278

Four words
Posted on November 21, 2015 by David M Willis

278 thoughts on “Four words”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    gratitude via light contact

    1. Ana Chronistic

      that doesn’t seem heavy to me, alt-text

      1. Schpoonman

        Don’t hate. Dina gives what she can.

        1. Clif

          It just feels like heavy contact after you’ve been banged around.

          Glad Amber gets an emotional reward.

        2. showler

          Can’t tell if crying from the feels or from the pain. She just broke a windshield with that back.

        3. Opus the Poet

          Breaking a windshield with your back is not very painful. Breaking the roof of a pickup truck with the back of your head hurts a bit. Breaking a concrete road with your face really hurts.

      2. Plasma Mongoose

        It’s still way heavier than what I give.

        1. Durandal_1707

          More than what I’d give, too.

          After all, she’s effectively thanking Amber for almost killing her girlfriend.

        2. chris73

          Shes thanking her for doing more than anyone else did in saving in girlfriend

        3. Judas Peckerwood

          Yes

        4. Screwball

          Seconded…

        5. Falling Star

          Your Gravatar makes ToeDad look like he’s doing the Ievan Polkka against the ground.

        6. HeySo

          And now I can’t unsee that. 😛

        7. jeffepp

          No, Toe-Head almost killed her girlfriend.

        8. Smiling Cat

          To borrow a bit from the Order of the Stick, she’s thanking her for doing her best to save Becks, up to her ability to judge what would be best.

          Her intent was good and deserved thanks, her judgment is a separate issue.

      3. John

        Medium, maybe. Somewhere between a shoulder-touch and full-on hug.

      4. John

        Hands head and possible body are pressed against Amber, that’s pretty heavy for a social situation.

        1. neeks

          It’s not really heavy unless you go full “heads, shoulders, knees, and toes.”

          Although contextually, for Dina, that last panel is pretty heavy.

        2. DinaWho

          The main difference between this and what was called ‘heavy physical contact’ (with Becky in Walking with Dina), is that here her arms aren’t looping under the shoulders for a hug. Otherwise it’s pretty much the same.

        3. neeks

          (I was just making a song reference, really.)

        4. izzy

          I appreciated it. Totally going to use this for future reference in hugging etiquette. There are so many different types of hugs.

      5. AgentKeen

        I don’t know, the whole situation seems pretty heavy to me.

        1. Deanatay

          Great Scott?

      6. JustcallmeSoul

        i feel like heavy contact has a different context to it… in most cases anyway.

      7. Ryek Hvek

        in their eyes are tears of heavy water

  2. Inkblot

    If amber saved Dina then feels are stronk

    1. Inkblot

      Although she’s probably talking about Amber saving Becky, which makes sense too

      1. Riku

        Yeah she’s talking about Becky. The gun shot was what alerted her to the whole situation

        1. Screwball

          Dina pounced on Toedad, scratched up his face then got thrown off, Toedad then escaping. Joyce SMSed Dorothy for Amazi-Girl’s help, Dorothy let Amber know who then suited up & found Joyce very soon after Toedad left with Becky. Seems Amazi-Girl MAY have heard a gunshot (we know she did, but it was unconfirmed to her…)

        2. Androiddreams

          how do we know dina didn’t ask her during her disappeared time? it would make sense, dina could put two and two together and ask her to save her girlfriend

        3. Jonathan S.

          Dina’s known who Amazi-Girl was right along – and, in fact, seemed surprised that it was supposed to be a secret.

      2. Mc

        It’s Becky, but more interesting: this is heavy for Amber. Amber is getting the gratitude for something Amazi-Girl did. Remember how she’s trying to compartementalize the angry hero-complex? Those lines are definitely fading – what with Sal questioning her hidden, underlying motives while not being the mortal enemy she’s supposed to be in Amber’s head and now Dina confronting her with the emotional gratitude that she’s pretty likely to feel conflicted about because of the confrontation with Sal, but that’s supposed to stay with her Amazi-Girl persona? I’m betting Amber’s feeling all kinds of confused and vulnerable.

        1. Chrissy

          Also, having a concussion can really mess with a person’s control of their emotions.

        2. Just Me

          I don’t think Amber is nearly as compartmentalized as she tries to be.
          But this a first step for Amber. This is definitely a good sign.

        3. Jacknoir

          Amber’s not nearly as compartmentalized as she tries to be but if she keeps falling off of cars she probably will end up in several different containers.

  3. Eric

    Dawww!

    1. Eric

      Dina has learned ! Clever girl.

      1. Eric

        Goddamned tags.

        1. TheGrammarLegionary

          Odd, he missed Dorothy (as of this writing). He’s usually pretty particular about them.

        2. TheGrammarLegionary

          Never mind, that’s probably Dina’s leg, not Dorothy’s.

        3. Amazi-Stool

          i am under the impression that Eric has put a word in lower-than and bigger-than characters (instead of < and > and the software interpreted it as HTML-tag and ate it.

          There is a LOLCats – pun waiting somewhere but i am unable to tell it.

        4. ə snow ʍouse

          Oh, like “Dina has learned ”!”

        5. ə snow ʍouse

          huh
          Dina has learned &lt HTML TAGS >

        6. ə snow ʍouse

          Dina has learned <HTML TAGS >

        7. ə snow ʍouse

          The &gt tag works with that semicolon after it! Yay!

        8. ə snow ʍouse

          Wait, how did you type “>” and “<“? When I do it with the semicolons afterward, it automatically changes to less than/greater than
          > . <

        9. ə snow ʍouse

          Like that

  4. Doc

    And Carla was never seen again.

    1. tim gueguen

      BLASPHEMY!

      1. Someone

        She morphed into another Dina, soon all will be Dina

        1. Plasma Mongoose

          The beginnings of a Dinasty.

        2. lejwocky

          Or Dinastrumentality

        3. Doom Shepherd

          It’s the Dinangularity!

        4. DarkoNeko

          Hopefully they won’t be late for Dina.

        5. Androiddreams

          dina dina dina dina dina dina dina dina amazigirl!

        6. ə snow ʍouse

          some people say dina
          other people say super

        7. Andrusi

          Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be assimilated into her own. Resistance is futile.

  5. saki

    D’aaaaaaaaawwwwwww.

    I am so glad Dina is there for Amber.

  6. Taigan

    All the feels.

  7. DeloreanGray

    I can’t help but feel bad for Amber. Sal was right that she endangered their lives, but how did she know Ross wasn’t going to straight-up execute Becky anyways?

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      There was a recent CRACKED article talking about so-called honour-killing and you’re right, Toedad might have chosen THAT path in the end.

      1. jeffepp

        He was saying many murder-suicide things.

        1. Rheinman

          Most murder suicides would have a better result if they reversed the order of actions.

      2. Screwball

        His “God’s vision of a perfect family” was being completely destroyed by his wife “being taken by Satan” (Toedad’s words) & daughter not only being attracted to other women, but also defying him then running away before getting an “un-womanly” haircut. He was going to “save her soul”, no matter what it took…

        Yeah, “cleansing” her could have been a very real option…

      3. Thorulf

        Folks, here’s a clue:
        If your religion leads you to hate, oppress, or kill someone… YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG!

        1. Deathstalker

          Unfortunately, history is not on your side with that statement.

        2. Opus the Poet

          No, he’s right about doing it wrong. It’s just that there are so many examples of people doing it wrong because those have measurable consequences, where if you do it right pretty much nobody notices.

          Unless you are a follower of Ares and Eris as your male and female deities. Then spreading destruction and discord are part of the package.

        3. HeySo

          You can do religion right, while still doing morality wrong.
          In fact, that’s a required outcome of any assumption of even remotely equalized value between religions and belief structures.

          The main issue comes when localized/group ideology becomes associated with a religion wherein such an ideology is not core, and colors it in a way that is contrary to its intended belief structure.

    2. de Combys

      True!

    3. Jenny Islander

      This, and was there any way to be sure that he would go to a place where he often went in order to do it, so that the cops could look for them there first? Why not just pull off at a random rest stop and purify her there? /family destroying nutjob

    4. Bunny

      I read awhile ago that a large percentage of these nihilistic guys that murder their wives and children and then slink away(or even suicide afterwards) turned out to be controlling, authoritative and fanatically religious. They tell themselves that they’re protecting their children’s souls, and killing them now before the devil can take them is a mercy. They’re Heros! (In their own mind at least.)

      It’s all about control, and there’s no greater control over someone than ending their life.

      1. Tesla

        Religion ruins everything.

        1. MeyerFTW

          People ruin everything. Religion wasn’t so bad until people happened

        2. neeks

          Um. Religion IS people.*

          That might have been your point, though, in which case never mind.

          *okay I am apparently possibly mistaken.

    5. Commodore Jeep-Eep

      And even if the cops caught up, someone was leaving in a body bag in that situation.

  8. brumagem

    Dina no you are inducing a contagious and mystifying social phenomena called the Together Cry.

  9. Someone

    So Dannys probably gonna find out next, then Billie

    1. Safgaftsa

      Danny’s probably still oblivious to the fact that there was a shooter.

  10. Andr3wtime

    Who knew the feels were contagious by touch?

  11. Lordikaroz91

    Oh darn feels i wasn’t ready for this.

  12. HMRC4EVR

    Warning! Incoming Feels
    Warning! Incoming Feels

    1. Thor

      If she’s going for the feels, she should keep moving her hands toward the front.

    2. Screwball

      WARNING!! AN INCOMING FEELS-WAVE IS APPROACHING! All must brace for impact…

      1. Bicycle Bill

        Who or what is the character in that .gif?

        1. kendermouse

          That’s No-Face, from Miyazaki’s Spirited Away.

        2. Bicycle Bill

          Had to ask … Kadi Fedoruk (creator of “Blindsprings”) uses a similar facial treatment/mask-like effect for the “spirits” in her strip.

  13. Cephalo the Pod

    “For almost getting my girlfriend killed”
    Aahh, I jest.

    1. Rheinman

      I get that a lot.

  14. Dara

    5 points to House Dina.

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      HUggle-Puff?

      1. inqntrol

        Joyce “The girl who punched”

      2. Airyu

        Raven-snug

        1. DSL

          Behindthedor

        2. Silvester Crow

          GrifinDina

        3. kelticat

          Internet to you.

        4. Icalasari

          Slytherin really needs no alterations

          The snake tongue says it all

  15. TheLurkerAbove

    Awwwwwww. That is so touching.

    1. Noclevername

      I see what you did there.

  16. Sarah

    I’d almost forgotten that Dina knew Amber was Amazi-Girl

    1. Jon Rich

      I had forgotten that they were roommates.

      1. John

        Yeah, she’s probably changed into costume a dozen times with Dina watching from behind the door.

        1. Airyu

          Oh my

        2. ə snow ʍouse

          ;3

    2. MeyerFTW

      Your Gravatar is amazing

  17. Cypherfox

    Ohhhhh! Tears. Tears in my eyes. Thank you David Willis.

    1. Screwball

      Hold them back! Be a man & hold them baCK…

      :p

      1. NotPiffany

        But I’m a woman.

        1. Amazi-Stool

          But you are not Piffany!

        2. Jacknoir

          just means you have to try extra hard, did Mulan teach you nothing!?

    2. Bicycle Bill

      Plays Meat Loaf’s “For Crying Out Loud” on the hacked Muzak…..

  18. newllend(Henryvolt)

    I have nothing to say Just enjoying the tender moment.

  19. caesaria82

    OMG this is so cute!

  20. les-be-friends dinosaurs

    You know a little Dina can lighten up anyone’s day, and right now its lightening up Amber’s.

  21. Stephen R. Bierce

    Kind woman I give my~y all~ll/Kind woman…nothing more–Led Zepplin

  22. Wublub

    Oh yeah, I forgot Dina knows about Amber/Amazigirl. And that none of the rest of the group (except Ethan) know about Amber/Amazigirl. And that Amber and Dina are roommates.
    I forgot a lot of things.

    1. brumagem

      Dorothy tho.

    2. Jon Rich

      I did too!

    3. Dana

      Unless Amazi-girl’s role in this has come up with Ethan or Dorothy, Dina is the only one who even knows Amber was involved in the incident.

      1. John

        Walky knows that Amazi-Girl was involved, per his comment yesterday, so presumably everyone else who was in the elevator knows or can figure it out.

        1. xKiv

          They don’t know (and can’t figure out that) *Amber* was involved, though.

        2. John

          Dorothy and Ethan both know Amazi-Girl’s identity, and if they didn’t know she was involved before (Ethan might not have), they do now.

          It’s just occurred to me that Walky may not even know who Amber even is – not that she’s Amazi-Girl, but that she’s Amber. Walky’s had a couple of chats with Amazi-Girl, but I don’t think they’ve ever even spoken to each other when Amber was out of costume, though there might have been some off-screen interaction at Joyce’s party.

      2. dailybrad

        Dorothy knows, since she called her.

        1. NotPiffany

          And Joyce, since she was the counterbalance when Sal caught her.

        2. NotPiffany

          And also sent Amazi-Girl after the car in the first place.

        3. DinaWho

          Joyce knows Amazigirl was involved.

          However, Joyce does not know Amazigirl is Amber. Dorothy and Ethan both do.
          Ethan may not have known she was involved until he met up with the crew at the elevator though.

      3. Bad Monkey

        Becky knows.

        1. Bad Monkey

          And she’s not known for keeping fun/exciting details to herself.

        2. Opus the Poet

          OK which QC comic is your avatar from? Hannalore is such a cutie.

  23. AnvilPro

    And all was well in the world. For a few hours.

    1. gehrehmee

      But doesn’t that give us like 6 months of comics?

      1. HeySo

        Following your statement, Willis cues immediately to sleep, and starts us off for a fresh day of pain.

        *Thanks gehrehmee* 😛

      2. Opus the Poet

        Seems that way.

  24. 1234

    OI almost forgot that they were roommates and that Dina knows about Amber being Amazi-Girl. I guess that whole ordeal makes them a lot closer now. Nearly dying to help out your roommate’s girlfriend is a pretty big deal.

  25. M-M

    Oh man, Joyce’s face. I’m not her biggest fan, but there’s some raging pain there and i feel for her.

    1. Nono

      Yeah, the problem is that she has to largely work through this on her own – Dorothy and Becky and Sarah can be there for her, but she needs to come to terms with everything that’s happened since term started, and going home and getting everything finally out in the open can be a cathartic start to healing.

    2. saltchocolate

      Joyce is definitely not good. She’s not even okay.

      When you think about it, how ironic is it that it’s not her heathen atheist bestie who leads her astray. It takes Joyce’s fundie BFF and her even fundier father to push Joyce into cursing, defying parental authority, and physical violence. Poor girl.

      Meanwhile, Dina gets a million loves from me for that almost-hug. Amber could sure use it.

      1. neeks

        Not that ironic, I mean the heathen atheist bestie allows her the emotional space to either find her own way or decide the path she had been on prior to exposure to the secular world is how she wants her life to go, whereas the (adult) fundie crowd is very “my way or you’re literally going to hell.” Plus Ross expressed a willingness/LIKELINESS to the speed her on her way Downstairs for daring to continue to love and accept and protect Becky despite the whole lesbian thing. Daresay a lot of people would find Ross’s attitude at the very least offputting.

        1. neeks

          To speed her on her way*

          Not sure where that extra “the” came from.

        2. Opus the Poet

          And just FYI Heathens don’t like to be called “atheist”. They have an entire pantheon of their own.

      2. Amazi-Stool

        It takes Joyce’s fundie BFF and her even fundier father to push Joyce into cursing, defying parental authority, and physical violence.

        Even worse: It’s actually Joyce herself who leads her fundie BFF astray!

        1. ə snow ʍouse

          Plus, isn’t Ethan Jewish?

    3. Amazi-Stool

      She still hasn’t found an opportunity to talk with Dorothy about her “gay-curing relationship” with Ethan.

      She wants to apologize, but the last time she tried she was cut short.

      And that means she still fears Dorothy will end the friendship when she hears about this.

  26. JessWitt

    Good on you, Dina. Amber needs the support. <3

  27. Gob Hobblin

    Man, it was about time someone thanked her. Good job, Dina.

    1. gkheyf

      Yeah, she’s like the doctor in that one doctor who Christmas special. Pretty much anyway

  28. Idon'tcarenomore

    Oh shit. That last panel made me cry.
    You have achieved a first David Willis.

  29. Sam

    My…. FEEEEEEELZ.
    That’s it imma go play some third person shoter and grab a beer. :”’D

  30. gkheyf

    …aaaaaaaand Joyce is still serious. Is this worrisome? Hope it’s not a behavioral shift. I sorta liked her as she was

    1. Ben

      Probably not. She’s a typically Jovial person, and those types tend to bounce back to that after they sort through whatever they’ve gotta deal with. Of course, in the time scale that this comic runs on, who knows how long she’ll be dealing.

      1. newllend(Henryvolt)

        so who’s ready for a year and a half of Joyce being in even mental depression and fear because I’m not. to serous though this would be the perfect time and excuse to seek therapy or at least reach and talk to someone.

      2. Gamaran Sepudomyn

        Ahem. “Joycial” person.

    2. inqntrol

      After the incident with Ross I think she’s going to change a bit.

    3. taekwondogirl

      It’s still the same day that all of this went down… I think it’s more normal to still be upset from it than bouncy and excited like Becky.

    4. Lia47

      Have you seen the newest drawing of her Willis put up on tumblr?

      1. TheGrammarLegionary

        It’s worth noting, I think, that the preview in question is from the FIRST STRIP of “When God Closes The Door”.

  31. Ben

    I was not prepared for that level of feels when I came here.

  32. Cerberus

    Wow, Becky and Dina’s words hit like a hammer.

    Becky because of course those words feel like the best. She genuinely thought she was never going to see her friends again, either because she would be going permanently be going to be abused or because she would escape but never return in order to “protect them” from her father’s wrath and hunting.

    And Dina because she knows full well Amber did what she feels she didn’t have the strength to do. Save her girlfriend. And that means everything to her and she shows it using the sympathy move Amber taught her.

  33. horrorshow88

    Just made unintelligible noise at the aww in the last panels.

  34. Idon'tcarenomore

    Joyce needs to crawl outside her own pity sphere and rejoice that her best friend is alive. Dina is okay. That Sal was there to help. That Amber/AG was there to help. That Ethan and Sarah and Walky were waiting to see all was well.

    Joyce seems to have overcome her timidity with the ride with Sal. And that’s good.
    She now needs to come to terms with her world view crashing down around her. And suck it up. Get help, talk to her friends. At least she is not alone.
    Harsh yes, but damn, I do get tired of her forever being the ‘hurt one’ when others around her, like Becky, really are ‘hurt ones’.

    1. Airyu

      I don’t see a self-pitying kind of hurt when I look at Joyce’s face. I see thinking, sorting, planning, seriousness. And some residual anger.
      And she is a “hurt one” too. It’s not fair to expect her to suck it up, given her experiences include getting harrassed and roofied and having a gun scare within 2 months after leaving an incredibly sheltered environment. Just because other characters had other bad experiances that they deal with in a different way does not mean Joyce isn’t hurt.

      1. GenericScreenName101

        I see this whole incident making the news tomorrow and perhaps Joyce is trying to think on her response to her parents. Due to the fact that no one is a minor their names will be made public or at least Joyce & Ross’s. Thus she is probably going to have to answer some extremely pressing questions by her parents. Which Becky has stated that she has issues with lying to authority figures.

        1. Screwball

          Joyce’s parents did try ringing her before, & others have mentioned they could have been trying to WARN Joyce about Toedad’s immanent arrival. They never did end up getting through to her, so we may not know for a while, or even ever if it doesn’t come up again…

        2. timemonkey

          They did get through, she lied and said she hadn’t seen Becky.

        3. Screwball

          My bad, they did get through. Maybe if she’d said she HAD seen Becky, they would have warned her? I guess Mr Willis is the only one who knows for sure…

    2. Rebachu

      Dude seriously? Someone who she trusted and respected just pointed a gun at her and she is holding it together long enough to not bring Becky down. Cut her some slack.

    3. taekwondogirl

      Yeah, personally I think I’d be having problems being chipper on the same day this all went down. Which it is. Still the same day, that is.

    4. timemonkey

      It’s almost as if people can be different levels of hurt at the same time.

    5. Siyajkak

      This is kind of the exact thing you DON’T tell someone dealing with a recent trauma/depression. You can’t just flip a switch in your head and it’s dealt with. Given all that’s happened in the last few hours, I’m surprised she’s as held together as she is.

    6. Amazi-Stool

      I may be wrong about this, but my impression still is that she fears the outcome of the talk with Dorothy about her ex-relationship with Ethan (which, according to Sarah, will lead to the end of their friendship).

  35. dailybrad

    Dina and Amber have come a long way. I am glad they’re roommates, they’re fun.

  36. Dana

    So Amber’s social support structure consists of Ethan, Danny, Dina, Carla, and Mike?

    1. Just Me

      Right now it’s mostly just Dina with an assist from Carla.

      Danny and Ethan, well, Ethan didn’t seem too concerned, so we’ll see. Mike? Who knows? He might surprise everyone. Though I don’t know if Mike even knows about Amazi-Girl the way Ethan and Danny do.

      1. Lord Stoneheart

        Ethan doesn’t seem to know Amazi Girl was involved. (And he didn’t see Amber in this strip. That would probably lead to questions like what happened to her glasses)

        Danny might know there was a shooter on campus, but he would have no idea about Amazi Girl’s involvement. I’m wondering if Amber is going to talk about what actually happened with anyone. She’s pretty good at burying stuff and avoiding talking about it. Maybe Dina, since she already knows about her involvement?

        1. Dana

          I was very careful in saying “Amber’s” support system rather than “Amazi-girl’s”. Mike is her friend for some tepid value of friend, or to paraphrase Ethan a person willing to stand next to her. Including him was intended to point out just how few people she has.

    2. neeks

      Well, we could arguably add Dorothy to the list, although she did sort of reboot figuring out the amazi-girl thing to the point that she “reintroduced herself to her neighbor” so she might be limiting her interactions with Amber so as not to inadvertently out her by fangirling in public. So that’s up in the air.

  37. Mandy

    I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING

    1. Dana

      I have allergies, that’s all!

      1. Screwball

        BEGONE, foul feels…

  38. Tacos

    D’aaaww. I’m not crying. You’re crying.

    Also I totally forgot that Dina and Amber were roomies.

  39. rachel

    *dies*

  40. chromacandi

    great. now I’m trapped at work with all these feels..

  41. Victor Riley

    Joyce has been frowning for awhile… but everyone else is smiling. She appears to have more emotional business here to take care of in this situation.

    1. newllend(Henryvolt)

      let’s face it Joyce has seen some shit man and I don’t think she can go through another encounter like this without working some stuff out.

      1. merbrat

        Sarah was watching Joyce (in the elevator) so I think Big Sis might be available, once they get in their room. Joyce *will* need more, but Sarah will watch over her, tonight.

        1. merbrat

          *gasp* I just flashed-back to Sarah lamenting “when the world breaks you”…

        2. merbrat

          http://www.dumbingofage.com/2011/comic/book-1/05-media-rumble/break/

        3. Amazi-Stool

          Sarah is a goddamned Oracle! Her prophecies have been fulfilled now!

          (Why is the linked strip neither tagged with Sarah nor with Joyce?!?)

        4. merbrat

          The tags are there. …?

        5. xKiv

          Are you looking at “relentless”? I see no tags on “relentless” right now …

        6. merbrat

          xKiv (you have no “reply” button)
          “Relentless” has its tags… I just looked!

        7. Amazi-Stool

          Yesterday they weren’t.

  42. Just Me

    It was all worth it just for those last two panels. Dina, Thank you.

    1. Riku

      Best character

  43. Edupoet81

    Awww, that was a nice moment between Amber and Dina.

    Joyce still seems very subdued. As others here have pointed out, she’s not herself. The events of this day seem to have shaken her to her core. This is likely to have a profound effect on the way she views the world in which she was raised.

    Okay, I don’t think I articulated that very well. I’m very tired, and can’t really properly sort out my thoughts on any of this. I am interested to see the impact all of this has on Joyce’s character development.

    1. SDGlyph

      Given that Joyce is mirroring Willis’ own process of disenchantment with his upbringing – only, you know, really compressed – I figure it’s all part of breaking the cutie…

      (Wish I could link more than one page at a time to add nuance, but most of them are offshoots from that page!)

      1. Bicycle Bill

        You can, but any post — even from an already-approved regular poster — with more than one link in it is held until Willis OK’s it.  Generally, though, he’s pretty quick about doing it.

  44. Bicycle Bill

    “Thank you.”

    The two best words in the English language, and I dare anyone to prove me wrong.

    1. Noclevername

      “More pie?”

    2. timemonkey

      “Paid Vacation”

    3. Tacos

      “Free food?”

    4. inqntrol

      “World Peace”?

    5. Someone

      “My name?”

      By which I mean my first and last name specificly, I just don’t feel comfortable posting it here, but because I don’t want people to think that I am completely paranoid I will now make references to plays from the 1950’s

      “I HAVE GIVEN YOU MY SOUL WILLIS, LET ME KEEP MY NAME!”

      1. inqntrol

        The quote reminded me of “The Crucible”. Didn’t John Practor say something similar?

        1. TheGrammarLegionary

          I do believe that was the intended reference.

        2. Someone

          Yep

    6. Volkai

      “I am.”

    7. jefffwinger

      “Butt stuff.”

      1. Amazi-Stool

        Butt Taco!

    8. neeks

      “Firefly reboot”

      (Just kidding)

    9. Willinwoods

      “Kickstarter”

    10. TamiDOA

      Need hug?

    11. Falling Star

      bacon wrapped
      more money
      len kagamine
      no homework
      it’s friday
      good sex

    12. xKiv

      “Best words”?

  45. John

    “Your twin sister, Sal”?

  46. SDGlyph

    D’awwww.

    Also: damn, Dina, you ninja – somehow slipping into the bathroom past Amber, who was standing in the doorway, while she was watching the group you were part of.

  47. Mr. Mendo

    My emotions! Dina has given me them!

  48. fogel

    Nice Feels!

  49. aiimy

    bursts into tears oh god (damn you willis u made my ship canon and my fav character important and my heart explode omg)

  50. Rocketboy1313

    “Wanna be my side kick?”
    “Can I have a dinosaur theme?”
    “I wouldn’t have expected anything else.”

    1. Just Me

      Amazi-Girl and Dino-Roar

  51. Carms

    I think Joyce may be taking Becky’s demeanour much the same as the comment thread is

  52. Someone

    Up until tomorrow when it will be quickly disproven, I chose to believe that the next strip will involve a magical horse man showing up and saying “Dina, we need you, you are the only one who can stop King Radical!, You are a true ninja!”

  53. zmm

    Dina even ninjas supers

    1. TlalocW

      I was just thinking that maybe Amber needs to be taking lessons from Dina on her Batman-like ability to sneak up on people… even Superman and even when he’s old. https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/53/139485131_d7dced4d11_b.jpg

  54. gc

    “Finally, a little APPRECIATION!”

  55. NinjaNick

    That last panel is full of cuteness.

  56. BenRG

    “Thank you”, otherwise known as the best two words in the English language. Two words and a warmth of approval and acceptance that Amber hasn’t received anywhere near enough in her life. You have to wonder just how much healing that one hug can do. 🙂

    1. egwenna

      Hopefully, Lots! Go Dina! 🙂

  57. Sunny

    Whoo! Hugs!

  58. Lia47

    :,0

  59. Bagge

    Amber needed a hug. DINA GAVE HER A HUG. This is cute beyond words.

  60. Arianod

    It’s hard, being a superhero and having a secret identity. It’s hard and nobody understands.

  61. Ashley

    THIS IS THE SWEETEST STRIP SO FAR!
    And that’s saying something.
    Just seeing Amber, who was involved but can’t admit it, wanting to share in all the myriad of feelings but also keeping her distance. And then Dina coming and thanking her like only she can because only she knows. OMG. Has this sort of thing ever happened with other superheroes? I don’t read that many comics so I wouldn’t know.

  62. Mona

    Aaawwwwwwwwwww.

    Dina, you’re great. I didn’t even realise how necessary that was.

  63. Noclevername

    The Dina Scale Of Physical Contact:

    LIGHT = one hand touching appropriate areas of another’s body

    HEAVY= touching appropriate areas of another’s body

    HOME RUN = Full body contact

    PENETRATION = Just to make Joyce’s eyes bug out again

    1. Noclevername

      Dang, still no edits! “Heavy” is two-handed contact.

      1. Ana Chronistic

        I am tempted to make jokes about “Support”, “Assault”, and “Sniper” as well but I can’t think of any =p

        1. Ana Chronistic

          (not even for “Demo” and “Pyro” if we go that route instead)

  64. DarkoNeko

    Awwwwwwwww

  65. modulusshift

    I spent so long hearing about the Walkyverse and DoA from other comics and I just spent the last week reading through most of it and oh my gosh this last storyline was perfect. Especially Dina wearing the Dinosaur Comics shirt this whole arc.

  66. Paul1963

    I’ve been having some sleep issues lately, which makes me a tad more emotional than normal, but I think that last panel would have made me tear up anyway.

  67. erejnion

    D’awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

    <3

  68. David

    Oh no. Amber is still on the deputized skateboard and Dina is going to send her hurtling through the hallway.

  69. Darwin

    Behold all the adorbs. You cannot handle the adorbs.

  70. 1958Fury

    Dusty in here.

  71. Transsexual Viking

    “Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww” – more like the best makeshift word in any kind of language. ^ ω ^

  72. Fighting Machine

    Oh god the tears ;-;

  73. Deanatay

    Have YOU hugged your superhero lately? (DOOO EEEET)

    Did AG do the right thing? Would everyone have been better off if she hadn’t gotten involved? There are lots of ways to answer that. None of them matter right now. Now, it is enough to know that a friend risked life and limb to help in a moment of need. This knowledge, alone, is reason enough for unstinting gratitude.

    1. Deanatay

      Also, Dina wins all of the awards for cutest ninja ever.

  74. Toes14

    This made me go “Dawww” and tear up.

  75. Sigurther

    Aww, right in the feels.

  76. PlainMarie

    This actually made me tear up.
    Amber is not likely to get the direct acknowledgement/appreciation of what she did, even from the people most directly impacted. For Dina to recognize her and actually thank and hug her is huge, not just for Dina but for Amber.

  77. rougey

    You can’t see what is said in the first panel because Amber lost her glasses

    1. Sam

      LOL

      1. Agemegos

        No, really! Everyone mumbles when I’m not wearing my glasses.

  78. Falling Star

    OKAY THAT’S ENOUGH OF THE FEELS

  79. Griffin

    Not another feels attack JESUS, WILLIS.

    Just spare me.

  80. Willoughby Chase

    “She ain’t heavy, she’s my sister!”

  81. Charles Phipps

    What we need now is a training montage of Amber until she can take on Sal!

    1. Spencer

      Is there really any point to Amber confronting Sal, now that we’re at a point where Amber can’t feasibly have any kind of justification for her blind, violent hatred for Sal anymore?

      She straight up Batman’d her. It feels like Amber’s kind of obligated to get over it now.

    2. That guy

      Why do we want her to take on Sat? I think a therapist montage would be a lot better for her.

  82. Jordan

    Mr. Willis, this may be the most touching (pun not intended) strip thus far in Dumbing of Age. Looking forward to many more!!!

  83. Spencer

    Amber’s hair is spiking up in the last panel.

    This is not good.

    1. David M Willis

      Honestly, it’s deforming because Dina’s face is mushed into it.

      1. Spencer

        Yeah, now I see it. Her hair looked a bit more frazzled and Amazi-Girlish in the previous panels so I just kind of assumed.

  84. Chris

    D’awww… Dina Saurus Wrecks.

  85. Aislashu

    I LOVE that last panel so much!

  86. Guairdean Beatha

    Dina’s not as clueless as the people in the strip seems to believe. She’s viewed as a little “strange”, but she’s observed enough to understand Amber’s motivation, the risks involved, and what Amazi-Girl actually did for Becky. To me, it seems that the “Thank You” was for Becky, and the hug was to say it’ll all be OK.

  87. Noah

    How does she know Ambers secret??? :O

    1. Bicycle Bill

      She’s Amber’s roommate — and on occasion has made good use of Amazi-Girl’s equipment.

      1. Anorak

        I anticipated a much different link but i guess there hasnt been a dina/becky slipshine yet.

    2. Guairdean Beatha

      She’s quite observant. http://www.dumbingofage.com/2014/comic/book-4/02-i-was-a-teenage-churchmouse/trumpet/

      1. merbrat

        And sorting the two… http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/04-walking-with-dina/socialcircumstances/

  88. merbrat

    Heh. I *know* the speech bubbles in the first panel are blurred because they are out of hearing range. But, I just re-read the comic, and imagined Amber can’t *see* what they are saying because -no glasses.
    I’m easily amused.

  89. nothri

    “Now kiss.”

    signed Becky.

  90. Rartorata

    Very different circumstances from the last strip you had with this title, isn’t it? Also, completely different words.

    1. Rartorata

      Err, that referred to the It’s Walky! strip, not the Shortpacked! one. The former is technically the most recent strip by that title, thanks to the reruns.

      You really like this title, don’t you, Willis?

  91. Kaara

    Every few strips I’m chanting the same basic thing. DINA IS LOVE. DINA IS LIFE.

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