133

Holding
Posted on October 24, 2022 by David M Willis

133 thoughts on “Holding”

  1. Doctor_Who

    Amber: “You should go fuck…yourself.”

    Joyce: “Excuse me?!”

    Amber: (Nailed it.)

    1. System_Anomaly

      This made me laugh, thanks

      1. Yet_One_More_Idiot

        One date with Rosie Palms, cumming right up! xD

    2. Architex

      Absolutely perfect top comment for this one!

    3. Bladeglory

      Task failed successfully.

    4. fudo81

      ? ?

    5. Needfuldoer

      Yes… HA HA… YES!

      [sickos.png]

    6. Decidedly Orthogonal

      Shang Tsung: Flawless Victory!

    7. Rose by Any Other Name

      Just wanted to say bravo and echo the previous sentiment of best top comment.

    8. Stu

      Better than my “You should go… HUG him.”

    9. Kyrros

      [SCRUBS_DontSayBananaHammock.mp4]

    10. Twitcher

      Does everyone besides Joyce know that Joe thinks Joyce is too pure to bone him, or only Joe’s friends?

  2. Ana Chronistic

    words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm

    1. jeffepp

      Well, that’s a Mode.

      1. Meagan

        Me whenever I smoke pot

    2. Decidedly Orthogonal

      Feeling Peachy Ana?

    3. Rose by Any Other Name

      All I ever wanted…
      All I ever needed…

      1. Seregiel

        Is here, in my AU?

  3. shadowcell

    Dumbing of Age Book 13: I Might Be Bad at People

    2nd edition: Don’t Blurt Out That You Should Go Fuck Him

    1. Electric

      That’s the title of the slipshine

  4. Flygod

    *Emperor Palpatine Voice* DO ET

    1. jonathan young

      LET THE HORNINESS FLOW THROUGH YOUUUUU

    2. thejeff

      I read this first as “Do E.T.” and was very confused.

  5. DailyBrad

    I do love Amber and Joe as sibling types.

  6. Stephen Bierce

    Maybe I might have changed
    And not been so cruel
    Not been such a fool
    Whatever was done is done
    I just can’t recall
    It doesn’t matter at all    –Emerson, Lake & Palmer “From The Beginning”

    1. jonathan young

      such an amazing song.

  7. BBCC

    You can do it, Amber, I believe in you!

    1. brionl

      ITYM, You can *not* do it, Amber.

  8. C.T. Phipps

    I kind of hope that this will lead Joe to confront his Joe Dad and get out their issues. He’s carrying so much from that relationship unsaid and I’d like to know how Joe Dad’s remarriage is affecting them both.

    Either confront the issue, Joe, or just give up and keep it shallow.

    1. Segnosaur

      What exactly has not been said between Joe and his dad?

      I thought he has always been pretty up front… Telling him he can’t be trusted to be faithful.

    2. justin8448

      I think Joe is trying very hard to give up and keep it shallow. He’s failing.

  9. MisterJinKC

    Do it. Blurt it out. Release the god of chaos from her chains and revel in the fan fiction fodder sure to follow.

    1. Reltzik

      Nah, that’d just get Joyce growling at Amber or going ick or something and then walking off. Truly releasing the god of chaos would require letting Joyce know that Joe has FEELINGS for her.

      1. MisterJinKC

        Exactly. Joyce would go “Ick! Why would you even say that?” and Amber would have to explain Joe’s feelings. Then…glorious chaos ensues, beginning with Joyce’s view of the universe shattering once more!

  10. Suet

    Amber’s shipping desires hang like Damocles’ sword.

    1. Proxiehunter

      But is Joe hung like Damocles’ sword?

      1. jeffepp

        Ask Penny.

        1. PirateTawnee

          A nickel for her thoughts? Wait, nickels are Mike’s thing.

        2. Clif

          Well, as the alt text pointed out, blurring it out would be funny,so we can be pretty sure it’s what Mike would have wanted.

        3. Yakumo

          I’d put as the alt text is from Mike in spirit. Likely on a varying value between metaphorically and literally between individuals reading it.

        4. Needfuldoer

          Or Roz. Or Malaya.

  11. The Wellerman

    Yeah Amber, you should say it. I’m bored.

    1. Reltzik

      Amber isn’t thinking about you being bored, she’s thinking about Joyce being drilled.

      1. Yotomoe

        To be fair she’s also considering her being Nailed.

        1. StClair

          Screwed. Railed. Boned.

        2. Opus the Poet

          Tattooed, even.

        3. Taffy

          Is that what the kids are calling it now?

  12. Siddlaw

    Alt text ain’t wrong

  13. Thag Simmons

    admirable restrain here, I think.

    even if she blurts it out in the next comic she gets points for trying

  14. Marvelman

    I’m guessing by the time Joyce decides she’s ready to f–k Joe, Joe will not want to f–k her.

    1. Reltzik

      He already doesn’t.

      …. and he does. And he doesn’t.

      He’s Shroedinger’s Horndog.

  15. Icalasari

    Joeyce Shipper right there

  16. Yotomoe

    YOU SHOULD GO FUCK HIM.

  17. Mydnyt

    This is the first issue in a while that’s made me audibly laugh. Many get a sensible satisfied huff from the nose but few get audible laughter.

  18. Architex

    New sister and wingwoman, lucky Joe!

  19. Sirksome

    Please…we’re really supposed to believe Joyce isn’t thinking about fucking Joe already?

    1. Yotomoe

      I assume she’s thinking about cuddling Joe. Not to imply Joyce is incapable of thinking about Sex but I’d imagine she might be hesitant due to Joe’s Lady Killer reputation.

      1. System_Anomaly

        They do have extremely high cuddle chemistry. Just cuddle tf out of each other already!!

    2. Taellosse

      I think you underestimate Joyce’s capacity for self-delusion.

      That is to say, she’s absolutely thinking about boning Joe, but she genuinely has no idea such a notion has even crossed her mind, and would be reflexively appalled if anyone were to suggest it to her.

      1. Cerusee

        That precisely.

      2. Kazuma Taichi

        Now if you were to instead subtly prompt the whiteboard ding-dong bandit to resurface and attach their specialty to renditions of Joe without clothes on, that might help get the idea through to her

  20. Yotomoe

    You can tell how close Joe and Amber have grown as siblings because there was a time when Joe would ALSO struggle to not blurt out “You should have sex with Joe”.

    1. PirateTawnee

      Lots of us are struggling to not blurt out “Joyce, you should have sex with Joe”.

      1. Yotomoe

        Not me. I said it without struggling whatsoever.

        1. Mr D

          You said it or you drew it?

  21. toby

    kissing Amber with tongue for her work in helping the joejoyce ship along. my deepest thanks <3

    1. Opus the Poet

      Your post is labeled as Moderated, but I can still see it (I guess due to my advanced/young age (64 YO/21 years since I was killed)

      1. Needfuldoer

        I think that just means Willis manually approved it, so now it’s immune from criticism flagging.

        It could have been flagged into the moderation queue, or it could be a first post, or a typo in their email so the system thinks it’s a first post.

        1. Kazuma Taichi

          whatever put it into the queue, it’s Willis approved and that’s all that really matters, isn’t it? hehehe

        2. toby

          you are so right

  22. Carms

    it is a kindness to let people care about you.
    One of my friends moved his and his partner’s whole deal between temporary accommodations last week, (work related) and I just learned that he did it all on public transport- despite knowing that I was free and had a car, because we had plans together that were cancelled for moving.
    I’m really fucking bummed that he did 4 fucking round-trip bus trips with suitcases by himself instead of just like. ‘hey help me move?’

    1. Laura

      So true. I hope your friend learns to lean on you a little more in the future.

  23. Cmasta1992

    Yoto has been summoned

    1. Yotomoe

      😛 I mean it’s got 3 of my favorite things.
      Joyce
      Amber
      And sexual tension.

  24. EpochFlame

    nice restraint, amber

    1. Nova

      Amber: Oooh, restraints! *adds that to the fanfic*

  25. brionl

    Well, Joe does deserve a little reward for his kind efforts.

  26. ADLegend21

    I agree with the hover text, that’d be hilarious.

  27. Mada

    So the next Slipshine’ll be “Finally II: You Should Go Fuck Him”.

  28. V

    Amber speaks for us all!

    1. Opus the Poet

      [Battlestar Galactica]Thus say we all[/Battlestar Galactica]

      1. Needfuldoer

        And my axe?

  29. Bryy

    Love it when Amber smiles.

  30. thakoru

    “No you idiot! You know how your dumb mouth works!”

  31. brute

    i misread what amber meant and thought she was reminding herself not to make an incest joke

    after reading the comments the comic makes more sense

    sorry amber

    1. Taellosse

      I’m pretty sure Amber would not shy away from at least fantasizing about committing incest if she had a sibling she found attractive, but Joe’s really not Amber’s type. She’s into pretty boys more than big, burly dudes.

      1. StClair

        As previously discussed, Amber’s (physical) type looks much more like… Booster.
        Damnit.

      2. Fuzzy

        She did think Ethan’s hot, and he was big and…not unburly.

        1. StClair

          Yeah, but she seems to think that “Emaciated Emo Ethan” is more hot.

    2. Mark

      I read it that way too, and I’m not convinced it isn’t the right interpretation.

  32. RacingTurtle

    ilu amber

  33. Romanticide

    Good Amber! Good! You can do this! You can nudge them both into the closer direction without being too meddlesome! I believe in you!

  34. Keulen

    I agree with Amber, but somehow I don’t think her telling Joyce that would work.

  35. Kelli217

    How many people in-universe does that now make who are shipping joyceph?

  36. bagge

    See, it’s little rules like that that make Amber better at social interactions than she give herself credit for.

  37. Taffy

    Love all these unambiguously positive interactions.

  38. Meagan

    This is the sweetest strip we’ve had in I don’t know how long. Maybe something with Danny and Sal being adorable.

  39. Carla

    Wow, Amber is crushing it socially today…by her standards.

  40. Rabisch

    The “Booster effect” is really impressive. Amber is so happy that she wants to help her brother by giving him credit for the help Joe has given her. Joyce was feeling down for treating Dorothy badly and seems that discovering this side of Joe makes her happy. Amber and Booster have to keep seeing each other! It’s good for both of them.

  41. Deviant

    Blurt out that she should go fuck him!

    Do it!

  42. Plaaaa

    Wincent!

    1. Plaaaa

      Wait, is she talking about Joyce or herself in the 3rd person?

      1. Icarus

        Joe, apparently.

      2. Tan

        Amber is telling herself not to blurt out that Joyce should go have carnal relation Joe

  43. Sajuuk-Khar

    Here we see Amber, like Atlas, being forced to carry the weight of an entire Greek chorus’ opinion on her internet hermit shoulders by a cruel Willis.

  44. thumb

    Sometimes, the trash fire that is Amber’s whole deal only burns low.

  45. Thomas

    Amber wants to bring Joe’s positive qualities under Joyce’s attention, but all Joyce is gonna hear is how Joe spent time with Amber while avoiding Joyce.

    Amber’s last sentence should make her position clear to Joyce, though. Also, I think the sibling thing carries more weight with Joyce than with the average shipper.

    1. Lan

      Joyce has also pushed Joe in the past to be a good brother to Amber (I have no idea what strip it was, but she definitely admonished him for not tending to her needs more). I suspect it’s more likely that Joyce will put 2 and 2 together and wonder why Joe listened to her in the first place, ever orbiting around the conclusion that he has feelings of affection towards her

  46. Josh Spicer

    Maybe not fuck him immediately but I agree that that should be an eventuality.

  47. vulcanodon

    If Joyce + Joe I will be amazed at having been right for once. Ever since he was sending her supportive texts while she was at home, or when she was educating him on humanity and his list.

  48. nothri

    This in the D&D world is what we like to call a Wisdom Save.

  49. William

    No no no, please by all means blurt that out. Awkward Joyce is entertaining Joyce.

  50. Hof1991

    Yes. Amber is strong enough to save that for her fanfic writing. So much writing.

    And I just realized that Joyce is on Chekhov’s birth control. We’ll have to wait but it will end up being used as birth control.

    1. Schpoonman

      Almost certainly.

  51. Laura

    Joyce’s response in panel 2 is just so sad. I feel that way sometimes too. I’m glad Amber recognized that self-doubt and corrected course promptly.

    At this point though, I am really NOT hoping for Joe and Joyce to hook up. Not until Joe has undergone a COMPLETE battery of STD tests, but then there’s still the latent STDs to watch out for (herpes, HPV) and that’s not even counting the newer bugs that have been coming out in the past few years.

    And given Joe’s description of his encounter with Roz, it doesn’t sound like he used a condom with her. So we already know he’s not at 100% use (not that condoms protect 100% either).

    Given her parents, Joyce probably wasn’t vaccinated yet for HPV. It’s not too late, Joyce! Go get that taken care of!

    …Actually, speaking of lasting protection (like vaccines) I’m very surprised that Joyce didn’t tell the (receptive and sympathetic) Dr. Kaur that she has trouble with pills and ask for an extended-release arm implant or skin patch instead. I’m also surprised Dr. Kaur didn’t offer. Joyce at least has the excuse of ignorance and embarrassment. Dr. Kaur should have presented all options up front.

    1. Kazuma Taichi

      Well, Joyce was kinda in a “get-in, get-out” mind-set, so I totally understand her not telling Dr. Kaur anything.

      Dorothy on the other hand could have done so, but her doing Joyce’s emotional labour is already a current dramatic tension so maybe we don’t need to add on that

    2. Laura

      Not to “slut-shame” anyone, of course! I’m not anti-sex, just pro-vaxx.

    3. Joy

      I really like this comment. It felt sad to me too, the second panel, so I’m glad someone else said it.

    4. Taffy

      In the only picture of Joe and Roz that I’ve seen, he had a condom on. And knowing Roz, he almost definitely had one on during their filmed encounter. She’s not careless enough to go raw with a guy like Joe.

    5. Needfuldoer

      Roz undoubtedly insists on using protection.

      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/04-the-bechdel-test/late/

    6. Laura

      Thank you for the clarification, Taffy and Needfuldoer! 🙂

      I was going based on this comment:
      “She said she was on the pill!”
      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/04-the-bechdel-test/planned/

      Probably he meant, “She said she was on the pill [and we used a condom]”. I haven’t seen the picture you’re referring to, Taffy. Thanks for sharing the insight! 🙂

  52. ButWhyASpoon

    I think Joe and Joyce should have a peaceful night together and just normalize interacting like friends.

    Joyce is hostile towards Joe for more than one reason, but I think one of those reasons is that she is not comfortable in her own skin or her sexuality.

    Just rub your hand on his abs.

    No strings. Nothing needs to happen.

    If she gets aroused to the point of sexual consent, then Joe’s pants come off. He is just jutting out in the open. A mighty prong in a private room. Joyce looks up at it.

    No. Don’t do anything. Just absorb the moment.

    Let yourself become absorbed in the experience.

    If you like what is happening, let the feeling build.

    If it builds to a certain point, Joyce will not be able to stop herself, and Evil Joyce is released like Ms. Hyde.

    The bed will break.

    1. Needfuldoer

      THUMPASPRUNG

  53. Wendy

    Amber playing Cupid is a new and entertaining development.

    1. The Wellerman

      New in-comic or new IRL?

      ’cause she tried to do the same with Danny and Ethan some time back —

      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2021/comic/book-12/02-ill-leave-you-a-phantom/implication/

      1. Wendy

        You know, you don’t reeeeally have to “well actually” every single quick offhand casual remark.

        1. Taffy

          Feels a little uncharitable to dismiss that as a “well actually”. There are connotations to that phrase that don’t really taste right for what The Wellerman posted.

        2. Wendy

          I say that from a history of interacting with him not only here, but elsewhere, so trust me, I know what I’m talking about.

  54. hazel

    Read the alt-text at first as Joyce should sex Joe because it would be funny, not that blurting it out would be funny. I’m not sure which is intended, but the first one is extremely funny to me.

  55. Imogen

    I do kind of wish that this moment wasn’t slightly filtered through “Amber is weird and crappy and ships real people”, and was just 100% her genuinely trying to be nice and appreciative of her brother, but it’s still a sweet moment.

  56. Laura

    Could use any encouragement folks feel like sharing, if possible. TBI really acting up bad today.

    1. ButWhyASpoon

      I have 40% TBI. I empathize.

    2. Laura

      Thank you.

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