Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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May 12, 2026

Vandalized

by David M Willis on April 20, 2019 at 12:01 am
  • 03 - Sometimes the Sky Was So Far Away
└ Tags: agatha, sarah

Discussion (148) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    April 20, 2019 at 12:01 am | #

    “my petard… I am hoisted”

    alt: “I’m why I can’t have nice things”

    • Thursday Violist
      Thursday Violist
      April 20, 2019 at 1:27 am | #

      All she had to do was say “Joyce likes it” and nobody would’ve questioned it.

      • Felix
        Felix
        April 20, 2019 at 6:20 am | #

        Or she could have just owned up to it…

        • HeySo
          HeySo
          April 20, 2019 at 12:55 pm | #

          The key word here is ‘could’. In that it’s being applied in much the same manner as “the Earth could spontaneously hurl itself into the Sun today”. It could happen, but it probably won’t.
          Not that I’m saying that it’d take the fiery destruction of the entire planet to make Sarah be honest about liking things. ..wait, no, maybe that is what I’m saying.

  2. Doctor_Who
    Doctor_Who
    April 20, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

    The WhiteBoard DingDong Bandit has returned as the OrangeGourd DoorDec Bandit!

    • Slartibeast Button, BIA
      Slartibeast Button, BIA
      April 20, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

      In a world, where art is the only protest…

      • Jhon
        Jhon
        April 21, 2019 at 1:08 am | #

        … all protesters will be artists.

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      April 20, 2019 at 4:36 am | #

      Someone find Amazi-Girl and get her on the case.

    • Needfuldoer
      Needfuldoer
      April 20, 2019 at 8:44 am | #

      Ooooohhhhhhhh

      Who posts decorations all over your door?
      Orangegourd Doordec!
      Who leaves lots of pumpkins but always has more?
      Orangegourd Doordec!

  3. ValdVin
    ValdVin
    April 20, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

    I don’t know if DofA has had a nearly-all-monochrome panel before.

    Poor Sarah.

    • SeanR
      SeanR
      April 20, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

      Red is a color.

      • HeySo
        HeySo
        April 20, 2019 at 12:57 pm | #

        It is, but it’s not one that’s especially relevant to the present topic.

        • SeanR
          SeanR
          May 6, 2019 at 12:28 am | #

          Sorry this is so late. I was associating this, near monochrome, panel, to earlier ones, when Amber was having a breakdown.

    • ValdVin
      ValdVin
      April 20, 2019 at 12:13 am | #

      Oops. I don’t mean “all monochrome”, but a panel that’s nearly all black, white and gray for artistic effect.

      • Ana Chronistic
        Ana Chronistic
        April 20, 2019 at 12:36 am | #

        mon·o·chrome
        /ˈmänəˌkrōm/
        noun
        noun: monochrome; plural noun: monochromes

        1.
        a photograph or picture developed or executed in black and white or in varying tones of only one color.

        you’re fine

        • ValdVin
          ValdVin
          April 20, 2019 at 12:43 am | #

          Hey, someone to do the research I’m too lazy for at midnight. Sincere thanx.

        • Reltzik
          Reltzik
          April 20, 2019 at 1:19 am | #

          Technically grayscale + orange is monochrome.

      • HeySo
        HeySo
        April 20, 2019 at 1:45 pm | #

        @ValdVin

        mono = [single, one]
        chrome = [relating to color]
        Not to be confused with chroma, a related word [synonymous with saturation] indicating how vibrant or dull a color is. Also not to be confused with chrome as a shorthand for chromium, as per the chrome plating which is used to add metallic sheen and corrosion resistance to vehicle components.

        To follow up on what Ana and Reltz touched on, monochrome relates to the use of shades of a single color, while grayscale refers to the specific monochrome configuration relating to gray. Grayscale is considered the default range for monochrome, so if you state monochrome without any other details, it becomes clear that you’re referring to grayscale. This sort of default perception is true of many words- for example, orgy (meaning “an excessive indulgence in”) has a specific indulgence in mind when no other descriptor is added.
        I’m unfamiliar with the concept of greyscale being able to be combined with other colors and still be considered monochrome, and my Google results also seem to reject that interpretation, so that previous statement may have been in error.
        I’m of the understanding that it is still often considered to be monochrome when the range of shades is present on a single-shade background of a different color, however [as per old computers, which were green text and graphics on a black background], so that may have been the basis for the confusion. (Ergo, grayscale on orange would perhaps count as monochrome, but the current comic’s orange on grayscale presumably would not.)

        Note also that “black & white” does not refer to greyscale, it specifically refers to binary white and black application. While in common usage the terms are used interchangably, this is not necessarily true for more technical applications of the terms. As such, it can be worthwhile to note the distinction in very specific cases [as by certain printer settings, which may distinguish between the two options].

        ^.^

        • begbert2
          begbert2
          April 20, 2019 at 8:21 pm | #

          Every black & white photo I’ve ever seen was greyscale.

        • Chris (the other one)
          Chris (the other one)
          April 21, 2019 at 7:27 am | #

          HeySo, first thank you for that information. Second, you DID read the words nearly-all- before the word monochrome, yes?

          • HeySo
            HeySo
            April 29, 2019 at 7:18 am | #

            @begbert2

            There’s typically no reason to pick binary black & white over greyscale but, as I noted, the two CAN be listed as seperate options, so the distinction CAN be relevant. I’ve used it a few times when I had shaded text, and I wanted to ensure it printed as solid black text on white background (as per the norm). For general discussion, the two are almost always interchangable.

            @Chris

            Valdin thanked for research, so I elaborated the remainder of the subject (and I had the impression of adequately detailing my intention of doing such, but I suppose I fell short?). My comment shouldn’t be any different from the previous ones, aside from breadth, so if there’s some criticism you’re trying to offer, I’m uncertain as to its scope. Your vague phrasing makes it so I’m not even sure if a criticism was intended or not. :S

      • not someone else
        not someone else
        April 20, 2019 at 2:12 pm | #

        The artistic term for what you’re looking at is spot color, but I think everyone got what you meant.

  4. Questionor
    Questionor
    April 20, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

    but everyone who hates everything loves Halloween. Come on Sarah, didn’t you read the Curmudgeon League’s bylaws?

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      April 20, 2019 at 1:20 am | #

      Dang kids always coming ’round and banging on my door when I just want to be left alone *grumble grumble grumble*

  5. Kern Wallace
    Kern Wallace
    April 20, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    Sarah, you’re allowed to let people know you care about things.

    • Slartibeast Button, BIA
      Slartibeast Button, BIA
      April 20, 2019 at 12:11 am | #

      Showing feelings just makes you vulnerable.

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        April 20, 2019 at 8:42 am | #

        Worse, it ruins your image.

        Which has been kind of a theme this chapter. Starting with Sal and Joyce’s conversation.

        • Jack
          Jack
          April 20, 2019 at 11:02 am | #

          Feeding into or avoiding other people’s expectations of yourself is quite an emotional choice, if you are aware of it.

          For some people.

  6. Yumi
    Yumi
    April 20, 2019 at 12:05 am | #

    Hey, my cheery Mormon friend is getting married today! Good time to see Agatha.

    Also, Sarah, you’re allowed to like things.

  7. taekwondogirl
    taekwondogirl
    April 20, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

    🙁

  8. Raen
    Raen
    April 20, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

    …I am shocked, shocked by this alt-text.

    I guess “Christmastime is here” wouldn’t have been appropriate.

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      April 20, 2019 at 12:38 am | #

      it might as well be

      the War on Christmas has already claimed Thanksgiving and is regularly encroaching upon Hallowe’en

      • Yet_One_More_Idiot
        Yet_One_More_Idiot
        April 20, 2019 at 1:54 am | #

        Here in the UK, most major store chains start putting out Christmas stock on 1 September.

        After Hallowe’en’s been and gone, they take down the stuff that was on sale for it and put out even more Christmas stock. xD

  9. Batz
    Batz
    April 20, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

    What was that whole “best policy” thing, again?
    I keep forgetting.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      April 20, 2019 at 1:36 am | #

      Keep your head down, keep your mouth shut, and avoid all human interaction.

      …. hey, technically that keeps you from lying. At least to anyone but yourself.

  10. Nono
    Nono
    April 20, 2019 at 12:08 am | #

    I don’t know why, but that Agatha smile in panel 4 is making me ship Agatha/Sarah.

  11. BBCC
    BBCC
    April 20, 2019 at 12:09 am | #

    Agatha is a sweet and precious button and I love her. She’s like the human personification of a smiley emoji.

    Sarah, as you can see, this is why we don’t deny liking things for the sake of a crusty shell.

    • Kyrik Michalowski
      Kyrik Michalowski
      April 20, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

      She can’t help, Sarah is like a pufferfish. She doesn’t mean to be so prickly, it’s just all that she knows. And it takes time for her to realize not everything is a threat and let those spikes down.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        April 20, 2019 at 12:18 am | #

        Dammit, there was supposed to be a 😛 there.

        Ah well. We love Sarah anyways. Her reactions are one of my favourite birthday presents today!

        • Marsh Maryrose
          Marsh Maryrose
          April 20, 2019 at 12:53 am | #

          When it counts, may you roll high!

  12. butts
    butts
    April 20, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

    ummm whatcha say

    • butts
      butts
      April 20, 2019 at 12:11 am | #

      …alt text is different song, same joke

    • Slartibeast Button, BIA
      Slartibeast Button, BIA
      April 20, 2019 at 12:13 am | #

      She is a rock.

      She is an island.

    • Kyrik Michalowski
      Kyrik Michalowski
      April 20, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

      That you only meant well~

  13. Well_Played
    Well_Played
    April 20, 2019 at 12:11 am | #

    Aww Sarah…being a tsundere never helped anyone

    • Slartibeast Button, BIA
      Slartibeast Button, BIA
      April 20, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

      Tsundere? Who does she like then?

      • Kyrik Michalowski
        Kyrik Michalowski
        April 20, 2019 at 12:16 am | #

        Halloween, it is her one true love. <3 Unless someone asks her about it.

      • StClair
        StClair
        April 20, 2019 at 4:15 am | #

        No one!
        >.>

        • Slartibeast Button, BIA
          Slartibeast Button, BIA
          April 20, 2019 at 9:22 am | #

          Just so.

      • Roborat
        Roborat
        April 22, 2019 at 3:50 pm | #

        Other Jacob.

    • Smiling Cat
      Smiling Cat
      April 20, 2019 at 12:59 am | #

      Baka, it’s not like she likes halloween or anything.

      • Thursday Violist
        Thursday Violist
        April 20, 2019 at 1:24 am | #

        It’s not like she decorated the door out of liking it, she just felt obligated to do so.

  14. Kyrik Michalowski
    Kyrik Michalowski
    April 20, 2019 at 12:12 am | #

    Sarah no! 🙁 This makes me unreasonably sad and I have no idea why.

  15. Victor Riley
    Victor Riley
    April 20, 2019 at 12:14 am | #

    Such an odd thing to lie about…

    • bleepbloop
      bleepbloop
      April 20, 2019 at 11:45 am | #

      I think (and a few others have interpreted it this way) that she only lied because Agatha pointed it out instead of just going “nice door!” and moving on. Not that I’m saying Agatha did anything wrong, but making a deal about someone doing something they normally wouldn’t do can easily make people want to double down and not do that thing out of spite. Still a silly thing to do, yes, but I don’t think it’s so much “Sarah’s trying too hard to be edgy” and more “I was gonna get away with it but someone had to make a deal about it”. She was honest about liking Halloween to three other people after all

  16. shadowcell
    shadowcell
    April 20, 2019 at 12:14 am | #

    Dumbing of Age Book 9: [just the last panel]

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      April 20, 2019 at 12:39 am | #

      Dumbing of Age Book 9: I Didn’t Know You Liked Anything

      • ShinyNeen
        ShinyNeen
        April 20, 2019 at 12:58 am | #

        Dumbing of Age Book 9: You– You Don’t Have To…

        (It’s a radical new sales tactic!)

        • Yet_One_More_Idiot
          Yet_One_More_Idiot
          April 20, 2019 at 1:56 am | #

          Dumbing of Age Book 9: [alt text] Hello Darkness My Old Friend…

  17. TrueVCU
    TrueVCU
    April 20, 2019 at 12:16 am | #

    Oh Sarah, you tried to have it all

  18. Renshear Blade
    Renshear Blade
    April 20, 2019 at 12:20 am | #

    silly Sarah….

  19. Marsh Maryrose
    Marsh Maryrose
    April 20, 2019 at 12:20 am | #

    “Thanks, I hate it.” Other than Agatha being a sweetie, I can see nothing at all good about this strip.

    There had better be callbacks explaining why Sarah is willing to make herself miserable in this way, or I’ll…keep backing DoA kickstarters? But Damn You Willis!

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      April 20, 2019 at 1:13 am | #

      There was the extended flashback about Dana, Sarah’s roommate last year. She’s definitely more introverted, if Joyce had been Sarah’s first roommate I could see Sarah having a similar dynamic with her that they have now. Not as extreme, but still at points where Joyce could drive Sarah to Other Jacobvibrate through walls to get away.

      • Fart Captor
        Fart Captor
        April 20, 2019 at 3:21 am | #

        Yeah, and also that whole thing when Joyce got back from La Porte with all the hugging and crying

        Sarah keeps people at a distance by putting up a grouchy facade as a defense mechanism. Other people seeing beyond that makes her uncomfortable. She’s been slowly letting Joyce in, but she doesn’t know Agatha that well so she still feels the need to convince her she hates everything

        • BBCC
          BBCC
          April 20, 2019 at 5:20 am | #

          Indeed – to use her words, not putting up her crusty shell really stresses her out.

  20. Cerberus
    Cerberus
    April 20, 2019 at 12:31 am | #

    And thus Sarah learns the terrible terrible price to pretending to be too cool to care about things.

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      April 20, 2019 at 12:38 am | #

      I think it’s less ‘I’m too cool’ and more ‘I’m a crusty grump who doesn’t care about anything, rawr’.

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      April 20, 2019 at 1:31 am | #

      The price for being too cool to care about things are the things you care about.

      Or as Sal put it
      http://www.dumbingofage.com/2016/comic/book-6/03-when-god-closes-the-door/pissybaby/

      • pjeseb
        pjeseb
        April 20, 2019 at 5:03 am | #

        Holy Cheese, that was two years ago already.

  21. ShinyNeen
    ShinyNeen
    April 20, 2019 at 12:32 am | #

    Aww, Agatha’s so trusting and helpful! Just dives in to help, doesn’t question Sarah’s behavior for a second. Yup, that IS a weird act of vandalism, but it must have happened, right? Sarah wouldn’t be dishonest about that!

    • Schpoonman
      Schpoonman
      April 20, 2019 at 1:16 am | #

      I’ve never had people scam me or cost me money, but I’ve definitely had people basically gaslight me for shits and giggles. You know, lie to me and then take my reaction around so they can talk shit.

      High school was fun.

      • mrnoidea
        mrnoidea
        April 20, 2019 at 1:44 am | #

        Oof. I’ve had that feeling when I was in 8th grade. When high school rolled around, I realized I needed to make new “friends.”

      • ischemgeek
        ischemgeek
        April 20, 2019 at 11:25 am | #

        I grew up in a family where gaslighting was the order of the day.

        There is a reason I document all emotional conversations just in case. Reality checking. If someone tells me a thing didn’t happen, I dig up my journal and can check.

        • ShinyNeen
          ShinyNeen
          April 20, 2019 at 1:46 pm | #

          *Appropriate gesture of support*

          There’s a few people I know, though thankfully not anybody I have to frequently interact with, that make me feel like I need to do that around them. It’s awful when you’re suddenly put on the spot by someone who can simultaneously say whatever they want and force you to cling to the truth >.>

      • ShinyNeen
        ShinyNeen
        April 20, 2019 at 1:49 pm | #

        @Schpoonman: Ugh, yeah. I don’t remember a whole lot from highschool, I mostly got left alone, but I remember a few conversations like that- people just coming up and asking some random shit and then leaving, sounding like they’re trying not to crack up >.>

        S’probably part of why I have trouble taking people at their word these days, especially folks that still act like they’re in school.

  22. not someone else
    not someone else
    April 20, 2019 at 12:33 am | #

    …Man, those feels, I know them.

    If she’s anything like me she probably wouldn’t even have done it if someone hadn’t come right up and said “gosh, that’s not like you at all!” like they were gonna make a huge deal out of it. Why do people gotta make a huge deal out of coming out of your shell, all the loud noises and sudden movements just make it look unsafe out there!

    • TheHorseCouncil
      TheHorseCouncil
      April 20, 2019 at 1:13 am | #

      You. Thank you. I’ve only ever expressed this same thing to my boyfriend. He’s literally the only person who doesn’t make a fuss when i do something “out of character.”

      “What you’re drinking?!” “You’re dancing?!” “Why are you in such a good mood today?”
      “Are you wearing makeup?!”

      Annoying… how bout not treating people like pod aliens when they try something new…

    • Miri
      Miri
      April 20, 2019 at 1:47 am | #

      Given that she has admitted the Halloween-love to three other characters, I suspect you are right. I also think Agatha is going to be very confused at some point, or really righteously indignant on Sarah’s behalf, and she’s going to have to go on public record as liking something, with dramz involved in her being outed…

    • Rectilinear Propagation
      Rectilinear Propagation
      April 20, 2019 at 10:35 am | #

      Yeah, the number of people interpreting this as Sarah attempting to look ‘cool’ is really…bizarre.

    • bleepbloop
      bleepbloop
      April 20, 2019 at 11:41 am | #

      Thank you!! I just left a similar comment because it honestly is the most annoying thing in the world. It honestly makes you want to just NOT do the out-of-character thing out of spite.

  23. clif
    clif
    April 20, 2019 at 12:37 am | #

    Wow! Agatha has a mean streak. Who would have guessed.

    • John
      John
      April 20, 2019 at 1:13 am | #

      I’m pretty sure Agatha’s totally in earnest here, as pretty much always. (Which is not to say that she can’t be a snarky troll when sorely provoked.) Sarah is her own worst enemy.

      • JBento
        JBento
        April 20, 2019 at 7:32 am | #

        Actually, I think she’s being earnest there, too.

      • Kinoko
        Kinoko
        April 20, 2019 at 1:11 pm | #

        Yeah, that looks earnest to me.
        Agatha’s a sweetie, confirmed.

  24. HaretaSora
    HaretaSora
    April 20, 2019 at 12:41 am | #

    Stop being tsundere Sarah! It only hurts you in the end!

  25. Tacos
    Tacos
    April 20, 2019 at 12:58 am | #

    Ya played yo’self.

  26. purblebirb
    purblebirb
    April 20, 2019 at 1:00 am | #

    *Mad World but sung by that kid in the vine*

  27. TheHorseCouncil
    TheHorseCouncil
    April 20, 2019 at 1:07 am | #

    Hm. Okay. No. This can be a good thing. All pumpkins isn’t festive enough. Sara can give it a go and this time REALLY dig deep and release her love for the holiday in a master work upon her door!
    ….. provided she get over the hangup that led to this dismantling in the first place…..

  28. Schpoonman
    Schpoonman
    April 20, 2019 at 1:19 am | #

    It’s interesting to me that we’re seeing the same thing happen to Sarah that’s been happening to Joyce and Sal, except that Sarah has chosen to double down in fear.

    And look what it cost her. I hope she gets the chance to go ballistic on her door later.

  29. Bagge
    Bagge
    April 20, 2019 at 1:29 am | #

    Who could have done something like that? Put a visual but ultimately removable picture on someone elses door? Possibly someone who is on record being favorable to adorable pumpkins?

    Will no one stop this menace? This Goddamned pumpkin bandit?

  30. mrnoidea
    mrnoidea
    April 20, 2019 at 1:32 am | #

    I’m not sure who Agatha reminds me of, but she has a good expression in Panel 2.

    hey look more character development for Sarah, hopefully

    • mrnoidea
      mrnoidea
      April 20, 2019 at 1:34 am | #

      (Also, I thought about doing a 420 joke, but I redacted it because it made me cringe.)

    • Sol Karas
      Sol Karas
      April 20, 2019 at 4:17 am | #

      Assuming you’re not being facetious, Agatha is described as a “blonde Robin” by Willis himself, so… lol

  31. Bagge
    Bagge
    April 20, 2019 at 1:38 am | #

    Agatha: Too good for this sinful world.

  32. Miri
    Miri
    April 20, 2019 at 1:43 am | #

    I wonder how Agatha will react when Mary proudly puts up a picture of Sarah (as a witch burning in hellfire) on that door…

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      April 20, 2019 at 3:11 am | #

      Hmmmm. On one hand it DOES seem like an opening for a stupid plot about Agatha thinking Mary is the vandal and confronting her.

      On the other hand, Agatha seems to have a lick of common sense, so I think she would just talk to Sarah about it.

      • Zero
        Zero
        April 21, 2019 at 12:59 am | #

        Mary is mean, cruel, and vicious. Agatha presumably knows this.

        Sarah has now told Agatha that somebody put decorations on her door just to bother her.
        Mary is set to put a picture on Sarah’s door depicting her as a witch burning in Hell.

        If I knew what Agatha “knows” and saw that I’d tear that down and rip it up while weighing whether it’s better to tell Sarah or never tell her.

  33. Axel
    Axel
    April 20, 2019 at 1:45 am | #

    🙁

    She should have just blamed Joyce or Becky

    • Bagge
      Bagge
      April 20, 2019 at 3:11 am | #

      Joyce IS the obvious suspect.

  34. Darkoneko
    Darkoneko
    April 20, 2019 at 1:46 am | #

    NOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo

  35. Nenja
    Nenja
    April 20, 2019 at 1:55 am | #

    Noooo, not the pumpkins!

  36. PB
    PB
    April 20, 2019 at 2:13 am | #

    NOOO SARAH NOOOOOO

  37. BenRG
    BenRG
    April 20, 2019 at 2:18 am | #

    I think that Sarah really needs to sit down and ask herself why it’s so impossible for her to admit that she likes anything. She really has big issues here!

  38. foducool
    foducool
    April 20, 2019 at 2:22 am | #

    kekeke, I love it when someone’s being dishonest and their lies tear them up inside

  39. Shane Wegner
    Shane Wegner
    April 20, 2019 at 3:04 am | #

    Hi, I’m a deuschy freshman and I can’t let people enjoy things! So witty.

  40. Torra
    Torra
    April 20, 2019 at 3:47 am | #

    This is what you w a n t e d

  41. Arianod
    Arianod
    April 20, 2019 at 3:49 am | #

    Hoisted by her own petard.

  42. StClair
    StClair
    April 20, 2019 at 4:17 am | #

    Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know.

    • RacingTurtle
      RacingTurtle
      April 20, 2019 at 8:32 pm | #

      Come on, Sarah! Let it go, let it go! Don’t hold it back anymore! Let it go, let it go, just decorate your door!
      No need to care
      What they’re going to say
      Stick some pumpkins on
      The Fall never bothered you anyway

      Sarah and Joyce make a pretty good Elsa and Anna, don’t they?

  43. Bagge
    Bagge
    April 20, 2019 at 4:30 am | #

    All Sarah needs now is Dina to somehow get wind of it.

    “Your falsehood designed to defend your persona prevented you from enjoyment of the thing you did not dare to admit liking.”

    “I GOT IT MYSELF, THANK YOU.”

    “Now, contrast with me who wears my interest as a badge of honor despite the occasional ridicule. To those who call me ‘that dinosaur chick’ I say ‘yes, that is a correct description’…maybe you should get a hat?”

    • hof1991
      hof1991
      April 20, 2019 at 9:58 am | #

      I want to see Sarah with a Halloween hat now.

  44. Keulen
    Keulen
    April 20, 2019 at 4:34 am | #

    She should’ve just told Agatha that Joyce put the pumpkins up, or even (gasp) admitted to enjoying Halloween.

  45. pjeseb
    pjeseb
    April 20, 2019 at 4:56 am | #

    Sarah, you know you have no one to blame except yourself.

  46. CianM1301
    CianM1301
    April 20, 2019 at 5:19 am | #

    Sarah internally: “I’ve maintained my cold exterior, but at what cost?”

  47. Daibhid C
    Daibhid C
    April 20, 2019 at 6:01 am | #

    It’s interesting that everyone here is all “This is what happens when you lie about what you care about”, and pathologically honest me thought “This is what happens when you don’t think your lie through”.

    I mean, come on, “Joyce likes Halloween and I don’t care enough either way to protest” would have fixed this easily.

  48. Bryy
    Bryy
    April 20, 2019 at 6:21 am | #

    Sarah is dead to me.

  49. Dariu55
    Dariu55
    April 20, 2019 at 6:38 am | #

    It’s hard to seem like you don’t care about any got danged thing

  50. SillyGoose
    SillyGoose
    April 20, 2019 at 6:39 am | #

    Jeez Sarah, for someone who values common sense so much you’re definitely not showing much yourself here. What do you think you need to not like anything? Where in the world have you picked up the idea that disliking everything makes you stronger or smarter?

    • bleepbloop
      bleepbloop
      April 20, 2019 at 11:37 am | #

      It’s the same thing that a lot of other characters seem to be going through in this storyline. Everyone has an “image” they need to keep up, a perception of themselves that everyone else has of them, and they’re either desperate to break that image (Sal) or dipping their toes in breaking said image because they aren’t sure who they are without it (Joyce). Everyone knows Sarah for being the one that hates everything. She doesn’t want to lose that image, and she definitely doesn’t want any slight diversion from her usual routine to be acknowledged. Sure, it’s silly, but I’m sure this will end on a positive not for her.

  51. Lone Duck
    Lone Duck
    April 20, 2019 at 6:48 am | #

    You now, now I need to see Mary draw an anime version of Tsundere Sarah (as a witch burning in hell, blushing and saying “N-no, I don’t like Halloween, or anything, baka!”). Because this was ridiculous.

  52. JBento
    JBento
    April 20, 2019 at 7:33 am | #

    AGATHAAAAAAA!!!!!! 8D

  53. Delicious Taffy
    Delicious Taffy
    April 20, 2019 at 7:47 am | #

    All around me are familiar faces

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      April 20, 2019 at 10:33 am | #

      Alternatively, you could go with that sad violin track every YTP uses.

  54. Ron
    Ron
    April 20, 2019 at 8:13 am | #

    First panel sarah is the happiest she’ s ever looked…

  55. Needfuldoer
    Needfuldoer
    April 20, 2019 at 8:41 am | #

    A couple story lines from now, Sarah wears a David S. Pumpkins style business suit and constantly has to make excuses about it.

  56. Deanatay
    Deanatay
    April 20, 2019 at 9:00 am | #

    Oh, Panel 1 Sarah. You should know better than to earnestly smile like that. You’re just begging the world to smack you down.

    • Axel
      Axel
      April 20, 2019 at 3:39 pm | #

      it’s such a good smile, too

  57. Grant
    Grant
    April 20, 2019 at 9:17 am | #

    tag yourself, i’m agatha

  58. Pat
    Pat
    April 20, 2019 at 10:12 am | #

    *I see a tower built out of my mistakes and it all comes crashing down*

  59. Pearl
    Pearl
    April 20, 2019 at 10:34 am | #

    Sarah got bullied as a kid, didn’t she.

    • timemonkey
      timemonkey
      April 20, 2019 at 12:02 pm | #

      And bullied as an adult.

    • Rectilinear Propagation
      Rectilinear Propagation
      April 20, 2019 at 5:41 pm | #

      Queue childhood montage of Sarah:

      1. Getting teased for liking things, no matter how little sense it makes for anyone to take issue with it.

      and/or

      2. Getting harassed for doing anything outside of their narrow idea of who she is, even if it is a common activity that nearly everyone else does.

      Agatha almost certainly wasn’t going to do either but her first lines seriously sound like a wind up for number 2.

      • J
        J
        April 20, 2019 at 8:22 pm | #

        As someone who had a childhood absolutely filled with both 1 and 2, Agatha really tripped those alarms hard, and I totally would’ve responded like Sarah, so that could very well be a thing.

        • RacingTurtle
          RacingTurtle
          April 20, 2019 at 9:06 pm | #

          Yep. It’s amazing how easily childhood experiences can convince you that all your opinions and preferences are Wrong so you shouldn’t ever, ever be honest about liking something. You must instead figure out and follow the Rules!
          (1) Never express a preference, ever. Pretend you have none.
          (2) If you cannot avoid expressing a preference, copy someone else’s answer. That is much safer than being your real self! Most people don’t want to see the real you, and the few that do are only after material to tease you with!
          (3) Never do anything off-pattern. That will only invite speculation about your opinions and preferences, which will inevitably result in ridicule!
          (4) If you break any of these rules and are treated with disdain, it is your fault. Your opinions and preferences are Wrong, remember?

          Some days, the rules seem fair, because you are obviously uniquely awful. Other days, the rules are proof that everyone else is awful and you must protect yourself from all of them. Needless to say, this is no fucking way to live. My heart hurts for Sarah here.

          • Slartibeast Button, BIA
            Slartibeast Button, BIA
            April 20, 2019 at 9:37 pm | #

            Of course, that’s a good thing, because it makes people conform, right?

            [/notserious]

  60. Vulcanodon
    Vulcanodon
    April 20, 2019 at 10:39 am | #

    It took me a while to get there, but this is why I have Star Trek and anime and ponies at my desk. I want to enjoy what I like and make room for people to enjoy what they like.

  61. bleepbloop
    bleepbloop
    April 20, 2019 at 11:30 am | #

    Agatha’s comment reminds of me of when you do something you usually don’t do and everyone makes a big deal out of it and suddenly you no longer want to be doing the new thing out of spite. Like going out with friends after a long time and them going “you NEVER want to go out I thought you hated the sun!” or wearing a nice outfit for once and people going “I thought you weren’t capable of wearing anything ya didn’t find at Old Navy”. Of course Agatha meant well here but it definitely gave me a backhanded compliment kinda vibe.

    • Doopyboop
      Doopyboop
      April 20, 2019 at 1:50 pm | #

      Ugh, I hate that shit. My aunt did that to me once the weekend I graduated college. I was super stressed and barely ate because of my anxiety. At my post-grad party I grabbed three slices of pizza and my aunt was like “WHOA LOOK EVERYBODY! She barely ate for days and NOW she’s eating THREE pieces!” like…wow. Thanks. You really make me wanna eat this now.

  62. abysswatcher1993
    abysswatcher1993
    April 20, 2019 at 11:36 am | #

    Sarah, you caused this to yourself. You tried to blame your shame of liking Halloween on other people being bigots mwhen in reality you just dont want to admit you still like childish stuff that isnt bad.

  63. TheFlamingonator
    TheFlamingonator
    April 20, 2019 at 12:46 pm | #

    i see you, hovertext and i raise you

    “mmhm whatcha saay~~”

    • Kaz
      Kaz
      April 20, 2019 at 1:38 pm | #

      “They ask you how you are and you just have to say that you’re fine but you’re not really fine but you just can’t get into it because they would never understand”

  64. Eldritch Gentleman
    Eldritch Gentleman
    April 20, 2019 at 6:10 pm | #

    Sarah, stop being an edgelord, it brings you nothing but misery… and some small amount of validation.

  65. Slartibeast Button, BIA
    Slartibeast Button, BIA
    April 20, 2019 at 6:51 pm | #

    Just checking, Mary’s proposed “Sarah the Witch Burning In Hell” is not up there yet, correct?

  66. DudeMyDadOwnsADealership
    DudeMyDadOwnsADealership
    April 20, 2019 at 6:59 pm | #

    Dude, what *is* it with Sarah and Self-Sabotage?

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      April 20, 2019 at 9:09 pm | #

      Have you read this comic? What is it with EVERYONE and Self-Sabotage?

      • Slartibeast Button, BIA
        Slartibeast Button, BIA
        April 20, 2019 at 9:38 pm | #

        It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

  67. Tim
    Tim
    April 22, 2019 at 1:21 am | #

    I’ve come to talk with you again.

  68. Roborat
    Roborat
    April 22, 2019 at 4:00 pm | #

    Sarah’s inner monologue in the last panel:

    “I hurt myself today . . . ”

    Then Danny joins in on his ukelele.

Who should be the default doodle for Book 14?

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