Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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July 1, 2026

Turn around

by David M Willis on September 15, 2019 at 12:01 am
  • 01 - Birthday Pursuit
└ Tags: danny, ethan

Discussion (101) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    September 15, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    ehh just have Pokémon GO open, COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE

    • Shane Wegner
      Shane Wegner
      September 15, 2019 at 12:09 am | #

      THERE WAS A RATTATA

      • TheWanderingMist
        TheWanderingMist
        September 15, 2019 at 12:27 am | #

        They’re up to Gen V now. A Lillipup is more likely.

        • Ana Chronistic
          Ana Chronistic
          September 15, 2019 at 12:53 am | #

          Shiny Turtwig, starting from 11 to 2 local time today!

        • Catman
          Catman
          September 15, 2019 at 1:34 am | #

          Wait Gen V? When?!

          • CianM1301
            CianM1301
            September 15, 2019 at 4:37 am | #

            Monday at 1PM PT.

  2. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    September 15, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    Behold, the awkward mating dance of Dorkus Awkwardus.

    Unlike the overt displays performed by specimens of Canis Hornus such as Joe, the Dorkus genus is destined to mate only rarely, due to the subtlety of their courtships making it difficult for prospective partners to even tell they are signaling.

    • Dana
      Dana
      September 15, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

      They’re like freakin’ pandas.

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      September 15, 2019 at 2:39 am | #

      I can’t even tell if I’m signaling at times, let alone if someone else is signaling.

      • Jamie
        Jamie
        September 16, 2019 at 11:00 pm | #

        Same. I don’t understand these signal things at all.

      • Masumi
        Masumi
        September 20, 2019 at 7:07 am | #

        SAME! Like, I try to signal, but I honestly can’t tell whether I’m being ignored because I’m horribly overdoing it or because the other party didn’t notice. Being a Dorkus is *hard*.

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      September 15, 2019 at 11:04 am | #

      Dammit! How long has Willis known how the interior of my brain works??

  3. Jonah Sanville
    Jonah Sanville
    September 15, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

    can confirm: this is gay culture

  4. Annika
    Annika
    September 15, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

    I love these two and I appreciate the break from the train wreck that is Jacob and Joyce right now.

  5. AeromechanicalAce
    AeromechanicalAce
    September 15, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

    If awkwardness could kill, the whole campus would be dead now.

  6. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    September 15, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

    *by the way, this is the album version of the song, not the singles/music video one*

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      September 15, 2019 at 12:12 am | #

      How about the Literal Music Video version?

      That version has totally eclipsed (I swear I didn’t mean to do that) the real one in my head. If I am ever called upon to sing this song for karaoke, this is the version I will do.

      • Regalli
        Regalli
        September 15, 2019 at 12:21 am | #

        Leanin’ on myself cause there’s two of me here, but now there’s only one in this shot~

        I don’t remember it in full but parts bump into my head periodically. Finding out the song was originally written for a vampire musical* explained a LOT about that video to me.

        * Not Tanz der Vampire, which it ended up in, a different one that was canned.

      • Freezer
        Freezer
        September 15, 2019 at 4:28 am | #

        ♫♫
        What kind of private schoold would let in these kind of guys?
        It started out as Hogwarts, now it’s Lord of the Flies
        ♫♫

        • Freezer
          Freezer
          September 15, 2019 at 4:31 am | #

          Oh, literal videos. A fad that burned bright and faded far too quickly.

      • Roborat
        Roborat
        September 16, 2019 at 3:20 pm | #

        I am glad I wasn’t the only one to see the literal version.

    • Charlie Spencer
      Charlie Spencer
      September 15, 2019 at 6:13 am | #

      With every damn verse and chorus, the way Jim intended.

      • FinalOwen
        FinalOwen
        September 15, 2019 at 9:30 am | #

        It’s not a true Jim Steinman song if it doesn’t break the 7 minute barrier.

      • Bicycle Bill
        Bicycle Bill
        September 15, 2019 at 10:25 am | #

        The story that has always been repeated was that Steinman originally wrote the song (along with “Making Love out of Nothing At All”) for Meat Loaf’s album “Midnight at the Lost and Found”, but Meat Loaf’s record company wouldn’t cough up the cash for either of them so he gave “Total Eclipse” to Bonnie Tyler and “Making Love” to Air Supply.  Steinman himself has denied this rumor many times, but like a vampire itself, the old story refuses to die.

        I never did buy that entirely, though.  Those two songs weren’t in Meat Loaf’s style at that time.  Only when he made his comeback with the semi-sentimental “I Would Do Anything For Love” in the mid-1990s would either of those two songs been appropriate.

        • StClair
          StClair
          September 15, 2019 at 1:55 pm | #

          Yeah, those two are totally of a piece with the last one, and not at all with the rest.

        • Charlie Spencer
          Charlie Spencer
          September 16, 2019 at 9:25 am | #

          There’s a lot of stories about Meat, Jim, record companies, disagreements, ‘Midnight…’, and ‘Bad for Good’.

    • Sensei Le Roof
      Sensei Le Roof
      September 15, 2019 at 10:24 am | #

      Every now and then we get a music reference.

  7. BBCC
    BBCC
    September 15, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

    Or one of you could try saying ‘Oh, hi! I didn’t see you there. How’s it going?’

    Says she who would probably do the exact same thing. Let’s hear it for mild hypocrisy! 😀

    • Dean
      Dean
      September 15, 2019 at 12:11 am | #

      The ‘oh’ is crucial here, you need to clearly express surprise.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        September 15, 2019 at 12:12 am | #

        Yeeeep.

      • SuperZero
        SuperZero
        September 15, 2019 at 12:20 am | #

        That’s the hard part.

    • JBento
      JBento
      September 15, 2019 at 7:27 am | #

      Social awkwardness? I can’t relate to that at all. AT ALL!!!!!!

  8. Kravis
    Kravis
    September 15, 2019 at 12:09 am | #

    There’s histerical blindness and there’s histerical “he’ll understand I didn’t see him”ness.

    The first “really exists” and the second is caused by awkawrdness.

  9. Corey
    Corey
    September 15, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

    I…..I do this……

    • Sunny
      Sunny
      September 15, 2019 at 8:21 am | #

      You’re not alone.

  10. Lily
    Lily
    September 15, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

    Oh my gosh it’s me! I’m in the comic! What an honor!

  11. Screwball
    Screwball
    September 15, 2019 at 12:14 am | #

    every now and then I fall apart
    (Turn around, bright eyes) every now and then I fall apart
    And I need you now tonight
    And I need you more than ever
    And if you only hold me tight
    We’ll be holding on forever
    And we’ll only be making it right
    ‘Cause we’ll never be wrong
    Together we can take it to the end of the line
    Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)
    I don’t know what to do and I’m always in the dark
    We’re living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
    I really need you tonight
    Forever’s gonna start tonight
    Forever’s gonna start tonight

    Daniel the Human taught me “Google-fu”. I can find things now…
    https://youtu.be/lcOxhH8N3Bo

    • He Who Abides
      He Who Abides
      September 15, 2019 at 12:39 am | #

      My first thought for a comment was to just post “Bright Eyes” and see how far it went. And then I saw your post, and my hopes were dashed.

      Well played, fellow being. Well played.

      • Screwball
        Screwball
        September 15, 2019 at 1:13 am | #

        Does…that mean I win? That I won at something? I……don’t know how to process this feeling…

        • UniqueSnowflake2
          UniqueSnowflake2
          September 15, 2019 at 3:28 am | #

          You’re experiencing an annular eclipse of the heart.

        • He Who Abides
          He Who Abides
          September 15, 2019 at 8:56 am | #

          Yes, Screwball, you won. Enjoy the feeling.

  12. Regalli
    Regalli
    September 15, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

    Awkward friends! Being awkward! Honestly it’s a wonder any of us with social anxiety focus so well!

  13. abysswatcher1993
    abysswatcher1993
    September 15, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

    Sal: “This is the gayest thing since Marcie’s NSFW sign language.”

    • fire_daws
      fire_daws
      September 15, 2019 at 12:23 am | #

      Ruth: I admit that I’ve only been out of the closet for fourteen days but that is the gayest thing I’ve ever seen.

  14. Deathjavu
    Deathjavu
    September 15, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

    Now leaving the drama trainwreck for the social anxiety trainwreck.

    (what monster keeps messing with all the railroad line switches anyway)

    • Tan
      Tan
      September 15, 2019 at 3:00 am | #

      What, do you want non-wrecked trains? What kind of madness would that be?

    • UniqueSnowflake2
      UniqueSnowflake2
      September 15, 2019 at 3:30 am | #

      Moral philosophers, no doubt.

      • Deathjavu
        Deathjavu
        September 15, 2019 at 11:15 am | #

        Which switch do I have to pull to make the train hit five awful dads instead of 1 Amber? I will crank on that lever as hard as possible.

    • Bicycle Bill
      Bicycle Bill
      September 15, 2019 at 10:38 am | #

      “Now leaving the drama trainwreck for the social anxiety trainwreck.
      (what monster keeps messing with all the railroad line switches anyway)

      Gomez Addams.

  15. Bathymetheus
    Bathymetheus
    September 15, 2019 at 12:22 am | #

    I am reminded of the early (late) Mad magazine.

  16. Thursday Violist
    Thursday Violist
    September 15, 2019 at 12:24 am | #

    The key to navigating complex social interactions such as this one…

    …is to just say “Hi”

    • JBento
      JBento
      September 15, 2019 at 7:29 am | #

      H-h-HWADOAKDNAKFOBFOFFKDSFGFHGH!

    • ǝ snow ʍousɐ
      ǝ snow ʍousɐ
      September 15, 2019 at 9:12 pm | #

      or to say “SOCIAL INTERACTIONS ARE HARD” and start sobbing

  17. Beef
    Beef
    September 15, 2019 at 12:30 am | #

    My memory’s fuzzie, do Danny and Ethan still have their “I’m interested but we can’t do that to Amber” deal going on?

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      September 15, 2019 at 12:33 am | #

      We don’t really know. There’s mutual attraction, but it hasn’t really come up in a long while. Meanwhile, Ethan’s been getting action, and Danny seems pretty content figuring out himself, since he’s previously been kind of absorbed by Dorothy, then Amber, and their needs and wants.

  18. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    September 15, 2019 at 12:31 am | #

    Ah, anxiety.

  19. Tacos
    Tacos
    September 15, 2019 at 12:33 am | #

    You two dorks.

  20. Eve
    Eve
    September 15, 2019 at 12:34 am | #

    Thank god we’ve moved into a plot that’s funny awkward instead of trainwreck awkward. Hopefully that ‘date’ is done by the time the story shifts again.

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      September 15, 2019 at 2:41 am | #

      I want to see how Joyce will try to get herself out of the mess she’s gotten herself into.

      • Abel Undercity
        Abel Undercity
        September 15, 2019 at 5:40 am | #

        I’m just sipping my coffee, waiting for the inevitable Raidah entrance.

    • Charlotte
      Charlotte
      September 15, 2019 at 5:26 pm | #

      I’ve been reading Dumbing of Age religiously for a pretty long time now (since a little while before Becky arrived), but this storyline made me pause reading. I just don’t want to see the trainwreck. (Joyce’s and Jacob’s friendship is one of my favourite relationships in the whole comic and I just cannot see that coming out of this intact.)
      I mean, I still check the site every day so I can read the strips that aren’t centered on the trainwreck. I hope the trainwreck finishes soon, so I can go back to reading normally.

  21. ian livs
    ian livs
    September 15, 2019 at 12:35 am | #

    Oh wow, it’s been a while since we’ve seen these two interact, hasn’t it? …Still waiting on them to interact, really, lmao

    • ǝ snow ʍousɐ
      ǝ snow ʍousɐ
      September 15, 2019 at 9:13 pm | #

      I hope they do interact…

  22. He Who Abides
    He Who Abides
    September 15, 2019 at 12:37 am | #

    Is it weird that I’ve done this before? Where I notice that I’m close to someone I want to talk to, but pretend I haven’t seen them because I’m too shy to strike up a conversation?

    And yet, when someone needs the ol’ bum’s rush while I’m working security, I have no problem dealing with people. I don’t get it.

  23. saltchocolate
    saltchocolate
    September 15, 2019 at 12:42 am | #

    Willis—I was not looking for that song reference! It’s not often I’m caught so off guard. Kudos!!

  24. Jaime
    Jaime
    September 15, 2019 at 1:01 am | #

    I’m relatively old compared to the characters in this comic and, I expect, many of the commenters (I’m in my 30s) and I’ll admit that sometimes I get nostalgic for the days of intense “life-threatening” crushes and the associated drama. It was so EXCITING!

    And then I remember how stressful it all was and I’m happy that I’m not dealing with that anymore. My partner and I have been together for about a decade and this is a slight paraphrase of a conversation we had a few days ago. I am NOT making this up.

    My partner, on his way out of the bathroom: Why are you staring at me?
    Me, in the bedroom, directly across from the bathroom: I am not staring at you.
    My partner: Yes, you are. You are staring straight ahead, right at me. You’re making fun of me.
    Me: I’m not staring, I’m *thinking.* You’re just in my line of sight.
    My partner: You’re a lying liar who lies.
    Me: F*&% you. I was THINKING about whether or not I want to make dinner or order out.
    My partner: *pause* If we’re ordering out, what do you want to get?
    Me: Mexican. That okay?

    Not terribly romantic, I know, and my partner and I have a tendency to toss verbal barbs at one another. But while I miss the intensity of early relationships that Willis captures so well, I am also relieved to *not have to go through that again.*

    • He Who Abides
      He Who Abides
      September 15, 2019 at 9:04 pm | #

      At least you and your partner aren’t like my sister and her wife. If one or the other of them doesn’t call, upset about what the other said in the middle of a blazing argument about something stupid, for at least a week, we have to stop by their apartment to make sure that they’re still alive.

      For the record, they love each other more than you could ever imagine. They just, for whatever reason, feel the need to get in blistering fights over the dumbest things. Even the couples counselor couldn’t figure it out; he just told them to seek help if they start going at it over serious stuff instead of things like “How dare you use my favorite mug to make me a cup of tea when you knew I wanted one?” (this was an actual fight, by the way). Maybe they’re just trolling us.

  25. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    September 15, 2019 at 1:13 am | #

    It’s not a social obligation to greet someone you know just because they’re near by. You two are weird.

    • SuperZero
      SuperZero
      September 15, 2019 at 1:29 am | #

      It’s way easier to pretend not to notice them, though. I do it all the time!

  26. Bagge
    Bagge
    September 15, 2019 at 1:15 am | #

    Just start playing the Uke, Danny, and he will have the perfect reason to turn around.

    This is like watching someone with only a hammer staring in confusion at a nail. Come on! You got this!

    • Clif
      Clif
      September 15, 2019 at 1:42 am | #

      How long has your comment been there? Well, it’s too late to answer it now without it being awkward.

      • Clif
        Clif
        September 15, 2019 at 1:45 am | #

        Though I do think that Joe would approve of using the uke as a hammer.

    • Abel Undercity
      Abel Undercity
      September 15, 2019 at 5:45 am | #

      I think he left it in his room.

      Quickly, Danny! Download a ukulele app and start strumming that!

      • Bagge
        Bagge
        September 15, 2019 at 6:28 am | #

        goddamit, Danny. Don’t leave your room without your ukulele. Hat. Ukulele. Two things. Two! How hard can it be.

        • Sunny
          Sunny
          September 15, 2019 at 8:27 am | #

          Twice as hard as one thing.

          • He Who Abides
            He Who Abides
            September 15, 2019 at 8:54 am | #

            And if he’s too busy trying to remember those two things, he might forget everything else.

            At least Ethan wouldn’t pretend to ignore him then . . .

  27. Nono
    Nono
    September 15, 2019 at 1:45 am | #

    Nah, just bring us back to watching Joyce’s TERRIBLE mistake, please.

    Though, running into Joyce’s ex-boyfriend and Jacob’s current roommate is gonna suggest shenanigans, and we know Ethan is too spineless to do anything but play along.

  28. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    September 15, 2019 at 1:50 am | #

    So much awkward but the S.S. Ethdan is getting close to docking someday.

  29. Keulen
    Keulen
    September 15, 2019 at 2:36 am | #

    DoA Book 10: Well, It’s Awkward

    • He Who Abides
      He Who Abides
      September 15, 2019 at 8:52 am | #

      That’s the name for the omnibus.

  30. BenRG
    BenRG
    September 15, 2019 at 2:49 am | #

    Those two seem to be the epitome of ‘socially awkward to the point of it being a disability’.

    • Deathjavu
      Deathjavu
      September 15, 2019 at 11:09 am | #

      These two cannot possibly be the epitome of social awkwardness when Amber, Dina, and Faz still exist.

  31. Ainara
    Ainara
    September 15, 2019 at 2:50 am | #

    Danny!!!! 😀

  32. HMH
    HMH
    September 15, 2019 at 5:17 am | #

    why am i being personally attacked i came here to have a good time

  33. Tualha
    Tualha
    September 15, 2019 at 5:19 am | #

    Grooooan. Thank you so much for getting that stupid song stuck in my head, Willis. It was playing Mozart’s 25th Symphony until then. Going to listen to something else now, drive that pop junk right out.

    Why yes, I am on the spectrum, however did you guess?

  34. Wraithy2773
    Wraithy2773
    September 15, 2019 at 6:17 am | #

    Me regarding Ethan and Danny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJqWPnlEp-Y

  35. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    September 15, 2019 at 6:39 am | #

    Too much thinking. This can be the beginning of something interesting.

  36. JBento
    JBento
    September 15, 2019 at 7:32 am | #

    I feel so called out by this strip.

  37. hof1991
    hof1991
    September 15, 2019 at 8:36 am | #

    Just open Pokémon Go and then notice he’s nearby. Then suggest a trade or team raid.

    But happy to be two dumb dramas away from the evil dads.

  38. Manicorn
    Manicorn
    September 15, 2019 at 10:16 am | #

    I’m in this image and I dont like it.

  39. Cerberus
    Cerberus
    September 15, 2019 at 12:43 pm | #

    Oh no, they’re perfect for each other… in the way all useless queer folk are.

    • Clif
      Clif
      September 15, 2019 at 1:54 pm | #

      Huh. I know a lot of useless folks and probably about 20 or so queer folk, but I don’t actually know any useless queer folks (that I know of). I hadn’t noticed/thought about it till you said that. But probably not a large enough sample to be significant.

      • CJ
        CJ
        September 15, 2019 at 4:34 pm | #

        I think Cerberus means „useless queer folk“ in the sense of people who are oblivious to their mutual attraction to each other.

        Totally different topic: I updated my iPad and now I don’t get to see your avatars any longer. Does anyone know which safety-setting does that?

    • JBento
      JBento
      September 15, 2019 at 6:17 pm | #

      Hi Cerberus, always good to have you drop by. Hope everything’s going well.

  40. Filipe Sá
    Filipe Sá
    September 15, 2019 at 2:55 pm | #

    3 weeks.

    3 weeks to read ALL the dumbing of age (free) content.

    i’m finally free, and i can say, good work my man, you made a real good improvment in your art. 🙂

  41. Terrapin
    Terrapin
    September 15, 2019 at 4:29 pm | #

    These two are so adorable, it just HURTS!!
    Seriously, I have bruises!

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