Webcomic Review: Dumbing of Age
on June 22, 2015 at 1:25 am
Webcomic: Dumbing of Age
Creator: David Willis
Format: 3 to 5 color panel strips
Updates: Daily
Genre: Slice of life, comedy, soap opera
Themes: College life, dating, superheroes, geek stuff
Characters: Joyce, Sarah, Dorothy, Billie, Walky
Archive: Begins September 10, 2010
This comic is just one of many from the prolific David Willis (also see Roomies! Shortpacked! It’s Walky!). Willis always brings a consistent art style and character development. Dumbing of Age follows Joyce and her friends, as they deal with dorm life and college. Some are making the adjustment from high school to college poorly, while others are growing as people and learning important life lessons. Joyce is a religious girl, while her friend Dorothy is an atheist.
Willis’ comedy sometimes gets a little too “cutesy” for my personal tastes. (Maybe because I’ve been so over college life for so long or maybe because I’m an East Coast guy and this comic is pretty Mid-Western.) But the pacing is solid, the story moves and Dave is definitely a creator with a plan for his characters. Perhaps I’m too old for this comic to speak to me, but that being said, I think it’s quality stuff that I can still appreciate. I definitely have to respect that he cranks it out on a daily basis! (Nice!)
He’s got a nice wordpress site, although the cast list feels like it could use an update. If you like narrative webcomics with an extensive cast, set in the present day, I think this comic will appeal to you. Additionally, since the cast is mostly women, it’s a nice change of pace, especially for readers looking for something with a more female-centric thread. It’s certainly worth a click, as the library goes back five years.
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