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Don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious
Posted on April 10, 2024 by David M Willis
Today the Dumbing of Age Book 13 Kickstarter unlocked a surprise magnet tier: the HALLOWEEN DINA MAGNET tier, and it renewed Saturday/Sunday updates for another year!  We're gonna keep updating this strip 7 days a week!  Huzzah.  The HALLOWEEN DINA MAGNET is a massive 4-by-5 inches, and it will come tucked inside your autographed/doodled-in Book 13 if you want one! Next up, at $35K FREE LUCY MAGNETS are unlocked for everybody who pledged for mailable stuffs, and at $40K... a set of LAUNDRY JOYCE and LAUNDRY DOROTHY??? sure and probably still a few surprises  

150 thoughts on “Don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious”

  1. NGPZ

    *plays “Filthy/Gorgeous” by Scissor Sisters on hacked muzak*

  2. Doctor_Who

    Oh, sure, taunt Mr. Clean by showing off that you’ve got ink on your hands, that’ll end well.

  3. Animedingo

    Hot squad unite

    1. Rose by Any Other Name

      In a hilarious bit of irony, all those other women were also under 21. However, by banding together, they were able to all fool the bouncer. Or, more likely, the bouncer weighed legal action vs hot girls and chose the latter.

      1. Ana Chronistic

        The funny thing is the one time I was in a bar-ish place underage, my brother and I got our hands stamped to show we COULDN’T order drinks

        (it was for a raffle for a $500 radio prize)

  4. IntangibleMatter

    Strategy is always key, but luck is just as much so.

    1. Reltzik

      It’s not what you know, it’s who you can pretend to know.

      1. NGPZ

        Congrats on writing the 69th comment ^^

        1. clif

          I always thought the 69th commandment would be more, um, interesting. Maybe we could make that the 42nd commandment and reserve the 69th.

        2. raultsi

          there’s a comment counter?

    2. Jamie

      That’s what Sun Tzu said!

  5. Grimey

    Hot girl casual is the both the best kind of hot girl and the best kind of casual

    1. Needfuldoer

      Yes.

      1. Callid13

        Your avatar (blushing Daisy) is just *perfect* for that comment XD

  6. Sirksome

    Maybe they’ll make a bunch of cool older friends and not get hit on by creepy dudes and have a great night cause Joyce deserves a better memory associated with drinking and fun!

    1. Dante

      This, please. I know we feast on misery here but tbh… I’d love them to just have fun and get into shenanigans they can look back on with a smile. They’re so young ;AAA;

  7. HueSatLight

    Long time no basement.

  8. Queezle

    Dorothy seems to be having fun now.

    1. Coatl

      It’s what she needed and that smile reflects that

      1. Mark

        Sometimes even the smallest accomplishment feels good.

    2. Masumi

      The shenanigans make it worth it, even before the alcohol.

  9. StClair

    nailed it

    1. Theluxland

      It… Worked?
      I’m legitimately surprised, but it worked!

  10. sdrainbow

    the

    hooch

    place

    1. Dara

      THE HOOCH PLACE!

      if we had a speakeasy now that’s what it’d be called

      (the town where I live now was a hoppin’ speakeasy haven because back then it was out in the country but also on the main road north to canadadadadadada where they had boooooooozes)

    2. Needfuldoer

      Those basement entrances make me think of Cheers.

      “Dumbing of Age was drawn before a live studio audience.”

      1. Vulcanodon

        Yeah, it was drawn about six months before a live studio audience

        1. Needfuldoer

          At least it wasn’t drawn by a live studio audience.

    3. Mturtle7

      SO much classier than “The Booze Place” which is right across the street from it.

      1. thejeff

        I’d actually expect the “hooch place” to be a step down from the “booze place”.
        Unless it’s so far down that it’s wrapped around to be ironically classy.

  11. JA

    Now it gets interesting.

    1. Puppeteer Nessus

      I need everything to be okay!

  12. Taffy

    I want Ryan to be in there, see them, have a panic attack, and run out the door screaming about Amazi-Girl.

    1. Sirksome

      Ryan?

      1. Taffy

        The guy who killed Amber with a weapon, in front of Dorothy.

        1. Sirksome

          Oh! Scar dude whose name isn’t really Ryan apparently. I actually hope he’s nowhere near them or the IU campus. Hopefully in jail or at least expelled and compelled by law to follow a strict restraining order since he’s likely a rapist. Definitely not someone I’d like to know had the freedom to hangout at bars and potentially prey on more women.

        2. DailyBrad

          Ryan’s his middle name, but yeah, from what I recall, Amber kinda left him in a condition where he probably isn’t going to be out and about anytime soon.

        3. Reltzik

          Given that it happened months ago in-comic, “anytime soon” has come and gone.

        4. Mark

          Depends on how long it’s taking to find all of the bits.

    2. NGPZ

      And get run over by a garbage truck

    3. RassilonTDavros

      Honestly, giving Ryan himself severe panic attacks would be the best revenge Joyce could possibly get on him.

    4. HueSatLight

      Joyce with a giant excited grin, looking him straight in the eye, pointing at the knife she found in Sal’s jacket pocket.

    5. LeafletErin

      1 apologies, I didnt.mean to hit the report button. Mr. Willis please disregard.

      2: he full name is Druggo Ryan Mcstabbed. Or Druggo Mcstabbed for short.

      1. Taffy

        I reported you on purpose, just to feel something.

        1. clif

          Did it work?

  13. Cattleprod

    Dang, I was hoping this wouldn’t work and the backup plan would be to Vincent Adultman it.

  14. Coatl

    That smile in the last panel reflects that she is really putting that weight aside to relax, well, here we go.

  15. RassilonTDavros

    Having never been to a bar, I’m a little confused what the blue circles on their palms mean.

    1. Taffy

      They get stamped so the staff know they’ve been cleared to be there, and they can come and go throughout the night.

      1. Taffy

        I might be thinking of Chuck E. Cheese, on second thought, but I assume the principle still applies.

        1. bemisawa

          That’s also done at various concerts, as I recall.

        2. Masumi

          Had trouble with those during covid – adjacent times, when bars were a thing but so was constant hand sanitising. Those stamps come off real easy with alcohol!

        3. milu

          Yeah in my experience, at least post-covid, you tend to get a stamp on the wrist rather than the hand itself

      2. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        It means they’ve paid the cover charge, and/or had their IDs checked to insure that they are of age (which they aren’t, of course…)

  16. Kitsuner

    Hooch Place is crazy.

    1. Taffy

      Down the road is a Sloshers Welcome, which is only a few blocks away from Gigglewater Depot, which used to be named Steamed Hams.

    2. merleblue

      This joke deserves more attention than it’s getting

      1. Schpoonman

        I almost came in with a Mr. Mosby reference but that’s just the same actor. I’m not sure I’ve ever actually seen a full episode of Scrubs, but the YouTube video where Phill goes to Zach’s house to try out for a part channeling full Hooch is excellent.

    3. BlackScarabFilmZ

      I hear their boullion is really good. And they play a lot of speed metal there, 5.1 surround sound, heavy on the bass.

  17. Blume

    WE’RE IN!

  18. EpochFlame

    panel one could be a poster, wow

  19. Ray

    SHENANIGANS! SHENANIGANS!

  20. Icalasari

    Now to see how this goes horribly, horribly wrong

  21. DailyBrad

    These two are cute as all fuck, I love their excitement over their win here.

    1. Bash

      A win is a win.

  22. Aura

    Those smiles! 😀 ?

  23. Pocky

    *radio static*

    we’re in. . .

  24. BBCC

    Step one accomplished!

  25. Dante

    Dorothy is FINALLY SMILING, we repeat, FINALLY SMILING.

    Also ngl but the sapphic vibes here are immaculate. Not in a ship sense! As in, they look like every young bi femme and baby butch I ever met in my twenties. It’s adorable :’33

    1. Coatl

      That smile clearly says “I want to have a good time, I’ll leave my problems aside for today.”

      1. HueSatLight

        I’ll leave aside Jason’s textbook too.

        1. clif

          I shall now choose to believe that Jason wrote a textbook anyway just in case Robin changed her mind again.

  26. Blibdoolpoolp

    Who doesn’t love a good hooch place?

    1. BarerMender

      Me. Never did like bars. They make me moody and sour.

      1. Blibdoolpoolp

        That’s fair, to each their own.

    2. Needfuldoer

      I like the aesthetics but I don’t drink alcohol. :\

    3. Amós Batista

      What’s the difference between hooch and a conventional bar?

      1. clif

        There are many conventions for a bar to follow. Hooch bar is one of them.

        1. clif

          Disclaimer – Not an expert on bars. But at one time or another I have been the designated driver at sports bars, saloons, Irish style pubs, gamer bars of different ilks, and at least one movie bar and way back, one disco bar.

      2. HueSatLight

        Hooch is slang for strong, poor quality liquor.

  27. William

    So is there a pool in place on what the disaster this results in is? I’ve got my money on Joyce running into her mother while drunk before the night’s over.

    1. Coatl

      Well, anything can happen, but it would be a strange coincidence…..interesting, but strange

    2. staszu13

      I’m thinking Tristan. I am hoping Willis is not quite evil enough to put Ryan in this.

    3. DorJoJo

      Hopefully nothing too traumatic, Joyce doesn’t need a reason to backslide and Dorothy definitely doesn’t need her one attempt at fun (and actually letting her friend help) to blow up in her face.

    4. butting

      Outside odds: Hooch Place is run by the former managers of the Bronze, who’ve finally nearly recovered from what happened to Sunnydale and nothing bad has followed them, honest.

    5. Icalasari

      Jason is the barkeep. Turns out he just really likes doing this on the side

      1. Schpoonman

        Bartending for college students is objectively less stressful than TAing for Robin.

  28. DashWallkick

    I continue to have no idea where this storyline is going.

    1. Needfuldoer

      A bar called “Hooch Place”.

      Whether everybody knows your name there is still yet to be seen.

    2. Amós Batista

      I think THESE types of storylines are the best ones.

      1. DashWallkick

        Given huge location changes usually set up some sort of shattering shift, I’m kind of dreading where it could be going. Do they find someone there? Do Dorothy and Joyce have a fight? Does disaster strike? I’m getting so anxious!

        1. Icalasari

          I am now imagining The Truck(tm) at the bar just waiting there for some reason

        2. HueSatLight

          I don’t know if you mean literally or figuratively, but I hope you mean a literal truck because that’s what I’m imagining now too.

    3. HueSatLight

      Karaoke night at Hooch Place. 17+ admittance.

  29. Qube

    well this is certainly going well and will not at all end in disaster

  30. Steelbright

    “hooch place”

  31. Li

    Look at those grins in the last panel, adorable.

  32. JR

    I’d love for this to just be a 100% positive experience, but DYW is a cruel and unmerciful god, so if we’re getting our predictions in on how this might speedily go sideways, my immediate concern is that these two too-cute booze-noobs have no idea what to actually order at a bar.

    1. Wraithy2773

      Just remember to look for reversals. If things are going really well, get ready for a horrible swerve. If things are just bland and/or mundanely bad, things will probably go fine.

    2. Needfuldoer

      How about 85% positive?

      Somebody’s going to have a doozy of a hangover next chapter, if they don’t temper themselves.

    3. Mark

      Next surprise: they find out what it costs to drink at a bar.

  33. GUIGUI

    Wait, did the big guy gave them those stamp, or did they had “fake” ones done already?

    1. Taellosse

      Nah, the stamps are legit – they drafted off of the group of older ladies’ aura of “clearly of drinking age” and got hand-stamped as part of the crowd.

  34. DorJoJo

    I really want those two to have a fun night that doesn’t go *totally* off the rails. Dorothy deserves to cut loose and Joyce can prove she doesn’t need to be protected all the time.

    1. Mr.Morningstar

      It’ll either be that, or end up horribly and they double down

    2. Needfuldoer

      I hope the worst thing that happens is Joyce tries an IPA and discovers they taste like bitter cat piss.

  35. Acher4

    Success!
    Double Success!!!

  36. Evil Fairy

    Claiming The Hooch Place isn’t real is exactly what someone who’d been to The Hooch Place would say.

    1. Pergola

      The first rule of Hooch Place…

  37. Reltzik

    I mean, this place wasn’t really hard to get into. Look at those stairs leading down to the entrance. It’s kind of a low bar.

    1. Mark

      🙂

    2. David DeLaney

      _sir_

  38. morleuca

    Be hilarious if the Hooch Place was a lesbian bar

    1. Vulcanodon

      And probably safer

      1. Needfuldoer

        Well yeah, if their guardian adjunct lecturer happens to be there.

      2. Taffy

        I once floated the idea of opening a pickup-themed bar, and a friend of mine suggested making it women-only, because “men make the environment hostile”.

  39. Amós Batista

    How could God not be real, He helped both of the them big time.

  40. Suet

    Can’t cull the herd if the herd passes the eye test. As you can see, it’s been so long since we’ve fully seen her not wearing glasses.

    ♪ Cause you’re hot and/or old ♫

  41. mattg

    This is like watching a train wreck happen in slow motion

  42. DarkoNeko

    Smooch place

  43. Stephen Nedland

    Act casual, but not too casual.

  44. ValdVin

    Sal, someplace, thinks to herself “Ah have nothing left to teach you” and can’t figure out why, or who “you” is.

  45. T Campbell

    Those two end panels of dorky victory are fantastic. This is the biggest smile we’ve seen from Dorothy all semester, I’m pretty sure.

    1. Schpoonman

      …We can’t be more than two weeks in to the semester, are we?

      1. Tan

        There have been 20 chapters = 20 days since the start of the semester

  46. spriteless aunty

    They’ve got dots. I guess it’s team dotty get sloshed now.

  47. Hof1991

    Not that hard to drink under aged in a bar in a college town. Police in Madison recently checked IDs in a campus bar and ticketed 160 of 190 patrons. I know that’s Wisconsin and not Indiana but not too surprising. https://www.wkow.com/news/mpd-160-people-at-downtown-bar-found-to-be-underage/article_ca685be2-f5bc-11ee-a56d-4b42f22985f5.html

  48. David DeLaney

    Willis has borrowed Randy Milholland’s Popeye for a panel

  49. Yeet

    they’re lucky that didn’t backfire
    placing yourself more obviously in contrast to people old enough to be in a place doesn’t always work – seen a few people get carded when trying to follow me into a place because I looked about ten years older than I am up until my 20s

  50. Amós Batista

    Sal give directions to this bar to Joyce, beyond her clothes, right?
    It looks like already knew where to get drinks…

    1. HueSatLight

      Maybe Jennifer, since she asked her about fake id’s.

    2. Tan

      She stated upfront that she looked it up online.

      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2024/comic/book-14/03-trystin-in-the-wind/raid-2/

      1. Amós Batista

        Thanks. Shit, how I just forgot it, it was like last week.

  51. Reltzik

    Oh, hey, new* poll.

    …. why isn’t there an “all of the above” option?

    *new here means it’s about a week old, which is pretty quick for me to notice something changed

  52. Superducked

    Ah yes, “Hooch Place”.

    Classy.

    1. Da Boy

      When booze is delivered it’s old man McGucket rolling up in his robot serpent and hooking up the pipe to his moonshining equipment built into the robot.

      1. David DeLaney

        headed up from Knoxville with the weekend load

  53. Throwatron

    big fan of Hooch Place. really has that drimking vibe

  54. lur

    well, just because you get in doesn’t mean you won’t be carded when you ask for a drink, so

    1. NGPZ

      The point of the hand stamp system is so that the bouncer is the only one who needs to card people. This makes it faster and easier for the bartender team to serve lots of people in a crowded place without each one of them having to card the same person multiple times.

      Or at least that’s how it *used* to be done, according to my grandma who was a bartender.

  55. poyo

    reminded of a time my sister went out with some of her actor friends and one of them was only 20 so they went to a place they knew didnt card and they told her to just be cool and she blew it when she asked the waitress for a “light red” wine

  56. Rabisch

    HOORAY! Now let’s see if the big surprise is that Lucy is already inside.
    With Jennife or alone.

  57. Megan Rivera

    I would unironically go to “The Hooch Place”

  58. Schpoonman

    Whoever said Dorothy should have lost the undershirt and buttoned the middle few of her button-down was right.

  59. Carms

    Omigod cuties.
    Man I’ve regretted my straight-laced youth before but LOOK AT HOW MUCH FUN THEY’RE HAVING, I SQUANDERED MY YOUTH.
    And my young adulthood. I don’t even have any liquors I can longer stand because they were part of a near death experience in a field.

    1. anon

      lol maybe you can indulge with good food with a friend somewhere in a casual environment b/c while it might be a good ‘experience’ for some ppl i’m sure some could’ve been fine going without blackout drunk college parties lol

  60. Bryy

    This shoe drop is gonna hurt.

  61. anon

    Sucks for ppl half a foot shorter adn babyfaced but other than like a bartender checking idk how strict bouncers are with IDs b/c i’m sure some ppl wouldn’t mind going to dance and not care about drinking

    tho that kinda simple stamp seems like it could be faked

    1. NGPZ

      The stamps are probably custom-made by the place.

  62. David DeLaney

    {alt text} real is a matter of opinion

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