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Faye and Bubbles get into a fight; Marten arrives to see Bubbles frantically giving Faye CPR (Damn you Willis!);

Bubbles nearly snaps something of Faye's and ends up having a nervous break-down;

A week of random guest strips just to troll us all;

Bubbles storms off and Faye starts doing detective work with Hannelore and Station's help;

Bubbles has a breakdown when Faye tells her that she wants "to help my new friend" and tells the whole terrible story;

Faye says 'screw you' and we never see Bubbles in the strip again;

Bubbles comes across as a whiny child; we realise she's not PTSD at all, just antisocial and self-pitying;

Inexplicably, the arc turns into a kind of alt-rock musical on the subject of Bubbles wanting "to be a real girl".

[cesium133]

Not to be the "hur hur, typo" guy, but it's now my headcannon that "impresonal" is the Canadian spelling of "impersonal".

It's just like "metre" or "litre." The R and the E are reversed because French or something.

[geekd]

Oh BTW gender-specific insults like "bitch" or "cunt" have made people feel unwelcome, careful there. "Fuckhead" is forceful but gender-neutral.

Really?  People like that actually exist?  I though that was just a Reddit myth.

The moderators heard the same thing from enough people, and from people we've learned to respect for their level-headedness, to take the issue seriously.

I'm not joking, I really did think Reddit made up people like that.  People that would get offended because I used a gender specific insult *correctly*, and was not insulting *them*, but a fictional character. 

But I guess I'll have leave all you fragile, beautiful flowers behind.    People that take offense where none is intended is a huge pet peeve of mine.  You could say that it *offends* me.  Maybe that fits in your worldview better.

Love the comic, Jeph, but your fans are a little thin skinned for me, so, see ya.

[Drunken Old Man]

"Once I get my own place, it will be 99% bookshelf by volume".

I like Claire.

[pwhodges]

Love the comic, Jeph, but your fans are a little thin skinned for me, so, see ya.

This is Jeph's forum, run under Jeph's rules.  He is an administrator here, and so could change things if he wanted - which it seems he doesn't.

[Kugai]

Global Moderator Comment

And hurling insults at other members is a sure fire way to get our attention - and not in a 'Nice, friendly chat' kind of way, so it ends now!

Is Claire hinting at something here?

[BenRG]

Several things jump to mind in this strip.

Panel 2 - You can't tell me that Claire isn't thinking 'our place' when she says 'my place'. I do hope that Marten realises he needs to budget for a library as one of the rooms.

Panel 3 - Yeah, it looks like Faye has the same opinion as me on what might be going on behind closed doors at Casa Augustus.

Panel 4 - Claire gets a bonus point for not being so squicked out that she visibly freaks at the thought of her mother having a wild personal life. Marten, meanwhile, gets a bonus point for protesting at the impersonalisation of sex in modern society.

[Kugai]

Claire's a cool chick.

[theMarc]

"My sex life?  Yes, yes, I've got top men working on it as we speak."

[Shjade]

"My sex life?  Yes, yes, I've got top men working on it as we speak."

I imagine this would make for exciting phonecalls from time to time.

Or, ooh, Skype calls, with video!

You know, for project updates.



(I realize the issue's been resolved, but...can't help myself: geekd - "People that would get offended because I used a gender specific insult *correctly*" -- I don't think I've ever seen someone try to defend their choice of insults with "but I used it correctly!" before. That gets a point for originality and audacity (half a point from each), even though it's still wrong.)

[improvnerd]

"My sex life?  Yes, yes, I've got top men working on it as we speak."

"Who?"

"Top... men."

[bhtooefr]

Who says they're top, or that they're men? I mean, they could be bottom were-jaguars.

Also, I wonder what Claire's opinion of e-books is. I'm guessing she prefers the physical organization of a paper library, though, based on this: http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2208

[Lubricus]

"Bottom were-jaguars"? Is that some kind of furry gay porn fetish I haven't heard of?

[War Sparrow]

Well, it probably is for somebody. Probably a man named Hans, who lives in Siberia for the ice fishing. He mails Claire were-jaguar fiction, since she is his favourite niece.

/end headcanon

[jwhouk]

Were-Jaguar? What does Monica Villarreal have to do with this?

[chaospersonified]

"Bottom were-jaguars"? Is that some kind of furry gay porn fetish I haven't heard of?

Clearly you haven't read anything from Claire's browser history

[ysth]

Wow, Jeph's Blambot Casual font has a really really horrible %.

Way too Pyramus and Thisbe.

By the way, and I say this only because I believe it would be fair use of the font in my jurisdiction, if you are remixing comics and need to replace dialog, you can screenshot the type-tester at https://typekit.com/fonts/blambot-casual

[Akima]

Wow! Bubbles needs more robust exercise gear! Kevlar? Chain mail? Solid rubber? Steel?

[Method of Madness]

[wlewisiii]

Wow! Bubbles needs more robust exercise gear! Kevlar? Chain mail? Solid rubber? Steel?

Been there. Remember having to repair the plaster hole in the wall. But it's easier than trying to punch a 360 mm LOS thickness of steel and I made that mistake once too...

[chaospersonified]

Oof. I have been there. Sort of. Minus the rest of Bubbles' past.

Bubbles hates that she acted the way she did. This suggests she actually liked Faye's friends more than she was willing to admit.

This is painful, but hopeful for the future...

[WareWolf]

Bubbles' storyline just got a lot more interesting.

[SubaruStephen]

I can't tell what Bubbles is beating on worse, the bags or her own self.

[TheCollector]

Oh yeeeeeaaahhhh, Bubbles SO isn't suffering from PTSD huh people who said she was just a bitch?

[mustang6172]

Welp!  I guess Jeph can't write an introvert who is content to be an introvert, or keep a character nice and static.

I gave him way too much credit.

[Method of Madness]

...why should he?

[chaospersonified]

...why should he?

Seriously.

Just because you can write something isn't reason to write it.

I'm an introvert myself, but I don't read fiction to find people similar to myself.

[Method of Madness]

I'm honestly not sure if I'm an extrovert or an introvert. Maybe both.

[mustang6172]

...why should he?

Because it gets rather dull when characters morph into how Jeph thinks people should behave.

My favorite comedies usually involve diverse groups of people forming unlikely friendships.

[Tova]

I'm trying to get my head around this complaint.

• Jeph writes a new character into the story.
• You take it upon yourself to assume from one of the strips that the character is an "introvert."
• Later on, you take it upon yourself to assume, on a similarly flimsy basis, that the character is an "extrovert."
• You immediately conclude that Jeph must be incapable of writing about "introverts," or at least your conception of one.
• You further conclude that the cast are not diverse.

I don't even know where to begin.

[mustang6172]

• You take it upon yourself to assume from one of the strips that the character is an "introvert."
• Later on, you take it upon yourself to assume, on a similarly flimsy basis, that the character is an "extrovert."

In the first matter, there was some wishful thinking involved.

This new strip indicates a disappointment in solitude unbecoming of an introvert.

[Tova]

• You take it upon yourself to assume from one of the strips that the character is an "introvert."
• Later on, you take it upon yourself to assume, on a similarly flimsy basis, that the character is an "extrovert."

In the first matter, there was some wishful thinking involved.

This new strip indicates a disappointment in solitude unbecoming of an introvert.

How do you know it's disappointment in solitude? It could just as well be disappointment in a lack of friendship. Quite a different thing (I personally value friendships just as highly as I value my times of solitude). Or it could be something different again that we haven't thought of.

Maybe you're not giving Jeph enough credit.

[St.Clair]

Oof. I have been there. Sort of. Minus the rest of Bubbles' past.

Bubbles hates that she acted the way she did. This suggests she actually liked Faye's friends more than she was willing to admit.

This is painful, but hopeful for the future...

I take it that she's scolding herself for thinking that it might have gone any other way - for having hope that it might.  That she might actually enjoy a social situation.
What a stupid thing to think, right?

EDIT:  Also, for what it's worth, I identify/classify myself very much as an introvert.  Always have.
Crucially, however, I realized in my twenties that I'd been trying to pretend that was all that I was, because trying to be social meant making myself vulnerable to others - something I had little experience, skill, or confidence with, and went about it badly.  Which meant that, in my clumsy attempts, I experienced a lot of rejection.  And that hurt, so I'd slink back to my room and try to tell myself I didn't need or want any of that, and those grapes were sour anyway.
This was a profoundly unhealthy cycle, and I wasn't able to break it until I became aware of it and accepted that I do want and need human contact, even if that exposes me to risk.
I'm still an introvert, I still tend to prefer quiet and solitude over big noisy crowds... but I'm more in tune with the emotional needs that I do have, for socializing on my terms and in my preferred modes, rather than denying them until they boil over and express themselves in uncontrolled and ultimately unsatisfying ways (as they did, and would continue to do unless acknowledged).

[Omega Entity]

I'm an odd mix. At work, I'm an extrovert by necessity - downright silly at times, able to make jsut about anyone smile, even if they happen to be a customer who comes in pissed off. Outside of work, I just want to be left alone to be in front of my computer. I don't like going out, and I don't like parties, though the latter is probably due to my social anxiety as much as it is my need/love for private space.

[Mr. Doctor]

Is the "stupid punching bsg" just a typo or am I missing some indie thing going on?

[QuestionableIntentions]

I'm trying to get my head around this complaint.

• Jeph writes a new character into the story.
• You take it upon yourself to assume from one of the strips that the character is an "introvert."
• Later on, you take it upon yourself to assume, on a similarly flimsy basis, that the character is an "extrovert."
• You immediately conclude that Jeph must be incapable of writing about "introverts," or at least your conception of one.
• You further conclude that the cast are not diverse.

I don't even know where to begin.

Nah I get it. Introverts are often portrayed as "wrong" or "not trying enough" or something. Maybe Citizen First Class is an introvert and felt good getting a positive example for once, maybe he/she isn't and is just pissed about stereotypes.

Also: poor, poor Bubbles 

[Kugai]

..........

Ummmmm




Dang!!!! 

[Tova]

Is the "stupid punching bsg" just a typo or am I missing some indie thing going on?

Probably a typo, but I like to imagine Bubbles sitting at a computer angrily punching (ha) those words, typo and all, into her diary.

Still a typo with either interpretation, I suppose.

[Mad Cat]

Okay. Somebody's got issues. Not saying who, but I think they might be red and currently inhabit a combat android chassis. Just sayin'.

Her name rhymes with Troubles.














It's Bubbles.

[BenRG]

Oh, Bubbles! You poor girl!

Now, surprisingly, the ball is back in Faye's court. If she tries again when she next sees Bubbles, things may work out. Bubbles is expecting her to hate her and I doubt that she'll take the initiative to apologise or even be able to react positively to an apology. However, if Faye keeps pounding on the wall, I think that she may get a breakthrough.

I just think that Faye will be pleasantly surprised about how grateful Bubbles will be if she so much as talks to her the next time they meet.

Wow! Bubbles needs more robust exercise gear! Kevlar? Chain mail? Solid rubber? Steel?

I think that's missing the point. She wanted to kill something and killing a punching bag doesn't carry unfortunate legal penalties.

[Penquin47]

I'm trying to get my head around this complaint.

• Jeph writes a new character into the story.
• You take it upon yourself to assume from one of the strips that the character is an "introvert."
• Later on, you take it upon yourself to assume, on a similarly flimsy basis, that the character is an "extrovert."
• You immediately conclude that Jeph must be incapable of writing about "introverts," or at least your conception of one.
• You further conclude that the cast are not diverse.

I don't even know where to begin.

Nah I get it. Introverts are often portrayed as "wrong" or "not trying enough" or something. Maybe Citizen First Class is an introvert and felt good getting a positive example for once, maybe he/she isn't and is just pissed about stereotypes.

Also: poor, poor Bubbles 

Yeah.  It would be one thing if this weren't at the very least the second time we've seen this: a character is introduced who, for whatever reason, prefers solitude and lack of socialization to the group standard of "We should spend most evenings hanging out with at least some of our friends!"  In both cases, this has been shown to be the result of some form of psychological issues.  In Marigold's case, low self-esteem; now with Bubbles, PTSD.  It's only two data points, but both of those data points fall into "if you don't like socialization, then clearly there is something WRONG with you".  And that's a very common narrative, but it's also horseshit when it's the only narrative we ever see with people who don't like socialization.

You could also make the argument that Hanners falls into this narrative, although she's been a willing participant in the expansion of her social life all along.  She genuinely wants to push her boundaries and better fit into what she deems "normal".

On the other hand, we have Penelope.  She has a boyfriend and occasionally shows up to parties, but she's also very vehement that spending an evening reorganizing her bookshelves is just as valid a use of her time as spending it on a date.  That doesn't seem to have changed.

[Drunken Old Man]

Is the "stupid punching bsg" just a typo or am I missing some indie thing going on?

Maybe it stands for Big Stupid Girl, which Bubbles seems to think that she is.

Looking at the pile of punching bags, Big STRONG Girl seems appropriate as well.

[Omega Entity]

I'm trying to get my head around this complaint.

• Jeph writes a new character into the story.
• You take it upon yourself to assume from one of the strips that the character is an "introvert."
• Later on, you take it upon yourself to assume, on a similarly flimsy basis, that the character is an "extrovert."
• You immediately conclude that Jeph must be incapable of writing about "introverts," or at least your conception of one.
• You further conclude that the cast are not diverse.

I don't even know where to begin.

Nah I get it. Introverts are often portrayed as "wrong" or "not trying enough" or something. Maybe Citizen First Class is an introvert and felt good getting a positive example for once, maybe he/she isn't and is just pissed about stereotypes.

Also: poor, poor Bubbles 

Yeah.  It would be one thing if this weren't at the very least the second time we've seen this: a character is introduced who, for whatever reason, prefers solitude and lack of socialization to the group standard of "We should spend most evenings hanging out with at least some of our friends!"  In both cases, this has been shown to be the result of some form of psychological issues.  In Marigold's case, low self-esteem; now with Bubbles, PTSD.  It's only two data points, but both of those data points fall into "if you don't like socialization, then clearly there is something WRONG with you".  And that's a very common narrative, but it's also horseshit when it's the only narrative we ever see with people who don't like socialization.

You could also make the argument that Hanners falls into this narrative, although she's been a willing participant in the expansion of her social life all along.  She genuinely wants to push her boundaries and better fit into what she deems "normal".

On the other hand, we have Penelope.  She has a boyfriend and occasionally shows up to parties, but she's also very vehement that spending an evening reorganizing her bookshelves is just as valid a use of her time as spending it on a date.  That doesn't seem to have changed.

The truth of the matter is, though, that the very nature of this comic doesn't really allow for an introvert to remain an introvert. Much as some might feel it sucks, a non-social person as a main (or nearly main) character in a comic that revolves around mostly-social people wouldn't really fit, and invariably would be boring unless there were some kind of evolution of their character - in this case, Faye's attempts to help Bubbles and her PTSD. Otherwise, there's no reason for that character to even be there, unless they're just there as little more than a prop due to their lack of interaction, or to play the part of the recluse that one of the characters visits occasionally.

In other words, from a purely narrative standpoint, having a character who doesn't want to talk to anyone makes for a very dull story - or in the case of this arc, would make the entire introduction of Bubbles (and the arc itself) entirely pointless if everyone were to throw up their hands and completely leave her to her own devices.

That, invariably, would result in people here railing about how no one tried hard enough to try and help/befriend Bubbles. No matter how Jeph writes it, someone's going to not like the way the arc and characters are handled.

[Pintman]

Is the "stupid punching bsg" just a typo or am I missing some indie thing going on?

Battlestar Galactica?

[Is it cold in here?]

Maybe Bubbles needs a companion AnthroPC. Or a kitten.

[Rghfrgl]

Not that I don't want to see what happens next time Faye goes to work, but I hope the party's not over yet. Wouldn't mind Claire interacting with the cast like yesterday(As opposed to sitting on the side commenting on conversations rather than being part of them) and qc tends to be good in general when the cast is altogether and can mingle.

[Lubricus]

Is the "stupid punching bsg" just a typo or am I missing some indie thing going on?

She's just REALLY angry at the British Society of Gastroenterology. It happens.

[aphanisis81]

Remember when this strip was about people and interpersonal relationships instead of emo Blade Runner extras? That was awesome. If this week is any indication, it's now a 1:4 ratio, respectively.

[pwhodges]

Oh, indeed; and the relationship of robots of various kinds with the humans has been a feature from strip number 1.

[War Sparrow]

Introversion and extroversion don't really mean "how often one likes to socialize". It refers more to "how much stimulation does a person need?" and almost no one is completely one or the other. It's a continuum, not a dichotomy.*

*According to my entry level Psych 105 prof, anyway.

I hope Jeph expands on if, and why Bubbles has PTSD, too. "Been to war" isn't really a good enough explanation-it takes more than a really bad experience to develop something like that. Someone on here mentioned the idea that it was before AI rights had really cemented, and so Bubbles didn't really have a choice whether to be a combat AI or not. And being that she was stronger and faster than the humans, she may have ended up in situations she had no escape from.

Or she doesn't have it at all, and is by nature angry and unenthused by interactions with others. I like this option better.

[Welu]

Is the "stupid punching bsg" just a typo or am I missing some indie thing going on?

It's an alternative to the Big Friendly Giant, in this case, the Big Surly Giant.