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The hospital waiting room?

50 (33.3%)

Faye on a trip down Deriver Denial?

26 (17.3%)

Emergency Cast Meeting?

45 (30%)

The police station, charged with the assault (or even murder) of Pintsize?

9 (6%)

Weird archetype-filled dream sequence for Faye in which she sees her life as a strange Pyroland-like fantasy and is Elightened?

20 (13.3%)

Total Members Voted: 139

[jwhouk]

I personally don't like Faye, I don't think anyone would like her in real life. I don't think it is funny or cute when she punches him, especially when he is saving her from alcohol poisoning. I am certain that Faye is not dead, probably just passed out as the alcohol continues to be absorbed into her bloodstream. I will say that I think her death would be a benefit for the comic in multiple ways. I have felt for a long time that there are too many characters anyway and that many characters don't show development because of this.

Yes! YYYESSSS!

Embrace your hate! Soon your journey towards the dark side will be... Complete.

Please tell me you posted that ironically.

[Half Empty Coffee Cup]

It struck me that Pintsize being turned off is quite relevant to the plot...

A  companion-AI would almost certainly have been given the ability to recognize and respond to medical emergencies; giving them that ability is only sensible.  For Marten to discover Faye, Pintsize must be out of the picture, otherwise he would have called an ambulance long before Marten returned.

Your post has caused a potential solution to crystallize in my mind. Faye has abandonment issues and needs someone who'll bend an ear to listen, and who might be available at any time, who won't simply walk away when things get too hot to handle. They'll want to monitor her state of mind. Both of these things can be addressed by having Faye enter into a contract with her own companion AI. To those who may scoff at the notion, I bring forth the example of service animals. Pintsize doesn't really count here, because he kind of allowed the binge that led to Faye waking up to find a second bottle, and he's 'matched' for Marten anyway.

I don't really see another character being added just to address this storyline, but it's plausible in this story universe.

[swapna]

And she punched Marten simply because the weirdest things can look like a good idea when you're drunk. Trust me on that last one, said the bloke who once got himself locked up under a particle accelerator.

I... I'm torn between wanting to hear that story (it sounds GREAT) or be happy with what my head-canon provides me

[tragic_pizza]

I think that Jeph has now published the finest non-dialogue comic in webcomic history.

[ReindeerFlotilla]

It struck me that Pintsize being turned off is quite relevant to the plot...

A  companion-AI would almost certainly have been given the ability to recognize and respond to medical emergencies; giving them that ability is only sensible.  For Marten to discover Faye, Pintsize must be out of the picture, otherwise he would have called an ambulance long before Marten returned.

Your post has caused a potential solution to crystallize in my mind. Faye has abandonment issues and needs someone who'll bend an ear to listen, and who might be available at any time, who won't simply walk away when things get too hot to handle. They'll want to monitor her state of mind. Both of these things can be addressed by having Faye enter into a contract with her own companion AI. To those who may scoff at the notion, I bring forth the example of service animals. Pintsize doesn't really count here, because he kind of allowed the binge that led to Faye waking up to find a second bottle, and he's 'matched' for Marten anyway.

I don't really see another character being added just to address this storyline, but it's plausible in this story universe.

It will never happen, but I have one word for this:

May.

Please tell me you posted that ironically.

Is there any other way to quote Palpatine? I keep hearing him in my head as I read the WCDT lately. It makes me giggle.

[ankhtahr]

Companion AIs as instead of AA sponsors? And May as one? That doesn't sound too impractical actually.

[Kinichie]

Faye ain't dead. The fading Beep! Is indicating she is drifting out of consciousness.

Pintsize was probably simply turned off when he offered genuine advice for her to stop, or she wasn't in the mood for another talk like they had a few comics ago. He didn't seem damaged or harmed in any way.

Punching Marten will go down like a bucket of bricks I guess. He was in every panel (bar the EMT one) until she hit him. Her hand alone and not seeing him there in the last two panels may mean she just alienated her best friend with that strike. He's a cool character but everyone has their limits. Imagine someone you were trying to look after punched you in the face. How would you react?

Only Marten and Hannelore (though this depends on where Hanners was at the time) will know Faye is in the hospital. He/They may call the whole group together and share or they may share it only with the main core (Dora, Tai, Marigold?).

She will wake up next to one of the following;
Hannelore - Live in the same building, unlikely she will not know what just transpired fully but still be there for her.
Her Mother/Sister - Emergency Contacts. They'll probably be on their way or already there.

People doubtful to be there when she wakes up:
Dora - Depending on how through with Faye she is. Dora had told her about 10-20ish comics ago No alcohol at work. If she is there it's because she is kicking herself for not seeing the problem beforehand.
Angus - Would be a kick in the stomach. He chose his road he wouldn't come back and then leave again.
Sven - I guess a hospital is a good place as any to put him near Faye right now, but he doesn't do sentiment very well.

I speculate mostly, that's bevause I focus on her only interaction with any other character in this strip and that being The punch. It could be a gag, but if it isn't it may indicate more that this was indeed a suicide attempt and she is angry that Marten stopped her.

[BenRG]

Companion AIs as instead of AA sponsors? And May as one? That doesn't sound too impractical actually.

Faye would be bitterly resentful of being given a 'keeper'. May would be bitterly resentful at being 'lumbered with a drunk loser'. However, May seems to take her responsibilities quite seriously and, based on the slap-down she gave Marigold for her baseless jealousy, I can imagine her being at least as scary as Hannelore if Faye even hints at falling off the wagon.

Let's face it, Faye wouldn't necessarily respond to kindness but being on the receiving end of a rant about how she's being a selfish shit and only hurting those she loves? She'd listen to that. Besides, trying to hit May would probably be a completely different prospect from hitting Pintsize. Broken knuckles anyone? I also expect that May would have a lot of very, very harsh tales of experience about what happens when you burn your bridges with the world. I could actually see them becoming best of friends.

[SeaWoodStage]

I think that Jeph has now published the finest non-dialogue comic in webcomic history.

Yes!

I wasn't sure if the arc would end up going this way, but without wanting to sound ghoulish, I'm glad that it did. I think it's showing way more respect to the characters and the subject matter not to play it for laughs or downplay the severity of the situation.

I completely agree. This is about as perfect a strip as I could've wished for today, given everything that's happened up to this point. Faye is complicated for me. She is very far from my favourite character, and yet I've never been able to help rooting for her to get her act together and succeed (only to see her muck it up time and time again). I suppose my most common feeling towards her is frustration. All that being said, this strip just feels right - there are several ways it could go, but the crux is that something really serious has happened to her, which I think it had to.

Yeah same. I joined the forum a long time ago, but only really started posting today because "GAAAAHHHH!!!"

Right? QC has been my favourite webcomic almost from when I began reading it, but I've never felt quite so invested in it before. Sometimes you just have to know that there are other people as into something as you are

[sluthy]

Yeah, May would be a great companion to Faye. She knows what it's like to screw up and try to win back favour, can go toe-to-toe with her in the snark/bitch department, clearly doesn't take any shit and would be more than a physical match for her. Hell, with May keeping her in check she might even be allowed back into CoD (as a junior, not in any senior role obviously). May, Faye and Dale can share a shift so they can keep her in line. Faye and May even rhyme! 

Or, maybe a better route for Faye on a personal development level would be to stay away from CoD, maybe in rehab she has time to get stuck into her artwork (although I doubt she'll get access to welding equipment obviously).

[Emperor Norton]

Punching Marten will go down like a bucket of bricks I guess. He was in every panel (bar the EMT one) until she hit him. Her hand alone and not seeing him there in the last two panels may mean she just alienated her best friend with that strike. He's a cool character but everyone has their limits. Imagine someone you were trying to look after punched you in the face. How would you react?

I think this is reading WAY too much into the fact that Marten isn't in the last visible panel (there is only one after the punch, I don't know why you said two), considering its just a shot of her left hand and the wall, and its from the perspective of her going in and out of consciousness. Marten could easily be sitting in a chair to her right. Or well, anywhere in the room that isn't immediately on top of her hand.

[pwhodges]

Imagine someone you were trying to look after punched you in the face. How would you react?

With understanding, I hope.  Marten is well able to understand that she is not herself in this situation.  In one of her conscious moments (I changed that from "lucid") she is aware that her immediate situation is under the control of others, so she just lashes out.  It's only Marten that she hits because he is the one whose concern makes him be the closest.

[Oilman]

+1 that Marten getting punched is really only fortuitous.

I don't think much of FAYE, never have and don't really see why tbe others put up with her.

Can't say I put much store in Pintsize doing anything useful, either.

Likewise I don't see it, about May "taking her responsibilities seriously"; the only "responsibilities" I see her taking are staying out of Robot Jail, and taking umbrage at finding herself pretty much unemployable. That, and snarking at Momo.

[anahata]

Imagine someone you were trying to look after punched you in the face. How would you react?

With understanding, I hope.

With relief, even, that at least some part of Faye is her usual self.
Considering the number of times he's put up with her hitting him before (or causing other extreme discomfort) with no real excuse,  and her present condition, this would be a strange moment for Marten to suddenly go all intolerant.

[Zebediah]

Y'all know what's really frustrating? There's a blizzard en route to the northeast that's predicted to be "historic." 2+ feet of snow and hurricane-force winds. Last time that happened, Jeph lost power - as people in western Mass tend to - for like 5 days and we had a slew of guest strips in the middle of a Padma arc.

Fingers crossed that doesn't happen this time. Having QC updates at this point in the story would be a nice way to break up the monotony of being snowbound.

The worst part of the blizzard is actually aimed at eastern Massachusetts (in other words, straight at ME.) Cape Cod is going to get the worst of the wind (possible hurricane-force), while heaviest snowfall is predicted for a swath from New Haven to Worcester. Northampton is currently outside the area of the blizzard warning - their waring is for "heavy snow".

[SeaWoodStage]

The May/Faye dynamic would be interesting. I strongly dislike May, and it occurs to me now, having read some of the previous posts, that my dislike of May is founded on the same reasons that my dislike of Faye is. (My opinion of Faye obviously being much more complicated than my opinion of May.)

But blah-de-blah-blah. What I find interesting is the possibility, were it to happen, of Faye seeing some of her own faults in May. There's a difference between your friends, acquaintances, or even your enemies telling you "I hate it when you behave this way, it's unpleasant", and actually seeing your own most obnoxious behaviour exhibited in someone else, and suddenly recognising it as such.

Obviously this is all academic at this stage anyway, but it's an interesting possibility. It hadn't occurred to me before, but reading some of the posts on the May/Faye topic has got me thinking. To be honest I can't even remember if/when May and Faye have interacted before? (I tend to read each strip on the day it's posted, and don't often re-read the archives. Not that that's an excuse.)

[Schmorgluck]

I suspect Larry of Super Saturn isn't quite as new here as he affirms. I'm thinking of someone whose nick started with a T.

Anyway, I don't know what are the protocols and common practices in such cases in the US (or in general, actually) but what do you think are the odds of Dr. Corinne visiting Faye at the hospital?

[sluthy]

To be honest I can't even remember if/when May and Faye have interacted before?

This is the only *cough* exposure they've had.

[TheRedMaiden]

Rereading today's strip, I'm a little confused. In the second row of panels, why does it look like Faye is walking upright in the hospital? First reading it I mentally filled in she'd be on a stretcher, but the perspective seems wrong for that. I thought maybe the back of the stretcher was upright so she'd be in a sitting up position, but then shouldn't she also be seeing her feet?

Sorry if this has been addressed already, I haven't read through the previous posts.

EDIT: something I didn't consider: she may have sat up on the stretcher herself, but I figured she would have been secured to it when they first picked her up (though she certainly would have been after punching Martin)

[Kinichie]

Imagine someone you were trying to look after punched you in the face. How would you react?

With understanding, I hope.

Considering the number of times he's put up with her hitting him before (or causing other extreme discomfort) with no real excuse,  and her present condition, this would be a strange moment for Marten to suddenly go all intolerant.

Back in the day, those punches were in jest or response to some form of comment Marten made about her or her body or part of the sexual tension going on at the time. This one wasn't, This one was totally uncalled for. And how many strips has it been since she did that anyway.

And as for Marten being missing in the last "eyes open" panel (yes, I counted two and one was black) she looked only at the monitor and her hand with the drip. If Marten was there, Jeph would have drawn his hand under hers/on her arm or you could see a bit of him or his t-shirt. Not leave him out of the picture entirely. That suggests he's not there come that panel. The amount of time passing between panels may indicate that too.

Once again, could be wrong. I merely speculate.

[BenRG]

Again, I think it's worthwhile to see what Jeph himself has written on the subject.

http://jephjacques.com/post/11016004407/high-and-dry

FWIW, it's this essay that makes me think that Jeph will eventually make Faye a teetotaller-by-choice. Like Jeph, she's going to have seen what the bottom looks like and will swear to herself that she'll never look upon it again. She won't be one of those people who actively avoids parties to avoid alcohol, but she'll sit at one side with a soda or sparkling water and try to have a good time nonetheless.

Back in the day, those punches were in jest or response to some form of comment Marten made about her or her body or part of the sexual tension going on at the time. This one wasn't, This one was totally uncalled for. And how many strips has it been since she did that anyway.

You're assuming that she had much conscious, reasoned control over her actions and impulses at that point. Years of medical science suggest that you're wrong. It is much more likely that she briefly came to, disoriented, frightened and unable to properly process the information being presented to her alcohol-impaired mind by her senses. She panicked, went into full fight-or-flight mode and punched Marten who was likely trying to reassure her or restrain her. She would have punched one of the medical personnel if they'd been there instead of Marten because she wasn't punching Marten, she was punching the unidentifiable figure looming over her and trying to grab her.

[McH]

Long time reader and unregistered lurker, here - I finally created an account to contribute a little bit to these threads. Hi all!

With all the Faye drama, it seems to me that there's also room for serious personal growth here. Her psychological problems need another outlet than her substance abuse. With everyone speculating on whether Dora will hire her back, I was just thinking that it's actually good for her to get kicked out. CoD is her safe haven, enabling her to not develop her art and the drinking may also be a haven: it takes her away from confronting her past, but it also shelters her from dealing with the future, facilitating that she remains content to be where she is - after a fashion.

Of course, the relationship with Angus established that she wanted to do more with her sculpting. It seems to me that there's talent and hidden ambition within Faye that currently is not being utilized. Getting fired and this episode might set her on a track to actually start doing something with her life which, in the end, may make her a happier and healthier person. So, coming from that, I sincerely hope she doesn't get rehired at CoD but actually moves forward.

[TheRedMaiden]

Hey, first time poster here.

Genuinely surprised you missed the crossover in the latest strip. Jeph knows his stuff.

(click to show/hide)

You. I like you.

[eschaton]

I cannot understand the people (even if they dislike Faye) who argue Marten is going to hold a drunken punch (apparently with rather little force) against her. 

It's been a long, long time, but I have had friends who when they drank would do pretty bad things.  One of them liked to punch people in the balls and threw a printer at my head.  Thankfully, he was a rather small/scrawny guy and couldn't actually do much damage.  I never blamed him for it personally, and he's still one of my best friends today (thankfully, he cut way back on the drinking - ironically after passing out on the streets of NYC and being taken to the hospital and given a charcoal shake). 

Regardless, holding an action your best friend takes against you when highly drunk just seems incredibly petty.  Not to mention the comic makes one think she was only conscious for a few seconds at a time - possibly so little time she didn't even process who she was punching. 

[hedgie]

Long time reader and unregistered lurker, here - I finally created an account to contribute a little bit to these threads. Hi all!

Welcome.

Of course, the relationship with Angus established that she wanted to do more with her sculpting. It seems to me that there's talent and hidden ambition within Faye that currently is not being utilized. Getting fired and this episode might set her on a track to actually start doing something with her life which, in the end, may make her a happier and healthier person. So, coming from that, I sincerely hope she doesn't get rehired at CoD but actually moves forward.

<snippage/>  All good points.  I think that even if she *does* get her job back, it'll be after a stint in rehab, ||| the mental hospital, and only on an a basis with enough hours to keep her paying her bills, but not enough to be complacent, like was before, or potentially enable a major relapse. 

Of course, I'm now speculating on whom will become the new manager at CoD.  Dora needs some help running things, and Raven's too much of a ditz, Cosette and Dale are too new, Hanners is also new, but she's also very fastidious, the only drawback is that she has too much trouble asserting herself, unless she goes ballistic, so she's out of the running.  That only leaves Pen^2.  She's demonstrated herself, but that'd stick her further in *her* rut of not pursuing *her* dreams.

[grez]

Dale could do it without a doubt, he's by far the most competent of the cast members in worldly things (aside from Dora).

I kind of hope when Sven arrives (he's coming guys, just accept it  ) that Faye doesn't just end up with him immediately. My very much amateur psychoanalysis is that she needs to realize she can go it alone without the world caving in before she goes it together with someone else.

[aphanisis81]

Y'all know what's really frustrating? There's a blizzard en route to the northeast that's predicted to be "historic." 2+ feet of snow and hurricane-force winds. Last time that happened, Jeph lost power - as people in western Mass tend to - for like 5 days and we had a slew of guest strips in the middle of a Padma arc.

Fingers crossed that doesn't happen this time. Having QC updates at this point in the story would be a nice way to break up the monotony of being snowbound.

The worst part of the blizzard is actually aimed at eastern Massachusetts (in other words, straight at ME.) Cape Cod is going to get the worst of the wind (possible hurricane-force), while heaviest snowfall is predicted for a swath from New Haven to Worcester. Northampton is currently outside the area of the blizzard warning - their waring is for "heavy snow".

Oh, good to hear. I'm in Boston, and I'm scared.

[shlominus]

what an awesome strip, jeph! incredibly well done!

[Scarblac]

Hey, first time poster here.

Genuinely surprised you missed the crossover in the latest strip. Jeph knows his stuff.

(click to show/hide)

I'm completely clueless on this one, can someone give me a hint?

[bhtooefr]

* bhtooefr pukes

It's someone comparing the latest QC to the Ctrl+Alt+Del miscarriage arc.

[Half Empty Coffee Cup]

Hey, first time poster here.

Genuinely surprised you missed the crossover in the latest strip. Jeph knows his stuff.

(click to show/hide)

I'm completely clueless on this one, can someone give me a hint?

A reference to another comic. See, a few years ago, this comic called Control+Alt+Delete ran a pregnancy arc. Then, in one strip, with no warning, turned it on its head with a poorly-written and unforeshadowed miscarriage that was widely panned across the web, making this an empty and inevitable comparison.

[Kinichie]

Hey, first time poster here.

Genuinely surprised you missed the crossover in the latest strip. Jeph knows his stuff.

(click to show/hide)

I'm completely clueless on this one, can someone give me a hint?

A reference to a storyline in another comic Ctrl+Alt+Delete where one of the main characters ends up in hospital due to a miscarriage.

That comic also is without any dialogue and was seen as a very serious turn in what is suppose to be a joke a day comic.

[MooskiNet]

This comic is a kick (not a punch, a kick) to the gut.  I'm in agreement with others who have said it's among the all time best pages of work in webcomics.

My interp of the comic:

Marten was alarmed at her unresponsiveness (panel 2)  and called paramedics who arrived and checked her vitals (panel 4).  They took her to the ER, where she was walking under her own power, led by Marten (panel 6), until she became aware of where she was or simply had a break/panic attack and punched Marten (panel 8 ).  She briefly regains consciousness to see her hand with an IV drip (panel 10), and fades out again, either due to alcohol consumption or a a sedative (panel 11).

My interp of the situation:

- Faye is not dead or dying, but has been admitted to a hospital
- Marten went there with her, and is probably in the waiting room, nursing a bruised jaw
- The rest of the crew are either en route or already there, regardless of how they've been treated by Faye recently
- Angus is going to show up and so is Sven.  There may be a fistfight.

My hopes for the situation:

- Faye gets help
- Claire becomes a support for Marten
- Dora forgives Faye
- Marten gets a new sofa

[Zebediah]

A few comments on MooskiNet's post:

My hopes for the situation:

- Faye gets help

At this point, I don't see that she'll have a choice. She either winds up in the psych ward for a spell or her friends read her the riot act.

- Claire becomes a support for Marten

Almost certainly. I think Claire's habitual angry reaction will last about two seconds in this instance:

"Sorry, I don't think I'm going to be able to make it tonight."
"WHAT!!?!?!"
"I have to take Faye to the hospital."
"...Oh. Be right there."

- Dora forgives Faye

But does NOT rehire her.

- Marten gets a new sofa

Or Hannelore's dad uses it to test a new, high-tech, nuclear-powered cleaning device. 

[BenRG]

- Marten gets a new sofa

Or Hannelore's dad uses it to test a new, high-tech, nuclear-powered cleaning device. 

"Dad! You're using the mad scientist laugh again!"

[Oilman]

+1 for the new sofa... isn't there a gag somewhere about various people turning the cushions for the usual reasons?

If Dora basically needs someone to do book-keeping and stock control, I would have thought that Dale and/or Hanners would do that easily. I can't imagine Hanners is much real use as a barista. Momo could do the extra hours, and pay off Marigold and/or meet the rent more easily.

May and FAYE is an interesting combination. Why any public authority with liability insurance to pay, would go down that route is hard to say, but there would undoubtedly be fireworks.

[vettechinohio]

They took her to the ER, where she was walking under her own power, led by Marten (panel 6), until she became aware of where she was or simply had a break/panic attack and punched Marten (panel 8 ). 

::Dusts off my old account to comment::

I would be extremely surprised, even if she were able to walk at that point, that the EMT's would let her. Seems very much against safety protocol. It's more likely she was on a gurney with the upper portion raised so she was in a semi-sitting position, to decrease the chance of aspiration in case she vomited again. She had a brief moment of semi-consciousness where she was flailing/punching, came in what looks to be mild contact with Marten's face, and passed out again.

[ankhtahr]

+1 for the new sofa... isn't there a gag somewhere about various people turning the cushions for the usual reasons?

1610 you mean.

[NilsO]

Usually you just end up staring at the ceiling, and trust me, that ceiling gets horrendously boring after a while, which is honestly my main memory of ER visits. Those damn ceilings.

-Which is probably why Jeph shifts Faye's POV a bit downwards. She may be in a semi-sitting position on the gurney. I do not know how realistic that would be, but it is not important.

[DillyDolly]

I don't think Faye's walking. Based off the perspective with Martin walking ahead of her, I think she's in a wheelchair or on a gurney. Probably a wheelchair—it looks like he's walking alongside it.

Also, I don't think Marten took off after punching her. We can't tell where he is and I doubt that punch alienated him. She's just looking at her arm. I don't think she has enough strength to turn her head around. For all we know he's sitting on the other side of her or can't be there right now due to being busy talking with her family, visiting restrictions or whatever.

[snubnose]

My interp of the comic:

Marten was alarmed at her unresponsiveness (panel 2)  and called paramedics who arrived and checked her vitals (panel 4).  They took her to the ER, where she was walking under her own power, led by Marten (panel 6), until she became aware of where she was or simply had a break/panic attack and punched Marten (panel 8 ).  She briefly regains consciousness to see her hand with an IV drip (panel 10), and fades out again, either due to alcohol consumption or a a sedative (panel 11).

WHO in their right mind would give a patient with alcohol poisoning a SEDATIVE ?!?

I'm not a doctor or anything, but in my mind somebody who has already been poisoned by one drug surely shouldnt been given another drug on top of it. That could kill them !

[DillyDolly]

My interp of the comic:

Marten was alarmed at her unresponsiveness (panel 2)  and called paramedics who arrived and checked her vitals (panel 4).  They took her to the ER, where she was walking under her own power, led by Marten (panel 6), until she became aware of where she was or simply had a break/panic attack and punched Marten (panel 8 ).  She briefly regains consciousness to see her hand with an IV drip (panel 10), and fades out again, either due to alcohol consumption or a a sedative (panel 11).

WHO in their right mind would give a patient with alcohol poisoning a SEDATIVE ?!?

I'm not a doctor or anything, but in my mind somebody who has already been poisoned by one drug surely shouldnt been given another drug on top of it. That could kill them !

I think we'd see a couple IVs if she was getting it anyhow. That punch looked pretty weak and it looked like she passed right out afterwards so I don't think they necessarily had to do anything. I'm wondering, though, wouldn't they strap her down afterwards?

[hedgie]

Usually you just end up staring at the ceiling, and trust me, that ceiling gets horrendously boring after a while, which is honestly my main memory of ER visits. Those damn ceilings.

-Which is probably why Jeph shifts Faye's POV a bit downwards. She may be in a semi-sitting position on the gurney. I do not know how realistic that would be, but it is not important.

Very.  Every time I have been into a mental hospital, I was semi-sitting when I was being transported.  Especially if she vomited again, it's a safer position.

[TieDyeKat]

- Marten gets a new sofa

Or Hannelore's dad uses it to test a new, high-tech, nuclear-powered cleaning device. 

"Dad! You're using the mad scientist laugh again!"

Nuke it from space.  It's the only option.

[HamboneHFY]

My interp of the comic:

Marten was alarmed at her unresponsiveness (panel 2)  and called paramedics who arrived and checked her vitals (panel 4).  They took her to the ER, where she was walking under her own power, led by Marten (panel 6), until she became aware of where she was or simply had a break/panic attack and punched Marten (panel 8 ).  She briefly regains consciousness to see her hand with an IV drip (panel 10), and fades out again, either due to alcohol consumption or a a sedative (panel 11).

WHO in their right mind would give a patient with alcohol poisoning a SEDATIVE ?!?

I'm not a doctor or anything, but in my mind somebody who has already been poisoned by one drug surely shouldnt been given another drug on top of it. That could kill them !

There's something called a "pharmaceutical channel". I'm no medical expert myself, but the long and short of it is that different compounds interact with the human body in different ways, and may have little or no overlap.

This is why it's perfectly safe to dose up on both paracetamol and ibuprofen - they don't interact with each other, they don't do the same things to the body, which means that taking one doesn't tax the systems that are dealing with the other.

The same goes for alcohol. There are drugs which go perfectly safely alongside alcohol because they do very different things to the body. I couldn't name any specific medicine that might be appropriate here, or even say definitively that yes, there is actually an alcohol-safe sedative, but I do know that there are medicines which can safely be administered in such circumstances and I don't see why one of them couldn't be something to encourage the patient to sleep.

Very.  Every time I have been into a mental hospital, I was semi-sitting when I was being transported.  Especially if she vomited again, it's a safer position.

In this case, they'd probably have her on her side in case she vomits again. It keeps the airways clear.

Warning - while you were typing a new reply has been posted. Insert a quarter to continue.

[maxh]

My interp of the comic:

Marten was alarmed at her unresponsiveness (panel 2)  and called paramedics who arrived and checked her vitals (panel 4).  They took her to the ER, where she was walking under her own power, led by Marten (panel 6), until she became aware of where she was or simply had a break/panic attack and punched Marten (panel 8 ).  She briefly regains consciousness to see her hand with an IV drip (panel 10), and fades out again, either due to alcohol consumption or a a sedative (panel 11).

WHO in their right mind would give a patient with alcohol poisoning a SEDATIVE ?!?

I'm not a doctor or anything, but in my mind somebody who has already been poisoned by one drug surely shouldnt been given another drug on top of it. That could kill them !

Not that sort of doctor, but I'm fairly sure a combative patient with acute alcohol poisoning can be given benzodiazepines and antipsychotics if being carefully monitored in a hospital setting.

[aphanisis81]

Hey, first time poster here.

Genuinely surprised you missed the crossover in the latest strip. Jeph knows his stuff.

(click to show/hide)

I'm completely clueless on this one, can someone give me a hint?

A reference to another comic. See, a few years ago, this comic called Control+Alt+Delete ran a pregnancy arc. Then, in one strip, with no warning, turned it on its head with a poorly-written and unforeshadowed miscarriage that was widely panned across the web, making this an empty and inevitable comparison.

I've never read this other comic, but miscarriages are often quite unforeshadowed in real-life, so I don't see why that would be a point of criticism necessarily.

[BenRG]

A reference to another comic. See, a few years ago, this comic called Control+Alt+Delete ran a pregnancy arc. Then, in one strip, with no warning, turned it on its head with a poorly-written and unforeshadowed miscarriage that was widely panned across the web, making this an empty and inevitable comparison.

I've never read this other comic, but miscarriages are often quite unforeshadowed in real-life, so I don't see why that would be a point of criticism necessarily.

It was more of a 'mood whiplash' thing. Up to that point, the strip had been so light-hearted that it caught a lot of readers completely by surprise. In fact, the whole thing turned into a major and long-running drama that polarised the Internet community's view of Ctrl+Alt+Del and its creator. However, it's off-topic for here. We can discuss it on ENJOY/Webcomics if you like.

[bhtooefr]

There's also plenty of other reasons why the internet had problems with Tim Buckley, though.

Like him deleting an entire subforum and banning anyone who he thought might have read it, because of an accusation that he raped someone.

[phyllis]

I'm a nurse--not in an A&E department, but still in a hospital.

a) The Machine That Goes Beep. There are actually a lot of machines that go beep. The two that are used most commonly on our ward are an oxygen saturation monitor (generally used intermittently for spot checks, but running continuously for patients with the potential to develop airway or breathing difficulties, on our ward generally post-tonsillectomy, or anyone who needs a "close eye" but isn't critically ill), and a cardiac monitor (running continuously). High dependency patients, including patients in diabetic ketoacidosis, patients who have had treatment for a paracetamol overdose, and patients struggling to recover from an anaesthetic are all likely to be on a cardiac monitor. Whether or not the machine actually goes beep or not depends on the brand, & the settings required for that patient. I'm guessing Faye is on a cardiac monitor--I don't know much about the treatment for alcohol poisoning as it's not an issue we see often on our ward, but if it's anything like the treatment for paracetamol overdose, the treatment itself can cause cardiac issues, in addition to the original poisoning.

b) Marten not being in the last panel. Faye is looking at the hand on the side of the bed with plugs & sockets & machines. The emergency equipment on our ward, and every ward I've worked on, is on this side. If a patient as ill as Faye was in my care, I would want the friends/relatives on the other side, to allow for easy access to the oxygen/suction/emergency buzzer. It may sound stupid, but the thirty seconds it takes to get someone out of the way in an emergency can make a massive difference--for example, if Faye started choking on her own vomit and the nurse couldn't get to the suction to clear her airway. It's also possible that she was being rushed to the ICU in the previous panels, whereas she's now arrived, and the staff have asked Marten to leave whilst they get her settled/have handover from the paramedics to the unit staff/possibly change her out of vomit-stained clothes & other things that she might not want him to see if she was entirely lucid. People whose friends do really dangerous things (like get unconscious-drunk) due to mental health crises are often angry, but more about the damage they've caused to themselves than anything they've done as a result of being in such a mess. I seriously doubt that one more punch from an obviously-impaired Faye would make someone as caring as Marten bolt.

Also, excellent/heartbreaking comic today. Those final two panels are chilling (although I agree that she is not dead, just drifting out of consciousness).