359

Press
Posted on November 12, 2015 by David M Willis
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359 thoughts on “Press”

  1. Ana Chronistic


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    1. Doctor_Who

      That is amazing. +12 internets for you.

      1. Ana Chronistic

        This was gonna be a whole banner but I had something else I was trying to finish =p

        [spoiler]JUST WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW, BWA HA HA HA[/spoiler]

        [[actual spoiler]](I’ll be on a trip and likely won’t have connection so somoene else will first, BOO)[[/actual spoiler]]

        1. Justin

          can we put some darn BELLS ON THAT GIRL!?

        2. Saucistophe

          Yes. We need more cowbells!

        3. Tomas

          Don’t fear the raptor.

        4. Deanatay

          Seasons don’t fear the raptor
          Nor the moon, or the sun or the rain
          We can be like they are
          C’mon Becky
          Don’t fear the raptor

        5. WolfLann

          Lol just heard the real song a little while ago on the radio and all I could think of when i heard the cowbell was that sketch
          https://vimeo.com/55624839

        6. TheNinthShader

          +608479239823 internets

      2. Shawn L.

        For ASCII art, the appropriate reward should be in Usenets, not Internets.

        (To those who don’t get that joke: Get off my lawn!)

        1. wotsthisollabout

          +10 Usenets to you, good sir!

    2. Inkblot

      Yay, Dina’s fine

      1. Thor

        Today’s hover-text says it all.

        1. Idon'tcarenomore

          AMEN

        2. izumi ryu

          Reading on mobile and have only gotten hover text to appear on complete fluke.

        3. Tag

          You can make the hovertext appear by clicking right below the last panel. Just FYI.

        4. Chinoy Industries, Ltd.

          OH MY GOD THANK YOU

        5. izumi ryu

          That didn’t work. Tried holding it down, which brings up the save/copy menu. Then tried Samsung ‘s Air View function. Doesn’t work on web pages apparently.

        6. izumi ryu

          Never mind. Zoomed out and worked as directed.

        7. dwbs

          Huzzah, thank you very much for this tip, I read my comics mostly on mobile and was greatly missing out on the hover text.

        8. pixiekhatt

          <3!! I didn't know that! I was using a link I got somewhere that you click like a bookmark, then click the image with hover text and a box pops up with the text, which can be a hassle but this… This! Thank you!

        9. hippo-pot

          SAME

      2. Chaucer59

        That’s a relief.

      3. Morleuca

        Yeah, I was expecting something really bad to have happened in the woods.

      4. Ghola

        Will not understand the worry. No one’s gonna die.

        We’ll have a huge thing with a tag or an alien or Toedad will break out of jail and join up with Amberdad and somehow mister walkerton will be a hitman and they’ll create The Evil Dads and murder puppies and only Sal and Amber can stop them… With makeouts.

        1. Commodore Jeep-Eep

          More seriously, there’s Mary and whatever she’s got plotted. Something tells me she’s next in line for a Joyce Knuckle Sandwich.

        2. tim gueguen

          “Come on, I can help too! In fact my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ makes me the best person to stop those agents of Satan and their ninjitsu!”

        3. tim gueguen

          That’s Mary speaking of course.

      5. Rowen Morland

        She can creep around unnoticed and doesn’t have a scratch on her because she is now A GHOST!

    3. Knifleman

      Truly a terrifying visage

    4. inqntrol

      Wow, nice work!

    5. Just Here

      Epic awesome.

    6. Cody

      It’s over, we have no more need for comments after this.

    7. WikiDreamer

      why is there no LIKE BUTTON FOR THIS!? *gives Internet brownies which everyone knows are 20 times WAY better than plain ole brownie points*

      1. DarkVeghetta

        Made from real Internets and Internet byproducts.

    8. Arianod

      RAWR

    9. Bagge

      Awesome!

    10. fallingwaters2

      This is great! You should do more things like this!

      1. Ana Chronistic

        now that the threat of business trips is over, maybe =3

  2. shadowcell

    and truly it was the best she could do

    1. gkheyf

      …oof! Why do I keep my feels in my guts??

      1. Spencer

        You really need to let them out.

        You know, like Dina did.

  3. Just A. Thinker

    Dina’s not dead!!!!

    1. inqntrol

      She’s alive and without a scratch.

      1. cesium133

        She’s not dead, she’s just pining for the fjords!

        1. Androiddreams

          ahhhh, classic Dina, shagged out after a long squawk. Lovely plumage, though.

        2. TheNinthShader

          As per the subtext ¨what kind of monster would kill off dina in their dumb comic¨

        3. Roborat

          As opposed to being all squawked out after a long shag.

      2. Needfuldoer

        She’s been just out of frame to the right this whole time!

    2. Someone

      What if Dina was never alive in the first place! thats why she can get around undetected.

      1. Reltzik

        Contrary to common* belief, mobile zombies are not less conspicuous than living people in hospitals.

        * Reltzik renders no certification or guarantee that this is actually a common belief.

        1. Yet_One_More_Idiot

          I think that Someone was meaning if Dina was a ghost, rather than a zombie. Zombies = easy to detect, Ghosts = much less easy to detect… xD

        2. Jacknoir

          or a vampire…
          possibly an Aswang which is a Filipino vampire said to take the form of an attractive girl who lives amoung the townspeople being quiet, shy and elusive. At night, they transform into creatures such as cat’s bears boars or perhaps dinasaurs…

        3. NotPiffany

          And once a year, her ghost parents show up for Freshman Family Weekend?

        4. Shawn L.

          But the question was “What if Dina was never alive in the first place!”

          This also excludes the Undead, as they were alive at one point, then dead, then not-dead.

          So if Dina was never alive, then what is she?

          Robot? Mass hallucination?

          Fictional character? (Too meta?)

        5. Yet_One_More_Idiot

          Or perhaps she’s an energy being who chooses to take the corporeal form of a cute young dinosaur-lovin’ freshman? 🙂 But nobody notices her when she’s travelling in her native energy form, until she rematerialises herself right behind them. 😛

        6. Random832

          She’s a Velociraptor. She died millions of years ago.

        7. altalemur

          maybe Dina is like Vaarsuvius’ familiar raven Blackwing: only appearing on screen once people remember she exists and/or she has a purpose for the story. also like Blackwing, Dina likes dinosaurs.

        8. Agemegos

          There is a lot in what you say!

      2. inqntrol

        Damn Voodoo magic!

      3. Dean

        When Dina lent her hat to Ethan, it implanted an egg in his brain. The egg hatched into another hat, which genetically recompiled Ethan into another Dina. Yes, Dinosaur Comics shirt and all.

        Soon, all will be Dina.

        1. Jordan

          There’s certainly worse ways that the world could end.

        2. Reltzik

          I dunno, Matrix Revolutions is kinda awful. Maybe Evangelion’s “Transcendental Tang WTF”?

        3. The Other Mike

          I, for one, welcome our new dino-hatted overlords.

        4. Bibulb

          Hrm. Yeah, I’m cool with that.

      4. caesaria82

        She was dead the entire time, that’s why no one could see Bruce Willis.

    3. Yotomoe

      Naw, The hospital’s just got a problem with Ghosts.

  4. Badluck1313

    It’s a miracle! Dreams really DO come true!!

    1. fallingwaters2

      When you wish upon a STAAAAR…..

      1. Yet_One_More_Idiot

        Dina’s back, safe and sound!

        Everybody, put on a happy faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace 😀

  5. Mr. Mendo

    Dina’s always around, just outside the border. 😉

  6. Stephen R. Bierce

    Clever Grrl.

    1. Stephen R. Bierce

      –The free wind is blowing through your hair/And the days surround your daylight there/Seasons crying no despair/Alligator lizards in the air/In the air…

      1. Stephen R. Bierce

        Right yeah/That’s it!/Yes/When you feel distress/Don’t just stand there/Tell me to Press!–Paul McCartney

    2. shazz_smifff

      you called?

      Maybe Dina’s a ninja, which is why Robert Muldoon never caught her

      As Sydney Scoville, Jr. says “always expect ninja’s”

  7. CaptainBatson

    Ha ha, alt text

    1. Haven

      …I forgot. :c

      1. 3oranges

        But remember, she got better! And then accidentally unleashed an army of fictitious villains by being too Asian?

        1. Shade

          That was hardly her fault, Galasso should’ve had more white people working for him.

        2. gkheyf

          That’s what happens when you keep the white man down

        3. N0083rP00F

          Just a swig of ipecac and you wont keep him down for long.

        4. Void

          1.Thanks for cheering me up. I forgot about that for a minute.
          2.Yea adding an asian is not good when you need LOWER levels of diversity.

        5. Jupiterror

          Pretty sure being aneurotypical was the kicker.

        6. AgentKeen

          Not just for being a PoC. She is also:
          -a woman
          -likely not neurotypical
          -likely not straight (which we now know is with greater certainty because of Becky)

          I mean, you can’t be ALL those things at once. Limit one or less diversity type per person.

  8. Valis_KR3

    Dina and Becky need to “celebrate” Toedad’s incarceration.

    1. I Write Monsters

      Yeah, by making loud smooching sounds outside Toedad’s door.

      1. Mr k

        Why stop at smooching? Continue with motorboating!

        1. Dean

          Cue Dina smuggling a powerboat into the hospital.

          Successfully.

        2. Bicycle Bill

          Congratulations, sir, you win all the internetz today.

        3. fallingwaters2

          +1

        4. Edupoet81

          Following that display, Toedad may be forced to watch hours and hours of gay and lesbian porn. Could *that* be the next Slipshine?

          ….yeah, probably not. It still entertains me to imagine that.

  9. Opus the Poet

    Yay, Dina, without even any bandages.

    1. inqntrol

      It’s the hat, it’s gives her stealth and bonus life regeneration.

      1. evilmidnightlurker

        “Infinite ammo.”

    2. Agemegos

      Not even a gauze pad on her eye.

    3. N0083rP00F

      I for one thought that we would have seen a Dina sore.

      1. TamiDOA

        Groan! Leave a nickle in the pun jar on your way out!

        1. Willinwoods

          And your mom.

  10. Valerie

    What kind of monster indeed.

  11. Mada

    Dina’s not only here, she’s okay, AND she’s become highly aware of her stealth mode!

    1. Doctor_Who

      Now she is unstoppable.

    2. Mollyscribbles

      I think she accidentally entered an employees-only area when looking for them; it’d help her catch on.

  12. lime sheep

    so that counts as a superpower, right

    1. Mr k

      Her grandfather was Big Boss.

    2. Arianod

      Panel five: the face of someone who’s just realized they’ve got themselves a girlfriend with NINJA POWERS.

    3. Void

      Yea.

  13. Snugglebutts

    I love Becky’s face in the last panel

    1. Bagge

      so does Dina

  14. AnvilPro

    Turns out, Sarah was hit by the truck in this comic

  15. Sara Hysaro

    Never doubted for a second that she was okay.

    1. doubleW

      I think the gag is that Sarah wouldn’t visit a hospital unless she was in need of its services.

      1. doubleW

        Or are you talking about Dina? If so, disregard. Early-morning updates give me sleep-boozles

        1. Sara Hysaro

          Dina. I dunno if Sarah is okay. 😛 Apologies for the late reply – I didn’t think to check here until the new comic came up.

  16. JessWitt

    I don’t think Sarah is THAT misanthropic, Joyce.

    1. Reltzik

      I think she’s capable of saying, “The hospital staff’s helping her, I can’t add anything to that, how about I do some homework so that maybe I’ll have time to talk to her as far as my patience allows once she gets back or something like that?”

      1. Ashley

        Sarah went to make sure Joyce was ok at the party she did not want to go and where she ended up saving Joyce from a rapist. Going to a hospital to make sure she’s ok is quite coherent with that.

  17. anna

    Wait, what, what, what about Sarah? *struggles to remember where we left Sarah* GAH THE WHIPLASH IT BURNS

    1. Reltzik

      When last we saw Sarah, she was having wardrobe awkwardness in class with Jacob. Joyce is commenting about how out of character it is for Sarah to show up at the hospital like this, in a call-back to yesterday’s punchline.

      1. Reltzik

        Correction: Punchline from two days ago.

        1. anna

          Ohhhhh right, that thing that happened two days and TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY-NINE YEARS AGO.

          …do I have to re-read the entire comic every time we change plot focus? Sigh. Better get to it.

        2. altalemur

          or, you know, use this HANDY DANDY tag system to look for Sarah’s last appearance: September. http://www.dumbingofage.com/tag/sarah/

  18. Mandy

    Dina is now going to be recruited by the CIA because of her super-stealth.

    1. fallingwaters2

      PLOT TWIST
      she already was

    2. Dana

      If they can find her.

  19. detective boomwolf

    Oh good. Now we just need confirmation on the survival of another certain Asian… not from this series of course. Anyone who watches the show will know who I’m talkin about.

    1. thebatman22

      is it kevin

      1. detective boomwolf

        Umm… no, but now I wanna know which kevin you’re talking about.

        1. Kelly

          Supernatural is my guess

        2. Architex

          I miss prophet Kevin

    2. Reaver

      HE’S KOREAN

      1. Athedia

        Korea is still in Asia…. But no-not Kevin.

        1. RP

          You don’t really think they don’t know Korea is in Asia, do you? That wasn’t a correction, it was a request to be more specific. That’s what’s happening any time people reference an entire continent and some names the specific country.

    3. Jordan

      Poor guy… He was my favorite character.

    4. caesaria82

      I don’t even watch the show and I know who you’re talking about.

      (zombies are like my #1 fear, so this is no knock on the show’s quality lol)

    5. Yotomoe

      Chi-chi is fine. She’s just waiting for Goku to come back from training with Whis.

      1. Kelly

        nice

    6. Dragon_Nataku

      Faz in the lion pit?

  20. Dr. Smart

    DINA!!!

    1. fallingwaters2

      *cue bob marley*

  21. Kepod

    Aw! 😀 I’m glad to see Dina and I think I recognize her shirt.

  22. Palamdrone

    Dina has been in the room the entire time. Damn you Willis for not tagging her yesterday.

    1. inqntrol

      She was behind the door all along.

      1. shadowcell

        she was in Ross’s car the whole time. not in the trunk, in the back seat. nobody noticed. and then jesus took the wheel and everyone survived the rollover and she just got out and got in the ambulance and got a ride to the hospital and nobody noticed.

        dina is actually behind you right now. you just didn’t notice.

        1. Dellaran

          Say, do you smell Cocoa Puffs?

        2. Tomas

          Dina’s grandmother is the faceless old woman who secretly lives in your home.

        3. Cass

          Oh no! Somebody bring a sledgehammer, Dina must be trapped in the wall I’m leaning on!

    2. NotPiffany

      Has Willis ever tagged Dina in a scene before the other characters notice her?

  23. Makkabee

    Ninjasaurus strikes again!

  24. Guairdean Beatha

    Okay, we have an answer about Dina’s well being. Now we can start obsessing about Amber.

    1. Twinkle Toes the Berserker

      Right?? Because I was mildly worried about Dina, what with the lack of comics with news on her for so long, but not enough to post about it incessantly (YOU DAMN WELL KNOW WHO YOU ARE).

      I am, however, very decently worried about Amber with her concussion and probably broken ribs, because SO MANY things can go wrong with those! 😐

    2. Idon'tcarenomore

      ^

      1. LeslieBean4Shizzle

        I cannot help but note the irony of your user name (Idon’tcarenomore) and the juxtaposition with the sentiment you are echoing. No criticism, since I happen to agree, just mild amusement that your name user name conflicts.

    3. caesaria82

      Seriously. I worry about Amber. Like to the point where I sometimes go about my day and then randomly start thinking ‘I wonder how that teenage costumed vigilante is doing, hope she’s ok’. Legit lol.

      1. Dr. T

        I had a thought about that. Surely Ethan or Danny will force Amber to seek medical attention, where she will likely give alame excuse like saying she fell down the stairs. This will set off some alarms at the hospital, making them think she might have seem the victim of domestic abuse. Who would they look to investigate first? Considering that Blaine probably just got released from the hospital, he would likely be the first suspect. The d-bag might get in trouble for nothing. I would not mind.

  25. Doctor_Who

    If Paleontology doesn’t work out, Dina would make an excellent spy.

    “The microfilm is hidden in-”

    “Wait a minute. What’s that?”

    “What’s what?”

    “That lamp over there. Have you always had it? The one that sort of looks like a girl if you squint, and the lampshade resembles a dinosaur hat.”

    “…Had it for years. Yeah, I’m sure of it.”

    “Only it appears to be taking notes.”

    “Huh. Anyway, about that microfilm…”

    1. Reltzik

      “They had their espionage data hidden on WHAT?”

      “Microfilm.”

      “What’s that? Is it like some sort of stone-age version of a thumb drive or SD card?”

      “Not exactly stone age. More like a transitional form.”

      “Wow, you really know EVERYTHING about fossils!”

      1. Kelly

        Honestly I can imagine microfilm being potentially useful in modern spying. Not like it used to be of course, but in some cases… (e.g. can’t exfiltrate the data over a network, and worried about EM erasure)

      2. Bicycle Bill

        As can I.  Everybody is scanning for bugs, looking for malware and spyware on a computer, and triple-encrypting everything.  Who would think anybody would try a physical medium like microfilm?  I mean, that’s the oldest trick in the book!

        Which is how it got to BE the oldest trick in the book …. because, dammit, it worked!!

        1. Eric Hansen

          I still want to make an interface between modern operating systems and the old Microsoft/Timex watches from the 90’s. Super low data capacity compared to basically anything, but who’d thing to look for data on a beat-up old LCD watch?

  26. fogel

    Becky smile, hooray! But, um, why is Dina not smiling, too?

    1. Icalasari

      If she is portraying the autistic spectrum in any way (Not sure if Willis has said anything on this? Hey Willis, if you read this, can you confirm if you said before whether or not Dina is on the spectrum?), then this isn’t that much of a concern – emotions may be processed differently, reasoning may be different, and so on

      1. Kelly

        All Willis has confirmed is that Dina has not been officially diagnosed with anything.

        1. Regalli

          However, she was heavily implied to be neurodivergent (or at least her Walkyverse counterpart was) and seeing as everything ELSE about that statement turned out to be true I’m taking it as canon now.

        2. Kelly

          Oh, as an Aspie myself, I totally read her as neurodivergent, and most likely is Aspie/AS. Just saying that in-universe, and from word of god (heh), not confirmed.

        3. DinaWho

          Based on his last statement on the issue, I consider it Word of God that she is on the spectrum but not diagnosed.

        4. No I Haven't Had My Coffee Yet

          What does that even mean? “Be on the spectrum”? Is someone who drinks beer socially “on the alcoholism spectrum”? Is someone who likes reading “on the bookwork spectrum”? Is someone who follows College football “on the dudebro spectrum”? Sorry, not meaning to lash out specifically at you, but I’m seriously annoyed by this desire to put a label on everyone as soon as they don’t satisfy some definition of normality which is totally bogus.

          Also see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_CaZ4EAexQ

        5. No I Haven't Had My Coffee Yet

          *bookworm

          Now where’s my damn coffee!

        6. TheNinthShader

          IN YOUR FAAAAAAAACEE for a nickel

        7. Dragon_Nataku

          While I agree about the rampant labelling, several related disorders are termed to be a “spectrum” in psychology. The most well-known is the autism spectrum (which includes all forms (mild, severe, etc.) of Aspergers and autism and all related disorders), but there are others like the schizophrenia spectrum (includes schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and other related disorders).

          TL;DR: spectrum when used in this case is a valid medical term because, like a more traditional spectrum, it covers a broad range of severity of symptoms

        8. Regalli

          Yeah, not confirmed and probably wouldn’t be formally, but I’m taking her because hey how often do we get autistic coded characters who are female, much less female and LGBT+? And not treated as some kind of problem that need fixing? So I just take those two hints and the fact that the party storyline seemed to be distinctly going “yes she’s neurodivergent” and hug them to my chest.

        9. timemonkey

          And likely won’t ever be, that way he can keep writing her how he wants without having to follow any rules.

        10. Spencer

          I don’t know how much my opinion is worth since as far as I’m aware I’m not neurodivergent, but I really like to think of Dina as canonically having Autism or Asperger. Neurodivergent characters in fiction are always treated as little oddities for the “normal” folks to gawk at, so with Dina, someone who actively tries to grow, and pursues and enjoys a relationship, I really like that she’s still being treated with the same dignity and agency as the other characters.

        11. Regalli

          Yeah, and things like her actively telling people not to infantilize her or mock her speech patterns are things I’ve long wanted to see in neurodivergent-coded characters in fiction, so since she’s only ever rung more true to me over time I’m just taking her as canon like that. (Also given what a pain in the ass it is to get diagnosed in your late teens/adulthood, and the fact that she’s both female and not white, as much as I’d like her getting formally diagnosed I know it’d be ridiculously difficult even without things like the timescale issues involved.)

        12. altalemur

          Dina is definitely a super rad character for representation of any variety of POC LBGT+ Neurodivergent, whether she’s autistic or not. a diagnosis for what kind of neurodivergence she has would be both costly and possibly futile. however, even without a diagnosis, if she started identifying as Autistic, nowadays there are lots of in-person support groups and online support, with a plethora of resources to be had. for example, having a coping mechanism (like sunglasses or a fidget toy like Amber’s transformer) before going into that party would have helped a lot. but turns out Becky was really cool about soothing Dina’s anxiety anyway.

        13. Dragon_Nataku

          I’ve mostly tried to avoid getting involved in the “is Dina on the autism spectrum” debate but honestly I’d prefer she not get diagnosed. Not that I personally have a problem with what she has or hasn’t got but I think that she’s an awesome character (in this universe anyway) and beyond the “too many faces with too many emotions can’t process” thing the one time at the party she seems to be getting along just fine in the world. She seems happy and she’s done well enough in high school to get into college and she’s got friends and is now in a relationship.

          I guess what I’m really getting at, without rambling too much, is that I REALLY don’t like the idea of someone needing a diagnosis to define who they are, cause eventually it becomes their sole defining characteristic. I like Dina the way she is, the slightly socially awkward girl who is still a kickass person and a kind person and has cool interests. I don’t want her to become “that one autistic chick.” I like her just being Dina.

        14. RP

          It’s also more realistic since women and people of color are less likely to get diagnosed.

        15. neeks

          Yeah, I think he gets enough commentary about stuff being unrealistic or unrelatable without explicitly adding “Officially Neurodivergent” to the list of things some people think he’s just making shit up about and other people are like “yeah that’s a thing.”

      2. altalemur

        autistic people have a bigger problem Expressing emotions (or even analyzing their own emotions) than Feeling emotions. and her expression is pretty on-target for her dialogue. “I can wander nearly anywhere without being detected.” a useful skill because it gets her closer to her girlfriend, yet also annoying because no one notices her.

    2. ninja_jesus

      She may be upset that she wasn’t able to do more for Becky. 🙁

    3. EvolutionistX

      1. She just got here. She might not know yet whether things are okay. She might still be very worried. She might also be slightly annoyed/peeved that so many people don’t even notice her, which is pretty rude of them.
      2. Sometimes conversation is easier if you aren’t worrying whether your face muscles are making the right shapes to match the emotions other people are expressing.
      3. I think she looks better this way.

    4. Sam

      Sometimes people just have their neutral face on is all.

    5. Agemegos

      Perhaps she has been standing there, just out of frame, with even her girlfriend ignoring and seeming not to notice her. That can be a lowering experience.

  27. Shiro

    Yay, she’s safe!

  28. Rob

    HAHA, DINA IS OKAY, DINA IS O KAY *faints* im so happy

  29. Carms

    SHE LIVES! SHEEEEEE LIIIIIIIVESS!
    *roaring*

    1. Bicycle Bill

      “Alive, it’s alive, IT’S ALIVE!!!“

      1. Very Good Karma

        “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

  30. Reltzik

    In completely unrelated news, genius me FINALLY figured out what “Dumbing of Age” is a word-play of. And I’ve been trying to puzzle that out since the day the comic started.

    … if you need me, I’ll be on the short bus.

    1. Void

      Hey. I knew about the coming/dumbing of age thing. I have other things though so I’ll be on the short bus too. Come join me on the roof.

    2. TheNinthShader

      Congrats, Ill pay for your ticket

    3. Edupoet81

      I picked up the meaning of the title right away, but then I’m good with words. It’s everything else that I can’t get my head around, all of those non-verbal things. I will take my seat on the short bus as well.

      *Trips and falls climbing bus stairs, drops all my belongings, delaying bus gathering everything up. Finally gets to seat, then begins fumbling with seatbelt, struggling to figure out how it works*

    4. Linda Louise

      Hey, so I know you guys are just saying this as a self-mocking joke and probably weren’t even thinking about this, but I don’t think it’s okay to make this kind of comment about the short bus. By associating your own funny fail moment with being on the short bus, it tends to reinforce the stigma around special education. Just something to keep in mind. 🙂

      1. Edupoet81

        Fair point. I myself am actually not neurotypical, and had plenty of difficulties of my own growing up, and I still have significant challenges as an adult. I tend to use humor such as that as a means of coping with the frustrations that result. I have no malicious intent, and I don’t mean to stigmatize anyone. I’ve been bullied plenty over the years. Growing up, I was called plenty of names including one starting with “R” which I will not type here. I would not want to subject anyone to that.

        Of course how I intend a thing isn’t what matters most, it’s how it comes across. I’m sure that not everyone who’s hurt me over the years had malicious intent (though some did). I probably should be more careful, especially in a public forum. I’m sorry.

  31. Pl0x

    Yaaaaaayyyyyyyy

  32. Someone

    I really wish I had made this pun during the guess what guys, I’m a lesbian!! thing but it works here so

    Becky is a gay gay

    1. inqntrol

      We all have our gay times.

    2. Cephalo the Pod

      She’s also brightoy decorated, so

      she’s a gay, gay gay.

  33. Tenzhi

    Dorothy is totally groping Joyce in the first panel…

    1. Yotomoe

      I think that’s being a bit generous about the size of Joyce’s Joyces.

      1. Tenzhi

        Indeed. On further inspection, it might be a fairer assessment to say she’s closing in on a grope. Given that an open hand is about the size of a face, hers appears to be very close to Joyce, but it needs to be a couple of proportional inches farther down.

        1. John

          She’s just calming them.

  34. Sporky

    i have to be honest though. walkyverse dina is not the same character AT ALL besides obsession with dinosaurs and difficulty socializing, and love of hats. that’s where the similarities begin and that’s where they end

  35. Idon'tcarenomore

    Hip Hip Hooray! Happy Happy Joy Joy! Fireworks! Handstands!

    I’m mildly elated to see Dina is well. But, why so glum, should be a big smile?

    Where is Amber? Is she laying out in the woods under that tree? Did she wander over to the road? Looks as though no one has realized she’s not on the scene – which is not rare, she does disappear. This may not be good.

  36. Synonymy

    A monster named Willis! That’s who!

    …..please don’t

  37. Chaucer59

    So, now what happens to Toe-Dad? Anyone? Bueller? M

    1. Cerberus

      Jail, trial, and then prison, I’d presume. I can see the homestead raising money for bail if any was posted, but that will probably not be offered given that he still has full intention in proceeding with his violence and kidnapping and is probably saying as much to the cops.

      1. Wizard

        IIRC, under Indiana law, bail can only be denied in murder cases. Since Ross hasn’t actually killed anyone, bail must be set. Of course, of he does present a continuing danger, the judge can always set it really high.

        1. TheNinthShader

          OFF WITH HIS HEAD….FOR A NICKEL

        2. NotPiffany

          That’s what it looks like. The judge should be able to set a sky-high bail, put Ross under supervision, and order him to avoid both the college campus and Becky. If Ross is stupid enough to ignore those last conditions (and who among us thinks he’s smart enough to listen to a secular judge?), then the prosecutor can ask for his bail to be revoked.

          However, I think that may only apply to state charges. It looks like if they can hit him with federal charges, he can be held without bail on those. Becky is gay. Dina is her girlfriend. Ross attacked Dina and kidnapped Becky at gunpoint. A willing prosecutor could make a case for dinging him with federal hate crime charges.

        3. RP

          That’s bonkers. They can’t deny bail to someone who admits they will continue to hurt people and/or is a flight risk?

        4. Inspector Hound

          (Going strictly on the comment, not actual knowledge) Did you miss the part where they said the judge could set the bail really high?

        5. No Name

          It’s how Indiana interprets the Eighth Amendment, specifically the bit about excessive bails.

  38. Nono

    Is okay, the webcomic.

    1. Nono

      And apparently < tags get cut off, so JOKE RUINED PEOPLE.

      1. brumagem

        I liked it regardless u_u

      2. Jacknoir

        is ok, the joke. not worry internet persons.

  39. Justin

    OH THANK GOD DINA IS OKAY DON’T MIND ME JUST BEEN STRESSING ABOUT THAT QUIETLY FOR LIKE A MONTH

  40. 0kami

    SHE LIVES! 😀

    And with very little apparent long-lasting injury!

    Now kiiiiiiiiissssssss.

    1. Yotomoe

      She was has actually sustained horrific brain damage and the above sentence is the only thing she’s capable of saying.

      1. begbert

        Okay, literal LOL here. Well done.

  41. Synnerman

    *Can’t… stop… smiling!*

  42. Nono

    …Did Dorothy even know Becky and Dina were dating?

    SHE’S A BETTER INVESTIGATOR THAN WE THOUGHT.

    1. Bagge

      The mouth-smooches on the party might have been a clue, and there are plenty of people, including Walky and Dina herself who could have filled her in.

  43. Sabrine

    OH MY GOD DINA IS OKAY MY PRECIOUS DINOSAUR/BECKY-LOVING BABY IS OKAY

  44. Bagge

    Are they going to smooch? On the mouth?

    1. Plasma Mongoose

      Is smooching even possible without mouths?

    2. Yotomoe

      On the mouth? How Vanilla.

      1. begbert

        Depends on which mouth.

      2. Mr k

        Lewd. Although they should do that in private.

        But what they hell.

  45. LuniasM

    Alright team, you outside his house? All good? Then let’s get Operation: “Convince” Willis To Make Sure Dina’s Okay started, people! Move!

    Oh hey, DoA just updated… Oh. Ooooooohhhhh. Wait guys, maybe we shouldn’t – aw man, I think they just breached. Sorry bout that door. And that window. Uh. Yeah.

    1. Someone

      Willis: What are you people doing in my house!

      1. Reltzik

        “BELATED TRICK OR TREAT!”

        “You do realize that you just woke up my pregnant wife?”

        “RUN AWAY!”

        1. Someone

          cow goes flying through the air

        2. TheNinthShader

          Where were you yesterday D: I needed you for a joke

        3. Someone

          Probably asleep.

  46. Scott John Harrison

    Dina is a master of Walking with Purpose.

  47. Zagreus

    Seriously? Like anyone actually thought Willis was going to kill off/seriously injure his trademarked Fan Favorite Neurodivergent Character? How is this in any way a surprise?

    1. Yotomoe

      YEAH! Willis would never kill Dina.
      Ever.
      I mean jeez, it’s not like that’s really the best he could do.

      1. Mr k

        What’s next, him killing off a tsundere lesbian redhead?

        1. Void

          Or maybe a blond asshole?

        2. timemonkey

          He’d have to create one first.

    2. caesaria82

      Well he’s done it before. But I doubt Dina’s popularity at the time was anywhere near what it is now in this universe. Not saying she wasn’t always popular, but y’know, the DoA audience is a lot bigger and we know a lot more about Dina now, so she’s probably at peak popularity so far right now 😉

      1. Reltzik

        That, and the internet has advanced significantly since then. It’s a lot easier for a fan base to discover where a cartoonist sleeps at night.

      2. timemonkey

        She wasn’t popular. People didn’t really get into her until her death scene.

        Dina really didn’t suit the It’s Walky genre, she fits in much better in DoA.

        1. Spencer

          Isn’t that what made her great?

          She didn’t realize she was actually super wonderful and everyone needed to appreciate her. She never learned how to be stronger and more capable. She just screwed up a lot, was replaced by people who did her job better than she did, and died saving people while cursing how useless she was.

          Dina had one of the best character arcs in the entire series, and it’s why her revival at the end of Shortpacked is something I just kind of pretend didn’t happen.

        2. timemonkey

          The arc is interesting, yes, but the character wasn’t really all that enjoyable. It’s like when they killed off Barry Allen, cool story, great death, now on to characters that are actually likable.

          One of the best aspects of DoA was giving all the characters a second chance to show what they were without the pressure of life and death and with the bonus of a more experienced writer.

        3. Spencer

          I disagree with the Barry Allen comparison. Barry is literally the single most boring character in the entirety of fiction who eventually had an awesome death. Dina wasn’t a lame character who retroactively became good after dying; she was a well written character whose arc naturally led to a tragic conclusion.

        4. timemonkey

          Being well written didn’t make her likable. She abused her position to keep Joyce away from Walky, was clingy beyond reasonable expectations, jeperdised several missions with her incompetence, betrayed Walky’s trust and caused an inter-SEMME incident while they were under attack, and that’s not even getting into what she did to Mike.

        5. Spencer

          Well, yes. Tony was a ragezombie, Sal was actually buggernuts crazy, and Jason was Jason. Likability was not on the requirements for SEMME.

          I kind of thought that was the point of IW!. They’re a bunch of incompetent nutbars given superpowers and told to go fight an alien version of Cartman. If any of them had any sense at all the plot would have been over in like ten minutes.

      3. Dragon_Nataku

        I dunno what you remember about her in IW but the thing that always stands out to me the most (minus her best she could do) is what she was doing to Mike during their “relationship” (also why I didn’t like SP Amber much either). Dina was kinda a guarskin drum in IW. I really really like her here in DoA though, but still.

  48. caesaria82

    I love that Sarah’s there. I hope some character growth and bonding with Joyce is ahead!

  49. Plasma Mongoose

    Luckily for Dina, doors count as her respawn points.

    1. TheNinthShader

      +4 internets

    2. gkheyf

      Gasp! That’s why she camps there!

  50. Skizz

    Sarah, I voted for her!

    Yay, Dina is okay!

  51. evilmidnightlurker

    Willis you magnificent bastard.

  52. Bagge

    Awwww, look at Joyce. She still wants to talk to Dorothy about Ethan but things are moving along a bit too fast. I think she has a shock reaction coming up…

  53. Disloyal Subject

    There we go.

  54. Remmy the Canadian Guy

    Oh thank glob. I have never been so scared for the well being of a fictional character before.

  55. NinjaNick

    Dina, you’re so sneaky.

  56. EvolutionistX

    Yay Dina! I am glad to see you back. And glad to see how much Becky cares about you 🙂

  57. nothri

    Dear alttext, Stop asking rhetorical questions. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

  58. Nym

    Panel four is my favorite Becky expression yet.

    1. Sunny

      I think most of the readership made very similar expressions upon seeing Dina as well.

  59. Freezer

    NOW it’s a happy ending!

    1. Just Me

      Not yet, not until we find out what happened to Amber.

      I was never really worried about Dina once Toedad said he didn’t use his gun on anyone.

  60. Larkle

    Wait, why would Sarah now be okay? Am I not remembering something?

    1. Tacos

      I think Joyce is just surprised that Sarah would come given how she can be. Kinda like how Dotty freaked out and wondered of Joyce was ok when she learned that Joyce swore.

    2. Bicycle Bill

      Sarah is, after all, Joyce’s roommate.
      And big sister.

      1. Bicycle Bill

        DAMN!! Effed up the link….
        “Big sister.”

  61. Edrobot

    You know, after several weeks of my favorite webcomics killing off characters left and right, it’s nice to see Dina survive.

    1. Void

      What comics do you READ?

      1. TheNinthShader

        All the best ones, Beeserker, Unlife, Whomp!, and Lighter than Heir of course.

  62. Tacos

    Welp at least now people will quit freaking out about if Dina’s ok.

    Also now it seems that Dina is aware of her power. May she only use it for good… and dinosaur stuff too of course.

  63. CriticalQuit

    Sarah is unharmed, but still has not had a bone thrown into her, so her “okay” status is debatable.

    1. Bicycle Bill

      She has her BOB.

  64. HiiroArana79

    ….and isn’t great that we’re all better people?

    FISHED IN!!!!

  65. BenRG

    Being unnoticed really is a super-power, isn’t it? I don’t think that Dina really appreciates having this ‘gift’, though.

    As for Sarah, I think that she’s trying to figure out how to show concern for Joyce without compromising her curmudgeonly reputation!

    1. Needfuldoer

      All you need to get this superpower yourself in the corporate world is a chipboard and a purposeful expression. Clipboards are your ticket to exploration.

      1. Gamaran Sepudomyn

        I’m trying to imagine what a chipboard is, and all I can imagine is that it’s a board with a bowl full of chips glued on to them. If Walky ever gets into some sort of management position, I’m sure he’d have all clipboards replaced with chipboards.

        1. Dragon_Nataku

          Aren’t a lot of computer parts sometimes referred to as a chipboard… I honestly don’t know but I thought they were

        2. Agemegos

          Chipboard is an inexpensive construction material often used for cheap subfloors and as a substrate for laminates and veneers.

      2. Roborat

        Works very well in the military as well.

  66. Ashley

    I kind of get why Joyce thinks Sarah doesn’t care but it still makes me mad that she thinks so little of her. Wasn’t she calling her “big sis” not long ago?

    1. Agemegos

      Yeah, and then she accused her of wanting to force Becky onto the street and of malice in her dealings with her previous room-mate, and she’s afraid that Sarah is bitterly offended. Also, she held a floor party in their shared room over Sarah’s objection, at which illegal drinking took place, and she believes that Sarah dislikes drug abuse in her room by her roomie.

      It’s a very understandable misunderstanding.

      1. Spencer

        IIRC they already buried the hatchet over that.

    2. timemonkey

      She knows Sarah cares, she also knows Sarah doesn’t like showing that she cares.

      1. Kraken

        I’m with Ashley on this. She should know, but she often has to be reconvinced. And can be kind of an asshole until she has completely remembered. Hopefully this is one of the more jokey moments and not one of the others.

        1. Spencer

          Considering Joyce’s line asking for Sarah is the exact same as Becky’s, I’d say she’s been convinced.

          Sarah does not make that easy most of the time.

  67. DarkoNeko

    Dina could make a pretty good spy, in the wrong hands.

  68. Agemegos

    Yay! Becky does think of Dina!

    Is it up to Danny and Ethan to find and rescue Ambazi-Girl? Is she going to be found by hikers? Make it to the road under her own power and flag down a passing Dad? Raised by wolves?

    How seriously are the police going to try to find her?

    1. Just Me

      Yeah, I mean, Sal just rode off on her bike. So, who even knows AG is out there, injured?

      1. Agemegos

        It is one of the hazards of a secret identity.

        Who might work it out, and when? Dorothy will soon be told that Amazi-Girl was on the scene with astonishing stunts, and will call Amber for an Amazi-statement if nothing else. Danny and Ethan will hear about it only later, probably not for hours.

        Unfortunately Amber is what was called in my college days a “phantom” (I was one), and no-one will notice that they don’t see her because not seeing her is usual. Her situation (if it is serious) is unfortunately so urgent that even a competent and diligent RA could not be expected to realise anything was wrong in time.

        I dunno about kids on college these days: when I was an undergrad we didn’t have mobile phones. Is it usual to leave your mobile phone number with your college and senior resident (dorm and RA)?

  69. Wafflebob

    What kind of monster indeed.

  70. AutobotDen

    And the fandom rejoices! 😀 So glad Dina’s okay. 🙂

  71. Willoughby Chase

    +1

  72. Marie

    who sends the press in to talk to traumatized 18 year olds though?

    1. Bicycle Bill

      These days, pretty much anybody.  Remember the two basic rules of the newsroom:
      1) Sex sells.
      2) If it bleeds it leads.

      1. Marie

        I was more referring to the hospital staff, I understand why the newsfolk would send reporters (but DSL got that for me)

    2. Smiling Cat

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNC4FHR4XLA

    3. DSL

      In my reporter days (not tahtblong ago), a press pass (or even telling the ER supervisor who knew all of us anyway) got you at least into the ER. And in our paper’s smallish town, most were willing to talk. Hell, we were sought out. Nowadays, what with polarization of … well, life …, the demonizing of the institutional press, the cutting of neesroom resources, and HIPAA regulations that make it impossible for you to get information about YOURSELF without paperwork-in-triplicate — I don[t see this working as well.

  73. Darwin

    Dina’s ability to be inspicuous is truly the thing of epicness. Were I a superhero, I’d desire that astonishing power. I would bring donuts to the supervillain meetings, quietly stand in the corner, then when they ask “Hey, who brought the cruellers?” I’d slip out, leaving them none the wiser.

  74. Benjy

    Becky’s safe, Dina’s alive, and Toe Dad is going to prison for a very, very long time.

    I swear to gosh Willis if you turn this around into something bad I will hunt down your favorite toy as a kid and hold it ransom until you write a happy ending.

    1. Guairdean Beatha

      That’s not enough of a threat. You threaten to buy the twins really noisy toys. That’s a serious threat.

      1. Benjy

        To quote the signs found often in a sleepy little Indiana tourist town, I will give his children energy drinks and a hyper puppy.

  75. Ben

    Jesus fuck, Dina’s like an adorable Grey Man from Wheel of Time.

    1. fallingwaters2

      ikr

  76. fallingwaters2

    HOLY HERA SHE’S OKAY!
    THIS IS THE BEST DAY!

    1. TheNinthShader

      Your grav, made that the best comment ever, plus 400 internets

    2. Bagge

      Your gravatar itself is the best!

      1. TheEighthShader

        This is a pretty good grav too, ninth shader is my other email xD

      2. fallingwaters2

        Honestly, I’m surprised no one else took the opportunity.

  77. Gvickers

    Joyce and Sarah are the interesting couple right now, not Dina/Becky.

  78. Gvickers

    But, I am really glad Dina is okay. Now we have to worry about Amazi-Girl.

  79. ed rhodes

    OK, this is good. But I had this idea of AG staggering around in the woods and hearing “wild animal” noises which freak her out and having it turn out to be Dina who helps get her to safety.

    So now I’m wondering, where AG! Wandering around in the woods with a couple of broken ribs and a possible concussion? What the hey?

    1. Agemegos

      Dina doesn’t have a car and was several miles away.

      I figure that Amber’s best chance is to take off the Amazi-suit, stagger towards the road, and call for help on her mobile phone. Unfortunately she is probably too something to call an ambulance, which is probably what she needs. I don’t think any of her friends has a car. She might end up in a taxi. Which is at least cheaper than an ambulance.

  80. AeroQC

    That’s Ninja Dina for you.

  81. Sigurther

    *phew*

  82. TheEighthShader

    Boo!

    1. Bicycle Bill

      Your handle is a reference to octarine, perhaps?

      1. TheNinthShader

        Nope, A reference to Tomb raider, the hidden shader that *supposedly* makes lara look naked, but I guess it could refer to magic too

        1. TheNinthShader

          I just got why you would say that, because of my grav as well, it is a rainbow and the octarine is the supposed eighth color of the rainbow.

  83. Tomas

    Dina’s genome was spliced with DNA from cuttlefish and tree frogs.

  84. Cizak

    Okay, so Dina is alive. Yay. Never expected her to be anything else.
    But now I’m super worried about her not seeming the least bit happy??

    1. timemonkey

      Dina’s expression is normal, she doesn’t do frequent expressions of emotions.

      1. Cizak

        Around Becky, she usually does.
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/01-to-those-whod-ground-me/appraisal/
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/01-to-those-whod-ground-me/scenarios/
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/01-to-those-whod-ground-me/socialsecurity/
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/01-to-those-whod-ground-me/sticks/
        http://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-6/01-to-those-whod-ground-me/eloneoneone/

        And the situation right now is “I’m seeing my girlfriend again after the very real possibility that she was going to be taken away forever”. You’d think Dina would at least life one corner of the mouth.

        1. timemonkey

          Five strips does not change the fact that her expression is usually blank curiosity or confusion.

        2. Cizak

          There’s a lot more than five strips of her smiling when she’s around Becky.

        3. Bicycle Bill

          When I was around my favorite lady my expression may have been blank curiosity or confusion too.
          But if you could have seen inside …… HOO BOY!!!!

        4. Agemegos

          Depends how long she’s been standing there.

    2. Will

      She’s just annoyed because she has been standing there for some time and they didn’t notice her until now.

      1. Agemegos

        Yup. Though Becky has previously not been a party to the “let’s not notice Dina” conspiracy.

  85. Bicycle Bill

    Dear Mr. Willis:
    I think it would have been nice if you had been able to make sure all your Kickstarter supporters had gotten their books before making them available to the general public.

    1. David M Willis

      It would be nice! But Comixology puts up my stuff on their schedule.

  86. Derek

    So everyone who joined the poll of “Dina is okay if solely because Ross didn’t have time to do anything nasty” wins a cookie!

  87. Ryek Hvek

    Well, I for one, am disappointed at the swift resolution of the Dina situation. The torment could have been drawn out a bit more.

    1. DarkoNeko

      We do not see her left arm (on our right), it may be bandaged.

      1. Ryek Hvek

        Oooh! Torment continues. Maybe it can become a cyborg arm.

        1. Random832

          Her arms aren’t in that preview panel, either. Coincidence?

        2. Ryek Hvek

          …or in her left hand is the egg she laid – her and Becky’s love child…

  88. zmm

    Dina is wonderful.

  89. Lan Mikoto

    Can’t decide which Becky I like more. The one with the goofy grin in panel 4 or the one with the “Sweet shit it’s my girl” smile of dopiness in panel 5.

  90. Eric Hansen

    AAAAAAAAAND cue switch to Ruth/Billie story line for five weeks!

    Mwaahahahaha!

    1. Spencer

      Bring on the sexy lesbian suicide pact (that is neither sexy nor lesbian).

  91. phildog

    Aww… I was hoping she was dead, or really, really injured. So much drama! Oh well. I guess it fits the tone of the comic.

    1. Spencer

      If Dina was dead, literally the rest of the comic would be dealing with the repercussions of that.

      Drama’s all well and good, but it can’t be the only thing you do. You need some sunshine in the rain, and vice versa.

    2. Bicycle Bill

      Pbbbt!!!

  92. Taigan

    Just noticed the title of the chapter after this one: “When God Closes the Door.”

    …Man, I hope Joyce gets a break between this chapter and that one.

    1. fallingwaters2

      But another one opening is a good thing.
      …right?

  93. Kirbilius Clausius

    I’m still surprised it’s taking so long for Dina to become Amazi-girl’s sidekick Invisi-girl since she seems to have an _actual_ power, if no even on the list of this comic’s fighters (Ruthless, Sarah, Sal & Amber, maybe Malaya?). Then again, Amazi-girl has to be really injured right now.

    1. Very Good Karma

      How do you know Dina’s not already wearing a super hero costume and it’s just invisible too? She was probably helping out all through that car chase! Invisibly!

      1. Agemegos

        I saw a young lady in an invisible super-hero costume once. It didn’t look like that.

  94. Vangeln

    And Mike too. He’s visiting mr MackIntyre.

  95. Clodia

    Just wanted to say thank you for making this comic. It is my absolutely favorite. I’ve been having a lot of health issues in the past few months, and have had a couple of stays in the hospital. Knowing that I get to read another strip in the morning has been a bright spot each and every day. Thank you.

  96. GhostWriterL

    Can we please stop fantasizing about Dina being maimed or dead now?

    1. Agemegos

      What if she got married off camera?!

  97. Tenn

    OOH SHIT guys, we’re only seeing Dina’s right side… What if the left side is DEAD?? PANIC!!!

  98. fallingwaters2

    oh hey look it’s that sweater

    1. TheNinthShader

      D; you changed your grav

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