WCDT 23-27 August 2010 (1736-1740)

[Near Lurker]

Now I remember... I thought they were all Peter Gabriel.

...whoops.

[raoullefere]

Ah, but the REAL question would be, what if Marten HAD said "Africa?"

But he's a music critic (of sorts), so, of course, he'd never do that. Meanwhile, there's one song on the poll I'm very interested to see if anyone votes for.

Love how Marigold's turned the dancing thing around on Angus. I wonder if Faye's prancing around in her room. If she is, that will be when Dora shows up. I think it's some sort of natural law, or maybe her sixth sense at work.

[Is it cold in here?]

Jeph is on a heartwarming streak. I hope this doesn't imply that he's saving up mean for later.

Momo-tan was just perfect.

[zmeiat_joro]

The poll needs a Dune soundtrack option.

[foolsguinea]

I listened to "Rosanna", "99", "Hold the Line", & the boring generic one with the time change or whatever--the porridge one may not exist?

"Africa" is still the best.

[Jimor]

This comic was among Jeph's best, doing meaningful character development with a few deft strokes.

I totally agree. Fantastic comic. My feeling is that it's not necessarily totally closing the door on a possible relationship in the (far) future, it's just that Faye has closed the door on regret. I'm being wishy-washy on the Faye/Marten thing because I don't necessarily think (or particularly desire) the comic will go in that direction at some point, more that if circumstances eventually lead that direction, Faye won't be doing it for reasons of finding out if she made a mistake earlier, but because it would be right for her at that time.

Character moments like this are rare gold to a writer, and I just want to express my appreciation.

[Kugai]

So, was that Toto in his head?



Marigold and Momo in perfect accompaniment.

[jwhouk]

And here I was, worried that Faye's tousle-Marten's-hair moment was the sign of "Impending Doom Ahead".

I love how Marigold turned things around on Angus from Booty Dance. We're talking three straight CMoA's in a row.

Jeph might as well go out and... well... you know.

Oh, and Momo's pirouette = WIN²

[Binary]

So I come here to comment on Marigold turning the tables but find raoullefere has beaten me to the punch.

Ah, but he hasn't got the link!

So I go looking for the relevant comic, come back here, and jwhouk has beaten me to the punch.

Sadface.

[Akima]

Another fine comic tonight. Nice role-reversal with Angus and Marigold. And Momo the ballerina is so kawaii. But I'm now imagining her dancing a pas de deux with Pintsize. Which is very disturbing.

[themacnut]

The really heartwarming part of this is Marigold being happy for Angus about his date going well. Good for her.

Also the role reversal is total win. Nicely done Jeph.

[Carl-E]

This was in the Fanart thread, where it belongs, but it's so damn good (no, it's not mine) and relevant that I had to post it here, too. 

[Rythe]

This was in the Fanart thread, where it belongs, but it's so damn good (no, it's not mine) and relevant that I had to post it here, too. 

God I couldn't help but hear Caramell Dansen watching that... But still, was nice.

[jordinyc]

This was in the Fanart thread, where it belongs, but it's so damn good (no, it's not mine) and relevant that I had to post it here, too. 

God I couldn't help but hear Caramell Dansen watching that... But still, was nice.

That wasn't the music I was hearing. XD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljioUnp1KyA

[Mojo]

WAIT!  There can be no ritual dance, they haven't done the deed yet!

[Sapnish]

We'll be taking that oufit, and providing you with a hoodie and jeans

You're taking my collection of threadless tees and the one pair of jeans I own and replacing them with clothing of equal comfort value??

No, they're skinny jeans. 

Noooo..... can't I wear Dora's old raver pants instead? She doesn't wear them anymore, and my thighs wouldn't burst the seams.

[Border Reiver]

I checked out Cumbanchero.  Their drummer looks surprisingly like your avatar...

I have a serious softspot for these guys - really fun to watch and I was wearing their t-shirt when I first met my wife and later when I proposed.

[Heliphyneau]

This was in the Fanart thread, where it belongs, but it's so damn good (no, it's not mine) and relevant that I had to post it here, too. 

Holy crap, that was funny (though the music made me want to stab my brain).

The strip was awesome -- loved Marigold turning the surprise-dance-along tables on Angus.  ^_^  And Momo gamely dancing too, despite apparently not having downloaded the Ballet Program, was a nice touch!  Now I want to see the entire cast celebration booty-dancing!  Which will probably never happen, since it'd be too hard to get them all in-frame.  Ooooh, but maybe a good idea for a poster . . .

[IanClark]

I know it's really hard to judge someone's dancing based entirely on stationary images of them with motion lines, but I could've sworn Marigold was a much better dancer the first time they did this.

[Carl-E]

WAIT!  There can be no ritual dance, they haven't done the deed yet!

OK, it's a minor victory dance, then.  A kiss, a grope, and the promise of much more down the road...  I know I'd  be dancing! 

Of course, his hand was  on her booty, so I think "booty dance" is appropriate terminology, even if it's not standard usage.  [/OED]

[Akima]

This was in the Fanart thread, where it belongs, but it's so damn good (no, it's not mine) and relevant that I had to post it here, too. 

Brilliant!

[Kugai]

Truth be told I can see him dancing that to Africa

[raoullefere]

Really? Looked like Jive Talking (or something else from the BeeGees catalog) to me. Toto's stuff isn't really very dancable for the average person. Takes some training in Modern Dance.

[ecstaticjoy]

Really? Looked like Jive Talking (or something else from the BeeGees catalog) to me. Toto's stuff isn't really very dancable for the average person. Takes some training in Modern Dance.

word

[Carl-E]

Really? Looked like Jive Talking (or something else from the BeeGees catalog) to me. Toto's stuff isn't really very dancable for the average person. Takes some training in Modern Dance.

Yeah, I definitely got a Travolta Stayin' Alive vibe from the first second panel, but I really think the techno of the video catches the mood better. 

Edit:  Jive Talkin' and Stayin' Alive have the exact same beat.  Fpr some reason I thought one was slower than the other, but I suppose all disco is the same tempo. 

Toot toot, beep beep. 

[jwhouk]

So which one is the best?

"Hold The Line"    - 10 (14.5%)
"Rosanna"    - 9 (13%)
"Africa"    - 30 (43.5%)
"I Won't Hold You Back"    - 0 (0%)
"99"    - 0 (0%)
"Porridge Pancakes And I"    - 5 (7.2%)
LOL BUTTS    - 11 (15.9%)
Dune Soundtrack    - 4 (5.8%)

Total Voters: 69

[raoullefere]

I would've been very surprised if '99' had gotten any votes. I suspect enjoying it more than the other entries requires a level of brain activity that...how to put this... would be overtaxed by Jeph's comic.

[Carl-E]

I am oddly depressed by the bedtime comic. 

Maybe because I'm in a grading binge, and it's "no bedtime for me" for a couple of days...

Or maybe it's Marten's look of regret/confusion in the last panel.  I lie like that too often for it to be easy to look at. 

[jwhouk]

Uh oh.

Anyone for HRP (Happy Relationship Paranoia)?

[jordinyc]

[Arancaytar]

Are they going to break up over a Toto song?

[squishything]

Jeph is on a heartwarming streak. I hope this doesn't imply that he's saving up mean for later.

..and there we go. Ah, the dramatic possibilities.

[CEOIII]

OK, NO.

No stupid breakup angst. Marten made the right call, Faye made the right call, can we have some fucking HAPPY for a little while, please?

[Akima]

Today's comic is a little anticlimactic, maybe? I mean the last few days have been a hard act to follow, but... 

[Kugai]

That's gonna prey on Marten for days.

[zagraf]

I'm a little puzzled by all this talk of "favourite Toto songs." I have nothing against the band. It's just that I can remember when "Africa" and "Rosanna" first came out, and AFAIK those are the only Toto songs the average person would even have heard of, then or now. Angus, Faye and Marten might as well have used Naked Eyes, a-ha or Falco songs as a compatibility litmus test (unless, in the latter two cases, the strip were set in Norway or Germany, respectively).

[tinkerbell]

Are they going to break up over a Toto song?

If they do, it seems like one of those times when the awful reason to break up compounds and makes Marten do something really douchey. He can send her a text message in that weird shorthand people use for messaging. It would go a little something like this: we shd break up it's not me btw it's u. toto rlz

Anyway, if Marten is feeling depressed about his relationship over a Toto song perhaps they need to shake things up a bit. As I understand it, it is normal for couples to feel a little bit off when they first move in together as the mystery is completely gone after that. The way he is acting it is almost like he is wondering whether things would be better with Faye, but at least we know that if he does try to go down that road, Angus already chose the right song.

[Tergon]

While I'm aware that arguing against fanboy paranoia is like trying to hold back the ocean with a broom made entirely of dicks, I'd point out that Marten cannot be using the same yardstick to test his relationship with Dora.  Why?  Because he HAS NO GODDAMN IDEA WHAT FAYE WAS TALKING ABOUT.  He then promptly asked his girlfriend a confusing cryptic question, and the sleepy lady in focus responded that she dislikes toto and was grumpy at being woken up for that.  In other words, a perfectly reasonable situation with a perfectly reasonable response, even with Marten's reaction of feeling a bit sad at being grumped at.

THIS IS ALL PERFECTLY RATIONAL AND SENSIBLE.

That being said, fanboy paranoia is what it is and this is gonna snowball.  And this is Jeph writing, who just loves him some hella-hella drama.  Therefore, I cast aside my useless dick-broom, and I let the ocean come.

[Near Lurker]

Wait, did this turn into a plot point?

[Lupercal]

Cue a conversation with a bearded Steve at some point?

Marten is always playing the "nice guy" role I guess. Meaning that when it comes to Faye being happy, he's happy, but I'm guessing still not quite over the fact that she's dating. Toto is now the yardstick at which one measures everything about the other person. Marten does get trampled on, but he also takes music seriously.

He's in a shitter of a situation really; he's now getting what Faye got a good few years ago when Marty + Dora started dating.

[raoullefere]

Are we going to ditch Toto for B.B. King next week?

[themacnut]

THIS IS ALL PERFECTLY RATIONAL AND SENSIBLE.

WHAT? WHAT? Rational and sensible have no place in modern romantic relationships!! Where have you been?  

Seriously though, while it does seem like Marten didn't know what Faye was talking about when she asked him about the Toto song, his asking Dora the same question implies that he figured it out after Faye went to bed. Too bad he's in his typical no-win situation; he likes a different song than Faye, and he and Dora don't even like the same band. Oops, screwed again.

Then again, different musical tastes is no reason to break up with someone. While people do bond over similar musical tastes, I'll bet an number of you are in long-term relationships where you and your SO don't even listen to the same genre of music. Thankfully, with modern music players and headphones, that never needs to be an issue. Just blast your music out loud when your SO isn't around...

[Dliessmgg]

Are we going to ditch Toto for B.B. King next week?

Not popular enough, let's go with Satchmo.

[pwhodges]

I'll bet an number of you are in long-term relationships where you and your SO don't even listen to the same genre of music.

578

[steveh11]

I'll bet an number of you are in long-term relationships where you and your SO don't even listen to the same genre of music.

578

That is a VERY apposite link!

[Tergon]

WHAT? WHAT? Rational and sensible have no place in modern romantic relationships!! Where have you been?  

Seriously though, while it does seem like Marten didn't know what Faye was talking about when she asked him about the Toto song, his asking Dora the same question implies that he figured it out after Faye went to bed. Too bad he's in his typical no-win situation; he likes a different song than Faye, and he and Dora don't even like the same band. Oops, screwed again.

Then again, different musical tastes is no reason to break up with someone. While people do bond over similar musical tastes, I'll bet an number of you are in long-term relationships where you and your SO don't even listen to the same genre of music. Thankfully, with modern music players and headphones, that never needs to be an issue. Just blast your music out loud when your SO isn't around...

*brandishes his useless broom made entirely out of dicks*

[slaufer]

my favorite toto song is hungry like the wolf.

[SuperSUGA]

I'm a little puzzled by all this talk of "favourite Toto songs." I have nothing against the band. It's just that I can remember when "Africa" and "Rosanna" first came out, and AFAIK those are the only Toto songs the average person would even have heard of, then or now. Angus, Faye and Marten might as well have used Naked Eyes, a-ha or Falco songs as a compatibility litmus test.

This.

I've actually really enjoyed this week's strips, we've seem some pretty good character interaction and a real sense of things moving forwards. I still find the choice of band baffling.

Although with regards to aha I'll confess to liking The Sun Always Shines on TV more than Take on Me, so maybe these one/two-hit-wonder bands do provide a meaningful choice after all.

[no one special]

New drama: does Marten realize he's not over Faye? It's seemed to me like things with Dora have been fizzling, especially after then meh way he reacted to her new hair, and the way she's been all serious/bossy/nag lately... Faye might realize she's over Marten, but now I think the story will be Marten not ready to let go of Faye like that...

Before today's comic, I thought you were crazy.  Now, it seems you are most prescient!! 

Freeeeeeeaky. 

I think this is another great comic in the line of the last 3.  Maybe not as "squueeeeeee kawaiiiiii" as the other 3, but still great.  The fourth panel just says SO much without using any words....  man, there's just alot running through Marten's mind.  Good thing he's got Steve to talk to about things.  I don't think it'll make him break up with Dora, or even that their relationship is in trouble - it just means he has to go through a little introspection, a little mourning period.  While it's not something one would ever tell their partner about, I think it's perfectly normal, and makes sense.  There was always going to be that part of him that feelings for Faye, and that part finally got its last chance to poke out its head.  Marten probably forgot it was there - but now will be his opportunity to say goodbye to it once and for all.  He'll miss it - but in time, he'll learn to live without it.

[no one special]

But how many of us knew that the video for "Rosanna" featured a very young Patrick Swayze?



Just learned that today.  Craziness...