WCDT - September 26th to September 30th, 2022 (strips #4881 to #4885)

[Gyrre]

Or like a lancer dressed as a cooper.

An interesting development. Here's hoping things don't go too poorly.

[BenRG]

I think that Bubbles' reaction will depend solely on how much of a threat she perceives Yay to be to Aurelia's safety.

They could quite easily become reluctant partners to keep the humans safe from the idiots on Cubetown, push comes to shove. Alternately, if Yay isn's sufficiently convincing, Bubbles could nark them to Station immediately. Third option: Yay could play Melon's fellow oddity a bit too convincingly and consequently lose their security gig with Aurelia because they're obviously incompetent.

FWIW, my prediction is that a Yay instance will go with Marten and Claire to Cubetown. They indirectly contact Station who persuades Hannelore and her communication implant as his own spy. Which is kind of sad really because the Cubetowners are just the usual bunch of ivory tower scientists and are no risk to anyone other than themselves. Station and Yay agree that the Cubetowners need Claire to be their keeper to prevent someone making a black hole or something.

[JimC]

It's a long time since a QC made me laugh out loud as much as that one just did...

[shanejayell]

I do like these Yay and Roko bits. Heh.

[immortalfrieza]

After reading the note on the hurricane situation, I found myself wondering how long it's been since the last time QC has had a guest comic or two. Jeph might have to resort to that if it gets bad enough.

[Wingy]

Jeph might have to resort to that if it gets bad enough.

Oh, let's hope not. 

Anyone notice Roko has a new hairdo?  I'm liking it; the old one reminded me of the unenlightened and self-entitled women that came through my register line back when I worked retail (never again!).

[Farideh]

New comic.

Smells like teen spirit in here.

[shanejayell]

Yay really DOES feel like a emo teen at times.

[badbum61]

Re: yesterday's comic (this thread hadn't been created yet when I originally went to post...)

Is that a Game Boy Roko's playing?

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

I see the babygirlification of the Robot Devil proceeds apace

[Sorflakne]

NGL I miss when Yay was an all-powerful amoral entity and not above using the tools at their disposal for their goals.

[traroth]

Is that a Game Boy Roko's playing?

Came here to ask just that!

[Perfectly Reasonable]

I see the babygirlification of the Robot Devil proceeds apace

Yay is allowing themselves to show vulnerabilty to Roko. Interesting. Is this 'relationship' good for the world at large? Or will Yay's exploration of new modes of expression lead to the destruction of civilization as we have come to know it?

( to say nothing of violence done to pronouns )

[Farideh]

Re: yesterday's comic (this thread hadn't been created yet when I originally went to post...)

Is that a Game Boy Roko's playing?

That is what the comic title says: '4881: OG Game Boy'

[Dinaverg]

I see the babygirlification of the Robot Devil proceeds apace

Yay is allowing themselves to show vulnerabilty to Roko. Interesting. Is this 'relationship' good for the world at large? Or will Yay's exploration of new modes of expression lead to the destruction of civilization as we have come to know it?

( to say nothing of violence done to pronouns )

once they become intimately aware of the Achilles heel of society that teenagers are, then the possibilities are truly endless...

[badbum61]

Re: yesterday's comic (this thread hadn't been created yet when I originally went to post...)

Is that a Game Boy Roko's playing?

That is what the comic title says: '4881: OG Game Boy'

D'OH!
Marten pays attention.
I, clearly, do not...

[shanejayell]

Heh, nice Marten.

[Gyrre]

Love the censorship bubbles

[Farideh]

Don't want to get age restricted!

[traroth]

Love the censorship bubbles

"Trying" to hide the word "fuck" and in the same time letting it perfectly readable and understandable. It reminds of talk-shows on american TV ("f*beep*k!", with a hint of the "u" for good measure)

That's the most american thing JJ ever drew, imho.

[St.Clair]

As I recently posted over on the Gunnerkrigg Court forum, regarding another powerful being who falls into the "trickster" category:

But my plan! My brilliant, perfect, flawless plan!

[Perfectly Reasonable]

Roko's new hairdo makes me see her as a "Susan" -- the dependable older sister/ mom stand-in.

Yay is having image problems, aren't they?

[notStanley]

We are not harmless, we merely mean you no harm

Such a quandary, want to be seen as friendly, but will not allow capabilities to be set aside :{

[shanejayell]

New comic

Aww Yay. That was cute.

"I was not expecting such easy acceptance"

[Farideh]

It's easy... TOO easy...

[St.Clair]

"Kind of a big asshole, but in a cool and mysterious way" is exactly what Yay is going for, at least 90% of the time.
so ~edgy~

[BenRG]

It's easy... TOO easy...

MARTEN: "Oh yeah! You were the one who shut down Faye's limbic nervous system when she got in your way. Why are you safe to be around my family again?"

Really, I will be very disappointed if Marten's vague recollection at the end of today's strip is the only reference to just how amoral Yay has been in the past.

[Ghanima Atreides]

It's easy... TOO easy...

MARTEN: "Oh yeah! You were the one who shut down Faye's limbic nervous system when she got in your way. Why are you safe to be around my family again?"

Yeah, that was so chill of them. 

Then again, that version of Yay has been pretty much retconned these days, so...

[Perfectly Reasonable]

My head canon is that Yay came by their ethics the hard way, by seeing the ugly consequences of their actions. You could build a thriller around that premise. But it's not a story Jeph wants to tell.

[zioninavision]

Jeph is quite good both at stories that simmer for years in readers' time as well as moving along scenarios at a quicker pace than might be expected!!  that is part of this exact one, that Yay was convinced not to listen in, which would have revealed Marten to be there and maybe would have delayed their visit??  the outcome here so far seems much better than what both Claire and Yay had been hoping.

i'm very intrigued about what Yay might inform them about Cubetown!! 

[MrGone]

"'Literally in Robot Jail now' evil" struck me as odd. Incarceration is a poor barometer for how evil someone is, and the sentiment (or wording?) was surprising coming from Claire.

[Mr_Rose]

"'Literally in Robot Jail now' evil" struck me as odd. Incarceration is a poor barometer for how evil someone is, and the sentiment (or wording?) was surprising coming from Claire.

Maybe the robot justice/jail system has a better reputation than the regular meatsack one? Or maybe she was trying to emphasise that the evil boss was literally criminal rather than being called evil for the usual petty crap that people call their bosses "evil" for? Evil as an adjective has become pretty devalued over time.

[hedgie]

I'm guessing the latter.  Unfortunately, the illegal shit that most bosses do requires you to have money to sue them, and since future employers would look that shit up, you'd also have to make sure you'd get enough money in the suit to retire off the proceeds, otherwise it's not worth filing.

[shanejayell]

Poor Yay.

[Gyrre]

My head canon is that Yay came by their ethics the hard way, by seeing the ugly consequences of their actions. You could build a thriller around that premise. But it's not a story Jeph wants to tell.

There is a fan fiction thread, though. I know I'd read it.

[notStanley]

chickens coming home to roost

Wall, Yay, how many more are out there?  Seems we will end up with enough for everyone to have an egg breakfast!

[JimC]

Then again, that version of Yay has been pretty much retconned these days, so...

How much older and how much larger is the Yay/spookybot complex than it was at the time of the Bubbles episode? I don't think its beyond imagination for the entity to have become much better socialised and much more emotionally mature than it was then. Could it be something like double the age, and probably a good number more nodes.

[Farideh]

Has Yay's age ever been confirmed?

[Torlek]

Has Yay's age ever been confirmed?

4670

Marten, realizing he is the only one in the building with ANY chill, steps up. Because he's the hero they need.

[St.Clair]

Fortunately, Marten is endowed with an abundance of chill.

[DaiJB]

Has Yay's age ever been confirmed?

I believe they stated (reluctantly) to Roko that they are - two. Their hesitation at sharing this piece of information was understandable, as Roko proceeded to rib them unmercifully.


*Edit: It wasn't Roko was it? It was "Mom-vibes" Aurelia 

*Edit 2: Poor Yay's copping it from all directions, aren't they? This after being teased by Roko for being a "giggly drunk"

[Farideh]

Has Yay's age ever been confirmed?

4670

Marten, realizing he is the only one in the building with ANY chill, steps up. Because he's the hero they need.

Ah, thanks!

[Wingy]

Marten can't be an AI, Pintsize would have outed him long ago because it would have been funny.

[BenRG]

Marten can't be an AI, Pintsize would have outed him long ago because it would have been funny.

*coughPintsizepersonalityretconcough*

[Mr_Rose]

What retcon?

[BenRG]

There seems to have been a definite move in Pintsize's personality away from making chaos for the sake of chaos that seems to match him getting a higher-fidelity body. Simply put, he'd be less likely to out Marten simply because he could.

[Ghanima Atreides]

Then again, that version of Yay has been pretty much retconned these days, so...

How much older and how much larger is the Yay/spookybot complex than it was at the time of the Bubbles episode? I don't think its beyond imagination for the entity to have become much better socialised and much more emotionally mature than it was then. Could it be something like double the age, and probably a good number more nodes.

As reasonable an explanation as any, I guess.

Still, it doesn't change the fact that Jeph made a conscious decision to move away from the "mysterious eldritch abomination" persona and morph Yay into another quirky cast member who is trying their best, sometimes failing and discovering the power of friendship and found family. IMO, the way they were first presented, this direction in character development didn't seem likely.

It's cool; I just enjoyed Spookybot more.

[Mr_Rose]

There seems to have been a definite move in Pintsize's personality away from making chaos for the sake of chaos that seems to match him getting a higher-fidelity body. Simply put, he'd be less likely to out Marten simply because he could.

That's not a retcon. That's just... regular con. No-one ever implied Pintsize's previous attitude and behaviour never happened. Same with Yay deliberately moving away from their wrath of majesty phase because they would rather have friends.