Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

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May 12, 2026

Probationary

by David M Willis on June 28, 2023 at 12:01 am
  • 04 – But Don't Give Yourself Away
└ Tags: barry, jason, robin

Discussion (151) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    June 28, 2023 at 12:01 am | #

    UNANIMOUS except for the animous

    next strip: we see whose dream this is by who suddenly remembers they didn’t wear anything to class

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      June 28, 2023 at 12:06 am | #

      My money’s on the green eyed blonde in the row behind Roz

      • Decidedly Orthogonal
        Decidedly Orthogonal
        June 28, 2023 at 6:22 am | #

        We can only hope.

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        June 28, 2023 at 10:42 am | #

        Yes please.

    • Tawdry Quirks
      Tawdry Quirks
      June 28, 2023 at 1:27 am | #

      It’s clearly the guy who’s thirsting for Jason.

      • Theluxland
        Theluxland
        June 28, 2023 at 7:13 am | #

        Don’t call me out like that

        • Freemage
          Freemage
          June 28, 2023 at 9:21 am | #

          Love that you have Asher’s Gravatar for that line.

  2. Angel
    Angel
    June 28, 2023 at 12:03 am | #

    let’s hope a student doesn’t leverage this

    i don’t know if roz will have any legit complaints but i imagine robin wouldn’t listen to her

    • C.T. Phipps
      C.T. Phipps
      June 28, 2023 at 12:05 am | #

      I mean does Roz have any legitimate complaints?

      I mean, aside from the obvious and important ones?

      • Freemage
        Freemage
        June 28, 2023 at 8:36 pm | #

        Regarding the legitimate complaints… Can anyone refresh my memory on the details of Jason and Sal’s relationship? Specifically, did he ever actually use his position to grant her favors like tweaking her grades?

        • justin8448
          justin8448
          June 28, 2023 at 8:50 pm | #

          Jason never granted her any favors. And he even gave her homework to a different TA to grade to make sure he couldn’t grant her favors.

          Also, Sal very clearly not only initiated their physical interaction, but actually jumped on top of Jason. In her mind, the “sex for favors” deal was implied and obvious, and she was angry that he didn’t follow through on what she assumed was his end of the bargain.

          When Sal confronted Jason about this, they again had (angry) sex with both of them probably aware that favors would still not be forthcoming.

          But Jason still got into trouble because it doesn’t matter if the sex was consensual (assuming that’s even possible given the power difference between them) and that he granted her no favors. It’s still ethically wrong and against the rules for him to have sex with Sal while he’s in her class.

          He should have just… not had sex with her. And he’s aware of this. He considers what he did a mistake.

          • justin8448
            justin8448
            June 28, 2023 at 8:51 pm | #

            *while she’s in his class (4th paragraph)

          • Freemage
            Freemage
            June 28, 2023 at 9:08 pm | #

            Thanks, I found the relevant strips, too. While I agree that his conduct was wrong and deserving of a reprimand (hell, the fact that Sal ~assumed~ that “sex with TA = better grade” pretty much is the reason for not crossing that line), I’ll be honest, I don’t think he deserved to be fired. I suspect that Penny was correct when she said he was vulnerable to being fired largely because he was unpopular with his peer group.

            And in a sense, the strip seems to agree with my assessment–he said that he could avoid being fired by appearing before a tribunal, with the student he’d been with, most likely to ensure no other ethical lines had been crossed. He simply wasn’t willing to drag Sal’s name into the scandal, and so accepted the worst-case judgement they could hit him with.

            (I’ll note I also tended to see little issue with Ruth and Billie’s relationship, at least in this aspect, that a simple room reassignment couldn’t take care of; it was the drinking and, y’know, the near suicide-pact mentality that was the problem.)

            • thejeff
              thejeff
              June 28, 2023 at 10:31 pm | #

              Or he was supposed to appear with the student so the student could deny that anything improper happened, which was how most of us understood it, I think.

              And you’re kind of correct about the reason, but that reason is why you have hard and fast rules about no sex with students. Make that the rule and you don’t have to mess about with the murky questions of intent. Or of proving that grades had been changed (or other advantages given).

          • thejeff
            thejeff
            June 28, 2023 at 10:33 pm | #

            It’s not entirely clear that he gave the homework to the other TA the first time, not until after Sal complained about it.
            He could have, but he didn’t say it at the time. Not until after the fact when she improved.

    • nicoleandmaggie
      nicoleandmaggie
      June 28, 2023 at 9:12 am | #

      At my school a blatant display like that would result in a ton of complaints before class even ended to the dept head and dean. Who might decide not to do anything about them. #academia

  3. Yumi
    Yumi
    June 28, 2023 at 12:04 am | #

    Barry has so many skills.

    • C.T. Phipps
      C.T. Phipps
      June 28, 2023 at 12:06 am | #

      Sadly, this is all foreshadowing Jason being crucified like the Second Eaton.

      (Shortpacked reference)

      • Clif
        Clif
        June 28, 2023 at 1:40 am | #

        Well that’s it. Barry has had his one line.

        (Shortpacked reference).

        • Koname
          Koname
          June 28, 2023 at 5:02 pm | #

          It is very interesting to finally find out he can talk.

  4. Suet
    Suet
    June 28, 2023 at 12:05 am | #

    You don’t even wear ties, Barry!

    Nah, I’m also here because how is he a redhead?! I know he’s fulfilling a certain trope, but HOW

    • Jo_cubstar
      Jo_cubstar
      June 28, 2023 at 12:08 am | #

      African redheads exist.

      • NGPZ
        NGPZ
        June 28, 2023 at 12:12 am | #

        Yes, and I think this was established last comments section? Pika pika?

        • Yumi
          Yumi
          June 28, 2023 at 12:15 am | #

          Hopefully we can be done with it after this one. Doesn’t seem like this would feel good to Black redheads.

          • NGPZ
            NGPZ
            June 28, 2023 at 12:20 am | #

            No kidding. 😬

          • Taffy
            Taffy
            June 28, 2023 at 12:25 am | #

            I figure it’ll happen again, probably the very next time Barry shows up. Maybe even a second time, today, from a person who doesn’t read this particular thread before posting. Maybe even RIGHT NOW! 🔦 OooooooH!

            • Needfuldoer
              Needfuldoer
              June 28, 2023 at 2:00 am | #

              Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties ’cause it’s COO-OO-OOLLLD out there today!

        • Decidedly Orthogonal
          Decidedly Orthogonal
          June 28, 2023 at 6:25 am | #

          Yup and I’m super thankful for those who taught me more about my fellow gingers. It was then and continues to be a great day of learning.

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      June 28, 2023 at 12:10 am | #

      Either he dyes it or he has a specific combination of genetic material passed down through his parents that causes him to have natural ginger hair

    • AbacusWizard
      AbacusWizard
      June 28, 2023 at 12:33 am | #

      Lots of different combinations of hair color and skin color are possible. I recently custom-ordered a huge variety-pack of Lego minifig heads and hairs and it’s so much fun to mix and match.

    • Shogo
      Shogo
      June 28, 2023 at 12:43 am | #

      Just to put it. When a person being of mixed race isn’t the reason, most examples of red hair in Africans is the result of being a particular type of albino. Namely, rufous albinism. It also means they’ll usually have blue eyes.

      For anyone else, regardless of race, it’s basically a melanin mutation. You have three types of melanin. Eumelanin (black/brown), Pheomelanin (pink/red), and Neuromelanin (also black/brown).

      Neuromelanin isn’t one you can easily see, since it’s found in your neurons and I imagine most people aren’t cracking open skulls to look at brain matter.

      Eumelanin mostly effects eye, skin, and hair color. As an example, blonde hair is actually the result of someone’s hair having no black melanin and extremely small amounts of brown melanin.

      Pheomelanin mostly effects the lips, nipples, and other such areas. People with very little Eumelanin but plenty of Pheomelanin is why most redheads have redhair, and the lack of Eumelanin is also why they tend to have pale skin.

      These genetic mutations can arise in basically any population group. It’s just rarer in those of African descent.

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        June 28, 2023 at 12:59 am | #

        Hehe. You said “nipples”.

        This was actually very informative, thank you for sharing.

      • Roborat
        Roborat
        June 28, 2023 at 3:52 pm | #

        Think you have the affect/effect error going here.

    • Fay
      Fay
      June 28, 2023 at 2:13 am | #

      I mean, I think the obvious answer is that his hair is dyed based on how neon it is.

  5. C.T. Phipps
    C.T. Phipps
    June 28, 2023 at 12:05 am | #

    Barry is already terrifying. Who knows what Sydney Yus-esque plans he has cooking.

    • MM
      MM
      June 28, 2023 at 12:06 am | #

      Oh, good, it’s not just me.

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      June 28, 2023 at 12:07 am | #

      I assume “finally assert self as a memorable character” is on the list because he sure didn’t make an impression in Shortpacked!

  6. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    June 28, 2023 at 12:06 am | #

    One of the gift shops I work now had, as part of the wares, bow ties that have, hidden within, bottle opener keys. If Robin had one of these she wouldn’t need ANYBODY.

  7. Nathan
    Nathan
    June 28, 2023 at 12:07 am | #

    I like how both Jason AND Barry look like they’ve wandered into a nightmare and/or are having a stroke.

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      June 28, 2023 at 12:09 am | #

      Yeah Robin does that to people

      • Decidedly Orthogonal
        Decidedly Orthogonal
        June 28, 2023 at 6:29 am | #

        I thought it was her sister that made sex tapes. But if Robin’s giving ’em strokes, Barry and the coat rack might have a nice semester after all.

    • Mark
      Mark
      June 28, 2023 at 7:03 am | #

      I got the impression that she just dragged them both in without a word of explanation.

  8. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    June 28, 2023 at 12:07 am | #

    Ahhh, okay, I see what she’s doing. She wants to give Jason a lifeline, but she also knows that plenty of people could have reasonable issues with that, given what she only knows so much about, anyway.

    So, by doing this, she isn’t overlooking someone else who is potentially more deserving, while also having a backup plan if Jason indeed does not work out. That’s… surprisingly savvy. Robin is a doofus, but she isn’t an idiot.

    • Caro
      Caro
      June 28, 2023 at 12:13 am | #

      this this this this this

    • UrsulaDavina
      UrsulaDavina
      June 28, 2023 at 12:16 am | #

      To be honest I feel really bad for Barry he probably deserves a better position with a professor who will utilize his talents, IU has a excellent poly sci program that Barry worked hard to get in and now he is with a proffesor who is probably not going to do any research or write papers which is one of the things thats critical for a TA. It helps devlop their skill set helps them with their disertation and helps to get ahead in the field and or get a job. Maybe Barry will get reassigned next semester to a new proffessor.

      • Clif
        Clif
        June 28, 2023 at 1:53 am | #

        You seem to be conflating the person you TA for with your academic advisor.
        Not every grad student is a TA. A TA is a job. It is much more likely to involve grading papers than doing research. There are RAs (Research assistants) but that is different from TAs (Teaching Assistants). Either way, the pay is crap but you can do it while pursuing the advanced degree.

        • Needfuldoer
          Needfuldoer
          June 28, 2023 at 2:06 am | #

          Yeah, TAs are mostly there to grade the undergraduate students’ work.

        • Ari
          Ari
          June 28, 2023 at 3:02 am | #

          The pay is crap BUT unlike a bartending job TA jobs often pay tuition and are also available to international students who are in the country on student visas and can’t take out federal loans. Which is why Jason needs this job even though it’s probably completely unrelated to his field of study.

        • UrsulaDavina
          UrsulaDavina
          June 28, 2023 at 3:22 pm | #

          Im not comflating the idea of academic advisor with who you’re proffesor you TA with. I’ve been a TA at least at my insitution the TAs serve both as RAs and TA The proffesors I worked for did use me in research and grading papers, mostly organizing data. I suppose different institutions have different roles.

          • UrsulaDavina
            UrsulaDavina
            June 28, 2023 at 3:51 pm | #

            *conflating one’s academic advisor with proffesor you TA with.

      • TulipKitten
        TulipKitten
        June 28, 2023 at 1:57 am | #

        I mean, we don’t know that Robin won’t do any work. She’s got a very lax persona, but she wouldn’t have gotten as far as she did in politics if she didn’t work her ass off. She’s a Latina woman and the winning Republican contender. You don’t get that position by slacking, you get it by showing that you absolutely are the best candidate for the position, even when racists would love to see you fail. And senators read and interact with paperwork almost all day long, when they aren’t meeting with constituents, gathering supporters, etc… And she almost completely won the race, too, with Becky’s support.

        • Needfuldoer
          Needfuldoer
          June 28, 2023 at 2:11 am | #

          If only it actually worked that way. She was in the House of Representatives; look at some of the clowns that have been elected to the House in the last couple cycles.

          All she had to do was spout the right (abhorrent) lines, and she’d have Rs lining up to carry her down the street on their shoulders because she’s “one of the good ones” who “tells it like it really is” and “owns the libs”.

          • G127
            G127
            June 28, 2023 at 2:30 am | #

            There are certainly a lot of horrible people in the House. Too many racists and liars. But that doesn’t entail that they are lazy. There are a lot of people out there trying to make a career out of owning the libs. You do need to put in an effort to raise above the racist fray.

            • Nalim Skarro
              Nalim Skarro
              June 28, 2023 at 10:43 am | #

              Or you could just lie. A lot. Its been established fairly recently that it’s all too possible to lie your way into ejected office…

              • Needfuldoer
                Needfuldoer
                June 28, 2023 at 1:36 pm | #

                Ejected? If only…

                • Taffy
                  Taffy
                  June 28, 2023 at 1:39 pm | #

                  Now I’m picturing the entire oval office being flung off the White House via giant spring.

              • Psychie
                Psychie
                June 28, 2023 at 7:07 pm | #

                I find it really interesting that people seem to think lying well enough to get elected to congress is easy. It takes a LOT of work to curate your image like that, a proper deception is far from easy, and the more scrutiny you have on you the more work it takes to properly maintain. Long cons performed on a single mark are hard, and while it isn’t quite the same as simply multiplying the effort by the number of marks- I mean voters, it’s still significantly more effort required than to con a single individual. Swaying public opinion and curating a public persona are NOT simple or easy tasks, no matter how shitty the persona is or how much you’re conforming to the current majority public opinion to make swaying it easier. Lazy people don’t get into positions of political power without being the puppet of someone being paid to do the work for them, and that takes like Kennedy money to afford.

        • UrsulaDavina
          UrsulaDavina
          June 28, 2023 at 3:49 pm | #

          Robin may have worked hard initially. But after you get into the house it’s hard not to lose your seat due an incumbency advantage and gerrymandering. Robin had even stated she didn’t even bother voting in her own election.

      • Segnosaur
        Segnosaur
        June 28, 2023 at 1:45 pm | #

        I guess the question is, did Barry have other options?

        Do all grad students get TA (or similar) positions? Or is there a large pool of grad students all fighting for a small number of open positions? (Since the semester has already started and Barry wasn’t already employed I assume it’s a case of more bodies than positions. In that case Barry is lucky to have any position, even if it involves working for Robin.)

  9. Dara
    Dara
    June 28, 2023 at 12:08 am | #

    please probationally kick him in the nuts, like

    daily

    • Dara
      Dara
      June 28, 2023 at 12:09 am | #

      weekends too, we got the kickstarter high enough

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      June 28, 2023 at 12:39 am | #

      Ruth, I didn’t know you posted here.

    • Steamweed
      Steamweed
      June 28, 2023 at 12:40 am | #

      Ruth might be displeased with this. Jealous, perhaps.

      (probably jason won’t appreciate it, either.)

      • butting
        butting
        June 28, 2023 at 12:52 am | #

        QUIET, JASON, YOU’RE NOT REALLY PART OF THIS.

        • Taffy
          Taffy
          June 28, 2023 at 12:57 am | #

          >Ruth when Jason isn’t really part of this. (This being the mind-blowing sex the two are having when she says it)

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        June 28, 2023 at 2:13 am | #

        She may be displeased that Robin hired him, but she’s the one who tried to get him a TA job again via Leslie.

  10. Nono
    Nono
    June 28, 2023 at 12:09 am | #

    Well, at least she didn’t kick Barry out from a rightful position for this.

    Nepotism is only funny to a certain extent.

    • Lokitsu
      Lokitsu
      June 28, 2023 at 1:11 am | #

      I’m still expecting Barry to be put on a bus.

      PS Sorry Nono, I accidentally hit the report button. Stupid fat fingers.

  11. Proto_Eevee
    Proto_Eevee
    June 28, 2023 at 12:09 am | #

    Even the poll was tied

    • Jenn
      Jenn
      June 28, 2023 at 1:38 am | #

      I’m amazed at just how close it was. 23 votes when I checked — under 1% of the votes. Normally we’re a lot more polarized.

      • Clif
        Clif
        June 28, 2023 at 1:54 am | #

        Um.

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        June 28, 2023 at 2:17 am | #

        As of right now, Barry’s in the lead by 31 votes. (1460 to 1429.)

        It’s been neck-and-neck for most of the time this poll’s been up! Last time I checked yesterday evening, Jason was leading by about the same margin.

  12. RassilonTDavros
    RassilonTDavros
    June 28, 2023 at 12:09 am | #

    Barry is the new Penny

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      June 28, 2023 at 12:11 am | #

      Barry seems nice, and I don’t think Penny ever even tried to manage that

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        June 28, 2023 at 12:52 am | #

        “Oh good, I wasn’t in the mood for foreplay today. Tell Robin I said thanks.” – Ruth, probably.

        • Taffy
          Taffy
          June 28, 2023 at 12:54 am | #

          Well, here’s a first. This was meant as a response to Steamweed, just a couple threads up. Musta happened when this stupid congafuck router dropped signal again and I had to confirm form resubmission like five times.

          • Steamweed
            Steamweed
            June 29, 2023 at 10:27 am | #

            Tech bugs happen. I hear ya.

  13. UrsulaDavina
    UrsulaDavina
    June 28, 2023 at 12:09 am | #

    Poor Barry you’re too pure for this.

  14. BBCC
    BBCC
    June 28, 2023 at 12:09 am | #

    Well, that’s probably the best way to handle this that still gives him a job.

    That said, if I were in the student’s position, I’d still be going to the department head and talking about this.

  15. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    June 28, 2023 at 12:11 am | #

    Maybe this works out for the best as Jason suffers all the cons of working for Robin while Barry cashes an easy check and free cred.

  16. JessWitt
    JessWitt
    June 28, 2023 at 12:12 am | #

    I like that bit of alliteration in panel one.

    • Steamweed
      Steamweed
      June 28, 2023 at 12:41 am | #

      Eeee!

  17. Dante
    Dante
    June 28, 2023 at 12:12 am | #

    I wonder if, like in That Story, this ends with Jason’s second chance getting ruined, because… Y’know. It’s a Canon Event.

  18. Kravis
    Kravis
    June 28, 2023 at 12:13 am | #

    Hey, Barry! Make like a tree and…

    Run, Barry, run!

  19. drs
    drs
    June 28, 2023 at 12:14 am | #

    The class doesn’t seem that big and I don’t think we’ve seen homework. What does she need even one TA for

    • Sirksome
      Sirksome
      June 28, 2023 at 12:16 am | #

      To tie her bow ties! Also I very much expect Robin to abuse this situation. Guess who gets to get her lunch everyday? Jason probably.

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      June 28, 2023 at 12:20 am | #

      Her bowtie. Read the comic.

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        June 28, 2023 at 1:01 am | #

        Sorry, this comes across as very rude, I feel. I should have said “He’s there in case she needs him to tie her bowtie.”

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      June 28, 2023 at 12:27 am | #

      to do lexis nexis for her.

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        June 28, 2023 at 12:28 am | #

        Kinky.

        • HueSatLight
          HueSatLight
          June 28, 2023 at 12:52 am | #

          Robin name searching Lexis Nexis: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-strip-2014-1407509

          • Taffy
            Taffy
            June 28, 2023 at 12:55 am | #

            I’m not a patron anymore, so to quote that movie with the eyebrow chick, “You have no power over me”.

            • HueSatLight
              HueSatLight
              June 28, 2023 at 10:04 am | #

              (Leslie doing a google image search for “Robin DeSanto” several beat panels, Leslie doing a google image search for “Robin DeSanto naked”)

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      June 28, 2023 at 12:40 am | #

      She didn’t really seem that invested in getting one until Leslie brought it up, right? Here, she seems to be going with two in order to do Jason a solid but not fuck over someone else in the process.

    • Nono
      Nono
      June 28, 2023 at 12:44 am | #

      We’ve seen homework. “Two page essay on how Leslie and April from Parks and Rec are just gals who are pals.”

      • Nono
        Nono
        June 28, 2023 at 12:45 am | #

        Leslie and *Ann, actually. Wrong vaguely lesbian-coded couple.

    • CJ
      CJ
      June 28, 2023 at 1:45 am | #

      As she’s the model of „doesn’t know what she’s doing but is hired in a position of power anyway“, she naturally managed to get a position with two TA‘s while her ex gets none.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        June 28, 2023 at 3:06 am | #

        Leslie can’t afford a TA.

        Robin wants someone who’ll do her job for her while she gets paid. I’m guessing Barry will be doing most of that while Jason gets the busywork and stuff anyone can do like take attendance.

  20. Warcodered
    Warcodered
    June 28, 2023 at 12:14 am | #

    So what was the point of the vote?

    To quiet the voices in Robins head.

    • Yotomoe
      Yotomoe
      June 28, 2023 at 12:17 am | #

      Her lesson today was actually about the futility of voting.

      • Schpoonman
        Schpoonman
        June 28, 2023 at 5:19 pm | #

        Where’s the /s, Yoto?

        Oh god, please tell me there’s an /s.

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      June 28, 2023 at 12:22 am | #

      To inform the students he has no real authority, that he’s done some sex pest stuff, and to publicly humiliate him which is funny.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      June 28, 2023 at 12:41 am | #

      To help Jason, but to also make it explicitly clear she can and will dump him if he fucks up, that the students can safely tell her if he does, and so Barry gets an opportunity, too, and isn’t denied it for the sake of Jason’s redemption.

    • Tan
      Tan
      June 28, 2023 at 8:59 am | #

      If the vote had gone Jason’s way, she would have only hired Jason.

      • Daibhid C
        Daibhid C
        June 28, 2023 at 1:08 pm | #

        If the vote had gone Jason’s way after that build-up, her class has even bigger problems than having her as a teacher.

  21. Cholma
    Cholma
    June 28, 2023 at 12:16 am | #

    Barry’s here to do the work, while Jason just became Robin’s “Tie Butler”.

  22. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    June 28, 2023 at 12:16 am | #

    What if he’s into that, Robin?

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      June 28, 2023 at 12:26 am | #

      Then if he’s smart, he’ll bill her for each instance.

      • Yotomoe
        Yotomoe
        June 28, 2023 at 12:30 am | #

        Naw, you gotta do that kinda thing in one lump sum.

        • Taffy
          Taffy
          June 28, 2023 at 12:42 am | #

          50% up front for security reasons, I hope. Nad kicks are risky, even if you’re being careful.

  23. HueSatLight
    HueSatLight
    June 28, 2023 at 12:17 am | #

    free valet.

  24. Dday
    Dday
    June 28, 2023 at 12:36 am | #

    WEWEASE WOGER

  25. 3oranges
    3oranges
    June 28, 2023 at 12:39 am | #

    I learned a new word! It wasn’t probationary so I’m a little sorry it didn’t get to be the title though. Maybe next time.

    • brionl
      brionl
      June 28, 2023 at 12:39 am | #

      Eyebrows?

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      June 28, 2023 at 12:44 am | #

      Was it ectomorph?

      • Clif
        Clif
        June 28, 2023 at 2:00 am | #

        Nah. Everybody and his ghost knows ectomorph.

  26. Alex Boston
    Alex Boston
    June 28, 2023 at 12:41 am | #

    Wow Christianity would be a lot different if Pontius Pilate had freed both Barabbas and Jesus.

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      June 28, 2023 at 12:43 am | #

      I agree with everything you said before the word “had”. After that it gets scary.

    • StClair
      StClair
      June 28, 2023 at 5:12 pm | #

      God would have figured out some other way to get His sacrificial lamb martyr. Eventually.

  27. Raen
    Raen
    June 28, 2023 at 1:16 am | #

    Honestly, I was worried this would be some bizarre lecture about gerrymandering or the Electoral College, and I couldn’t think how that would make any sense without giving a bizarre caricature of the former (not to say either is all right, just that it would’ve been a bizarre caricature).

    Anyway, Ruth will not be happy about this. (Wait, actually, why am I more worried about how Ruth will feel than Jason?)

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      June 28, 2023 at 1:19 am | #

      She won’t be happy her boyfriend got a job that won’t jeopardise his Englishman Card?

    • Bash
      Bash
      June 28, 2023 at 3:38 am | #

      I thought this was literally Ruth’s plan.

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        June 28, 2023 at 6:03 am | #

        It was. Just a short while ago she was hauling him in to ask Leslie for help. It was really cute.

  28. Puppeteer Nessus
    Puppeteer Nessus
    June 28, 2023 at 1:17 am | #

    Sorry to be the Idiocracy character, but her offer of disciplinary nut- kicking made me laugh

  29. V
    V
    June 28, 2023 at 1:23 am | #

    Uhhh… what’s the pun?

    • C.T. Phipps
      C.T. Phipps
      June 28, 2023 at 1:31 am | #

      Barry Bus is a reference to Barabus. Pontius Pilate tried to get out of executing Jesus for no reason by asking the crowds of Jerusalem whether to spare known criminal Barabus or Jesus.

      And the crowds chose Barabus.

      • V
        V
        June 28, 2023 at 1:35 am | #

        Ohhh lol. I was raised Jewish so the chances of me catching that were, like, -5%.

        • Mr D
          Mr D
          June 28, 2023 at 10:25 am | #

          Wait isn’t Barrabas one of the excuses that some fundies use to hate on Jewish people?

          • thejeff
            thejeff
            June 28, 2023 at 10:56 am | #

            Yeah, it’s all part of the “It wasn’t really the Romans’ fault, it was the Jews”.

  30. Alex
    Alex
    June 28, 2023 at 1:32 am | #

    Huh. I mean, if she was a proper Professor, she’d probably need two TAs. I knew a few who wanted two. I knew a few who had two and wanted four.

    Work expands in a vacuum. She’ll find something for all of them to do.

    • tbf
      tbf
      June 28, 2023 at 11:45 am | #

      Didn’t Professor Rees have both Penny and Jason as TAs?

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        June 28, 2023 at 12:39 pm | #

        Yeah, they divided up the work by class section. Jason got the Mon-Wed-Fri class including most of these guys and Penny got Tues-Thurs, including Joe and Dina.

  31. Just_IDD
    Just_IDD
    June 28, 2023 at 1:39 am | #

    Barry even won the side poll by statistically insignificant margin that Jason could probably compute for us…he was a math ta afterall.

  32. Now
    Now
    June 28, 2023 at 2:02 am | #

    Incredible storyline, incredibly zany, thank you Willis

  33. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    June 28, 2023 at 4:34 am | #

    I feel uncomfortable just seeing how much Robin is touching Jason.

    • Mark
      Mark
      June 28, 2023 at 7:15 am | #

      I think Jason does, too.

    • Amós Batista
      Amós Batista
      June 28, 2023 at 10:53 am | #

      somebody call Ruth, please

  34. Icalasari
    Icalasari
    June 28, 2023 at 4:53 am | #

    Wh-What just happened?

    I am so

    Very confused

  35. Mark
    Mark
    June 28, 2023 at 7:15 am | #

    Okay, who had “she hires them both” in the pool?

  36. Chaucer59
    Chaucer59
    June 28, 2023 at 10:00 am | #

    Two Gen-Zers who can tie a bow tie? I didn’t realize DoA was fantasy. Where are the dragons. If it’s a fantasy, there should be dragons.

    • Yeet
      Yeet
      June 28, 2023 at 10:05 am | #

      they probably learned how when they decided to wear bow ties

      now one website without this sort of comment would really be fantasy

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        June 28, 2023 at 12:46 pm | #

        Yeah, I guess all the easily-accessed YouTube tutorials, dedicated websites, movie clips, forum threads, and digital books are sort of difficult to find for the generation that gets constant shit for being on the internet all the time.

        • The Oracle
          The Oracle
          June 28, 2023 at 1:20 pm | #

          It’s not the internet people whine about, it’s “those damn phones”. Verbatim. Every single time. Doesn’t matter what you’re using the phone for, you’re using it so you’re inferior.l and need to be talked down to.

  37. Amós Batista
    Amós Batista
    June 28, 2023 at 10:59 am | #

    Ugh. Reading this, I’m feeling like a recruitment process. When it’s a mocked one, and they already know who is the choosen one for the job opportunity.

    • The Oracle
      The Oracle
      June 28, 2023 at 1:25 pm | #

      Flashback to my senior year of high school. Went to a “group interview” with over a dozen other people. It was a waste of time, they already decided to hire some guy who wasn’t even there. Then he walked out a week later. Place went out of business, of course.

  38. Rognik
    Rognik
    June 28, 2023 at 12:05 pm | #

    Barry your TAs?

  39. APW
    APW
    June 28, 2023 at 12:35 pm | #

    Re: alt text
    I don’t think I can identify the pun. It hurts my linguist pride way more thanit should 💔

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      June 28, 2023 at 12:48 pm | #

      The pun has been variously explained in yesterday’s comments as well as today’s. Word search the page for “Barabus” and you’ll find the answer you seek. No shade, I thought I was just forgetting a normal word too, at first.

  40. Daibhid C
    Daibhid C
    June 28, 2023 at 1:07 pm | #

    “This has been an object lesson, and if you give me a moment, I might even be able to tell you what you’ve learned from it!”

  41. HueSatLight
    HueSatLight
    June 28, 2023 at 8:07 pm | #

    Only here for the pun, but within two books there will be a “Walking with Barrington” chapter.

  42. Drain
    Drain
    June 28, 2023 at 11:38 pm | #

    LET’S
    GO
    BARRYYYYYYYYY

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May 3, 2025 - FCBD @ Laughing Ogre Comics in Columbus, Ohio

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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 3h
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 8h
This is never going away, is it.
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today in #9chickweedlane i learned we have to be shown children learning and relearning what sex is, for Reasons, even though they already clearly know and have prepared nuanced questions about it! also that Gran must hate, if she's still alive, how Old Juliette is the same but with gray hair
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
one of my favorite things is when a commenter explodes WHEN DO THESE CHARACTERS GET THERAPY but directed towards a character who canonically has a regular therapist
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
help I had a big yawny stretch after I got into bed and threw out my back
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fuck off
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Phew, they made NoHo Hank wear pants.
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
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Hot Toys Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith 1/6 Scale Darth Vader Deluxe ($495) & Standard ($315) is up for preorder at Sideshow - shrsl.com/4wcx6 #ad If you preorder make sure to hit the Exclusive versions since they include a commemorative plaque and cost the same.
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hey, FANTASTIC FOUR got an Eisner nomination for best ongoing series!! I think this news is... really great! Fantastic even :0
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
I may have to pin this
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Here's an entertaining cite at the bottom of the first page
The problems with this prosecution are legion, but most immediately, the
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Who can forget the Swiss-Austrian Union, or its famous capital - Istanbul.
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