353

Support
Posted on February 17, 2015 by David M Willis

353 thoughts on “Support”

  1. Camachri

    One day, Joyce is gonna look back and be all “Wow, I was a total hanky-panky wit.”

    1. Twilightomens

      Yah, an’ then she’s gonna write comics about it.

      1. -Sentinel-

        And porn.

      2. cesium133

        Then she’ll start writing porn comics and become known as the Pornlady.

        1. Lord Geovanni

          Porn Lord’s main lady companion

        2. Robert Chapman

          Well, Joyce -is- supposed to be biographical… 😉

        3. Deanatay

          We’ve been over this before – a female Pornlord is called a ‘Phallady’.

      3. Solenoid

        The audience in the topmost metalayer will lose patience when the main character of the 5th metalayer starts making comics.

        By which I mean, that’s about when I’d lose patience here in reality.

        1. Charlotte

          You think you’re the top layer. That’s adorable.

        2. Solenoid

          I’m talking layers of fiction, not layers of simulation. If I learned that it was possible to simulate universes, and it was in fact happening, then I’d hesitantly rethink my default assumption that this is reality.

        3. Rycan

          We are simulating a universe, one which we lovingly call the Dumbingverse. I’m sure the denizens approve of their name.

        4. 6Qubed

          In the comic: Joyce is attempting to rectify the cognitive dissonance of having a gay best friend who’s parents want to “fix” her, and a gay boyfriend who she was trying to help “fix” up until just recently.

          In the comments: THE METALAYERS OF THE UNIVERSE ARE IN CONFLICT

        5. Rycan

          Theoretical physicists got nothing on us!

        6. BMunro

          An undeveloped simulation. None of the characters have developed enough self-awareness to try breaking out yet.

        7. Lawzlo

          Well, at least one character is beginning to suspect that he exists in a work of fiction:

          http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-3/01-if-the-shoes-split/jumpcut/

        8. No Name

          Oh lord. That second panel. When did the Ryan incident happen?

        9. Crazy Dina

          Holey shoot! Take that guy in the last panel, and change his skin tone! Does he not look like an older Historical Jesus?

        10. motorfirebox

          Actually, there’s a pretty good chance that this universe is, in fact, a simulation. The basic argument is that as computing power increases, it becomes more and more possible to simulate a full universe at extremely high fidelity. It’s sort of a Boltzmann Brain theory writ large, only with an upper layer or layers of reality taking the place of a formless thermodynamic soup.

          Related to this is the idea that at some point, if you go small enough, the simulation won’t be able to maintain fidelity. The same way that if you look closely enough at a computer screen, you can see the pixels. Right now, the Fermi National Accelerator Lab is conducting a set of experiments intended to suss out any such ‘pixelation’ in our universe.

        11. 00A86B-FF00FF-FFFFFF`

          That’s true, but to our understanding there’s a limit to data compression, like the universe is very big which makes it difficult to simulate, sure, but more importantly, every single tiny point of that universe is occupying a set of distinct states. In other words, as far as we currently believe, the smallest possible way to represent the universe is the universe itself.

          Of course like you said the universe might not be as high fidelity as we think, or the place we’re being simulated in might have much better information density, but it’s kinda a stumbling block for these kinds of theory.

        12. Yet_One_More_Idiot

          I like to think that this universe is in fact just a simulation, how many layers down it may be. And that one day, somehow, I will find the cheat codes for this simulation… 😀

        13. Screwball

          Hoverboards & infinite ammo weapons, here we come… 😛

        14. Yet_One_More_Idiot

          IDDQD, IDKFA, send me in now! 😛

        15. Screwball

          DNStuff – Fully loaded with everything.
          DNKroz – God Mode activated.

          Guess who got introduced to Duke Nukem 3D PC version… 😛

        16. Crazy Dina

          Who says it’s just ONE simulation though? I mean, if you had a good enough connection between machines, a person could theoretically send something from one to another without realizing it, given that thing had a small enough file-size.

        17. Yet_One_More_Idiot

          I only quoted the Doom cheats because they’re more famous than the Quake cheats (which I personally used way more often):

          God – Full health, invincible to everything
          Impulsee 255 – Fully loaded, all weapons all ammo all keys

        18. MindLink

          How would one be able to tell if this is a work of fiction or reality though ? It could be just a VERY verbose piece of fiction with a lot of internal dialoges.

        19. Doctor_Who

          They will be called “Recursing of Age” and “Packedception!”

        20. -Sentinel-

          Given how many years it took and will still take to get to the 2nd metalayer, the 5th isn’t for anytime soon.

        21. Adam Black

          Well we are on Author Avatar number 4

        22. Adam Black

          When you count The David Willis Character in Hijinx Ensue who draws Dumbing of Age, I think we have arrived at Meta#5

        23. Rycan

          At the pace this comic moves, you certainly won’t be alive by then (but Willis’s soul will be sustained within a powerful machine).

        24. Doctor_Who

          As soon as the technology becomes available, he’s having his brain put in a Hot Shot replica.

        25. StClair

          suspended in JaAm

        26. Regalli

          Wait, I thought he was going to put his wife in the Hot Shot replica and himself in some other robot’s so he could have sex with Hot Shot.

          Or will they both be Hot Shot?

        27. Regalli

          AND WHO WILL BE SG RAVAGE AND RATBAT?

        28. Kryss LaBryn

          We will all be Hot Shot. It will be glorious.

        29. Doctor_Lantern

          ONE OF US!

        30. Screwball

          Daniel the Human & his sister tend to prefer Hotrod from G1 over Hotshot apparently, now they’ve told me about this stuff. Me, I’ll just stay me! I’m already an awesome Transformer… 😛

        31. Tacos

          Aw crap, does this mean that Willis will become Skynet?

        32. Doctor_Lantern

          Willis’s soul is actually sustained by the outcrying of frustrated/saddened readers of his comic. For every “Damn you, Willis!” he actually gains another week of life. By now he is nigh on immortal.

        33. No Name

          His soul maybe, but what about his body? Hmmmmm? How’s he gonna sustain himself when he can’t draw?

        34. Rycan

          The Cheese, obviously.

        35. Doctor_Lantern

          His soul will be uploaded into a kickass Hot Shot Transformer body.

        36. LiaHansen

          you mean that you can tell your -4th metalayer counterpart has just lost patience?

        37. Bagge

          So… What layer are we on as forum writers?

        38. Rycan

          Clearly the insane one.

      4. Rowen Morland

        Is the main character of the comic going to be David Willis?

        Jeph Jacques will be the Danny.

        1. caesaria82

          I can ship this.

        2. Bagge

          “OH NO I CAUGHT THE BUTT DISEASE”
          “Cool story bro”
          “Bro, Bro, Bro”
          “Shut up!”

        3. caesaria82

          The best fanfic (and/or porn, which is not always mutually exclusive) starts like this, with people who call each other ‘bro’ and end up having sex under the bleachers somewhere and/or adopt a litter of kittens, depending on fic rating xD

        4. Doctor_Lantern

          Ehhh, I’d read and leave comments on the forum…

        5. MiaKitty

          This is my favorite comment I have seen for this webcomic to date. I applaude you.

        6. singingdavid

          WAIT THIS IS A FORUM

    2. Hoboturtle

      Wait… is “fuck wit” a common phrase? I never heard that one

      1. Opus the Poet

        It is a common UK and Ozzie usage, yes. Not so much here in the colonies.

        1. Rycan

          You do find dimwit here, though.

        2. No Name

          Also “nitwit”

        3. Gigafreak

          I encounter fuckwit a bit more commonly than dimwit and nitwit. I live in New Jersey. Maybe it’s regional.

        4. No Name

          The question is, do Hoosiers use it?

        5. Incomitatus

          Yes, we do. Even Hoosier ex-pats like myself.

        6. The E-man

          Also from New Jersey, also heard it more commonly than dimwit and nitwit. Maybe we just like cursing more?

      2. jesslin

        Depends on your community, I guess. We use “fuckwit” a LOT in my circle of friends, because ‘dimwit’ and its derivatives just aren’t strong enough :/

    3. Baggy

      One does not simply comment before Jen aside

    4. singingdavid

      GAYBY GAYBY GAYBY!!!!!

    5. Aisling

      Yep and them she will get depressed about missing all the fun stuff as a kid, like dancing and dates, but at least she had the universiy to help her and didn’t have to work it out on her own… ¬_¬

  2. Maveric1984

    Run free Ethan! Be free and multiply!

    1. The Kojie

      WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY!

      1. JessWitt

        But the super-soaker is in the other universe…

        1. Rycan

          And it doesn’t solve the lack of a womb.

        2. LiaHansen

          http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110216/

          no prob

        3. MichaelHaneline

          Ethan is going to impregnate Arnold Schwarzenegger?

        4. LiaHansen

          Hell nah, Danny DeVito’s gonna impregnate Ethan!

        5. 6Qubed

          Insert “egg in trying time” joke here.

    2. Yotomoe

      Your next class is math, right?

    3. Doctor_Who

      Ethan: “How am I supposed to do that?”

      Joyce: “Don’t you just teach the gay agenda in public schools?”

      Ethan: “Joyce, I think you still have a ways to go on this enlightenment thing.”

      1. Tualha

        Years later:

        “Joyce, this is my partner Josh. We want to have a kid, and we’d like you to be the surrogate.”

        “Gasp! Turkey baster hanky-panky!”

        1. Gigafreak

          W…with Joyce’s own sibling!?

        2. No Name

          “Josh” is a pretty common name.
          Also, her name is Jocelyn. Her fundie parents saddled her with “Joshua”.

        3. Gigafreak

          The only people allowed to have the same name in this story are the Rachels though.

          On a more serious not, Jocelyn probably hasn’t undergone a legal name change yet. Until that happens, Jocelyn’s documents, driver’s license and so on will still identify her as Joshua.

        4. ditrysia

          Yeah, but if you’re a decent person you’d still call her Jocelyn for everyday conversation. Especially if you’re introducing her. Especially if you’re dating her.

        5. Spencer

          Not to play fundie’s advocate, but it’s not like they’re aware of their daughter’s true gender identity. They’re just acting under the assumption that Jocelyne is their son, rather than their daughter.

        6. Tualha

          Oh eek! I’d forgotten that character’s given name. I just picked a name at random.

  3. rezby

    So now the question is will Dorothy still be mad when she finds out about all this or will she be understanding?

    1. Bagge

      The suggestion that Dorothy might be mad about Ethan rather than sympathetic came from Sarah. Mayyyyybe not the best judge of character.

      1. timemonkey

        Dorothy would likely have been upset had she found out during, when Joyce would be willing to argue while it’s the right thing. But now she knows better and is fixing things so it’s not really worth getting upset over.

    2. Jason

      A related question is when/whether Dorothy finds out…it might not be right now.

      1. No Name

        I’m sure she’s already figured it out. The “Best Friend’s Best Friend” thing was a little blatant.

    3. Rycan

      There’s a chance she’s understanding, given Joyce’s actions just now.

  4. TheTJ

    At last, Walky has arrived to silly this up a bit!

  5. Nono

    Man, Dorothy’s a slow runner. Wasn’t she in track and field?

    1. Kennerly

      Maybe they were distracted by all the Ryan clones.

      1. John

        I’m imagining them having to stop every three steps to knock Ryans down with a baseball bat, Double Dragon-style.

    2. Doctor_Who

      She needed to let the guy whose diet is 80% McNugget by volume keep up.

      1. TheTJ

        Nah, it dropped down to 60%, they dropped the 50 McNugget deal.

        1. David M Willis

          Tell New York City last weekend that!: https://41.media.tumblr.com/850e1c25509b426ba8cbac8724dbcace/tumblr_njwjf1XvLy1sm8ur3o1_540.jpg

        2. Solenoid

          Aaaand, I should have refreshed the page before I posted the comment just below this. Now my foolishness is on display.

        3. Gigafreak

          Yeah, I was wondering what was up with the 50-McNugget boxes in Dumbing of Age until that point. Now New York City is compatible with David Walkerton’s diet!

          I like McNuggets quite a lot, but I don’t trust myself to NOT eat the whole damn box in one sitting, so I don’t think I’ll be buying a 50-box anytime soon.

        4. Heimdallw32

          Oh god, 470 calories per serving? And Walky mows down whole boxes of those multiple times in the couple of weeks he’s been at college?

        5. Solenoid

          Not sure how he burns all that energy. Performing Multiple Sexes a day? =S

        6. Solenoid

          See Willis’s Twitter feed. Apparently, the 50 McNugget deal lives.

        7. Gigafreak

          In the New York City area, at least. (David Willis is/was hanging out here for the Toy Fair.) The 50-nugget deal only popped up here very recently.

        8. Roborat

          Maybe the deal follows Willis around the country as he makes con appearances?

    3. Rycan

      She didn’t have an adrenaline infusion from thinking she’s running through a forests of rapists.

    4. Yotomoe

      She doesn’t have the running shoes equipped.

      1. Nono

        She was probably just stuck in HGSS mentality where you could set them on auto. But then she moved onto the next generation where you have to hold B to run.

        1. Yotomoe

          And she hasn’t made it to the bike shop yet.

        2. Regalli

          And don’t even get us STARTED on the roller skates.

        3. Gigafreak

          Ah, the skates.

          BE FREE FROM THE BONDS OF THE GRID

          AND THEN CRASH INTO THINGS BECAUSE THE GRID WILL STILL FIND WAYS TO MOCK YOU

    5. No Name

      No, it was Amber who was in track and field. Dorothy was “only” in cross country. She can run, but she can’t jump’n’run.

    6. showler

      Is it me, or are Dorothy and Walky approaching from the opposite direction that Joyce did? Looks like they are coming from the same direction Ethan came from.

      1. Gigafreak

        I looked over the last few pages and you seem to be right.

        Though maybe Joyce took a circuitous, zigzagging path to dodge her imagined Ryans.

        1. Gigafreak

          Ah… now that I think of it, maybe it’s one of those “acceptable losses” to maintain an intuitive left-to-right viewing order. Action in comics needs to flow in the same direction as the audience’s reading order (left-to-right for us, right-to-left for certain other regions) to keep the reader’s eyes on an unbroken path. Notice when Joyce is sprinting, she is specifically sprinting to the right— in the direction of the next panel. The following pages require Joyce to still be on the left as well: when she tries to walk away from Ethan and is daunted by the imagined Ryans, you’re meant to see Joyce first and Ethan picking up her books second.

          As for today? Dorothy and Walky are supposed to be the last thing that the audience sees, perhaps arriving just after Joyce finishes speaking, thus they are to the farthest right.

    7. Airyu

      At least she and Walky look adorable and tiny. What if the whole comic was tiny far away people?

  6. Solenoid

    Still doing the Baywatch run, I see. Talking really is a free action.

    1. TheTJ

      Yeah, but most DMs pull out an egg timer when you go past 2 minutes.

      1. Bagge

        Unless it’s an SLP talking. Then there is nothing to do but let the monologue wash over you.

    2. JetstreamGW

      Joyce might just be really, really fast.

    3. No Name

      Dorothy only caught sight of her when Joyce ran into Ethan. Considering the fact that we can’t see the building, I’d say there was a considerable distance between them.

  7. alicemacher

    I think Joyce may be leaning on the fourth wall a bit with her last line.

    1. Mara

      I think it’s more along the lines of self-awareness.

  8. nothri

    Awww.

  9. Dean

    Joyce, one the update installs, just restart your system.

    Also, I’m starting to worry about Jen Aside.

    1. Solenoid

      Did somebody pull her aside?

      1. John

        Perhaps she’s getting some side action.

      2. Opus the Poet

        She (?) hasn’t left a comment in 2 days that I have noticed. Some of us here are worried she (?) may be dead. Or something. Hopefully it’s something rather than dead, but still worried.

        1. David M Willis

          http://www.itswalky.com/comic/straighten-your-bed/#comment-390464

          relax

        2. Jen Aside

          =/

          sheesh, I had an assignment

          [I had to prove a point–it was horrible]

        3. Crazy Dina

          Oooh, what point?

        4. Jen Aside

          50SOG is verifiably a piece of shit

          [“You haven’t read the book! You can’t talk about it!” …well, I haven’t had polio, either, but I know it’s pretty bad stuff]

  10. Kris

    When she said “your own kind” she meant Transformers fans.

    1. Doctor_Who

      Can this be the continuity where Ethan and Duncan finally hook up?

    2. Yotomoe

      Oh fuck. Ninja’d! By a wide margin.

      1. Kryss LaBryn

        Hey! You’re here! 😀

        Hadn’t seen you in a while and was beginning to get worried.

        1. No Name

          He showed up yesterday, having repented for his sins and ready to perpetrate new ones.

    3. Screwball

      YESSSS, come worship us, for we are awesome… 8D

  11. Emperor Kiva

    Great now what?

    1. Em

      Now she talks to Walky and Dorothy about what’s going on.

      1. Airyu

        And they locate Becky and for an actually plan rather than “gee I hope my folks don’t find out!”

  12. Em

    If this wasn’t so sad I would be laughing my ass off right now.

  13. Rycan

    Maybe, just maybe, Joyce begins to realize that Becky isn’t the only one here whose life has been upended by homophobia.

  14. newllend(henryvolt)

    You guys are the slowest fucking runners

    1. Bagge

      I still believe they took an extra lap to be out of earshot during the most embarrassing parts of the breakup.

      1. Rycan

        They took a page out of Jocelyn’s playbook, and hid behind the fountain (now watch someone point out that the fountain is on the other side of campus or something).

        1. Regalli

          There are trees. There are lamp posts. There are plenty of things to hide behind while Joyce and Ethan’s attention is elsewhere.

    2. Airyu

      I’m assuming it took them a little bit to leave the classroom in the first place. Plus, Dorothy waited a little bit for Walky; he left after her.

      1. Freemage

        Also, don’t forget–Joyce was running blindly. In my headcanon, Dorothy and Walky had to keep stopping to help out the injured non-Ryans whom Joyce trampled getting to her safe zone (ie, one yard or less away from Ethan).

  15. Dusk Tornado

    I wonder if someday Joyce is going to talk without saying something awkward or silly

    1. newllend(henryvolt)

      It will take many years of training

    2. Twilightomens

      I wonder that about myself sometimes, too.
      Often, actually.

    3. Yotomoe

      Implying any human is capable of such a feat!

    4. Rycan

      Ask Willis.

      1. Dusk Tornado

        In the name of all that has been damned I summon Willis

        1. Tacos

          You need to sacrifice three monster tokens in order for the ritual summon to work.

        2. Dusk Tornado

          Only got two. Damn you Willis

  16. Well_Played

    “Oh, Ethan, My Poor Gay Baby…” why did I read that line in a southern accent.

    1. Bagge

      …and now I hear Applejack saying that.
      (in a fanfic near you)

      1. Khyrin

        …
        I’d read it.

      2. Airyu

        I love this.

    2. Garrett

      “Sweet Baby Jesus” is my southern PG explicative

  17. Darth

    It is alright to use gay baby if you are talking about gay baby jail.

    1. Airyu

      I got my friend the Gay Baby Jail shirt off of Human.com and it was the best purchase ever. https://twitter.com/petstains/status/555921811071045632/photo/1

      1. Airyu

        whoops, sorry, it’s ” http://www.lookhuman.com/ ” not human.com

  18. Solenoid

    Now that I think about it, Dorothy and Walky showing up right about now is perfect. The “you won’t make it home without me” thing will be made irrelevant. So long as they don’t flip a wig over the sham of a relationship that just ended.

    1. Airyu

      Flip a wig? Amber/Amazi-Girl isn’t around…

  19. Yotomoe

    Ethan’s own kind? Transformers fans? That’s clearly what she meant.

  20. Jon Rich

    It says something that Willis has so many people just eagerly waiting for midnight to roll around.

  21. The Thing

    I am completely and totally not jealous of Joyce in the fourth panel.

    Not at all…

    I’ll be in my bunk. Again.

    1. DuckDuckMoose

      Aw, Benjy, you just need to meet the right rock pile. There’s someone out there who thinks you’re a regular Gibraltar.

      … Also, could you keep the volume down a bit in there? The noise is like three avalanches happening all at once.

      1. Rycan

        Actually, I think he set off three avalanches just now…

      2. The Thing

        Now I want to be having foreplay with someone, throw them into a sexing position, and yell “IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME!”

        I don’t care if I get kicked out. It will be glorious.

  22. Regalli

    Aww, friendship. And aww, Joyce is trying. Clueless, but trying.

    1. Kryss LaBryn

      And sometimes she’s very trying.

      1. The Thing

        5 minutes in the Punelty Box.

  23. Vivvav

    Now Ethan is free to pursue… Um…

    Shit, Ethan’s the only gay dude in the comic, isn’t he?

    1. Nono

      There’s… Arnold?

      If you’re extending it to bi dudes, Ken and Danny. And Drew, but he hasn’t made an appearance (yet).

      1. Jason

        I think when you saw Ken and Arnold in that single strip, you may have jumped to some false conclusions.

        1. Kamino Neko

          Or at least not-yet-supported conclusions.

    2. Kamino Neko

      Far as we know, but he’s not the only guy who’s into guys.

      Of course, the other one we know about’s in a relationship, and still hasn’t figured out his sexuality, but…hey.

    3. Boomwolf

      Danny is still trying to make heads or tails of that for himself.

    4. Regalli

      Danny: Still bi bi bi. Still coming to terms with this fact.

      Also there are certainly some minor background characters who are probably gay and male. And I think Faz is “whatever can stand to have sex with Faz”sexual.

      1. Bagge

        I got the impression that Faz is like 15 in this continuity.

        1. Opus the Poet

          Like that makes a difference in “whatever can stand to have sex with a Faz”sexuals?

        2. Regalli

          Yeah, I’m not saying Ethan would be remotely attracted to him, because Faz, I’m saying his sexuality may also include dudes. May.

        3. Bagge

          Well, it makes it less “Faz is a creep” and more “Dude, Faz is way too young”

        4. Rycan

          But not too young in the Glorious Mind of The Faz

        5. Regalli

          Also true, Faz is probably not planning on doing the sex any time soon.

          Or at least he shouldn’t be.

          Eugh, Faz.

        6. John

          Pretty sure he is. Also pretty sure any such plans are wildly optimistic.

        7. Solenoid

          As though Faz would be anything but unrealistically optimistic.

        8. Rycan

          Faz has always been younger than Amber, I think.

        9. Gangler

          I was thinking he was a full blown child child. Young enough that he’s more curious about sexuality than he is genuinely interested in women.

    5. TheTJ

      Well, there’s always sort of Danny.

      Of course, with Amber involved that’ll be one of the more awkward Love Triangles I’ve seen.

      1. GoogerGeiger

        I could see some kind of fucked up “It’s okay if Amber finds out. I just need to make sure I keep it secret from Amazi-Girl” shit happening.

        1. Rycan

          I don’t think Danny is that dumb…

        2. John

          Also, he’s gone straight from thinking Amber and Amazi-Girl are different people to thinking they’re the same person without stopping at the reality in between.

        3. Gigafreak

          Even Amber/Amazi-Girl isn’t quite sure what the reality is, sometimes.

    6. Adam Black

      There is also Faz and Mike

  24. Opus the Poet

    I really liked Joyce in that last panel, that was just so freaking honest. I lol’ed at her, but only because I was so happy to see her grow as human being.

  25. TacosForever

    I’m impressed with Joyce not for any other reason, but because she can call someone “my poor gay baby” with a straight face.

    1. Yotomoe

      Which is just like saying “My poor straight baby” with a gay face.

      1. Opus the Poet

        Allow me to present you with this miniaturized Internet…

        1. tyersome

          … so that would be a micronet?

          Welcome back Yotomoe!

        2. Yotomoe

          aww thanks. You’re gonna make me blush.
          I came back for all you cool guys hee hee

      2. Doctor_Lantern

        And you win Comment of the Week… And it is only Tuesday…

      3. timemonkey

        And let’s not forget the bi faces, they deserve to be included as well.

        1. Solenoid

          Who you callin’ two faced?

  26. AgentKeen

    That is totally gaybies.

    Gaybies Siegal.

    1. Gigafreak

      Fuck yeah
      Gaybies

      1. Opus the Poet

        Damn, I couldn’t find the link. And I have the book.

        1. Gigafreak

          For that particular instance, the key is to remember the “Your Song” bookends to that particular chapter– it starts with those words coming from a phone, and ends with those same words being spoken into that same phone (along with Fuck Yeah Gaybies).

          So “gaybies” is at the very end of the chapter, meaning the fastest way to find it is to go to the chapter list in the Archive page, click the chapter AFTER “Your Song” (the first page of “Steaming You Up”), and then hit the “previous comic” button a few times until you find it (twice, in this case).

    2. Thor

      Dammit. I missed this, and now I look like a wannabe waaay down the page.

    3. Roborat

      I thought it was Gaybies McIntyre.

      1. AgentKeen

        No no, it’s Babies McIntyre, but Gaybies Siegal.

  27. JessWitt

    Better to have the gay talk with Becky, Ethan. It’ll blow your eardrums.

  28. Bagge

    I… I got nothing. The kids are communicating so well on their own. And looki – Ethan can finally talk to someone about being gay who doesn’t jell at him, and who he hasn’t asked to help him suppress it (if only there were some other nice boys in among his friends who desperately need someone to talk about this sort of things with, hint hint).

    Run Dorothy, Run Walky. Those stairs are no match for you!

    1. tyersome

      Even more surprising, no one has expressed violent hatred for any characters 😉

      1. Rycan

        On the contrary, half the fandom has been calling for my gruesome death (the other half just don’t want to see me again, ever).

        …oh wait, wrong Ryan. Guess I don’t have to hatch my elaborate scheme to land myself in the Witness Protection Program.

        1. Bagge

          That will teach you a lesson for multiplying and wandering around campus with a scar…. oh, wrong Ryan. Sorry.

          I agree. The lack of cries for bloody murder in the comment section (with the already mentioned, commonly agreed upon exception) is a nice change of pace. I really expected the breakup between Joyce and Ethan to be at least as polarizing as the whole thing with Roz. I’m glad I was wrong.

        2. No Name

          I think it’s because the Roz thing was so polarizing that this isn’t. As much as so many people had a problem with Roz (so much so that we have to say “bongo” now), she had a point and Joyce realized it. When she explained, sure Ethan protested a bit (for which he got a little flak) but he picked up her books and helped her anyway. Both sides are right and, more importantly, both sides are friendly to each other.

        3. Crazy Dina

          HEY! I like the bongos.

  29. caesaria82

    Re: alt text, there’s a movie called Gayby. It’s very cute. It’s about a gay guy and his straight female bff deciding to have a baby together. It’s cute and happy-endings-y (they both find love & still raise the baby as a big family together), so basically what I’m saying is… Joyce & Ethan Gayby AU fic. It needs to happen xD

    1. Halloween Jack

      Oo-oo-oo, gayby gayby

  30. dailybrad

    I LOVE MY DEAD GAY SON. OR RATHER, GAY EX BOYFRIEND.
    I need to watch Heathers again.

    1. Rycan

      Do you ever get the distinct feeling that you’re missing important context?

      1. rachel

        watch Heathers my friend and all will be made clear

      2. Tualha

        OMG YOU’VE NEVER SEEN HEATHERS

        1. Rycan

          I get that a lot with movies. I get the impression that there’s a playlist of movies that everyone must watch before they die, and my copy got lost in the mail.

  31. Imperator

    As I often tell my friends, let’s get garried and have gaybies.

  32. Crazy Dina

    Que building climbing due to real Ryan showing up.
    Que Walkie quitting.

    1. Opus the Poet

      Cue, not the Spanish word for “what”. I keep expecting to see that spelled ¿Que?

      1. Rycan

        Plus, que is pronounced ‘kay’, which makes it even more confusing.

        1. Crazy Dina

          #spellingfail #AtLeastItsAConfusingWord!

        2. Gigafreak

          You might be thinking of “queue,” which means something else but is pronounced the same as “cue” because English doesn’t make a damn bit of sense half the time.

        3. Rycan

          Except a queue is a line, as in ‘standing in line’.

        4. Gigafreak

          Yes, that’s what I meant when I said it “means something else.”

        5. Rycan

          *looks dumb*

        6. Crazy Dina

          *thinks there are way too many ways of spelling the same pronunciation*

        7. Tenn

          “Queue” is English looking defiantly at French and saying “Well look at this! I can use shitloads of unnecessary letters too!”

        8. Gadgeteer Smashwidget

          I’ve always heard it pronounced as “keh”

        9. Tacos

          That’s how it’s pronounced by us native speakers.

      2. neeks

        I always thought it was “queue” for some reason

        1. No Name

          The words aren’t unrelated; there is some evidence that “cue” as in “enter into play” or “begin <performance>” started as an alternate spelling for “queue” as in “line of people”, mostly in, where else, theatrical scripts. It becomes more plausible when you realize why queues are usually formed.

  33. buckybone

    Oh my god…Joyce is growing up!

  34. GoogerGeiger

    Has anyone cracked the ceremonial champagne bottle against the EthanxDanny ship yet?

    1. Leorale

      The good ship Ethanny has long ago set sail. That beautiful, beautiful ship.

    2. John

      I’m holding out for EthanxDannyxAmber.

      1. The Thing

        I need this for reasons.

        1. timemonkey

          Hope you don’t actually need it, ’cause the odds are real damned low.

        2. The Thing

          I CAN DREAM, HAROLD

  35. caesaria82

    Also yes, the slow-mo running in the background totally cracks me up, too. I can really hear the Baywatch music in my head lol.

    1. Kryss LaBryn

      Lol; my generation will forever hear the “TSH-tsh-tsh-tsh!” of the Six Million Dollar Man. 😀

  36. Bagge

    Oh, and Ethan, I KNOW you want to postpone the Gay-talk until later, but I had hoped that Joyce just demonstrated that it is not always an option, and not always a good idea.

  37. Bilal Kalyal

    Dorothy and Walky simply try to run in to the last panel thinking, “Okay, before she says something REALLY stupid, lets jump in.”

  38. DuckDuckMoose

    So… what are the odds that Becky has found the newspaper office and made sweet love with Daisy while Joyce is all dealin’ with drama and stuff? ‘Cause poor Daisy is terribly sex-starved based on everything we’ve been shown so far, and she could probably show Becky some really good moves.

    1. Bagge

      All completely offscreen. Joyce will find Becky strolling along the road with disheveled clothing and a stupid grin.

      “What have you been up to?” Joyce asks.
      “Journalism” Becky answers, and that will be everything that is ever said on the topic.

      That would be epic level trolling.

      1. Rycan

        Dorothy then says hello to her editor, who is walking by in a trance.

      2. DuckDuckMoose

        Advanced journalism. Deep, deep background, if you know what I mean. Maybe even changing the font on her masthead. Ooh la la.

        Ugh, I know too many bad journalism innuendoes. I worked at my college paper for two years, and my co-copy editor was this guy, a gay man as it happened, who laughed like a hyena at every single terrible joke I made. I might once have had a moment of impulsive raunchiness and said something to him about “giving good head… lines.” I’m not proud of myself for that, but he did fall out of his chair, so.

        1. Crazy Dina

          Oh god! That must have changed his toner.

        2. Tualha

          Good thing he didn’t slug you 🙂

      3. timemonkey

        Like Becky would ever be that subtle.
        Joyce: Hey Becky, what’ve you been up to?
        Becky: SCISSORING!!!!!

        1. Bagge

          Joe: NOW we’re talking

        2. Gigafreak

          Joe-rnalism!

        3. Rycan

          He would show up as soon as the word was uttered, wouldn’t he?

        4. Crazy Dina

          Becky: Oh… DEMONSTRATION TIME!!!!!!!!

    2. Rycan

      Thank you for helping us a better ending than Daddy Dearest showing up.

      1. Rycan

        Imagine – helping us imagine a better ending

      2. DuckDuckMoose

        Least I could do. It’s probably too optimistic to expect him to take the “Hell with her, I have no daughter” path, buuuuut a guy can hope.

  39. Arianod

    Yes. Dorothy and Walky are just in time. Group hug NOW!

  40. advancecasette

    heh, I remember saying poor gay baby a while back at a certain cucumber quest update

  41. rachel

    gayby is the Best portmanteau <3<3<3

  42. ShaggyDonahugh

    Well, Joyce is awesome. That is all.

  43. Ashley

    One of the two at some point needs to use the phrase “let’s be friends”.
    I get that Joyce feels like she can’t have two gay friends to support but I’m hoping in the future she realizes that having a gay friend doesn’t mean carrying a burden.

  44. Piemanpie24

    Dammit Willis. I’m drunk and sad and gay and this is making me cry. So…
    Idk, fuck you? Also, I love you?
    I’m conflicted

    1. Kryss LaBryn

      The accepted phrase is “DAMN YOU WILLIS”. Also, aww. Sorry to hear that (at least about the sad part).

    2. Gigafreak

      I wanted to make a “but gay is the opposite of sad” joke but that is a tiny bit gay-erasure-ish and that happens entirely too commonly so now I feel a little bad about it.

    3. The Thing

      Drunk, sad and gay is no way to go through life, son.

      [+1 if you get the reference.]

  45. RED

    Oh look, character fucking development done right!

    1. No Name

      Actually, this is just regular character development. The other kind can only happen during sex.

      1. Yet Another Laura H.

        The seminar on Character Fucking Development in Webcomics will be held in the Des Plaines conference room at 2:20. Panelists: Mike, your mom. A materials fee of a nickel will be charged. No flash photography.

  46. zmm

    Still love Joyce. She’s a good character over all.

  47. Aeron

    The Great Gayby

  48. Chengrel

    I remember when I was first infected with gabies. It stared a long journey down the rabbit hole of queerness of which there is no returning.

    1. Rycan

      Sounds lethal – half of that portmanteau is a terrifying killer of a disease.

      1. Chengrel

        Once you get past the first few days, it becomes more of a tickle every now and then.

        1. Gigafreak

          Generally it’s your enemies that are the ones foaming at the mouth though

        2. Rycan

          And you’re sure they aren’t the ones with the disease?

        3. Gigafreak

          They certainly are sure about that!

  49. Idon'tcarenomore

    Lots of topics said in the thread.

    Yeah that last panel is about the best one I’ve seen of Joyce. Actually both Ethan and Joyce are pretty cool in that last panel. Joyce is finally seeing that Ethan has reason to be afraid to come out.

    And for once, I don’t think Ethan is postponing the ‘talk’ because can’t do it, but because he really doesn’t want the audience fast approaching.

    About Faz, he is old enough to do it -he works full time in Shortpacked, so he is no kid. Hell, he was probably born ready.

    As far as any hating going on:
    Faz has taken his share, but more along the hate that you feel when you step on a slug.
    Mary is high on the hate list.
    Ryan is way up there.
    Ambers bastard father is at the top I think.
    Roz ain’t too popular right now.
    Mike has his moments.

    Great character development. I love this entire strip. My favorite fictional characters to get all involved with.

    1. Rycan

      Everyone’s several years older in Shortpacked! (not to mention in a different universe)

    2. Trolldrool

      Don’t forget Ethan’s mother, Naomi. We don’t see her very often, but with this new progression in the story, I think a phone call cameo might be imminent.

      1. timemonkey

        Joyce calls Ethan’s mom and lectures her o acceptance!

        1. Gigafreak

          Ethan’s mom barely even views Joyce as a person. It’s not likely that she’d be willing to listen.

        2. Solenoid

          The hate list goes in descending order:

          Ryan and Blaine (tied), Ross, Naomi, Mary.

          The rest changes too easily with additional information for me to want to pin down.

    3. Freemage

      Hm… If I had to rank the Scale of Hate, from ‘some contempt to be had’ to ‘nuke it from orbit’:

      Danny & Joe both have a contingent of fans and a similar group of detractors. They aren’t actively hated so much as frustrating. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sarah ends up in this category too.

      Actual Mike-hate is fairly rare (though it’s out there), but people who hate on other characters in the strip are often pointed to balance their reaction to that other character vs. their tolerance (or even approval) of Mike’s often deliberate cruelty.

      Roz is very controversial as a character–she’s either loved or loathed by very vocal segments of the community. In this list, she’s like Dan or Joe–but with a lot more intensity both ways.

      Faz is actively despised, but I agree with the ‘stepped on a slug’ interpretation. He is just strongly distasteful. He’s still the first of the folks that just has no supporters.

      Joyce’s parents, Ethan’s mom (at least), Joe’s dad, the Walkerton parents–all of these folks would be welcome, I think, to never make an appearance again. Though a strip with all of them forced to deal with each other might be amusing, just because of all the awkwardness and suffering it would cause. Of this tier, I do think “You fuck her; you fuck her GOOD” (quote pulled from faulty memory) made Naomi the most despised.

      Mary is probably the most despised of the hall folks. She’s worked hard for that position, so let’s just give it to her. If Roz gets a redemption arc, I suspect it will feature her trashing some blackmail scheme of Mary’s.

      Then we have the true rage-inducers, the folks that it’s easy to be glad when they get beaten, stabbed or hospitalized. Yes, at the top of the douchecanoe pyramid, it’s Blaine and Ryan! All in favor of stripping them both naked, shackling them to each other, and then dipping the whole package in a vat of superglue, so they have to spend the rest of eternity in one another’s company, say “Aye”.

      1. Rycan

        So long as we aren’t actually lynching anybody…

        Honestly, Blaine needs some serious help with his anger issues. Till then, he’s a danger to all around him. He won’t be redeemed, just safer.
        Ryan the Rapist needs to be convicted and locked up.

  50. Doctor_Lantern

    At least Joyce admits she unintentionally says some offensive things. Character growth is a wonderful thing.

    1. LTBlue15

      Thanks! Yeah I see myself there all the time. Never was a fundie, my family taught us early not to hate people and a few friends of the family are gay. There is still a disapproving attitude that is not brought up in front of others though, and it doesn’t leave easily.
      I have supported a friend coming out but had trouble saying what I meant.
      I know it was harder for him though by a million miles.

    2. Amazi-Stool

      She already learned earlier in the story, particularly at parents’ visit day.

      Compare this early Joyce with Joyce on parents’ visit day.

      As she seems slightly annoyed about her mom only talking about her roomies’ race, she must have remembered that she did a similar thing not too long ago.

  51. Thor

    This is totally gaybies.

  52. MiaKitty

    Joyce is legitimately adorable in today’s strip and I love it.

  53. Zaxares

    I hereby move that all gay couples now be officially required to call their partner “gayby” as a term of endearment. XD

  54. skdk

    i want ethan to be straight ;-;
    not cause i ship him with joyce, i hate joyce. cause i love him ;-; and im a girl ;-;-;-;

  55. Masterofbones

    One day Joyce will learn that it is possible to be friends with a guy without intending to marry them. Today is apparently not that day.

    1. Gigafreak

      To be fair, a lot of hetero guys have a similar problem being friends with girls without hoping to eventually bang them. Thankfully, Ethan is able to do that!

      …Though now he’s having problems being friends with GUYS without hoping to bang them (see most of this interactions with Danny and Jacob), so maybe he’s not THAT good at it?

      1. No Name

        In Jacob’s case, I think it’s more fearing to bang him.

        1. Gigafreak

          It can be both! “Hoping to bang, while also fearing to bang” describes Joyce’s (former) relationship with Ethan as well.

  56. Chris

    What it turns out that Joyce is also gay? Then she can still be with Ethan.

    1. No Name

      We’ve already established, heartbreakingly, that Joyce isn’t gay.

    2. Smiling Cat

      Umm… what?

      1. Gigafreak

        “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

    3. Rycan

      Because that is exactly how homosexuality works.
      Time to talk about the gay birds and the lesbian bees!

      1. Bagge

        …Both common things in nature, incidentally

        1. Gigafreak

          The gay early bird gets the hermaphroditic worm

  57. Doom Shepherd

    Nobody’s said it?
    Fine.

    GAYBAE.

    1. Gigafreak

      Oh gods we don’t need to taint the word “gay” any more than it already has been

      1. David M Willis

        ha ha ha taint

        1. Halloween Jack

          ‘Taint nothin’ wrong with it!

        2. Gigafreak

          We can totally taint the hell out of the word “taint!” Jolly old Taint Dickolas will pay the naughty boys and girls a visit on the night of Fistmas Eve.

        3. Rycan

          …remind me to never ask you if you can taint a word.

        4. Halloween Jack

          Sometimes I feel I’ve got to run away…

      2. Bagge

        I’m a bit confused about the word bae, I find it in a lot of context and can’t figure out if it means a fond “sweetheart” or a demeaning “baby” or something else entirely. Can a native speaker please enlighten me?

        1. Kitty

          Technically it’s supposed to stand for “before anyone else,” as in the person who is most special to you, but it’s more commonly used as shorthand for boyfriend or as a shortened version of “babe.”

          Also I seriously don’t get the hate for it. It’s a harmless word that people enjoy using and allows you to greet your SO by saying, “Hey, bae.”

        2. Bagge

          Thanks, then I get it better. That sounds cute. There is hate for that word? Why on earth? Is it regarded as to childish or something?

        3. Gigafreak

          I’ve mostly seen it used by idiots. Maybe the idiot-stigma rubbed off on the term. Y’know, akin to how “swag” was a classy abbreviation for “swagger” until idiots got ahold of the word.

  58. Skai Cyan

    I just found this comic, what three days ago?, and I’ve shotgunned all of it. Amazing work sir, I love each and every character (except the obvious parents) and will be reading this faithfully every Thursday (can’t stand reading one page a day :p). Probably gonna have to buy the books when my income tax hits too. Keep up the amazing work.

    1. Halloween Jack

      One of us!

      P.S. Becky is best character.

  59. timemonkey

    Joyce is gonna become the campus fag hag and it will be glorious.

    1. Ghola

      She’ll collect them like cats, demanding they all live in her room to protect them..

      kidding aside, i’m enjoying her new self awareness. and eagerly awaiting the next one in line to have their belief system shattered.. I’m hoping for Roz or Jason.

      1. Gigafreak

        “She’ll collect them like cats, demanding they all live in her room to protect them…”
        What manner of haggotry is going on here

        1. Ghola

          The kind that results in babushka wearing and pushing a trolley.

  60. LTBlue15

    I don’t think Joyce was ever one to use slurs in the first place. Nor stand with a picket sign shouting people down. She’s more the person who would have you in her company and simply say things making you uncomfortable the whole time thinking it will help you “change”. Not a good thing by any measure but I doubt she would have kicked her own son or daughter out either, it would have gone much the same way as here. I suppose she is supposed to be the fundie that we can still like, but she fails at being fundie at that point.

    Some people here don’t seem to ever have encountered true fundies.

    They are a pain in everyones behind.

    1. Gigafreak

      Well, using slurs out of ignorance isn’t out of the question. I mean, the guys who defend the name “Redskins” still seem to honestly believe it’s not a slur.

    2. Amazi-Stool

      Never feel comfortable in the presence of a person who has chick tracts at their disposal!

      1. Rycan

        In her shoe!

  61. The Wizard

    One of you,
    One of you!

  62. k

    A GayBy is when someone gays near you and then suddenly gays away really fast.
    Hopefully you don’t get gunned down by gayngsters in the process.

    1. Solenoid

      … gayngbangers.

  63. Spencer

    Weren’t Dorothy and Walky following Joyce? How’d they end up behind Ethan?

    Did it take so long to reach them because they took the long way around?

    1. No Name

      I think Joyce and Ethan got turned around during there hug. Or at least, that’s what I think Willis will rationalize it with.

    2. Psi-Baka-Onna

      Either Joyce ran up the stairs, turned left and bumped into Ethan during the speed panel or Dorothy and Walky got lost and are approaching from a different direction. Either way, the backgrounds are all consistent with what we’ve seen so far in this scene so…*shrugs*

      1. Gigafreak

        Dorothy and Walky spotted Joyce the moment they stopped outside. I think Joyce just zigzagged around a few imagined Ryans to get where she is, whereas Dorothy and Walky could take a more direct path.

  64. Crazy Dina

    Willis, why doesn’t your thumbnail for http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/expecting/ show Ruth’s brother saying “Game of thrones”?

  65. Charles Phipps

    Ethan needs to learn he can only be happy amongst his fellow gay Sasquatches. At least, that’s what I got from Joyce’s statement.

  66. brumagem

    Boyfriends aren’t the only people who can help you and take care of you. Regular friends can do that too just sayin’.

    1. Spencer

      Joyce has it in her head that any guy she even remotely likes she has to marry. It’s telling that the only male friend she has in the cast is Walky.

      1. timemonkey

        Who isn’t her friend because they greatly dislike each other.

        1. flamelordkay

          They’re guilty of being friends by asociation.

        2. Spencer

          I remain unconvinced it’s total hatred. It’s one thing for Joyce to seek his companionship for reasons she’s made clear, but Walky? Dude hangs out with her even when Dorothy’s not around.

  67. la6ue mous snow angel

    alt-text: GAYBIES
    http://www.lefthandedtoons.com/623/

  68. Alex

    Not much of a slur, but maybe a tad emasculating being called a baby.

    1. Crazy Dina

      Why? Boys are babies too! (What? They’re born that way.)

      1. DarkoNeko

        …so to speak.

  69. Rheios

    Its really kindof nice that Ethan’s there to help sortof walk Joyce through this. Kindof the reflection to how Amber helped him with his parents. The situations not exactly the same of course, but hopefully it teaches him a bit about liking himself, and help Joyce solidify some of the understanding.

    Granted what the hell do I know? I’m a pretty judgmental prick on purpose most of the time.

    1. Rheios

      And they should both be able to help Becky. Although I think she’s managing surprisingly well in some ways. Girls got moxy.

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