Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT Strips 3976-3980 (April 8th-12th, 2019)
Sorflakne:
*makes note to buy popcorn*
BenRG:
I'm thinking that we're seeing clearly, for probably the first time, what the current arc for Marten is: Time to Adult.
Marten has been treading water, just enjoying being where he is. However, Dora is right to point out that this may not be possible for much longer. This isn't just an isolated incident either. Claire is the catalyst that's slowly forcing Marten out of his 'footloose, fancy-free and single tween' holding pattern and realising that he has to start taking actions that will let him manage living adult life. That means having to decide how he'll react to Claire's career taking her elsewhere than Northampton.
Bearing in mind that Hannelore has essentially left (and I'm not sure if she'll ever return) and that Faye and Bubbles really don't seem to have any more arcs lined up, I suspect that Jeph is following a deliberate strategy of wrapping up his existing characters' storylines. We are rapidly approaching strip 4000, after all. I think that there is a serious possibility that Marten, Dora and their significant others may fade out of the strip altogether, leaving the way completely clear for the strip to be dominated by Clinton, Brun, Elliott, Roko and their surrounding connections with only Faye remaining from the existing cast and then only as an occasionally-seen support character. I don't think that Marten and Claire will necessarily move out of town like Hanners but it is quite possible that they'll just fade out of the strip. If I'm right, I'm suspecting that this process will be complete no later than strip 4500.
I suspect that there are two basic motivations for this: Firstly, it's possible that Jeph feels that there are too many characters and he needs to write out those for whom he's exhausted his list of stories he wishes to tell. Secondly, I think he's decided that the new direction in which he wants to take Questionable Content need for him to be focussed specifically on the characters that he's clearly establishing for that broader direction (the ClinBrunEliRoko quartet, Renee and their supporting characters).
I wonder if there will be a shock cliff-hanger in strip 4000 where Claire tells Marten that she's received a job offer quite some distance from Northampton?
brasca:
While this is something he should discuss given how frazzled Claire was getting it’s probably for the best to delay this conversation until after the exam.
TheEvilDog:
Hmm, what are the possibilities here?
- Marten steps down from his job to let Claire have a job in SMIF and thus, they both stay in Northampton.
- Claire takes a job within a commutable distance (anything between 100 and 120 miles a day travelling)
- Claire takes a job some distance away from Northampton, necessitating a move. Marten follows.
- Claire takes a job some distance away from Northampton, necessitating a move. Marten doesn't follow, relationship remains stable.
- Claire takes a job some distance away from Northampton, necessitating a move. Marten doesn't follow, relationship begins to crack.
- Claire unable to find a job, cracks begin to form in relationship.
- Marten and Claire leave Northampton, presumably on a jet plane, don't know when they'll be back again. (I hope not, because that is a depressing song)
traroth:
I'm with Marten, here. What's the use of twisting themselves to knots beforehand? They don't know what the future will be anyway! Worrying never solved any problem.
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