Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Shebly

Movie sign

Shame Orb

RANDY IS ETERNAL

Robot Hamster

[Tergon]

I could actually see Dora, "Wait..what" Cue a bunch of panels of Faye and Hannelore trying to smooth things over thinking that Dora is going to react to Marten being a white knight negatively, or maybe making a somewhat harsher comment depending and then have Dora, "No, no, I meant more, He has a broadsword? Why did I never see it?"

Well, throwaway joke aside, I really think it would surprise Dora.  While I wouldn't go so far as to say Marten was being out of character here - he has defended his friends in the past, such as during the Vespavenger battles - I would describe it as being unusually assertive of him to, without hesitation, pull out a sword and drive off a creepy guy with threats of physical violence.
After the better part of two thousand strips of being a Manatee of Codeine, look at what we've seen of Marten since he and Dora broke up.  We've seen him display genuine anger and depression, letting down that armour of his.  We've seen him quite cheerfully risk the wrath of Faye for the sake of a joke to defuse awkward shenanigans about her and Angus having sex.  We saw him actually approach a girl (Padma) in a bar, something that has been portrayed as well outside his skill range since literally the beginning of the comic.  Now, we've seen him quite willing to beat the hell out of a guy for making his friend upset.

He's been more of an assertive, confident, and pro-active guy since breaking up with Dora than he has been in the entire course of the comic prior to then.  And Dora has, well, missed it all because it seems like they haven't even seen each other since it happened.  I'd just like to see her reaction to Marten's new-found testicles, is all.

[Skewbrow]

Did you yell "Oh my God, can I touch you" at a woman you'd just met? Would you continue to yell personal questions at her about 6 inches from her face when she looked terrified (look at Hanners' face in the penultimate panel of 1902)? Seems pretty creepy to me.

Not that I recall Read: at least not when sober. IOW - Point conceded.

I dare guess that in his mind Clinton's question really was: "What are your favorite robotic upgrades?" Asked in the same way you might ask a dude you just met at a sports bar: "What's your favorite baseball team?". Simply because so few people share his passion for AI, Clinton was all too eager to assume that Hannelore would be one of them, and then he jumped the gun. Hannelore's gender was probably irrelevant to him, but not necessarily. We may also have witnessed a nerdy attempt to impress a girl with one's expertise.

[Somnus Eternus]

grow a beard and muscles, and go off on a sword and sorcery adventure to become king of his own lands.

Spontaneous Visigoth transformation?

That'd be pretty sweet.

[Lubricus]

Marten's new-found testicles

 

[Carl-E]

I dare guess that in his mind Clinton's question really was: "What are your favorite robotic upgrades?" Asked in the same way you might ask a dude you just met at a sports bar: "What's your favorite baseball team?". Simply because so few people share his passion for AI, Clinton was all too eager to assume that Hannelore would be one of them, and then he jumped the gun. Hannelore's gender was probably irrelevant to him, but not necessarily. We may also have witnessed a nerdy attempt to impress a girl with one's expertise.

No, he specifically asked what upgrades her father had given her.  And, unless a person goes around flaunting an upgrade (like by not wearing the cover of your hand), that's pretty personal question to ask a stranger! 

It really was just a nerdgasm, but it also had all the earmarks of being creepy.  Nerdgasms can seem creepy, but they're rarely ever meant that way.  If you're having a nerdgasm, you are by definition a nerd on the topic, and wouldn't realize that you're creeping smeone out! 

Example?  A car nerd, seeing a rare or cool car parked on the street, going up and looking all around it, peering into the windows, and then accosting the ownere about its details when they arrive.  That one's more socially acceptable, but it's basically what Clinton was doing - right up until he wanted to know what was under Hanner's hood...

[TheEvilDog]

Under NO circumstances is anyone to give Faye laser eyes!!!!!







EVER!!!!!!!

I think that was a given anyway. Nor should she ever be given powers of weather manipulation, the ability to absorb other people's abilities or memories or vast comsic power manifesting as a phoeix.

[Skewbrow]

@Carl-E: The car nerd example is illuminating. Hopefully I will get this eventually.

Yes. Clinton crossed the boundary of Hannelore's personal space in many ways.

A better way of describing the vibes I get from Clinton might be that his interest on Hannelore's eventual upgrades is not related to Hannelore's person, but only on their technical details. For example, the enhancements he listed are possibly something that he has heard rumors about, but are not yet commercially available. It may be unclear, which of the listed gizmos are technically feasible at all. Only the great J.E-C knows, and meeting his daughter, the obvious guinea pig, caused his robotics fugue. The need to know/learn trumped all the other functions in his brain...

... and there was no reset-button. Only Marten and his sword.

[Border Reiver]

Under NO circumstances is anyone to give Faye laser eyes!!!!!







EVER!!!!!!!

I think that was a given anyway. Nor should she ever be given powers of weather manipulation, the ability to absorb other people's abilities or memories or vast comsic power manifesting as a phoeix.

How about a metallic skeleton with and increased cellular regeneration, or the ability to phase through solid objects?  And what about the costumes?

[akronnick]

Ok, Faye can have bullet-proof bracelets and Lynda Carter's short shorts, but that's all!!!

[Loki]

Under NO circumstances is anyone to give Faye laser eyes!!!!!







EVER!!!!!!!

I think that was a given anyway. Nor should she ever be given powers of weather manipulation, the ability to absorb other people's abilities or memories or vast comsic power manifesting as a phoeix.

Or the ability to make people punch themselves.

[Tergon]

Ooh, character match-ups with the X-Men?  My inner geek is nergasming.  

Faye would probably be Phoenix, and that thought is terrifying.  She would unmake anyone who asked her for a decaf soy latte and cackle madly while she was doing so.  And I guess canonically, that would make Angus the equivalent of Cyclops?  Except that Angus is far too interesting for that comparison, but otherwise okay.
Dora would prolly be Storm, if only to play up the Weather-Witch angle, though she doesn't quite excell in the most heroic area of all as much as she does.  Marten... I have no idea why, but I keep seeing him as Nightcrawler.  He's certainly a match for him as a deadpan snarker, and he's skinny enough.  Plus even though he's not a great, or even really the best, matchup... Pintsize is definitely Collossus for me.  
Steve's a hard-drinkin', sideburns-havin', bad-guy-punchin' badass who will kick your ass with the authority granted by his mysterious government agency.  In other words, he is Wolverine.  And since he hangs around a lot with a petite lady who's always seemingly in the middle of some manner of terrible destruction and chaos, Cosette is definitely Jubilee.

Oh, and Sven is Gambit.  Just 'cause.

Edit:  And terribly, I forgot Hanners!  ::shame::  Well, the best possible power for a lady who doesn't like the touching?  She's Shadowcat.  No question.

[Lubricus]

And obviously, Hannelore is Rogue, since she is unable to touch people.

[Mr_Rose]

Bad Tergon! No biscuit for you!

Some of us have to leave some part of our day to look like we're working and linking those sorts of sites will only impinge on that time.

[Tergon]

What?  Just because in a single post I combine webcomics, X-Men, character analysis, TVTropes and boobs, you think I'm trying to waste your time?

Heaven forbid.

[Carl-E]

No, we think you're tryin' to waste your  time*. 

The rest of us are just along for the ride! 



* and doing a damn fine job of it, I may add! 

[Tergon]

Now for fun, let's do the cast of QC as compared with characters from another universe.  Take your pick from Star Wars, Firefly, or the DC Universe!

If time's worth wastin' it's worth wastin' right!

[Blyss]

I think that Clinton gets the misused version of the word 'creepy' - but, then again, it probably is a little creepy to have someone go all fanboy about one of your parents.

I still consider him harmless, but maybe Hanners just inadvertently started the android/robot revolution, and they will begin assimilating our planet now...

You just never can tell.
 

[FuseUnison]

And obviously, Hannelore is Rogue, since she is unable to touch people.

Yes! Lol, that's wonderful.     That would be awesome to see that depicted in some fan-art. 

[Border Reiver]

With the exception of Faye and Marigold, none of the ladies have the Most Common Superpower.  This could be problematic.

For the fans.

[Mr_Rose]

They oughtta rename that "Most Common TVTropes Link..."

Except that that's probably the one about how TVTropes will Ruin your Life.

[Shteevie]

Okay, guys. This is your opportunity. Go nuts!

[raoullefere]

I think that Clinton gets the misused version of the word 'creepy' - but, then again, it probably is a little creepy to have someone go all fanboy about one of your parents.

I still consider him harmless, but maybe Hanners just inadvertently started the android/robot revolution, and they will begin assimilating our planet now...

You just never can tell.
 

I don't see Clinton as creepy so much as I feel he is a crazed weirdo. Yes, there is a difference, I think. Creepy implies, to me, stalking or some other sort of inappropriate sexual connotation paired with personal infringement, whereas crazed weirdo simply means he's stuck on one particular subject, thinks far too much about it, and his brain gets overheated whenever it comes up but there's noting remotely personal about it. Clinton could probably care less about Hanners as a person or a female, I suspect—but as a cult of the EC object, she's 'worthy' of his maniac attention. He's pretty clearly gone off the deep end in his subject area. I know some poeple who are like this about various things—cars, bands, Walt Whitman. (I kid you not; one person I know was a fearful Whitman scholar/fanatic, in that we were all afraid of him. You did not want to get him on the subject, and god help us all if some relative of Whitman's had ever made his/her connection known is his presence.)

Kazukagii, I think you've already won the "how hard"* contest via your sheer willingness to go into that place where all who are decent should not: Punland, the country next to that festering hellhole known as Coupleportmanteausia. I give you half of one of my internets, the other half being reserved because, of course, you went to Punland, you evil wretch. Shame on you.

*If anyone begins reading the thread at this point and wonders what we're talking about, rest assured it's not only what you think, but far, far worse. Save yourself!

[John_Knee]

@Carl-E: The car nerd example is illuminating. Hopefully I will get this eventually.

Yes. Clinton crossed the boundary of Hannelore's personal space in many ways.

I don't think Clinton was creepy as people seem to think or a variation of. His reaction towards Hanners when he found out who she was was no worse than the reaction of a 12 year old girl who has won a competition to meet Justin Bleber or whatever his name is. The difference is that Hanners is oversensitive to contact and space due to her OCD. There is no reason why Clinton or anyone else who hasn't met her before to assume that and his reaction would have been alkward to most people with a more normal set of personal characteristics at worse - or simple amusement.

And why is everyone assuming Martin needed to use the sword on him. I imagine that Clinton got the hint, probably apologised to Hanners and left without Martin needing to take any further action.

[Method of Madness]

He didn't need to use the sword on him, but if he did, they were saying how he would've done it most effectively.

Oddly enough, typing that made me think of a few years ago when OJ wanted to release his book, that was basically "I didn't kill my wife, but if I had killed my wife, I would've done it like this."

[Is it cold in here?]

Those _were_ kind of personal questions, and he was standing within her Inner Defense Zone while he asked them.

[DSL]

Here's a vote for Clinton-got-creepy, but to be fair ... assuming Hanners is in Western Massachusetts, her outer defense perimeter extends to about, oh, Cleveland.

[FieryGenius]

I seem to recall somebody (Steve?) mentioning that Marten bought that broadsword back in high school many panels ago.

Anyone up for an archeological dig in the archives?

Went digging with ohnorobot's search engine and found nothing. I also don't recall anything about Steve ever saying that in the comic.

[jwhouk]

Steve bought some during one of his many drunken binges. Though it was more along the line of $500 of fantasy knives on eBay!

[billydaking]

@Carl-E: The car nerd example is illuminating. Hopefully I will get this eventually.

Yes. Clinton crossed the boundary of Hannelore's personal space in many ways.

I don't think Clinton was creepy as people seem to think or a variation of. His reaction towards Hanners when he found out who she was was no worse than the reaction of a 12 year old girl who has won a competition to meet Justin Bleber or whatever his name is. The difference is that Hanners is oversensitive to contact and space due to her OCD. There is no reason why Clinton or anyone else who hasn't met her before to assume that and his reaction would have been alkward to most people with a more normal set of personal characteristics at worse - or simple amusement.

Note that the people who think Clinton was creepy include Jeph.

Anyway, I repeat - look at Hanners' face in the penultimate panel of #1902... the appropriate response to that is "Sorry, I got carried away there", not to advance on her and start yelling personal questions. (Especially when you've just spontaneously burst into flames).

Incidentally - I hadn't noticed before just how angry Marten is in the following panel...

Note...if you are a college-aged adult acting like a 12-year-old reacting to Justin Whatisname, then you are by Webster-Merriam Dictionary of Societal Tropes creepy as hell.

Things are affected by age. Kinda like how if you're 16 on your first date with a 16-year-old is fine, but if you're 35 on your first date with a 16-year-old you're creepy. And probably headed for trouble.

[gprimr1]

Steve bought some during one of his many drunken binges. Though it was more along the line of $500 of fantasy knives on eBay!

When I read that for the longest time I thought that strip was set in Antonio's Pizza by the Slice, but I just re-read the commentary and I think I'm wrong.

[galarant]

You know, I just love when Jeph's anti-intellectualism and severe technophobia is on full display.

Characters who display lame ass psuedo-intellectual affectation are the heroes of the story.
Characters who display genuine enthusiasm for transhumanism are psychotic fucking weirdos who need to be chased off with the threat of violence.

I get that he's a luddite hipster who probably fetishizes cassette tapes and he's entitled to his own opinion on those matters. But do we really need to be beaten over the head with it?

[akronnick]

Really?






Really?




 

[ysth]

ooooooo, cassette tapes....

[J]

oh, he's just disappointed at the lack of rocket punching





i am too

[J]

also, do people really get nostalgic about cassette tapes? because i only remember them getting all messed up and warped within a few months.

[akronnick]

I don't think so.

Vinyl maybe, but not cassettes. Casettes were always a pain in the ass. They sounded bad and you had to rewind.


When was the last time you rewound an .mp3?

[Method of Madness]

Honestly, I don't miss cassette tapes, but I get a bit nostalgic about them, if only because I grew up with them.

[Kazukagii]

also, do people really get nostalgic about cassette tapes? because i only remember them getting all messed up and warped within a few months.

I had to watch an older film a few days ago on VHS. Ho boy, did that bring me back, jittery video noise and all. The librarian even asked me if I remembered to rewind it. Smarmy bastard _{even if I didn't remember...}

[akronnick]

Back when you couldn't leave the house if you were expecting an important phone call.

So many of the plotlines of early Seinfeld episodes revolve around pre-cell phone communication it's not even funny.

Can you believe that show started more than twenty years ago?

[cesariojpn]

I thought the last panel was referring to President Clinton or Hillary Clinton, not Clinton in the comic.....

Why? Hanners has never shown any interest in politics. Nor, I think, has QC generally.

Well, it was near bedtime when I saw the strip, so, drowsiness played a factor.

[jwhouk]

Akronnick: I take it you're thinking of the Vandelay Industries episode?

There is something truly different when you watch a TV show that was made pre-Cell phones and Caller ID.

Of course, there were a few shows where the phone was a key to the plot (or was part of the show's overall "panache"), like Cannon and The Rockford Files.

[Kazukagii]

Back when you couldn't leave the house if you were expecting an important phone call.

Dark times 

[Method of Madness]

Can you believe The Simpsons started more than twenty years ago?  And that it's been crappy for more than ten?

[DSL]

Back when you couldn't leave the house if you were expecting an important phone call.

Back when being outside was still accepted as an excuse for not answering the gahdam phone.

And I had a few years of feeling pretty badass because of my cassette collection before leveling up to CDs. I guess all those kids with MP3s who point at me and laugh are just jealous little whippersnappers.

[Method of Madness]

Keepvid + Youtube = the new taping songs off the radio.

[ysth]

I recently watched the entire (single) season of It's Your Move on youtube.

[raoullefere]

You know, I think that comic 1903 has taught us all something: that we kind of miss big-eyed Hannelore.



Okay, maybe it only taught me that. I think she's fairly cute in the last panel as she contemplates frying Clinton, even though I do think he'd get off a shot with his rocket fist before she manged to optically incinerate him. I could deal with that comic, too; kind of a cross between QC and Shogun Warriors.

[Method of Madness]

@ysth So it's a series in both the American and British sense.  How is it?  I've never heard of it until you mentioned it.

[Skewbrow]

Cassettes. The only mass memory device on the first computer I got my hands on. You could load 2 kilobytes of Basic code off those things in under a minute. Also - portable music! "Daddy, daddy cool..."

[Method of Madness]

This is probably the first forum I've been on that made me feel so young.