Topic: WCT Dec 20-24, 2010 (1821-1824) (Read 125124 times)

Wiregeek · « **Reply #150 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 11:01 »

Quote from: JackFaerie on 21 Dec 2010, 10:53

But in either case, seriously, something is wrong with him.

Or, if one wasn't locked into a Marten-is-the-devil perceptual filter;

Giving up his life and propoerty to move across the country after a woman who was saying "I don't want to live three thousand miles away from you", when she meant "I'm tired of you and I want some fresh dick", then ending up with another woman who lies to him, about him, and about what she wants from him, then enforces a brutal double standard on him, and dumps him when he dares to say the first thing in his own defense.

I suspect the 'truth' may be somewhere between these two extremes, however.

themacnut · « **Reply #151 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 11:16 »

Quote from: JackFaerie on 21 Dec 2010, 10:53

But in either case, seriously, something is wrong with him. One of his girlfriends makes plans to move cross-country and seems less than enthused about continuing their relationship past-graduation, and tells him straight up when he asks that she doesn't want to do the long-distance thing, and he reacts to all of these signs screaming "this relationship is not going to last" by uprooting his entire existence and following her to the East Coast.

I think this is just a case of Marten being unable, or unwilling, to take a hint. Many people are bad at this, especially when they're young, inexperienced in relationships, and usually male. I hold Vicki more responsible for this fracas than Marten, she should have just straight up told him she wanted to end the relationship BEFORE she moved, so Marten would have no illusions of hope.

But if she had done that Marten would probably still be in California and we never would have met him, right?

Quote from: JackFaerie on 21 Dec 2010, 10:53

Then his more recent girlfriend acts in batshit-crazy ways all the time, and instead of insisting on discussing it with her or holding her to it, he just swallows it and stews on it in private, until such a time as he is blatantly unsatisfied with the relationship, and yet he STILL doesn't say anything until Dora's next blow-up forces it out of him, and then STILL thinks that the two of them should have stayed in the relationship for some reason.

In any relationship, there will be some crap you've got to deal with from the other person-NO ONE is perfect, ANYONE will have something about them that irks your nerves. Whether that's something to dump them over in ENTIRELY up to the person being irked. What you'd dump someone for, someone else might not even be bothered by or decide it's not worth upsetting the apple cart over. Every relationship goes through less-than-blissful periods, whether the relationship lasts is how the tough times are handled. Would Marten have eventually dumped Dora over her insecurities, or would Dora have started therapy before it got to that point? We'll never really know since Dora did the dumping, and there's some suggestion that she may have done so out of fear that Marten would've dumped her first.

themacnut · « **Reply #152 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 11:22 »

Quote from: Wiregeek on 21 Dec 2010, 11:01

Quote from: JackFaerie on 21 Dec 2010, 10:53
But in either case, seriously, something is wrong with him.

Or, if one wasn't locked into a Marten-is-the-devil perceptual filter;

I don't think JackFaerie thinks Marten is the devil, just a bit too clueless and willing to put up with entirely too much crap from women he wants to date-which I don't entirely disagree with. He certainly put up with Faye's crap far too long-compared to that, his time with Dora was an easy Sunday morning.

O8h7w · « **Reply #153 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 11:28 »

Quote from: JackFaerie on 21 Dec 2010, 10:53

But in either case, seriously, something is wrong with him. One of his girlfriends makes plans to move cross-country and seems less than enthused about continuing their relationship past-graduation, and tells him straight up when he asks that she doesn't want to do the long-distance thing, and he reacts to all of these signs screaming "this relationship is not going to last" by uprooting his entire existence and following her to the East Coast.

The way I read his backstory, it seemed moving across the country wasn't just about the girl, and that he really didn't have much to give up on. But then again, I don't think that was 'screaming signs', I probably wouldn't have 'got it' myself. As themacnut said, quite a few people are surprisingly bad at this. On the other hand, I am somewhat aware of my disabilities in that matter, and probably I'd simply ask her...

Quote from: Wiregeek on 21 Dec 2010, 11:01

I suspect the 'truth' may be somewhere between these two extremes, however.

I suspect that you are right.

And on the christmas treats... what if Eve guested the comic? She's done so before, right? Then the question is: WWPS - What Would Pintsize Say???

pwhodges · « **Reply #154 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 11:49 »

Quote from: O8h7w on 21 Dec 2010, 10:45

And then a week of Sweet-Tits, that guy from last year, Yelliing Bird and Randy... should be fun

Jeph has said he was thinking of a few strips with Hanners answering some questions in-comic - but maybe he changed that to the formspring idea to avoid breaking the fourth wall.

Somebody · « **Reply #155 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 11:54 »

Quote from: Mr_Rose on 21 Dec 2010, 10:57

"Grown up" versions of the anthro-pcs; Momo is in the same dream-form she used to seduce dream-Sven, Winslow looks sort like a male version of Eve from Applegeeks....

Surely Winslow would be based on his robo-boyfriend mode...

JackFaerie · « **Reply #156 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 12:49 »

Quote from: Wiregeek on 21 Dec 2010, 11:01

ending up with another woman who lies to him, about him, and about what she wants from him, then enforces a brutal double standard on him, and dumps him when he dares to say the first thing in his own defense.

Exactly. And then he is all "woooeeeee is me whyyyyyy did she end it, I wanted to stay in a relationship with that emasculating psychobitch forever even though I hated how she treated me!" Something wrong, no? She didn't "dump" him though. She (fairly gently) ended it because it was obvious to pretty much anyone else (including everyone here going "omg he should dump Dora she doesn't even let him stand up for himself!") it was pretty over.

Wiregeek · « **Reply #157 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 13:06 »

Quote

She didn't "dump" him though.

say what now?

Coco · « **Reply #158 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 13:21 »

Quote from: Wiregeek on 21 Dec 2010, 11:01

Giving up his life and propoerty to move across the country after a woman who was saying "I don't want to live three thousand miles away from you", when she meant "I'm tired of you and I want some fresh dick", then ending up with another woman who lies to him, about him, and about what she wants from him, then enforces a brutal double standard on him, and dumps him when he dares to say the first thing in his own defense.

I suspect the 'truth' may be somewhere between these two extremes, however.

Not to start World War Dora 2: Dora Boogaloo, but I don't remember her ever being anything less than truthful with Marten. I also don't remember her ever lying about him or trying to make him look bad. The only example of a double standard I can think of is the little fight about the hair, which even she admitted was stupid and a bit of new relationship jitters.
I am also wondering about your comment that Vicki was just looking for some “fresh dick.” I understand that we are supposed to sympathize with Marten, but I don’t think we need to turn his long term girlfriend who handled a break up pretty terribly into a heartless slut. Not every woman in Marten's life is evil, and he is no saint.

iduguphergrave · « **Reply #159 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 13:49 »

I am seriously tired of people taking Marten's sigh in this strip out of context. People, that day he and Dora got into a major fight about bullshit, then resolved it, and then ran into the source of the fight just when they thought they were in the clear. Did you ever consider that maybe he was sighing just because he had a shitty day?

And I reject the premise that Marten was dissatisfied with his relationship with Dora. Other than "the sigh" (which is really too ambiguous to prove anything), what proof is there? The Toto strip? Marten's look there probably means unsettled confusion more than anything. Remember, he has no idea why Faye asked him about Toto, but it intrigued him. So he asks Dora, and gets a harsh answer and a brush-off. I think his look in the last panel is saying "What the hell does this all mean?"

Marten was always affectionate towards Dora; he was never distant or cold to her, they had a healthy sex life, he bought her "just because" presents. When she first hinted that she wanted them to live together, his first response was "I'd love it if you moved in! (he only started freaking out when she proposed he move out and they live alone together; it's important to note his initial reaction was positive) If he was truly dissatisfied with their relationship, he would have just let Dora go when she walked out here. Instead, he goes looking for her because he wants to talk it out. Not something someone who subconsciously wants the relationship to end would do.

Marten was fed up with Dora's double-standards and her jealousy, not with their overall relationship.

hannahsaurusrex · « **Reply #160 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 14:17 »

Oh man, totally forgot about Applegeeks. That's where I found QC! I stopped reading after they stopped updating regularly and when they came back, Hawk completely changed the art style.

You know, I don't really understand the hatred of ANY character in this strip. I mean Marten has some growing up to do, but he's 23! Dora has some issues, but NOBODY around her can help her because she's older than them all and NO MATTER WHAT has more to deal with.

The relationship is over, can we just focus on recovery?

ErrantCanadian · « **Reply #161 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 14:40 »

Would it be so very very wrong if I started shipping Tai/Veronica?

pwhodges · « **Reply #162 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 14:55 »

If it makes you happy you can, but just do it in your head, please.

Blackjoker · « **Reply #163 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 15:01 »

Marten is making me think of a poster one of my professors would put up in her office "If you start your day off by swallowing a life frog whole nothing worse will happen to either of you for the rest of the day"

themacnut · « **Reply #164 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 15:05 »

I don't think even that will work for Marten.

brew · « **Reply #165 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 15:06 »

Veronica grew a moustache today.

Wiregeek · « **Reply #166 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 15:10 »

Quote from: Coco on 21 Dec 2010, 13:21

I am also wondering about your comment that Vicki was just looking for some “fresh dick.” I understand that we are supposed to sympathize with Marten, but I don’t think we need to turn his long term girlfriend who handled a break up pretty terribly into a heartless slut. Not every woman in Marten's life is evil, and he is no saint.

http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=254

on a re-read, I have very little problem with my earlier statement.

Quote from: ErrantCanadian on 21 Dec 2010, 14:40

Would it be so very very wrong if I started shipping Tai/Veronica?

Yes.

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #167 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 15:15 »

I just want to say a couple of things about the supposed Marten/Dora dissatisfaction

The whole "Toto" event and Dora essentially telling Marten to fuck off. Did we not find out a couple of weeks around that period that Dora worked 60 hours weeks. So she presumably works 10-12 hour days, and probably gets into work before Faye or Penny and usually leaves afterwards (paperwork, taxes, ordering supplies, etc). Most people nowadays don't sleep the recommended 8 hours a night. Which doesn't leave a lot of time to relax, especially when it takes time to wind down after work. So, for the most part, Dora would be tired and stressed. And when sleep is that rare, you can kind of snap at people over little things. Just give an example. My first year in college, I had classes from 9am until 8pm on Mondays, and 9am until 6pm on Tuesdays and the same on Thursdays and Fridays. I lived 30 miles away and would have to get the bus which meant getting up at 6am. Suffice to say, I didn't sleep much that first year. I lived with my girlfriend at the time (who had about 6 hours of classes a week), so it would kinda be, I'd get in around 10pm, slump into bed and try and get a couple of hours of sleep. Sometimes my girlfriend would come in and ask a Toto-esque question, just as I would have fallen asleep. And I would snap, just as Dora did. Didn't mean I didn't love her, or that I was dissatisfied with the relationship, its just a simple case of being exhausted and all patience being gone. Ironically we broke up a couple of years later because we spent too much time together.

As for Marten sighing after the Cosette incident. What? No one has ever laid awake at night and sighed? Hell I do it every night, even if my girlfriend is asleep right next to me, usually because I have a lot on my mind, ranging from wondering if that report for work is up to scratch, have I paid all the bills for this month, what should I get my Dad or sister for Christmas, to even from just having a bad day. Marten and Dora had their first big argument of their relationship and settled it. Even if the sigh was about Dora, it was probably more to do with the fact that they had an argument that really shouldn't have been. If Marten really had been dissatisified about the relationship would he be that torn up about it like he is now? The guy looks like his heart has been ripped out and fed through a paper shredder. Is that the reaction of a dissatisified man out of a relationship?

Anyway, back to today's comic. There are just some people in life who induce the need to give them a hug. Cobra is looking to determine the precise combination of pheromones in a dastardly plot to take over the world as the population is giving each other hugs.

And Hannahsaurusrex.....Where did you get the idea for Marten's age out of curiousity?

Blackjoker · « **Reply #168 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 15:42 »

Quote from: themacnut on 21 Dec 2010, 15:05

I don't think even that will work for Marten.

Oh, I don't think it will either exactly, I just mean more in the vein of it triggered the thought, and if brought up I imagine Marten disagreeing heartily...then pintsize bringing him a live frog.

Border Reiver · « **Reply #169 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 15:47 »

Quote from: Blackjoker on 21 Dec 2010, 15:01

Marten is making me think of a poster one of my professors would put up in her office "If you start your day off by swallowing a life frog whole nothing worse will happen to either of you for the rest of the day"

Showing either the limited imagination/experience of the professor, or the poster maker.

Wiregeek · « **Reply #170 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 16:09 »

Quote from: Border Reiver on 21 Dec 2010, 15:47

Quote from: Blackjoker on 21 Dec 2010, 15:01
Marten is making me think of a poster one of my professors would put up in her office "If you start your day off by swallowing a life frog whole nothing worse will happen to either of you for the rest of the day"

Showing either the limited imagination/experience of the professor, or the poster maker.

I've had days where that would have been the high point of the day.. as has Marten, for that matter. It'd be a judgment call, but he may be having one of those days _right now_

MillionDollar Belt Sander · « **Reply #171 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 16:55 »

I think... in this situation... Martin is the frog.

rje · « **Reply #172 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 17:13 »

Quote from: hannahsaurusrex on 21 Dec 2010, 14:17

You know, I don't really understand the hatred of ANY character in this strip. I mean Marten has some growing up to do, but he's 23!

Wait, he -is-?
Ohh okay, things make a lot more sense.
I thought he was like 26-28 or something.

jwhouk · « **Reply #173 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 17:14 »

Quote from: Wiregeek on 21 Dec 2010, 11:01

Quote from: JackFaerie on 21 Dec 2010, 10:53
But in either case, seriously, something is wrong with him.

Or, if one wasn't locked into a Marten-is-the-devil perceptual filter;

Giving up his life and property to move across the country after a woman who was saying "I don't want to live three thousand miles away from you", when she meant "I'm tired of you and I want some fresh dick", then ending up with another woman who lies to him, about him, and about what she wants from him, then enforces a brutal double standard on him, and dumps him when he dares to say the first thing in his own defense.

I suspect the 'truth' may be somewhere between these two extremes, however.

I suspect the truth is that Marten doesn't end relationships well. Of course, there are few people out there that can end relationships well.

jwhouk · « **Reply #174 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 17:22 »

Quote from: rje on 21 Dec 2010, 17:13

Quote from: hannahsaurusrex on 21 Dec 2010, 14:17
You know, I don't really understand the hatred of ANY character in this strip. I mean Marten has some growing up to do, but he's 23!

Wait, he -is-?
Ohh okay, things make a lot more sense.
I thought he was like 26-28 or something.

We really don't know. Jeph's been coy about time lapse in the strip, but it's entirely possible that he was about 24-25 when we first saw him.

Whatever it is, I'd suspect Veronica is probably twice his age, which would mean she's a fifty-something cougar.

Carl-E · « **Reply #175 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 17:51 »

No evidence of cougarism, although I'm sure she'd take on younger clients...

Is it being a cougar if you're being paid?

Quote from: brew on 21 Dec 2010, 15:06

Veronica grew a moustache today.

Come on - the laugh lines are getting much better over the last two days. Give the guy a break - most of the people he draws that are about this age have beards!

hannahsaurusrex · « **Reply #176 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 18:28 »

Quote from: TheEvilDog on 21 Dec 2010, 15:15

And Hannahsaurusrex.....Where did you get the idea for Marten's age out of curiousity?

Well, Jeph started this thing when HE was 23, Dora is older than them and her age was 26
I apologize, I should have said 23-ISH.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #177 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 19:06 »

In 162, Marten refers to "my college tuition last year", so at a normal graduation age of 22 he'd have been about 23 then.

Yellowstone · « **Reply #178 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 19:21 »

Quote from: rje on 21 Dec 2010, 17:13

Wait, he -is-?
Ohh okay, things make a lot more sense.
I thought he was like 26-28 or something.

Let's see... in #1782 Sven says that he's 28. Dora is a year younger than Sven, so she's 27. Marten's two or three years younger than Dora, so he's 24 or 25.

jwhouk · « **Reply #179 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 19:27 »

Good lord, if Dora's only aged about a year and a half since strip 144...

Boomslang · « **Reply #180 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 19:47 »

Quote from: jwhouk on 21 Dec 2010, 19:27

Good lord, if Dora's only aged about a year and a half since strip 144...

Yeah, we've got some immense time dilation going on.

The resulting issue is that unless Jeph skips forward or invents some sort of wacky circumstances to explain it, Marten is probably going to be single for at least another year our time, and moping over Dora for several months. Which will lead people to become aggravated that Marten isn't moving on fast enough for their tastes, which will lead to shipping.

The only solution is to find all of the other Parallel universes where Jeph draws QC and let them share work, so that the comic updates hourly, and lovingly drawn for a month each, after which each individual Jeph will take an 11 month vacation while receiving the full benefit of working on the strip more than full time. Now I just need a flux capacitor, and a Tardis, and some way to hook the two together...

iduguphergrave · « **Reply #181 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 20:12 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 21 Dec 2010, 19:06

In 162, Marten refers to "my college tuition last year", so at a normal graduation age of 22 he'd have been about 23 then.

Unless he meant that in the sense of paying off student loans, which he mentioned to Jimbo that he has plenty of.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #182 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 20:40 »

Hannerdad might have a machine that distorts time. Actual time travel, however, is ruled out by Hannelore on Formspring.

CEOIII · « **Reply #183 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 21:02 »

Is Marten's mom bi? Have we ever gotten any hint one way or another on how she rolls?

Cause, ya know, I could live with TaiMom.

akronnick · « **Reply #184 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 21:10 »

Not sure Marten could. Can you imagine your mom sleeping with your boss?

Carl-E · « **Reply #185 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 21:11 »

Isn't being a professional dominatrix enough? You want her bi, too? sheesh.

Tai will find someone. Have patience.

And it probably won't be a May/November sort of thing.

Edit: Akronnick, that is a truly painful thought!

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #186 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 21:38 »

Everything we know of has been het.

tHEfOOL · « **Reply #187 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 22:00 »

Quote from: Wiregeek on 20 Dec 2010, 16:00

I will mail a flaming box of poop to the first person who suggests I "haven't met the right person".

sigged

tHEfOOL · « **Reply #188 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 22:16 »

Quote from: The Seldom Killer on 21 Dec 2010, 07:04

Quote from: Near Lurker on 21 Dec 2010, 06:58
There is, however, a joke about breastfeeding to be made somewhere.

I just hope it isn't a set up for Pintsize to dish out some titty jokes.

i hope it is

Sorflakne · « **Reply #189 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 22:44 »

Quote

Wouldn't it be awesome if Dora walks up on/in on the explosion in question? Marten flailing his arms and screaming at the top of his lungs, opens the door and gets a face full of alien wing wong thrown pintsize.

"Goddamnit, what fucking NOW"

I can so totally see this mental image as clear in my mind as a bright, cloudless winter day after a blizzard. It is beautiful.

iduguphergrave · « **Reply #190 on:** 21 Dec 2010, 23:05 »

Just fyi, I'm watching Jeph draw the comic right now and someone asked him if Veronica is tall or if Marten is short. His reply: "She's his height but wears big heels." So there you are.

squishything · « **Reply #191 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 00:07 »

Ok, I have a kinda on-topic question.

What exactly about Tai screams 'butch'? her clothes seem kinda neutral, her hair isn't oppressively short or anything, and her glasses are downright girly. Nevertheless, both Dora and Ms. Vance can see it a mile away. Is it a voice thing?

Dr. ROFLPWN · « **Reply #192 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 00:25 »

I think Tai's butch-ness is mostly in her attitude; she's very gung-ho, kind of aggressive, adopts more than a few traditionally boyish gender-role behaviors. Basically she acts like a stone-cold pimp, and is, and that is kinda butch.

Also I hope we're done resurrecting previous weeks' arguments for the sake of things to be hyperbolic about in the absence of actual bitching material, cause that is fucking silly, guys.

(oh please don't let Dora show up and like 1,500 new people come here to talk about how Dora is a HUGE BITCH, BLUH BLUH)

michael28 · « **Reply #193 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 00:34 »

Quote from: Wiregeek on 21 Dec 2010, 11:01

Quote from: JackFaerie on 21 Dec 2010, 10:53
But in either case, seriously, something is wrong with him.

Or, if one wasn't locked into a Marten-is-the-devil perceptual filter;

Giving up his life and propoerty to move across the country after a woman who was saying "I don't want to live three thousand miles away from you", when she meant "I'm tired of you and I want some fresh dick", then ending up with another woman who lies to him, about him, and about what she wants from him, then enforces a brutal double standard on him, and dumps him when he dares to say the first thing in his own defense.

I suspect the 'truth' may be somewhere between these two extremes, however.

Marten's story would generate, at least, two hours of reading time on http://www.fmylife.com .

When did Dora lie about Marten?

Akima · « **Reply #194 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 00:36 »

Quote from: Blackjoker on 21 Dec 2010, 15:01

Marten is making me think of a poster one of my professors would put up in her office "If you start your day off by swallowing a life frog whole nothing worse will happen to either of you for the rest of the day"

With one or two of my professors, swallowing a live frog every day might have been the least odd thing about them...

Veronica is a true professional.

Dr. ROFLPWN · « **Reply #195 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 00:58 »

I think Jeph has perfected Veronica's look in today's comic. She is fantastically drawn. That, and I love her the most. Especially her arched eyebrow when disappointing poor Tai. Have pity, Veronica, she just wants to be the Padawan to your clear Jedi Master-ness.

pwhodges · « **Reply #196 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 00:59 »

Quote from: CEOIII on 21 Dec 2010, 21:02

TaiMom.

I've already said we're not going there - read before you post, and take note.

iduguphergrave · « **Reply #197 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 01:05 »

Duh, Veronica. You'd think she's notice who he takes after more after raising the damn kid. Even during Henry's (Marten's dad) short visit I could tell Marten was more like him than her.

CEOIII · « **Reply #198 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 01:07 »

Quote from: pwhodges on 22 Dec 2010, 00:59

Quote from: CEOIII on 21 Dec 2010, 21:02
TaiMom.

I've already said we're not going there - read before you post, and take note.

YOU'RE not going there. Clearly Tai wishes to go there, although Veronica had to let her down somewhat. (Maybe she knows someone who could float her a loan........)

Dr. ROFLPWN · « **Reply #199 on:** 22 Dec 2010, 01:10 »

@Grave: I suspect she knows, it's more one of those things moms repeat over and over again, especially around new people. It's also a classy takedown to Marten's moaning, as only a mother can deliver.

@CEO: ...yeah dude you may not want to argue with the forum mod, I mean seriously

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Poll

Which album did Mom bring?

Author Topic: WCT Dec 20-24, 2010 (1821-1824) (Read 125124 times)

TheEvilDog