Dumbing of Age Book Fourteen

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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she's never cutting those bangs, those are load-bearing bangs
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BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

October 9, 2026

Gas leak

by David M Willis on December 10, 2025 at 12:01 am
  • 02 – I'm the Problem, It's Me
└ Tags: becky, ruth

Discussion (184) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Nono
    Nono
    December 10, 2025 at 12:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Wow server clock drift is getting ridiculous.

    • Cholma
      Cholma
      December 10, 2025 at 12:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

      No kidding. Hiveworks needs to get off their ass and fix this. It’s been going on for years.

      • Yun Yi Zhang
        Yun Yi Zhang
        December 10, 2025 at 9:34 am | # | Reply Report comment

        We can put a man on the moon, we have literal supercomputers in our pockets, yet

    • ZombieKyrik
      ZombieKyrik
      December 10, 2025 at 12:11 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I know right? I was sitting here hitting refresh for an extra 5 minutes before the comic was posted.

      Willis, is there anything you can do about the clock drift, or do we just have to live with it?

      • Alongcameaspider
        Alongcameaspider
        December 10, 2025 at 12:12 am | # | Reply Report comment

        I checked initially at around 12:17 and it was still yesterday’s comic, I dont think its ever been this bad before

        • ZombieKyrik
          ZombieKyrik
          December 10, 2025 at 12:17 am | # | Reply Report comment

          I’m on Central time, so the comic normally updates at “11”pm for me, or more accurately 11:15ish.

      • Thag Simmons
        Thag Simmons
        December 10, 2025 at 12:13 am | # | Reply Report comment

        I know the clock’s been reset a few times in the past, but I don’t know how fiddly that is.

        • Steamweed
          Steamweed
          December 10, 2025 at 12:21 am | # | Reply Report comment

          Depends on the cause. Might be an old battery. OR constant high cpu load. First is easy; second not as such.

          • Marianne
            Marianne
            December 10, 2025 at 3:22 am | # | Reply Report comment

            But why would anyone even be running a server on the internet without using NTP to automatically set its clock, and keep it within a second or two of the real time at all times? It’s not a hard thing to set up, and it’s built into almost every OS of the past… 15 or so years so you generally don’t even have to.

            • Clif
              Clif
              December 10, 2025 at 3:54 am | # | Reply Report comment

              Its a devious plot by Big Comic to destabilize Hiveworks and seize control of their artists.

              • elebenty
                elebenty
                December 10, 2025 at 3:06 pm | # | Reply Report comment

                Noooooooooo!

          • flumfula
            flumfula
            December 10, 2025 at 6:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

            there are ways to sync computer, esp. server computer time with publicly available super-correct atomic clocks over the internet. An NTP client or NTP service (daemon, in unix parlance) is usually installed and running the whole time (or often enough). Once a ntp daemon is running it doesn’t matter whether the physical realtime clock battery is wonky or if the host computer is trying to give wrong time to your virtual computer. But the ntp daemon needs to be running, and sometimes it craps out as well.

    • James
      James
      December 10, 2025 at 3:42 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Virtual machines are pretty terrible at time keeping. Usually the easiest way to counteract this is to run some kind of time synchronisation service inside the VM. On most modern Linux systems this will be handled automatically by systemd-timedated.

      I suspect the server this site is running on is considerably older than when this became standard.

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        December 10, 2025 at 4:42 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Everything should be getting NTP from the NIST.

        • Olofa
          Olofa
          December 10, 2025 at 9:16 am | # | Reply Report comment

          N to the I to the S to the Teeeeeee!

      • VicMortimer
        VicMortimer
        December 10, 2025 at 10:06 am | # | Reply Report comment

        It was standard to sync the time with NTP over a quarter century ago. ntpd was around long before the abomination that is systemd.

  2. QueenofSodor
    QueenofSodor
    December 10, 2025 at 12:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

    A gas leak in the dorms *would* explain that entire page in the Slipshine where Dorothy begs Joyce to pin her down by her weak little bee wings, and insists that they need to repopulate the hive…

    • Dot
      Dot
      December 10, 2025 at 12:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

      This is a deep cut and I respect you for it

      • ZombieKyrik
        ZombieKyrik
        December 10, 2025 at 12:11 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Can you explain the reference for me? I am out of the loop.

        • Stormtide Leviathan
          Stormtide Leviathan
          December 10, 2025 at 12:13 am | # | Reply Report comment

          https://www.reddit.com/r/196/comments/yuyv4e/gas_leak_rule/

          • Viktoria
            Viktoria
            December 10, 2025 at 12:18 am | # | Reply Report comment

            Always love when Poison Jr was allowed out to play.

          • ZombieKyrik
            ZombieKyrik
            December 10, 2025 at 12:19 am | # | Reply Report comment

            I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that. Thank you for the information.

            • Clif
              Clif
              December 10, 2025 at 12:02 pm | # | Reply Report comment

              I followed the link. but I still feel that I’m missing some context.

              • Clif
                Clif
                December 10, 2025 at 12:03 pm | # | Reply Report comment

                Maybe you had to be there.

          • june gloom
            june gloom
            December 10, 2025 at 12:25 am | # | Reply Report comment

            An all-time classic.

          • eh, whatever
            eh, whatever
            December 10, 2025 at 7:52 am | # | Reply Report comment

            Ouuuch.

            this is rly sad iirc the gas leak basically ruined this person’s life

            Wait what happened?

            Tweet’s deleted, here’s Wayback Machine.

            Re: the gas leak. It’s been really weird and uncomfortable that it went viral because it kind of ruined my life. I was abysmally depressed, I couldn’t focus or stay awake, I lost good friends and the best job I ever had and $ is running out. I don’t know what to do and I’m scared

            This was all 3 years ago.

      • QueenofSodor
        QueenofSodor
        December 10, 2025 at 12:50 am | # | Reply Report comment

        if there’s one thing i can be relied on for, its making unhinged posts about Dorothy Keener

      • bibulb
        bibulb
        December 10, 2025 at 1:25 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Seconded.

        👏👏👏👏👏

  3. Cholma
    Cholma
    December 10, 2025 at 12:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Don’t you do it, Ruth! DON’T YOU DARE. Your hair is perfect as is!

  4. Dot
    Dot
    December 10, 2025 at 12:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Ruth if you touch a folicle of that perfect haircut you won’t have to worry about your suicidal ideation anymore because I will take care of it for you

    • Fail Earnhardt
      Fail Earnhardt
      December 10, 2025 at 1:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

      “I will imagine you killing yourself so fucking hard dude!”

      • Meagan
        Meagan
        December 10, 2025 at 3:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Yessss

    • anon
      anon
      December 10, 2025 at 5:32 am | # | Reply Report comment

      other than hair gel or some pins i think cutting her bangs would just look awkward versus a full shave , tho i tend to not keep my bangs too long/never grew long enough to part (tho i have a habit of adjusting myu glasses and sometimes a stray hair gets plucked in the leg/side even if it’s not esp long lol)

  5. ZombieKyrik
    ZombieKyrik
    December 10, 2025 at 12:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Becky is very good at avoiding dealing with her problems much in the same way that Amber is good at avoiding situations she doesn’t want to deal with.

    • Steamweed
      Steamweed
      December 10, 2025 at 12:23 am | # | Reply Report comment

      *Becky pulls a Homer-bush-fade

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      December 10, 2025 at 4:46 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Becky came from an environment where a Stepford smile is a survival tactic.

    • DashWallkick
      DashWallkick
      December 10, 2025 at 7:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Correct!

  6. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    December 10, 2025 at 12:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Don’t trust bangs.

    • Clif
      Clif
      December 10, 2025 at 4:16 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I choose to believe that Bangs is Guns younger sister.

  7. Pocky
    Pocky
    December 10, 2025 at 12:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Becky hitting me with the Big Gay Al line is funny and worrying.

    • Kim
      Kim
      December 10, 2025 at 1:06 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Right?!
      I found that Very concerning =(

      • Embe13
        Embe13
        December 10, 2025 at 9:45 am | # | Reply Report comment

        sorry to say i readyour comment in BGAs voice

  8. Astariel
    Astariel
    December 10, 2025 at 12:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Damn, now I’ve got that song from the South Park movie stuck in my head.

  9. Suet
    Suet
    December 10, 2025 at 12:11 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Ahhhh! Forehead!!

    it’s gonna take so much more before this place turns into Greendale

  10. Derek
    Derek
    December 10, 2025 at 12:11 am | # | Reply Report comment

    what’s Ruth doing in the last three panels? checking how she’d look like with similar bangs?

    • ZombieKyrik
      ZombieKyrik
      December 10, 2025 at 12:13 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I think she’s just checking whether she would look good with less bands, and whether she wants to cut her bangs too. I sincerely hope she doesn’t because Ruth’s haircut is cute, and suits her well. Although it might get a reaction out of Billie/Jennifer which would be entertaining.

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 10, 2025 at 3:57 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Also, as the alt-text points out …

      • anon
        anon
        December 10, 2025 at 5:44 am | # | Reply Report comment

        i feel like while it’s a visual for the readers, it wouldn’t be as effective without ruth looking in a mirror versus “maybe it’s better if i move someof my bangs outta my eyes/vision”

    • anon
      anon
      December 10, 2025 at 5:35 am | # | Reply Report comment

      other than growing it out purposefully to side part i think trimming them too short would look like those ‘baby bangs’ thatp pl associate with terfs or just be too much forehead/’fivehead’, which might look fine for some ppl but i imagine a lot of ppl have bangs to hide that area , maybe the full ‘slick back and ponytail’ look might look cool on a tomboy/sporty person but i think my hairs would still stick outta place without hair gel and pins versus it being long enough for a tight ponytail

  11. IntangibleMatter
    IntangibleMatter
    December 10, 2025 at 12:12 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Something something “if I stare at this long enough it’ll become a strip about Ruth and Billie”

    • Clif
      Clif
      December 10, 2025 at 3:58 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Interesting hypothesis which is testable. Please publish your results here.

      • Effie
        Effie
        December 10, 2025 at 11:26 am | # | Reply Report comment

        “long enough” is not a well-defined hypothesis. 24 hours? 96 hours? 800 hours?

        • Clif
          Clif
          December 10, 2025 at 11:32 am | # | Reply Report comment

          Keep testing.

  12. Gojira007
    Gojira007
    December 10, 2025 at 12:14 am | # | Reply Report comment

    lol going from Not At All A Plot-Relevant Haircut to Not At All A Visual Indicator That Becky Is In A Dark Place Mentally Right Now, I see.

    • DanLovatClark
      DanLovatClark
      December 10, 2025 at 7:52 am | # | Reply Report comment

      That darkened doorway is ominous as hell.

  13. Stormtide Leviathan
    Stormtide Leviathan
    December 10, 2025 at 12:14 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Becky I simply don’t believe you, sorry girl. And if Ruth knew the whole situation I doubt she would either

  14. Dara
    Dara
    December 10, 2025 at 12:15 am | # | Reply Report comment

    wow, Ruth has like no forehead

    i mean obviously she has a forehead but

    stick with the bangs, Ruth!

    • hausu
      hausu
      December 10, 2025 at 12:16 am | # | Reply Report comment

      girl got a threehead damn

      • Azhrei Vep
        Azhrei Vep
        December 10, 2025 at 6:41 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Onepointfivehead, tops.

  15. ZombieKyrik
    ZombieKyrik
    December 10, 2025 at 12:16 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Are we about to see Becky in her room being miserable after avoiding Ruth’s questioning, or do we think Becky is actually doing better?

    I really doubt it’s the latter, but that would be a pleasant surprise. Especially if it leads to Becky and Dina talking and/or Becky apologizing to Dina.

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      December 10, 2025 at 12:17 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Gonna place my bets on doing badly, but from an unexpected angle.

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 10, 2025 at 4:19 am | # | Reply Report comment

        I’m just assuming that Becky is setting up to kill Dorothy and take her place.

    • StClair
      StClair
      December 10, 2025 at 12:19 am | # | Reply Report comment

      No spoilers from the Patreon, but I’m betting that tomorrow’s comic is going to be…. yeah.

    • Stormtide Leviathan
      Stormtide Leviathan
      December 10, 2025 at 12:26 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Whether or not we see becky next strip, I don’t think she’s doing better

    • Bryy
      Bryy
      December 10, 2025 at 1:44 am | # | Reply Report comment

      It’s been like 4 hours.

      • ZombieKyrik
        ZombieKyrik
        December 10, 2025 at 1:55 am | # | Reply Report comment

        It’s the next day.

        • ZombieKyrik
          ZombieKyrik
          December 10, 2025 at 1:57 am | # | Reply Report comment

          I’m not saying it’s been long, but everyone has presumably slept, and is starting a new day.

  16. Fart Captor
    Fart Captor
    December 10, 2025 at 12:16 am | # | Reply Report comment

    “Do you have a gas leak in there?”

    “Maybe, I do kinda want to be held down by my weak little bee wings and used to repopulate the hive right now”

    • Yumi
      Yumi
      December 10, 2025 at 12:24 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Can’t believe someone beat you to making this reference.

      • Fart Captor
        Fart Captor
        December 10, 2025 at 12:26 am | # | Reply Report comment

        I am positively furious with rage about it

      • Reltzik
        Reltzik
        December 10, 2025 at 12:29 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Kinda surprised that someone with a Becky avatar and a user name of “Fart Captor” responded to the phrase “gas leak” with that reference instead of something else.

        See, Effie down below knows what I’m talking about!

        • Fart Captor
          Fart Captor
          December 10, 2025 at 12:54 am | # | Reply Report comment

          I contain multitudes! And not just of farts 😤

          • Clif
            Clif
            December 10, 2025 at 4:02 am | # | Reply Report comment

            What percentage is farts? Inquiring minds …

          • Effie
            Effie
            December 10, 2025 at 11:28 am | # | Reply Report comment

            Gas Leak Captor

            (yes it’s the same link)

      • QueenofSodor
        QueenofSodor
        December 10, 2025 at 12:34 am | # | Reply Report comment

        i mean, FC should get points for actually making the post about characters in today’s comic; mine was framed around dorothy because i have a poison in my mind

  17. C.T Phipps
    C.T Phipps
    December 10, 2025 at 12:17 am | # | Reply Report comment

    I fully believe that Ruth’s current calmness is a mask for the fact that she’s every bit as violent and bullying on medication.

    We’re just waiting for it to happen.

    • Stormtide Leviathan
      Stormtide Leviathan
      December 10, 2025 at 12:27 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Rachel, is that you?

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      December 10, 2025 at 12:27 am | # | Reply Report comment

      If she’s masking the violence and bullying, that means definitionally that she is not in fact every bit as violent and bullying as she used to be.

      Also, what prompted this?

      • C.T Phipps
        C.T Phipps
        December 10, 2025 at 12:29 am | # | Reply Report comment

        She’s just been so….calm…lately, it’s unnerving.

        • nadamás
          nadamás
          December 10, 2025 at 12:54 am | # | Reply Report comment

          Have you considered that might be because, she developed. As a character.

          • Clif
            Clif
            December 10, 2025 at 4:03 am | # | Reply Report comment

            Or that she’s on good drugs.

            • Charles Phipps
              Charles Phipps
              December 10, 2025 at 7:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

              I mean, the premise above is that I have considered and rejected this before sharing my rejection.

              • Clif
                Clif
                December 10, 2025 at 11:40 am | # | Reply Report comment

                Fair enough, but what if they are really good drugs that have never been tested on Canadians? She could be a ticking time bomb for a niceness explosion!

                • nadamás
                  nadamás
                  December 10, 2025 at 12:23 pm | #

                  I honestly don’t see how that is fair enough? Rejecting a perfectly reasonable explanation on no basis but that you don’t want it to be true is the opposite of fair.

    • Sirksome
      Sirksome
      December 10, 2025 at 12:39 am | # | Reply Report comment

      What part of this interaction would even prompt Ruth to react violently in the first place for her to need to mask it?

      • C.T Phipps
        C.T Phipps
        December 10, 2025 at 12:45 am | # | Reply Report comment

        There must be femurs collected!

      • Throwatron
        Throwatron
        December 10, 2025 at 10:30 am | # | Reply Report comment

        I mean, she had to talk to (at least!) two freshmen today. And do her job. frankly that should be two femurs, right there! she deserves it

        • Clif
          Clif
          December 10, 2025 at 11:41 am | # | Reply Report comment

          As a treat.

    • nadamás
      nadamás
      December 10, 2025 at 12:53 am | # | Reply Report comment

      … What? That’s quite random. And incorrect.

    • Bryy
      Bryy
      December 10, 2025 at 1:46 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Dude.

    • anon
      anon
      December 10, 2025 at 5:43 am | # | Reply Report comment

      i mean even if that’s true she prolly wouldn’t take it out on becky. shame she wasn’t there when thatincelator guy was in the cafeteria that’s one person ok to vent ur anger on

    • Amelie Wikström
      Amelie Wikström
      December 10, 2025 at 10:38 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I thought she used to rule with fear and violence because she wanted to get fired and changed her mind when it turned out Clint would never let that happen and she saw she just made people miserable. I mean not that Ruth doesn’t love violence but clearly she has no deep seated need to take advantage of people who lack the power to stop her or anything that would make her lash out impulsively.

      • nadamás
        nadamás
        December 10, 2025 at 12:21 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        Yeah, the only one actrd that way towards was Billy due to a complicated mix of hatred for her being a drunk driver and her growing crush on her.

  18. Amós Batista
    Amós Batista
    December 10, 2025 at 12:18 am | # | Reply Report comment

    What if Ruth is like Samson and lost her “power” if she cut that bangs?

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      December 10, 2025 at 12:38 am | # | Reply Report comment

      heh the original vow Samson took also included not touching dead bodies and not consuming wine or grape products, which of course he did not commit to lol

      hard to say whether or not it’s breaking one of the rules or all of them which resulted in losing his strength

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 10, 2025 at 4:05 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Wait, I thought they deleted the chapter where he was making out with dead bodies.

  19. Steamweed
    Steamweed
    December 10, 2025 at 12:19 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Don’t do it, Ruth. You’ll look too much like your brother.

  20. Effie
    Effie
    December 10, 2025 at 12:20 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Walky’s room had a gas leak

  21. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    December 10, 2025 at 12:21 am | # | Reply Report comment

    I feel a little passive aggression from Becky here. I guess she hasn’t learned anything from all this yet. A few hours and a haircut is not enough cope.

  22. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    December 10, 2025 at 12:24 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Do we have a full body of Ruth’s look? I feel like her outfit is pretty cool today. Black overalls and the plaid shirt. Not bad.

  23. Veronica
    Veronica
    December 10, 2025 at 12:27 am | # | Reply Report comment

    I’m super, thanks for asking
    All things considered, I couldn’t be better, I must say
    I’m feeling super, no, nothing bugs me
    Everything is super when you’re—
    Don’t you think I look cute in this hat?

    • AeromechanicalAce
      AeromechanicalAce
      December 10, 2025 at 12:34 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I really hope that reference was Deliberate on Becky’s part. Her having seen the South Park movie would be hilarious.

      • ZombieKyrik
        ZombieKyrik
        December 10, 2025 at 12:44 am | # | Reply Report comment

        I would love to know Becky has seen the South Park movie, but I feel like that that’s something she would have to have done after Toedad died.

  24. Wendy
    Wendy
    December 10, 2025 at 12:28 am | # | Reply Report comment

    That’s right, Ruth. No.

  25. Kyulen
    Kyulen
    December 10, 2025 at 12:30 am | # | Reply Report comment

    I’m genuinely curious how Ruth sees much of anything when her hair appears to cover most of her eyes.

    • RassilonTDavros
      RassilonTDavros
      December 10, 2025 at 12:45 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I mean, “because she’s a cartoon character” is a bit of a thought-terminating cliche, but I nevertheless think that it’s probably the most relevant answer here.

    • Doopyboop
      Doopyboop
      December 10, 2025 at 12:54 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I’m honestly more curious how Becky saw anything out of her right eye with her previous haircut, at least Ruth you could argue maybe she just sees the ends of her hair but Becky had a whole curtain of hair in her face.

    • Seralyna
      Seralyna
      December 10, 2025 at 2:08 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Personally I actually always walked around when I was younger with my hair covering my entire face as best I could because of dysphoria. Depending on hair thickness you can see reasonably well out of it honestly.

    • anon
      anon
      December 10, 2025 at 5:42 am | # | Reply Report comment

      i mean even irl ’emo bangs’ were popular for a time

    • zee
      zee
      December 10, 2025 at 10:36 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I mean realistically speaking her bangs only cover the top half of her vision. Mine do too, roughly so, quite a lot I’d say. Plus red hair is light and hair isn’t a solid curtain

    • Briar
      Briar
      December 10, 2025 at 12:04 pm | # | Reply Report comment

      as someone who used to have bangs over their eyes in highschool its not solid, you can still see fine.

  26. Cimorene
    Cimorene
    December 10, 2025 at 12:31 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Being the child of a beautician bangs grow out, Ruth couldn’t cut the bangs away. Pedantic, but I’m in the middle of growing my hair out in a style similar to what Becky had and could trim it up and get shorter bangs. I have to balance my ADHD child and their wild urge to get bangs every few months (but bangs have been adorable)

    Also I am here for the “I need to change my hair because I need reinvention.” Deaths, break ups, etc are the time for hair changes. It’s A Thing in cultures, too, like on milestone birthdays or big life events.

    • eskimolos
      eskimolos
      December 10, 2025 at 6:29 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Yeah but barrettes are a thing, as a parent of a child who used to want to go no-fringe while having a fringe. Can achieve some of the no-fringe effect without having to wait months!

      • Cimorene
        Cimorene
        December 10, 2025 at 2:25 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        And headbands! But bangs being all fringy vs no bangs hair just going /\ parted is a big difference than pulled back in a ponytail or headband. Though in the early 00s when I’d do a ponytail I’d slick my bangs back sometimes if not curl them into a big poof.

  27. RassilonTDavros
    RassilonTDavros
    December 10, 2025 at 12:42 am | # | Reply Report comment

    It occurs to me that Ruth’s bangs, as drawn, are basically Mike’s hair rotated 90 degrees. Their boundaries are only implied, at least in the lineart itself, by the ends of the downward lines; the colors do the rest of the work. They’re a bit of a relic of how Willis designed characters 25-30 years ago, and I kinda love them for that.

    …Now I’m wondering what a post-timeskip Mike redesign might have looked like, in another world…

    • ZombieKyrik
      ZombieKyrik
      December 10, 2025 at 12:46 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Am I the only one still glad Mike is dead? I know it hurt his friends, but I feel like everyone is better off with him gone.

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 10, 2025 at 4:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

        I would have to be glad Mike was dead in the first place to still be glad that Mike is dead.

        And what is your mom going to do with all those nickels now?

      • Astariel
        Astariel
        December 10, 2025 at 2:52 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        Not at all. I’m glad he’s gone, and I think all the characters are better off. Even Ethan will be, in the long run.

    • Lee
      Lee
      December 10, 2025 at 2:10 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Post timeskip Mike makes my heart hurt 😔 imagining surviving the attack and how much better Ethan would be doing… and if the surgery would mean a haircut? Buzzcut? Someone write the fanfic, stat!

    • Throwatron
      Throwatron
      December 10, 2025 at 10:35 am | # | Reply Report comment

      I’m not happy he died, I just never once felt like he should have been in the comic in the first place. He was one character that just did not belong and it felt very obvious from the jump. Every storyline and character arc he was involved in was a little bit off from the rest of the strip, and while he was important in inciting a lot of drama and conflict, he felt more like a walking plot device than a realized character.

      • vlademir1
        vlademir1
        December 10, 2025 at 3:29 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        Sadly true. Mike made sense in the Walkyverse, but here he was just a problem.

  28. Shakes
    Shakes
    December 10, 2025 at 12:44 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Bangs is such a nonsense word, where do you Americans think them up?
    In civil English it’s called a fringe. All your puns are meaningless to me.

    • Vukodlak
      Vukodlak
      December 10, 2025 at 12:48 am | # | Reply Report comment

      We got it form Germany actually

      • Shakes
        Shakes
        December 10, 2025 at 1:04 am | # | Reply Report comment

        That… actually explains a lot.

      • Findus
        Findus
        December 10, 2025 at 3:43 am | # | Reply Report comment

        You sure? In Germany, we call it a pony.

        Which also makes for silly jokes or puns…
        “A cowboy goes to the hairdresser. Leaves their shop, his pony is gone. *shocked face* “

        • eh, whatever
          eh, whatever
          December 10, 2025 at 8:04 am | # | Reply Report comment

          No, the bangs are what’s on the other side of the head: Stirnfransen.

    • Lee
      Lee
      December 10, 2025 at 2:12 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Wait English-speaker moved to Canada here, gen question: are bangs and fringes the same thing? I thought a fringe was a thing that went all the way and bangs were the frame-y bits at the side and now ai am reevaluating so many things I’ve read…

      • Lee
        Lee
        December 10, 2025 at 3:02 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Bangs can be either in American English

        • Clif
          Clif
          December 10, 2025 at 4:11 am | # | Reply Report comment

          We get more Bangs for our buck.

      • Bittersweet
        Bittersweet
        December 10, 2025 at 8:50 am | # | Reply Report comment

        In the US, I’ve always heard the fringe referred to as the whole shebang (basically any non-beard/mustache hair that rests in front of your ears) and bangs are a specific way of cutting that hair so that it falls on the forehead to some degree rather than the sides of the face.

        • vlademir1
          vlademir1
          December 10, 2025 at 3:36 pm | # | Reply Report comment

          Funny, I’m used to ‘fringe’ also not including sideburns unless one is doing the full mutton chop type of look.

    • anon
      anon
      December 10, 2025 at 5:39 am | # | Reply Report comment

      it is a little awkward sounding when ‘bang’ is also a slang for sex but i think if you look up fringe the first result would be that tv show XD;

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 10, 2025 at 11:48 am | # | Reply Report comment

        New rule. From now on fringe is also slang for sex, but only if you go for the whole shebang.

    • Bittersweet
      Bittersweet
      December 10, 2025 at 8:55 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Where I live in the US the fringe refers to the whole region of hair that would naturally fall in front of your ears (anterior I guess) unless brushed back. That includes bangs, loose strands or locks of hair, or just any hair in that region. Bangs are a specific way of cutting that hair, generally so it rests on the forehead in some form or fashion rather than being brushed to either side of the face or parted purely in the middle.

      If the hair goes below your cheekbones and doesn’t differ in length from the surrounding hair, it’s part of the fringe. If it’s shorter than the rest of your hair, it’s generally considered bangs. If it’s longer than the rest of your hair, it’s also a fringe generally unless you do that half-face concealed style in which it becomes bangs again.

    • Sulsgoode
      Sulsgoode
      December 10, 2025 at 1:05 pm | # | Reply Report comment

      It’s from “bangtail” – a British word used to describe a straight cut used on a horse tail.

      • Shakes
        Shakes
        December 10, 2025 at 1:15 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        That’s interesting, shows how languages diverge over time!

  29. Fail Earnhardt
    Fail Earnhardt
    December 10, 2025 at 1:15 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Becky really is an all-time triple threat when it comes to masking. She’s got a poker face, charisma, AND whimsy. It’s gonna be a while before anybody figures out why she’s in her unlit room alone at this hour.

  30. ADLegend21
    ADLegend21
    December 10, 2025 at 2:06 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Don’t let her stay in that room by herself Ruth!!!!!

    • anon
      anon
      December 10, 2025 at 5:40 am | # | Reply Report comment

      i’m sure dorothy will come around eventually but idk if ruth would have the time to keep an eye on her all day

  31. Lee
    Lee
    December 10, 2025 at 2:09 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Is Ruth checking if she has a fever and is thus hallucinating or is she trying out no fringe?

  32. Juanoku
    Juanoku
    December 10, 2025 at 2:12 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Wow Ruth is very pretty when you can actually see her face and her hair doesn’t look like a Spartan helmet

    • Lee
      Lee
      December 10, 2025 at 2:13 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Personally I love the Zooey Deschanal fringe? It suits Ruth, she’s pretty as-is imo.

  33. darkoneko
    darkoneko
    December 10, 2025 at 2:19 am | # | Reply Report comment

    -retreat behind the door with a fake smile- uuurgh

  34. Acher4
    Acher4
    December 10, 2025 at 2:24 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Those bangs are def the source of Ruth’s power to take out femurs. 😛

  35. Lee
    Lee
    December 10, 2025 at 3:01 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Don’t listen to her Ruth!!

  36. Taffy
    Taffy
    December 10, 2025 at 3:25 am | # | Reply Report comment

    God she looks like that scene in Ralph Wrecks It where he’s up in that coyote lightning type of attitude and yells about an erection for like no reason and gets kicked out of House of the Dead or whatever

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      December 10, 2025 at 10:59 am | # | Reply Report comment

      What the fuck does this mean? I went to bed at 2.

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 10, 2025 at 11:51 am | # | Reply Report comment

        I went to bed at 4 wondering if now I had to go watch Ralph Wrecks it.

        • Taffy
          Taffy
          December 10, 2025 at 12:19 pm | # | Reply Report comment

          I’m not sure we wanna know what Ralph is wrecking. Possibly Zangief.

  37. Wilde
    Wilde
    December 10, 2025 at 4:01 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Oh now that worries me. She wasn’t really trying to hide any of her feelings before, when talking to Dina and later Asma, but with Ruth she’s tucked it all away under a pleasantly bland expression. Specifically hiding her mental state from the RA feels concerning. I hope Ruth sees through it, or that *someone* does.

    • Wilde
      Wilde
      December 10, 2025 at 4:03 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Someone said its passive aggressive but I don’t know. Think she’s just rolling deception checks with disadvantage right now.

  38. kotarisu
    kotarisu
    December 10, 2025 at 4:05 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Those bangs are where Ruth stores her integrity, making them integral to her character!

    • Clif
      Clif
      December 10, 2025 at 4:24 am | # | Reply Report comment

      No regrets.

  39. Airyu
    Airyu
    December 10, 2025 at 4:30 am | # | Reply Report comment

    I don’t feel like Becky has the same haircut as Dorothy the more I look at it. That is just what hair looks like when you grow out your undercut and even in out. If her hair on both sides was longer, and she cut it like this, then yeah if I could see it. But the only other cuts she could really do would be another side shave, which she seemed tired of or else wouldn’t have let it grown out, or a super short cut / pixie cut. Like, there’s not a whole lot of options wrt evening out hair that’s longer on one side

    • anon
      anon
      December 10, 2025 at 5:41 am | # | Reply Report comment

      i mean cutting hair is one thing but at least she didn’t dye it the same color

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 10, 2025 at 11:52 am | # | Reply Report comment

        Yet.

        It’s all part of her plan to get rid of Dorothy and take her place. No-one would notice.

  40. anon
    anon
    December 10, 2025 at 5:45 am | # | Reply Report comment

    nice black overalls lol, i feel like htat’d be rare to find even if ‘overall dresses’ werea trend at some pont like hoodie dresses

  41. YourCousinJay
    YourCousinJay
    December 10, 2025 at 5:54 am | # | Reply Report comment

    “I’m fine” she says, while retreating to her suspiciously void tinted room

    • Rimwalker55
      Rimwalker55
      December 10, 2025 at 7:39 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Doesn’t Ruth have trademark on Murder Cave Lighting?

    • Rosicrucian
      Rosicrucian
      December 10, 2025 at 10:26 am | # | Reply Report comment

      Do you normally leave your lights on when nobody’s there?

      • Clif
        Clif
        December 10, 2025 at 11:54 am | # | Reply Report comment

        It’s only basic courtesy. Nobody needs the light to see when you’re not there.

      • Rimwalker55
        Rimwalker55
        December 10, 2025 at 12:29 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        Not me. I turn on the lights when i enter. Although, knowing Becky’s lack of tidiness, she may leave lights off till she closes the door just to hide the evidence. 😉

  42. Jernacious
    Jernacious
    December 10, 2025 at 5:58 am | # | Reply Report comment

    “There needs to be a gas leak here if I ever decide to cut these bangs.”

  43. HueSatLight
    HueSatLight
    December 10, 2025 at 7:06 am | # | Reply Report comment

    I guess Becky’s double Significant Haircuts means it’s less likely Dorothy will shave her head when she continues her spiral. :/

    • Fail Earnhardt
      Fail Earnhardt
      December 10, 2025 at 2:32 pm | # | Reply Report comment

      I’ve been hoping for years that somebody in the cast will got through the manic joy and agony of the impulsive 1st tattoo and Dorothy is increasingly looking like the funniest candidate

  44. Embe13
    Embe13
    December 10, 2025 at 9:41 am | # | Reply Report comment

    who let becky watch southpark!

  45. Rosicrucian
    Rosicrucian
    December 10, 2025 at 9:49 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Kissing Joyce did not by any means solve Dorothy’s anxiety and depression.

  46. Gingercake
    Gingercake
    December 10, 2025 at 9:53 am | # | Reply Report comment

    Gas leak more like gas light.

  47. Michelle J Caboose
    Michelle J Caboose
    December 10, 2025 at 10:02 am | # | Reply Report comment

    So wait, Ruth wants to make out with Joyce?

  48. Ian Clark
    Ian Clark
    December 10, 2025 at 11:02 am | # | Reply Report comment

    They’re still freshmen, everyone knows the gas leak year is year 4.

  49. Giffem
    Giffem
    December 10, 2025 at 11:51 am | # | Reply Report comment

    so reading the comments i guess i’m in the minority or just alone in this but ruth looks good without the bangs. not saying it would be good to remove but having them pinned up sometimes would look good on her

    • Clif
      Clif
      December 10, 2025 at 11:56 am | # | Reply Report comment

      So you’re saying we need Ruth pin-ups?

      • Dot
        Dot
        December 10, 2025 at 1:02 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        So does Billie!

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      December 10, 2025 at 2:42 pm | # | Reply Report comment

      it’s a nice idea, but can we handle LOT of girls changing their hair, at same time??

  50. Briar
    Briar
    December 10, 2025 at 12:12 pm | # | Reply Report comment

    Kind of :/ that it was Dorothy who thought about Becky. Come on Joyce.

    • Dot
      Dot
      December 10, 2025 at 1:03 pm | # | Reply Report comment

      Joyce is a bad best friend.

      • Astariel
        Astariel
        December 10, 2025 at 3:10 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        A bad best friend who was the first to accept Becky as a lesbian, gave her food & shelter when she was homeless, and punched out her asshole dad when he tried to kidnap her. Who, when she had to choose between Becky and her religion, chose Becky wholeheartedly. What a terrible, terrible friend she is.

        • Dot
          Dot
          December 10, 2025 at 3:36 pm | # | Reply Report comment

          Yeah. And now she’s a bad best friend. People change over time. And Joyce has changed into a bad best friend.

          • Doopyboop
            Doopyboop
            December 10, 2025 at 4:34 pm | # | Reply Report comment

            It’s true, ngl since the timeskip we have Joyce mocking Becky’s beliefs behind her back, doubling down on it by continuing to insinuate Becky’s stupid for her beliefs, and now all this. In comparison, when Joyce’s dad unexpectedly showed up and there was a chance he’d learn about Joyce’s newfound sexuality, Becky was quick to swoop in and try to distract him for Joyce despite her personal feelings and hurt. Meanwhile Joyce can’t stop being horny brain long enough to think “man, I hope Becky is okay”.

        • Big Z
          Big Z
          December 10, 2025 at 4:34 pm | # | Reply Report comment

          It’s like the stock market disclaimers: “Past performance is not indicative of future results”.

    • Fail Earnhardt
      Fail Earnhardt
      December 10, 2025 at 2:29 pm | # | Reply Report comment

      Next biology class is gonna be ROUGH

      • zee
        zee
        December 10, 2025 at 3:04 pm | # | Reply Report comment

        I can’t fucking WAIT

  51. vlademir1
    vlademir1
    December 10, 2025 at 3:13 pm | # | Reply Report comment

    Did we just get both a Community reference (gas leak) and a Southpark reference (“I’m super! Thanks for asking!”) in one strip?

  52. Lys
    Lys
    December 10, 2025 at 3:41 pm | # | Reply Report comment

    Ruth looks amazing with her bangs held back! She shouldn’t cut them, she should grow them out and then brush or slick them back!

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