Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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May 12, 2026

Headed

by David M Willis on February 22, 2021 at 12:01 am
  • 03 – See You in the Funny Page
└ Tags: becky, dina, joyce, ruth

Discussion (214) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    February 22, 2021 at 12:02 am | #

    say you want your femurs extracted, hollowed out, and served to you filled with Pepsi

    idk

    • Casi
      Casi
      February 22, 2021 at 12:14 am | #

      I’m now imagining Ruth making femurs into those half-yard margaritas you can get in lots of touristy areas but are like really big in vegas cuz every casino has their own collectable one lol

      • Casi
        Casi
        February 22, 2021 at 12:14 am | #

        Not a fan of malaya, so lets try the grav roullette!

        • Aydr
          Aydr
          February 22, 2021 at 1:43 am | #

          Nobody is a fan of Malaya.

          • I am Nothing
            I am Nothing
            February 22, 2021 at 2:06 am | #

            I am a fan of Malaya.

            • Jenn
              Jenn
              February 22, 2021 at 2:20 am | #

              Right, but if your username is to be believed, you are nothing, and nothing is nobody, so the facts check out.

              • I am Nothing
                I am Nothing
                February 22, 2021 at 2:30 am | #

                Woah, that’s pretty holistic.

                • Yet_One_More_Idiot
                  Yet_One_More_Idiot
                  February 22, 2021 at 2:17 pm | #

                  I’m reasonably a fan of Malaya as well.

                  …aaaaaaaand I just realised my username isn’t helping my case either. Dangit. xD

          • jflb96
            jflb96
            February 22, 2021 at 7:24 am | #

            I dunno, I feel like even Odysseus has better taste than that.

            • Fist_of_Life
              Fist_of_Life
              February 22, 2021 at 7:35 am | #

              yea, maybe someone that would listen to Cassandra would like Malaya though.

              • jflb96
                jflb96
                February 22, 2021 at 7:44 am | #

                Listening to Cassandra is eminently sensible. More people should listen to Cassandra. Listening to any of her siblings, however, especially that Paris div, not so much.

          • GreyICE
            GreyICE
            February 22, 2021 at 6:08 pm | #

            I am a fan of Malaya. Not because she’s a good person, but because she’s a funny asshole.

      • Blindness
        Blindness
        February 22, 2021 at 12:34 am | #

        …why hasn’t someone done that already as part of a touristy trap tour? That’d be an awesome souvenir!

    • plasticwrap
      plasticwrap
      February 22, 2021 at 1:23 am | #

      Why Pepsi? I mean I prefer Pepsi (but Cherry Coke is better) but just why?

      • Bicycle Bill
        Bicycle Bill
        February 22, 2021 at 1:50 am | #

        Because that’s who Willis signed the product placement agreement with.
        First McDonald’s and the nuggets; then Target; now Pepsi.
        Mama Bear’s, on the other hand, wouldn’t sign, and that’s why it became Galasso’s in the Dumbiverse.  *grin* 

        • milu
          milu
          February 22, 2021 at 6:07 am | #

          ig he had a deal with Chick-Fill-A at some point cos they popped up also =P

          • Harmony
            Harmony
            February 22, 2021 at 8:32 am | #

            I’m guessing that contract was cut though, after they requested Willis turn all the characters into straight hetero-normative Christians who obey racial stereotypes.

          • Ana Chronistic
            Ana Chronistic
            February 22, 2021 at 11:31 pm | #

            and Noodles & Company

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        February 22, 2021 at 2:38 am | #

        So when Ruth finishes harvesting her femurs, she just has to flip the can upside-down so it says “isded”.

        • milu
          milu
          February 22, 2021 at 6:07 am | #

          oooh clever

      • Yet_One_More_Idiot
        Yet_One_More_Idiot
        February 22, 2021 at 2:18 pm | #

        Yes, why Pepsi? Why not, say, Irn Bru instead?

        (It’s “made with real iron girders”! :D)

        • plasticwrap
          plasticwrap
          February 23, 2021 at 10:55 am | #

          Not sure many readers here have ever even heard of Irn-Bru m8

  2. C.T Phipps
    C.T Phipps
    February 22, 2021 at 12:03 am | #

    I kind of like the idea that Becky is utterly unafraid of Ruthless and this bothers the Demon RA.

    • Wagstaff
      Wagstaff
      February 22, 2021 at 12:05 am | #

      She obviously couldn’t be a demon, at least under the supernatural definition.

      It’s probably just the invisible gorilla and a Gestalt effect at work.

      • Wagstaff
        Wagstaff
        February 22, 2021 at 12:05 am | #

        The Invisible Gorilla Effect, just to be clear.

        • milu
          milu
          February 22, 2021 at 6:12 am | #

          i’m not sure how this qualifies as a invisible gorilla effect type of thing. (i’m assuming you refer to that experiment where you’re tasked with counting passes between basketball players in a video, and fail to notice a person in a gorilla costume walking leisurely into the frame and waving before walking out?)

          …anyway more like artistic license?

        • Deanatay
          Deanatay
          February 22, 2021 at 9:46 am | #

          It’s an SEP (“Somebody Else’s Problem”) Field. The gorilla’s not actually invisible, our minds just kind of drop it, because having a gorilla around is just too weird, and it’s Somebody Else’s Problem, so why remember it?

      • Harmony
        Harmony
        February 22, 2021 at 8:35 am | #

        She could, however, be a daemon. Specifically a system daemon. It explains how she can be so directly invoked. This in turn indicates that this is all a simulation. That in turn implies a plot by the head alien.

        • Clif
          Clif
          February 22, 2021 at 10:19 am | #

          Theory confirmed!

    • jeffepp
      jeffepp
      February 22, 2021 at 12:09 am | #

      Their queer ginger powers equal out.

      • dej
        dej
        February 22, 2021 at 12:53 am | #

        Where is carla so we can get the whole band together

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        February 22, 2021 at 9:48 am | #

        Mary: AAAAAAUGH!!! It’s a QUEER WOMAN IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY!!

        Becky: Yesss!!!

        Mary: NO YOU NEED TO BE AFRAID

    • Fart Captor
      Fart Captor
      February 22, 2021 at 12:17 am | #

      Yeah, after dealing with Toedad her whole life, Ruth is a cuddly puppy dog

    • Blindness
      Blindness
      February 22, 2021 at 12:35 am | #

      And the funny part? She would probably respect Becky for that too, even if she has an image to uphold around the others

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        February 22, 2021 at 2:42 am | #

        Like that episode of Recess where Ms. Finster has to babysit Spinelli, and it turns out her playground monitor / drill instructor persona is an act because that’s her job. (They slip an “I have to keep it up, sorry” in the end to restore the status quo, and so episodes could continue to air on shuffle.)

    • 0phidiophile
      0phidiophile
      February 22, 2021 at 2:48 pm | #

      If you don’t look at her, she’s not really there.

  3. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    February 22, 2021 at 12:04 am | #

    Ruth trained under Batman.

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      February 22, 2021 at 2:30 am | #

      I was thinking just that. The whole teleportation thing is an homage to Batman’s Stealth Hi/Bye.

      If you’re curious, look it up on TVTropes. I will not provide a direct link so I can’t be held accountable for lost hours.

    • Lars
      Lars
      February 22, 2021 at 4:16 am | #

      Can Ruthless breathe in space?

  4. Yumi
    Yumi
    February 22, 2021 at 12:05 am | #

    Time for queer redheads to become friends!

    • plasticwrap
      plasticwrap
      February 22, 2021 at 1:18 am | #

      REDHEADS REDHEADS REDHEADS REDHEADS

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        February 22, 2021 at 2:43 am | #

        Watch Rose show up in that class too.

    • Harmony
      Harmony
      February 22, 2021 at 8:40 am | #

      As a trans queer redhead myself, I approve. (Although my mom’s brunette genetics were so strong that my red got darkened to the extreme, to where most people are fooled into thinking its brunette, but technically if you take it to color analysis the color is technically “chocolate cosmo” which is still… just barely… on the red spectrum. Although whenever I bleach my hair, it turns bright red instead of blonde, which allows for some fun color options… and wow I just infodumped myself… please excuse me while I exit stage left… hmm… I’m still here… where’s that ‘post comment’ button? Oh, there it i

      • Harmony
        Harmony
        February 22, 2021 at 8:42 am | #

        … for those curious about the color chocolate cosmo, my profile pic has my actual hair color.

        … I just can’t shut up, apparently.

      • Jhon
        Jhon
        February 22, 2021 at 3:26 pm | #

        I said “chocolate cosmo” and a cat jumped into my lap.

        • chris2315
          chris2315
          February 23, 2021 at 12:22 am | #

          Really? Let me try!

          Chocolate cosmo!

          …

          Dang it…

  5. TaintedSpud
    TaintedSpud
    February 22, 2021 at 12:06 am | #

    I know its popular to hate on Becky… but I’ll never not love her ability to completely no-sell Ruth’s “terror”

    • Fart Captor
      Fart Captor
      February 22, 2021 at 12:15 am | #

      It’s …popular …to hate on BECKY

      How dare

      • BarerMender
        BarerMender
        February 22, 2021 at 12:28 am | #

        I wouldn’t say hate, but I never did like her.

        • Fart Captor
          Fart Captor
          February 22, 2021 at 12:30 am | #

          D:<

        • crow
          crow
          February 22, 2021 at 12:30 am | #

          Becky’s great and all but her pepsi preference is really problematic

          • BarerMender
            BarerMender
            February 22, 2021 at 12:44 am | #

            Seriously. Has the woman never heard of Coke?

            • woobie
              woobie
              February 22, 2021 at 12:59 am | #

              ikr

            • Eclipsa
              Eclipsa
              February 22, 2021 at 3:11 am | #

              Have neither of you heard of Dr Pepper?

              • milu
                milu
                February 22, 2021 at 6:19 am | #

                folks, i really don’t think this is the place to be discussing such a sensitive and contentious issue

                • Fist_of_Life
                  Fist_of_Life
                  February 22, 2021 at 7:38 am | #

                  Glad to see the favorite pop is still a heated argument. No, there is nothing wrong with my previous sentence. Why do you ask?

              • He Who Abides
                He Who Abides
                February 22, 2021 at 7:17 am | #

                When will humanity learn that all other flavors are equally inferior to root beer?

                • Geneseepaws
                  Geneseepaws
                  February 22, 2021 at 7:31 am | #

                  Specifically IBC rootbeer?

                • jflb96
                  jflb96
                  February 22, 2021 at 7:34 am | #

                  When you make root beer that’s worth drinking?

                  Dr. Pepper is bad, Pepsi is bad, Coke is eh at best, the true best flavours of soft drinks are ginger beer and Irn Bru.

              • Secret Stubborn Soda Lover
                Secret Stubborn Soda Lover
                February 22, 2021 at 8:45 am | #

                Plebians. Stubborn Soda is obviously where the true flavor is really at.

                • Needfuldoer
                  Needfuldoer
                  February 22, 2021 at 10:39 am | #

                  No it isn’t. You’ve never had Contrarian, have you.

              • Clif
                Clif
                February 22, 2021 at 10:29 am | #

                Ah. Dr. Pepper. Electrified prune juice of the gods. I miss it on account of being off carbonated softdrinks.

              • OBBWG
                OBBWG
                February 22, 2021 at 12:58 pm | #

                Green River.

              • BarerMender
                BarerMender
                February 22, 2021 at 1:31 pm | #

                Anyone who would drink Dr. Pepper would fuck sheep.

                • Delicious Taffy
                  Delicious Taffy
                  February 22, 2021 at 2:41 pm | #

                  Look, you didn’t have to call me out like this.

                • BarerMender
                  BarerMender
                  February 22, 2021 at 4:31 pm | #

                  Sorry, Delicious Taffy. Pro tip: Watch out for the big ram. He’s mean.

          • RacingTurtle
            RacingTurtle
            February 22, 2021 at 2:50 am | #

            Pepsi is delicious and so is Becky

          • FacelessDeviant
            FacelessDeviant
            February 22, 2021 at 6:46 am | #

            I prefer Cuba Cola. Which is what Swedens own domestic cola is named. For some reason.

            • Harmony
              Harmony
              February 22, 2021 at 8:47 am | #

              Cuba Cola? … huh. I guess they’re trying to sound exotic to Swedish people? Or was it started by a swedish immigrant?

              • Needfuldoer
                Needfuldoer
                February 22, 2021 at 10:41 am | #

                Maybe the cans are square.

              • FacelessDeviant
                FacelessDeviant
                February 23, 2021 at 6:29 am | #

                Yeah, from what I understand, it was the exotic angle.

                I thought it had to do with the drink Cuba Libre which has cola in it, but nope.

      • Blindness
        Blindness
        February 22, 2021 at 12:37 am | #

        well she did earn a lot of flak for her actions towards Dorothy…so yeah, she does have a lot of people disliking her at the moment

      • Spencer
        Spencer
        February 22, 2021 at 5:50 am | #

        I’m kinda teetering on the edge I guess.

        On one hand the most interesting things going on with her were her bullying of Dorothy and her sometimes inability to commit to Dina (there’s this one strip of Becky just, like, entirely walking by Dina’s room without paying it any attention so she can go see Joyce) have either fizzled or don’t seem to be going anywhere despite the years of build up. Dorothy just automatically defuses her after six years of Becky being a turd whenever she’s in her proximity and her fears of Dina were contextualized as entirely down to sexual intimacy issues and not that Becky still has it bad for Joyce and how that’s affecting her relationship with Dina (without actually changing the fact that Becky still absolutely adores Dina). It’s hard to get invested in Becky nowadays where everything she does will have another character pick up the slack for her, so I’m kinda tuning it out.

        On the other hand, despite what I said above, you put Becky and Dina in the same strip and it’s just this magical reaction of character chemistry going off where the two get to bring out the absolute best in each other. It’s probably the best written relationship in DoA just for how it effortlessly skips over all the cliches of how relationship drama is supposed to be written, and instead depicts two people who are endlessly supportive and bring the best out of each other.

        So I’m not crazy for Becky anymore, but I am for Becky/Dina, and Becky spends most of her time with Dina anyway so it all balances out.

        • He Who Abides
          He Who Abides
          February 22, 2021 at 7:23 am | #

          ☝ This, with an added dash of frustration with some commenters who hand-wave away anything annoying she does because she’s gay.

          • Spencer
            Spencer
            February 22, 2021 at 8:10 am | #

            She’s just kinda in the same boat as Sal for me now, although I still like Sal a lot.

            For years what I read into Sal’s character is that she had committed a violent crime as a child out of a desperate longing for affection from her parents then realized she was never going to have it, paid for her crime, and now has to deal with stigma and judgement for the rest of her life. Regardless of reasoning, Sal did something terrible, but she also moved on from it. Whatever Amber herself thought, Sal was a better person now and it would be ridiculous to think otherwise.

            Then it turned out it was all to help Marcie get an operation because her mom literally stole the few hundred bucks Sal had been saving up, because instead of being a character who destroyed her relationship with her child out of racial biases she might not even actively comprehend she just really fucking hates Marcie for being an undocumented immigrant. Then the first robbery was done by a bunch of Sal’s friends, and the second one consists of kicking some stands down while Sal starts crying and lets Ethan go after holding him at knifepoint for like half a second. She was never someone who made a mistake and had to redeem herself, she was just always heroic and other people shit on her life.

            TLDR: I feel it drained the complexity of her character (not to mention it made Amber look like even more of an unreasonable dumbass for her grudge) to the effect of making her more outwardly a heroic figure, but Sal didn’t need to have the world’s most sympathetic motivation for committing armed robbery. Plenty of people commit violent crimes for the wrong reason, but once they pay their debt to society they sure as hell don’t deserve them to be hold over their heads for the rest of their lives.

          • Needfuldoer
            Needfuldoer
            February 22, 2021 at 12:56 pm | #

            She masks the pain by being brash, loud, “fun”, and obnoxious because “nobody likes a Debbie downer”. Unfortunately she tries way too hard and just comes across as obnoxious and rude.

            https://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/04-walking-with-dina/downer/

    • Blindness
      Blindness
      February 22, 2021 at 12:37 am | #

      there’s a lot to dislike about Becky, but there’s some things that you have to respect and admire: her interaction/non-fear of Ruth being just one of them

      • Eclipsa
        Eclipsa
        February 22, 2021 at 3:12 am | #

        I’ll be honest, I mostly just find her obnoxious. I don’t even really hate the way she keeps picking on Dorothy, because I guess to me it comes across as mostly banter.

      • Nono
        Nono
        February 22, 2021 at 4:42 am | #

        You can both like and dislike aspects of a character. I think the only main characters I’ve generally leaned on overall dislike are Walky and Jennifer, and the latter is improving. With Joyce and Becky they depend on the weather.

  6. Nayann Martinelli
    Nayann Martinelli
    February 22, 2021 at 12:11 am | #

    Ruthless’s Terror Aura is so powerful, she can be cloaked in shadows while her glasses shine from an unknown light source.

    • woobie
      woobie
      February 22, 2021 at 1:01 am | #

      like the bespectacled in Sin City?

    • Nazmazh
      Nazmazh
      February 22, 2021 at 1:10 am | #

      I hate when Terror Auras are too large. It makes it hard to work on generators without being paranoid that you’re gonna get yoinked, and I think you get more skill checks when you’re in a killer’s terror radius, although I might be mistaken on that point.

      Sorry, my friend group’s been on a Dead by Daylight kick lately. 😛

      I swear though, I think it’s The Trapper that has that one perk/add-on/whatever that makes it feel like his radius covers half the map and has the skill checks spawning every few seconds. Nothing quite like telling him exactly where you are by flubbing 5 checks in rapid succession.

  7. Jamie
    Jamie
    February 22, 2021 at 12:11 am | #

    I hope you got paid for that product placement.

  8. Cattleprod
    Cattleprod
    February 22, 2021 at 12:12 am | #

    Taking a quick look at the archives for prior Becky and Ruth interactions and Becky having her significant haircut over 5 years ago is weirding me out, like how I think of 20 year old Simpsons episodes as ‘recent’.

  9. Newllend(henryvolt)
    Newllend(henryvolt)
    February 22, 2021 at 12:12 am | #

    Walky was right about someone needing to put a bell on Ruth, she getting to good at that Jason Voorhees Style appearing trick of hers.

    • jflb96
      jflb96
      February 22, 2021 at 7:36 am | #

      Someone needs to try the old trick of standing with their back to a spike-pit or a bear-trap before summoning her.

      • Harmony
        Harmony
        February 22, 2021 at 8:48 am | #

        Or at least a mud puddle. As a semi-realistic college strip, no reason it has to go from zero to grimdark in 1.

        • jflb96
          jflb96
          February 22, 2021 at 9:21 am | #

          I suppose that most people with an Igor are already at at least sterndim.

  10. Suet
    Suet
    February 22, 2021 at 12:12 am | #

    Ah, the joy of “only class today”. Then the agony of a stacked schedule the other day.

    Booyah.

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      February 22, 2021 at 12:17 am | #

      I was usually pretty good at getting down to only two or three class days a week. Sometimes 4. I almost always had Fridays off or only had one class. Once I was there from 9 AM to 9 PM and that was rough but it was the only time I had that problem and the classes were pretty fun. Anything’s possible with a little schedule smithing.

    • Blindness
      Blindness
      February 22, 2021 at 12:44 am | #

      only doable when your classes are extremely easy, like freshman intro/elective classes tend to be.

      The real trick is when it’s advanced classes. It’s hell if it’s sophomore/junior level classes with a lot of reading and writing!

  11. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    February 22, 2021 at 12:13 am | #

    *wonder if he’s already played “Tall Cool One” enough times*

    • Bicycle Bill
      Bicycle Bill
      February 22, 2021 at 1:54 am | #

      Steps up and plays “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” by the Police on the hacked Muzac.

  12. Beau Kirin Maysey
    Beau Kirin Maysey
    February 22, 2021 at 12:13 am | #

    Ruth is sapping away Dina’s power to apparate behind people for herself!

    • BarerMender
      BarerMender
      February 22, 2021 at 12:26 am | #

      We who speak English like to say, “appear.”

      • Cholma
        Cholma
        February 22, 2021 at 12:42 am | #

        I think you mean, “We who are Muggles like to say “appear.”” And *I* say; Speak for yourself! 😀

        • BarerMender
          BarerMender
          February 22, 2021 at 12:45 am | #

          Muggles? Do you claim to be something other?

          • Cholma
            Cholma
            February 22, 2021 at 12:54 am | #

            I identify as a “Meat Popsicle”, but I meant speak for yourself concerning “appear” over “apparate”. 😀

            • BarerMender
              BarerMender
              February 22, 2021 at 1:33 am | #

              I speak for the English-speaking world. “Apparate” is an abomination on the language.

              • Giguioto
                Giguioto
                February 22, 2021 at 4:53 am | #

                Saying that with Ruth’s gravatar is so spot on v:

              • Clif
                Clif
                February 22, 2021 at 10:37 am | #

                There are many ways to appear. Apparate is more specific.

                • BarerMender
                  BarerMender
                  February 22, 2021 at 1:34 pm | #

                  Apparate is more made up, probably by someone with no shame.

          • drs
            drs
            February 22, 2021 at 2:20 am | #

            I am a skeleton wearing a meat suit.

            • jflb96
              jflb96
              February 22, 2021 at 9:22 am | #

              I am a cloud of lightning in a skeleton that’s wearing a meat suit.

              • Clif
                Clif
                February 22, 2021 at 10:40 am | #

                I am a mostly inaccurate self-model of software that runs in a cloud of lighting in a skeleton that’s wearing a meat suit.

    • Deanatay
      Deanatay
      February 22, 2021 at 9:56 am | #

      Dina’s fine, her teleportation powers require a specific focus (namely, doors). This makes the power much harder to steal. Ruth’s power is quite different – she can only instantly appear behind people who might fear her.

      • Deanatay
        Deanatay
        February 22, 2021 at 9:58 am | #

        Ruth’s powers also use a unique focus – the Toronto Leafs symbol – and NOBODY wants to steal THAT from her.

  13. Fart Captor
    Fart Captor
    February 22, 2021 at 12:14 am | #

    I’m VIBRATING from anticipation. Becky taking Leslie’s class was gonna be delightful enough, but I have NO IDEA how it’s gonna go down with Ruth being there too, so I CANNOT WAIT

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      February 22, 2021 at 12:19 am | #

      It’s nice to see you commenting back on the main page! It was nice seeing you on patreon too but I missed you here. XD

      • Fart Captor
        Fart Captor
        February 22, 2021 at 12:28 am | #

        Aww ^_^

      • zee
        zee
        February 22, 2021 at 12:02 pm | #

        I missed you in the sea of irrationally intense becky hate (╥﹏╥)

    • Rabid Rabbit
      Rabid Rabbit
      February 22, 2021 at 1:53 am | #

      Goddammit, Other Jacob, leave Fart Captor alone.

    • Giguioto
      Giguioto
      February 22, 2021 at 4:55 am | #

      I think we know where Ruth will open up about her and Jennifer’s break up

  14. Raen
    Raen
    February 22, 2021 at 12:15 am | #

    An ushanka? And here I wouldn’t have thought Ruth would be caught dead in any winter hat but a toque…

    • Rabid Rabbit
      Rabid Rabbit
      February 22, 2021 at 1:54 am | #

      As the Canadian owner of a Canadian-made ushanka, I say “feh!” to you.

    • Eldritchy
      Eldritchy
      February 22, 2021 at 10:16 am | #

      Slav engineering reigns supreme!

  15. BBCC
    BBCC
    February 22, 2021 at 12:15 am | #

    Ohhhhhh, yes, yes, I want a whole book of just this class.

    I love Ruth.

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      February 22, 2021 at 12:17 am | #

      Okay, okay, I kept Carla for long enough. New grav roulette!

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        February 22, 2021 at 12:18 am | #

        *tired sigh* No.

        • Sirksome
          Sirksome
          February 22, 2021 at 12:25 am | #

          Okay I’m gonna try a reroll now. I think it will work this time cause I flubbed my email the last two times if not then I just give up!

          • Sirksome
            Sirksome
            February 22, 2021 at 12:27 am | #

            Oh’ it’s Booster. I don’t care for Booster. They’re okay but Sarah’s better.

            • Clif
              Clif
              February 22, 2021 at 11:46 pm | #

              Well, if we’re going to roulette, let’s see what we get.

              • Clif
                Clif
                February 22, 2021 at 11:46 pm | #

                Spinning

                • Clif
                  Clif
                  February 22, 2021 at 11:48 pm | #

                  Not stopping there.

                • Clif
                  Clif
                  February 22, 2021 at 11:53 pm | #

                  Walky’s not bad.

                  This time around I’m taking notes with the eventual goal of being able to fit the avatar to the comment.

    • BarerMender
      BarerMender
      February 22, 2021 at 12:22 am | #

      Absolutely love Ruth.

    • Regalli
      Regalli
      February 22, 2021 at 12:29 am | #

      It’s gonna be SO FUN.

  16. Proto_Eevee
    Proto_Eevee
    February 22, 2021 at 12:16 am | #

    I’m just realizing we haven’t seen ethan since https://www.dumbingofage.com/2020/comic/book-10/04-is-a-song-forever/into/ what’s up with that?

    • JessWitt
      JessWitt
      February 22, 2021 at 12:31 am | #

      He might be taking a few weeks off – or a semester – at home to cope with Mike’s death.

      • Proto_Eevee
        Proto_Eevee
        February 22, 2021 at 12:38 am | #

        I doubt it’ll be a semester, at the rate this comic goes, that’d be like killing him off

      • Blindness
        Blindness
        February 22, 2021 at 12:50 am | #

        it’s only been two days in-universe, he’s likely around but there’s little left IMHO that can be done unless Willis does an actual relationship angle for him as part of his coping with Mike’s death.

        • Harmony
          Harmony
          February 22, 2021 at 8:52 am | #

          Is it seriously just two days?!?

          • King Daniel
            King Daniel
            February 22, 2021 at 9:05 am | #

            Since the beginning of the new semester? Yeah.

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      February 22, 2021 at 1:03 am | #

      is a mystery

      his roomie is similarly absent

    • Nazmazh
      Nazmazh
      February 22, 2021 at 1:11 am | #

      I mean, he also wasn’t part of the shadowed-out group shot, IIRC. So, that might also indicate something.

      • Devin
        Devin
        February 22, 2021 at 2:32 am | #

        Hard to say. I think that was main cast only. Might just mean he’s demoted to supporting cast.

      • BarerMender
        BarerMender
        February 22, 2021 at 1:38 pm | #

        I wonder if Ethan is living in the rooms where all fear to tread.

    • Spencer
      Spencer
      February 22, 2021 at 5:55 am | #

      I’ll give it another story arc or two before I panic. Ethan was never that important a character, and the last words on him were that Amber was giving him space and he and Danny had a huge fight.

      When he comes back he’ll be a changed person, I think.

      • JBento
        JBento
        February 22, 2021 at 6:52 am | #

        Ethan’s gonna come back as an emo goth.

        • Spencer
          Spencer
          February 22, 2021 at 7:50 am | #

          He should come back as a toy store employee.

          • Harmony
            Harmony
            February 22, 2021 at 8:52 am | #

            That Glasso is now running.

            • RassilonTDavros
              RassilonTDavros
              February 22, 2021 at 9:15 am | #

              We haven’t seen Galasso since the time skip, so… maybe?

  17. King Daniel
    King Daniel
    February 22, 2021 at 12:19 am | #

    Uh oh, Ruth’s entered the Avatar State

    • King Daniel
      King Daniel
      February 22, 2021 at 12:20 am | #

      Aaand that’s the grav I had yesterday.

    • RassilonTDavros
      RassilonTDavros
      February 22, 2021 at 12:52 am | #

      Everything changed when the Femur Nation attacked.

      • milu
        milu
        February 22, 2021 at 6:31 am | #

        (to the tune of Also Sprach Zarathustra)

  18. NinjaNick
    NinjaNick
    February 22, 2021 at 12:21 am | #

    Are you ladies feeling the euphoria…or a draft?

  19. Yup
    Yup
    February 22, 2021 at 12:23 am | #

    I think the coolest part here is being able to summon Ruth.

    • JessWitt
      JessWitt
      February 22, 2021 at 12:32 am | #

      Indiana University’s own Bloody Mary. Mirrors not required.

      • RassilonTDavros
        RassilonTDavros
        February 22, 2021 at 12:49 am | #

        Ehh, IU already has one Mary too many.

        • Eldritchy
          Eldritchy
          February 22, 2021 at 10:12 am | #

          Nothing is stopping Ruth from eating her, Femurs and all and taking her position, just saying.

          • Delicious Taffy
            Delicious Taffy
            February 22, 2021 at 2:05 pm | #

            You’re 100% right and I will defend this point like an overzealous D.Va player.

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      February 22, 2021 at 2:04 pm | #

      Becky has Junctioned the Guardian Forces Dina and Ruth. They’re both bone-adjacent, so it works out.

      …except now I wanna put these kids into a Final Fantasy-esque AU and see what happens.

      • Delicious Taffy
        Delicious Taffy
        February 22, 2021 at 5:37 pm | #

        Ya know what, fuck it. They’re at a school, a lot of them have intertwined backstories, the adults they deal with are largely to blame for their problems, plenty of them can handle a fight, a card game was prominently featured at least twice. It all fits together. Gimme 73 hours and 46 minutes.

      • He Who Abides
        He Who Abides
        February 22, 2021 at 5:44 pm | #

        That’d be sweet.

      • Spencer
        Spencer
        February 22, 2021 at 5:46 pm | #

        Cecil being convinced of his own righteousness by an evil authority figure that lead him to eventually cause pain and suffering wherever he went, leading him on a quest for redemption and self acceptance, does kinda map onto Joyce.

  20. BarerMender
    BarerMender
    February 22, 2021 at 12:23 am | #

    I was wondering what was up with the Star of David, but no, it’s a maple leaf.

    • Demoted Oblivious
      Demoted Oblivious
      February 22, 2021 at 12:37 am | #

      Yeah, but it’s a Toronto Maple Leaf, which is why it’s a bit crap.

      • BarerMender
        BarerMender
        February 22, 2021 at 12:46 am | #

        Fuckin’ Toronto. You call that a hockey team?

        • Bicycle Bill
          Bicycle Bill
          February 22, 2021 at 2:00 am | #

          I’d rather see a poor hockey team from the Great White North than a good team from some warm-weather place like Florida or California, where the only ice they normally see is in their drinks.

          • drs
            drs
            February 22, 2021 at 2:22 am | #

            Commercial ice-making took off during the American Civil War, when the South couldn’t import New England ice and had to turn to French machinery.

          • BarerMender
            BarerMender
            February 22, 2021 at 1:41 pm | #

            To tell the truth, I barely know a hockey team from a hole in the round.

            • Delicious Taffy
              Delicious Taffy
              February 22, 2021 at 2:08 pm | #

              I’m from Illinois, so I can tell you all of them. See, you’ve got the Blues, the Mighty Ducks, and then whatever else.

              • BarerMender
                BarerMender
                February 22, 2021 at 4:33 pm | #

                Duly noted. Storing up insults for all those others.

  21. chris2315
    chris2315
    February 22, 2021 at 12:35 am | #

    Best I can do is a Coke.

    • woobie
      woobie
      February 22, 2021 at 1:06 am | #

      Which is the best anyone can do.

      • RassilonTDavros
        RassilonTDavros
        February 22, 2021 at 9:17 am | #

        I hope you have no regrets about that joke.

  22. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    February 22, 2021 at 12:37 am | #

    The Ginger Powers.

  23. electriccombines
    electriccombines
    February 22, 2021 at 12:38 am | #

    PEPSIMAAAN (except it’s Ruth)

    • Minim
      Minim
      February 22, 2021 at 6:37 am | #

      Maybe Pepsiman is Ruth’s alter ego… Probably not but I think she would find joy in going to a catastrophic event just to give Pepsi out and literally nothing else.

      • Delicious Taffy
        Delicious Taffy
        February 22, 2021 at 2:10 pm | #

        Just like Ted Cruz these days, amirite? Heyoooo, our government is trying to kill us!

  24. Cholma
    Cholma
    February 22, 2021 at 12:43 am | #

    All she wanted was a Pepsi; just one Pepsi!

  25. Thag Simmons
    Thag Simmons
    February 22, 2021 at 12:43 am | #

    I think that might be peak Ruthless

    • Eldritchy
      Eldritchy
      February 22, 2021 at 3:22 am | #

      She is slowly but surely evolving into a proper Horro Movie monster.

      • Harmony
        Harmony
        February 22, 2021 at 8:53 am | #

        Which is, of course, what she’s majoring in.

  26. Bagge
    Bagge
    February 22, 2021 at 12:47 am | #

    Plenty of time for Dina and Joyce to discuss science

  27. RassilonTDavros
    RassilonTDavros
    February 22, 2021 at 12:48 am | #

    Oh, I am definitely looking forward to more Becky and Ruth interactions, especially in light of Becky’s “from one orphan to another” line in the 09/21/20 strip. They have a fair amount in common, and I’m really hoping that we get more of their backstories— as of yet we know nothing about Ruth’s parents (apart from what Clint says, and he’s a lying abuser) and very little about Bonnie beyond her suicide.

    I’m looking forward to seeing what Ruth and Leslie’s character dynamic will be like, since unless it happened in a Patreon strip I don’t think they’ve ever interacted at all. I’m not sure Ruth has ever really had a positive role model in her life, so I’m thinking meeting Leslie will probably be a really good thing for her.

  28. Tawnee
    Tawnee
    February 22, 2021 at 1:09 am | #

    Are those glasses similar to Dale from QC’s pair?

    • milu
      milu
      February 22, 2021 at 6:34 am | #

      he got the NerdView model, Ruth went for the EvilEye version

  29. plasticwrap
    plasticwrap
    February 22, 2021 at 1:16 am | #

    Glad to see Ruthie again.

  30. Council
    Council
    February 22, 2021 at 1:23 am | #

    I’ll just say it is appreciated and expected Becky is a pepsi kinda person.

  31. Nono
    Nono
    February 22, 2021 at 1:55 am | #

    Is it normal for third years to take first year subjects? Ruth is third year, right?

    • Bicycle Bill
      Bicycle Bill
      February 22, 2021 at 2:03 am | #

      Sometimes the course is a requirement — like computer science was at my old college — and fills up so fast that people who do not need it as a rre-req for their major end up taking it during 3rd year.

    • drs
      drs
      February 22, 2021 at 2:27 am | #

      I thought of her as second-year, but can’t easily find any evidence (cast page, wiki.) Intro Gender Studies seems like it would be an elective untied to a particular year, unless you’re majoring in the subject.

      • Rainhat
        Rainhat
        February 22, 2021 at 2:56 am | #

        Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Leslie’s class is the gut class version of Gender Studies. Like the equivalent of “rocks for jocks” vs geology or “math for poets” vs being a math major. It seems to consist mainly of talking with other students (who might take over the class for a while) rather than anything rigorous.

        Also, I’m glad they showed at least one prof that Becky doesn’t have a personal relationship with. I mean, yes, she was involved in some high profile events but that doesn’t mean she majors in Professors I Know from here on out.

        • misanthropope
          misanthropope
          February 22, 2021 at 11:01 am | #

          “math for poets”? there isn’t any other kind of math.

        • BBCC
          BBCC
          February 22, 2021 at 1:27 pm | #

          Roz was in the class and she’s a gender studies major.

          • BBCC
            BBCC
            February 22, 2021 at 11:09 pm | #

            Also, class discussions occupied a good chunk of all my university classes, including grad school. Heck, some of my grad school classes had about an hour or so devoted to talking about the readings or lecture. Those talks were usually a bit more structured, with the teacher asking questions.

            • Rainhat
              Rainhat
              February 23, 2021 at 12:26 am | #

              Exactly. Yours are structured. Leslie’s? Not so much.

      • Nono
        Nono
        February 22, 2021 at 3:05 am | #

        This is at least Ruth’s second year as RA, and they don’t usually allow freshmen to do it.

        • milu
          milu
          February 22, 2021 at 7:26 am | #

          she’s apparently a “junior” (see announcement below this comic). I’m not an american so idk what this means exactly, but quoth Merriam-Webster: “a student in the next-to-the-last year before graduating from an educational institution”. what’s that, 4th year? someone pick it up from here.

          • Nono
            Nono
            February 22, 2021 at 8:33 am | #

            Most courses are generally 4 years in the US I believe, so yeah that would make her a third year.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          February 22, 2021 at 9:30 am | #

          I’d thought that too, but it’s only her first year as RA.

          She is still a junior though – 3rd year.
          Traditionally: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior.

  32. Eldritchy
    Eldritchy
    February 22, 2021 at 3:20 am | #

    Speak “Femurs” three times and she’ll appear right behind you.

    • Ray Radlein
      Ray Radlein
      February 22, 2021 at 4:12 am | #

      “Speak Femur and Enter”

      • Eldritchy
        Eldritchy
        February 22, 2021 at 4:34 am | #

        But Enter What? Her Femur Shed.mov?

        • Delicious Taffy
          Delicious Taffy
          February 22, 2021 at 2:14 pm | #

          “Swag.”

          • Eldritchy
            Eldritchy
            February 22, 2021 at 3:42 pm | #

            [finger guns]

  33. Keulen
    Keulen
    February 22, 2021 at 4:00 am | #

    Did Ruth just develop teleportation powers?

    • Slartibeast Button, BIA
      Slartibeast Button, BIA
      February 22, 2021 at 4:35 am | #

      No, cold weather camouflage powers.

      • Harmony
        Harmony
        February 22, 2021 at 8:54 am | #

        The associated teleportation is just a power stunt.

      • Spencer
        Spencer
        February 22, 2021 at 9:22 am | #

        It is a special technique ancient Canadians developed when hunting bears.

  34. Keulen
    Keulen
    February 22, 2021 at 4:04 am | #

    Dumbing of Age Book 11: With Me, There Is No Escape

  35. Romanticide
    Romanticide
    February 22, 2021 at 4:09 am | #

    There is a way Becky, is “asking nicely with anticipation”

  36. Sombrero
    Sombrero
    February 22, 2021 at 5:31 am | #

    Ruth’s glasses are giving me serious “Get into the f****** Gender Studies class” vibes. Not that Becky is not willing, but still.

  37. Deanatay
    Deanatay
    February 22, 2021 at 10:03 am | #

    Or or OR

    Even better

    A glass, properly chilled, with ice, and the Pepsi already decanted into it! And a straw!!

    Nah still a Pepsi it’s ruined

  38. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    February 22, 2021 at 10:15 am | #

    YAY! STUDYBUDDIES!!!!

  39. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    February 22, 2021 at 10:21 am | #

    Ruthless would drink it tho

    • Arch
      Arch
      February 22, 2021 at 9:15 pm | #

      She never said it had to be a full pepsi.

  40. Opus the Poet
    Opus the Poet
    February 22, 2021 at 10:00 pm | #

    Is it just me or does Willis’ depiction of a ‘Leafs’ fan jacket look way too much like the Israeli’ Winter Olympic team jacket?

  41. me
    me
    February 22, 2021 at 10:06 pm | #

    “Whose woods these are, I think I know,” I do not want a Pepsi, though. Make it a DR. Pepper…..

  42. Mr. Random
    Mr. Random
    February 22, 2021 at 11:39 pm | #

    I like how she “No Sells” Ruth’s menace.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      February 22, 2021 at 11:51 pm | #

      It probably helps she has been all the shit she went through with Ross. After that, this has to feel like easy mode.

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