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Claire

Dora

Tai

Faye

Hannelore

Veronica

Emily

Momo

Marigold

Cosette

[BenRG]

Most people would say Claire - Red hair and autumn leaves, after all. Me, I think that Faye fits the description more in her dour and often bitter personality. She is a nice example of the concept of autumn rather than its look.

As for the strip? Well, I wonder if Jeph plans to go back to some kind of running plot of if he's going to continue with one-off mini-arcs. I'm sure April will be grateful if he gives her some kind of concrete dating information! As for me, there are three story threads that I'd like to see:

• Veronica Settling In - The little moment in her apartment whetted my appetite. How is she getting on with the Secret Bakery crew? Is she doing chores for Jim like delivering the muffins? Just how 'challenging' is Sam?
• Faye Getting Back on Her Feet - I'd like to see her tackle a big project or get a new job;
• Humans In May's Life Aren't All That Bad - Maybe one guy comes into the convenience store every day and treats her something other than a self-service till; could the ultimate robot misanthrope find friendship?

Well, that's my idea jar anyway. What does everyone think?

[jwhouk]

Personally, I'd see Marigold more as a "autumn" person.

[Rghfrgl]

Claire of those options because of the hair I'll agree.

But you done goofed with that poll and left out the true personification of fall.

Edit: Yay, she's in.

[Near Lurker]

That link in this context makes me realize how much I want Claire to meet Witch Claire.

...screw it, I'll just say Witch Claire is the personification of autumn, because why not.

...why are we having this discussion in June?  Does Australia have a really late fall?

[Zebediah]

No, QC has a really late fall. It's been summer for several years in Northampton, but autumn seems to be around the corner.

And winter is... well, you know.

[Rghfrgl]

Not coming anytime soon!

[jwhouk]

Not coming anytime soon!

Because when Winter comes, that's when Hannelore makes like GRR Martin.

[chaospersonified]

Not coming anytime soon!

Because when Winter comes, that's when Hannelore makes like GRR Martin.

She kills everyone we love in brutal fashions?

[Pilchard123]

She kills all her friends, kills them with a knife.

[Zebediah]

Yay, beheadings!

[Stoutfellow]

I'm confused. Why would Hannelore growl at Marten?

[Rghfrgl]

George RR Martin stopped killing everyone though. Nowadays he just pretends to kill people every other chapter, usually Davos.

(click to show/hide)

I don't buy the death at the end of the last book for one second.

[chaospersonified]

She kills all her friends, kills them with a knife.

Dangit, Hanners, do not listen to DJ Phalliz!

[mustang6172]

Didn't Jeph make a poster to settle this question?

[emilygrrl]

Didn't Jeph make a poster to settle this question?

yes, he did. Dora is Autumn.

http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=QC-MUCHA-PRINT&Category_Code=QC

...maybe it needs updating, with Claire being so prominent now?

[chaospersonified]

George RR Martin stopped killing everyone though. Nowadays he just pretends to kill people every other chapter, usually Davos.

(click to show/hide)

I don't buy the death at the end of the last book for one second.

Thing about spoilers re:Game of Thrones, is that the books and the show are so utterly seperated at this point in certain respects that it's nearly two seperate creatures. There's nothing anyone could say about Jamie's role in Dorne, regardless od whether they're book readers. It doesn't even happen in the books, so a book reader has no prescience concerning his fate!

Far as I'm concerned, the Red Wedding cemented GRRM as the man who murders my fictional loves.

He has replaced Joss Whedon in such respects.

[chaospersonified]

But back to the original final question of the thread:

I want to see Faye getting back on her feet, with interludes of Veronica settling. Perhaps Veronica would try (and immediately be rebuffed, of course) suggesting Faye work possibilities? I mean, she was suggesting things to Marten, her son, in her own line of work, at one point, was she not? I'm not suggesting Jeph draw Faye doing soft-core porn, Faye would never, but Veronica might suggest.

It could give more background to V. Vance's character, which would be an interesting sidestep, looking at how Marten's mom got into her trade, through the lens of Faye's unemployment.

[chaospersonified]

Comic...

When I said I wanted to hear from Faye, this isn't...

Sigh...

[94ssd]

Faye, what are you doing?

Faye, stop.

Please...

[Method of Madness]

George RR Martin stopped killing everyone though. Nowadays he just pretends to kill people every other chapter, usually Davos.

(click to show/hide)

I don't buy the death at the end of the last book for one second.

(click to show/hide)

Wait, what? Why would you think that? There's no reason to believe that Kevan's not dead. Unless you meant Jon, in which case...yeah, probably. And even if he's dead, he'll probably get better.

Also...gods damn it, Faye.

[RealityXcursion]

Nooooo Faye.

Scary how easy it is to justify giving in to an addiction 

[Oenone]

Oh, poor Faye.

[Wildroses]

Alas, addicts rarely succeed when they try to go completely cold turkey, so this was likely as well as realistic.

Hannelore has a history of anxiety and excessive guilt, so she might go to pieces when she hears Faye used dealing with her problems to justify a drinking binge. I hope she does in front of Faye so that Faye can fully realise WHAT A TERRIBLE HORRIBLE SELFISH UNBELIEVABLY STUPID AND IDIOTIC THING SHE HAS JUST DONE!

Thanks, I needed to get that off my chest. But yeah, I still think it would be a good thing as I believe Faye's best chance of avoiding becoming a rock bottom addict is by realising her drinking has a major impact on the people around her as well as herself. Maybe Marten will come in, see her, have hospital flashbacks and decide to scream at her. Marten screaming could have the same impact as Hannelore guilty as he's such a laid back, easy going person it takes a hell of a lot to make him completely lose his temper.

EDIT: Come to think of it, have we ever seen The Wrath Of Marten ever manifest itself in the strip? The closest I can think of is when he had the fight in which he broke up with Dora, and that was more disgust and annoyance than screaming anger.

[Half Empty Coffee Cup]

"Goddamnit, Faye", indeed. I... don't know if anyone's even going to find out immediately that she took a stroll off the wagon.

Also, no. We have never seen the Wrath of Marten. Frankly, I'm a bit wary of seeing it. Normally calm people can get frightening when they finally do get pissed off.

[Undrneath]

Didn't Jeph make a poster to settle this question?

yes, he did. Dora is Autumn.

http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=QC-MUCHA-PRINT&Category_Code=QC

...maybe it needs updating, with Claire being so prominent now?

First I want to say I envy Dale because of this poster. Second, damnit Faye!!!

[SubaruStephen]

Faye.... No. Bad Faye.

[jheartney]

I... don't know if anyone's even going to find out immediately that she took a stroll off the wagon.

As an addict, it's not really up to Faye to decide how far she's taking this. She may not end in the hospital again, but she's not going to be able to keep Marten from knowing. Once she starts drinking again, she may or may not end up bottoming out; the drinks are in charge, not her.

[Is it cold in here?]

Wrath of Marten showed up in the Vespavenger story line and with the kung fu monks.

I don't advocate it but there would be good symbolism if he were to hit Faye with a STOP sign.

[DrizztLink]

Hannelore has a history of anxiety and excessive guilt, so she might go to pieces when she hears Faye used dealing with her problems to justify a drinking binge. I hope she does in front of Faye so that Faye can fully realise WHAT A TERRIBLE HORRIBLE SELFISH UNBELIEVABLY STUPID AND IDIOTIC THING SHE HAS JUST DONE!

You'd be amazed at how little that could matter.

Speaking as an addict, when you're in the grasp of your addiction, you're practically a sociopath. People cease being people and become either assets or obstructions to your next drunk or high.

I don't think Faye is there, but expecting healthy emotions from an addict is a losing game.

[BenRG]

Every addict has setbacks. Either they backslide or they transfer the addictive behaviour to other things. The key is not to give up. The problem with Faye is that her self-esteem is so weak that giving up, maybe even self-destructively, is entirely in-character for her. Marten is likely going to come home to a serious mess.

"Goddamnit, Faye", indeed. I... don't know if anyone's even going to find out immediately that she took a stroll off the wagon.

Others' wrath will be nothing compared to her own self-loathing. You only need to consider her expression in panel 4 to realise that she's far from happy with this outcome.

Totally on a different subject: Jeph drew Hanners very pretty today.

[pwhodges]

have we ever seen The Wrath Of Marten ever manifest itself in the strip?

The incident with the monk.

[Rghfrgl]

Totally on a different subject: Jeph drew Hanners very pretty today.

We call those days weekdays.

[ZoeB]

...why are we having this discussion in June?  Does Australia have a really late fall?

Leaves are still falling, but Winter is definitely here. Frosts etc. Too cold to snow in Tassie. Minus 5 overnight here in Canberra.

Ah Faye. Yes, you did do good. You are a good person.

Too good to do this to yourself.

[BenRG]

I'm pretty sure that Marten will come home to find Faye in a mess - not just drunk but tearing herself a new one for her weakness. I wouldn't go so far as to rule out some kind of self-harming behaviour either.

The key at that point would be to try to ensure a constructive atmosphere. My real concern is that this will turn into a three- or four-way panic-fest (four if Claire comes home with Marten tonight). That is the sort of environment that only causes worse problems. Fortunately, I don't think Marten is the sort who will freak out in a way that frightens Faye.

Optimistically, the worst that will happen is that Marten will come home to find a moderately-drunk and crying Faye with a shattered whiskey bottle at the bottom of the far wall.

[icklebeccy]

Oh, Faye

[Akima]

Alas poor Faye. Realistic but sad.

Minus 5 overnight here in Canberra

Why I'm glad I live on the coast - no frost. Seriously, is there anyone who does not know that the seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere? Also, our native trees are mostly evergreen, so they shed leaves all year round instead of in a big dump in the autumn.

[snubnose]

Damn.

Faye, thats not a "break" !

But I know this kind of behavior from the times I tried losing weight, haha.

[jwhouk]

Also, no. We have never seen the Wrath of Marten. Frankly, I'm a bit wary of seeing it. Normally calm people can get frightening when they finally do get pissed off.

We came close at one point during the drunken Marten thread.

A right cross from Indie Boy would be a major wakeup for the Peach.

[BenRG]

A right cross from Indie Boy would be a major wakeup for the Peach.

I cannot see Marten using violence on Faye unless she was in a hysterical loop or panic attack and he thought that slapping her would snap her out of it.

[Zebediah]

Oh, shit.



Edited to add: How epic would it be if Pintsize was the one who told her off for falling off the wagon?

[bhtooefr]

Damn.

That is all.

[Nepiophage]

Didn't Jeph make a poster to settle this question?

yes, he did. Dora is Autumn.

http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=QC-MUCHA-PRINT&Category_Code=QC

...maybe it needs updating, with Claire being so prominent now?

First I want to say I envy Dale because of this poster.

I eny Tai even more. But then Dora hs always been my favourite character.

[WareWolf]

Yep. That's how it happens. She's probably been hyper vigilant about not drinking when she's bored, depressed or angry...and it's the "reward" drinking that gets her. The demon is crafty.

[MrNumbers]

Intellectually, I understand exactly what's happened. I understand how easy it is for this to happen. I understand that this does not mean Faye is a bad person or doesn't genuinely want to sober up.

Emotionally, though, I'm done. Considering this is canon-wise about the same time Hanners gave her that note, considering she just got fired for this, considering all the shit she has just put Marten through, considering this came after she found a therapy group she was comfortable with...

I don't sympathize. Or empathize. It's not that I don't care about Faye; I just care more about the characters she's hurting at this point.

[Toe]

Well if no one else is gonna link it (see title of today's strip, source in link):

[cesium133]

Oh, shit.



Edited to add: How epic would it be if Pintsize was the one who told her off for falling off the wagon?

She'd probably just turn him off again.

[KOK]

George RR Martin stopped killing everyone though. Nowadays he just pretends to kill people every other chapter, usually Davos.

(click to show/hide)

I don't buy the death at the end of the last book for one second.

(click to show/hide)

Wait, what? Why would you think that? There's no reason to believe that Kevan's not dead. Unless you meant Jon, in which case...yeah, probably. And even if he's dead, he'll probably get better.

(click to show/hide)

They do have a priestess on hand who could probably fix that. And note that Jon's watch ends at his death.

[Welu]

I picked Cosette to be Fall because if get clumsiness.

I actually very dramatically whispered, "Noooo." at today's strip.

[Neko_Ali]

I would put Claire as more of a Spring, since she's blossomed a lot since she started interning at the library. The picture could use some updating I think... Jeph has added a number of regular female characters since he drew that. I don't really see Faye as a Spring.. she seems more of a Summer to me.

[Timemaster]

Oh damn, FAYE!

This is so sad, but not unexpected at all. My uncle is an alcoholic for more than 30 years now, so I know how difficult it is to find an exit from this addiction.

What I find the most disturbing is that Faye starts drinking again not because of a crisis or uncomfortable situation. She starts because she´s actually feeling good, because she has accomplished something positive, something she could be proud of. Something good she has done while she was sober. I´m not the addictive type, so it is hard for me to find a connection here, to empathize with her. I´m very careful with alcohol myself because of my daughter (and my uncle...).

Todays comic shows us how difficult it will be for Faye and how many miles she will have to walk. And I hope that she actually will develop the will to become clean. But facing reality and ones issues is always more difficult than evading them.

Good luck, Faye. I hope you will find strength in yourself. Your friends will surely try to help you.
But they can only lend you a hand.
The walking you´ll have to do on your own.

TM