Dina got a bunch of those in ‘Walking with Dina’. I don’t remember any other occasions. Normally these kids just talk to themselves instead – which wouldn’t work here, with Walky actively waiting for her reply.
Kind of rare I guess. They’re usually color coded, especially after Walking with Dina, extra especially if there’s more than one character with thought bubbles in the strip.
I think this is true in general, NOT showing a character’s thoughts is generally better than showing them, unless there’s a plot-related reason to know what the character’s thinking
even at college age idk if i’d go on more than one date with someone that laughed so easily at mcnutt if we weren’t already friends, or like i’d be friends but not necessarily as infatuated with how lucy seems to be with walky lol
I don’t think that’s how she’s thinking it? She understands “we” to refer to Walky’s existing family– him, Sal, their parents– and sees it as him cautioning her about becoming part of it, with the caution based on her maybe not wanting to be part of it (but not on him excluding her from it).
I agree with Yumi’s statement on how she’s seeing it- the warning that they’re problematic is only of use if you acknowledge the possibility of her being involved with them at length.
I don’t know. Panel 3 is difficult to interpret as making complete sense except that on some level Walky *is* thinking that she is potentially part of the family. Why else caution her that it can be pretty rough. Yes, Lucy is over-reading into it, but she isn’t completely wrong.
Oh I don’t know, he knows she’s thinking about this being serious, and is talking in terms of that potentially becoming the case, not that it potentially is now. He’s talking future tense, she’s thinking present.
Butt Sir
Maybe, but she did use the word “potential” in her thought bubble.
I mean, “we’re a pretty rough family to be a part of” is clearly implying an “if you ever become a part of it, it could be tough.” That’s pretty clear potential to become part of it
is she tho? i mean, at least she can look back on it as personal growth as opposed to doubling down and refusing to break up with walky no matter what, or even, get dumped and trying to get back with him (if this was a psych horror someone who has an ‘innocent’/naive view of love/relationships like lucy could easily spiral into some unhinged stalker lol)
Honestly? Signs point to the answer being “no, she isn’t”. She seems to have a very blinkered view of many aspects of the social world and is going to have a painful awakening when this relationship ends. Possibly, depending on how it ends, one which will help her long term, but I can’t see any way for this to end without her getting hurt… and it’s mostly her own fault, for fooling herself into things that aren’t there.
Angel
walky seems to be the equivalent of like junk food, you know it’s bad for you but sometimes you either indulge or binge, but seems like he’d be better for something casual/a fling than anything serious/long term. Or something that’d be better if you were like 12-13 as a ‘first bf’ and looking back like “ah he was a goofball” but not something a 21 year old might necessarily find appealing then again some ppl are still mentally tween even at their age or get drunk and make more mistakes, or like hooking up with ppl twice their age (which isn’t inherently bad but def not any major life decisions should be made with that)
But at least shes’ not in a relationship where he’s actively treating her badly but yeah i dont’ think any of us expect this relationship to work out in the long run
After an issue with Walky the night before and a fight with Sal today, will Linda be on her best behavior or her worst?
I’m voting worst; she seems the type to double down.
probably another passive aggressive jab liek “at least YOU showed up” or like “It seems your sister thinks that we’re not worth putting in effort to spend time with”
she did say “oh joyce is a white bisexual version of me?” or so and then walky laughed and said ‘i love you’ even way back then too lol, so i’m surprised she took his accidental ‘i loveyou’ so seriously but oh well
I can’t tell if by “early strip” you mean early Dumbing of Age or early Roomies/It’s Walky, but the latter is definitely the vibe I got from that last panel.
Which is unfair of me to do to Lucy, Roomies!Joyce was a special flavor of bonkers, but if Lucy has a dream sequence coming up about furry Walky asking for help burying his comically oversized bone then vindication will be mine
He doesn’t give her a lot to go on. She has it bad, and she’s filling in blanks, but he’s leaving things blank he shouldn’t be. I think he realizes it too, at least to some extent. https://www.dumbingofage.com/normalthing/
It’s a not an unreasonable way to interpret what he said. If anything, I think this mostly comes down to Walky not thinking through the implications of the words that come out of his mouth.
Eh. She is just taking focusing on the positive to its natural, not great, conclusion. She positive thought her way into a relationship! If she just ignores the complete lack of chemistry and enthusiasm from Walky, everything will work out! If she’s just good enough, racist people will accept her! Sadface.
… Still less in denial than Ethan’s mom, Walkertons’ dad, and probably some others. But being better than some parents is a very low bar in this strip. XD
I’m guessing that Lucy is going to have a hard time when she finds out Walky says things without actually thinking. I feel like this relationship is not going to last, but I don’t want either of them to get hurt.
well i think the goofball aspect is what appeals to lucy as opposed to someone a bit more emotionally mature (maybe if ethan were bi that might’ve worked. tho i guess she did date ken in shortpacked i think)
I have a feeling that Lucy may be one of those people who keep doing this and end up with a long string of relationships that were serious only on one side.
192 thoughts on “Fix on”
Ana Chronistic
classic rookie mistake
she believes Walky thinks
Cholma
Next thing you know, Lucy will be getting into a land war in Asia.
Harmony
That’s inconceivable.
LeafletErin
Dealin Walky’s parents is basically the same thing.
Angel
well she did think he said ‘i love you’ to her way sooner than even 11 yo students ‘playing’ couples would XD
Allen Alberti
speaking of thinking, I am not sure how often I have ever seen DYW! use thought bubbles…
MacareuxMoine
Dina got a bunch of those in ‘Walking with Dina’. I don’t remember any other occasions. Normally these kids just talk to themselves instead – which wouldn’t work here, with Walky actively waiting for her reply.
HueSatLight
Kind of rare I guess. They’re usually color coded, especially after Walking with Dina, extra especially if there’s more than one character with thought bubbles in the strip.
Ana Chronistic
I think this is true in general, NOT showing a character’s thoughts is generally better than showing them, unless there’s a plot-related reason to know what the character’s thinking
example: Silent Garfield
Doctor_Who
Lucy’s view on Red Flags is the same as a bull’s: just charge straight toward ’em.
AGV
Plays “Red Flags” by Tom Cardy in the muzak
PirateTawnee
That line from Bojack Horseman “When you look at someone through rose-colored glasses, all the red flags just look like flags.”
Angel
https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-9-comic/02-but-the-sun-still-shines/mundane/
not necessarily a red flag but you’d think walky’s immaturity would put more girls off than be endearing lol versus just being a himbo
even at college age idk if i’d go on more than one date with someone that laughed so easily at mcnutt if we weren’t already friends, or like i’d be friends but not necessarily as infatuated with how lucy seems to be with walky lol
Ana Chronistic
the heart (or hard-on) wants what it wants
RassilonTDavros
I’m pretty sure the “we” in Walky’s statement isn’t referring to you, Lucy
Jo_cubstar
Exactly this. Lucy can be so daft
Doctor_Who
Sadly, she’s got the wrong sibling if she wants to compliment her “Daft” with “Punk”.
Somehow I don’t think “Daft Covered-In-Nachitos-Dust” would make for a very popular electronic duo. Maybe a New Wave act.
Bryy
She’s not.
She just has a lot of Mean Girl in her, and a prerequisite for that is an unhealthy belief in a proper order of reality.
Yumi
I don’t think that’s how she’s thinking it? She understands “we” to refer to Walky’s existing family– him, Sal, their parents– and sees it as him cautioning her about becoming part of it, with the caution based on her maybe not wanting to be part of it (but not on him excluding her from it).
Mano308gts
I agree with Yumi’s statement on how she’s seeing it- the warning that they’re problematic is only of use if you acknowledge the possibility of her being involved with them at length.
clif
I don’t know. Panel 3 is difficult to interpret as making complete sense except that on some level Walky *is* thinking that she is potentially part of the family. Why else caution her that it can be pretty rough. Yes, Lucy is over-reading into it, but she isn’t completely wrong.
Devin
Oh I don’t know, he knows she’s thinking about this being serious, and is talking in terms of that potentially becoming the case, not that it potentially is now. He’s talking future tense, she’s thinking present.
Butt Sir
Maybe, but she did use the word “potential” in her thought bubble.
Needfuldoer
“Not YET!”
– Lucy, probably
zee
I mean, “we’re a pretty rough family to be a part of” is clearly implying an “if you ever become a part of it, it could be tough.” That’s pretty clear potential to become part of it
Mr. Random
Lucy.
No, you’re better than this.
Angel
is she tho? i mean, at least she can look back on it as personal growth as opposed to doubling down and refusing to break up with walky no matter what, or even, get dumped and trying to get back with him (if this was a psych horror someone who has an ‘innocent’/naive view of love/relationships like lucy could easily spiral into some unhinged stalker lol)
Jason
Honestly? Signs point to the answer being “no, she isn’t”. She seems to have a very blinkered view of many aspects of the social world and is going to have a painful awakening when this relationship ends. Possibly, depending on how it ends, one which will help her long term, but I can’t see any way for this to end without her getting hurt… and it’s mostly her own fault, for fooling herself into things that aren’t there.
Angel
walky seems to be the equivalent of like junk food, you know it’s bad for you but sometimes you either indulge or binge, but seems like he’d be better for something casual/a fling than anything serious/long term. Or something that’d be better if you were like 12-13 as a ‘first bf’ and looking back like “ah he was a goofball” but not something a 21 year old might necessarily find appealing then again some ppl are still mentally tween even at their age or get drunk and make more mistakes, or like hooking up with ppl twice their age (which isn’t inherently bad but def not any major life decisions should be made with that)
But at least shes’ not in a relationship where he’s actively treating her badly but yeah i dont’ think any of us expect this relationship to work out in the long run
Coatl
This is too much
Angel
Imagine if they start an order with the waiter/waitress like “I’m great, having lunch with my *Fiance*”
Coatl
Yes, that’s exactly what she will do.
Bryy
Resulting in Linda accusing Sal of “putting Walky up to it”.
Then the goose will come out asking what “it” is.
StClair
only because “sweet babboo” isn’t a thing that’s said anymore.
morleuca
Was that actually said outside of Sally and Linus?
Mark
I said that to mine only a few days ago.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
I just read “Roomies!” for the first time in book form and am flashing back to Joyce and Danny’s “engagement.”
BBCC
That’s all she needed to hear!
Kyrik Michalowski
I worry that this is going to be a difficult day for her. Interactions with the Walkerton parents seem to only be damaging in the long term.
cbwroses
After an issue with Walky the night before and a fight with Sal today, will Linda be on her best behavior or her worst?
I’m voting worst; she seems the type to double down.
Angel
probably another passive aggressive jab liek “at least YOU showed up” or like “It seems your sister thinks that we’re not worth putting in effort to spend time with”
Nono
Remember that Lucy is basically another version of (early strip) Joyce.
Yeah really not surprised her mind jumps straight to marriage….
Coatl
I knew it, I knew I wasn’t the only one who noticed that.
Angel
she did say “oh joyce is a white bisexual version of me?” or so and then walky laughed and said ‘i love you’ even way back then too lol, so i’m surprised she took his accidental ‘i loveyou’ so seriously but oh well
Coatl
Oh right, I remember.
And to think that “I love you” would be the prelude to this.
Bryy
A good thing to remember is how religious the area actually is.
Dave
I can’t tell if by “early strip” you mean early Dumbing of Age or early Roomies/It’s Walky, but the latter is definitely the vibe I got from that last panel.
Which is unfair of me to do to Lucy, Roomies!Joyce was a special flavor of bonkers, but if Lucy has a dream sequence coming up about furry Walky asking for help burying his comically oversized bone then vindication will be mine
Nono
Joyce was basically thinking of taking Ethan’s last name after like one conversation in the elevator in this universe.
Jacob Crawford
Maybe this is an overstatement, but Lucy comes across as fully delusional in this strip IMO
Shorduie
Oh, if anything this is an understatement
HueSatLight
He doesn’t give her a lot to go on. She has it bad, and she’s filling in blanks, but he’s leaving things blank he shouldn’t be. I think he realizes it too, at least to some extent. https://www.dumbingofage.com/normalthing/
thakoru
It’s a not an unreasonable way to interpret what he said. If anything, I think this mostly comes down to Walky not thinking through the implications of the words that come out of his mouth.
Nathan
Yeah, I mean, I feel like that’s literally what he’s saying, whether he means it or not
zee
You’re right, that’s a massive overstatement. Wholly incorrectly even
Hrodvitnir
Eh. She is just taking focusing on the positive to its natural, not great, conclusion. She positive thought her way into a relationship! If she just ignores the complete lack of chemistry and enthusiasm from Walky, everything will work out! If she’s just good enough, racist people will accept her! Sadface.
spriteless aunty
… Still less in denial than Ethan’s mom, Walkertons’ dad, and probably some others. But being better than some parents is a very low bar in this strip. XD
Kyrik Michalowski
I’m guessing that Lucy is going to have a hard time when she finds out Walky says things without actually thinking. I feel like this relationship is not going to last, but I don’t want either of them to get hurt.
UrsulaDavina
Made worse by Lucy’s tendency toLucy tends to dwell on Walky’s words and then overthinks them.
UrsulaDavina
Dammit In attempt to respond I wrote my statment and samsung notes qnd copied and pasted it without deleting the orignal response, phones suck.
UrsulaDavina
Point is Lucy dwells on Walkys words and then overthinks. WAS THAT HARD BRAIN! (my brain)
Angel
well i think the goofball aspect is what appeals to lucy as opposed to someone a bit more emotionally mature (maybe if ethan were bi that might’ve worked. tho i guess she did date ken in shortpacked i think)
Opus the Poet
I think she’s delirious. Deliciously delirious.
Angel
oh, to be young. I wonder if it’d have been better if she would’ve had 2-3 ‘serious’ relationships before meeting walky
Mark
I have a feeling that Lucy may be one of those people who keep doing this and end up with a long string of relationships that were serious only on one side.
JA
Hoo boy, better get some popcorn ready.
Coatl
Snacks are always essential for drama
NGPZ
MnMs, coke and hotdogs too!
Coatl
exactly
UrsulaDavina
You pour the M&Ms in the popcorn.