She wants to be sure that it will smell like her till Walky cleans it next, which knowing him will be when the Sun finally consumes the Earth and washes the grime away nuclear fire.
Not glitchless, though. Around the 4:13 mark, she did perform a tricky maneuver that required a jump cancel and the arrow duplication exploit.(they’re running the 1.80 version, before that got patched out)
I mean… I actually think that’s a possibility. Dorothy is finally being honest about her wants and how lost she feels, and Walky has been working on himself as a person and is untangling what’s expected of him from what is good for him. And while I never super warmed to Lucy, she seems to be growing and asserting herself wonderfully, as witness her interaction with Jacob (who I think would be a great partner for her now that she’s less happily ever after). There’s a good chance this works out. And I’m interested to see the conversations between Dorothy and Joyce about this, and about sex/romance in general.
I worry that Dorothy is going to paper over the time they were broken up with “we’re back together now, what does it matter.” But it was a formative time for Walky and it matters very much to him.
Idk, I feel like his hesitation was more about Amber than Lucy
Rook
That might be so but I feel he burned his bridges with Amber and Lucy (for that mater).
Also, this kind of makes me wonder how he is doing in school this semester. Last semester, Amber hacked into the school system and changed his grades, she indicated she won’t do it again.
Sirksome
Walky told his parents during the fake girlfriend dinner that he was doing better. He’s probably fine academically at least to the point of not having to overly worry about it.
HueSatLight
AG offered to help him, and set up timers on his phone to help him stay on track. That’s what got him through the rest of fall semester. Only a few weeks into Spring semester, so we don’t know if it’s still helping his study habits.
I actually think that is the exact opposite of what he needs. If she apologizes then he’ll just say “don’t worry about it,” and Dorothy will assume everything is fine. He needs a chance to talk about what happened and how he feels. Not one party apologizing to the other.
eh, whatever
Bingo. He’d recognize any apology as a ritual and treat it as such.
Bash
Especially since he was never that mad about what happened. An apology would just feel awkward to him and he would complete his part of the ritual without much thought.
For what it’s worth, there’s an unused strip for May 16th, in which Walky is uncharacteristically forthright, and she apologizes. what for? I guess you’ll all have to join the patreon to find out.
Is there a world where ‘This relationship is one-sided.’ ‘I need to be brave enough to know I deserve better.’ walking away and then nothing but bare acknowledgements of existence *isn’t* perceived by both of them as a break up? Sure, I guess for dramatic comedy that might be the case.
But anyone upset at Walky taking all of that as ‘we’re over’ is doing it to themself. That’s a pretty clear through line.
People keep asking if they’re broken up and I really struggle to understand why? Lucy has essentially completely shut him out. I’d feel bad for Walky if they were still considered together because his “girlfriend” gaslight him so hard he went and fucked another girl.
Because the magic words were never said. She said that he didn’t stand up for her to his parents, fuck you, I need to be brave enough to know when I deserve better, and see you at math tomorrow. None of those words are “we’re done.” Since then, she’s been perfectly friendly and cordial to Walky, saying that it’s nice to see him, communicating when she’ll see him next.
You can *assume* from the context that they’re over, but realistically it’s been, what, two days? We’re on Tuesday, right? You can’t simply assume that leaving after a fight equals being broken up.
She could just as easily stop by his dorm later that night, thank him for giving her some space while she prioritized herself and her own self-worth, and pop in a superhero flick.
This is how you get “WE WERE ON A BREAK!!!” Clear communication.
Bash
I thought the first paragraph was implying that they were broken up. She said all the breakup stuff. She is acting like a friendly ex.
But then you said it’s just a fight and she needs to further clarify her position. Now I understand that Walky is bad at taking hints, but as readers surely we can assume they’re over?
BorkBorkBork
The point is, communication. It didn’t happen.
Two people can date once or twice, but until they have a conversation of “So, are we then a couple?” it’s not official. They may ASSUME that they’re both exclusively dating each other, and if both make the assumption they are de facto a couple. But if one makes the assumption, and the other is just having fun, they’re not.
The same thing goes for when they aren’t a couple. You’re talking about “implying” they were broken up and that Walky is “bad about taking hints” and can’t we “assume they’re over?” That’s all highlighting that no real communication happened. And internally, Walky’s not yet decided that he’s broken up with Lucy. He defended her to his parents, he’s been hanging on her presence every time they’re together, he’s asking Booster if his visitor is Lucy. He said he “might” have lost her.
And we don’t really know, for sure, *what* Lucy thinks. She spent months essentially in a one-way relationship where she didn’t really have any confirmation that Walky liked her more than as a friend. She already said they were dating for “months” when they’ve officially only had like three dates. Sure, to you it sounds like she said all the breakup words, but to her she might have just expressed her feelings and took some “me” time. Hell, her last words of the fight was that she liked him way more than he liked her; she might be doing the “if he likes me, he’ll come to me” schtick.
In any case – Walky doing this with Dorothy, is a relationship-ending move, and yet his expressions and words here show that he’s not emotionally over his relationship with Lucy. And even if in Lucy’s mind they’re broken up, Walky immediately boning his ex not two days after they broke up, is going to be a slap in the face.
Sirksome
To your point I think communication is the key factor here and that is why they are truly split up. Communication is not a privilege in a relationship it is a requirement and Lucy cut all of that off. She doesn’t speak or interact with Walky outside of socially and academically obligated meet up. She never said they were on a break or indicated such. They’re split because of intentional separation on her part. You don’t just get to not talk to your partner for two days after insulting them and think you’re still together (for the record I don’t think Lucy does) you gotta talk. Walky has no fault here. I do think he did jump into bed with Dorothy too quickly because his mind is clearly still confused about what he wants. Why can’t the man just be alone for a bit to actually self reflect? But sex isn’t always an emotional commitment and maybe they’ll both just take this moment as needed relief.
Bash
I thought YOU were implying that they broke up.
What you have described about communication is good ADVICE but it doesn’t always work out that way in real life. Sometimes you have to read into a situation. When Walky asked Lucy to get “romantic dinner”, it’s reasonable to interpret that he wanted to explore a relationship with her. When Lucy said “I deserve better,” it’s reasonable to assume that she wanted to end the relationship. Especially as this is a comic and it’s more exciting for things to play out in a dramatic fashion, rather than featuring the kinds of discussions you have described. Have we ever seen a couple speak on-screen about how they are serious now?
Sajuuk-Khar
If you said the things Lucy said and then showed up at my door with a superhero movie thanking me for the space, my immediate reaction would not be “hey cool, come on in, let’s have fun together”, and I don’t know why we’re pretending that’s a reasonable expectation.
If—IF—I was interested in continuing a relationship that I just got dumped out of two days prior and the partner in question had straight up been refusing to acknowledge I exist as more than background noise (she was explicitly not friendly??? where is the idea she was friendly coming from? She was polite-ish) we would need to have a pretty serious talk about it!! My feelings would be really badly hurt!
Like…Jesus, that would actually put Lucy in the wrong*, here! Expecting to keep going like that was a little baby hiccup is kind of cruel!
(*: by this I do not mean she would be Satan on Earth or some shit, she’s not a villain, doing this wouldn’t make her a villain, it just isn’t nice.
Also she’s currently not cruel or doing anything wrong. As a breakup it was a wholly justified breakup. It’s only wrong to expect to pick it back up.)
eh, whatever
Some people are used to fighting, expect fights to happen, and expect them to have no consequences.
For others, one fight is a dealbreaker.
They’ve been talking past each other for weeks.
Mark
Walky and Lucy, or the comment factions?
Taffy
It’d have to be the former if it’s only a matter of weeks. The latter has been going on for years.
thejeff
Showing up to carrying on like nothing had happened would be unreasonable.
Showing up to thank him for giving her space and to talk about a way forward would be more so.
And Lucy isn’t exactly an expert at navigating either break ups or fights, so her approach could easily be miscalibrated.
Sajuuk-Khar
If she shows up to have an adult conversation, which I hope she doesn’t, then it’s on Walky to be a good, honest dude and tell her “I don’t think we’re a thing anymore, Luce, not least of all cause I’m bangin’ Dorothy again. ?”
229 thoughts on “Zig-zaggin’”
quark
…the hoodie stays on?????
Switchchris26
The hoodie is probably a decent part of his appeal to dorothy lol, the laid back nature that makes them a good couple.
Odo
I would think the hoodie (and shirt) is also part of his appeal… a body like sculpted caramel and all that
jeffepp
‘Parently, everything did. The horn was greater than… something.
True Survivor
She wants to be sure that it will smell like her till Walky cleans it next, which knowing him will be when the Sun finally consumes the Earth and washes the grime away nuclear fire.
zee
That’s how you know they were horny. Pure efficiency, no unnecessary stripping. Any%
Taffy
Not glitchless, though. Around the 4:13 mark, she did perform a tricky maneuver that required a jump cancel and the arrow duplication exploit.(they’re running the 1.80 version, before that got patched out)
Bleuryder
I mean, it’s called a quickie for a reason.
Ed Rhodes
It looks like EVERYTHING stayed on!
NGPZ
Speak of the devil, there’s Dorothy! XD
Doopyboop
Man. I. really don’t think this was a good choice for them. But yada yada ‘it’s called dumbing of age’ so… might as well see what’s gonna happen.
Steamweed
Panel 4 and 5 Walky seem to indicate that he agrees with you.
Sirksome
Twin fuck synergy is real! I think maybe they were off by a few minutes though.
Casi
i think if there was that much walkerton sex going on at the same time, i think the universe would explode
Needfuldoer
Thank goodness Walky’s a procrastinator.
IntangibleMatter
DYW has clearly gotten tired of trying to cleverly censor his work and as such the clothes are staying on in all future sex scenes.
Mark
Aw, they were in a hurry!
NGPZ
I assume this means her phone was safely recovered, then?
Needfuldoer
Did you give it back?
NGPZ
Yee.
Also, you said you work in television, right?
Count yourself lucky that a majority of viewers don’t have to interact with content on the screen. ???
shadowcell
Slow and Personalized: Another Dumbing of Age Pornographique
Bryy
Yup. I don’t think it is a coincidence that we are getting both Walkertons fucking back to back.
Thor
Figuratively, of course.
Sajuuk-Khar
As I said elsewhere, Willis has an opportunity to pull a real Steamed Hams on his Slipshine customers
“But what if I were to edit portions of Walky Performs a Sex and release it as a new Slipshine? Delightfully devilish, David.”
Opus the Poet
Or slide in panels from other Walky and Dorothy Slipshines.
Schpoonman
Aw, jeez, Walky.
Blume
WOWZA
Nono
They don’t have long hair so the clothes stay on.
TrueVCU
Slipshine mode: engaged
Steamweed
Well, now! Sal+Dan fuckin’ = done. And, bonus: Dor+Wal fuckin’ done. So we are cleared for Joy+Joe fuckin’!
TrueVCU
JoyJoe: A Very Modest Fuckening
Animedingo
That hoodie has in fact not been washed since the last time they fucked
Sirksome
I’m sure they’re both mature enough that this won’t cause problems.
pope suburban
I mean… I actually think that’s a possibility. Dorothy is finally being honest about her wants and how lost she feels, and Walky has been working on himself as a person and is untangling what’s expected of him from what is good for him. And while I never super warmed to Lucy, she seems to be growing and asserting herself wonderfully, as witness her interaction with Jacob (who I think would be a great partner for her now that she’s less happily ever after). There’s a good chance this works out. And I’m interested to see the conversations between Dorothy and Joyce about this, and about sex/romance in general.
Bash
I worry that Dorothy is going to paper over the time they were broken up with “we’re back together now, what does it matter.” But it was a formative time for Walky and it matters very much to him.
Aslan
Idk, I feel like his hesitation was more about Amber than Lucy
Rook
That might be so but I feel he burned his bridges with Amber and Lucy (for that mater).
Also, this kind of makes me wonder how he is doing in school this semester. Last semester, Amber hacked into the school system and changed his grades, she indicated she won’t do it again.
Sirksome
Walky told his parents during the fake girlfriend dinner that he was doing better. He’s probably fine academically at least to the point of not having to overly worry about it.
HueSatLight
AG offered to help him, and set up timers on his phone to help him stay on track. That’s what got him through the rest of fall semester. Only a few weeks into Spring semester, so we don’t know if it’s still helping his study habits.
Johan
It’s been like… 3 weeks?
Johnny Posadas
Lucy is extremely checklist, she’s even revised-from-being-into-joyce checklist
Coatl
They’ve already been through too much, it’s time for them to have some good times.
jeffepp
So, JoJo got nekid and didn’t. They did it, but fully clothed.
Needfuldoer
Almost naked.
https://www.dumbingofage.com/borrow-3/
Pocky
aside from the obvious comfortableness of the situation here
those lines do not make me feel like good things will happy to our heroes. . .
gears
She owes him an apology.
Bash
I actually think that is the exact opposite of what he needs. If she apologizes then he’ll just say “don’t worry about it,” and Dorothy will assume everything is fine. He needs a chance to talk about what happened and how he feels. Not one party apologizing to the other.
eh, whatever
Bingo. He’d recognize any apology as a ritual and treat it as such.
Bash
Especially since he was never that mad about what happened. An apology would just feel awkward to him and he would complete his part of the ritual without much thought.
HueSatLight
For what it’s worth, there’s an unused strip for May 16th, in which Walky is uncharacteristically forthright, and she apologizes. what for? I guess you’ll all have to join the patreon to find out.
Animedingo
Walky is essentially doing her a favor here. And using the opportunity himself to let off some stress
Dont forget when she showed up he asked- Is that lucy?
Coatl
true
Marvelman
Are Walky and Lucy broken up? Was it intended to be ambiguous?
CMasta1992
It was a Lucy side splitting so I think that’s more likely of a break to stick than if it had been Walky side.
Taffy
That’s not a problem, don’t worry too much.
clif
Sure, what’s another ticking drama bomb compared to the joy of one of my favorite ships returning to port?
Agemegos
Well, it’s ambiguous now.
John Campbell
It was entirely unambiguous. Walky’s ass got dumped.
Needfuldoer
The rest of him, too.
SvenTS
Is there a world where ‘This relationship is one-sided.’ ‘I need to be brave enough to know I deserve better.’ walking away and then nothing but bare acknowledgements of existence *isn’t* perceived by both of them as a break up? Sure, I guess for dramatic comedy that might be the case.
But anyone upset at Walky taking all of that as ‘we’re over’ is doing it to themself. That’s a pretty clear through line.
Sirksome
People keep asking if they’re broken up and I really struggle to understand why? Lucy has essentially completely shut him out. I’d feel bad for Walky if they were still considered together because his “girlfriend” gaslight him so hard he went and fucked another girl.
BorkBorkBork
Because the magic words were never said. She said that he didn’t stand up for her to his parents, fuck you, I need to be brave enough to know when I deserve better, and see you at math tomorrow. None of those words are “we’re done.” Since then, she’s been perfectly friendly and cordial to Walky, saying that it’s nice to see him, communicating when she’ll see him next.
You can *assume* from the context that they’re over, but realistically it’s been, what, two days? We’re on Tuesday, right? You can’t simply assume that leaving after a fight equals being broken up.
She could just as easily stop by his dorm later that night, thank him for giving her some space while she prioritized herself and her own self-worth, and pop in a superhero flick.
This is how you get “WE WERE ON A BREAK!!!” Clear communication.
Bash
I thought the first paragraph was implying that they were broken up. She said all the breakup stuff. She is acting like a friendly ex.
But then you said it’s just a fight and she needs to further clarify her position. Now I understand that Walky is bad at taking hints, but as readers surely we can assume they’re over?
BorkBorkBork
The point is, communication. It didn’t happen.
Two people can date once or twice, but until they have a conversation of “So, are we then a couple?” it’s not official. They may ASSUME that they’re both exclusively dating each other, and if both make the assumption they are de facto a couple. But if one makes the assumption, and the other is just having fun, they’re not.
The same thing goes for when they aren’t a couple. You’re talking about “implying” they were broken up and that Walky is “bad about taking hints” and can’t we “assume they’re over?” That’s all highlighting that no real communication happened. And internally, Walky’s not yet decided that he’s broken up with Lucy. He defended her to his parents, he’s been hanging on her presence every time they’re together, he’s asking Booster if his visitor is Lucy. He said he “might” have lost her.
And we don’t really know, for sure, *what* Lucy thinks. She spent months essentially in a one-way relationship where she didn’t really have any confirmation that Walky liked her more than as a friend. She already said they were dating for “months” when they’ve officially only had like three dates. Sure, to you it sounds like she said all the breakup words, but to her she might have just expressed her feelings and took some “me” time. Hell, her last words of the fight was that she liked him way more than he liked her; she might be doing the “if he likes me, he’ll come to me” schtick.
In any case – Walky doing this with Dorothy, is a relationship-ending move, and yet his expressions and words here show that he’s not emotionally over his relationship with Lucy. And even if in Lucy’s mind they’re broken up, Walky immediately boning his ex not two days after they broke up, is going to be a slap in the face.
Sirksome
To your point I think communication is the key factor here and that is why they are truly split up. Communication is not a privilege in a relationship it is a requirement and Lucy cut all of that off. She doesn’t speak or interact with Walky outside of socially and academically obligated meet up. She never said they were on a break or indicated such. They’re split because of intentional separation on her part. You don’t just get to not talk to your partner for two days after insulting them and think you’re still together (for the record I don’t think Lucy does) you gotta talk. Walky has no fault here. I do think he did jump into bed with Dorothy too quickly because his mind is clearly still confused about what he wants. Why can’t the man just be alone for a bit to actually self reflect? But sex isn’t always an emotional commitment and maybe they’ll both just take this moment as needed relief.
Bash
I thought YOU were implying that they broke up.
What you have described about communication is good ADVICE but it doesn’t always work out that way in real life. Sometimes you have to read into a situation. When Walky asked Lucy to get “romantic dinner”, it’s reasonable to interpret that he wanted to explore a relationship with her. When Lucy said “I deserve better,” it’s reasonable to assume that she wanted to end the relationship. Especially as this is a comic and it’s more exciting for things to play out in a dramatic fashion, rather than featuring the kinds of discussions you have described. Have we ever seen a couple speak on-screen about how they are serious now?
Sajuuk-Khar
If you said the things Lucy said and then showed up at my door with a superhero movie thanking me for the space, my immediate reaction would not be “hey cool, come on in, let’s have fun together”, and I don’t know why we’re pretending that’s a reasonable expectation.
If—IF—I was interested in continuing a relationship that I just got dumped out of two days prior and the partner in question had straight up been refusing to acknowledge I exist as more than background noise (she was explicitly not friendly??? where is the idea she was friendly coming from? She was polite-ish) we would need to have a pretty serious talk about it!! My feelings would be really badly hurt!
Like…Jesus, that would actually put Lucy in the wrong*, here! Expecting to keep going like that was a little baby hiccup is kind of cruel!
(*: by this I do not mean she would be Satan on Earth or some shit, she’s not a villain, doing this wouldn’t make her a villain, it just isn’t nice.
Also she’s currently not cruel or doing anything wrong. As a breakup it was a wholly justified breakup. It’s only wrong to expect to pick it back up.)
eh, whatever
Some people are used to fighting, expect fights to happen, and expect them to have no consequences.
For others, one fight is a dealbreaker.
They’ve been talking past each other for weeks.
Mark
Walky and Lucy, or the comment factions?
Taffy
It’d have to be the former if it’s only a matter of weeks. The latter has been going on for years.
thejeff
Showing up to carrying on like nothing had happened would be unreasonable.
Showing up to thank him for giving her space and to talk about a way forward would be more so.
And Lucy isn’t exactly an expert at navigating either break ups or fights, so her approach could easily be miscalibrated.
Sajuuk-Khar
If she shows up to have an adult conversation, which I hope she doesn’t, then it’s on Walky to be a good, honest dude and tell her “I don’t think we’re a thing anymore, Luce, not least of all cause I’m bangin’ Dorothy again. ?”