THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: jwhouk on 05 Dec 2010, 16:23
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Here ya go.
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was gonna vote for Dora's sheer terror, but then i saw mmmmmm waffles :psyduck:
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Jeph has maintained twitter radio silence for a while now. Ominous or just out partying?
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Maybe Northampton is in the midst of a zombie-apocalypse and Jeph is too busy fighting of the undead to tweet.
Won't stop him from posting the comic, though.
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Can't decide between the Hanners and the Tai.
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Just caught up on the characters' twitter. Cookies!
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Does the fact that i'm worried about Jeph cause he hasn't twittered since Friday make me a stalker?
.....'cuz I'm worried :-(
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C'mon, Gravey, they're his only two days off a week...
the tweets usually thin out over a weekend, unless he's at a con.
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But he usually tweets something, even if it's just something ridiculous followed by #buttslol. IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN JEPH'S LIFE MY WHOLE ROUTINE IS THROWN OFF!!!
well I guess that answers my stalker question.
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I was torn between Hanners and Tai, but in the end, I split the middle and just picked the common variable, Veronica's return.
Lets face it, Marty's mom is the one person that Faye is terrified of, her reappearence is going to make the resident southern belle freak out!
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I vote for Marten trying to address some things with Dora before Veronica shows up, to mitigate Veronica's ass kicking of Dora.
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You evil bastard
This should have been a multiple choice poll.
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Nevermind, Jeph just tweeted he's gonna start broadcasting his drawing soon. For those of you who haven't seen it, check it out; it's pretty neat!
http://www.justin.tv/jephjacques/b/274918457? (http://www.justin.tv/jephjacques/b/274918457?)
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I was looking forward to Marty's mom's appearance, but decided vote for, "Teh Dramaz!!1!!" as in the whole Veronica/Dora encounter.
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I had to join up when I heard that waffles were involved.
Waffles are always involved.
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Tai did that on purpose.
Although she does look kinda surprised, too.
Sure got Marten's mind out of its spiral, though!
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So this is what Marten is like when he loses control.
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Oh no, we're just scratching the surface. He hasn't lost it quite yet.
Also, how did Tai manage to feel Marty's nipple through his shirt and a hoodie? It must be freezing in the library.
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I'm not sure Tai's being completely fair. If Dora happens across Ms. Reed while she's in town, things will get very awkward, very fast.
And sheesh, just move your arm a bit, you big, lesbian baby. And if that hurts, while they're hard enough to feel, Marten might want to consider undershirts.
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Interesting, up until this point Marten has put up a brave face. Yeah he seemed depressed, but he wasn't above making a joke / engaging in banter / ect. Now we see the first crack in his facade. A shadow of breakdowns to come?
In any case I'm looking forward to the inevitable Veronica and Dora scenes. :evil:
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Marten's armour go "crack".
It's not broken, not yet, but he's clearly not coping. I think that when Ms. Reed makes her big return, we might finally see Marten lose control... Mothers have a way of making you open up and get whatever's eating away at you out in the open. Whether it's yelling, or crying, or swearing, or whatever you need to do in order to deal with it.
Seriously: think of a time when you were on a ragged edge, stressed out, emotions boiling over like crazy... and then think what would have happened if you were alone in a room with your mother, and she could see how obviously upset you were. Nobody would be able to hold out. Mothers are very, very powerful things.
If it does play out that way, it's not going to be pleasant for Marten. It might be embarassing, he might say some things he'll regret, he might make a scene... hopefully nobody else will be a witness. I think Ms. Reed has more tact than to let anyone else see it. But the guy needs to purge those emotions. She could just help him do it.
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Wha--
A nip--
HOW?
First, it's through at least two layers of clothing, and second, where her hand is, it would have to be on the side of his rib cage. Does Marten have a vestigial nipple I'm not recalling the explanation for?
Unless Tai's really referring to just discovering that one of her own nipples is now poking Marten in the shoulder... or back... depending.
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Dammit that's what I said! And I didn't even notice her hand placement was wrong for feeling a nipple. Also, Jeph's newspost kind of implies that Tai was rubbing Marten's chest. What is this I don't even
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I can't even laugh because of how perfectly drawn Marten's hands/face/tone is.
Maybe it's the "I can't," but damn that's hits a chord. That "I can't" is every failure I ever endured, and every time my heart got broken. This is Marten's "I'm not strong enough" and it gets me here like it did in the Incredibles.
The reason I love this comic isn't just for the art, it's because I can hear the characters' voices, and Marten's voice just broke my heart.
I know there's been speculation on what the live action movie would look like, but I wouldn't mind just a really well done voice acting session where you listen along with the comics soundtracked and all. Would Jeph's Marten be choking on his words or just breaking down?I don't know, but I love this comic.
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What is this I don't even
This is Jeph trying to pull a punchline out of thin air after 4 panels of plot exposition.
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The Tai Book Of Diffusing Emo Moments
Chapter 3, Paragraph 12
:-D
It is definitely going to be interesting when Ms. Vance arrives.
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I hope "woops! found a nipple" becomes a new internet meme.
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Where is the supposed nipple that she found, and how did it get there? :psyduck:
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So, after trawling around in the wrong thread (derp) for an hour... :psyduck:
Well, nice to see a little light-hearted humor. Although I don't forsee any relief for Marten's worries just yet. Man, I'm starting to agree with all the "Marten will snap" posters. Dude needs to let it out, how I'm not sure. Also, it's nice to see that Tai really does care about Marten as a friend, even if she is not the most tactful person. And I think we've all been in Marten's place before: where a day (or event) is so angering/depressing/upsetting that every little thing just seems like ANOTHER load to bear. I've been there, I know that much.
We need a poll on HOW Marten will freak out, if at all. (And I think there is plenty of evidence that he will.)
-Passive? Crying, airing of emotions etc.?
-Agressive? Outbursts, shouting, maybe even breaking something? (for some reason I'm seeing a guitar smashing)
-Passive Agressive? Backhanded remarks and snide comments? Alienating himself from his friends?
-Other? Hannerbang? WHOOPS. WRONG THREAD. SILLY ME.
What do you guys think?
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In the second panel of this comic he's already going down the passive-aggressive-alienating friends route, though he apologized once Tai called him on it. I hope the guitar-smashing doesn't happen; if he trashed his vintage guitar he'd hang himself with one of the strings afterward.
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Man I normally love the girl to death but geez Tai, shut up.
Haha man if I were Marten I so would have snapped at that, and been like oh you wanna see me be a dick? YOU WANNA SEE ME BE A DICK, OH I AIN'T EVEN STARTED YET HONEY
No I know she cares a lot, obviously, from the fourth panel but her blase' attitude (this is twice now, in my opinion) towards how much he should or should not be reacting/feeling is gettin on my nerrrrves. And I know probably why it exists but still, ghhh shut uuuup. Tact! Look it up! You're in the perfect place.
Okay anyway. I love the art here, Marten's face - Jeph's getting really good at showing emotions in eyes.
And man he is close...I could hear his voice crack in my mind.
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You watch. This strip is going to turn into the "Drew Curtis vs. Jon Stewart" of webcomics.
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Wha--
A nip--
HOW?
First, it's through at least two layers of clothing, and second, where her hand is, it would have to be on the side of his rib cage. Does Marten have a vestigial nipple I'm not recalling the explanation for?
Unless Tai's really referring to just discovering that one of her own nipples is now poking Marten in the shoulder... or back... depending.
Pretty much what I was wondering. Something along the lines of...
"Did I miss a comic about Marten's superfluous third nipple on his rib cage?"
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Man I normally love the girl to death but geez Tai, shut up.
Haha man if I were Marten I so would have snapped at that, and been like oh you wanna see me be a dick? YOU WANNA SEE ME BE A DICK, OH I AIN'T EVEN STARTED YET HONEY
No I know she cares a lot, obviously, from the fourth panel but her blase' attitude (this is twice now, in my opinion) towards how much he should or should not be reacting/feeling is gettin on my nerrrrves. And I know probably why it exists but still, ghhh shut uuuup. Tact! Look it up! You're in the perfect place.
Okay anyway. I love the art here, Marten's face - Jeph's getting really good at showing emotions in eyes.
And man he is close...I could hear his voice crack in my mind.
Some folks just can't do tact, and have no idea of how to handle someone who is upset. We suck at it, and use humour because it's all we know how to do. I think the nipple this was just an awkward moment for both. certainly was unexpected.
On that note..I never thought of the"Martin being jealous of his mother's sex appeal" angle. Now I wonder. I would like to see how that develops.
I refuse to speculate on where that phantom nipple is.
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Tai hugging Marten and finding the nipple is hella cute and all but I think the best thing tonight is Jeph's tweets
Cannibal Team Fortress 2 Marigold is the best thing in the world
The best
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So, how long until the internet shoops Tai's hand in Marty's pants? :roll:
Bet you didn't think of THAT combo!
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Where is the supposed nipple that she found, and how did it get there?
On Faye (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=491)?
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So, how long until the internet shoops Tai's hand in Marty's pants? :roll:
Bet you didn't think of THAT combo!
IT WILL BE LIKE CHASING AMY ONLY 300% MORE AWKWARD
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So, how long until the internet shoops Tai's hand in Marty's pants? :roll:
Bet you didn't think of THAT combo!
esp. with the "Whoops, a nipple!" line
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Where is the supposed nipple that she found, and how did it get there?
On Faye (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=491)?
But how did it move? Is it trying to find the best possible host for its world conquest? Are we in the midst of the evil parasite nipple?! :psyduck:
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It must be colder than a welldigger's ass in that library if Tai was able to feel a nipple through Marten's shirt and sweatshirt.
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Where is the supposed nipple that she found, and how did it get there?
On Faye (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=491)?
But how did it move? Is it trying to find the best possible host for its world conquest? Are we in the midst of the evil parasite nipple?! :psyduck:
It is not moving. it is MULTIPLYING.
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But how did it move? Is it trying to find the best possible host for its world conquest? Are we in the midst of the evil parasite nipple?! :psyduck:
"Evil Parasite Nipple" sounds like some (hot) sci-fi porno
Oh and if you don't have twitter, you are really missing out tonight
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Hanners good.
Me vote Hanners !
And about the nipple, I guess Jeph had a hard time finding a good punchline today or something.
He even felt the need to kinda defend it in the text below the comic ...
Maybe Northampton is in the midst of a zombie-apocalypse and Jeph is too busy fighting of the undead to tweet.
Won't stop him from posting the comic, though.
Hopefully he got some of these things then: http://zombietools.net/ (http://zombietools.net/)
Can't decide between the Hanners and the Tai.
Well ... I'm a dude, so that choice is easy.
Does the fact that i'm worried about Jeph cause he hasn't twittered since Friday make me a stalker?
Holy whatever, he tweets that often ? I start to understand the headline of this forum ("Will turn Jeph into a mass-murderer someday. You'll see. You'll all see. ") so much better now.
Wha--
A nip--
HOW?
First, it's through at least two layers of clothing, and second, where her hand is, it would have to be on the side of his rib cage. Does Marten have a vestigial nipple I'm not recalling the explanation for?
Unless Tai's really referring to just discovering that one of her own nipples is now poking Marten in the shoulder... or back... depending.
I refuse thinking about that one.
So, after trawling around in the wrong thread (derp) for an hour... :psyduck:
[...]
BWHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA LOL !
[...] if he trashed his vintage guitar he'd hang himself with one of the strings afterward.
Naaaaah. Jeph wouldnt kill Marten. Unless ...
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First, it's through at least two layers of clothing, and second, where her hand is, it would have to be on the side of his rib cage. Does Marten have a vestigial nipple I'm not recalling the explanation for?
Yeah... Almost in his armpit. Is Marten related to that guy in "The Man With The Golden Gun"?
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Does the fact that i'm worried about Jeph cause he hasn't twittered since Friday make me a stalker?
Holy whatever, he tweets that often ? I start to understand the headline of this forum ("Will turn Jeph into a mass-murderer someday. You'll see. You'll all see. ") so much better now.
Well yeah he normally tweets sporadically during the weekend and he didn't this weekend. Excuse me for showing concern.
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It must be colder than a welldigger's ass in that library if Tai was able to feel a nipple through Marten's shirt and sweatshirt.
Either that or Tai's touch is well tuned to sense nipples. I was gonna say `Tai's fingers', but it looks like it's her forearm that hit the spot.
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YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CHIKUBI!!!
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Initially I thought it was Tai's nipple that got caught or something. Not sure if there's anything in the comic that mentions it either way, but I keep assuming Tai has pierced nipples (I mean, she's got her clit pierced, it's obviously not a taboo area).
As a guy, I'm generally not aware of my nipples unless it's cold and I'm doing something that causes friction, like running. Maybe Marten's been exposed to hormones in those free pastries and they're overly sensitive.
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So, the walls of Ft. Cool have finally begun to crack.
And somehow, i get the feeling that the results could be quite dramatic. Despite the chances of even more drama, he seriously needs to vent off some pressure, because it seems that the armor of calm and cool just aint doing its job. How, that's something beyond my imagination. But as we can see, the act of cool (and indifference) seems to crumbling bit by bit, and seriously, the results are just simply heartbreaking. From being snide lil bugger (think that's the first time Marten being kind of dick to his friends directly?) to almost breaking down, choking on his words. Poor bastard.
As for Tai being tactless, I think she just cant help it. She has same kind of worryfree attitude towards life as Marten (used to have), but instead of going "huh buh duh wha", she just blurts out her opinions, wether they were appropriate or not. I think she truly shows concern towards him, but, in my opinion, she just doesn't understand the scale of the situation at hand. I mean sure, she's had her fair share of sucky relationships and drama, but still, it seems that she's always succeeded in not letting the drama bring her down, but to see it as a minor inconvenience. Her calling on Marten being a dick kinda shows that she cares for him, because is she wouldn't care, her response could be something like "pssh, whatever, be a dick and alienate yourself from your friends". Lastly, the comforting hug was definetly "d'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaw"-moment, but GOD DAMN, the "nipplegate" was CREEPY. *shudder*
Im SO waiting to see how this is going to go.... Thou i have a feeling, based on Jeph's tweets, that he's gonna have one -hell- of a hangover :-D :-D :-D :-D (drinky drinky!)
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Maybe not everything, Tai, but he does get to be a dick about this after all your goddam squirrely come-ons to Dora. You were as annoying as all hell.
I suppose I'm alone in not being clear why this is the 'straw' for Marten. I mean, yes, it would be for me, but my mother's…special. Veronica, for all her uniqueness, doesn't strike me as such.
On the other hand, I suppose it could be just that general having to face reality I was talking about last week when everyone was jumping Marten for whining about the loss of his free lunch.
First, it's through at least two layers of clothing, and second, where her hand is, it would have to be on the side of his rib cage. Does Marten have a vestigial nipple I'm not recalling the explanation for?
Yeah... Almost in his armpit. Is Marten related to that guy in "The Man With The Golden Gun"?
I'm wondering if am I the only other person on this thread who knows Scaramanga is supposed to have three nipples.
Edit. Apparently I'm not going to be able to sleep until I say this. Tergon, I usually find your posts interesting, but that one about mothers reads like a miserable Hellmark card. Sheesh. Not everyone has a special relationship with their mother, and for some that do, 'special' has a vastly different connotation than the one you're trying to give it. Lets try to stick to Marten's relationship to his mother, shall we?
Damn. It is the Holidays, ain't it?
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I'm wondering if am I the only other person on this thread who knows Scaramanga is supposed to have three nipples.
On the contrary mr. Bon.. urgh.. raoulelfere.
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Oh well, things will be awkward for a while :-/
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If/when Marten finally does lose his cool, all of his friends and his mother will have to come together to get him to calm down.
And when they do, they MUST pose as a team.
Because shit will have gotten real.
(http://www.mspaintadventures.com/advimgs/ps/ps291.gif)
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The Tai Book Of Diffusing Emo Moments
I'm pretty sure her intention is not to spread it. Rather to soothe it. In other words, to defuse it.
I'm sorry...
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You do realise that it's probably Tai's arm that felt the nipple. Its not like your sense of touch just magically stops at the wrist.
Also..... CLEAR THE TOWNSPEOPLE! THE MARTEN DAM IS ABOUT TO BURST! FLEE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! MAN THE DINGIES!
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...And for God's sake, HIDE THE AMMUNITION!
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I think this is almost the straw for Marten, breaking up with Dora.
But I think the FINAL straw will be his mother.
He worked hard to stay with Dora through aaaaaall her drama and was constantly stepping on his own pride saying sorry for stupid things that were all her fault. (Not against her, but we all know she's a tad whiney)
Now, after all his effort, she dumps him, so he feels pretty trodden on again but this time not by himself.
So, now he's in this gap where he feels lonely and wants to be alone (reference his ignoring Faye and locking himself in his room and his attemp of alienating comments with Tai)
His mother's coming down to baby him now. He clearly does not want her there and he's a grown man. How would you feel? Maybe. . . suffocated?
Also, with Tai's 'mistakes' in their conversation: We have to remember Tai's a lot younger and into polygamy so maybe she doesn't understand what Marten feels like or isn't mature enough to understand.
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Oh no, we're just scratching the surface. He hasn't lost it quite yet.
Also, how did Tai manage to feel Marty's nipple through his shirt and a hoodie? It must be freezing in the library.
Hey, older building, bad heating, desk is probably close to the door which constantly is opening and closing...
EDIT: And she was apparently rubbing his chest to hug him and - "Whoops! Found a nipple!"
THIS MUST BE ON A NEW T-SHIRT!
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What's the ONE THING you're looking forward to this week?
Veronica's reappearance. - 28 (29.5%)
Dora's SHEER TERROR. - 21 (22.1%)
Marty standing up to mom (?!) - 8 (8.4%)
Tai discovering WHO Marty's mom is. - 9 (9.5%) <Whoops, looks like she already knows...>
Hannelore finding out who Marty's mom IS. - 11 (11.6%)
Two words: YELLING BIRD. - 1 (1.1%)
TEH DRAMAZ!!!!11!!!! - 7 (7.4%)
Mmm, Waffles. - 8 (8.4%)
MOAR PINTSIZE! - 2 (2.1%)
Total Voters: 95
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Where is the "Crying on Jimbo's shoulder" option in the poll?
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Also, with Tai's 'mistakes' in their conversation: We have to remember Tai's a lot younger and into polygamy so maybe she doesn't understand what Marten feels like or isn't mature enough to understand.
That's what I'm thinking. Tai is too young (or doesn't have the right experience) to understand what Marten is going through. She might have been through some hurts, but it doesn't seem like Tai has ever been through this kind of break-up before.
With regards to Momma Vance showing up, I dunno, it might be the best thing for Marten: he was going on about how he couldn't go back to CoD and so on; Ms. Vance might be able to fix all that by pulling the "mommy loves you" card and acting as a go-between for Marten and Dora, more so than any of the other cast because they're so involved. Except Marigold, who is likely occupied with Cata.
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...And for God's sake, HIDE THE AMMUNITION!
No, that would be....counterproductive.
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If it does play out that way, it's not going to be pleasant for Marten. It might be embarassing, he might say some things he'll regret, he might make a scene... hopefully nobody else will be a witness. I think Ms. Reed has more tact than to let anyone else see it.
Well, obviously I can't say that I *know* she does, having not yet discovered how to interact directly with fictional characters, but given that Veronica Vance is a professional dominatrix as well as a fetish model, and is apparently very successful at both, I am *very* confident that Marten's mom is capable of keeping secrets. Heck, depending on how good business is for her as a dom, that one senator dude might not have needed to pay her extra to keep his fetish out of the tabloids, because if it ever got out that *she* was the one who blabbed, other clients might choose to take their business elsewhere so they can be better assured of discretion.
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Man, hard not to feel pretty bad for him. He seems more miserable than when he had that crap office job.
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It must be colder than a welldigger's ass in that library if Tai was able to feel a nipple through Marten's shirt and sweatshirt.
Either that or Tai's touch is well tuned to sense nipples. I was gonna say `Tai's fingers', but it looks like it's her forearm that hit the spot.
I like the idea that Tai is a professional nipple-dowser in her off time. She helps those who cannot find the nipple on their own, like the blind(?), or young college kids who are having their first intimate experience(??), or...or the ACTUAL Scaramanga or something(?!). It's how she helps pay for college.
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Marten should take Sven up on the jam session, then totally smash his guitar after the first note.
It'd be totally punk-rawk.
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Marten should take Sven up on the jam session, then totally smash his guitar after the first note.
It'd be totally punk-rawk.
I think that would be kind of a dick move to poor Sven. Like, cathartic for Marten and all, sure, but here's Sven, who thought that maybe he has a new friend to commiserate with and write songs, and dude is just like BAM! GUITAR PIECES ALL OVER YOUR APARTMENT! USING YOUR TISSUES TO CRY! LEAVING YOU WITH A MESS BECAUSE FUCK YOU, YOU SLEPT WITH MY FRIEND THAT ONE TIME! And Sven is all sad. :(
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Damn, Marten
Wear a bra!
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Marten should take Sven up on the jam session, then totally smash his guitar after the first note.
It'd be totally punk-rawk.
I think that would be kind of a dick move to poor Sven. Like, cathartic for Marten and all, sure, but here's Sven, who thought that maybe he has a new friend to commiserate with and write songs, and dude is just like BAM! GUITAR PIECES ALL OVER YOUR APARTMENT! USING YOUR TISSUES TO CRY! LEAVING YOU WITH A MESS BECAUSE FUCK YOU, YOU SLEPT WITH MY FRIEND THAT ONE TIME! And Sven is all sad. :(
Sven: Oh, I slept with your friend way more than "that one time."
Nah Marty wouldn't be a dick enough to just leave without cleaning up the mess. He'd go postal, break the guitar while screaming the worst profanity you can imagine, stand there panting for a minute as the dust settles, then be like "wow. That felt good. Sorry man, had to get that out of my system. Where's your vacuum?"
On a side note, it annoys me to no end when people spell rock "rawk."
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I'm excited for the new Tai/Veronica relationship that will inevitably happen.
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Wonder whether Marten's mom came running after things went south with Marten's previous gf (the one he moved across the country for). If not, why is she coming now? If yes, well, damn why can't she leave the man alone to handle his pain the way a grown man usually does?
Namely, get completely wasted, get in a barfight, and either wake up in an alley not remembering how he got there, or screw the first girl that looks at him sideways, depending on how drunk he gets. Or, he could maybe get some therapy or spend a few nights alone in his room crying himself to sleep (most likely both).
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Maybe not everything, Tai, but he does get to be a dick about this after all your goddam squirrely come-ons to Dora. You were as annoying as all hell.
I suppose I'm alone in not being clear why this is the 'straw' for Marten. I mean, yes, it would be for me, but my mother's…special. Veronica, for all her uniqueness, doesn't strike me as such.
Given that Dora's father 1044 (http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=1044) and Dora 1047 (http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=1047) are such big "fans" of Marten's Mom, I am not surprised this would be a sore point. Add Tai's behavior around Dora and it's no wonder he's snappy.
And as a side note Matsumi Max has four nipples. Warning GIS is probably NSFW.
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Wonder whether Marten's mom came running after things went south with Marten's previous gf (the one he moved across the country for). If not, why is she coming now?
That's a good point, esp. as it would have made more sense for Marten to go back to the west coast (instead of MartenMom buying a round-trip ticket for herself she could have bought a one-way ticket for Marten)
Maybe MartedDad came through town and took Marten on a skiing trip with Dad2DadHarder.
Now MartenMom wants her chance at playing rescue.
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It must be colder than a welldigger's ass in that library if Tai was able to feel a nipple through Marten's shirt and sweatshirt.
Either that or Tai's touch is well tuned to sense nipples. I was gonna say `Tai's fingers', but it looks like it's her forearm that hit the spot.
Exactly! Reading the earlier posts, I was like "Do you guys not have nerve endings in your arms?" That would be disquieting indeed. (OMG FLOATING HANDS.) And regarding Marten being able to feel that . . . I will just say that nipple sensitivity varies wildly from person to person. Yes, including guys. Pros and cons in all cases.
I suppose I'm alone in not being clear why this is the 'straw' for Marten. I mean, yes, it would be for me, but my mother's…special. Veronica, for all her uniqueness, doesn't strike me as such.
I can't say I'm completely "clear" on why either, since I'm waiting for what Jeph depicts for us, but I would not be surprised to discover that Ms. Reed is rather . . . controlling. There are reasons one has an aptitude for certain things, and while his mom has seemed mature enough when she previously visited, she was certainly willing to swoop in and make decisions for Marten (example: calling him in sick for work). Whatever she ends up doing, Marten clearly doesn't want to deal with her, and the very fact that she bought her plane tickets while he was still talking to her on the phone shows that she didn't consider the possibility that he might not want her there (or if she did consider that, she dismissed it as unimportant), so she's already making decisions without asking for his input, pre-emptively dismissing his opinion as irrelevant. This behavior is among the things that will push Marten's buttons. Poor guy is in for a bumpy ride, but it could result in a catharsis he needs.
I voted for 'Crying on Jimbo's shoulder' because even non-shipped, it's hilariously maudlin. :-D The character expressions continue to be excellent, too, and the Worry Hat must be fun to draw! (How long before the Worry Hat is available for purchase at Topatoco?)
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Seriously: think of a time when you were on a ragged edge, stressed out, emotions boiling over like crazy... and then think what would have happened if you were alone in a room with your mother, and she could see how obviously upset you were. Nobody would be able to hold out. Mothers are very, very powerful things.
Agree 100%. Last time I was in this situation, I very very nearly shot her. I was considering beating her to death, but I left instead, so there would be at least one person left to take care of my dad.
I am neither exaggerating for effect or using hyperbolic language.
I am quite confused by the last two panels. My current hypothesis is that Tai accidently did a 'breast grab' reach instead of a 'platonic friend' reach.
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Well I said this last week and I think its worth repeating; Jeph has said that Marten and Dora dated for around a year, meaning it's been a year since Ms. Reed has seen her son. Sure she wants to help him out through this tough time, but I also think she just might be missing her only son and wants to see him.
In Carl E's Marten's Fundamental Character (http://forums.questionablecontent.net/index.php/topic,25554.0.html) thread, he also talks about Marten's mom's personality, and I'll say here what I said there:
If Veronica was a truly controlling mother, there would have been a deep, deep schism cut between them when he moved to Northampton, and Marten probably wouldn't have been looking reasonably pleased to see her when she first arrived to visit. Also, she would have been way more antagonistic towards Faye. Look at their interaction together here. Veronica is relaxed and reasonable. She even says "My son is a grown man and can make his own decisions." Not something a control freak would say. The threat against Faye comes after she speaks as a rational human being; only after that does she let the protective mother take over.
Throughout the visit, Veronica is relaxed and rational. When they have some alone time, Marten seems quite calm and comfortable around her. I don't think Veronica was a domineering mother. Something tells me she reserved her domineering side for her job only.
The only reason Marten's not happy about his mother visiting now is because remember, his girlfriend broke up with him less than 20 hours ago and he's got a lot of negative feelings battling around inside him right now. He doesn't need more stress which, lets face it, parents are often the source of (no offense to the parents in this forum).
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Wait, does Tai definitely not know that Marten's mom is Veronica Vance? She seemed pretty excited to meet her. (Or is that just supposed to be regular friends-meeting-friends'-parents excitement?)
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@Iduguphergrave
As a dude with a highly controlling mother, I've got to disagree. You're making logical leaps that don't exist. Controlling behavior can be extremely subtle, while still being very stressful and even painful for other people it's being used on.
If she IS controlling, and there are hints in the matter but no more, then it seems likely that while Marten does love her, he is also very stressed out by her being around. He's also probably extremely sensitive to her criticism, and he's seeing a lot of that coming down the pipe towards him. Marten probably is expecting much the same thing all the people wanting Veronica to absolutely destroy Dora, except that of course he's not at all happy about the idea.
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I agree with Boomslang-Marten is most likely expecting some kind of ugly confrontation between Dora and his mother, and he is most definitely NOT looking forward to it.
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@Iduguphergrave
As a dude with a highly controlling mother, I've got to disagree. You're making logical leaps that don't exist. Controlling behavior can be extremely subtle, while still being very stressful and even painful for other people it's being used on.
If she IS controlling, and there are hints in the matter but no more, then it seems likely that while Marten does love her, he is also very stressed out by her being around. He's also probably extremely sensitive to her criticism, and he's seeing a lot of that coming down the pipe towards him. Marten probably is expecting much the same thing all the people wanting Veronica to absolutely destroy Dora, except that of course he's not at all happy about the idea.
I agree that yeah, he's not looking forward to the expected confrontation (note I said expected; I suspect Ms. Reed is reasonable enough not to make a scene like that), I still disagree with the premise that she could be overly controlling.
Like I said before, and maybe I didn't make myself clear enough, the only reason he's stressed by the idea of her coming is just because of the circumstances that are bringing her. If she were just coming for a regular visit, I think he'd look forward to it. He certainly wasn't stressed by her presence when she visited last (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=431). Even when they have some alone (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=448) time (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=449), he seems quite calm and comfortable around her. I think a truly controlling mother would take advantage of the time she had alone with her son to start berating him on how wrong he's living his life; Veronica's not doing that. Even the conversation she has with Faye is telling of her personality. She says, "my son is a grown man and can make his own decisions." Not something a controlling mother would say. The threat against Faye doesn't even come until after she's spoken reasonably. She talks like a rational human being before letting the protective mother take over.
So yeah, it's really just the situation, and the fear that his mother's going to exacerbate it, that's stressing Marten out, not necessarily the actual presence of his mother, which he's obviously somewhat enjoyed before. And personally, I doubt (or at least hope) that Veronica's going to march over to CoD and shove Dora's face into the bean grinder, no matter how much she might want to. She'll at least talk to Marten first. Personally I think this visit, whatever it brings, will be good for him. In any case, it'll certainly be good for us!! :-D
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Like I said before, and maybe I didn't make myself clear enough, the only reason he's stressed by the idea of her coming is just because of the circumstances that are bringing her. If she were just coming for a regular visit, I think he'd look forward to it. He certainly wasn't stressed by her presence when she visited last (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=431). Even when they have some alone (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=448) time (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=449), he seems quite calm and comfortable around her. I think a truly controlling mother would take advantage of the time she had alone with her son to start berating him on how wrong he's living his life; Veronica's not doing that.
How much experience do you actually have with controlling people? Because really, you're comparing her to an extreme stereotype. By your reasoning, if a person doesn't have dismembered animals hanging about the place, they couldn't possibly be a serial killer, because they're missing the obvious signs.
Again, Veronica is not necessarily controlling, but the reasons you have for saying she's not are badly reasoned out..
Even the conversation she has with Faye is telling of her personality. She says, "my son is a grown man and can make his own decisions." Not something a controlling mother would say.
Of course a controlling mother would say that. But the subtext would be different. It's like when many women answer the question 'what's wrong?' with 'nothing'. Just because many people would legitimately mean that nothing's wrong, there are clearly other people who mean the opposite of what is said, and this situation is precisely like that.
The threat against Faye doesn't even come until after she's spoken reasonably. She talks like a rational human being before letting the protective mother take over.
Controlling and irrational are not only not the same, they're often opposites.
I don't mean to bark and snap and all, but your 'just-so' thinking doesn't have anything to do with how things actually can be, and I think that while you might be right in the overall picture, you're not getting there through sound means. You're accepting as a premise that controlling means hostility, irrationality, and a bunch of other things, and the premise is what's wrong.
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The thing is, if someone hasn't had controlling parents, it can be hard to tell whether Marty's mother is controlling unless she goes "over the top" with it. Anything less than that would be subject to debate. And of course, it can be as easy to misinterpret her actions or words as controlling when they really aren't. We all filter this comic through our own life experiences after all, whether positive or negative.
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As someone for whom not being allowed to leave the house by himself even at 15 was just the offtopic bird poop on the tip of the iceberg of Not Sane Controlling Manipulative Parent, I know controlling when I see it.
And Miss Reed is not being deliberately controlling. She has no reason to be that we know about. She has a very fulfilling life, from what and how we've seen her talk about. Perhaps she had some childhood stuff we don't know about. Whatever. With what we know, there is no additional security or living-by-proxy she could gain by trying to meddle in Marten's life.
And if it turns out she DOES have reasons to be crazy and IS meddling, we can look forward to Faye (and possibly Pennelope) going nuclear from all the psychological problem people. :evil:
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Wait, does Tai definitely not know that Marten's mom is Veronica Vance? She seemed pretty excited to meet her. (Or is that just supposed to be regular friends-meeting-friends'-parents excitement?)
Tai knows, I dont think Marten would have responded the way he did otherwise... "Why? So you can make out with her?"
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I will risk getting burned at the proverbial stake in order to ask a simple question: am I the only one getting impatient with the pacing lately? I want to know what happens but at this rate we're not going to find out for another two weeks. I'm not trying to be a dick, it's just that the suspense is killing me over here.
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How much experience do you actually have with controlling people? Because really, you're comparing her to an extreme stereotype. By your reasoning, if a person doesn't have dismembered animals hanging about the place, they couldn't possibly be a serial killer, because they're missing the obvious signs.
Again, Veronica is not necessarily controlling, but the reasons you have for saying she's not are badly reasoned out..
Even the conversation she has with Faye is telling of her personality. She says, "my son is a grown man and can make his own decisions." Not something a controlling mother would say.
Of course a controlling mother would say that. But the subtext would be different. It's like when many women answer the question 'what's wrong?' with 'nothing'. Just because many people would legitimately mean that nothing's wrong, there are clearly other people who mean the opposite of what is said, and this situation is precisely like that.
The threat against Faye doesn't even come until after she's spoken reasonably. She talks like a rational human being before letting the protective mother take over.
Controlling and irrational are not only not the same, they're often opposites.
I don't mean to bark and snap and all, but your 'just-so' thinking doesn't have anything to do with how things actually can be, and I think that while you might be right in the overall picture, you're not getting there through sound means. You're accepting as a premise that controlling means hostility, irrationality, and a bunch of other things, and the premise is what's wrong.
How is my opinion badly reasoned out? I'm providing actual evidence that's in the comic, and I think you're the one who's seeing it the wrong way. Would you please tell me, so we don't keep repeating ourselves, exactly what about Veronica's behavior is saying "controlling mother" to you?
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I will risk getting burned at the proverbial stake in order to ask a simple question: am I the only one getting impatient with the pacing lately? I want to know what happens but at this rate we're not going to find out for another two weeks. I'm not trying to be a dick, it's just that the suspense is killing me over here.
Such is life for the webcomic fan.
Slow pace has always been a feature of QC.
It's just the nature of the beast.
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I agree we don't have any evidence for or against Veronica being a controlling mother. Her professional gig tells us nothing, since she is, for all intents, acting out a role. Like many actors who are gifted at playing assholes and yet extremely nice IRL or the opposite (Andy Griffith, by repute, comes to mind for the latter), one can't make any good judgments based on that. However, I do recall Marten being horrified at the behavior of Hannelore's mother, who is a controller, and I don't recall him ever commiserating with Hanners about it. Not much, but something to chew on while Jeph treats us to seven days of YB and Rippy trashing Lady Gaga songs. You know, just to show us.
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Marten's mom is going to sleep with Dora. You heard it here first.
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This is like when you put buttered bread on the back of a cat, isn't it?
Word of God says it, therefore it must be true, but it was said on the WCDT, therefore it can never happen.
And around and around we go. :psyduck:
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So was Jeph really really drunk or does he have some target number he's trying to reduce his twitter followers down to?
Oh, and:
Sitting at my kitchen table, personalizing books. Feels very "authorly." Comic's gonna be late tonight cause I gotta do like 200 of these.
*sigh* The needs of the few over the needs of the many.
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Wait, does Tai definitely not know that Marten's mom is Veronica Vance? She seemed pretty excited to meet her. (Or is that just supposed to be regular friends-meeting-friends'-parents excitement?)
Tying (pardon the pun) the incident in 1302 (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1302) with today's installment, I have a pretty good feeling that Tai knows who Marten's mom is.
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Crap, now he's taunting us.
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Oh, and:
Sitting at my kitchen table, personalizing books. Feels very "authorly." Comic's gonna be late tonight cause I gotta do like 200 of these.
*sigh* The needs of the few over the needs of the many.
More like the needs of the folks who pay his bills over the needs of us freeloaders who just like reading the comic online.
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Wait, does Tai definitely not know that Marten's mom is Veronica Vance? She seemed pretty excited to meet her. (Or is that just supposed to be regular friends-meeting-friends'-parents excitement?)
Tying (pardon the pun) the incident in 1302 (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1302) with today's installment, I have a pretty good feeling that Tai knows who Marten's mom is.
i actually thought that one kinda funny, because apparently she did not need to consult with marten if she is going to make major changes to her hair, but if he wants to make changes he has to talk to her about it first
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Marten's mom is going to sleep with Dora. You heard it here first.
LIES!
DAMNED LIES!
...STATISTICS? :psyduck:
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After wiping the tears of laughter from mine eyes, I was able to realize that only so many things can happen now.
-Hanners is either going to allow Marten to be depressed and drink or confront him about it. If she confronts him, he may blow up. Jeez, Marten yelling at Hannelore? That would be too cruel. :cry:
-Hannelore will actually convince Marten to open up and we will get the passive purging of emotions that Marten needs.
-LOLBUTTSLOL
-Faye will return and help defuse (right?) the situation.
-Drunken Prank Calls with Marten and Steve (Radio show rights pending)
Also, this is proof that despite his crude way of showing it, Pintsize is there for Marten. Would Steve offer his rear to Marten? I THINK NOT.
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Good show, Jeph! This is the hardest I've laughed at a webcomic in the longest time! :evil:
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After wiping the tears of laughter from mine eyes, I was able to realize that only so many things can happen now.
-Hanners is either going to allow Marten to be depressed and drink or confront him about it. If she confronts him, he may blow up. Jeez, Marten yelling at Hannelore? That would be too cruel. :cry:
-Hannelore will actually convince Marten to open up and we will get the passive purging of emotions that Marten needs.
-LOLBUTTSLOL
-Faye will return and help defuse (right?) the situation.
-Drunken Prank Calls with Marten and Steve (Radio show rights pending)
Also, this is proof that despite his crude way of showing it, Pintsize is there for Marten. Would Steve offer his rear to Marten? I THINK NOT.
You forgot
-Drunken Marten/Hanners sexx0rs.
"Martilore"?
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Et tu, Pintsize?
If Marten feels squeamish about using Pintsize to download porn, I don't think he's going to be too enthusiastic about what Pintsize is offering here.
Especially in the living room.
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I think he started drnking so suddenly because he wanted it to look more like Dora.
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Sorry Marten...what has been seen.....can not be unseen :-o
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I find it strange nobody is wondering how pintsize got a picture of Dora's naked backside? Because if I'm not mistaken that's the pool of flames on dora's back we're seeing there.
I'm quite sure Marten knows pintsize well enough not to allow him access to that kind of pictures :D
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I will risk getting burned at the proverbial stake in order to ask a simple question: am I the only one getting impatient with the pacing lately? I want to know what happens but at this rate we're not going to find out for another two weeks. I'm not trying to be a dick, it's just that the suspense is killing me over here.
Yeah. Probably you are feeling the same way I was a few months ago. After reading the first 1600 or so strips in a weekend it did feel like the pace of the story slowed down to a crawl, when stuck with 5 strips per week.
It takes a while to adjust to Jeph's real pace....
While doing that you start lurking in this forum....
Shortly thereafter you get the urge to start posting, too...
You do know where this ends, don't ya?
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I find it strange nobody is wondering how pintsize got a picture of Dora's naked backside? Because if I'm not mistaken that's the pool of flames on dora's back we're seeing there.
I'm quite sure Marten knows pintsize well enough not to allow him access to that kind of pictures :D
Cosidering it's just lines with no color or shading, it's either magic marker or ASCII art.
You do know where this ends, don't ya?
Let's just say it involves a dick-broom and a hell of a lot of regret.
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In regards to Marten's reaction...I concur. :psyduck:
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I find it strange nobody is wondering how pintsize got a picture of Dora's naked backside? Because if I'm not mistaken that's the pool of flames on dora's back we're seeing there.
I'm quite sure Marten knows pintsize well enough not to allow him access to that kind of pictures :D
I'm guessing it was a drawing, not an actual photograph?
Warning - while you were reading 2 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.
Oi.
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I'm surprised Hanners isn't going for a bottle at the sight of that as well!
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I know I'd be going for a bottle. There are some things a person should never have to see. Thanks, Jeph. I think I just lost the last bit of innocence I had.
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IME, self-medicating with alcohol may be unhealthy, but it's sure as fuck healthier than the shit they give you.
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Put simply: the only facial expression better than Marten's in the final panel is :psyduck:
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Low blow Pintsize, low fucking blow.
Literally JUST LOW
On the positive side Marten's face/reaction are priceless, and I'll admit I haven't laughed so hard at a QC strip in god knows how long.
On the negative side, Didn't Marten once berate Faye for this same behavior? Getting drunk before your Mom comes over is NOT the best remedy, Marten.
Though I think I can see a drunken meltdown incoming in 3, 2, 1...
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Low blow Pintsize, low fucking blow. Literally JUST LOW
He's trying to help! :mrgreen:
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Just when you think Pintsize couldn't sink to any new depths, he does.
Some more of that Ol' Janx Spirit Marten?
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This brings us back to when Pinstsize donned the Moustache/Chest hair combo to seduce Faye after the Sven fiasco.
All that Pintsize knows, he's learned from the internet. And the internet says "Rebound Sex!"
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Dear gods, that's so wrong on so many levels! I think this might just be the most disturbing thing Pintisize has yet done.
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This brings us back to when Pinstsize donned the Moustache/Chest hair combo to seduce Faye after the Sven fiasco.
All that Pintsize knows, he's learned from the internet. And the internet says "Rebound Sex!"
HA. Didn't even think of that.
I think Marten has the best facial expressions in QC. Both times involve him being disturbed. First when Cosette ran off right after she asked him out, and now here.
In other news, holy tits, go look at Cosette when we first see her (around 1350), and then look at her now. SHE LOOKS NOT AT ALL ALIKE.
Edit: Yeah, I know that was a total non sequitur, but for some reason Cosette popped into my head.
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You forgot
-Drunken Marten/Hanners sexx0rs.
"Martilore"?
"MANNERS" GOD DAMN IT
Also, I lol'd hard at the comic today, even though a part of my soul died at the same time.
D
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Way to drop the bomb on Marten, Pintsize!
And on that happy note, Happy Pearl Harbor Day, everyone! :mrgreen:
Looks like Marten's in for a rough night. We'll see if his hangover lasts through greeting his mom when she arrives tomorrow.
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I'm surprised Hanners isn't going for a bottle at the sight of that as well!
I'm praying that at moments like this her innocence protects her.
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wow thats pretty cruel, even for pintsize...then again he was waiting for faye after the sven split so I suppose I shouldnt be as surprised.
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I'm guessing it was a drawing, not an actual photograph?
I'm pretty sure you're right, but Pintsize presumably has the equivalent of a photographic memory, so no doubt it's full of detail. Probably not full-size though; Dora is slim, but not that slim...
Marten's reaction is understandable, but meeting your Mum at the airport red-eyed and hungover is probably a bad move.
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I kinda laughed a little, but at the same time, I was speechless as soon as I realised what Pintsize was doing. Not because it was a low blow, but more of a "Why do I get the feeling that I know someone who would probably do something similar?" Not being serious about said thing, of course, but more of for the sake of being an asshole.
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Marten's reaction is understandable, but meeting your Mum at the airport red-eyed and hungover is probably a bad move.
Who says he has any intention of stopping drinking before his mom arrives?
Remember kids, you can't be hungover if your still drunk! :psyduck:
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Marten's reaction is understandable, but meeting your Mum at the airport red-eyed and hungover is probably a bad move.
Especially when trying to explain everything is fine...
Also:
A sheet of paper: a few cents
A black marker: a few dollars
A fleshlight: a few tens of dollars
The expression on your owner's face when you thoroughly and completely destroy his mind: priceless
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Pintsize was clearly TRYING to move Marten to drink; notice that in the last panel, with Marten sucking on the sweet teat of whiskey, Pintsize's grin is bigger than it was in the third panel, indicating that this was obviously the turn of events he was hoping for. Was it because he wants to see Marten hung over and fuck with him more? wants him to experience some drunken catharsis? Wants him to get drunk enough to fuck him as a surrogate Dora? WHO KNOWS! 1
1 Jeph does.
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I just realized that the Rebound Sexxors option would involve Marten having awkward sex with Pintsize's new... modification.
FUCK MANNERS, IT'S ALL ABOUT PINTEN NOW!!!
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Also, this is proof that despite his crude way of showing it, Pintsize is there for Marten. Would Steve offer his rear to Marten? I THINK NOT.
That's not his rear—it's a fleshlight. And Steve would never do that because he'd know he'd find out how hard a skinny, outraged man can kick (literally) an available ass. If Marten were me, Marigold would have to do some more repair work, fast.
Later, I might realize the spirit of the guesture. Might. That'd be when Marigold would get to do a wee bit of reprogramming, too.
It takes a while to adjust to Jeph's real pace....
While doing that you start lurking in this forum....
Shortly thereafter you get the urge to start posting, too...
You do know where this ends, don't ya?
I believe it's with an expression similar to Marten's in that last panel. Sooner or later. But, of course, when you reach that point, it's not really the end. Actually, I think the forum calls it "asleep in the boner patch." That's when you find out the truth—you're either a dillitente, at which point you move on, or you're an obsessed wierdo, and soon, somebody's shoving a worthless cleaning implement fashioned of items that look suspiciously like penises into your hands. I advise putting on some gloves before accepting. You don't want to know where they've been.
Marten's reaction is understandable, but meeting your Mum at the airport red-eyed and hungover is probably a bad move.
Obviously, that depends on what your mother's like. For Veronica, it might simply provide a vital clue to Marten's state of mind.
Pintsize was clearly TRYING to move Marten to drink; notice that in the last panel, with Marten sucking on the sweet teat of whiskey, Pintsize's grin is bigger than it was in the third panel, indicating that this was obviously the turn of events he was hoping for. Was it because he wants to see Marten hung over and fuck with him more? wants him to experience some drunken catharsis? Wants him to get drunk enough to fuck him as a surrogate Dora? WHO KNOWS! 1
Who knows what lurks in the registers of Anthro PCs?
The Anthro p'Shadow. He knows.
And now you know what happens when I keep getting "you may wish to review your post" notices. It's not pretty.
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So, I got to, what was it... Panel 3? At first I was like "D'awww Hanners/Marten bonding..." and then suddenly "PINTSIZE W/ A FLESHLIGHT". Jeph's not pulling any punches. Holy fuck.
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I'm waiting for Faye to home and tell him off a mix of How Marten told her off, How Hanners told her off, and Faye's own . . . upfront style.
I have a feeling Marten won't be meeting his mother at the airport but more her bursting in and making herself at home, and possibly fixing up her hungover son (depending how fast Hanners/Faye works)
On the other hand, why is he drinking in the first place? I thought he was sick of Dora. He might be sad, but I don't see how he's THAT sad.
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Marten's mom is going to sleep with Dora. You heard it here first.
I am willing to take this completely on faith and believe it literally. Marten's mom is going to sleep with Dora, Jeph said so :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Also Marten: your reaction is completely correct
COMPLETELY CORRECT
Goddamnit Pintsize :psyduck:
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I guess he's helping... in his own way...
Also, anyone else relate Marten's mom coming back with this comic? http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=459 (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=459)
I suspect that consequences will never be the same... lol.
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YAY! I voted MOAR PINTSIZE and it worked. :D Though it was rather disturbing. I didn't think it was so bad until I noticed the fleshlight and was like :psyduck:
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Damn! Haven't laughed this hard in a loooong time.
*wipes the tears of laughter from eyes*
Somehow, this is, at the same time absolutely hilarious and so wrong on so many levels. One thing I found kinda odd, that Hanners didnt freak out because of Pintsizes antics. Thou that may be in (very immediate) future. Only time will tell..
But was Pintsize trying to be creepy (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=573) but helpful (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1137) or just disturbingly malicious (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=890), we may never know.
Aside from the comical relief, gotta say, that Lady Luck seems to really dislike Marten. Seriously, seems that the guy just cant catch a break. Actually he seems to be having quite godawful streak of bad luck at the moment, when you think of it. First, the verbal spar(and slight case of grossing out) with his employer (thou in this case, he managed to throw some really funny counterblows), then fighting for his own privacy, which leaded to breakup (which seems to, understandably, have broken him for now), a suprise visit from his mom (like he needed any more things to stress and fight about?) and for grande finale, his own damn anthroPC creeps the bejesus out of him. No wonder he's goin for the bottle. Actually, if his mother wouldnt be visiting, i'd be really suprised if he wouldn't go for really efficient bender (i think that option still isnt fully closed out).
This just keeps getting more and more interesting.
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A creepier thought: How would you define helpful in this situation?
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I had to vote "Breaking Pintsize (again)!". Just add "Beneath him, furiously humping".
Man, what a laugh.
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Voted for Rebound Sex.
...With Pintsize.
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Pintsize/Marten OTP! Who'dathunkit?
...No, really, who? You sick, twisted...
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Stay classy, Pintsize. :mrgreen:
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Okay, first of all, I laughed like mad at this one. :P
Secondly, I'm a little scared for Hannelore. If she plans to remain sober with Marten, and he's so ragged and stressed out, he could easily do or say something he's going to regret if he gets drunk, and she might take it to heart. And before anyone asks, no, I mean he's going to tell her to fuck off, not come on to her. I don't think there's enough booze in the world to make that happen to Marten right now.
Of course, the other option is that Hannelore starts drinking too, and gets caught up in Marten's current problems, and then gets involved in some manner of drunken shenanigans. Which normally would be hilarious, but I do worry that when Hannelore's inhibitions disappear while drinking, she might end up doing something terrible like sending abusive texts to Dora or something.
I don't think she's gonna leave and let Marten drink all by himself, but if she stays, I can't see it ending well.
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Okay, I would dismantle Pintsize with a fire-axe for this one. There aren't enough letters in the word "wrong" to adequately express the wrong-ness of this situation.
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Voted for Rebound Sex.
...With Pintsize.
This is not rebound sex. Not when you're loking at a crudely rendered version of your ex's backside. It's a disembodied breakup sex, and just beyond fucked up enough to
a) come from Pintsize's processor, and
b) upset Marten.
Well done!
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I too was surprised that MArten wasn't sharing after that visual.
Or that Hanners wasn't reaching for the bottle herself.
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Voted other.
Other A; crying on Hanners shoulder precipitating an "allergic reaction" that leaves Marten temporarily hospitalised with amnesia.
Other B; getting drunk and accidentally getting tangled up in one of Steve's secret intelligence agency missions that reveals Raven to be a Russian sleeper agent and Penelope to be a rogue tax inspector who fell in love with Northampton and terminated her investigation without authority.
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Is it just me, or did the odds for breaking Pintsize just go up by about ten times? Seems to me the only real question is whether Marten or Hanners will be the one doing it.
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I voted for the alienating friends... only because if this was real life, it's probably the way it would go down.
Granted, I have no friends because either I've alienated them all or they've moved to Shanghai or they're dead.
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I know that pintsize is a bit of an a-hole, but that's.... that's just being plain mean, this is way to far for him.
meh, laughed at Marten's face though....
But still, it's a really low, LOW blow man. Not cool :psyduck:
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So this is what happens when Jeph reads the forum....
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So strip #1812 wasn't exactly a Tchaikovsky overture. Funny, yeah, but so wrong that I am actually a little bit worried. We sorta knew that Pintsize can outcreep the Bearhat Guy any given day, but what is behind this? What will happen next? Some possibilities:
- Jeph has spent too much time in this forum lately? (ninja'd by Wiregeek :x while typing)
- fffffFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!
- Ho-hum. Your regular run of the mill Pintsize prank.
- By tomorrow the strip will have been a replaced with one featuring a different Pintsize prank. YB, ST and fireworks revisited?
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Speaking of, loving the new forum name. :mrgreen:
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Crap, now he's taunting us.
"....I'm gone for five minutes and now THIS"
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Just had a thought. Remember that guy who didn't like all the recent relationship drama in QC? Decided he wasn't going to read QC anymore, but felt that he had to announce that fact here in the forums - it was about 3 weeks ago. Remember him?
He totally missed out on Pintlight.1
1.) He's still reading QC. He saw it.
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How will Marten finally "Lose It"?
Crying on Mom's shoulder. - 21 (17.1%)
Crying on Faye's shoulder. - 9 (7.3%)
Crying on Tai's shoulder (Whoops! Found a Nipple!) - 7 (5.7%)
Crying on Jimbo's Shoulder(?!?) - 14 (11.4%)
Yelling and Screaming! - 13 (10.6%)
Breaking his guitar! - 2 (1.6%)
Breaking Pintsize (again)! - 12 (9.8%)
Snide remarks? - 4 (3.3%)
Alienating himself from his friends? - 19 (15.4%)
Rebound Sex??? - 14 (11.4%)
Other (specify) - 8 (6.5%)
Total Voters: 123
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I couldn't stop laughing at Pintsize's smile! That had to be my favorite part.
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Can Pintsize Go Any Lower?
I want an option for "I hope so, because I'm loving this!"
I was just thinking exactly that. Well, not exactly that because I was thinking in another language, but you get the idea.
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Pintsize reminded me of a C&H character in this one, honestly.
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In answer to the poll question, I can't imagine how Pintsize could sink any lower, but I trust him to exceed my imagination.
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In answer to the poll question, I can't imagine how Pintsize could sink any lower, but I trust him to exceed my imagination.
He needs to meet up with Yelling Bird and the Shame Orb.
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Pintsize reminded me of a C&H character in this one, honestly.
Please tell me you don't mean Calvin and Hobbes. I don't think my reality could handle anyone in Calvin and Hobbes doing anything even remotely reminiscent of Pintsize in this strip.
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Cyanide and Happiness. (http://www.explosm.net/comics/2256/)
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I want a poll on whose fleshlight it is.
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If there is one thing in my mind, it is that since this is only the TUESDAY strip, this week can only get better!
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I think Hanners is just stunned right now. Most likely the next comic will show her fleeing the apartment with an expression of abject horror on her face-unless of course she has no idea what a fleshlight is, which is entirely possible.
As for Marten....damn. As if he didn't have enough reason to get drunk what with getting dumped and all, but now Pintsize's latest antics give him reason to drink himself into a coma. And yeah, if he's going to induce short-term memory loss, he has to start drinking immediately. And down every bottle he's got as quickly as possible until he's unconscious. Of course, his being unconscious will leave him at Pintsize's tender mercies, which I'm sure we'll all agree would be VERY bad for Marten...
Warning - while you were typing a new reply has been posted. You may wish to review your post.
Wow, just one? This forum's slipping 8-)
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I want a poll on whose fleshlight it is.
Marten's, he has had it for years and Pintsize brought it out of storage.
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It takes a while to adjust to Jeph's real pace....
While doing that you start lurking in this forum....
Shortly thereafter you get the urge to start posting, too...
You do know where this ends, don't ya?
...Fuck.
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Maybe later.
After all, we've no idea where you've been!
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He ordered it online. Express shipping.
Man, this content has actually become somewhat questionable.
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Man, this content has actually become somewhat questionable.
May be? Then again how much more questionable is a fleshlight in comparison to a very fast (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=106), very satisfying train (http://www.girlswithslingshots.com/comic/guest-strip-week-david-willis/)? Ok, Pintsize's offer had been questionable even without the extraneous orifice.
A possibility that disturbs me somewhat is that Jeph might be testing our behavior with some mildly provocative stuff ? :evil:
No, on second thought that is unlikely. "I'm so vain to think that this song is about me."
Good luck to pwhodges as our `very own' moderator!
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Guys you're all missing the larger picture: I think this might be the very first fleshlight drawn in a webcomic! Or did I miss one? Am I right or wrong about this? Cuz if I'm right, we've just seen history in the making, people!
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i dont have the energy but I am pretty sure one has been shown in "girls with slingshots" as one of the characters (previously 2 of them) worked in a sex shop.
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Hanners seems more freaked out by Marten's reaction than by Pintsize's antics. I'm thinking her innocence is shielding her from the horror of the presentation.
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I prefer to think that she can't quite see Pintsize around Marten.
Yet.
In panels 3 and 4, her eyes are firmly on marten, she doesn't even glance down in Pintsize's direction. When she steps around him to grab the bottle from him, she'll see the presentation" (was that choice of word intentional?) and either
a) Squeal and thrash about lin a typical Hanners freakout, or
b) Be so squicked out that she just stands and stares in shock, twitching slightly, then runs from the room.
c) Both.
d) NOTA (None Of The Above).
Can you tell final exams are coming up soon?
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Hanners seems more freaked out by Marten's reaction than by Pintsize's antics. I'm thinking her innocence is shielding her from the horror of the presentation.
That's probably because she's never seen someone teleport a bottle of scotch straight into their hand, open and ready in chugging position, before. Not even Faye's that good - she's mastered Summon Bourbon II of course, but took alcohol resistance and greater fortitude over object projection and quick draw.
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This is pretty fantastic.
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It's not even the first fleshlight-like device in QC, although the first one was in a guest comic.
(And Pintsize offered that one to Marten, too.)
http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1455
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Can Pintsize Go Any Lower?
I want an option for "I hope so, because I'm loving this!"
I haven't laughed so hard in long time. You have tickled my funnybone almost to orgasm. THANK YOU!!!! :laugh:
The fleshlight is either Marten's or one Pintsize scrounged up somewhere... like the Abe Lincoln hat, bondage accoutrements, & various other improbable items.
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No, we know where he got the bondage kit; the question is whether he gave it back. Or possibly "would Marten's mom accept it back after that?"
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Guys you're all missing the larger picture: I think this might be the very first fleshlight drawn in a webcomic! Or did I miss one? Am I right or wrong about this? Cuz if I'm right, we've just seen history in the making, people!
I remember "fleshlights" in butternutsquash _ages_ ago, way before the Fleshlight brand was launched.
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Multiple choice questions
Can you tell final exams are coming up soon?
Carl-E, if you ever get the urge to write an exam on QC history, I would love to take it (:
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Guys you're all missing the larger picture: I think this might be the very first fleshlight drawn in a webcomic! Or did I miss one? Am I right or wrong about this? Cuz if I'm right, we've just seen history in the making, people!
I remember "fleshlights" in butternutsquash _ages_ ago, way before the Fleshlight brand was launched.
Aw. Well....I bet this is the first time in webcomic history a fleshlight's been taped to a robot's ass!
History, people. History. 8-)
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Pintsize in today's comic is the embodiment of the WCDT.
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Multiple choice questions
Can you tell final exams are coming up soon?
Carl-E, if you ever get the urge to write an exam on QC history, I would love to take it (:
Same here. That would be pretty fun. You know, after college exams are over, heh.
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It takes a while to adjust to Jeph's real pace....
While doing that you start lurking in this forum....
Shortly thereafter you get the urge to start posting, too...
You do know where this ends, don't ya?
...Fuck.
It's like heroin. You do it once and then you somehow end up with a +100 post count and a bear hat and you're like "HOW DID IT COME TO THIS"
EDIT: that's not like heroin, actually
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Ohmygod whyyyyyy. Carl-E, I go to this board to procrastinate from writing my final exams! "What does the literary technique of defamiliarization entail?" Stupid multiple choice, I hate having to come up with three wrong yet plausible answers.
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How many teachers do we have here?
I'm procrastinating from writing my astronomy final exam!
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My exams ended today so I'm done with my procrastination for this quarter.
On an unrelated note, I'm getting wicked deja-vu right now by typing this post. Creepy. :psyduck:
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I have been a teacher/instructor in my time, although that was not my main professional career.
Physics, mathematics, GNU/Linux operating systems,and Oracle databases, if you must know.
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I prefer to think that she can't quite see Pintsize around Marten.
Yet.
In panels 3 and 4, her eyes are firmly on marten, she doesn't even glance down in Pintsize's direction. When she steps around him to grab the bottle from him, she'll see the "presentation" (was that choice of word intentional?)
You damned well know it was. And you forgot to open the quote, for the love of punctuation. There's also a comma splice, your personal pronouns are running wild, the antecedent isn't even present, for Pete's sake, and by god, it IS exam time!
Er, for someone, I'm sure. Somewhere.
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Wow...normally pintsize just goes for vaguely funny this is actually pretty friggin cruel all things considered.
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I want a poll on whose fleshlight it is.
It's Dora's.
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What would Dora do with need a Fleshlight?
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Tai's Fleshlight.
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I do not want to know why either of them would need one, I really don't.
That being said, now there will be speculation.
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I am spamming the refresh button, praying for the next update. This waiting is now torture :psyduck:
Because you always need more :psyduck:
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They use it to incubate their lesbian babies that they make when they press their vaginas together.
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Hmmmmmmmmm. Shall I be worried now ?
1. I was kinda sure yesterdays comic would have been replaced by something less offensive by now. :D Didnt happen ...
2. Jeph hid the previous saying over this forum ... you know, the "will Jeph turn into a mass murderer" one ...
3. By coincidence, I found out about that tv show "Dexter" recently. Good stuff, but apparently it gets repetitive after the first two seasons.
Damn, Marten
Wear a bra!
ROTFL
I will risk getting burned at the proverbial stake in order to ask a simple question: am I the only one getting impatient with the pacing lately? I want to know what happens but at this rate we're not going to find out for another two weeks. I'm not trying to be a dick, it's just that the suspense is killing me over here.
You're right. Its slooooowwwww.
Marten's mom is going to sleep with Dora. You heard it here first.
Meh.
Such predictions work in a simple way: if you're wrong, people will forget you predicted it - if you're right, people might remember and you get some fame.
I find it strange nobody is wondering how pintsize got a picture of Dora's naked backside? Because if I'm not mistaken that's the pool of flames on dora's back we're seeing there.
I'm quite sure Marten knows pintsize well enough not to allow him access to that kind of pictures :D
Its because Dora isnt running around victorian 100% of time. Also I think its a drawing, not a picture.
Just when you think Pintsize couldn't sink to any new depths, he does.
QFT
Stay classy, Pintsize. :mrgreen:
Uh, "classy" and "Pintsize" in the same sentence ? I think thats a first ...
So this is what happens when Jeph reads the forum....
What "this" are we talking about ... ?
Man, this content has actually become somewhat questionable.
LOL you're right.
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How many teachers do we have here?
I'm procrastinating from writing my astronomy final exam!
Gave my students their human rights exam today but I haven't graded it yet, need to finish one more paper myself.
Also, re: why Marten would be mad his mom is coming--isn't this just a bonus incident of him asking someone to respect his boundaries and them just barging right through them anyway? That, I think, would make him a pretty unwelcoming host.
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Well, that answers that!
seriously, that's all I got. Not much meat in this comic besides Hannelore drinking too.
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Marten's mom is going to sleep with Dora. You heard it here first.
Meh.
Such predictions work in a simple way: if you're wrong, people will forget you predicted it - if you're right, people might remember and you get some fame.
Does that prediction rule still operate when the predictor is GodJeph?
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They use it to incubate their lesbian babies that they make when they press their vaginas together.
Man don't be ridiculous, that fleshlight does not have nearly a big enough uterus for parthogenetic lesbian babies
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Marten's mom is going to sleep with Dora. You heard it here first.
Meh.
Such predictions work in a simple way: if you're wrong, people will forget you predicted it - if you're right, people might remember and you get some fame.
Does that prediction rule still operate when the predictor is GodJeph?
LOL LOL LOL
Sorry, I didnt checked WHO wrote that.
LOL LOL LOL
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Did you see those three beat panels? They were *Crucial* to the joke.
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Oh Hanners, you just had to ask, didn't you?
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Three beat-panels in a row. Is that a world record?
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Well, that answers that!
That answers NOTHING!!!
It's not Marten's, but we pretty much knew that already (Marten's not the kind of guy who would own a Fleshlight, he's more into dildos and buttplugs and what not (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=107)
And now we know it's not Hanners's, otherwise why would she ask?
And it's not likely to be Dora's, or Hanners would have seen it when she peeked into Dora's big Box-O-Party-Favors...
That leaves....Yeah, not sure I wanna go there...
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FAYE
IT'S FAYE'S
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Guys Pintsize probably bought it. If he has money to pay for broken windows (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1594) he has money for fleshlights. Of course this just raises the other question of where he gets his money...
I like how Marten just seems to be waiting for her to ask. Personally if I were him I'd be like "Hanners I love you but please leave, I want to drink alone." Then again if he did that she'd probably think he was.....yeah.
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It could have belonged to Sven..... He has been missing the whims of a woman since the incident with Faye
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If it isn't Pintsizes (and let's face it, he did have condoms to offer Marten long ago, who knows what else he keeps around just for the hell of it) Then he most likely got it from one of his other anthro-pc buddie's owner.
I can see it now, Pintsize logs on to a message board and puts out a call for a fleshlight the night before. The moment Marten goes out the door for work Pintsize slips through, and heads down to one of his buddies who offerd to lend him his owners. Pintize sneaks back into the apartment, and fires up MS Paint and does a sketch of Dora's backside, then printing it out once it meets his approval. A little tape, and some careful positioning atop the couch... and Pintsize's plan is now complete.
That's why he smiled so much when Marten took that first swig of booze. After such a long day of work... it's good to see your effort appreciated.
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Had a feeling we'd be seeing more Hanners after the breakup. Just a hunch. I don't mind though, she's cute.
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Well I be damned, Jeph REALLY reads the forums. Now I'm scared.
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Man, this content has actually become somewhat questionable.
That's what I was thinking. And Jeph gets upset when we're creepy with his characters! This definitely provokes the creepiness. But I understand they're his characters, not ours.
I mean it kind of makes you wonder what he thinks about. You know he's already visualized every possible thing that could happen between a single guy and a robot with a fleshlight attached to it.
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Well I be damned, Jeph REALLY reads the forums. Now I'm scared.
Yep, expect them to go away any time now, so post while you can.
On another note, I am shocked that Marten was conscious and coherent enough to answer questions. I figured with the way he started guzzling booze last page, he'd be well on his way to DrunkenStuporville by now.
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Jeph knows that the forums need to exist, but he hates what goes on in this one. Of course, when it gets a bit less horrible, he might be a little more relaxed about it (or not, some artists dislike any discussion of their work, preferring to let it stand for itself).
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I just noticed something.
Yesterday's comic- Marten is drinking directly out of the bottle.
Today's comic- Hanners is drinking what appears to be bourbon, apparently from the same bottle.
EH?
Backwash seems like a lovecraftian nightmare for Hanners. Maybe she's gotten really, really chill around Marten, but it still seems strange.
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On an unrelated note, while reading old comics of Octopus Pie, I came across many posts in the comments section by Carl-E. I guess it's kind of fun to know that even though no one in my social circle follows webcomics, the internet is full of like minded people.
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For QC? Well, there's this (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1557).
Also this, also involving Hanners (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1611)
I just noticed something.
Yesterday's comic- Marten is drinking directly out of the bottle.
Today's comic- Hanners is drinking what appears to be bourbon, apparently from the same bottle.
EH?
Backwash seems like a lovecraftian nightmare for Hanners. Maybe she's gotten really, really chill around Marten, but it still seems strange.
She's checked him, he's clean (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1607).
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I don't think the forums are going away unless someone goes full bear-hat or we have a shitstorm like the Other WCDT.
And akronnick, ha! I had almost forgotten that. Oh, Hanners. Never change.
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Can Pintsize Go Any Lower?
No. - 4 (2.8%)
#### No. - 3 (2.1%)
NO ####ING WAY. - 4 (2.8%)
Are you kidding me? - 7 (4.9%)
Not in a million years. - 1 (0.7%)
Well, maybe Goatse... - 17 (12%)
Nah, this one's pretty bad. - 10 (7%)
Who's Fleshlight IS that? - 45 (31.7%)
Poor Hanners. - 25 (17.6%)
EDIT: Of COURSE he can. The strip's name is Questionable Content, right? - 26 (18.3%)
Total Voters: 142
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It's Dora's.
8-)
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[sThat actually makes...sorta sense? A kind of sense. More than other suggestions (edit: other suggestions that it is not Pintsize's, just to clarify.)[/s]
EDIT: Disregard this, please see posts directly below by pwhodges and me
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Er, not really? And why would Sven have left it behind when getting her stuff? Pintsize has shown on many occasions that he can come up with whatever he feels he needs (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=707).
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Well actually lemme revise the statement: it kinda makes sense if Dora got it for Marten for when she was not in the mood. (My fiancée has tried to buy me one for just this purpose--I assure her I AM FINE.)
And then she didn't tell Sven "pack up the fleshlight" and he didn't pry on Marten cause Sven, while he can be a bad dude, is always classy.
...Which I guess kind of makes it Marten's, really. EDIT: Which was just denied/disproven Ahahahahahahagahahahaha disregard everything I fail reading comprehension fuck yeah
ANYHOW, you are probably right; it's Pintsize's, I mean, Occam's fucking Razor. Sexually bizarre robot, sexually bizarre object, horrible/hilarious prank. Makes sense.
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Winslow.
Now we know what Winslow and Pintsize do when Marten & Co. are out of the apartment. And I'm willing to bet there's a counterpart to this paraphernalia with which Pintsize usually uses. Because I see Winslow being the "woman" in a Winslow-Pintsize relationship.
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Pintslow? Ooog...
I notice Steve's not in the poll. But he strikes me as the type...
Backwash seems like a lovecraftian nightmare for Hanners. Maybe she's gotten really, really chill around Marten, but it still seems strange.
Bourbon has enough alcohol to sterilize. Wine, on the other hand, doesn't, and I'll find the Horrible Revelation link with Marigold later.
Also, she's getting better overcoming her OCD in order to be there for her friends
On an unrelated note, while reading old comics of Octopus Pie, I came across many posts in the comments section by Carl-E. I guess it's kind of fun to know that even though no one in my social circle follows webcomics, the internet is full of like minded people.
Yeah, I have a serious problem.
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Backwash seems like a lovecraftian nightmare for Hanners. Maybe she's gotten really, really chill around Marten, but it still seems strange.
Bourbon has enough alcohol to sterilize. Wine, on the other hand, doesn't, and I'll find the Horrible Revelation link with Marigold later.
Thinkin' about your backwash (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1468)
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If Marten had planned a serious night of drinking would he not have thought to buy more than one bottle and given the one he was not chugging from to Hanners? My wife and I sometimes do this when she has coldsores, also one bottle? to get over a realtionship? really? I know the guy's skinny but still look at steve and the booze monsters.
[edit] terrible spelling/ derailed train of thought [/edit]
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Going back to yesterdays--because I couldn't quite think of the appropriate quote at the time--I bet this is exactly what Marten was thinking:
"Welp, Emergency Bourbon to the rescue!"
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Given the image that Pintsize presented glasses would be inefficient for the quantity necessary to drink that away.
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Given the image that Pintsize presented glasses would be inefficient for the quantity necessary to drink that away.
There ain't enough alcohol in the world to drink that image away!
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:psyduck: My mind... she is blown...
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Jeph knows that the forums need to exist, but he hates what goes on in this one. Of course, when it gets a bit less horrible, he might be a little more relaxed about it (or not, some artists dislike any discussion of their work, preferring to let it stand for itself).
The forums do not "need" to exist. Jeph could be perfectly happy by taking a page out of Chris Hasting's practice and letting some overzealous fan create forums on their own hosting and leaving an "unofficial forums" link to it in place of his current one and forgetting about forums that discuss his comic forever (and save whatever bandwidth costs come out of it). Or completely ignore the existence of any given forums whatsoever and have no links to them, either.
Jeph loves the shit that gets posted here, otherwise he would do something about it other than post passive-aggressive remarks about how much he hates the people that talk about his work (or appointing someone that does it for him, which is unbelievably presumptuous of you). He isn't fooling anyone with his actual posts (they always come across as that not-really-funny deprecating sarcasm that hipsters like to use), so he might as well be honest with himself and embrace what he has created.
Or basically, Put Up or Shut Up. Jeph is quite literally God as far as the forums go (he created every aspect of the content that goes into them, or provided the fuel for all other derived content, after all), so anything that happens is 100% his fault.
Welcome to The Problem of Evil: Webcomic Forum Edition.
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Fleshlight owner? Steve would be my favorite. I don't know why he'd have left it at Marten and Faye's, but then, I don't know why he shaved his pubic hair in their bathroom, either. Steve can move in mysterious ways. Makes me think of this number (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSS5dEeMX64) (It's Disney and Donny Osmond. Don't say I didn't warn you.) It should be Steve's theme song.
I have to hand it to Hanners—she disapproves, but she's not going to let Marten sit there alone, nor is she going to keep nagging him to stop drinking. The question she asks is ten times better than that. Textbook good friend. Makes me think of From Good Home's tune "Let Go". Must be Music Day for me.
Meanwhile, I wonder where they've stuffed Pintsize. Freezer again?
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Meanwhile, I wonder where they've stuffed Pintsize. Freezer again?
Mmm, frozen fleshlight! A favorite among necrophiliacs.
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Meanwhile, I wonder where they've stuffed Pintsize. Freezer again?
Mmm, frozen fleshlight! A favorite among necrophiliacs.
For some reason, ice is erotic to some people...this one guy I know loves this one porno flick with these two chicks playing with ice cubes... :|
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w00t looks like it's time for an ill-advised Hanners rebound fling!! :evil: :evil: :evil:
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Ice dildo molds.
Who willingly puts an icicle in their lady parts? You'd couldn't pay me enough .... at least ... not unless you were like Oprah rich.
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Well I be damned, Jeph REALLY reads the forums. Now I'm scared.
Yep, expect them to go away any time now, so post while you can.
On another note, I am shocked that Marten was conscious and coherent enough to answer questions. I figured with the way he started guzzling booze last page, he'd be well on his way to DrunkenStuporville by now.
Huh?
Why would Jef care about what we write in the forums? It's just a fairly benign internet ramblings with a healthy dose of insanity and wild speculation thrown in. It's not like we're posting crap from /b/ or something.
Seriously... everyone keeps saying he cares. And maybe you're right, but why??? :?
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Ice dildo molds.
Who willingly puts an icicle in their lady parts? You'd couldn't pay me enough .... at least ... not unless you were like Oprah rich.
Maybe not... in as much as just lightly running it over the body... I knew a gal once that enjoyed that a lot.
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I have to hand it to Hanners—she disapproves, but she's not going to let Marten sit there alone, nor is she going to keep nagging him to stop drinking. The question she asks is ten times better than that. Textbook good friend. Makes me think of From Good Home's tune "Let Go". Must be Music Day for me.
If you look at it, Hanners is drinking, too. At this point, I think she AGREES with Marten.
w00t looks like it's time for an ill-advised Hanners rebound fling!! :evil: :evil: :evil:
*finds and picks up a dickbroom reluctantly*
After what Marten just saw, his sack has probably retreated into his body cavity (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=553). And Hanners is likely equally creeped out, if not more so. And this is completely ignoring that Marten isn't in the mood to do it with anyone (even Dora,) and Hanners would freak out about that, even when drunk.
*puts the dickbroom down and vigorously washes his hands*
Why would Jef care about what we write in the forums? It's just a fairly benign internet ramblings with a healthy dose of insanity and wild speculation thrown in. It's not like we're posting crap from /b/ or something.
Actually, last time I looked, there was stuff from /b/ being posted here.
By Jeph. :lol:
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I know that pintsize is a bit of an a-hole, but that's.... that's just being plain mean, this is way to far for him.
(emphasis mine)
I thought it was supposed to be a vagi- ahaha, I see what you mean now.
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Actually, last time I looked, there was stuff from /b/ being posted here.
By Jeph.
A case of "give them what they deserve" I suppose; I agree it's probably counter-productive.
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It is bad that yesterday I didn't realize it was a fleshlight, much less what a fleshlight was?
Word of caution when googling "fleshlight" for the very first time...
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and Hanners would freak out about that, even when drunk.
Remember, Hanners was smoking when she first met Marten. You don't know what she's capable of.
Actually, last time I looked, there was stuff from /b/ being posted here.
What the hell.
By Jeph.
Oh, okay, that makes it cool now. :laugh:
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It is bad that yesterday I didn't realize it was a fleshlight, much less what a fleshlight was?
Not really, you don't need to know what every 'party favor' does. As for fleshlights, I came across a site once that described how to build one with a pringles can and a condom.(No, I didn't build it). So I imagine it is not something you (want to) share with anyone, just like you don't use someones used condom.
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I have to hand it to Hanners—she disapproves, but she's not going to let Marten sit there alone, nor is she going to keep nagging him to stop drinking. The question she asks is ten times better than that. Textbook good friend. Makes me think of From Good Home's tune "Let Go". Must be Music Day for me.
If you look at it, Hanners is drinking, too. At this point, I think she AGREES with Marten.
Maybe, but she seems to be sipping whilst he gulps. More likely she's doing it so as to be non-judgmental. Hard to get classier than that.
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And probably doing so to keep her freak-out session from starting too soon. She's doing what she did with Marigold--saving it up for later, and a more appropriate venue. If she keeps practicing that, she might get good enough to even kiss someone...
...Chastely...
...On the cheek.
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even kiss someone...
...Chastely...
...On the cheek.
BLASPHEMER! :-D
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and Hanners would freak out about that, even when drunk.
Remember, Hanners was smoking when she first met Marten. You don't know what she's capable of.
Man, if she got back on whatever medication she was on back then, she and Marten would be cute together.
Maybe.
I'd love to see Faye and Dora react to that.
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Maybe, but she seems to be sipping whilst he gulps. More likely she's doing it so as to be non-judgmental. Hard to get classier than that.
Hanners is all class, all the way. She even flails in a ladylike manner. Her expressions and "finger jive" (especially in panel 3) are so eloquent. Art-kudos to Jeph.
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It is bad that yesterday I didn't realize it was a fleshlight, much less what a fleshlight was?
Not really, you don't need to know what every 'party favor' does. As for fleshlights, I came across a site once that described how to build one with a pringles can and a condom.(No, I didn't build it). So I imagine it is not something you (want to) share with anyone, just like you don't use someones used condom.
Yeah well, learning what it is the same morning I hear my neighbors having sex. It *can't* be a coincidence...
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Maybe, but she seems to be sipping whilst he gulps. More likely she's doing it so as to be non-judgmental. Hard to get classier than that.
Hanners is all class, all the way. She even flails in a ladylike manner. Her expressions and "finger jive" (especially in panel 3) are so eloquent. Art-kudos to Jeph.
Man, "finger jive" is a way cooler name for it than "twiddling your thumbs"! Thanks Akima!
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I can't see Hanners being stupid enough (or drinking enough) to be planning on stocking up on Liquid Courage for an ill-fated attempt to get some Marten Action, there's just so much wrong with the idea, yet..
I can't get it out of my brain!
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I have a couple really, really...REALLY...bad/dumb/stupid/perverted questions, and I'm scared of Googling them.
I've never used a fleshlight, so when one's getting off with one, does one...come inside it, or yank out and into a kleenex? If the former, how do you clean it out?
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I have a couple really, really...REALLY...bad/dumb/stupid/perverted questions, and I'm scared of Googling them.
I've never used a fleshlight, so when one's getting off with one, does one...come inside it, or yank out and into a kleenex? If the former, how do you clean it out?
Soap and hot water. Although you've got to have some cajones to be washing one out in the sink when you're living with roommates. I think some of them are also dishwasher safe.
I'm ex-navy. This stuff gets to be common knowledge when you're on a ship that goes out to sea for months at a time.
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And probably doing so to keep her freak-out session from starting too soon. She's doing what she did with Marigold--saving it up for later, and a more appropriate venue. If she keeps practicing that, she might get good enough to even kiss someone...
...Chastely...
...On the cheek.
She would, of course, sanitize both her lips and the cheek area immediately afterward...and she might be so pleased with her socially appropriate behavior that she--dare I say it--would go try Taco Bell (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1709)
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Pintsize is now in 'Time Out' in the closet - with his WiFi disconnected.
It's Sven's
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Now I'm really confused. Why does Pintsize have or need Sven's WiFi? Doesn't he have his own built-in uplink?
And no, Dr. ROFLPWN, for Hanners, the chain that dare not speak its name may well be Taco Bell. Of course, it could just as easily be McDonald's. I remember waaayyy back when someone put out a rumor that McD's 'supplemented thier protein,' as it were, with earthworms. I recall this because my grandfather bought it hook, line and sinker. Ah-hah Ahahaha. Anyway, we couldn't pass under the Arches when we were with him, which was altogether a terrible thing to do to an eight-year-old.
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I have a couple really, really...REALLY...bad/dumb/stupid/perverted questions, and I'm scared of Googling them.
I've never used a fleshlight, so when one's getting off with one, does one...come inside it, or yank out and into a kleenex? If the former, how do you clean it out?
The, ah, "realistic" part of it is a lining that comes out of the outer plastic casing...and it has an opening at the other end, so water can just be run straight through it. And Googling fleshlight is probably fairly safe in the grand scheme of things, particularly if you just stick to a web search and not a GIS. The fleshlight website is actually just covered mostly in pictures of porn stars who have personalized fleshlight inserts (allegedly) molded into the shape of their naughty bits. Kind of an interesting idea for someone who's just way too obsessed with Sasha Grey or Stoya or someone like that.
And as a side note, if you ever want to know about something like that, but are worried about Google results, checking on urbandictionary is a pretty safe bet since they don't have pictures.
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I'm ex-navy. This stuff gets to be common knowledge when you're on a ship that goes out to sea for months at a time.
Being stuck on a boat full of seamen can do that to a man.
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Now I'm really confused. Why does Pintsize have or need Sven's WiFi? Doesn't he have his own built-in uplink?
And no, Dr. ROFLPWN, for Hanners, the chain that dare not speak its name may well be Taco Bell. Of course, it could just as easily be McDonald's. I remember waaayyy back when someone put out a rumor that McD's 'supplemented thier protein,' as it were, with earthworms. I recall this because my grandfather bought it hook, line and sinker. Ah-hah Ahahaha. Anyway, we couldn't pass under the Arches when we were with him, which was altogether a terrible thing to do to an eight-year-old.
Well we know from the strip I linked above she has never been, and considers it one of her social hurdles, perhaps for similar reasons, or perhaps because she's actually seen a Taco Bell kitchen in-depth and it all but shattered her mind.
That is a pretty awful thing to do to a kid. Conversely, I used to love the old McNuggets at that age; because I was sure they weren't chicken--chicken didn't taste like that. I was like "OMG IGUANA/CAPYBARA MEAT" or something, which I think was in conjunction with being a kid who loved the rainforest and read all about it all the damn time and was pretty sure McDonalds was scouring Brazil for bush meat.
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Jeph loves the shit that gets posted here
No, he really doesn't. From what I can see, you have entirely the wrong take on it. It's not like Jeph comes around here nightly, reads everything, thinks "yeah alright, that's ok" then leaves. There was a very long time in which he just didn't come around here at all because whenever he did he got the shits with it. Most of the other mods & I are from the other part of the forums and mostly can't stand to read through this place any more than he does. So other than when I get a reported post and have to remove some spam or ban a dude for being a dipshit this place has been put into the "don't care" basket, except for when someone mentions that something really dumb is happening, which is usually when we come in and get annoyed.
tl;dr version: The mod/admin radio silence isn't tacit acceptance, more like us saying "fuck it, I don't want to deal with it"
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New comic - dead goldfish...
That makes Dora the third member of the cast to have killed goldfish: Marten (http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=221), Faye (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=502).
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...huh.
She only kinda has her friends, though. With Marten avoiding her, Faye's going to drop from "friend" to "peon" pretty quickly. And, um... that's really pretty much it.
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I do my best to not sound like an idiot when I'm on here, at least not intentionally. :-(
If I ever start to sound like a real troll please just ban me and I'll understand.
RE: Comic:
Nice. I like seeing Dora and Sven interaction.
And c'mon, who didn't kill a goldfish when they were little? Those things are like the easiest things to kill.
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True about goldfish, of course.
What's intriguing me, though, is just how Jeph's going develop the comic if the group does fall into two barely related sections. To me this suggests that some sort of accommodation between Dora and Marten is on the cards at some stage, though it may be that he hasn't planned it yet.
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I think it's also a possibility, though distant, that someone might leave the cast, but again, all depends on Jeph's plan.
Sven is being really awesome here, wooooo Sven.
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Yeah, this is really cute and all, it's genuinely touching, but I'd like to see just a smidge of concern for Marten. Really, Dora does not have any sort of right to feel sorry for herself, no one had any input or control over this besides her, and if she had gotten any advice from any of her friends, they'd have told her not to, or at least told her to do it way different.
I can assume she feels guilty over how much she hurt Marten right now, but it's not being shown. It really does feel like now that she's broken up with him, he no longer exists, and it's just poor little Dora alone in the world. It's only been a day, but it seems like she's 'gotten over' Marten the person already, and is only grieving for the way her life was before she decided to change it.
This is the problem with severely limited omniscience, there's a lot of stuff that's probably going on, but since we don't see it, it's hard to be sure exactly what exists and what doesn't except when the cast mentions it. And Jeph really is striking what may be the best balance of getting on with the story, cracking jokes, and showing what's going on. Unfortunately we can't get Jephs of different dimensions and have them draw comics in parrallel, which would be the only possible way to solve that dilemma.
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True about goldfish, of course.
What's intriguing me, though, is just how Jeph's going develop the comic if the group does fall into two barely related sections. To me this suggests that some sort of accommodation between Dora and Marten is on the cards at some stage, though it may be that he hasn't planned it yet.
We have built our civilization upon a mountain of goldfish skulls. Or maybe a low hill, them being so teeny and all.
I was pretty sure an accommodation was in the cards before Marten started looking like someone you'd see pushing a grocery cart on the sidewalk, complete with freaky hat. I keep wondering how long it's going to be before he lines that thing with foil.
Then I remind myself it's only been what, a day? Three at the most? So sure, something's going to be worked out. But it may take months or more, our time. At least I know if someone accused me of lying to her and dumped me because of it (I know that's not exactly what happened, but it seems fairly close to how it must feel to Marten), I'd have to give myself a few weeks or maybe months to put it behind me enough so I'd be sure I could act civilized around her. Which wouldn't* mean we couldn't share friends—just that things would be strained.
Still, if Marten's deep-ending is a long-term thing, who knows? But, like I said, the way time flows in QC makes it hard to get a handle on this sort of thing, or at least it does for me.
Of course, why I think Marten will be in the driver's seat of this car is an entirely other discussion.
*Edit: screw up—missing negative. ANd I misspelled mountain and… To paraphrase Dave Bowman, "My god, it's full of typos."
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Yeah, this is really cute and all, it's genuinely touching, but I'd like to see just a smidge of concern for Marten. Really, Dora does not have any sort of right to feel sorry for herself, no one had any input or control over this besides her, and if she had gotten any advice from any of her friends, they'd have told her not to, or at least told her to do it way different.
I can assume she feels guilty over how much she hurt Marten right now, but it's not being shown. It really does feel like now that she's broken up with him, he no longer exists, and it's just poor little Dora alone in the world. It's only been a day, but it seems like she's 'gotten over' Marten the person already, and is only grieving for the way her life was before she decided to change it.
This is the problem with severely limited omniscience, there's a lot of stuff that's probably going on, but since we don't see it, it's hard to be sure exactly what exists and what doesn't except when the cast mentions it. And Jeph really is striking what may be the best balance of getting on with the story, cracking jokes, and showing what's going on. Unfortunately we can't get Jephs of different dimensions and have them draw comics in parrallel, which would be the only possible way to solve that dilemma.
Her neurosis, which I can only assume, as a sufferer of same, that she is at least somewhat self-conscious about, has caused her to drive away a man she really cares about. She knows she was not thinking rationally and that is very upsetting, that loss of control. She is dealing with psychological issues well above and beyond simple "I just had to break up with someone boo hoo", and I think that's what she feels sorry for herself for. That's my take, anyway.
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Her neurosis, which I can only assume, as a sufferer of same, that she is at least somewhat self-conscious about, has caused her to drive away a man she really cares about. She knows she was not thinking rationally and that is very upsetting, that loss of control. She is dealing with psychological issues well above and beyond simple "I just had to break up with someone boo hoo", and I think that's what she feels sorry for herself for. That's my take, anyway.
You're probably right, but that doesn't make the current dialogue any less self-oriented. It's almost like she's married her neuroses, and was cheating on them with Marten, and now the affair is over and she's going back to be with her mental equivalent of an abusive spouse, and that's somehow 'back to normal'. As I write this, I'm actually starting to feel sorry for her.
I'm also worried that Dora is going to 'move on' faster than Marten's prepared for. Notice she's not the one trying to visit blackoutland, and instead is focusing on getting on with the rest of her life. And Dora's really bad issues are Marten specific; they're not going to stop her from getting involved with someone else whenever she finds someone she likes. Marten, on the other hand, is probably developing NEW issues because of all this, I don't see him actually getting involved in a relationship for a long time, because he's lost all sense of control of his own life.
I'm reading too much into everything, and I can't freaking help it.
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I too am heftily wondering where this is all going.
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I'm reading too much into everything, and I can't freaking help it.
By no means - and from being in a somewhat similar situation (long ago), I think Marten's reaction is being well shown so far.
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Her neurosis, which I can only assume, as a sufferer of same, that she is at least somewhat self-conscious about, has caused her to drive away a man she really cares about. She knows she was not thinking rationally and that is very upsetting, that loss of control. She is dealing with psychological issues well above and beyond simple "I just had to break up with someone boo hoo", and I think that's what she feels sorry for herself for. That's my take, anyway.
You're probably right, but that doesn't make the current dialogue any less self-oriented. It's almost like she's married her neuroses, and was cheating on them with Marten, and now the affair is over and she's going back to be with her mental equivalent of an abusive spouse, and that's somehow 'back to normal'. As I write this, I'm actually starting to feel sorry for her.
...
These two comments are both spot-on, in my humble opinion... But I would like to add that this is (probably) just the day after the breakup, and we shouldn't really expect anyone to react reasonably sane and rational just yet. Also, I like to think that rather soon there will be a little distance to the whole thing - and they will be able to be friends again.
Maybe these thoughts are just a projection of how I hope that real life will work... remember, I don't really have any experience with these matters.
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I think she's just dealing with her shock at it being over (even if she did the deed) by attempting to narrow down what went wrong. And all she can see is herself
I don't think she's "married to her neuroses" and it isn't one specific issue you can plot on a map. Her experiences shape how she sees situations, and they have finally become a detriment to her. Yeah, she might seem self absorbed, because she, like everyone else in the world are when we are heart broken and we feel it's completely our fault.
She has ALWAYS liked Marten, you don't get over that quickly. We'll totally see that come up.
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I think that as the instigator, she may have been better prepared for this than Marten was, which is why she doesn't seem as broken up about it. She also may just be avoiding thinking about him, because it's too much right at the moment and she HAS to keep focused on her moving forward if only to cope and not just stay in bed bawling.
I think we will see someone who isn't Hanners bawling again sometime soon, mayhaps. I feel bad for both of them. :(
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princess and melville spin off?
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Whose IS it?
Pintsize - 70 (59.8%)
Angus - 1 (0.9%)
Sven - 5 (4.3%)
Dora (?) - 13 (11.1%)
Faye (??) - 4 (3.4%)
Marigold (Huh) - 1 (0.9%)
Winslow (!!!) - 5 (4.3%)
Dale (Daaaaang.) - 11 (9.4%)
Will - 1 (0.9%)
Penelope (Huh??) - 4 (3.4%)
New Customer Guy - 2 (1.7%)
Total Voters: 117
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I'm reading too much into everything, and I can't freaking help it.
Assimilation complete.
Welcome to the collective!
princess and melville spin off?
Sleeping Beauty meets Moby Dick? Sounds like bad porn to me...
Oooohhhhh... you meant Mieville, and .... Pintsize? That could be funny.
Once or twice.
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Princess is Sven's cat. And there's nothing that a light haired cat likes more than snuggling up to someone's dark clothing.
Dora's wardrobe is pooched.
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princess and melville spin off?
Not a spin-off, just a sub-theme, like "Pintsize and Winslow's wacky antics with Roomba" was for a while. Worked for S*P and GWS. :P
Of course that means major cross-over potential and the opportunity to link QC to Sandman by way of the Cats' dream.
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I dunno man, I think "Dora's insecurities" was kind of a dumb reason for the two of them to break up. But like most "reasons" people break up, there's probably something else going on too. I guess we'll see if it sticks.
I'm also not sure if it really merit's Dora going to therapy. I mean, counseling isn't a bad idea in general or anything, but the fact that she felt less important than the (major theme of this comic for a few years) relationship between Martin and Faye almost sorta valid. I feel like Dora and Marten got together mostly because they were both just there, not because they were wildly compatible or anything.
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Sven earns twelve Big-Brother Points. He upgrades into "Decent Human Being" and gains the Empathy (level one) ability.
Idle speculation:
Faye is, apparently, out with Angus right now. If she returns home and finds Hannelore babysitting an increasinly drunk and depressed Marten, she might not want to stick around and get in on the pity-party, especially if Marten's not being very good company right now. And if she leaves, we don't need three guesses as to where she's likely to end up if not at her own apartment. So, potentially good news for Angus?
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I'm also not sure if it really merit's Dora going to therapy. I mean, counseling isn't a bad idea in general or anything, but the fact that she felt less important than the (major theme of this comic for a few years) relationship between Martin and Faye almost sorta valid. I feel like Dora and Marten got together mostly because they were both just there, not because they were wildly compatible or anything.
They got together at Dora's instigation, because she found him attractive. Probably those piercing blue eyes and black hair. They remended her of someone else she'd been attracted to back in the early days of her "figuring it all out (http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=1047)"...
And Sven has confirmed that she's got deep seated self-esteem issues, based on her previous relationships. She's focusing on the fact that she scuttled this relationship, because it's new to her - she's never had one that didn't collapse because the other party was an asshole. And focusing is helping her cope.
Yeah, she'll need therapy. And she'll be able to think of Marten soon enough. Because no one's gonna let her not do so. At the very least, both Faye and Hanners have a way of getting their point across, and they'll keep her from blocking those feelings completely.
I'm actually looking forward to seeing all this play out!
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princess and melville spin off?
Not a spin-off, just a sub-theme, like "Pintsize and Winslow's wacky antics with Roomba" was for a while. Worked for S*P and GWS. :P
Of course that means major cross-over potential and the opportunity to link QC to Sandman by way of the Cats' dream.
Ooh, does that mean Special Kitty, Choo-choo Bear and their brood could end up in a QC crossover?
I can see it now: Hannelore is cleaning her drain one day when a big pinkish blob of cat comes up through the drains...
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Poor girl, caught directly between her "cute kitty" reflex and her "Eeek! Goo!" reflex.
But yes.
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Soap and hot water. Although you've got to have some cajones to be washing one out in the sink when you're living with roommates.
You mean like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caj%C3%B3n (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caj%C3%B3n) ? :psyduck:
I know that pintsize is a bit of an a-hole, but that's.... that's just being plain mean, this is way to far for him.
(emphasis mine)
I thought it was supposed to be a vagi- ahaha, I see what you mean now.
HA!
well, now regarding comic.... I wonder if this is the begining to a hard and painfull process to Dora, like it was for Faye.... Most certanly so, but why do i believe that she's going to suffer a lot more?
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well, now regarding comic.... I wonder if this is the begining to a hard and painfull process to Dora, like it was for Faye.... Most certanly so, but why do i believe that she's going to suffer a lot more?
...because Jeph is evil towards his characters?
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But no more than real life is evil towards real people, I think (with possible exceptions for wacky things like the anthroPCs).
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Exactly. In real life, you can get chemical burns. Nobody in QC has been hit with a bucket of acid yet.
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Exactly. In real life, you can get chemical burns. Nobody in QC has been hit with a bucket of acid yet.
YET!
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It's almost like she's married her neuroses, and was cheating on them with Marten, and now the affair is over and she's going back to be with her mental equivalent of an abusive spouse, and that's somehow 'back to normal'. As I write this, I'm actually starting to feel sorry for her.
That is a good psychological insight, and a splendid turn of phrase.
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Sven earns twelve Big-Brother Points. He upgrades into "Decent Human Being" and gains the Empathy (level one) ability.
BZZZT.
Sven has, in the past (too damn lazy to link), shown empathy and consideration towards Dora. Interestingly, he's been trying to show/develop both empathy and consideration for the feelings of others (Think his discussions with Marten, his discussion with Will, his lack of 'play' whilst reading in the Horrible Revelation)
These are not new abilities, though in the past they have been Decent Human Being (Dora), and Empathy (Dora).
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Yeah, this is really cute and all, it's genuinely touching, but I'd like to see just a smidge of concern for Marten. Really, Dora does not have any sort of right to feel sorry for herself, no one had any input or control over this besides her, and if she had gotten any advice from any of her friends, they'd have told her not to, or at least told her to do it way different.
I can assume she feels guilty over how much she hurt Marten right now, but it's not being shown. It really does feel like now that she's broken up with him, he no longer exists, and it's just poor little Dora alone in the world. It's only been a day, but it seems like she's 'gotten over' Marten the person already, and is only grieving for the way her life was before she decided to change it.
I may change my mind later depending on what happens, but that's how I feel about it right now too.
Also, it's irritated me for a long time that people speak of Sven as if he isn't a human being. He's plenty human in that he makes lots of bad choices just like everyone else does. I don't mean to downplay some of the stupid shit he's done, but I also don't think he's a soulless monster.
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It's almost like she's married her neuroses, and was cheating on them with Marten, and now the affair is over and she's going back to be with her mental equivalent of an abusive spouse, and that's somehow 'back to normal'. As I write this, I'm actually starting to feel sorry for her.
Get rid of the almost, and you've got it. Continuing the relationship with Marten meant giving up her insecurities—he out-and-out said that, pretty much, after the Underpants Incident. To quote Amy Lee*, Dora prefers (hopefully preferred, but she hasn't actually changed anything yet) to 'stay in love with her sorrow,' or, to be more accurate, to continue in the state of mind she's developed over the years rather than take a chance on changing, even if it meant she'd be happy. This is not uncommon. If you really pay attention, you'll be shocked at how many people prefer to suffer loss, pain, and suffering, and how much of it, rather than change the way they interact with the world. It's one of the core things Flannery O'Connor, for one, writes about (as do many Southern writers from the U.S., as behaving this way seems to be even more popular here than elsewhere). As I've said, it's Dora's tragedy, and it may become Marten's, too, since it's not that unusual for such a person to make those closest to them began to suffer from mental problems, too. Not that Marten may not already have his own, but it's entirely possible Dora unintentionally made them worse. It's like unto a contagion.
I think that as the instigator, she may have been better prepared for this than Marten was, which is why she doesn't seem as broken up about it. She also may just be avoiding thinking about him, because it's too much right at the moment and she HAS to keep focused on her moving forward if only to cope and not just stay in bed bawling.
I think we will see someone who isn't Hanners bawling again sometime soon, mayhaps. I feel bad for both of them. :(
Well, yes. Dora's only been saying their relationship was temporary for what, a thousand strips or so? I can't recall when she first did it (I'm sure some else will oblidge my indolent posterior and look it up), but it's been quite a while. It's also been pretty clear Marten, for all someone accused him of not committing to the relationship, thought differently. (Sorry, but that still sticks in my craw).
And Marten's been bawling already.
Sven earns twelve Big-Brother Points. He's begining to upgrade into "Decent Human Being" and threatening to gain the Empathy (level one) ability.
Idle speculation:
Faye is, apparently, out with Angus right now. If she returns home and finds Hannelore babysitting an increasinly drunk and depressed Marten, she might not want to stick around and get in on the pity-party, especially if Marten's not being very good company right now. And if she leaves, we don't need three guesses as to where she's likely to end up if not at her own apartment. So, potentially good news for Angus?
Fixed that first part. :-D Seriously, I give Sven credit for this and all the other demonstrations of being a real person lately, but I suspect Sven-boy's going to get really tested soon, and I want to see how he comes through that before I stamp the DHB on his forehead. Which, for some reason, seems to have shrunk in this strip.
Angus may profit, but I do hope you're not inferring he thrives on others' misfortunes. He doesn't seem to be that sort of fellow to me. Nor is Faye, for all her abrasiveness and frequent dickery, a bailer. Except, of course, on herself—always on herself.
*Not something I do often, but that song does resonate with me. So sue my semi-goth fanny
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I agree about Faye - it's more her attitude to give Marten a swift one, or take the partying out of the depths of pity (and into drunken shennanigans?) than to simply leave Hanners to babysit Mr. Morose. He's her best friend, she's not going to leave him like that.
And even though she's with Angus right now, and the option of dallying with Angus awhile may be more attractive than dealing with Marten in the depths of his cups, she'd feel lie she was abandoning him if she didn't go check on him during his first post-breakup night.
I'm more curious as to whether she'll bring Angus along - will the sight of the new lovebirds drive Marten over the edge? Will a bro to talk to (other than Steve) help? Angus has been there - Faye was "rebound sass" - and commiseration is good for the soul...
TGINF (Thank god it's not Friday)
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You guys think she's with Angus? I figured she was still at the shop; she came after Dora so she's probably closing tonight.
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Has anyone made the obligatory "OMIGRW! DORA/SVEN OTP" post yet?
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Now I'm really confused. Why does Pintsize have or need Sven's WiFi? Doesn't he have his own built-in uplink?
And no, Dr. ROFLPWN, for Hanners, the chain that dare not speak its name may well be Taco Bell. Of course, it could just as easily be McDonald's. I remember waaayyy back when someone put out a rumor that McD's 'supplemented thier protein,' as it were, with earthworms. I recall this because my grandfather bought it hook, line and sinker. Ah-hah Ahahaha. Anyway, we couldn't pass under the Arches when we were with him, which was altogether a terrible thing to do to an eight-year-old.
I (sarcastically humorously) meant the Fleshligth :-P
Is this the birth of Dr. Sven?
Will Dr. Phil be outclassed?
Probably not.
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Has anyone made the obligatory "OMIGRW! DORA/SVEN OTP" post yet?
Please don't.
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I can't think of a single thing in the comment to support such an outlandish theory...
Dora/Bus is more likely, and a lot less firmly in Bearhat territory.
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This could lead to some interesting exposition on Sven and maybe more knowledge of Doras history. And I wonder if Martens liver will be alive by the time his mom gets there.
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I think Sven would have behaved in a similar fashion towards Dora even before his fabled 'Jerkass Revelation.' Sven's problem is a similar one that I've noticed for a lot of people who simply have things always "go their way." They don't realize how strongly people can be hurt by things, because somebody like Sven will typically know that things will get better before too long. His disappointment with Faye is a new one, but it certainly helps him have some perspective for how other people feel.
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...I wonder if Martens liver will be alive by the time his mom gets there.
Alive, yes.
Happy, no.
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I (sarcastically humorously) meant the Fleshligth :-P
Is this the birth of Dr. Sven?
Will Dr. Phil be outclassed?
Probably not.
And I sarcastically misunderstood the unreferenced pronoun—sadly, sarcasm breeds like maggots. Anyway, as much as I'm not Sven's frantic fan, he's nowhere near that level of mouthbreathing assholery yet.
I think Sven would have behaved in a similar fashion towards Dora even before his fabled 'Jerkass Revelation.' Sven's problem is a similar one that I've noticed for a lot of people who simply have things always "go their way." They don't realize how strongly people can be hurt by things, because somebody like Sven will typically know that things will get better before too long. His disappointment with Faye is a new one, but it certainly helps him have some perspective for how other people feel.
Probably as succinct a statement of Sven's character or lack thereof as I've seen. The only thing I'd change is "typically know" to "assumes," and I'd add "without any real effort being exerted by themselves or others." I do think Sven has potential to be a really good person to know—we saw a little of that when he was supporting Faye before sex got in the way. But many things fly past his ear (him being too tall for them to pass over his noggin), and when Sven does notice a problem, he's got no staying power.* Sometimes that can be worse than not helping at all.
I really, really want Jeph to toss the guy into the crucible, and I think Dora is perfectly capable of dragging him into hers—if she actually goes in herself. We'll see, I suppose.
*waiting for someone to chip in "outside of the sack" or some variation.
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I think Sven would have behaved in a similar fashion towards Dora even before his fabled 'Jerkass Revelation.' Sven's problem is a similar one that I've noticed for a lot of people who simply have things always "go their way."
<snip>
The thing about people who have things seemingly always "go their way" is, it ultimately ends at some point in time.
I think it ended when Faye walked out on Sven after the Riversmith situation.
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Ice dildo molds.
Who willingly puts an icicle in their lady parts? You'd couldn't pay me enough .... at least ... not unless you were like Oprah rich.
Temperature play, not uncommon.
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Sven earns twelve Big-Brother Points. He's begining to upgrade into "Decent Human Being" and threatening to gain the Empathy (level one) ability.
Idle speculation:
Faye is, apparently, out with Angus right now. If she returns home and finds Hannelore babysitting an increasinly drunk and depressed Marten, she might not want to stick around and get in on the pity-party, especially if Marten's not being very good company right now. And if she leaves, we don't need three guesses as to where she's likely to end up if not at her own apartment. So, potentially good news for Angus?
Fixed that first part. :-D Seriously, I give Sven credit for this and all the other demonstrations of being a real person lately, but I suspect Sven-boy's going to get really tested soon, and I want to see how he comes through that before I stamp the DHB on his forehead. Which, for some reason, seems to have shrunk in this strip.
Angus may profit, but I do hope you're not inferring he thrives on others' misfortunes. He doesn't seem to be that sort of fellow to me. Nor is Faye, for all her abrasiveness and frequent dickery, a bailer. Except, of course, on herself—always on herself.
Ehhh, I'll give you that Sven may not have levelled up into "Decent Human Being" yet, but he began that process a ways back. Arguably, like you pointed out, this goes back his supporting Faye before they had sex. And despite the Gina Riversmith thing - which was complete dickheadishness on his part - he seemed pretty good to Faye. He's been getting better since then, at any rate. Enough to at least grant him the Empathy (level one) ability, I think.
Oh, I'm not saying that Angus is that sort of person by any means! I'm just saying that while the comic is currently focusing on Marten and Hannelore's Bogus Adventure, Faye and Angus have to be somewhere. Faye might conclude that her company won't cheer Marten up, or she might think that Hannelore has things under control, or she might not want to stay in the world's most depressing apartment, or take your pick of a bunch of things that would mean Faye doesn't want to hang out at her place tonight. And while Angus wouldn't be happy at Marten's misery - hell, he'd probably feel bad about it, given that he seems to like Marten - well, this isn't even a "Lemons to Lemonade" scenario. This is the hot girl he's dating wanting to stay at his place rather than her own. Sometimes, when God gives you a gift, you don't need to analyse it to death or feel guilty about where it came from, you just give a quick prayer of thanks and enjoy it.
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Oh, I'm not saying that Angus is that sort of person by any means! I'm just saying that while the comic is currently focusing on Marten and Hannelore's Bogus Adventure, Faye and Angus have to be somewhere. Faye might conclude that her company won't cheer Marten up, or she might think that Hannelore has things under control, or she might not want to stay in the world's most depressing apartment, or take your pick of a bunch of things that would mean Faye doesn't want to hang out at her place tonight. And while Angus wouldn't be happy at Marten's misery - hell, he'd probably feel bad about it, given that he seems to like Marten - well, this isn't even a "Lemons to Lemonade" scenario. This is the hot girl he's dating wanting to stay at his place rather than her own. Sometimes, when God gives you a gift, you don't need to analyse it to death or feel guilty about where it came from, you just give a quick prayer of thanks and enjoy it.
Idk, if I walked in to find my best friend drunk and horrifically depressed... HOW COULD I LEAVE?
I mean seriously, what kind of best friend would walk out on that? That is worse to me than every thing we've seen Sven do in the comic combined.
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Talking of Hanners and bourbon; Hannelore + DoKYA = ?? :psyduck:
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Oh, I'm not saying that Angus is that sort of person by any means! I'm just saying that while the comic is currently focusing on Marten and Hannelore's Bogus Adventure, Faye and Angus have to be somewhere. Faye might conclude that her company won't cheer Marten up, or she might think that Hannelore has things under control, or she might not want to stay in the world's most depressing apartment, or take your pick of a bunch of things that would mean Faye doesn't want to hang out at her place tonight.
Might think Hannelore has it under control? She might not even know Hannelore is with Marten, if Hanners was waiting for him outside the library and went to the liquor store and then home with him, which the first panel of 1812 seems to imply. If Faye knew Hanners was all alone with a depressed bourbon-drunk Marten she'd drop whatever she was doing and bolt home. Not out of fear that something romantic would happen between them (I'll eat my underwear if it does), but because she wouldn't want Hanners to have to deal with that on her own.
We have no evidence Faye's even with Angus right now, other than his visit to the shop earlier; I still contend that Faye's closing up at CoD. She wouldn't go on a date with her new boyfriend when her BFF just got dumped hard.
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<snips>
Sometimes, when God gives you a gift, you don't need to analyse it to death or feel guilty about where it came from, you just give a quick prayer of thanks and enjoy it.
Exchange the word God for Jeph, and that's advice many of us here at the WCDT could think about once in a while. :-P
I'm kidding, of course; overanalyzation is the whole point of the WCDT. Go crazy, guys.
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I give Sven credit for this and all the other demonstrations of being a real person lately
Another person complained about people not treating Sven as a real human being.
I know what you both meant, and so does everyone else, but when you step back a few paces and look at it it's kind of funny.
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Dear god, I have to lalugh at this thread. Seriously.
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Another person complained about people not treating Sven as a real human being.
I know what you both meant, and so does everyone else, but when you step back a few paces and look at it it's kind of funny.
That was me, and by God, you're right. Talking about fictional characters as if they're real. Heh.
Now I am going to go try to figure out how, when, and where my life went wrong.
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overanalyzation is the whole point of the WCDT. Go crazy, guys.
Up to a point. And hold the crazy...
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Up to a point. And hold the crazy...
You poor bastard, what have you gotten yourself into?
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I give Sven credit for this and all the other demonstrations of being a real person lately
Another person complained about people not treating Sven as a real human being.
I know what you both meant, and so does everyone else, but when you step back a few paces and look at it it's kind of funny.
To be perfectly honest, what I meant was "Please don't flame me, bro*, for waxing critical about this character you've got the warm and fuzzies about." All the QC cast are about as 'real' to me as Beowulf, Ayla, Willy Loman, Hamlet, The Batman, Congorilla, The Misfit, and Quentin Compson. I'm in the habit of talking about those pieces of feverish imagination as if they were real, too. Of course, if you buy into Heinlein's 'Number of the Beast,' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Number_of_the_Beast_%28novel%29) I suppose they are, someT, someTau, someTeh. As the song goes:
someTeh out there
Along the far someTau
Someone's reading of me
In a bad novel
And if I could get at the novelist, I'd give her such a kickin'!
(Okay, maybe Congorilla's not so real. I mean, there are limits, aren't there?)
*No, I don't mean Tergon
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I think I've just realized something.
The *squick* level Jeph feels about this forum... it comes from one very simple place.
Here we are, analysing his characters like crazy, sometimes with insight, sometimes with hindsight, sometimes with no sight at all. Hey, they're just characters, right? Not even real!
Except they are real. I had the feeling Marten was a surrogate for Jeph himself when I first started the comic, but I think to a certain extent, all his characters are. Hanners and her neroses, Faye's violent tendencies, Dora's insecurities, Marten's aimlessness - all are facets of Jeph's own character. Some of them he's overcome, some still plague him, but regardless, how would you feel watching people pick apart the bits of your soul that you bare in the name of art?
Must drive the poor guy nuts. No wonder he hates visiting in here.
Mind you, I'm not gonna stop trying to put together all the little puzzle pieces of his characters. But I think I understand where he's coming from a little better.
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For the record, a gallon of white vinegar into 47 gallons of water in a 50 gallon tank will quite handily zombify goldfish.
I hope and pray this never becomes a necessary piece of knowledge for anyone
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Do I want to know how you know that? (I suspect I do not)
And why are you using gallons and not ounces?
How many fucking goldfish are you trying to zombify anyway?
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GOLDFISH NECROMANCY! The exciting new craze that's sweeping the nation!
(On an actually serious note, I think, analytically, you have hit the nail precisely on the head, Carl-E, with a deft hammerstrike worthy of Thor)
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What does it say about me that when I read "NECROMANCY" my brain automatically clicked on "NECROPHILIA?"
:psyduck:
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....Well, to be fair, a lot of necromancers are into that. :psyduck:
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I think I've just realized something.
The *squick* level Jeph feels about this forum... it comes from one very simple place.
Here we are, analysing his characters like crazy, sometimes with insight, sometimes with hindsight, sometimes with no sight at all. Hey, they're just characters, right? Not even real!
Except they are real. I had the feeling Marten was a surrogate for Jeph himself when I first started the comic, but I think to a certain extent, all his characters are. Hanners and her neroses, Faye's violent tendencies, Dora's insecurities, Marten's aimlessness - all are facets of Jeph's own character. Some of them he's overcome, some still plague him, but regardless, how would you feel watching people pick apart the bits of your soul that you bare in the name of art?
Must drive the poor guy nuts. No wonder he hates visiting in here.
Mind you, I'm not gonna stop trying to put together all the little puzzle pieces of his characters. But I think I understand where he's coming from a little better.
Author Avatar. I won't even TVT link it, because it's obvious.
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But Jeph isn't just projecting himself into the story. I really cannot agree with that, and I don't think that's what Carl-E was saying.
What he's saying is (correct me if I'm wrong, Carl-E), as a writer, Jeph puts something of his soul into each character he creates, because, well, shit, it's hard to help that if you're a fiction writer. You can create completely original people, whose lives are not yours, who have nothing to do with you, but they carry some spark of your person in their being. There's something of an author in his characters.
And watching other people get it wrong about, or, God forbid, screw around beyond the point of good taste, with your characters? That can't be easy for a dude. So, as Carl-E said, no wonder Jeph hates this place.
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Do I want to know how you know that? (I suspect I do not)
And why are you using gallons and not ounces?
How many fucking goldfish are you trying to zombify anyway?
Experience
Gallons is the appropriate measure.
Tank population was, I believe, 7 at the time. So far the biggest goldfish on record in that tank was over a foot long, estimated 6 lbs. I am Trying to zombify zero.
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I think we have two different pictures in our heads.
When you say "goldfish," I think little orange fish about two inches long.
What your describing I would call a "carp."
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*shrug* they started less than 3/4 of an inch long. The only difference between a 'carp' and a 'goldfish' is an
evolution st, I mean, about a half dozen leve, no, wait, time.
That's the ticket.
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The important thing is that all you need to make them into the flesh-ravening undead is vinegar and blasphemous incantations.
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Goldfish are:
...too easy to kill. - 15 (24.2%)
...cute when they're swimming around in an aquarium. - 7 (11.3%)
...passe. I have Butterfly fish and Angel fish and... - 1 (1.6%)
...not my cup of tea. - 8 (12.9%)
...REALLY hard to swallow, even on a dare. - 4 (6.5%)
...something I wouldn't give my five-year-old. - 6 (9.7%)
...something I had on my old copy of After Dark. - 2 (3.2%)
...pretty to look at, but I wouldn't want to care for them. - 10 (16.1%)
...going to get this forum NUKED, NUKED I say! - 9 (14.5%)
Total Voters: 62
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Perhaps the Bandicoot is how Jeph views the forums?
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...Run away, Yelling Bird! It wants to feed you to its babies!!!
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Randy can keep the Winslow company.
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I have to get on a plane soon to go back to reality, and will be unable to access internet for days, and this is what I'm left with?
Damn you, Jeph... Damn you. :-P
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On the one hand, Randy just showed us he was merely obfuscating stupidity but was actually a crouching moron, hidden badass kind of bandicoot. Or he's in fact some kind of eldritch abomination.
On the other hand, I can't take an eldritch abomination named Randall seriously.
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RANDY IS THE PINNACLE OF EVOLUTION AND EXISTENCE
WE EXIST BECAUSE HE ALLOWS IT; AND WE WILL END BECAUSE HE DEMANDS IT
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For (filler) comic #1816 (or is it #1815?)....
1. (by Jeph): "In the beginning, there was Randy. And when the last proton in the universe finally winks out of existence, trillions of trillions of years from now, Randy will be there to witness its decay." So Randy is the counterpart to The Winslow (http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20090623) of Phil & Kaja Foglio's comic: Buck Godot (http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buck.html)? (another hilarious series of old :-), by web-comic standards)
2. Hope the Miss Reed story-arc starts next week, after this week of filler/prep.
3. For prior comics this week: I am glad that Hannelore is staying with Marten while during his drinking, and clearly only lightly drinking. Would that I had more friends like that during my own darker times in my younger days.
4. Also for prior comics, while Pintsize's gag was funny, I do think it was over the line even for him. Had it been me, I might have smashed the bottle on Pintisize and soaked his circuits in booze rather than chug from the bottle. But obviously that would not be a funny gag.
5. Warning - while you were typing a new reply has been posted. You may wish to review your post. /highfive St.Clair 8-)
(http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/info/cast/bios/winslow.jpg)
Hi!
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*shrug* they started less than 3/4 of an inch long. The only difference between a 'carp' and a 'goldfish' is an evolution st, I mean, about a half dozen leve, no, wait, time.
That's the ticket.
Not that much time, really. The only thing keeping a goldfish from attaining carpdom seems to be the size of the 'tank' and, possibly, skin color. I've seen 'bait' goldfish that got loose in a pay-to-fish catfish farm, and they weren't not exactly teeny. Unless a foot and a half is teeny to you. I was told that one was by far not the largest one in there, and the guy who owned the ponds drug the thing every so often.
Meanwhile…
Over in Locus (http://www.locuscomics.com/wordpress/), Xel'Duum has just come back from the Realms of the Dead—over here, to the mortal coil returns Randy, the dread… the dread… semi 'special' goddam bandicoot.
ANYHOW…
Can it be a coincidence? I mean, Adam's been building to this for years, so…
So probably.
On another front:
Yes, Carl, I realized that some time ago. But I just can't help myself, although I do draw the line at speculating on the origins of the motifs, for example, that I see in QC. I have standards, believe it or not.
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RANDY IS THE PINNACLE OF EVOLUTION AND EXISTENCE
WE EXIST BECAUSE HE ALLOWS IT; AND WE WILL END BECAUSE HE DEMANDS IT
He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
He is Bandicoot.
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I voted for silence, but I think there should be a "denial" option up there in the poll. I can easily see Dora going to the therapist and saying, "I don't really think this is a big thing, but my friends made me come and..."
And I also wonder about the numbering (#1816 vs #1815). I suspect typo, but it's hard to tell.
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So the question is now: how long will it take Martens mother to actually appear in the strip ?
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And I also wonder about the numbering (#1816 vs #1815). I suspect typo, but it's hard to tell.
I think it was supposed to be filler on monday.
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I think it was supposed to be filler on monday.
I thought that too, but the filler text is specific for today - but he might just have got confused, as he drew both comics before going.
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Jeph ostensibly drew both an actual comic (I watched him doing it briefly on the feed) and the yelling bird filler.
And then just gave us the yelling bird filler.
Something tells me he doesn't expect to be able to get anything done sunday night, and is saving the one he did last night for monday.
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So the question is now: how long will it take Martens mother to actually appear in the strip ?
I'm going to guess at least three weeks. :-P
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So the question is now: how long will it take Martens mother to actually appear in the strip ?
Her flight magically gets postponed because Hanners has asked her dad to nuke the airport from orbit, to do Marten a favor.
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I voted for silence, but I think there should be a "denial" option up there in the poll. I can easily see Dora going to the therapist and saying, "I don't really think this is a big thing, but my friends made me come and..."
And I also wonder about the numbering (#1816 vs #1815). I suspect typo, but it's hard to tell.
Personally, I think that's covered by "fear." We deny what we're afraid of, for it must not be.
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About the filler --
Thumbs up to Jeph for making Randy not only eternal, but chillingly similar to the Sandman. Including (especially) the speech bubble. A Neil Gaiman shoutout is always a good thing.
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Goldfish are:
...not my cup of tea. - 8 (12.9%)
...REALLY hard to swallow, even on a dare. - 4 (6.5%)
Hold on a mo, that means that 87.1% of you are prepared to put goldfishes in your cup of tea, 7% of which are too bloody useless to then even drink it properly.
Shocking.
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*shrug* they started less than 3/4 of an inch long. The only difference between a 'carp' and a 'goldfish' is an evolution st, I mean, about a half dozen leve, no, wait, time.
That's the ticket.
Not that much time, really. The only thing keeping a goldfish from attaining carpdom seems to be the size of the 'tank' and, possibly, skin color. I've seen 'bait' goldfish that got loose in a pay-to-fish catfish farm, and they weren't not exactly teeny. Unless a foot and a half is teeny to you. I was told that one was by far not the largest one in there, and the guy who owned the ponds drug the thing every so often.
Just be grateful that all they turn into is slightly bigger goldfish and not raging sea-serpent monstrosities capable of breathing three different flavours of fire.
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Sandman.
Yes.
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Goldfish are:
...not my cup of tea. - 8 (12.9%)
...REALLY hard to swallow, even on a dare. - 4 (6.5%)
Hold on a mo, that means that 87.1% of you are prepared to put goldfishes in your cup of tea, 7% of which are too bloody useless to then even drink it properly.
Shocking.
Oh dear lord, I have enough of you "I-don't-understand-how-percentages-work" people in my classes, I have to deal with them here, too?!!?
I know, I know, you did this for lols, but dammit, I'm writing finals...
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I voted for silence, but I think there should be a "denial" option up there in the poll. I can easily see Dora going to the therapist and saying, "I don't really think this is a big thing, but my friends made me come and..."
And I also wonder about the numbering (#1816 vs #1815). I suspect typo, but it's hard to tell.
Personally, I think that's covered by "fear." We deny what we're afraid of, for it must not be.
I can kind of agree in the general sense, but in the specific sense I was trying to cite, I disagree. I was viewing it more of a "it's not really a problem, sure it might have ruined _this_ relationship, but I'm sure there's a guy out there that's right for me, so I don't really have to change, Marten just happened to be wrong for me and I'm sorry about that, but that doesn't mean I can't deal with this problem if it happened to be someone else". I guess I'm viewing it more as a self-justification denial as opposed to a fear denial. Kind of like the "We are so armored in our certitude that we do not bow to such a trivial thing as reality". She's not so much afraid of the problem, as much as she may not really think it exists.
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When (if ever) was the last time Pintsize actually helped, or cheered up, Marten (or indeed anyone)?
430. Can anyone think of a more recent one?
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About the filler --
Thumbs up to Jeph for making Randy not only eternal, but chillingly similar to the Sandman. Including (especially) the speech bubble. A Neil Gaiman shoutout is always a good thing.
Oooh, impending spinoff:
Sandicoot!
(And wow, does that look a lot more sinister now that it's on a screen instead of just in my head!) :psyduck:
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well, now regarding comic.... I wonder if this is the begining to a hard and painfull process to Dora, like it was for Faye.... Most certanly so, but why do i believe that she's going to suffer a lot more?
...because Jeph is evil towards his characters?
Lois McMaster Bujold thinks up plots by coming up with the very worst thing that could happen to a character. Seems to work. Though the characters sometimes object (http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/ah-bujold-lois-more.php):
LMB: How're the kids?
Miles (springing to his feet, white about the lips): You stay the hell away from my kids!
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Sauron has returned
As a Bandicoot.
Sneaky bastard. :-D
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Miles: Sampling artifact. If you're starting with Bothari, there's nowhere to go but saner.
LMB: Point. But we digress. Society-wide cryonics, what happens next? That's the question.
:psyduck: :laugh:
Oh that's CLEVER, that is.
I've read the book they're discussing, and I can't recommend it.
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Oooh, impending spinoff:
Sandicoot!
(And wow, does that look a lot more sinister now that it's on a screen instead of just in my head!) :psyduck:
Considering I call lady bits a cooter... I'm thinking of "Sandy Vag" at the moment. WHY!? :psyduck:
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Sandman.
Yes.
And when the bandicoot said "i am eternal" i first read it as "i am endless"
...
And that's reminds me that i can't seem to find a single American gods book in english in this damned country :psyduck:
But eh, what can i do about it, just go psyducks!! :psyduck:
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Miles: Sampling artifact. If you're starting with Bothari, there's nowhere to go but saner.
LMB: Point. But we digress. Society-wide cryonics, what happens next? That's the question.
:psyduck: :laugh:
Oh that's CLEVER, that is.
I've read the book they're discussing, and I can't recommend it.
Sampling artifact. After A Civil Campaign, there's nowhere to go but downhill.
Though there are said to be 14 chapters written of a book featuring Ivan...
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Oh, no, please don't make that mistake - I think the book was wonderful, I just can't recommend it because SPOILER GODDAMNED SPOILER FUCKING SPOILER FUCK.
If you follow me.
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It's almost like she's married her neuroses, and was cheating on them with Marten, and now the affair is over and she's going back to be with her mental equivalent of an abusive spouse, and that's somehow 'back to normal'. As I write this, I'm actually starting to feel sorry for her.
Get rid of the almost, and you've got it. Continuing the relationship with Marten meant giving up her insecurities—he out-and-out said that, pretty much, after the Underpants Incident. To quote Amy Lee*, Dora prefers (hopefully preferred, but she hasn't actually changed anything yet) to 'stay in love with her sorrow,' or, to be more accurate, to continue in the state of mind she's developed over the years rather than take a chance on changing, even if it meant she'd be happy. This is not uncommon. If you really pay attention, you'll be shocked at how many people prefer to suffer loss, pain, and suffering, and how much of it, rather than change the way they interact with the world.
Plus, neuroses tend to go elusive when you attempt to work on getting rid of them. They can tone themselves down to the point you give up on your efforts, because they don't seem so crippling at the moment. The parallel with an abusive spouse is indeed spot-on.
Now I'm really confused. Why does Pintsize have or need Sven's WiFi? Doesn't he have his own built-in uplink?
I (sarcastically humorously) meant the Fleshligth :-P
And raoullefere humorously missed your point by exploiting an ambiguity in your phrasing, and choosing the most silly interpretation to base his reaction on. In France, it's starting to be called "going Perceval", for reasons that would be too long to explain, but are linked to Kaamelott, a (mostly humorous) TV show about the knights of the Round Table.
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there is no god but Randy, and Jeph (pbuh) is his prophet.
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Surely I can't be Glad to see I'm not the only person impressed by the similarities between Randy and The Winslow.
"Hi!"
"Hi! I'm Randy! I'm a Bandicoot!"
"Hi!"
"I had a baby! It's a baby Bandicoot!"
"Hi!"
All while Death shakes her gloriously-eyelinered head in bewilderment.
(Edit: Didn't realize the discussion for this filler already stretched back a page.)
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Well, at least we finally found out who's in the other 25% (http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20071225).
That said...
All while Death shakes her gloriously-eyelinered head in bewilderment.
Not that I'd ever object to Death (at least not that one) turning up just to hang out, whyever would she be bewildered? She probably knows Randy from back in the day.
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Certain things, you just don't get over.
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well, now regarding comic.... I wonder if this is the begining to a hard and painfull process to Dora, like it was for Faye.... Most certanly so, but why do i believe that she's going to suffer a lot more?
...because Jeph is evil towards his characters?
Lois McMaster Bujold thinks up plots by coming up with the very worst thing that could happen to a character. Seems to work. Though the characters sometimes object (http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/ah-bujold-lois-more.php):
LMB: How're the kids?
Miles (springing to his feet, white about the lips): You stay the hell away from my kids!
A woman after my own heart.
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(http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/info/cast/bios/winslow.jpg)
Hi!
Hi! :)
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I voted for silence, but I think there should be a "denial" option up there in the poll. I can easily see Dora going to the therapist and saying, "I don't really think this is a big thing, but my friends made me come and..."
And I also wonder about the numbering (#1816 vs #1815). I suspect typo, but it's hard to tell.
Personally, I think that's covered by "fear." We deny what we're afraid of, for it must not be.
I can kind of agree in the general sense, but in the specific sense I was trying to cite, I disagree. I was viewing it more of a "it's not really a problem, sure it might have ruined _this_ relationship, but I'm sure there's a guy out there that's right for me, so I don't really have to change, Marten just happened to be wrong for me and I'm sorry about that, but that doesn't mean I can't deal with this problem if it happened to be someone else". I guess I'm viewing it more as a self-justification denial as opposed to a fear denial. Kind of like the "We are so armored in our certitude that we do not bow to such a trivial thing as reality". She's not so much afraid of the problem, as much as she may not really think it exists.
I'm not so sure of that, and although I do think Dora doesn't want to admit there's a problem, in this last strip she does seem to be giving up on that at least a tiny bit. Anyway, someone already mentioned that the minute Dora tries the "My friends made me" line, any therapist worth his/her certification is going to ask "And why do your friends think you need to be here?" I think this "it's not really a problem" response could be quickly countered by "Why did it ruin this relationship?" followed by, "And so you think there's someone out there who won't have something in his past that will bother you?" Basically, if Faye can take Dora down with aggression, then a calm, analytical person who's able to dissect each of these protests will be able to as well, and more thoroughly. At some point in this Dora will become angry and defensive, which is, of course, a manifestation of fear—we rarely become angry about what we're not afraid of, on some level, nor do we need to defend against that which does not frighten us.
So, while I'm certain Dora will manifest a variety of poses, at the root of all of it will be fear—at the root, what else are insecurities about? Personally, I hope she's not going to fight that hard, but past evidence does indicate that you're correct—she will. Sadly, it's the way these things work.
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Will Dr. Phil be outclassed?
Never a contest. A smelly drunken hobo, with lice, no teeth and breath that would kill a rhino, could piss into the coffin at your Mum's funeral, and he'd still have more class than Dr. Phil.
Bandicoots are eternal, eh? I'm not buying it. Now if it had been cockroaches, absolutely!
Best Neil Gaiman shout-out in webcomics has to be this (http://planetkaren.bit-bucket.com/comics/2007-01-28.jpg). He liked it too, apparently (http://planetkaren.bit-bucket.com/comics/2007-02-25.jpg). I am so sad that Planet Karen seems to be on indefinite hiatus.
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So, while I'm certain Dora will manifest a variety of poses, at the root of all of it will be fear—at the root, what else are insecurities about? Personally, I hope she's not going to fight that hard, but past evidence does indicate that you're correct—she will. Sadly, it's the way these things work.
It will, at least, be more interesting than, say, Marten going to therapy. Fixing Marten's issues through therapy is like trying to transport frogspawn with a running chainsaw. It will be noisy and do lots of damage without actually getting anywhere.
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Will Dr. Phil be outclassed?
Never a contest. A smelly drunken hobo, with lice, no teeth and breath that would kill a rhino, could piss into the coffin at your Mum's funeral, and he'd still have more class than Dr. Phil.
While I agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment, I'd just like it formally noted that I would still pay good money to watch this unfortunate individual fight Dr. Phil. Not necessarily for supremacy, you understand - Dr. Phil could even be handcuffed and blindfolded to ensure a one-sided battle - I'd just enjoy watching this avatar of Hobo-ness wailing on Dr. Phil.
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You never know, Mom might be a licensed therapist.
...yes I said that with a straight face, what of it?
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All moms are therapists, licensed or otherwise.
Well, they like to think they are.
I am so sad that Planet Karen seems to be on indefinite hiatus.
Me, too. But she has a job now - the death of many a creative enterprise!
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there is no god but Randy, and Jeph (pbuh) is his prophet.
I lol'd :D
Every time I say "Jeph" (pbuh), I'll say pbuh afterwords. I might even say it in Arabic for added effect.
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[Heavy Handed Axe]
I'm not so sure of that, and although I do think Dora doesn't want to admit there's a problem, in this last strip she does seem to be giving up on that at least a tiny bit. Anyway, someone already mentioned that the minute Dora tries the "My friends made me" line, any therapist worth his/her certification is going to ask "And why do your friends think you need to be here?" I think this "it's not really a problem" response could be quickly countered by "Why did it ruin this relationship?" followed by, "And so you think there's someone out there who won't have something in his past that will bother you?" Basically, if Faye can take Dora down with aggression, then a calm, analytical person who's able to dissect each of these protests will be able to as well, and more thoroughly. At some point in this Dora will become angry and defensive, which is, of course, a manifestation of fear—we rarely become angry about what we're not afraid of, on some level, nor do we need to defend against that which does not frighten us.
So, while I'm certain Dora will manifest a variety of poses, at the root of all of it will be fear—at the root, what else are insecurities about? Personally, I hope she's not going to fight that hard, but past evidence does indicate that you're correct—she will. Sadly, it's the way these things work.
Certainly fear is at the root of pretty much all insecurities, but don't forget that the topic of this is the poll... and the poll is only about Dora's first day of therapy. I'm just more of the belief that it'll take more than a day to crack through her walls of denial and get to those fears... which would make the summation of her first day denial.
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It will be interesting to see what Jeph does with the new character that will be introduced when Dora goes to therapy.
Also interesting to see if he'll make a therapy appointment funny. He managed it with Faye.
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All moms are therapists, licensed or otherwise.
Well, they like to think they are.
I'm leaning more towards Sex Therapist. You know, kinda what Raven was leaning towards. (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1138)
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Wouldn't it be funny if her therapist was already someone we've seen in the strip - like the "Angus Replacement" who asked about the waiting list.
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Also interesting to see if he'll make a therapy appointment funny. He managed it with Faye.
IIRC Jeph wrote in his footnotes that he very much enjoyed writing/drawing Doctor Corinne. So yeah. I think we can count on a few punchlines.
Wouldn't it be funny if her therapist was already someone we've seen in the strip - like the "Angus Replacement" who asked about the waiting list.
A possibility. In that case I would prefer it to be a Claire witch project. Admittedly it is unlikely that a wiccan witch raising wolfhounds for a living would be a qualified therapist as well. I just sooo wish she would come back to the strip.
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It will be interesting to see what Jeph does with the new character that will be introduced when Dora goes to therapy.
Turns out her terapist is Dale. Daaaaaaaaaaaang.
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Delivering Pizzas, World of Warcraft AND a licensed counselor? That's be WAY too much for anyone. :psyduck:
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He did say he had two other jobs in addition to pizza delivery. hmm....
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And we all know World of Warcraft is a part time job where you don't get paid........Why, oh why did I have to reinstall that infernal program?!
Moving on....
I don't think Dale would be a counselor for Dora, mainly because of the whole "secret menu" debacle. Obviously the Coffee of Doom crew know him well enough to decide to let him know about the secret menu, likewise he knows them well enough to get away with that legenedary Daaang without being flayed by Faye or Dora. Granted, they might only know each other to make small talk at the counter, but thats only a small step away from full conversations and friendship. In the end, it would just be too weird and contract the QC world a little more and we don't want that.
But... Daaaang!
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Randy, the eternal Bandicoot.
(http://flic.kr/p/91bKdv/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56946357@N07/5252950641/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/56946357@N07/5252950641/)
*as a subnote, anybody know how to get flickr images to post? Because I couldn't get it to work, thus the link.
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In flickr, click on "share this", and open the "grab the HTML/BBC code", and select the radio button for BBC code (Doesn't BBC stand for Bulletin Board Code? Isn't "BBC code" redundant?)
Anyway, take the stuff that's between the image tags in there. In your case,
[img]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5252950641_d4deb64d6e.jpg[/img]
produces
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5252950641_d4deb64d6e.jpg)
You can add the resizing info if it's too big.
EDIT: I just noticed that Randy does not appear in the reflection on the visor. Does that mean bandicoots can't see themselves in a mirror?
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NASA photoshopped out Randy when they released the photos so people wouldn't know they were taken on a soundstage in the Nevada desert.
That's right NASA invented photoshop so they could fake the moon landing and then kept it secret for twenty-five years.
(NASA did not actually fake the Moon landings, they did however, invent photshop, but they called it something else)
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I don't think Dale would be a counselor for Dora,
In any case, a professional counsellor will not take on someone they know.
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All moms are pimps for therapists.
Especially when they decide to take a whack at being one for their own children.
Fixed that. Okay, I completely overhauled it.
And yes, probably not a universal truth. But as I understand it, a good therapist should be objective, and that does not seem likely to be something a mother can really be when considering her child. Thus, it's pretty clear to me that if actual therapy is required, things will not go well.
[Double-bitted battle axe to apply forty whacks to my long-winded post]
ertainly fear is at the root of pretty much all insecurities, but don't forget that the topic of this is the poll... and the poll is only about Dora's first day of therapy. I'm just more of the belief that it'll take more than a day to crack through her walls of denial and get to those fears... which would make the summation of her first day denial.
But hasn't Dora got a history of being thin-skinned to the point of a single cell layer when the right buttons are pushed (Web page, Underpants, Hitting on Marten, etc.)? I guess what it really boils down to is how much self-control she has. Lately, it's seemed to me that's been on a definite ebb. 'Twill be interesting to see.
It's also going to be interesting to see how long before she actually shows up at a therapist's office, since I'll agree Dora's numero-uno, A-#1 at that sort of denial. And, of course, even if she does, there's every chance Jeph won't let us see it, because of any or all of the following:
A) it's not really vital to the plot
B) there're no laughs to be had, and he feels we've had enough of that sort of thing for a while
C) we really want to, and he's decided to apply Brockian Ultra-Cricket audience theory in order to intensify our experience.
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Thanks Carl :-)
And thanks to your ability to notice a lack of reflections, (the most important power of any vampire slayer) here's the edited premiere version.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5242/5253848836_b68d0541e5.jpg)
Speech bubbles however remain invisible for inexplicable reasons arising from quantum fluctuations.
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How exactly do speech bubbles work in a vacuum?
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Same as helmets; there needs to be something to stop the words dissipating.
Heh - bad page change or what?
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[Double-bitted battle axe to apply forty whacks to my long-winded post]
Certainly fear is at the root of pretty much all insecurities, but don't forget that the topic of this is the poll... and the poll is only about Dora's first day of therapy. I'm just more of the belief that it'll take more than a day to crack through her walls of denial and get to those fears... which would make the summation of her first day denial.
But hasn't Dora got a history of being thin-skinned to the point of a single cell layer when the right buttons are pushed (Web page, Underpants, Hitting on Marten, etc.)? I guess what it really boils down to is how much self-control she has. Lately, it's seemed to me that's been on a definite ebb. 'Twill be interesting to see.
It's also going to be interesting to see how long before she actually shows up at a therapist's office, since I'll agree Dora's numero-uno, A-#1 at that sort of denial. And, of course, even if she does, there's every chance Jeph won't let us see it, because of any or all of the following:
A) it's not really vital to the plot
B) there're no laughs to be had, and he feels we've had enough of that sort of thing for a while
C) we really want to, and he's decided to apply Brockian Ultra-Cricket audience theory in order to intensify our experience.
I think a lot of that depends on the source. In the few examples you cited, the... trigger, so to speak, came from people that Dora might consider social inferiors or outright rivals (Marigold apparently being, or at least acting younger, Cossette being both a rival and younger, and Faye, well, this whole thing kind of comes back to her in the first place). In speaking with someone who would be presumably older and thus with more presence (although that would be an interesting switch, if Jeph gave us some young wunderkind as a therapist), she might not have as easy a focus for her anger. I see her trying to explain things to her therapist the same way Penelope was trying to explain things to Dora about her parents (http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=1289). She'll relate the incidents, but to her, she's not (entirely) wrong, so she doesn't really entirely see the need to change.
I don't know. Looking back at what I just typed, it hangs together but... it doesn't seem quite right. I think I'm missing something.
As for how long before her first visit, well, depending on how that number she called works, there's every chance she already has an (initial) appointment time already. Now as to whether she might call them back and ask to postpone or reschedule, well...
I disagree with A) in that I feel that if Jeph would like to keep Dora in the major circle of characters, we'll need to at least see some definite results from the therapy, if only to "rehabiitate" her in our eyes. After all, she's largely come out as the villain of the piece, bar the "spineless Marten" bashing that we won't go into again. So, in that sense, her therapy is vital to the plot, at least in terms of keeping her as a fairly major character within it. If she's just going to fade away, well, then no, it becomes less important.
B) is certainly a possibility, but given how well he handled Doctor Corinne, I have high hopes that he could manage something good with a new therapist as well.
C), well... not much we can say or do about that!
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First Day of Therapy for Dora in One Word:
Drama. - 3 (3.3%)
Humor. - 5 (5.5%)
Tears. - 18 (19.8%)
Screaming. - 4 (4.4%)
Silence. - 16 (17.6%)
Fear. - 12 (13.2%)
Loathing. - 8 (8.8%)
Lobotomy. - 16 (17.6%)
Coffee. - 2 (2.2%)
Never. - 7 (7.7%)
Total Voters: 91
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[Double-bitted battle axe to apply forty whacks to yet another of my long-winded posts]
I think a lot of that depends on the source. In the few examples you cited, the... trigger, so to speak, came from people that Dora might consider social inferiors or outright rivals (Marigold apparently being, or at least acting younger, Cossette being both a rival and younger, and Faye, well, this whole thing kind of comes back to her in the first place). In speaking with someone who would be presumably older and thus with more presence (although that would be an interesting switch, if Jeph gave us some young wunderkind as a therapist), she might not have as easy a focus for her anger. I see her trying to explain things to her therapist the same way Penelope was trying to explain things to Dora about her parents (http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=1289). She'll relate the incidents, but to her, she's not (entirely) wrong, so she doesn't really entirely see the need to change.
I don't know. Looking back at what I just typed, it hangs together but... it doesn't seem quite right. I think I'm missing something.
How about this—just as Penelope gets agitated when Dora doesn't see how obvious it is she's 'right,' it's possible Dora will get agitated when the therapist doesn't simply accept her explanations, or, worse, points out flaws in them. She's also, after all, gotten angry when Marten didn't simply take her side. It all depends on how defensive she really is, of how much debating Dora's really prepared to do.
I disagree with A) in that I feel that if Jeph would like to keep Dora in the major circle of characters, we'll need to at least see some definite results from the therapy, if only to "rehabiitate" her in our eyes. After all, she's largely come out as the villain of the piece, bar the "spineless Marten" bashing that we won't go into again. So, in that sense, her therapy is vital to the plot, at least in terms of keeping her as a fairly major character within it. If she's just going to fade away, well, then no, it becomes less important.
B) is certainly a possibility, but given how well he handled Doctor Corinne, I have high hopes that he could manage something good with a new therapist as well.
C), well... not much we can say or do about that!
Sorry, I wasn't clear—I meant Jeph wouldn't show us the actual therapy session, not that he wouldn't let us see the results. As for B, Faye, howevermuch she wanted to run from therapy, has an acerbic sense of humor about her problems. Dora doesn't seem to, although she certainly could and we simply haven't seen it. But for the most part, she's much rawer, for lack of a better word, in the way she deals (or doesn't) with her problems. I know what you mean about Dora seeming the 'villain' to many readers although I personally don't understand that perception. What's happening to Dora is tragic, and it's pretty clear to me she's suffered the most from her insecurities. How bad is it when you 'know' there's a time limit on your happiness—and you've actualy accepted it?
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I know what you mean about Dora seeming the 'villain' to many readers although I personally don't understand that perception. What's happening to Dora is tragic, and it's pretty clear to me she's suffered the most from her insecurities. How bad is it when you 'know' there's a time limit on your happiness—and you've actualy accepted it?
I don't think Dora being the "villain" is really a proper interpretation. Most people, me included, probably see her as the one in the wrong. She's the one that pulled the trigger and ran away. Yes, it's tragic and yes, she's suffering just like everybody else. But she's still in the wrong though she's not so much the villain as she is the coward. Instead of trying to work things out with professional help, which would be strenuous yes but cathartic in the end, she decided to run and hide. There's no excuse for that when Marten and Faye would've surely given her the space she needed. In most breakups and divorces there is no real "bad guy". But there's often one that's more selfish and cowardly than the other which puts that partner in the wrong, provided of course there's a chance whatever issues are present can be fixed, and makes them an easy target for any resentment other interested parties may feel.
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Dora's in stasis, like Faye was in stasis.
Jeph doesn't let characters stay in stasis. He's specifically said he refuses to fall into a rut.
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How about this—just as Penelope gets agitated when Dora doesn't see how obvious it is she's 'right,' it's possible Dora will get agitated when the therapist doesn't simply accept her explanations, or, worse, points out flaws in them. She's also, after all, gotten angry when Marten didn't simply take her side. It all depends on how defensive she really is, of how much debating Dora's really prepared to do.
I think it'll all come down to how the session goes, and how things get approached. If the therapist comes in as the "mothering type", I can more easily see Dora going off, as her personality has always struck me as the "will run over people if given an inch" sort of thing. If the therapist is more of a no-nonsense, strictly business type that Dora doesn't feel (rightly or wrongly) that she could somehow cow, we probably wouldn't have an angry Dora, but maybe a sullen or uncommunicative one.
I disagree with A) in that I feel that if Jeph would like to keep Dora in the major circle of characters, we'll need to at least see some definite results from the therapy, if only to "rehabiitate" her in our eyes. After all, she's largely come out as the villain of the piece, bar the "spineless Marten" bashing that we won't go into again. So, in that sense, her therapy is vital to the plot, at least in terms of keeping her as a fairly major character within it. If she's just going to fade away, well, then no, it becomes less important.
I know what you mean about Dora seeming the 'villain' to many readers although I personally don't understand that perception. What's happening to Dora is tragic, and it's pretty clear to me she's suffered the most from her insecurities. How bad is it when you 'know' there's a time limit on your happiness—and you've actualy accepted it?
I don't think Dora being the "villain" is really a proper interpretation. Most people, me included, probably see her as the one in the wrong. She's the one that pulled the trigger and ran away. Yes, it's tragic and yes, she's suffering just like everybody else. But she's still in the wrong though she's not so much the villain as she is the coward. Instead of trying to work things out with professional help, which would be strenuous yes but cathartic in the end, she decided to run and hide. There's no excuse for that when Marten and Faye would've surely given her the space she needed. In most breakups and divorces there is no real "bad guy". But there's often one that's more selfish and cowardly than the other which puts that partner in the wrong, provided of course there's a chance whatever issues are present can be fixed, and makes them an easy target for any resentment other interested parties may feel.
I meant "villain" in the literary sense, as in "the (purported) villain of the piece". As Jeph has largely tried to keep this fairly realistic, people are, well, people, and apart from a few cutouts (Vespavenger?) there are no real "villains". I really meant "villain" in the way that it seems that most of the people here identify much more strongly with Marten than Dora, and thus put most of the blame on the relationship breaking up on her, and, like Torlek, seeing her as being the one in the wrong. I'm not very experienced in relationships myself (finally in my first "real" one), but from my experience with "Issues" both in (other people's) relationships and out, apart from maybe salving hurt feelings or pride, putting someone in the wrong or assigning blame is rarely helpful (except possibly in the case of preventing a repeat), as you're already in a/the situation, and now what matters is dealing with the aftermath.