Topic: WCDT Strips 3171-3175 (07 March - 11 March 2016) (Read 36416 times)

Kugai · « **on:** 06 Mar 2016, 12:25 »

Zoom Zoom

BenRG · « **Reply #1 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 12:31 »

I'm trying to give sensible answers to the poll... Why am I trying to give sensible answers to the poll?

Kugai · « **Reply #2 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 12:45 »

Why not.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #3 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 20:11 »

Butts is the most sensible answer, because butts.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #4 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 20:49 »

Chassis designs like May's have been around long enough to go out of warranty.

Apparently anyone who can afford to upgrade from one will do so.

Why can't she pick up some ugly secondhand thing on Freecycle? Assuming that parole conditions allow her to change bodies.

chaospersonified · « **Reply #5 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 21:09 »

I feel 'butts' is the only save vote here. It has been a constant since the early days.

celticgeek · « **Reply #6 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 21:44 »

Obviously, Butts was the correct answer on the poll for today.

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #7 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 21:45 »

It's nice to know that Punchbot isn't a dickhead to his fans, even stopping to sign an autograph when they are making an ass out of themselves.

BenRG · « **Reply #8 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 23:20 »

May is definitely a teenager at heart, right down to the fangirl behavior patterns! Meanwhile, poor Momo is stuck with being the sensible older sister. Come to think about it, hasn't that also always been her role with Marigold?

I long have thought that Punchbot is a nice guy. He just has impulse control issues, like May herself, of course!

anahata · « **Reply #9 on:** 06 Mar 2016, 23:30 »

It's strange to see May so polite and respectful.
She generally seems to have more time for her fellow AIs than for humans.

Timemaster · « **Reply #10 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 00:24 »

May is polite because Punchbot is someone she admires.
When she asks him in panel three and he holds his fist up high, my first thougt was that he´ll punch her the autograph straight in the face.

TM

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #11 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 00:58 »

"Vote for AI Rights" -- the AI ERA was some time ago, does this mean the "skate park" has been around a long time?

May has now created evidence that she visited someplace where someone named Punchbot hangs out. Bad move. I hope it doesn't bite her in the butt.

BenRG · « **Reply #12 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 01:36 »

A thought that occurs to me: Maybe Corpse Witch won't try to block Faye and Bubbles doing good deeds but she will try to exploit it. Maybe use a 'Free Charity Repair Shop for Destitute AIs' as a way of laundering her profits?

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 07 Mar 2016, 00:58

"Vote for AI Rights" -- the AI ERA was some time ago, does this mean the "skate park" has been around a long time?

This indicates, IMO, about how long ago it was that humans stopped using the building as a skate park. The AIs seem mostly indifferent to decoration of living space so it's likely that they'd just not bother to take down the last remainders of human occupation and the politics of the day from the building.

electromgneticDstroyosaur · « **Reply #13 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 03:48 »

That sounds like Corpse Witch to me. She's morally dubious, but ultimately pragmatic. If she can find a way to benefit, she will.

katsmeat · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 04:34 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 07 Mar 2016, 00:58

"Vote for AI Rights" -- the AI ERA was some time ago, does this mean the "skate park" has been around a long time?

The poster could have been put up last week - If the history of real-world rights movements is anything to go by, a big victory some time ago does not mean the struggle is over, or even close to being over.

Zebediah · « **Reply #15 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 04:41 »

Exactly. There will always be people who say "Sure, robots have equal rights EXCEPT the right to vote/marry/work/live in my neighborhood."

ZoeB · « **Reply #16 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 05:29 »

Quote from: BenRG on 06 Mar 2016, 23:20

May is definitely a teenager at heart, right down to the fangirl behavior patterns! Meanwhile, poor Momo is stuck with being the sensible older sister. Come to think about it, hasn't that also always been her role with Marigold?

Not "stuck with". It's her natural role, something she chooses to do. Having May around is good for her, stops her from getting stuck in her comfort zone.

But hey, I'm projecting here.

Neko_Ali · « **Reply #17 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 06:18 »

As a point to mention, when May was looking for work, the clothing store she tried to apply at wouldn't even accept her application. The owner was comfortable being openly biased and discriminatory, which says to me that there are only limited legal protections on AI rights. To parallel, in a lot of states in the US, you can be openly fired for being gay, there is no law against it. Even in some cases working towards laws to protect people's right to be homophobic jerks. So yeah, gay people have rights as human beings... to a limit. On the other hand, if you refused to hire someone because they were black and openly said so, you'd be sued eight ways from Sunday. That's probably the status of AI rights at the current time. They are recognized as sentient beings, so it's illegal to say, abuse them, force them to do something against their will, etc. But they're still second class citizens where it is legal to discriminate against them.

Which is a likely explanation as to why some robots wind up in the fighting arena to make an income. Because employment opportunities are bad enough that they are forced to illegal activities just to keep running and powered. Possibly even for shelter, the way Bubbles lives at the rink. Basically, technically legal but still considered undesirable by a large section of the population. Probably unless they are in what are considered 'appropriate' roles. I don't think this is all that far off, since there have been other parallels between how AIs are treated in QC and how LGBT people are treated in the real world.

Of course, some of them, like Punchbot, probably just do it because they enjoy their work. I mean how hard is it to find other work when all you want to do is punch things?

President Peaches · « **Reply #18 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 08:33 »

Well, so much for plausible deniability. I hope that marker wasn't permanent.

Jakk Frost · « **Reply #19 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 09:51 »

Wait, is Jeph implying something for future comic cons?

cesium133 · « **Reply #20 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 10:46 »

I'm not sure if parole officers are that thorough, though admittedly I don't have much experience in that department.

Morituri · « **Reply #21 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 11:39 »

Um.

At least occasionally, parole officers are so ... thorough ... in inspecting the bodies of parolees "for evidence of various types of unlawful activity", that rape charges were filed afterward and convictions were handed down.

Factor in the HUGE number of parolees too scared to say anything/press charges, and the number of people who don't give a rat's ass whether parolees get basic legal protection, and you have to figure it happens a hundred times for every conviction.

At this point some of those former parole officers may be going to parole officers of their own - which would have some interesting interpersonal dynamics, wouldn't it?

Kugai · « **Reply #22 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 13:14 »

Momos expression speaks volumes I think

Akima · « **Reply #23 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 13:45 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 06 Mar 2016, 20:49

Assuming that parole conditions allow her to change bodies.

Hmm... I wonder if May actually owns her body? We know that in QCworld, AIs migrate from non-humanoid "functional" bodies to humanoid ones, so presumably their legal "self" is their AI core process? May's description of robot prison sounded like some sort of processor-rack where here consciousness was stored. I confess that I don't know what happens when human prisoners are released. I don't think they are issued with clothes, like a "demob suit", are they? Or are they?

Quote from: Morituri on 07 Mar 2016, 11:39

At least occasionally, parole officers are so ... thorough ... in inspecting the bodies of parolees "for evidence of various types of unlawful activity", that rape charges were filed afterward and convictions were handed down.

Unfortunately, any social role that involves authority over others will attract people who enjoy exercising it, and some who will abuse it.

Quote from: katsmeat on 07 Mar 2016, 04:34

The poster could have been put up last week - If the history of real-world rights movements is anything to go by, a big victory some time ago does not mean the struggle is over, or even close to being over.

So very true. Even where nominal legal rights have been achieved, the struggle for social and economic equality continues. To the front!

Tova · « **Reply #24 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 13:48 »

Indeed. A highly apropos statement (as I am guessing was intended) for International Women's Day.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #25 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 14:14 »

Quote from: celticgeek on 06 Mar 2016, 21:44

Obviously, Butts was the correct answer on the poll for today.

So when I voted butts and said that butts was the sensible answer, I had seen today's comic via Patreon...but I would've made that exact same post even if I hadn't. Because butts.

SomeCanadianWeirdo · « **Reply #26 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 16:15 »

Quote from: Neko_Ali on 07 Mar 2016, 06:18

Which is a likely explanation as to why some robots wind up in the fighting arena to make an income. Because employment opportunities are bad enough that they are forced to illegal activities just to keep running and powered. Possibly even for shelter, the way Bubbles lives at the rink. Basically, technically legal but still considered undesirable by a large section of the population. Probably unless they are in what are considered 'appropriate' roles. I don't think this is all that far off, since there have been other parallels between how AIs are treated in QC and how LGBT people are treated in the real world.

Besides companion AIs a lot of the "legit" jobs we see AIs doing seem to be connected to the AI industry itself, such as the store where Momo got her current chassis and Gordon the spider AI companion consoler.

Perfectly Reasonable · « **Reply #27 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 16:42 »

Quote from: President Peaches on 07 Mar 2016, 08:33

Well, so much for plausible deniability. I hope that marker wasn't permanent.

She will never wash that cheek again.

~~mustang6172~~ · « **Reply #28 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 17:56 »

Quote from: Mad Cat on 07 Mar 2016, 10:36

EDIT: removed by admins

So nobody is going to complain about that rape joke or genital speculation?

chaospersonified · « **Reply #29 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 19:55 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 07 Mar 2016, 14:14

Quote from: celticgeek on 06 Mar 2016, 21:44
Obviously, Butts was the correct answer on the poll for today.
So when I voted butts and said that butts was the sensible answer, I had seen today's comic via Patreon...but I would've made that exact same post even if I hadn't. Because butts.

I mean, duh. Butts. I am too broke for patreon, so I had no way of knowing there would be butts except that I've read the damn comic before

chaospersonified · « **Reply #30 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 20:10 »

Gotta say, as a dude who accesses these comics the second they're available on his phone, I fucking love that the hovertext has been made just a part of the comic.

Undrneath · « **Reply #31 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 20:19 »

I'm calling it now, Momo and May are Alice and Malice.

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #32 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 20:33 »

I don't know which is scarier - May's half-a-face from last week or Faye's gleeful smile in panel 3....

chaospersonified · « **Reply #33 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 20:51 »

Quote from: TheEvilDog on 07 Mar 2016, 20:33

I don't know which is scarier - May's half-a-face from last week or Faye's gleeful smile in panel 3....

Calling it now, May's full-face, panel 1 in the next strip

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #34 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 21:07 »

Remember what getting disfigured did to the Joker.

Tova · « **Reply #35 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 21:12 »

I'm confident that Bubbles has only decided to go ahead with this because she believes Faye to be capable.

I'm also confident that Bubbles is enjoying May's discomfiture right now.

Shjade · « **Reply #36 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 22:30 »

Quote from: TheEvilDog on 07 Mar 2016, 20:33

I don't know which is scarier - May's half-a-face from last week or Faye's gleeful smile in panel 3....

Definitely Faye. By a long shot.

This is also the scariest Faye has ever looked at any point in the series. ._.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #37 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 22:45 »

Faye is proving what Hannelore said about her bedside manner.

Timemaster · « **Reply #38 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 23:28 »

Hmm, I don´t see anything scary in Faye´s face in panel three. On the contrary, to me it looks cute. I´m tempted to say, this is the cutest Fayeface ever. She´s simply euphoric about getting a chance to work on something new, to improve her skills and take them to a new level.
A devoted micromechanican myself (watchmaker), I can totally relate.

Admitted, to May this is really really scary. Imagine a doctor saying to you in hospital that he won´t treat you himself, but he´ll hand you over to a student to improve his medicine skills.

*shiver*

TM

BenRG · « **Reply #39 on:** 07 Mar 2016, 23:31 »

Bubbles has today shown that she understands one of the great truths of the English-speaking races: Revenge is sweet but never fattening.

Personally, I think that this is a 'best friend' thing. Faye and Bubbles are so on each other's wavelength that they can coordinate a prank without so much as exchanging a word. Meanwhile, May might learn the value of a verbal filter.

Soylent · « **Reply #40 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 00:00 »

So its been a long time and more than a few internet identities since I was a member of the forums here (Think "Music +Science = Sexy" as a new t-shirt release...) but I saw panel three today (8th March) and had to come back. I needed to say how impressive the perspective difference on Bubbles is. From the lower angle (around Momo's view, I'd think), and with that disdainful look on her face you really get a sense of the size and power Bubbles has at her disposal, something which hasn't really been illustrated previously. I LOVE that panel...

USS Martenclaire · « **Reply #41 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 00:23 »

Faye meets face meat.

oeoek · « **Reply #42 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 03:21 »

I'm getting a certain 'have you watered the brains today, Igor?' vibe here...

BenRG · « **Reply #43 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 03:59 »

Quote from: oeoek on 08 Mar 2016, 03:21

I'm getting a certain 'have you watered the brains today, Igor?' vibe here...

Which I believe is entirely intentional and, more specifically, something Faye and Bubbles are, somehow, subverbally conspiring to present.

Akima · « **Reply #44 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 04:00 »

Faye Whitaker, plastic surgeon to the stars (of the the Robo-Ronin Rumble).

Mad Cat · « **Reply #45 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 07:55 »

WARNING:
Do Not Operate Drunk

Okay, I don't believe that's what the warning label on the front of that machine actually reads, but then, I don't believe the label on that crate actually reads "Caution: Crate contains live bobcat" either.

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #46 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 08:17 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 07 Mar 2016, 21:07

Remember what getting disfigured did to the Joker.

"Wanna know how I got these scars?"

BenRG · « **Reply #47 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 08:24 »

Quote from: TheEvilDog on 08 Mar 2016, 08:17

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 07 Mar 2016, 21:07
Remember what getting disfigured did to the Joker.

"Wanna know how I got these scars?"

I've always preferred Jack Nicholson, myself. "But, as my plastic surgeon always used to say: 'If you've got to go, go with a smile!'"

Method of Madness · « **Reply #48 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 09:25 »

Quote from: Mad Cat on 08 Mar 2016, 07:55

WARNING:
Do Not Operate Drunk

Okay, I don't believe that's what the warning label on the front of that machine actually reads, but then, I don't believe the label on that crate actually reads "Caution: Crate contains live bobcat" either.

He never said it read that, only that it did. And I'm pretty sure it says high, not drunk.

Neko_Ali · « **Reply #49 on:** 08 Mar 2016, 09:45 »

Quote from: TheEvilDog on 08 Mar 2016, 08:17

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 07 Mar 2016, 21:07
Remember what getting disfigured did to the Joker.

"Wanna know how I got these scars?"

"I tripped and fell while picking up my dismembered arm."
I'm not sure if that's pathetic, or frightening. Frighthetic?

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Author Topic: WCDT Strips 3171-3175 (07 March - 11 March 2016) (Read 36416 times)

TheEvilDog

TheEvilDog

TheEvilDog