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[Is it cold in here?]

cat_rant nominated Steve.

[mike837go]

Yeah, Steve can be a jerk sometimes, "I can do way better than that!" comes to mind. But generally, he's a good friend to Marten and has treated Cosette well.

Dale's constant baiting of Marigold puts him on my list for a free bus ticket. Being that rude constantly is NOT flirting!

All of the others mentioned so far haven't been seen in some time.

But, Jeph just brought Raven back from exile, so we can't count anybody 'out', ever, can we?

[mike837go]

I doubt Mr Whitaker will be coming back...

Special case:
His 'existance' in the strip was only through flashback.

Not to speak ill of the dead, but, I guess he should be considered as very unsympathetic.

[cat_rant]

cat_rant nominated Steve.

Thanks Is it cold in here? I have been considering my major dislike of Steve over the past few days. I have come to realize that I was reading every comment by Steve as dead pan and not considering somethings might just be a flip remark. In fact Steve may be one of the more honest & open characters as it would appear he does not censor himself. Also some folks said - everybody has a friend like Steve. Perhaps it is a cultural thing but I can honestly say I don't know someone with that type of personality. Bottom line is I think I dislike Steve because I cannot relate to him. Is he truly unsympathetic? Perhaps not, but he can come across as a real ass depending on how you read him.

[Tiogyr]

I doubt Mr Whitaker will be coming back...

Special case:
His 'existance' in the strip was only through flashback.

Not to speak ill of the dead, but, I guess he should be considered as very unsympathetic.

Not really: http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=939

That's assuming it wasn't all the fault of Hostess Fruit Pie addiction.

[cat_rant]

Hanner's Dad might be truly unsympathetic either that or totally disinterested. He did after all say.... I am too busy to talk - but your not pregnant right ? Just a thought.

[Tiogyr]

Hanner's Dad might be truly unsympathetic either that or totally disinterested. He did after all do say.... I am too busy to talk - but your not pregnant right ? Just a thought.

We'd need the backstory to truly judge that. Maybe he resents Hannelore leaving the space station to pursue life on Earth or something.

[mike837go]

Not really: http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=939
That's assuming it wasn't all the fault of Hostess Fruit Pie addiction.

To get picky: Both of your citations were guest comics and therefore not cannon.

Especially, since #670 was just a prank by the bigest pain-in-the-posterior, Pintsize!

[mike837go]

Hanner's Dad might be truly unsympathetic either that or totally disinterested. He did after all do say.... I am too busy to talk - but your not pregnant right ? Just a thought.

We'd need the backstory to truly judge that. Maybe he resents Hannelore leaving the space station to pursue life on Earth or something.

As an aside, I would like to see some Hannerdad in the comic.

We've met both parents for Marten, Dora and Faye. But just Hanner's mom. What's Jeph hiding?

[Tiogyr]

Not really: http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=939
That's assuming it wasn't all the fault of Hostess Fruit Pie addiction.

To get picky: Both of your citations were guest comics and therefore not cannon.

Especially, since #670 was just a prank by the bigest pain-in-the-posterior, Pintsize!

Even if they were done by Jeph, they still wouldn't be artillery pieces.

(click to show/hide)

[pwhodges]

Peace!

[DoomMagnet]

You guys make me think of the only characters I do like. Which is only three. I keep wondering why I read this comic. Hanners, Dale, and The vacuum. Hannelore being my favorite. Other than that all the characters are whiny little emo's. Cept the ones who are all broish.

[Method of Madness]

Yeah, Steve can be a jerk sometimes, "I can do way better than that!" comes to mind.

Can I have a link?  Or at least remind me who he said that about.  Thanks.

[cat_rant]

Actually I too would like to meet Hanneers Dad. but just shush - no one tell Clinton when he will be in town.

[celticgeek]

Yeah, Steve can be a jerk sometimes, "I can do way better than that!" comes to mind.

Can I have a link?  Or at least remind me who he said that about.  Thanks.

...I could do WAY better than THAT!

[Doragon Shinzui]

You guys make me think of the only characters I do like. Which is only three. I keep wondering why I read this comic. Hanners, Dale, and The vacuum. Hannelore being my favorite. Other than that all the characters are whiny little emo's. Cept the ones who are all broish.

Where are you getting "Whiny little emos" from?

[Thiefree]

Some of my best friends are whiny little emos, I'll have you know.

In fact if it didn't make me feel like a walking cliché, I'd tell you all about my life and you'd be all "Oh, dude, that is so like QC" and I'd be all "I know right?" and then we'd fist bump.

[Carl-E]

You guys make me think of the only characters I do like. Which is only three. I keep wondering why I read this comic. Hanners, Dale, and The vacuum. Hannelore being my favorite. Other than that all the characters are whiny little emo's. Cept the ones who are all broish.

Where are you getting "Whiny little emos" from?

I think he/she was either joking, or provoking.  

Some of my best friends are whiny little emos, I'll have you know.

In fact if it didn't make me feel like a walking cliché, I'd tell you all about my life and you'd be all "Oh, dude, that is so like QC" and I'd be all "I know right?" and then we'd fist bump.

Help, I'm drowning in QCliché!  

[mike837go]

Help, I'm drowning in QCliché!  

NOT funny.

Go stand in the corner for 2 minutes.

[Carl-E]

Maybe that's why I like Angus so much...

[DoomMagnet]

You guys make me think of the only characters I do like. Which is only three. I keep wondering why I read this comic. Hanners, Dale, and The vacuum. Hannelore being my favorite. Other than that all the characters are whiny little emo's. Cept the ones who are all broish.

Where are you getting "Whiny little emos" from?

Marten, Dora, Faye, Marigold. In the beginning I may have gotten the reasons and sympathized, now its just eye gouge worthy. Faye, btw is not nearly as much as she used to be. Just don't like the bitch.

[cat_rant]

Wow they are some harsh words DoomMagnet.

I personally think Faye is one of my favorite characters. Just because she has come through her badness and issues to a better place doesn't make her less interesting now.

 I think that you should really justify your comments and back them up with valid points or examples if you want them to be considered worthwhile. Also how valid are your comments in the context to the main discussion of this thread? I don't see the any connection between your like or dislike of certain character to the topic being discussed.

I am not having a go, I just don't understand where your comments fit in or what you are trying to contribute here. 

[Tiogyr]

Wow they are some harsh words DoomMagnet.

I personally think Faye is one of my favorite characters. Just because she has come through her badness and issues to a better place doesn't make her less interesting now.

 I think that you should really justify your comments and back them up with valid points or examples if you want them to be considered worthwhile. Also how valid are your comments in the context to the main discussion of this thread? I don't see the any connection between your like or dislike of certain character to the topic being discussed.

I am not having a go, I just don't understand where your comments fit in or what you are trying to contribute here. 

I don't know, I can understand someone saying that about Marten, Dora and Marigold. Faye I'll give you, but the other three are pretty whiny.

[Carl-E]

Marigold is whiny, in the "why don't I have any friends?" sort of way.  At least she's bein brought out of her shell some.  But Dora?  Sure, she's insecure as hell, but was always more apt to make a joke about it than to whine.  And when she realized her insecurities were getting the better of her (yes, long after we realized it, and only with help) she decided to do something about it.  She had to be forced, but she acquiesced. 

Marten occasionally goes "Waaah, my life isn't good", but it's not that often, and lately his life has't been good, so what the hell is he supposed to act like? 

I repeat;

I think he/she (DoomMagnet) was either joking, or provoking. 

And I'm pretty sure it was the latter, just looking at his/her other posts. 

[Carl-E]

Good point, but it can be a fine line between mopey and whiny! 

[mike837go]

**Ahem*** (again)

This thread is about MALE characters in this strip, regardless of whether we like them or not, that are NOT deserving of our sympathy.

I maintain that there aren't any.

The only one who remotely fits the bill is Dale.

With suggestions that Agent Turing or Steve might fit.

I opened this thread knowing that the women, generally, cause the trouble, just by being who they are.

And Pintsize is the personification of chaos & anarchy.

But which of the men CAUSE that much trouble in Mr. Jacques creation?

[idontunderstand]

Sven?

[mike837go]

When he was first introduced, maybe. But that was Dora's perspective.

Since 'dating'? Faye, Sven has become very likeable. Even being nice to his sister.

[mike837go]

Private reply sent

[pwhodges]

It is, however, for the best if it avoids the public discussion getting personal.

[Boomslang]

Removed prior post so it doesn't clog up thread. I'll avoid escalating things from now on.

[O8h7w]

As long as there is some humanity in a character, a human being can't help but feeling some sympathy. For a human to be truly unsympathetic, I think it's needed to limit the timeframe down to a single situation.

A truly one-sided character isn't human. And Jeph writes the computers in this strip as pretty human characters...

[Is it cold in here?]

PT-410X's owner, if s/he turns out to be male.

Frappucino fratboy.

[bunnyThor]

I would say that early Angus was more sympathetic than current Angus.

Early Angus was this guy who was attracted to someone, but was totally crap at guessing the right way to approach her, but persevered anyways. He took a couple of shots at it from a couple different angles, and then after a sufficient number of failures, disappeared from the scene, probably to try his luck somewhere more suitable to his style. It's hard not to be sympathetic to the guy. It's hard not to feel for a guy who is out of his element but gives it a go anyhow. And we've all been in the situation where we've just been trying to hard and then not taking the hint, or even noticing the hint until it was far too late. We've all pushed too hard and screwed things up beyond repair, even though our intentions were good.

But then we have Act II Angus. Here he is the Prodigal Angus who wanders back in after a few months and all is forgiven after some very brief and obligatory hazing. Then, without doing anything except being very very boring, he suddenly wins the heart of his maiden fair and the support of all of her friends, despite the complete nuisance he had made of himself earlier. Are we supposed to be sympathetic with that? Someone who effortlessly shrugs off his past, does nothing interesting or exceptional, but becomes the Popular Boy who wins the Sexy Smart Sassy Queen? A guy that is so unfathomably awesome that after he shoots down a shy girl who has bravely given him her first kiss, that same shy girl does an abrupt heel turn and blesses his union with the Queen? How are we supposed to feel sympathetic to a guy who was suddenly given great gifts and accolades, without doing anything to earn them?

[Is it cold in here?]

Thought-provoking!

I would quibble, though, on one point of the description of Angus 1.0. The Pugnacious Peach went way beyond a "hint".

[Emperor Norton]

What was he supposed to do climb Mount Everest?

And since when are women to be won by acts of gallantry, or whatever else you feel is needed?

I don't know honestly, after he came back, you see boring, but I see amusing humor. You know what else I see? SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE DRAMA. His lack of drama, maybe to some makes him less interesting, but really, wouldn't a guy who seems to have his shit together be MORE ATTRACTIVE to date?

[Carl-E]

I have to agree with Emperor Norton.  In addition, he didn't just "shoot Marigold down", but rather preserved the relationship (friendship) that they had.  True, he made a bit of a hash of it, but they were  drunk, and she was working with a major misinterpretation of the situation!  Overall, he acted like a gentleman to her, and that actually won him points in my book!

[cat_rant]

I totally agree with the above two comments. Faye has less drama these days too, so maybe that is why is working now with Angus 2.0

Less drama all round is a good thing right?

[mike837go]

Less drama all round is a good thing right?

That depends;

In real life, generally, the less drama the better. Sailing on an even keel is a good way to get to one's destination.

However, we are discussing a work of entertaining fiction. Drama from the characters allows us to live vicariously through their trials and tribulations. Drama allows us to experiance and feel things that we would never be exposed to in a well grounded, real life.

[DSL]

Eh ... True. But from a story standpoint, it can be useful to have a compare-and-contrast character or characters ... In this case, a couple that more or less has its shit together, in comparison to whatever everyone else has (or hasn't) going on. That contrast can be the seed for further tension/conflct/drama to drive a story along.

[Kazukagii]

I thought most of the forum agreed Hannerdad was completely unsympathetic after he blew Hanners off. Maybe he did something in the background to redeem himself that I wasn't aware of, but personally somebody who sacrifices family at the cost of work - no matter how amazing their accomplishments - is a scumbag. At least Hannermom made the effort to reach out, Hannerdad just wanted to know if she was pregnant, probably so he could experiment on the baby in preparation for his new line of robobabies.

Clinton also came off unsympathetic originally, though Jeph gave him a Freudian excuse.

[tomart]

Agree with the Emperor on Angus - could be called boring, but even-tempered, calm, rational seems to work well with today's Peach.  

But I really have no sympathy for Dale.  His recent appearances have all left Mari-chan upset, afraid, embarrassed, angry.  This is flirting?  Frightening your intended is fine, as long as you get their attention and stir up SOME kind of emotions?  Is this primate-flirtation?  Maybe it works with baboons, but if it works on Marigold, I'm gonna be sick.

Please, make the scary creep go away.  I couldn't stand to see him with her, ever.

[Blackjoker]

Maybe we can hope for Marigold to, after Dale tries to convince her to go out with him, deliver a reason you suck speech based on his insulting her and the like and that she might be lonely but she isn't that desperate? Either that or that Dale has an evil twin sabotaging him.

[Is it cold in here?]

Has Dale really gone beyond socially normal gaming taunts? That Marigirl started? And crossed the line into real life by refusing a tip to someone who has to work three jobs?

[Blackjoker]

Has Dale really gone beyond socially normal gaming taunts? That Marigirl started? And crossed the line into real life by refusing a tip to someone who has to work three jobs?

I thought the first time they met was the whole pizza ordering where Marigold refused to tip. Yes, that was a bit rude but she had no way of knowing that he had to work three jobs, not until later anyhow. He also has popped up randomly as little 'shocks' at night, he came into the COD shop and mocked her for a while. It might be just his way of trying to either get a reaction or something similar but it does feel a bit...if not creepy at least really really weird.

[O8h7w]

Yes, really weird maybe. But mostly, it strikes me as extremely similar to how a lot of boys acted towards girls when we were about ten years old. Didn't work very well with most of the girls, though.

[Tiogyr]

I don't think you can go looking for very much in the way of adult maturity when talking about people that allow their online gaming habits to overflow into their interactions with people in the real world.

[O8h7w]

I don't think you can go looking for very much in the way of adult maturity when talking about people that allow their online gaming habits to overflow into their interactions with people in the real world.

Exactly my point, although I have to say Dale is often more mature than most of the cast. But this thing, flirting with Marigold, is something neither he nor her have a clue about how to handle with maturity.

Was there something wrong with my English there? That last sentence didn't feel quite right... don't know why, though.

[pwhodges]

But this thing, flirting with Marigold, is something neither he nor she has a clue about how to handle with maturity.

Fixed.  He matches she, and "neither he nor she" is a singular subject.

[O8h7w]

Many thanks