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Sexual escapades
Posted on May 17, 2022 by David M Willis
The Dumbing of Age Book 11 Kickstarter is live!
I Excised All my Anxieties into Cartoon Characters Who Definitely Don't Have Feelings for Each Other will collect "Year Eleven," spanning the five storylines that start on September 10, 2020, and complete on August 26, 2021. This includes new commentary, 24 Patreon bonus strips, behind-the-scenes artwork, and new character designs into an 224-page tome with luxurious glossy paper all bound up into a sturdy presentation.   Plus a foreword by Kendra Wells! 
8 days to go!

197 thoughts on “Sexual escapades”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    still see a flaw in their “tell everyone but Joyce” plan but idk

    1. Thag Simmons

      Becky has pretty solid political instincts but she’s apparently garbage at OpSec

      1. RassilonTDavros

        Honestly, I think she secretly wants Joyce to find out, but doesn’t want to be the one who tells her. She doesn’t so much want a secret itself as she wants the feeling of a secret leaking out.

        1. StClair

          This, as discussed under previous strips.

        2. Beef

          I think she just wants everybody to know but she doesn’t want to be the one to tell Joyce because she doesn’t want to see her reaction

        3. Seralyna

          honestly yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me

        4. Reltzik

          I think it’s just a new variation on “GUESS WHAT I’M A LESBIAN!”, and Becky’s irrepressibly flamboyant outness is willing to compromise no further than those two tiny millimeters of not explicitly telling Joyce and asking people not to let Joyce find out, and anything more self-censoring gets brutally vetoed.

        5. Opus the Poet

          Nuking the closet from orbit again.

        6. James Thurber

          Wanting something to happen without being the one making it happen is pretty much Becky’s thing.

    2. Black

      Yeah, seriously, I don’t know what the fuck she’s thinking right now. If you don’t want Joyce to know, then don’t tell literally everyone else!

      1. anonymsly

        What Becky wants is beginning to feel immaterial to me. What she may get is a heartbroken Joyce who knows she’s been consciously and deliberately excluded from Becky’s life in such a way that everyone knows it’s not accidental, and thus further severe damage to their currently rocky relationship.

        It’s a new tier of mean for Becky (who is no stranger to mean), made worse imo because I’m pretty sure Becky genuinely doesn’t intend it that way.

        1. Ed Callahan

          I don’t think that’s it. Joyce always has been a CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE kind of person. You have to be careful about poking a hole, just like you don’t casually take a heavy duty power drill to a propane tank.

        2. anonymsly

          Unde the current circumstances, there’s possibly not much LEFT in the Joycesplosion tank, and Becky hasn’t exactly been refilling it with trust to blow up. If there’s an explosion now, having a tank left at all is a question mark.

          Sadness and mourning that a friend doesn’t want you anymore can be fixed, especially when it’s just that the friend is a thoughtless moron. The fixing can ultimately be genuine growth for the thoughtless moron and at the end of the day a bond-strengthened.

          That said, I’m sure I’m wrong but I really, really, REALLY want Becky to experience some consequences for her ‘I’m mean and/or thoughtless, but I’ve got the skills to make people think I’m funny so I always get away with being as big a jerk as I want’. So I hope for it all the time.

    3. Clif

      It’s not a flaw; it’s a feature.

  2. The Wellerman

    Always a pleasure seeing these dynamic dinosaur lovers in action!!! ? ???️‍?

    Also the lovable screwball, Walky!!! ?

    *plays “The Chase” from One Piece CD on hacked muzak*

  3. ThunderNight

    Give that Walky a cookie
    Walkys love cookies

    1. The Wellerman

      COOKIE!!! ? ?

  4. Yotomoe

    Is that a Euphemism?
    …
    Cuz I’d prefer a real Cookie.

    1. The Wellerman

      Ooo!

      What’s your favorite kind of cookie? ?

      We must know!!!

      1. Yotomoe

        hmmm
        Honestly just a soft Chocolate Chip is pretty good.

        1. Kyrik Michalowski

          Between your art and your love of a soft chocolate chip cookie, you are an inspiration.

        2. thakoru

          Serious(ish) question: Is there anyone else out there who really doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies? I feel like chocolate chip cookies being good is treated as such a universal truism that I can’t help but feel like a weirdo (and maybe a bit left out) whenever someone makes/brings them. And I’m not, like, a picky eater – I will eat most cookies, but for whatever reason I can’t stand the most popular one.

        3. Taffy

          Nah, different people like different things. Ain’t nothin’ to start #discourse over. You eat what you wanna eat.

        4. BarerMender

          I don’t like them; neither does my sister. My mom used to make cookies using the chocolate chip recipe, except with raisins instead of chocolate. Those were great.

        5. Dinajoyce

          I wasn’t a big fan of chocolate in general for years. Some weird hormonal shift in my mid-20s increased my enjoyment of chocolate, but I still prefer soft chocolate chip with fewer chips than normal.

        6. The Wellerman

          Well chocolate does release endorphins, and human bodies as far as I know will naturally crave nutrients in which they are lacking.

          I’ll leave it to you to determine what that means I guess. ?

          I’m gonna make a game. ?️ And maybe some cookies. ?

        7. Opus the Poet

          I’m “That Guy” that likes Oatmeal Raisin cookies. But I was the kid who ate all the weird street food when I was a little kid, I even ate the salt codfish balls in onion cream sauce, which many people told me was ghastly, salt-cured fish boiled in small round chunks served with onion-based cream sauce that also had a very strong flavor. Even Canadians told me I was Weird with the capital letter for liking it.

        8. Azhrei Vep

          That guy who likes Oatmeal Raisin cookies … so, a normal guy? Are there people out there who don’t like oatmeal raisin? I’ve never met them.

          And frankly, not sure I’d want to.

        9. Andy

          I love oatmeal cookies, hate oatmeal raisin because I hate raisins. I’ll gladly eat oatmeal chocolate chip, though.

        10. Sporky

          I like oatmeal raisin well enough and I thought most people did. I always assumed the hatred came from biting into an oatmeal raisin cookie you THOUGHT was a chocolate chip cookie. The betrayal of expectations is what makes it so upsetting.

        11. thakoru

          It’s not so much that it’s uncommon for people to like oatmeal-raisin cookies, so much as that the people who don’t like them tend to hold that opinion VERY strongly.

        12. James

          Even though I do like chocolate chip cookies, I can empathize of as a non-enjoyer of a popular consumable – I detest all carbonated drinks. It literally feels like my tongue is burning when I drink something carbonated, I cannot understand how anyone can enjoy stuff like Coke or Cola!
          I also don’t like cheeseburgers. They don’t physically hurt me like carbonated drinks, I just dislike that combination.

        13. Azhrei Vep

          Chocolate chip is just … fine. They’re an acceptable generic cookie. But Oatmeal Raisin is where it’s at. That’s that good shit, right there.

        14. Deviant

          I’m not a fan of chocolate chip cookies. They go badly with coffee I think and thats the entire reason for a cookie in my world.

          I prefer chocolate dipped scandinavian strassburger cookies.
          Actually, I don’t just prefer them, I love them.

        15. Ana Chronistic

          Sometimes I get in a mood where I absolutely don’t understand chocolate, but I’ll eat chocolate chip when I absolutely need exactly one cookie worth of food in the moment

          My faves are the lemon sandwich cookies the Girl Scouts stopped making years ago to where I half wonder if they were a fever dream ☹️ but I will accept any lemon flavour cookies in a pinch

        16. milu

          my usual cookie recipe is, “pull every remotely pastry-related ingredient out of the cupboard & fridge and mix” which will in fact often involve lemon zest

        17. Emmy

          Chocolate chip cookies are kind of boring. There are better biscuits. like party rings. Or Viennese whirls dipped in chocolate.

        18. Keulen

          Chocolate chip is definitely one of the best type of cookies, along with M&M.

      2. Bicycle Bill

        Oatmeal and raisin for me, please.

        Although I will never turn down a soft, chewy, fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookie, either.  That’s why my mom always had to make three dozen if she wanted to be sure she’d have two dozen left for a bake sale…

        1. Needfuldoer

          I’ve told this story before, but us oatmeal-raisin fans always get the last laugh at office parties. Chocolate chip disappears from the cookie platter almost instantly, followed by chocolate-chocolate and white chocolate macadamia. Everybody else gets a cookie or two, but we get all the oatmeal cookies we want!

        2. Max

          That’s because they’re terrible and have no right being called cookies! You can have them.

      3. Devin

        White chocolate and macadamia I think. Or maybe peanut butter. Or shortbread.

        …I like cookies.

      4. ktbear

        Not a fan of cookies like at all. Biscuits on the other hand…

      5. James

        Do brownies count as cookies? If so, then definitely brownies.
        If not, chocolate chip cookies. I’m a chocolate addict!
        I also like oatmeal raisin cookies and most cookie types I’ve come across. The only ones I don’t like are sugar cookies.

        1. Azhrei Vep

          I’d consider brownies more of a superior variation of cake.

          One that people don’t feel the ungodly need to smear frosting all over, thankfully.

      6. Yumi

        I’m a fan of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Upgrades both the chocolate chip cookie and oatmeal raisin cookie for me.

    2. Andy

      Rhyming slang, maybe?

      1. Taffy

        Cookie > nookie > bookie

    3. Thag Simmons

      It’s probably not a euphemism.

      1. Clif

        You believe it to be a real cookie?

        I was assuming it was a euphemism, but not for anything particularly exciting.

        1. milu

          i think Thag is just being a smartass about figures of speech =)

  5. pope suburban

    This is good. Becky and Dina are euphoric and it’s warming to see. Jennifer is actually helping. Walky is doing better and acknowledging that he still has far to go. Lucy is supporting Walky in his efforts to improve. I’m having a really awful time right now and this strip is a balm in a way I can’t quite fully grasp.

    1. The Wellerman

      Isn’t it though? ?

      “So shines a beacon of hope in a dreary world.”

  6. Yotomoe

    https://i.imgur.com/3pIexU8.png
    https://i.imgur.com/CUTYRkG.png

    I kinda wanted an outfit change.
    Story so far…
    https://imgur.com/a/9Ob1cy3

    1. Andy

      If there is a universal constant, it’s that people who are attracted to women love to see those women wearing one of said person’s tops and nothing else.

      1. Yotomoe

        😛 That is 100% why I did that, yes.
        Honestly girls wearing only a shirt in general is just pretty damn good.

        1. Andy

          It is, yes, but it’s better when it’s YOUR shirt or picked to align in some way with your interests.

        2. Clif

          Dunno. Seems like dressed only in high heels would be impressive as well. But honestly, for the right person it doesn’t matter what they’re wearing or not wearing, the effect is pretty much the same.

        3. milu

          that might be an eye of the beholder thing.

          certainly isn’t the best compliment to make someone who does put care and effort into what they wear ^3^

        4. Andy

          Like milu said, it’s probably an eye of the beholder thing as to which you prefer. But for me, I’d take the shirt over the heels. It’s a less-is-more thing at that point; a long enough shirt covers everything while hinting at all of it. Heels only just puts it all on display. There’s also the tone of it; shirt only tends more towards flirty and maybe a bit coquettish while heels only is blatantly sexual. Blatantly sexual can be fun, but I prefer flirty and casual generally.

        5. milu

          yeah i meant eye of the beholder in the sense that certain people notice and respond more to how much thought people put in looking hot. i don’t really have a definitive preference wrt heels vs t-shirt-and-no-bottom out of context, but i am sensitive to the effort and intentionality aspect =)

        6. StClair

          Agreed, on all points.

        7. Yotomoe

          I gotta be honest. Nude with only shoes of any kind is honestly hot to me. Which is weird cuz like… shoes inherently make sexy stuff harder to do.

        8. Ana Chronistic

          Like roller skates? [NSFW]

        9. The Wellerman

          LOVE this!

        10. The Wellerman

          You said it bruh! ?

    2. Taffy

      Ooh, glasses and his shirt? We like that. We really like that.

    3. The Wellerman

      ? ? OH YEAH!!!!

    4. newlland(Henryvolt)

      Pffft

    5. Rose by Any Other Name

      Aww. He never got to use them with Amber.

      Also, the Billie wearing his shirt comic isn’t in the story so far yet for some reason.

      Also, just curious, but why isn’t the inked second page up in that? You only have the original raw. It’s not a huge deal, but last time I asked, it revealed something wasn’t displaying right, so I figured I should ask.

      1. Yotomoe

        So honestly I may re-ink the 1st strip. And the only reason I’m using the inked #1 is cuz I saved over it and don’t actually have the original anymore (I think). In that same vain I really wanna redraw the 2nd one too. I’m probably too much of a perfectionist, to be honest.

        1. The Wellerman

          Nah, don’t worry bruh. Take your time and harness your craft. You’re well on your way to becoming a True Porn Lord the rate your going. ?

        2. Andy

          If you have any doubts about your ability to finish the story, I’d focus on that and then ink later if you still want to. If you’re not worried and just need a break from drawing for a day or so, inking or re-inking could be a nice change of pace. Just don’t let seeking perfection stop you from being good.

        3. Yotomoe

          That’s what I’ve been doing. You may notice my comics have gotten increasingly more loose. Because I’m focusing more on getting the story and ideas across than getting it perfect on my first pass. I’ve more or less decided to wait to ink until after it’s done. At which time I may re-ink those first 2 strips.

    6. Darkoneko

      that’s one way to stop the sad train of thoughts haha

    7. milu

      oooooh
      wait so, they broke up because of Mike’s death?

      like… maybe their common grief raised the intensity of their relationship for a moment, but then because both of them in their own way are uncomfortable with vulnerability and feelings…. they freaked out about having been so open with each other maybe??

      man, this keeps getting more and more interesting and moving. love it!

      1. Clif

        Given Mike, you could substitute Mike in for Amber in the next to last panel and it would make perfect sense.

        1. milu

          ooooooh i love it! …it’s like a fanfic of Yoto’s fanfic =D

        2. Yotomoe

          I will say I am enjoying seeing interpretations of the story so far.

    8. justin8448

      Can I just say, that while all the NSFW parts of your fanfic are amazing, I’m actually completely here for all the feelings in this comic. Especially Jennifer explaining her breakup with Ruth, and Walky’s memories of Mike.

  7. Stephen Bierce

    WITCH HAZEL (singing): A Cup of Tea/A Cookie/And You~ou~ou!

  8. AbacusWizard

    Imagine discovering the entire Walkyverse for the first time today and this is the first strip you see

    1. The Wellerman

      That would be nice…

      All I want in this world is to find a way to hack my host brain to make it feel like I’m falling in love with this comic all over again! ?

    2. RassilonTDavros

      I’m trying to remember what the first strip I saw was, actually. Probably one of those Shortpacked! strips that didn’t focus on the strip’s main cast, in all likelihood, but I’m not sure exactly how I decided to binge DoA the first time– which is how I really got into things. Probably involved a Wiki binge of some sort, followed by “this looks interesting.”

      I would be a lot less alarmed by this lack of memory if this hadn’t happened only a year and a half ago.

      1. Thag Simmons

        I think it was either one of those Shortpacked! strips or an out-of-context Dina/Joyce strip. I know it took a few years after seeing it for the first time to actually do an archive binge.

      2. AbacusWizard

        I think I first discovered it around the time Joyce and Joe were visiting Joyce’s parents and trying to pretend that they were a couple, after following some Keenspot banner ads with neat-looking characters.

        1. BarerMender

          I discovered Dumbing of Age when Captain Cassidy linked it on her blog.

        2. nightshade

          i found it due to Millholland and Jacques listing it on their strips and checked it out one day

      3. Dana

        My first: https://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/02-threes-a-crowd/tool/

      4. The Wellerman

        My first:

        https://www.dumbingofage.com/2017/comic/book-8/01-face-the-strange/structured/

        Ah, I remember it like it was yesterday. That end panel too. ?

      5. Azhrei Vep

        My first Walkyverse strip was one of two Shortpacked! strips, I honestly can’t remember which. It was either “I’m Batman, and I can breathe in Space.” or “whoreswhoreswhoreswhoreswhoreswhoreswhoreswhores”

    3. Opus the Poet

      I’ve been reading DoA since the link to the first strip from Shortpacked! over a decade ago.

  9. Bagge

    we all are, buddy, we all are

  10. Dr. T

    Not all heroes wear capes. Night Guy wears capes, but he’s not here right now.

    1. Keulen

      NO CAPES!

      1. AbacusWizard

        Yes capes.

  11. alongcameaspider

    So like, wasn’t Ruth going to be the last person they told, specifically so she could prevent Carla from blabbing

    Sure that ended up becoming Jason but it feels like they abandoned that too quickly

    1. alongcameaspider

      Ok I just checked and it was specifically to “get the impulse out of their system”

      Guess it didn’t get rid of the impulse

      1. StClair

        That was always a lie they told themselves.

        1. Clif

          The impulse was a cake.

        2. milu

          Unlike Walky’s impulse, which was an anti-cookie.

  12. newlland(Henryvolt)

    Lucy is sweet and knows when someone has earned a cookie.

  13. Taffy

    Walky is an immoral nightmare demon, if he really has the audacity to feel good about not making a socially-awkward/inappropriate remark. He’s part of The Problem, rotting away the foundations of our moral society. Willis knows how to write a good villain, is what I’m saying.

    1. The Wellerman

      Walky’s not just any demon! He’s an ADHDemon, and at the Big Bourgeois Breakfast he’s gonna show us his TRUE POWER!!! HA HA HA HA!!!

      ✌️?

      *plays “Danger” from Sailor Moon CD*

    2. Sombrero

      He sure has a better future in politics than Dorothy.

      1. Taffy

        What do you mean? Dorothy’s the perfect candidate for a Democrat. She’s rigid about all the wrong things, talks a big game on the interpersonal politics level but doesn’t know how to actually connect with other people in a conversation, she dated Danny, and she even butts in and tries to take the credit when a non-white person makes a mild success. All she needs now is a comical white handkerchief to mop the sweat off her nervous brow while she rings her hands and hem-haws in a Droopy Dog voice, and she’ll fit right in.

        1. Clif

          That took a turn.

        2. Sombrero

          But all this only gives her a win if she runs for a totally safe seat and the party kills or jail everyone that tries to compete in the primary election. OTOH, Walky is a non-white man without known ideology or political awareness who is hot and a natural for the media to gush about him each one time in a million he refrains from saying the stupid thing that he itches to say.

        3. milu

          ???
          Not a specialist about the democratic party but i don’t think they have a whole lot of politically illiterate black men in top positions. prove me wrong?

        4. Sombrero

          Walky would run Republican, endorsed by former Rep. De Santo.

        5. milu

          …you have successfully proved me wrong.

        6. Keulen

          The best way to fit in to US politics in general is to make tons of campaign promises you absolutely have no intention of keeping once elected.

        7. milu

          come on now, that’s not true.

          you do keep the promises you made to the billionaires who bankrolled your campaign.

        8. Keulen

          Of course, how could I forget? Just make sure you don’t even try to keep the promises you made to the average working class people to get elected, and if anyone complains that you haven’t kept those promises, tell them that the other party’s candidate would be even worse somehow.

        9. Sporky

          I like the implication that you have to date Danny to be a Democrat

  14. Pocky

    I have been told I was going to be given so many cookies, in my life.

    I am still waiting for them.

    1. Clif

      Well there’s your problem. Cookies taste better if you work for them.

      And even better if you steal them from small children.

    2. milu

      I keep being promised cookies, but all i get are targeted ads >:(

  15. cbwroses

    I remember having a conversation with someone about Walky’s Dorian Grey comment regarding Joyce, with them believing it was a remark about her period.
    I believe the last panel confirms that was not the case (unless you want to assume both Walky and Lucy forgot or that neither Walky nor Lucy thought it was stupid).
    Vindication for my favorite man-child!

  16. Andy

    At the rate they’re going, I fully expecttha the next time Becky sees Joyce , she’ll run up to her yelling “Guess what?! Dina and I fucked! Don’t tell… Oh. Shit”

  17. cbwroses

    I read the magnet name as “Horny Dina” and I was all for it.

  18. Roe

    I hope we see more of walky and Lucy’s relationship dynamics. Feels underdeveloped. Like they’re just always right next to each other but all their conversations seem so…dull compared to the other relationships we’ve seen

    1. GeekyWarrior

      I think that is intentional. There is an attraction but their chemistry feels really one sided. Lucy is head over heels, and Walky is just, “Hey you’re pretty cool, and you’re into me? Cool beans let’s date”

      Feels very on brand for 18-19 year olds.

      1. Clif

        Actually it’s “hey, you’re pretty cool and Dorothy says you’re into me and we should date. And I would do absolutely anything for Dorothy.”

  19. Reltzik

    I’m not surprised, Walky. Your sense of humor emphasizes modern cultural references. Period humor would just cramp your style.

    …..

    …. I don’t think I’m getting cookies. Or if I do, they’ll be oatmeal raisin.

    1. The Wellerman

      Oatmeal raisin cookies are good. ?

      1. Reltzik

        And they taste extra-good when seasoned with reverse-psychology.

        1. Clif

          Yum.

    2. Cerusee

      No cookie, but have a performative groan!

    3. Reaver

      That was uterus-ly terrible

      1. milu

        i thought it was bloody good

        1. Reaver

          Bit of an ovary-action imo

        2. milu

          XD that was hysterical

        3. milu

          i’ve spent way too long trying to pen a better pun, so that if i were to faithfully express how fastidious the present comment has been in the making i would have to type out, like, “um… um… um… and re-um…” but i think i will leave it at “um” and omit re-um

        4. Reaver

          Lol I’m sorry, terrible puns are like my bread and butter, sorry you couldn’t think of one tube-be honest with you I was starting to run out of them myself XD

        5. milu

          oh i highly doubt you could be out of puns… it fact it would appear that your cup runneth over.

          leave it to me to pad this thread with gut-wrenchingly awful attempts such as the last comment which did contain a pun but… i’m embarrassed to point it out. but ah, read the last 4 words out loud

    4. Keulen

      Cultural references are good, but Dad jokes and bad puns are the best type of humor.

      1. milu

        Why not both? For instance Walky made a Dorian Gray joke which is kind of a… period drama

  20. StClair

    The longer this goes on, the more I want Joyce’s eventual reaction to be not at all what Becky was expecting or prepared for.

    1. anonymsly

      The more this goes on, the more I want her to not care about the sex at all, but be genuinely very hurt (not angry! sad to heartbroken) that not only did Becky not want to share this information with her, Becky very specifically and very consciously and very thoroughly cut her out completely.

      1. Fay

        I feel the most emotionally wrenching series of events would be to have Becky tell Joyce, and for Joyce to be unexpectedly(to the audience) proud-and a little jealous-of Becky for overcoming their indoctrination. They start having a heartfelt talk, only for Joyce to then learn that Becky told literally everyone *except* her first…

        1. anonymsly

          I’m thinking, given the pointed lack of telling Walky ‘don’t tell Joyce’ that she’ll actually find out from him. And then find out from someone else that everyone knows except her. Becky won’t say a word.

          The most heart-wrenching for me would be Joyce having a personal reaction not unlike she did to Jennifer’s doctor suggestion: NO THAT’S NOT OKAY wait wait that’s dumb scratche that totally okay. And she’ll prepare a warm and supportive speech or just be ready to hug Becky and be happy for her when Becky finally tells her. And realize, bit by bit, that Becky’s not going to tell her. Just a lot of strips of sad Joyce losing hope bit by bit.

        2. Rose Red

          I think she’s going to have the knee-jerk reaction and say “oh, wait, nevermind, scratch that”, like you said.

          Less heart wrenching but potentially more drama-filled option: she assumes this means Becky is now atheist, this misunderstanding comes out in the worst possible way, shenanigan ensue.

        3. Blue

          Nobody else thinks Joyce will find it the least bit hypocritical that Becky insists on staying Christian but then has sex before marriage? I know Becky doesn’t interpret her faith that way, but Joyce does.

        4. Cerusee

          I don’t think personal hypocrisy is something Joyce is concerned with at this stage in her life. Has she ever even commented on it?

      2. Cerusee

        Oooh, yea, that.

    2. Rabisch

      I would like to see Joyce hug Becky telling her something like “I’m happy you broken your chains too” while Becky starts to looks around very confused.

  21. Ray

    Rather bold of Lucy to offer Walky her cookies…..

    1. Opus the Poet

      “Hey little girl, can I eat your cookies?”, Dirty Old Man.

      1. Clif

        “Only if you pay for them first.” – Every Girl Scout Ever

  22. BBCC

    Dude, considering it’s Walky, yeah, I’d say he earned a cookie. He was a good Walky today.

  23. Francoinblanco

    Ok I have enough. I have to say it
    Change gender and suddenly “did you know i have sex?” is not adorable. It will be taken as braggin, dismissive (even if parter also annouce this/agree to do that, because he/she feel forced or other excuses) and 200 comments to stop it already

    1. Taffy

      Oh my god yes, this isn’t new

    2. The Wellerman

      You humans and your gender binary…. when will you learn? ??️‍?

    3. Sombrero

      It’s not about the gender, it’s about the number.

    4. Andy

      I mean, it is bragging in the very same way “I just got engaged!’ is bragging. But it’s definitely not dismissive when both partners are quite happily telling everyone. They’re clearly not just a notch on each others’ bedposts; they’re jointly trying to celebrate a major milestone in their committed relationship. There’s absolutely a conversation to be had about whether or not it’s okay for them to be shouting it out to their friends without getting said friends’ okay first (personally I say no) but that’s a completely different matter.

    5. Seralyna

      weird take. its just two characters in a story being excited about a mental roadblock one of them overcame.

      1. The Wellerman

        Yeah! Dina broke those fucking chains!!!!

        ??️‍??????

        *plays “Hero Song of Hope” by fl0w on hacked muzak*

    6. Blue

      If these were two gay dudes who lacked any relationship experience, it would still be kind of cute.

  24. anonymsly

    This is honestly beginning to feel to me like a non-Regency version of a cut. Most commonly used, for those here who aren’t into Regency shit and/or Regency romances, as ‘the cut indirect’, which is to look someone full in the face so they know you actually do know they’re there, and then turn your back and pretend you can’t see or hear them. It was an expression of deepest contempt. That the person knows they’ve been cut is an important part.

    Now. Despite my general loathing for Becky, I honestly don’t think she INTENDS to do this to Joyce. But Becky’s not employing the silent treatment against Joyce directly, she’s building a bubble of silence and exclusion around Joyce. Becky is very specifically, consciously, and thoroughly cutting Joyce out of this specific part of her life, but she’s not doing it by keeping a secret. She’s openly and obviously doing it such that everyone who knows will ALSO know that the allowed circle is ‘literally everyone but Joyce’. The equivalent, as soon as Joyce finds out, of looking her full in the face and then turning away and treating her as silent and invisible.

    More and more I’m wondering if Joyce isn’t going to be angry/judgey/self-righteous/whatever Becky thinks is going to go down, and will in fact be heartbroken instead. Because intentional or not (and as previously stated, I’m pretty sure Not) this could well feel to Joyce, when she does find out, that Becky is saying ‘I don’t even want you to know me anymore’. It’s going to hurt, specifically because Becky’s NOT keeping a secret. She’s just excluding Joyce.

    1. alongcameaspider

      It makes me wonder if that’s what Becky thinks happened with Joyce’s Atheism and this is her subconsciously trying to get back at her for that

      1. anonymsly

        I mean, maybe? She knows it’s not, because the atheism was a surprise to Dorothy as well, and most people probably still don’t know. (Or care, let’s be real.) Joyce WAS keeping a secret. Prior to Liz and The Fight, there were IIRC two people in the loop – Sarah and Joe. But maybe.

        To me, if it is the case, that doesn’t make it better, it just adds a dimension of pettiness to the thoughtlessness.

  25. anonymsly

    Also, I note that Dina did not instruct Walky and Lucy not to tell Joyce. Therefore, Walky is a likely information vector. (Lucy and Joyce don’t interact much.) There’s a definite chink in that wall of silent treatment.

    1. Devin

      I think this is the most significant observation that’s yet been made about Dina and Becky’s rampant announcements.

  26. Darkoneko

    Try a fortune cookie. I wonder what it’d say ?

    “Butts”

  27. Icalasari

    …Holy crap that’s actually a good point

    Walky DID show restraint!

  28. Rabisch

    Walky, you’re today’s strip hero! And Lucy is just so sweet ♡♡♡. Kinda curious about Sal’s possible answers to Becky and Dina. What would she say to them?

    1. Blue

      My money’s on “and how does Joyce feel about this?”. Not because Sal cares, but because she’s good at seeing through people.

  29. AlexaSpuds

    I just noticed that the colors of hair and clothes make the lesbian pride flag lol

    1. AlexaSpuds

      the colors of Becky’s hair and clothes*

    2. Reaver

      And the color of Lucy’s jacket is the porn hub logo!

      1. milu

        hahaha can’t unsee it now ^^

  30. Devious Smile

    i envy Sal here.
    She only gets to hear about them fucking Once 😛

    1. Clif

      Whatever leads you to believe Sal only gets to hear about it once? The next six strips will be various people telling Sal all about it. The first five will remind her not to tell Joyce and the sixth one will be Joyce.

  31. Lone Duck

    Walky performs the minimum amount of masculine decency! Wheel out the trophy, cookies, and celebratory sex everybody!

    1. Clif

      Lucy is improving him. Leaving him a better person for the next girlfriend.

    2. Taffy

      What’s any of this got to do with masculinity?

      1. The Wellerman

        I concur. ?

      2. milu

        i mean,,,
        there kind of is this historical tendency of cis men to have all sorts of ridiculous attitudes towards periods, including ridicule?

        and “have a cookie” is feminist sarcasm to signify how low of a bar not doing a sexism is, and how you actually don’t deserve a cookie (or any kind of recognition) for that, because not being sexist should be the norm not an award-worthy achievement.

        1. milu

          ? Clif gets it…

    3. Blue

      I think it was more a lack of foot-in-mouth accidental stupid.

  32. JBento

    Here’s hoping that Sal is the one to finally tell these two “congratulations, and also nobody cares.”

  33. Chaucer59

    Baby steps, Walky. Baby steps.

  34. John

    Walky, showing that sweet sweet character growth.

  35. Segnosaur

    Side question/pondering…

    I wonder how far Walky/Lucy’s relationship has gone. Have they actually had sex? Or do they just hang out a lot/kiss/etc.

    Lucy does have a christian background and comes across as sweet/innocent, but her upbringing doesn’t seem to be as strict as Joyce’s was, and she has made veiled suggestions that Walky could have invited her to be alone in his room (after Mike’s death).

    I am sure Walky enjoys sex and would be eager to have it with Lucy, but he’s also not one who will push the issue (preferring the woman to make the first move).

    1. Peep

      I would put pretty decent money on them not having had sex yet. I suspect Lucy would very much like Walky to be a person she trusts enough to have sex with, and may even like him enough to think that he probably will be that person (whether or not he’s done anything to earn that–no shade on Walky but he probably hasn’t).

      But even though I don’t think she’d necessarily staunchly wait for marriage, she’s pretty romantic and tender-hearted. I do think it’d be a Big Enough Deal that she’d want to be reasonably sure she’s with ‘The One’ before going ahead with it, and I don’t think they’re there yet.

      1. milu

        Lucy is a Christian woman! she doesn’t have sex before the third date.

        1. milu

          …that said i don’t really understand the american concept of a date, so i don’t know if them constantly hanging out eventually qualifies as a second then third date in that social system

        2. milu

          …oh also jury’s out on whether this counts as sex.

        3. Andy

          I thought the jury decided in 1998 that it isn’t.

        4. Taffy

          I’m reminded of an older webcomic I read about two women who “had sex” in all sorts of places, but the stand-out event that still frustrates me to an unreasonable degree was when they were in a restaurant and one got her boobs out for a couple seconds and the other one groped her a little, and they said something like “I’ll never forget the time we had sex in a restaurant”. If that counts somehow, I think Lucy fellating Walky’s shirt can count.

        5. Blue

          I think this was more of a metaphor indicating that Lucy wants to get to know each other a bit first.

      2. The Wellerman

        Who knows? In her attempts to “fix” Walky, exposure to his ADHDemon energy might just rub off on her.

        ???

        What would really help is a way to boost thr transmutation somehow…. the light of the full moon, a hot tub or hot spring or something.

        *plays “Masquerade” from Mystery Band on hacked muzak*

  36. Hinoron

    Oh come on! We’re MEN, not DOGS! You can’t train us in social subtlety just by offering us a cookie! We’re capable of buying an entire box of them on our own whenever we…
    we…
    …
    Is that a girl-guide thin mint? Out of season?
    …
    What is your command, Mistress?

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