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Reconciliation - between the sheets.

4 (3.1%)

Platonic Reconciliation.

11 (8.7%)

Hilarious Misunderstanding.

17 (13.4%)

MARTEN RAAAAAAGGGGGEEEE!

26 (20.5%)

DORA RAAAAAAGGGGGEEEE!

0 (0%)

FAYE RAAAAAAGGGGGEEEE!

4 (3.1%)

Hannelore Hulks out!

6 (4.7%)

Sven Seduction!

9 (7.1%)

Cosette Burns down COD, everyone dies.

18 (14.2%)

Pintsize!

8 (6.3%)

Waffles!

24 (18.9%)

Total Members Voted: 106

[Kugai]

Actually, when you think about it, this is worse punishment for Dora than if Veronica had walked in and pulled out the whips and chains.

She was expecting Martens mom to crucify her, but instead she gets . . . . this,  I think she would prefer being strung up and whipped by Veronica than this.

[DSL]

One vote here for "Marten's mom knows, more or less, what she's doing."
My first read on the character in this situation was a sort of endearing klutziness in matters not involving domination, as evidenced by the improvised insult at the end of No. 1833. Hey, tryin' to make Dora happy, right?
Then it occurred to me Ms. V. might (instinctively) know that what Martin and Dora (think they) want right now is not what they need.
Marten wants to the the pitied Noble Victim. A couple of his friends (I like Tai) know that's not what he needs.
Dora wants "reassurance" that This Is All Her Fault -- because that way she still gets to be in control (and control is a big thing with her, because if we can take Sven at face value after the  Underpants Incident, our benighted barista was never really in control of a relationship until after ambushing Marten on the rooftop).
Ms. V. understands -- Ain't Gonna Get What You Want. Whether this proceeds from Dom or Mom, I think the lady's on to something.
Perhaps if I was still in my 20s and just coming off what I thought at the time was a Tale of Tragic Love, I might be part of the pack after Dora with pitchforks and torches. But age lends --- well, at least the fatigue that simulates wisdom. I like Veronica.
And yes, I too would like to see more of Veronica's outfit. Though I would also consider it a good joke on us, including myself, for Jeph to "pull back the camera" and reveal the good Ms. V. is wearing leg warmers and pack-boots hastily purchased on the way from the airport.
There does need to be a 'splosion, though. I vote for a Hannerhulk moment, preferably after the restaurant gang, including Marten, mooches into the caffienery and misinterprets everything. Hannerhulk moments tend to be oddly ... constructive, even if the poor kid doesn't remember them afterwards.

[pwhodges]

Dora is probably in hell right now.

But a friendly, considerate  hell.

[maddness]

Y'all can thank themacnut for me dropping out of lurker status and actually posting. I don't feel sorry for Dora, and it's actually fairly aggravating that she's getting all of this undeserved support. My ex ruined a perfectly good relationship based on similarly flimsy reasoning and insecurities, and it pissed me off just as much back then that she was reassured and coddled by our social circle while I got the boot. I may be tough, but kicking me when I'm down provokes me to break you, not "get over it."

Eventually, it resulted in our social circle splitting into halves in a very messy, extended breakdown. I understand a writer's desire and vulnerability through their characters, but Dora did something that shouldn't be minimized so...trivially.

Yes, how dare she break up with Marten rather than continuing a relationship that she felt she couldn't be secure in and she couldn't see through to the long-term without the fighting constantly happening.  How dare she break up with Marten rather than making him go through her recovery with her, which could have resulted in a break-up anyway.  How dare she spare him the stress.  How dare she, that selfish bitch.

Am I getting the tone right?

Yes, what an angel she is to break up with a guy she lives with and spare him the hardship of working through a problem in their relationship like adults do.

Okay, seriously, I don't think breaking up with Marten makes Dora an evil bitch, but can we not slap a halo on her either? She didn't break up with Marten to spare him stress, she broke up with him because she wanted to break the cycle where she drove herself crazy because of her issues, blew up at Marten and then felt like crap over it. That's not a bad thing, it was probably the right thing given her circumstances, but it's not a selfless motivation either. The thing is, she never tried to get help, not before embarking on a relationship after the last guy who messed her up emotionally, not after the first blow up or any time thereafter when she realized she was letting her past relationship traumas affect her relationship with Marten and not before going to the extreme of ending a relationship with someone she apparently cared enough about to move in with. If she chooses not to work through issues she knows are causing negative affects in her life, then I don't see why people should have to feel sorry for her or be made out to be demonizing her.

Personally, I do feel bad for her because when a relationship that you were emotionally invested in is over you hurt, even if you were the one to end it. Dora is expecting people to be angry and treat her badly over the break up because she is angry with herself over the break up, feels she's ruined something good because she can't get past her trust issues, and is probably tearing herself up inside. A part of her hates what she's done while another part of her is sure she did the right thing for both herself and Marten. Having someone else heap the abuse on her would giver her the treatment she thinks she deserves right now, but it would also help her externalize it, maybe give her something tangible to rally herself against. It's easier to defend yourself from others than the insidious voices in your head. I don't feel sorry for her, because it was her choice to end it rather than try to get help and work on the relationship, but I do feel bad for her and what she's going through right now.

[Boomslang]

Marten wants to the the pitied Noble Victim. A couple of his friends (I like Tai) know that's not what he needs.

I would disagree that's what Marten wants, but it's probably what most of the cast thinks he wants.

What Marten almost certainly wants and needs right now is to feel in control of his life and destiny, and he's not getting any help there from anyone. What Dora hammered home, intentionally or not, is that what Marten wanted didn't matter. Dora made it clear that nothing Marten could have ever done would have changed that. What is his mom doing, this entire trip? Doing precisely what she knows Marten doesn't want her to do. Repeatedly, and without real cause.

At some point, Marten might just start agreeing with them that what he wants doesn't matter. And that's not a place you want to be in.

[Wraith11B]

I've been there.  And--similarly as Nietzsche said--as you stare into that inky blackness, it stares right back into you.

I would hope that Marten does not get to be like that.  One, he's got friends that will hopefully recognize the signs of someone that gets to be like that.  Two, they interact on a regular enough cycle that it would get caught early.  I've had similar goings-on, and now am a fairly cold fish.  Marten shouldn't get that way.  He'll muddle through.

[cesariojpn]

Actually, when you think about it, this is worse punishment for Dora than if Veronica had walked in and pulled out the whips and chains.

She did fap to Veronica's pics back in the day, so I dunno if that would've been a threat or a compliment.

[leahneedsanap]

Dora wants "reassurance" that This Is All Her Fault -- because that way she still gets to be in control (and control is a big thing with her, because if we can take Sven at face value after the  Underpants Incident, our benighted barista was never really in control of a relationship until after ambushing Marten on the rooftop).

I'm not sure she really wants this, if her expectations that everyone is going to beat her up and she's inviting it in this way.  I think she wants someone to tell her it IS her fault because she knows this incident represents her issues spiralling out of control and really being untenable, especially after what Faye has said to her. But she's afraid to take the big jump of confronting herself, and she wants other people to push her to do what she needs to do--it's why she gave in when Faye pushed her to call her therapist NOW.  

I think there is a lot of people thinking they know what Marten and Dora need right now--but not so much actual knowing.   Marten's mom thinks she's helping, but all she's done since she got there is violate his boundaries, basically recreating his breakup with Dora and punishing him every time he tries to stand up for himself--hell her whole visit is a boundary violation cause she asked him not to do it.  That seems like it's getting into exactly the territory Wraith is talking about.  And I'm not saying Marten's mom should give Dora the abuse she's looking for, but I don't think just saying "it's all okay I forgive you!" is helping much either--although if it's a transitional statement to saying you have problems and you need to work it out.  I think Hanners did a pretty good job, especially for her comfort level, by giving back the Worry Hat--it just says, hey, I'm your friend and I'm here for you.  I think Faye did even better by being a supportive friend who is also calling out a friend on destructive behavior and giving her some tough love to follow through on doing something about it.

[Heliphyneau]

Okay, seriously, I don't think breaking up with Marten makes Dora an evil bitch, but can we not slap a halo on her either? She didn't break up with Marten to spare him stress, she broke up with him because she wanted to break the cycle where she drove herself crazy because of her issues, blew up at Marten and then felt like crap over it. That's not a bad thing, it was probably the right thing given her circumstances, but it's not a selfless motivation either.

With you on that.  I feel bad for both Marten and Dora and I hope they both find some measure of comfort to help them move on.  Dora's pain is mostly self-created, both during and after the relationship, so the hell she's in is her own making.  As for Marten, he's still working the emotional splinter out -- odds are it's gonna take some digging before he can start to heal.  Maybe Marten's Mom knows exactly what she's doing, or maybe haplessness runs in the family, or maybe it's something in between.  I hope he opens up to his Mom or someone soon.

Further down the line, I'd like Marten to jam out with Hanners and Amir.  Pouring his emotions into music could help him if he's too bottled up.

And hey, what's wrong with commenting on Ms. Reed's boots?    They're cool, yo -- don't be hatin'!





 

[pwhodges]

Frankly, the tops of the "boots" look more like leg-warmers to me...

[tomart]

What Marten almost certainly wants and needs right now is to feel in control of his life and destiny, and he's not getting any help there from anyone. What Dora hammered home, intentionally or not, is that what Marten wanted didn't matter. Dora made it clear that nothing Marten could have ever done would have changed that. What is his mom doing, this entire trip? Doing precisely what she knows Marten doesn't want her to do. Repeatedly, and without real cause.

At some point, Marten might just start agreeing with them that what he wants doesn't matter. And that's not a place you want to be in.

Jeph is great with (often uncomfortable) ironic imbalances - the noble victim Marten getting emotionally trashed by his friends and family, dumper Dora getting undeserved hugs and support.  Speaking for myself, I do tend to get uncomfortable when it goes on "too long", and that's subjectively different when we're hanging on the slow daily schedule, and later when we're breezing through the archives at lightspeed.

I'm learning to trust Jeph's script pacing - it can seem agonizingly slow to resolve a painful imbalance while it's happening, but in the grand scheme, I find later it's deliciously drawn-out, rather than agaonizingly protracted.   

[jwhouk]

That is just not right.

Why do you think it's not right?

Breaking up with someone is commonly considered a bad thing. Expecting further backlash in the context of social polarization would seem to be fairly normal to me. I think it's part of how we're conditioned on social, moral and ethical transgressions.

No, no: what's not right is that she expects to be treated badly. As in "irrational desire/expectation of feeling bad" about this. Yeah, it's one thing to be given the Faye "you effed up a good thing", but it's another thing to want to be treated badly. You're OK, I'm not OK, and all that.

I'm not going to play psychologist or anything, but the level of near self-loathing Dora has ain't healthy.

EDIT: Oh, and for anyone who cares, my first name is Joe. The "JWHOUK" moniker is from the ancient days of the internet when my old dialup ISP insisted on me using my first two initials and last name as an email address. (Said ISP is now belly-up.)

[Rascal]

Hello everyone. New here, been spending a lot of time in the archives (jeebus there are a lot!) trying to get caught up, but have been reading the dailies for the last few weeks.

For the record, I'm not terribly happy with Dora. She did get crazy. She did fuck things up. She is being coddled. Why? I have no freaking clue. Maybe Jeph likes her a lot and feels sympathy for her. However, I do not think that Marten should be content to be the victim here (as someone else put it above). In fact, I think both Dora and Marten are being rather immature about the whole thing.

Relationships are work. They don't just magically come into being and they don't just magically maintain themselves. They are communication, sacrifice, compromise -- all because you love that person that much, but because you love yourself too. Ironically, Dora and Marten have sufficient self-loathing (Marten's prominently on his shoulder, Dora's masked beneath denial and witty acrimony) that you kind of have to wonder how either of them could have a healthy relationship.

Nonetheless, in my opinion, the adult response to this would be for Marten to grow a pair. Dora wants to retreat, and as someone said above, be in control of the situation and her life. If she's at fault for her misery, then however stupid and pitiful that might seem, it's something she can control. As much as I can appreciate Marten's pain right now, it's on him to go all white-knight and save her -- from herself.

The adult response would be for him to tell her that even if she's giving up on the relationship, he is not. It would be to tell her that while she desperately needs therapy and must get it, he will be there with her by her side, so they can work through the obstacles and challenges of their relationship together. Marten folds far too easily. He may be loyal to a fault, but he gives in and quits far too easily once rejection rears its ugly head.

That's what they both need. Dora needs that ultimate example of someone valuing and caring for her enough to stay with her and demonstrate their love, despite her being herself at her very, very worst. And Marten needs to know that he can be a heroic figure taking control of his life, not just a tragic one to whom life simply happens.

Granted, that's all simply my opinion

On the other hand, we wouldn't have much of a comic if there weren't angst, drama, misery and laughter (at Marten's expense). So.... unlikely we'll see any of the above any time soon

[jwhouk]

I've been there.  And--similarly as Nietzsche said--as you stare into that inky blackness, it stares right back into you.

I would hope that Marten does not get to be like that.  One, he's got friends that will hopefully recognize the signs of someone that gets to be like that.  Two, they interact on a regular enough cycle that it would get caught early.  I've had similar goings-on, and now am a fairly cold fish.  Marten shouldn't get that way.  He'll muddle through.

Well, I can understand that, having worked with several GW/OIF vets and hearing about their exploits - especially upon return to the states.

I'm actually with DSL on all this: Veronica may have a life PhD in Interpersonal Relationship Psychology, and may be giving each of them exactly what they need instead of what they want. (Aside: too bad Ms. Reed isn't a bit older; she might start quoting Mick Jagger.)

Only time (and Jeph's wonderful storytelling) will tell if it works or not.

[Rascal]

On a side note, so much for, "...if you hurt my boy I will introduce you to a whole new realm of pain and suffering. We're talkin' stuff that would make Hieronymus Bosch shit his britches, capisce?"

I'm a bit disappointed, really. No Domme I know would be so... understanding. Not vindictive, mind you, but certainly much more "wtf is wrong with you two?"

[jwhouk]

Not every Domme has to have the heavy touch, though. I believe that the appropriate term is, "there's more than one way to skin a cat."

[Rascal]

Not every Domme has to have the heavy touch, though. I believe that the appropriate term is, "there's more than one way to skin a cat."

Amusingly enough, the friend who introduced me to QC some weeks ago is a lifestyler Domme.

But I digress: you're absolutely right, and I hope my friend will chime in here with her own thoughts. Either way, I hope Marten's mom is about to flip things around after getting the 'be nice to Dora' part out of the way. What's the saying? Something like 'sweeten with honey before the sting?'

[Carl-E]

Am I getting the tone right?

I dunno, it's only registering an 8 on the sarcasmometer.  Better turn it up a bit. 

<lots of stuff explaining his previous post, but there was one  thing in here that cought my eye and really bothered me.  And it was...

My ex ruined a perfectly good relationship based on similarly flimsy reasoning and insecurities, and it pissed me off just as much back then that she was reassured and coddled by our social circle while I got the boot.

Here I explain why I feel this support is undeserved. Flimsy reasoning and insecurities do NOT make for adequate excuses. Your trollish (or fanboyish?) response to mine communicates clearly that you consider it sufficient, but do cite however many times Marten became jealous, tested his girlfriend, or otherwise reacted in an extreme manner. Marten was so loyal that he felt awful about the Hanner boob incident, even though it wasn't his fault. Dora felt insecure about Faye. Alright, fine. She felt insecure because Marten previously liked Faye. Ok, fine. ...so what? Marten did not cheat on her, did not do anything with Faye. They went out of their way to make her see nothing was happening or would happen. She let an insecurity define her. Very unhealthy, very inexcusable. If it was such a major issue she did not have the mental strength to overcome (to be honest, I don't think many of our lovable QC crew are very mentally strong, so no slap against Dora), then she should have sought some help long ago.

Inexcusable?  Inexcusable?  You've read the comic, right?  She'd been struggling to overcome this insecurity from the very beginning of the relationship.  You're talking like it was something she could control!  Yes, Marten's hurting, and apparantly so are you.  But Dora's the one with the illness, and I don't think I'm going too far in characterizig it as such.  Marten will recover fine, with the help of his friends (Faye, Hanners), his associates (Tai), and his Mom, who's primary purpose right now is to remind him of who he is, and that life will go on.  But Dora needs more.  She needs the tough love that Faye demonstrated, and the understanding from the circle of the party she's injured that she's getting from Ms. Reed to know that the world will not hate her for what she's done.  In order to get healthy, she needs to know that she's not wrong, she's just not well.  She's taken that first step herself, realizing (possibly with Sven's help, we never saw that conversation) why she was doing what she did, and getting out of the cycle.  Now she needs to see that, rather than villanizing her, her friends (and the extended circle around her friends) will also realize what was going on. 

As JWHouk points out, she's getting exactly what she needs, even if it's not what she wants, and especially if it's not comfortable for her. 

The adult response would be for him to tell her that even if she's giving up on the relationship, he is not. It would be to tell her that while she desperately needs therapy and must get it, he will be there with her by her side, so they can work through the obstacles and challenges of their relationship together. Marten folds far too easily. He may be loyal to a fault, but he gives in and quits far too easily once rejection rears its ugly head.

That's what I was hoping would have happened as well.  That's what would have happened had I been Marten. 

But I'm not.  And I think (after seeing how several of my  relationships have gone) that it's a good thing. 

[Akima]

I dunno, it's only registering an 8 on the sarcasmometer.

Sarcasmometer FTW! I so wish I had one of those. With a dial that reads up to eleven, of course.

[Kugai]

Not every Domme has to have the heavy touch, though. I believe that the appropriate term is, "there's more than one way to skin a cat."

Amusingly enough, the friend who introduced me to QC some weeks ago is a lifestyler Domme.

But I digress: you're absolutely right, and I hope my friend will chime in here with her own thoughts. Either way, I hope Marten's mom is about to flip things around after getting the 'be nice to Dora' part out of the way. What's the saying? Something like 'sweeten with honey before the sting?'

She'll lure Dora back to her place then  . . . . . . . . . . 


Little fun/fantasy world/humerous Webcomic she might be interested in  http://collar6.com/   

[MillionDollar Belt Sander]

I dunno, it's only registering an 8 on the sarcasmometer.

Sarcasmometer FTW! I so wish I had one of those. With a dial that reads up to eleven, of course.

I built one, it goes over 9,000.   

[Kugai]

I dunno, it's only registering an 8 on the sarcasmometer.

Sarcasmometer FTW! I so wish I had one of those. With a dial that reads up to eleven, of course.

I built one, it goes over 9,000.   

*Post ubiquitous DBZ reference here*

[Near Lurker]

And somewhere at the back of her brain, there's still a squeaky little voice going "Omigod VERONICA VANCE is hugging meee..."

[Wraith11B]

Squuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Love Jeph's "Squee" sound effect.

[cesariojpn]

Little fun/fantasy world/humerous Webcomic she might be interested in  http://collar6.com/   

And: http://bdsmbadadvice.com/?p=17

Damn those Stormtrooper fetishists!! Sexualizing the destruction of Alderaan!!

[retrosteve]

Just a side note.  I think Dora *has* gained a little weight since Veronica saw her last!

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

Little fun/fantasy world/humerous Webcomic she might be interested in  http://collar6.com/   

And: http://bdsmbadadvice.com/?p=17

Damn those Stormtrooper fetishists!! Sexualizing the destruction of Alderaan!!

Hey, man, if loving the Death Star look is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Besides which, Alderaan was  part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor! ...'s planet!

[beanzilla]

On a side note, so much for, "...if you hurt my boy I will introduce you to a whole new realm of pain and suffering. We're talkin' stuff that would make Hieronymus Bosch shit his britches, capisce?"

I'm a bit disappointed, really. No Domme I know would be so... understanding. Not vindictive, mind you, but certainly much more "wtf is wrong with you two?"

I would certainly belive she is thinking the whole "wtf is wrong with you two?," but I think the background thought within the whole phone conversation before Veronica showed up was an understanding of overall intentions.   

As a former "dumpee" I can say my friends and family were ready to be as vindictive and reprehensible as a pack of wolves feeding on a box of abandoned kittens.  I knew my ex didn't deserve that kind of treatment, especially because we had an almost identical social circle.  I took the stance of "she feels bad enough letting this thing go, she doesn't need to be harped on about it."  We ended up staying close friends with the same social circles and I wouldn't have it any other way.   

The whole Veronica thing is just a way mothers are, with the whole setting up my boy, showing off his youth, and respecting his intents.  My mother talks herself up a good talk and then basically sells me to other girls, which ends up being greatly off-putting to me, but flattering at the deepest level.   

The story-line thus far has been greatly believable, and it's amazing how realistically Jeph can pull off such a comic.   

[Zombat]

I haven't been a fan of Marten's mom.  In-comic, she's barely touched on where his head is at, and has done pretty much nothing but exasperate her son.  My folks have done some goofy things when my relationships have gone south, but have also leveled with me and helped me back on my feet.  Maybe it's coming, but that Marten's mom has had more meaningful dialog with Dora in one strip than she has in like seven with Marten is worrisome, especially considering Faye knocking him out the night before.  Hopefully some parental Yoda-esque insight is coming.

[LordVaughn]

Odd how the first thing Marten thinks of after finding out about his mother's visit is if there's blood under her nails. Does this mean she's done this kind of thing before?

[CEOIII]

Well, she DID offer to kill Dora when she first saw him at the start of this storyline.

[cesariojpn]

Odd how the first thing Marten thinks of after finding out about his mother's visit is if there's blood under her nails. Does this mean she's done this kind of thing before?

She could have a bloodplay fetish.

[PureLionHeart]

Next chapter: "What do you mean Dora is missing!?"

[iduguphergrave]

Not necessarily true, Hannelore. Veronica could've just used a pistol with a silencer to take Dora out quickly and quietly.

Just sayin'

[Akima]

Hannelore can smell GSR. And I'm told silencers aren't nearly as effective in real life as in the movies.

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

Hannelore would be the best CSI, if she could keep from throwing up.

[Mayhem]

Y'all can thank themacnut for me dropping out of lurker status and actually posting. I don't feel sorry for Dora, and it's actually fairly aggravating that she's getting all of this undeserved support. My ex ruined a perfectly good relationship based on similarly flimsy reasoning and insecurities, and it pissed me off just as much back then that she was reassured and coddled by our social circle while I got the boot. I may be tough, but kicking me when I'm down provokes me to break you, not "get over it."

Eventually, it resulted in our social circle splitting into halves in a very messy, extended breakdown. I understand a writer's desire and vulnerability through their characters, but Dora did something that shouldn't be minimized so...trivially.

Yes, how dare she break up with Marten rather than continuing a relationship that she felt she couldn't be secure in and she couldn't see through to the long-term without the fighting constantly happening.  How dare she break up with Marten rather than making him go through her recovery with her, which could have resulted in a break-up anyway.  How dare she spare him the stress.  How dare she, that selfish bitch.

Am I getting the tone right?

I love you.

[Blackjoker]

I think some of the thing might be this, Veronica realized that Marten didn't bear Dora any ill will, or at least didn't want her in pain. She also seemed to like Dora some, so she went over to see her, offer condolences and maybe also try to get some insight into what happened (IE did Marten leave anything out, etc.).  

Do I agree with how she has acted during most of this, not really, I think the way she's acting is at least somewhat cruel to Marten, if only because some of it does kind of feel like making him feel worse when he's already at a low point as well as possibly exacerbating personal problems. Then again, who knows, Jeph is the writer here and so far he's done a good job with the story and I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes. Hopefully not with Marten in a rubber room, but meh, I'm enjoying the ride thus far.

[lessthankate]

perhaps Mrs Reed picked up on the fact that Dora wants to be punished, and is punishing her by not giver her what she wants?
screwing with her mind instead of physically or out loud or anything

i hope thats what it is, anyway!

[themacnut]

The adult response would be for him to tell her that even if she's giving up on the relationship, he is not. It would be to tell her that while she desperately needs therapy and must get it, he will be there with her by her side, so they can work through the obstacles and challenges of their relationship together. Marten folds far too easily. He may be loyal to a fault, but he gives in and quits far too easily once rejection rears its ugly head.

That's what I was hoping would have happened as well.  That's what would have happened had I been Marten. 

But I'm not.  And I think (after seeing how several of my  relationships have gone) that it's a good thing. 

What Carl-E said above. Saving people from themselves sounds like a noble goal, but in practice it seldom works out for either the prospective rescuer or rescuee. Only Dora can choose to "save herself" here, and if both she and Marten are in a place to resume their relationship after she's saved herself, so much the better. But before then, it's best for both that they go their separate ways for now.

[akronnick]

perhaps Mrs Reed picked up on the fact that Dora wants to be punished, and is punishing her by not giver her what she wants?
screwing with her mind instead of physically or out loud or anything

i hope thats what it is, anyway!

Dora is going to get punished.

She's going to get punished far worse than anything Marten, Faye or Veronica* can dish out.

She's going to punish herself. That's what the whole exercise has been about. She got paranoid because her and Marten's relationship was going so well, she kept trying to provoke him. When he failed to respond, she couldn't accept that it was possible that he actually cared for her, so she trashed things to prevent the cognitive dissonance caused by her own self-loathing.

It's sad really.

I think the characters can sense that this may be what's going on, which is why they're all being so gentle with her.




* Has it been established in canon what Ms. Reed's first name is? Veronica Vance is a pseudonym, but is Veronica her actual first name?

[Random832]

* Has it been established in canon what Ms. Reed's first name is? Veronica Vance is a pseudonym, but is Veronica her actual first name?

http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1831

[akronnick]

Derp.

[ZERO]

As much as I hate how the breakup occurred, I can empathize with Dora to some extent.

It can be shellshocking to finally find someone who's not full of it, and you're constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop as she waited for. It's even harder to deal with when the other person hasn't even bought the shoes in question. It's sounds silly, I know. My relationship with my girl is the first in the sense that for the first time, I don't have to hide it or be ashamed. Others had parents who were racist, or they were the sister of a best friend who wasn't comfortable with the fact that I was dating her, or was a lesbian, or was a pot-head who only hung out with me to be fed, or was MARRIED. And that caused a lot of drama. And to find that my girl has NO SUCH HANGUPS is a bit of a challenge for me. Because the smallest part of me starts to crave the frickin' abuse that others dished out and as a result, I become paranoid and unsure of myself.

But rather than do what Dora did, I choose to walk it off.

Because I spent many a night asking for a higher power to send me a girl who wasn't full of it, and I finally get one. No one would be sorrier than me if I found someway to screw that up because she won't rise to the challenge of testing my patience from time to time so I can have the conflict I crave. A friend of mine put it in a way that makes sense. He told me, after I presented my dilemma to him that it's a dilemma that he hears about all too often. He says because my girl and I met and clicked pretty much instantly, I miss the challenge. Which is not a not a bad thing. But he says that we're all at the age where we needed to start thinking in the long run. And that really stayed with me.

And that's something that I think Dora hasn't even grasped yet.

[innermoppet]

Perhaps if I was still in my 20s and just coming off what I thought at the time was a Tale of Tragic Love, I might be part of the pack after Dora with pitchforks and torches. But age lends --- well, at least the fatigue that simulates wisdom.

I am similarly fatigued. I want that on a t-shirt.

I'm hoping that Veronica is trying to provoke Marten into getting angry but I don't believe that is what is happening. I think we are seeing the actual microcrosm in which Marten became such a rug. I don't recall who wrote it, but someone posted that Veronica is treating him exactly like Dora, bowling over his personal boundries with a "pshaw" and acting like it doesn't matter when he gets upset about it. That's exactly what's happening. I don't see it as purposeful. I think she has no clue she set her baby up to be such a doormat. I also think Marten will eventually snap on her and let her know how angry he really is.

[Loki]

As to the comic it is kind of hilarious how Dora seems to expect a violent retribution that no one is giving her. Everyone is instead being so supportive and kind about it that it's freaking her out. Meanwhile, everyone is telling Marten to suck it up, kid, while he fishes for hugs.

This bugs me. Why does no one seem to care about Marten? I hate to get on the blame-train, but the break up was due to Dora's insecurities. She needs help, but he deserves sympathy too.

You know, when I read 1833, I even thought "Shouldn't that be what she would say to her son?" about the first two panels.

Just throwing a random thought out there, Veronica probably has experience regarding breakups. I mean, it turned out eventually that her husband was gay. Would likely have been an unpleasant situation for her at that time.

Next strip prediction:
Marten walks in into CoD and tells Dora "Look, I don't know what she did to you, but I am sorry, I certainly didn't send her"
Dora: "Uh, no, it was fine actually. She was pretty supportive"... *seeing look on Marten's face* "...oh".
Marten has another "Why is noone ever supportive of me" moment like in his drunken stupor.
The plot thickens.

[Wraith11B]

Hannelore can smell GSR. And I'm told silencers aren't nearly as effective in real life as in the movies.

No, they aren't.  Unless you're using special ammunition, bolt-action/non-automatic (ie, the gun doesn't load the next round for you) weapons, or distance (long range usually helps), silencers really only alter the sound signature and reduce decibels.  So, she'd have had to use a .22LR pistol with subsonic ammo to make that work.

Also, I feel like anyone should help the dumper/ee as far as to get over.  It's over, it's done, it happened.  Nothing will change the past.  Either drive on, or be left behind.

[jwhouk]

* Has it been established in canon what Ms. Reed's first name is? Veronica Vance is a pseudonym, but is Veronica her actual first name?

http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1831

Earlier than that:
http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=461

[jwhouk]

What are you looking forward to in the new year?

Mom vs. Dora!    - 30 (20.3%)
Hannelore eating at Taco Bell!    - 11 (7.4%)
More Faye/Angus!    - 17 (11.5%)
Marten finding someone new!    - 10 (6.8%)
Marigold going out on a DATE!    - 27 (18.2%)
More Pintsize shenaningans!    - 6 (4.1%)
Action! Adventure! Romance!    - 20 (13.5%)
Waffles.    - 27 (18.2%)

Total Voters: 148

[Border Reiver]

I'm voting for Pintsize, Part 2, he's struck once and had the tables turned.  Now he will strike, only to be foiled by the Winslow.