Reviews Webcomic / Dumbing Of Age

Worth the Time

In summary, a great comic whose popularity is down to stellar writing and expressive, distinctive art. If one judges based on actual quality, of plot, characters, art, humor, etc. then you'll find yourself wanting more. If one judges quality by how many minority demographics are shoved into a work, you'll also be very satisfied.

• Characters have fleshed out motivations, personalities, and backstories that make even their less pleasant aspects interesting to read.
• The comics' villains, often family members, do a good job illustrating the dangers of being mentally ill, a woman, or a minority in today's society.
• The comic takes its time with careful plotting, making sure to cover all interesting angles on a given plot point.
• The comic does a good job balancing comedy and drama, making sure the comic rarely gets difficult to read even when difficult things are happening.
• Interestingly, the comic advocates the idea that it is not the responsibility of an abuse victim to end that abuse, instead promoting community as a value and letting characters help each other through trauma and danger.
• A three-month buffer insures a consistent schedule.
• The art improves greatly over time, to the point where earlier strips might be hard to look at on a second binge.

All the examples of why this comic is worth your time would require more than 3,000 characters. Witty, clever dialogue, interesting moral takes, the list goes on.

Read it.