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If you’ve ever worked in retail, you’ll know it’s a place where patience is tested, rules get bent, and absurd situations somehow feel routine. Stephen Beals, the artist behind the comic series Adult Children, turns those everyday workplace moments into sharp, relatable humor. With clean, expressive artwork and perfect comedic timing, he captures everything from difficult customers to exhausting management situations in a way that feels all too familiar to anyone who’s been behind a register.

Beals has been creating daily comics for years, using humor as a way to highlight the shared experiences of stressful jobs. Scroll down to see his latest batch of relatable strips!

More info: Facebook | Instagram | stbeals.com | x.com | gocomics.com

#1

This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

stbeals Report

Lotekguy
Community Member
Premium
1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The symbiosis of two coping mechanisms.

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    #2

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Paul C.
    Community Member
    2 days ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The number of times I've had to go to a meeting where self important people keep regurgitating what had already been said, just so they could look (in their eyes) clever.

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    #3

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Lotekguy
    Community Member
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    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Speaking real truth to illusory power.

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    #4

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Mike F
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hahaha, hahaha! In HS I worked in the co-op program on the painting crew. They were trying out a "new" epoxy paint in the bathrooms to ease cleaning graffiti from the stall walls. We had to work in shifts because the fumes were so bad the toilets would start moving. 😁

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    #6

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Ye Olde Dirty Grumpy
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Me & my cashier, except she calls out how old I supposedly am

    #8

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    alli
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Love the little changing signs in the back

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    #10

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Lotekguy
    Community Member
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    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just about everyone who has ever worked in retail has wanted to do this.

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    #15

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Lotekguy
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The next time she comes in she'll be complaining about the tintinabulation of the loud bells.

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    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Follow on Google News

    #16

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    QuincyForrest
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Evening shift was the one I liked best. Home after work at midnight, stay up a couple of hours (at most), up again around 9:00 a.m., all the rest of the time until 4:00 p.m. to myself, daytime hours awake and not at work, loved it! And no fatigue at work because I was still in general circadian rhythm, doing most of my sleeping while it was dark and my waking activities while it was light.

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    #18

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    alli
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Please stack boxes here, never stack boxes here

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    #21

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Bill Swallow
    Community Member
    1 day ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    (horrified look) "They're... they're right behind me, AREN'T THEY??" (Pity she wasn't looking for Celery. It could have been stalking her.)

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    #23

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Bill Swallow
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You know, I've *never* seen monitors where the cables connect at the top. Or does she have her display upside down?

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    #33

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Lotekguy
    Community Member
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    18 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pay Tabby whatever she asks for. She's worth it.

    #36

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Mike F
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, Todd, what were you thinking? 😉

    #37

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Lotekguy
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Receipt required for indignation" may be the best of all the signs they've ever done here.

    #38

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Lotekguy
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ironically, praise rarely includes a raise, even though it's right there in the word.

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    #49

    This Incredible Comic Artist Brightens People’s Days With Relatable Retail Humor (50 New Pics)

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    Ye Olde Dirty Grumpy
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The best sign is on a bandsaw, punchline is First Blood drawn 10 minutes after install.