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Yes.

15 (5%)

No, it's not the same.

14 (4.7%)

No, it's even worse.

25 (8.4%)

No, it means Dora's history.

30 (10.1%)

No, because it's going to end different.

19 (6.4%)

No, because there's emergency bourbon.

17 (5.7%)

UBMEOD!

34 (11.4%)

Oh heck, who am I kidding?

4 (1.3%)

(sniff) No, I've just got (sniff) allergies...

31 (10.4%)

This thread is gonna hit 40 pages by tomorrow, isn't it?

109 (36.6%)

Total Members Voted: 237

[Lazarus]

Why the kick? Because he didn't sack up and stick up for himself? I admit I was a little disappointed but this is Marten we're talking about; he's way too reasonable not to know that there's be no point to that; Dora's made up her mind.

And although he might have been just saying it to save face in front of Faye, maybe he's way more sick of Dora's crap than we think.

Bed now. Will read the 10 new pages of posts tomorrow. Preferably while drunk.

Nah, I actually wish he'd have really pushed her towards dealing with her issues instead of tiptoeing around them, trying to avoid her triggers if applicable or just dealing with the fallout.

Bed is a good idea right about now. Don't let this thread drive you towards alcohol poisoning tomorrow.

First post evar, woo yeah

A few people seem to be curious as to why Marten didn't Push Dora to deal with her issues. My guess would be that the last time he advised a girl to do that, it involved him surrendering his chances with a girl he was really into, which resulted in him dating another girl who ultimately broke up with him because she didn't even tell him that she had issues until they'd been dating a while. I think at this point he is just tired of the whole "Every girl I am attracted to either hides their problems (Dora, his pre-series GF who dropped him after he moved to be with her) or tells me they cant date me due to their problems."

Honestly Marten/Faye-Marigold-Hanners-etc; none of them would work right now because all those girls have issues, and he's sick of that. Maybe he should date Raven. She's about as uncomplicated as you can get.

[muffin_of_chaos]

Nah, I actually wish he'd have really pushed her towards dealing with her issues instead of tiptoeing around them, trying to avoid her triggers if applicable or just dealing with the fallout.

Probably would've helped Dora a lot too.  Maybe soon Marten will understand that being a nice guy isn't always being a nice guy.

To be honest, even if he wasn't a bad boyfriend, he was a reasonably mediocre one.  Next time schedule a couple's counseling session, Smarten.

[Is it cold in here?]

Bad hygiene ? Dont think so. She got her rooms cleaned, I imagine she automatically cleans herself too now. At least thats why I hear from people who did clean their rooms.

Not always. Momo-tan had to remind her to take a shower when she and Hannelore were going to watch anime together.

[ocelott]

If it helps, just think of all my rants being said in my hilarious Australian accent, and they'll seem less horrible!

Actually, I imagine all your posts being said by Gene Wilder, which is just as hilarious (albeit sometimes surreal).

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

*raises hand sheepishly*

Yeah, I kind of deserve a kick in the ass for counter-trolling.  I could argue that I'm at least doing it because I want people to be nice to each other, but I'm probably one of the most vitriolic when I get annoyed at trolls.  Certainly I'm the worst at posting big, ranty, walls of text.  Sorry if I gave folks the wrong impression with that sort of thing.  I'm usually quite nice, honest!  I... I just don't like it when the forum dissolves into piss-fights and flamewars, and I get a little too carried away with my own (percieved) cleverness.

So a sincere apology to anyone I caused to shake their heads a little.  If it helps, just think of all my rants being said in my hilarious Australian accent, and they'll seem less horrible!

Dogg, you are the Grandmaster of the Order, and you forgave this lowly Knight his unearned bullshit at the very beginning of this thread. If we could not forgive you some small trolling back against an inveterate member of what even the savage chan tribes call "the Underage B'&", what does that say of us? Feel no shame.

[Fenriswolf]

I cannot resist (ARH) replying just because I am bemused at the people who are all "Dora hasn't even tried". Trying to fix your issues takes a long, long time, and seeing a therapist is not a fix in and of itself. It's just someone with an outside, non-biased perspective who should, possibly, be better at analysing where you're coming from and definitely should have more resources as to how to help with those issues. But therapist or no therapist, these things don't change overnight, and you can't depict someone trying because it's all in trying to act normal and dealing in your own head.

Does it seem that Dora has never allowed herself to actually discuss her issues with Marten? Yeah, from what we've seen, and that pretty much dooms it. Can you force yourself to be a different person just because you totally understand how and why your actions and reactions are inappropriate? Hell no. If she's not emotionally ready to deal, she's not. And it sucks all round. But no one here is a bad person.

It did make me wince reading what Marten said to Faye. I don't think it's wrong, people are allowed to be angry and hurt. But as someone who was raised by people who screamed at me for the pain of my existence, then took me to counsellors to learn how to deal with confrontation healthily, I am allergic to angry words with or about someone I love and even when I have expressed frustration to friends (about my 7 year relationship) it is followed up with an analysis on how and why and what the realistic reaction should be, given I choose the situation I'm in.

P.S. This week has made me sad, but yes, I am very impressed by the emotion conveyed by the characters. Especially the break up strip, where all the facial expressions were painfully well rendered.  

[Skewbrow]

Poor Marten. Right now being totally numb protects him, but tears will flow in a day or two.

I don't think any of the crew will try to talk Dora to reconsider. At least not next week. No door-bashing. They realize that it won't help now. Just lend your ear to a close friend.

Sporadic  thought: Wonder whether Jeph's timing of this arc was constrained by the ComicCon schedule? I don't know if there's any history of dissatisfied web comic fan/shipper going violently berserk. But if there had been a convention scheduled for this weekend, the thought of rotten eggs/tomatoes just might have crossed Jeph's mind?

Sporadic  thought: Few years from today GOMswe will scare the n00bs on the forum with chatter like "Remember the week of Dora/Marten split up arc? The forum hit 40 pages in no time instead of this pathetic 5 pages we get these days..."

What the hell is a  anyway? I guess I am expected to google it. It is just that I have googled for something three times while reading QC:

• find out the meaning of 'indie rock'
• find out the meaning of 'yaoi'
• Chuck Palahniuk

at which point I learned NOT TO GOOGLE IT.

[Is it cold in here?]

Jeph does facial expressions really well, whatever he says to the contrary.

[ocelott]

   Well, since you asked...

Psyduck is a pokémon.  He's got psychic powers, but they give him headaches, hence the head rubbing.  (Why do I remember this?  Stupid useless trivia taking up brain cells.)  All the headaches and the head rubbing certainly seem appropriate in this thread.

[Random832]

It is just that I have googled for something three times while reading QC:

• find out the meaning of 'indie rock'
• find out the meaning of 'yaoi'
• Chuck Palahniuk

at which point I learned NOT TO GOOGLE IT.

Er, which of those three taught you "NOT TO GOOGLE IT"? Even "yaoi" simply brings up a (wikipedia) definition, with no images on the google page and no explicit images if you click through to wikipedia.

If you're saying that finding out what it means was bad in itself even without being exposed to porn, GROW UP and I still don't get what the problem with the other two is.

[MillionDollar Belt Sander]

*reads comic*

whaaaaaaaat the---

*reads comic again*

Hm.   

[DrWhoosier]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

What will this do to the snarky social dynamic of the coffee shop?!

I really still don't get it. Marten and Dora were so happy together, why break up over something like this? I think Marten's being an ass for not accepting the apology and just being a little self-righteous for a couple days. He knows Dora's got her issues and tries to compensate for her insecurity by behaving the way she did. Damn, sometimes I wanna reach into my monitor and shake them cartoon people!

[hannahsaurusrex]

It's 2am my time, I have to be AT WORK at 6am, and I haven't been reading the thread.

I am seriously affected by the comic. Whether it's fantastic writing, art, or my own ability/curse to get way too invested in whatever I'm watching/reading. I was BAWLING at the end of Truly, Madly, Deeply and I refuse to watch certain things for knowledge I will get depressed for a good day or so.

That being said, this has made me so sad, angry, melancholy, hopeful, and pretty much left me with the feeling that I have been dumped.
What's even sadder is that I'm seeing stuff before that I dismissed that makes my heart ache.
Marten not wanting to move away from Faye always bothered me. I dismissed it because I was thinking of it in the dynamic of the first 3 seasons of How I Met Your Mother. Difference being in the show, the couple and dynamic had been established for 9 years. There wasn't any sexual tension between the original roommates and the couple had no real jealousies.
Had Dora and Marten moved even to a different apartment in the same building, it would have been considered fucking rude to show up at their apartment at 3am in their underwear. A call at 3am would be weird but more accepted.  Faye was having a night of restlessness and she wanted someone to tell her it would all be okay. Which is what friends do during normal hours, and significant others do at 3am. Dora was already asleep by the time Faye got home, and even if she was looking for anyone to talk to, Marten and Dora's room is Their Home.  

The point is someone back on page 28? said that Dora made the relationship all about her. Maybe it's the lack o' sleep talking, but I'm frightened to say that it WAS all about Faye. God, I really feel fucking sick writing this.

Marten loves Dora and Dora loves Marten, but Marten would never choose Faye over Dora. That's what Dora was seeing. I don't Ship Faye/Marten, but he really needs to see how dependent they are on each other.
 I'm upset by their co-dependency.
I'm upset that Dora was right.
I'm upset Marten didn't fight.
I'm upset that Marten is sick of her crap and can't see how right she is.

Marten never took any real risks for Dora, he never fought with her against her personal demons, he never completely opened up to her, and he always had Faye as back up. Faye and Marten's relationship during Dora is comparable to the mother that helps out in the class and mostly spends time with her own child. Nice in theory, but in reality discouraging real growth. Marten and Dora worked, but he only put up with her issues he never proved that they were all in her head.
I was hoping that he would take this opportunity to really take a chance with something, and instead he opted for the familiar.

Looking back, I see him as a coward.
And that upsets me most of all.


 

[hannahsaurusrex]

PS Not blaming Marten, just sad and disappointed.
Maybe I can rest tonight

PPS I'm still waiting for my backstory.

[MillionDollar Belt Sander]

At this point we only have his word that it was "mutual."

And he ain't talking just yet.

Folks,  we're just getting warmed up here.      Martin is in shock over the whole thing... he needs time to think drink and process this data.

THEN things will start to happen.  

[pendrake]

For comic #1800...

1. Google is the Bible, encyclopedia, and Necronomicon of the internet .

2. I think the "click" to the door closing is meant to symbolize the finality of the Dora+Marten break-up.

3. It will also be "interesting," and probably heart-aching, to see the aftermath and impact this will have on the rest of the QC cast.  Fortunately, I doubt there will be any seriously detrimental "fallout" as a result of this event because of how things ended between Dora and Marten.

4. While saddened [I admit I got misty-eyed with this story-arc], I am somewhat relieved the Dora+Marten relationship ended with a whimper than a bang.  Both characters are lynchpins in the friends' circle cast of Questionable Content.  A major blow-up could only harm everyone, especially if having to choose "sides."

5. I do not think Marten will be involved with any love-triangle between Angus+Faye.  It would be rather cheapened writing on Jeph's part for that to happen after all recent story-arcs, in particular the pants-less nighttime reassurance-conversation between Faye and Marten.

6. I do think, however, we may see relationship doubts similar to Dora's creep into Angus' side of things though, which will make for good drama.

7. I also hope Dora keeps her "promise" to Tai .  As I have said earlier, I doubt any sense of "weirdness" would really stop Tai in pursuing a relationship with Dora, physically speaking at least.

8. PsyDuck is one of the first generation "animals" of PokeMon (shortened from the japanese-title of "Pocket Monsters," just in case you wanted to know that too).  Its stupid air and comedic appearance belies its powerful psychic abilities, which cause its constant headaches.  Sadly I have this knowledge, despite my utter hatred of the fad, from one of the many trials of parenting.

[Ghostfingers]

On the subject of the relationship being all about Faye... I really hadn't considered that viewpoint before. I think that's one of the most heartbreaking ways to look at it that I can think of.

What a bitch. (Referring to the situation, not anyone in specific.)

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

I would only be slightly okay with Tai and Dora hooking up now ifTai makes Goddamn well sure that Dora and Marten are situated first. Once those two are on friendly terms again? THEN you dive in, Tai. IF you dive in at all. Not waiting in a situation like this is gucking indecent.

Hell, I think she might consider it an obligation not to, because Marten is her friend AND her employee AND Dora needs to fix her fucking brain before she gets into ANY MORE RELATIONSHIPS. If Tai recognizes this, she is truly the Righteous Pimp I believe her to be. If not...well, that'll be a shame.

[Mr_Rose]

Wild spec for the next comic; Faye knocks on Marten's door, trying to get him to come talk to her, while growing slowly more desperate/paranoid/panicky until she finally busts down the door. Whereupon we switch to a view of her face as she storms in and stops abruptly when she sees what Marty's about to do.

The next two panels each contain a sound effect and a shot of Faye's face locked in a rictus of abject terror.

The FX are "Bang!" and "Thud."

She's still like that when Dora finds them the next day.


The newspost under the comic says "Full circle at last! Now the fun really begins."

[Occams Meataxe]

Well I mean I think the whole "we're both sick of her crap" was unnecessarily mean.

I'd say necessarily ticked off. She'd come the psycho bitch on him once recently, violated his privacy pretty severely, gotten huffy and defensive instead of taking her lumps for it like a big girl and then dumped him. If he'd been too mousy and understanding I'd send him to surgery to get a spine implanted. He has every right to be about that angry and correctly identified his legitimate complaint.

I still think what she did was very healthy: she recognized how and why their relationship wasn't working, and that there wasn't an easy fix for it (she may eventually want to get therapy for her issues, but I actually think she is right that she could get never be certain about his feelings for Faye versus her and what-could-have-beens--I mean, look at what people say about it on this forum!), and decided to have it end peaceably and kindly. I still think Marten was the one who should have done the breaking up, but apparently he's incapable of it even as he's been moping and doubting the future of their relationship for months.

Cheating sexually or emotionally is one thing.
Tearing a guy down because he might secretly harbor a feeling or two, not so much.
When he's absolutely faithful despite many opportunities and you've already worked him over for something you admit he didn't do? No. Not even. Not a bit.
Beating him up over might-have-beens? That's pure burning crazy.
She fucked up and drove him away.
The only healthy thing she did was clearly articulating her desire to send him packing.

Maybe I'm just a boring old married fart, but I didn't see anything unfixable right up until she gave him his walking papers. There were issues, and they had exchanged some hard words; if both parties valued the relationship it could definitely be worked through. At this point she could probably have him back if she were willing to medal in the 1000 meter crawl. I doubt that's going to happen.

[Arky]

At this point we only have his word that it was "mutual."

You mean, besides comic 1799.

[Dr. ROFLPWN]

Wild spec for the next comic; Faye knocks on Marten's door, trying to get him to come talk to her, while growing slowly more desperate/paranoid/panicky until she finally busts down the door. Whereupon we switch to a view of her face as she storms in and stops abruptly when she sees what Marty's about to do.

The next two panels each contain a sound effect and a shot of Faye's face locked in a rictus of abject terror.

The FX are "Bang!" and "Thud."

She's still like that when Dora finds them the next day.


The newspost under the comic says "Full circle at last! Now the fun really begins."

Ahahahahahahagahahahaha that is not funny so why am I laughing so hard

[MillionDollar Belt Sander]

At this point we only have his word that it was "mutual."

You mean, besides comic 1799.

Nothing I see there says "mutual"   In fact he seems quite shocked.

[cosmictruffle]

Here's a thought - when Marten said "We're both sick of her crap", I don't think it was angry or meant as a Dora-insult, but rather, a bitter realization. Notice how he says "It was... mutual", and the look on his face when he says "Yeah.", in response to Faye's "It was?". Another hint at the tone of "We're both sick of her crap" is the door's "click" as opposed to a slam. Sounds to me like the subtext is something like this:

Faye: "...you didn't..."

Marten: "It's okay... at first the breaking up was just on her side, but I'm realizing as well that it was meant to end."

Faye: "It was?"

Marten: "......probably, unfortunately."

Marten: "She was right, we were both getting sick of her crap. I just didn't want to admit it."

That's my take anyway.

Also, what a coincidence that we have this   icon, as Psyduck is my favourite Pokémon!

[Occams Meataxe]

I mean, yes, they were happy for most of it, but damn, Dora has some issues,

Issues? More like fully paid-up subscriptions.

[Arky]

At this point we only have his word that it was "mutual."

You mean, besides comic 1799.

Nothing I see there says "mutual"   In fact he seems quite shocked.

Well, he's the one that's saying it's mutual.  He certainly didn't initiate it- it's a bit of a white lie to imply that.  But he also clearly was fed up with the cycle he was in with Dora; there's no reason to believe he hasn't accepted that the breakup needs to happen.

[Odin]

Here's a thought - when Marten said "We're both sick of her crap", I don't think it was angry or meant as a Dora-insult, but rather, a bitter realization. Notice how he says "It was... mutual", and the look on his face when he says "Yeah.", in response to Faye's "It was?". Another hint at the tone of "We're both sick of her crap" is the door's "click" as opposed to a slam. Sounds to me like the subtext is something like this:

Faye: "...you didn't..."

Marten: "It's okay... at first the breaking up was just on her side, but I'm realizing as well that it was meant to end."

Faye: "It was?"

Marten: "......probably, unfortunately."

Marten: "She was right, we were both getting sick of her crap. I just didn't want to admit it."

That's my take anyway.

Also, what a coincidence that we have this   icon, as Psyduck is my favourite Pokémon!

I personally think we should add a few more apt smilies.

Like these:          

And this lovely gem:

[Mr_Rose]

Wild spec for the next comic; Faye knocks on Marten's door, trying to get him to come talk to her, while growing slowly more desperate/paranoid/panicky until she finally busts down the door. Whereupon we switch to a view of her face as she storms in and stops abruptly when she sees what Marty's about to do.

The next two panels each contain a sound effect and a shot of Faye's face locked in a rictus of abject terror.

The FX are "Bang!" and "Thud."

She's still like that when Dora finds them the next day.


The newspost under the comic says "Full circle at last! Now the fun really begins."

Ahahahahahahagahahahaha that is not funny so why am I laughing so hard

Maybe it's the psyducks?
Making you laugh.

I hear they have psychic powers you know.

[AngelofShadows]

Well.....that was sad.

[est]

All you motherfuckers reporting posts for expressing viewpoints you disagree with can sack the fuck up and stop it, ok?

Is someone posting porn?  Ok, report it and I'll ban them.  Is someone posting spam?  Same.

Someone posting something you disagree with?  I.  Don't.  Care.