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"Jimbo!" "Dad!" "CLAIRE?" "...Jimbo?"

28 (35.4%)

Steve (Commence arms race!)

8 (10.1%)

Pintsize & Winslow ("It's been militarized!  RUN!")

20 (25.3%)

"...Tai?  Are you FOLLOWING us?" "Just wanted to see which slashfic played out!"

23 (29.1%)

Total Members Voted: 73

[Blackbird]

Well, at least we've pole Voltaire'd over the electrical puns into philosophy puns.

For the electrithity punth, let'th have a moment of Thales.

 

[celticgeek]

Ohm my god!

[Gladstone]

I got bored, so new poll!  Have at it.

[Skewbrow]

If you reset the poll, it would be nice that you first copy/paste the final result of the previous one. We don't want to lose the outcomes of fine polls!

Edit: Ok. JWHouk did save it earlier. Thanks.

[Gladstone]

Whoops, sorry.  jwhouk did it yesterday, so I didn't think to update it, although I do recall there were 88 or so votes right before I changed it.  Similar results--Clinton was the clear winner, although I couldn't say who was next--but apologies for losing it anyway.

[jwhouk]

Yeah, usually if I am about to switch a poll, I post the final results before I change it (select, copy, paste, do some minor reformatting, post).

[Nepiophage]

Victory trip to outer space.

Yes please.

Marten: "Hi, Abby, this is Claire."
Lt. Abby Potter: "Sqeee!"

[Indicible]

Well...

[BenRG]

I think Veronica will be embarrassing but purely for good reasons. She's happy for Marten, you see! Remember that her mother's instincts pinpointed Claire as a likely daughter-in-law. So, not only will she be smug at the quality of her foresight, she will want to fuss a bit over them (with added double-entendres) with unsolicited advice or possibly just react like a teenage girl. Yeah, it will be embarrassing but nothing that Marten and Claire haven't handled before!

I wonder if Jim will appear and rescue the couple from his giddy girlfriend? IIRC, I voted for those two to be the next encounter!

Victory trip to outer space.

This might be Claire's second visit to the space station.

[Half Empty Coffee Cup]

Second visit? Has Claire been there on her own before? Is she secretly an astronaut? Because the only people we saw take a jaunt up there (who didn't already work there) were Marten, Hannelore, and Marigold. Unless you suggest she go up there in the future, but that that trip not be for celebration of victory. You managed to confuse me, you did.

[ankhtahr]

All these puns really Russell my jimmies.

[BenRG]

You may recall that, earlier, I wondered if EC  may have worked on that technology, completed it and that Claire was a beneficiary. It's just a gut feeling on my part.

Back to the strip: I wonder if Veronica will whisper something to Claire along the lines of: "If he's anything like his father, he'll love it if you touch him there..." or "He has a sensitive spot right about there..." Seriously, if Veronica does invite herself along, I strongly expect that, as soon as Marten leaves the table, toe-curling girl talk will commence. Toe-curling for Claire at least.

[Lubricus]

Is toe-curling a Paralympic sport? 

[Natswash]

Don't think so, but I don't know that for sure

[techkid]

Seriously, if Veronica does invite herself along, I strongly expect that, as soon as Marten leaves the table, toe-curling girl talk will commence. Toe-curling for Claire at least.

For VV, it would be about as risqué as discussing the weather.

I guess all Marten can hope for is that she doesn't break out the photo album.

[swapna]

But the picture is soooo cute! It's a crime if Claire doesn't get to see it!

[Neko_Ali]

I wouldn't have a lot of trust in Veronica's 'mom insticts' for setting up Marten, really. She seems to just want to see him with someone, anyone. She's tried to hook him up with random waitresses at restaurants, just because they were there. She's arranged for a bunch of girls to kiss him as a birthday surprise. Her technique seems to be more 'throw girls at Marten and see which ones stick'.

[Zebediah]

Honestly, that's how a lot of guys approach dating - throw themselves at a lot of women and see what sticks.

[theMarc]

With this strip, things have gone from "the best" to "even better than that".

[BenRG]

@Neko,

I agree that Veronica lays it on a bit thick. I think that she wants Marten to be happy and doesn't trust him to find someone solely on his own initiative. She might be right.

I've been thinking and I think the most embarrassing thing Veronica could do is start screaming, dancing around and singing (very loudly): "I'm gonna have grand-babies! I'm gonna have grand-babies!" I just wish I had any confidence in myself that she wouldn't do that... Anyway, she would then (with offended dignity) inform the two spluttering youngsters that it is a 'parent thing' and that they'll understand one day.

[DSL]

Veronica embarrasses Marten. Marten reacts, maybe not as pissily as he did in VV's post-Dora visit. VV puts her Doc Marten-clad MomFoot(TM) down.
Claire sides with VV. They talk about Marten (who's RIGHT THERE) over whiskey (Peaty, with a hint of ... leather? Why, yes, dear)

[cesariojpn]

Her technique seems to be more 'throw girls at Marten and see which ones stick'.

I wish I had a mom like that. Well, aside from the Dominatrix part.....

[pwhodges]

My romantic life up to my first marriage consisted solely of the friend of a friend of the family being thrown at me with glue* on.  It was my first experience of romance, and we were married for 22 years.

* A child.

[Gladstone]

I think the most embarrassing thing Veronica could do is start screaming, dancing around and singing (very loudly): "I'm gonna have grand-babies! I'm gonna have grand-babies!" I just wish I had any confidence in myself that she wouldn't do that...

Well, she did do that, in the first draft of this strip--can't remember the exact wording, but she said something about Marten being ready to settle down and have kids, or something, but Jeph actually rewrote her dialogue and reposted the comic because he was worried the joke would be too insensitive, with Claire being trans (even if Veronica didn't know).  So a grandbaby dance probably won't happen now, either.

Back to the strip: I wonder if Veronica will whisper something to Claire along the lines of: "If he's anything like his father, he'll love it if you touch him there..." or "He has a sensitive spot right about there..."

He goes all wobbly when you nuzzle his neck.  I'm sure Dora will let Claire in on that little secret, at some point.

[BenRG]

Just based on Veronica's expression, I'm not expecting a sober or calculated action tomorrow. My personal highest probability is a sudden hug of both Marten and Claire at once. Only then will she be able to say anything coherent (probably something along the lines of "I knew it! I just knew it!"). She'll doubtless extract a promise to meet up with her soon to tell her the story in exchange for letting them go on their date unmolested.

She might also take the opportunity to invite them to her apartment-warming party.

[MooskiNet]

Veronica looks as happy as Tai did.

Wonder if she'll have better boundary sense than Clairemom - I hope she doesn't invite herself to dinner with them.

that would be delightfully transgressive.

Marten's expression looks like he thinks he knows where things are going, and he's not going to like it.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

Actually, I Reed Marten's expression as, "oh look, my mother managed to drop into my life unannounced, yet again." The first time bothered him. The second upset him. Marten has mentioned that he'd prefer some warning, and doesn't like the fact that his mother tends to give less than 24 hours' notice.

Claire might take his reaction badly, but she generally doesn't jump the gun, so I expect her to wait and see how this plays out.

[BenRG]

Actually, I Reed Marten's expression as, "oh look, my mother managed to drop into my life unannounced, yet again." The first time bothered him. The second upset him. Marten has mentioned that he'd prefer some warning, and doesn't like the fact that his mother tends to give less than 24 hours' notice.

Claire might take his reaction badly, but she generally doesn't jump the gun, so I expect her to wait and see how this plays out.

I'm not sure if you're right there. Marten had already told Claire that he knew his mother was moving to Northampton sometime soon but he didn't know when. I'd hope that he's clear-headed enough to realise that:

• Their meeting is purely coincidental;
• Veronica is an adult and isn't obliged to keep him informed of her comings and goings.

No, I think his expression is due to the fact that he knows his mum and he knows that her reaction to seeing him holding hands with Claire will mean some kind of embarrassing reaction. It's interesting that, even though it's the source of his problems, he hasn't let go of Claire's hand, though! 

[MooskiNet]

Actually, I Reed Marten's expression as, "oh look, my mother managed to drop into my life unannounced, yet again." The first time bothered him. The second upset him. Marten has mentioned that he'd prefer some warning, and doesn't like the fact that his mother tends to give less than 24 hours' notice.

Claire might take his reaction badly, but she generally doesn't jump the gun, so I expect her to wait and see how this plays out.

I'm not sure if you're right there. Marten had already told Claire that he knew his mother was moving to Northampton sometime soon but he didn't know when. I'd hope that he's clear-headed enough to realise that:

• Their meeting is purely coincidental;
• Veronica is an adult and isn't obliged to keep him informed of her comings and goings.

No, I think his expression is due to the fact that he knows his mum and he knows that her reaction to seeing him holding hands with Claire will mean some kind of embarrassing reaction. It's interesting that, even though it's the source of his problems, he hasn't let go of Claire's hand, though! 

And if he had, I could see Claire reacting very badly to that.  There will be good times, and there will be bad times, but I think the only thing worse than cheating on Claire would be for Marten to let her think he's ashamed of her.

[Neko_Ali]

It was pretty inevitable anyway. I mean Veronica lives in the same town now, she was going to find out 'they have a thing' (really Marten? It's called dating...) eventually. I'm sure he is just dreading the way she's going to act, the way he dreaded how she acted about all his previous girlfriends.

[Fig]

I highly doubt Veronica is going to have to give Claire the 'Bosch paintings' talk, though. 

[ReindeerFlotilla]

I have to disagree. Marten's answer to Claire's question implies that Veronica  returned to California after finding a place.

If true, the way he answered suggest that the last he knew, she was still on the west coast. Her unannounced return would be in keeping with her habit of dropping in with little notice.

The fact that she is a soon-to-be resident of Northampton does lessen the impact, somewhat, but this thing has been a "button" for Marten and people rarely step back and apply rational analysis when their buttons are being pushed.

Keep in mind, Veronica came out for a date. She decided to jump in it while still having her entire life in California. Odds are she's been making arrangements, and doesn't exactly live in Northampton, yet.

[Half Empty Coffee Cup]

I highly doubt Veronica is going to have to give Claire the 'Bosch paintings' talk, though.

She may well give that talk to Marten if he screws things up sufficiently.

[Doc]

Just saying 'mom' out loud made her appear.
It's like summoning a demon.

[MooskiNet]

Just saying 'mom' out loud made her appear.
It's like summoning a demon.

More like a demonatrix, amirite?   

[ReindeerFlotilla]

Just saying 'mom'* out loud made her appear.
It's like summoning a demon.

More like a demonatrix, amirite?   

One hopes this doesn't extend to the general case.

*_{Emphasis added}

[cesariojpn]

Just based on Veronica's expression, I'm not expecting a sober or calculated action tomorrow.

.....

She might also take the opportunity to invite them to her apartment-warming party.

Or worse.....get Claire to take over the family business.

[jwhouk]

I have to disagree. Marten's answer to Claire's question implies that Veronica  returned to California after finding a place.
<snip>

No, no, she implied pretty much that she was moving out here, lock, stocks, whips and chains.

[Zebediah]

I think that's what RF is saying - Veronica went back to California to pack up her whips etc. so that she could bring them to Northampton with her.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

Indeed.

If Marten was aware that Veronica had completed her move, the answer to Claire's question would be "yes."

[Gladstone]

Back to the strip: I wonder if Veronica will whisper something to Claire along the lines of: "If he's anything like his father, he'll love it if you touch him there..." or "He has a sensitive spot right about there..."

Updating with relevant links now that I'm home from work: Dora could tell Claire about a certain "sensitive spot" (Delilah found it too), but I think Claire will manage to find it on her own if she just keeps nuzzling.

I think his expression is due to the fact that he knows his mum and he knows that her reaction to seeing him holding hands with Claire will mean some kind of embarrassing reaction.

I think he just needs to grin and bear it.  After all, Claire's mother already managed to embarrass her, so it's only fair that Marten gets a turn.

[jwhouk]

Indeed.

If Marten was aware that Veronica had completed her move, the answer to Claire's question would be "yes."

This is Marten we're talking about, though. He thought he'd have to fly up to his dad's wedding.

[MooskiNet]

Okay, Imma stop trying to predict anything. 

Seriously.

[Rghfrgl]

On reading first panel first thing I did immediately was check and make sure it was todays comic and not a accidental friday upload before continuing.

[valkygrrl]

adorable first panel Claire is adorable

[Gladstone]

Adorable third panel Claire is also adorable.

[Zebediah]

Yes, another classic Claire face. Who's going to be  the first to make it their avatar?

[Half Empty Coffee Cup]

adorable first panel Claire is adorable

Third panel, also.

Laughed at her fourth-panel "what."-face, though.

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

Seriously?

[MooskiNet]

Laughed at her fourth-panel "what."-face, though.

Yeah, them teeth tho.

[jwhouk]

Now THERE'S the Veronica we know and love!