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It's a secret! (waffles)

No peeking!

Hanners continuing to peek anyway.

The unmentionable DAAAAAANG

Pintsize's coma

"Damn, girl!"

Mister gentleman

First he was all , and then he was , but soon he was , and finally he was

BOOBS!

Happy Arbor Day 2003!

[akronnick]

Marten and Padma do need to talk, but "now" (as in right after comic #2058) may not be the best time.

Right now, they're both too caught up in the moment to make rational decisions, and an in person meeting would probably just devolve into more hot-monkey sex.*

What they need is a day, two at the most, to process what happened and what it means.




*Not that there's anything wrong with hot-monkey sex, it's just not conducive to good decision making.

[pwhodges]

Yes, talking to each other, even by phone. Precisely what Padma and Marten seem to not have done.

Give 'em a chance!

[Soulsynger]

Yes, talking to each other, even by phone. Precisely what Padma and Marten seem to not have done.

Give 'em a chance!

I'm not in charge of their chances! Jeph is! Why am I shouting?!

[AnAverageWriter]

I have this weird feeling that Padma won't really appreciate this night as much as Marten, in retrospect.

It would fit the typical way Marten's life has ended up. She'll just consider it to be a happy fling and move away.

And then Marten, in love and mopey, will end up moving too. To where she is.

Drama will ensue, and a somewhat unpleasant decoupling.

Marten will begin to make friends in his new location. At some point milk will be thrown.

Lather, rinse repeat.

Some people just keep making the same mistakes, over and over and over, rarely actually learning from them.

But Jeph wouldn't make Marten do that! It would involve separating him from the rest of the QC regulars and would turn Marten into a sullen, mopey, luckless shell of a man.

...

What?

[VonKleist]

"YELLING!"

[Soulsynger]

"YELLING!"

Sometimes I just don't know whats more entertaining. The comic or the WCDT.

[Paranoid]

Sighs...

I have to throw my $.02 on the whole "sexy underwear" business.  Now, I'm not a woman so I'm may be missing something, but it seems to me there is a big difference between wearing sexy underwear in normal situations as a way of sexually empowering oneself, and wearing sexy underwear in a social setting with a guy you're attracted to, especially if you know there is going to be alcohol involved.  And again, I feel that in her own way Padma was showing signs of being attracted to Marten, at least to some small degree.

And now, here's the kicker.  I'm pretty sure that if there is one thing most of us can agree on, it's that Padma wasn't looking for a long-term relationship.  Which is all fine and good, but she doesn't know Marten well enough to know that he's fine with a short term fling as well.  And to be honest, what little she does know about him should suggest the opposite in my opinion.  He's whined about missing the Coffee of Doom, whined about his townie drama... I mean, I like Marten as much as the next guy, but we all know he has serious self-confidence issues when it comes to what he wants out of his own life*, and it shows.  In fact, I'm starting to wonder if Padma picked Marten precisely because of his low self-esteem, because that way she thinks he won't have the guts to try to talk her into staying.

*Disclaimer: When it comes to his friends, it's a different story for Marten.  Whether it's avenging his girlfriend from the antics of evil henchmen monks, or threatening Hannelor's creepy cyborg stalkers with a broadsword, it must be said that he can stand up for his friends.  It's just a shame he can't stand up for himself more often.  Remember, the one time he really stood up to Dora about her hypocrisy, he started backing down immediately as soon as she turned away.  She was the one that finally ended their relationship a few comics later, not Marten.

[VonKleist]

I have this weird feeling that Padma won't really appreciate this night as much as Marten, in retrospect.

I guess thatīs what Marten is thinking in the last panelv

Sometimes I just don't know whats more entertaining. The comic or the WCDT.

The thread certainly keeps me coming back..I don't know wether that is good or bad   

[FunkyTuba]

Sigh. Marten.

On the bright side, I'm looking forward to another visit from the tequila monster, the beast of bourbon, or Gary the 9 ft pterodactyl.

[Tova]

Jeph is a freaking GENIUS!  

He drew a comic where everyone who said, "He'll have  spring in his step" AND everyone who said "He's going to be mopey again" were BOTH right!  




Damn, Marten...


Or maybe, DAAAAAAAAAANG...

I'll go with daaaaaaaaaaang. I certainly didn't feel right after that last panel.  

Oh well. Daaaaaaaaang.

[FunkyTuba]

I'm looking forward to another visit from the tequila monster, the beast of bourbon, or Gary the 9 ft pterodactyl.

It'd probably be too parochial to sell well, but I'd love to see a bros shirt with those guys on it

[akronnick]

And now, here's the kicker.  I'm pretty sure that if there is one thing most of us can agree on, it's that Padma wasn't looking for a long-term relationship.  Which is all fine and good, but she doesn't know Marten well enough to know that he's fine with a short term fling as well.  And to be honest, what little she does know about him should suggest the opposite in my opinion.  He's whined about missing the Coffee of Doom, whined about his townie drama... I mean, I like Marten as much as the next guy, but we all know he has serious self-confidence issues when it comes to what he wants out of his own life*, and it shows.  In fact, I'm starting to wonder if Padma picked Marten precisely because of his low self-esteem, because that way she thinks he won't have the guts to try to talk her into staying.

Marten's decision to go to bed with Padma and his feelings about it is his decision and his responsibility.

He knows she's moving. She was completely up-front with him about that. What he decides to do in light of that information is his decision, regardless of what kind of underwear she was wearing, or her reasons for wearing it.

Two consenting adults have made and informed decision. They both, have to be responsible for the consequences of that decision, both separately and together.

[Carl-E]

I'm looking forward to another visit from the tequila monster, the beast of bourbon, or Gary the 9 ft pterodactyl.

It'd probably be too parochial to sell well, but I'd love to see a bros shirt with those guys on it

I'd buy it! 



Alright, i wouldn't really, but I'd squeeee like a fangirl if I ever saw one...

[akronnick]

Alright, i wouldn't really, but I'd squeeee like a fangirl if I ever saw one...

I'd kinda like to see that!


Raise yer hand if ya wanna see Carl-E squeeee like a fangirl!






I keeed, I keeed!

[rje]

uuuuuuuuugggggghhhhhh MARTEEEN

sigh

son, I am disappoint

[Soulsynger]

Two consenting adults have made and informed decision. They both, have to be responsible for the consequences of that decision, both separately and together.

And once again... who are we to assume anything about Marten's emotional state right now?
The only kind-of indicator of any emotion of his toward Padma was his ridiculous workup about going dancing with her. And that could've just as well been nothing more than "performance anxiety".
The "sulking" could be because of anything. Could even be he just misses her body already. (Apologies to Jeph for using a Hanners quote)

I don't like the idea that Padma "targeted" Marten, so to speak. It wouldn't fit her "ditzy" (as established) personality to plan anything farther ahead than a span of two to three weeks. Her moving back to her family being the exception to the rule. IMO.

Next comic will be Marten getting fired at with questions by Faye. And him stuttering incoherent crap trying to rationalize his spontaneously-realized feelings for Padma... NOT.

....
Warning - while you were typing 2 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.
Ergh!

[Border Reiver]

Alright, i wouldn't really, but I'd squeeee like a fangirl if I ever saw one...

I'd kinda like to see that!


Raise yer hand if ya wanna see Carl-E squeeee like a fangirl!






I keeed, I keeed!

It'd be something we could tell the kids about, or at least, something to kid him about over BBQ and beer.

[AnAverageWriter]

He knows she's moving. She was completely up-front with him about that. What he decides to do in light of that information is his decision, regardless of what kind of underwear she was wearing, or her reasons for wearing it.

And knowing all that, if one were in Marten's shoes and now facing the fact that she's moving away...

who WOULDN'T sigh?

I know I'd sigh. And it'd be one hell of a sigh.

[Skaltura]

I lolled.

[Yes, I enjoy the (potential) misery of fictional webcomic characters, bite me!]

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

Marten and Padma do need to talk, but "now" (as in right after comic #2058) may not be the best time.

Right now, they're both too caught up in the moment to make rational decisions, and an in person meeting would probably just devolve into more hot-monkey sex.*

What they need is a day, two at the most, to process what happened and what it means.




*Not that there's anything wrong with hot-monkey sex, it's just not conducive to good decision making.

...If Jeph went that direction it could be hilarious.

Marten's like "hey Padma so we should talk and figure stuff out" and she goes "Sure!" and then two panels later they're sweaty in bed and neither knows what they meant to talk about but there's those amazing boobs again daaaaaaaang.

[tjradcliffe]

Some people just keep making the same mistakes, over and over and over, rarely actually learning from them.

We're still under a year in "comics time", so it's a little early to write Marten off yet.  I was a complete idiot about women 'til, well, quite a few years after my divorce.  It's never too late to learn, it just takes some folks a long time, and is made more difficult by the incompatible romantic myths men and women get primed with.

One day Marten will learn that he's responsible for his own feelings and expectations and no one else's, and that if he's honest and up-front about those he can relax and enjoy the moment, unashamed and without mopery.  'Til then, we get to enjoy his misery.  I sometimes work in an office with a lot of younger people and get to watch this process play out in real-time.  There's no downside, really.

[Soulsynger]

[ ... ] those amazing boobs again daaaaaaaang.

... will be an internet meme in no time.

We're still under a year in "comics time", so it's a little early to write Marten off yet.

... in relation to what? I don't quite follow.

[Sylentknight]

Ah yes - the reality that Padma is still going away in light of their night together has finally bubbled to the surface.
How Marten deals with it will show the strength of both his character and maturity.

[stoutfiles]

And so begins the tale of Mopey Marten.  Oh sure, we'll have brief moments of happiness here and there, but mostly just a lot of moping.  For all of you rooting for Marten to score and saying its just what he needs, Marten's character has never been about one-night stands.

Anyways, I hope this passes soon and puts Marten back on track to accomplishing something.  It wasn't too long ago he had his awakening when Dora about what he wanted to do with life, but after ONE band session he went back to doing nothing and waiting for things to fall in his lap like usual.  Come on Marten, stop talking about all these things you want to do with your band and start doing them!  You'll never succeed if you don't try.

[pwhodges]

after ONE band session he went back to doing nothing and waiting

You are forgetting or ignoring that stuff happens outside the strips; what Marten said to Padma about the band makes it clear that they are continuing to meet and work towards reaching performance standard.

[AnAverageWriter]

Oh stoutfiles, you are such an encouraging fellow, with your Marten hope!

I am such a fan.

[stoutfiles]

after ONE band session he went back to doing nothing and waiting

You are forgetting or ignoring that stuff happens outside the strips; what Marten said to Padma about the band makes it clear that they are continuing to meet and work towards reaching performance standard.

Fair enough, I originally took that comment as the feedback on the one session they already had.  Well, hopefully that's the next arc then.

[dragontart]

Marten being successful and maybe even un-mopey, what kind of idea is that.
But yeah, it might be interesting to see some more band-stuff.

[HeavyP]

God  DAMMIT Marten.   *sigh*

[dps]

The outcome of a one-night stand in another webcomic.  

Speaking of outcomes, I wonder if they used protection?  If not, there could be a major drama-inducing outcome, if you follow.

[AnAverageWriter]

Speaking of outcomes, I wonder if they used protection?  If not, there could be a major drama-inducing outcome, if you follow.

Condoms had already been noted.

Although they aren't foolproof.

But Jeph certainly wouldn't do THAT to Marten and Padma. This isn't that OTHER webcomic... you know the one...

[TinPenguin]

I feel sorry for Marten's ankles, They can't breathe. No wonder the guy had to slow down his strut.

[Loki]

In completely unrelated news, the last four panels remind me of that thing in movies where happy music is playing and gets suddenly distorted, like if somebody has a broken record player.

[SomeCanadianWeirdo]

A surprise pregnancy plot would have been much more likely right after Marten and Dora broke up.  But I doubt this series is the kind of place for such a Movie of the Week/After School Special type of plotline.

Any comments about Marten never getting to "win" should be taken with a big load of salt, both because our esteemed webcomic author might be pulling the readership's leg, and because there's nothing stopping him from changing his mind down the road if he is serious.

[Coffee_Kaioken]

But Jeph certainly wouldn't do THAT to Marten and Padma. This isn't that OTHER webcomic... you know the one...

Which one?

And I'm already seeing the upside of this scenario: No matter what the fall out, it'll probably make Marten stronger in the long run, I'd like to think.

[iduguphergrave]

I wouldn't worry too much - Faye's there to smack some sense into him. She's already did it when she made him go dance. She is monitoring this situation carefully (hopefully that doesn't sound creepy).

Unless he panics and does something stupid and rash before he even gets home.



Dammit

[NotAwesomeAnymore]

And I'm already seeing the upside of this scenario: No matter what the fall out, it'll probably make Marten stronger in the long run, I'd like to think.

If it doesn't kill him!

[pwhodges]

This isn't that OTHER webcomic... you know the one...

Which one?

Ctl+Alt+Del (aka CAD) - miscarriage arc.

[Irenfrea]

I have this weird feeling that Padma won't really appreciate this night as much as Marten, in retrospect.

I guess thatīs what Marten is thinking in the last panelv

Or the idea of a berserker Elliot.

[Black Sword]

On the upside: Marten is a gentleman and walked Padma home! She approves!

On the downside: ...well, not really downside. This is pretty much what I expected from the start. Sure, it was a day or two early, but it was the only possible outcome in light of what we know.

Crouching Akima, hidden Black Sword?  0_o

Oh, man, that'd be an awesome movie. Akima, dressed all in white, a white dao in hand, spouting her credos as she attacks my vital points while I, dressed all in black, my eponymous blade in hand, give scathing counters that would torch the area even as I block her attacks and aim to return the favor. Flying through the air in impossible ways as we clash and withdraw, only to attack each other again. Hapless extras fleeing in terror as every blow we exchange shakes the earth and causes enough property damage to make AIG profitable again...

...and then Is it cold in here descends from above in the middle of the battle, equipped with a massive maul that only those beings known as moderators can use. With the mighty ban hammer, he smites us both in a special effects masterpiece that makes Mjolnir jealous.  


removed dead space in the quote

[jwhouk]

This isn't that OTHER webcomic... you know the one...

Which one?

Ctl+Alt+Del (aka CAD) <DEL>

Rule #1 - do NOT talk about CAD.

[VonKleist]

I dunno if Elliot is on Marten's mind.
The whole girl-you-hook-up-with-that-is-about-to-move-away situation is probably what heīs thinking of.
Iīve been there, but like a friend told me then "A lot of things can happen in 2 months" or 2-3 weeks in this case.

[themacnut]

Wow, Marten was happy about finally getting some...for all of about 5 seconds. Maybe less. Guess he really isn't meant to stay happy, but then again, happy people tend to be rather boring for story purposes.

As for loluffy's comments about Elliot being left out in the cold, well, this is why the Friend Zone is to be avoided at all costs. This is why it is a BAD idea to let your feelings for someone grow and blossom in silence while you don't even speak to them, or try to ask them out. This is why, if you DO ask them out and they turn you down and ask for friendship instead, you REFUSE if that's NOT what you want. Instead you make a clean break from them and move on to someone else.

These are all hard-earned lessons. As others have mentioned, just because you have romantic or sexual feeling for someone, that does NOT mean they're obligated to feel the same. Again, another hard-earned life lesson. And when you think about it, acting like you're someone's friend while harboring stronger feelings for them and wishing you were more than a friend is really rather deceptive and creepy. It's a fake friendship-better to let your feelings be known from the start and let the other person make an informed decision about how they want to proceed with you.

[snubnose]

This isn't that OTHER webcomic... you know the one...

Which one?

Ctl+Alt+Del (aka CAD) <DEL>

Rule #1 - do NOT talk about CAD.

WHAT ? ? ? ???

Is that an inside joke or something ?

Wow, Marten was happy about finally getting some...for all of about 5 seconds. Maybe less.

Err, what ?

He was happy about it for many hours ...

[akronnick]

After he left her.

He made it maybe thirty feet before the spring was gone from his step.

[pwhodges]

Rule #1 - do NOT talk about CAD.

Is that an inside joke or something ?

It's an Internet commonplace - not entirely justified, in my opinion, as far as the comic goes.  But it's more directed at the author, I think.

[Mr. Doctor]

Is that an inside joke or something ?

It's "cool" to hate CAD and the author.

[Hebes]

Marten Reed: Master of finding clouds in silver linings.

[stoutfiles]

Is that an inside joke or something ?

It's "cool" to hate CAD and the author.

CAD doesn't know what it wants to be, which is confusing for the reader.  The strip has pulled multiple 180s.   The author hates anyone who doesn't think CAD is pure gold while simultaneously trying to pitch bean bag chairs to his readers.

That said, it's drawn well and I'm sure writing plots for so many years gets difficult, and you can't please everyone.  All comic hate should be reserved for certain legacy syndicated comics, whose authors cut and paste work their father did.

[gprimr1]

After he left her.

He made it maybe thirty feet before the spring was gone from his step.

That's understandable. Probably the reality hits that she's leaving for California, or just the euphoria wearing off.