Never read anything else in the Walkyverse, so I gave this comic a shot. I like, so far. Especially the current arc, with Roz defending her sexual freedom, despite some unforeseen consequences.
Anyone else reading Dumbing of Age?
Edited by wingedcatgirl on Nov 5th 2025 at 3:20:57 PM
Yeah, I mostly was turned off by the initial bw art, also cause all the characters I was interested in...were not in that universe. Eventually though.
Read my stories!Well, I wouldn't say she appears not to have any either.
...eventually, we will reach a maximum entropy state where nobody has their own socks or underwear, or knows who to ask to get them back.
Really? 'Cause that was exactly the impression I got. Particularly in the scene in which she apparently didn't have anyone else to go drink with except the girl who hates her. Coupled with the fact every other character seems to have at last one fried, whoever minor, then, yeah, I really got the idea Ruth did not have any friend.
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Ah, I see. I actually like black an white, so this was not a problem to me. That said, it doesn't take long for the color to appear*, so this shouldn't be the deal breaker.
As for the characters, I can understand that. They weren't my favorite in DoA either. If it worth anything, I like the characters better in Shortpacked than I like them in DoA. Specially Ethan.
edited 1st Feb '13 11:41:09 AM by Heatth
Daisy playing with scissors isn't a mythology gag.
This is a Daisy-related mythology gag.
copy-pasted from my response in the comments
Yes, Ruth, stupid. Really, really goddamn stupid. At least you’re aware of it.
I’m trying not to stray into “hating fictional character for making mistakes” land, because that way lies madness. Clearly Ruth’s flaws here are intentional.
But I’ve got no sympathy here at all. What Ruth did went beyond playground bullying. Physical assault, theft and destruction of property, outright blackmailing…Billie’s not exactly a paragon of virtue, but the worst she’s done has been in retaliation.
Now, I’m sure at some point Willis will show us why, in Ruth’s fractured mind, following that up with sexual assault (mild and well-intentioned though it may’ve been) is okay, and perhaps then I’ll soften towards her, but at the moment, all I can really feel is happiness that this resolved the way it did.
edited 4th Feb '13 10:13:49 PM by Wackd
Maybe you'd be less disappointed if you stopped expecting things to be Carmen Sandiego movies.
Willis answer in the twitter is hilarious.
But, anyway, "no sympathy" is way too harsh. I mean, yeah, Ruth deserved it and there is no way Billie would or should have acted different. But Ruth is still heart broken, and I feel sorry for her for that.
Yes, David is well aware of Ruths flaws, but this doesn't mean he did not meant to make her sympathetic. This is not the first time we have seem Ruth in a sorry state. Ruth is clearly undergoing through a bad comment in his life and is trying to cope with it in the way she can. Yeah, it is a shitty way, but it is not less sad because of it.
Hopefully, this slap in the face will make her rethink a bit the way she is handling things right now.
And the way she's chosen to deal with it is to bully someone in her charge, steal and deface her property, and then plant a kiss on her as if that'll make it all OK.
Ruth is an abusive twat. And that's being polite. Whatever hell she's going through in her life is no fucking excuse for anything she's done in this comic.
I'm Charlie Owens, good night and good luck. PSNID: CEOIII 1117I, generally, am unfond of the Freudian Excuse trope, but that said Willis has a habit of pulling it off rather well.
Until we find out exactly what Ruth's deal is, though, I can't say I feel inclined to feel for her, even if I concede hating her is kinda stupid and pointless.
Maybe you'd be less disappointed if you stopped expecting things to be Carmen Sandiego movies.Sorry the double post. I am migrating a discussion from the Shortpacked thread.
Answer to this post
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Dunno, he have appeared as much as Dina and Amber, but I feel both of them to have more personality them him. Or, at last, more entertaining personalities.
The main problem with Ethan is pretty every strip with him is about his Gaygnst issues. Most of the other characters at last have some other things about them. That is why DoA Ethan bores me. I already don't find his main plot terribly interesting, and since this is pretty much the only thing about him, then I just plain don't care.
But, yeah, if his character would be more fleshed out, then it would be a huge improvement. Even if I don't care for the plot thread, caring for the character would be enough to ensure I would be hooked in said thread.
Honestly, at the moment, he's not even about the gayngst. He's about Joyce. He is currently defining Joyce's own issues with sexuality. Which is even worse, in my opinion.
Read my stories!Yes, but Leslie's orientation was used as a springboard for her other personality traits, namely her tendency towards severe romantic attachment and being a bit of a doormat, as well as her attitude towards religion as a result of what went down with her family.
If Ethan has any plot potential, a lot of it has been retreading the same ground of being afraid of ostracization, fearing he'll never get to attach himself to anyone, and family troubles. Sure, he hasn't expressed the same sort of loathing to religion as Leslie did, and in fact his struggles seem to manifest more as self-loathing than anything, but it's still got a sort of "been there, done that" feeling to it.
Maybe you'd be less disappointed if you stopped expecting things to be Carmen Sandiego movies.Well, I wouldn't say "aways". This just started when Leslie menaged to get a characterization.
Well, not "always". I think, to a degree, it was once Willis realized she was gonna stick around for the long haul, which might've been around the time the anti-cancer bill storyline ended.
Ethan's clearly intended to be a long-term character, so Willis doesn't have the "now that this character stuck what do I do with them" excuse.
edited 6th Feb '13 1:22:34 PM by Wackd
Maybe you'd be less disappointed if you stopped expecting things to be Carmen Sandiego movies.SIlly Joyce
, everyone knows the right way to do it is by wearing ziplock bags on your feet attached with rubber bands.

You could try Shortpacked though. Even in its beginning, the artstyle is not dissimilar to the current one. And, although connected to the other comics, it is self contained. It have many call backs and references, of course, but they don't make the story confusing or anything. And it is a fun comic, I recommend it.
The latest arc is an exception of the "self contained" thing, though. Although it is focused on the Shortpacked cast, it feature heavily on the Its Walky cast and it is a blatant follow up of an Joyce And Walky story. This is an exception, however, and the author explained why he did it, so I don't think it is the rule and, anyway, it is just one ark out of many.
edited 1st Feb '13 11:02:02 AM by Heatth