298

Fault
Posted on August 24, 2016 by David M Willis

298 thoughts on “Fault”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    Sarah may want to try some Heelys

    IT’S YOUR FAULT, DINA, YOU BROUGHT THE TEARS

    1. Tabitha Desanto

      She does look happy about it.

      1. darkoneko

        Big Sis is back !

      2. Wheelpath

        No one would feel bad about this but Sarah anyway

        1. Andy

          …or anyone else who is uncomfortable with physical affection and emotional situations.

      3. Cerberus

        Well, of course, she unlocked Sarah. What’s not to be happy about… except y’know her gf sobbing uncontrollably on the other side of both of them.

      4. Rowen Morland

        Sudden;y she pulls of the mask and was Mike all along. there was never a Dina for Dumbing of Age, only Mike.

    2. Moblin Umbrella

      No one wanted to ride this feels train
      but not even heelies can save us now

  2. Daimonion

    Yay

  3. AnvilPro

    Never change Sarah

    1. N0083rP00F

      something something diapers something something punchline

      1. Hno

        you know, there’s a moment in life that isn’t only diapers and punchlines. There’s also carrot puree on walls and ceilings.

    2. xKiv

      OK, I will never change her.

  4. Mr. Mendo

    Oh, Dina’s gonna be in for it, later!

    1. Deanatay

      This is all part of Dina’s plan to get to hug Sarah. She is the architect of all of Joyce’s sorrows.

  5. Tabitha Desanto

    Look at that Dina smile.

    1. inqntrol

      She waited to do thst for a long time.

      1. TheAnonymousGuy

        I know something else she’s waited to do a long time 😉

        Me: Becky! how many times do I have to tell you to ask before using my-
        (I turn just in time seeing becky bolt out the door and scroll up to the strip)
        M: BECKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    2. Leorale

      I relate to Dina and her smile so much!

    3. JustCheetoDust

      Maybe we’ll be treated to another attempt at the triangle smile.

  6. Derek

    How DARE you make me express feelings!

    1. Needfuldoer

      Emotions! My one weakness!

  7. butts

    Sarah just has to find someone to blame for this beautiful moment.

    1. Idontcarenomore

      Think you miss the point. Sarah is just learning to reach out again.
      All these feels are gonna kill her :).
      I’m so happy she is in the midst of this, but she wouldn’t admit she is too anyone (yet).

    2. Cerberus

      I think masks might be one of the big subthemes of this series. We have so many characters who use a mask of one form or another to try and protect their core self. Whether it be Becky’s wacky Becky mask, Carla’s “I swear I’m an asshole and you should be scared of me” mask, Joyce’s mask of happy go-lucky christian girl, Walky’s mask of goofball dudebro, or Amazi-girl’s literal mask marking the split between her alters.

      All doing it for essentially the same reason. To try and protect themselves against the blows they suffered in the past.

      And Sarah is no exception. She’s been burned before trying to help the white girl roommate and she got a year of abuse and nearly lost her one shot at her dream. So she needs her mask of studied apathy and grumpiness to try and protect her from getting emotionally entangled again. But that mask wasn’t wholly healthy and she was lashing out at happy people around her because she couldn’t quite keep that intentional emotional difference.

      And so now, she’s letting slip the mask. But that’s still a negative thing for her, it’s a sacrificing of a protection and revealing a vulnerability.

      So damn skippy she blames Dina for that because it was partially Dina calling her out on her shit that really allowed her to be self-aware of what she was doing when she accidentally lashed out at Joyce. And her friendship with Dina that has allowed her to start making human connections that aren’t just about saving the roommate to save the world.

      It’s a beautiful moment and she 100% blames Dina for it, even if she knows that she’s in a better place at the end of the day.

      1. zoelogical

        so many feelings. why so many feelings. ANGRY ABOUT ALL THE FEELINGS. WHO NEEDS ALL THESE FEELINGS

    3. Lailah

      Um.

      Not everyone wants a group hug? It’s super cute to look at sure, but this is a level of intimacy she barely can express with joyce. Having Dina and Becky come in is probably legitimately stressing her out a bit.

      1. Kamino Neko

        Indeed…personal space, people, personal space.

        1. Deanatay

          Her personal space is definitely being infringed upon, but I think it’s a gentle infringement, benevolent, and not going too far. I’d call it a growth experience.

        2. N0083rP00F

          She was on the verge of tears herself before the dino-duo added themselves to the mix.

      2. Willoughby Chase

        As an Englishman, shaking hands is as far as it goes. If you’re lucky.

    4. Spencer

      What Lailah said.

      Like, yes, this moment is cute and funny, but it was a private moment and an incredibly difficult expression of love from Sarah, and now she’s having it rubbed in her face by Dina.

      1. Greenygal

        Yeah. I mean, Becky and Joyce really needed this, and Dina is happy to be there for her friends, but I don’t know that the group hug is really making this moment better for Sarah.

        (I don’t know that it’s not, either; give it a week and see how she reacts. But I do hope that nobody takes this as reason to start hugging her in general. Sympathy via physical contact only works if the recipient wants it.)

      2. trlkly

        Dina did not rub anyone’s face in anything. Sarah was hugging Joyce. Becky saw Joyce crying and joined in, finally feeling like she could let her feelings go, too. Dina came along for support.

        This made Sarah uncomfortable, and she made a snarky remark to Dina to deal with it. Dina understood this and gave a mischievous smile back.

        This is Dina we’re talking about. You really think she’s that big an asshole?

  8. Dalrint

    Oh my god that grin. That fantastic grin.

  9. darkoneko

    What the…

  10. Moblin Umbrella

    Sarah i will murder you if you look at Dina the wrong way you heathen

  11. PughPughPugh

    DAMMIT WILLIS SARAH WAS ABOUT TO CRY

    …is Sarah actually capable of tears?

    1. Bagge

      we were about one panel from finding out.

      1. WhoWasI

        And now we’ll NEVER know!

      2. Fart Captor

        We might still be. Becky and Joyce crying at the same time?

        She’s safe for the moment, only because the hugging means she can’t see either of their faces, but they’ll have to stop hugging eventually…

        1. WhoWasI

          I doubt it. I think Sarah is too embarrassed at being caught caring to let out the good cry she really needs. But with Willis, anything is possible.

    2. miados

      no. she welded her tear ducts to ensure she didnt’ lose study time with that nonsense.

      1. JustCheetoDust

        Or completely removed them, like David Cross’ character did in that Amadeus parody in season 3 of Mr. Show With Bob and David.

  12. chris73

    Of course all this cuteness and hugging and stuff has to be balanced out…

  13. Pigeon Pollux

    were they just in the room this whole time

    1. WhoWasI

      Yes, but no one could see them until Dina let go of Becky’s hand.

      1. Emperor Norton II

        So Dina has spent the evening refining her invisibility field, then. Good for her!

    2. darkoneko

      They entered in panel 3, I’d guess. (also wow, 3 distinct people in a row with the same avatar ?)

      1. Orion Fury

        Now I’m just waiting for the racist comment that it’s four. Or would that comment get dumped?

        1. darkoneko

          I… don’t undertand ?

        2. Orion Fury

          You commented on that three people in a row had Raidah for their avatar. The next one in line is Sarah. “They all look alike” is a cliche racist line in reference to those of african decent with dark skin.

          Or am I explaining the joke when it’s not needed?

        3. darkoneko

          Oh.

  14. nobodybasically

    Wow. I was very wrong about yesterday’s comic being the best one ever.

    I am also sad that stretching the last two panels to wallpaper size doesn’t look as good as I had hoped.

  15. Some1

    Questing of age

    They stand at the top of the Eiffel Tower, With Faz in front of them.

    Joyce: Faz! Faz is the guy with the cards!

    Faz: I’ve been watching your movements for a while now. My base of operations isn’t far from here.

    Mary: This is certainly unexpected.

    Joyce turns to Mary

    Joyce: Did you know it was Faz?

    Mary: No idea.

    Faz: Can we get going yet?

    Joyce: I guess.

    They walk down the Eiffel Tower and reach the street.

    They walk a bit until they reach a small house. Faz pulls out a key and unlocks the door.

    They follow Faz down to his basement. Where a hot stone vat filled with a mysterious red soupy liquid sits in the middle of the stone floor. Charts liter the walls and several issues of Playboy are casually scattered around the floor.

    Becky: Yep. This is pretty much what I would expect Faz’s base of operations to look like.

    Joyce: So, you know the secret to resurrection?

    Faz: Yes, but I wouldn’t advise it.

    Joyce: So can you bring Danny back?

    Faz: Do you have a sacrifice?

    Mary: A what?

    Faz: You see, the problem with trying to bring someone back from the dead is that in order to be allowed to bring a soul back, you must be willing to give a replacement. Know, if you were able to find something that was worth the price of a human soul…

    Joyce: Otherwise you need a sacrifice.

    Faz: Yep.

    Dorothy: But, Carol is trying to bring back Blaine.

    Faz: She’ll need a sacrifice.

    Joyce: She’ll probably just use one of her followers.

    Faz: It’s worth noting that the purer the soul. The more effective the resurrection will be.

    Mary: That explains why she kidnapped you.

    Joyce: So, she’d need to find someone else innocent.

    Becky: She could find someone ever purer than you.

    Walky: But who would that be…

    Meanwhile…

    Riley sits on the couch at home, watching cartoons. Suddenly a dark figure appears before her.

    Riley tries to scream, but is silenced by a large hand. Her remote clattering to the floor.

    1. Moblin Umbrella

      how in the fuck did you make Carol worse than she is in canon

      1. miados

        imagination.

        1. Some1

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaSd2d5rwPE

    2. TheGrammarLegionary

      No, you put Riley the FUCK BACK ON THAT COUCH!

      Seriously, though, I’m almost as invested in this as in the comic itself. Keep up the good work!

      1. Disloyal Subject

        I haven’t been following it much at all, but the words “Faz” and “sacrifice” in conjunction snagged my attention tonight.

  16. JessWitt

    Hug Patrol!

  17. Fart Captor

    d’aaaawww yeah, it’s hug o’clock, baby

    1. miados

      I have my doubts that that is a legitimate time frame.

      1. Orion Fury

        I think someone needs a hug.

  18. Lan

    Dina please… just stop being adorable for a moment and appreciate a hug dangit.

  19. Stephen R. Bierce

    You say ‘Comfort Me!’ to anyone who approaches
    Chalkin’ up the hurt–you live and you learn
    But we both are old enough to know that we’d trade it all right now
    For just one minute of Real Love…

  20. Leorale

    <3

  21. Kris

    Hey! Giving one person a hug is not an open invitation to group hug.

    1. Nono

      Look some people just gotta get their fix when they can.

    2. Fart Captor

      Sarah is clearly displeased that others are barging in on her Joyce-huggin’

      1. Fart Captor

        “Get your own Joyce, you guys! I saw her first!” >:(

        1. miados

          wouldn’t her mom or dad have seen her first? at least out of the people we have met in the comic as of this point.

        2. Orion Fury

          I’d say for the characters in today’s comic, Becky’s got dibs.

        3. miados

          but dina has dibs on becky so would that mean dina has dibs on joyce? or wait does becky have dibs on dina? in which case can you have dibs on two people?

        4. Orion Fury

          I think it’s called polyamorous? Not really an expert on that sort of thing (sexulaity, that it).

        5. miados

          probably closer to one than i am from a sexuality stand point. I have only had intercourse once and honestly if i never do again i dont see me missing it.

        6. Cerberus

          Polyamorous is multiple loves/relationships. Essentially ethical non-monogamy.

          Wouldn’t necessarily be “dibs” on two people, but definitely a situation in which multiple dibs could be made and others could potentially have multiple dibs themselves.

        7. dralou

          @Cerberus: which kinda renders the concept of “dibs” moot. Seeing how calling dibs on people is not a concept I feel particularly comfortable with, I’m totally okay with it becoming useless.

        8. Orion Fury

          ‘Dibs’ in general is a bit childish. Asexuality isn’t, though it is something I just can’t seem to process. 20 years ago me might have been able to. but not now. But obviously, one should not be forced to partake of something they do not want.

        9. miados

          I am not opposed to sex, especially if it made someone i cared about happy, but at the same time i don’t care enough to try to find it. I lost track of how many years it has been. somewhere between five and ten i think.

          I mean sex isn’t painful or anything but it isn’t nearly as enjoyable as people said it would be. Although lots of people say i should try it more than once to develop an opinion

        10. Cerberus

          Orion Fury-

          Oh, asexuality? That one’s easy.

          You know how there are people you aren’t sexually attracted to? Like if you’re straight, people of your gender are just whatever or if you’re gay, people of another gender are just whatever, or if you’re some flavor of bi or pan, how there’s a bunch of people that don’t really make you go “oh wow, damn”.

          Imagine that was everyone.

          That is my life experience as an asexual. I don’t find sex gross. I have sex sometimes, but that spark, that chemistry, that sexual attraction, I just don’t experience that.

        11. Orion Fury

          Alright then Cerberus, thank you. Musta been thinking of something else then. So many different things. Though being a cis-straight male that only wants to be with one person may make it hard to fully process somethings.

      2. Idontcarenomore

        Not displeased as much as petrified.
        I love Dina grinning at her as if to say she knew Sarah had it in her all along.

    3. Shade

      Shhh shhshhshh, just let it happen. Learn to enjoy the moment.

      1. Kris

        Look. You have to earn your right to a Sarah hug. You can’t just leverage your emotions and connections into a free one. Becky, Dina, I know you’re hurting and Joyce is your friend…….but you aint at that level yet.

        1. WhoWasI

          Dang hug thieves!

    4. ninja_jesus

      Honestly, I’d be a bit peeved myself, but only if the joined parties were strangers.

  22. butting

    dammit Willis

    Yesterday I was thinking your followup was somehow gonna be the two of them just keeping the hug going

    and now my eyes are leaking

  23. Bagge

    IT’S EXACTLY BECAUSE OF SHIT LIKE THIS WHY SARAH IS NOT THE HUGGING TYPE!!!

    1. wwwhhattt

      EVERY.
      TIME.

    2. miados

      I feel creeped out when i am randomly hugged. I just don’t speak up because I feel like it would be social suicide to be how i am and deny random physical contact. I want to know it is going to happen so i can mentally prepare.

      1. Fart Captor

        You could try just asking for if people could give you some warning first. They’d be a lot less likely to take offense to that.

        I think telling them you’re a little agoraphobic would also avoid any hurt feelings. (Whether or not it’s technically accurate). At least in my experience, phobias seem to be something most people can understand the basics of, and they would probably understand that isn’t not that you would dislike hugging them so much as it would cause your brain to scream “OH GOD THIS IS HORRRIBLE” at you

        1. miados

          but I have said before to most people who i spend any level of time with that the only fears i seem to have are as follows with said conditions (i might have more i haven’t discovered though)

          1: heights but only when i dont feel something secure under me. such as i do bad on tall ladders but planes would be fine

          2: small places but only when i dont feel like i could get away. like i can stay in a small room or be stuck on say a plan but i cant be stuck in a small place.

          wouldn’t saying I have another phobia be contradicting my stated canon?

        2. Fart Captor

          I suppose it would work better with new people in that case. Though I think people who know you well enough to notice the inconsistency would also be able to handle the truth; namely, that you were afraid to bring it up before because you didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

        3. miados

          I am not worried about their feelings per say. I am more worried about the eyes of society gazing upon me in a judging manner pulling at every bit of me until there is not a single part of me that can be seen anymore.

        4. Dana

          I have a friend who explains her reluctance around hugging as simply having a “large personal space bubble”. It seems to work well. I think the trick is that it doesn’t sound like a judgement on the potential hugger.

        5. miados

          with a few exceptions a lot of personal space bubble specifics fluxuate a ton based on my mood even thought the unexpected hugs are never appealing so far.

        6. Torra

          Honestly, I just tell people I’m not much for hugging and that’s fine. In my case no ones ever been really weirded out by it. I don’t mind giving my friends a hug, but when people i dont know very well hug me I can find it uncomfortable aha.

        7. trlkly

          I cannot imagine anyone thinking that way about “canon.” To be honest, you sound like you have some social anxiety, worrying about people judging you.

          So I’ll give a really important thing I learned about. It’s called the “spotlight effect.” People don’t notice you nearly as much as you think they do. The other is that the people who would judge you in this manner generally are not great people to be around. There’s a reason why there’s the term “judgmental asshole.” They are the one committing the faux pas.

          No real friend is gonna have a problem with you having a personal space issue. And, for strangers, they are supposed to respect your personal space.

          I’d suggest letting your most trusted friends know about the hugging thing, and then discuss with them how to handle it. There are even non-verbal cues you can do. And then other actions you can do to make sure it doesn’t come off as you not liking them.

        8. Leorale

          You don’t need to apologize for not hugging, or for wanting a warning first. It’s your body, after all! You get to decide what to do with your body!
          When I’m not in a hugging mod, I offer a high-five instead, with a big smile. Exactly one person was annoying about this (pouted and whined that I wouldn’t give him a hug) which told me that he is a creep, and now he doesn’t get my attention. Every other person in the world has smiled and happily high-fived me. High fives are 100% great.

      2. Orion Fury

        Most family expects me to go along with normal physical interactions, but I do have a Grandmother-in-law who always asks if it’s alright to give me a hug. I always say yes, cause then I’m ready for it.

        If I’m at work and I get bumped into, I’m fine. But if someone touches me to get my attention, I get skeeved out. So you only get a hug if you want it.

  24. darkoneko

    Last panel, I really wish neither Joyce nor Becky took Sarah’s words for themselves ^^;

  25. Mav

    It’s healthy to have a good cry every once in a while. It feels even better to do so in the presence of someone you trust. I know when my depression/anxiety is really bad if I can’t bring myself to feel the emotions enough to cry at all.

    1. Disloyal Subject

      I’ll have to take your word for it.

  26. Bagge

    Why Dina’s smug smile?

    Because she totally called it!!! You go, Dina. You totally nailed this hugging thing.

    http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/03-when-god-closes-the-door/comfort/

    1. DSL

      Smug? I’d say more sheepish, but not quite. “Sorry about this group hug, Sarah, but not really sorry. Now let’s proceed with this sympathy through medium group-style physical contact.”

      1. trlkly

        I’d be okay with describing what you said as “smug.” Though I’d really go more with playful.

        What I’m impressed by is that she read Sarah so well–better than some of the commenters.

    2. Lucretiel

      And she learned to grin!

    3. Cerberus

      Yup, I love this series’s callbacks and setups!

  27. Tenchan

    Who else but Dina? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    1. miados

      becky

  28. Nono

    Sarah almost actually cried, but then Dina trollface.

  29. Tacos

    Daaawww.
    .
    .
    .
    Something horrible is gonna happen next strip to balance this out isn’t it?

    1. darkoneko

      Enough bad stuff happened recently ,didn’t it ?

    2. Fart Captor

      Yes it is.

      They’ll stop hugging

      1. WhoWasI

        Anyone else ever get “hug echoes” a day or maybe even a week later?
        (Probably should be called hug flashbacks, but I call them echoes.)

        1. miados

          only from unwanted/unexpected hugs. they linger.

        2. modulusshift

          they can last a lot longer than a week, if they mean enough. long distance relationship here.

        3. miados

          I will take your word on it since i have yet to be in a relationship. local or long distance.

      2. Needfuldoer

        Not before we see a montage of Sarah brushing her teeth, going to class, and eating lunch while still trapped in the group hug (which grows as they encounter more people).

  30. Kitschensyngk

    Then Billie sees them and joins in. 🙂

    1. WhoWasI

      Then Walky. And Dorothy. And Ethan. …

      1. Silamy

        The whole strip collapses in on itself in an outpouring of empathy and compassion. From the void is formed a new universe: Hugging of Age.

        1. miados

          and yet toe dad will be nowhere to be seen

        2. Orion Fury

          Oddly enough, Mike will be there. But that’s an odd way to hug someone, Mike.

        3. miados

          hands go around the waist not around the throat.

  31. darkoneko

    So, since no one has yet :

    “sympathy via physical contact”

    1. Bagge

      Dina totally nailed it!

      1. miados

        don’t call becky an it! or wait….. did they…

        1. Disloyal Subject

          Not yet.
          There will be much rejoicing.

  32. Bagge

    I love how it takes Becky about three nanoseconds from farting around in her or Dina’s room to show up with support when Joyce starts crying…

    …which come to think of it says something about how tightly Becky is wound up and how stressful this weekend has been for her.

    She has tried SO HARD to support Joyce. She downplayed her own stress, she did what she could to soften Carol’s blows and even back in her home with her mother’s ghost she put on the Wacky Becky mask. But one look at Joyce crying and she is reduced to tears herself.

    AND IT IS WELL OVER DUE that these two wonderful friends can finally cry about all the shit that’s going on. See, Becky. It is OK to drop the mask around Joyce now and then. It is not scary if she cries, it’s healing.

    1. zoelogical

      <3 <3

      TIME FOR ALL THE THEURAPEUTIC CRY HUGGING

    2. Fart Captor

      From the tears already on her face, I think Becky had only just stopped crying as they came to see Joyce. Which would make me really happy because that would mean she must have gone to Dina for support, which means she’s actually learning to rely on the little support networks he’s building. She may try to put off telling Joyce, because she’s probably afraid of adding more to her pile of worries, but opening up to Dina would be huge, too.

      And of course, finding Joyce crying immediately opens the floodgates for Becky. Those two love each other so hard it can probably be detected from space. Like, I’m pretty sure unicorns are real now because of that last panel.

      1. Bagge

        Yup. The love between Becky and Joyce is just so BEAUTIFUL and I’m so happy they finally can let go of some of the stress from the last weeks.

        The ISS astronauts are having a dangerous FEEL overdose and have to jettison the excess into space (which incidentally is a solution fully approved by Sarah). There are some VERY confused zoologists in Copenhagen. The unicorns themselves are pretty chill.

      2. miados

        I could see her telling dina how she wishes joyces dad was her dad or something akin to that. wondering why people who she just met treat her better than her real family and how only now is she making a new sort of family. i mean its mostly sisters and her daddy hank.

      3. Cerberus

        I think it’s both. I think Becky spent time being comforted by Dina after that big moment with Hank considering she was in a pretty raw state.

        And I think seeing Joyce crying after she tried so hard to hold it all in and accept all blows to keep her from breaking, is just too much, especially when she’s got “I’m missing signs” and “suicide” on the brain.

        And I think you’re right. Being able to break down and cry and not be hit for it or scolded or feel like a failure is critical. Becky needs to see that her Debby Downer state isn’t actually going to drive all her friends off and she can let down the mask on occasion.

        And I love that Joyce is here because she was also holding a mask on tight all weekend, trying to martyr for Becky and not show her fear and anger and desire to just fully collapse. And Becky never asked for that. So letting that go and seeing again and again that Becky emotionally supports her because she wants to and wants Joyce to open up to her about things that are hurting her.

        It’s gonna be ugly until the morning, but in the morning, all four of them will likely be in a better place than they were this weekend.

        1. Local Vigiliante

          That third paragraph is beautiful. You were talking about masks, Sarah believes she needs her misanthrope mask. Now hopefully she is in the process of seeing she can drop it a little bit. I want to see more of a Dina Sarah friendship: it could be really good for both of them.

        2. Emperor Norton II

          First of all, I agree with your opinions, Cerberus.

          OK, so here is a thing about language that I just now realised that I think is a bit problematic. Feel free to think I’m full of BS, but here’s my opinion anyway.

          The term “break down and cry.”. Now, in itself, it seems accurate enough. And in a way, it even is. What often breaks down is your mental defenses or masks, leading to a moment of pure you. So yeah, it’s an understandable expression in many ways. Heck, the way you are using it indicates clearly that you are using it exactly this way. So far, so good.

          But the reason I personally find it problematic is because of the trope “Crying means you’re broken”. Which is one of the reasons (if not -the- reason) we are so damn afraid to cry around other people. It makes us being seen as weak. And that is when I think that the “break down” part becomes problematic, because I suspect that the way many people use it, it’s “breaking down” as in “becoming broken”, rather than “breaking down the masks of pretense.”

          I don’t know. Does this even make any sense? And if it does, is it still completely BS? And even if it’s not, are there good alternatives, like “having a good cry”?

        3. Cerberus

          Hmm, I can see that. I might think about alternatives, though currently I use break down a lot for moments of intense emotionality and pain processing because it’s the terms I’ve used for myself during my recovery.

        4. Emperor Norton II

          Well, looking back on it, I think it’s rather enough of a stretch that I probably won’t ask anyone to change it, at least not on my behalf.

          I don’t know. You do you, Cerberus. You’re pretty great at that anyway.

        5. Fart Captor

          I think I might actually use it more frequently to describe someone trying to stifle laughter than tears, as in “I broke down laughing”. I think of it as the mask or wall or pretense that’s breaking, not the person, so it’s never really held any negative connotation for me.

      4. zoelogical

        the unicorns are now lesbians

  33. TrueVCU

    EVERYONE JUMP ON THE EMOTIONAL PAIN TRAIN

    1. miados

      how much are the tickets.

      1. Willoughby Chase

        A broken heart and a lifetime’s betrayal.

    2. Orion Fury

      Choo Choo Motherf*ckers!

  34. lia47

    thenk u dina for my life

  35. Yotomoe

    Looking at that smile, I think Dina was the villain all along. She feeds off of their misery.

    1. Bagge

      *steeples finges* “Just like planned”

      1. WhoWasI

        Don’t forget the evil laugh.

        1. miados

          meh i got a henchman to do my evil laugh. im to busy being evil for that sort of thing.

        2. WhoWasI

          And now I have an image stuck in my head of a “Despicable Me” Minion trying to do the evil laugh. Badly.

          Make it stop. Make it stop.

        3. miados

          number 35. you know what to do

      2. Disloyal Subject

        All according to keikaku.

    2. Spencer

      Turns out Dina was actually the don of Passione this whole time.

      Also, do you take paid commissions by any chance?

    3. trlkly

      Tomato*-guy! Where you been? And why no drawing? You got four girls hugging, and you don’t have anything? :p

      *How I incorrectly misread your name the first time I saw it. A term of affection. If you don’t like it, i won’t use it again.

    4. zoelogical

      this summer in jurassic park: we hunt a thing that feeds on tears

      her name is dina

      no we don’t know how to pronounce it

      well we don’t know how to pronounce anything else in here either

      look we’re not actually going to hunt her we’re just going to stop the tears

      no i’m not crying. you’re crying. stop

      THE DINA COMETH.

  36. David

    Just one hug, you think. What could go wrong? Soon you are buried under a mount of writhing bodies. Wet hanky contest!

  37. Jay Eff

    This Summer:

    Sarah Clinton stars in Too Many Hugs.
    The harrowing tale of a college student who is hugged by far too many people.

    Rated PG-13.

    1. Orion Fury

      For Violence, Language, or Same-Sex Relationships?

      1. Dana

        Same-Sex violent language.

        1. Orion Fury

          So is Ross rated PG-13 then?

        2. Emperor Norton II

          Considering how the American rating system “works”, he’s probably rated E.

        3. Orion Fury

          He waved it around and fired it at least once, right? That’s gotta be at least PG/Teen/Y10V/Probably-More-Ratings-Out-There.

        4. Emperor Norton II

          Yeah, but he’s also representing American Family Values, which kids need to learn more of.

        5. Emperor Norton II

          Oh, and for those reading this without context of me and my attitude towards Ross: My last comment was chock full of sarcasm.

        6. Orion Fury

          Well that’s why I didn’t go with Y10FV.

  38. Jess

    Sometimes you just gotta let it out.

  39. drs

    I’m reminded of a page from another webcomic, especially the bottom row: http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=883

    1. Disloyal Subject

      Yeah, Grace seems to instigate a lot of group hugs.

    2. drs

      True, though I was going more for Diane’s grumpy reaction at the center, a la Sarah’s.

      1. Disloyal Subject

        I gathered, but I’d been expecting a different Grace-instigated group hug when I moused over the URL, and was amused by the realization that there have been many.

  40. Kernanator

    The rest of the week is just the rest of the floor gradually adding themselves to the hug.

    1. inqntrol

      Sarah: “Oh come on, this room ain’t big enough for all of you!”

      1. zoelogical

        Rachel: “No, Mary, you’re not invited!” -glares-

        1. DSL

          No, no — “Sure, Mary, come on in. Come to the center of our group hug.” — and Mary was never seen again.

        2. Disloyal Subject

          Well shit. I’m going to lose sleep wondering what happened.
          I guess if it’s the whole floor they could just eat her, clean the skeleton, and hide it in the supplies for anat/phys or anthropology classes.

        3. zoelogical

          hugs were her one weakness! she melted away like the Wicked Witch of the West. dun dun dunn

        4. WhoWasI

          Until Carla offers Mary a hug! And Mary runs away cursing.

        5. zoelogical

          -cackling-

    2. Willoughby Chase

      And Bloomington drowns in the tears.

  41. Bagge

    Pictured: Sarah avoiding Feels.

    It’s not super effective.

  42. Tommy Blackjack

    Dina’s smile says, “And I’m not sorry!”

  43. Robert

    By the end of the week that group hug is going to stretch around the entire campus.

    Because that’s what hippie college students do best.

  44. Kravis

    “Fuckin’ Dina” is something that Becky is doing.

  45. Foxhack

    DINA NO TROLLFACE.

  46. Some1

    The real reason Dina’s smiling is that She and Becky are currently grabbing each others butts.

    1. WhoWasI

      And Sarah’s scowling because someone is grabbing hers?

      1. Some1

        I don’t see Joyce’s hand!

        1. Orion Fury

          Somebody better get their hand outta my pocket!

    2. Spencer

      It’s pretty funny and altogether pleasant that more people are becoming comfortable with viewing Dina through a sexual lens these days.

      She’s short and she talks differently, but I’m glad that we’re moving away from “kawaii moe Dina-chan must be pure.”

  47. zoelogical

    SO MUCH CRYING

  48. Solenoid

    I wonder if anyone has taken this yet.

    1. Bagge

      I think you was the first – and I think it is a beautiful, beautiful gravatar

    2. Spencer

      I was going to be sorely disappointed if nobody did.

  49. Sporky

    omg I love the last panel.

  50. Black

    What, is it Dina’s fault that Sarah’s not acting like a total bongo? I’d think that’s a good thing…

    1. Fart Captor

      Yes! Now that she’s been caught having feelings and being nice to someone, people are going to expect it all the time now!

      1. miados

        oh geeze if i had to fake emotions all the time I would be exhausted non stop.

        1. Fart Captor

          Next they’ll be expecting her to make small talk!

        2. miados

          only if it is on a topic she has more than zero interest in.

      2. Cerberus

        She’s experiencing feelings. Feelings of an almost… human nature. This will not do. CALL THE SCHOOLMASTER!

    2. Spencer

      Dina called Sarah out on her cynical bullshit, that she didn’t “really” care about Joyce because caring about people is for suckers.

      1. trlkly

        I fear I may have misread your comment earlier. You were talking from Sarah’s POV, weren’t you? That, in her cantankerousness, she took it as Dina rubbing her face in it.

        Sorry about the misunderstanding.

        1. Spencer

          No, I do think Dina’s being a little turd here, especially given Sarah’s extreme difficulty in expressing feelings. I just also think it’s something that makes her a better, more complex character, the way I feel that she’s developed since getting with Becky

  51. BP

    Big. Sister. <3

    (Don't mind me. Just gathering up the feels I spilled everywhere.)

    1. BP

      (Oh my god my gravatar used to be Jocelyne, this is hilarious XD)

      1. Bagge

        Sarah is looking disapprovingly at you calling her Big Sister.

        But this IS such a beautiful Big Sis, Little Sis moment, however much Sarah glares about it.

        1. miados

          wait has sarah ever looked at something approvingly in doa?

        2. Disloyal Subject

          I think so.

        3. Pl0x

          Jacob’s butt.

        4. Emperor Norton II

          And Jacob 2. “You are the only one that understands my needs, Jacob 2!”

        5. Fart Captor

          She approved of Dorothy, because she studies too much to pester her

      2. DonDueed

        Speaking of gravatars, I need to test my permanent one…

        1. DonDueed

          Well, it worked except for transparency… we shall have to try again.

        2. DonDueed

          Did this do the trick?

        3. DonDueed

          Yay! Sorry for the interruption, carry on.

        4. Bagge

          You have the best gravatar

        5. DonDueed

          Thanks! I figure I’m entitled since I’m the person who proposed that topic for the bonus strip.

        6. DonDueed

          And of course I posted this from a different computer, so…

  52. Speedball

    It’s Dina’s fault there are soggies!

  53. Larkle

    She wasn’t ready for a group hug.

  54. A Scientist

    That’s a lot of arms to keep track of. If I were drawing this strip, there’s no way I’d have properly assigned all the arms to the correct bodies.

    I’d probably have an extra one in there, too, you know, in case I forgot one.

    Also, I’m really bad at drawing arms. And hands. And everything else.

    1. Orion Fury

      Just hide them behind shrubs.

      1. Dana

        http://smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=1290#comic

        1. Orion Fury

          I don’t see anything. Am I doing something wrong?

    2. Willoughby Chase

      Fingers are the worse. Then I learned, abstraction.

    3. trlkly

      I assume he draws the characters on different layers.

  55. Mr. Random

    So now we know Dina plays the long game.
    Mike has his competition cut out for him.

  56. Heavensrun

    Sympathy through collaberative physical contact.

  57. ailorn

    hehehe 🙂 I love how Sarah’s expressions change. Also Becky needed this too.

  58. NinjaNick

    Let’s add more to the group hug.

  59. Tenzhi

    Attack of the hug-o-raptor?

  60. Nakams

    Poor Sarah, she’s so uncomfortable.

  61. buddy

    its dina’s fault that THIS WORLD IS SO WONDERFUL AND PERFECT

  62. Dandi_Andi

    Wow…

    What a swift reversal from exactly the wrong thing to say to exactly the right thing.

    Joyce has had to be the strong one for so long. She had to be strong for Becky when she came out. She had to be strong for her when Ross showed up with a gun. She had to be strong for her through the weekend with Carol and the church. She had to let Becky know that she loved her absolutely, completely and unflinchingly and that she would never stop fighting for her.

    She had to be strong in the face of Carol and the church for herself, too. She couldn’t let them see a moment of weakness. She couldn’t let them know how much she was hurting. She couldn’t let them know that they were getting to her. She couldn’t let them know that every barb, every snide comment, every subtle cold shoulder wounded her in 100 ways that they’d never see. Because the moment they sensed any weakness in her, the moment they saw the slightest crack in her armor, they would rip her apart.

    She had to be strong for Hank. Even though he agrees with her, his instinct is to shelter and protect her. Hank knows that Joyce is going to face a lot of terrible things in life and that she’s facing a lot of them right now. I have no doubt that his heart is aching to protect her from everything he can. Joyce had to show him that she was going to be ok, that she was going to come out the other side and be a better, stronger person for it. She had to show him that IU was the best place for her right now.

    Hell, she’s had to put on a brave face in the wake of Ryan attempting to rape her at the party. She had to pretend to be ok so that her well-meaning friends wouldn’t do something to cause her parents to take her out of IU. Hell, she has to be strong just to keep walking around campus in spite of her fear. I suspect she feels she has to be strong just so he doesn’t somehow “win” by making her to afraid to continue life as normal.

    But right now, in Sarah’s arms, she’s allowed to be weak. She doesn’t have to prove anything to Sarah. She doesn’t have to defend herself from Sarah. She doesn’t have to protect Sarah from anything. In that moment that Sarah hugged her, she could finally drop her sword and shield and just be vulnerable. She could cry. She could begin to process all of the anger, sadness and grief from every shitty thing that’s happened to her in the last month; everything from Ryan to Carol. All because Sarah, in spite of herself, let Joyce know that she loves her, absolutely and unflinchingly no matter what.

    1. Cerberus

      Yeah, she’s finally out of the woods. And that’s a moment when a lot of awful is happening at once that is hard to pinpoint and it can be genuinely hard to fully let everything go and collapse and finally process all the awful that’s happened so far.

      1. Dandi_Andi

        I’m not sure I’d say she’s out of the woods. Tomorrow she goes back to putting on her bravest face to take on the world. But tonight she can rest. She can start to recover. She can move from trying to put things behind her and actually start to deal with it. She may not be out of the woods, but she’s definitely through the worst of it. Tomorrow will be easier for her knowing that she has people who love her and will support her through it all.

    2. butting

      Mention of Ryan reminded me of the earlier sisters moment. Inside the mask that Cerberus is talking about, Sarah is damn good people.

    3. Greenygal

      This this this ALL OF THIS.

      Joyce isn’t broken, but she’s hurt, and she’s finally been given a place where it’s safe to just let it out.

  63. miados

    from foot in mouth

    to arms embracing

    to desired fist in face?

  64. Orion Fury

    Making me show feelings and kindness and expressing my innermost fears. I will have my revenge.

    More to the point, *cracks knuckles

    This weekend, hell this last week plus, has really worn down on Joyce and Becky. Joyce breaking down further across every panel, Becky finding her best friend crying after she’s just recovered from a bout of it, sending her into another one. Dina expressing herself in a “more normal” way. Even Sarah letting her facade slips some there, letting Joyce see past the mask, kept hidden so long that Sarah may of been in danger of becoming it.

    Panel five does give us a bit of lightheartedness, a bit of the good ol` Sarah, to give us a small laugh or smile. It feels like the ‘End of Book’ is coming soon, and part of me worries if something bad will come before it. It feels like all the characters have been through enough in this book as it is. Hopefully it’ll just wind down.

    And yes, I do know what comic I’m reading.

    1. zoelogical

      they need to sit down and watch kiki’s delivery service or something and just. chill

  65. Caitlyn

    Awww we almost had it! An elusive Sarah Tear, the rarest, saltiest drop of moisture the comic can produce!

    1. Darkoneko

      That is, until the comic introduce dudebro gamers.

  66. BenRG

    In honesty, Sarah, I think that there is a sliding scale of ‘fault’ here. Additionally, I think that you really need to think of positives and benefits from the current situation rather than its social awkwardness.

    Dina could probably help by looking less smug, I suppose… 😉

  67. miz

    more fanart: what the hell is an anatomy, Feelsâ„¢ edition

    recommended listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqePMiTAoNE

  68. modulusshift

    I’m really happy someone let Becky cry.

    1. Bicycle Bill

      She’s been putting up a brave front for so long now I was hoping that she hadn’t forgotten how to let her emotions out and cry.  It is unbelievable how much relief there can be in breaking down and crying so long as you are among supportive friends.

  69. Pebblerocker

    I love Sarah so much.

  70. Cerberus

    Comic Reactions:

    Dina is the best. (roll credits) Wait, we’ve already done this bit…

    Panels 1-2: I love Sarah here. She’s a good person and is trying to form a genuine apology, some words of full comfort, not realizing that she’s already shown that and so much more.

    Joyce knows how big the barriers Sarah’s put up to protect herself and that this sort of comfort is not something that comes easy to her and she knows the trauma of Dana and how heavy that’s weighed on her.

    So Joyce knows what Sarah means when she talks about making things less suck. When she offers a hug, not just accepts one. When she lets Joyce just cry and cry and collapse without comment. She knows what it means.

    But still Sarah wants to add something. Because much like Carla, no matter how much she wishes she wasn’t, she’s a woman with great empathy and care for others and that’s always going to come out when it’s needed most.

    Panel 3: Oh, Becky that face, seeing Joyce in tears, breaking down. That must be terrifying for her. Cause Joyce was someone she knew was teetering and who she has been trying to support at her own expense in similar martyrdom fashion to Joyce. Maybe even someone she worried was becoming… like her mom, hence the strong need to come with.

    So seeing her broken, not realizing that this is just catharsis. It’s too much for her mask and you see that in Panel 4.

    1. BenRG

      I think that you might have read Becky wrong. Her fear is because she always assumed that Joyce is the strong one; the one with a plan; the courageous one who leads the cavalry charge for good and right. To see her strength run out must be a terrifying thing indeed.

      1. Cerberus

        That makes sense. If Joyce is the strong one and you’re the wacky friend and even she’s broken down…

        1. Emperor Norton II

          Of course, Joyce also thinks Becky is the “strong” one. The one that makes sacrifices for Joyce left and right all the fricking time. The one that keeps her faith just fine even after being kidnapped by Toedad… Yeah, we know the drill, right?

          So you have this weird stand-off where they both see the other as the “strong” one, and then they both think they themselves need to be “stronger” to ease the burden of the other, but whenever they do that, the other will just automatically assume that they are even “weaker”, and double down on trying to grow “stronger”…

          Which leads to so many weird situations between these two people, because as beautiful as they and their friendship are, the one thing they need to realise is that if there is anyone they can absolutely allow themselves to be “weak” with, it’s each other and not try to be the “strong” one all the time!

  71. chris73

    Try to imagine what that last panel would be like as a single panel with no context or speech bubble…evil Dina

  72. Cerberus

    Panels 3-4: And masks.

    I posted a longer comment upthread on the themes of masks that seem to pervade the strip, with many characters having a mask to protect themselves from the past consequences of emotional intimacy. And here we see three masks shatter on the floor. Joyce stated the shattering of her mask yesterday in response to Sarah’s accusation.

    And Becky, well, that Panel 4 is her wacky Becky mask done and gone at least for tonight. She’s letting herself collapse a little bit though she’s trying to hold back the full collapse by biting her own lip.

    But still, this is a collapse she kind of needs to let herself experience. If only to see that those most important to her aren’t going to abandon her or turn on her if she lets the mask slip. That she’s safe from her dad and from the worst of things and can now rebuild her life and let herself be her, fully, including the sadness and pain.

    And Sarah, she picks it back up at Panel 4 when she’s encircled by the group hug, but that Panel 3 is her own mask falling off. She’s letting herself be emotionally vulnerable again. She’s letting herself be a caretaker for a roommate again. And she’s letting herself be fully entangled both literal and metaphorically.

    And the best part is that they all needed this. Cause each of their masks was starting to hurt them, whether it be because Joyce isn’t sure she wants to be the same person she was when she came here and sees the rot that can exist in silence, because Becky has believed that it’s on her to support but never be supported (emotionally speaking that is), and because Sarah was starting to lash out at people with her fears and traumas.

    Panel 5: Of course it is. As Bagge noted above, Dina called this. And Dina called Sarah out on her stewing in her cynicism, leading directly to being more aware of what she was doing and becoming more in a place where she could emotionally reach out.

    And that shit-eating grin. She knows. And she’s proud.

    Cause Dina is the best. (roll credits)

    1. Amake

      I hope Willis is hiring you to write things in the print edition of the comic. These analyses of yours add so much to at least my reading of the strip.

      1. thejeff

        Oooh. The Cerberus annotated edition of Dumbing of Age.

        1. Spencer

          Make it a stretch goal in the next Kickstarter!

        2. David M Willis

          look, i– i– i– i am not printing a 1200-page book

        3. Spencer

          Perhaps a Best-Of section will work.

          The caveat is that you have to include them all anyway.

        4. Bagge

          “Now with 20% longer paragraphs.”

          Fine, just go with the Bagge annotated edition instead and slap the world “Rad” one every single Becky-strip.

  73. foducool

    dina’s like
    I REGRET NOTHING!

    1. Willoughby Chase

      Je ne regrette rien!

  74. Teddae

    ITS YOUR FAULT YOU GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO BE INVOLVED IN FEELS AND EXPRESS THEM

  75. Keulan

    My feels went straight from d’awww to laughing, in only a few panels.

  76. Zaxares

    Damn it, girls, Sarah’s not into group stuff! 😛

  77. motorfirebox

    Sympathy via mass physical contact.

  78. Missymumu

    Not the hugging, I’m against the hugging!

  79. brasca1

    Sorry Sarah, but you are Lou Grant and this is the series finale of the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

    1. Willoughby Chase

      That takes me back …

  80. Joey245

    I rescind yesterday’s comment. THIS is the most adorable thing I have seen this week.

  81. ischemgeek

    On one hand I feel bad for Sarah right now (as a fellow uber-introvert I am barely a hugger – by which I mean I have a certain allotment of hugs in me for a week and once they’re gone, I am running on empty – and not at all a group hugger). She looks so very uncomfortable with the group hug.

    On the other hand, Joyce and Becky both are in desperate need of some decompression. Sarah knows that so she’ll tough out the group hug for now… but I fully expect her to set up a “no more group hugs” boundary after this.

    On the third hand, this is very good for Joyce and Becky both and I really hope this gets them on the path of healing after all they’ve been through.

  82. altalemur

    Group Hug!
    atrociraptors can smell tears from a mile away.

  83. Alaric

    Sarah and Dina are STILL my two favorites.

    1. Spencer

      I’m so glad more people are realizing the grace and glory of Sarah, the actual best character.

      Dina is okay too I guess.

  84. Spencer

    Smug Dina is the best.

  85. Renee J

    I love Sarah.

  86. Deanatay

    Okay I know I was expressing sympathy when you really needed it but can we plz stop nao before it gets
    *!!!Sympathy via hugs!!!*
    OH GOD IT’S GOTTEN WORSE

  87. LordHaw

    Oddly enough, in a strip that is so emotional, Dina’s grin at the end made me smile…which was nice since I’ve been so sad and down lately myself that a good grin made me feel so much better.

  88. Shawn L.

    The point where Sarah discovers she was absolutely right about the world breaking Joyce.

    As is typical for Sarah, she gets little consolation out of being right.

    1. Spencer

      She ain’t.

      Joyce is not broken. Joyce is walking forward and dealing with her bullshit instead of caving and realizing the truth that everything is horrible bullshit.

    2. Emperor Norton II

      No. No no no no. I refuse to let this example of “crying equals broken” trope stand there properly unrefuted.

      Crying is in fact an emotionally healthy mechanism to deal with sadness. In fact, one can go so far as to say that we may very well be literally crying away the sadness! One study show that emotional tears helps getting rid of those particular hormones through the tear canals. Sure, more studies are called for, but I feel confident that the results will be replicated.

      And then, after this good, honest cry, Joyce will feel genuinely better. She can finally have a fully mask-less smile* at the end of it. This moment is pretty much healing therapy for Joyce (and Becky too, of course), just like her talk with Dorothy was.

      If Joyce had -not- cried at this moment, -that- would be a sign of her truly being broken.

      *I refer to Cerberus’ posts up above where she discusses this.

    3. Fart Captor

      She gets no consolation at all from being right, because she isn’t.

      Saying Joyce is broken because she’s crying right now would be like saying your car is broken because it stops running when you run out of gas.

      1. Emperor Norton II

        And right now, she is in fact filling up her gas (i.e. emotional reserves) so she can keep on running.

  89. Willoughby Chase

    The “Reverse Willis” is turning out to be pleasant and a little teary. Manly tears, of course.

    1. Orion Fury

      Mine are 10W-30. Yours?

  90. wakeangel2001

    I have no desire to see a lesbian 4some occur at this point, that means that I must actually love these characters, yay.

  91. hof1991

    Sarah was almost crying, then a frame later she is about to yell at someone. Welcome back Sarah.

  92. Griffin

    Those tears are fantastic.

  93. Tenn

    That last panel should be used to promote DoA forever always.

    “Dumbing of Age? I might’ve heard about it. What’s it about?”
    “Weeeell…” *pulls out print of said panel*

  94. darkoneko

    Ok, it’s late enough now.

    Dina in the last panel : “guess where my other hand is ?”

    1. Bagge

      +1

      It’s actually nowhere naughty. She is testing different bodyparts randomly until she finds something that clicks.

      1. Darkoneko

        There shall be tickling.

  95. Arianod

    Awkward roomate hug!

  96. LWS

    You will be assimilated – resistance is futile!

  97. Oberon

    I, too, blame Dina.

  98. Henry

    …Can we get that Dina smile as a gravatar?

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