150

Showering
Posted on September 2, 2022 by David M Willis

150 thoughts on “Showering”

  1. Jen Aside

    “what am ah gonna have ta do? strip nekkid??”

    “…well, in THIS weather, you’d still be COOL“

    1. Jen Aside

      oh

      wrong browser, I see

      1. Decidedly Orthogonal

        Thank you for confirming a theory of mine.

        1. milu

          was the theory that Ana Chronistic has trapped Jen Aside in the Sunken Place

          because that makes ALOT OF SENSE

          (cue Hyperboleandahalf ref)

        2. milu

          (yes i appreciate Jordan Peele)

      2. Roe

        it’s been 84 years…

    2. Kyrik Michalowski

      How are you doing that underline thing? And what is it’s.purpose?

      1. Sol

        I believe it denotes alt-text. I dunno about mobile but on a regular computer you can hover your mouse cursor over it and see the text.

        1. Cholma

          Yeah, it’s an ALT text. In this case, it says [and now *Brock Samson voice* I gotta take care of something]

      2. Jamie

        It’s the abbr tag. Its purpose is to indicate an abbreviation. The title attribute is supposed to be the expanded form.

    3. The Wellerman

      Crackship avatar? I see it’s that time of the month again ?

  2. The Wellerman

    Conclusion — Sal is the Goku of dressing cool. ?

    1. Decidedly Orthogonal

      Yep. I gotta disagree with Joe here. It’s working Sal. It’s working *very* well.

  3. Sirksome

    What the hell is Joe even on about? Every time he seems to improve a moment reminds me he’s still Joe. Also dude is totally jelly right now. Don’t hate!

    1. alongcameaspider

      Maybe he’s going to suggest she try to help Danny dress cooler

    2. Tan

      You have definitely heard Sal’s name several times by now, Joe. Just call her by her damn name.

      1. Rotunda

        Sal was formerly in the habit of never using anyone’s real name. Joe is probably picking up on that.

        1. BBCC

          Not ‘never’. She uses people’s names once she’s close enough to them. If they’re not friendly, she uses nicknames of varying degrees of politeness.

          I think it’s because she’s bad with names.

        2. Nono

          People who she doesn’t use nicknames for: Jennifer, Amber, Ethan, Danny, Joyce, Becky, Marcie, Carla…. Malaya???

          She hasn’t really been seen calling Sarah or Dina by name, and she’s referred to Dorothy by name though not directly to her.

          Honestly I think she’s just dropped the nickname thing for everyone except Joe and Walky.

        3. Theluxland

          But I miss wonderbread 🙁

        4. Schpoonman

          She does still call him Wonderbread. I was rereading the strips around their bike date (because they’re so fucking cute) and eventually got to the page where Amber tries to hock Danny off to Ethan, asking both him and Sal if they were in an open relationship (super gross, by the way) and Sal greets Danny with “Wonderbread.”

          Though I’ve noticed Joe is calling Danny “Dan.”

        5. Rose by Any Other Name

          I feel that.
          Always been better with faces. We’re week 2 of classes, and I currently know maybe two of my students’ names without my handy seating chart. However, I can spot their faces in the hall easily and recognize them as my students.

          Rather than nicknames, I just try to avoid using names in general.

        6. Rose by Any Other Name

          Er… the “I feel that” was directed at BBCC’s comment about being bad with names. The comment structure didn’t convey that well.

        7. Joy

          Yeah she probably just struggles to remember people’s names.

        8. SillyGoose

          I like that you’re going with the generous interpretation of Joe’s intentions in this strip.
          He definitely needs that, as what he seems to be doing stinks 🙁

        9. Tan

          He was specifically and formally introduced to her by name after she and Danny started dating (putting aside that he was also informed of her name before that). Despite this, he is continuing to refer to her A: in a way that puts her in terms of an irrelevant male relation, and B: expresses his sexual interest in her body.

          Either one of these would be an objectifying way to greet a woman whose name you know and isn’t your partner. Both together? And particularly when he has explicitly used her relation to Walky as NEGGING while trying to pick her up?

          Fuck Joe.

        10. Jo_cubstar

          Yeah Joe is being really shitty here

  4. Thag Simmons

    I mean this is not a Danny exclusive problem.

    Struggling to think of someone who Sal could date at this college who wouldn’t be at least an order of magnitude less cool than her.

    1. Cholma

      Jacob might be up there.

    2. Mano308gts

      On a purely looks-based level, Ashur.

      Ashur is known to be Sal’s peer on looks and style, within the universe itself.

    3. Schpoonman

      Maybe Asher, and that’s really just looking as cool as Sal, not being as cool.

    4. Nono

      Tony is both a footballer and uninvolved in drama. Does he count?

      1. Clif

        Footballer? Check.
        Uninvolved in drama? As far as we know, so provisional check.

        Looking cool? Um, no.

    5. Sirksome

      At a certain point Sal isn’t responsible for the level of coolness but society is for creating the perception of coolness around her. It’s impossible to actually find of coolness equal for Sal now because she’s virtually a coolness god. She’d have to leave IU, maybe even the region to find another focal point for coolness such as herself. Two entities that cool meeting, potentially coupling would risk tearing apart the fabric of reality! Realizing this she chose a dork instead.

      Or you know, coolness is shallow and thus total bullshit and Sal can date who she wants.

      1. Opus the Poet

        Flagging for excessive amounts of truth in the forum, 10 yards and loss of down on the play.

      2. StClair

        French cartoonist Boulet drew a 24-hour comic where a guy and his girlfriend had the great idea to introduce their impossibly cool roommates to each other. It didn’t go well.

        1. PirateTawnee

          That was wonderful, thank you for the link.

        2. Dean

          Holy crap, that was a 24-hour comic?!

        3. StClair

          per the final page: 26, technically.

        4. Rose Red

          That was a fun read, thank you!

      3. Shadowsnail

        “Whoa, look over there!”
        “On the ground behind the bull?”
        “Yeah.”
        “Wow, that is total coolness!”

    6. Cass

      Marcie, if only she were into her that way (and if we’re defining “at this college” as “physically hangs out there” rather than “is a student there”).

    7. Ana Chronistic

      Sierra!

      …idk

  5. Kyrik Michalowski

    Sal is indeed ridiculously hot and cool, it is difficult for her to not look cool. As for Danny he’s one lucky s.o.b.

    1. anon

      i don’t think danny looks that bad. i feel like some guys would consider him transmasc goals in an “average/’just some guy'” look but in a positive way lol

      tho whats the point of going to college if you can’t enjoy looking ‘dorky’ from time to time lol

      1. Jamie

        I’d be okay with looking like Danny.

      2. Nova

        I don’t think Danny looks bad either! I think Joe tends to forget that everyone isn’t into the kind of guys he personally seems to find hot.

        Some of us like the lean ones with the floppy hair.

      3. Fay

        Danny has transmasc stolen valor.

    2. Rabid Rabbit

      One nice thing about how awful the parents are in DoA is that you can call characters sons of bongos and there’s a fair chance it’s a description rather than an insult.

      1. Kyrik Michalowski

        Like with Joyce or Sal?

        1. Kyrik Michalowski

          Except they aren’t “sons” they are daughters, so nevermind.

  6. Nono

    Joe: worst… wingman? Is it still considered wingmanning if your guy is already in a relationship with the other party?

    1. Cattleprod

      He’s wingmanning for the hypothetical guy he thinks is a better match for Sal than Danny.

    2. Thag Simmons

      It’s spiritually wingmanning, at least, and Joe’s still awful at it.

    3. milu

      he’s doing that thing like Taylor Tomlinson’s ex-mother-in-law who gandalf’ed her in a Panera Bread

      except, um, he’s wrong

  7. JessWitt

    But it’s keeping in tradition with Grease. Danny is the Sandy to Sal’s, uh, Danny…

    I didn’t plan this I swear.

    1. Needfuldoer

      Conventionality belongs to yesterday.

  8. Cholma

    Sal’s not cool, Joe, she’s just drawn that way! Aww, who am I kidding? Sal’s the epitome of cool, no matter how she’s dressed.

    1. Schpoonman

      Not in her boarding school uniform she wasn’t.

      1. Cholma

        You take that back! ;D

        1. Clif

          Must be a different school uniform than the one in the comic.

          Either that or a different Sal.

      2. brionl

        Approx 3 million “Reform School Girls” videos beg to differ with you.

    2. anon

      lol idk much about indiana but i fee l like a ‘jean/denim’ jacket would still be considered cool. esp if everyone around is more joyce-like than sal-liek

      1. Needfuldoer

        I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone wear a denim jacket, except maybe Jay Leno.

        1. anon

          i mean i’m in the south so it wouldn’t really stick out to me in a bad way but if it was dark leaning enough in color pallete ppl would just think it’s a jacket

        2. Roborat

          Come to Canada, pretty much a uniform.

  9. newlland(Henryvolt)

    I’m going to assume he means she literally dressed up not as warm as him and that’s the joke.

    And if not I haft to say at least Dan is dressed seasonally practical.

    1. Clif

      Danny is showering at the moment, so one assumes not.

      1. drs

        Practical for being in a shower.

    2. Alex

      I like that subtext but I feel it might have been unintentional.

  10. AeromechanicalAce

    ACAB Includes the Fashion Police, Joe.

    1. Clif

      what now?

      1. Nova

        ACAB is an acronym for All Cops are Bastards.

        1. deliverything

          This might not apply to police in every country, but in the U.S. at least, the words of Kate Halford (from My Delirium Alcazar) seem to ring true: “Good cops don’t get to stay good cops, that’d fuck the whole system up. You turn into a bad cop or you turn into an ex-cop.”

        2. milu

          Well, according to Geoff Berner,
          Everywhere I go i hear the same old thing again:
          somebody dies in police custody
          soon there are questions from the family
          at first the situation makes the lawmen look filthy
          but they investigate themselves and it turns out that they’re not guilty
          Hey hey! Daloy Polizei!
          it means the same thing now as yesterday
          Out of your houses, into the streets
          Everybody say, fuck the police!”

          <3

  11. V

    Yayyyy Joe my bff Joe is here!

  12. Stephen Bierce

    *plays Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers” out Joe’s window*

  13. Suitora

    Damn. Joe’s really bitter over his blue balls, isn’t he?

    1. The Wellerman

      Blue balls? Surely he takes the time to maintain his sexual health with self-release in between sessions with others?

      1. anon

        i wouldn’t be surprised if he’s ‘cooled off’/hasn’t attempted any casual hookups after the whole thing with liz

        1. Opus the Poet

          Which was what, 2 days ago? Just because it was last year for us doesn’t mean any real time has passed in-comic. We had a flashback lasting months that was literally only 1 day in-comic.

        2. Nono

          Apparently about four days ago? It was at the start of Book 12.

  14. RassilonTDavros

    Yay, it’s the OG Sal Jacket!

    …R.I.P. Dumbiverse!Beef’s mom I guess

    1. Needfuldoer

      Nah, after everything Beef went through in the old continuity, he deserves alive parents here.

      Same with Tony.

  15. JepMZ

    It never occured to me, but is Sal a tomboy?

    1. Clif

      Not a classical tomboy, but yeah.

    2. anon

      more or less, idk if she considers herself one, i usually associate short hair with tomboys but it works on her lol

      1. Sirksome

        I think it’s less about presentation and more a person’s traits and preferences. Sal has shown more of a mix like most humans. Even her fashion is less specifically masculine and more motorcycle enjoyer. She is probably a tomboy to most people but I don’t know if she’d think so.

  16. DaisyFM

    Okay, but real talk?
    Danny’s hipster-bisexual style is hot as hell and Joe’s too straight to see it.

    1. anon

      also the ‘friends since childhood’ thing. unless they spent time apart and then it’s like ‘whoa when did you get *hot*?!” idk how noticeable it is when someone has a glowup unless they go outta their way to look diff versus a friend/distant acquaintance noticing after a semester

      1. Bryy

        Also: Joe honestly does not understand relationships beyond sex.

        1. deliverything

          By choice, too; he’s deliberately shallow where relationships are involved.

    2. Joy

      Thank you.

      I’m not even personally into Danny but I feel like Joe is riffing on him unfairly.

  17. Owlmirror

    The Monks of Cool, whose tiny and exclusive monastery is hidden in a really cool and laid-back valley in the lower Ramtops, have a passing-out test for a novice. He is taken into a room full of all types of clothing and asked: Yo, my son, which of these is the most stylish thing to wear? And the correct answer is: Hey, whatever I select.
    — (Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies)

  18. anon

    “Like a golf caddy” So basically every other white middle class young adult then?

    1. Nova

      Right? Joe says this from his t-shirt and jeans, not exactly making any fashion statements yourself, bucko.

      1. anon

        has joe ever really been ‘dressed up’ he always seemed ‘casual’ to me, maybe he thinks is ‘beefiness’ makes up for it or so (tho on the flip side it can be a pain if to find good fitting clothes if you’re not a specific body type in some areas tho i assume the more muscly guys go for the sleeveless tanks and such)

  19. BBCC

    Sal, you’ve already established you can rock anything. It’s too late.

    1. Needfuldoer

      Even if it’s something she borrowed from Joyce!
      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/02-i-was-a-teenage-churchmouse/bluesparks/

      Or nothing!
      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-4/01-the-only-dope-for-me-is-you/bunk/

  20. Suet

    Sal’s gonna throw something other than a rock and THAT would be the time the window breaks.

    We need the dorkiest person ever to make her dress up as something not herself. *pulls Danny from the shower*

  21. Bryy

    I can already tell this is going to be a Toxic Joe arc.

  22. miz

    weirdly hostile energy in the comments tonight? i’m just over here cracking up about how naturally random this whole thing is written. like, there was clearly no plan to what joe is saying, they were simply exchanging basic “sup, is danny around?” “nah, he’s out” greetings and it seems to have just OCCURRED to joe that sal is constantly cosplaying as the bad boy from grease. idea to words with no additional thought behind it whatsoever. and she just rolls with it! she doesn’t react at all! fantastic chemistry on display between the actors here

    1. Scruffy looking nerfherder

      That’s just how it is for characters that have had shitty past. People remember the questionable shit they did before and let it cloud every interaction they have afterward. It’s harmless banter where he teases his best friend about his girlfriend always looking way cooler than him, but because there’s always been some major bs with Joe obviously there has to be some here too.

      1. Schpoonman

        Sal hasn’t told him in as many words to stop, but that doesn’t mean Joe isn’t being shitty with the “Walky’s hot twin” schtick. Sal’s lack of reaction to it reads to me as Joe continuing to be beneath her notice. It is softened by the borderline-friendly lines that follow, but Joe is still very toxic about this stuff. If I were going to put words in other readers’ mouths I think we’re worried about what’s still bubbling beneath the surface.

        Right now, in this comic, Joe is exhibiting little-to-none of any of the character development he’s gone through that would lead us to believe he’s not going to be an ass “today.”

        1. Ed Callahan

          It’s called friendly teasing. Sal just just takes it seriously, which is why Joe does it.
          Which brings up a question. Does Sal have a sense of humor? She’s snarky, but in general she takes everything seriously, even being fakey. The way she presents herself is a performance, but she’s sold herself on that completely.

    2. Nova

      Mostly I see people talking about whether Sal’s clothing is cool. The few people talking about how that was a semi-shitty comment about Joe’s friend are just sort of stating facts? Like regardless of intent or what he was thinking about when he said it, “Hey your boyfriend isn’t as cool as you” isn’t a kind thing to say about the boyfriend.

      I think I’m missing where the hostility is.

      1. Taffy

        I also fail to see it, thought I haven’t finished scrolling down. Be weird if the comment was about stuff below it though.

  23. darkoneko

    Try dressing him up instead ? lol

    1. darkoneko

      seriously tho, aren’t you cold, Sal ?

      1. Azhrei Vep

        Why would she be? She’s got a jacket on. And gloves, even. If it weren’t for her presumably being self-conscious about the scar, I’d call it a little overkill.

      2. Nono

        I think a few strips have established that the Walkerton twins don’t really mind the cold.

      3. Alex

        I thought Joe was going to suggest she was underdressed for a day with snow on the ground.

  24. Vaishino

    Sal is a single headband away from cosplaying Kyo Kusanagi

  25. thumb

    “Have you tried a clown suit? . . . Nope, still too cool.”

  26. Bagge

    “The way your personal styles clash is very important for a relationship, right?”

  27. Eldritchy

    Sal could be wearing a potato sack and would still look cooler than 90% of people.

  28. ADLegend21

    Sal could swap all her clothes with Joyce and still look cooler than everyone.

    1. Schpoonman

      Okay, true, but it’s also been established that Joyce does have a good (if sometimes slightly square) sense of fashion.

  29. Carms

    Y’Know I really like how direct Joe is. I like that a lot about him, and I have a lot of time for him, ever since we scratched just an itty bitty bit past his high concept.

    1. Alex

      I’d love to see more Joe now that he has actual feelings and stuff.

  30. Amós Batista

    Did Sal walked in circles, before call for Danny? Why?

    1. Needfuldoer

      Or other people walked there.

    2. Azhrei Vep

      Looking for a good rock? Something big enough to catch her eye despite the snow, but not enough to be a significant risk to the glass.

      Or those are other peoples’ footprints crossing hers. Or both!

      1. thejeff

        At least some of the other prints seem to be larger, so I assume it’s other people.
        I’m trying to figure out what the arc crossing in front of her knees is.

        1. milu

          it’s some kind of rope guardrail thing along the paved walking path below the window

          https://www.dumbingofage.com/2021/comic/book-12/01-sister-christian/knocks/

          (i’m the one citing past strips at thejeff, what)

        2. milu

          also, @people asking what’s up with Joe calling Sal “Walky’s absurdly hot twin”, um, well, he does that

          https://www.dumbingofage.com/2021/comic/book-12/01-sister-christian/absurdly/

          https://www.dumbingofage.com/2021/comic/book-12/01-sister-christian/whawhawha/

          one entertains oneself how one can

  31. Rabisch

    Joe has just to accept the fact, this is a Jessica Rabbit/Roger Rabbit situation and it’s beautiful ♡.

    1. Azhrei Vep

      Ooooh, so Danny has accidentally mind-controlled her into caring about him and in about a year she’ll realize they have nothing in common and she never liked him and leave him, prompting him to threaten to murder the guy she shacks up with after?

      1. Azhrei Vep

        She’ll realize they have nothing in common because it wore off. Should probably clarify that.

        1. spriteless_auntie

          I don’t know what this has to do with Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but habit spells are quite hard to break.

        2. Cerusee

          I think it’s from the book the movie was based on.

        3. Taffy

          People only read the books of movies if they wanna find the less-fun version of a story, so that they can conversationally clothesline others.

        4. milu

          that is one of the opinions i’ve ever read!

        5. Taffy

          “Yeah, Jenny the Beekeeper‘s a cute movie but did you know that in the book, Jenny falls in love with an inappropriately-older man and he feeds her to his carnivorous super-bees? And then eats the bees?”

          That’s what it feels like every time. Unless I’m being facetious, in which case it doesn’t really.

        6. Cerusee

          I had to put it together from a vague memory of stuff I heard people say about the film adaption + Wikipedia. I have never previously met anyone who’d ever even read it. I think the novel is pretty obscure.

    2. Adept

      Rabisch, that’s perfect. Thank you 🙂

  32. Adept

    This couple’s hotness mismatch bothers Joe greatly.

  33. milu

    …is “jean jacket” a “Nope” reference

    Probably not bc this was written a million months ago

    Guess it just happens I’ve seen it last night

    Right then, carry on

  34. milu

    …i notice Sal doesn’t go entirely “wtf dude”
    thereby implicitely validating Joe’s concerns about the coolness gap between her and Danny boy

    then again, the rules of bi specify that Dan will be incapable of dressing correct

    that, and the chair thing, and the… other thing?

    look i can’t do this. Spencer come back

    i miss you? i think?

    1. Alex

      Sal tends to take cues from others more than she’d like to admit.

      1. milu

        she’s so fakey. smh

  35. Keulen

    Joe, why do you care if Sal looks cooler than Danny? If they’re happy together, why does one having better fashion sense matter?

    1. Moonie

      It’s the attractiveness factor. Like recognizes like. They’re both hot and Joe doesn’t get why Sal would “downgrade”. But as people besidesJoe are aware, there are compatibility factors beyond pure sexual interest

      1. Alex

        Exactly, if someone hotter than Danny would date him then there may be factors to attraction beyond physical, and Joe doesn’t want to consider that.

      2. Sam

        Yeah, this. Joe is pointing it out more because it is legit confusing for him. Like, she’s hot and Danny is an average dorkus. By that sole point, there would be no reason for them to be together. But there are no actual leagues for pairing up and many other factors aside from physical attractiveness. Danny doesn’t have to ‘earn’ Sal by matching her level of cool

        1. Alex

          Danny earned Sal’s trust by being reliable and emotionally available, and in Joe’s worldview this might get you someone cute like Dorothy or Amber but not someone hot like Sal. He thinks Sal must not have realized that she’s hotter than Danny and is attempting to point it out.

  36. nightshade

    lol she needs to get Danny to upgrade his wardrobe a bit of course that will get taken up to an obnoxious (yet amusing )extreme

  37. Bicycle Bill

    I don’t know if this has been posted here before.  If it has, I apologize … but it’s still worth repeating.

    The Monks of Cool, whose tiny and exclusive monastery is hidden in a really cool and laid-back valley in the lower Ramtops, have a passing-out test for a novice.  He is taken into a room full of all types of clothing and asked: “Yo, my son, which of these is the most stylish thing to wear?”  And the correct answer is: “Hey, whatever I select.”

  38. Wizard

    Of course it’s not possible for Sal to not dress cool. If you’re truly cool, then anything you wear is cool, just because it’s you wearing it.

  39. Taffy

    People care too much what other people are wearing.

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