278

Glowin’
Posted on May 20, 2023 by David M Willis

278 thoughts on “Glowin’”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    I suppose Walky would know =/

    (or WOULD he…??)

    1. GholaHalleck

      Ride or die Booster is Mike club.

      1. Paradox

        Even if Booster is Mike, the school probably wouldn’t know, and would still treat Mike as dead

      2. StClair

        Narratively and essentially, yes.
        But also, for real, no.

  2. Doctor_Who

    I truly hope this comic runs for years yet, but this would be a fantastic final strip.

    1. Thag Simmons

      There’s been a few of those

  3. TerribleTransit

    Joyce’s reality manipulation powers continue to manifest in stronger and stronger ways.

    1. BarerMender

      Yeah, I keep hoping this will turn into a subtle urban fantasy.

      1. Vigil247

        Joyce was secretly God the whole time. She’s been worshipping herself her whole life, she’s just found a new way involving a washing machine.

        1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

          So Haruhi Suzumiya in Indiana?

        2. Mravac Kid

          The Melancholy of Joyce Brown?

        3. Zane Becker-Byrd

          I bet someone could write and put that up on Ao3

        4. Chronos

          yare yare

  4. Yotomoe

    Quick. Bring some Pikachu tears.

    1. NGPZ

      ? i love that reference

    2. Smallmoon

      I mean, technically it was tears from ALL the Pokémon, both clones and originals, being moved by Ash’s Pikachu’s grief.

    3. insertname

      I just want to let you know… youre a very witty and funny person. Every strip i look forward to your comments

  5. V

    Anyone know what the urban legend in question is?

    1. Thag Simmons

      Automatic “A”s if your roommate dies, which is why Walky knows it’s not true.

    2. Yumi

      That if your roommate dies, you automatically get A’s on your classes. Walky has some firsthand experience around this.

    3. HueSatLight

      you get all A’s if your roommate dies.

      1. HueSatLight

        lol, chorus

    4. Doctor_Who

      That if your roommate dies (commits suicide in some versions) you get straight As for being distraught.

      The movie Dead Man on Campus uses it as a premise.

      1. Michael Lanting

        As does the movie Dead Man’s Curve.

        A bit odd they had two movies in the same year with this urban legend as plot point.

        1. Wizard

          Not really. It’s not unusual for two (or more) movies with weirdly similar premises to come out in a short period of time. I’m not even talking copycats that are blatantly ripping off a successful film. Writers and producers live in a somewhat insular community. Since they’re likely to be exposed to the same news and trends, it’s not surprising they sometimes come up with similar ideas. I’ll grant you this particular bolt of lightning striking twice is a little odder than usual.

      2. maxh

        It didn’t have to be suicide in Walky’s version.

    5. Shorduie

      If your roomate dies, you get automatic As (cause you know trauma and stuff). And as we know, Walky has first hand experience in that subject.
      Also really sorry I flagged you, it was a misclick

      1. DailyBrad

        Don’t worry about it. I think a number of people have to flag a post for it to not be assumed to be a false positive.

        1. Psychie

          It’s still courtesy to point out it was a mistake, though, just in case

    6. ReFlex76

      If your college roommate dies, you automatically get straight As; presumably for the trauma.

      Kinda dark when you remember who Walky’s roomie was.

      1. Schpoonman

        Why’s it dark? Mike dying was the best thing that’s happened to this cast in a minute.

        1. hatman

          don’t tell amber that

        2. TulipKitten

          Or Ethan

        3. Kaiyalai

          Yikes.

        4. Taffy

          Y’know, I’m inclined to second this. I always thought Mike was the least interesting character, but he clearly had an affect on some of the others, so a big dramatic death really shook things up nicely and helped keep the others’ stories from potentially getting stagnant. He could have totally had a whole arc where he fully stopped being a pointless little prick and grew the fuck up, but that probably woulda taken years in real time. Now, we’ve spent some of that time dealing with the fallout of his falldown instead, and I dig it a lot.

        5. Schpoonman

          Yeah, without Mike to abuse Walky until he fits into whatever mold Mike wanted, he’s free to actually be a person.

    7. StClair

      I think you also get automatic As if ten or more people answer your question at once.

      1. Vanessa

        Very good!

      2. V

        Drat, I only got 6. You’re really letting me down, DOA comments section.

    8. Francoinblanco

      University give you As to ease your trauma/grief related to the death of your roommate. Walky learned firsthand that this was not true

    9. Fred

      It’s said that if your dorm room mate passes away, you get straight A’s in all of your subjects to compensate for the trauma. Unfortunately, Walky learned from the death of his own roomie that that doesn’t happen.

    10. Amelie Wikström

      If it was true, I wonder if universities would have to warn students against killing roommates to salvage grades?

  6. Shorduie

    Oh my god, Walky knows 🙁

  7. DailyBrad

    This is fucking amazing.

  8. shadowcell

    and that’s it, Dumbing of Age is over, great run everybody

    1. cbwroses

      Nah.
      Even with Joyce gone, Walky has enough dumbness to carry the comic.
      At least until we get a replacement Joyce, possibly one with different values than her.
      An Anti-Joyce if you will.

  9. Yotomoe

    I’m pretty sure Walky’s had more experience than Sarah gives him credit for. He DEFINITELY fucked Dorothy. And he PROBABLY fucked or at least fooled around with Amber. For all we know he’s got more experience than Sarah.

    1. Shorduie

      I would easily guess Sarah is a virgin. She has a VERY small pool of people who she wants to get involved with, and she doesnt actually try to get close (physically or otherwise) to any of them

      1. BarerMender

        Sarah did mention that her after-life sexual shame reel would run for quite a long time.

        1. woobie

          They have those?
          Does everyone get to watch? Afterlife Movie Afternoons?

        2. BarerMender

          That’s Joyce’s belief. Was, I mean.

      2. HueSatLight

        She has dated before, it was just stupid and she hated it.

      3. Tawdry Quirks

        I think she got fed up with Liz stealing her boyfriends. Maybe she’s worried that if she gets a new boyfriend that Liz will sneak away from Ball State again and steal him.

        1. Needfuldoer

          Liz could pop up from behind the Joyce statue right now, for all Sarah knows. She may have learned how to teleport while they were hanging out!

      4. vulcanodon

        Sarah’s accurate account of first-time suggests she isn’t a virgin.

    2. Jamie

      Great. Now I’m arguing with myself over whether or not Walky and Amber ever fucked. I’m betting they have.

      1. BBCC

        Last we heard from Amber that I recall, the furthest they got was dry humping.

        1. cbwroses

          Yes, but that was around the time he punched Asher.
          They were supposed to stop messing around after he found out she stabbed Sal’s hand, but Sal gave her blessing and then Mike died, so they seemed to be messing around to some agree for the next two weeks until Halloween happened.
          So they could have gone anywhere from cuddling to post coitus cuddling in that time frame.

        2. cbwroses

          Strike that.
          I was wrong.
          They didn’t see each other again until Halloween.
          Which is kind of messed up now that I think about it since the only people she was close with were Mike, Ethan, Dina, and Walky (Amber, not Amazi-girl, though I guess she could have gotten close to Sal as Amber in that timeframe), which means the only person close to her who was around was Dina.

        3. thejeff

          Did I miss something?
          We know they were both at Mike’s funeral at least. Why do you think they hadn’t seen each other?

        4. cbwroses

          Sorry.
          Wasn’t thinking clearly.
          She said she hadn’t seen Walky since…and then didn’t finish the sentence.

      2. Yotomoe

        I’m HOPING they have.

      3. DailyBrad

        Amber and Walky explicitly never had sex, but they did dry hump once to completion.

        Like, that’s not even a guess, we are told this on-panel, interestingly enough.

        So yeah, so far, it’s just been Walky and Dorothy that went “all the way”.

        1. DailyBrad

          I think that, so far, Amber’s just had sex with Danny, which… has maybe only happened as Amazi-Girl, actually. Like, I don’t think Amber and Ethan went through with it, did they? Despite his mom’s pressure.

        2. Rabid Rabbit

          We know (via Slipshine) she did some stuff with Ethan, which was all very very awkward, and the flashback panel to the hotel room after prom has them still mostly clothed, which suggests Ethan came to his realization before they had a chance to really try anything too serious.

        3. cbwroses

          We were told that on panel before Mike died.
          They were hanging out for two more weeks after that, most likely because Mike died, as Walky was supposed to be leaving her alone prior to that.
          We do not know what that hanging out entailed, if it was just company or more.

        4. cbwroses

          Just checked.
          I was wrong.
          They hadn’t seen each other again until Halloween.

  10. NGPZ

    Oh no! She’s been petrified!

    Gotta find Dina to make some revival fluid!

    *plays “Chemical G Funk Mix” from DR Stone OST*

    1. Bicycle Bill

      Joey! Let’s make some wake-up juice!

    2. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      At first she was afraid, she was petrified?

      1. cbwroses

        Thinking she could never live without her dryer ride…

        1. Proxiehunter

          But she spent so many nights thinking about things hard and long . . .

        2. cbwroses

          It felt wrong…but she wanted Joe’s dingdong!

  11. DarkoNeko

    They’re holding haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaands

  12. Amós Batista

    Quick, somebody cast Esunaon Joyce.

    1. Amós Batista

      Off: Nobody here plays Final Fantasy, I suppose. ¬¬’

      1. Azhrei Vep

        I’m more of an old-school fan. Have a SOFT for her.

        1. Hoboturtle

          That’s only for gameplay. For a story wound like this it’ll have to be SUPER SOFT

        2. Morleuca

          how about casting Stone to Flesh?

  13. ReFlex76

    Joyce Superpowers:

    – Force grow stubble on another person’s face.
    – Turn to stone.

    1. Amós Batista

      Also:
      – Lizards enchanting.

    2. TerribleTransit

      – Teleportation
      – Super strength/agility to leap into trees

  14. Caro

    sarah dont Tell People

    1. Jamie

      How else will Sarah feel joy?

      1. butting

        *checks cast list*

        Uh, who’s Joy again, exactly?

        1. DailyBrad

          Joy is Joe and Joyce’s official ship name.

          (I mean, it SHOULD be.)

        2. Sajuuk-Khar

          I thought their official ship name was Jojo! D: It fits so well with Joyce’s manifesting Stand powers and Joe being improbably buff!!!

        3. Needfuldoer

          I still like “Joece”.

        4. DailyBrad

          I’ve heard that and Joece before, I just like Joy and am being facetious, like I would imagine Joy is, at best, a distant third.

        5. Sajuuk-Khar

          It’s all cool, my complaint was also facetious and I’m a big Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure weebnerd.

        6. Sajuuk-Khar

          I also came into th comment thread late, like a big loser, and missed hilarious Sarah-related groping implications

    2. skartling

      Yeah I’m reminded again that I wouldn’t be friends with Sarah. Not that she’d want me too. But, God.

  15. RassilonTDavros

    It took me a minute to get Walky’s last line in the final panel, but once it hit…

    1. Holly

      Never having known the rumour, I had to read the comments to get it, and OUCH

      1. Mark

        You are not alone.

  16. Nono

    Sarah seems… oddly cheerful this morning.

    1. BarerMender

      Maybe Joyce has dragged her along on the furious masturbation trip.

    2. DailyBrad

      Dunking on these three probably perked her up.

  17. NGPZ

    She got into Joe’s multivitamin gummies I see. She’s completely stoned! ????

    1. spriteless aunty

      *rimshot*

  18. Yumi

    I started wondering about, if the dead roommate thing were true, how common would it be for people to kill their roommates in an attempt to exploit that. Then I wondered if there have ever been cases where someone has killed their roommate because they *think* that’s true.

    Any, real life cases of that would be too dark, but I’d check out a dark comedy where someone has a PhD and, like, a suspiciously long list of roommates who happened to die.

    1. StClair

      Someone mentioned one a bit further up the thread. Here’s the link.

    2. Nono

      Sounds like a Castle episode.

  19. HueSatLight

    Sarah doesn’t know but Sal does. That smile’s not long for this world.

  20. CMasta1992

    Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good…

    1. Jamie

      Mr. Stark would give you better masturbation tips.

      1. vulcanodon

        Mr. Stark would have an extremely clever vibrator of some kind

    2. showler

      I was thinking more “Joycchi the Rock”.

      1. Taffy

        Sounds like an anime title.

  21. Bicycle Bill

    Joyce has sinned, so like Lot’s wife, God has turned her into a pillar of salt.

    1. C.T. Phipps

      I find it amusing whenever Joyce complains about not believing in God or her sexual issues, to think of Willis as God.

  22. RassilonTDavros

    SENZU BEAN!

  23. Vanessa

    I wonder if that is Lucy’s problem? Is she so much of a Christian victim of propaganda and programming that she can’t masturbate? I anticipate delicious drama next page.

    1. Vanessa

      But she’ll probably just tell everyone her bogus third-date workaround. Which Joyce would rip to shreds, as a person who had been fully committed to complete and utter virginity until actual marriage and a person with current contempt for religious BS.

      1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        And a person who knows that the third date rule isn’t actually in the Bible.

      2. C.T. Phipps

        The third date workaround isn’t Christian. It’s a very common belief by many people that sex should at least be with people who they know more than completely casually.

      3. Sporky

        See, I don’t understand this attitude at all from other atheists (I’m assuming you are one). It’s all a bunch of made-up bullshit anyway, what difference does it make to you if Christians pick and choose the parts they like as long as they’re not harming anybody? If anything it’s GOOD that they don’t follow every single thing in the Bible to the letter.

        1. BarerMender

          Right. Let them cherry-pick. We don’t want them murdering anyone for gardening on the Sabbath.

        2. Taffy

          If I can’t stab a gardener as part of my weekend, what’s the fucking point of even being religious? You’re being really insensitive to those of us who take these things seriously.

        3. Proxiehunter

          Speaking as someone who’s neither Christian nor Atheist (it feels like a lot of people in BOTH groups feel like everyone is either one of those or the other) the problem I have with Christian cherry picking is that often they’re cherry picking parts that make life easier for them while insisting those of us who aren’t Christian must obey onerous portions of the bible.

          They get to have their shellfish and their bacon because it’s a whole new covenant but gay marriage is a sin and shouldn’t be allowed by the state and other bullshit like that is what people are usually complaining about when they complain about them cherry picking.

        4. Needfuldoer

          It’s very simple:

          If they like something, it’s “right” and “proper” and supported by their magic book.

          If they don’t like something, or don’t want to admit they like it, it’s “a sin” and “wrong” and their magic book says they have to stop it by any means necessary.

          And they can’t live and let live, so they must force their views onto the entire world “for your own good” or to “save” everyone, as long as the in-groups are protected and their scapegoat of the week is punished. That way they can feel good about themselves and await the next outrage du jour from their favorite bile-spewing grifter.

          *eyeroll, sarcastic wanking motion*

        5. Needfuldoer

          They “just” want everyone to live by their rules “or else”, is what I’m saying. If they genuinely believed in the values they say they’re taught, they wouldn’t be jerkass hypocrites about them.

          They just love power, which is why (conveniently) they’re always on top in their world.

          Once again, George Carlin was right.

        6. C.T. Phipps

          I feel like this attitude is very much determined by the Right Wing fundamentalist branch of the faith which is not even the majority. It’s a bit like, “All politicians are the same.” Which is a somewhat dangerous value given so much of the opposition is struggling against the billionaire hype machine of the fascist agenda (that uses Christianity as a prop).

        7. The Oracle

          Maybe if that non-majority weren’t so violent and aggressive, normal people wouldn’t be so cautious around Christians in general. It’s a little paranoid to assume they’re all like that, sure, but you can’t always tell who’s nuts right away and a lot of people aren’t willing to take the gamble. If someone mentions Capital-G God, I immediately try to end the interaction for personal safety, and I don’t think that’s so unreasonable.

        8. StClair

          ‘swhy I don’t get offended at those who are generally/automatically and vocally distrustful of cishet white guys, because yeah, a lot of us are shit and a lot of people have learned the hard way that they need to be. :p

        9. Mark

          Speaking as a Christian, I have the same problem with that cherry-picking.

        10. C.T. Phipps

          Cherry picking should be a fundamental fact of Christianity because Jesus literally taught it was how it should be done. Jesus said that whatever doesn’t serve God should be discarded. Why he was okay doing good on the Sabbath and saying honor killings were evil.

        11. Mark

          The difference is between serving God and serving myself.

        12. thejeff

          A lot of more strident atheists come out of fundamentalist backgrounds, so they’re reacting directly to the hypocrisy in what they were taught.

          It’s also easier to dunk on Christians if you treat it all literally, rather than engaging with the more nuanced theology of non-fundamentalist sects.

    2. DailyBrad

      I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Lucy isn’t THAT repressed, since she has been, for all of her dorkery and hand-wringing, more receptive to the idea of having sex, and she is more able to express it explicitly, so she’s probably more likely to have gotten off before.

      Granted, she strikes me as a “pillow rider”, versus owning a toy or the like, but who knows.

    3. HueSatLight

      I’m pretty sure Lucy isn’t stuck in a “purity culture” mindset.

  24. BBCC

    WELP, rip to Joyce. Long live the new main character! Whoever they may be.

    1. Kyrik Michalowski

      I vote Sal as the new main character, or Carla perhaps.

      1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        Why not both? The Sal and Carla Show!

        1. Dinajoyce

          Because Carla does NOT share main character status, obviously.

        2. Zero

          That’s right!
          She doesn’t get any at all.

  25. Suet

    At least she’s glowing because of that and not because of… other conventional matters.

    *hums Like a Stone by Audioslave while transporting Stone!Joyce off-strip*

  26. Dday

    Aw, Lucy. Anyone else catch that look in panel 4?

    1. showler

      Did she faint off-panel in the last panel?

      Or rather, just off the last panel?

  27. Angel

    ngl if ppl could literally turn stony and such like this i’m sure ppl similar to walky as well as others would do this as much as possible to committ to the bit

  28. Doom Shepherd

    Oh no! Who will carry the Matrix now?

    1. DailyBrad

      Joyce has got the touch. Perhaps a little too much.

  29. Rabbit

    I really wish Sarah would stop doing this to joyce. This isn’t what you do to a friend you care about. it’s just embarrassing someone for your own amusement. :c

    1. Rabbit

      oh, no

      1. Rabbit

        Nope

        1. Rabbit

          Closer but no

        2. Rabbit

          I JUST WANT MY OLD AVATAR BACK MAN

        3. Rabbit

          sigh

        4. Rabbit

          Not quite

        5. Rabbit

          Still no

        6. Now

          Your gravatar roulette looks like a bunch of people dogpilled your comment about Sarah it’s hilarious :’D

    2. Sporky

      your lack of gravatar luck is your punishment for your tiresome moralizing comment

      1. Seven

        Talking about somebody else’s sex life in public when they aren’t comfortable talking about it is a dick move.

        1. Taffy

          So what

      2. Queezle

        If people were to stop calling out character behaviour they do not agree with we would have about half as many comments.

        1. Sajuuk-Khar

          Yeah, but the post quality would go up, you see.

          Perfectly balanced. As all things should be.

        2. The Oracle

          Can I borrow a cup of your optimism? It looks stronger than mine.

      3. Rabbit

        Some people like to analyze their media, my guy. If you don’t that’s cool but like. I do.

        1. Sajuuk-Khar

          Media analysis is when I’m upset that a character isn’t nice and socially acceptable all the time and the more I complain about it, the more analytical it is.

        2. Taffy

          The review must go on.

      4. Schpoonman

        Are you for real?

    3. APersonAmI

      Yup.

  30. Rabbit

    That one could be passable, but next-

    1. Rabbit

      Little too edgy

      1. Rabbit

        No.

        1. Rabbit

          Again?

        2. Rabbit

          good god. is there a way to do grav roulette without spamming

        3. Rabbit

          Carla is acceptable but I really just want my old avatar back TT

        4. Rabbit

          Hrm

        5. Rabbit

          Mm…

        6. Rabbit

          Last one for the day. I am tired orz

        7. hatman

          Roll and accept your fate.

  31. Rabbit

    guess I’m sticking with carla for now TT

    1. Taffy

      Sorry, I accidentally flagged you 16 times. I’m so very clumsy.

      1. Rabbit

        Weird hostility for no reason over a very normal (if long) grav roulette. Totally cool and normal behavior.

        Anyway, no worries. Willis doesn’t look into any one post unless it gets a borderline obscene amount of them, so unless you got a lot of free time…

        1. Taffy

          Lmao, hostility? Don’t be so paranoid, you’ll get stress lines. I’m well aware that one flag doesn’t do jack (or even diddly), I just like clicking the button. Also, people apologise for a single accidental flag, so I was playing off that for laughs. My own laughs, that is, which are the only ones I care about.

  32. Hazel

    Not to take this too seriously but why would Sarah even MAKE a joke like that around Walky? Or at all? Kinda sucks and it’s not even going to get a laugh. I know she doesn’t care but she’s gotta care a little, right?

    1. BarerMender

      Walky is cool about sex. He’d probably surprised to find out Joyce wasn’t masturbating. Lucy, on the other hand, is probably picturing it and freaking.

      1. thejeff

        Walky’s been around Joyce long enough to be surprised that she’s started masturbating. Her sexual repression is legend around campus.

    2. HueSatLight

      Probably feels like fair play considering Joyce tried to shame her so much for masturbating. It’s in poor taste, but she’s not the one who decided to masturbate in a public place.
      It also sets her up for some cosmic justice, like learning Joe and Joyce are together. I have a sneaking suspicion that’s not going to go over as well as it did with Becky and Dina.

      1. MisterJinKC

        It’s never fair play to tell others about someone’s pricate sex life. It’s a piece of shit move, especially considering Sarah knows how mortified Joyce would be. Joyce has done plenty wrong, but nothing she’s done justifies this. Sarah is being a major piece of shit and should be ashamed of herself. Walky and Lucy should be ashamed of her too. Just…damn dude. I dont even like Joyce and think this is fucked up.

        1. Taffy

          That’s a little over the top. “Piece of shit”? Like, damn.

        2. MisterJinKC

          Joyce has looked to Sarah as a big sister figure and a person she feels safe with since the beginning. Sarah betrayed that trust by telling Joyce’s personal business, about her sex life, to other people without permission. It was malicious in that she did it specifically to embarrass Joyce. Additionally, they roommates so Joyce doesn’t have the ability to have time away from Sarah to process Yes, a betrayal that big makes her a piece of shit.

      2. Proxiehunter

        Not sure if you two are doing a bit or just missing the fact that they’re talking about the reference to the urban legend about getting straight A’s if your roommate dies. Which Walky knows for a fact is just an urban legend because his roommate died.

        But I’m betting on that being a speaking before thinking issue.

        1. HueSatLight

          I’m not doing a bit, looks like I’m not the only one who read the comment as Sarah’s first poor taste joke. I don’t know if Jin’s overreaction to anything less than stellar any woman character does is a bit or not.

        2. HueSatLight

          Sarah is riffing off of Walky’s joke about Joyce dying of embarrassment. I can see how someone might think that crossed the line too much, but not David “Mike is faking his own death” Walkerton.

    3. DailyBrad

      Honestly, if Joyce had no-sold it, I bet Walky would have assumed Sarah was joking. Hell, he still might.

      1. aelfwine

        That’s not an excuse, not even close.

        1. DailyBrad

          Not really saying it’s an excuse, just making an observation.

      2. HueSatLight

        All she has to say is, “no, I have a boyfriend now: Joe.” And everyone’s short term memory will be erased.

    4. vulcanodon

      It’s not cool. Best to let other people take the lead in self-disclosure, even if it’s something nearly everyone does.

    5. Aslan

      To quote Sarah herself “I run on apathy. RUTH runs on spite”

  33. Jaime

    Gravatar roulette – sorry!

  34. Jaime

    I really like her but I feel like I’m appropriating because I am glow-in-the-dark white, so here I go again…

  35. Jaime

    Umm…

  36. Jaime

    One last time…

  37. Jaime

    Okay, I apologize profusely in advance and won’t post again until I figure out how to change my gravatar to an image I pick.

    1. JBento

      https://en.gravatar.com/

  38. APersonAmI

    I have to say, Sarah’s arc of abandoning empathy and finding joy in causing sufffering being played for comedy instead of the emotional weight it could have had, is a real shame. This could have meant something. Her becoming an awful person could have been dramatic, tragic, interesting. I could have bneen engaged. Instead, all I feel, is:
    *Sigh* what an asshole.

    1. APersonAmI

      *snicker* *bneen.* That’s funny. I’m glad I made that spelling mistake, it amuses me. Bneen.

    2. Rabbit

      Honestly, for a while it felt like her arc was going to swing the other way (strict/by the rules character slowly warming up and caring while maintaining their front)

      It seems like post-timeskip Sarah is way more vested in having less empathy towards Joyce and everyone else.

      Which is fine but I wish it was explored more. Cuz it just seems like she’s being *more* mean than usual? Like she’s normally a bit of a grump, and I could see it being her being… I guess fed up with all the drama and tragedy, and lashing out. But we haven’t seen much of her perspective/her internals/etc on a lot of it, which makes it feel like it’s mean for the sake of being mean/reveling in others misery.

      1. Schpoonman

        In following the “[X] is the new Mike since Mike died” thought, since Mike was so overwhelmingly useless and harmful, as other characters become more like him they just get shittier without any payoff.

      2. Schpoonman

        Okay, genuine discourse instead of more dumping on Mike.

        As much as I agree with the take that Mike didn’t fit in well during the fall semester, his causticness not translating well to DoA’s more realistic environment, I find it odd that Willis killed him and then made DoA more wacky and meanspirited. Becky and Sarah both ramped up their pettiness (though Becky’s toned it down lately; her long-running beef with Dorothy finally starting to cool), and Dorothy finally found the long-suspected-but-never-until-now-confirmed bad bones in her body.

        Every time someone goes “Ha ha, Joyce is a sexual being now,” I think of this strip.

        https://www.dumbingofage.com/2023/comic/book-13/02-turning-saints-into-the-sea/slutshamey/

        I could be wrong, but I’m mostly certain Joyce never tried to “playfully” slut-shame Sarah in front of her friends the way Sarah is doing to Joyce right now.

        1. aelfwine

          Sarah seriously needs to get expelled for sexual harrassment. I’m sure some people won’t see it until Sarah starts sharing the secret photos and/or videos she’s been taking of Joyce masturbating rather than merely grossky violating her privacy in every other way.

        2. Taffy

          Thank you for the massive belly laugh. I’ve had a stressful couple of days and it helped a lot.

        3. HueSatLight

          It does feel like a step back from https://www.dumbingofage.com/touched/ But that’s how it goes sometimes, trying to be a bit better but not always nailing it*.

          At least she hasn’t brought up the rest of it yet.

          *much like how Lucy isn’t nailing Walky.

        4. Schpoonman

          There’s a big gulf between “trying to be a bit better” and “wildly inappropriate” and Sarah is not trying at all.

    3. TerribleTransit

      Feels more like attempting friendly ribbing and going to far than “abandoning empathy and finding joy in causing sufffering” to me, but I guess there’s room for interpretation.

  39. woobie

    Disintegrate.
    Gust of Wind.

    1. NickG

      Varsuvius just off panel.

    2. DailyBrad

      Ah, Order of the Stick, haven’t thought of that in a while.

  40. AGV

    Oh, but Sarah, you’re not ready for the whole truth!

    1. Proxiehunter

      You can’t handle the truth!

  41. Taffy

    I think I should seriously and earnestly analyse the moral implications of this strip in which Joyce turns into literal stone.

    Actually no, I’d rather play grav roulette.

    1. NGPZ

      Ha, LOVE your new Joker Becky avatar. ?

    2. Sajuuk-Khar

      well *I* think not enough people are advocating for one character’s suffering or death as the result of a social faux pas

      1. Taffy

        Speaking Frank Welkerly, if we don’t see an actual execution in the next few chapters, I might have to start reading something more realistic. These dysfunctional characters aren’t being harmed enough for their mild vocal rudeness and it breaks my immersion.

    3. SailorCakes

      Grav roulette greatly amused me :3

    4. AY

      Genuinely asking, are you alright? You’re up and down the comments being combative/denying being combative, and just seem like you need a break.

      1. Taffy

        No, I’m not alright! ? I’m emotionally volatile and on the verge of suicide on a near-daily basis. Mind your own business, though?

        I’m not taking things nearly as seriously as I’m probably phrasing them, and that’s Fine, Actually. This comic isn’t as life-or-death as people wanna make it out to be, and I can actually make flippant remarks without it Being A Problem or some overall sign of not-alrightness. Don’t get familiar.

        1. Yumi

          Hey, you don’t seem particularly combative to me– I do know that sometimes people here do get that way, and it can be concerning or upsetting but— in terms of the first paragraph… well, one time my therapist said to me, “I know you’re well-versed in crisis lines,” which is true and also felt like a very funny callout, and just, I would recommend the Trans Lifeline if you wanted to talk to someone? More consistently helpful than some others I know, and they’re not gonna call the cops on you.

          Anyway, imagine if the person next to you just suddenly turned to stone. Would be kinda fucked, I think. Kinda problematic of Joyce to just turn into stone around people without getting their consent first.

        2. Taffy

          That’s what I’m saying! She’s being very gross about this. They’re gonna have to track down a Medusa, get the venom out of her eye, it’s a whole fuckin’ THING that Joyce is just putting on her “friends” (more like victims), and nobody is really calling her out???

          Far as the other thing goes, it’s probably oversharing in general, but they did ask. It’s honestly fine though, I’m not desperate enough to call a helpline (not that anyone else needs to be desperate, I’m only talking about me here), but I do appreciate the point-to. It’s always good to have reminders about that type of resource, even if I don’t use it.

  42. Sajuuk-Khar

    Per the secret Gnostic word of Willis, the new main character is Charlie

    Doubtless the central theme will appropriately shift to her Jane Austen-style courtship by the incomparable crimson majesty of Carla

    1. Blue

      Now I want to read that more than the current story arc.

  43. True Survivor

    They are laughing now, but this had nothing to do with their conversation. Somewhere, Thanos just got all the infinity stones.

  44. Acher4

    Daaaaamn Sarah… that was a little cold/stony.

  45. BOOSTER SHOT

    Well, she had a good run. I guess it’s time for Booster to take their destiny and become the main chcaracter

  46. Needfuldoer

    At least somebody’s shoveling the stairs.

    1. Taffy

      Nah, the earliest risers just slipped enough times to clear off the bulk.

      1. Needfuldoer

        Which song prompted the ELO Gravatar? I thought about referencing Turn to Stone up near the daily hacked Muzak post but that’s more about someone leaving than embarrassment.

        1. Taffy

          That’s the exact song. Admittedly, I don’t pretend to understand the lyrics to almost any song in general, so I kinda went in a very literal direction with it.

        2. Slartibeast Button, BIA

          I was gonna do Kim Wilde’s “Stone”, but decided not to.

          Someone should mention Simon & Garfunkel’s “I am a Rock”, though.

    2. Mark

      I’ve heard that that carbon-to-silicon transmutation liberates a lot of heat.

      1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        Iron-54 is the bottom of the energy curve, so probably.

  47. GLaDOS

    Hmm, Aslan can unpetrify people, can’t he? Someone go and check the local bus stops.

    1. Aslan

      I’m on my way

    2. TulipKitten

      They just need to find a gold needle and she’ll be fine.

  48. nightshade

    so is Lucy and Walky going to be the cute couple that has amusing “something always comes up” incidents that keep them from having sex every so often?

    1. Pergola

      It will be hilarious. Like the Daisy-will-never-get-laid gag.

    2. DailyBrad

      I feel like either that happens or Sal/Danny and Lucy/Walky race to who gets laid first.

  49. ValdVin

    Okay, after a quarter century of Willis works i don’t remember this gag, ever.

  50. aelfwine

    So at this point, is it ok to recognize how fucking inappropriate Sarah is being?

    She has steadily been rising the ranks of Most Asshole character ever.. I don’t even fucking care if she apologizes afterwards, I hope she fucking gets expelled for her constant sexual harassment of Joyce.

    If anyone doesn’t think this is sexual harassment, imagine soneone at the workplace constantly commenting on a coworker’s sex life, no matter how private it was, no matter how uncomfortable it made them.

    Get expelled, Sarah and live in poverty the rest of your miserable life.

    1. spriteless aunty

      Don’t know that Sarah can be expelled for that, though. Jobs have special rules, because money is a power dynamic that’s dangerous. Joyce should put in a complaint, though, she could get a new room mate, like Booster got for being dead named.

    2. Daibhid C

      On the one hand, I compeletly agree with your analysis of Sarah’s comments here.

      On the other “Most Asshole Character” is a very high bar in this strip, and I don’t think she’s anywhere close to reaching it. Yet.

    3. Sajuuk-Khar

      On the one hand, I’m heartened that this is one of very few tiresome character-slagging comments, but holy shit, it got unnecessarily vicious?

      Like, “live in poverty”? Fuck, why don’t you just wish for her death, that’d be a lot more understandable and a lot less cruel.

      1. CitrineMonster

        It is a definite overreaction to something that can be common amongst friends when it is an acceptable thing to make fun of. Joyce, as much as people like her, has been a holier than thou pita for at least half of the length of their friendship! Of course sarah, dotty, and becky have that social clearance to poke fun at her. Im pretty sure I’ve literally heard this same damn convo when i was in college. “Live in poverty?” Jesus christ

        1. Taffy

          Okay, I’m not normally the Race Pointer-Outer, but like….? It’s a little weird to go straight to the poverty thing with the Black woman who explicitly needs grades-reliant financial assistance to stay in achool, right?

        2. RassilonTDavros

          Yeah, I’m with you. Hella weird.

        3. Taffy

          And like, I’m not trying to make any implications about anyone’s offline behavior, just to be perfectly clear. Maybe I should assume these unhinged and over the top sorts of comments are being played up for comedic/dramatic/erotic effect.

      2. thejeff

        Yeah, it’s not really cool of Sarah, but this is a massive overreaction.
        Par for the course around here I suppose.

        I don’t think anyone got that extreme even when we were accusing Dorothy of sexual assault a little while back.

        1. aelfwine

          Dorothy crossed some boundaries, which would have justified Joyce yelling at her and asking her to not approach her again, if Joyce so felt like.
          Sarah has already done the above previously, and now has escalated to deliberately exposing Joyce’s private life to numerous other people for the sadistic enjoyment of Joyce getting mortified.

          It’d be equivalent to Dorothy just spreading around that she helped Joyce masturbate, rather than her merely doing so, and so spreading it *because* she maliciously knows Joyce doesn’t want it known.

          There’s a different between some boundaries getting crossed, and letting the other person decide how to feel about that, and actively deciding to become Joyce’s enemy, taking joy in her hurt.

        2. Sajuuk-Khar

          okay, Raidah

        3. Taffy

          ???holy shit, put the gun down

        4. TulipKitten

          Dorothy was being very “ew” in that strip. I’m still kinda not over it. And she wasn’t even slightly remorseful about it?

          First she assumed that Joyce didn’t know what masturbation was, when Sarah explained it in weirdly graphic detail to her a long time ago. She knows enough about it to object to it.

          Second, she took away Joyce’s agency here. Even if Joe is, in her opinion, not the best fit for Joyce, she should be willing to let Joyce find out. It’s not like she’s gonna kill herself if Joe dumps her. And it’s not like Joe is a rapist or anything. As much as Joyce was offended by it, Roz was 100% in the right here.

          Third, you might think there would be better ways to do this instead of in a public place? Where people go to do their laundry? Like, there was also a laundry attendant? Who probably has to watch if people are using the machines to masturbate?

        5. Taffy

          Do you really think a Midwestern college is going to hire somebody to sit and stare at laundry machines all day? Maybe a dedicated laundromat would have that, but I feel like Joyce or Dorothy would have mentioned it if the school had one.

        6. Schpoonman

          I’m mostly convinced the reason we got “Joyce, if you don’t want to do this…” instead of actual consenting “Hey. Want to learn how to masturbate?” is because there is no universe in which we cohesively go from “I know you literally shouted at us to leave your sexuality alone, but I know better than you,” to Joyce masturbating. That entire sequence will never not be gross.

    4. HueSatLight

      was wondering when we were going to get back to “most evil person in the strip” comments.

    5. The Oracle

      You’re silly.

  51. Plaaaa

    I didn’t know Joyce was a Jedi.

  52. Raven

    Sara what the fuck. You don’t tell people things like that!

  53. Reltzik

    Is this another Big Sister Sarah Moment? I think this is another Big Sister Sarah moment.

    1. RassilonTDavros

      I’ll admit that I did a lot of shit to my younger siblings, but I can’t recall doing anything quite like this. But yeah, probably.

  54. Yeet

    instead of blaming sarah clearly we should be mad at walky for shooting down sarah’s dream of automatic As

    1. Sajuuk-Khar

      Walky is, of course, the real monster here

      1. The Oracle

        He did say something that could be construed as aggressive. For all Sarah knows, he’s going to literally shoot her down, with the gun he visibly has.

  55. Hof1991

    Dust in the wind.
    Joyce will soon be dust in the wind.

    1. Mark

      “Don’t hang on. / Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.”

  56. Aslan

    Even if it’s a slightly new flavor, I’m growing real tired of the “and then Joyce cartoonishly overreacted to being perceived as a sexual being” punchline. I know these aren’t things that just Go Away in real life (i.e. religious trauma and purity culture), but the joke got old for me around the second time it was made and now it’s really starting to grate. I really hope we don’t get too many more

  57. Mada

    I am amused at Joyce apparently getting a Transformers death here.

    1. Straximus

      Could be a Prime death, but the alt-text implies a Starscream one.

  58. Smooti

    Honestly I think schools probably *should*, at the very least, give kids a bit of a reprieve if something traumatic like a roommate dying happens. Let alone all the other bullshit that’s happened to these kids in this strip!

    I guess they gave Walky some kinda thing, unless he managed to get all his grades up to passing between Mike’s death and the end of the semester in December.

    1. HueSatLight

      depends on the school and the professors I’m sure, but it can happen. A friend got like an extra year to finish up his last semester after a tragedy.

      1. Yumi

        Freakin lost my mind at one point in college, professor had no problem giving me an incomplete in the class which gave me until the middle of the next semester to get work in to count toward my grade in the class. (Also, it worked so that it was until the next semester I *was enrolled in courses,* so when I had a medical withdrawal from classes in the next semester, it carried on until the fall semester when I was back.)

  59. Taffy

    Looks like Joyce is a fan of ELO. The reference is a bit Out of the Blue, but much happreciated.

  60. Steamweed

    1. Damn, Sarah! That was uncalled for and harsh.
    2. Rest in pieces, Joyce. We will comfort Joe for you.

  61. Amós Batista

    I hope Lucy have sex in future. Try-harders deserves more…

  62. Proto

    Oh no Joyce is an anime!

    Also that may be the darkest punchline I’ve seen in a comic in a while

  63. Josh Spicer

    Whaaaaat in this fuck Sarah?

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