No mention of poor Roko in the poll? ;)Indeed. A toast to Roko! :claireface:
He had already had a pic with Melon and Roko together, so it's not like it wasn't foreshadowed... :-PRereading part of the archives last week, I found this strip: http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3566
This just screams buddy cop show and/or movie. Perhaps Mellon is in a special unit. It would explain how she could enter Steve's house without there being legal problems.
This just screams buddy cop show and/or movie. Perhaps Mellon is in a special unit. It would explain how she could enter Steve's house without there being legal problems.
We've already seen Melon's day job. Then again, she had a different roommate. Perhaps both have changed in the interim.
No mention of poor Roko in the poll? ;)Roko wasn’t in any of last week’s strips.
The picture on Roko’s wall makes me kinda wonder if maybe they’re sisters. Obviously, it couldn’t be a biological relation, but it could be a software construct, much like their gender.He had already had a pic with Melon and Roko together, so it's not like it wasn't foreshadowed... :PRereading part of the archives last week, I found this strip: http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3566 (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3566)
I thought nothing of it at the time but in light of today's comic as well as the photo last week, I find it interesting that Roko referred to Melon as "some girl" - is she reluctant to admit she actually knows Melon?
He had already had a pic with Melon and Roko together, so it's not like it wasn't foreshadowed... :P
Rereading part of the archives last week, I found this strip: http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3566 (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3566)
I thought nothing of it at the time but in light of today's comic as well as the photo last week, I find it interesting that Roko referred to Melon as "some girl" - is she reluctant to admit she actually knows Melon?
The picture on Roko’s wall makes me kinda wonder if maybe they’re sisters. Obviously, it couldn’t be a biological relation, but it could be a software construct, much like their gender.
Rereading part of the archives last week, I found this strip: http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3566
I thought nothing of it at the time but in light of today's comic as well as the photo last week, I find it interesting that Roko referred to Melon as "some girl" - is she reluctant to admit she actually knows Melon?
The picture on Roko’s wall makes me kinda wonder if maybe they’re sisters. Obviously, it couldn’t be a biological relation, but it could be a software construct, much like their gender.I'm thinking more akin to cousins in terms of social distance (eg, not very far at all, almost but not quite siblings), but something on BenRG's model none the less. Melon's impulse to break the door down rather than keying in the code fits with her solution to the Steve's box of Cereal Challenge (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3692) (gnawing it open with her teeth or whatever they are).
Melon’s impulse to break down the door rather than keying in the code fits with her solution to the Steve's box of Cereal Challenge (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3692) (gnawing it open with her teeth or whatever they are).Steve’s box of cereal was already open. And empty. Melon was eating the box. But yes, it still fits. Also fits with her getting into Steve’s place via a tunnel in the basement (a tunnel which – based on Steve’s remark – wasn’t there before) instead of just knocking on the door.
(Is that Roko's hip flask equivalent thumb drive on the coffee table? And who's the glass of water (assuming it is water) for, the cactus?)
Is it only me or does anybody else think that Melon is a robot Hanners but with physical contact? She's got the same bubbliness and positive outlook on everything and loves everybody.I wouldn’t have picked Hanners to compare her to. The bubbliness, etc. is the only thing they have in common. I’m more inclined to agree with DaiJB’s idea that Melon’s “mind” is based on Emily’s, but something went wrong, because she seems to be lacking Emily’s intelligence.
Yup, it figures -- we ended last week with Clinton, Brun, and Elliott in an embarrassing situation, so of course we start this week off somewhere else entirely. And when (if) we do cut back to the Revelation, the three of them will be in a completely different situation and we'll never find out how the embarrassing situation got resolved. Jeph is good at this "frustration" thing! :-DNew comic is up, just in time to prove you wrong xD
Nice to be proved wrong about that!Yup, it figures -- we ended last week with Clinton, Brun, and Elliott in an embarrassing situation, so of course we start this week off somewhere else entirely. And when (if) we do cut back to the Revelation, the three of them will be in a completely different situation and we'll never find out how the embarrassing situation got resolved. Jeph is good at this "frustration" thing! :-DNew comic is up, just in time to prove you wrong xD
Brun is me whenever I successfully interpret a social cue
Tbh that "I thought you were making out " thing is such a trope I'm a bit surprised that she didn't recognize it at all. Though I've never been in that situation so I don't know for certain I would either.
For Brun the thought that Elliott believed she and Clinton were making out apparently doesn't affect her at all; she focusses instead on him not reading the situation correctly. I'm guessing that this means that she doesn't find it such an unthinkable scenario although, her being her, someone will likely have to express that fact aloud for her to realise the path down which her subconscious is skipping.Or she could see it as so unthinkable that she literally doesn't think of it. It'd be too ridiculous to even cross her mind. That's quite a lot of projection on my part though so take that as speculation. And the genre savvy remark too - I think her personality is pretty close to what mine would be had I not spent 3 decades learning to be genre savvy to the point of paranoia. I should try not to project so much tbh, though that's really hard not to do for a character like Brun.
I'm actually getting annoyed with Brun at this point.You don't know what it's like to be on the spectrum, do you?
I'm actually getting annoyed with Brun at this point.You don't know what it's like to be on the spectrum, do you?
I may be "high functioning" but the social stuff can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Especially when nobody wants to be direct or open about things. So, it's pretty exciting when I'm pretty sure I interpreted a situation correctly in spite of that. Though like Brun, sometimes I'm dead wrong in my conclusion(s).
EDIT: Awkward and unintentionally antagonistic phrasing corrected.
Idk, I get that she is probably on the spectrum somewhere, but at some point, someone has to have told her about personal space. Seriously, she functions with a job, she should be able to learn basic human interaction. Autistic people may have TROUBLE reading social cues, but that doesn't prevent them from learning basic etiquette.
I don't like people being close to me. It makes me very uncomfortable. Sometimes even romantic partners being too close to me for too long is difficult for me. I'm also incredibly sensitive to smells.
Everything she has done would have been incredibly frustrating to me, and just using her being on the spectrum as defense for her being annoying just feels off to me.
(Not to mention that the whole time Clinton has had to pee.)
I'm actually getting annoyed with Brun at this point.You don't know what it's like to be on the spectrum, do you?
Btw - Has Jeph confirmed that Brun is autistic? A person CAN just be awkward and bad at social cues without having autism.
Brun has also demonstrated other symptoms of some type of autistic spectrum issues. Most notably, she has had one on-page meltdown where she becomes uncommunicative and cannot process sensory data.
Has it been confirmed that she is on the spectrum? There could be many, many other reasons she is the way she is.
She could possibly have a number of other things going on from a strange/difficult upbringing to a number of conditions beyond being on the spectrum or a mix of this and that. At the end of the day, does it matter? Yeah, her behavior is unexpected (though it does seem to have a pattern), but as long as she's in character that's what matters most. Part of me kind of hopes she never gets a label. There are many people in RL who behave outside the norm who don't carry one (or keep it private).
I find her very relatable myself even though I kind of have the opposite problems with personal space. I used to joke with some friends that I was learning to be a person. I love her self reflectiveness and attempts to fit and be good to the people she is close with. It is obvious she takes a lot of time to work on changing her behavior, and that takes courage as it can be an uphill battle to change—even when it is to your own benefit.
My bet is that Brun gets up so close to Clinton because the way she manages boundaries is that you are out or in. If you are out, she holds you at a distance. If you are in, she will drop her face into the crook of your neck to get your smell. It's a trust thing. Clinton appears to be in. I suspect that not many other people are in, so she hasn't gotten the news that some people aren't perfectly comfortable up that close.
This just screams buddy cop show and/or movie. Perhaps Mellon is in a special unit. It would explain how she could enter Steve's house without there being legal problems.
Has it been confirmed that she is on the spectrum? There could be many, many other reasons she is the way she is.
Brun is my favorite character. She reacts as if she's exploring a world filled with bizarre, indecipherable behavior. Further: I enjoy the flashes of tummy.
Metaman's foe is the Headcanon, who is armed with a headcannon. The Headcanon is allied with the Loose Canon, a woman of low moral character who does not respect the text.
I am going to go and lie down till this passes off.
I had to Google that, and I now stand stricken in awe of such awesome nerdiness!This just screams buddy cop show and/or movie. Perhaps Mellon is in a special unit. It would explain how she could enter Steve's house without there being legal problems.
Pedo Mellon a minno.
My bet is that Brun gets up so close to Clinton because the way she manages boundaries is that you are out or in. If you are out, she holds you at a distance. If you are in, she will drop her face into the crook of your neck to get your smell.
FWIW, all this discussion about whether Brun has autism, and whether it explains or excuses her social awkwardness, is extremely insensitive to those people who either are autistic themselves, or have friends who are. It's a very personal matter, and it's no one else's business. If Brun herself brings it up and says "look, this is why I act the way I do", then it's out in the open. Then, and only then, can it be discussed respectfully.
Nothing in the comic diagnoses Brun. I interpret her as autistic because I am autistic and relate to her very much, so the comments I make will be from that perspective, but I do not hold canonpower. I do not claim to be able to pronounce why she does a thing; I only say that, from the perspective that she's autistic in a similar way to myself, this is a possible explanation. There are other perspectives that have their own explanations for why she does a thing and they are not invalid.
This is generally true for any character, in fact, since they aren't people themselves, there are many potential perspectives to interpret them from.
I'm not going to pretend I have the answer. I tend to be more sensitive to others' feelings than I need to be. However, it seems to me that some people are discussing the matter as if Brun is a fictional character with no feelings of her own. While that may be technically true, the people involved in and reading the discussion are real people with real feelings. A couple of the comments - while they haven't come right out and said so - have given me the impression that some people are already a little uncomfortable with the whole thing, but maybe I'm just reading them wrong. I've known people who weren't comfortable even disclosing that they had autism, let alone discussing it in public, and I've known others who were very open about the whole situation. If I were having a conversation with my friend who has an autistic daughter, I could ask her how she feels about discussing it in a public group. Unfortunately, we can't pull Brun off the page and ask her the same thing.FWIW, all this discussion about whether Brun has autism, and whether it explains or excuses her social awkwardness, is extremely insensitive to those people who either are autistic themselves, or have friends who are. It's a very personal matter, and it's no one else's business. If Brun herself brings it up and says "look, this is why I act the way I do", then it's out in the open. Then, and only then, can it be discussed respectfully.Do we need to act, then? There's at least one moderator with ASD and we'd been taking for granted it was OK but we can always learn differently. If we allow the discussion to keep going, what are some good ways to prove our respect for autistic people and their friends?
All right, I’ll jump in. My son and I are both on the autism spectrum. We’re both at the very high-functioning end of it, but still, we’re there. And I recognize some of my own behavior in Brun.Thank you. I'm glad to hear the perspective of someone personally dealing with this. My own perspective is that of having a good friend with a daughter who is only moderately functional, and it has been a tremendous struggle for them to get even to that point. She is very sensitive about people discussing her daughter's condition as if she were a sociology experiment rather than a human being - going so far as to delete her facebook account so people would stop asking her about it - and so I tend to be overly defensive about it as well. But if you think the discussion here is beneficial to people gaining a better understanding of it, I am not in a position to disagree.
For the record, I am not the least bit offended by Jeph’s portrayal of Brun or the discussion here about it. Frankly I think it’s a good way to educate more people about how autism really works, in much the same way that Claire’s portrayal and its discussion here educated me about trans issues. If it does start edging into offensive territory I’ll definitely speak up, but nothing so far has annoyed me except for the assertion that we all need to stop talking about it.
The only time anyone should ever be that close to me without some kind of indication that it is OK is like, when I was on trains in Tokyo, because there isn't a whole lot of choice in that case.Reminds me of watching old TV shows, and in the close-up shots, they have the actors standing so close together they have to back up when they turn their heads in order to keep from breaking each other's noses. I mean, I know why they do it because I've worked in TV, but my first thought is "that looks unbelievably awkward."
I just don't like people using mental diversity as an excuse to basically ignore consent.
Imagine if it was someone of Elliot's gender and size, doing that to someone like Tai.
Imagine if it was someone of Elliot's gender and size, doing that to someone like Tai.As I go back and re-read the entire archive, it occurs to me that there has been a lot of uninvited invasion of personal spaces - for example Tai or Claire using much larger people as jungle gyms, or Melon having breakfast in Steve's kitchen. Of course, each situation is different. With the exception of Faye flattening people who touch her, and Hanners freaking out when anyone touches her, most of the time everyone seems to handle it graciously.
Yeah... that was kinda lazy.
I think it depends on where he takes it from here. Sometimes the best way to subvert a trope in an interesting way is to appear to be playing it straight until the twist.
@Tova You really don't see any issue with someone approaching someone who clearly backed into a wall and basically making it impossible to move away without either shoving them away or squirming to the side?
Like, people are not even allowed to say that they are finding her actions annoying without being lectured about it.
I just don't like people using mental diversity as an excuse to basically ignore consent.
Just as an aside, I love "canonpower." In fact, I seem to be devising a superhero who has canonpower. He is Metaman, and can, by means of his invention, the Literary Device, speak ex cathedra and say whether characters' actions are characteristic or atypical. When he speaks ex cathedra a vast shadowy throne forms under him.
Brun has also demonstrated other symptoms of some type of autistic spectrum issues. Most notably, she has had one on-page meltdown where she becomes uncommunicative and cannot process sensory data.
So we've established that it's possible she's autistic and such a scenario wouldn't be Jeph pulling a diagnosis out his ass but she might also not be.
It seems like responses to comments about her or her actions always boil down to " :-o BUT --- THE SPECTRUM!! :-o" and it kind stops being a discussion about Brun and starts being a discussion about something that may or may not at most be one part of her character.
BTW, I don't dislike Brun. She's a fun character to watch and I enjoy the arcs with her. She's relatable enough to make me invested in her story. I still think she's reached a point in this arc where she is being annoying and a little rude.
I am not in a position to disagree.
I know the S topic is not allowed, (...I think?) but goddamnit, I really want two certain guys together so I can enjoy that vicariously.The way I understand it, what is not allowed is only discussing hypothetical relationships that are out of character. I don’t think that’s where you’re going, necessarily. Yes, it’s still hypothetical, but Elliot has already expressed an attraction to Clinton, so I think that makes it a real possibility.
there’s been no indication whatsoever that any of them is interested in that
And I felt obliged to point out that neither the comic nor Brun nor the forumgoers were "using mental diversity as an excuse." That's a nonsense accusation, and completely different from saying she is irritating (which you have every right to say).
The more I see of Elliot, the more I wonder how someone so insecure manages to throw enough of his weight around to do his job. I mean, the guy's a big marshmallow.Uhm
And I felt obliged to point out that neither the comic nor Brun nor the forumgoers were "using mental diversity as an excuse." That's a nonsense accusation, and completely different from saying she is irritating (which you have every right to say).
The first response to snufflebottoms saying that Brun's actions were annoying them was "You don't know what it is like to be on the Spectrum do you?"
I'm actually getting annoyed with Brun at this point.You don't know what it's like to be on the spectrum, do you?
I may be "high functioning" but the social stuff can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Especially when nobody wants to be direct or open about things. So, it's pretty exciting when I'm pretty sure I interpreted a situation correctly in spite of that. Though like Brun, sometimes I'm dead wrong in my conclusion(s).
The more I see of Elliot, the more I wonder how someone so insecure manages to throw enough of his weight around to do his job. I mean, the guy's a big marshmallow.
There's a world of difference between acting for yourself, in a social context, and acting in a professional capacity. For the latter, one important factor is that you're officially mandated to be where you are, and do what you do. That being cleared up, there's just the question of actual capability for the job in hand.
There's a world of difference between acting for yourself, in a social context, and acting in a professional capacity. For the latter, one important factor is that you're officially mandated to be where you are, and do what you do. That being cleared up, there's just the question of actual capability for the job in hand.
Elliot, you're like 6 foot 6, 300 lbs, with less than 10% body fat.
I really, REALLY don't think Elliot should confess his feelings to Clinton. It will make things awkward and ruin their friendship. He's already reasonably sure that Clinton doesn't like guys, it really would be best not to do this.If Elliot thinks Clinton is not interested in him, it's his own (overwhelming) insecurity talking. Clinton's never directly said he's not into guys, and he has been kinda flirting with Elliot, even if he didn't intend it that way. Elliot could find out if Clinton is at least open to the idea, without coming right out and declaring his feelings. If Clinton says "Ew, no, I'd never date a guy", then Elliot wouldn't have to mention who the guy in question is. That way they could remain friends.
That seems a bit Questionable.Like all Content in this comic ;)
Awww, Clinton's at the "I LOVE YOU MAN" stage of drunkenness - which must be really uncomfortable for Elliot!
If he's 300 lbs, 10% body fat is 30 lbs. That takes up a fair amount of space. If he didn't have as much muscle, that same 30 lbs of fat would be a higher percentage of his body weight.Elliot, you're like 6 foot 6, 300 lbs, with less than 10% body fat.
...what? He looks kinda chunky to me. I mean, I'm sure he's got plenty of muscle underneath, but it seems pretty clear it's not all muscle.
Elliot, you're like 6 foot 6, 300 lbs, with less than 10% body fat. I don't think you need to worry that people won't think you're tough and scary. A Bengal tiger can be both adorable and terrifying at the same time.Case in point,
Thank you.And I felt obliged to point out that neither the comic nor Brun nor the forumgoers were "using mental diversity as an excuse." That's a nonsense accusation, and completely different from saying she is irritating (which you have every right to say).
The first response to snufflebottoms saying that Brun's actions were annoying them was "You don't know what it is like to be on the Spectrum do you?"
Yes, I saw it.I'm actually getting annoyed with Brun at this point.You don't know what it's like to be on the spectrum, do you?
I may be "high functioning" but the social stuff can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Especially when nobody wants to be direct or open about things. So, it's pretty exciting when I'm pretty sure I interpreted a situation correctly in spite of that. Though like Brun, sometimes I'm dead wrong in my conclusion(s).
They were referring to a completely different behaviour to the one you're talking about.
I really, REALLY don't think Elliot should confess his feelings to Clinton. It will make things awkward and ruin their friendship. He's already reasonably sure that Clinton doesn't like guys, it really would be best not to do this.
I really, REALLY don't think Elliot should confess his feelings to Clinton. It will make things awkward and ruin their friendship.
Elliot, you're like 6 foot 6, 300 lbs, with less than 10% body fat.
...what? He looks kinda chunky to me. I mean, I'm sure he's got plenty of muscle underneath, but it seems pretty clear it's not all muscle.
It's still Thursday, right? I can still hope for a Friday, right?'Yes' to both.
I actually am 6'2 with broad shoulders. My nieces have used me as a jungle gym kinda like Claire and Brun did with Elliot, though I'm not nearly as muscular as he is. I figure I'm about 20% body fat. That's why I figured my estimate for him was pretty close.Elliot, you're like 6 foot 6, 300 lbs, with less than 10% body fat.
...what? He looks kinda chunky to me. I mean, I'm sure he's got plenty of muscle underneath, but it seems pretty clear it's not all muscle.
I'm a stocky 5'5" (65cm) and 226 lbs (~102.5 kg), so the estimate feels like it lines up to me.
Any tall guys with broad shoulders want to weigh in this?
Damn... now I'm torn between Clinton/Brun, Clinton/Roko, and Clinton/Elliot D:
Damn... now I'm torn between Clinton/Brun, Clinton/Roko, and Clinton/Elliot D:
If Clinton’s dating life is anything like mine was at the same age, he’s going to get asked out by all three, and Emily will inform him that she has time for that second date now, and also a couple of other random women will express interest. Because for me it was always months or years of drought punctuated by sudden inexplicable floods.
stuff
Elliot, you're like 6 foot 6, 300 lbs, with less than 10% body fat.
...what? He looks kinda chunky to me. I mean, I'm sure he's got plenty of muscle underneath, but it seems pretty clear it's not all muscle.
I'm a stocky 5'5" (65cm) and 226 lbs (~102.5 kg), so the estimate feels like it lines up to me.
Any tall guys with broad shoulders want to weigh in this?
Damn... now I'm torn between Clinton/Brun, Clinton/Roko, and Clinton/Elliot D:
Damn... now I'm torn between Clinton/Brun, Clinton/Roko, and Clinton/Elliot D:
Fair enough.I actually am 6'2 with broad shoulders. My nieces have used me as a jungle gym kinda like Claire and Brun did with Elliot, though I'm not nearly as muscular as he is. I figure I'm about 20% body fat. That's why I figured my estimate for him was pretty close.Elliot, you're like 6 foot 6, 300 lbs, with less than 10% body fat.
...what? He looks kinda chunky to me. I mean, I'm sure he's got plenty of muscle underneath, but it seems pretty clear it's not all muscle.
I'm a stocky 5'5" (65cm) and 226 lbs (~102.5 kg), so the estimate feels like it lines up to me.
Any tall guys with broad shoulders want to weigh in this?
Whether it was "in" the comic is debatable but we were around when his father married a guy.
Elliot's expressions and gestures are very fetching. His nose has been broken at some point. You almost never see a guy whose nose has been broken pressing both hands to his heart.
I really like this strip. It is both funny and bitterly ironic, with Clinton giving Elliot just what he wants in a form in which it is of no use to him.
The chance of a polyamorous relationship has dropped sharply, since both Clinton and Elliot are treating Elliot's crushing on both Brun and the unnamed cute guy as a dilemma, a choice between incompatible alternatives. If that's the way they think of it, they think of it that way.
...
From little bits of hints on Jeph's Instagram and Twitter, I think he gets characters by drawing them. After he has drawn them for a while, he begins to get an idea of who they are, and then this idea unfolds as they appear in the strip.That stands to reason. Unless he had the entire continuum already written up in a 42-volume boxed set of novels, he kind of has to write the story as he goes. Obviously, he has a general idea of where things are headed, but I know from experience that you can put something on the page and then look at it and say "wow, I didn't expect that", and things change. Even in fiction, the future is always in motion. The characters - just as real people - are always changing and maturing, and occasionally they surprise even the people who know them the best.
...Which are that they seem to hug all the time, and are standing close as well. So the conclusion is that they just say that because it's me and they don't like me...
I've seen people flirting in a similar fashion like Brun did (being that close), and the consent seemed implied, no one asks permission to flirt first.
I have no dog in this fight except that I would particularly like to see Elliot happy. It's not good when the ones who take care of other people can't take care of themselves, and it's not good when anyone is paralyzed by fear. A polyamorous relationship of some sort seems the simplest way to make everyone happy, so I would like to see that. They might not be that way inclined, is all.
...
What [Jeph] is free to do, apparently, is to tease us indefinitely with the possibility of relationships, and to torment characters indefinitely by dramatic delay of relationships. Like some dom romance novelist, he provokes shipping at the same time he forbids it.
So I would like to project all over Clinton for a bit. I consider myself "mostly" straight but I'm fairly sure that any outside observer probably views me as straight without a "mostly" to modify it (including family/friends). I've only dated men and we don't tend to talk about crushes in my social circles much. So until I hear clearly from Clinton himself, I will not rule out the possibility that he might be open to dating Elliot, even if he is (in general) more likely to be attracted to women.
I don't think Elliot will ask Clinton out though as I think Elliot is too shy. Instead I feel like this arc is heading towards Clinton asking Elliot out - not immediately, but down the track. First he has to connect Elliot's crush to himself and then there might be some soul searching over whether he (Clinton) is interested in men as well as women. But finally Clinton decides he would like to ask Elliot out.
I can see various possibilities for Clinton getting a clue about Elliot's feelings:
1) Talking about this evening the next day with Claire and Marten and one of them lets slip the idea Marten had.
2) Brun comes into the scene and misinterprets Clinton hugging Elliot - and sorting out the misunderstanding leads to realisations
3) Clinton is pondering Elliot's sentence at a later time and has a light bulb moment along the lines of "Wait, Elliot said please don't hug me at work - does that mean he wouldn't mind outside of work? Am I the guy he thinks is really cute?
But if I am wrong about this and this arc is leading to something involving all three of them (a triad or a V ), that would also be good.
I'm a stocky 5'5" (65cm) and 226 lbs (~102.5 kg), so the estimate feels like it lines up to me.
Any tall guys with broad shoulders want to weigh in this?
I was explaining why family, friends and other outside observers would think I'm straight, whereas I consider myself only "mostly" straight. They can't see the thoughts inside my head, they only see the past relationships I've had. While I definitely have more crushes on men, sometimes I have crushes on women too. (And yes, I would be open to dating a woman). The reason I included it in my post was because lots of people have being claiming that Clinton is not into guys - and I was trying to say you can't be certain about that based on what we've seen of Clinton.So I would like to project all over Clinton for a bit. I consider myself "mostly" straight but I'm fairly sure that any outside observer probably views me as straight without a "mostly" to modify it (including family/friends). I've only dated men and we don't tend to talk about crushes in my social circles much. So until I hear clearly from Clinton himself, I will not rule out the possibility that he might be open to dating Elliot, even if he is (in general) more likely to be attracted to women.
I don't think Elliot will ask Clinton out though as I think Elliot is too shy. Instead I feel like this arc is heading towards Clinton asking Elliot out - not immediately, but down the track. First he has to connect Elliot's crush to himself and then there might be some soul searching over whether he (Clinton) is interested in men as well as women. But finally Clinton decides he would like to ask Elliot out.
I can see various possibilities for Clinton getting a clue about Elliot's feelings:
1) Talking about this evening the next day with Claire and Marten and one of them lets slip the idea Marten had.
2) Brun comes into the scene and misinterprets Clinton hugging Elliot - and sorting out the misunderstanding leads to realisations
3) Clinton is pondering Elliot's sentence at a later time and has a light bulb moment along the lines of "Wait, Elliot said please don't hug me at work - does that mean he wouldn't mind outside of work? Am I the guy he thinks is really cute?
But if I am wrong about this and this arc is leading to something involving all three of them (a triad or a V ), that would also be good.
When you say you've only dated men, are you saying you'd be open to dating a woman? How do your circumstances relate to the possibility of Clinton being open to dating a guy?
I hope for one of those 'pancake-morning' awakenings (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2803) for Eliot after this night... They seem pretty much connected to the Augustus clan.I think Clinton is the one who is due for a "pancake morning awakening". He is drunk, whereas Elliot is not.
wow, Clinton came really close to outing Claire there. If Elliot becomes a member of their circle, he may well connect the dots. (...well, maybe not him, but someone else in his position might.) Maybe he should keep her in mind next time he decides to get drunk outside private gatherings.Well I'm not trans so feel free to take what I say with a pinch of salt...
"I mean shes super hot" I see Clintons got those beer goggles firmly on
wow, Clinton came really close to outing Claire there. If Elliot becomes a member of their circle, he may well connect the dots. (...well, maybe not him, but someone else in his position might.) Maybe he should keep her in mind next time he decides to get drunk outside private gatherings.
It would appear that Clinton is something much more uncommon than a bisexual polyamorist who is open to threesomes. He is an actual good guy. He isn't trying to exploit having had a chance to help Brun, and he isn't competing with Elliot for her affections because he likes Elliot. He is an actual good guy in a gawky, awkward, drunken way, but then, he is only just barely old enough to be in that bar.Agreed. Under that veneer of geekiness he's approaching Dale levels of fundamental decency. But then, it appears he's the youngest adult member of the cast, so it's natural that he's slowly maturing before our eyes (you just have to watch real close).
wow, Clinton came really close to outing Claire there. If Elliot becomes a member of their circle, he may well connect the dots. (...well, maybe not him, but someone else in his position might.) Maybe he should keep her in mind next time he decides to get drunk outside private gatherings.
"I mean shes super hot" I see Clintons got those beer goggles firmly on
Maybe I'm misinterpreting the comment, but I don't think Near Lurker meant that Clinton actually said anything that almost outed Claire, but rather that he almost said it. It appears that he started to say something, but the ellipsis in panel 3 indicates that Clinton stopped himself from saying anything that might give her away. Clinton is extremely protective of his sister, and even when he's drunk, he is careful to maintain her privacy.wow, Clinton came really close to outing Claire there. If Elliot becomes a member of their circle, he may well connect the dots. (...well, maybe not him, but someone else in his position might.) Maybe he should keep her in mind next time he decides to get drunk outside private gatherings.
Weighing in on this as a trans person, I don't think he did? I mean, you might be able to extrapolate that she's queer from the statement- or that she's just a very open person. Of course, to someone who already knows the Claire is trans, it's going to be obvious what he means. To someone who doesn't... Eh. Not so much. There's no reference to how she taught him to be true to himself, so it could potentially be anything from her being trans, as she is, to her making him watch a bunch of true to yourself cartoons when they were kids. Even drunk, I don't think he's too close to outing her.
Faye and Renee are doubles: loyal if difficult friends, intrusive, prickly, pushy, mouthy. Faye is wounded, Renee is not.I must qibble.
Bubbles and Elliot are doubles: big scary-looking people, skilled at violence, hard on the outside, sweet on the inside, afraid of rejection. Bubbles is wounded, Elliot is not.
That's why I don't permanently attach a Certified Asshole badge to Renee no matter how often she seems to earn it.
It is true that we don't have backstory on either of the ones I am calling unwounded.
Renee's a yenta, is all: pushy, busybodied, gossiping, in everyone's business all the time, and the first person to call if you are in a jam. I have a theory that she is hated, not because she crashes across boundaries, but because she is female, unwounded, capable, and crashes across boundaries. Angus dancing triumphantly in nothing but a purple condom outside Faye's door in Marten's own apartment, when Marten has lusted in vain after Faye, passes unnoticed because Angus is a guy. Hannelore walking in and out of Faye's and Marten's apartment at will passes unnoticed because Hannelore is wounded. Faye punching and saying mean things is unnoticed because Faye is wounded. Renee acting like everyone else while unwounded and female produces sudden shock that boundaries are being crossed. It is not like she is big and dangerous like Elliot or Bubbles. She is capable, is all. Capable women aren't dangerous, they are just capable. It is unjust and unfair to condemn them for acting like everyone else. You don't have to like them, but that doesn't mean they are any worse than the next person.
I don't think that the crashing across boundaries is incidental or trivial either. Someone upthread points out correctly that much of the comedy in the strip runs off people crashing through boundaries, but that's not its only function. One of the strip's concerns is how you act when you live where all different kinds of people mix together. No one's village mores apply, because no one is in their home village anymore, and none of the village mores were designed for situations like these anyway. Instead, you rely on very basic courtesy, recently improvised rules of thumb, sincere good will, and apologies. QC is a comedy of bad manners because it is concerned with how you act when you are inevitably going to have bad manners sometimes. Clinton just made a gross social blunder by embracing Elliot and telling him to try his luck with the cute guy, but it will be OK because it was done good-heartedly. Renee blunders by overprotecting and micromanaging Brun's life, but it will be OK because it is done out of sincere concern. They all blunder, realize, apologize, and try again. It's how things work there.
What? Do we even read the same comic? lol. The only person who rival's Renee's assholeish behavior is Faye who HAS been called on it, at least here in the forums - even as a main character.Sorry, I don't see it. I thought I might be missing something, so I went back and re-read all the bits with Renee in them, but I just don't see her behaviour as that of an asshole. She's very overprotective of Brun, and despite her outgoing nature, she's almost as socially awkward as Brun. She wants her friends to be safe and happy, and she gets overly excited about trying to make that happen, but that makes her annoying, not an asshole.
What? Do we even read the same comic? lol. The only person who rival's Renee's assholeish behavior is Faye who HAS been called on it, at least here in the forums - even as a main character.Sorry, I don't see it. I thought I might be missing something, so I went back and re-read all the bits with Renee in them, but I just don't see her behaviour as that of an asshole. She's very overprotective of Brun, and despite her outgoing nature, she's almost as socially awkward as Brun. She wants her friends to be safe and happy, and she gets overly excited about trying to make that happen, but that makes her annoying, not an asshole.
Either that or I'm just reading too much into her character. But the similarities still hit awfully close to home.I think you may have nailed it. We really haven't seen a lot of Renee's personality in the comic. The few traits we have seen may be the same as those in a real person you know (e.g. your mother), but that doesn't mean that Renee's whole personality is the same. I just think it's a little early to make that kind of call with her.
Since you said "arguably" I'll take the opening to suggest Bubbles instead. But your point stands.
But the similarities still hit awfully close to home.
Do people really think physically threatening a stranger over the phone isn't asshole behavior?Considering that her threatening was in the act of protecting her best friend, who was in a very vulnerable position at the time? No, I don't think it was asshole at all. If I had been the total stranger in that position (and I have been exactly that in the past), I would not have been the least bit offended.
I'm with you.I have to admit, I forgot about that.
The famous, "Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1363)" comic has done a lot to shape that view in many people's minds.
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My main point was that in the forums, Faye's asshole-ish (like hitting people and saying mean things) behavior has been discussed so it def. isn't people having a problem with how "capable" Renee is and targeting her specifically. Some people just like different and dislike different characters.
I personally think she's a toxic friend who is condescending and that she sexually harassed Elliot. I also just don't like her which I will fully admit. I happen to like Dora a lot - and Dora is arguably the most capable woman in the comic.
In real life, it clearly is the act of a rude and possibly dangerous person. In a strip that oscillates between realism and slapstick? Harder to tell.
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I think I recall Dora threatening a stranger with a sword? I wouldn't like to be threatened with a sword ...
In real life, it clearly is teh act of a rude and possibly dangerous person. In a strip that oscillates between realism and slapstick? Harder to tell.
I would avoid someone in reality who acted like Renee and maybe warn otehrs away.
I think I recall Dora threatening a stranger with a sword?The continuous stream of threats of grievous bodily harm at Coffee of Doom - with or without the use of various implements, including the sword, the fighting spatula, and even a carafe of coffee - is one of my favourite parts of the entire comic. Even Marten and Claire get in on it (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2364). I don't believe for a minute that Dora actually approves of any real violence (pretty sure her insurance wouldn't approve either), and it's hilarious to see the reactions from people who aren't used to it yet (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=333).
My assessment of Renee as an asshole comes from her habit of "accidentally" spilling otehr people's beans.But there's also at least one instance (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3563)where she showed great restraint and didn't spill the beans.
To be fair, I like Renee more than Tilly. So tehre's that?I can't argue on that point. Tilly's disregard for others' boundaries was more intense. I think the principle difference between Renee and Tilly, as far as that goes, is that Tilly's disregard seemed to be largely out of ignorance - having lived such a sheltered life (among other possible factors) that she simply doesn't know any better - while Renee's stepping over boundaries seems to be more callous than unwitting, which seems to imply that she may indeed have someone or something that has wounded her in the past, and maybe she's subconsciously pushing people away.
But tehre's also at least one instance (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3563)where she showed great restraint and didn't spill teh beans.But this clearly demonstrates that she jolly well knows it's wrong to go a-beanspilling when she does indulge. She's an asshole 'cause she does it for sport.
I don't know her history, so I can't agree that she does it for sport. It may be true, but then again, it may not. This may actually be an indication that she's trying to stop doing it so much.But tehre's also at least one instance (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3563)where she showed great restraint and didn't spill teh beans.But this clearly demonstrates that she jolly well knows it's wrong to go a-beanspilling when she does indulge. She's an asshole 'cause she does it for sport.
My assessment of Renee as an asshole comes from her habit of "accidentally" spilling otehr people's beans. If she ever learns that Claire in trans, word will be all over town in no time at all.
Her expressions make it clear that she's a gossip.I don't know her history, so I can't agree that she does it for sport. It may be true, but then again, it may not. This may actually be an indication that she's trying to stop doing it so much.But tehre's also at least one instance (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3563)where she showed great restraint and didn't spill teh beans.But this clearly demonstrates that she jolly well knows it's wrong to go a-beanspilling when she does indulge. She's an asshole 'cause she does it for sport.
Compared to gossiping, how would you rate, say, judging someone based on their facial expression?
Compared to gossiping, how would you rate, say, judging someone based on their facial expression?
Context is key. I knew a fair gossips growing up in the church and visiting the small town my father grew up in every summer. Being an aspie, I also had to learn how to read faces. Putting the two together wasn't very hard.
Compared to gossiping, how would you rate, say, judging someone based on their facial expression?
Context is key. I knew a fair gossips growing up in the church and visiting the small town my father grew up in every summer. Being an aspie, I also had to learn how to read faces. Putting the two together wasn't very hard.
Do I understand you correctly that you claim that your developmental disorder not only allows you to identify with certainty who is or isn't a gossip merely by looking at them, but that looking at drawn representations of fictional characters gives you the same insight into their imaginary psyches?
Can you do this with any artist's rendition of human faces, or is Jeph particularly accurate?