Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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May 28, 2026

Malfunction

by David M Willis on June 9, 2024 at 12:01 am
  • 04 – For Me It Was Tuesday
└ Tags: becky, dina, joe, joyce

Discussion (219) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. NGPZ
    NGPZ
    June 9, 2024 at 12:02 am | #

    HER FIRST F-BOMB!!!!

    IT’S FINALLY HAPPENED!!!!

    THE DAY HAS FINALLY COME!!!

    🥹🥹🥹

    *plays “Dreams Come True” from Sailor Moon Soundtrack CD on hacked muzak*

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      June 9, 2024 at 12:04 am | #

      Joyce right now.

      • Amós Batista
        Amós Batista
        June 9, 2024 at 6:06 am | #

        hahaha

    • Jo_cubstar
      Jo_cubstar
      June 9, 2024 at 12:09 am | #

      Like 15 years in the making!

    • Masumi
      Masumi
      June 9, 2024 at 12:18 am | #

      … I didn’t even figure it out until I read your comment.

      • Decidedly Orthogonal
        Decidedly Orthogonal
        June 9, 2024 at 2:00 am | #

        I saw it, but still read their reactions as being to the next panel. Then the gerbil got back on the wheel to let the penny finish dropping.

        • Kazuma Taichi
          Kazuma Taichi
          June 9, 2024 at 1:31 pm | #

          It took you pointing that out for me to make the connection that they’re surprised by her swear and not her faux-pas

          Granted it also took NGPZ for me to notice the abnormality of the swear in the first place because she used it as casually and without notice as I do

      • Nathan
        Nathan
        June 9, 2024 at 2:32 am | #

        Me neither!

      • Proto
        Proto
        June 9, 2024 at 2:45 am | #

        Yeah I thought it was her saying “boyfriend” but the f-bomb makes way more sense

        • Ryan
          Ryan
          June 9, 2024 at 9:58 am | #

          The f bomb may provide cover for the damsel-in-distress appeal to Joe, especially in a conversation where he’s the only male. So many feet in her mouth.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          June 9, 2024 at 10:01 am | #

          I actually thought it was the “that’s what you’re for” part.

          • Lilith Rose
            Lilith Rose
            June 9, 2024 at 3:49 pm | #

            Same. I was counting feet-in-mouth, so many feet-in-mouth, but the F-bomb, and it took the comments to make me realize I had glazed over it and ignored it being there as a course of habit (which I do with most media… I am similar to Joyce in that regard, didn’t say it the first time till I was… thinks… just out of college.)

            But yea, I think her friends are realizing just how far she currently is outside of her normal mindestate.

          • Diane
            Diane
            June 9, 2024 at 8:27 pm | #

            Oh thank goodness, I wasn’t the only one. I actually avoided the patreon comments cause I was afraid that was the reason for all the comments. Didn’t want that kinda discourse in my day.

      • Jamie
        Jamie
        June 9, 2024 at 3:43 am | #

        Same.

    • Clif
      Clif
      June 9, 2024 at 12:36 am | #

      Not mentioning any names, but doesn’t someone owe her money?

      • NGPZ
        NGPZ
        June 9, 2024 at 1:18 am | #

        Sauce?

        • justin8448
          justin8448
          June 9, 2024 at 3:20 am | #

          If Clif is referring to the comic I think they are referring to, the payment was for Joyce saying “.”

          • justin8448
            justin8448
            June 9, 2024 at 3:21 am | #

            Turns out I don’t know hot to use a link reference. Here it is in plain text:

            https://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-4/01-the-only-dope-for-me-is-you/damnation/

            • hoop
              hoop
              June 9, 2024 at 10:18 am | #

              ELEVEN YEARS for the payoff

            • Larathiel
              Larathiel
              June 10, 2024 at 8:45 am | #

              Thank you, I was at a loss trying to find this! <3

      • Kazuma Taichi
        Kazuma Taichi
        June 10, 2024 at 6:03 pm | #

        Eyyyy, not only did you remember, but Joe remembered too! good call

    • Da Boy
      Da Boy
      June 9, 2024 at 3:54 am | #

      Becky has one First Time over Dorothy XD Joyce’s first F-Bomb.

    • Yet_One_More_Idiot
      Yet_One_More_Idiot
      June 9, 2024 at 5:08 am | #

      Wa-hoo! 😀

      How about “Book 14: I’m totally fucking it up today for whatever reason”?

    • TheCozburger
      TheCozburger
      June 9, 2024 at 5:16 am | #

      Oh shit…I actually didn’t notice!

    • Azhrei Vep
      Azhrei Vep
      June 9, 2024 at 6:26 am | #

      Ooooh. Huh. She did it so naturally it didn’t even register. I though everybody was reacting to her saying that fixing her problems is what boyfriends are for.

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      June 9, 2024 at 9:18 am | #

      The floodgates have been opened.

  2. darkoneko
    darkoneko
    June 9, 2024 at 12:02 am | #

    what

    • darkoneko
      darkoneko
      June 9, 2024 at 12:22 am | #

      it feels odd that Dina is acting that surprised over it

      • Alongcameaspider
        Alongcameaspider
        June 9, 2024 at 12:51 am | #

        I feel like Dina may have been underestimating the amount of change Joyce has gone through recently, I’m not entirely convinced that she’s fully processed that Joyce is an Athiest now

        Remember they don’t really interact that often if Becky’s not around

        • Da Boy
          Da Boy
          June 9, 2024 at 6:14 am | #

          Next time they meet Joyce will want to discuss Evolution, Dina’s hat will fly off.

          • Cybersnark
            Cybersnark
            June 9, 2024 at 9:04 am | #

            Because the hat is based on a theropod, which means it will have evolved into an avian species.

            • Da Boy
              Da Boy
              June 9, 2024 at 9:57 am | #

              +1

      • NGPZ
        NGPZ
        June 9, 2024 at 2:28 am | #

        I mean,

        Joyce saying the F-bomb is a first for everyone! 😅

        Hell they should all celebrate with that booze Dina just stole!

      • MacareuxMoine
        MacareuxMoine
        June 10, 2024 at 3:32 am | #

        With Dina there is always the possibility, that she is just simulating the reaction everyone expects (she knows that Joyce is assumed to be PG-rated).

  3. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    June 9, 2024 at 12:02 am | #

    ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: finally appearing on the counter

    • Decidedly Orthogonal
      Decidedly Orthogonal
      June 9, 2024 at 2:13 am | #

      Almost seems like the normalized chart ought to be the inverse relation to maximize the relative impact, rather than showing el-rando-mook in a lead position for saying it once.

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      June 9, 2024 at 6:29 am | #

      I love the graphic. Dina is way ahead Roz.

    • Fussypupy
      Fussypupy
      June 9, 2024 at 3:03 pm | #

      Hahaha I love that a counter exists for this purpose. Congrats, Joyce! Also, (& I know you didn’t make it) I wanted to comment that I do feel upset about the wording at the bottom of the page regarding Jennifer’s name: “Including “Jennifer”… because, seriously, I’ve known her as “Billie” for twenty years, it’s too late to change now.” I understand the difficulties of change, but, as someone who asked friends and family to call me a different name between 23-30yo, I found it very insensitive and thoughtless of the author 🙁 It is never too late to change. Hopefully he sees my comment and reconsiders. Names are very important!

      • John Campbell
        John Campbell
        June 9, 2024 at 8:31 pm | #

        The bit on the page is kind of a flippant comment, but what it really comes down to is that I don’t actually respect Jennifer’s name change, in large part because I don’t believe it’s actually hers. It seems to have come from Raidah (like Linda) insisting on calling people by their full given names, whether that’s the name they use or not. (e.g.) I’m still holding out hope that Jennifer will escape Raidah’s toxic influence and go back to being Billie. I liked Billie a lot better, even though she was terrible and a complete fuckup.

        It should not be taken as commentary on anyone else’s name changes for non-maintaining-toxic-networking reasons.

      • Ana Chronistic
        Ana Chronistic
        June 9, 2024 at 11:56 pm | #

        I didn’t make it, I just stole the link to it FWIW

    • Chronos
      Chronos
      June 9, 2024 at 6:13 pm | #

      I’m amused that this exists.

  4. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    June 9, 2024 at 12:02 am | #

    Oh man, I almost missed it.

    • Dara
      Dara
      June 9, 2024 at 12:31 am | #

      I absolutely missed it and was too busy being confused by the boyfriendness commentary because quoi?!

      • Wraithy2773
        Wraithy2773
        June 9, 2024 at 1:09 am | #

        Heh, yeah, expected it to be about the boyfriend thing instead.

        Granted, most of that’s because I curse like a sailor sometimes, f-bombs are nothing new to me :).

        • Azhrei Vep
          Azhrei Vep
          June 9, 2024 at 6:27 am | #

          Same! She fucked so smoothly that it slipped right by me.

          The boyfriend thing though … really Joyce? Really?

          • Pergola
            Pergola
            June 9, 2024 at 9:42 am | #

            “She fucked so smoothly”
            Is that going to be how Joyce’s other First Time slips by us?

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        June 9, 2024 at 9:54 am | #

        Same. I had to go back and re-read the strip a couple times to catch it.

        It’s like she’s been saying it for years. Jennifer would be proud! :’)

    • butts
      butts
      June 9, 2024 at 1:19 pm | #

      i 100% missed it

  5. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    June 9, 2024 at 12:03 am | #

    At this point, Joyce, you should just mutter a muted “sorry, everybody” and then sit quietly, meditating on the old adage that a closed mouth gathers no feet.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      June 9, 2024 at 12:06 am | #

      ….

      …. this was written by thirty-seven-seconds-ago-me, who still thought the stunned expressions on everyone else’s faces were about Joyce’s line about Joe’s purpose being for fixing stuff like this. Rather than, I dunno, having worth in and of himself as a person? … it made sense to fifty-three-seconds-ago-me.

      • Masumi
        Masumi
        June 9, 2024 at 12:19 am | #

        I made the same assumption

        • StClair
          StClair
          June 9, 2024 at 12:27 am | #

          Same.

          • Samniel
            Samniel
            June 9, 2024 at 1:05 am | #

            Same

            • Vanessa
              Vanessa
              June 9, 2024 at 1:11 am | #

              I thought “ironing thing out” must be same kind of new slang for sex.

              • Vanessa
                Vanessa
                June 9, 2024 at 1:12 am | #

                *some kind

                • Azhrei Vep
                  Azhrei Vep
                  June 9, 2024 at 6:28 am | #

                  Chooo chooo! One more for the same train!

      • Aslan
        Aslan
        June 9, 2024 at 7:57 am | #

        Honestly, I think your original comment still applies

    • FlamestAndLight
      FlamestAndLight
      June 9, 2024 at 12:48 pm | #

      i love that aphorism and I shall use it

  6. chuckroast
    chuckroast
    June 9, 2024 at 12:03 am | #

    WE DID IT, JOE.

    • Micki
      Micki
      June 9, 2024 at 12:21 am | #

      Funniest comment, everyone go home

  7. IntangibleMatter
    IntangibleMatter
    June 9, 2024 at 12:03 am | #

    Nobody’s ever heard her swear before oh my god

    Joyce has fucking surprised everyone

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      June 9, 2024 at 12:13 am | #

      They’ve heard “shit”, etc, to a degree, but not THE swear, which thankfully defused the situation potentially in its own right.

  8. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    June 9, 2024 at 12:03 am | #

    Joe, you sure this is the one?

  9. Opus the Poet
    Opus the Poet
    June 9, 2024 at 12:04 am | #

    She did it, now Jennifer has to give her that $20.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      June 9, 2024 at 12:19 am | #

      And Sarah.

      And Joe.

      … that’s how Joe’s going to tell her what she did, isn’t it?

    • anon
      anon
      June 9, 2024 at 2:06 am | #

      if only it had been recorded for posterity

      • Opus the Poet
        Opus the Poet
        June 9, 2024 at 8:08 pm | #

        I’m still searching for the comic!

  10. Dante
    Dante
    June 9, 2024 at 12:05 am | #

    For a moment, I was like “That’s what you’re for?? No wonder they’re appalled!!”

    … And then it hit me. OMG.

    • Sev
      Sev
      June 9, 2024 at 12:08 am | #

      I had the same reaction. Had to come to the comments to figure out what was up.

    • Lux
      Lux
      June 9, 2024 at 12:08 am | #

      Yeah that was more or less my read too, I had to read the comments to figure out what was going on

    • Lokitsu
      Lokitsu
      June 9, 2024 at 12:11 am | #

      I’m glad that I’m not the only reader to nearly miss the stealth F-bomb.

    • egon
      egon
      June 9, 2024 at 12:25 am | #

      i’m glad i saw this, i was getting mad thinking we were heading into another “everyone is mad at joyce” arc

    • StClair
      StClair
      June 9, 2024 at 12:27 am | #

      *puts hand up too*

    • Dara
      Dara
      June 9, 2024 at 12:32 am | #

      Completely missed it. Until comments.

    • Yak
      Yak
      June 9, 2024 at 1:39 am | #

      Having been in Joe’s situation here before, almost the exact same situation, I don’t find it offensive at all. Maybe something to bring up later but not something to be mad about.

    • Miri
      Miri
      June 9, 2024 at 4:45 am | #

      I also thought it was a “you think a boyfriend is there to resolve your social gaffes?” response… Followed by a mental image of her picking up stiffened-with-shock!Last-Panel-Joe and using him to literally squish her other friends. And thought that Dina and Becky would probably not approve (Becky because Joe is like the opposite of everything she’s into, and Dina because that is hardly a scientifically proven method of ANYTHING including responding to gravity…)

      • Mark
        Mark
        June 9, 2024 at 7:06 am | #

        I noticed her salty language, but I’ve been numbed to it by hanging out here so I let it slide by. Her lack of hesitation did seem like a surprising development.

        What I was thinking, mostly, was “no, Joyce, creating awkward moments is what boys are for.” Having been a teenage boy myself….

  11. Coatl
    Coatl
    June 9, 2024 at 12:06 am | #

    Even Dina is perplexed

  12. Matty
    Matty
    June 9, 2024 at 12:07 am | #

    I’ll always remember where I was at this moment

  13. Acebender
    Acebender
    June 9, 2024 at 12:07 am | #

    Oh that’s her first F-bomb? I could swear she said it before

    • anon
      anon
      June 9, 2024 at 2:08 am | #

      i think she might’ve said shit or something similar

    • John Campbell
      John Campbell
      June 9, 2024 at 11:22 pm | #

      Nope. I have documented them all. She’s said “shit” a couple of times, but this is her first “fuck”. (Her first fuck still pending…)

  14. Chaucer59
    Chaucer59
    June 9, 2024 at 12:07 am | #

    The real shock is that Joyce didn’t realize she’d said it.

    • anon
      anon
      June 9, 2024 at 2:09 am | #

      Incredible what one drunken night out together can do

      At least becky didn’t miss out on /this/ even if she was salty about being left out

      • Mark
        Mark
        June 9, 2024 at 7:07 am | #

        The alcohol killed just one brain cell, but it was a critical one.

        • anon
          anon
          June 9, 2024 at 5:41 pm | #

          I’d hope some brain cells can be recovered, idk how true the ‘alcohol kills brain cells’ are compared to fearmongering (tho very believable given how dumb drunk decisions are), but sucky for long term effects, like if someone ends up being a recovering alcoholic and can fully quit, good on them, but be sucky if they become disadvantaged later on in life b/c their loss of cells made things worse for them to be able to do some work/thinking process that wouldn’t get them taken advantage of (if not ppl killing some brain cells on purpose through drugs to cope with life)

    • Illjwamh
      Illjwamh
      June 9, 2024 at 2:48 am | #

      Neither did I. I consider f-bombs to be just part of ordinary conversation so it didn’t even register with me. I was trying to figure out what was so bad about what she said in panel 3. Though judging by the comments, I’m in good company

  15. Animedingo
    Animedingo
    June 9, 2024 at 12:08 am | #

    Oh fart

  16. RassilonTDavros
    RassilonTDavros
    June 9, 2024 at 12:09 am | #

    Honestly, I’m kinda glad that Joyce’s big first-f-bomb-moment moment was more subdued— I think the casual usage is a better show of character progression than if it had been part of some big, triumphant speech as she’s staring down Carol or something, which would’ve seemed like too much like the “obvious” thing to do IMO.

    Gotta love how even Dina is visibly shocked.

    • Prince Mech
      Prince Mech
      June 9, 2024 at 12:11 am | #

      Becky already had this moment with Ross so yeah this tracks, and I feel like Joyc’es arc is going to be a little more “realistic” in that there *probably* won’t be some big epic (verbal) showdown with Carol and more of a just… Slow removal of her from Joyce’s life.

      • Prince Mech
        Prince Mech
        June 9, 2024 at 12:15 am | #

        *Joyce’s. I cannot type at 5am.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      June 9, 2024 at 12:17 am | #

      I like how subdued this was too, but I thought the big-moment approach worked well with her first “damn it”.

  17. Steamweed
    Steamweed
    June 9, 2024 at 12:09 am | #

    Oh, fudge! Ensue 3 people losing their minds from panel 2 onward! (for some reason?) 😀

  18. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    June 9, 2024 at 12:10 am | #

    What factors do we think contributed to this? Genuinely being flustered? Residual alcohol in her system? Being so super horny that fuck just freudian slipped out? My personal favorite is she empathically absorbed some of Sal’s habits through her super cool black shirt.

    • StClair
      StClair
      June 9, 2024 at 12:35 am | #

      I think it’s mostly #1, that she’s too upset about her mistake(s) and focused on trying to fix them to think about filtering her language.

      • Archieve
        Archieve
        June 9, 2024 at 1:05 am | #

        I agree, also I think the flustered level could have been manageable if she was more honest with herself instead of using Dina as an excuse. The fact that she doesn’t say she should have brought Dina reads to me like she was trying to misdirect from the real reason by saying another fact that she thought was true but now that it’s been disproven she wants Joe to do the talking because she can’t tell a direct lie without giving herself away.

        • Vanessa
          Vanessa
          June 9, 2024 at 1:17 am | #

          Could be! It would be kind of rude to just say, “Becky, it was important for me to spend some quality time with my new friend because she’s having a hard time right now, and frankly I didn’t think about you for one second last night. Besides, you hate Dorothy and would have ruined our night out.”

          • Archieve
            Archieve
            June 9, 2024 at 1:29 am | #

            A more polite way could be telling Becky that her goal was to get Dorothy’s guard down to tell her what was wrong and Becky’s rivaley/ribbing would have had the opposite effect. Though I think Becky’s going to be upset either way and like with Joyce’s atheism she needs to hear that Joyce is standing firm before she starts to lay off.

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              June 9, 2024 at 10:26 am | #

              But that also goes into talking about something being wrong with Dorothy, which she might not feel like she wants to reveal.

          • Mark
            Mark
            June 9, 2024 at 7:14 am | #

            The second quoted sentence is a bit raw, but the first isn’t rude at all, is it? It’s truthful, non-judgmental, and explains the situation well.

        • DashWallkick
          DashWallkick
          June 9, 2024 at 1:29 am | #

          This is kind of what I assumed was happening the whole time as well. She intuitively understands Dorothy was having a hard time, wanted to get her alone, and try to get her to talk about her problems, because Dorothy is a master of self-control and restraint. Becky would just wreck the whole thing (I don’t think Joyce knows she knows already she’s not going to Yale) because that’s how she interacts with Dorothy. Joyce knows on some level she can’t say that but in the process annoyed Dina.

          The fallout from this led to her flustered and she’s been so unmoored from her christian household it slipped out.

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      June 9, 2024 at 4:07 am | #

      if she’s a running-monologue-thinker, then she’s probably been thinking it for a little while.

    • Aslan
      Aslan
      June 9, 2024 at 8:00 am | #

      I also like to think it’s Sal’s shirt. She’s a hot adult who drinks now. Hot adults who drink say fuck.

  19. Blume
    Blume
    June 9, 2024 at 12:12 am | #

    I had no idea what the problem was till I read the comments LOL. Way to be natural, Joyce!!

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      June 9, 2024 at 1:55 am | #

      And soon to be au naturale. No need to excuse her “French” XD

      *plays “Cartoon” by Lord Kossity & Lucien Papalu on hacked muzak*

      • eh, whatever
        eh, whatever
        June 9, 2024 at 4:21 am | #

        au naturel ?

        • Agemegos
          Agemegos
          June 9, 2024 at 5:29 am | #

          It means “uncooked”.

          • Agemegos
            Agemegos
            June 9, 2024 at 5:34 am | #

            And sometimes “unseasoned, without sauce or dressing”. And sometimes “naked, unclothed”.

            It has a special meaning in French heraldic blazon, where it means the same thing as “proper” in English heraldry, i.e. “the colour of the actual thing”.

          • NGPZ
            NGPZ
            June 9, 2024 at 11:28 pm | #

            Delicious!

    • anon
      anon
      June 9, 2024 at 2:11 am | #

      yeah if she hadn’t dropped the f bomb i would’ve expected they were reacting (tho weird for dina to look that surprised) to her saying “that’s what you’re for” as in an “that’s ALL you’re good for” kinda thing as another misstep/putting her foot in her mouth with that

  20. anonymsly
    anonymsly
    June 9, 2024 at 12:14 am | #

    It’ll be interesting to see the reactions when people’s brains kick back into gear.

    I half-expect an ‘I don’t even know you anymore!’ style of purity-based guilt trip from Becky. Doing things without her, with reasons that are insufficient in Becky’s. (and Dina’s) opinion, talking about potential sex with her boyfriend and not being scandalizeda out it, and now SWEARING.

    • Nathan
      Nathan
      June 9, 2024 at 2:45 am | #

      No spoilers!

    • Nymph
      Nymph
      June 9, 2024 at 2:47 am | #

      If this is a patreon comic spoiler, please do not give those. People who want to know early pay to do so.

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        June 9, 2024 at 6:11 am | #

        Becky is grinning her ass off in the blurry preview, which doesn’t require money to look at.

        • Mark
          Mark
          June 9, 2024 at 7:17 am | #

          Isn’t that just Becky’s neutral expression?

      • Adept
        Adept
        June 9, 2024 at 6:36 am | #

        Yeah, not cool FFS

  21. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    June 9, 2024 at 12:15 am | #

    That f-bomb was so casual I thought everyone there was shook by something else, like Joyce calling Joe her boyfriend or suggested misuse of him in panel 3.

    • JR
      JR
      June 9, 2024 at 12:20 am | #

      Yup, that was my read too.

  22. Sarah
    Sarah
    June 9, 2024 at 12:17 am | #

    How to tell you use the f-bomb too frequently: reread the strip multiple times, cannot figure out why everyone is so upset that she said Joe’s purpose as her boyfriend is to help her in social situations… only to realize from the comments that she finally said fuck.

    • anon
      anon
      June 9, 2024 at 2:12 am | #

      tbf she did say it more casually as in a ‘i don’t need to invite you to drink with me, fuck off’ to becky or so lol

  23. Kitschensyngk
    Kitschensyngk
    June 9, 2024 at 12:18 am | #

    YOU GO WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP YOUNG LADY

  24. Radiance
    Radiance
    June 9, 2024 at 12:19 am | #

    Alternate final panel.

    • Clif
      Clif
      June 9, 2024 at 12:49 am | #

      Subtle.

      • StClair
        StClair
        June 9, 2024 at 12:56 am | #

        As with the inciting incident, took me a moment.

    • Decidedly Orthogonal
      Decidedly Orthogonal
      June 9, 2024 at 2:14 am | #

      🤌 Love it

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      June 9, 2024 at 2:29 am | #

      It took me longer than I wish to admit to spot the difference.

      • a/snow/mous/e
        a/snow/mous/e
        June 9, 2024 at 11:54 am | #

        there’s sort of two differences, and at first i only spotted the smaller one 😛

  25. morhek
    morhek
    June 9, 2024 at 12:21 am | #

    The next panel is going to feel EXTREMELY familiar, since I was the one who tried to filter my language and left friends shocked when they finally heard me. Based on my own experience, Joyce might feel a mixture of annoyance that she’s being treated differently for doing something everyone does as a matter of course, and embarrassment that she slipped up and dropped the carefully maintained facade she didn’t even know was still there.

    • Prior Semblance
      Prior Semblance
      June 9, 2024 at 12:41 am | #

      I don’t curse and people legitimately don’t even realize it unless it somehow comes up in conversation. They’ll even misquote me as cursing when I actually said “heck” or “crap” or whatever which I always think is funny.

      • Mark
        Mark
        June 9, 2024 at 7:21 am | #

        As a lifelong Peanuts fan, my favorite expletive is “rats!”

  26. Taffy
    Taffy
    June 9, 2024 at 12:25 am | #

    Joyce should just leave the campus permanently and remove all evidence she was ever there. That’s what I’ve always had to do when I make a social misstep.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      June 9, 2024 at 2:31 am | #

      How will she erase all evidence? Her comic is permanently part of the school paper’s online archive. And we all know that archived comics NEVER vanish from the internet.

  27. Slartibeast Button, BIA
    Slartibeast Button, BIA
    June 9, 2024 at 12:27 am | #

    Boyfriendship is Magic!

  28. William
    William
    June 9, 2024 at 12:29 am | #

    O, Joyce. She reminds me of some conversations I had during my high school and college days. Every so often, something dumb and thoughtless popped out and a few people around, including the girl I was hoping to date, looked at me like I grew a dick for a nose. I empathize, Joyce!

  29. BBCC
    BBCC
    June 9, 2024 at 12:31 am | #

    Haaaaa, that’s a great way to have her drop her first f-bomb.

    I relate here though – it’s tough when you know you put your foot in your mouth and you just want to fix it but your explanations keep making it worse.

  30. John Campbell
    John Campbell
    June 9, 2024 at 12:33 am | #

    And Joyce is on the scoreboard!

    You owe her twenty bucks, Joe.

  31. Jeremiah
    Jeremiah
    June 9, 2024 at 12:35 am | #

    There is always a new wonderfully awful thing to find in Joyce still restructuring fundie brain. (Also how much we betting she takes this from watching her parents for years? Her mother making things worse and her father in his “Hubandness” stepping in to iron things out)

    • Mark
      Mark
      June 9, 2024 at 7:22 am | #

      A point I had not considered, and a good one.

    • Twitcher
      Twitcher
      June 9, 2024 at 2:08 pm | #

      I wonder if she’s actually parroting her mom, here. Carol probably bulldozed her way through life (Undiagnosed Autism and Attendant Borderline Personality Disorder? and expected her husband to pick up the mess she would

  32. EpochFlame
    EpochFlame
    June 9, 2024 at 12:40 am | #

    damn, sarah might owe her a twenty

  33. Alongcameaspider
    Alongcameaspider
    June 9, 2024 at 12:46 am | #

    Meanwhile everyone on campus feels some kind of disturbance but doesn’t know what it is

    Man Sarah’s gonna be pissed she missed this

  34. Suet
    Suet
    June 9, 2024 at 12:57 am | #

    And on 6/9, no less. Plus you can make 420 out of 2024.

    That bottle of hooch is getting me, looking like a commemorative item behind the case.

    • a/snow/mous/e
      a/snow/mous/e
      June 9, 2024 at 2:27 am | #

      “4/20/2024” is a palindrome :O

  35. Archieve
    Archieve
    June 9, 2024 at 12:58 am | #

    Sounds like Joyce kinda knows that Dina wasn’t the real issue otherwise she’d just be ‘okay now we know for next time.’ Guessing she doesnt want to venture into her real hesitance for why she wont just say she will invite Becku next time. Would be nice if she could just tell Becky to stop being so possessive.

  36. 3oranges
    3oranges
    June 9, 2024 at 12:59 am | #

    The great thing with Dina being surprised is her eyebrows become her hat’s eyebrows instead.

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      June 9, 2024 at 1:25 am | #

      So much for Willis’s “very concerted effort to not Wade The Duck her dinosaur hat” XD

      Honestly it works, I love it <3

  37. Hazel
    Hazel
    June 9, 2024 at 1:12 am | #

    I was desperately grasping at how that penultimate panel had to be some kind of obvious double entendre, but no, just a delayed reaction to casual swearing.

  38. NinjaNick
    NinjaNick
    June 9, 2024 at 1:44 am | #

    Ohhhhhhhhhhh, fuhhhhhhhhhhdge.

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      June 9, 2024 at 3:39 am | #

      “Except I didn’t say ‘fudge’.”

  39. JA
    JA
    June 9, 2024 at 1:51 am | #

    Joyce must really love the taste of her own foot. Grats on saying “fucking” without flinching though.

    • anon
      anon
      June 9, 2024 at 2:13 am | #

      Joyce Brown 2.0: “I can say fuck now1”

  40. anon
    anon
    June 9, 2024 at 2:05 am | #

    I mean, better than calling him a walking libido (or whatever walky said to him?) but i wonder if this will make becky more or less upset that she ‘loosened up’ after a night out drinking enough to drop an f bomb (tho i feel like she did it once before or something close)

  41. HueSatLight
    HueSatLight
    June 9, 2024 at 2:08 am | #

    Oh phooey, she burned the darn’ muffins.

  42. PedanticJerkass
    PedanticJerkass
    June 9, 2024 at 2:29 am | #

    I saw that second panel and was like wow, is that the first time? That feels like it should be a much bigger deal than that.

    And then I made it to the last panel.

  43. Nevermaker
    Nevermaker
    June 9, 2024 at 2:40 am | #

    Oh my God, I was SO SURE her first F-bomb was going to be at a suitably dramatic moment, like cathartically yelling at her mom or something.

    This is SO MUCH BETTER

  44. CianM1301
    CianM1301
    June 9, 2024 at 2:51 am | #

    Well Joyce, if you’re looking for your distraction for inserting your whole damn leg in your mouth, that was it.

  45. shrub
    shrub
    June 9, 2024 at 3:05 am | #

    While its quite well done with the whole swearing thing I find it really sad what Joyce is doing to herself just to mollify Becky

    I’m really hoping someone, anyone calls out Becky for her behavior

    Mind you I’ve been hoping that for years and it still hasn’t happened

    • Aelfwine
      Aelfwine
      June 9, 2024 at 3:36 am | #

      Yeah, I think I’ve been much more tolerant of Becky’s behaviour than many people have been, but at this point Joyce should have just told Becky to go fuck herself, this was about Dorothy and Joyce, and Becky has absolutely zero right for her and Dina to become a third and fourth wheel.

      • shrub
        shrub
        June 9, 2024 at 4:40 am | #

        Well I’d leave Dina out of if but yeah it was for Dorothy’s benefit but all Becky can think about is herself

        • Daibhid C
          Daibhid C
          June 9, 2024 at 8:17 am | #

          I mean, yes, but also Becky doesn’t know that. Now, the reason she doesn’t know that is because it’s none of her flipping business, and I absolutely think she’s being unreasonable here either way (while also thinking Joyce’s attempt to deflect “it was because of Dina” isn’t great), but still, she doesn’t know that.

          • shrub
            shrub
            June 9, 2024 at 5:50 pm | #

            The reason Becky doesn’t know is because Becky chooses not to know so she can feel like she’s justified in her behaviour towards Dorothy

            Joyce should be asking Becky (her roommate) how could she not tell that Dorothy was spiralling downwards

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              June 9, 2024 at 7:08 pm | #

              Even if Becky’s aware that Dorothy’s having problems, she still wouldn’t know that’s why they went drinking.
              I also feel like Joyce’s seen more of the spiraling, since a lot of it’s been aimed at her.

              • shrub
                shrub
                June 9, 2024 at 7:52 pm | #

                Maybe but if Becky didn’t antagonise Dorothy so much then she probably would have been invited

                • Daibhid C
                  Daibhid C
                  June 10, 2024 at 7:26 am | #

                  Would she? Sarah’s never antagonised Dorothy, and she wasn’t invited. This was always presented as a just Joyce and Dorothy thing.

                  And I’m sticking with the idea that it’s not Joyce’s place to tell Becky Dorothy’s problems, although, again, I also don’t condone her lying about it (or at least not the lie she actually used).

    • Bash
      Bash
      June 9, 2024 at 11:42 am | #

      I was really hoping this was going to be the moment, but we’ve sidetracked onto Dina looking young.

      • shrub
        shrub
        June 9, 2024 at 5:51 pm | #

        Yeah a little disappointing but the storylines not over yet I guess

  46. Freezer
    Freezer
    June 9, 2024 at 3:06 am | #

    I actually missed the f-bomb and had to go back and see what everyone was reacting to.

    Then I had to check the alt-text to make sure that “yeah, it was the f-bomb.”

    Maybe I’m the one that needs Jesus?

    • Holly
      Holly
      June 9, 2024 at 6:02 am | #

      Nah, I think you should be fine. I’m actually surprised that the alt-text is pointing out the reaction is to her swearing – surely that’s a joke? Joyce being all “Joe, take responsibility for my actions, your value as a partner is that I can use you for this” is way more of a social faux-pas.

      • Adept
        Adept
        June 9, 2024 at 6:43 am | #

        Yes, that was bad

        • Mark
          Mark
          June 9, 2024 at 7:28 am | #

          Badly stated, but in a highly charged moment it’s difficult to just pause and find the right words for “we’re a team now, help me here!”

          • Holly
            Holly
            June 9, 2024 at 12:16 pm | #

            Oh, for sure, not a cardinal sin, but the whole conversation here is gonna need some deconstruction and analysis/reflection, including this part. She is ppretty much asking for help here though so fingers crossed.

  47. foducool
    foducool
    June 9, 2024 at 3:23 am | #

    oh damn XD

  48. Bogeywoman
    Bogeywoman
    June 9, 2024 at 3:27 am | #

    Dumbing of Age 13: Everyone is mad at me for the choices I made and also my explanations for those choices!

  49. Aelfwine
    Aelfwine
    June 9, 2024 at 3:33 am | #

    Holy fuck all these people are so frigging controlling.
    You’re not allowed to drink Joyce, unless you invite us.
    And ooo, let’s make a big deal about how you used a word that we didn’t expect you to use. Because we own your soul, how dare you be independent.

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      June 9, 2024 at 6:05 am | #

      Oh yeah, so fuckin’ controlling of them moving their faces and not saying anything because they’re surprised. How do you buy groceries if this is too much for you to handle?

    • rjmmbc
      rjmmbc
      June 9, 2024 at 7:28 am | #

      I’ve gotten that exact reaction from people before when I said cuss words unexpectedly. It’s jarring to hear someone who never cusses, or who adamantly avoids certain curse words in particular, say a cuss word.
      I don’t know that I’d call that reaction controlling per se (though I do think Becky is putting too much on Joyce about the drinking thing), but it is definitely a realistic thing for them to do.

      • Daibhid C
        Daibhid C
        June 9, 2024 at 8:10 am | #

        If I dropped an F-bomb and nobody reacted, I’d probably be “Wait, does anyone in this room actually know me?”

    • Daibhid C
      Daibhid C
      June 9, 2024 at 8:11 am | #

      Don’t forget “And you’re not allowed to tell Dina she’s not allowed to be mad!” How controlling is that?

    • CianM1301
      CianM1301
      June 9, 2024 at 8:30 am | #

      To be fair, Joyce herself said she doesn’t swear because when she does, she wants it to have meaning. That was a while, should, though. Maybe her standards for swearing have since changed?

      • CianM1301
        CianM1301
        June 9, 2024 at 8:31 am | #

        Oops, typo.

    • Bash
      Bash
      June 9, 2024 at 11:39 am | #

      Becky’s jealousy IS a problem, and I feel like the narrative enforces that. As for cursing, they’re surprised because it was unexpected. No one has so far scolded her or said she’s not allowed to say it.

      • shrub
        shrub
        June 9, 2024 at 7:49 pm | #

        Agreed about this being Beckys problem and on one wants to bring it up

  50. ADLegend21
    ADLegend21
    June 9, 2024 at 4:13 am | #

    it took me a second to realize JOYCE was the one who said Fuck. I also have a face similar to the last panel. Holy shit.

  51. Schpoonman
    Schpoonman
    June 9, 2024 at 5:01 am | #

    It’s been discussed in the past that Joyce briefly dipped into the ex-Fundie (or ex-anything, really) pool of “Now that I can cuss, I’m going to really cuss,” until she seemed to get bored of it.

    Will this be a redux of that or is her lexicon beginning to settle a little more?

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      June 9, 2024 at 6:54 am | #

      Isn’t one of the main purposes of a partner to be with someone who complements you and can make up your weaknesses? The gathered people know that Joyce means well 99.9% of the time. Joe’s ability to decipher Joyce’s Joyceness is one of the reasons they’re together. Yeah, she’s wielding him a little bit like a blunt instrument, her oldest friend is upset with her, I can cut her some slack on her exact vocabulary choices right now given that’s one of the very first things to go when panic starts to set in.

    • Daibhid C
      Daibhid C
      June 9, 2024 at 8:13 am | #

      It looks like she genuinely hasn’t noticed she said it. And before, she wasn’t dropping f-bombs; she’d decided she was comfortable (or wanted to present herself as comfortable) with s–t, and really overused it.

      • Schpoonman
        Schpoonman
        June 9, 2024 at 3:51 pm | #

        Yes, why I said “cuss” and not “fuck”. She was going in on “damn” as well a lot.

  52. Yeet
    Yeet
    June 9, 2024 at 6:19 am | #

    oh now everyone is gonna get that joyce is REALLY trying to be good
    given that she’s fucked up on filtering

  53. Taffy
    Taffy
    June 9, 2024 at 6:24 am | #

    I’m like 95% sure Joyce is going to murder Becky, just to escape this awkward situation. There’s no other way out, she has to do it. She’ll feel remorse later, but when Becky is on her deathbed and Joyce nervously visits, Becky will understand and remind her of her promise to do sex stuff with Dina.

    • Da Boy
      Da Boy
      June 9, 2024 at 7:31 am | #

      Well she already has Joe by the shirt, one good pull and twist and she can smash him into Becky.

  54. Amós Batista
    Amós Batista
    June 9, 2024 at 6:37 am | #

    I read it twice, I thought it was a mistake.

  55. Amós Batista
    Amós Batista
    June 9, 2024 at 6:45 am | #

    Also, changing the subject, I love the way Willis makes Joyce looking away, like in first panel.
    I can’t explain well, maybe it’s her exasperating face…

  56. Michael Steamweed
    Michael Steamweed
    June 9, 2024 at 7:27 am | #

    She wasn’t even aware she said it. What is the meaning and power?

    “Joe, if…if…I ever say a dirty word, I want it to have meaning.”
    and
    “It will have power.”

    https://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-4/01-the-only-dope-for-me-is-you/word/

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      June 9, 2024 at 10:03 am | #

      One could interpret the deeper meaning that she’s not letting herself be controlled by words (like scripture and the F-bomb) anymore.

      But sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

    • Bash
      Bash
      June 9, 2024 at 11:36 am | #

      She cursed for the first time when she failed to keep Becky safe from her evil dad. It absolutely had power then.

      And even though there is nothing significant about this particular moment, it’s coming after some major life changes like losing her religion, breaking laws, and being sexual with her boyfriend. The power is that it proves she’s not even remotely the same person as she was back then.

      • StClair
        StClair
        June 9, 2024 at 5:24 pm | #

        It also got her out of her current conversational/social jam, by stunning everyone else present into speechlessness.

        • StClair
          StClair
          June 9, 2024 at 5:47 pm | #

          I’d say that has some power.
          (hit return too soon)

    • Nymph
      Nymph
      June 9, 2024 at 12:59 pm | #

      People can say they want things and then not attain those things. I’ve heard it happens sometimes.

  57. ValdVin
    ValdVin
    June 9, 2024 at 7:29 am | #

    I just woke up, which is the only excuse I have for thinking the blanched reactions in the last panel are for Joyce saying boyfriend.

    The changes are coming so fast I can’t keep up with them. It’s glorious!

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      June 9, 2024 at 3:52 pm | #

      I had just woken up when I read the strip as well. “Wait, did Joyce just say ‘fuck’? I think I need to wake up more.” Then I finished the comic, reread and confirmed that it was Joyce.

  58. someone
    someone
    June 9, 2024 at 7:53 am | #

    “No, for my part, I believe you need to stop trying to say things. It tires you out, for a start, and for the other people, I don’t think you realize how hard it is… I can tell, when you do that, it causes me such angst I could kill you. Out of sorrow, mind! I swear, it’s not right. You must not speak with people anymore.” –King Arthur, Kaamelott

  59. Arianod
    Arianod
    June 9, 2024 at 8:08 am | #

    “I’ve been talking for too long”

  60. staszu13
    staszu13
    June 9, 2024 at 9:06 am | #

    Joyce, I think you might want to politely ask Dina for a slug from that stone jug to help calm those ruffled nerves now

  61. staszu13
    staszu13
    June 9, 2024 at 9:12 am | #

    Joe: Joyce, you do realize you just said the F word

  62. Vulcanodon
    Vulcanodon
    June 9, 2024 at 10:07 am | #

    Setting aside her first, unexpected use of a certain word, getting jammed up in conversation and not really knowing why hits so hard. Happens to me all the time. I have lost friends because of it.

  63. raultsi
    raultsi
    June 9, 2024 at 10:32 am | #

    praise Jah I lived long enough to witness Joyce’s first F-bomb

  64. Matrix
    Matrix
    June 9, 2024 at 11:12 am | #

    Fuck.

  65. Alan in DC
    Alan in DC
    June 9, 2024 at 1:16 pm | #

    My God, what’s next? Joyce crosses dimensions and gets high with the gang over at Questionablecontent?

  66. Stephen Nedland
    Stephen Nedland
    June 9, 2024 at 1:31 pm | #

    Joyce, you need to stop now. The line was already miles behind you, with Dina, and now you have exponentially increased the distance.

  67. Asky
    Asky
    June 9, 2024 at 3:12 pm | #

    IT’S HAPPENED! GRACE HAS SAID THE FUCK WORD! REMAIN CALM!

  68. Luminous Lead
    Luminous Lead
    June 9, 2024 at 3:35 pm | #

    I skimmed over the f-bomb that everyone else is mentioning, but Joyce using partners as scapegoats/disposables for difficult conversations makes me wonder if she learned it from her mom.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      June 9, 2024 at 6:29 pm | #

      Oh certainly, and I took it more as diplomat than scapegoat. Not great, but not quite as bad.

  69. The Jighole Man
    The Jighole Man
    June 9, 2024 at 4:05 pm | #

    you know you borked up when even Dina is showing that much emotion.

  70. Heartlesshealer
    Heartlesshealer
    June 9, 2024 at 7:37 pm | #

    I can’t believe Sarah missed this moment!

    Oh, also maybe Joyce learned the wrong thing from her dad being the reasonable parent.

  71. Jonah (firelight_waltz)
    Jonah (firelight_waltz)
    June 9, 2024 at 9:12 pm | #

    This is the perfect reaction!! I have a friend who, in the seven YEARS I’ve known her, has only cussed in front of me once, and it was a “damn” during a very emotional talk

    When someone who NEVER says it, and especially without any kind of warning like an emotional buildup, it catches everyone off guard!!

  72. Hoboturtle
    Hoboturtle
    June 9, 2024 at 9:47 pm | #

    The unfiltered eroticism of hearing your cinnamon bun friend say “fuck” for the first time

  73. NGPZ
    NGPZ
    June 9, 2024 at 9:49 pm | #

    What the hell? Now that’s a LOT less comments than I expected for Joyce’s first F-bomb. 😮

  74. Throwatron
    Throwatron
    June 10, 2024 at 12:02 am | #

    1) i didn’t even catch the fuck on the first read through

    2) goddamn joyce really was just dating becky without realizing it, wasn’t she

  75. poyo
    poyo
    June 10, 2024 at 6:05 pm | #

    okay i WASNT crazy, she just casually swore. I was so sure maybe i missed something lol

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May 3, 2025 - FCBD @ Laughing Ogre Comics in Columbus, Ohio

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