238

Technicality
Posted on March 23, 2016 by David M Willis
Hooray!  The Dumbing of Age Book 5 Kickstarter reached $50k, meaning everybody who pledges for a paper book (versus a PDF) will get a free Amber magnet.  That's pretty sweet.

238 thoughts on “Technicality”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    “and we can’t have ME being mistaken for someone concerned for OTHERS, least of all YOU”

    …

    “how are you though, so I can not care”

    1. Cerberus

      Carla is such a try-hard about not caring.

      “Man you are setting off my empathy, wait, no, I’m too cool for school, baka, what do I care. Perfect, no one will ever know that I actually care about the well-being of others!”

      1. BenRG

        Being a selfish and obnoxious [[redacted]] is Carla’s defence strategy, isn’t it? It isn’t necessarily who she really is or even who she wants to be. It’s who she thinks that she needs to be to survive. Hopefully, events will transpire that will teach her that maybe it isn’t so critical to survival as she thinks.

        1. Cerberus

          I’m very very convinced that Carla has been through shit growing up trans in Indiana and has decided that it’s better to be seen as an above-it-all jerk than a victim. Because if it seems like she doesn’t care, if it seems like she’s incapable of being brought down, if it seems like it’s not worth it to harass her, then people will no longer see her as an acceptable target.

          And I think that that is something Carla is convinced is necessary for her survival, so she is very hesitant to reveal that she actually cares rather deeply and actually has a strong empathetic streak and genuinely cares about things like being forgotten or being targeted for harassment.

        2. Jade

          Eh… on the other hand, no one is convinced that Mike is a dick as a survival mechanism, are they? I think we should give Carla credit for just being Carla – that she would be this snarky and assholely even if she were not trans, that it’s not a defensive shell, but just who she is. She may care more than she lets on about being harassed, (who doesn’t?) but I don’t buy that she’s secretly big on caring and empathy. XD

        3. ischemgeek

          Mike has never shown flashes off giving a shit or being vulnerable. Carla has, when her guard is down or she is blindsided by something.

        4. BenRG

          DoA Mike is very different from W!v Mike. The latter seems to generally be a jerk out of frustration at other people’s self-deceit and hypocrisy and, simply put, doesn’t really have the self-confidence to bring down his jerk shields in social situations. Push comes to shove, he frequently did the right thing, even though it pained him to do so.

          On the other hand, DoA Mike is just a typical obnoxious young adult. Yet even he has shown some flashes of niceness, such as how he has been somewhat protective towards Joyce.

        5. Spencer

          Not really. He got paid to punch people and later on harassed her by drawing dicks on her whiteboard, which ended up culminating in Joyce having a PTSD breakdown.

        6. not someone else

          To be fair, we’ve also seen a lot more of Walkyverse Mike. For all we know Mike has… I don’t know… *some* kind of terrible secret which causes him to react to other people’s pain with sarcasm and insults, but he actually fosters kittens and works with disadvantaged children on the weekends. And we just don’t know because nobody has survived learning saod secrets. 😛

      2. Romanticide

        I honestly think Carla cares… once in a while… this is one of the times she is actually concerned.

    2. legobil

      “Also, I am Ruthless and it is my job as TA to know what Billies favourite cookies are.”

      1. Clif

        Soumds legit.

    3. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      Well, she needs to know how Ruth is so she can calibrate her caringness meter.

  2. MatthewTheLucky

    Oops, Carla knows.

    1. Betty Anne

      Pretty sure Carla’s not the type to give a shit. Especially if helping to hide it annoys the fuck out of Mary.

    2. Shiro

      My gut feeling is that more than Carla knows, and is just choosing not to comment.

    3. Tacos

      I headcanon that almost everybody on the floor knows about Ruth and Billie. They just find it too amusing watching them squirm as they try to hide their relationship from everyone.

  3. Mr. Mendo

    Ruth is taking her lack of Billie super hard!

    1. Mr k

      Maybe she should date Daisy. That woman needs to be laid.

      1. Mr. Mendo

        Agreed! A vigorous round of sex for everyone!

        1. TheNinthShader

          Motion carried! It shall happen on the fourth of April!

        2. No Name

          Our time or their time?

        3. TheNinthShader

          Our time. The comment section shall become the orgy it needs to be.

      2. Bagge

        Daisy should REALLY be careful what she wishes for.
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/02-guess-whos-coming-to-galassos/likethis/

        1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

          She’d only be sleeping with Ruth to make Billie jealous, right?

        2. Bagge

          Either way I hope she won’t need those femurs to live.

        3. Roborat

          Hard to believe that page was posted three years ago.

    2. Doctor_Who

      Billie detox is the worst.

  4. Luzahn

    Man, Carla’s adventures are great. We need a PoV chapter of her.

    1. tim gueguen

      Is the world ready for that much concentrated Carla awesomeness?

      1. Cerberus

        No, that storyline will herald the end of the world owing to too much awesomeness.

        1. Rukduk

          Don’t worry, we can just go get the Namekian Dragon Balls if that happens.

          ….

          …I’ll just show myself out now.

        2. Disloyal Subject

          …”awesomeness?” Oh, NOW I recognize the voice she speaks with in my head… Ashleigh Ball is somewhat overrepresented in my DoA voice array.

        3. Needfuldoer

          I’ve always heard her sound like Karen Carpenter’s speaking voice.

    2. Tacos

      Why stop there? How about an entire storyline focusing on her kinda like the one that Dina had.

      1. Rodimiss

        “Rolling with Carla”?

        1. Bagge

          “Cruising with Carla”

        2. Clif

          Go Carting with Carla?

        3. TheNinthShader

          Masturbating with Carla?

        4. Cerberus

          Heh. Unlikely, though, as if she’s anything like her other universe counterpart, she’s sex-repulsed*, especially with regards to herself and receiving pleasure.

          *Which is a distinct and different thing than her asexuality as asexuals can masturbate and like sex.

      2. Mr k

        Hopefully, she doesn’t meet any crazy dads with guns, though.

        1. Foxhack

          Just crazy people with super glue.

  5. Doctor_Who

    Yep, Billie’s sure into gingers.

    1. Haven

      slow clap

    2. inqntrol

      They sure are her favourites.

    3. No Name

      Snappy ones at that.

      1. Mr k

        +1

      2. Bagge

        Oh snap

    4. TheNinthShader

      Redhead is into those gingers, she eats them right up.

    5. nothri

      She wasn’t very interested in Becky’s comes on, though. I think its safe to say she only has feelings for gingers that have shown some amount of aggression towards her.

      Yes. Gingers that have snapped at her.

  6. miados

    suuuuuuure carla sure.

    1. Mr k

      She’s a huge tsundere, ain’t she?

      1. miados

        I am not sure what that means offhand but I think she is a cutie, but I do have a thing for red heads.

        1. bhtooefr

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundere

        2. davidbreslin101

          Someday I will write that epic cartoon fanfic series I’ve been planning…. it’s called “TsundereCats”.

        3. Screwball

          Tsundere…

          Tsundere…

          TsundereCats! HOOO!!

          …It’s not like I like you or anything…

        4. Roborat

          Somehow I suspect it has already been done to death.

  7. Jay Eff

    So…

    Is Ruth gonna eat the Door Cookie, or not…?

    1. inqntrol

      I think five seconds passed so..

      1. Tacos

        Oh, as if the 5 second rule has ever actually stopped somebody from eating something if they really wanted it.

        1. Disloyal Subject

          A cookie being thoroughly crumbled makes it a little more difficult, especially on carpet, but that’s a minor obstacle.

  8. Nicster216

    Having a bad hangover? seems like your life is over? Try Billies DOOR COOKIES! perfect for cheering anyone up (warning carla is not responsible for eating you cookies prior to delivery)

    1. newllend(henryvolt)

      Those are some cookies I don’t mind trying.

    2. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      Walkerton Momcookies(tm) are packed by weight, not volume. Some “settling” may have occurred during shipment.

  9. Wheelpath

    That fourth panel might be the most adorable Ruth panel.
    Does she mind being called adorable? Am I gonna lose my femurs?

    1. Cholma

      What’s adorable is that you think Ruth *needs* a reason to collect your femurs.

      1. Bagge

        Outside town, the ears of wild dogs perk up. *Food?*

        1. TheNinthShader

          And all that appears is Ernest Hemingway. ¨Fuck literature.¨

  10. Stephen R. Bierce

    Mission Accomplished!

    1. Stephen R. Bierce

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6gZed9hmk8 <- Meanwhile on the hacked Muzak, a reminder of the Shortpacked!-verse Carla. Simple Galasso Met A PieCar…

      1. Sunny

        I kinda get a No Doubt vibe from this…
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR3Vdo5etCQ

  11. Wolf

    Dumbing of Triangle: DAY 7

    http://imgur.com/aeU1i2X

    Old strips now being ported: http://imgur.com/a/7FHYX

    1. Emperor Norton

      So yeah, I’ve been wondering a bit about which strips that I personally and subjectively think would be vastly improved by triangle smiling.

      Now, the easy route would probably be to put up the darkest ones possible. However, I think that —and I say this seeing your killer clown avatar— doing those would potentially turn the strips so immensely, over-the-top creepy, that it would be way, way, waaay beyond what we should subject people to. Way beyond.

      So with that in mind, I decided that the one I really want is the one strip that wasn’t really a success in my opinion: The “Clever Girl” strip. Since it was a “rip me completely out of the suspense and immersion that was going on at the time, just for the sake of doing an overdone pop culture reference at the worst possible moment” strip, it can only be vastly improved by having everyone triangle smiling.

  12. Opus the Poet

    Next strip we see how Carla looks minus femurs…

  13. Victor Riley

    I love Carla. 🙂

  14. Nono

    Wait, who did Ruth think the cookies were from that she just slammed the door in response to? Mary?

    1. No Name

      Carla. She slammed the door because she didn’t want any pitycookies/prankcookies.

    2. Mr k

      If Mary was nice, then pigs would fly, and Joyce would become a Satanist.

      1. Bagge

        I STILL hope Joyce will dress as a Goth (or more accurately – her and Becky’s very vague idea of what a Goth look like) to troll her friends.

        1. Disloyal Subject

          And now I do too.

        2. John

          She will probably be roughly as successful as Roomies! Danny and Ruth’s idea of “dressing all gothy”.

        3. Silly Name

          They were wearing PLAIN BLACK CLOTHES!! Black! Of all the colours in the spectrum, Danny was wearing a black hoodie! The horror, the horror.

        4. inqntrol

          And he was doing poetry. Terrible poetry.

  15. Vangeln

    Then Mary appears, and steal the cookies.

    1. newllend(henryvolt)

      HOW DARE YOU MARY ! That’s the worse sin of them all

    2. TamiDOA

      Or, Mary appears and declares that they are Satan’s cookies and demands that they be burned at the stake.

      1. Someone

        at the end of this arc, Mary will appear to be defeated, but will then start laughing manically and turn into a giant spider monster. With legs sprouting out of her back. She will proceed to chase our heroes through the hallways, only being defeated when Carla manages to drive a giant wooden cross through her skull.

        1. Bagge

          The chapter will be called Hail Mary

        2. TheNinthShader

          Or even better. Fuck you Mary you slut!

        3. Bagge

          Slut is a crappy insult because of its enormously sexist bagge, but even aside from that I can’t see why it would be used against Mary (unless it’s meant as a generic term for “woman I don’t like”… which brings us back to the sexism).

        4. Bagge

          *sexist baggage!!!!!

          I mean, I DO know my own user name and I am capable of writing similar sounding words without effing it up…. right`

        5. Bagge

          Hmmmm. I wonder if “the enormously sexist Bagge” is my evil twin or something.

          I should make a mirror!universe version of my avatar with a goatee who fills the forum with things like BONGO. That would be hilarious.

          No wait, that would just be obnoxious.

          Oh well, back to just being kinda sexist.

        6. TheNinthShader

          I used slut because slutfaced bongo.

        7. Some1

          Shader, you might be getting just a tad too angry at a fictional character.

        8. Needfuldoer

          Maybe that last part will happen anyway!

    3. Disloyal Subject

      Alternatively, she looks up the ingredients list and recites it at anyone who might be thinking of eating them.

  16. trlkly

    K, so I was wrong. She was too depressed to think straight, I guess. Because they were obviously from Billie.

  17. JessWitt

    D’aww, Carla Cares-a-Lot. :-3

  18. FuryOfFirestorm

    Under-door ginger snaps are the best. The accumulated crud and dust really makes the ginger flavor pop.

    1. Disloyal Subject

      This demands empirical testing. For Science.

  19. Xelgaex

    So the second strip drawn by father!Willis features a character with pronounced bags under their eyes. Interesting…

    1. No Name

      The first one did too.

      1. Cerberus

        They say to write what you know…

  20. Rutee

    Yeeeep, Carla a best.

  21. brumagem

    Honestly Ruth why are you surprised they’re from Billie. Who else would care enough to share cookies with you.

    1. butting

      Anyone who thought a pre-emptive please-take-pity-on-my-femurs gesture might be a good idea, mebbe?

      1. TheNinthShader

        Maybe they were seducing her, they want that ass!

  22. Rukduk

    Carla, I think you can give it up. Pretty sure you’re too far into “jerk with a heart of gold” territory.

  23. gqbrielle

    if hangovers and detox are basically the same, then the curtains aren’t open because light = the enemy

    1. Betty Anne

      I can vouch for the fact that they are (as far as what they feel like) and yes, it is.

  24. TamiDOA

    You have to give Carla credit for honesty. Maybe a little too honest. Some things you notice shouldn’t be blurted. (Yeah, I need to work on that too.)

    I’m not sure why she felt compelled to give a full accounting of the cookies.

    1. Cerberus

      I suspect that Carla is the type to just blurt out whatever comes to her mind and has long since given the middle finger to the notion of propriety or tact.

      1. StClair

        It’s simpler that way.

        That said, as established in the strip that kicked off this whole mess, she could not (sometimes, at least), but chooses to.

  25. Cerberus

    Comic Responses:

    1) Awww, Ruth knows what Billie’s favorite cookies are. Also, it looks like she’s trying to stick with quitting alcohol again. Downside is that she’s not going to be in any shape to counter any bullshit Mary comes up with to try and end up back on top.

    2) But on the other hand, man does she look rough. No wonder Carla is worr- I mean, totally not worried, because that would imply she’s actually a big softie who cares about people who are hurting rather than some badass apathetic road warrior who can’t be bothered with your human bigotr- I mean concerns, because humans, amirite?

    Also, every comic of Carla trying to pretend she’s not as empathetic as she is is liquid gold. Sorry, girl, with lies like that, everyone’s cottoning into your deep dark secret that you give a damn about others.

    3) I wonder if Carla has already cottoned on to the fact that Billie and Ruth are/were a thing and if this is the beginning of an asshole queer ginger team-up. Cause, I’m surprisingly okay with that.

    4) I love that the real reason she’s giving her the crappy cookie is because she doesn’t want to break her word even if she has to rely on a technicality. It makes me think that Carla is the type to be a really loyal friend if you can get through her layers of “nuh uh, I don’t care, stupid face” armor.

    5) Bob damn do I love these assholes.

    1. Bagge

      Yes, yes and all the yes.

      Also, I think she feels guilty because she “caused a scene” which “forced the confrontation between Ruth and Mary.” Utter bullshit, of course, which she is well aware of, but it still too easy to blame yourself in sticky situations, especially if the rest of the world is only too eager to do so.

      1. Cerberus

        I could see that. She knows that’s a bullshit cultural expectation. She knows that’s unfair to think. She calls it out when others reinforce it:
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/02-that-perfect-girl/antagonize/

        But it’s really hard not to blame yourself when shit like that happens, because society is always quick to reinforce it and especially when others get roped in to the bullshit.

        Which might be another reason to Carla’s pushing away of a lot of people and avoiding human entanglements. Not only reducing the amount of people who can turn on her and be awful to her, but also reducing the people hurt by proxy simply for being near/supporting her.

    2. StClair

      seconding the “all of this.”

  26. Charles Phipps

    Cheesus, it’s been ONE DAY. Also, you knew her for a week. Poor Ruth. You need someone to direct you to a good and useful psychologist stat.

    1. Shiro

      I take it you’ve never been really, really into someone you just started dating and needed to spend Every Moment together or else The End Of The World happens.

      1. Cerberus

        NRE (new relationship energy) is a helluva drug and makes relationships feel giant and perfect when they’re happening and devastating when they end or take a break.

        Hell, it’s why every story about romance tends to fixate on NRE, because that’s when relationships are their most intense and feel their most life-or-death.

        If they broke up after a year or so, Ruth probably would be in a much better place.

    2. Emperor Norton

      Preetty sure it’s been more than a week. At least three weeks, right? Remember, we skipped four days after “To those who’d ground me”, for one thing. So three weeks or a month seems more reasonable to me.

  27. Charles Phipps

    Also, Ginger Snaps are the favorite food of female werewolves everywhere.

    1. Disloyal Subject

      I’ve been meaning to watch that movie.

  28. Raen

    “The last drink you’ll ever take is the best you’ll ever have. Trust me, I’ve had dozens.” – Someone I’m sure I’m misquoting.

    1. Bicycle Bill

      “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world.  I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.” ….. Mark Twain

  29. Vinny

    Shouldn’t Ruth have said that ginger snaps are Billie’s “favourite” cookie?
    Go Canada!

    1. No Name

      Eh, the two words sound the same and Willis is American. I mean, it would be nice if Ruth spoke with Canadian spellings, but I’m pretty sure you can’t just add U’s after O’s, switch around the E’s and R’s and call it a day. (For the record, I’m also American. Please correct me if I’m wrong.)

  30. Shiro

    I am choosing to believe that Carla’s telling the full and honest truth in that last panel.

  31. Palamdrone

    In Praise of Shadow.

  32. metaceryn

    Ginger snaps for the snappy ginger.

  33. AgentKeen

    Minus what you could stuff in your mouth AND your pockets, right?

  34. engineer

    “This is not a hangover. I’ve been up crying all night.”

  35. Bagge

    If you give an RA a cookie…

    1. Needfuldoer

      She’ll ask for a glass of scotch…

      1. Emperor Norton

        And if you give her the glass of Scotch…

        …she’ll ask for you to join her in some serious boozing.

  36. InTheEndYouSubmitToTheVoid

    Cookies are the ultimate comfort food… in a universe as unknowable and vast as it is cold and uncaring.

    1. StClair

      Arby’s sells cookies?

  37. jepmz

    *eats my words*

    *eats all of it*

    I swear to god, I had no idea this is gonna happen!!

  38. Scar Man!!!

    Ok, starting to get fed up with Carla’s crap. I hope after they deal with Mary, Willis finds some way to take Carla’s smug butt down a few pegs the nom-transphobic way

    1. Bagge

      Crap like…. eating half the cookies?

      And that’s terrible.

      Although I have to wonder, do you think Billie or Ruth thinks she deserves to be taken down a peg for that? Because I really don’t.

    2. Tacos

      And that crap would be? What, eating some cookies? Yeah no, that doesn’t warrant “being taken down some pegs.”

    3. trlkly

      What crap are you talking about? I don’t know if it was you, but last comic the complaint was that she was going to eat the cookies that Ruth didn’t want. Now she winds up giving them to her anyways.

      I do get that Carla can be an asshole, but I don’t see it here.

      1. Charles Phipps

        In Carla’s defense, she’s just trying to steal some snackfood from the RA no one likes because she’s an awful person to everyone and physically threatens them. Not only does stealing snackfood not even rate on the Kilo-Mike scale (even in decimal levels) but there’s no reason she should feel inclined to do anything for Ruth.

      2. Cerberus

        Welcome to Round 2 of “this queer character is awful and considered to be awful even when they aren’t really doing anything… and I think that for reasons that surely have nothing to do with her queer identity” starring Carla.

        I’m both afraid and curious about what the comments will be like if Carla and Becky ever have a full conversation. Especially if it’s about stuff that’s super innocuous.

        1. Spencer

          Eh, I feel that a handful of strips devoted to Carla being an obnoxious butthole (demanding cookies from Billie, backflipping over Amber, stealing some extra from the bag if the last panel is any indication) is okay for someone to have a comment about Carla being an obnoxious butthole. That’s the point of her, I think, that we should be able to judge her as annoying and jerkish if that’s how she comes off as because that’s how Carla chooses to act most of the time.

          Not like being bi made Danny any less Danny, y’know? You still get the endless parade of “lol he danned” comments. It’s a fact that Queer characters get shit over things more heteronormative characters would slip by on (see how Mike is praised as Asshole Jesus despite not even having any remotely humanizing scenes, whereas Carla is mostly just kind of a brat at her worst and often acts positively), but I think seeing Carla as kind of a butthole is okay, if only because that’s what Carla would want.

        2. Cerberus

          “It’s a fact that Queer characters get shit over things more heteronormative characters would slip by on”

          Yeah, it’s mostly this that I’m lampshading, because seeing Becky or Carla as kinda annoying, especially when they’re being brats is one thing, but when people are “this person is awful” either for things that aren’t actually all that awful or where they aren’t actually doing much wrong, then it, at very least, looks like something else entirely.

          I’m also remembering the bullshit during her confrontation with Mary with people projecting their load neighbors on Carla and thinking it was absolutely a-okay that she was assaulted and facing transphobia because she was being “annoying”. Not saying that’s happening here, just mentally preparing for Carla to be the next loud-mouthed queer red-head to accumulate a disproportionate level of hate from the comment threads.

        3. Spencer

          “I’m also remembering the bullshit during her confrontation with Mary with people projecting their load neighbors on Carla and thinking it was absolutely a-okay that she was assaulted and facing transphobia because she was being “annoying”.”

          Which is why I’m glad Willis chose to have that sequence with Carla being an instigator and active participant, rather than just a passive victim. It’s easy to sell “bigotry is bad” as a moral, but like Sal’s struggles with her parents’ racism, the message that bigotry does not suddenly become conditionally okay because a Queer person isn’t a perfectly contrite victim and has the gall to have flaws is a lot harder to come by.

        4. Charles Phipps

          True. Becky and Carla get a lot more vehemence for their actions than normal. Then again, I really really hated my loud neighbors. Still, a lot of reactions to their behavior was extreme.

        5. trlkly

          The problem is, all the things people keep bringing up are not being an asshole. They’re at most being a bit of brat. And not even much of that.

          The thing is, Carla hurts no one with what she does. She’s just not someone who falls over backwards to be nice to everyone.

          The reason I give people grief is that they keep on choosing to hate people for no reason. They can’t seem to comprehend that hate is wrong.

          And notice how, other than the villains and those they villainize, no one in this comic hates anyone else. Every fictitious person in these comics are better than these real people who choose to hate.

        6. Charles Phipps

          It’s pretty easy to fall into the world of “people who don’t like Carla don’t like queer characters” and there’s probably some of that but this is still the work of David Willis. It’s….a pretty queer place. Homophobes exist here but they’re probably a pretty small minority. At the end of the day, I think a lot of people just brought their hatred of Ultracar with them. Which, perhaps, I did at some point since I’m only now starting to like Carla now that I realize she’s very little like her.

        7. Charles Phipps

          Ehh, I could just be rationalizing too like Walky. Sometimes no cookies for Sal is no cookies.

        8. thejeff

          I still do want to see what they sent Sal.

        9. Spencer

          I am half convinced it was some kind of hair product.

        10. tim gueguen

          I can imagine Becky asking Carla for fashion tips.

      3. Xelgaex

        Looking at the strip the assholish behavior might the part where she basically just tells Ruth she doesn’t care about her problems. Like imagine actually telling someone to their face, “Don’t construe anything I just said as concern for you.”

        Personally I sorta fall into the “Doth protest too much camp” WRT Carla caring, but I can understand someone taking her at face value and being put off by it.

    4. John

      The “nom-transphobic way” would be Mary nomming all of the cookies herself?

      1. Bagge

        *reluctant slowclap*

        1. Bagge

          And I’m kinda bummed I already wasted the “that’s terrible” joke

      2. Cerberus

        Maybe part of the reason Mary is so homophobic is because she really really wants to join in on the cookie eating.

        1. Bagge

          Hmmmm. There is a “Come to the dark side, we have cookies” joke in there somewhere, but it is a bit of a stretch.

      3. StClair

        I was waiting for someone to notice that typo.

    5. Wublub

      Oh, give me a fucking break. All she’s done so far is harmlessly annoy a few people, and one of those people was MARY so that doesn’t really bother me much.

      Other than the skating in the halls thing, she’s helped Amber with her head injury, checked on Ruth to make sure she’s okay, tried to encourage Sal to join them skating because she thought she’d like it, and just generally been a nice person. She SAYS she’s an asshole, sure, but so far nothing she’s actually done has made me think that’s anything but bluster.

    6. Wublub

      Also, are you seriously saying she needs to be “taken down a peg” because she… stole a few cookies?

  39. Dara

    now i really want whatever ginger snaps i can shove into my mouth on the way down the hall to my bedroom

    1. John

      * 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
      * 2 tsp baking soda
      * 1/2 tsp salt
      * 1/2 tsp cinnamon
      * 1/4 tsp ground cloves
      * 1/4 tsp ginger
      * 1 cup sugar
      * 3/4 cup shortening
      * 1 egg
      * 1/4 cup light molasses sugar

      Sift flour with soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Gradually add sugar to shortening in mixing bowl; cream until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Blend in sifted dry ingredients. If desired, chill dough for easier handling. Shape dough into balls, using a rounded teaspoonful for each; dip in sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet, sugar side up. Bake at 375° for 9 to 12 minutes. Makes about 54.

      (Mom’s recipe. They’re pretty good. I’ve been trying to convince myself that I’m not too lazy to make a batch ever since the gingersnaps’ first appearance.)

      1. Bagge

        *writing down*

      2. BenRG

        The Cookies are a Lie.

  40. caesaria82

    I am so here for these two becoming reluctant friends. The snark. The pain. The redhead-ness of it all!

  41. Varangian

    Dear Carla:

    Why the fuck you lyin’
    Why you always lyin’
    Hmmm oh my God
    Stop fuckin’ lyin’

  42. BenRG

    Carla, here’s a bit of unsolicited career advice: Don’t take up a life of crime. You don’t have the right instincts for it. XD

    1. Cerberus

      Nonsense, she’s great at lying. And not caring. Just the best. No one could ever think otherwise.

      1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        “The Skating Cookie Bandit struck again today, and the authorities have declined to comment.”

        1. BenRG

          Oh goodness! I just visualised a Bizarro plotline where everyone dresses up as their own unique costumed OC hero and villain for Halloween except Amber who refuses to get involved in ‘this childishness’. Then something actually happens and Amazi-Girl has no choice but to lead the ‘Justice League Indiana’ into action for the first and last time. Hilarity ensues.

          Amber’s secret identity is safe because everyone knew that she was in her room because she didn’t want to participate.

        2. Slartibeast Button, BIA

          “Amber, stop pretending to be AmaziGirl! Where did you get that awful fake costume, anyway?”

        3. Wublub

          Oh my god, we have to see this now.

  43. John

    I feel the need to point out that panel two contains the best rendition of someone being surprised while pushing a cookie under a door in the history of webcomics.

    1. Screwball

      I don’t know, looks kinda like she’s offering Ruthless the cookie tribute style…

      1. Bagge

        That DOES seem fitting to Ruth’s leadership style.

        1. Bagge

          I’m mean, it’s not like people in her charge get to keep their femurs for FREE, now is it?

  44. Untes

    Carla’s kind of a terrible person.

    1. Bagge

      Wait? What? For eating cookies? Isn’t that like Emo-Spiderman level of “trying to be terrible but being terrible at it”

      1. A5PECT

        It’s a small thing, but coupled with the other small things Carla does on a regular basis it all adds up to her being kind of a terrible person.

        Though that’s probably why David has fun writing her, and why I have fun reading her. See also: Malaya.

        1. Bagge

          I greatly enjoy both Carla and Malaya, and for similar reasons so I suppose you are right, even if I would phrase it more like “obnoxious” than “terrible”.

        2. Charles Phipps

          Well Carla considers herself a terrible person (or at least an asshole) and resents when people forget she is. She’s obnoxious, rude, doesn’t give a crap about anyone’s opinions of her (beyond hate-speech), and generally enjoys being incredibly self-entitled and thinks she’s far-far more amusing than she is. Which, of course, translates to being an extremely entertaining web comic character.

        3. Charles Phipps

          Or to rephrase, “Dorothy and Danny are the nicest characters in the comics and also the most boring.”

        4. Bagge

          Dorothy? Boring? With reactions like this?
          http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-5/02-threes-a-crowd/cheating/

        5. Schpoonman

          Maybe I’m just a big nerd too, but I much prefer more reserved characters with moments of snark and wit like this, as opposed to characters whose whole character revolves around it, like Carla.

          Becky does not fall under the second banner (in my possibly hypocritical book) because she’s so damn cheerful and room-brightening all the time that she’s someone I would absolutely adore having an actual friend like that. Also why I sincerely hope she has a happy ending to her story.

        6. Cerberus

          I’m still of the opinion that Carla is the sort of person who would be awesome to hang out with in like a year or two once she’s settled out of her reflexive “I need to be super ‘I don’t care’ and anti-authoritarian so they don’t hurt me anymore” a little bit.

          But then I’m a big fan of snark-mouthed badasses.

        7. The Candyman

          I’m kinda prejudiced against those type of characters myself, actually. Mostly the dislike comes from when they’re used to ruin perfectly good outcomes and make things harder for much more relatable characters. When put into situations just as zany as they are, they’re alright.

      2. TheNinthShader

        Emo…spiderman… *nerd cringe*

        1. Bagge

          The best scene in any superhero movie is Emo Spiderman eating ALL THE COOKIES his neighbour made for him.

        2. Bagge

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPN1BvR02Xo&feature=youtu.be&t=21

    2. Cerberus

      It’s totally your right to believe that, but:

      Uncomfortable with violence, even of the restraining someone physically type: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/03-up-all-night-to-get-vengeance/curbstompings/

      Friendly to people who’ve just been antagonizing her: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/03-up-all-night-to-get-vengeance/beforesunrise/

      Checks up on those who’ve just been assaulted even though the assaulter is right there and looking for a new target: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/03-up-all-night-to-get-vengeance/fightme/

      Even when she’s all worked up because she thinks she was just targeted with a hate crime, she’s quick to mellow out when she sees that wasn’t the case, which is bloody hard to do: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/04-the-whiteboard-dong-bandit/permanent/

      Trying to be nice to the person that her friends are having an argument about: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/02-threes-a-crowd/teachin/

      Showing concern: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/01-to-those-whod-ground-me/glasses-2/

      Helping out, not asking intrusive questions, dropping her “I don’t care” persona when someone is vulnerable and in need of aid, being all around awesome: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/01-to-those-whod-ground-me/necks/

      Not an example of her being kind and empathetic, but a reminder that Carla’s dealt with much louder noise at a much later point in the evening than Mary did during the whole skating in the halls thing without turning to assault and transphobia: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/03-the-butterflies-fly-away/sure/

      Doesn’t have a violent bone in her body, even when she’s been attacked, had important things to her destroyed, or just been the victim of overt transphobia. No matter what, she does not turn to violence nor does she stoop to any form of dehumanizing slur, which most people could not say: http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/02-that-perfect-girl/stompstompstomp/
      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/02-that-perfect-girl/blindeye/

      I feel that there’s a somewhat stronger argument to be made in favor of her moral character.

    3. Cephalo the Pod

      Never use the same word for Carla that you would for Mary.

  45. Gareth

    Scandal! #gingercookiegate

  46. Charles Phipps

    Carla needs to step up her game. She steals cookies from the RA she hates and is an obnoxiously loud person. She should take some lessons from Mike or she’s never going to be taken seriously as an asshole.

    1. Bagge

      For all her noise she is more into “Sweet Pranks”. Stealing cookies from the RA why loudly proclaiming that she steals cookies from the RA is perfect for her MO.

      1. Bagge

        *while*

    2. Cerberus

      Eh, I don’t think she has it in her to be genuinely awful like Mike. The whole asshole game is mostly just about not being seen as a victim rather than any genuine desire to hurt people.

      Hence the focus on “sweet pranks”, the moments of concern and caring that she desperately tries to hide, and the total aversion to violence.

      1. thejeff

        That’s Carla’s big problem. She tries, but she’s not actually good at being an asshole.
        That’s why she’s losing mindshare. People keep forgetting she’s supposed to be one.

    3. Emperor Norton II

      Also, here’s another big, major difference between Carla and Mike: Mike’s just an asshole. His parents are loving and affectionate, and so far we haven’t seen anything that’s given him any particular reason to be the asshole that he is. And even the word of God/Odin/Zeus has admitted that DoA Mike is a one-note character, and that this is why he’s hardly used at all, and certainly never as a main character for any particular plot.

      Carla, on the other hand… OK, we think that her parents are most likely more accepting than the average DoA parent (yeah, I know the bar is low). But nevertheless, she’s not used to being treated nicely. In fact, she’s used to being everybody’s acceptable loss. She’s used to being treated as less than human for what she is. She’s used to hostility. She’s used to the idea of people drawing penises on her door or similar things (it still hurts her hard when it happens, of course). She is, in short, used to a world where a majority of the people she’s meeting are either a) assholes to her for being trans, or b) not assholes in themselves, but not helping her stand up to the assholes either.

      So, when your world is one where you’re used to assholes and asshole enablers… Well, what exactly are you going to do about it? Carla knows that if there’s one thing she’s -not- going to be, is to try and act perfect at all times, just to minimize the amount of hostility. She probably knows (even if she can’t articulate it yet) that that sort of “we’ll treat you as a human if you do exactly as you should at all times” isn’t really treating her as a human at all. Conditional humanity is not humanity.

      So yeah, she decides to do the “first strike” tactic instead. Be loud, be obnoxious, be a jerk, be aloof; and be disliked and even hated for -that- instead of for being trans. Because then at least it feels like she’s hated for something she’s chosen to do, rather than hated simply for being Carla. It might not be the smartest choice, but considering I have not had to deal with Carla’s situation in any way, I don’t think I have the right to be too judgemental about it.

      Plus, despite all of it, that’s not fully her. Oh, she’d probably be pretty loud and attention-seeking nonetheless, but I would say that unlike Mike, it’s not really giving her a kick to just be a jerk in itself.

      Being a jerk to full-out ass-holes, on the other hand, most certainly gives her a kick. Then again, that’s not exactly uncommon.

      In many ways, she reminds me of Sal, really. They both try to separate themselves from the crowd in their own way. They both try to maintain an aura of not caring about anyone else (which probably works on the other characters, but we as readers are of course seeing the whole picture). And they nevertheless has that nagging little thing that despite all of it, they find themselves caring for other people.

      1. Cerberus

        So, so, SO much all of this.

        And it’s all of this which is not only a big part of why I love her character, but why I find her so interesting and impactful. Carla is a survivor, in every since of the term and there’s plenty of hints she’s been through shit even before you remember she’s a trans ace girl who grew up in Central Indiana and all that implies.

        She’s used to conditional humanity but refuses to give in and accept, instead giving life a great big elbow to the goolies. And that’s as inspiring as it can be annoying, because it’s a little bit of the id when dealing with a lot of bs for being who you are, especially when you are something as commonly hated as a trans person.

        Cause her life in comic reflects trans lives out of it. Where bathroom bills that try and make it controversial for us to pee are spreading like wildfire and are a major party platform. Where people pen thought pieces on how trans people objecting to reparative therapy clinics and clinics that think you can only be straight to be trans are the state supported place to be allowed to transition, that the people objecting to that are the bastards. Where a number of people who should be natural allies are straight up calling us deluded basket cases everyone should feel good about repressing because we’re “inherently dangerous”. Where transphobia and nasty comments are so common that there’s necessary emotional armor you got to put on to go to the store. Where you just assume you’re “an acceptable loss”.

        And it’s sometimes really hard to not just give up on humanity and put up a big front where everyone focuses on anything but your transness. Especially when you’re young and angry and kinda spoiled.

        And it’s a big part of what makes Carla so interesting and human and so much alike a number of young trans people I’ve had the honor of helping mentor. And I want to see her continue to grow and realize she doesn’t just have people who haven’t attacked her yet, but genuine allies that are worth admitting she cares about.

        And sorry to everyone for going full tl;dr again.

        1. Emperor Norton

          One, I’m flattered that you think I got Carla down pat. Then again, it is not that surprising. You’ve been a major influence in making me understand where Carla (and other characters) comes from.

          Two, as Emperor of the Internet, I hereby think it is vastly overdue that you be charged as Ambassador of Understanding Humans. Because I’ll be damned if you don’t seem to be able to think with three brains at once (which makes your nickname rather fitting), and you know quite a lot about humanity in general. And in particular the parts that are generally stomped on by other parts of the same humanity, because they seem to have problems understanding that just because you’re not the same type of human, that doesn’t mean you’re not really human at all.

          Rise, Ambassador Cerberus, and take this +6 Wand of Understanding. It gives you a permanent +2 Wisdom bonus, and has an aura (30 feet) that makes everyone hostile throw a save against wisdom (at -2); failure means they’ll realise that maybe we’re not so different after all. Oh, and if that doesn’t work, giving them a nice whack on the head with the staff forces them to make that same save at -10. And if that doesn’t work, you can keep on whacking with the heavy (and indestructible) oak. Just saying.

  47. TheNinthShader

    The redhead likes gingers.

  48. Jesse

    “DARK-NESS!!
    NO PAR-ENTS!!”

    1. TheNinthShader

      LOTS OF MONEY
      KIND OF HELPS

      1. Schpoonman

        Is that Batmetal?

        1. No Name

          Yes, yes it is. And while we’re on the subject:

          EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!

  49. hof1991

    Not going out of her way to be nice to Ruth, after Ruth abandoned her to Mary? That’s what makes Carla a bad person? I simply don’t see it. I would have a hard time caring about an RA who stepped aside and left a bigot in charge.

    1. Cerberus

      I think being trans and visible and kinda obnoxious is what is causing people to… rate her actions more “strongly” as it were.

      Also, heh, Carla actually is going out of her way to be nice to Ruth, she’s just not wanting to admit that because her whole current persona is based on being seen as the cool aloof apathetic kid who couldn’t be bothered to care about stupid humans and their bullshit.

      1. Bagge

        …which in turns sends the message to Ruth that Carla is OK, Mary didn’t get to her and Ruth doesn’t need to worry about her, and it wasn’t that bad that Ruth abandoned her to Mary (which is of course bullshit and Ruth will see straight through it, but it is nice of Carla to send that message).

        1. StClair

          Between them, they could teach a class in Totally Not Caring (Really).

        2. StClair

          (get Sarah in on that too, somehow)

  50. Griffin

    Carla’s adorbs.

  51. davidbreslin101

    This could actually be the start of a beautiful friendship. Seriously. I mean, if someone nice and sympathetic had knocked on Ruth’s door instead of Carla, Ruth would probably have bounced them down the hallway. These two share a certain in-your-FAAAAAAAACEness.

  52. Just Me

    Carla’s face is drawn with really thick black lines, while Ruth’s is drawn with very fine thin black lines. Almost seems like they are from two different comics. Looks odd.

    1. Bagge

      It symbolic for how Ruth is balancing on the edge right now while Carla has thick skin (or I’m just full of crap, which is the most likely explanation).

    2. Xelgaex

      Fine lines, eh? There are creams for that or so the cosmetic companies tell me, constantly.

    3. Marie

      I’m assuming Ruth’s lips are pale/pasty/dry, so they don’t have as much distinction from her face

  53. Black

    Carla has absolutely NO brain-to-mouth filter, does she?

    1. Bagge

      I think she does, she just gives NO FUCK about using it.

      …actually, I think most of the noise she makes now is about maintaining the image of herself as someone who is too cool to have a brain-to-mouth-filter.

      1. StClair

        yeah, as I said above: I think she “COULD not” say whatever comes to mind, if she felt like it, but…

  54. Liliet

    Carla is best <3

  55. The Candyman

    Geez, Carla, just tell Billie Ruth didn’t want the cookies and be done with it. No need for this (for the record, I didn’t think she was serious about the whole “shoving cookies under the door” thing).

    1. John Merklinghaus

      Yeah, but then she’d have to return the ungiven cookies.

  56. Aeron

    I’m concerned that I understood EXACTLY how panel one sounds.

  57. Falling Star

    Why does Ruth look like Joyce?

  58. Roborat

    For some reason I find the first panel very funny. I think it is the mental picture of Ruth watching the cookie slowly inch it’s way under the door.

    1. Wublub

      Like when my cat tries to snake his paw under the bathroom door to steal my dirty socks while I’m in the shower… only in this comic the paw is a cookie and nobody is trying to take anybody’s clothing.

  59. jepmz

    Is Carla really not concerned tho? I feel like Sal knows she cares. And she’s wearing school’s clothes which can be construed that she prides in the college and its people?

    Hmmmm

    1. jepmz

      And her eyebrows. Like what was the point of acting her eyebrows to penetrate her hair if she doesn’t want people to think she cares in the first place?

    2. Kamino Neko

      Of course she’s concerned. She wouldn’t have added that ‘totally not concerned’ bit if she really weren’t…she just wouldn’t have said anything.

      That’s her thing…she’s a jerk, but some percentage (probably somewhere around the 50% range) of that is deliberate – to push people away so they can’t get close enough to hurt her, to hide her fear, to avoid having to care…but all the fake jerkiness in the world can’t hide that she isn’t, in her heart, a complete jerk, and she does care, and this is the sort of situation that makes that come to the surface.

  60. Lan

    Aw man Willis seeing even comic characters like this hurts. You’re an ass.

  61. nothri

    Eating Billie’s cookies isn’t as satisfying as eating her pie. But Ruth will take what she can get.

  62. Wublub

    Carla’s even worse at lying than I am. That’s impressive.

  63. Dan the Man

    I laughed out loud at the first panel because I thought the last line of the prior comic was just a standalone joke. I wasn’t expecting Carla to actually do that but I’m so glad she did!

  64. asnow mouse

    What in hell!
    What the hell, what in the hell, what in hell, which do you guys usually say?

    1. Emperor Norton II

      It’s English. If something isn’t correct, keep repeating it until it is.

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