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Wil returns as a tattooed biker

Raven returns on a Timeosaurus

Angus and Faye get engaged, marry and divorce by next Christmas

Dale nails Marigold by April

Tai and Dora - QC's resident married lesbian couple by September

Pintsize finds religion and starts his own cult

Winslow gets an upgrade to an iPad

The band becomes big in Boston

Yelling Bird takes a sensitivity course

Waffleburgers with Spathe Ham

Butts!!!!

Purple Monkey Dishwasher

Whatever it is, it'll be unexpected

[NilsO]

Tai is clearly not the person to go to for hookup advice. Not for Marten anyway.

Any good Tai puns here? Hookup Tainselor?

[Sidhekin]

Tai is clearly not the person to go to for hookup advice. Not for Marten anyway.

Any good Tai puns here? Hookup Tainselor?

In that context?

Tai, the "not".

[DSL]

all the best to Jeph and Christie.

Once more unto the breach dear friends, ONCE MORE!!!!

Or close the wall [of text] up with our fanboy dead ...
Cry 'God for Harriet, Randy, and Yelling Bird!'

O for a muse of pixels
that would ascend the highest heav'n of invention.
Northampton for a stage! Hipsters to act
and Indie Boys to behold the swelling scene ...

Well done!

[sleypy]

I think Marten prefers to only try to hook up with people when he is in outer space.

[cesium133]

In tomorrow's comic, we see Dora, Faye, and Tai building a spacecraft to ship Marten into outer space.

[Sidhekin]

Space shipping, now?

[Barmymoo]

I think Marten needs not to have a relationship right now. He needs to focus on the band and on figuring out what he wants to do with his life. Plot-wise, there is no one logical for him to date anyway (in the sense that there's no one who has expressed interest in him or who he has expressed interest in), and since we already had the "random stranger he met in the street" storyline I doubt that'll happen again.

[cesariojpn]

So........new character introduction?

[NilsO]

Any good Tai puns here? Hookup Tainselor?

Tairapist. Not going to catch on. 

[Tormuse]

Sorry to hear about Jeph and Cristi.    All the best to them!

[Kugai]

Ditto.


Dr. Tai, Relationship Consultant.

[pwhodges]

After you see her all your relationships are Tainted...

[Kugai]

After you see her all your relationships are Tainted...

[Method of Madness]

Eh, it only works on paper.

[Case]

Best of wishes to both Jeph & Christi.

After you see her all your relationships are Tainted...

Taime after taime ...

[Zwammy]

I agree with the thinking that Marten doesn't need a relationship right now. That being said, life happens when you least expect it.  Maybe with more focus on the band, he'll meet someone involved with the music biz and hit it off? It could happen.
 
There have been new characters introduced before, and it seems there will have to be more coming online at some point. Otherwise it will turn into a daytime soap where everyone dates everyone else in endless couple permutations. Bleah.

[jwhouk]

all the best to Jeph and Christie.

Once more unto the breach dear friends, ONCE MORE!!!!

Or close the wall [of text] up with our fanboy dead.
In fandom there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of geekdom blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the troll;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the comments a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the keyboard
Like the spirit of Yelling Bird; let common decency u'derwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a fanboy
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful feeling of security.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest Knights of the Brooms made entirely of dicks.
Whose blood is fet from parents war-proof!
Parents that, like so many Pintsizess,
Have in these parts from morn till even violoated forum rules
And sheathed their keyboards for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your moderators; now attest
That those whom you call'd administrators did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to flamewar. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in cyberspace, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your posting; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harriet, Randy, and Yelling Bird!'

I do not want this post to go unnoticed, because it is already Post of the Year material.

[Method of Madness]

I haven't read it yet, because I want to know if I'm supposed to sing it to the tune of something.

[Storel]

I haven't read it yet, because I want to know if I'm supposed to sing it to the tune of something.

I don't think so. "Once more unto the breach" is a Shakespeare quote, and the response to it appears to be a QC-ized parody of the rest of that particular speech. One giveaway is that it's written in iambic pentameter, Shakespeare's signature meter.

(There may very well be a well-known tune to which you can sing things written in iambic pentameter, but if so I don't know what it is. "Greensleeves" is iambic quadrameter, so that won't work...)

Bonus points to anyone who knows which Shakespeare play that speech is from. (I'm not sure myself, to be honest, although I have a suspicion.)

[jwhouk]

Henry the VI, if memory would serve.

EDIT: off by one Henry. Henry the V, Act 3, Scene 1.

[Storel]

Aha, thanks. My suspicion was Henry IV or at least one of the Henrys.

You get 5 bonus points for that.

[DSL]

I haven't read it yet, because I want to know if I'm supposed to sing it to the tune of something.

It's Henry V's speech to the troops during the siege of Harfleur, or so sayeth the Bard. And, yes, it's gonna take some work to knock this off its Post of the Year perch.

[Method of Madness]

Re: today's comic

[aliensporebomb]

On one side is Faye, a woman he was crushing for the longest time, and on the other side is a Dora, a woman he went out with before a break up. Both of them have moved on and seem to be achieving some form of happiness

The way I see it, Marten has been rejected by both of them because they (i.e. Dora and Faye) had serious emotional issues preventing them from having/continuing a relationship with Marten. It strikes me as pretty crass for either of them to be teasing him because he isn't with anyone now. They've moved on? Yes, but having trampled all over Marten in the process.

And, elsewhere

He'll hit a final power chord at the end of the last song causing a thunderous crescendo and women from all over will throw themselves at him

Dream on. Doesn't happen. Don't ask me how I know that.

Sigh.  I've LIVED it:



Not even being guy with a bright orange guitar and a way too wacky stage demeanor changed that (I was class clown, onstage.  Oh well).

That being said, may J and C find a little peace and move on with hopeful friendship. 

[cesariojpn]

I was right......new character introduction.

[Kugai]

I haven't read it yet, because I want to know if I'm supposed to sing it to the tune of something.

I don't think so. "Once more unto the breach" is a Shakespeare quote, and the response to it appears to be a QC-ized parody of the rest of that particular speech. One giveaway is that it's written in iambic pentameter, Shakespeare's signature meter.

(There may very well be a well-known tune to which you can sing things written in iambic pentameter, but if so I don't know what it is. "Greensleeves" is iambic quadrameter, so that won't work...)

Bonus points to anyone who knows which Shakespeare play that speech is from. (I'm not sure myself, to be honest, although I have a suspicion.)

[NilsO]

I think Tai from now on should be considered Marten's best female friend, happily without the romantic overtones. Can Tai pull this thing off without involving Dora?

[cesariojpn]

Marten Downer.

[westrim]

I'm in Marten's boat; it may seem weird, but I really am not sure I'm up for fun at social occasions. Oh sure, they're great when you're in them, but before and especially after it's anxietyville about what should or shouldn't have been done; did I make too many corny jokes, scratch my ear too much, have too many chips, on and on and on. However, I also don't know how the hell to tell if someone's into me. Sure, stances and proximity and other stuff, but either I've always failed to notice the signs, or there never have been any signs to look for. And the latter is really depressing, so I try to avoid thinking about that possibility.

Having anxiety about posting this now, in fact.

[PthariensFlame]

Having anxiety about posting this now, in fact.

I heartily recommend a low dose of sertraline.

[Loki]

I'm looking forward to seeing a party in the new comic layout.

Ironically, Marten is too passive to reject being dragged along to have fun.

[Carl-E]

I don't think it's so much that Marten doesn't like having fun,


I think he's just not used to having fun...



Last time would have been his dad's wedding. 

(Not counting band rehearsals, of course.  They're fun, right?  Otherwise, why do it?)

[Sidhekin]

Yeah, I think what Marten doesn't like is having other people's idea of fun.

[NilsO]

I heartily recommend a low dose of sertraline.

Alcohol is the recommended medication. The problem is getting the correct dosage. Not too little, and certainly not too much. Taken properly, it lowers your inhibitions and social awkwardness, while still maintaining a (relative) sound quality control of people you might want to hook up with.

[Carl-E]

I kind of blanched this evening when I was setting up my daughter's formula for her feeding tube (she's partially disabled, and parts of her digestive system are paralyzed - she can eat a little, but needs supplementary feeding through the night). 

Anyway, she turned too me and said, "Hook me up, pop". 



Gaaaah. 

[Soulsynger]

I'm in Marten's boat; it may seem weird, but I really am not sure I'm up for fun at social occasions. Oh sure, they're great when you're in them, but before and especially after it's anxietyville about what should or shouldn't have been done; did I make too many corny jokes, scratch my ear too much, have too many chips, on and on and on. However, I also don't know how the hell to tell if someone's into me. Sure, stances and proximity and other stuff, but either I've always failed to notice the signs, or there never have been any signs to look for. And the latter is really depressing, so I try to avoid thinking about that possibility.
[...]

This is where "training by doing" and willfully exposing yourself to scenarios outside of your comfort zone comes in.
Almost everyone is the same way. Once you realize that, it becomes much easier and more natural to ACTUALLY enjoy social occasions. Just have to get yourself out there.
Concerning the "signs": Some people are better at "writing" them than "reading" them. If you don't think you're getting any signals, try giving them. Someone might pick up.

@Comic:
Caaaaaaaaaareful, Marten! Down that road lies emo-dom.

[Akima]

So... Marten is going to have a Tai fighter on his wing? Don't they always crash and burn? Unless you mean the other kind of Tai fighter...

[greywolfe]

Why does he need to find a romantic relationship?

He doesn't. He needs a few nice, uncomplicated f*cks.

[pwhodges]

Eh, it only works on paper.

Well, it's better than saying that all your relationships get tied in tight knots...

[NilsO]

Well, it's better than saying that all your relationships get tied in tight knots...

You mean Taied?

[gopher]

Looks like Marten is in contact with his inner Kryten and is worried about spending time in a profitless and non-practical way.

[greywolfe]

Well, it's better than saying that all your relationships get tied in tight knots...

You mean Taied?

*awaits the one-off 'All Tai-ed Up' QC Eroge omake*

[DSL]

So... Marten is going to have a Tai fighter on his wing? Don't they always crash and burn? Unless you mean the other kind of Tai fighter...

Maybe it's a Thai fighter.

(click to show/hide)

Though this one looks Swedish.

[techkid]

Yeah, I think what Marten doesn't like is having other people's idea of fun.

You couldn't have put that more profoundly.

I'm in Marten's boat; it may seem weird, but I really am not sure I'm up for fun at social occasions. Oh sure, they're great when you're in them, but before and especially after it's anxietyville about what should or shouldn't have been done; did I make too many corny jokes, scratch my ear too much, have too many chips, on and on and on. However, I also don't know how the hell to tell if someone's into me. Sure, stances and proximity and other stuff, but either I've always failed to notice the signs, or there never have been any signs to look for. And the latter is really depressing, so I try to avoid thinking about that possibility.

Same here. People talk about going to pubs and clubs and the like, and good for them. But that's not my scene. I once said to someone (and probably also had on a dating website at one point) "My idea of a good time is nice food, good company and nice scenery". Besides, money is a (very) limiting factor, and I can barely really go anywhere like once a month or less.

I hear you on "the signs", too. Never been able to register them, either. Is a smile just being polite, or is there genuine interest? You can usually tell a fake smile, but is the person wearing the smile interested in the topic at hand, or in you? Add to that my own anxieties and personality problems, and, well... yeah.

[pwhodges]

*awaits the one-off 'All Tai-ed Up' QC Eroge omake*

Remember, it was actually Marten who tied up Tai!

[NilsO]

@pwhodges: You beat me to it.

On a more serious note, I would agree with techkid. Pubs and clubs may lead to random hookups, but seldom to lasting, meaningful relationships. The setting is just too shallow. Besides, loud music tend to drown out any attempts of conversation, leaving only the physical attraction as guidance.

Tai's wing-lady role may really open up new possibilities. She gets to introduce Marten to friends she would consider a possible partner for him. The question becomes if Tai really has such friends, who are not (exclusively) lesbian?

Another possible setting might be to get a hobby, in particular a hobby that allows you to meet potential partners. Musicians have great possibilities here. For a hetero male, stamp collection or model trains are probably not good choices. For hetero females, knitting clubs should be avoided.

[NilsO]

Where are the library interns? And Momo? Please don't tell me they have  been there all day, that gag has been used already.

Here is a less promising link. If Tai do not have other friends than via Marten, how on earth will she succeed as wing-lady?

[Is it cold in here?]

[jwhouk]

I was right......new character introduction.

...Maybe it won't be a "new" character. Just someone who hasn't been seen in a while.


...Or, perhaps, someone who hasn't been seen with the regular cast for a while.


"Hi, my name's Harriet. Ignore the ####ing bird in the window."

[Border Reiver]

Alternatively, there is always the possilbility that nothing will come of Marten going to the party - ie.  We get an offhand reference to the party in a later strip while many lament that nothing is happening with Marty.

If an Allosaurus comes by and vomits - all bets are off.