Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Yes.

15 (5%)

No, it's not the same.

14 (4.7%)

No, it's even worse.

25 (8.4%)

No, it means Dora's history.

30 (10.1%)

No, because it's going to end different.

19 (6.4%)

No, because there's emergency bourbon.

17 (5.7%)

UBMEOD!

34 (11.4%)

Oh heck, who am I kidding?

4 (1.3%)

(sniff) No, I've just got (sniff) allergies...

31 (10.4%)

This thread is gonna hit 40 pages by tomorrow, isn't it?

109 (36.6%)

Total Members Voted: 237

[peterh]

This thread has ran way out of context, and out of hand. But that was to be expected.
I also hope that, for the sake of his sanity, Jeph can refrain from even opening it.

All we know is that Marten and Dora are in yet another fight, and this time Marten was really pissed off. It's really of no use to get all worked up when someone else disagrees about what YOU think is the underlying cause, who's to blame, and what you want to happen next.
Sure he wasn't his reasonable self, but I think he has ample reason to be angry. He said clearly that he didn't want anyone to investigate into his porn preferences. Dora ignored that and did it anyway.

Also, it's quite clear that Dora cannot handle Marten being angry. She tried to apologise, but she did not do this in the most graceful manner: the "I didn't think it was a big deal" thing. Marten had made it clear that, to him, it WAS a big deal, and Dora would've done herself a favour understanding that breaking that deal would lead to Marten being unreasonable.

We should also realise that, in a fight between lovers, none of the involved parties is "right", and both have to face the consequences of their actions. That is ALL that we are seeing in this week's first two comics.

Does that mean that, as soon as Marten stands up for himself, the relationship cannot work? Might well be. I'd find that very sad. But it's not up to us to decide how this will progress, and that is a Good Thing(TM).

I have to say that I have the feeling that, when Dora dyed her hair purple without asking Marten, and Marten not being overly enthousiastic about that, things started to slide.

[HeavyP]

Tomorrow's comic:

We zoom into an unfamiliar-yet-familiar indie coffee shop in California, where a blonde hipster who hasn't been see in 1500-odd strips is working.  Her roommate comes to visit her while working, her roommate the ALLOSAURUS.  Backstory: Her lessons from Faye having paid off, she punched her way out of his stomach (he got better) and after some wacky adventures that will be covered in flashbacks, they became lovers and roommates.  But a shadow darkens the coffee-shop door, and in walks....LORENZO LAMAS.  Tune in tomorrow for "The Adventures of Sara and Bob (the Allosaurus)!"

[DJ OMiY]

Wow, I never expected the forum to grow quite so rapidly over a day or two's span.  Thank god I don't have that much time to spend on the internet or I'd never leave.

I feel that we're finally going to get that Dora/Marten resolution that we were hoping for and never really got back during the Underpants incident.  Clearly the drama has gone up to eleven and something's going to happen, especially when we see the reactions of others: Marigold, Hanners, Faye, Sven maybe, and Tai.  That may be the most important factor here.  Dora might have stomped back off to Coffee of Doom, and we all know that means Faye, who might have the unquestionably greatest/most important reaction, will be one of the first to know.

As regards to my "side," I'm gonna say I'm with Marten, although I'm not a RAEG RAEG RAEG Dora hater.  Marten has a definitive and valid reason to be upset, and it was right for him to call her out on that.

Interestingly enough, I have to laud Jeph for his writing of the comic as of late.  Very rarely do I care about fictional characters.  Although I read plenty of other webcomics, I empathize with the QC cast a lot more than I would other casts.  I could tell this as I walked around all day wondering if Marten would continue to stand up for himself or remain crippled by the DoraHyperGuiltAttack.  I hope for the former.

... "Thank god.  I was worried our entire social circle would implode simply because I wanted to see Marten's goddamn PORN."

[pendrake]

12 pages total, 7 pages for comic #1797 alone, & 200+ poll voters...


"Cap'n!  The forums!  She cannae take much more!"

"I know, Scotty!  Reroute server power from to the deflector dish to emit a blushing Hanners-pulse to give us a buffer between-"

"Kep'tin!  Yelling Bird decloaking off the port bow!  He is firing a salvo of Guest Strips!"

"Brace for imp-"

*EXPLOSION*



Elsewhere...

"Ben...?  What's wrong?"

"I felt a great disturbance in The Force...  As if millions of fanfics and shippers suddenly cried out in agony and were suddenly silenced...  I fear something terrible has happened."

 

[Mr_Rose]

Tomorrow's comic:

We zoom into an unfamiliar-yet-familiar indie coffee shop in California, where a blonde hipster who hasn't been see in 1500-odd strips is working.  Her roommate comes to visit her while working, her roommate the ALLOSAURUS.  Backstory: Her lessons from Faye having paid off, she punched her way out of his stomach (he got better) and after some wacky adventures that will be covered in flashbacks, they became lovers and roommates.  But a shadow darkens the coffee-shop door, and in walks....LORENZO LAMAS.  Tune in tomorrow for "The Adventures of Sara and Bob (the Allosaurus)!"

Ah, yes; the Roomies/It's Walky! approach. This also explains the 'rivalry' between Jeph and that Willis guy.


P.S. Bob is also a US Senator in his spare time, having been elected on a platform of "Woo! Yeah!" after getting totally blitzed that one time in Hooters.

[Heliphyneau]

Ehhhh that so did not look or sound like an actual apology to me - did it really, to you? It sounded like one of those 'I'm sorry you were offended' non-apology apologies. I mean she even said 'I didn't think it was any big deal' with this look on her face that would make it sound to me like 'I don't think IT SHOULD BE a big deal'

Agreed.  As you and several others have said, Dora's body language and expression makes it clear that her apology was insincere.

 

There have been some great facial expressions the last couple of days. It speaks volumes for Jeph that this is so painful to watch.

Definitely – he's conveying quite a bit of emotional context through the art over and above the words themselves.  Impressive.

I don't get the joke in the punchline. Could someone explain it to me?

Ha!  Thank you for the genuine LOL.  (Perhaps there's an audio joke buried in there, the Benny Hill theme playing as Pintsize watches Marten's porn.)

This whole thread is TL;DR. And by that I mean anyone who reads all these posts deserves a fucking medal. And don't ask me, all you'll get is left over silver Hanukkah gelt coins from last year XD.
 

MEDAL.  GIVE ME ONE, NAO.  Hanukkah gelt coin iz acceptabul.

Anyone who's ever said the words, "I'm sick of your apologies!" knows what it really means.  You're not sick of hearing the apologies, you're sick of being in a situation where the other person has hurt you and is saying sorry, and you have to accept the apology.  You're tired of this cycle where you get hurt and you have to laugh it off and pretend that it's all okay.  Marten is the whipping boy of the entire QC-Universe and it's obvious that he knows it... and it's becoming even more obvious that he's sick of it.  Dora just finally pushed too hard on a topic he wasn't comfortable with, and now things are happening.  And, much like I said with their fight after Faye's panic attack, if and when Marten's armour finally does crack away, I'm going to be very interested to see what's underneath.

As the cat on Mutts says, 'Me too, also.'  I'm looking forward to seeing where Jeph takes this, and what he reveals about these characters.

And to use a standard diversion of the conversation - Are we all looking forward to the annual turkey strip?

I am!  Though now, because of the term you used, I am picturing a turkey working a stripper pole . . . no, wait, now I'm picturing a "landing strip" made of turkey meat . . .

O_o  Yikes, sorry – everything might be ruined forever after all.

Prediction: Steve will blow everyone in the coffee shop.

Fixed it for you.

I also hope that, for the sake of his sanity, Jeph can refrain from even opening it.

Again – you hope he can refrain from opening it again.  -_-  Guess he really did pick the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.

I voted for "MOAR PINTSIZE," but I'm not actually going to make any predictions for the comic.  I just want to see what happens next.  Also, I would like a cupcake.

[raoullefere]

I don't get the joke in the punchline. Could someone explain it to me?

Ha!  Thank you for the genuine LOL.  (Perhaps there's an audio joke buried in there, the Benny Hill theme playing as Pintsize watches Marten's porn.)

Benny Hill? You think Marten's porn is old Benny Hill clips?

That would be so 'vanilla' as to actually be rather twisted. Unless you mean Marty's looking at Benny himself in drag rather than the gels. Then he needs help. Lotsa help.

[Skewbrow]

Again – you hope he can refrain from opening it again.  -_-  Guess he really did pick the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.

cue Notre Dame victory march (not that the Irish have enjoyed much of a season)

[Prince of Space]

They're still broken up, and blaming you didn't make it better, so now the other party is out a friend as well.

Not that you were a good friend, what with banging the BF and all

Thank you, to both you and IanClark.  You seem to understand what I'm getting at, and that makes me feel a tiny bit of relief (that I'm not batshit insane).

Either that, or the both of you are right up there with me.

As a comment, knowing who overstepped (who is to "blame") can be useful, but doesn't need to be dwelt upon, and doesn't need to be seen as the ONLY problem. People have to be responsible for their actions. How can they do that if they are never held accountable for any of it? (hence blamed). That being said... trying to dole out blame while pissed is probably a horrible idea. They both needed a moment to compose themselves first. Part of identifying a problem is figuring out WHERE the problem came from, yes, why they acted that way is important, but first you have to identify the problem behavior in order to try and explain and deal with it. So this idea that blame is pointless is imo just ignorant.

At this point,  I'm pretty sure I just won't be understood by some.  So after this one last point, I think I'm outta here until next comic. 

I very much believe that people should be held accountable for their actions. But it's a relationship, not a murder trial.  One is not 'guilty' and the other 'not'.  The problem should be identified, talked about, and dealt with.  If it can't be dealt with, one person leaves.  Obviously people are different and not always rational, and there wouldn't be a comic if there weren't some drama.. but it's just ridiculous to act like a relationship is full of 'oh, that was her/his fault so she/he should do this'.  Relationship = team effort

And about the ignorant part...I'm glad you know it's your opinion, and not fact.   I try my best to be understanding and educated about things (certainly doesn't keep me from always falling short though).

[Heliphyneau]

I don't get the joke in the punchline. Could someone explain it to me?

Ha!  Thank you for the genuine LOL.  (Perhaps there's an audio joke buried in there, the Benny Hill theme playing as Pintsize watches Marten's porn.)

Benny Hill? You think Marten's porn is old Benny Hill clips?

That would be so 'vanilla' as to actually be rather twisted. Unless you mean Marty's looking at Benny himself in drag rather than the gels. Then he needs help. Lotsa help.

Bahaha!  That would be rather (very?) twisted.  I meant actual porn set to Benny Hill music, with the video possibly sped up to match the tempo, which if you think about it would be kinda fun twisted OMG ART silly.

[jwhouk]

I can tell just by reading a lot of these posts that everyone here who doesn't think Dora broke a huge relationship boundry probably hasn't had a loving relationship. In love there are many unforgiving crimes, you don't break someone's trust and then chase them down to try and fix it. The way she's apologizing make it seem like it was some victimless crime, when the victim is standing right in front of you.

wow, that's quite a claim to make.

(Since I'm three pages behind)

I actually can see this.

[jwhouk]

Wow. Just, wow.

Is this the end of Dora and Marten?

Yes.    - 40 (19.1%)
No.    - 37 (17.7%)
Wow, I'm not sure.    - 52 (24.9%)
Don't know.    - 11 (5.3%)
Don't care.    - 20 (9.6%)
GOOGLE IT, #### it!    - 6 (2.9%)
MOAR PINTSIZE!!!!11!!!!!!11    - 15 (7.2%)
20 PAGES BY FRIDAY!    - 28 (13.4%)

Total Voters: 209

-----
"...and this is now the most-posted non-pinned thread in this forum."

[Enduar]

 Next poll needs to be a wager as to how many pages this thread will actually get to.

[Wiregeek]

Next poll needs to be a wager as to how many pages this thread will actually get to.

at least four more than it should, or needs to.

[peterh]

It's already way beyond that.

And thus ends my contribution of the abovementioned phenomenon for today.

[Random832]

So because you and I have time to read this,

For the record, the past 16 hours or so of posts have taken less than an hour to read. Really, following a forum thread doesn't take half so long if you do it all at once.

[Fen]

Oh wow. She isn't finished apologizing, already making an excuse for herself in which he is indirectly to blame, insults him, and then makes a scene because he dared answer back.
Yep. She's a keeper.

[Emperor Norton]

So because you and I have time to read this,

For the record, the past 16 hours or so of posts have taken less than an hour to read. Really, following a forum thread doesn't take half so long if you do it all at once.

Just because I want to take that time to do something, specifically a leisure activity, and someone else doesn't, means nothing. It surely doesn't require insults. You people are acting like reading this thread is a responsibility... as opposed to something done for leisure. I'll be honest, if I didn't enjoy reading this, I wouldn't. I don't see why anyone else expects someone to read it if they don't want to.

[mickcheese]

12 fucking pages?

No, I'm out. See y'all when the Dora Hatestorm blows over.

[jwhouk]

At least we're WAY behind the longest thread in this forum (POINTLESS THREAD II: ESCAPE FROM RAPTOR MOUNTAIN), which is up to 271 pages...

[hannahsaurusrex]

I've read all of these, and I'm noticing a lack of those who wield the UBMEODs.
Coincidence? I think not!

I'm quite saddened at the overflow of people who hate this relationship. I'm saddened because I do not know a single person who doesn't occasionally blow up, assume wrongly, make mistakes, and occasionally repeat those mistakes. (I'm also saddened by the misspelling of Marten)

I've been in fights involving bacon,tickling, loud chewing, dvd organization, me discovering things about his past he didn't want me to, and there actually is a constant haircut battle. I am sad to say I have told the man I love "FUCK YOU" at two in the morning because he didn't get bacon, and it's always frustrating to have the same issues come up in different forms. 
But we're still together with no sign of quitting.

Fights are never fun, but as I keep repeating, I'm hoping they'll talk to each other and we get some real backstory.

[Kyrendis]

I've read all of these, and I'm noticing a lack of those who wield the UBMEODs.
Coincidence? I think not!

I'm quite saddened at the overflow of people who hate this relationship. I'm saddened because I do not know a single person who doesn't occasionally blow up, assume wrongly, make mistakes, and occasionally repeat those mistakes. (I'm also saddened by the misspelling of Marten)

I've been in fights involving bacon,tickling, loud chewing, dvd organization, me discovering things about his past he didn't want me to, and there actually is a constant haircut battle. I am sad to say I have told the man I love "FUCK YOU" at two in the morning because he didn't get bacon, and it's always frustrating to have the same issues come up in different forms.  
But we're still together with no sign of quitting.

Fights are never fun, but as I keep repeating, I'm hoping they'll talk to each other and we get some real backstory.

In this case, I think the problem for most people is that it's the same issue, still unresolved, coming up over and over again. And recently. 50 strips ago is not very long chronologically.

Every couple has fights, but if you have the same fight every few weeks and it never gets resolved beyond vague promises to "Work on it", that's not a sign of a healthy relationship.

[Random832]

Just because I want to take that time to do something, specifically a leisure activity, and someone else doesn't, means nothing.

I never said it does. I'm saying your tone it sound like it's a lot more time than it is, and that maybe it _is_ a lot more time for people who keep refreshing the thread.

Also, there's a difference between saying everyone should read it [no-one's said that] and that people should NOT post repetitive arguments without reading what has gone before. The latter is a reasonable position whether you or I agree with it or not.

[hannahsaurusrex]

How long of a break was it from Cosette to Underpants? At LEAST two months.

And if you have two fights within three days, it doesn't mean that the relationship is unhealthy, it means the first fight was unresolved.

I don't think she can really do anything to work on it until she TELLS HIM WHAT WENT ON. So that he can actually provide perspective.

[rje]

Fights are never fun, but as I keep repeating, I'm hoping they'll talk to each other and we get some real backstory.

Yes this! I really wa--
OMG what if we get ... Flashbacks!! Adorable high school gothette Dora and college dissatisfaction-with-goth-life Dora! (wait did she go to college I don't remember) with cameo with Original Goth Raven~! And we see all her shitty relationships with the Alpha Goth Assholes.

DO EET JEPH
You know you wanna draw teenage Dora.

[Kyrendis]

Is this thread really dissolving into arguements about arguements? 

Right, I'm done. Wake me up when the new strip releases.

[iduguphergrave]

okay let's see if I can make ustream work again

Hmm nope still broken. No broadcast tonight, I guess.

...


He's doing this on purpose.

UStream* happens to break at the moment of the most drama when we're all on pins and needles? Right.

Oh well, it's nice to be surprised.


(for those of you unfamiliar, when Jeph draws the comic he broadcasts the drawing process on the internet live via a website called ustream.com. It's pretty cool)

[hannahsaurusrex]

Yes this! I really wa--
OMG what if we get ... Flashbacks!! Adorable high school gothette Dora and college dissatisfaction-with-goth-life Dora! (wait did she go to college I don't remember) with cameo with Original Goth Raven~! And we see all her shitty relationships with the Alpha Goth Assholes.

DO EET JEPH
You know you wanna draw teenage Dora.

Ohmanohman!

Personally, I've been going through all the scenarios I could think of.

Including but not limited to:
Dating a murderer
Dating a rapist
Dating a child molester
Dating a married man who didn't tell her she was married
Getting left at the alter
Getting raped
Getting an abortion
Having a miscarriage
Owned by a pimp
Drugged into submission

[Is it cold in here?]

Yes, Dora went to college. Her major is unknown.

[Emperor Norton]

Just because I want to take that time to do something, specifically a leisure activity, and someone else doesn't, means nothing.

I never said it does. I'm saying your tone it sound like it's a lot more time than it is, and that maybe it _is_ a lot more time for people who keep refreshing the thread.

Also, there's a difference between saying everyone should read it [no-one's said that] and that people should NOT post repetitive arguments without reading what has gone before. The latter is a reasonable position whether you or I agree with it or not.

Ok, fair, I don't have a problem with what you said. I do have a problem with Wiredgeek basically saying "put down the remote and learn to read". Its condescending and presumptuous. I've only really had a problem with the wording of his reaction, and his attitude, I just misinterpreted what you meant about it.

[sirisaacnuton]

I'm quite saddened at the overflow of people who hate this relationship. I'm saddened because I do not know a single person who doesn't occasionally blow up, assume wrongly, make mistakes, and occasionally repeat those mistakes. (I'm also saddened by the misspelling of Marten)

I've been in fights involving bacon,tickling, loud chewing, dvd organization, me discovering things about his past he didn't want me to, and there actually is a constant haircut battle. I am sad to say I have told the man I love "FUCK YOU" at two in the morning because he didn't get bacon, and it's always frustrating to have the same issues come up in different forms. 
But we're still together with no sign of quitting.

Fights are never fun, but as I keep repeating, I'm hoping they'll talk to each other and we get some real backstory.

The difference is though, things like most of what you mentioned (aside from the stuff about the past) seem to fall well within the standard "dealing with the other person's quirks" type of fights and arguments that go along with any long-term relationship.  Now this is an assumption, but based on your other comment, I'm guessing the argument about bacon is something along the lines that you wanted bacon and he didn't get it.  That's a lot different than if, say, you'd told him you're morally opposed to eating meat, and it's inhumane, and then you came home and he's completely disregarded your feelings and is frying up bacon.

Their fight isn't a fight about porn, it's a fight about lack of respect and (more overarchingly) lack of communication.  Sure, everybody has fights.  Lots of them.  But there are plenty of things people fight about that aren't going to lead to major issues if the people really want to stay together (even if they really blow up in the heat of the moment), but some things can do just about irreparable harm.  That's what this one smacks of...it's not the same as their fight about the haircut, or the girl asking Marten out.  Lack of respect or communication is a killer, particularly if it isn't the first time Marten's felt this way.

The comment's been made several times that just because someone fights doesn't always mean their relationship is doomed.  Which is totally true, of course.  But while it doesn't always mean it's over, sometimes it does, depending on what the fight is about, what the causes were, and how it resolves itself.  This one has all the looks of one that won't blow over easily or just be made up quickly.

[Moxie]

I am very interested in this storyline, and I think a Dora / Martin split would be very interesting.  Also watching who the other characters side with would be quite neat.  Who would Faye side with?   I wonder if the break up would cause problems with her relationship, as she is kinda fragile - psyche wise.

You know, that's an interesting point. Over the underwear incident Faye sided with Marten and called Dora out on her inappropriate behavior. But Faye was there, and she knew what happened. Here, we have Dora going off on an idea Faye had. Would Faye even take sides at all? Would she call Dora out on her inappropriate actions, as well as tell Marten he needs to be more aggressive whenever something matters to him?

What idea did Faye have?

The whole 'lets look at Marten's porn' thing was Faye's idea.

Yup, that. Not just the "look at Marten's porn", but more specifically, asking Pintsize about it. Sort of giving Dora an opportunity to get info she might not have thought of otherwise.

I don't think anyone really understands an argument until they've been on both sides. Dora knows how upsetting it is for your partner not to take your feelings seriously:

http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1107

If this occurs to her, it could be a real lightbulb moment.

That is an excellent point. Probably due to her insecurities, Dora definitely does seem to be lacking in perspective. A light bulb moment like that could actually do wonders for her - like make her stop saying "I should work on my issues" and and actually start to work on them.

[Rusty]

and now, something completely different...



I feel like Doras head has become too round....like it went from an adam sandler to chris farley.

[Rose]

Guess I'm a little late in the conversation, but here's what Marten should have done. Hindsight.

[MillionDollar Belt Sander]

Dating a murderer
Dating a rapist
Dating a child molester
Dating a married man who didn't tell her she was married
Getting left at the alter
Getting raped
Getting an abortion
Having a miscarriage
Owned by a pimp
Drugged into submission

And that was just the first semester!   

(bonus punchline:  oh wow she went to Buffalo State too, eh?)

[Tormuse]

I can sympathize with Marten's position because I had a similar experience with my first relationship in that she would get furious with me if I didn't respect her wishes, but she would go against my requests without consequence or concern.  It's not the invasion of privacy that's an issue for me so much as the hypocrisy...  The idea that I have to treat her with respect, but she doesn't have to treat me with respect.

[ysth]

20 pages by Friday doesn't need votes, it will just happen.

[Near Lurker]

Including but not limited to:
Dating a murderer
Dating a rapist
Dating a child molester
Dating a married man who didn't tell her she was married
Getting left at the alter
Getting raped
Getting an abortion
Having a miscarriage
Owned by a pimp
Drugged into submission

Um...wow.  Scale it back a bit, will you?

[bicostp]

Guess I'm a little late in the conversation, but here's what Marten should have done. Hindsight.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs243.snc4/39510_417673063213_580943213_4884720_5756053_n.jpg

Thing is, she more than likely didn't know where his porn collection was stored. (Guessing because she had never seen it. You don't put it someplace obvious like My Documents/My Pictures...) She was arbitrarily rooting through his laptop looking for porn, who knows what else she poked around in while she was in there. If she was determined enough she would have plowed through the entire folder directory regardless of the folder titles.

He needs to have Marigold set up an encrypted external hard drive... For his tax records yeah that's it tax records.

[akronnick]

20 pages by Friday doesn't need votes, it will just happen.

Depends, if 'Teh DrAMAs' is resolve in tonights strip, the posting rate will probably taper off to something closer to normal.

If Marten and Dora actually break up then I'm thinking we'll hit 20 pages sometime early Thursday (dibs on 3am to 4am EST 11/18/10.)

If One of them does something really stupid involving another cast member, the sky's the limit, to quote the Immortal Doc Brown:

If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, You're gonna see some serious shit!

[sirisaacnuton]

Thing is, she more than likely didn't know where his porn collection was stored. (Guessing because she had never seen it. You don't put it someplace obvious like My Documents/My Pictures...) She was arbitrarily rooting through his laptop looking for porn, who knows what else she poked around in while she was in there. If she was determined enough she would have plowed through the entire folder directory regardless of the folder titles.

I assumed Pintsize directed her to it, like Faye's suggestion.

[Is it cold in here?]

I'm too lazy to look up the strip, but Dora has mused about getting therapy, specifically to get over her issues with her brother.

Notice that Dora has blown up instantly twice when her double standards were pointed out? Sensitive point that. Don't need a psychology degree to make a good guess about what's going on there.

[Bumblebee]

I think the conflict between the two of them mainly comes from Faye. The first argument was about Faye and Marten being in their underwear together; the second about porn. My guess is that Dora was worried a lot of the porn would feature women that looked like Faye.

Frankly, it's pretty obvious that Marten liked Faye more than Dora and would have got with her if she was available. Now that Faye is starting to date, Dora is naturally worried that Marten and Faye will hook up which explains her increasing irrationality.

To be honest I think Faye and Marten make a better couple than Marten and Dora, but the problem is Faye is so screwed up she won't make a move on anyone she actually likes - only people she views as soulless flesh dildoes like Angus and Sven. Really it has to be Marten to make the first move.

If I was Marten I would just try and convey to Faye that I didn't care about her hangups, but it'd be tough. I think this is one of those instances where the man really needs to take control - he should just get drunk with her, then gently but firmly rub her up against a wall by her wrists and start kissing and dry humping her while whispering in her ear about how much he likes her, sexually as well as a friend. Though at first she might be disconcerted or disorientated it's important he never stop - Marten is passive by nature but if he apologises and walks away it will just add to Faye's abandonment issues as she'll feel that her crying or screaming for him to stop has pushed him away. Unfortunately I don't think Marten has the willpower to do this ... really, what he needs is a good friend who would help him out by lacing his drink with cocaine or some other aggressant that would allow him to really let his inhibitions go and confess his feelings, but I don't think any are up to it  

[0kamisama]

Guess I'm a little late in the conversation, but here's what Marten should have done. Hindsight.

Clever way to hide your secret stash, using the natural guilt firewall as a fallback guard!

Thank you, Captain Hindsight!

[bicostp]

Notice that Dora has blown up instantly twice when her double standards were pointed out?

Not just her double standards. She seems to blow up to some degree whenever someone points out a deficiency in her. Remember when Marigold called her web development skills "amateur"? Getting defensive is one thing, but in this example she took it a step further and attacked Marigold by targeting her shortcomings.

Just like the way Marten used her insecurities... against her... this... time? Is this intentional or just a coincidence?

[vettechinohio]

If I was Marten I would just try and convey to Faye that I didn't care about her hangups, but it'd be tough. I think this is one of those instances where the man really needs to take control - he should just get drunk with her, then gently but firmly rub her up against a wall by her wrists and start kissing and dry humping her while whispering in her ear about how much he likes her, sexually as well as a friend. Though at first she might be disconcerted or disorientated it's important he never stop - Marten is passive by nature but if he apologises and walks away it will just add to Faye's abandonment issues as she'll feel that her crying or screaming for him to stop has pushed him away. Unfortunately I don't think Marten has the willpower to do this ... really, what he needs is a good friend who would help him out by lacing his drink with cocaine or some other aggressant that would allow him to really let his inhibitions go and confess his feelings, but I don't think any are up to it 

...

... really?

REALLY?!

I'm... I'm... I'm speechless.

[sirisaacnuton]

To be honest I think Faye and Marten make a better couple than Marten and Dora, but the problem is Faye is so screwed up she won't make a move on anyone she actually likes - only people she views as soulless flesh dildoes like Angus and Sven. Really it has to be Marten to make the first move.

I've never gotten the impression Faye felt this way about Angus.  There was really a lot of character development in Faye during that period, and she even had a talk with Marten where she admitted that she would have done it differently if she could do it again, and that she didn't handle it well with him.  But she's also pretty much acknowledged that ship has sailed.  Her relationship with Angus seems very stable so far.  Started with flirting, then hanging out in group situations, getting more comfortable with each other, moving into dating, and then making out.  At the same time, the "Toto" conversation certainly seems to indicate she's comparing her feelings about Angus to her feelings about Marten (to some extent at least) and finding out that she's in a good place, emotionally (or at least a much better one than during the Sven debacle or the Marten near-miss).  

At this point, Faye and Marten isn't unlikely because she's horrendously screwed up...that was true a thousand strips ago, but much less so now.  Faye and Marten is unlikely because Faye has moved on, has found someone, and is pretty happy and thus far seems very well-adjusted.


Edit:  Ha ha ha...I think I skimmed over your last paragraph without reading it.  Clearly I've just fallen victim to a troll...well played, sir.  I suppose my retort is moot.

[Team Venture]

I also created an account just to comment on this! Also, to use Psyduck 

HOLY BALLS MY MIND IS BLOWN. It's a duck! IT'S A DUCK?!
I thought it was a chubby yellow guy with a yellow beard, smiling and pawing at his head. And no, I never wondered why it would be that. This is the internet, after all.

My entire world has been tossed into disarray.

[vettechinohio]

Edit:  Ha ha ha...I think I skimmed over your last paragraph without reading it.  Clearly I've just fallen victim to a troll...well played, sir.  I suppose my retort is moot.

What worries me more is that he might just be a new user and actually serious ):

[Janxer]

I JUST READ THE WHOLE THREAD.

Conclusion: you guys are out of your mind. All of you. Also me. 

As for everyone trying to determine what Marten/Dora/Anyone else should do: They should do whatever they want to goddammit. There is no universal code for what to do in a given situation, and what is the "best" choice for anyone is entirely up to what their own personal goals are in any situation.

As none of you are that character, none of you can credibly argue what any character SHOULD do without a vast amount of clarification regarding what assumptions you are making for the goals the characters in this strip have in mind. I think that's causing a lot of the frankly embarrassing communication problems in this thread.

To the people arguing whose fault it is: Stop it, nothing is that black and white. QC is drawn in colour!