave.

      • Wizard
        Wizard
        December 8, 2022 at 5:54 am | #

        Entirely possible, and I don’t blame her. His behavior is getting old real fast, and it wasn’t all that funny to start with. Sorry, but I’m just not on the Lyle train.

        • spriteless aunty
          spriteless aunty
          December 8, 2022 at 9:19 am | #

          Only child, or did you and your siblings have bigger threats to put that energy to use than teasing each other?

          Or younger child who got teased. 😛

        • Daibhid C
          Daibhid C
          December 8, 2022 at 1:23 pm | #

          Here’s my position: Yes, Lyle seems incredibly annoying. However, he is incredibly annoying in pretty much exactly the same way Walky is, and he’s aiming this at Walky. And much as I like Walky, it’s kind of fun to see him on the receiving end of this stuff.

          • huesatlight
            huesatlight
            December 8, 2022 at 1:44 pm | #

            Walky might end up being friends with him because of it. It will annoy him sometimes, embarrass him sometimes, but it will free him. I think Walky thinks (consciously or subconsciously) there has to be someone in everyone’s orbit that’s “the funny one”. Lyle in Walky’s orbit could relieve that pressure.

  13. JD
    JD
    December 8, 2022 at 12:08 am | #

    if lyle stealing his sisters man is what it would take to get bi walky confirmed well i’ll take it, sorry lucy

    • milu
      milu
      December 8, 2022 at 8:25 am | #

      i’ll sign that petition

  14. bagge
    bagge
    December 8, 2022 at 12:10 am | #

    He’s totally nailing this whole ‘normal’ thing

    • milu
      milu
      December 8, 2022 at 8:27 am | #

      being normal is easy, you just say out loud whatever is going through your brain, right? …right???

      • The Wellerman
        The Wellerman
        December 8, 2022 at 6:08 pm | #

        Eh, you humans and your shockingly unstable concept of “””normal”””. When will you learn?

        • milu
          milu
          December 8, 2022 at 8:04 pm | #

          wait, you think it’s a problem that the concept of “normal” is unstable? i think that’s its saving grace.

  15. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    December 8, 2022 at 12:13 am | #

    *plays Luke Ski’s “Snoopy The Dogg” on the hacked Muzak*

  16. huesatlight
    huesatlight
    December 8, 2022 at 12:14 am | #

    I can see them becoming friends, and Walky being significantly less of a goofball around him.

  17. Slartibeast Button, BIA
    Slartibeast Button, BIA
    December 8, 2022 at 12:15 am | #

    Is this a reference to Leah and Rachel?

  18. Chronos
    Chronos
    December 8, 2022 at 12:20 am | #

    So we’re going to learn a lot more about Lyle this time around, I take it.

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      December 8, 2022 at 2:31 am | #

      IIRC he appeared twice in Shortpacked!, so he’s already tied himself.

  19. Airyu
    Airyu
    December 8, 2022 at 12:24 am | #

    Poor Lucy but I am *living* for her expressions

  20. Kravis
    Kravis
    December 8, 2022 at 12:28 am | #

    Is that what they call “brotherly love”?

  21. YordleJay
    YordleJay
    December 8, 2022 at 12:30 am | #

    I don’t like this family

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      December 8, 2022 at 12:46 am | #

      Why, cuz the sister-in-law openly wants to fuck the new brother-in-law? That’s just called being Americans.

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 8, 2022 at 1:38 am | #

        Is that what being American is all about? I always wondered.

      • JBento
        JBento
        December 8, 2022 at 7:12 am | #

        And if you remove the “in-law” parts, that’s just Folger’s!

        Or, like, Alabama.

        • Opus the Poet
          Opus the Poet
          December 9, 2022 at 1:07 am | #

          Eastern Kentucky, too.

  22. ADLegend21
    ADLegend21
    December 8, 2022 at 12:39 am | #

    Oh now we’re talking.

  23. TrueVCU
    TrueVCU
    December 8, 2022 at 1:10 am | #

    Lucy status: DEAD FOREVER

  24. Lan
    Lan
    December 8, 2022 at 1:13 am | #

    Lyle, your sister, who sent you no less than 40 pictures of her boyfriend, including at least one of the back of his head, has requested that you be normal about her relationship

  25. Tan
    Tan
    December 8, 2022 at 2:14 am | #

    Is Lyle gay? It is not actually relevant to him making the joke, but there’s nothing to contradict it as far as I’m aware so I choose to assume until demonstrated otherwise and I’m on board.

    • anon
      anon
      December 8, 2022 at 2:18 am | #

      I can imagine him being bi or comfortable, usually straight guys don’t always flirt without going ‘no homo’ after but might be diff these dadays

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      December 8, 2022 at 4:09 pm | #

      This is the fourth strip he’s been in so far, in all of the Willis multiverse.

      If he is, we’ll find out eventually.

  26. Robert
    Robert
    December 8, 2022 at 2:26 am | #

    In my first or second year at college, I would have fallen prey to Lyle’s wiles so completely.

  27. buddy
    buddy
    December 8, 2022 at 2:29 am | #

    i love third panel lucy. this is a college freshman who is about to get indicted for fraticide.

    not convicted though.

  28. Keulen
    Keulen
    December 8, 2022 at 3:11 am | #

    Better to watch cartoons alone than to not watch cartoons at all. If you’re into cartoons, that is.

  29. cbwroses
    cbwroses
    December 8, 2022 at 4:45 am | #

    Walky as the straight man is not something I was expecting, but I can get behind.

    • spriteless aunty
      spriteless aunty
      December 8, 2022 at 9:23 am | #

      I was just thinking, the annoying brother gets to learn what it’s like to have the role flipped. If only Sal was here to see it.

  30. Kaz
    Kaz
    December 8, 2022 at 4:58 am | #

    Reminds me of the tiktok with the straight guy making the marriage offer to other straight guys on the basis of being able to do w/e the frick they both want.

  31. Eldritchy
    Eldritchy
    December 8, 2022 at 5:26 am | #

    This man throws Walky so many curveballs they should call him a pitching machine.

    • HoopsieDaisy
      HoopsieDaisy
      December 8, 2022 at 2:29 pm | #

      I didn’t know pitching machines could do that until I just looked it up. Thanks!

  32. Nick Piers
    Nick Piers
    December 8, 2022 at 6:23 am | #

    Am I the only one thinking part of Lucy’s expression in the last panel is saying “I ship it”?

  33. David Alexander McDonald
    David Alexander McDonald
    December 8, 2022 at 7:06 am | #

    Oh yeah, this is going well.

  34. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    December 8, 2022 at 7:10 am | #

    If Walky and Lucy’s relationship can survive this, they may be able to stay together forever.

  35. AGV
    AGV
    December 8, 2022 at 7:16 am | #

    Funnily, I get the feeling that by the end Lucy will hate this more than Walky could have

  36. Mark
    Mark
    December 8, 2022 at 7:32 am | #

    Walky: right now, turn to Lucy, take her lightly in your arms, kiss her softly and say, “Lucy Glenn, will you watch cartoons with me?”

    It’s honest; it doesn’t commit you to anything permanent; she’ll like it; YOU’ll like it; and it should drive a big bloody spike through Lyle’s joke, so perhaps the three of you can begin a normal conversation.

  37. Amós Batista
    Amós Batista
    December 8, 2022 at 7:39 am | #

    Lucy got the Joyce’s Panic Eyes.

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      December 8, 2022 at 8:40 am | #

      like this

  38. Keith
    Keith
    December 8, 2022 at 7:40 am | #

    ROTFLLMAO

  39. zims
    zims
    December 8, 2022 at 11:07 am | #

    This is payback for all the time she compared him to Lyle the Kindly Viking. It’s not his fault he looks like an asparagus!

  40. HoopsieDaisy
    HoopsieDaisy
    December 8, 2022 at 2:21 pm | #

    Has Walky finally met his match!? I’ll take as much of this banter as they want to dish out.

  41. RedComet
    RedComet
    December 8, 2022 at 5:13 pm | #

    I really like this. It’s a bunch of jokes but it kind of lays things out clearly:

    Lyle: So what made you want to date my sister?
    Walky: Uh, she was there I guess…

    If Walky or Lucy wants to recognize this and reassess it’s the perfect opportunity.

  42. Hinoron
    Hinoron
    December 11, 2022 at 2:10 am | #

    I love Lyle so much right now.
    If there’s a tipping scale between “this comic already has a big enough cast”, and “OMFG he’s hilarious! Keep him!” It’s tipped firmly to the 2nd side.

Who's that guy over there?

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