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Dora

4 (5.4%)

Sven

1 (1.4%)

Faye

4 (5.4%)

Tai

3 (4.1%)

Marigold

12 (16.2%)

Hanners

10 (13.5%)

Mieville

1 (1.4%)

Raven

3 (4.1%)

Veronica

1 (1.4%)

Jimbo

1 (1.4%)

Jim

0 (0%)

Padma

0 (0%)

Princess (Sven's cat)

1 (1.4%)

Pintsize

0 (0%)

Yelling Bird

1 (1.4%)

Shame Orb

1 (1.4%)

Harriet

3 (4.1%)

Turkeys (male)

1 (1.4%)

Turkeys (female)

0 (0%)

Other (specify)

2 (2.7%)

OK, Fine, Claire

3 (4.1%)

Oops, forgot Marten

5 (6.8%)

And Momo

11 (14.9%)

Let alone Emily!

6 (8.1%)

Total Members Voted: 69

[Kugai]

Clinton is Big Brother double plus good.

[Seripham89]

Clinton must smash something to get his hand to behave?  Sounds the the start of a sitcom based around that Michael Cain film where his hand is evil.

On an unrelated note, I think Jeph is going to fuck with us again via Claire.  The hijinks will be amusing, but they will be hijinks none the less.

[Mr_Rose]

Remember that early in QC Pintsize's parties were depicted, and all the anthroPCs present were models like him.  It was a while before Jeph started widening the concept.

I think Storel meant more in terms of personality and attitude than chassis model….

[Storel]

Exactly. The other ones may have looked like Pintsize, but they did not have his personality.

[TinPenguin]

Their personality wasn't so far off his. They shared the same sense of humour, they shared an interest in embarrassing their owners, and who's to say they didn't share his delight in wanton destruction?

Clinton is Big Brother double plus good.

Little Brother is watching.

[Is it cold in here?]

Remember the one where Meena worked? That was pretty bad.
http://www.questionablecontent.net/821

[Storel]

Sure, many of them have quirks; they're a relatively new technology, some stuff hasn't been ironed out yet. Even so, Pintsize is exceptional in many ways.

I think part of the difference in our perceptions is that in the earlier days of the strip, Jeph did tend to make all the Anthros fairly similar, but in the more recent strips he's changed things so that Pintsize is more noticeably different from the more "normal" ones. You're probably looking more at the earlier strips, while I'm looking more at the later ones.

Edit: Also, with regards to the "produce section vs. deli section" question, I suspect Claire had sausages in mind for possible trachea substitures from the deli section.

[K1dmor]

Dawwww.
 Cute siblings moment  .

[mtmerrick]

I imagine anyone trying to steal clinton's lunch money will encounter MURDER HAND 

[GarandMarine]

Heh you'd figure having a robot hand with murder mode would significantly decrease the instances of one's lunch money being stolen.

[Lubricus]

Maybe the murder hand only activates when Clinton's famility members are in danger. Or maybe it is the hand itself that takes Clinton's lunch money! 

[mtmerrick]

Heh you'd figure having a robot hand with murder mode would significantly decrease the instances of one's lunch money being stolen.

unless the lunch-money-taker had one as well. a bigger robot hand. with spikes. 

[Loki]

Everyone my age knows that the most suitable way to deal with any bully is challenge him to a game, then kill and/or mindrape him when he inevitably loses because you are the King of Games.

[bhtooefr]

Their personality wasn't so far off his. They shared the same sense of humour, they shared an interest in embarrassing their owners, and who's to say they didn't share his delight in wanton destruction?

And there were plenty of cases where the other AnthroPCs were just as destructive as Pintsize.

It's just that Pintsize had a laser.

[Indicible]

@ Mtmerrick

Or a chainsaw-maw combo

From a crazy stalker to a genuinely caring brother. Nice character development. Coco Chanel would have been wrong.

(click to show/hide)

She once said "the first impression is generally the correct one, especially if it is bad".

As usual, QC is pretty well written: so far, we have very few unidimensional characters (even Pintsize...).

[Akima]

Coco Chanel would have been wrong.

Coco Chanel was wrong about a lot of things...

I really like today's comic. The colours, and the way the viewpoint changes, are nice.

[ZoeB]

Heh you'd figure having a robot hand with murder mode would significantly decrease the instances of one's lunch money being stolen.

unless the lunch-money-taker had one as well. a bigger robot hand. with spikes. 

I don't see Clinton using the Hand of Homicide on a bully stealing his lunch money.

However, a bully taking his sister's... size of bully, robot-hand, presence of spikes etc would be immaterial. They'd just make it easier - no need to hold anything back, no ethical issues about "disproportionate force".

[ZoeB]

I really like today's comic. The colours, and the way the viewpoint changes, are nice.

I'm a little saddened though.

"And then you put yourself in a super-dangerous situation"
"Don't you lecture me about my personal safety. I live with that EVERY DAY."


I guess I was hoping that a post-singularity world, with AI people and orbital habitats would be a little less like this one in that regard. Though AI rights are something new and controversial to some, so it was no surprise. Of the characters, I'm still more like Momo than Claire.

Momo : Marigold's AnthroPC. Quite anime in design, slightly less anime in attitude. Very interested in AI history and civil rights.

Except I'm old enough to be Marigold's mother, and really quite staid. "Square" to use a word even older than I am. Just... maternal?

[de_la_Nae]

Everyone my age knows that the most suitable way to deal with any bully is challenge him to a game, then kill and/or mindrape him when he inevitably loses because you are the King of Games.

Did I just detect a Yu-gi-oh reference?




Also these last couple comics are definitely amusing to me. My younger brother is a little bit the same way it turns out. Without going into the whole thing this instant, we nearly went to jail one night a couple of months ago because he was all "protect sister RAAARGH".
It was pretty funny, if unexpected.

[Border Reiver]

I really like today's comic. The colours, and the way the viewpoint changes, are nice.

I'm a little saddened though.

"And then you put yourself in a super-dangerous situation"
"Don't you lecture me about my personal safety. I live with that EVERY DAY."


I guess I was hoping that a post-singularity world, with AI people and orbital habitats would be a little less like this one in that regard. Though AI rights are something new and controversial to some, so it was no surprise. Of the characters, I'm still more like Momo than Claire.

Momo : Marigold's AnthroPC. Quite anime in design, slightly less anime in attitude. Very interested in AI history and civil rights.

Except I'm old enough to be Marigold's mother, and really quite staid. "Square" to use a word even older than I am. Just... maternal?

Even post-singularity, people are still people.  And while they can be the best things, they can also be the worst.

[techkid]

Unfortunately, the QCVerse, while pretty upbeat (and with cool shit like AnthroPCs and personal spacecraft and orbital laboratory/home), is still far from ideal. Like Border Reiver said, people are still people. While we still possess that nasty habit of thinking one viewpoint, opinion or lifestyle to be "better" than another, there will be hate (for a minor case in point, start a "Sub vs Dub" thread in any anime forum and watch the flamewar burn).

[Zebediah]

Zoe, I have to say that the first thing I thought of when I read QC this morning (even before I read Jeph's newspost) was the stories you've told us here about the terrors trans people have to face. It's been enlightening, in an extremely disturbing way, and you've changed the way I think. So I'm just saying thanks for educating us on this.

That being said, Clinton is way over-reacting in this case. Perhaps understandably - sure, he's just worried about his sister and a guy he doesn't know too well yet - but we all know that Marten is the last guy who would even think about abusing Claire.

[Neko_Ali]

I'm not so sure he was fussed about Claire being drunk around Marten, who he knows somewhat. Or being drunk around a bunch of strangers. I kind of suspect the latter though. All things given though, Marten's family and their friends seem cool enough about people who don't fit into the standard molds, so I doubt they would have any problem with Claire being trans, if they haven't figured it out already. Of course, Clinton has no way to know them, and he tends to over react anyway, to a lot of things...

[Valdís]

I guess I was hoping that a post-singularity world, with AI people and orbital habitats would be a little less like this one in that regard. Though AI rights are something new and controversial to some, so it was no surprise.

Yeah, not to mention: "I hate to sound pessmistic, but we're still working on racism, sexism, homophobia ..."

So Transphobia isn't exactly a stretch. It does tend to be overlooked by people who don't know someone trans*. If that scene happened now in the comic he'd probably say it.

Of the characters, I'm still more like Momo than Claire.

Yeah, and Momo was up there with Hanners already. But there's something to be said for actual representations rather than just relatable or allegorical ones.

"Square" to use a word even older than I am. Just... maternal?

Awesomely so. <3

[Just Karen]

Zoe, I have to say that the first thing I thought of when I read QC this morning (even before I read Jeph's newspost) was the stories you've told us here about the terrors trans people have to face. It's been enlightening, in an extremely disturbing way, and you've changed the way I think. So I'm just saying thanks for educating us on this.

That being said, Clinton is way over-reacting in this case. Perhaps understandably - sure, he's just worried about his sister and a guy he doesn't know too well yet - but we all know that Marten is the last guy who would even think about abusing Claire.

I disagree.  Yeah, she happened to be with Marten at the end of the night, but she wasn't (necessarily) with him the entire time she was drunk.  What if one of the other attendees happened to be an extremely transphobic person?  Just because it's a marriage between two guys (therefore limiting the list of people with possible issues to "people OK with gays"), doesn't mean they're OK with a transgender person - there is a fairly large contingent of "Radical Feminists" (I prefer to call them "Conservative Feminists", or "ConFem" for short) in the lesbian community that object strongly to our presence and/or existence.  Google "Cathy Brennan" and "Michigan Womyn's Festival".  Separately, to get the full impact.

[Masterpiece]

She also seems to be missing the strand of hair that always frames her face.

yup, definitely gone for good. Shame.

[Valdís]

yup, definitely gone for good. Shame.

Don't say that! She could've just pulled it behind her ear again! ;_;

[Method of Madness]

I wonder if the fairy from the secret alley is the flower girl at the wedding.

[Valdís]

Nah, wouldn't think so. She's younger (or at least smaller and flat-chested) and had brown hair.

Unless she used fairy-magic.

[TRVA123]

"And then you put yourself in a super-dangerous situation"
"Don't you lecture me about my personal safety. I live with that EVERY DAY."

I really like Claire's response. I think it is a good way to call out implied slut shaming without actually getting into the slut shaming part.

[Is it cold in here?]

In public with strangers might seem safer to Clinton than being alone with a relative unknown.

Claire may have figured out that Marten is about as dangerous as a stuffed manatee on codeine.

"People are still people" -- yes, but they won't be when they hear this sound that's been glowing in the dark at the edge of town.

[Loki]

Nah, wouldn't think so. She's younger (or at least smaller and flat-chested) and had brown hair.

Unless she used fairy-magic.

Maybe... she tricked us! 

[Neko_Ali]

I really don't see Claire's response as having anything to do with slut shaming. Rather, the physical danger that trans people face on a regular basis. I thankfully haven't had to deal with anything stronger than verbal insults and disgusted looks yet. But the fact remains that even in 'safe' areas, trans people get attacked, even murdered for nothing more than being trans. Knowing that risk is an important part to deciding to transition, in my mind. And especially knowing how to guard yourself against it. It's not something I've ever forgotten and likely never will. And I always take steps to make sure I'm safe (like not getting drunk among strangers).

[Rghfrgl]

She also seems to be missing the strand of hair that always frames her face.

yup, definitely gone for good. Shame.

It could be just playing with the artstyle rather than a actual haircut so it could pop up again.

I like the new look though. Looks a bit messier, but in a cute way, and it frames her face nicely.

[katsmeat]

My take on Clinton's attitude is that he's fine with having a sister, it's just he's not managed to adjust to being the brother of a sister.  Floating around somewhere in his brain is the notion that women "need to be protected" and it's his duty to be the white knight. 

She's acutely aware of the vulnerabilities inherent in being trans. So I can see her being glad of his backup, yet sometimes exasperated by him being overprotective. After all, she is older and  has a couple more years of experience of the world; all things being equal, she is slightly better able to look after herself than he is.  Cue frequent bust-ups - I bet the time  they were first seen together (2277) was right in the middle of one.

Presumably if Claire was to start seeing somebody seriously, the danger would be that Clinton would slip into full-blown Victorian patriarch mode and storm off to confront the person, to demand to know if their "intentions were honourable."

[GarandMarine]

Claire may have figured out that Marten is about as dangerous as a stuffed manatee on codeine.

I think you're giving Marten a little too much credit... not that he doesn't try to put his noodle spine up once in awhile as a very wimpy Prince Valiant.

[TRVA123]

I really don't see Claire's response as having anything to do with slut shaming. Rather, the physical danger that trans people face on a regular basis. I thankfully haven't had to deal with anything stronger than verbal insults and disgusted looks yet. But the fact remains that even in 'safe' areas, trans people get attacked, even murdered for nothing more than being trans. Knowing that risk is an important part to deciding to transition, in my mind. And especially knowing how to guard yourself against it. It's not something I've ever forgotten and likely never will. And I always take steps to make sure I'm safe (like not getting drunk among strangers).

I'm not trying to minimize what trans* people go through, I just read Clinton's words differently.

Women are constantly told (often by men) to avoid "dangerous" situations, such as parties, or cities, or subways, or really anywhere you might go outside of your home. If something happens to a woman who happens to be in one of these situations people often act as though she deserves part of the blame for what happened to her because she willingly went to a party and decided to drink. No victim should be blamed for the heinous actions of their attackers, no matter where they were, what they were wearing, or how they were presenting.

Maybe slut shaming wasn't the right word. Lets go with Victim Blaming.

[GarandMarine]

Culpabit Victima!

[bhtooefr]

Presumably if Claire was to start seeing somebody seriously, the danger would be that Clinton would slip into full-blown Victorian patriarch mode and storm off to confront the person, to demand to know if their "intentions were honourable."

Not that Marten hasn't done that himself.

http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1423

[Loki]

By the way:

Everyone my age knows that the most suitable way to deal with any bully is challenge him to a game, then kill and/or mindrape him when he inevitably loses because you are the King of Games.

Did I just detect a Yu-gi-oh reference?

You have a good eye

[sitnspin]

I interpret her response to be bristling at him presuming to tell HER what kind of danger she lives with, as if he knows the risks of being her better than she does. I can't blame her for that response, I would have had a similar one. Probably with an expletive thrown in, cos... well, I do that a lot.

[Is it cold in here?]

My take on Clinton's attitude is that he's fine with having a sister, it's just he's not managed to adjust to being the brother of a sister.

It must have been disorienting for him.

Welcome, new person! Excellent first post

[Neko_Ali]

Women are constantly told (often by men) to avoid "dangerous" situations, such as parties, or cities, or subways, or really anywhere you might go outside of your home. If something happens to a woman who happens to be in one of these situations people often act as though she deserves part of the blame for what happened to her because she willingly went to a party and decided to drink. No victim should be blamed for the heinous actions of their attackers, no matter where they were, what they were wearing, or how they were presenting.

This I can certainly see. And this is all fairly new to Clinton after all. From what Claire's said she's transitioned in college, so it's been what, 3-4 years most likely? So he's still trying to adjust to Claire being female and trying to 'instruct her on how to be safe as a girl'. Something a lot of people seem to do, even though they've never been a girl themselves.

[Is it cold in here?]

Claire may have figured out that Marten is about as dangerous as a stuffed manatee on codeine.

I think you're giving Marten a little too much credit... not that he doesn't try to put his noodle spine up once in awhile as a very wimpy Prince Valiant.

I cannot imagine Marten hurting a friend.

Marten is the most harmless boy I've ever met.

We have extensive proof that Marten doesn't take advantage of drunk women. Claire doesn't know that history but it's intriguing that she accurately sized up Marten.

[Neko_Ali]

Well, it's not like they haven't all been drunk before together. Remember the party and Emily's lake house?

[Loki]

But I thought it's the men that get to know each other by drinking together?

[bhtooefr]

I cannot imagine Marten hurting a friend.

Marten is the most harmless boy I've ever met.

We have extensive proof that Marten doesn't take advantage of drunk women. Claire doesn't know that history but it's intriguing that she accurately sized up Marten.

Although, Marten has tried to, while drunk, take advantage of sober women. Well, at least one woman. (FAYE used PUNCH! It's super effective!)

[Loki]

I'd argue that that, while very douchey, doesn't really count as "taking advantage". More like "being aggressively bitter and demanding". Or, you know, "running into a fist".

[bhtooefr]

I did say that he tried, not that he actually did.

(MARTEN used GUILT TRIP. It's not very effective...)

[Mr_Rose]

I interpret her response to be bristling at him presuming to tell HER what kind of danger she lives with, as if he knows the risks of being her better than she does. I can't blame her for that response, I would have had a similar one. Probably with an expletive thrown in, cos... well, I do that a lot.

That's pretty much how I read it too.
As for Clinton's attitude, I reckon he's partially confused, on a largely subconscious level, by the fact that she only became a sister (to his knowledge, not necessarily to hers) a short while ago which kind of makes her a younger sister of a sort. From a certain point of view etc.

I cannot imagine Marten hurting a friend.

Marten is the most harmless boy I've ever met.

We have extensive proof that Marten doesn't take advantage of drunk women. Claire doesn't know that history but it's intriguing that she accurately sized up Marten.

Although, Marten has tried to, while drunk, take advantage of sober women. Well, at least one woman. (FAYE used PUNCH! It's super effective!)

As for this… remember that there are additional facts that make a repeat of that terrible performance unlikely; specifically his history with Faye, his depression, his resentment of Angus, and the even larger quantity of alcohol consumed without moderation by food. None of those applied with Claire at the wedding so there's basically no chance he'd turn on her like that.