Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
God Himself Could Not Sink This Ship: Thoughts on Marten, Claire, and the Future
Gladstone:
--- Quote from: ASB84 on 05 May 2015, 18:32 ---So no, I for one am not asking for angst and drama. I want humour, wit, amusing escapades, more "mundane" moments that run the gamut of them hanging out with each other, hanging out alone, or hanging out with other members of the cast...interactions that move plots forward. Have the cute/sweet moments happen along the way, rather than seemingly being the only point of having them appear. I'm not saying that stuff hasn't happened - Clinton's date and a bit of crossover with Faye's arc are obvious examples - but for me, the current ratio isn't quite to my taste. Personal preference, our mileage may vary, and all that.
--- End quote ---
I completely agree. And regarding the slowed pacing, I think the new layout has something to do with it. While the larger panels have made it possible for Jeph to show us more intimate moments between characters (especially 2892--that scene would've lost a lot in the old 4-panel vertical layout), I think he sacrificed the potential for large group hangouts. The number of comics featuring three or more characters, all contributing to the conversation, has dropped significantly. When was the last time everyone got together for old times' sake? "Another Night Out" barely cut it--you have to go back to the pre-2600s to get any meaningful group interaction. Marten hasn't even interacted with Dora or Steve since that night--but I doubt they'll show up together in the same strip anytime soon, so they'll probably find out about Marten and Claire individually, leading to more Claireten-centric stories.
(Obviously, Dora found out about the two of them from Faye the day after the scritches, but as far as we know she hasn't seen Marten since, so I imagine there'll be a congratulations-on-the-new-lady conversation when next they meet. Sigh.)
(Also, it doesn't help things that Faye and Dora are kind of estranged at the moment, so a get-together with the old regulars isn't likely to happen anytime soon...)
I can't complain too much, though--I still love QC, and the pacing isn't nearly as glacial as my newfound love Dumbing of Age--but I really hope to see a large group gathering sometime in the near future, something along the lines of the 2014 cast poster from the store, obviously with a few minor changes in character attendance.
End-of-summer/start-of-fall barbecue? Engagement party for a certain mother and her new beau? I don't care, just make it happen.
electromgneticDstroyosaur:
Perhaps God couldn't, but Faye just might.
Yes, I know she's insistent on not screwing Marten over again, but do y'all honestly expect this evening to pass without incident? Faye's prickly on a good day, let alone a drunk, miserable, and embarrassed one. Claire makes quick assumptions, carries trust issues from her childhood, and lacks experience and tact. Marten's already stressed just from Faye's lapse. This can't end well.
Gladstone:
I honestly did not consider Faye being a factor in this relationship. Weird thing to overlook, huh?
themacnut:
Faye will continue to be a factor in any romantic relationship Marten is in long as they live together, and her alcoholism complicates the situation further, especially since Marten feels obliged to care for her when she falls of the wagon. That's the kind of thing that could stretch a girlfriend's understanding and tolerance to the limit, especially if said girlfriend knows they almost banged.
Put that together with Claire's inexperience with relationships and her insecurities about cheating, and end result is a 'ship that's actually quite sinkable. She and Marten have some treacherous icebergs to navigate if they're to avoid sinking.
Stoon:
I kept talking about Questionable Content to a friend of mine, and he realized he stopped reading it at some point. He said he's missed a lot more of the archives than he thought.
A few days ago he linked me this comic, thought it was an interesting bit of foreshadowing considering the relationship of Claire and Martin.
http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=615
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