Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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July 11, 2026

Growth

by David M Willis on October 4, 2018 at 12:01 am
  • 01 - Flyin' to the Red
└ Tags: ethan, sal

Discussion (130) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    October 4, 2018 at 12:02 am | #

    This is fine.

    I’m okay with the events that are unfolding currently.

    That’s okay. Things are going to be okay.

    *melts*

    • Inahc
      Inahc
      October 4, 2018 at 12:17 am | #

      I only discovered this meme recently, so: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/this-is-fine

      • Judas Peckerwood
        Judas Peckerwood
        October 4, 2018 at 1:47 am | #

        Oh dear. So how long were you in the coma?

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      October 4, 2018 at 2:22 am | #

      But the sun still shines!

      I honestly don’t know if I should wipe the tears from your eyes, or have another glass of Mexican wine.

    • Formedras
      Formedras
      October 5, 2018 at 2:51 pm | #

      Things were never going to be ok until this happened. Now they can be, or they might not be.

  2. Cheesy1
    Cheesy1
    October 4, 2018 at 12:02 am | #

    Size matters not.

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      October 4, 2018 at 2:00 am | #

      Judge me by my size, do you?

      • LookingIn
        LookingIn
        October 4, 2018 at 2:33 am | #

        Sometimes the most dangerous animals are the smallest ones, just ad Dennis Nedry 😀

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        October 4, 2018 at 8:37 am | #

        +3 for matching comment to avatar.

  3. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    October 4, 2018 at 12:03 am | #

    Tell her who you are, Ethan. If someone takes you hostage they owe you free motorcycle rides, like, for life.

    Pretty sure that’s in the Magna Carta.

    • 3oranges
      3oranges
      October 4, 2018 at 12:10 am | #

      I like this idea of passing laws involving future technologies. “If there is ever a conveyance that can hover, and someone helps you move a couch, you shall be required to let them have a turn. They’ll have earned it.”

      • Doctor_Who
        Doctor_Who
        October 4, 2018 at 12:16 am | #

        You should see what effect this little stunt had on future legislation.

        • Kensou
          Kensou
          October 4, 2018 at 1:00 am | #

          I was hoping a few years would improve my view of that scene. =/ Oh well, still love the Doctor. Hate having to wait for Thirteen.

          Also, yikes. Awkward and uncomfortable as it would be, I want them to have a talk about this.

      • Koms
        Koms
        October 4, 2018 at 1:40 am | #

        They shall pivot..pivot

      • Judas Peckerwood
        Judas Peckerwood
        October 4, 2018 at 1:49 am | #

        The 2nd Amendment would have been much better with that kind of foresight.

        • Khyrin
          Khyrin
          October 4, 2018 at 9:36 am | #

          I maintain that the only problem is we didn’t enforce the “Well-Regulated Militia”. in my dream world, where money is no object, firearm ownership and purchase of ammunition requires maintained certification:yearly training, marksmanship expectations, examinations on proper maintenance and current state and federal ordinances. These courses would be held twice monthly, and attendance of the training course would count as civil service like jury duty so your work can’t punish you for missing a shift or three. The initiate course would drive out every Hollywood misconception about firearms, and there would be a seperate refresher course for returning applicants.

          If you fail, your weapons would be sealed in a case as “Collector’s Items” until such time as you pass.

          • Stephen Bierce
            Stephen Bierce
            October 4, 2018 at 10:33 am | #

            In theory Members of Congress have the authority to call snap musters in their Districts. “All gun owners whose birthday ends in 5 and whose last name ends with E</b) must report to their local Guard Armory on such and such day. Bring ALL arms in possession, unloaded; do not bring ammunition. Arms will be inspected by active duty military and law enforcement personnel and representatives of the arms manufacturing industry. Failure to participate will mean a penalty on next year's income taxes."

    • Rowen Morland
      Rowen Morland
      October 4, 2018 at 1:51 am | #

      Only if you are of noble birth.

    • LookingIn
      LookingIn
      October 4, 2018 at 2:33 am | #

      If it isn’t, use your TARDIS to ensure that it is 😉

    • Wizard
      Wizard
      October 4, 2018 at 2:46 am | #

      Restorative justice at its finest!

    • Kaunisenkeli
      Kaunisenkeli
      October 4, 2018 at 4:12 am | #

      And still, invoking the MC won’t get you into law school.

  4. Darkoneko
    Darkoneko
    October 4, 2018 at 12:03 am | #

    Everything is lagging aaaaaaaa

    • butts
      butts
      October 4, 2018 at 12:13 am | #

      the website is farting on me as well

      • Reltzik
        Reltzik
        October 4, 2018 at 1:11 am | #

        Well it’s obviously not out of gas.

        • LookingIn
          LookingIn
          October 4, 2018 at 2:35 am | #

          yeah but it still stinks…thankfully it’s passed and is back to normal

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        October 4, 2018 at 2:08 am | #

        Oh the irony.

  5. Irredentist
    Irredentist
    October 4, 2018 at 12:03 am | #

    I knew it, he IS traumatized. I hope someone tells Sal about this soon.

    • Kathleen
      Kathleen
      October 4, 2018 at 12:04 am | #

      Well, the flashback isn’t red. So that’s a good sign at least.

      • Marsh Maryrose
        Marsh Maryrose
        October 4, 2018 at 1:46 am | #

        You won’t see him flying to the red.

    • Stu
      Stu
      October 4, 2018 at 12:13 am | #

      I think it’s less traumatized (or it at least pales in comparison to Amber’s, though that’s not saying much) and more “dawning realization”.

    • Alanari
      Alanari
      October 4, 2018 at 12:50 am | #

      I’m not sure about the tense. A trauma can heal and become a memory again. An ugly memory.
      However, flashbacks don’t have to be the way they are with amber. They can feel cold. Like you just froze inside. If that’s a flashback, it’s probably more like that, judging by the colour. Since it’s the same colour theme as other stories from the past, I’m guessing memory, not flashback.

      I’m curious if he talks to her. That could get interesting.

      • Daisy
        Daisy
        October 4, 2018 at 6:14 am | #

        It’s not quite flashback-blue because the other colours are still there, just blue-tinted. Realisation flashbacks are bluescale, like in ‘Schlongs’.

        So yeah, I’m thinking it’s a freeze-up. But it’s normal to have a moment like this when you’re confronted with a bad memory. Trauma is a spectrum like any mental health problem.

        I hope he talks to her. I hope she notices the big guy who just stopped in his tracks. Someone’s gotta breach this topic.

        • Regalli
          Regalli
          October 4, 2018 at 11:07 am | #

          There were some early strips where flashbacks had a little color in them. Could be it’s a throwback to those as well?

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      October 4, 2018 at 1:12 am | #

      Is that trauma, or is it just “holy crap it really is her how could I have missed that I’m an idiot”?

      • Michelle J. Caboose
        Michelle J. Caboose
        October 4, 2018 at 1:32 am | #

        Why does one automatically preclude the other? Obviously, he was never as traumatized as Amber (seeing as how it changed her life/mental state), but he could still have some trauma, as well as the “holy crap, it really is her, how could I have missed that, I’m an idiot” realization.

        • Alanari
          Alanari
          October 4, 2018 at 1:53 am | #

          He had a knife to his throat. It’s unlikely to go through that without a trauma. He almost certainly was traumatised. He doesn’t show any signs of ptsd though, so I’m assuming the trauma healed.

          • Rabid Rabbit
            Rabid Rabbit
            October 4, 2018 at 6:30 pm | #

            You also have to remember that the trauma wasn’t just getting a knife held to his throat. Yes, that was pretty bad — he looks pertty out of it here: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/01-the-only-dope-for-me-is-you/freezeup/ But notice what else happens there. The next part of the trauma is that he sees his best friend ever go nuts and stab someone through the hand, and not in self-defense.

            Ethan’s the reasonable type (so long as you don’t bring up Transformers), and even in that state it would be terrifying for him to discover what Amber’s capable of. I don’t think we know if he’d ever witnessed one of her red panels before — or hell, if this was the first time she ever lost it.

            So yes, what Sal did would have traumatized him, but it’s quite possible that the effect of that was lessened by the immediately following trauma of seeing Amber snap.

    • Eric
      Eric
      October 4, 2018 at 7:10 am | #

      I bet she’s aware.

  6. butts
    butts
    October 4, 2018 at 12:04 am | #

    here we go, yo

  7. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    October 4, 2018 at 12:04 am | #

    As if it just happened an hour ago…

  8. BBCC
    BBCC
    October 4, 2018 at 12:06 am | #

    I’m just over here running around, screaming, don’t mind me

    • Regalli
      Regalli
      October 4, 2018 at 12:35 am | #

      That’s what I brought all these pillows for! Soft, squishy, and scream-absorbent.

  9. BBCC
    BBCC
    October 4, 2018 at 12:07 am | #

    I’m just over here running around, screaming, don’t mind me.

  10. Larkle
    Larkle
    October 4, 2018 at 12:08 am | #

    Ah, he sees it now.

  11. Lingo
    Lingo
    October 4, 2018 at 12:08 am | #

    No red panels for Ethan….

  12. ARoseJess
    ARoseJess
    October 4, 2018 at 12:09 am | #

    I’d be on the floor cowering…so he’s doing okay…

  13. Tacos
    Tacos
    October 4, 2018 at 12:13 am | #

    Well no red panels so that’s something at least I guess.

  14. Passchendaele
    Passchendaele
    October 4, 2018 at 12:14 am | #

    rutten to the core

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      October 4, 2018 at 8:45 am | #

      Struttin’ in Rutten

  15. cbwroses
    cbwroses
    October 4, 2018 at 12:14 am | #

    What does the alt text say? It’s not coming up for me.

    • Inahc
      Inahc
      October 4, 2018 at 12:15 am | #

      “everything was a lot bigger when you were little”

      • cbwroses
        cbwroses
        October 4, 2018 at 12:46 am | #

        Thank you

      • Fiddler115
        Fiddler115
        October 4, 2018 at 4:43 pm | #

        That’s what she said.

  16. Bagge
    Bagge
    October 4, 2018 at 12:18 am | #

    And thus Ethan took up the mantel of Amazi-girl.

    (Or, you know, worked through his trauma in a less self destructive way I dunno)

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      October 4, 2018 at 12:21 am | #

      Where’s the fun in that? 😛

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      October 4, 2018 at 2:37 am | #

      …come to think of it, this might not be about Ethan’s trauma as much as SAL’s trauma. Hope SHE won’t get any red panels

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        October 4, 2018 at 11:35 pm | #

        We haven’t seen anything of the robberies from her POV, but I recall Ethan thought she was having a panic attack (or starting to have one) right before the second one – he told Amber he bet she and Sal were having the same problem. And, yeah, I’d not be shocked if it comes up, especially since this storyline is supposed to be Sal centred.

  17. BBCC
    BBCC
    October 4, 2018 at 12:20 am | #

    Also, all you American-type pokemon should look at this:

    https://twitter.com/Celeste_pewter/status/1047672286176673792

    • Regalli
      Regalli
      October 4, 2018 at 11:12 am | #

      My reps are both definite no’s and have been for months, but I’ll see if I can add anything with Herd On The Hill.

      And start preparing my poster board for what comes next.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        October 4, 2018 at 2:33 pm | #

        I’d call them anyways and affirm that stance. Having numbers they can point to helps.

  18. Axel
    Axel
    October 4, 2018 at 12:23 am | #

    I’m so glad she actually wore the jacket

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      October 4, 2018 at 1:28 am | #

      I didn’t think she’d wear it either. She looks pretty badass in it.

      • Bagge
        Bagge
        October 4, 2018 at 2:38 am | #

        Sure, but Sal looks badass in ANYTHING (to Billie’s chagrin)

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      October 4, 2018 at 2:37 am | #

      She put it on, put it on, put it on!

  19. Archivist
    Archivist
    October 4, 2018 at 12:24 am | #

    Nice framing!

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      October 4, 2018 at 2:38 am | #

      What? No! Sal wasn’t framed. They caught her redhanded (I’M SO SORRY FOR THAT PUN!)

      • JBento
        JBento
        October 4, 2018 at 5:35 am | #

        Well, Sal WASN’T redhanded until Amber got a hold of the knife…

  20. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    October 4, 2018 at 12:24 am | #

    Well, I don’t blame Sal any for not recognizing him. he looks like he traded bodies with Bruce Wayne.

  21. jeffepp
    jeffepp
    October 4, 2018 at 12:27 am | #

    She could still kick his butt.

  22. brumagem
    brumagem
    October 4, 2018 at 12:33 am | #

    Oh hey, fuckface got her to wear the Rutten jacket.

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      October 4, 2018 at 4:14 pm | #

      Fuckface was for story time, not the jacket.

  23. Inahc
    Inahc
    October 4, 2018 at 12:46 am | #

    waaaahhh shortpacked is dooowwwnnnn 🙁

    I’ve been rereading it the last few weeks. I wish there was more of utra-mammoth and wazzzzpinator.

    • Inahc
      Inahc
      October 4, 2018 at 1:16 am | #

      yay! iz back! thank you willis!

  24. Stellar
    Stellar
    October 4, 2018 at 12:57 am | #

    And thus ends Dumbing Of Age. Good luck with your next project, Willis.

  25. Badgermole
    Badgermole
    October 4, 2018 at 12:58 am | #

    This is an great strip in a technical, Scott McCloud sense.

  26. Brotato
    Brotato
    October 4, 2018 at 1:02 am | #

    Gorgeous framing.

  27. Tisroero
    Tisroero
    October 4, 2018 at 1:04 am | #

    Except for… well… you know.

    Clothes.

  28. Ryek Hvek
    Ryek Hvek
    October 4, 2018 at 1:10 am | #

    Sal’s jacket somehow reminds me of King Rutentuten

  29. Dean
    Dean
    October 4, 2018 at 1:14 am | #

    Ethan was going to say something to her, but that jacket is just too cool.

  30. Kris
    Kris
    October 4, 2018 at 1:20 am | #

    Yeah you may be over six feet and shredded now, but she could probably still hold you at knife point pretty easy.

    • chris73
      chris73
      October 4, 2018 at 3:16 am | #

      Damn straight, best self defence against a knife is either run or a gun

  31. Keulen
    Keulen
    October 4, 2018 at 1:27 am | #

    That’s quite the growth spurt Ethan had between then and now.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      October 4, 2018 at 1:35 am | #

      Which is why Sal doesn’t remember him.

      “Ah go fer tall. And so Ah’d remember the hell outta you.”

      • Reltzik
        Reltzik
        October 4, 2018 at 1:40 am | #

        ….. awcrap, she’s gonna end up crushing on him isn’t she?

        …. no, no way, Willis wouldn’t be that cruel….

        • jeffepp
          jeffepp
          October 4, 2018 at 8:19 am | #

          You HAVE read his comics before, right?

          • Reltzik
            Reltzik
            October 4, 2018 at 1:58 pm | #

            Okay, maybe he’d be that cruel to his characters, but not to his READERS, right?

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      October 4, 2018 at 2:19 am | #

      Yeah, that tends to happen between 13 and 18.

      Is Ethan exceptionally tall, or is the rest of the cast short? Sal’s only a couple inches taller than Joyce (who’s 5’4″ according to the wiki), and it looks like he’s almost a foot taller than her.

      • JessWitt
        JessWitt
        October 4, 2018 at 6:16 am | #

        Joe is 6 feet tall so Ethan’s either the same or an inch shorter.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        October 4, 2018 at 9:14 am | #

        Sal’s 5’7, Ethan’s 6 feet iirc.

  32. BenRG
    BenRG
    October 4, 2018 at 2:01 am | #

    That’s interesting so, whilst Ethan recognises who Sal is now and it isn’t a pleasant memory, it is still not enough to turn into a red panel. I’m wondering if he’s here to ask Sal to go to Amber on the grounds that she needs to make peace with her?

    • JBento
      JBento
      October 4, 2018 at 5:38 am | #

      I don’t think he’s here for anything, this strikes me as just a chance encounter. He’s leaving the cafeteria, looking at his phone, and then happens to look up and see Sal.

    • Fart Captor
      Fart Captor
      October 4, 2018 at 2:36 pm | #

      I think Ethan knows Amber well enough to figure out that would be a very bad idea, even if he doesn’t specifically know that it would cause Amber to have a panic attack, or that Amber has ALREADY made peace with her

  33. Ainara
    Ainara
    October 4, 2018 at 2:23 am | #

    “Oh my GOD… That girl is wearing a Ruttech jacket!”

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      October 4, 2018 at 3:57 am | #

      ETHAN: “Excuse me but are you one of Carla Rutten’s fangirls? I need her help to fix the arm on my classic G1 Hot Rod action figure and…”

      SAL: “AAAUUUGHHH!!!“

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        October 4, 2018 at 8:55 am | #

        CARLA: Sorry!

        ETHAN: GAAAHH!

        CARLA: …I only fix ACTUAL hot rods, not nerdy toys.

        ETHAN: H.. how did you…

        CARLA: I always know when people talk about me. *big grin*ALWAYS… *rolls away*

  34. Golddragon
    Golddragon
    October 4, 2018 at 3:28 am | #

    >Set “Ethan” to: [confusion]

  35. FacelessDeviant
    FacelessDeviant
    October 4, 2018 at 4:19 am | #

    Dang, this is very good. Love panel #3 with Sal.

  36. C.T Phipps
    C.T Phipps
    October 4, 2018 at 4:41 am | #

    Sal will want to finish the job. She’s clearly been hiding a murderous psychopath underneath all her decency and valor.

  37. Daisy
    Daisy
    October 4, 2018 at 6:06 am | #

    Everything was a lot bigger when you were little, Ethan. Except your jaw. Your jaw was much smaller back then.

  38. JBento
    JBento
    October 4, 2018 at 6:33 am | #

    GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS: Real life Fuckfacery:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSryodLLVTQ

    • Shawn L.
      Shawn L.
      October 4, 2018 at 7:01 am | #

      I don’t care that the link says “youtube” and not “redtube”… I’m not clicking anything labeled “fuckfacery”, just in case it’s not about an iguana.

      • JBento
        JBento
        October 4, 2018 at 7:11 am | #

        Disclaimer: It’s about an iguana. On a head.

        • Bagge
          Bagge
          October 4, 2018 at 1:43 pm | #

          Didn’t do much for his charisma, though (the guy, I mean. The iguana was cool. I have no trouble with the iguana).

      • Bagge
        Bagge
        October 4, 2018 at 1:42 pm | #

        That’s a good policy

      • Roborat
        Roborat
        October 4, 2018 at 2:50 pm | #

        It is safe, and quite funny.

  39. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    October 4, 2018 at 7:56 am | #

    So, is Ethan gonna tell her?

  40. MatthewTheLucky
    MatthewTheLucky
    October 4, 2018 at 8:02 am | #

    I guess Ethan really… outgrew his trauma.

    • ShinyNeen
      ShinyNeen
      October 4, 2018 at 11:33 am | #

      Well, he still seems to have at least a little bit to work through. Does that mean he’s going to grow even taller?

    • Daisy
      Daisy
      October 5, 2018 at 10:15 am | #

      In panel 3 Sal seems taller, with a low angle. He remembers the holdup and being the same height. Final panel shows he’s taller than her now. Literally outgrown her. I love this.

  41. BenRG
    BenRG
    October 4, 2018 at 8:36 am | #

    It’s curious how Sal doesn’t ever seem to recognise Ethan and Amber and they can’t have changed that much. I’m wondering if she dealt with the incident through inducting a kind of amnesia-by-will. She forces herself not to have any conscious memory of it.

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      October 4, 2018 at 9:25 am | #

      Neither of them recognized her at first sight either. Amber knew something was familiar about her, but didn’t recognize her until she saw Sal in a similar outfit. Ethan needed Amber to put the pieces together. Plus, Sal most likely barely saw Amber that day (she was hiding, then Sal was being led out and away by the police and then Amber stabbed her through the hand from behind, so Sal was a little busy screaming). Plus, even here, Ethan’s facing away from her, so it’s entirely possible she didn’t have a good look at his face.

    • Eric
      Eric
      October 4, 2018 at 9:53 am | #

      There is no way she hasn’t know the whole time if she’s remorseful.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        October 4, 2018 at 10:29 am | #

        I’d argue it’d be pretty crappy for her to hit on Ethan and get crabby when Amber ducks away from her (because Sal was trying to talk to her about her hogging the privacy chairs) without so much as a ‘sorry’ if she does know.

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        October 4, 2018 at 12:10 pm | #

        Not sure what being remorseful has to do with it. It doesn’t mean she would recognize their faces.

    • Andrew_C
      Andrew_C
      October 4, 2018 at 5:17 pm | #

      I would quote M. Bison, but it would probably get me banhammered

      • 3oranges
        3oranges
        October 4, 2018 at 6:58 pm | #

        “I think the food court should be larger. All the big franchises will want in.”
        No, it makes sense. She looks preoccupied.

  42. Deanatay
    Deanatay
    October 4, 2018 at 9:00 am | #

    I don’t see what’s so scary about Panel 5.

    I mean, she’s just letting him borrow her phone, right?

    • Roborat
      Roborat
      October 4, 2018 at 2:52 pm | #

      Heh, nice one.

  43. leadsynth
    leadsynth
    October 4, 2018 at 9:09 am | #

    Hey, do we know exactly how old they were when the knife incident happened?

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      October 4, 2018 at 9:22 am | #

      13.

  44. ShinyNeen
    ShinyNeen
    October 4, 2018 at 11:28 am | #

    Well this is tense as heck. Wish Ethan had more time to process his thoughts first (since he only just made the connection), but hey- he probably won’t handle this too badly.

  45. Netty
    Netty
    October 4, 2018 at 12:19 pm | #

    I wish wish freaking wish someone ANYONE would just tell Sal.

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      October 4, 2018 at 2:32 pm | #

      To be fair, only two people know. One is too traumatized to talk a lot to Sal except when she’s AG, and one just found out.

      • timemonkey
        timemonkey
        October 4, 2018 at 4:26 pm | #

        Mike probably knows, because he’s Mike and keep notes on everyone.

        • Lone Duck
          Lone Duck
          October 4, 2018 at 6:07 pm | #

          In this instance, silence create more chaos between Amber and Sal. Hence Mike’s silence.

        • DailyBrad
          DailyBrad
          October 5, 2018 at 12:03 am | #

          Mike would know of the incident, doesn’t necessarily mean he knows Sal did it. I don’t remember Sal and Mike exactly interacting that much. I do wonder if Ethan would tell Mike. that’ll probably be the most likely way he’d find out the specifics.

  46. wakeangel2001
    wakeangel2001
    October 4, 2018 at 12:55 pm | #

    He did a good job growing, I didn’t gain half as much height between the ages of 13 and 18

    • Smooti
      Smooti
      October 4, 2018 at 2:39 pm | #

      Right? I was done growing in height at 13. I’m crazy jealous

  47. FujoshiPeanut
    FujoshiPeanut
    October 4, 2018 at 6:09 pm | #

    This is going to be interesting…

  48. stoodmuffin
    stoodmuffin
    October 6, 2018 at 1:49 am | #

    YEAH. ETHAN. ITS MORE INTENSE THAN YOU KNOW

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September 13/14, 2025 - Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland

David M Willis! avatar
David M Willis!
@damnyouwillis.bsky.social
reposted by David M Willis!
parkermolloy.com's user avatar
Parker Molloy @parkermolloy.com ⋅ 36min
This guy, I'm pretty sure
lazylazyjane.bsky.social's user avatarjane @lazylazyjane.bsky.social ⋅ 1h
the fuck is corn sweat
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1h
rode my bike past where my kid was at camp bike trail was 10 feet from where they were having lunch called his name, louder and louder, eventually other kids got his attention he looked at me like "...who are you?" "...I'm your DAD." i have never before felt so much like i was Stranger Danger
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Alex Jaffe “Alex Jaffe” Alex Jaffe @alexjaffe.bsky.social ⋅ 2h
I was wearing a Batman hat when I walked into Krispy Kreme and the woman behind the counter said “Let me guess”
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TI99Kitty @ti99kitty.bsky.social ⋅ 2h
@damnyouwillis.bsky.social
theonion.com's user avatarThe Onion @theonion.com ⋅ 6h
GE Recalls Washing Machines That Failed To Pleasure Lonely Housewives theonion.com/ge-reca...
GE Recalls Washing Machines That Failed To Pleasure Lonely Housewives
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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social ⋅ 5h
Good piece by @jamellebouie.net taking apart JD Vance's reprehensible immigration worldview on the substance. I'd add that JD seems to cast our admission of immigrants purely as an act of benevolence on our part, when of course that's not the story at all www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/o...
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reposted by David M Willis!
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Dave Kellett @davekellett.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
JOR-EL was a moron
PANEL 1: A man with spiky white hair and cream robes with a gold superman S on his chest, stands next to a blond woman wearing the same outfit. She holds a swaddled baby with a blue pacifier in it’s mouth. The man holds up a glowing green crystal.
MAN: Dear wife, look! My 18 months of work are done! I designed this one tiny crystal to hold ALL of Krypton’s knowledge!

PANEL 2: The man stands against a white background, still holding the green crystal.
MAN: AND! I designed it to build a “fortress of solitude” out of nothing but ice! AND! I designed it with fully autonomous holograms of us! They can answer any question!

PANEL 3: The man slaps his hand on a metal object next to him, which his wife looks on happily, holding the infant.
MAN: AND! It slots right into this interstellar starship I designed to go to Earth!
WOMAN: And you designed it with three seats, right?

PANEL 4: The man bites his lower lip, eyes wide in regret. His wife yells at him.
WOMAN: …YOU DESIGNED IT WITH THREE SEATS, RIGHT?!?

———
Want 5,000 more comics like this? Join us at Patreon.com/sheldoncomics for the *FULL* Sheldon archives, art giveaways, fun community, and more! Sheldon Comics copyright Dave Kellett. Colors by Beth Reidmiller
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Feral Millennial Communists of Late Stage Capitalism @feralcommie.bsky.social ⋅ 6d
Harsh, but fair
To teach my kids a lesson about socialism, I gave all my kids a list of chores that I thought they could handle, but set their allowances at the same level. 

Then I had the CIA murder me and install a puppet dad.
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Wack'd @wackd.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
"what do you ship in #dumbingofage? joyce/dorothy? joyce/joe? dorothy/walky?" i am so glad you asked
a complicated diagram of romantic and sexual relationships, including
- joyce/dorothy
- joyce/joe
- dorothy/walky 
- an arrow pointing from dorothy to joe with an angry face
- arrows pointing between joyce and walky with a meh face
- arrows pointing between dorothy and jennifer with an angry face and sweat drops
- arrows pointing between jennifer and ruth with the lyrics to
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 4h
Not sure where I am
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Branson Reese @bransonreese.bsky.social ⋅ 16h
"...I cancelled the show but I stand by my decision"
Tweet from Variety:
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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com ⋅ 9h
I hope Josh Johnson is given The Daily Show and is allowed to rebuild it from scratch in his own image just like Jon Stewart got to do in 99. He has built his own groundbreaking form of topical comedy, and imitating the style of others is something he is great at, but better than.
11
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 16h
thinking about how mario's head has stayed the exact same size his entire life, while princess peach's head has shrunk on its way into adulthood
damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatarDavid M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
do you think Mario, Luigi, and the Princesses have, like, existential crises about the baby versions of themselves also just casually being next to them in all the races like I would be having ego death right now, not leaping triumphantly
4
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 17h
Dumbing of Age: "Take stock" www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/b... #webcomics #webcomic
www.dumbingofage.com
Take stock
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
do you think Mario, Luigi, and the Princesses have, like, existential crises about the baby versions of themselves also just casually being next to them in all the races like I would be having ego death right now, not leaping triumphantly
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
y'know not sure I trust the impartiality of a race track that has a giant statue of one of the guys I'm racing against
3
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
For July's first bonus strip, folks voted for DEXTER and MONKEY MASTER! For world domination! Read this bonus strip and hundreds of previous at the Dumbing of Age Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-... and remember you can always pledge up to read tomorrow's strip 👀
dexter and monkey master decline, apparently, to take over the world
2
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The Emotion Engine @emotion-engine.bsky.social ⋅ 9d
Good news for the people still circulating this post: it is now a real t-shirt you can purchase and wear to let the world know you take responsibility for the actions of fictional characters:
emotion-engine.bsky.social's user avatarThe Emotion Engine @emotion-engine.bsky.social ⋅ 9d
Normally I’d let this sort of thing just die out but an alarming amount of you have asked where you can buy this and my wife had to have an emergency surgery the day before I made this, so here is my chance to live the American Dream (selling print-on-demand shirts to pay down medical debt)
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amber @goronamber.bsky.social ⋅ 21h
I just wanna post this in the comments bsky.app/profile/emot...
emotion-engine.bsky.social's user avatarThe Emotion Engine @emotion-engine.bsky.social ⋅ 13d
Working on a t-shirt to sell to the weird people that show up in your mentions every time you talk about enjoying something that has crime or impure thought in it.
A stock photo of a man holding a phone wearing a shirt that says “I PERSONALLY ENDORSE EVERY BAD THING IN THE MEDIA I WATCH. MAY THEIR CRIMES ONE DAY BE MY OWN”
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Tekno 😈🌐👑🇨🇦 | TEAM FOSSILS @generaltekno.bttoons.com ⋅ 1d
Someone leaked the entire unreleased Micronauts animated series to archive.org All 52 episodes Yes they FULLY FINISHED a Micronauts cartoon in the early 2020s and mothballed it
vangelus.bsky.social's user avatarVangelus @vangelus.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
tested ep1 of Micronauts, skipped to the credits so I could see every name of every crew member who put in so much work with the expectation that anybody would ever see the thing they did as part of their vocation in a creative field, working in service of what should be a reliable client & partner
9
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168
 
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Vangelus @vangelus.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
tested ep1 of Micronauts, skipped to the credits so I could see every name of every crew member who put in so much work with the expectation that anybody would ever see the thing they did as part of their vocation in a creative field, working in service of what should be a reliable client & partner
9
24
119
 
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Wack'd @wackd.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
gotta go back to the original tagline
1
1
42
 
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
admittedly, i might be arriving at a little annoyance on behalf of anyone responded to ever with "WELL it's not called SMARTING of age" because that's become a lot, i think the fork might be in that one, it's done
5
1
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
the people have spoken
3
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Senator Meow @senatormeow.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
they're selling twink dongs at the grocery store now
Hostess Ding Dongs x Twinkies mashup with delicious Twinkies cake covered in Ding Dongs fudge
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1099
3018
 
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
today in #9chickweedlane i learned that "how to lie" is not, actually, achieved by cupping the balls, despite the evidence of the entirety of the first panel, but by some other giant pile of words i guess, tl;dr
7
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32
 
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Louisa @louisathelast.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
“It’s not me who’s a bigot,” they always argue. “I’m fine with all you people. But the rest of the electorate is full of bigots, on whose behalf I will now speak”
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beetle moses @beetlemoses.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
Same, Dunkin, same
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
factpostnews.bsky.social's user avatarFactPost @factpostnews.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
House Republicans have shut down floor votes and will likely adjourn for 6 weeks to avoid voting for the release of the Epstein files.
40
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
😬 Rainbow Friends
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