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Whatever happened to Pintsize?

41 (37.6%)

Faye's story v.2.0.?

21 (19.3%)

Student, Girlfriend, Librarian or some combination of all three? Claire's Dilemma?

11 (10.1%)

How do you come back from firing your best friend?

20 (18.3%)

Something completely new (give your idea in a comment, plz)?

0 (0%)

"Marten, how would you feel about having three dads?"

16 (14.7%)

Total Members Voted: 99

Voting closed: 04 Feb 2015, 06:23

[eschaton]

FWIW, I'm not sure I'd want my first time with anyone, let alone a virgin, to be when I was dead tired.  Both because I'd prefer to be at "peak performance" as it were, and I'd be concerned that falling asleep immediately after deflowering would be a faux pas. 

Maybe I overthink things more than Marten, but I think we're pretty similar in a lot of ways actually.  I don't think he'd be axious per-se, but he would be beside himself with the desire to make things "go right." 

So yeah, put me in the it was makeouts only camp.  I think Jeph would give fuckin more of a buildup than this.  That is, unless he decided the way to deal with how sensitive some people are about the sex lives of trans characters was to basically never say one way or another if Marten and Claire are actually doin it. 

[Aziraphale]

I was referring to 'too soon', in comparison to my own personal pace (which is akin to that of a tortoise on barbituates), not as any overt criticism. To each their own.

...and there went my coffee. 

(How would an anxious person embarking on her first relationship feel if her makeout partner fell asleep?)

Depends on the circumstances. Given that he's clearly pretty tired, I don't think she'd take it personally, but she'd probably tease him mercilessly afterwards.

This comic would have benefited from a few words, since I can't imagine showing up at my partner's house after such an incident and not asking about their and their friend's well-being, and this comic rushes through - open door/make-outs/disappearing in a bedroom.

Sometimes the look on someone's face was enough to let me know they could really use a hug. Comfort first, conversation after. But maybe that's just me.

FWIW, I'm not sure I'd want my first time with anyone, let alone a virgin, to be when I was dead tired. <snip>

For a first time, maybe. But don't sleep on tired sex (pun only partly intended).

My prediction for tomorrow is that its the following morning. We see Marten kiss Claire goodbye at the door and we have no idea whether they slept together, kissed and cuddled or built a duvet fort together. :p

My money's on the duvet fort, though given recent discussion, someone will probably complain that it's too soon.

This comic would have benefited from a few words, since I can't imagine showing up at my partner's house after such an incident and not asking about their and their friend's well-being, and this comic rushes through - open door/make-outs/disappearing in a bedroom.

Fair point, but  we still don't really know how much time has elapsed since Faye's collapse: they could have talked about all that on the phone, depiction of which wouldn't have made interesting comic material, other than giving us a clue about what's going on in their minds. If that had happened, no words would be needed now.

I'm sticking with the theory of hastily catching up with lost time after an interrupted (never even started) date.

Besides, the not-knowing is likely to drive Clinton more crazy than knowing will; she'd keep a lid on it for that reason alone. One could also substitute "the forum" and "Jeph would" into the sentence above and have a good indication of how things are going to play out. 

[Smallest]

I dunno if they'll have sex, but I don't think it's that unlikely. I mean, it's 50/50 to me now, they could be going to the bedroom for a hug and kiss and talk session, or just going to make out, or decide not to have sex at the last minute, but I don't think sex is that surprising. I don't know a ton about Marten's inner workings, but a lot of the time, once a stressful situation is resolved (and sometimes before), fucking seems like a great idea. I don't think Marten's really an angry sex (using this as shorthand for self serving and detached, as well as hard) kind of guy (since I know that's how some of my wording could be interpreted), but I really think he could be at a moment where he's combining a need for an outlet for the stress, 'here is this girl that I think is great,' and, probably subconsciously, the reasoning that something loving and happy right now would be really, really good for a change. Again, that doesn't only mean sex, it could be a number of other options, but I definitely wouldn't rule sex out based on it having been a stressful or hard night.

Regarding tiredness, he probably got his second wind around the time Faye went to bed and he realized he could go to sleep.

Some say that the best time to have sex is the first date. No wondering how he or she is in bed, no long sexual tension period.

Yes, but then why bother at all, unless you think sex is the most important thing in a relationship? (No judgment here by the way, you might well think that, and why not).

While definitely not the most important thing, sex can certainly be a dealbreaker. I'm too STD paranoid to have sex on first dates if I was really dating (vs happened to start seeing someone more organically when not really looking, and also vs being monogamously married), but reasonably it's something I'd want to do.

[Mojo]

I missed something?


Damn.

Wait, what?  Was there a different version of 2890, or was it just posted early?  I hate missing things.


My thoughts though, wander into some other territory.  I am forced to wonder where this is going to go (and yes, a part of me wishes there was a Slipshine episode, if only to understand the mechanics of this).  I worry that this could become a turning point.  I mean, up until now, Claire's... equipment... hasn't been an issue.  This is the point at which it COULD become one.  On the other hand, considering Marten's upbringing, chances are he's far more open minded about that kind of thing.

It will be interesting to see how this develops.

[bhtooefr]

It's worth noting that Word of Jeph is that that's never going to be brought up in comic, and the forum rules prohibit discussion of that, for what it's worth.

[A Duck]

I do believe the discussion of what specifically those two are doing is rather pointless. It's a couple being happy, that'll all we need.

Even the fact that Marten finally had sex with Dora way back was glossed over and only told in retrospect, despite the fact that he never had sex being a running gag in early comics.

[Zebediah]

Sigh... Why do people focus so much on Claire's anatomy? It really doesn't matter. Claire and Marten are both intelligent enough to figure out something that is mutually satisfactory for both of them. What exactly that might be is not the point. The point is that they feel secure enough with each other to have a sexual relationship.

[TRVA123]

Even the fact that Marten finally had sex with Dora way back was glossed over and only told in retrospect, despite the fact that he never had sex being a running gag in early comics.

I dont' think Marten was a virgin. I thought he'd had sex with whatsherface, whom he moved to NoHam for.

Sigh... Why do people focus so much on Claire's anatomy? It really doesn't matter.

agreed. Honestly, not to be crude, but all anyone needs to engage in sex with anyone else is a mouth and hands.

[A Duck]

He wasn't. I meant "never had" as in "since a somewhat long time before the comic began, he hadn't had sex"

[explicit]

Sigh... Why do people focus so much on Claire's anatomy? It really doesn't matter. Claire and Marten are both intelligent enough to figure out something that is mutually satisfactory for both of them. What exactly that might be is not the point. The point is that they feel secure enough with each other to have a sexual relationship.

If there's one thing I know it's that people are really good at figuring out how to make sex at each other.

[Is it cold in here?]

Marten promised Claire he would cope with anything related to her being trans. She asked. That answers all the legitimate questions.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

Sigh... Why do people focus so much on Claire's anatomy? It really doesn't matter.

Whether it matters or not is the wrong question. Does any of this matter? Not really. It's pictures being drawn by a guy and posted to the internet.

It's a question. The question is unanswered. People want to know about unanswered questions. All of human achievement and failure can be traced back to that. There's a certain point where it becomes obvious that making value judgments about that is both pointless and hypocritical. But everyone's a hypocrite, so I guess that last is also pointless.

Human societies generally have dangerous hangups about the sex tackle most of us are carrying around. It really isn't an important bit of information, so logically it shouldn't matter if someone asks or doesn't. Lives are not at stake. But the hangups are there. They are omnipresent. People aren't comfortable with having their equipment discussed.

At the same time, because of the hangups, people get a certain thrill out of discussing the equipment of others. It could be the taboo aspect, it could be the subject's rarity. People be people.

Claire is an avatar of sorts for some people in these parts. Also, people say stupid shit, on most any subject. It's the principal method humans have for learning not to say stupid shit (failure and observing the failures of others). The board's policy is not to go there. Wondering why people who generally don't know the policy are motivated to ask is probably as pointless as wondering what's in Claire's pants.

[eschaton]

The problem with the whole "not discussing graphic sexual things" regarding Claire within the strip is Pintsize.  It would be totally OOC for him not to say or do some sort of well-meaning but totally inappropriate thing when he finds out.  Like I could totally see him getting Marten and Claire matching friendship-bracelets, and then when they are both horrified, ask if he picked out the wrong sizes.

Global Moderator Comment

I could def. see P-size giving them friendship bracelets but maybe Jeph would think twice about writing it.

[WareWolf]

I'm of the opinion that the "click" of the door locking in panel 4 is a sign that we will never, ever be told what went on inside that bedroom. Did they or didn't they? It's Schroedinger's Bedroom; they both did and didn't.

Exactly. The point of that "click" is that what they do and how they do it (if at all) is no one's business. I see it as in the same vein as the sticky post about not being nosy about people's private parts.

[cesium133]

The problem with the whole "not discussing graphic sexual things" regarding Claire within the strip is Pintsize.  It would be totally OOC for him not to say or do some sort of well-meaning but totally inappropriate thing when he finds out.  Like I could totally see him getting Marten and Claire matching friendship-bracelets and then when they are both horrified, ask if he picked out the wrong sizes.

Well, I suppose that could be a possible reason Marten apparently hasn't rebooted Pintsize yet...

[WareWolf]

agreed. Honestly, not to be crude, but all anyone needs to engage in sex with anyone else is a mouth and hands.

I've had the same conversation about The Little Mermaid.

EDIT: And The Doctor.

[explicit]

And honestly, can we really get mad at people for asking? Yes, it's incredibly impolite to ask real people about their sexbits, but these are fictional characters and Claire does represent - however unfairly - the trans figure for a lot of people. I know I personally never really thought about trans issues until this comic at all and is one of the reasons why I joined the forums - I want to learn more about aspects of life I haven't really considered up to this point.

Having said that, I don't really care too much what's going on sex wise - cause like I said earlier, people have this great ability to find ways to do each other - but if I ever were to have a relationship with someone like Claire (I admit that I'd probably have some hang ups, but they don't seem nearly as much a concern after learning more these past few months) then I can see how showing this conversation (verbally or non-verbally) that Marten and Claire must be having would help.


I guess I'm saying that I don't see anything wrong with the intrigue, but the way people go about it is kinda rude sometimes. For instance, don't do this:

(click to show/hide)

[Endellion]

I have to say, today's comic left me smiling like an idiot.

On a completely different note... IF the rumored timeskip in fact does happen, it's either tomorrow or (more likely) tuesday. Everything is more or less wrapped up enough for that to happen now. I predict pintsize tomorrow.

Same here, luckily I stopped giggling before I left the house.

For tomorrows comic it might be a sleeping montage, be interesting how/if Dora and Faye sleep and Claireten snuggles. Though I've never been right in calling the next comic.

[Kugai]

I think we've had one to two Timeskips already since Marten found Faye passed out on the couch.

I'm guessing that a minimum of 24 hours, maybe 48 since then.

[Akima]

Sometimes the look on someone's face was enough to let me know they could really use a hug. Comfort first, conversation after. But maybe that's just me.

It's not just you. 

[Zebediah]

agreed. Honestly, not to be crude, but all anyone needs to engage in sex with anyone else is a mouth and hands.

I've had the same conversation about The Little Mermaid.

EDIT: And The Doctor.

Jack Harkness. And frankly, he'd find a way even if there weren't mouths or hands.

[Loki]

And honestly, can we really get mad at people for asking? Yes, it's incredibly impolite to ask real people about their sexbits, but these are fictional characters and Claire does represent - however unfairly - the trans figure for a lot of people.

(Disclaimer: This comment is not directed at you, I am just using it as a jumping board of sorts for an explanation to others.)

What one does have to keep in mind, of course, that there are a lot of trans people here (indeed, we had a huge influx of them after Claire came out to Marten). Imagine you are a trans person and you keep getting asked those questions in real life (not really in a much different manner than the comic you posted, I imagine). It hurts. Then you get online, reading your favorite comic, go to the forum...and there are people of all sorts asking all the same questions, and seeing nothing wrong with it.  As you said, Claire does unwillingly represent trans people - also to trans people.

(Second disclaimer: I am not trans and thus cannot adequately represent the experiences and viewpoints of trans people).

We used to have to ban ten people per day (or so, I didn't keep count) when Claire snuggled up next to Marten back in the hotel.
This is why I codified the rule regarding private parts back then when I was still a mod. It is really just an aspect of Jeph's ultimate rule: "don't be an asshole".

This forum has really become a better place in that regard, and I am proud of its users.

[explicit]

I wasn't around for all of that, was it really that bad (that would explain the myriad of crossed off names I see on the forums...)? All I have to go off of is news articles with comments sections about people being dicks to trans people over the internet, although to be fair they're also dicks to everyone else who's even kind of different.

[AprilArcus]

And honestly, can we really get mad at people for asking?

Yes. There is talking about it because it is relevant to your reading of the character's emotional state, and there is talking about it just to talk about it. This thread is going off-course.

[Aimless]

The problem with the whole "not discussing graphic sexual things" regarding Claire within the strip is Pintsize.  It would be totally OOC for him not to say or do some sort of well-meaning but totally inappropriate thing when he finds out.  Like I could totally see him getting Marten and Claire matching friendship-bracelets, and then when they are both horrified, ask if he picked out the wrong sizes.

Global Moderator Comment

I could def. see P-size giving them friendship bracelets but maybe Jeph would think twice about writing it.

I figure there are some things Jeph won't say or do even in the guise of pintsize.

[cesariojpn]

Sigh... Why do people focus so much on Claire's anatomy? It really doesn't matter.

Because it "got put out there by Jeph" and it piqued people's interest. You can't exactly tell people not to gawk when they've already been hooked in. I know it's rude to some folks, but human nature is one of those things people need to understand that it will happen period. You can only tell people not to do it and ban folks before you just need to accept this fact of life.

I know i'm probably gonna get flack for it, but I think it needs to be said: Instead of feeling offended by other peoples actions, it would be better if people would be a tad forgiving and educate folks on such things. And not in a negative manner. Be positive about it, because people are showing interest in it. Guide them into the right direction without making it look like it's a pain. Ah fuck it, like I will change anything with this malarkey......

[Aimless]

There, there. Check out the DISCUSS forum for a better place to sound out these ideas.

[Aimless]

https://forums.questionablecontent.net/index.php/topic,28457.0.html

[swapna]

To get from that back on track - god, I'm yearning for some Pintsize. Just one crude dick joke, some insightful cleaning advice, running dildo shenanigans with Winslow, Marigod repairing  him and Pintsize and May bonding over who does the best insults.. Anything but more of Claire/Marten.

cesariojpn: that blew up another few WCDTs, and moderators and forumites are touchy... I see your good intentions, but it's no good asking people around here when you didn't read their bazillion links about the topic. In talking about that you're probably better off looking somewhere else or educating yourself

[katsmeat]

I do not think she struggles to remember, but she might be a bit embarrassed letting Marten access her underwear drawer. As for the booby-trap, it obviously is not lethal (or Pintsize would be dead by now), but I would guess it involves copious use of duct tape. With Faye's proven engineering skills, I guess it is very advanced.

I'd say it's highly likely her drawer contains something (in addition to underwear) whose discovery by another would have made some people embarrassed, if not shamed and mortified.

http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1381

But I'm certain Marten wouldn't care, and Faye knows him well enough not to care either. It speaks well of their friendship if that's the case.

[Pilchard123]

Nothing wrong with how Marten/Claire are becoming ... more than friends/co-workers. It's just that Tai/Dora got itself an extra serving of greatness when Tai stepped out of her clumsy-puppy-love persona to try to kick down some of Dora's insecurity wall. In the vernacular of The Site That Will Ruin Your Life, that in my mind was Tai's Moment of Awesome.

This one?

[cesariojpn]

There, there. Check out the DISCUSS forum for a better place to sound out these ideas.

That seems to me more of sweeping the issue under the rug metaphorically rather than addressing it outright. If Jeph really wants to be this progressive, then the forums should be encouraging such debate in a ready forum, not shunting it elsewhere.

In talking about that you're probably better off looking somewhere else or educating yourself

Don't make such comments without knowing the situation at hand.

[swapna]

In talking about that you're probably better off looking somewhere else or educating yourself

Don't make such comments without knowing the situation at hand.

I am sorry, cesariojpn, I didn't mean to imply that you're not educated about the topic (non-native speaker.. sometimes things just come out wrong . I just meant asking people here is not going to help any matters, so if you're interested, other sources are more helpful.

[Loki]

Cesario: Yes. We are encouraging discussion in the DISCUSS forum (although I am a bit hazy on the rules of that particular thread). It is not the responsibility of others to educate you about their life, nor could we make them in any case. Some people like ZoeB still sometimes take their time for it - but they do it on a voluntary basis. I imagine trans people also want to chill and read their comic, not be pestered by questions. I am sure there is plenty of information on the Internet on any particular aspect you may be interested in - in fact I believe some are linked in the thread I mentioned - and you can be more certain the authors actually wanted to educate you, opposed by being asked about the issues on a forum they frequent, which may be too close to home for most.

[Aimless]

There, there. Check out the DISCUSS forum for a better place to sound out these ideas.

That seems to me more of sweeping the issue under the rug metaphorically rather than addressing it outright. If Jeph really wants to be this progressive, then the forums should be encouraging such debate in a ready forum, not shunting it elsewhere.

What? No, that doesn't make any sense. Get your butt over to the DISCUSS forum eg. to the specific thread I linked to if you're interested in learning more or even just getting some feedback on what you know and believe. Are you afraid of discussion? No? Good, take it to DISCUSS. Sheesh.

[AprilArcus]

That seems to me more of sweeping the issue under the rug metaphorically rather than addressing it outright. If Jeph really wants to be this progressive, then the forums should be encouraging such debate in a ready forum, not shunting it elsewhere.

• The WCDTs in QUESTIONABLE CONTENT are for discussing the comic, Questionable Content.
• The "T in LGBT thread" in DISCUSS is for discussing the "T" in LGBT.
• We don't have a thread for discussing Jeph's politics.

Think clearly about exactly what it is you want to talk about, and post it where it will be on topic.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

There, there. Check out the DISCUSS forum for a better place to sound out these ideas.

That seems to me more of sweeping the issue under the rug metaphorically rather than addressing it outright. If Jeph really wants to be this progressive, then the forums should be encouraging such debate in a ready forum, not shunting it elsewhere.

In talking about that you're probably better off looking somewhere else or educating yourself

Don't make such comments without knowing the situation at hand.

Who said Jeph wanted to be progressive? I believe the term Jeph used was "Inclusive."

The world would be a better place if the poeple with information made time to to give that information to others. Of course, the world would be better place if the people with money made time to give that money to others.

We can admire and thank people who the latter. But we can't require everyone to do it. So it goes with the former. Welcome to Earth.

[Loki]

Of course, the world would be better place if the people with money made time to give that money to others.

ARE YOU ONE OF DEM BLOODY COMMIES

[Honkytonk]

I'm worried about Pintsize in all this. Will he feel guilty about Faye drinking herself to oblivion after turning him off? Will he feel angst that perhaps he should have stopped her from turning him off so he could have warned Marten or got her to the hospital quicker? That could be interesting, even if it's sounded off of Winslow or Momo because Pintsize is, well... Pintsize.

[Smallest]

 I know it was a mod edit, but I like the idea of Pintsize getting them friendship bracelets.

[greywolfe]

That's a lot of tongue in panel 2

#andnowforsomethingcompletelydifferent

[TieDyeKat]

Of course, that's completely ignoring the obvious issue of Claire being a ginger.

[Carl-E]

OK, back to the comic.  I wanted to address some of the comments about what people are - or think they are- seeing, and my interpretation, FWIW. 

Panel one; I think that's been pretty well established.  It's a mix of uncertainty on Claire's part, and a reflection of concern for what she's seeing in Marten's face - exhaustion, worry for Faye, and delight that she's come by. 

Panel two - someone mentioned (probably a few pages back) that there's too much space between them.  But you'll notice that Claire's hands are on Marten's chest, not around him.  After seeing what's in his face, she came towards him, and putting her hands on his chest, angled her head up to give him a much needed (by both of them) kiss. 

Marten's hands are on her upper arms, drawing her in for said kiss.  It's not too much space, it's space that's still being diminished. Claire's hands move, her arms reaching up and encircling Marten's neck and shoulders, as we see in the third panel. 

Panel three - not only have Claire's arms and hands moved (quite naturally) on Marten, but his have moved down and around her back.  They have pivoted - almost a pirouette, moving out slightly into the hall. 

This is where I disagree with many of the other posters.  I'm pretty sure that's the front door to the apartment.  The hinges and knob agree, the point of view has changed to the view from the hallway.  Faye's gone to bed, they have the place to themselves, and I think he's just "welcomed" her in. 

The makeouts, I'm sure, continue.  And the move to the bedroom may well happen in fairly short order.  But I don't think that's what was drawn. 

I wanted to consult Jeph's twitter in case had commented, but I see the twitter feed's been removed from the comic site?  Or am I just having trouble with it? 

[Is it cold in here?]

I wasn't around for all of that, was it really that bad (that would explain the myriad of crossed off names I see on the forums...)?

Yes. There were posts that were deleted within seconds of the first moderator reading them and which got the perpetrators banned permanently on their first post. I will bring back no report of them to trouble the light of day.

There are pointers to trans*-related educational resources in the Notes for New Members thread, and early on in the trans discussion thread in Discuss. Several people here have volunteered educational time that should more than satisfy any reasonable need.

"That offended me" is an educational statement.

[greywolfe]

Of course, that's completely ignoring the obvious issue of Claire being a ginger.

I hope Marten has his medical insurance up to date, I seem to recall him being a bleeder.

 

[Mr. Black Licorice]

I'm thinking more from a story telling perspective: there wasn't a lot of lead up. I kinda found it jarring.

...You have read through the archives, right? Like, the first 511 strips?
"Lead up" may appear to be jarring, but it's actually because it tends to be glacial. When one of the icebergs finally fall off the ice shelf, that's when we notice it.
But this - this has kinda been building for a while. We just haven't seen it since the two of them were off holding hands.

Yeesss... I binge-read this comic a year back from the beginning and have reading ever since. Still doesn't change my opinion; the timing in relation to everything else in the story makes it feel a bit jarring. Today's comic feels completely disconnected from the first few comics earlier this week. How could that have been made better? Perhaps dialogue... not even a lot of dialogue. If Claire asked "Are you okay?" in the first frame and the rest of it stayed exactly the same, I think it would have felt much less jarring to me as a reader.

[MooskiNet]

OK, back to the comic.  I wanted to address some of the comments about what people are - or think they are- seeing, and my interpretation, FWIW. 

I wanted to consult Jeph's twitter in case had commented, but I see the twitter feed's been removed from the comic site?  Or am I just having trouble with it?

With the exception of the interpretation of the door, we're in complete agreement, and I like your explanation of the panels (enough to tell you vice just hitting the button  ).

I'm not seeing the twitter feed, either.

[greywolfe]

I'm not seeing the twitter feed, either.

Nothing on the twitter feed to warrant discussion really.

[SubaruStephen]

Sigh... Why do people focus so much on Claire's anatomy?

Because we have active (and dirty) imaginations?

[Emperor Norton]

This is where I disagree with many of the other posters.  I'm pretty sure that's the front door to the apartment.  The hinges and knob agree, the point of view has changed to the view from the hallway.  Faye's gone to bed, they have the place to themselves, and I think he's just "welcomed" her in. 

As I said in an earlier post (with included reference shots https://forums.questionablecontent.net/index.php/topic,30442.msg1299958.html#msg1299958 ):

The hallway does not have chair rail, the hinges and handle on Marten's door are on the right and left respectively just as the door shown in panel 3 and 4 of the comic. (Faye's door on the other hand, swings the other way).

By the art, the only possible explanation is that is his bedroom door. Or possibly another door in their small apartment that we have never seen (I don't think we've ever seen the wall the the left of the couch), but that option seems unlikely. (maybe its the rumpus room).