Dumbing of Age Book Fourteen

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
RSS
‹
›
  • Home
  • About/Read before posting
  • Archive
    • by calendar
  • Cast
  • Store
    • Main Store (books and stuff)
    • T-shirts
  • Patreon
    • Patreon (regular)
    • Patreon (NSFW)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
*print edition of the ids fading away like that photo of marty mcfly*
First Previous Random 401Comments Share Next Latest
Reddit Digg Facebook MySpace Delicious Stumbleupon Buzz Up! Mixx Technorati Google Bookmarks Yahoo Bookmarks Yahoo MyWeb Windows Live Propeller FriendFeed Newsvine Xanga LinkedIn Blinklist Twitter


BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

October 2, 2026

Not a sock

by David M Willis on October 18, 2025 at 12:01 am
  • 01 – Not-So Smooth Criminals
└ Tags: dorothy, jocelyne, joyce, ruth, sarah

Discussion (401) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. QueenofSodor
    QueenofSodor
    October 18, 2025 at 12:01 am | #

    i hope jakey dies

    • dorothy keener's left doinker
      dorothy keener's left doinker
      October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

      i hope jakey dies

      • IntangibleMatter
        IntangibleMatter
        October 18, 2025 at 12:17 am | #

        i hope jakey dies

      • Steamweed
        Steamweed
        October 18, 2025 at 7:40 am | #

        How many doinkers does Dorothy Keener have?

    • MeghanTheDreamCrusher
      MeghanTheDreamCrusher
      October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

      i jake hopey dies

      • eh, whatever
        eh, whatever
        October 18, 2025 at 5:52 am | #

        name checks out

    • Cholma
      Cholma
      October 18, 2025 at 12:09 am | #

      I don’t get the “jakey” ref. What pairing is this? There’s no K in Joyce, Dorothy, Joe, Sarah, or Ruth.

      • AntithesisConundrum
        AntithesisConundrum
        October 18, 2025 at 12:19 am | #

        TUMBLR POST
        poster 1: I wish these people were oppressed *image of tall calm boyfriend & short anxous girlfriend who can’t order her own food with a :3 face*
        poster 2: stop tagging this shit like “me and jakey!!!! 🥺”
        poster 3: MASSIVE photo of tags: “#i hope jakey dies”

        • Cholma
          Cholma
          October 18, 2025 at 1:31 am | #

          “Domo arigato, posters roboto”

        • maneyan
          maneyan
          October 18, 2025 at 11:56 am | #

          Uuuuh so I accidentally clicked “report comment” on your comment. Many apologies, wasn’t intended.

          • Taffy
            Taffy
            October 18, 2025 at 8:42 pm | #

            I reported you just for the thrill. 🔪 Live with the consequences hanging over your head.

            (There aren’t any, I just wanted to be mischievous for a change)

          • Cattleprod
            Cattleprod
            October 18, 2025 at 11:56 pm | #

            There’s apparently a really high report threshold for exactly that reason. A genuinely bad post will get a lot of reports.

      • QueenofSodor
        QueenofSodor
        October 18, 2025 at 12:19 am | #

        i’m referencing a tumblr post lol

        • QueenofSodor
          QueenofSodor
          October 18, 2025 at 12:20 am | #

          oh dangit i waffled on wording so long i was beaten to the punch lmao

          • Steamweed
            Steamweed
            October 18, 2025 at 7:42 am | #

            Between the witching hour of midnight and the striking of the one bell, lo, does proceed that race to the finish line.

        • UrsulaDavina
          UrsulaDavina
          October 18, 2025 at 12:33 am | #

          Thank you for providing context i also accidentally hit report . Sorry about that.

        • kotarisu
          kotarisu
          October 18, 2025 at 1:01 am | #

          And here I was wondering who would want Congressman Jake Manley dead.

        • Amós Batista
          Amós Batista
          October 18, 2025 at 1:40 am | #

          Thanks. I thought Willis invented this phrase.

        • ValdVin
          ValdVin
          October 18, 2025 at 6:51 am | #

          One more thanks for the origin of Jakey.

          Odd miss for me, as I am aware of all internet tradituons.

      • Stormtide Leviathan
        Stormtide Leviathan
        October 18, 2025 at 12:20 am | #

        It’s not a derivation of any character in the comic, it’s just a phrase from a tumblr(?) post, with jakey being someone’s boyfriend you don’t like

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      October 18, 2025 at 1:38 am | #

      Look, I was trying to make peace with the people that were hurt here, and you have the audacity to be the first comment?!

      How I’ll tell my boss? My mom? I’ll be always the Sicko.

      Kappa

    • Paradoxius
      Paradoxius
      October 18, 2025 at 5:59 am | #

      I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Joyce should kick Joe off a bridge #kickjoeoffabridge

  2. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    October 18, 2025 at 12:01 am | #

    I’m sure if you just give him a cυck chair, he won’t feel that poor at all

    • Mari
      Mari
      October 18, 2025 at 12:09 am | #

      🤭

    • zaratustra
      zaratustra
      October 18, 2025 at 5:06 am | #

      since it’s a bunk bed it’s gonna need to be like a coast guard chair

      • Felian
        Felian
        October 18, 2025 at 3:35 pm | #

        what a fun mental image 😀

    • Steamweed
      Steamweed
      October 18, 2025 at 7:44 am | #

      Since (probably) neither Dorothy nor Joyce know how to do certain f2f activities, Joe might provide coaching.

  3. NGPZ
    NGPZ
    October 18, 2025 at 12:01 am | #

    there’s always poly ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    will hold out for Joyce X Dorothy X Joe until the end of time dammit! D:<

    • Donovan
      Donovan
      October 18, 2025 at 12:32 am | #

      I dunno someone yesterday raised the intriguing joe x danny x sal triad.

      • segnosaur
        segnosaur
        October 18, 2025 at 12:40 am | #

        I doubt joe x danny x sal would work.

        Joe might be attracted to sal, but I cannot see things reciprocated. (I think she genuinely likes being Danny’s girlfriend, and I she hasn’t shown any real interest in Joe.)

        • AK
          AK
          October 18, 2025 at 1:13 am | #

          Sal has explicitly stated that she is not interested in polyamory.

          • Donovan
            Donovan
            October 18, 2025 at 1:20 am | #

            *rips up my fanfic and storms off in a huff*

            • SarahTerra
              SarahTerra
              October 18, 2025 at 1:34 am | #

              *Amber taping it back together in the sewers like she’s Penguin*

              • Mr D
                Mr D
                October 18, 2025 at 2:49 am | #

                (Laughing in penguin noises)

                • HMRC4EVR
                  HMRC4EVR
                  October 18, 2025 at 5:44 am | #

                  *hears this in Burgess Meredith*

                • Steamweed
                  Steamweed
                  October 18, 2025 at 7:45 am | #

                  Meredith, the first, the best, the only Penguin.

          • Nono
            Nono
            October 18, 2025 at 6:29 am | #

            She’s also very straight, sorry for the SalxMarcie fans.

            • Steamweed
              Steamweed
              October 18, 2025 at 7:45 am | #

              “For now.” The ancient credo of fanfic. “For now.”

              • Astariel
                Astariel
                October 18, 2025 at 3:27 pm | #

                Willis has joked(?) a couple of times on social media that the only straight member of the cast is Roz.

          • Big Z
            Big Z
            October 18, 2025 at 7:47 am | #

            Joyce has at a couple of points stated she wasn’t attracted to women, too, and we see how THAT turned out.

            • John Campbell
              John Campbell
              October 18, 2025 at 8:14 pm | #

              She’s not attracted to women. She’s just attracted to Dorothy.

              And Sal. And Billie. And Rachel. And Grace. And Mandy. And Alice. And… hell, let’s just call it “everyone but Becky”.

              Sorry, Becky.

        • QueenofSodor
          QueenofSodor
          October 18, 2025 at 12:30 pm | #

          i think a Joe/Danny/Sal poly situation would only work if it was a hinge arrangement wherein Danny is the hinge

      • ValdVin
        ValdVin
        October 18, 2025 at 6:53 am | #

        Wait, any Joe and Danny (plus perhaps more) scenario must have room for the dragon.

    • Dragon
      Dragon
      October 18, 2025 at 2:08 am | #

      I’m hoping for poly as well (and Joe has all but said that’s what he wants) but ironically, I think *Dorothy* is the one least likely to be able to handle it maturely. Of the three, she’s the one that’s most directly expressed jealousy of one of the others having a partner.

      Now, don’t get me wrong, I think Dorothy is the most likely to *lie to herself* about being mature enough to handle the jealousy from being in a poly relationship, because being the “mature one” is so core to her identity.

      So I think she’s going to end up suppressing/hiding her jealousy, which is a *terrible* idea (and I know that from personally experiencing the fallout of someone making that poor choice).

      • Bleeple Deeple Dew
        Bleeple Deeple Dew
        October 18, 2025 at 6:08 am | #

        Simultaneously, Joe’s pretty clear self-hate might make him suppress the same or be the one to step out, under the impression he “deserves this” or to make amends for “ruining” Joyce.
        We still haven’t really explored the comparisons Joe drew to Joyce during Sarah’s sister arc.

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        October 18, 2025 at 10:19 am | #

        In theory, I suspect Joyce might have issues with jealousy in a poly relationship. See for example her interactions with Walky.
        In this hypothetical though, she’d be the hinge between Joe and Dorothy, so she’d have nothing to be jealous of. She gets both of the people she wants. They share her, but she doesn’t have to share either of them.

      • Dot
        Dot
        October 18, 2025 at 12:49 pm | #

        I’ve been saying from the start that Dorothy is the tension point of any poly dynamic between the three.

    • Kyulen
      Kyulen
      October 18, 2025 at 2:23 am | #

      It seems very unlikely to me. Joyce’s actions lately haven’t given me any reason to believe she wants a poly relationship with Joe. She seems to just want Dorothy. And I give their history, I doubt Dorothy would want a poly relationship with Joe in particular.

      • Adeptus
        Adeptus
        October 18, 2025 at 3:20 am | #

        There has been plenty, but you seem to dismiss it.

      • John Campbell
        John Campbell
        October 18, 2025 at 4:33 am | #

        Yes, there is absolutely nothing to suggest that Joyce might want both Dorothy and Joe.

        • KayBee
          KayBee
          October 18, 2025 at 8:15 am | #

          Yep, certainly nothing in this sequence would suggest that’s exactly what Joyce has been thinking about most of the day. 🙂

      • eh, whatever
        eh, whatever
        October 18, 2025 at 6:06 am | #

        That’s only true if by “lately” you mean “in the last three hours in-universe”.

  4. Pocky
    Pocky
    October 18, 2025 at 12:02 am | #

    So they want a sock with that photo stitched in?

    • Animedingo
      Animedingo
      October 18, 2025 at 12:08 am | #

      Joe x joyce x dorothy x walky

      In that order

      • Clif
        Clif
        October 18, 2025 at 1:36 am | #

        Yes! Joe x Joyce x Dorothy x Walky x Amber even better.

        Too much is never enough.

        • deliverything
          deliverything
          October 18, 2025 at 4:55 am | #

          A previous time this was being discussed, someone mentioned the intriguing addition of an Amazi-Girl+Danny+Sal triad, which could cause issues when Sal and Walky realise they each have a girlfriend timesharing a body with a sibling’s girlfriend.

          I’m not sure what sort of mess would result, but I’d like to find out.

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:38 am | #

      Sheet cake for their anniversary?

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      October 18, 2025 at 1:26 am | #

      don’t give ideas to Joyce, she’s the type that will buy this

  5. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    October 18, 2025 at 12:02 am | #

    Don’t trust socks.

    • anon
      anon
      October 18, 2025 at 12:32 am | #

      lol it is quite the flex but considering they locked the door wouldn’t be a need other than to stop others from knocking

      • Nymph
        Nymph
        October 18, 2025 at 9:03 am | #

        It stops Saeah from using her key to come in.

        • Nymph
          Nymph
          October 18, 2025 at 9:04 am | #

          Sarah*

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      October 18, 2025 at 10:31 am | #

      Don’t trust socks, but do respect them.

  6. Wack'd
    Wack'd
    October 18, 2025 at 12:02 am | #

    i hope jakey dies

    • 3oranges
      3oranges
      October 18, 2025 at 1:27 am | #

      Hippocleides doesn’t care

  7. Dot
    Dot
    October 18, 2025 at 12:02 am | #

    It does feel a little excessive

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:03 am | #

      Good for them although based on my own experience in college I expect this will get very obnoxious very quickly to everyone on the floor

  8. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    October 18, 2025 at 12:02 am | #

    Damn I can’t believe Sarah’s a DOA commenter!

    • Donovan
      Donovan
      October 18, 2025 at 12:04 am | #

      Brother. I am braced.

    • thenamelesssamurai
      thenamelesssamurai
      October 18, 2025 at 12:04 am | #

      Okay, I spit out my drink laughing. I needed that

    • thenamelesssamurai
      thenamelesssamurai
      October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

      Not the spitting out the drink, just the laughing.

      • Yumi
        Yumi
        October 18, 2025 at 12:11 am | #

        No, you needed to spit out the drink, too. That particular sip. Yoto just saved your life.

        • Clif
          Clif
          October 18, 2025 at 1:41 am | #

          Henceforth and ever after, this night well be known as the time Yoto saved thenamelesssamurai’s life.

          • FacelessDeviant
            FacelessDeviant
            October 18, 2025 at 4:47 am | #

            I assume that his new holiday is celebrated with cake?

          • thenamelesssamurai
            thenamelesssamurai
            October 18, 2025 at 3:14 pm | #

            You know you what, I can live with that. That’s canon now.

    • Mewzard
      Mewzard
      October 18, 2025 at 12:07 am | #

      While Joyce/Dorothy has been my over decade long ship…that comment made me laugh Yoto, I can’t lie.

    • The Big One
      The Big One
      October 18, 2025 at 12:27 am | #

      Honestly that’s, like, the best assessment of her character now lmao

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      October 18, 2025 at 10:32 am | #

      So, is Willis a true prophetic genius or are we just that predictable?

  9. Donovan
    Donovan
    October 18, 2025 at 12:02 am | #

    Oh, no.

    • RASSILONTDAVROS
      RASSILONTDAVROS
      October 18, 2025 at 12:10 am | #

      Oh, yes!

      (best read in the voice of Jack Sheldon)

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        October 18, 2025 at 12:15 am | #

        Oh no

        (best read in the voice of Knuckles from Sonic Adventure)

        • Alexander Krizak
          Alexander Krizak
          October 18, 2025 at 12:28 am | #

          OH YEAH!

          (best read in the voice of the Kool-Aid Man)

          • Leorale
            Leorale
            October 18, 2025 at 1:04 am | #

            Oh my!

            (best read in the voice of George Takei)

            • Yotomoe
              Yotomoe
              October 18, 2025 at 1:14 am | #

              Oh Kay!

              (best read in the voice of Ness)

            • jeffepp
              jeffepp
              October 18, 2025 at 1:22 am | #

              Hey OH!

              (Best read in the voice of Ed McMahon)

              • FacelessDeviant
                FacelessDeviant
                October 18, 2025 at 4:53 am | #

                Oooh yeah!

                (best read in the voice of Macho Man Randy Savage

                • Yotomoe
                  Yotomoe
                  October 18, 2025 at 1:36 pm | #

                  OHHH YES

                  (best read in the voice of Metaton

                • StClair
                  StClair
                  October 18, 2025 at 4:43 pm | #

                  YES!

                  (best read in the voice of Megatron (BW)

            • Steamweed
              Steamweed
              October 18, 2025 at 7:47 am | #

              Best response of all.

        • Amós Batista
          Amós Batista
          October 18, 2025 at 1:43 am | #

          Is it on the game?

    • UrsulaDavina
      UrsulaDavina
      October 18, 2025 at 12:35 am | #

      Oh hey Mark!

      • OngoingConversation
        OngoingConversation
        October 18, 2025 at 2:10 am | #

        I’m swamped.

  10. Cmasta1992
    Cmasta1992
    October 18, 2025 at 12:03 am | #

    Don’t worry Sarah, you’ll be over it in a couple of days (couple months irl)

  11. AbacusWizard
    AbacusWizard
    October 18, 2025 at 12:03 am | #

    A sock is a helpful warning.

    A front-page newspaper photo of yourselves making out is *bragging*.

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:04 am | #

      They’re within their rights to brag, of course, it’s just very annoying behavior lol

      • AbacusWizard
        AbacusWizard
        October 18, 2025 at 3:46 pm | #

        Oh, yeah, I’m not complaining. Brag away, you two, you’ve earned it!

    • anon
      anon
      October 18, 2025 at 12:33 am | #

      might as well considering all that’s happened

      it’s her room tho rather than just passing it around on purpose lol

      • Dot
        Dot
        October 18, 2025 at 12:35 am | #

        They did hoard every copy in the building, how else are folks gonna read the paper?

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      October 18, 2025 at 3:42 am | #

      Isn’t that the picture they didn’t want anyone to see, to the point where they took every copy of the paper they could get their hands on?

      Secret’s out, then.

      • John Campbell
        John Campbell
        October 18, 2025 at 4:37 am | #

        Yeah, but everybody they didn’t want to see it has already seen it, so they might as well take advantage of having a whole stack of them.

    • FacelessDeviant
      FacelessDeviant
      October 18, 2025 at 4:55 am | #

      To be fair, it could also be a way of being very clear with their message. They seem to have been interrupted a few times already, so clarity might be needed.

    • Big Z
      Big Z
      October 18, 2025 at 7:50 am | #

      The intriguing part to me is the idea brought up elsewhere that this is SOMEONE ELSE (Mary? Probably.) trying to do a Scarlet Letter thing, rather than these two deciding that they might as well say “fuck it, we out”.

      Either way is honestly a lot more interesting than the previous Three Stooges routine of trying to suppress it.

  12. Scruffy looking nerfherder
    Scruffy looking nerfherder
    October 18, 2025 at 12:03 am | #

    Sarah and Joe incoming

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      October 18, 2025 at 12:12 am | #

      I’d never do that to Tony.
      Whoever he is.

      • Scruffy looking nerfherder
        Scruffy looking nerfherder
        October 18, 2025 at 1:43 am | #

        It’s honestly his own fault for standing in my way knowing that I’m a slut for enemies to lovers.

        A tough sacrifice but one I’m willing to make.

        • Nono
          Nono
          October 18, 2025 at 6:30 am | #

          Interesting, what do you make of SarahxRaidah?

          • Steamweed
            Steamweed
            October 18, 2025 at 7:48 am | #

            If the first gets to use a baseball bat on the second, I’m in.

      • Clif
        Clif
        October 18, 2025 at 1:43 am | #

        I swear, Yoto. You’re on a roll.

    • John Campbell
      John Campbell
      October 18, 2025 at 4:39 am | #

      Sure, we can hitch Tony-Sarah onto the end of the polymer chain.

  13. Amara
    Amara
    October 18, 2025 at 12:04 am | #

    Sarah has been sexiled, huh.

  14. Drainiest Drain
    Drainiest Drain
    October 18, 2025 at 12:04 am | #

    i hope jakey… thrives <3

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

      I hope this is ultimately a positive turning point in jakey’s long-term character arc

    • UrsulaDavina
      UrsulaDavina
      October 18, 2025 at 12:11 am | #

      Who the f is jakey?! I’d like to know before i deternine if i want them to die or thrive or get a peixe of cheese cake

      • Clif
        Clif
        October 18, 2025 at 1:44 am | #

        You don’t know jakey?

        • Needfuldoer
          Needfuldoer
          October 18, 2025 at 3:43 am | #

          From Statey Farmey?

          • UrsulaDavina
            UrsulaDavina
            October 18, 2025 at 12:04 pm | #

            I know who Jakey is now and i dont have any hard feelings on whether he should die or not.

    • Donovan
      Donovan
      October 18, 2025 at 12:13 am | #

      I hope jakey remembers to file his approprate paperwork before the quarter ends.

  15. dinerkinetic
    dinerkinetic
    October 18, 2025 at 12:04 am | #

    Sarah as the only reasonable person in the comic is definitely a swerve

    • The Big One
      The Big One
      October 18, 2025 at 12:07 am | #

      No the onky reasonable ones are Raidah, Joyce, and Dorothy.

      • dinerkinetic
        dinerkinetic
        October 18, 2025 at 12:12 am | #

        When I figured out my sexuality I didn’t cheat on my partner, let everyone know I was doing by posting a makeout pic on my door exhibitionist style, and leave the person I was considering poly with on hold purely to have sex after saying “I promise we’ll work this out once I deal with an emergency”

        Love is beautiful and important as is staying true to yourself. But like, you can do that without being a jerk and joyce really hasn’t

        (#Joyce_and_dorothy_can_still_be_redeemed_but_need_more_consequences)

        • dinerkinetic
          dinerkinetic
          October 18, 2025 at 12:12 am | #

          *eed more consequences (lol oops)

          • The Big One
            The Big One
            October 18, 2025 at 12:22 am | #

            Literally every page after they got together has directly or indirectly been a consequence. They’ve had more than enough consequences.

            The idea no longer repressing their queerness is a Bad Action they need redemption from is just straight up false.

            • dinerkinetic
              dinerkinetic
              October 18, 2025 at 12:26 am | #

              Oh! uh, let me clarify what I mean by consequences– so!

              I don’t think the characters should be punished for being queer? Becky got enough of that for like ten lesbians, and the last thing I want or need is more discrimination?

              I want *narrative* consequences, as in interesting fallout, for the things they’ve _actually_ done wrong– namely, pursue the relationship in a way that hurt people when they *did not need to* to be together? Like, things like cheating, or mocking walky while he was being dumped, or leaving joe hanging etc etc are all not great.

              And! people being bad is *interesting to read!* I also don’t want willis to write a comic about people who never do anything wrong because that would be very boring. but people who do bad things should experience some kind of pushback? and joyce and dorothy are kind of jerks sometimes, that’s all

              • The Big One
                The Big One
                October 18, 2025 at 1:25 am | #

                Joe is objectively a sex pest. Objectifying women by ranking them on a list and then showing them that list as “advice” is sexual harassment and makes him a sex pest.

                • Hoboturtle
                  Hoboturtle
                  October 18, 2025 at 2:55 am | #

                  Making a private liat might be gross but that doesn’t make him a sex pest escepialyl since it was leaked and he didn’t intend on people seeing it.

                • Tan
                  Tan
                  October 18, 2025 at 4:45 am | #

                  The list was never private. See e.g. him offering to share it with Raidah who he barely knew: https://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-7/02-everything-youve-ever-wanted/boyspizzaretreat/

                • C.T Phipps
                  C.T Phipps
                  October 18, 2025 at 8:54 am | #

                  Isn’t the whole point that he screwed up and has been trying to do better?

                • thejeff
                  thejeff
                  October 18, 2025 at 10:34 am | #

                  Joe was objectively a sex pest.

                  He’s had a whole character arc about getting better.

                • Sirksome
                  Sirksome
                  October 18, 2025 at 12:17 pm | #

                  I feel like there’s two different definitions being applied to sex pest. Sexual harassment which Joe is definitely guilty of, or sexual assault which he is not. We need to agree on what camp we’re in. Personally I think sex pest is too soft a term for sexual predators. I think it perfectly fits harassment or in general being a douche which accurately describes pre time skip Joe and even other characters like Amber.

                • thejeff
                  thejeff
                  October 18, 2025 at 1:18 pm | #

                  Hot take, but I think Joe’s arc suffers from the same problem as this cheating arc: not being willing to commit to the premise. The cheating was minimal and gets further minimized by the reaction. Joe’s portrayed as sex pest and as a walking pile of red flags, but his arc winds up being focused on the list and on rating women more generally with no indication that any one he actually got together with had any problem with him.
                  He’s kept well short of not just sexual assault but even anyone he did get together with showing signs of regret. This makes him easy to redeem, but also makes it very easy for people to ignore that he was a problem at all.

            • Dot
              Dot
              October 18, 2025 at 12:27 am | #

              I honestly agree that there have been way too many consequences for Joyce and Dorothy coming out. That was never what I wanted narrative consequences for, certainly not so many in rapid succession. I suspect this is the case for most people on “team consequences”*

              * EXTREMELY LOOSE AND INFORMAL TERMINOLOGY DO NOT USE TO CREATE BINARY FOR PURPOSES OF FLAME WARS

              • Yotomoe
                Yotomoe
                October 18, 2025 at 12:42 am | #

                I kinda hate the word consequences cuz much like in my 4th grade class when the teacher had to explain that consequences does not just mean bad things. It simply means a reaction to any event. Good or bad. For me consequences for the cheating would mostly just be the reactions of the guys in the relation. Not some Karmic justice from above or like…punishment for being gay.

              • The Big One
                The Big One
                October 18, 2025 at 1:20 am | #

                Unfortunately because of the nature of how they came out any “consequence” for cheating is likely going to be intertwined with consequences for coming out. There’s kind of no way to separate the two.

                • Big Z
                  Big Z
                  October 18, 2025 at 7:53 am | #

                  Which is why the whole “cheating” storyline was probably a mistake to begin with — if we hadn’t had that, there’d… well, probably be an entirely different set of screaming fights, to be fair. There’s a lot of homophobia/misogyny out there.

                • Sirksome
                  Sirksome
                  October 18, 2025 at 8:11 am | #

                  @ Big Z I kinda feel like the cheating aspect gets majorly overplayed here. This has been the tamest cheating ever especially if compared to real life sex drama often occurring in college living spaces. Also cheating is a very common plot point in romance stories, perhaps the most common one. I’m very surprised by the amount of negative reactions to it and them being used to undercut or invalidate Dorothy and Joyce’s relationship. This is basically entry level cheating drama. The average soap opera on primetime tv drama would destroy us with their cheating and sex antics if this is where things have gone too far.

                • Big Z
                  Big Z
                  October 18, 2025 at 8:21 am | #

                  I think that’s the point, really — a lot of folks are reacting to it badly because it doesn’t seem like there’s going to be any of the drama that usually happens in the real-life or primetime versions of this kinda plot. No one’s screaming, or throwing things, or setting anyone’s car on fire, so far the whole thing has kinda landed with a wet slap as the story focuses on the protest/publicity/coming-out issues in-between kissy kissy stuff.

                  And so we’ve got these big arguments going on, in which as far as I can tell there are approximately three camps (none of whom should be trusted) on the “I don’t like this” side of the issue:
                  – “What was the point of a cheating story where no one cares about the cheating? More consequences for cheating!”
                  – “I am specifically and angrily bothered by cheating due to whatever real life experiences I have! More consequences for cheating!”
                  – “I am specifically annoyed by happy wlw relationships, and I’m angry about it (and I may or may not pretend my problem is about the cheating).”

                  All of this is fine, except for group 3 who can fuck right off, and except for the folks who are convinced people who are in group 1/2 are actually in group 3.

                • Big Z
                  Big Z
                  October 18, 2025 at 8:24 am | #

                  @Sirksome, con’t.

                  So I think “the cheating aspect gets majorly overplayed” is a valid way to look at it, certainly, but in the sense of “people are treating it more seriously than the narrative is” which is why I think maybe it just shouldn’t have been there at all because the narrative isn’t committing to it enough to make it interesting, which causes weird tension in parts of the fanbase.

                • Sirksome
                  Sirksome
                  October 18, 2025 at 8:51 am | #

                  @ Big Z I think the consequences falling flat argument is truly more of a pacing flaw. We readers spend weeks stewing in moment to moment conversations but it’s really only been a few hours, maybe a day. What kind of consequences do people want? Maybe give time for characters to actually digest the events in a realistic timeframe. Walky might be a snarky, bitter little shit about this after shitting out those nuggets. The next group walk to math class should be fun. People demanding consequences now to that seems unreasonable. It’s been five minutes. And do you really want Joe and or Walky to angrily vent at Joyce or Dorothy mere moments after finding out. I don’t think readers would respond to that very well. Plus Joe and Walky are both not the type of guys that get immediately emotional. Suppressing that stuff is like David (homework eater) Walkertons go to move. We just need to actually wait and see how it plays out before deciding if Joyce and Dorothy really just got away with it.

                  That is of course if you think getting outed to your family and anyone who reads IU news, chewed out immediately by Sarah, and crushing the faith out of your best friend all in one day aren’t consequences.

                • Big Z
                  Big Z
                  October 18, 2025 at 9:17 am | #

                  @Sirksome – And of course all of that compounds!

                  – The pacing is such that we have been spending three strips on any one thing with what seems like a lot of going back to “boy, these two are super super horny for each other”. I’ve been moderately annoyed with a perceived change in pacing quality since approximately the protest.
                  – The pacing and order of events ALSO means we’re getting repeated bits of smoochy “payoff” with very little dramatic meat in-between. The things they’ve been running around doing have felt very much biased towards the “coming-out” storyline and not the “cheating” storyline, thus far.

                  That is of course if you think getting outed to your family and anyone who reads IU news, chewed out immediately by Sarah, and crushing the faith out of your best friend all in one day aren’t consequences.

                  This goes back kinda to my original point when I responded to Big One: two of those are “consequences of being girls in love”, not “consequences of cheating” — and I don’t particularly WANT consequences for being girls in love outside of the consequences for cheating! I’m honestly pretty fucking happy that Hank was at least reasonable about stuff, and I’m just as honestly hoping that Becky gets some screen time to help get herself turned around too.

                  (As for Sarah’s chewing-out, it was as yet kinda bland and unfulfilling mostly because it seems to have just bounced right off Doyce. Time will tell if it gets better.)

                • thejeff
                  thejeff
                  October 18, 2025 at 10:39 am | #

                  Sarah’s chewing-out was the biggest response to the cheating itself we’ve seen and while I appreciated it, it was undercut the next in comic morning by Joe’s reaction. Sarah was (is?) upset on his behalf, so if he’s not upset, that kind of falls flat.

                • thejeff
                  thejeff
                  October 18, 2025 at 10:45 am | #

                  @Sirksome: That it’s been the tamest cheating ever is a big part of my problem with it. It’s like dipping a toe in the cheating water, but refusing to commit to it. The cheating itself is about as minimal as possible and the reactions of the partners are minimized even farther.

                  Which I guess puts me in Big Z’s camp 1?

            • Burahn
              Burahn
              October 18, 2025 at 12:32 am | #

              Queerness has nothing to do with it. It’s just the shock of seeing Joyce act like a bit of a dick is all. In the same breath, need to have the drama as that’s what brings us here in the first place. Just never expected Joyce of all characters to drive a wedge in the readers.

              Mike coming back from the dead would’ve been more expected than this, lol.

              • Reaver
                Reaver
                October 18, 2025 at 1:30 am | #

                WYM Joyce acts like a dick all the time, why is it so shocking now? lol

                • Jay
                  Jay
                  October 18, 2025 at 1:47 am | #

                  Except she doesn’t?

                  In-fact it’s fairly rare for her to completely disregard the feelings of those she’s close too

                • Big Z
                  Big Z
                  October 18, 2025 at 7:54 am | #

                  Both of these things are true, TBH. Joyce ordinarily shows a lot of consideration for the people she’s close to AND Joyce has a tendency to be very bullheaded and kinda jerkish when she is sure she’s on the right path (which is a great deal of the time, thanks fundie programming!)

            • Derek
              Derek
              October 18, 2025 at 1:58 am | #

              “Literally every page after they got together has directly or indirectly been a consequence. They’ve had more than enough consequences.”
              girl, WHERE?
              literally every person they have encountered except Becky and Sarah has given them acceptance and even congratulations for their messed up relationship. and it’s messed up because it was founded on cheating and lies, not because it’s queer, so just getting that out of the way right now. Even Hank accepted it without a fight.

              • Embe13
                Embe13
                October 18, 2025 at 1:24 pm | #

                it is thedifference between those of us who ae followers and believers in the holistic interconnectedness of all thinsg as taught by douglass adams. and those who wish to believe their actions are not responsible for the way others react “i cannot control how others react so i am not responsible for their reactions.”

      • UrsulaDavina
        UrsulaDavina
        October 18, 2025 at 12:23 am | #

        What about Leslie and Asama? I find both of them quite reasonable in this current storyline.

        • Wack'd
          Wack'd
          October 18, 2025 at 12:41 am | #

          who is asama? is she dating jakey

          • UrsulaDavina
            UrsulaDavina
            October 18, 2025 at 12:44 am | #

            *Asma and no i doubt it she may want to date Alice though.

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      October 18, 2025 at 3:44 am | #

      Ruth has been pretty reasonable for a while now.

  16. Bittersweet
    Bittersweet
    October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

    Okay right when I was starting to like them as a couple, wtf lol. I refuse to believe Dorothy wasn’t wearing socks lol

    • cbwroses
      cbwroses
      October 18, 2025 at 12:13 am | #

      They’re in Joyce’s room. Even if neither is wearing socks, there’s a sock in there.

  17. AbacusWizard
    AbacusWizard
    October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

    I find it kinda hilarious that Jocelyne gets tagged in every strip where the newspaper can be seen because the top of her head is barely visible in the background of the photo.

    • Throwatron
      Throwatron
      October 18, 2025 at 4:26 am | #

      thank you for noticing this and bringing it to my attention, it’s nice to get some extra joy out of this

  18. Poot-pootington
    Poot-pootington
    October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

    poor poor Joe. I hope someone who values and loves him happens and rocks his world.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      October 18, 2025 at 12:16 am | #

      o3o…you want him to masturbate?

      • Donovan
        Donovan
        October 18, 2025 at 12:23 am | #

        You know…

      • Throwatron
        Throwatron
        October 18, 2025 at 4:27 am | #

        I mean, if Joe valued and loved Joe, he wouldn’t be in the early stages of speed-running “Becoming My Mom” before our eyes

    • anon
      anon
      October 18, 2025 at 12:36 am | #

      i mean, it would be a bit awkward if he was on the way but i don’t think they actually fully broke up?

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      October 18, 2025 at 7:55 am | #

      No more Sleeping-Around-Joe?

  19. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

    Also can I just say. I’m likin’ the ‘FIT Sarah. Have we seen her wearing this already but the colors look good on her.

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:07 am | #

      It’s a very good Sarah fit!

    • cbwroses
      cbwroses
      October 18, 2025 at 12:15 am | #

      Are you saying you’re liking a Sarah who is fit, Sarah in that outfit, or both (I presume the second option)?

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        October 18, 2025 at 12:21 am | #

        2nd. Though I guess she’s been getting fit when she hit the gym that one time.

      • Dot
        Dot
        October 18, 2025 at 12:30 am | #

        Sarah’s always been fit, in the British sense of the term

  20. Doopyboop
    Doopyboop
    October 18, 2025 at 12:05 am | #

    I like the originality/creativity.

    • thenamelesssamurai
      thenamelesssamurai
      October 18, 2025 at 12:18 am | #

      Yeah, it’s creative if nothing else.

    • Stormtide Leviathan
      Stormtide Leviathan
      October 18, 2025 at 12:23 am | #

      I mean how many people get the opportunity, ya know?

    • thenamelesssamurai
      thenamelesssamurai
      October 18, 2025 at 12:23 am | #

      Also, I replyed to you comment about Magic back in the conversation on the 10th (The comic was Shaken, for reference) if you’re interesting in continuing that conversation. It just took me a few days to type everything up.

      @yotomoe too, if you’re interested as well.

      • deliverything
        deliverything
        October 18, 2025 at 10:36 am | #

        To save people searching, it’s
        https://www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/book-16/01-not-so-smooth-criminals/shaken/#comment-1947237

        • Nymph
          Nymph
          October 18, 2025 at 10:58 am | #

          That’s kind of you <3

        • thenamelesssamurai
          thenamelesssamurai
          October 18, 2025 at 3:38 pm | #

          Go raibh maoth agat (Thank you in Irish) for posting that

          • thenamelesssamurai
            thenamelesssamurai
            October 18, 2025 at 3:38 pm | #

            Maith agat*

  21. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    October 18, 2025 at 12:06 am | #

    Dial 1-800-POOR-JOE to support your local at risk Jewish young man getting actively cucked today.

    • Mr D
      Mr D
      October 18, 2025 at 10:26 am | #

      I honestly don’t know if Joe on the cuck chair would be the single most jazzed man alive, or a broken husk of a man.

      Or both at once.

      • Nymph
        Nymph
        October 18, 2025 at 10:57 am | #

        Joe is a bottom for SURE, so being told he can only watch Dorothy/Joyce but not touch and he has to cover one eye to block out the Dorothy part is just going to unlock a few things for him.

        • Nymph
          Nymph
          October 18, 2025 at 10:58 am | #

          Wrote bottom, meant sub… but I think he’d probs be happy as a bottom too!

          • StClair
            StClair
            October 18, 2025 at 4:52 pm | #

            Dina all but threatened to top him that one time, so…

            • Nymph
              Nymph
              October 18, 2025 at 5:41 pm | #

              VERY true and he was super into that, so I’m gonna give myself a sticker for being right lmao

          • Dot
            Dot
            October 18, 2025 at 5:48 pm | #

            Joyce is the only top there fr

  22. Cholma
    Cholma
    October 18, 2025 at 12:06 am | #

    Interesting that Ruth went straight to “paper=sock” instead of thinking that someone (like Mary) was posting it there like a Scarlet Letter. (Starring Joyce Brown as Hester Prynne!)

    • Proxiehunter
      Proxiehunter
      October 18, 2025 at 12:10 am | #

      That’s my thought. I went back the past couple strips and there’s no evidence that either of them hung that there. Sarah and Ruth assuming they did makes a good punchline, but I wouldn’t take it as fact yet.

      • Big Z
        Big Z
        October 18, 2025 at 7:55 am | #

        And let me tell you, I would LOVE for this to blow up in Mary’s face.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      October 18, 2025 at 12:18 am | #

      Everyone in DOA has an in-born sex sense that allows them to sense when anyone is or has fucked.

      • Stormtide Leviathan
        Stormtide Leviathan
        October 18, 2025 at 12:24 am | #

        How that sex sense manifests varies from pairing to pairing. For example, when it came to Joe and Roz that sense was “sight” and “ability to read the news”

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          October 18, 2025 at 12:27 am | #

          The sense was transmitted through wifi waves. in video recordings. On the internet.

          • Clif
            Clif
            October 18, 2025 at 12:14 pm | #

            I know this is a long shot, but maybe things happen between strips, or even between panels. I mean, we never actually saw the doors being locked either, and logically that’s when it would have happened.

            Yeah, I know. It’s funnier this way.

    • Alina
      Alina
      October 18, 2025 at 12:21 am | #

      Mary makes sense, though my first thought was Raidah.

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        October 18, 2025 at 12:50 am | #

        Raidah definitely wouldn’t. She hates that the paper has them on it, she wouldn’t go out of her way to put it on their door.

    • Ray Radlein
      Ray Radlein
      October 18, 2025 at 8:05 am | #

      I think it’s the positioning on the actual doorknob that communicates sockness. A scarlet letter from Mary would be plastered on the door at eye-level.

  23. Dara
    Dara
    October 18, 2025 at 12:07 am | #

    “Y’know, if this bullshit is gonna happen, we may as well use it.” – Joyce and Dorothy, apparently

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:08 am | #

      Fair cop to them frankly

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      October 18, 2025 at 12:08 am | #

      what’s that one earth saying?

      “life gives you lemons, chuck em at people”

      • Golden Yak
        Golden Yak
        October 18, 2025 at 12:09 am | #

        “Make life take the lemons back! Get mad!”

        • Dara
          Dara
          October 18, 2025 at 12:13 am | #

          Yeah! That one!

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        October 18, 2025 at 12:28 am | #

        “Life gives you lemons you make beef stew”

  24. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    October 18, 2025 at 12:08 am | #

    Also feels weird to post this but

    Thanks to everyone who defended me yesterday. Like seriously it meant so much to me. I know we might not always agree but I’m glad people at least have a somewhat charitable view of me.

    😛 Let’s hope I don’t fuck THAT up.

    • Doopyboop
      Doopyboop
      October 18, 2025 at 12:09 am | #

      🤝It was the right thing to do. I hope you have a far better day today!

    • Scruffy looking nerfherder
      Scruffy looking nerfherder
      October 18, 2025 at 12:10 am | #

      Damn, what’d I miss? Ya take one comment section off and people try to ice Yoto?

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        October 18, 2025 at 12:18 am | #

        Everyone knows Yoto is best lukewarm.

        • Steamweed
          Steamweed
          October 18, 2025 at 7:50 am | #

          And Luke appreciates it, too.

    • Donovan
      Donovan
      October 18, 2025 at 12:10 am | #

      You’re good, yoto. You just caught some INCREDIBLY WILD strays istg

      • Big Z
        Big Z
        October 18, 2025 at 7:56 am | #

        +1

    • Sirksome
      Sirksome
      October 18, 2025 at 12:11 am | #

      You’re doing fine. Try not to let comments affect you too much. Take breaks if you need it. I think most of the discussion is usually in good faith and it’s a new strip, a new discussion, new chance to try and be better. For all of us.

    • Mewzard
      Mewzard
      October 18, 2025 at 12:13 am | #

      I missed out on that mess, but do allow me to say you’re usually quite awesome, despite shipping disagreements.

      It’s too easy to let one’s emotional investments in a story or characters become far too personal for a healthy response. I definitely try to avoid that.

      Maybe once we’re passed this initial bit and Joyce, Dorothy, and Joe can have a conversation about all of this, things will get better.

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      October 18, 2025 at 12:17 am | #

      I missed the comments yesterday, real sorry to hear that bruh that sucks T-T

      hope ya doin better now <3

      • Donovan
        Donovan
        October 18, 2025 at 12:24 am | #

        Don’t backread. Its not worth it 😔

    • thenamelesssamurai
      thenamelesssamurai
      October 18, 2025 at 12:17 am | #

      Wasn’t here yesterday, but in general, you are one of my favorite commentators here and I have always enjoyed your takes even when I disagree. Also, I really appreciate you setting up that Joyce/Dorothy appreciation thread to hear what people liked about it out of genuine curiosity.

    • Jay
      Jay
      October 18, 2025 at 2:02 am | #

      I didn’t read yesterdays comments just went back and did and WOW

      Were there some garbage ass opinions in that comment thread that I wish I was there to get angry about

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      October 18, 2025 at 7:58 am | #

      Anytime, Yoto. You deserve it.
      *hugs*

  25. UrsulaDavina
    UrsulaDavina
    October 18, 2025 at 12:08 am | #

    So i have seen it twice and i do t get it who os Jakey and why are want them to die? I dont know where tbis is coming from if this is meme political statement or there is a person named Jakey who people want to die. Google has said nothing.

    Also on the subject of socks i lose socks all the time so i legitmely get super excited when i get socks as gift its probably my favorite thing to get as a gift.

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:09 am | #

      It’s a meme

      • UrsulaDavina
        UrsulaDavina
        October 18, 2025 at 12:17 am | #

        Thank you. Also sorry to ask if you could explain the meme if actually has an explination i would like to hear about the origin of the meme.

        • UrsulaDavina
          UrsulaDavina
          October 18, 2025 at 12:21 am | #

          Gods damn it this is what happens when your phones autocorrect absorbs your dyslexia! Apolgies for the poor structure: “Could you explain said meme if it actually has a explination. i would like to hear about the orgins of it. Thank you for your patience.

      • UrsulaDavina
        UrsulaDavina
        October 18, 2025 at 12:39 am | #

        Ok someone has explained the meme and origin so no need to explain it. Anyway I hope Jakey reconsiders their life choices being a meme is no way to live a fufilling life.

    • UrsulaDavina
      UrsulaDavina
      October 18, 2025 at 12:15 am | #

      Dear gods, my first statement is extremely poorly written

      It should say “who is Jakey and why do folks want him to die?”

  26. Haz
    Haz
    October 18, 2025 at 12:10 am | #

    That’s one way to own it.

  27. Donovan
    Donovan
    October 18, 2025 at 12:11 am | #

    Sarah. I hope people will be normal about you.

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:15 am | #

      It’s a woman of color and this is the dumbing of age comments section. You do the math.

      • Donovan
        Donovan
        October 18, 2025 at 12:17 am | #

        Dot please. Hope is all i have on this bongo of an earth.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      October 18, 2025 at 12:23 am | #

      I’m SO normal about her. IN FACT I’M THE MOST NORMAL. SO I WIN. *screeches like a eagle*

    • Kyulen
      Kyulen
      October 18, 2025 at 2:15 am | #

      A character who disapproves of Joyce and Dorothy for how badly they’ve been treating other characters since they got together? I’m not optimistic about this comment section.

    • StClair
      StClair
      October 18, 2025 at 5:07 pm | #

      (narrator) “They will not.”

  28. Shakes
    Shakes
    October 18, 2025 at 12:12 am | #

    Willis cranking a dial marked “gay” while looking at the audience for approval only to see increasing unruliness.

    • Sarah Lea
      Sarah Lea
      October 18, 2025 at 1:23 am | #

      If that’s what were actually happening, it’d be the equivalent of NASA trying to get the New Horizon probe to follow an epileptic space squirrel across the surface of Pluto. With a buffer that large, there’s only so much “cranking” that can be done responsively to the audience. I’m not saying it’s zero…but it seems awfully low.

      • Shakes
        Shakes
        October 18, 2025 at 5:02 pm | #

        Nah you’re right I’m sure the buffer makes it difficult to course-correct big strokes like this. It’s still amusing to me DoA fulfills its promise of “more gay” and so many people are “no, not like that!”

    • Ray Radlein
      Ray Radlein
      October 18, 2025 at 8:08 am | #

      he will face god and walk bckwards into hell

  29. Shiro
    Shiro
    October 18, 2025 at 12:12 am | #

    That’s ballsy if they put it up there to signify “we bonin’,” but I’m wondering if someone else put it there as a shaming tactic or something. It definitely seemed like Joyce had too much residual anxiety about Sarah’s reaction to do something like that

    • Yumi
      Yumi
      October 18, 2025 at 12:14 am | #

      My first thought was that Mike put it there. Then I remembered he was dead. But this would be an interesting way of announcing his return.

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        October 18, 2025 at 12:22 am | #

        Mike “I lived bongo”

      • Icalasari
        Icalasari
        October 18, 2025 at 12:22 am | #

        Mike now possesses people, mostly to do moms for a nickel

        • Yotomoe
          Yotomoe
          October 18, 2025 at 12:24 am | #

          It’s actually a service he provides for spouces who cannot perform for their partner. So mike possesses them, does the dead. And is paid.

          In Nickels.

          • and painted shark women
            and painted shark women
            October 18, 2025 at 1:18 am | #

            They put them on his eyes, like the fare for the ferryman

            • Yotomoe
              Yotomoe
              October 18, 2025 at 1:46 am | #

              Ferryman: You’re like the only guy making round trips here
              Mike: I got a business to run.

              • Dara
                Dara
                October 18, 2025 at 2:59 am | #

                ferry rides are for closers

              • Pappenheimer
                Pappenheimer
                October 18, 2025 at 6:49 pm | #

                Him and that Orpheus dude…it’s all for the chicks.

        • Jay
          Jay
          October 18, 2025 at 2:05 am | #

          I would actually pay willis 100 million dollars if they brought Joe back as a ghost that possessed people just to insult them

          • Jay
            Jay
            October 18, 2025 at 2:06 am | #

            Joe? Fucking Mike jesus christ my brain

            • Taffy
              Taffy
              October 18, 2025 at 8:03 am | #

              No no, let’s see Joe’s Ghost zas a character, without Joe dying first. That sounds fascinating.

            • Ray Radlein
              Ray Radlein
              October 18, 2025 at 8:09 am | #

              Joe fucking Mike would seem unlikely, but I am willing to subscribe to your newsletter

              • Nymph
                Nymph
                October 18, 2025 at 10:55 am | #

                Not just Mike, but Jesus Christ as well!

                • Ray Radlein
                  Ray Radlein
                  October 18, 2025 at 1:47 pm | #

                  He’s been wanting to nail that dude for ages

      • Shiro
        Shiro
        October 18, 2025 at 12:30 am | #

        That would be a hilarious twist ngl

      • Drainiest Drain
        Drainiest Drain
        October 18, 2025 at 12:54 am | #

        I would pay so much money for this to be real

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:34 am | #

      I did have that thought but based on the content of this strip Occam’s razor would suggest that it was DoJo

  30. SvenTS
    SvenTS
    October 18, 2025 at 12:15 am | #

    Joe: ‘eh, I’m fine, thanks for the thought though.

    • Lumino
      Lumino
      October 18, 2025 at 12:42 am | #

      He’s ‘fine’ like Walky is ‘fine’.

      • Dare
        Dare
        October 18, 2025 at 2:11 am | #

        This is a selection of things Joe has said regarding this matter:

        To Dorothy, before The Kisses:

        Do you want to know what my suggestion is, Dorothy? Be honest with yourself. … I just remember a time when I was in denial about wanting Joyce
        and all the jerky, hurtful decisions I made to try to bury it to convince myself otherwise.

        To Joyce, after The Kisses:

        I endorse you kissing Dorothy. or you two also doing other things. … Look, who do you think nudged Dorothy in your direction in the first place?

        What the heck is it with people not believing that others can actually feel like this, not out of self-loathing but out of love and empathy and wanting everyone to be happy, including themselves? I know I do, and have, and will.

        • Fail Earnhardt
          Fail Earnhardt
          October 18, 2025 at 2:46 am | #

          Having previously been a boy in college (currently butch), Joe’s response to Joyce came off like the classic guy move of “appearing chill so you don’t blow up your spot.” There’s a real possibility he’s not allowing himself to feel anything because he doesn’t believe he deserves to and the “Wait, this sucks actually” will hit him much later and much harder.

          • Throwatron
            Throwatron
            October 18, 2025 at 4:33 am | #

            Joe is ultimately blind to the fact that he’s lying to himself about putting an amount of emotional investment into somebody who can’t or won’t match it, which is exactly the reason why he’s willing to accept much less than the totality of what he wants to give to Joyce…thus internalizing and repeating the exact same behavior his Mom did with his Dad, for more or less the exact same reason.

            Getting some of something good is better than getting nothing at all, but if the reason you’re settling for less is that you don’t believe you can ever do better? Then, you’re ultimately lying to yourself about why you’re staying, and ultimately putting your wants and needs aside because you fear losing the thing you have.

          • Dare
            Dare
            October 18, 2025 at 6:03 am | #

            If it was just talking to Joyce, I might agree with this. But: he was talking to Dorothy even before the two had kissed, and was not only emphatizing, but encouraging.

            So yeah. I have faith in Joe. It might be misplaced, but I want to take him for his word.

            (This whole tthing sort of hits close to home for me, because I’ve been poly as long as I’ve thought about any kind of relationships. Jealousy is something I experience hardly ever; when it comes to love and affection, more is more, even if it’s not directed at me. Yet some of my friends / lovers have thought that me not being jealous means that I somehow loathe or do not value myself. With a hindsight of quite a few years, those people were wrong, they were projecting or something.)

            • Fail Earnhardt
              Fail Earnhardt
              October 18, 2025 at 3:05 pm | #

              They’re not mutually exclusive either. Joe could genuinely want Joyce to have room to explore her feelings AND feel like he doesn’t deserve to feel otherwise due to his past behavior. The poly aspect doesn’t erase how his struggle for self worth colors his decisions.

        • Big Z
          Big Z
          October 18, 2025 at 8:00 am | #

          I’m coming at it from “poly, cismale” myself, and frankly I am very ambiguous on it. The context of it all makes it unclear to me as to whether Joe has considered things and knows he’s okay with a poly relationship, OR whether Joe is willing to settle for whatever scraps he can have. I’ve (fortunately) never been down bad enough to ask for an open/poly situation to try to save a disintegrating relationship, but I’ve known folks who were, y’know?

          I don’t think we know enough about his actual feelings to pick one or the other (in the same way that we don’t really know enough about Joyce’s, especially given her specific romantic proclivities re: object permanence, to know if she’s considering it or was planning to let him down easy).

          • Nymph
            Nymph
            October 18, 2025 at 10:53 am | #

            I think the main reason I lean toward “he knows what he’s doing” is that he intentionally took actions ahead of time that he knew might lead to this exact situation. He SHOULD HAVE proposed the idea to Joyce in advance, but he certainly didn’t come up with it as a way to salvage things (imo) he came up with it as a relationship style he thinks he could be happy in.

            Maybe he’s wrong! It’s been known to happen, but I do think Joe is heading into polyamory with his eyes more open than they might have been. Also, we already know he’s good at sharing in a casual way. That doesn’t always lend itself to being good at sharing in a serious relationship, but it certainly counts toward the likelihood of it!

            • Taffy
              Taffy
              October 18, 2025 at 11:04 am | #

              And hell, even if Joyce and Dorothy are both down for it but their throuple just doesn’t work out, at least they gave it a shot. They’re 18, it’s not like they’ve got anything to lose by trying something new.

              • Nymph
                Nymph
                October 18, 2025 at 11:27 am | #

                Exactly! There’s no harm in trying something and finding out it is (or isn’t) for you.

            • Big Z
              Big Z
              October 18, 2025 at 11:17 am | #

              Personally, I’m having a hard time shaking my initial read of Joe’s actions as “if Doyce is bound to happen, I will nudge them into tearing the bandaid off rather than having it simmer into resentment or chaos” — the fact that it wasn’t proposed in advance is what makes me wonder how he really feels deep down.

              It’d be nice if we had some more screen time with both him and Joyce (not even necessarily together! Discussing it with Danny/Dorothy respectively would work!) so we could get a better idea of what either of them was actually thinking/feeling about it.

              • Nymph
                Nymph
                October 18, 2025 at 11:28 am | #

                Totally fair! I don’t agree with that read, but ultimately it’ll get sorted out on-screen one way or another. I’m excited for whatever direction it goes, tbh.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          October 18, 2025 at 10:55 am | #

          Even earlier though, there was I don’t think I get to feel jealous, not with my history, which makes me worry more.

  31. Suet
    Suet
    October 18, 2025 at 12:16 am | #

    The paper you weren’t supposed to see:

    feels contrarian if Joyce/Dorothy taped it

    • Thing 2
      Thing 2
      October 18, 2025 at 8:38 pm | #

      Feels contrary to me too. I mean, I know it can be explained away, but My world models currently assign higher probability to someone else taping it there. All sorts of possible reasons “Have you seen this?” “Warning, this.” “you harlots” “gotcha” “hey everyone, this person, this…”
      Wonder if there is one on Dorothy’s door too…

  32. Rowen Morland
    Rowen Morland
    October 18, 2025 at 12:17 am | #

    I’m pretty interested to see if Joe finds that he actually has a lot of room for compersion and it helps things further click with how he was before and who he wants to be instead of that, or if he ends up with a “no, it’s not ok.” realisation. Also I think regardless of how Joyce is handling this right now I thin he’s determined to give her a grace period to sort things out.

  33. IntangibleMatter
    IntangibleMatter
    October 18, 2025 at 12:18 am | #

    Look, if I had a newspaper to use instead of a sock, I’d do it.

  34. Josh
    Josh
    October 18, 2025 at 12:19 am | #

    Oh wow, it really did cut to Sarah.

    • Dot
      Dot
      October 18, 2025 at 12:33 am | #

      I called it!

    • AbacusWizard
      AbacusWizard
      October 18, 2025 at 12:35 am | #

      But she’s not eating cereal!

  35. Dave Van Domelen
    Dave Van Domelen
    October 18, 2025 at 12:20 am | #

    Eh, Sarah’d be pissed at having to feel most sorts of legitimate emotions.

  36. FlamestAndLight
    FlamestAndLight
    October 18, 2025 at 12:35 am | #

    I think one problem i’m having is that recently my best friend and I fell in love with each other and our shitty exboyfriend who won’t leave us alone has somehow been mapped onto Joe in my brain so I keep feeling like every bit of sympathy for Joe is showing favour for my ex.

    I do hope we get to see Joe and he doesn’t suck in such a way that he stops being mapped to my ex and I stop hating him arbitrarily.

    But for right now, i cannot help but feel like “fuck joe, let the girls kiss!”

    • Theozilla
      Theozilla
      October 18, 2025 at 12:39 am | #

      I don’t think you need to worry about Joe’s reaction, he already basically said he is okay with Joyce hooking up with Dorothy. I think the more concerning dangling plot thread is that Dorothy is currently operating under the false-impression that Joyce has already properly broken up with Joe. She’s the one who may have some issues if/when she learns that fact.

    • Jay
      Jay
      October 18, 2025 at 2:00 am | #

      I mean…..did you blatantly cheat on your shitty ex boyfriend?

      • The Big One
        The Big One
        October 18, 2025 at 4:11 am | #

        That’s not really relevant.

      • FlamestAndLight
        FlamestAndLight
        October 18, 2025 at 9:28 am | #

        Gonna be real with you Jay, that’s not your business, but also no. Joe and my ex have very little in common other than being men and being sad, like legitimately next to nothing.

        Hell, Joe has shown more willingness and ability to change his shitty behavior than my ex ever did in the three years I knew him.

      • Nymph
        Nymph
        October 18, 2025 at 10:42 am | #

        Would this make the stalking okay in your mind? Do you often go hunting for reasons to blame victims you don’t even know?

      • Big Z
        Big Z
        October 18, 2025 at 11:20 am | #

        Correspondences don’t have to be perfect to cause people to associate them together. As the person who you’re responding to acknowledged in teh post you’re responding to (“somehow got mapped” and “I keep feeling like” and “I do hope we get to see Joe and he doesn’t suck” don’t equate to “this is an exact comparison that I fully endorse”, y’know)

    • Big Z
      Big Z
      October 18, 2025 at 8:02 am | #

      That situation definitely sucks, all the more so for getting mentally mapped onto a comic you’re presumably reading for entertainment rather than a reminder of the real-life shit.

      Here’s hoping that your shitty ex gets a goddamn clue and fucks off into the sunset (or off a short pier, I’m not picky).

  37. segnosaur
    segnosaur
    October 18, 2025 at 12:44 am | #

    Random observation…

    I see Sarah still has her “halloween/witch” drawing on her door, even though we are now into the new year.

    • UrsulaDavina
      UrsulaDavina
      October 18, 2025 at 12:49 am | #

      People celebrate Christmas year round so i say let Sarah celebrate Halloween year round!

      • NGPZ
        NGPZ
        October 18, 2025 at 1:00 am | #

        this is Halloween

        THIS IS HALLOWEEN

        HALLOWEEN HALLOWEEN

      • Doopyboop
        Doopyboop
        October 18, 2025 at 2:29 am | #

        One time in June I had a guy come in to take care of my A/C unit and he took one look around at the Halloween decor around my living room and flatly commented “huh… you really like Halloween, don’t you?”.

    • Bryy
      Bryy
      October 18, 2025 at 1:05 am | #

      no we’re in october.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      October 18, 2025 at 1:48 am | #

      I forgot to change my pokemon go avatar from the halloween outfit for so long it’s back to being relevant.

    • 3oranges
      3oranges
      October 18, 2025 at 2:21 am | #

      An evil witch unrepentant in hell is always relevant. 🙂

  38. Acher4
    Acher4
    October 18, 2025 at 1:00 am | #

    This is truly clever and hilarious! Props for the idea.
    ROFL

    *checks comments and people finding this idea horrendous*

    Wth is wrong with you??? 🤨

  39. EpochFlame
    EpochFlame
    October 18, 2025 at 1:00 am | #

    poor joe indeed

    • EpochFlame
      EpochFlame
      October 18, 2025 at 1:04 am | #

      i hope this leads to sarah and joe being friends

      • Smokeysis
        Smokeysis
        October 18, 2025 at 5:36 pm | #

        Seconded

  40. Bryy
    Bryy
    October 18, 2025 at 1:05 am | #

    ew.

  41. Dot
    Dot
    October 18, 2025 at 1:08 am | #

    Willis is there anything you can do about the huge ads that suddenly appear in the middle of the comment field and eat up half of everything there

    • I Know Why the Mowed Lawn Screams
      I Know Why the Mowed Lawn Screams
      October 18, 2025 at 1:22 am | #

      IIRC from the past times this happened this is a hiveworks issue and any ability to remove said ad would need to go through them, but either way is sucks shit and i hope these obnoxious comment blocking ads will just die off for good

    • Big Z
      Big Z
      October 18, 2025 at 8:03 am | #

      What platform/device are you browsing on? I might be able to at least suggest an ad blocker that would help.

      • Dot
        Dot
        October 18, 2025 at 9:15 am | #

        Oh on desktop I use an adblocker so that’s fine, it’s a mobile issue.

        • Big Z
          Big Z
          October 18, 2025 at 9:19 am | #

          I have not had this problem with mobile Firefox on Android, which also allows for ublock to be installed at least as of whatever version is installed on my Pixel 8/Android 16.

  42. I Know Why the Mowed Lawn Screams
    I Know Why the Mowed Lawn Screams
    October 18, 2025 at 1:08 am | #

    Ruth AND Sarah? Together in one strip? You love to see it.

    • Donovan
      Donovan
      October 18, 2025 at 1:09 am | #

      They should kiss

      • I Know Why the Mowed Lawn Screams
        I Know Why the Mowed Lawn Screams
        October 18, 2025 at 1:13 am | #

        Yeah sure I’d be down for that. Rurah canon 2036 lfg !!

        • Reaver
          Reaver
          October 18, 2025 at 1:28 am | #

          SaRuthless!

  43. Jon
    Jon
    October 18, 2025 at 1:10 am | #

    C’mon, Joyce, that’s just tacky.

    I mean, I gotta admire the gall it takes. It’s a hell of a power move.

    Still tacky though haha

    • Nymph
      Nymph
      October 18, 2025 at 10:38 am | #

      Nothing wrong with being tacky!

  44. Miroku2235
    Miroku2235
    October 18, 2025 at 1:18 am | #

    So Joyce, when you gonna tell Dorothy you’re still with Joe? Before or after you propose?

    • Reaver
      Reaver
      October 18, 2025 at 1:31 am | #

      After they’ve been a married poly couple and have 4 kids

    • Vaishino
      Vaishino
      October 18, 2025 at 1:58 am | #

      In a hilarious twist, never. Dorothy will find out from another newspaper front page spread where Joyce and Jo kiss.

      • Throwatron
        Throwatron
        October 18, 2025 at 4:35 am | #

        I love the implication that it would, naturally, occur at a protest about a completely different atrocity that Joyce and Joe are equally uneducated about.

        • deliverything
          deliverything
          October 18, 2025 at 12:41 pm | #

          Maybe a FIRRIB protest. Ethan takes over Raidah’s role.

    • John Campbell
      John Campbell
      October 18, 2025 at 4:46 am | #

      Propose? They got married before they even kissed. Joyce is already identifying Dorothy as her wife.

  45. Vaishino
    Vaishino
    October 18, 2025 at 1:20 am | #

    Guys, I don’t think they did the newspaper on the doorknob themselves. That feels like Mary trying to do a scarlet letter on them. It won’t work of course, the only people upset that they kissed are in the comments section, or Joyce’s bedroom waiting for the second half of a conversation.

    • Ray Radlein
      Ray Radlein
      October 18, 2025 at 8:14 am | #

      Mary wouldn’t have put it on the doorknob, where a sock would go. She would have put it front and center at eye level

    • Nymph
      Nymph
      October 18, 2025 at 10:36 am | #

      I don’t think Joe is in Joyce’s bedroom (since that’s where Joyce and Dorothy are) but it’d be very funny if it’s Mary trying to flame them and it just backfires spectacularly to look like a cool don’t-give-a-fuck moment.

      • Vaishino
        Vaishino
        October 18, 2025 at 4:41 pm | #

        Shoot you’re right. I just liked the visual of Joe freezing in place after Joyce was like “hey I’ll be back to continue this” like Fry’s dog in that one Futurama episode.

  46. Reaver
    Reaver
    October 18, 2025 at 1:27 am | #

    *Pushes Sarah and Ruth together*

    Now Kith…

  47. Amós Batista
    Amós Batista
    October 18, 2025 at 1:33 am | #

    It amazes me how they are so intense, at point of putting the IDS first page in the door to everybody see that they will not care about anything, after all.

    Scandalous.

    The Innocent Joyce is gone. The Worry Dorothy is dead. They don’t care about mess or hurt anyone.

  48. SarahTerra
    SarahTerra
    October 18, 2025 at 1:42 am | #

    The Kiss-Miss Christmas Doorknob Bandit strikes again!

    • SarahTerra
      SarahTerra
      October 18, 2025 at 1:43 am | #

      Joyce does have enough newspapers to actually do this just saying

  49. Kyulen
    Kyulen
    October 18, 2025 at 2:05 am | #

    I find both Sarah and Ruth relatable today.

  50. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    October 18, 2025 at 2:15 am | #

    Apparently, Joyce and Dorothy want plausible deniability. Hence the cover story.

    • tyersome
      tyersome
      October 18, 2025 at 5:42 pm | #

      Do they really think they can paper over this situation?

  51. Thing 2
    Thing 2
    October 18, 2025 at 2:18 am | #

    Sarah, desperate for something from her room, maybe tampons, how long will she wait?

    • 3oranges
      3oranges
      October 18, 2025 at 2:24 am | #

      A woman walks past her own door and your first thought is about whether she needs menstrual products? :/

      • Thing 2
        Thing 2
        October 18, 2025 at 3:45 am | #

        A woman is shut out of her own room and my mind turns to Why she was coming there. ONE thought was that she needs something out of it that she really doesn’t want to wait until they have finished for. That one line of thought had various solutions, including tampons, also lots of other things, the urgency of which I might need to explain.
        First thought? Nope, not even close.

        • Dot
          Dot
          October 18, 2025 at 6:28 am | #

          Dude.

        • Nymph
          Nymph
          October 18, 2025 at 10:27 am | #

          She’s on a floor full of people who get their periods (with potential exceptions for various medical reasons) I don’t think needing a tampon would be the emergency you think it is.

          *knock knock*
          Sarah: I need a tampon and Joyce is in our room with the door locked.
          Sierra: Okay! *disappears, comes back with a tampon*
          ~end scene~

          • Dot
            Dot
            October 18, 2025 at 10:37 am | #

            Universities also often make menstrual products freely available, either in the student health center or in bathrooms. Dunno if IU does, but it’s pretty common.

            • Nymph
              Nymph
              October 18, 2025 at 11:30 am | #

              Also this! I wasn’t sure that was still the case in the US given The Horrors, but yeah it’s not hard to track down a tampon or pad in an urgent moment where Sarah is rn.

          • thejeff
            thejeff
            October 18, 2025 at 1:26 pm | #

            But also, if it’s urgent enough, ignore the sock, knock and go get what you need. It’s embarrassing and annoying, but the warning’s on the door to prevent you from stumbling into something without warning, not as a hard barrier.

            I remember going down to breakfast and coming up to find a sock on the door, but I needed books and stuff for class, so I knocked, apologized, grabbed my bag and left them to it. It’s not that big a deal in general.

        • thejeff
          thejeff
          October 18, 2025 at 11:02 am | #

          And yet it’s the one you chose to write down for all to see.

          • Thing 2
            Thing 2
            October 18, 2025 at 8:31 pm | #

            Yes. I did. I don’t find it a big deal. Maybe you do. At least it’s a change from the cheating/monogamy focus. Wow.
            When I want to actually discuss something, not much response. Casual comment – heap of response.
            Wish I’d said books now. Is there something wrong with sating tampon as opposed to book? But maybe book would have promoted a response too!
            I didn’t say emergency, I said she didn’t want to wait until they finished.
            No, I wouldn’t just go in! But that’s me, not anyone else.

            • Big Z
              Big Z
              October 18, 2025 at 10:50 pm | #

              If I were Sarah/Joyce, I wouldn’t go in.

              If I were me and my freshman roommate, who was apparently trying out his spider monkey impression with his rotating cast of girls, I absolutely barged in at the slightest need because that damn sock was up 50% of the time some weeks.

    • Big Z
      Big Z
      October 18, 2025 at 8:06 am | #

      In all seriousness, the posture in the first panel doesn’t read as “I need something from my room” to me, it reads as “doot doot doo, walking down the hallway to somewhere else, hey why is there something I don’t recognize stuck to MY door?”

      • Thing 2
        Thing 2
        October 18, 2025 at 8:33 pm | #

        Yep. I can see that. I can see other interpretations too, but I certainly clocked that. It was just a casual comment like the ones about Joe still being in the exact same place as when Joyce left. It’s not that we think he is, it is just something that crosses the mind and gets commented on.

  52. aSnowyEvening
    aSnowyEvening
    October 18, 2025 at 2:58 am | #

    Joyce and Dorothy: OMG we must collect EVERY SINGLE ISSUE in the building so that NOBODY sees the front page photo.

    Also Joyce and Dorothy: No time to find a suitably clean sock to put on the door here let’s put the front page photo on the handle that will DEFINITELY make sure that nobody will interrupt our hanky panky.

    • Big Z
      Big Z
      October 18, 2025 at 8:07 am | #

      Even if we assume they put it there, I think probably once they actually came out to Hank that took a lot of the “keep it secret” pressure off.

      • Ray Radlein
        Ray Radlein
        October 18, 2025 at 8:17 am | #

        Not just Hank; they’re basically out to everyone at the school who they might have wanted to not be out to already

  53. Fail Earnhardt
    Fail Earnhardt
    October 18, 2025 at 3:09 am | #

    This has been a tough storyline for me. I’m a fairly recent lesbian (almost 1.5 years on hrt woooo!!!!) so I wanna fully ride for the yuri, but I’ve also lived through Walky’s traumatic emotional withdrawal and been in Joe’s current position before. I’m familiar with the pain of learning you weren’t valued in the relationship like you thought you were. I went through the shame cycle that prevents you from expressing discomfort until it’s overwhelming and it almost killed me. I can’t help but see shades of that in both of them and I hate that it’s preventing me from seeing the newspaper on the doorknob and simply replying “Sick power move, you two!”

    • Thing 2
      Thing 2
      October 18, 2025 at 3:49 am | #

      Sympathies with the tough times. Sympathies with the analysis of your own thought processes, but big ups to you for recognising them for what they are. Go you, step by step to being the best you.

    • Regina phalange
      Regina phalange
      October 18, 2025 at 4:55 pm | #

      I feel like this is a completely normal reaction, though. Just like Sarah’s reaction here is “poor Joe,” not “good for them.” Like, if I witnessed this happen in real life, with full knowledge of the sequence of events—basically, if I was Sarah—my immediate reaction to seeing that newspaper would be, “wow, dick move, guys. You think there’s NO way the guys you cheated on would see this just because they don’t live on this floor—or do you just not care?”

  54. Arianod
    Arianod
    October 18, 2025 at 3:38 am | #

    Sarah is a good egg ^^

    • Zaxares
      Zaxares
      October 18, 2025 at 7:00 am | #

      She always was. 🙂

  55. ADLegend21
    ADLegend21
    October 18, 2025 at 3:47 am | #

    it just occurred to me. Joyce hit the bisexual trifecta. Blew Joe, came out to her dad, and is about to bang Dorothy. Also cheated so points off for the negative sterotype, but not bad Joyce. You’ve earned your colors.

  56. Myra V
    Myra V
    October 18, 2025 at 5:58 am | #

    You know what, that’s a pretty perfect way to wrap up this part of the story. Not sure if it would be most likely to be Joyce’s or Dorothy’s idea – but it’s just that right flavor of brilliantly stupid that I love about this pairing.

    • StClair
      StClair
      October 18, 2025 at 5:29 pm | #

      it’s not going to wrap up
      this is the story now
      the comic’s getting rebranded as “Joyce & Dorothy”

  57. yak
    yak
    October 18, 2025 at 6:38 am | #

    Hell has frozen over. Pigs are flying everywhere. Water is flowing uphill. How else can Sarah’s utterance be explained?

  58. Yeet
    Yeet
    October 18, 2025 at 7:35 am | #

    clearly at this point joe should hook up with ethan, it’s the only logical thing
    or tony and sarah can watch if she wants

    • Nymph
      Nymph
      October 18, 2025 at 10:22 am | #

      Joe/Walky/Ethan/Asher kitchen table poly is my forever crackship. I think they bring so much value to each other’s lives and they way each of them loves would be accommodated and appreciated by the others.

      I know it’ll never happen, but imagine Walky and Ethan talking nerd shit while Asher sits on a counter and talks to Joe. Joe is cooking dinner for them all, something healthy and tasty enough that Walky won’t choose chicken nugs again tonight, something that coaxes Ethan to eat a little more and gives him a way to enjoy being looked after without having someone worrying at him. Asher and Walky do dishes while Joe and Ethan hit the gym, then they all go snuggle in a puppy pile on the floor where they’ve dragged two shitty twin mattresses down for extra space.

      • Nymph
        Nymph
        October 18, 2025 at 10:23 am | #

        the way*

        I’m on a serious typo-bend today.

      • Donovan
        Donovan
        October 18, 2025 at 10:38 am | #

        I love it

  59. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    October 18, 2025 at 7:59 am | #

    I think we’re all ignoring the real problem here which is that once again the desire for sex has annexed a shared living space. Sarah shouldn’t be left exposed and vulnerable in the freezing cold of the unforgiving hallway wilds because Joyce and Dorothy want to fuck! They can buy a hotel room! Designated sex areas now!

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      October 18, 2025 at 8:09 am | #

      Sarah literally has icicles forming on her hair and nose, and it’s like Joyce doesn’t even care.

      • Dot
        Dot
        October 18, 2025 at 10:08 am | #

        If you’re cold, they’re cold…

    • John Campbell
      John Campbell
      October 18, 2025 at 1:53 pm | #

      Sarah can go down to Tony’s and have sex there. Conveniently, he has a single, so it won’t cause a domino effect.

    • Thing 2
      Thing 2
      October 18, 2025 at 8:22 pm | #

      Well, libraries have study rooms, public spaces have private spaces for excretions, so why not fuck-rooms?
      Personally, I find the whole sharing thing outrageous. But if you are going to do that, then a few fuck-rooms should be provided. It might even be a human rights thing. Being able to fuck in private is surely a human need and a human right?

  60. Jernacious
    Jernacious
    October 18, 2025 at 8:03 am | #

    Puts link to Belgian song that translates to Poor Joe

  61. Micki
    Micki
    October 18, 2025 at 8:43 am | #

    Honestly, when I heard about the censoring of IDS, the first thing I thought of was this comic! Glad it’s acknowledged in the alt text. Sigh.

  62. AC
    AC
    October 18, 2025 at 9:15 am | #

    Wait…who put the newspaper there?

  63. jeaux
    jeaux
    October 18, 2025 at 9:37 am | #

    When this room is rocking don’t come knocking.

  64. Zamperla
    Zamperla
    October 18, 2025 at 10:27 am | #

    Listen joyce was raised to think being gay and having pride were both sins, and knew that pride is something gay people do. She has understood the assignment.

    • Felian
      Felian
      October 18, 2025 at 3:42 pm | #

      this is one of my pet peeves. reading “pride” literally in the english translation of the bible is SO not accurate. I don’t know what the original says exactly, but as i’ve always understood the english and german texts i’ve read, what’s meant by “pride is a sin” isn’t gay pride, it means “don’t be an arrogant ass”. Unfortunately, some fundies prefer being arrogant asses over reading their own holy text accurately.

  65. Lys
    Lys
    October 18, 2025 at 11:04 am | #

    These last few strips have been everything I’ve ever wanted. I want 1000 more strips of Joyce and Dorothy being saccharine sweet about each other AND obnoxiously in everyone’s faces about the fact that they’re together.

    • Astariel
      Astariel
      October 18, 2025 at 4:56 pm | #

      I second, third, and fourth this!

  66. Stephen Nedland
    Stephen Nedland
    October 18, 2025 at 11:35 am | #

    Poor Sarah has been sexiled from her own room; maybe she can find asylum in Tony’s room.

    • Nymph
      Nymph
      October 18, 2025 at 11:37 am | #

      sexsylum

      • Dot
        Dot
        October 18, 2025 at 12:38 pm | #

        She’s a sexugee.

        • Stephen Nedland
          Stephen Nedland
          October 19, 2025 at 12:30 pm | #

          I approve of booth.

    • Astariel
      Astariel
      October 18, 2025 at 4:56 pm | #

      You have to admit, it would be pretty weird if she was sexiled from someone else’s room.

  67. Amós Batista
    Amós Batista
    October 18, 2025 at 11:51 am | #

    Off: Good luck y’all in “No Kings” protests today.

  68. NGPZ
    NGPZ
    October 18, 2025 at 12:17 pm | #

    Off topic (kinda?)

    Sarah, Dina, happy birthday!!!!

    🥳 🪅 🎉 🎂 🎈 🎊 🎁

    • NGPZ
      NGPZ
      October 18, 2025 at 12:59 pm | #

      this is also when I celebrate my Dummiversary!

      as of today it’s been 8 years since I started reading Dumbing of Age

      and since I first laid eyes on the Empress of Evolution herself, Dina Saruyama 🥰🦖🥲

      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-8/01-face-the-strange/structured/

  69. Ray Radlein
    Ray Radlein
    October 18, 2025 at 3:15 pm | #

    GUYS GUYS AMAZING update on the Indiana Daily Student newspaper (real-life) clusterfuck: The student newspaper at Purdue, which owns its own printing presses, went to the effort of printing the canceled IDS issue, driving the 90 miles from West Lafayette to Bloomington, and stocking all of the IDS newspaper boxes on campus. 😲

    • Ray Radlein
      Ray Radlein
      October 18, 2025 at 3:17 pm | #

      Might try to repost this with any updates early in tomorrow’s comments because most folks seem to do most of their reading and commenting in the first ten hours or so and might not find out about this

    • bubba0077
      bubba0077
      October 18, 2025 at 3:39 pm | #

      Importantly, it is homecoming weekend, so having a print edition for all those alumni to pick up is extra-important.

    • Astariel
      Astariel
      October 18, 2025 at 4:57 pm | #

      Wow, that’s awesome!

    • Big Z
      Big Z
      October 18, 2025 at 10:46 pm | #

      If Purdue and IU still feel about each other generally like they did when I was in college, that’s practically an enemies-to-lovers arc right there.

  70. Astariel
    Astariel
    October 18, 2025 at 4:59 pm | #

    Love Ruth swooping in for the punchline here. Also love the DGAF of Joyrothy, (or possibly just Joyce?), using the newspaper in lieu of a sock.

  71. nadamás
    nadamás
    October 18, 2025 at 10:47 pm | #

    https://bsky.app/profile/damnyouwillis.bsky.social/post/3m3ioxp7l5s2q

    I love willis so much.

  72. Matrix
    Matrix
    October 19, 2025 at 9:00 am | #

    Yeahhhhhh

What is man?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
CONVENTION APPEARANCES


September 13/14, 2025 - Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland, Table F2

©2010-2025 Dumbing of Age | Powered by WordPress with ComicPress | Subscribe: RSS | Privacy Policy | Back to Top ↑