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Tai as an MGS guard

6 (5.6%)

Mieville's tragic leap

38 (35.2%)

KILL.  YOU.  BOTH.

22 (20.4%)

..-. ..- -. / .-- .. - .... / ... .- -- ..- . .-.. / -- --- .-. ... .

30 (27.8%)

"Stop slapping yourself with your metal hand!" (not an actual quote, but I like to think she said it between comics)

12 (11.1%)

Total Members Voted: 92

[Akima]

@Tergon: You have been Scunthorped. It made me snigger. <--- Now that you know how, only use your powers for good.

I think today's strip is way too meta, and not very funny.

[Dust]

Kinda lost here. Mari drew a nice, yet WAY too self-deprecating comic, and her expression in the last panel says.........what the hell does that expression say?

"I got my drink, time to finish this... who drew this?"?

[Smallpoxxer]

I think this comic shows a good example of how characters can sometimes write themselves.  A comic artist can sit down planning the way the story is going to go one way and, by the time they have finished, the story ends up dramatically different without the artist really thinking about it.

I believe Jeph has told us in some of his news posts that he has done this.

[Carl-E]

Manga Time (break it down!) 

I'm not a regular manga reader, so maybe some of you can help with this...

I'm familiar with the (usually sexual) tension induced sweat bead symbol used in Mar bear's second panel. 

But in the third it's replaced by a quartet of U's arranged in a radial fashion.  I've seen this before, usually used when a character gets really angry.  Thing is, it's usually on a forehead, and I always thought it represented some bulging veins from the character's increased blood pressure - they usually show up with exaggerated yelling and the like. 

This is the first time I've seen it elsewhere - in the hair - and I was wondering if this is a common usage, or did Mari get it wrong (I think Jeph would have known better and is intentionally portraying Mari as not knowing, or maybe he doesn't know it himself, and only sees it as a symbol of frustration.  Either that, or I'm completely off the mark here...)

[Odin]

I've seen it *appear* to be in the hair before, but that would be as a still frame in an animation where it starts at the forehead and flies away from it in some random direction to indicate an apparently huge amount of irritation/sudden anger.

Also to indicate non-serious injury after someone cracks their head on the bottom of a shelf or something.

[Skewbrow]

Hmm. I know zilch about manga, so I bow to your superior knowledge. But I had thought that it was the sweat bead popping. Much like Faye's boozles here (the last panel).

Edit: On second thought. Sweat beads don't really pop, do they? The patterns are drawn alike, though.

[TheEvilDog]

Carl-e, its pretty common usage. Sometimes a character's forehead or brow is just covered in hair, so if you were to use that angry symbol there, it would probably be lost in the fringe. Usually its placed in an area where people will see it straight away and instantly know the character is pissed off.

[themacnut]

Wow. Marigold REALLY hates herself, doesn't she? Hope she does something about it rather than continuing to wallow. And by something, I mean NOT self-harming or worse.

[Carl-E]

Indeed.

(click to show/hide)

HA!  Not only isit in the center character's hair, Its showing through another person's HAT!!

OK, thanks.  Pretty funny, that. 

[jwhouk]

I'm back.

Poor Marigold.

And I think I saw Tai blast by me on I-39 a few times this weekend.

[The Duke]

It's replacing the racial epithet commonly referred to as "the 'n' word" but it also catches the alternate pelling off snicker.

Remind me not to talk about the main ingredient of wine around here.

Grapes?  Vinegar has the same sound, but different spelling.

I actually don't know what word you mean.  Maybe link me to the Wikipedia article or something.

[cat_rant]

Poor Marigold.

Mind you that girl can draw! Even if it is self hating badness.


Marigold need's an injection of confidence. Really she is a smart girl, a bit clueless with blokes and has no faith in her own ability.

Crap! See that last line there -  I just described myself.

*face-palm*

[Mustakyy]

Wow.  Just wow...


Talk about selfloathing. Daaaaaaaamn!   


Atmosphere radically shifting without a clutch, from "hmm, whats this" to "OH..MY..GOD"

I think today's strip is way too meta, and not very funny.

Mmm-hm, gotta agree on this one.  Actually, finding this very funny, in my opinion, would be kinda disturbing. (just my 2 cents, feel free to disagree or whatever)

[Watched Pot]

It's replacing the racial epithet commonly referred to as "the 'n' word" but it also catches the alternate pelling off snicker.

Remind me not to talk about the main ingredient of wine around here.

Grapes?  Vinegar has the same sound, but different spelling.

I actually don't know what word you mean.  Maybe link me to the Wikipedia article or something.

I think he was getting at "rape", implying the filter might block that as well.

[Carl-E]

As far as anyone's found out, that's is the only racial epithet that gets filtered - chink, kyke, spic, hadji, wetback, all get by.  So do all the "dirty" words, as I'm sure you've seen...

[Tova]

Remind me not to talk about the main ingredient of wine around here.

Grapes?  Vinegar has the same sound, but different spelling.

I actually don't know what word you mean.  Maybe link me to the Wikipedia article or something.

No, I did mean grapes. Not the 'n' word though - totally different word. But I guess that one isn't being picked up. Huh. I guess the filter has a fairly narrow sense of what it thinks is offensive (should have been obvious given the replacement text it uses).

Edit: And now that I've read the rest of the thread (oops), yes Watched Pot was right, that's what I was getting at.

[Blackjoker]

I feel great sympathy for Marigold...and a certain amount of commisseration.

[gprimr1]

In the mornings and afternoons during the school year, Amherst really is 20 minutes from Northampton, despite being 9 miles away.

[Odin]

In the mornings and afternoons during the school year, Amherst really is 20 minutes from Northampton, despite being 9 miles away.

What a bunch of lazy bums, I'd cover that just by extending my daily run another 20 minutes (but then, I'm trying to get in shape for a marathon, so whatever).

[SirDudley]

I take two days off to deal with personal stuff, and Tai nearly kills Faye while Marigold tries her hand at comics and derps. My thoughts.

Monday: Tai. You can talk with people while driving. There is nothing wrong with that. That said, you still need to PAY ATTENTION TO THE DAMN ROAD! Sheesh. I bet the hidden fifth panel has Faye force Tai to swap seats with her.

Today: Marigold...when writing/drawing comics, you need to distance yourself from the comic in every sense of the word. Otherwise, you become the target of jokes, criticism, trolling and dramatic readings. Other than that, you have some talent. It just needs some fine polishing.

[TheEvilDog]

I bet the hidden fifth panel has Faye force Tai to swap seats with her.

Probably not the best idea, we don't know if Faye feels comfortable behind the wheel of a car considering the crash she had. That said, 20 minutes of Tai's driving might force a breakthrough for the Savanah Tsunner.

[Melauren]

Remind me not to talk about the main ingredient of wine around here.

Grapes?  Vinegar has the same sound, but different spelling.

I actually don't know what word you mean.  Maybe link me to the Wikipedia article or something.

No, I did mean grapes. Not the 'n' word though - totally different word. But I guess that one isn't being picked up. Huh. I guess the filter has a fairly narrow sense of what it thinks is offensive (should have been obvious given the replacement text it uses).

Edit: And now that I've read the rest of the thread (oops), yes Watched Pot was right, that's what I was getting at.

Do you think the word "rape" is inherently offensive?  It's not a slur, it's not derogatory.  It's not like using the word "rape" implies bigotry or racism or sexism in the speaker.  Rape is a heinous, offensive crime, but it's not like the WORD is offensive.

Honestly?  I wish the media would use the word "rape" more often.  When a *cough* famous old filmmaker rapes a thirteen year old girl and certain newspapers insist on saying he "had sex" with her, THAT'S offensive.  Call a spade a spade... and when it's rape, call it rape.  No need to sugarcoat it.

Seriously, they do it all the time.

</rant>

[The Duke]

It's replacing the racial epithet commonly referred to as "the 'n' word" but it also catches the alternate pelling off snicker.

Remind me not to talk about the main ingredient of wine around here.

Grapes?  Vinegar has the same sound, but different spelling.

I actually don't know what word you mean.  Maybe link me to the Wikipedia article or something.

I think he was getting at "rape", implying the filter might block that as well.

Thank you.  It seems obvious in retrospect.


Melauren: in a perfect world the media would never use the word rape because it would never occur.  The media's word choice is not high on the list of things I would change about them if I could, anyway.

[Akima]

In the mornings and afternoons during the school year, Amherst really is 20 minutes from Northampton, despite being 9 miles away.

What a bunch of lazy bums, I'd cover that just by extending my daily run another 20 minutes (but then, I'm trying to get in shape for a marathon, so whatever).

Nine miles in twenty minutes would require an average speed of 27mph (43kph). Personally, I'd have trouble doing that on my bicycle. I am in awe of your athleticism...

[Carl-E]

Reparsing the phrase, I think he'd cover a total  of 9 miles in his morning run by extending it another  20 minutes.  So for example if it's a 5 mile run now (taking 25 minutes), another 4 miles would add 20 minutes to it.  That's about 12 mph, a pretty respectable marathon runing speed. 

At 27 mph, he'd break all records with the first marathon run in under an hour! 

[Tergon]

Either way it sure is impressive for us lazy bums.  We sure are pathetic in comparison to such awesome running skill.

[Tova]

Do you think the word "rape" is inherently offensive?

Actually, the reason that word popped into my head was because there is another popular forum that does censor it.

That's about 12 mph, a pretty respectable marathon runing speed.

I calculate 12 mph as being 3:06 minutes per km (to get it into units I can deal with). I recently completed a half marathon in 1 hr 36 minutes. That's just outside 4:30 minutes per km. I thought that was respectable. 3:06 minutes per km is, in my opinion, more like 'impressive', even if it's not quite record-breaking. Even 15km at that pace is not too terrible. I don't think you're lazy if you're not quite up to that.

[Skewbrow]

Agree with Tova. The pace Carl-E used in his calculation is very athletic. Not world class, but still very good. I dare guess that his point was that Odin's choice of phrase didn't really convey any information. The numbers game could also play out as follows: Odin's morning run is 7 miles and takes 1 hour and 10 minutes. So, provided that he could keep going, the extra 20 minutes would give him the two extra miles.

For the record. I would be absolutely and positively delighted to be able to maintain a pace of 10 minutes per mile for an extended period of time. Well. The orienteering season is starting, so I need to start training (just a little - no ambitious goals at this age). Tova's time is respectable.

[Tova]

Just for the record - and to direct the conversation somewhat back to the comic - a couple of years ago, I was an overweight WoW player myself. Although I didn't quite have Marigold's crushing self doubt. I just had a partner who occasionally gave me a good-natured ribbing about my growing girth.

One good thing about running is that it's not, for someone like me, competitive in the sense that most sports are. When you go out there to run, you're not really competing against other people. You're really competing against your previous self. I see that as a good thing, because it means that achieving your goals in the sport depends on absolutely no-one but yourself. And that, with the right motivation and guidance (and patience - there is no silver bullet), you can achieve some very satisfying goals.

And there's nothing like achieving goals for improving your self esteem.

So, yeah, I'm watching Marigold's story with some interest.

[Sorflakne]

I never really got into running, which is funny because I'm military and we run all the time for PT (and amusingly (or sadly), I'm one of the faster runners in my squadron).  6'5", weigh less than 200 lbs, but just could never find the joy in it, so pretty much the only running I do is at mandated PT.

[sluthy]

Steve's got a point, but still... dude.

[Tergon]

Okay, I thought that when he was threatening Clinton with a sword, we'd seen Marten's murder-face.

We were wrong.  So very wrong.

Steve isn't just facing the murder-face.  He's about one sentence away from actually provoking the Manatee on Codiene to physical violence.  Justified physical violence.

[Tova]

Comic! All that pops into my head now is how easy it is to jump to conclusions about why someone you know broke up.

[Nimrod]

Jeez, the guy in the background almost looks like me. I really need to feckin shave.

[akronnick]

What is with the downer comics this week??!? 

We have Tai angsting over Dora (and nearly killing Faye in the process,) Marigold angsting over her issues and now Steve is dragging Marten into his fear-of-commitment-pity-party!

If I wanted another reason to hate myself and want to die I'd read Something*Positive while listening to Celine Dion!!!!

[Gemini]

I love Marten's look of disapproval.

Steve: Yeah, but look what happened to you and Dora.
Marten: ಠ_ಠ

[Blackjoker]

Marten does not seem to enjoy friendships so much as survive them.

[John_Knee]

I never really got into running, which is funny because I'm military and we run all the time for PT (and amusingly (or sadly), I'm one of the faster runners in my squadron).  6'5", weigh less than 200 lbs, but just could never find the joy in it, so pretty much the only running I do is at mandated PT.

You don't enjoy it in the military context as it is work.... Running for yourself can be more enjoyable as you can set your own distance and speed and whether or not you want to stop momentariliy in the park to say hello to a nice looking lady sitting on a bench minding her own business....

[Renewman]

Anyone else think Steve needs a good punch to the jaw? I do.

[Akima]

Anyone else think Steve needs a good punch to the jaw? I do.

Yeah. I mean... Dude?

[Mr_Rose]

Anyone else think Steve needs a good punch to the jaw? I do.

Oh totally. But that's not going to happen; it is not the Way of the Marten. But hen since the Way of the Marten also involves befriending Steve in the first place it's pretty much the exact opposite of what I'd do.

[Carl-E]

Marten: "Yeah, but Dora wasa really messed up and had all these issues, while Cosette...

Oh.  I see your point"

 

[snubnose]

In the mornings and afternoons during the school year, Amherst really is 20 minutes from Northampton, despite being 9 miles away.

What a bunch of lazy bums, I'd cover that just by extending my daily run another 20 minutes (but then, I'm trying to get in shape for a marathon, so whatever).

Nine miles in twenty minutes would require an average speed of 27mph (43kph). Personally, I'd have trouble doing that on my bicycle. I am in awe of your athleticism...

I think the best the human body can manage is about 25 km/h.

Animals might manage 50 km/h, some for short distances 100 km/h, but thats about it.

Marten: "Yeah, but Dora wasa really messed up and had all these issues, while Cosette...

Oh.  I see your point"

 

Cosette might have issues, who hasnt, but she's anything but messed up. She seems quite stable to me. In fact, if she has a boyfriend like Steve, she HAS to be very stable.

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

Nah, Steve I don't think you gotta worry, you're not dating Marten.

[themacnut]

Marten does not seem to enjoy friendships so much as survive them.

Seriously-if I had friends like that I'd become a loner. Or maybe try finding better friends...

[Tova]

To be totally fair to Steve, it is perhaps not surprising that watching a relationship that he regarded as being pretty solid self destruct might be enough to make him feel a bit nervous, particularly when about to take a big new step. I think that's all he's trying to express here. I mean, I understand Marten's initial reaction, but I'm sure Steve is far from being malicious.

(edited for grammatical agreement...)

[Odin]

In the mornings and afternoons during the school year, Amherst really is 20 minutes from Northampton, despite being 9 miles away.

What a bunch of lazy bums, I'd cover that just by extending my daily run another 20 minutes (but then, I'm trying to get in shape for a marathon, so whatever).

Nine miles in twenty minutes would require an average speed of 27mph (43kph). Personally, I'd have trouble doing that on my bicycle. I am in awe of your athleticism...

I think the best the human body can manage is about 25 km/h.


Animals might manage 50 km/h, some for short distances 100 km/h, but thats about it.

It was already covered, but the word "extending" in my original remark makes it a little easier to figure out, and my current time is 7 miles in 50 minutes (I run in the evenings after work, and only really stop because the sun is going down and I need to get back home before it's too dark to see where I am going). A decent pace, but nothing spectacular since it's just a fast jog and nothing like what I could do if I could keep up my actual running pace for that long.

Marten: "Yeah, but Dora wasa really messed up and had all these issues, while Cosette...

Oh.  I see your point"

 

Cosette might have issues, who hasnt, but she's anything but messed up. She seems quite stable to me. In fact, if she has a boyfriend like Steve, she HAS to be very stable.

Steve actually has a point, though. How long have he and Cosette been dating (never mind that he shouldn't be moving in with someone if he doesn't think it is a good idea and the relationship doomed due to that alone)?

[Odal]

In the mornings and afternoons during the school year, Amherst really is 20 minutes from Northampton, despite being 9 miles away.

What a bunch of lazy bums, I'd cover that just by extending my daily run another 20 minutes (but then, I'm trying to get in shape for a marathon, so whatever).

Nine miles in twenty minutes would require an average speed of 27mph (43kph). Personally, I'd have trouble doing that on my bicycle. I am in awe of your athleticism...

This made me spit out my drink.  I know you were being sarcastic, or perhaps misunderstood what you quoted but imagining someone running faster than the cars going speed limit on a small road made me laugh.  And then doing that for 9 miles?  Ow, I'm still laughing.  He wouldn't have to worry about gas prices.

[Tergon]

Well, his friendship with Faye has been violent but sincere, I'll grant you.  And before he hooked up with Dora it was going fine there, and... well, hooking up with a close friend only ends in two possible ways.  Either you're soulmates and stick together until you die, or else when it ends, it's bad for all the people within the blast radius.

But aside from those two, I don't think he's been hurt by anyone really.  Steve is being a dick here, but in his own weird way he's been there for Marten in the past.  Hanners may one day snap and kill everyone, but until that day she's like his little sister.  He got on fine with Raven, he seems to be cool with Penelope and Wil, he even gets on well with Sven despite a bit of hipster one-upsmanship.  Marigold and Angus seem to have a pretty straightforward friendship with him, as does Tai except for the occasional TMI about her sex life.

His life seems fairly insane, but considering the destructive tiny robots and the rampant supervilliany from people like Hanners' folks, that seems par for the course for the QC-niverse.  Friend-wise, I think he's doing okay.

[themacnut]

It would cut down on the number of people who annoy you....

...of course it could lead to jail time as well, but hey, them's the breaks.