184

Notices
Posted on March 19, 2025 by David M Willis

184 thoughts on “Notices”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    “I have made a grave mistake.” – Gob

    1. Rose by Any other Name

      … was “Gob” the sound of Jennifer suddenly kissing Joyce?

      1. insomniac

        possibly but it’s also the name of a character from Arrested Development

        1. Giffem

          adventure time ruin hearing about Gob

      2. GreyICE

        Joyce is building a harem of confused bisexuals.

        1. Furie

          Aren’t we all? Or am I doing life wrong again?

        2. clif

          Can confirm. If you aren’t confused, you’re doing life wrong.

          Specifically you’re probably not paying attention.

        3. Lilith Rose

          Always remember Planck was told by his professor while in college that physics was nearly a complete science, and that there won’t be much to figure out.

          … then Planck broke it.

          Like… all of it.

          And for those of you who don’t know who Planck is, Planck was Einstein’s Einstein.

          (And for the whole other two people who will get this joke…)

          And, to top it off…

          Planck was a man of Action.

        4. Jamie

          Well. He was a man of at least Action…

        5. Hoboturtle

          They’re all confused. Only some about their sexuality, but confused all the same.

        6. Decidedly Orthogonal

          Hmmm.. my harem only contains one person, she isn’t confused, but she is bi. So one outta three?

    2. clif

      I have horribly miscalculated. – Mike
      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2018/comic/book-8/04-of-mike-and-men/amazon/

  2. Animedingo

    *thor face*

    1. Animedingo

      Is she tho

    2. Amós Batista

      your avatar is

  3. Thag Simmons

    Upsetting realization that Joyce is better at this than she is in 3… 2…

    1. RocketRelm

      This is unironically a pretty good plan, which was *not* what I was expecting, but goog doing Joyce.

      1. Archieve

        Especially if Alice remembers her from the last time they met, showing that Jennifer still has friends from first semester is her best hypothetical proof of not being totally destructive.

      2. Mturtle7

        CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! We love to see it!

    2. ABunchOTrees

      “…Wow. Joyce PULLS, actually.” Jennifer already knew, it just took her until now to realize it applies to her too.

      1. Deanatay

        BJ is also learning that Joyce pulls in a non-sexual way, as well.

        1. Needfuldoer

          What about Charles and Hawkeye?

        2. Arioch

          Hawkeye already knew, Master of the Obvious when it comes to charismatic girls.
          Charles Emmerson Winchester the Third on the other hand stopped paying attention to Joyce last semester.

        3. Matthew Davis

          Joyce will show some sort of musical skill — I imagine wacky hijinks involving piano and trying to get one of her friends together with someone — and Winchester will take notice.

        4. Matthew Davis

          He won’t do anything about it, though. Loyal to Peg and all that

          Why yes, I skew older than most of the commenters, and my parents have a lot of MASH on when I visit on holidays. Why do you ask?

        5. Nymph

          I don’t know how old you are, but a large portion of the commentariat is older than you might think. 30+ easy, many over 40.

        6. Deanatay

          So, yeah, children.

          At heart, at least.

        7. clif

          If the second 75 years are as entertaining as the first 75, it’s all good.

        8. Taffy

          ‘She was only 62, you sick fuck!”

        9. Plain Marie

          Many over 50. Or pushing 60.

        10. morleuca

          some of us get to age backwards, though

    3. AnonGrouch

      That last panel is not the face of an upset person. She looks relieved and happy in my opinion. Maybe this is Jennifer’s path to becoming better. Being happy someone is better than her, even in an indirect round about way, is something that’d be good for her I think.

      1. Needfuldoer

        When’s the last time anyone genuinely told her she’s their friend?

        Contrast this with the last time she saw Raidah.

      2. Envy

        Yeah, I think that’s the face of someone who didn’t realize how truly lonely they were until this little bit of no-strings-attached kindness.

        1. DashWallkick

          This is my read also. Joyce says they’re friends so they’re friends, and she can do her a solid here because it means something to Jennifer, and Jennifer is so confused and disoriented by this because to her friendship is when you keep someone at arm’s length then swoop in to solve a crisis for them and emotionally disappear immediately afterwards.

        2. Matthew Davis

          Don’t forget she’s spent a term in Raidah’s orbit, and Raidah’s friendship is transactional even when it’s not toxic.

      3. Lilith Rose

        “I leave Jennifer at Joyce’s feet. One always finds one’s burdens again. But Jennifer teaches the higher fidelity that negates her social standing and raises a friendship with those she perceives as her superior. She too concludes that all is well. The universe henceforth without a master seems to her neither sterile nor futile. Each atom of that friendship, each rung on that night-filled social ladder, in itself, forms a world. The struggle itself toward the social heights is enough to fill a girl’s heart. One must imagine Jennifer happy.”

    4. anon

      how many lunches can they really tolerate with each other tho lol.

      i mean billiefers more tolerable than mary but it would be am amusing time jump if it’s like “Wow even /joyce/ can’t handle more than four lunches with her”

    5. Daibhid C

      I do not believe Jennifer is capable of realising that. But I’m prepared to be wrong.

  4. Dante

    Jennifer. Jennifer.

    You’ve got an actual friend here. Please do notice ;AA;

    1. Samniel

      I came to say the same thing, I’m hoping this leads to Jen realizing she HAS (one) friend who likes her for HER. But this IS Jennifer…

      1. Blume

        I’d like to think the last panel was her realizing 🙂

        1. Kim

          Me too =)

    2. Bryy

      I want to trust it, but the way she has been acting since the beginning of the arc says she’s about to fucking burn Joyce’s bridge.

      1. John Campbell

        Joyce won’t let her. That’s why this bridge is still there after Jennifer burned all of her others. She will be friends with Joyce, like it or not. It’s the same strategy Joyce used on Sarah.

  5. Doopyboop

    You know what, I’m proud of Joyce. It’s a low bar, but I’m glad she cleared it. It is indeed creepy and overbearing to march up to someone you don’t know and tell them they should re-friend their old friend who is now your friend.

    1. VolticEXE

      Its always really genuine with Joyce too, so even clearing the low bar is great for her.

  6. Lux

    I can’t tell if that’s despair or happiness in the last panel.

    1. Rose by Any other Name

      Or sudden arousal.

      1. True Survivor

        Disappsal?

      2. NGPZ

        I’m hoping it’s this unironically >:D

      3. Nerrin

        Crap, I hope not. First Becky, then Joe, now Dorothy. If Joyce gets any more friends suddenly into her she’s going to develop a complex.

        1. John Campbell

          It’s spelled “harem”.

        2. Proxiehunter

          They can be quite complex.

        3. Effie

          You’d need to build a complex to house your harem.

          (Tho, I guess if they live in a complex and not a house, maybe it’s a complex to complex your harem?)

        4. Deanatay

          And harems often give their protags complexes. By being complex..

    2. Sillygoose

      That’s her poor battered little heart growing three sizes

      1. thejeff

        That’s not good. Get her to the ER, stat.

  7. Nono

    This feels like some kind of trap card.

    1. Sirksome

      What we don’t know is that Joyce friended Alice a long time ago. They’ve been in regular contact for months and she sent Alice to forest the same time Jen usually wakes up so they’d bump into each other again, knowing that would spark Jennifer’s desire to reconnect. This would inevitably lead Jennifer into relying on Joyce and thus completing the setup for them to have lunch together indefinitely. All according to plan.

      1. Shakes

        Joyce’s real goal was to not have to have lunch with Walky every day.

        1. clif

          While that has a certain plausibility, it’s a Mike plan and not a Joyce plan.

  8. Leaflet Erin

    I can’t parse that last panel Expression, Jennifer. Is that “you’re touched because even after everything Joyce still considers you a friend?” Or “dear God, I have made a previous mistake?”

    1. Rose by Any other Name

      Didn’t Jennifer literally five minutes ago say that it’s okay to make out with your friends?
      That might be “I’m going to kiss you because we’re totally platonic friends” face.

    2. Ed Callahan

      I’d say both.

    3. Gizen

      I think it’s the former, just because the larger, slightly more wobbly shine in her pupil implies to me that her eyes are watering the tiniest bit from emotion.

    4. BarerMender

      I’d say it’s the horrible realization that Joyce is coming onto her.

    5. Thag Simmons

      I think she’s feeling a lot of things but closer to the former than the latter.

    6. John Campbell

      “A read error has occurred. (A)bort (R)etry (F)ail?”

    7. anon

      lil’ of column a & b? tho unless it’s a stray line in the last panel, maybe it could be a lip bite to where it’s like “i’m desperate enough for alice to be back in my life i’m willing to give it a shot” lol

    8. Envy

      Jennifer’s whole arc since breaking up with Asher has been about how lonely she is. I think her face in the last panel is, “Oh, right, this is what genuine friendship feels like”.

      1. DashWallkick

        This is how I elect to read it as well. She has no idea how to be sincere or direct. Jennifer acts according to what would look better for her image in between bursts of self-indulgent destruction and this makes her extremely fake and chaotic.

        Joyce is being sincere and direct and supportive. Jennifer is both appreciative that she’d be so kind and helpful but also *this does not make sense to her* so she’s probably a little confused and weirded out.

    9. Lilith Rose

      I’m not sure Jennifer knows what her face means either.

  9. Davus

    When Jennifer realizes that Joyce actually believes that they are friends and is actually willing to be friends with her. (Mind blown)

    1. Dara

      “Joyce pulls, actually.” So it might be okay both with her current and previous mindsets to be friends with Joyce.

      1. True Survivor

        Well, she definitely pulls on your heart strings.

  10. NGPZ

    *plays “Pink” by The Pillows on hacked muzak*

    1. True Survivor

      That is a fun song. I see it is from some sort of Japanese animated surrealist comedy? I don’t really watch anime (the only one I ever managed to fully finish was Psycho-Pass). Did you like this show? Would you recommend it?

      1. Leorale

        FLCL is a cult classic and a wild good time. Robots, rock guitars, rad music. It’s also on a pretty significant amount of crack. The ending makes me cry and I don’t know why. Hope you enjoy.

      2. Stanistani

        FLCL? Oh yeah! One of the greats.

      3. Opus the Poet

        I don’t know about him, but I loved FLCL. Absolutely bonkers video.

      4. NGPZ

        Hell yeah! Is a surreal story about the perils of adolescence which plays like one long MTV video, it ROCKS! B)

        I’d skip on the sequels tho, at best they’re just okay but not nearly as good as the OG :/

        1. True Survivor

          Cool. Thank you all for the recommendation.

  11. mindbleach

    “Like, once.”

  12. Sirksome

    A better friend than Raidah.

    1. Laura

      WAY better!

    2. Freemage

      “At that moment, Jennifer realized the real friends were the friends she had all along.”

      1. Laura

        “We were, of course, all ninjas…”

    3. Thag Simmons

      There are venomous reptiles that make better friends than Raidah.

    4. anon

      i mean, despite her flaws, i think billfer’s …socially savvy(??) enough to realize that raidah is a ‘ladder climber’/convenient acquantaince to have for ‘connections’ or so

    5. Aquila

      I could throw a rock in this place that’s a better friend than Raidah.

      (not “and hit”, to be clear)

      1. John Campbell

        You could throw a rock and hit someone who would be a better friend than Raidah. Even after you hit them with a rock unprovoked!

        1. Aquila

          Also true, but I was saying the rock itself would be a better friend.

          Actually, that’s not guaranteed; I’ve known some rocks that are real assholes.
          (That’s right, I’m talking about you, Cliff!)

  13. Steve C

    “Checkmate, Miss Billingsworth”

  14. Shakes

    Perhaps the real friends were the friends who were your friends all along.

    1. Freemage

      G’dammit, I swear, when I made that comment in reply to Sirksome, yours wasn’t showing on my screen!

      1. Shakes

        Clearly I stole your comment from the future.

      2. Straximus

        Well, perhaps the real friends were the friends who were her friends all along.

  15. Switchchris

    I think that look in the last panel is genuine happiness, or maybe “So this is what somebody who is actually my friend would do”. Unlike her “Friend Group” that kicked her out as soon as she stopped dating the popular guy and she can’t sit at their lunch table anymore.
    She hasn’t had an actual female friend in a LONG time, even longer for one that she didn’t sleep with.
    She REALLY wants a friend right now, I don’t think that befriending her ex-friend is actually the important thing for her, its just that she believes that she would make a good friend since they were friends before and thats her benchmark for “Friend”.
    Hopefully this will soon be the return of Billy as she realizes that she could easily have Friends again if she would just be herself and accept the love from those around her, even if they arnt super popular.

    1. John Campbell

      The thing is… Joyce is objectively the super popular one here.

      1. Sirksome

        What does popularity even mean at this point? I feel like every character that values popularity has a very skewed idea of what it is. Raidah’s connected to like 2 people who don’t seem to have any of the value she desires. Meanwhile Joyce is either close friends or tangentially connected to at least two wealthy or influential people. With a friend group nearing a dozen.

  16. Li

    Agreeing with a few other people: I think the last panel is “oh… oh, this is what it feels like to have a real friend”.

    I think Jennifer/Billie had forgotten what that could feel like.

  17. audkitten

    I’m reading that last panel as “oh crap, if I want Alice back I have to spend time with Joyce.” To me that’s a look of panic. Hoping I’m wrong, because I like other people’s interpretation of “yay a real friend,” but I just don’t think Jennifer is that self aware.

    1. Thag Simmons

      I think the second panel is the “Oh crap” but Joyce has disarmed her by the last panel

    2. thumb

      That panel reads to me like however she feels about having lunch with Joyce, this is what it feels to receive something good and wholesome you didn’t deserve. I don’t know that she’s looking forward to it, but at least she’s readjusting her estimation of her.

  18. IntangibleMatter

    I gotta say, I don’t think I’m ever removing the “DON’T CARE REMOVING PANTS NOW” extension because it makes every strip that much better.

    1. Dollie87

      Ah yes, THIS is the chaotic energy this comic needs. It was so boring before xD

      1. Astariel

        It would be particularly hilarious in the strip your gravatar is from.

  19. Kyulen

    I can’t tell if Jennifer’s face in the last panel means she likes this plan or not. Or maybe she’s just surprised that one person in this friend group she’s been ignoring for a while still considers her a friend? I don’t know.

    1. Shakes

      I think it’s probably a realization that she does have friends after Raidah’s callous remark earlier in https://www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/book-15/03-me-and-who-you-say-i-was-yesterday/coupling/

      1. Archieve

        I hope that Radiah takes note and when she brings it up Jennifer can just shrug and go “I did ask you first”

  20. AbacusWizard

    ohhhhhhhh, well played, Joyce, you are getting very good at this “social” thing

  21. DailyBrad

    Oh, this is way too fucking cute. Also, silly, sure, but not necessarily a terrible course of action. It isn’t like Jennifer/Billie was being any less overbearing in her attempts.

  22. Taffy

    Unconditional friendship is good and healing.

    1. Li

      +1

  23. Arianod

    Flawless plan!!

  24. RassilonTDavros

    In which Jennifer learns the true meaning of friendship.

    (And then maybe gives Joyce a totally-completely-platonic kiss?)

  25. Deanatay

    Wait, I’m not just using an acquaintance to bag another acquaintance whom I have unresolved feelings for? I actually have a…? Fr…

    Fr…

    Frie*snap* OW I PULLED SOMETJING

    3 months later, Jennifer can say the word ‘friend’ again without pain

  26. Jane

    Aww

    This is heartwarming, and it’s sad that Jennifer is surprised.

  27. Francoinblanco

    But I want eat Alice nooow i mean lunch

  28. Zamperla

    Ah, Jennifer…

    esp considering the amount of “Well we’re friends SO you provide Service and Our Service is This Superior Friends Group” she’s been going through. Which. honestly I wonder if that was seductive from familiarity.

    she forgot again. theres people who just like her and think fondly of her even if shes kind of a jerk or ditches them.

    1. Li

      The VERY first thing she was greeted with in Raidah’s friend group was Char or Chan (I cannot keep them straight) immediately asking her if she’d thought about losing weight. I think that too probably felt familiar from her high school days, even if she wasn’t, back then, as often on the receiving end of it.

  29. StClair

    Sometimes the very thing you’re looking for
    Is the one thing you can’t see

    And now we’re standing face to face
    Isn’t this world a crazy place?
    Just when I thought our chance had passed
    You go and save the best for last

  30. DJTsurugi

    wait… is this the arc where everyone crushes on Joyce? ~<3

    1. anonymsly

      She’s pretty crushworthy.

  31. Amós Batista

    Joyce’s a real angel. I would drop Jennifer soon at “but I gotta eat with you like forever??”

    1. Joy

      Joyce has a lot of friends :3

  32. Serendipity

    Jen, do not catch feels- too late.

  33. Jammy

    That’s the sweetest sentiment of this comic’s history. So surprising. So lovely. Thanks.

  34. Bryy

    Jennifer please do not fuck this up in tomorrow’s strip.

    1. Juanoku

      That has been my first thought after i read these for the past week or 2

    2. Morhek

      Oh, she won’t fuck this up ᶦⁿ ᵗᵒᵐᵒʳʳᵒʷ’ˢ ˢᵗʳᶦᵖ.

      1. Deanatay

        She’ll wait at least a week before fucking things up.

  35. Retrikaethan

    dang i really hope jennifer’s takeaway from this is that raidah ain’t actually her friend and not that this plan is gonna take forever if it ever works at all.

  36. Bobin

    Jennifer when she realizes she has to be friends with somone who isn’t garbage

  37. Tan

    Dumbing of Age Book 15: But It’s Okay, Because We’re Friends

  38. AK

    Okay this is honestly adorable.

  39. thakoru

    “Also, the last time I tried doing that, the person I was trying to convince ended up falling in love with me, which I’m assuming would be awkward.”

  40. Tessea

    Hooray! Lunch with Jennifer!

  41. Joy

    I’m happy that she’s realizing stuff in that last panel. Like she deserves to be happy. I feel like being friends and hanging out with Joyce will make her happy, and with how she’s been lately she’ll probably distance herself from Raidah like she did with Asher after his mean comment.

    1. Joy

      Also Joyce was right about her social expertise hehehehehe

  42. aSnowyEvening

    Aww, that’s sweet. That’s actually the little bit of kindness that Jennifer needs right now. Good job, Joyce.

    1. aSnowyEvening

      Goodbye Fuckface, you were a great companion but I am bored and want to roll the dice again.

      1. aSnowyEvening

        LOL I hate Malaya but that was perfect. They are staying for the time being.

        1. Bruno

          Gang

  43. DashWallkick

    Jennifer visibly trying not to condescend and dismiss her for being an embarrassing nerd in that last panel.

  44. Thing2

    Creepy and overbearing.

  45. Tawnee

    Oops got here later than usual so I’ll do a quick ctrl + f on the comments.

    Huh, no-one said “bang” yet (or maybe you did but in politer language).

    They’re friends! They get to bang!

  46. Chasey

    I hope that face is because Jennifer is realizing that Joyce is a way better friend than Raidah, Raidah who has prerequisites for if you’re allowed to be seen with her.

    1. anonymsly

      And lunchtime with Joyce could also bring Joe into Jennifer’s new/old circle of friends, and he could be very good for Jennifer, since he’s got a different perspective on being a recovering POS than the rest. It could bring Becky in more genuinely, Becky who has always thought Jennifer is kind of awesome and who might be able help hone and focus the alpha-bongo-problem-solver bits. And it could bring back Walky, the first and for a long time only unconditional forever friend of Jennifer’s life, now with added perceptiveness and maturity on his side.

      This could be really genuinely good for Jennifer, if she lets it be.

  47. anonymsly

    I love, love, love that Joyce’s plan is basically just ‘show Alice you have real friends by actually having real friends’.

    1. Foolissa

      Yes! I’m obsessed by whether Joyce’s last line is as straightforward as she normally is, or if she has gotten subtle enough to realize that Jennifer did not AT ALL think that before but Joyce knows A) it’s true and that B) Jennifer won’t be able to argue with it in this context. Like, is Joyce poking at Jennifer just a little bit with that? I want it to be true.

  48. Florence

    Oh Jennifer, that’s someone actually sincerely caring about you

    Maybe you might get past your brain worms and let the friendship happen instead of playing hierarchy

  49. Mark

    Honestly I can’t decide whether Joyce’s plan or Jennifer’s is the less wildly unlikely to succeed, but I’ll admit that I can think of nothing better.

    1. clif

      Better plan. As in more likely to work. Hm. You have the aliens abduct her and reprogram her personality. Or alternatively you kidnap her yourself and wait for Stockholm syndrome to make her fall in love with you.

      Take kidnapping off the table and I think you’re back to Joyce’s plan.

    2. John Campbell

      The best thing about Joyce’s plan is, even if it fails, it has solved the root problem of Jennifer not having any friends.

  50. thumb

    I gotta say, the plan is solid. Give it up for Joyce. It’s sane enough to work.

    1. clif

      Have you kept records on whether sane or insane plans are more effective for reaching dubious goals?

  51. Liska

    That’s the face where you realize you had forgotten what it was like to *be* a friend, not just *have* a friend.

  52. Koms

    *Borrows the hacked muzak to play ‘You’ve got a friend in me’ and returns it with thanks*

  53. DallyDaydream

    When Joyce has better social awareness than you

  54. Rabisch

    I’m afraid that Joyce is about to discover an unpleasant reality.

    1. Jeremiah

      I think Jennifer is about to realize a very pleasant reality.

  55. Amelie Wikström

    “What are ‘friends?’ People willing to trade favors such as letting me leverage their clout to influence other people to increase my network of social influence, right? That’s all I remember of friendship since I met Raidah anyway.”

  56. Jeremiah

    Yessss let the power of friendship seep into your very soul.

  57. Astariel

    D’awww!

  58. Rectilinear Propagation

    Very grateful for some warm and fuzzies in this trying time.

  59. Yeet

    basically everyone being better at this than jennifer is very funny

    1. BorkBorkBork

      Honestly, it kind of makes sense that the popular person who everyone was tripping over to be known as a friend of and be in the inner circle with, isn’t really familiar with how to *be* a friend.

      1. Yeet

        yeah but the fact that she thinks of herself as good at socialising and chicanery and friendships is the funny bit
        it’s the hubris

  60. Jdorr

    Jennifer, if you want to seem friendly and normal, spending time with a friend would be a good start

  61. Smooti

    This is. Actually an incredibly good plan. Maybe add in adding some more social media posts of the two of them hanging in clearly not alcohol filled spaces and you’ve got the seeds planted.

  62. Wilde

    A) I think the face is her being touched that Joyce has such a simple and unshakeable view of their friendship

    B) I really hope Billie doesn’t double down on bullying her because of this, or even better, comes clean to Joyce about what’s really going on

    C) I think Dorothy and Billie have the same problem, that they don’t think anyone wants them as friends unless they are being useful, so this is surprising her

    1. Wilde

      D) what other avvies can I get?! Just curious

    2. wilde

      Oops didn’t change it

      1. wilde

        I was doing it wrong, listen I had bad sleep. We’ll just see what this one is

        1. wilde

          This feels fair and just after that showing, it’s a garbage roof kinda day

    3. Pseudowolf

      I think it’s that and that she kinda forgot what it looks like for someone to just be your friend and not just friend-LY because you think you can use that for your own benefit somehow (which is basically Raidah’s entire circle)

  63. Poyo

    how is joyce better at understanding how to manipulate people than jennifer. thats hilarious

    1. Heavensrun

      Because Joyce isn’t trying to manipulate anybody. She’s trying to *influence* people. And I daresay she’s succeeding.

  64. Joey245

    …wow it’s been a hot minute since I checked this comic. A few years, in fact. Think I remember Joyce being on her cringe atheist arc last time I was here, glad to see that she’s doing much better these days! Spent the day reading a few of the stories I missed, great stuff.

    Favorite stuff I read today was Dina and Becky’s experimenting, Joyce discovering she might be autistic (which just made me love her even more), Jocelyn coming over to visit, Sarah and Tony hitting it off, and pretty much anything involving Dorothy. Keep being awesome Mr. Willis!

    1. Joey245

      Forgot to mention, I’m tempted to just read EVERYTHING from the Winter arc that I missed…which makes me tempted to reread the entire series just to make sure I haven’t missed anything…

      Dammit, I planned to do stuff with my free time D:

      1. Dante

        Oh! Go ahead! Seriously, I love re-reading DoA, it’s insane how well planned it is and it shows <33 You don't have to binge or anything, though god it's SO EASY to do that

  65. Heavensrun

    Man, I hope that dawning realization at the end is Billie realizing that Joyce is too good for her.

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