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Marten proposes to Claire

Dora proposes to Tai

CLAIRE proposes to MARTEN (because she's a modern, liberated woman)

Emily asks Faye and Bubbles if this is their first date; stuttering ensues

Pintsize - The AnthroPC Who Stole Valentine's Day

Jeph reveals a half-dozen new ships in a matter of a few strips as if we should have known about them already

Mr Burny the Espresso Machine announces his love for the cash register

Sven writes a sugary love ballad and invites his sister to work out who its about

[Morituri]

Dealing with a "bigoted religious relatives" arc would be difficult for me, but sometimes good art is difficult, and sometimes difficult helps us get past things that have been hanging over us.

I had a cousin who died of HIV. Family relationships and bigoted relatives were among the reasons he never sought treatment. It was about whether he'd be allowed to be buried on the family plot in Hallowed Ground.

So... he lasted a couple of years and died a horrible painful lingering death, which is the way of HIV left untreated.  By his own choice ultimately, to go along with my aunt and uncle's judgment on the matter.  I think I may be the only one he ever talked to about it, because I'm the one who recognized the AIDS symptoms and said so, in private, when I was trying to get him to go to the doctor. 

I haven't spoken to that particular aunt and uncle in the last decade, and probably won't.  They may be family, but they're family I don't want to be around anymore.

So, yeah, a "bigoted religious relatives" arc would be depressing for me.  Then again, I could appreciate it as a statement too, and would be interested to see where Jeph took it.

All I'm going to say about this question is, 'Trust the Artist to Make the Art.'

[comicalArchitect]

Dealing with a "bigoted religious relatives" arc would be difficult for me, but sometimes good art is difficult, and sometimes difficult helps us get past things that have been hanging over us.

Of course art can sometimes be hard, but when it comes to trans issues, Jeph isn't the one to do it. Cis writers can't really do that kind of storyline well, to be honest; they can't fully understand, and I think Jeph knows that and is backing off when it comes to Claire.

[Zebediah]

Actually, if we're going to have Claire deal with some difficult relatives, there's a major one that we know very little about: her dad. We know he  cheated on Claire's mom, and Claire has serious issues about that. He seems to be pretty much out of Claire's life for now. But it's the sort of thing that can cause trust issues down the road. If he were to reappear, it could set off a few things between Claire and Marten.

Now, Claire probably knows by now that Marten is the least likely person to cheat on her, or anyone else, ever. It's just not in his makeup. But irrational fears are, by definition, irrational - knowing something with your head doesn't necessarily mean you believe it.

Just a possibility. Might not ever happen. But if you're looking for relationship drama, there's an obvious potential storyline.

[comicalArchitect]

Actually, if we're going to have Claire deal with some difficult relatives, there's a major one that we know very little about: her dad. We know he  cheated on Claire's mom, and Claire has serious issues about that. He seems to be pretty much out of Claire's life for now. But it's the sort of thing that can cause trust issues down the road. If he were to reappear, it could set off a few things between Claire and Marten.

Now, Claire probably knows by now that Marten is the least likely person to cheat on her, or anyone else, ever. It's just not in his makeup. But irrational fears are, by definition, irrational - knowing something with your head doesn't necessarily mean you believe it.

Just a possibility. Might not ever happen. But if you're looking for relationship drama, there's an obvious potential storyline.

That sounds way too similar to what happened with Dora. If we're gonna get some Marten/Claire drama, it should be something new.

[bhtooefr]

There is actually another way to resolve that drama.

What if Claire cheats - either because she thinks Marten is, or because of something she internalized from her dad?

(I really don't think it'd happen, but it could...)

[Kugai]

No

Just ..... NO!





What would be more intriguing is if the Landlord turns out to be an AnthroPC that Bubbles knows!

[Welu]

It's been Pintsize all along. That's how they get away with all the property/Roomba damage.

[Kugai]

Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnn

[comicalArchitect]

No

Just ..... NO!





What would be more intriguing is if the Landlord turns out to be an AnthroPC that Bubbles knows!

HANK



THE



DISMEMBERER

[Neko_Ali]

Hank and Pintsize are the same AI! I knew it all along!

[bhtooefr]

No

Just ..... NO!

I didn't say I wanted it to happen, or that I thought it would happen, or that it'd even be a good story if it did happen. Just that it'd be a way to have that conflict, and resolve it in a way that isn't the same as what happened with Dora.

[Is it cold in here?]

It's been Pintsize all along. That's how they get away with all the property/Roomba damage.

It would answer the question of where he gets his money.

[SubaruStephen]

Uh? Marten, what are you doing? You're wasting all that water by letting Claire shower all alone.

[St.Clair]

Need more conflict. Feel-good stuff is nice and all, but gets very samey very quickly.

To you, Willis, and Whedon, I say:
No.
Sometimes, couples should get to just be happy.

[comicalArchitect]

About the happy-couple thing: I think QC is purposely cutting down on the main cast's drama and reaching a place of stability in order to make way for danger coming from without rather than within. Maybe it'll be something mundane like a disease, or maybe something fantastical like the "virus" Hannelore mentioned when asked about her five-year plan, but it's coming.

[Welu]

Didn't that happen recently with Faye's breakup, alcohol relapse and firing? Jeph hasn't spend much time, as of yet, on it in the grand timeline but it's still a huge story effecting event.

[comicalArchitect]

Didn't that happen recently with Faye's breakup, alcohol relapse and firing? Jeph hasn't spend much time, as of yet, on it in the grand timeline but it's still a huge story effecting event.

I view that as the "final boss" of QC as it used to be. Having (now fully with Dora and Faye's reconciliation) bounced back from that, the bonds between the cast are stronger than ever, ready to take on something NOT under their control, danger from without rather than within.

[mustang6172]

Claire should push to get a tankless water heater installed.

I looked into a tankless water heater recently.  They tend to be unreliable in extreme cold.

[Is it cold in here?]

Her mother might object, exclaiming "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a tankless child".

[bhtooefr]

On a serious, out-of-comic note, It's worth noting that while tankless can reduce energy usage at the meter... it could actually increase energy usage overall, due to grid impact, for electric tankless. (Gas tankless doesn't really matter in that regard though.)

Essentially, the grid needs more energy storage, to smooth out demand and supply spikes. Tanked hot water heaters are a form of residential thermal energy storage, which means that some time-shifting of electricity usage can be done. If there's sharp loads on the grid, then peaker power plants that are rather inefficient and are fossil fueled have to be brought online to make up for the shortfall in power, whereas consistent loads, or loads that cut themselves in response to high loads elsewhere (or activate themselves in response to low demand), can smooth out the grid and allow more of the capacity to be efficient base load plants.

[chaospersonified]

Well, I guess it's nice to be able to ogle the same person with your significant other...

[Akima]

Her mother might object, exclaiming "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a tankless child".

That pun made me leer.

I don't know how tankless water-heaters are installed in the USA or other places where temperatures drop below freezing. In Australia, they are usually mounted on an outside wall so that they have ample ventilation. If that were done in the USA, careful attention would have to be given to protecting the water-inlet pipe from frost. They are not common here; mostly we have tanked systems running on off-peak electricity.

Couple ogling is a definite advantage for Dora and Tai. I suppose if they marry, Dora will Tai the knot?

[sitnspin]

Tai is the perfect girlfriend. I'll take one, please.

[TheEvilDog]

I swear on me that in the first panel Tai looks like she's wearing a beanie.

Curse my weird eyes!

[Rghfrgl]

What's that Tai's reading?

*Zoom in and enhance!*

Ah. Of course.

[Method of Madness]

I think Tai's haircut is much better than Faye's, Dora, but to each their own.

[Is it cold in here?]

I suppose if they marry, Dora will Tai the knot?

Or knot the Tai.

[TheCollector]

I am so happy to see these two are doing so great. Even more so then Claire and Marten really.

[Timemaster]

Great artwork today. I don´t recal Jeph having drawn a face like Tais in the first panel before. So cute.
But what really gets me is how he draws the faces in the last two panels. Very beautiful. Especially the lower lips without outlines but with colour look very good, very natural.
I have read the Wikipedia entry about QC the other day and Jephs quotation about the constant evolution of his artwork there. Todays strip is a perfect example for that. Very good.

As for the ogling: I also think that Tai is much hotter (and has a better haircut) than Faye. So if Dora and Tai keep on ogling each other, I´m perfectly fine with it. 

TM

[HiFranc]

I don't know about other countries but, in the UK, electric showers are common.  As I know that there a different types of electric shower, the popular ones here are the type that take a cold water feed only (so the shower does the heating).

{edit} I'm so used to that that I find it odd that people still use tanked hot water for showering.

[BenRG]

I'm wondering precisely where Jeph is taking this. We've now seen two very strong, enduring and mature couples. I'm wondering if he's setting a baseline against which we can judge other pairings in the strip.

Meanwhile, I think that it is an indication of how good Dora has been for Tai that she's no longer feeling the need to dress down in any way. That said, today's conversation may lead to her working out more.

[Gladstone]

If we're gonna get some Marten/Claire drama, it should be something new.

I hope it'll be something about Marten's career path.  We haven't learned anything about Marten's situation since the time skip, so there's no way of knowing yet if he's still working at the library and practicing his music, but I'm willing to guess yes to the former and maybe/maybe not for the latter.  Meanwhile, Claire's still moving forward.  She's finished her internship, is now a TA, still likely pursuing a career in library science, still has a set goal in mind and is working on achieving it.  It seems highly unlikely that she would be content to watch Marten continue treading water as he's been doing.  Not that she's going to turn into a nag about it either, but I can't see her not gently nudging him in the direction he wants to go, especially regarding his music.  (For the record, I assumed that Faye's firing would be a catalyst in that--her struggle to find a new job and pay rent, and Marten's lack of savings after buying a new guitar, would lead him to get more serious about the band...which didn't happen.)  There didn't seem to be much concern about The Future when Marten was with Dora; she seemed content to be a small business owner with an aimless boyfriend, but I can't see Claire being the same way.  This relationship has the potential to be more important than Marten/Dora was, but there hasn't been much movement so far.

And there is plenty more to explore about Claire.  I still want to learn more about her life outside of the group.  More about her family (mom especially, not just Clinton), other friends in the area, favorite hangouts around town (bookstores!).  A week or two of day-in-the-life strips similar to the Momo story would be nice.

[hedgie]

I believe that at this point, her brother's name is officially "Clin-ton".

[Martin]

In my head todays comic has the title "Relationship-Goals"   

I realy like the background. Is this Tais home or do Tai an Dora now life togehter? So many exciting questions since the timeskip. ^^

[BenRG]

It suddenly occurs to me that Dora seems to be very attracted to 'butch' women. I recall that, upon her very first meeting with Tai, she called her an 'adorable little butch'. That's why I wonder if Tai may choose to emulate some of Faye's new aesthetic.

No real conclusions to draw from this little nugget, it's just an aspect of the character.

[katsmeat]

I don't know about other countries but, in the UK, electric showers are common.  As I know that there a different types of electric shower, the popular ones here are the type that take a cold water feed only (so the shower does the heating).

{edit} I'm so used to that that I find it odd that people still use tanked hot water for showering.

Because electric showers are limited in power, the water is either tepid, or the flow is feeble. Speaking as one whose ideal shower is a scalding Niagra (sod the carbon, I more than make up for it by cycling everywhere)  heat-on-demand electic is little better than one of those solar heated, black plastic bag showers for camping.

[electromgneticDstroyosaur]

I initially misread today's title as "co-ogling."

[comicalArchitect]

If we're gonna get some Marten/Claire drama, it should be something new.

I hope it'll be something about Marten's career path.  We haven't learned anything about Marten's situation since the time skip, so there's no way of knowing yet if he's still working at the library and practicing his music, but I'm willing to guess yes to the former and maybe/maybe not for the latter.  Meanwhile, Claire's still moving forward.  She's finished her internship, is now a TA, still likely pursuing a career in library science, still has a set goal in mind and is working on achieving it.  It seems highly unlikely that she would be content to watch Marten continue treading water as he's been doing.  Not that she's going to turn into a nag about it either, but I can't see her not gently nudging him in the direction he wants to go, especially regarding his music.  (For the record, I assumed that Faye's firing would be a catalyst in that--her struggle to find a new job and pay rent, and Marten's lack of savings after buying a new guitar, would lead him to get more serious about the band...which didn't happen.)  There didn't seem to be much concern about The Future when Marten was with Dora; she seemed content to be a small business owner with an aimless boyfriend, but I can't see Claire being the same way.  This relationship has the potential to be more important than Marten/Dora was, but there hasn't been much movement so far.

And there is plenty more to explore about Claire.  I still want to learn more about her life outside of the group.  More about her family (mom especially, not just Clinton), other friends in the area, favorite hangouts around town (bookstores!).  A week or two of day-in-the-life strips similar to the Momo story would be nice.

I've had this same thought. I think the comic needs to really dive in to Marten's aimlessness, and Claire seems to be the perfect vehicle for that.

I'm wondering precisely where Jeph is taking this. We've now seen two very strong, enduring and mature couples. I'm wondering if he's setting a baseline against which we can judge other pairings in the strip.

Orrrr, Faye's gonna realize that she's practically the only single one around and go boy-hunting.

[Lubricus]

Orrrr, Faye's gonna realize that she's practically the only single one around and go boy-hurting.

FTFY 

[Method of Madness]

[osaka]

In a way, boy-hurting implies boy-hunting, as in "finding a boy" at least.

[Undrneath]

I don't know about other countries but, in the UK, electric showers are common.  As I know that there a different types of electric shower, the popular ones here are the type that take a cold water feed only (so the shower does the heating).

{edit} I'm so used to that that I find it odd that people still use tanked hot water for showering.

It's less odd when one takes into account that mixing the hot and cold water at the tap is the norm in the states making showers from the tank much more temperature controllable.

[Neko_Ali]

Well, I guess it's nice to be able to ogle the same person with your significant other...

It's good to share common interests. I imagine Tai's probably moved into Dora's apartment. We know she graduated a while back, so she's not living in the dorms anymore. I can't imagine the library pays that much for her to have a big place of her own, so it's only kind of sensible to move in with her stable girlfriend. And they do seem to be getting along greatly. Even when they have arguments Dora is actually listening now and working on her issues. And Tai is respecting boundaries. And most importantly, they both want this to work. So I'd say they're in a really good position.

[DSL]

I suppose if they marry, Dora will Tai the knot?

Or knot the Tai.

TAI:"Marten taught me this!"
DORA (awkward silence)

[MooskiNet]

What's that Tai's reading?

*Zoom in and enhance!*

Ah. Of course.

My head canon is she's reading one of the Smut Peddler collections.

[Thrudd]

Does The Ritual have anything to do with the fact that you always see your next Dunkin Donuts before the last one disappears from your rear view mirror?  Did my brother make that up or did I read it somewhere?

I'll just say this: There are fifty-seven Dunkin Donuts locations within a 5-mile radius of my house. Or at least there were three years ago, last time I was bored enough to count them. Might be a couple more now.

According to the Timmies website there are only 26 withing 10Km of me but then I noticed that they didn't list the gas station mini-Timmies, and THEN I realized they stop at 26.
Google Maps looks like a severe case of acne unless you zoom out to continent level.

Still better coffee than starsucks.

That is not coffee - that is burned coffee beans cooked into a soup with flavored sugar syrup added and hidden under layers of cream, fat and who knows what else.

All these happy-domestic comics are making me feel lonely and depressed. Maybe I should get a cat.

Nah. Cat would hate me. 

Cats love me.

I'm allergic.

[pwhodges]

I'm so used to that that I find it odd that people still use tanked hot water for showering.

That's because the water flow is severely constrained by the energy required to heat it on the fly - especially in winter.

[Kugai]

It's always good for a couple to have one or two shared interests to keep the harmony

[hedgie]

Agreed.  And one's SO can help hide the bodies as well.

[War Sparrow]

According to the Timmies website there are only 26 withing 10Km of me but then I noticed that they didn't list the gas station mini-Timmies, and THEN I realized they stop at 26.
Google Maps looks like a severe case of acne unless you zoom out to continent level.

Still better coffee than starsucks.

That is not coffee - that is burned coffee beans cooked into a soup with flavored sugar syrup added and hidden under layers of cream, fat and who knows what else.

Starbucks does sell regular coffee. It's not bad, but there is a thing called Bridgehead here, and it supersedes all other chains for me now.
I got curious, and Google maps claims there are 28 Tim Hortons in my city...only 2 are on the Quebec side. I barely saw any in Vancouver, either.