Print

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

The clothing mixup at the start.

4 (8.9%)

Memories of piercings past.

0 (0%)

MY PUSSY RULES!

9 (20%)

"Will Torrent For Cash"

2 (4.4%)

Supportive Parents for Tai

0 (0%)

"I don't care if you bring home a boy or a girl or whatever, those pants are RIDICULOUS."

5 (11.1%)

Catching your dad checking out your girlfriend.

0 (0%)

...He only goes for tall women! (MAYBE I'LL WEAR PLATFORMS)

7 (15.6%)

Herrell's for desert?

0 (0%)

...Uh, maybe Bubble Tea instead?

1 (2.2%)

Tai prefers Euro dubstep to "Skrillexy American Stuff"

2 (4.4%)

Right now you're just the sexy little redhead who works at the library.

0 (0%)

Fact: I apparently get super flustered when you call me sexy.

3 (6.7%)

The POW on her elbow - Nana nana nana nana nana nana nana nana BAT-MAAAANNNN!

2 (4.4%)

Em-POW-ering? (Oh god, the bad pun never occurred to her)

2 (4.4%)

Kiss and buttgrab!

7 (15.6%)

"How did we get here? Last thing I remember, we were having dinner."

1 (2.2%)

Total Members Voted: 40

[pendrake]

[It has been quite a while since I last posted, RL has been an weighty grindstone turning-in-place on my back, in recent months .]

In any case, for comic #2264...

1. While I have not finalized my opinion over Dora & Tai's budding romance, I do enjoy that we do have a definitive romance going on since Marten & Padma's more-of-fling (nor does Marigold's "moobing" it up with Francis York does not count, to me).

2. It is good to see both Dora and Tai being happier too, albeit in different ways.

3. Also, "butt-grabs LOL"?

4. @Soulsynger...  I would not think it be a dom-sub sexual relationship between Dora & Tai, but more of a personality interaction.  Dora, being older, far more experienced than her years, and a small-business owner, tends to shape a more "dominant" personality; not necessarily even consciously, but instinctively/naturally.  And Tai, despite her bold nature, is still the young collegiate trying to find what she really wants, tends to be somewhat "submissive" (loosely termed) simply because she does not know or is still impressionable, not because she is the type to roll over (quite the opposite for Tai's character).  But as Dora has said, we know very little about Tai's depth of character.

5. [post edit add]: I also think the kiss is "supposed" to look awkward since it probably is meant to show Tai being caught off-guard by it.

[no one special]

All this talk of the 60's Batman (of which I saw every SINGLE episode as a kid when they were re-run in the 80's) and no pictures of the most absolutely scrumptious campy Catwoman of them all?? 

BLASPHEMY!!








You're welcome.

[Akima]

Black lipstick blackout? It's like Poison Ivy (obligatory Batman reference). Without the poison. Or the ivy.

[Soulsynger]

[ ... ]
4. @Soulsynger...  I would not think it be a dom-sub sexual relationship between Dora & Tai, but more of a personality interaction.  Dora, being older, far more experienced than her years, and a small-business owner, tends to shape a more "dominant" personality; not necessarily even consciously, but instinctively/naturally.  And Tai, despite her bold nature, is still the young collegiate trying to find what she really wants, tends to be somewhat "submissive" (loosely termed) simply because she does not know or is still impressionable, not because she is the type to roll over (quite the opposite for Tai's character).  But as Dora has said, we know very little about Tai's depth of character.
[ ... ]

Good to hear from you, Drake.

I agree, being the sub would be way out of character for Tai. But that's only as far as we know her NOW. People have been known to change under certain influences. Of course it's all speculation...
And I agree that Dora exhibits an indirect tendency towards being dominant in what she does. Could this - as well - change over the course of her therapy when she learns to slowly let go of parts of her controlling personality?


@no one special:
Eurgh... the 60's just aren't aesthetically pleasing to my eyes... brrrr.

[TinPenguin]

I'd never actually noticed Tai's tattoo before. Does anybody know in which strip it first appeared?

Very first strip she was in.

Hm, I wonder if Jeph always knew the backstory behind the tattoo and has been waiting all this time for a chance to explain it, or whether he just thought a "POW" tattoo was funny and added the significance later.

And further art-related kudos to Jeph for the amazing sunset effect in Tai's windows. It took me about ten seconds to stop looking at that and concentrate on the rest of the comic.

Either that or Tai's kitchen is on fire.

[Skewbrow]

Hmm. We have seen what Faye can do with her patent Vulcan Boob Squish^TM. We have seen subjects exposed to a Dora Kiss before, but this is the first amnesia case IIRC. Must be the combination of a Dora Kiss and a butt grab?

[Abyssalin]

I am slowly warming to the whole Dora/Tai thing, it seems less.. forced now,

Of course we just need to wait and see, but people saying stuff looks awkward.. it's a comic, its blatantly drawn to evoke surprise from one character, of course it would seem awkward.

[Renewman]

I am slowly warming to the whole Dora/Tai thing, it seems less.. forced now,

Nah, it still seems forced and like it's pandering to the audience of people wanting to see Tai/Dora get together. Plus the whole, "Buh! My mind goes blank everytime Dora even breathes on me!" schtick is getting quite old now. Step it up Jeph.

[Abyssalin]

Yes thank you for twisting my own words, I appreciate having my opinion corrected,

I said it seems LESS forced, it still seems at moments it's forced in to make it work, but it's drifting away less and less.

[xLeitix]

Plus the whole, "Buh! My mind goes blank everytime Dora even breathes on me!" schtick is getting quite old now. Step it up Jeph.

Oh, c'mon. We have just barely seen the end of their first date. How soon would you have expected the tai fighter to get over her dora-crush?

[Tai Fanboi]

Huh...  so that's what the tattoo means.  For some reason I always figured it was just a mashup of the pow block and invincibility star from Super Mario to be hoenst. 

[Renewman]

Yes thank you for twisting my own words, I appreciate having my opinion corrected,

I said it seems LESS forced, it still seems at moments it's forced in to make it work, but it's drifting away less and less.

Calm down there spanky! Thinking a little highly of yourself. I only stated my opinion. In no way or form of my statement did I even make a minute attempt to tell you your opinion was wrong. "Nah" is not a hard rebuttal of your statement. Also, in my opinion, it still feels as forced as the first strip of the arc. Happy?

Plus the whole, "Buh! My mind goes blank everytime Dora even breathes on me!" schtick is getting quite old now. Step it up Jeph.

Oh, c'mon. We have just barely seen the end of their first date. How soon would you have expected the tai fighter to get over her dora-crush?

To maybe act like an adult? You can be all mushy/gaga over someone but at this point the first time Tai did it, it could be seen as cute. Now it's just annoying.

[Soulsynger]

Oh come on, everyone! You gotta think more pink! ... That means you *Jerry Seinfeld voice* ... Renewman...

No but really. This is a comic. Whatever claim towards realism there is has fallen apart the moment they saw each other's outfits at the beginning of the arc. °O

[Madmartigan]

Yes thank you for twisting my own words, I appreciate having my opinion corrected,

I said it seems LESS forced, it still seems at moments it's forced in to make it work, but it's drifting away less and less.

Calm down there spanky! Thinking a little highly of yourself. I only stated my opinion. In no way or form of my statement did I even make a minute attempt to tell you your opinion was wrong. "Nah" is not a hard rebuttal of your statement. Also, in my opinion, it still feels as forced as the first strip of the arc. Happy?

Plus the whole, "Buh! My mind goes blank everytime Dora even breathes on me!" schtick is getting quite old now. Step it up Jeph.

Oh, c'mon. We have just barely seen the end of their first date. How soon would you have expected the tai fighter to get over her dora-crush?

To maybe act like an adult? You can be all mushy/gaga over someone but at this point the first time Tai did it, it could be seen as cute. Now it's just annoying.

You aren't alone brother.  I'll give Tai this "Ohmigod I'm obsessed with Dora and I'm finally getting on that" shtick for just a bit longer.  It is a matter of getting something she always wanted (which will always irk me the wrong way).  You are right she's like a high schooler though in her first relationship.  Just another one of those personality differences I don't totally get in the overall "right for each other thing."

I'll admit to maybe seeing what I wanna see during this week's strips as it seems less strained, but for me it just seems like a lot of Dora trying to appease Tai or doing a lot of things for her benefit.  At any rate.  Still a LONG ways for believability.

That said.  A legit poll option for next week should be how long before a fuck up.  This is QC now.  Fuck ups tend to happen fairly early on.  Still no real one for Dora/Tai on this first date.

[Akima]

In no way or form of my statement did I even make a minute attempt to tell you your opinion was wrong. "Nah" is not a hard rebuttal of your statement.

If I gave an opinion, and someone just said "Nah, <a direct, completely unqualified, contradiction of my opinion>.", I think I'd be pretty sure they were telling me that my opinion was wrong. And as for calling someone "Spanky", like what, a dog? 

[Sorflakne]

Assgrab!

[idontunderstand]

Haha Dora just completely bends over and grabs her ass, then tells her that she won't come inside and that they should wait. She's completely the femme fatale in this relationship. Tai will do whatever she wants now.

[xLeitix]

This is a comic. Whatever claim towards realism there is has fallen apart the moment they saw each other's outfits at the beginning of the arc. °O

  you bring my thoughts to the Internet.

[Abyssalin]

In no way or form of my statement did I even make a minute attempt to tell you your opinion was wrong. "Nah" is not a hard rebuttal of your statement.

If I gave an opinion, and someone just said "Nah, <a direct, completely unqualified, contradiction of my opinion>.", I think I'd be pretty sure they were telling me that my opinion was wrong. And as for calling someone "Spanky", like what, a dog? 

Eh, if he wasn't going out his way to say i was wrong in any way at all, he would not have quoted my post.

[jwhouk]

Sorry, there are two things I refuse to do with this strip:

1. Ship
2. Bet on when a relationship ####s up.

The first, because the boss (Jeph) says he doesn't want it; the second, because the boss is the one in charge of it.

[techkid]

Sorry, there are two things I refuse to do with this strip:

1. Ship
2. Bet on when a relationship ####s up.

The first, because the boss (Jeph) says he doesn't want it; the second, because the boss is the one in charge of it.

Gotta agree with you on that. As vocal and vehement as we might get on the boards, we are all just passengers on this ride. What we want, wish or think is not going to affect the outcome (except maybe by coincidence)...

[Carl-E]

And as for calling someone "Spanky", like what, a dog? 

Spanky was one of the kids. 



The dog was Petey. 

[Method of Madness]

In no way or form of my statement did I even make a minute attempt to tell you your opinion was wrong. "Nah" is not a hard rebuttal of your statement.

If I gave an opinion, and someone just said "Nah, <a direct, completely unqualified, contradiction of my opinion>.", I think I'd be pretty sure they were telling me that my opinion was wrong. And as for calling someone "Spanky", like what, a dog? 

Eh, if he wasn't going out his way to say i was wrong in any way at all, he would not have quoted my post.

I read it as more "I disagree" rather than "you should not think that way".

To maybe act like an adult? You can be all mushy/gaga over someone but at this point the first time Tai did it, it could be seen as cute. Now it's just annoying.

Act like an adult?  We still don't know how old Tai is, but there's a lot of indication that she's a college student, maybe 21 or 22.  Technically an adult...but not really.

[Omega Entity]

I'm in the camp where it still feels forced. They just don't seem to really 'click', in my mind.

[Mothykins]

I wonder if the large number of crack pairing fanfics I've read has desensitized me to weird/unlikely pairings. 'Cause thinking about it, I'd quickly support most any pairing, so long as there was at least a bit of buildup, and Jeph wrote it seriously.

[Madmartigan]

I wonder if the large number of crack pairing fanfics I've read has desensitized me to weird/unlikely pairings. 'Cause thinking about it, I'd quickly support most any pairing, so long as there was at least a bit of buildup, and Jeph wrote it seriously.

Depends.  What kinda strange we talkin?  Manbat with girl?  Fish girl with college kid? Animal people?  Harry Potter and oh god, Bellatrix?

[Mothykins]

I wonder if the large number of crack pairing fanfics I've read has desensitized me to weird/unlikely pairings. 'Cause thinking about it, I'd quickly support most any pairing, so long as there was at least a bit of buildup, and Jeph wrote it seriously.

Depends.  What kinda strange we talkin?  Manbat with girl?  Fish girl with college kid? Animal people?  Harry Potter and oh god, Bellatrix?

Mostly just unlikely pairings, like characters who never actually interact in a series. But there have been some weird ones mixed in xD I think there was this one that involved the anthropomorphic personification of Iceland and a refrigerator.

[Carl-E]

Why would that be strange?

[xLeitix]

I think there was this one that involved the anthropomorphic personification of Iceland and a refrigerator.

That is indeed strange. As a rule of thumb, Iceland doesn't date smaller devices.

(or so I've heard)

[idontunderstand]

The best fanfic I've seen was set in the Harry Potter universe, the pairing was between the giant squid in the lake outside Hogwarts, and Hogwarts. No, not the staff, the actual castle.

[Method of Madness]

The best fanfic I've seen was set in the Harry Potter universe, the pairing was between the giant squid in the lake outside Hogwarts, and Hogwarts. No, not the staff, the actual castle.

"And that, kids, is the real reason you never want to go down that third floor corridor. Fluffy and the Philospoher's Stone were just decoys."

[TheEvilDog]

Yeah, the more I see it, the more I know its going to crash and burn at some stage.

Why do I think that?

Because if a character is happy, there is no conflict, which leads to no drama, which leads to a boring character, or pair of characters if its a relationship.

Although that might be the evil part of me being mean.

[Method of Madness]

I could point out an alternative...Dora and Tai simply just being pushed to being background characters, like Wil and Pizza Girl (and to a lesser extent, Steve and Cosette), who we don't see often but who seem to be in a happy and stable relationship.  I'm not saying that's better for the readers, or even that it's not much worse, but hey, it's possible.

[Madmartigan]

Yeah, the more I see it, the more I know its going to crash and burn at some stage.

Why do I think that?

Because if a character is happy, there is no conflict, which leads to no drama, which leads to a boring character, or pair of characters if its a relationship.

Although that might be the evil part of me being mean.

Oh no, you are right to a point.  Who wants to read a perfect or perfectly happy couple?  Particularly in a comic that is hopefully years away from being completed?  It would be kinda boring.  But then again, Jeph is a marvelous writer.  As long as he doesn't force the couple in the strip repeatedly, it should be fine.  Though Tai's in too deep could be grating until it relaxes a bit more to the norm.

I mean, Faye/Angus hasn't gotten old yet.  Then again, Jeph doesn't overload us with their gooey gooey mush moments.  Then again, they are a marvelous match and the set up for their relationship was far more believable.  And I think it will also be the measure of success and happiness in a relationship for the comic.

I could point out an alternative...Dora and Tai simply just being pushed to being background characters, like Wil and Pizza Girl (and to a lesser extent, Steve and Cosette), who we don't see often but who seem to be in a happy and stable relationship.  I'm not saying that's better for the readers, or even that it's not much worse, but hey, it's possible.

I dunno though.  CoD is a central location of the comic though.  And unless Marten's band finally takes off, he'll be at the library for awhile.  Those are two main locations in the comic.  Dora seems like a comic mainstay.  Been here since almost the very beginning.  Tai, not so much.  I could see Tai being written out of the story far more easily than Dora.

[TinPenguin]

Worth bearing in mind that it's possible for the relationship to be pushed into the background while keeping the characters in the foreground.

[rambleon]

Those strips with Dora and Tai are really... boring. And I don't know why but I feel like I'm reading a drama written by teenagers or something.
Did you ever see "Dawson's Creek"... it is totally the same. People talking all the time about their feeling and blah blah...  I can't believe this is the same Dora.  It is like it's the first time they are on a date.

Please bring back good ol' Sven, Steve and crazy Hannelore stories.   

[cesariojpn]

Yeah, the more I see it, the more I know its going to crash and burn at some stage.

Why do I think that?

Because if a character is happy, there is no conflict, which leads to no drama, which leads to a boring character, or pair of characters if its a relationship.

Although that might be the evil part of me being mean.

I'm reminded of what one of my friends claimed happens to some gay marriages; after fighting for so long to earn the right to get married, the relationship sometimes goes bad and they divorce. They've been together for one cause and once thats achieved, they have no idea where to take the relationship next.

Of course something inside of me is thinking there will be a big bombshell that nobody would ever guess or fathom.....

[pwhodges]

People talking all the time about their feeling and blah blah...

Well, it's a thing people do, you know, so in a slice-of-life comic it's not that surprising.

It is like it's the first time they are on a date.

Indeed, because it is the first time they are on a date.

As for bringing back other characters, well, they do come back, in turn.  It's the huge variety of characters that can turn up that keeps this comic alive and on its toes.

[rambleon]

Please don't answer as if I was trolling.

I just miss the fun and sarcastic strips. This is so conventional drama for the moment.

And for information, when I wrote "It is like it's the first time they are on a date", I meant "ever". Of course it is the first time they are on a date together (ok, now I'm a trolling a bit, but come on...)

[pwhodges]

Certainly I wasn't thinking of you as trolling; but one of the attractions of this comic is its variety - and that means that from time to time different people will like bits of it more or less.  If you're looking for a specific kind of strip, then this comic won't always give you that; on the other hand, if you appreciate the variety, then most of the time it's there.

[Is it cold in here?]

Dora has been in relationships but we don't know how much actual dating she's done. At a guess, the alpha goth types "swept her off her feet". She was the weird kid in high school, so probably didn't get past the high school stage of development while she was in high school.

It's not a first date unless someone's clothes are on fire.

What is xD? It sounds interesting but Google is less helpful than usual trying to find it.

[michael28]

Still saying, it's all about Jephs desire to draw more girls kissing and grabbing each others butts. ... maybe we'll get some tongue-action.

[pwhodges]

What is xD?

Emoticon/smiley for laughing with screwed-up eyes.

[jwhouk]

Interlude - The most amusing reaction to Tai/Dora?

SEE? MARTEN'S SERIOUSLY OK WITH IT PEOPLE!!!! GOD!    13 (27.7%)
Angus is uncomfortable... in the pants.    7 (14.9%)
Faye, who is questioning Marten's reaction -and Angus's.    2 (4.3%)
Hannelore, who is still wondering what to do with the hose.    7 (14.9%)
Pintsize, who knows this sexy girl robot... or at least he THINKS she's a girl...    4 (8.5%)
Marigold, who's too busy fragging newbies in WOW.    1 (2.1%)
Tai, who is wondering where the barista babe version went.    2 (4.3%)
Dora, who is still floating oblivious above us all.    0 (0%)
Emily, who's still waiting for her banana smoothie.    3 (6.4%)
Claire, who's wondering when everyone finds out her little "secret"...    1 (2.1%)
Gabby, who's still having a bad hair day.    0 (0%)
Spaceship, who still can't find his virtual pants!    2 (4.3%)
Shelby, who likes to play in the rain.    3 (6.4%)
Roswell, who doesn't.    2 (4.3%)

Total Members Voted: 47

[jmucchiello]

The fact is that, from my general perspective and reading of the comic and understanding (however small compared to their creator) was that everything between Dora and Tai was sisterly.

That's the part I don't see. I always saw Dora's head pats and such as flirtatious. I never said you felt they were related. Or that they look like sisters. I'm saying they've always FLIRTED around one another. They've never seemed like sisters to me. You seem to disagree with their pairing because you've familiarized them into some kind of sisterhood. I've always seen both of them as independent entities who flirt with one another.

[Tova]

So, could we have a discussion on how natural people feel Tai and Dora's relationship is, and whether it will work? I'm really not getting a good feel for people's opinions, there. 

[Madmartigan]

The fact is that, from my general perspective and reading of the comic and understanding (however small compared to their creator) was that everything between Dora and Tai was sisterly.

That's the part I don't see. I always saw Dora's head pats and such as flirtatious. I never said you felt they were related. Or that they look like sisters. I'm saying they've always FLIRTED around one another. They've never seemed like sisters to me. You seem to disagree with their pairing because you've familiarized them into some kind of sisterhood. I've always seen both of them as independent entities who flirt with one another.

Fair enough.  I have familiarized them into a quasi-sisterhood, at least on Dora's end.  As I said before, I think the whole flirting thing with Dora early on was the whole "I think butch girls are cute, but not my type" and the like as close confidants who share an interest in girls (how much from Dora's end remains to be seen).  Not entirely sisterly maybe, but enough where I just don't see a real mutual sexual and romantic attraction from both sides.

But this has been beaten to death.  I don't think we'll get a good read on where this is going for at least a month or two of actual time.  This mini arc has maybe a week, at least I hope so I don't grow bored, before we see some other stuff.

We never did figure out if Padma ever responded to Marten's text did we?  God that text was awkward.

[jmucchiello]

It is the single most insulting thing to the Batman universe outside of those horrible 90s incarnations.

Even I, admittedly nerdy but wholly uninterested in comic-book heroes, can refute that in two words: Rainbow Batman.

Rainbow Batman was in a comic? Awesome. That makes his appearance on the Batman: The Brave and The Bold cartoon an homage, not just some crazy idea. B:TBATB cartoon plays Batman somewhat straight in a campy universe and is the most awesome incarnation of Batman ever. It is sadly no longer on TV.

West's Batman is on US cable, the HUB airs it like twice a day.

[pwhodges]

We never did figure out if Padma ever responded to Marten's text did we?  God that text was awkward.

She answered.

[Akima]

Harry Potter and oh god, Bellatrix?

That would be le strange, all right.