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Clinton Clashes Clumsily - Black eye ensues

Robohand intervenes  - see above result

Jimbo steps in - Same result

Emily knows Kung-fu - Cue 'Matrix' music

Emily Climbs Flagpole just for the view

Barfight!!  Emily cleans house - Clinton thrown through window

Clinton falls off his new Boots - hence black eye.

Unspecified shenannigans

Dinner - Waffles, Spathe Eggs, Ham and Cherry Pie

Purple Monkey Dishwasher

Jeph decides to do a week of Sweet Tits.

[ZoeB]

How to top that date? Perhaps something that will mobilise the NRO again.

I can just imagine the two of them getting an invite from Station. That would be truly cool.

[NilsO]

How to top that date? Perhaps something that will mobilise the NRO again.

I can just imagine the two of them getting an invite from Station. That would be truly cool.

I am sure they will be considered a security threat by Station, and denied access. When Hanners invited Marigold and Marten to the Station, she already had done some pre-screening (#1607 and #2104). Apparently, Station considers secret robots a threat.

But if Emily is still being watched by the NRO, I am sure Clinton would consider it cool. He might also want to experiment. Perhaps he can get Emily to open a communication channel between his robot hand and the Great Old Ones. The horror...

[WareWolf]

I don't know if I'd call that date "epic."  Maybe if the guy that hit him was taller, had scales, and breathed fire...

Man, you've got some high standards there.

[DrBear]

Just for the record, there are coho (king) salmon in Lake Michigan. Very popular with area anglers.

Don't think Clin-ton diving in would be a good idea, though. It would short out his tattoo.

[DSL]

At some point, Marten, offer him a clean shirt. You've got a TEH or two you're probably not gonna wear anymore.

[Skewbrow]

I'm trying to read Claire's expressions in this strip. Her eyes in particular. Somehow I get the vibe that in the first panel she is siding with her brother, may be "eew", may be silently thinking that Marten can't be serious. But in the second and the third panels she is gradually warming up to the task of running with the joke.

Jeph has, of course, a lot of experience expressing things with the directions of the gaze alone. For example the dinner MartyMom, Marten and Faye shared about 2500 strips ago was epic in that regard.

Not ruling out the possibility that I am reading too much into all this.

[tywren]

I don't know if I'd call that date "epic."  Maybe if the guy that hit him was taller, had scales, and breathed fire...

One need not do battle with a dragon for the date to be epic, giants are a perfectly viable substitute.

[TinPenguin]

I'm trying to read Claire's expressions in this strip. Her eyes in particular. Somehow I get the vibe that in the first panel she is siding with her brother, may be "eew", may be silently thinking that Marten can't be serious. But in the second and the third panels she is gradually warming up to the task of running with the joke.

Jeph has, of course, a lot of experience expressing things with the directions of the gaze alone. For example the dinner MartyMom, Marten and Faye shared about 2500 strips ago was epic in that regard.

Not ruling out the possibility that I am reading too much into all this.

In panel one she has a snark fully loaded and ready to fire. In panel two and three she realises her artillery does not have infantry backup. In panel four she leads a cavalry charge instead.

(I think I lost track of my metaphor)

[Is it cold in here?]

Exactly! Does his hand actually HAVE either of the two powers? Why else would he have to ask?

I read it as a nerd thing. Certain people, in certain moods, feel compelled to remove all ambiguity from a question before answering it.

[Penquin47]

Exactly! Does his hand actually HAVE either of the two powers? Why else would he have to ask?

I read it as a nerd thing. Certain people, in certain moods, feel compelled to remove all ambiguity from a question before answering it.

Me, for instance.  It drives my dad crazy.  Especially when I then follow up by coming up with more and more implausible scenarios trying to break the premise.  (It usually works.)

[osaka]

Although considering the programming the QCverse has for some AIs, it's not implausible that the hand has a charge blast.

I mean, Momo has something not too different.

[Estron]

Haven't read the board yet, but I've seen the Friday comic, and I end my QC week chuckling at this wind-up strip.

[SubaruStephen]

Boots explained.

Was hoping for a more entertaining explanation.

[Gladstone]

Jeph just forgot about the boots while writing the date and only just remembered to add them now.

*AOOGA* *AOOGA* WARNING WARNING RETCON IN PROGRESS PLEASE STAND CLEAR *AOOGA*

[vforvancouver]

The boots explanation works for me. Also, it makes Clinnnnnntonnnnn look taller.

[Truec]

Jeph just forgot about the boots while writing the date and only just remembered to add them now.

*AOOGA* *AOOGA* WARNING WARNING RETCON IN PROGRESS PLEASE STAND CLEAR *AOOGA*

It's not a retcon if there's no continuity for him to retroactively change.

[hedgie]

I have to say, for the sake of accuracy, that *most* trousers fit into tall(ish) boots.  In Clinton's case, and I know from experience, that the pain from his tattoo and injury will be *nothing* compared to the pain of breaking in the boots.

[Penquin47]

Okay, Marten, we get it, you like Claire.

(Although he's right, the dorky look *does* work for her.)

[Energia]

Oh ye-eh! Oh ye-eh! <Does a Marigold booty dance> OR <Clinton Jo Jo Bizarre dance> (but not both at the same time!) Emily has brought out the best in Clinton. 

[Kugai]

So, is he wearing Doc Martins?   


Hey Clin-ton, it got her Marten didn't it?!   

[BenRG]

Well, it's as good an explanation as any for the boots. It's also a reminder that not everything has to have a comedic or chaotic explanation. Sometimes, a mundane story is just as valid and still lead to a joke! I do think that we have really only seen the beginning of the affects of this night for the Augustus family. Think of the family get-togethers!

Yeah, Claire can pull off 'dorky', can't she? Maybe, in the end, it's all about the attitude! It's also very in-character for Claire to somehow mix mockery and support when talking to her brother.

Of course, having a significant other who is into it in a big way is a heck of a motivation for excelling in your chosen aesthetic! That said, we may see Claire experiment with other looks as her self-confidence grows. Marten may be in for a ride, as far as that goes!

[Rghfrgl]

That said, we may see Claire experiment with other looks as her self-confidence grows.

We have already. I think rockin this gorgeous dress gave her a lot of confidence. It was all shirt and khaki shorts before that and while she hasn't abandoned that she is just as likely to be wearing a dress as not now.

In retrospect might also be that's when her crush started and she wanted to impress Marten.

[BenRG]

So, anyone got any ideas for next week? There isn't anything obvious that occurs to me. The options that come to mind are:

• Faye gets a new job;
• Hannelore meets Arthur outside of the support group and has to scramble to keep Faye's secret (and hers);
• A cutesy-funny sequence of Claire and Emily discussing the nature of being a girlfriend;
• Meanwhile, on the Space Station...
• VERONICA: "Marten, how would you feel about having three dads?"

Option (3) could be hilarious or toe-curling depending on how Jeph handles it. Even though Claire has, at best, a week's more experience of being in a relationship than Emily does, I could see Emily treating her as a sage in all things 'boyfriend'. She has lots of questions, some of which should not be asked in a public place like the library. I could see one or two moments where the two get into a 'Squeee!' about their respectives and either Marten shouting out: "I'm standing here, you know!" or Tai shouting out: "Okay, so your boyfriends are cute! I'm happy for you! Now get back to work already!"

Option (2) more-or-less writes itself. Imagine, if you will, Hanners trying to explain why variations on 'Hannelore' are a nickname or contraction of 'Abyssinia'.

[Undrneath]

But is Emily as inexperienced as Claire?  All I remember is she wasn't sure Clinnn-tonnn was her type. She very well might have been on many dates in the past.

[ZoeB]

Okay, Marten, we get it, you like Claire.

(Although he's right, the dorky look *does* work for her.)

Apparently she has a certain sneaking fondness for him too. Just quietly.

[anahata]

I don't think the Clinton - Emily arc is finished yet.
- Emily says she had fun, but I wonder if she's got anything more revealing more to say about the date, in conversation with others?
- Clinton considers the possible implications and expectations if he wants another date with Emily...

Meanwhile:
- we need to check in on Faye's progress from time to time
- we haven't seen Dora or Tai for a while
- we haven't seen Marigold or Dale for a very long time
- Sven dropped a bombshell and hasn't been seen since - surely there will be a follow-up?
- many fringe characters have accumulated and faded into the distance - will any of them return?

[BenRG]

It occurs to me that Clinton and Claire are having this loud conversation right outside the apartments bedrooms. From Strip 2931, I got the impression that Claire remembered to call Clinton just as she and Marten were going to bed. That means it could be very, very late. Is Faye laughing to herself in her bedroom, or is she about to burst out and yell: "Some of us have had an emotionally exhausting day and would like to be able to get some sleep already!"

[CaptainFish]

I wonder if those boots give Clinton a little lift...
He should definitely keep rocking the suspenders though.

I don't really see Claire as anywhere near as dorky Clinton, but they both like formal wear. It's just that, to me, a dress comes off as less dorky than a white shirt, suspenders and bowtie. Glad to see she's confident about her style anyway.

[chaospersonified]

I like Claire the teasing older sister.

[Omega Entity]

I'm liking her less, actually. And Marten see!s to be turning into a yes-man.

Maybe I'm just grumpy because I need more sleep.

[chaospersonified]

Marten see!s to be turning into a yes-man.

...So... he agrees his girlfriend looks good, making him a yes-man?

Yeah, I think you need a nap, Omega

[chaospersonified]

I think I like Claire because she has a very similar sense of humor to me, stupid puns and playful pokes at pals. Or in this case, Clinton, but that didn't work with the alliterative analysis I had going on.

In other news, this look is an actual improvement for Clinton. Definitely sets him apart as a character. I hope he keeps the tattoo, at least. Maybe it'll grow on him, or if this thing with Emily continues, he'll keep it as a reminder of their first date. The second one's only likely if Emily makes a big deal about it.

[Zebediah]

Getting the tattoo will become something Clinton and Emily do on all their dates. After every date Clinton gets it removed, and on the next one he winds up getting it again.

[gprimr1]

At first I was a little annoyed by Claire, after her performance with Faye, but then I realized this is just a brother-sister thing.

But it would be interesting to see some drama between Claire and the group

[Xader]

Boom!

Boots with toe caps.

 

[Omega Entity]

Marten see!s to be turning into a yes-man.

...So... he agrees his girlfriend looks good, making him a yes-man?

Yeah, I think you need a nap, Omega

Moreso that he's reduced to a simple 'Yeah!' rather than 'She does have a point'. I'm all for brevity, but combined with the expression on his face, it's just... I dunno what it is about it that bothers me so much.

On Claire and the brother-sister dynamic, it seems like she does nothing -but- snark on him. It just gets old after a while, I guess.

[chaospersonified]

Moreso that he's reduced to a simple 'Yeah!' rather than 'She does have a point'. I'm all for brevity, but combined with the expression on his face, it's just... I dunno what it is about it that bothers me so much.

I'll give that it feels weird to even have Marten in this comic. His presence bothers me because it's entirely unnecessary. I mean, I get what Jeph was trying to do when he put him there, but I feel like it messes with the joke to some degree.

On Claire and the brother-sister dynamic, it seems like she does nothing -but- snark on him. It just gets old after a while, I guess.

Recently, this is true. I'd be interested in seeing a different dynamic between them myself, like the overprotective little brother we saw in Clinton after the marriage of the two dads. The dynamic we are seeing though doesn't bother me, because I'm that kind of guy. My default setting is snark. If I'm making fun of someone, and I'm not straight up calling them out on bullshit, it's because I like and care for them. My sister's the same way, and that's what I'm recognizing in the Clinton-Claire relationship/

[Rghfrgl]

Clinton can bring out the worse in Claire, but I'm not seeing it today. She's teasing him, but it's reasonable teasing. It doesn't feel like she's reverted into a 14 year old like she often does.

[Aziraphale]

Getting the tattoo will become something Clinton and Emily do on all their dates. After every date Clinton gets it removed, and on the next one he winds up getting it again.

Either that, or he keeps getting additions and modifications to the existing tattoo 'til his arm looks like something out of HR Giger, which would be unexpectedly badass of Clinton.

[Penquin47]

Marten see!s to be turning into a yes-man.

...So... he agrees his girlfriend looks good, making him a yes-man?

Yeah, I think you need a nap, Omega

It's more than that, for me.  There's this, and the things with Faye calling Claire something and Marten going "I know!" with that same ridiculous look on his face.  Except that then, someone was talking to him, and his response was part of the joke.  Here, it's just... blegh.

[Nepiophage]

But is Emily as inexperienced as Claire?  All I remember is she wasn't sure Clinnn-tonnn was her type. She very well might have been on many dates in the past.

Given her looks, probably many first dates. Given her weirdness, probably much fewer second dates.  But as far as actual relationships go, they are equally inexperienced. 

[Is it cold in here?]

OE has a point. Yes, "faithful heart may have froward tongue", it's believable that Claire is loving and supportive deep down, but my idea of characterization would have included some brief example of that by now.

[Aziraphale]

There's something to their interactions that suggests more than garden-variety sibling rivalry, even given both characters' apparent emotional immaturity. What's odd is that we know the Dora/Sven backstory, but comparatively little of the Claire/Clinton backstory, even though they're both regular (and lately, regularly foregrounded) characters. I don't expect Strip 500-level drama, but a bit of explanation would go a long way toward making sense of their dynamic.

[Kugai]

I suspect it may have its roots in Claires Transition.

Maybe back in the early days Clinton was confused over what his then brother was doing/going through and wasn't as supportive as he is now (what happened to his hand may figure into that as well).

They may have somewhat sorted things out between them now, but there may still be some remaining, minor confusion and resentment on both parts from that period.

[TRVA123]

gah. i like Marten, I like Claire. I even like the idea of them together.

but I am so sick of it. Show us something else. Anything else. Fuck, give us 20 strips of Steves moving story eating a bowl of cereal.

I don't know what it is, Marten and Dora didn't make me feel like this, but I don't think that Marten and Dora are better suited than Marten and Claire. I just went back and reread a bunch of those strips.. and i can't put my finger on it. The overall energy is different, in a more appealing way. Maybe its because the story jumps between a lot more plotlines much more quickly.

[Aziraphale]

I suspect it may have its roots in Claires Transition.

Maybe back in the early days Clinton was confused over what his then brother was doing/going through and wasn't as supportive as he is now (what happened to his hand may figure into that as well).

They may have somewhat sorted things out between them now, but there may still be some remaining, minor confusion and resentment on both parts from that period.

Or it could be smoe kind of residual baggage from their father's affair, depending on how things went down and whether either of them took "sides."

gah. i like Marten, I like Claire. I even like the idea of them together.

but I am so sick of it. Show us something else. Anything else. Fuck, give us 20 strips of Steves moving story eating a bowl of cereal.

I don't know what it is, Marten and Dora didn't make me feel like this, but I don't think that Marten and Dora are better suited than Marten and Claire. I just went back and reread a bunch of those strips.. and i can't put my finger on it. The overall energy is different, in a more appealing way. Maybe its because the story jumps between a lot more plotlines much more quickly.

I think there's something to that. They're a cute couple, but for a while now Jeph's been doing more sustained story arcs instead of jumping among stories or breaking it up with one-off joke strips. On one hand, it allows for a bit more depth in the story that might be harder to pull off with the jumps, but on the other, it means long doses of certain characters and some others (like Dora, Marigold, and Dale) who we've seen very little. I think if the earlier strips had been "edited" differently -- the same stories, but different pacing and less alternation -- you'd probably get much the same effect.

[Radium_Coyote]

Clinton's not programmed for interpersonal violence.   Few of the cast are, actually.  All bets placed, I consider that a good thing.

Clinton's shaping up to be an interesting dude.  "Fuck it" carried him a long way.

[vforvancouver]

I just noticed something about Clin-ton's shirt:

2015. Special Order for dress in new Dr. Manhattan spin-off fabric. Viscous fluids between two layers latex, heat and pressure sensitive. Customer young girl, Italian name. Never collected order. Said shirt looked ugly. Wrong. Not ugly at all. Beer and blood. Moving. Changing shape… but not mixing.

Clin-ton's shirt is made from the same cloth as Rorschach's mask.

[Omega Entity]

gah. i like Marten, I like Claire. I even like the idea of them together.

but I am so sick of it. Show us something else. Anything else. Fuck, give us 20 strips of Steves moving story eating a bowl of cereal.

I don't know what it is, Marten and Dora didn't make me feel like this, but I don't think that Marten and Dora are better suited than Marten and Claire. I just went back and reread a bunch of those strips.. and i can't put my finger on it. The overall energy is different, in a more appealing way. Maybe its because the story jumps between a lot more plotlines much more quickly.

I think there's something to that. They're a cute couple, but for a while now Jeph's been doing more sustained story arcs instead of jumping among stories or breaking it up with one-off joke strips. On one hand, it allows for a bit more depth in the story that might be harder to pull off with the jumps, but on the other, it means long doses of certain characters and some others (like Dora, Marigold, and Dale) who we've seen very little. I think if the earlier strips had been "edited" differently -- the same stories, but different pacing and less alternation -- you'd probably get much the same effect.

I think that's pretty much it. The arcs back during Marten-Dora were much less involved, and as such we saw both characters acting independently, outside of being a couple, and therefore we were less prone to being sick of them. Their occasional 'couple cuteness overload' strips were there (mind you, far less saccharine than Marten-Claire), but it was really only a strip, and then back to business as usual.

With the current setup, all we've seen is the two together almost exclusively since they got together, since there's very little time progression happening. It feels like they've ceased being individuals, and are now -the couple-, which obviously isn't true, due to the aforementioned lack of progression. Maybe once we can get outside of the 3-day span that the past insert-number-of-month's worth of comics have covered, time can start moving forward again and we can start seeing Marten and Claire independent of one another again.

Least, that's my take.

[hedgie]

It is, however, not uncommon for couples in the early stages of a relationship be "joined at the hip".  At least in my experience, it takes a while for both people to get tired of the other's company, and need their own space.