I still honestly don’t think she cares that much. Even this comic doesn’t seem to convey much of an emotional reaction at the idea getting back together or even seeing Asher makeout with someone else. I just don’t think Jen was that into him. She’d rather fuck him than talk to him.
Nymph
I’m mostly of the opinion that Jennifer isn’t actually into men at all except as sources of easy toxic drama and sex. I think she’s comphetting a little close to the sun to avoid the truth. The difference in her relationships we’ve seen with women vs the relationship we’ve seen with a man is ~suspicious~ to me.
Doopyboop
I’m honestly of the same opinion. Everything with Asher feels so performative. Even this strip is more of a performance of ‘I suppose I oughta be getting back together with him’ rather than actually feeling it. Meanwhile as soon as she lays eyes on Alice again she wants to get close to her again. Before Ruth, she certainly tried hitting on men, but it was usually either to get something out of them (drinks) or because she wanted easy sex.
Michael Steamweed
Seems a viable theory, that. Adds some flavor to her “I’m an alpaca pitch problem solver” identity.
Charles Phipps
The only reason to think otherwise is alternate Jennifers really are into Danny. This one does seem to be lesbian romantic but it’s only a sample size of three.
FlamestAndLight
imo Danny is an egg. it makes too much sense and it would explain the Jennifer into Danny thing
Adept
What on earth is the Danny as an egg fan theory based on? Is it something more than projection and wishful thinking? I’ve not seen any support in the actual comic for this.
Thag Simmons
Danny does get called a good egg a lot, but if there’s more to it than that I don’t see it
june gloom
I do not see Danny being an egg. Not every spotty twink is an egg! Sometimes they’re just spotty twinks!
Scolopendra
I can see it. I can also not see it. Danny could very easily be an egg in the same way that almost anyone could be an egg. (See also: Carla’s joke about Walky transitioning, which I thought was very funny and harmless, but half the comments section seemed to think was a grave offense against God.)
Joy
Thank you for saying that, there’s no way I’m the only one thinking that thank you for confirming I’m not the only one.
thejeff
I’m so used to thinking of Danny as a “good egg”, it took me a minute to figure out what people were talking about.
So many people commenting about Jennifer’s orientation, when it’s as plain as the nose on (somebody’s) face: she’s a homoromantic bisexual, she likes men, but she LOVES women
Doopyboop
Personally for me, I see Jennifer as still being bisexual, but perhaps with a lean towards women? Maybe I just say this as a biromantic with a lean towards women myself, but that’s how I view it. At least as far as we see in DOA, Jennifer sees men as an easy lay, and is clearly sexually attracted to them, but has a lot more romantic stuff going on for her with women. Like I said, doesn’t negate her being bi! Just… perhaps she has a lean towards women.
Nymph
For me, I just haven’t seen anything I’d rate as genuine attraction to, or interest in, men. I’m not saying I’m definitely right, and I’m just as guilty of seeing this through the lens of my own experience as you are, so until it’s given any kind of definite answer I’m happy with my headcannon and I appreciate you sharing yours! It’s also very good.
Adept
Billy / Jennifer is sexually into men, but a lot of her world view seems to be based on stereotypes and quick lumping of people into categories. I think she may see guys as rather one dimensional caricatures, ultimately rather simple and uninteresting.
Women, especially hot women, are actual people and hence much more complex and interesting.
Charles Phipps
I mean jennifer seemed to have an active interest in sex with Danny and Asher. Just no actual interest in them as people.
Yumi
Gonna throw in my own speculation that she might be demiromantic (bisexual). Thinking of how there were some strong feelings before her and Ruth got romantic, and I don’t know about Alice, but they were best friends. I think she could be into guys, but she’ll start dating them without that sense of romance because that’s what’s standard to her, and then it may or may not develop.
thejeff
Bisexual, but homoromantic? Is that a thing? It’s long been kind of a suspicion of mine. Before Asher all her talk about interest in men seemed to be focused on the sex, while she built more intimate relationships with women.
But more likely it’s closer to what we see on the surface. She was attracted to Asher for his bad boy image and as they got closer and she saw beneath it, she lost interest.
Yumi
Homoromantic bisexual is totally a thing, and it’s what I would go to if it weren’t for her relationship with Danny in another ‘verse– which I haven’t read, but since orientations are consistent across the strips, would still apply. Though as the author, I think Willis reserves the right to change the “consistent across the strips” rule if they so choose.
Sirksome
You might be onto something there. I wanted to make the argument we just haven’t seen her with the right guy, but I do think Asher was a good boyfriend. He did invest and care about her enough to even try and present himself the way she wanted. She just had no investment back. Maybe you could argue some of that is just from coming off the drama expectations of the Ruth relationship but maybe she just can’t really get attached to dudes.
thejeff
Or she’s just not into good relationships. She craves the mess and the drama.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Ding ding ding! We have a winner!
Some people just aren’t happy unless they’re miserable.
Thag Simmons
I mean we’ve got a sample-size of like three relationships total, and Asher was pretty clearly a rebound
DudeMyDadOwnsADealership
Raidah just needs and excuse to get around trying to get Asher back in her scheme but fears being blown off, thus causing the reality of her actual esteem to set in. Put this on Jennifer, and apparently everything balances. That’ll also teach that know-it-all Jennifer about being right over how they could just wait and Sarah’ll sabotage herself!
I’m honestly starting to wonder if the other shoe is ever actually going to drop with Asher. Everyone harps about him being untrustworthy, but he’s yet to do anything particularly villainous. The kidnapping nonsense, sure, but his arm was twisted to do that and he cleaned up his mess afterwards. He’s otherwise been just a hapless bi guy.
I hope I’m wrong about him, though. It would be lovely to have some actual multidimensional antagonists in the game again. I remember when I thought Mary could be that, but she’s just gotten flanderized into oblivion. Alas.
A lot of what’s going on with Asher is unknown. He could be pretty menacing if he got Paul to draw AG out so he could finish “cleaning up his mess”. If he directed Mike’s death to “clean up his mess”. Even if he indirectly got Mike killed by cops cleaning up their mess because Asher had them clean up his mess. “Cleaning up” is the euphemism you used for murder. And if “his mess” is him stealing from the mob, then murdering someone, even another criminal, to cover up his reckless theft, is villainous.
On the other hand, if “his mess” was Blaine blackmailing him over being bi, and he’s trying to get ahold of AG to warn her, that’s less villainous. It would still be his murdering Blaine that put other people in danger though.
I thought her smut was all very specifically about Kit Fisto, although who he was paired with might not have been stated (possibly her OC gray Jedi she cosplayed as for Halloween?)
Rolf of Many Doors
No, Jennifer’s smut was all about her revealing various people to be Amazigirl and then they have secret identity-sex
Michael Steamweed
Clearly this means now that Billifer must seduce the truth out of Sal.
deliverything
Wait, Amazi-Girl is Kit Fisto? That wasn’t on the poll!
I’m still not sure I buy that Jennifer is the superior mode. Prior to Halloween, Billie had shown a capacity for change. There was still a lot of dysfunction, of course, but change is a slow process. And she cared about the people around her enough to tap into her deep knowledge of horrible things to help Joyce, among other instances.
Jennifer, OTOH, has largely refused any evidence at all that her current conduct is in some way harmful or toxic, even to herself.
Billie, you didn’t realize you had an ASSIGNMENT from Radaih. You failed her, MISERABLY!
Seduce Asher back!
But given Billie absolutely gave zero shits about Asher dumping her for Ethan, I’m of the mind he meant nothing to her for the entirety of their relationship. Her treatment of Asher wasn’t just to create some fun drama.
She stopped feeling interested in him after he successfully quit smoking because of how much it changed his personality. It’s not either of their faults they broke up, these things just happen sometimes.
The greatliest intuition! So great. People ask me with tears in their eyes “Jennifer how do you have such great intuition?” I don’t know, it’s just a gift.
161 thoughts on “Tonguing”
NGPZ
YA THINK? XD
Adept
”Starting to suspect” ˆ.ˆ
Gigafreak
The astute and inescapably perceptive eye of the finest journalist on the campus
Michael Steamweed
*Billifer closely watches them for another 10 minutes to ascertain how serious this might be.
Sirksome
Don’t do it Jen. Believe it or not you dodged a bullet. A untrustworthy bullet.
Charles Phipps
Jennifer clearly didn’t take Raidah ordering her to fix her relationship seriously.
Sirksome
I still honestly don’t think she cares that much. Even this comic doesn’t seem to convey much of an emotional reaction at the idea getting back together or even seeing Asher makeout with someone else. I just don’t think Jen was that into him. She’d rather fuck him than talk to him.
Nymph
I’m mostly of the opinion that Jennifer isn’t actually into men at all except as sources of easy toxic drama and sex. I think she’s comphetting a little close to the sun to avoid the truth. The difference in her relationships we’ve seen with women vs the relationship we’ve seen with a man is ~suspicious~ to me.
Doopyboop
I’m honestly of the same opinion. Everything with Asher feels so performative. Even this strip is more of a performance of ‘I suppose I oughta be getting back together with him’ rather than actually feeling it. Meanwhile as soon as she lays eyes on Alice again she wants to get close to her again. Before Ruth, she certainly tried hitting on men, but it was usually either to get something out of them (drinks) or because she wanted easy sex.
Michael Steamweed
Seems a viable theory, that. Adds some flavor to her “I’m an alpaca pitch problem solver” identity.
Charles Phipps
The only reason to think otherwise is alternate Jennifers really are into Danny. This one does seem to be lesbian romantic but it’s only a sample size of three.
FlamestAndLight
imo Danny is an egg. it makes too much sense and it would explain the Jennifer into Danny thing
Adept
What on earth is the Danny as an egg fan theory based on? Is it something more than projection and wishful thinking? I’ve not seen any support in the actual comic for this.
Thag Simmons
Danny does get called a good egg a lot, but if there’s more to it than that I don’t see it
june gloom
I do not see Danny being an egg. Not every spotty twink is an egg! Sometimes they’re just spotty twinks!
Scolopendra
I can see it. I can also not see it. Danny could very easily be an egg in the same way that almost anyone could be an egg. (See also: Carla’s joke about Walky transitioning, which I thought was very funny and harmless, but half the comments section seemed to think was a grave offense against God.)
Joy
Thank you for saying that, there’s no way I’m the only one thinking that thank you for confirming I’m not the only one.
thejeff
I’m so used to thinking of Danny as a “good egg”, it took me a minute to figure out what people were talking about.
Opus the Poet
So many people commenting about Jennifer’s orientation, when it’s as plain as the nose on (somebody’s) face: she’s a homoromantic bisexual, she likes men, but she LOVES women
Doopyboop
Personally for me, I see Jennifer as still being bisexual, but perhaps with a lean towards women? Maybe I just say this as a biromantic with a lean towards women myself, but that’s how I view it. At least as far as we see in DOA, Jennifer sees men as an easy lay, and is clearly sexually attracted to them, but has a lot more romantic stuff going on for her with women. Like I said, doesn’t negate her being bi! Just… perhaps she has a lean towards women.
Nymph
For me, I just haven’t seen anything I’d rate as genuine attraction to, or interest in, men. I’m not saying I’m definitely right, and I’m just as guilty of seeing this through the lens of my own experience as you are, so until it’s given any kind of definite answer I’m happy with my headcannon and I appreciate you sharing yours! It’s also very good.
Adept
Billy / Jennifer is sexually into men, but a lot of her world view seems to be based on stereotypes and quick lumping of people into categories. I think she may see guys as rather one dimensional caricatures, ultimately rather simple and uninteresting.
Women, especially hot women, are actual people and hence much more complex and interesting.
Charles Phipps
I mean jennifer seemed to have an active interest in sex with Danny and Asher. Just no actual interest in them as people.
Yumi
Gonna throw in my own speculation that she might be demiromantic (bisexual). Thinking of how there were some strong feelings before her and Ruth got romantic, and I don’t know about Alice, but they were best friends. I think she could be into guys, but she’ll start dating them without that sense of romance because that’s what’s standard to her, and then it may or may not develop.
thejeff
Bisexual, but homoromantic? Is that a thing? It’s long been kind of a suspicion of mine. Before Asher all her talk about interest in men seemed to be focused on the sex, while she built more intimate relationships with women.
But more likely it’s closer to what we see on the surface. She was attracted to Asher for his bad boy image and as they got closer and she saw beneath it, she lost interest.
Yumi
Homoromantic bisexual is totally a thing, and it’s what I would go to if it weren’t for her relationship with Danny in another ‘verse– which I haven’t read, but since orientations are consistent across the strips, would still apply. Though as the author, I think Willis reserves the right to change the “consistent across the strips” rule if they so choose.
Sirksome
You might be onto something there. I wanted to make the argument we just haven’t seen her with the right guy, but I do think Asher was a good boyfriend. He did invest and care about her enough to even try and present himself the way she wanted. She just had no investment back. Maybe you could argue some of that is just from coming off the drama expectations of the Ruth relationship but maybe she just can’t really get attached to dudes.
thejeff
Or she’s just not into good relationships. She craves the mess and the drama.
Decidedly Orthogonal
Ding ding ding! We have a winner!
Some people just aren’t happy unless they’re miserable.
Thag Simmons
I mean we’ve got a sample-size of like three relationships total, and Asher was pretty clearly a rebound
DudeMyDadOwnsADealership
Raidah just needs and excuse to get around trying to get Asher back in her scheme but fears being blown off, thus causing the reality of her actual esteem to set in. Put this on Jennifer, and apparently everything balances. That’ll also teach that know-it-all Jennifer about being right over how they could just wait and Sarah’ll sabotage herself!
Scolopendra
I’m honestly starting to wonder if the other shoe is ever actually going to drop with Asher. Everyone harps about him being untrustworthy, but he’s yet to do anything particularly villainous. The kidnapping nonsense, sure, but his arm was twisted to do that and he cleaned up his mess afterwards. He’s otherwise been just a hapless bi guy.
I hope I’m wrong about him, though. It would be lovely to have some actual multidimensional antagonists in the game again. I remember when I thought Mary could be that, but she’s just gotten flanderized into oblivion. Alas.
Charles Phipps
He may have hired Paul to become the Incelerator.
Clif
Specifically to test the Amber is Amazigirl theory.
HueSatLight
A lot of what’s going on with Asher is unknown. He could be pretty menacing if he got Paul to draw AG out so he could finish “cleaning up his mess”. If he directed Mike’s death to “clean up his mess”. Even if he indirectly got Mike killed by cops cleaning up their mess because Asher had them clean up his mess. “Cleaning up” is the euphemism you used for murder. And if “his mess” is him stealing from the mob, then murdering someone, even another criminal, to cover up his reckless theft, is villainous.
On the other hand, if “his mess” was Blaine blackmailing him over being bi, and he’s trying to get ahold of AG to warn her, that’s less villainous. It would still be his murdering Blaine that put other people in danger though.
Dara
baby steps!
Nono
Wow she is depressed, she’s not even excited enough to go stare at them to fuel bisexual dreams.
ian livs
That would imply that bisexuality is real (obv it is, but she’s pretending otherwise, last I checked)
mindbleach
Shit, did we lose our invisibility? I haven’t paid for clothing in years.
Steamweed
We weren’t sure how to tell you. Felt kinda awkward.
Amelie Wikström
I think she’s forgotten she used to love writing smut about all the guys she knows. The Raidah “normalization” program is very effective.
ian livs
Wasn’t that Amber?
Amelie Wikström
Oh no, I was thinking of Amber. Time for more sleep.
Tawdry Quirks
I thought her smut was all very specifically about Kit Fisto, although who he was paired with might not have been stated (possibly her OC gray Jedi she cosplayed as for Halloween?)
Rolf of Many Doors
No, Jennifer’s smut was all about her revealing various people to be Amazigirl and then they have secret identity-sex
Michael Steamweed
Clearly this means now that Billifer must seduce the truth out of Sal.
deliverything
Wait, Amazi-Girl is Kit Fisto? That wasn’t on the poll!
Clif
An oversight, I’m sure.
Cholma
Nah, he’s just playing hard to get, Jennifer!
Aura
Why does she always have to be so… Jennifer?
Doctor_Who
That’s So Jennifer will be back after these messages.
Charles Phipps
At least she’s not Billie.
So, progress!
Thag Simmons
Jennifer still seems pretty Billie, gotta say
Aura
I’m trying to work out if Billieing it up and Jenning it up would refer to two distinct behaviours or just be different ways of saying the same thing.
Thag Simmons
Billieing is the alcoholic version, Jenning requires substituting in delusion and denial to get to a similar end result
Aura
Yeah, that checks out
Freemage
I’m still not sure I buy that Jennifer is the superior mode. Prior to Halloween, Billie had shown a capacity for change. There was still a lot of dysfunction, of course, but change is a slow process. And she cared about the people around her enough to tap into her deep knowledge of horrible things to help Joyce, among other instances.
Jennifer, OTOH, has largely refused any evidence at all that her current conduct is in some way harmful or toxic, even to herself.
Needfuldoer
She is inescapably her. (No matter how hard she tries to escape it.)
Clif
No matter where you go, there you are.
Charles Phipps
Billie, you didn’t realize you had an ASSIGNMENT from Radaih. You failed her, MISERABLY!
Seduce Asher back!
But given Billie absolutely gave zero shits about Asher dumping her for Ethan, I’m of the mind he meant nothing to her for the entirety of their relationship. Her treatment of Asher wasn’t just to create some fun drama.
Joy
She stopped feeling interested in him after he successfully quit smoking because of how much it changed his personality. It’s not either of their faults they broke up, these things just happen sometimes.
Nono
So on one hand, ugh, sloppy kissy PDAs.
On the other hand, Ethan/Asher sounds hot.
bwooom
If the people involved in the sloppy kissy PDA are hot enough it’s basically a public service.
Ray Radlein
HUGE IF TRUE
Dara
it’s true, they’re both pretty huge right now
Thag Simmons
Alright, new plan, get back together with Ruth and try to use that relationship to convince Alice that you are normal and fine.
Charles Phipps
Another reason that Jennifer never cared about Asher is she never intended to even talk to him again after all of this.
Clif
At least ask Ruth if she really meant it.
Thag Simmons
I mean, I don’t think getting back with Ruth would be the stumbling block for this plan
Radiance
She’s just got great intuition.
Michael Steamweed
The greatest intuition!
Needfuldoer
The greatliest intuition! So great. People ask me with tears in their eyes “Jennifer how do you have such great intuition?” I don’t know, it’s just a gift.