277

Unresolved
Posted on May 3, 2021 by David M Willis

277 thoughts on “Unresolved”

  1. Proto_Eevee

    Now writing fanfiction where those feelings get resolved.

    1. Diner Kinetic

      David Walkerton/Danny Wilcox: Long Walky on the Beach (Or: how I stopped worrying and learned to love the nugget guy)

      1. Jamie

        I was gonna say “not the ukelele guy?” but then I realized you made the right choice.

        1. Rose by Any Other Name

          … actually yeah, I can get behind that ship. It’s sort of poetic in a way.

        2. Clif

          Mixed feelings. About this and other things.

          Good — DOA11: Having to Choose Between Obtainable Walky and Hotter Walky is ALSO Your Fault

          Better — DOA11: I Choose to Leave These Feelings Unresolved

          Best — DOA11: HOMPK!

        3. He Who Abides

          You forgot “The Euphoria Is In My Pants”.

      2. sammyred8

        If you don’t actually write this I shall be most upset.

    2. Yotomoe

      I did doodle something to that effect.
      https://i.imgur.com/0pf9EZ0.png

      1. Catman

        That is absolutely brilliant and you should be proud

      2. Tandel

        Here is my equivalent to an upvote.

      3. Proto_Eevee

        Wow, this is excellent.

      4. Yotomoe

        Haha I assumed everyone saw this already! I did it weeks ago.

        1. Demoted Oblivious

          Seen before and seen again.
          Not the last we’ll see, but then
          We’d be lost less see’n of them.

      5. Rose by Any Other Name

        Oh bravo!
        The Walkerton Doubleteam line was **does a chef’s kiss**

      6. K Wiley

        Virtual upvote. Brilliant work.

      7. Keulen

        Perfection.

      8. Jo Giggles

        Omg I love it. Thank you for that fanart wow

      9. hof1991

        I’m new to Imgur so how do I follow you to see all your new art?

        1. Yotomoe

          I will make another imgur compilation here. I only post my willis fanart on this site (and my discord).

      10. NotPiffany

        Well done.

      11. poofdepoof

        I’m such a fan of every doodle you’ve linked here! Thanks for another gem Yotomoe

      12. Mister Gray

        I smell 3way

    3. ValdVin

      Does it involve one ukulele and a duet on Desperado? Because they both know that song.

  2. Boh No

    I can’t tell if I wished I hated Boomer less or more than I do.

    1. AntJ

      Booster fills a similar role to Mike, but is gentler about it

      1. Clif

        Contrawise, Mike is being sneaker about it this time to throw Amber off the scent.

        1. RassilonTDavros

          Well, Booster Gold is named Michael John Carter, after all.

          Though I can’t say I actually like the “Booster is literally Mike” theory– considering he’s the only student to have died in this comic, I have to imagine Willis had reasons they didn’t want Mike in the comic anymore.

        2. Needfuldoer

          Mike was kind of stuck in a corner, too mean-spirited to not wear out his welcome quickly, but not evil enough to be an all-out antagonist. I’m not sure where his character could’ve gone without drastic changes.

          Booster fills the “sayer of uncomfortable but previously unspoken truths” role to the plot that Mike left behind, but does it in a gentler way than he ever could. They also have more exposure to the entire cast than Mike did; he was mostly in Amber and Ethan’s social circles.

        3. brute

          also mike was just mean for some reason and booster seems genuinely neurodivergent, which would also explain why the comment section hates them so much ?

        4. Tunasammich

          ouch

        5. zee

          ?
          *Sips tea*

        6. fridge_logic

          Comment Section: “Mike, can you stop saying things that are so hurtful and upsetting to other characters?
          Mike: “I can’t. I’m just a meanspirited person and that’s my character.”
          Comment Section: “Understandable, have a great day.”

        7. KJ

          shots fired lol (also i agree)

        8. Thag Simmons

          By the same token Booster has weaker connections to the cast, their gentler approach has arguably been less effective, and they don’t have the massive advantage of being a long running legacy character

        9. Jason Rivest

          I’d add to that that he did not yet really have a storyline of his own since he was introduced to the cast. He’s basically just been there running commentary. He may garner more interest and sympathy once we get to know him better.

        10. Jason Rivest

          They. I meant they.

        11. Despite Rage

          Anyone else notice how that’s harder to get right while typing?

          Not that I’m very good at it anyway… Too much autopilot going on in my brain.

        12. He Who Abides

          Mike being a legacy character is a huge part of why I personally hated him, honestly. DoA being my first exposure to Willis’ various works, I didn’t have that experience with his prior incarnations to be able to think of him as anything other than a nihilistic misanthrope with a sadistic streak.

        13. Cattleprod

          As someone who is a longtime reader… yeah, I feel pretty much the same.

      2. Eskeboi

        As a fan of rough sex, maybe this explains why I hate Booster so much.

      3. Insanenoodlyguy

        Yet somehow far more annoying.

        1. Diner Kinetic

          I think the difference is that Mike’s antics were mostly darkly funny stuff, Booster does the same things without the sadism-humor. Accordingly, it reads like they’re just kind of needling people but don’t really react to the fact that it makes them uncomfortable.

          (Mike, of course, knows he makes you uncomfortable, but he can make things plenty comfortable for your mom- and in a way, it makes him feel more grounded)

        2. Keulen

          I definitely find it much more annoying when Booster does it than when Mike did it.

  3. Thag Simmons

    I don’t know why Booster cares

    1. Thag Simmons

      Specifically about the haircut thing, mind.

      would be nice if this site had an edit function.

      1. GreyICE

        Well if we go off the theory Booster is “sneaky Mike” this is a perfect opportunity to twist the knife on two people’s insecurities. Look, he’s already started with Lucy!

        1. Clif

          I know. Right?

    2. tbf

      It’s a nice diversion with the new roomie
      ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      1. tbf

        I went back a couple strips. Booster’s trying to make friends. Helping your new roomie not cut off his sexy new hair because you think he’ll regret it is one way to do that.

    3. Jamie

      We really don’t know anything meaningful about Booster yet. Like, bits of backstory, but no “this is what drives the character” stuff.

      1. Insanenoodlyguy

        Why do you think Booster always makes it about somebody else? The last thing they want is anybody turning that gaze too far in on them.

    4. Rainhat

      He is an impish pooka who delights in flipping people’s metaphorical applecarts. This year’s Mike. That’s what we have for a motive so far. For anything he does.

      1. Chris

        They.

    5. C.T Phipps

      I imagine Booster just finds this all amusing. They’re less the frustrated Steve Gutenberg character in Police Academy and more Kermit.

      They’re in a house of madmen and happy to roll with it.

  4. ian livs

    Okay, but Lucy is adorable here. I love the thinking face.

  5. Mikey

    It’s so Walky to solve the need for a barber by running around in corridors shouting for one.

    1. Doctor_Who

      I had my last haircut 11 months ago. I’m not sure I remember how one summon a barber either.

      Is…is there an app and one comes to your house? Or do you have to go pick up your new haircut when it’s ready?

      1. Clif

        You get in the TARDIS and dial up Saville.

        1. Doctor_Who

          Actually that’s a good point, does the Doctor ever go to a space barber, or just wait to regenerate a new haircut?

          How does the regeneration know how long to make the hair? For 10 it even added gel.

        2. Clif

          The Doctor has interesting genes.

        3. AbelUndercity

          And then there’s the matter of Twelve’s constantly changing hair. Clearly his Doctor was shopping around for stylists and I’m sad that story never got told.

        4. Opus the Poet

          I think there is some kind of automated stylist that does everybody’s hair in some crypt of the TARDIS.

          I know there is an automated medical system, how much harder is cutting hair?

        5. Tawdry Quirks

          It’s definitely something linked to the TARDIS, because Eleven was depicted several times with his hair grown out and a beard after spending several months incarcerated. (Although it was shown that he can shave his face without the TARDIS.) Now whether it’s an in-built feature of the TARDIS, or the Doctor goes to AstroCuts in the Theta sector of Dimension 24 is a matter of debate.

        6. thejeff

          It would have been interesting (way back when) if the Doctor had regenerated with a version of the previous regeneration’s hair (same length, but new color, not balding, etc) and had to find a new hairstyle like they often went looking for new clothes.

      2. SeanR

        I think you have to draw a double circle in chalk, write something or other between the circles using a lost alphabet, and lay four key elements at the corners. Scissors, a comb, a mirror, and razor. But the mirror has to be face down or you risk summoning the Demon Barber of Fleet Street instead.

        It’s just been so long, I can’t remember how it’s done anymore. Maybe that was just a dream, but it seems more plausible than just walking into a place with a candy cane on the wall. That has to be the fantasy. Right?

  6. NotThatDrew

    Booster has no chill, and I love it

  7. Sirksome

    Hair or not the hotness exists inside Walky all along! Lucy’s not good enough for him!

    1. Clif

      Oh, no! The Mirror universe Sirksome escaped again.

    2. Demoted Oblivious

      Lucy… not good enough, for Walky?! While I don’t really think anyone here is too good or not good enough, that’s a rather low shot at Lucy. What could anyone really object to? Her age? Experience?

      1. Sirksome

        Yeah, that’s right. Based entirely on this one strip Lucy is no longer “good enough” for him! (Even though I do also believe leagues are bullshit and they’d be okay together) Why is she chasing after him? To stop him from ruining his hot hair but that’s not her call. Pretending she has any agency in this, or that he was somehow more attainable to her without his hot hair, despite her complete inability to make a move regardless, is at least pretty presumptuous. They’re not close enough for her to have any say on this. Walky should aim higher.

        1. Demoted Oblivious

          Those are some valid points. I don’t know that those are aim higher worthy, or just boundary setting, but I thank you for the reflection. It’s weird for me, and startlingly effective, for me to miss these important points as they get slipped into other situations. Comedy as camouflage for social blunders. (not for people in general I mean, but clearly for me.)

        2. Sirksome

          In fairness I am being purposefully hyperbolic here. I don’t think Lucy would challenge Walky on this if it came down to it and Booster did kind of bait her into this mindset with their insights.

      2. someone

        It’s kind of like the old Groucho saying about “not wanting to be part of any club that would accept me as a member”. Anyone whose standards are low enough to find Walky attractive is not good enough for him.

        1. thejeff

          Which at this point is pretty much everyone in the comic

  8. TrueVCU

    Walky: fragile masculinity incarnate

    1. Dr. T

      This right here is the main character flaw in Walky. Sure, he’s immature too, but so are a lot of guys his age. His attachment to toxic masculinity is problematic, however. I wonder how much of that is his upbringing and how much of that is just him.

      1. Zach

        I bet it has a lot to do with being confused with his sister and teased that he looks like a girl.

        1. Nono

          When has anyone thought Walky looked like a girl?

          Sometimes a fragile dick is just a fragile dick.

      2. Rabid Rabbit

        It’s weird because he has this attachment to it, and yet is also entirely indifferent to it. A fully toxic male would NOT be smart enough to scam gay pizza, let alone joke about giving blowjobs for it.

        In some ways, it’s actually still a feature of his immaturity, I think: it’s a lot more still being stuck in pre-school “boys are better than girls I mustn’t get stuck on the girls’ side of the playground” than anything else.

        1. thejeff

          Possibly fragile, but not toxic masculinity?

          He’s attached to being seen as masculine, not feminine, but his reaction isn’t aggression or dominance, it’s turned inwards.

    2. BarerMender

      When someone told me I wasn’t butch as i thought i was, but rather on the fem side, I was interested to find it out. I wanted to see a video of myself being all fem and swishy.

    3. Nono

      I almost feel like he got this quality just so that Joe wouldn’t be 100% toxic.

  9. Doctor_Who

    Yeah, Lucy, aim higher, even Danny knows better than to go for that.

    1. Clif

      Danny makes a wise decision. Who’d have thought?

      1. Wizard

        Insert something about stopped clocks and blind squirrels…

        1. Clif

          Nine Out of Ten Squirrels Prefer Stopped Watches in Blind Tests

        2. Fist_of_Life

          I mean, The Dumbiverse just started to disintegrate into a white boundless void. Although Danny making a wise decision was its catalyst, the unwinding somehow started billions of lightyears away, and will not influence the comic at all.

        3. Demoted Oblivious

          At this rate it could have started one light-year away and may still never have an impact on the comic. Even if they all suddenly become astronomers we may never hear of it.

    2. Insanenoodlyguy

      Counterpoint, shut up Booster.

  10. Nayann Martinelli

    Alas, the power of Hotness was to much for Walky to bear.

    1. Deanatay

      Apparently he’s rather be masculine than hot.

      1. missilentmurmur

        That’s a surprisingly common reaction

  11. Nono

    The worst part of all this is that Joyce was right.

    Aim higher, Dorothy.

  12. Stephen Bierce

    *vaguely remembers a McDonald’s jingle about this subject* Oh, it’s not worth getting into.
    *plays action movie chase scene music on the hacked Muzak*

    1. woobie

      “Pulsating Chase”, Jonny Quest soundtrack, Ted Nichols.

      1. StClair

        Ah, a fan of the classics.

        1. Clif

          I’m gonna go with Joe Moose below and vote Yakity Sax.

        2. Edwin I Callahan

          The one from the 60s or the one from the 90s?

        3. woobie

          What one from the 90s?

  13. RassilonTDavros

    Resolve the feelings Danny RESOLVE THE FEELINGS

    1. Clif

      Resolve the cause, but not the symptoms.

  14. Chronos

    Danny wisely chooses not to get involved.

    1. Dr. T

      He’s grown. He may have learned not to Dan things up anymore. Because of that, he probably won’t appear to often other than to act as Joe’s Jimminy Cricket.

      1. Needfuldoer

        Or when Sal needs someone to jam with.

    2. Deathjavu

      Possibly the wisest decision we’ve seen from him yet, passing by on these shenanigans.

  15. Sirksome

    I kinda feel a little bad for Walky now. That comment from saying he was somehow more attainable yesterday despite looking essentially exactly the same is brutal. Like he somehow has more value because he had a good hair day. Makes me think everyone who has shown renewed interest in him is in it for the wrong reasons. Good or bad, hot hair or bald Walky will still be the same guy.

    1. Devin

      Walky is trading high today on the horny stock market.

  16. Yotomoe

    https://imgur.com/a/NA1pCEn
    Ok real talk, today’s doodle is really sketchy. And just like how yesterdays was 90% because I wanted to draw symmetrical docking this one is 100% because I wanted to draw lipstick sharing. Maybe I’ll do something with this concept again cuz it’s CUTE.

    1. Rabid Rabbit

      I honestly can’t tell if the next panel is the two of them jumping onto Walky and ripping the clothes from his body, or them going to town on each other, either because they want to torment Walky or because the lipstick has made them decide they’re more into that than him, and I honestly can’t decide which option I prefer.

      1. Rabid Rabbit

        And I don’t even want to imagine the uses that tube of lipstics gets put to.

        1. Yotomoe

          I assure you it will only be used for the application and reapplication of lip based makeup…probably. I mean they’re not my characters so I don’t have the final say in what the lipstick is used for.

      2. Yotomoe

        For me I think they innevitably smooch Walky into submission. Ironically I don’t even imagine sex happens. A good ol’ Fashioned Ed Edd n Eddy kanker ending. (Maybe with an after math of him covered in purple from head to toe)

        1. milu

          Panel 2 Sarah is especially pretty ^^

      3. Needfuldoer

        Walky manages to escape after a bit, but it takes them a moment to notice.

    2. Deanatay

      Walky’s gonna end up covered in purple, isn’t he?

      1. Yotomoe

        God I hope so <3

        1. Delicious Taffy

          Dude’s gonna be lookin’ like Thanos in about thirty seconds.

      2. Jhon

        Lock the door, get on the floor…

        1. Yotomoe

          Dina busts into the room.

        2. Liquid Len

          acka-lacka boom-boom!

  17. Sporky

    Lucy still thinks Walky was ever “attainable” for her. That’s adorable.

    1. UrsulaDavina

      Pretty sure he was for her haircut or not, Lucy is kind of great and Walky is kind of dumb.

      1. Clif

        I believe the theory is that Walky is more obtainable if there is less competition.

        1. Sunny

          Also that Walky seems to just not be into her romantically and/or sexually. That’s why Walky’s unattainable for Lucy specifically.

        2. Sporky

          This is what I was getting at. Walky has shown absolutely no sign of being into her, and either he’s oblivious, which means he probably doesn’t see her that way, or he does notice and just pretends not to, which means he ABSOLUTELY doesn’t see her that way.

  18. Disastroid

    He’s going to collide with someone carrying a box of scissors and it’s going to swing 180 degrees in the other direction

    1. Clif

      why would Dorothy be carrying a box of scissors?

      1. Demoted Oblivious

        Because she knows it’s not safe to run with them exposed.

  19. Yotomoe

    It’s gonna be like handsome squidward. He’s gonna keep making himself more handsome.

    1. Clif

      Squidward was after my time, but yeah, that has interesting possibilities.

    2. Jhon

      Walky will emerge from the barber’s looking hotter than ever.

  20. Bagge

    On one hand, I’m proud and impressed by Danny for leaving well alone.

    On the other hand, Danny getting together with Dorothy’s other ex is exactly the level of ‘Dannying it up’ I expect of him.

    1. Sirksome

      How is that Dannying up? I see Danny and Walky hooking up as a huge win for both of them! (Even though I know it will never happen)

      1. He Who Abides

        Because Danny breathed air today, and that’s good enough for most people apparently.

        1. Clif

          He should have known that breathing that particular air was going to make a butterfly flap its wings harder and we know what that does.

          The tornados, altered weather and sustained droughts are totally Danny’s fault.

      2. DailyBrad

        I am not sure how straight Walky is or isn’t, given him saying he’d suck dick for free pizza and seemingly being at least partly serious once.

        Then again, I don’t think Danny and Walky would get along super great casually, Danny definitely became friends with the right Walkerton for him.

        1. Clif

          What we actually know is that Walky showed up at a meeting for people who were LGB curious and when someone he knew also showed up, he had his Walky-plausible reason ready to trot out.

        2. Sunny

          Walky showed up at a meeting WITH PIZZA for people who were LGB curious. I’m not drawing any conclusions regarding his sexuality from that, but I do think it’s safe to say he would not have been there had there not been pizza.

        3. milu

          he may have pizzasexual leanings

        4. Delicious Taffy

          Don’t we all, though? Gimme some marinara sauce, two or three cheeses, green and red peppers, spinach, tomatoes, a little beef, all on a garlic-sprinkled crust, and I’ll more than happily Do Some Stuff. Principles are for full people.

        5. He Who Abides

          What does pesto, 4-cheese blend, caramelized onions, sausage, and spinach get from you?

        6. Delicious Taffy

          Two thumbs up and some furniture moved.

        7. thejeff

          Maybe Walky is worthy of pizza, since my old OTP of Jacob/Pizza failed when Jacob showed himself not worthy.

      3. Bagge

        Because it would make things complicated.

        I don’t say him hooking up with Walky would be bad. I’m saying it would be messy.

        1. Jhon

          Taco stains.

  21. bootshivers

    I love Booster.

    1. DailyBrad

      They are growing on me a lot, though I was already warmer on them than most.

    2. Jhon

      Booster speaks for us all.

  22. UrsulaDavina

    I mean Walky has a right to cut his hair but his reasons are kind of dumb and or immature.

    1. DrunkenNordmann

      What else is new.

      1. Clif

        I hear Mars has helicopters.

        1. Demoted Oblivious

          Sadly just one. Ingenuity did fly! on April 19th! Wheeee!

        2. Clif

          At this point it’s flown several times, and instead of testing it for more height, speed, and distance till it fails, as per the original plan, they are now planning on holding off and using it for some scouting for the main mission based on geology seen in the area. It’s moved from technology test to mildly useful.

          Willis’s Martians have no need of primitive helicopters to fly, so there probably won’t be any collisions.

        3. Demoted Oblivious

          Makes me think back to playing Lunar Lander on windows 3.1. And here we are and we’re exploring other worlds without people at the helm at all.

    2. Needfuldoer

      “Kind of dumb and immature” is Walky’s modus operandi…

  23. BBCC

    Good for Danny.

    And Booster and Lucy give me life.

    1. RassilonTDavros

      Booster is definitely growing on me. Haven’t quite seen enough of them yet to form as strong of an opinion as I have of the other characters, though.

    2. ThunderNight

      hovertext should have said “goodbi danny”

  24. Joe Moose

    [Yakity Sax plays on hacked muzak speakers]

  25. UrsulaDavina

    Yeah I’d ship Danny and Walky they’re both buffoons and I think and this comic could use a buffoon couple.

  26. Tarkara

    I’m unsure anyone will answer but this brief drive by of Danny made me want to ask:
    What do you consider some of Danny’s positive traits?

    1. Zach

      He’s patent and kind, and his commitment issues are the opposite of what you’d expect.

    2. RacingTurtle

      He’s loyal and he tries to be kind.

      1. Clif

        He was so loyal to Amazigirl that one conversation with Sal turned him right around.

        1. Delicious Taffy

          I read that part as him being genuinely worried but expressing it poorly, and Amber throwing an irrational angry shitfit over it without ever letting him clarify exactly what he meant. She isn’t super known for not flipping the fuck out, especially back then and even more especially when it came to Sal.

        2. Clif

          What he meant was that Amber should stop being Amazigirl and Amber seems to have understood him just fine.

          Am I allowed to argue with someone using an avatar that awesome?

        3. RacingTurtle

          Which is what he thought might be best for Amber at the time, because he was afraid for her and didn’t fully understand her or Amazi-Girl. I didn’t say he was perceptive or good at empathy.

        4. RacingTurtle

          And no, you mayn’t argue with Taffy. Their grav is too powerful.

        5. Delicious Taffy

          My powerful Gravatars are due to a secret, sacred technique I learned from the Sonic the Hedgehog fandom: Recoloring, cut-and-pasting, and reframing other people’s art.

        6. Deanatay

          I see that ‘Yoto’ sig on the art, and recognized it from a day or two ago. You have good taste!

        7. Delicious Taffy

          After coloring, cropping, and isolating the gals, that signature felt mandatory to include. It would be downright rude not to.

        8. Needfuldoer

          Yeah, Danny seemed to think Amazi-Girl was just a character Amber play-acted to blow off steam, when she was a lot deeper than that by then.

          By contrast, Walky picked up on that aspect almost immediately.

        9. thejeff

          To be fair to Danny, the alters were much closer together when Danny was dating her, sharing memory and often switching back and forth with little clue given.

          Walky only picked it up so fast because Amazi-Girl didn’t know he was involved with Amber.

        10. Delicious Taffy

          Yeah, I can totally see that being the case, and it’s probably the intended read of that encounter. I tend to be extra charitable to the Awkward Guy characters, because I often communicate things in ways that seem more extreme than I really meant, so Danny gets a lot of leeway from me that may not be all that justified. He’s still frequently a capital-G Goober.

        11. thejeff

          Remember that he was talking to Amazi-Girl when he told her he liked Amber better and wanted her to stop being Amazi-Girl.

          Not that he had any reason to know that’s what he was doing.

    3. RassilonTDavros

      …I think Danny really does try to be a caring person to his friends. He often botches it spectacularly, but I think that his heart really is in the right place most of the time. He tried to help Amb-G with their issues, even though he botched it spectacularly because he didn’t understand that Amber really wasn’t Amazi-Girl, because he cared too much about Amb-G to say nothing about his concerns for their safety– and he still tried to be a good friend to Amber after she angrily broke up with him. I think his defining good quality is loyalty to his friends (there’s a one-word descriptor I might have once used but I don’t feel particularly like spreading that TERF’s influence), though being Danny he often screws that up by denying himself happiness in the name of loyalty.

      1. RassilonTDavros

        What he said to Ethan in the hospital, though, was pretty damn awful.

        1. Clif

          Awful but not wrong.

        2. Buli-buli

          It was pretty awful, especially in retrospect, but it was definitely a necessary conversation.
          Danny could have probably chosen a better time and place, but that would have required literal foresight.

        3. Spencer

          What he said to Ethan was completely necessary.

          Danny never really thinks to put himself on the same level he puts other people, let alone his romantic partners. Even if he’s grown a lot he was still approaching Ethan with those same beliefs until, finally, he stops. He says something stupid off the cuff and talks about *his* feelings and stands up for himself when Ethan outright admits he’d be fine with Mike mocking Danny if he were in a coma, and then, for now at least, he lets go of Ethan. Ethan just showed himself, for the moment, as someone Danny doesn’t want or need to be with.

          That was the first time in the whole damn series Danny talked to someone he was into and didn’t just instantly lose every piece of his spine. He knocked Ethan down off the pedestal he set up for Ethan in his head.

        4. thejeff

          That’s not how I read that at all. Especially if you look at Danny’s last interaction with Mike (at the birthday party), he’s mostly upset with Mike for what’s he’s been doing to Ethan.

        5. Spencer

          Danny didn’t go into that conversation to do that (he did it because he wanted to confess to Ethan), but that’s what ended up happening. Faced with being demeaned by someone he loved (this is maybe too dramatic a word, but Danny does not do half measures), Danny stood up for himself. That’s important.

          Remember, the final strip of that interaction has Ethan say, directly to Danny’s face, that he’d be perfectly fine with Mike laughing at a comatose Danny because he’s known Mike longer. I don’t think Ethan meant that, he was upset at Danny, but for that brief instant Danny valued himself more than he valued his romantic fantasy of yet another perfect and flawless beau.

        6. thejeff

          He did. That’s fair.

          But his initial comment about Mike was because of Mike’s abuse of Ethan (and Amber).

        7. RassilonTDavros

          Okay, let me clarify my original comment: I was specifically only talking about the “would that be so bad” line, which is if nothing else a horribly insensitive thing to say to someone worried that their childhood friend is gonna die. Which ended up happening.

          What he said during the rest of that scene about Mike being a jerk for all but the final moments of his life, however, is… pretty hard to fault, even if saying it in that particular time and place was a bad idea.

          I didn’t phrase it clearly.

        8. thejeff

          It was horribly insensitive, but not entirely wrong. Ethan would be better off without Mike around for awhile.

    4. Rabid Rabbit

      When he has all the information, he generally ends up on the side of good. He likes feeling useful and helping people.

      Really, his biggest problem (not flaw, problem) is his need for rules. Within them, he does great. Hence why he’s good at math, as he himself recognizes. He lacks the imagination to go beyond them, and he’s not curious enough to find out all the information he needs on his own, so he often acts in a flawed manner; but his rules are not bad ones in and of themselves. He was taken in by Blaine, and defaulted to trusting him because he was the adult and so he thought he had to, but given accurate information about him, he altered his views immediately and spat on him.

      Honestly? Danny would make a really good foot soldier. He’d just never rise too high in the ranks. Hell, he might even make a decent police officer (in both senses of “decent”) if he were a bit tougher. It’s just that he needs to be told things, because he won’t find them out or figure them out on his own.

      1. MrSmith

        As a former soldier and current corrections officer I’d say that Danny potentially could be a good soldier but he’d have to work on being a bit more aggressive, learn about thinking on his feet, not getting flustered and, most importantly, thinking outside the box.

        A soldier really needs to be able to think and make decisions based on the circumstances that arrive and those circumstances are always changing, much like it would be girls a police officer.

        1. MrSmith

          How did auto correct change “for” to “girls”?

    5. Sunny

      He’s a darn good teacher.
      He was able to listen to Sal, understand why she had problems with math, and figure out a better way of helping her understand the subject. Thus furthering her understanding and getting her grades up.

    6. C.T Phipps

      I think Danny is kind of awful and he’s the better character when people call him out as not a nice buy but a Nice Guy. Dudes or women, he’s actually controlling, jealous, and mean.

      1. thejeff

        I don’t see anything Nice Guy about Danny.

        1. Spencer

          He sorta was at the start but he’s long outgrown it.

      2. Tarkara

        While your opinion is still valid, I think you misread my question?

    7. Spencer

      Having the most significant and positive bisexual male narrative I’ve ever seen in my life.

    8. Sam

      Kind, loyal, good at listening (even if bad at following through on advice given to him), caring, sweet, generally adorkable, understanding, empathetic. As long as he is in a good or neutral mood, he is generally pleasant to be around, calls out his friends on their nonsense and is sensitive to the feelings of those around him.

      Which isn’t to say I like Danny at all because his worst flaws are more like a canyon than a crack: every way you could be flawed in regards to anger? Danny is to some degree and he is extremely unpleasant as a person when he is acting in some capacity of anger.

    9. Tarkara

      This may not get seen by anyone now but this got a better response than I ever hoped, thanks everyone!

  27. Viktoria

    Given that this is Sal’s brother and Dorothy’s ex-boytoy and Amber’s ex-something, Danny is making a reasonable, logical decision with no potential for drama.

    I don’t know what makes him think that’s allowed in this strip.

    1. Zach

      Plus if they did date, Walky would have to date himself afterwards. I want to see it. Also the slip shine where he makes sweet love and talkes dirty to himself in a mirror. Booster sits outside the door taking notes on this most literal and overt example of narcissism.

      1. RassilonTDavros

        Technically, Walky only ever dated one of Danny’s exes (Dorothy), since Danny dated Amazi-Girl and Walky dated Amber. Danny just failed entirely to realize that distinction.

        That said, I have found myself shipping Danny/Walky as of late.

  28. Wizard

    And next, Walky and Dorothy collide. All the people chasing them also collide, resulting in a multi student pileup.

    1. Clif

      I would not be disappointed if you called it.

    2. Jhon

      Body parts at unusual angles. Willis would complain about drawing that.

  29. Eskeboi

    As a fan of this story line. Thank you, Danny. Booster, you can go to hell, bruh.

  30. VanVelding

    Never change, Booster.

    Or do if you want, I’m not your boss.

  31. Heather

    Lucy dear, if Walky ruins his hair it’s not really Booster’s fault that Walky is so reactive to being possibly feminine. Like Walky reacted fine to Booster being NB so maybe they were unaware that Walkster would go into a flap over being perceived as anything less than masculine himself. Like I said before I have more of an issue with the word delectable that they used and even that would be more of a cautious step back with hands up than…this kind of thing. Walky isn’t reacting in a way most people new to him could possibly predict easily.

    I mean granted Booster figures they have the psychological skills given the girls floor which they probably deeply overestimated too but like… still.

    Walky is sometimes really WEIRD Lucy. And has clearly issues which I almost thought you yourself kind of got given the comic collab.

  32. Reltzik

    …

    … so, wait. Is Walky panicking to cut off his hair because he heard it makes him look fem, or is he panicking to cut off his hair because he heard it’s what’s making all the girls focus on him?

    Because this is the same guy who was eager to dress up like his sister just to get a donut, and also the same guy who wants to avoid feels and genuine sharing relationships, so I’m thinking it might not be the fem thing.

    1. Nono

      He’s yelling for a ‘manly’ barber, so it’s the fem thing.

      This is the same guy that only owns one pair of shoes and even Joe went “really, dude?”

      1. Reltzik

        Okay, yeah, but he’s also good at deflecting and…

        … nah, you’re right. Withdrawn.

  33. Varangian

    Don’t get prissy because you know she’s right, Boost!

  34. Ray Radlein

    Danny made his Saving Throw!

  35. WanderingLynx

    Calling it, Danny makes for once this excellent decision and then collides with Booster. I have no idea of why I’ve been shipping them but damn, my brain keeps insisting they have potential.

    Booster, I love you, you’re neurodivergent af, and I’m convinced you’re a fellow Virgo on top of it. Keep on rocking, you beautiful NB icon you. Lucy please love yourself a little, it’s not going to happen. Walky? You’re not straight, please get over yourself soon.

  36. Lulu

    So Booster Lucy is now a new ship?

  37. Keulen

    Damn it Booster stop trying to blow holes in my Lucy/Walky ship.

  38. Wishwater

    Danny is making the right decision here, but not the one the comment section wants to see right now.

  39. Rabisch

    Danny has do another bad choice. Unfortunately. I like how Lucky and Booster friendship is growing under complicated situations.

  40. Zaxares

    Easy solution, Lucy. Just solidify your claim on Walky first, and then convince him to grow his hair out. Best of both worlds! 😉

    1. Jhon

      Take that boy by the arm and drag him to a stylist.

  41. Amos Batista

    Booster had made a tipical “state intervention” in Walky’s value.

  42. C.T Phipps

    I think it’s kind of hilarious that everyone would agree Jacob is better than Walky and Lucy is almost his idealized girlfriend. Being Joyce without the dishonesty.

    However, I have the odd feeling Lucy wouldn’t be attracted to him.

    And I have a feeling Walky just doesn’t feel the Lucy.

    1. milu

      honestly i think Jacob is a bit boring? probably in large part because he didn’t get a lot of airplay but also from what we’ve seen he seems to have a pretty strict moral code which he actually appears to adhere to. i prefer my characters with nice big flaws myself, probably so that i can tell myself i’m better than them, lololololol

      1. thejeff

        Depends who he gets paired with. Jacob and Joyce might have been interesting (leaving the whole Raidah/seduction thing aside) – if only for seeing her deal with her attraction with the “perfect boyfriend”. She might well wind up in a similar situation to where Becky is now sexually. And losing her faith while having a strongly Christian (of a very different stripe) boyfriend would also be interesting – though it might parallel her concerns about letting Becky know too much. Admittedly that’s mostly about how he’d play with her, not about his own traits.

        Jacob with Dorothy, as I’ve seen suggested by some, would be boring. They’re too close. Both all structure and lists and schedules. No conflicts.

        I’m not sure about Lucy – probably because they’re both still fairly minor characters.

        Sarah would be interesting – though again mostly for her. Seeing her break out of her “casual sex with no connections” shell for an actual romance would be fun.

        As for Jacob himself absent a partner – I think we learned a lot in that last sequence with Joyce and Harrison that would be interesting flaws to explore. The failure of his list based approach to impressing his brother, for example. Or in any relationship, his apparent habit of obliviously flirting with friendly girls.

        1. milu

          all true.
          Jacob certainly has potential, the parallel with Dorothy is illuminating because while it’s true she’s one of the more balanced characters she still contributes a lot to other people’s stories and her own arcs are pretty good, though her conflicts are perhaps not as dramatic as other characters.

        2. BBCC

          I think him and Dorothy could have a fantastic clash specifically BECAUSE they’re so similar. There is such a thing as too similar – I can see them grating on each other. Or worse, enabling each other to work right into a breakdown. Dorothy needs someone low stress and fun to level her out. Jacob is very similar to her and is emphatically not that.

  43. Amos Batista

    I think I choose to leave these feelins unresolved it’s a good name for the next book.

  44. Josh Spicer

    And again, Booster makes a very good point so I must commend them again.

  45. darkoneko

    Oh no Booster, what have you doooone

  46. Spencer

    Danny continues his march to be the most sensible human being in the cast.

    He’s out sensible’d Dorothy. The sky is the limit for this fine lad.

  47. Vulcanodon

    Booster may not be popular but I kind of envy them. They won’t end up in their sixties tied up in a lifetime of gender performance expectations unable to move or sometimes breathe, hypothetically speaking.

  48. Hydrohead

    I understand (sort of) why Lucy is chasing after Walky, but why is Danny?

    1. Segnosaur

      I don’t think Danny is chasing walky… He just seemed to be coming out of a room when walky ran by. (Are you confusing Booster for Danny?)

  49. Ziggy78eog

    No, Booster, I do believe that a solid kick, to your junk, is the perfect level for Lucy to be aiming for. Do it, Lucy!

  50. wiki

    People: Booster is being an evil mastermind and planning to upset people.
    Me, some autistic with poor word choice and inability to read the room: I think they are just super bad at socializing.

    1. milu

      and frankly not even that bad.

      1. Clif

        I think they are making a persuasive argument, though possibly not an accurate one.

    2. Delicious Taffy

      Booster has repeatedly violated the Geneva Convention, with at least six offenses in their week-ish of existence. They’re holding prisoners, feigning surrender, shooting down paramedics, nuking entire nations, and trespassing in the halls of the Goblin King with elf-make weapons. Their behavior is absolutely reprehensible and indefensible, and at this point I wouldn’t be surprised if they get at LEAST a slap on the wrist.

      1. Clif

        Hompk!!!

      2. Reltzik

        Don’t forget Booster’s brazen defiance of UNSC Resolution 1441.

        1. Delicious Taffy

          Gosh, I can’t believe I didn’t think to mention their public endorsement and funding of chemical warfare in the nation of Iraq. Do they know no shame?

  51. Arianod

    That’s a very respectable choice tbh.

  52. zee

    BOOSTER ? APPRECIATION ? THREAD

    It’s that time again, lads. Okay Booster’s punchline here was actually hilarious. I’m enjoying their dynamic with Lucy, another one of my favorite characters who was ridiculously over hated and overreacted to at her introduction. I hope they hang out more, it’s cute. I’m glad to see more people recognizing ND in Booster, bc I got the vibes from the start. They’re honestly pretty relatable to me. Also probably part of why the overreaction to them makes me so uncomfortable. Anyway, all other booster lovers, post here.

    Question, should i start posting the thread when the comic updates at midnight? I usually just read and post when I wake up, but that might mean less booster fans are seeing the thread.

    1. Jammy

      Hostility towards Booster is so strange to me, since they’re usually right and not even stuck-up or mean about it. Booster reminds me of a Greek chorus in terms of reflecting things that the audience should feel and know. They don’t necessarily get their own major story points, but the story is better, because they’re in it.
      It’s ok to have a reliable and smart character in a comic called ‘Dumbing of Age.’ Booster’s our rock during turbulent times.

      1. milu

        yayyyy boost the Booster \o/
        i’m down for a regular Booster Appreciation Thread to shelter us from the haters =D

        i wanna say though, i’m looking forward to Booster doing dumb shit like all the others, because that’s how you grow, and also that’s how you get some strip time in this cruel dumbiverse (damn you willis), and also people who make mistakes and behave like jerks sometimes are more relatable, and also it’s entertaining!

        also, i didn’t really get Booster’s punchline tbh.

        Booster yayyyyy

        1. Needfuldoer

          “Lucy, aim higher” is still referring to “you can do better”, in that they think she’s too good for Walky.

        2. milu

          ok, they were echoing this, got it now

          think yew ^^

      2. Anon A Mouse

        Spouting psych evaluations randomly on people they just met in a group meeting is not “stuck-up or mean”? They weren’t even right about everybody. Booster is acting like another Mike and everyone keeps calling them out on it, rightfully so.

        1. zee

          It was rude at most but not like, insanely malicious like people are making out. Side note, it’s been a few months since i stated this so it’s on me, but I did intend for the thread to just be a safe space for booster fans to appreciate them in lieu of the overwhelming negativity for the character and I’d rather if people didn’t argue about the character here. Ofc I can’t tell you what to do, at the end of the day you can comment wherever you want but I’d personally appreciate it if you took it to another comment.

        2. Spencer

          Bluntly, this is absolutely something that will be explored with Booster’s character, and I think at this point it’s safe to come to the conclusion that they are genuinely just trying to make conversation out of topics they find interesting. Booster didn’t get into everyone’s heads to be a jerk, they did it because they think talking about psych stuff is fun and they didn’t realize that they were being an invasive jerk.

        3. zee

          Yes, i really like your read

    2. Swarmsley

      I don’t really ever post, but will certainly come out of hibernation for a Booster appreciation thread! I’ve found the hate for Booster is one of the roughest things in the comments for me to see, especially juxtaposed with the infinite chances Mike seemed to get for performing a similar narrative role in a far more mean-spirited way. Thank you so much for showing the feeling isn’t universal!

    3. bootshivers

      An enby psych major who says things people need to hear and really don’t want to? I feel very validated by Booster, and love to see them.

  53. Cooldownnow

    I sometimes show out of context Dumbing of Age panels to my best friends and when she saw this one she asked why Danny’s pants ended at his nipples and now I can’t unsee it.

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Danny is Karkat.

  54. Ashley

    Seriously, Lucy, anything is higher than Walky.

    1. milu

      Walky’s hair is higher than Walky!

      1. Ashley

        Seriously, she should let him shave the hair and just keep that.

  55. Romanticide

    Poor Booster he is trying to help, and with other types of people what he says could be helpful… but with those two… they are just going to react the way they are doing and could have been better just leaving things alone…

  56. Romanticide

    Danny… wise choice… keep it up. Better to bask in the moment of this curious thing and leave it that way.

  57. Fetch85

    Booster, be nice to your roommate. Lucy is aiming exactly as high as she wants to, because your roommate is what she wants.

  58. cbwroses

    Huh. Despite lack of an active lifestyle and a terrible diet, Walky seems to be keeping up this desperate sprint just fine.
    Enjoy that metabolism while it lasts, my guy.

  59. Kravis

    Lucy will “aim” at whatever height she damn well pleases, Booster, and it’s none of your goddamn business!

    1. Vukodlak

      Shouldn’t Lucy also respect Walky wanting to change his hair? It’s none of her goddamn business how Walky cuts his hair.

      1. Kravis

        I mean, she could…

        But…
        It very much is of her goddman business how Walky cuts his hair because she desperately wants said hair, in it’s current condition, all up in her business!

  60. cbwroses

    TLDR: out there thought – what if, due to all the strong women in his life, Walky views femininity as synonymous with strength, and so he rejects the idea of himself having any feminine energy because he doesn’t want to do any of the stuff a strong person would have to do? Like stand up for others, be responsible, or go outside his comfort zone?

    I just had a thought partially inspired by an earlier comment: since Walky doesn’t seem to have a problem with homosexuality (given his acceptance of homosexual characters and also his stated willingness to perform sexual acts on a man for food), but does have an issue with being viewed as feminine, they’re must be something about women/femininity that bothers him and I have a reason I want to suggest.
    All of the women in Walky’s life are strong.
    His mom definitely seems like a Karen who runs the Walkerton home (whenever he’s worried about upsetting his parents, it’s almost always specifically his mother).
    Sal is a tough girl bad ass who stands up for herself and her friends.
    Billy is an alpha bongo.
    Marcie suffered a horrible assault as a preteen and yet has seemingly adjusted to her new way of life, plus she’s physically tough enough to be security and play roller derby.
    Dorothy is generally unflappable and so ambitious that she plans to be potus.
    Joyce will defend her beliefs until she dies (provided she’s not questioning them herself).
    Sarah is physically intimidating and mentally strong enough to persevere towards her goals despite the loss and shunning of past friends.
    Ruth is terrifying.
    Becky ran away from home, proudly proclaimed her sexuality despite her upbringing and belief system, and also became a political assistant via her own charm and intelligence.
    Dina is very intelligent and surprisingly tough despite being relatively small and seeing social interactions differently than “normal”.
    Carla claimed their own identity and both takes no shits from nor gives no shits about anyone who tries to disrespect that.
    And Amber is Amber.
    All the women he knows are strong physically, mentally, and/or emotionally and Walky…isn’t.
    He doesn’t do anything that challenges him physically and he won’t stand up for himself or seemingly others in the face of violence (though I guess he’s working on that as Night Guy).
    He’s smart, but intellectually lazy (of course it doesn’t help that he seems to have issues with studying that go beyond being lazy).
    And emotionally, he often understands and catches on to what others are going through emotionally, especially if he cares about them, but he’d rather bash his head in with a brick than deal with his own emotions.
    None of what I’m saying is new, but what if Walky WANTS to be this way? Or more to the point, what if he doesn’t want to be seen as strong? Because being strong means you have to deal with problems. You have to run the family. You have to standup to bullies. You have to have goals. You have to be bad ass. You have to be willing to take risks. You have to admit your feelings and beliefs, even if they’re different from the “norm”. You might have to intimidate or even fight someone. And since Walky doesn’t want to be strong, and strength is synonymous with feminine in his eyes, he doesn’t want to be feminine.

    1. a/snow/mous/e

      I’m pretty sure walky still thinks that girls have cooties.

      No idea if it’s related to homosexuality for him–he might not have anything against people being homosexual, but still think that it means they’re “less manly”. But in either case, he has ingrained the idea of traditional gender roles and that, as a cis male, he’s supposed to be “manly”. It’s actually more sexist than homophobic. Yes, he does know plenty of strong women, but I’m pretty sure he’s always kind of thought of Billie as “one of the guys”, and Sal’s his sister. So they’ve probably been categorized in his mind as exceptions that prove the rule. His mom does seem to be the dominant (decision-making) parent, but she might still be the one doing the chores around the house, and considering his parents forced Sal to wear a dress as a kid, I’m pretty sure they’ve ingrained a lot of gender role ideas as well. Besides those three, the other female characters in the comic are people he met at college. (Well, I guess there’s Marcie as well, but I’m not sure he knows her very well at all.) So they may be strong female roles, but they’re not people he knew growing up. We have basically no idea what the other girls and women in his life were like. And really, the person (pre-Booster) who’s been most visible in acting against the stereotype of their gender is Becky… and she’s gay, so if he does have any views about homosexuality making you stand apart from your gender…

      I don’t think this is anything he’s consciously thought about; again, he just doesn’t want to be “girly” or “sissy”. I’m not even sure if this is something that affects his view of those around him, but it certainly seems to me like he’s internalized these ideas that he has to be manly, support a family, all that jazz. (I don’t tend to think very deeply about Walky because he seems like a pretty superficial character, but as I said in the beginning: my take is he doesn’t want to be effeminate because girls have cooties.)

      1. cbwroses

        The idea of cooties was always not to catch them.
        He’s had two romantic relationships now. Even if you don’t agree with my idea, I think the girls have cooties idea left his head awhile ago.

  61. Nenja

    Seems like a good choice, Danny.

  62. Mister Gray

    Those who hate Booster for Booster are us the readers. That is why Booster is they for we are they and they are us. That is why some don’t care for Booster but I feel like they are a filter for us. They are like us in the comments. I use to not care for Booster until I came upon this epiphany.

    1. milu

      i mean feel free to understand Booster’s character whichever way you like but they/them is just a singular pronoun used by many people who don’t identify as either gender, let’s not be exoticizing their existence by making them into some kind of symbol.

      1. Spencer

        I think he means that Booster is sort of an audience surrogate. A character who comes along and has observations to make about the quirky and dysfunctional cast surrounding them.

        1. Clif

          Wait! There’s a quirky and dysfunctional cast?

        2. milu

          @ Clif i got that bit, and as i said, sure why not. i was reacting to “That is why Booster is they for we are they and they are us”, which i admit isn’t super clear and i might’ve misunderstood; apologies if i did Mr Gray.

        3. milu

          i meant to reply @Spencer not Clif, it’s ok no one reads day-old comment sections, i just like to go back and ctrl-f myself the next day to see if anyone thought one of my comments was earth-shattering enough to reply to after a new comic uploaded.

          hey, since no one’s gonna read this ever in the history of time, i could probably write the most outrageous stuff here and it wouldn’t have the slightest consequence!
          …shit nothing seems to come to mind. oh well

        4. cbwroses

          I do the same.
          And I read it.

        5. milu

          phew, good thing i didn’t write all my secrets then LOL

        6. cbwroses

          Curses! Foiled again (for the first time)!

  63. Nymphie

    So if three’s a pattern, and Walky has so far “gone for Danny’s leftovers”, is Danny choosing to leave these feelings unresolved for his own sake or to spare Walky from the fate of Narcissus? How considerate of him!

  64. Common sense

    Booster stop..just stop…okay?

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