I have been wrong before, but I don’t really expect it.
If it was strictly a matter of in-story dynamics, I’d say you have a strong case. But it fulfills a real-world function as well. The characters are providing a good set of role models, a low key teaching by example of the basic decency of calling someone by the name they want to use. You wouldn’t think that something that was basic good maners would need encouraging, but apparently it does. I don’t anticipate that Willis will give that up lightly.
Willis wouldn’t be giving it up, though, if Jennifer went back to wanting to be called Billie.
thejeff
It kind of would though. It wouldn’t be the opposite example, but the example wouldn’t still be there.
Or maybe it would, since we’d have to go through another cycle of characters being reminded she wants to be called Billie now?
Li
Only for new readers who both pay close attention to the tags and read the comments, honestly?
Like yes, the tag changing was huge when it happened, but the change itself has never been preserved: new readers don’t see the tag change for them when they get to that strip, so they’d have to read the comment section to even know it had happened; that she hadn’t always been tagged as Jennifer, for whatever reason.
The text of the comic will still enforce the respect for her name as much as it did originally, but that’ll still be true even if the tag changes back…
LiamKav
Plot twist: she asks to be called “Jenny” from now on.
Yumi
Feel like she can do better than that. Maybe she’ll start going by Ferbill.
Li
Billie Jen.
/nods sagely
Thag Simmons
We’re just going to run through Jen, Jenny and Yunru in the course of her attempted reinventions
thejeff
I wasn’t thinking of the tag specifically and I don’t think clif was either. That would just be a meta confirmation of Jennifer’s intent.
Yumi
Clif might have been, since he was replying to a comment specifically about the tags.
As for your point– I guess the example wouldn’t still be ongoing, if that’s what you mean. But it also wouldn’t be if everyone gets used to her name, so I feel like either way, it has an expiration for ongoing relevance.
It could be interpreted as a negative message (someone changed their name? just wait and they’ll change it back), but you’d really have to divorce it from a lot of the content of the story, and at that point you can do it with anything. (“A tomboyish nickname like ‘Billie’ is childish and will be dropped as someone grows up.”)
LiamKav
Also i think people are forgetting that “Billie” isn’t actually her original name. It is out of universe as that’s the name we first see her using both here and in Rookies! but in-universe she’s gone Jennifer Billie Jennifer. And both name changes we’re kinda forced on her.
Li
I definitely assumed we were all talking about the tag because it didn’t otherwise make sense to me that anything about her name change being respected could be lost. Plus, yeah, the TL was about the tag.
I think it’s complicated by the rename not being a straightforwardly positive thing. Billie and Jennifer are names that have thematic weight, and I think it’d be very easy to read her going back to Billie as a good thing
The “alt text” on Patreon for ONE of these comics is in fact “oops all sapphics”, I think maybe the first cutaway to Ruth and Jennifer but I don’t remember for sure.
(I don’t think this is violating any rules, I thiiiiink the description line on the posts is publicly visible?! orz I hope it is.)
The thing that really gets me is they named him after the Mako, Iroh’s late voice actor, which is a sweet gesture that sours badly when the character turned out like that.
AMagicalDuck
To be fair to Mako, in the comics even he is like “yeah you guys are way better off together than with me”
The furthest inland a bull shark has ever been seen in North America is Alton, Ill. Alton sits along the Mississippi River about 15 miles north of St. Louis, and 1,000 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.
clif
I can totally buy that sharks can swim up the Ohio River into Indiana. What I’m totally unclear on is why they would want to.
Aura
Maybe it was curious? Maybe it was an intrepid explorer? Maybe it got lost?
Thag Simmons
I bet Sharks could do real well in the Great Lakes, or at least could have prior to the advent of industrial fishing.
Aura
I read that as Alton 3 or Alton the 3rd. Cool shark fact!
Does anyone actually care about Jason in this relationship? Don’t confuse that as me caring about Jason in this relationship. I’m just curious. Cause everyone just seems to tacitly agree he’s a non factor.
Doopyboop
I do, I’ll take him off of Ruth’s hands if she doesn’t want him.
HueSatLight
Sometimes I entertain the idea of Jason mattering. Like he might bring something to a polycule, something stabilizing for Ruth that she wouldn’t get from Jennifer or Alice (if Jennifer were still involved). But I don’t like him for I don’t need a reason reasons.
Meagan
I do. He is a person and deserves basic dignity. Not necessarily to stay with Ruth but to be broken up with before she gets in a new/old relationship. And to know what kind of relationship he is in. Does he know Ruth would cast him off for Jennifer? Is he OK with that? This matters to me.
And I’ve seen too much toxic attitudes of disposability toward men and male/female relationships in the context of glorifying f/f relationships. It’s kind of a form of biphobia slash just not affording everyone basic human dignity.
Li
I definitely think it can dip into that.
Like, I don’t think it always is, obviously, based on my own reply, but I wanna acknowledge that you have a point with at least some shippers’ attitudes. I want to hope it’s mostly teenagers and they’ll grow out of it, though.
I’m not saying it’s the healthiest dynamic, but no one’s being misled anyway
Daibhid C
I fully agree with this in principle, but it’s Jason. Getting dumped on is basically his role in the comic. It’s kind of like worrying about Donald Duck’s right to be treated with respect and granted basic dignity.
Mr D
Donald Duck does deserve respect and basic dignity. It’s funny when he doesn’t get ’em, but he still deserves them.
HueSatLight
How dare you, comparing Donald Duck to the likes of Jason.
zee
I’d agree with you if it were literally any other dude. And I like Jason. But lets be real he’s more of a pet than anything else.
Thag Simmons
I like having him around, although I don’t really like him as a person.
I think he’s a perceptive guy, he’s probably recognized that this isn’t exactly a stable long-term relationship and that Ruth is still badly in love with her ex.
Li
I’m… I don’t know. Still waiting to be impressed wrt Jason as a character.
It’s definitely not because he’s in the way of Ruth/Jennifer (I mean, even if that had been a reason once upon a time, he literally isn’t), though. It’s just that he hasn’t clicked yet for me as a character.
(Also I do care about Walky’s feelings, and caring about them is part of why I currently hope he and Dorothy break up; I also care about Joe’s feelings, even though I will die on the hill of “no one is actually obligated to care about the hypotenuse in a love triangle, these are fictional characters, it’s fine to actively look forward to metaphorically drinking Joe’s tears”. I think fandom would be a much, much happier place if people more commonly dealt with ‘obstacles’ to their ships with indifference instead of by vilifying them and anyone who likes the ‘competing’ ship.)
((There’s no such thing as a competing ship. There are incompatible multi ship configurations, but unless you’re watching a reality TV competition, there’s no actual competition: just the ship(s) the author is interested in someday making canon, and the ones they’re not.))
Comic.phile
Not really.
PedanticJerkass
I’m kind of waiting for him to show up here, too.
Daibhid C
I’m kind of tempted to say “Yes, I care about Jason, and that’s why if he gets out of the relationship that started with him being nonconsensually handcuffed to a door, I’m all for it.” But honestly, I don’t care about Jason that much.
thejeff
Ruth’s definitely not treating him well, but he seems to be aware of the situation.
Part of the reason the commentariat doesn’t seem really invested in him is that it’s so obvious Ruth isn’t. Despite them being together, the main romantic tension and character development is still focused on Ruth and Jennifer.
Alice, with even less panel time, comes closer to being the third in a triangle here.
164 thoughts on “Visitor”
Thag Simmons
[sickos.jpg]
NGPZ
last panel Jennifer face is just PURE GOLD XD LMAO
clif
It’s pure something.
Steamweed
I’m not sure I want it for MY gravatar, but I’m sure I want it for SOMEONE’S gravatar.
anon
glasses aside it’s very relatable, i’d always be worried about rolling over and crushing my glasses if i slepti n them
Masumi
Also how did that happen? Her glasses were neatly on the bed a few strips ago
Needfuldoer
Who leaves their glasses on the mattress when they sleep? That’s just rolling over and crushing them with extra steps!
VicMortimer
Where else would I leave them? Besides, I don’t crush the computer, why would I crush the glasses?
Amós Batista
This will make a fine addition to my collection
(of avatars)
Sirksome
Still no change in her tag. Still Jennifer for now, but I think the clock is ticking.
clif
I have been wrong before, but I don’t really expect it.
If it was strictly a matter of in-story dynamics, I’d say you have a strong case. But it fulfills a real-world function as well. The characters are providing a good set of role models, a low key teaching by example of the basic decency of calling someone by the name they want to use. You wouldn’t think that something that was basic good maners would need encouraging, but apparently it does. I don’t anticipate that Willis will give that up lightly.
Li
Willis wouldn’t be giving it up, though, if Jennifer went back to wanting to be called Billie.
thejeff
It kind of would though. It wouldn’t be the opposite example, but the example wouldn’t still be there.
Or maybe it would, since we’d have to go through another cycle of characters being reminded she wants to be called Billie now?
Li
Only for new readers who both pay close attention to the tags and read the comments, honestly?
Like yes, the tag changing was huge when it happened, but the change itself has never been preserved: new readers don’t see the tag change for them when they get to that strip, so they’d have to read the comment section to even know it had happened; that she hadn’t always been tagged as Jennifer, for whatever reason.
The text of the comic will still enforce the respect for her name as much as it did originally, but that’ll still be true even if the tag changes back…
LiamKav
Plot twist: she asks to be called “Jenny” from now on.
Yumi
Feel like she can do better than that. Maybe she’ll start going by Ferbill.
Li
Billie Jen.
/nods sagely
Thag Simmons
We’re just going to run through Jen, Jenny and Yunru in the course of her attempted reinventions
thejeff
I wasn’t thinking of the tag specifically and I don’t think clif was either. That would just be a meta confirmation of Jennifer’s intent.
Yumi
Clif might have been, since he was replying to a comment specifically about the tags.
As for your point– I guess the example wouldn’t still be ongoing, if that’s what you mean. But it also wouldn’t be if everyone gets used to her name, so I feel like either way, it has an expiration for ongoing relevance.
It could be interpreted as a negative message (someone changed their name? just wait and they’ll change it back), but you’d really have to divorce it from a lot of the content of the story, and at that point you can do it with anything. (“A tomboyish nickname like ‘Billie’ is childish and will be dropped as someone grows up.”)
LiamKav
Also i think people are forgetting that “Billie” isn’t actually her original name. It is out of universe as that’s the name we first see her using both here and in Rookies! but in-universe she’s gone Jennifer Billie Jennifer. And both name changes we’re kinda forced on her.
Li
I definitely assumed we were all talking about the tag because it didn’t otherwise make sense to me that anything about her name change being respected could be lost. Plus, yeah, the TL was about the tag.
Thag Simmons
I think it’s complicated by the rename not being a straightforwardly positive thing. Billie and Jennifer are names that have thematic weight, and I think it’d be very easy to read her going back to Billie as a good thing
Li
+1
Exactly this.
Elf grrl
This cutaway is diabolical, Willis, but I’m not one to complain about more disaster sapphics.
clif
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/book-15/03-me-and-who-you-say-i-was-yesterday/musical-horizons/#comment-1870970
Li
The “alt text” on Patreon for ONE of these comics is in fact “oops all sapphics”, I think maybe the first cutaway to Ruth and Jennifer but I don’t remember for sure.
(I don’t think this is violating any rules, I thiiiiink the description line on the posts is publicly visible?! orz I hope it is.)
Cholma
So demure. Much smexy. Very Billie.
Ray
I love when a strip makes me want so much popcorn prepped.
Schpoonman
“Great comedy can’t just be funny faces, there has to be more.” – I don’t know, someone who doesn’t know comedy
Schpoonman
You know the other three are thinking “Bless Billie’s wardrobe.” in panel six.
Taffy
Y’know, I hadn’t noticed at first, but gotdamn. She really kinda breasted boobily to the door, huh.
clif
So who is shipping Ruth and Alice?
Thag Simmons
I’m always in favour of resolving a love triangle* with a Mako solution
John Campbell
Is that when one of the parties involved gets eaten by a shark?
(Freshwater sharks can swim up the Ohio River into Indiana.)
Taffy
No, it involves a freaky fish guy who plays Duel Monsters.
clif
Dual Monsters and a freaky fish guy might be a plausible love triangle.
Thag Simmons
No, because Makos are a suboptimal shark for that. You’re probably going to want a Bull Shark for that job
A better name for what I’m talking about would probably be a Korrasami solution, but I think it’s fun to dunk on Mako.
John Campbell
Oh, right, that Mako. I forgot his name.
Thag Simmons
The thing that really gets me is they named him after the Mako, Iroh’s late voice actor, which is a sweet gesture that sours badly when the character turned out like that.
AMagicalDuck
To be fair to Mako, in the comics even he is like “yeah you guys are way better off together than with me”
Opus the Poet
Bull sharks have been found north of the Ohio:
The furthest inland a bull shark has ever been seen in North America is Alton, Ill. Alton sits along the Mississippi River about 15 miles north of St. Louis, and 1,000 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.
clif
I can totally buy that sharks can swim up the Ohio River into Indiana. What I’m totally unclear on is why they would want to.
Aura
Maybe it was curious? Maybe it was an intrepid explorer? Maybe it got lost?
Thag Simmons
I bet Sharks could do real well in the Great Lakes, or at least could have prior to the advent of industrial fishing.
Aura
I read that as Alton 3 or Alton the 3rd. Cool shark fact!
True Survivor
You are an absolute sadist, and I am here for it.
Sirksome
Does anyone actually care about Jason in this relationship? Don’t confuse that as me caring about Jason in this relationship. I’m just curious. Cause everyone just seems to tacitly agree he’s a non factor.
Doopyboop
I do, I’ll take him off of Ruth’s hands if she doesn’t want him.
HueSatLight
Sometimes I entertain the idea of Jason mattering. Like he might bring something to a polycule, something stabilizing for Ruth that she wouldn’t get from Jennifer or Alice (if Jennifer were still involved). But I don’t like him for I don’t need a reason reasons.
Meagan
I do. He is a person and deserves basic dignity. Not necessarily to stay with Ruth but to be broken up with before she gets in a new/old relationship. And to know what kind of relationship he is in. Does he know Ruth would cast him off for Jennifer? Is he OK with that? This matters to me.
And I’ve seen too much toxic attitudes of disposability toward men and male/female relationships in the context of glorifying f/f relationships. It’s kind of a form of biphobia slash just not affording everyone basic human dignity.
Li
I definitely think it can dip into that.
Like, I don’t think it always is, obviously, based on my own reply, but I wanna acknowledge that you have a point with at least some shippers’ attitudes. I want to hope it’s mostly teenagers and they’ll grow out of it, though.
Tan
Ruth’s been pretty upfront with Jason on where he stands with her, and even said it was up to him if they were still a couple after she admitted that kissing Jennifer was on the table. His response to which was in the affirmative: https://www.dumbingofage.com/2022/comic/book-13/02-turning-saints-into-the-sea/gettingstarted/
I’m not saying it’s the healthiest dynamic, but no one’s being misled anyway
Daibhid C
I fully agree with this in principle, but it’s Jason. Getting dumped on is basically his role in the comic. It’s kind of like worrying about Donald Duck’s right to be treated with respect and granted basic dignity.
Mr D
Donald Duck does deserve respect and basic dignity. It’s funny when he doesn’t get ’em, but he still deserves them.
HueSatLight
How dare you, comparing Donald Duck to the likes of Jason.
zee
I’d agree with you if it were literally any other dude. And I like Jason. But lets be real he’s more of a pet than anything else.
Thag Simmons
I like having him around, although I don’t really like him as a person.
I think he’s a perceptive guy, he’s probably recognized that this isn’t exactly a stable long-term relationship and that Ruth is still badly in love with her ex.
Li
I’m… I don’t know. Still waiting to be impressed wrt Jason as a character.
It’s definitely not because he’s in the way of Ruth/Jennifer (I mean, even if that had been a reason once upon a time, he literally isn’t), though. It’s just that he hasn’t clicked yet for me as a character.
(Also I do care about Walky’s feelings, and caring about them is part of why I currently hope he and Dorothy break up; I also care about Joe’s feelings, even though I will die on the hill of “no one is actually obligated to care about the hypotenuse in a love triangle, these are fictional characters, it’s fine to actively look forward to metaphorically drinking Joe’s tears”. I think fandom would be a much, much happier place if people more commonly dealt with ‘obstacles’ to their ships with indifference instead of by vilifying them and anyone who likes the ‘competing’ ship.)
((There’s no such thing as a competing ship. There are incompatible multi ship configurations, but unless you’re watching a reality TV competition, there’s no actual competition: just the ship(s) the author is interested in someday making canon, and the ones they’re not.))
Comic.phile
Not really.
PedanticJerkass
I’m kind of waiting for him to show up here, too.
Daibhid C
I’m kind of tempted to say “Yes, I care about Jason, and that’s why if he gets out of the relationship that started with him being nonconsensually handcuffed to a door, I’m all for it.” But honestly, I don’t care about Jason that much.
thejeff
Ruth’s definitely not treating him well, but he seems to be aware of the situation.
Part of the reason the commentariat doesn’t seem really invested in him is that it’s so obvious Ruth isn’t. Despite them being together, the main romantic tension and character development is still focused on Ruth and Jennifer.
Alice, with even less panel time, comes closer to being the third in a triangle here.
DailyBrad
Oh god, if *Billie* gave too few shits about her own safety for Alice’s liking, Ruth would be a whole other level.
UrsulaDavina
I like the use of the Hrgh, the spelling is an accurate representation of the sound one makes when they awoken.
Doopyboop
Damn she had herself a depression nap.
Suet
…mood
will this be a productive talk
Nono
Might actually be the best she’s looked all semester.
JA
Well this could go either way.
Thag Simmons
as if there’s only two
clif
Mmm.
Proxiehunter
You’re suggesting there might be three ways?
Thag Simmons
Potentially even four!
Dante