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Arthur

0 (0%)

Bubbles

27 (32.9%)

Corpse Witch

0 (0%)

Droid 06

0 (0%)

Gordon

3 (3.7%)

Jeremy

3 (3.7%)

May

12 (14.6%)

Melon

3 (3.7%)

Momo

12 (14.6%)

O'Malley

0 (0%)

Pintsize

2 (2.4%)

PT410x

0 (0%)

Punchbot

2 (2.4%)

Punkbot

1 (1.2%)

Roko

5 (6.1%)

Seven

0 (0%)

Spaceship

1 (1.2%)

Spookybot

6 (7.3%)

Station

3 (3.7%)

Winslow

2 (2.4%)

Other (did I miss someone?)

0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 75

[Zebediah]

We've been seeing a lot of robot hijinks lately. So who's your favorite among the very diverse AI crowd in QC?

[BenRG]

May; she's growing on me, that's all I can say. Yeah, she's crude, loud and tactless but there is depth to her and I can't help but wonder if there are secrets untold about her pre-first appearance life.

[shanejayell]

Bubbles. I find the combo of her being a TANK yet having such a soft squishy center very charming....

[TheEvilDog]

Spookybot for me, just the right mix of eldritch abomination and trickster god.

[Tova]

This wasn't so easy, as I don't really have a stand-out favourite. Decided to vote alongside BenRG for May (flaws on display, hides her best instincts), marginally over Bubbles (best instincts on display, hides her insecurities). Bottom of the list is Spookybot (their ideas of morality interesting, but it's hard in general, I think, to have interesting stories featuring omnipotent characters - YMMV).

[War Sparrow]

Will this be "Officer Basilisk: Trials of Love"?

Cause I am so down.

[cesium133]

New comic.

This ship needs torpedoed before  sees it.

[Thrudd]

The Clin-ton seems to have a predilection for finding the most interesting unique people to bump into as possible love interests.

Now all I'm getting is a flashback to a cyber-hand going into autonomous mode and doing things that get Clin-ton slapped ... or was it tasered?

[Nycticoraci]

No votes for the original to the comic yet. Are we following the motto that "New is Always Better"?

[MrNumbers]

Clinton.

Clinton, run.

[Baphomet]

Ha ha, yes. Those short people. They sure are comically undesirable. That joke never gets old!

It's funny, I'd imagine that if Jeph had written "YOU'RE LATE! ALSO FATTER THAN I'D LIKE!" everyone would be up in arms, despite the fact that an individual can change their weight but can't really change their height.

[comicalArchitect]

So is "Clinton helps out wacky troubled females near bars" a running theme now?

[Neko_Ali]

Oh dear. This is likely to turn out to be quite the storyline, full of trouble, strange romance and sisterly shipping. I'll get an extra large tub of popcorn for this one.

[Zebediah]

I didn’t mention it before in order to avoid the anti-shipping rule, but: I totally saw this coming. Because Clinton is the other character who’s been looking for love in all the wrong places.

[OldGoat]

Will this be "Officer Basilisk: Trials of Love"?

Cause I am so down.

Actually, since she works for the Mass State Police, it's Trooper Basilisk.  But I very much agree, they'll make a most, ah, interesting pair.  (I still hope Mrs. Punchbot turns out to be a high level human academic.)

[brasca]

Roko hit the face planted against the concrete.  Clinton may be escorting her to Union Robotics next. 

[TheEvilDog]

And then we get all the hot and sweaty human-robo sexings.

At which point, Roko wakes up from having concussed herself on the pavement. There’s your week long story. It was all a dream.

[Penquin47]

Whu buh muh nooooooooooo.

[shanejayell]

I REALLY can't see this ending well 

[WoaLG]

I REALLY can't see this ending well 

I can see it going well enough until Clinton takes her to meet his friends. Then Roko will probably start beating her head against the nearest wall.

[Tova]

Well, this ought to be fun.

[poofdepoof]

But I'm busy shipping Clinton and Elliot! 

[BenRG]

Here we have episode 1, scene 1 of Clinton's new tale: "How I Met Your Robo-Mother".

Seriously, though, it seems to be Clinton's luck through-and-through to end up in the position of having to act the white knight to yet another troubled and pretty woman with whom he probably would be better advised not to want a relationship. I've got a horrible feeling that Jeph is going to enjoy having weeks and weeks worth of strips where Clinton has to puzzle through Roko's mixed messages, possibly whilst she is dating someone else.

As for this week, I'm expecting Clinton to be a gentleman and help Roko get home. As her coordination is all shot, he has to plug her into her charger and, unfortunately, she grabs hold of him for balance (whilst lying down - her balance is that shot thanks to the electro-booze) and slips into 'sleep' mode with Clinton still held in a death-grip. With her short-term memory also shot, this leads to some comedic misunderstanding next morning. Clinton is, again, going to be accused of taking advantage, this time with this clear implication that the alleged victim is sort of disappointed when she realises that he didn't take advantage.

Long-term, I'm expecting Clinton and Roko to become 'heterosexual platonic best buddies' - A man and a woman who hang out together and have a sometimes-salty and sometimes-emotionally intimate friendship but who are always skirting around going the next step to the point of dating other people (and being sure that the other's Significant Other is 'not good enough for them'). In other words, as I indicated with my opening remarks, this is going to turn into a long, drawn-out romantic comedy.

[hakko504]

No votes for the original to the comic yet. Are we following the motto that "New is Always Better"?

No. Bubbles, Momo and May are the front runners right now, and Bubbles is the newest of those with only some 3 years since her introduction (#3003 in 2015). Even May has been around for 5 years (#2491 in 2013). Pintsize on the other hand was always a way of bringing comic relief into the story but with an expanded cast there is so much story to tell that his comic relief has become the only thing we see of him whereas almost all other AIs have had storylines where their respective characters are explored giving us insight into their lives. We haven't seen anything like that with Pintsize. Ever.

[Cornelius]

It's kind of sad, though, that even Spaceship gets more votes than Pintsize.

[gopher]

Poor Pintsize, seems seniority means nothing. He has even tried moving on from his one-trick pony shenanigans, but to no avail.

[BenRG]

So... How would I like to see this week go? Well, something like this!

[maneyan]

Uhm hum.... considering today's strip... If this was an Anime this'd make me suspect there's a harem upcoming. Now this is QC, so I doubt Jeph would go that way. All the same though, Clinton really fits the mold of harem protagonist.

Whaddya think people?

[Mehre]

You have to admit Roko-Clinton is far far better than Pintsize-Roko

[dexeron]

Isn't it a firing infraction for most law enforcement agencies for officers to go out drinking (and getting drunk) while still wearing their uniforms?

(Like, I get in a Doylist way that we need to see that Roko is with her friend from work, and that they're both cops, but what's the Watsonian explanation for how this is even remotely permitted?)

[DaiJB]

Clintoko? 
Now there's a ship I would never expect to set sail...

[BenRG]

Isn't it a firing infraction for most law enforcement agencies for officers to go out drinking (and getting drunk) while still wearing their uniforms?

O'Malley and Roko aren't wearing their badges. They're in partial uniform but could argued to not be on duty as they don't have their badges or weapons. It's the way actors and actresses get around it - So long as they're not wearing a badge off-set or off-lot, then they're not 'impersonating a police officer'.

[Marco]

You have to admit Roko-Clinton is far far better than Pintsize-Roko

Anything is far far better than Pintsize-anyone (except maybe Pintsize-Tugboat; the little guy deserves a chance to be happy).

[ckridge]

Favorite robot: Bubbles. All the others are smaller than humans, mostly literally so. They are charmingly comic figures in the way that dogs seem charmingly comic when you only see them trying to fit in with humans. Bubbles is larger than life and only occasionally comic. 

[ckridge]

I have no idea how this encounter will bounce, but I am getting to seriously like Clinton. He is a dweeb from dweebsville, but he always tries to help, first his sister, then Brun, and now the officer. There is a scene in Don Quixote where they try to shake him out of his delusion by having a young guy dress up as a knight too and try to defeat him in battle, not realizing that though the Don is really terrible, he has been really terrible for a long time now. The Don kicks the kid's ass. Clinton is kind of shaping up like that: not at all qualified to be the guy who helps, but willing, and getting experienced. That's a good way to be. Not as good as being qualified, but you work with what you got.

[Is it cold in here?]

Ha ha, yes. Those short people. They sure are comically undesirable. That joke never gets old!

It's funny, I'd imagine that if Jeph had written "YOU'RE LATE! ALSO FATTER THAN I'D LIKE!" everyone would be up in arms, despite the fact that an individual can change their weight but can't really change their height.

That, too, would have been a "Roko has absurd prejudices" joke. Absurdity is funny, prejudice is not.

[Alexander Krizak]

I occasionally process the things I read in an unusual order, and it happened with this strip. Instead of equating Clinton with the "handsome stranger" Roko predicted would catch her, I saw Clinton (a) calling Roku "ma'am," (b) being told he was late by Roku, and (c) wearing clothing similar in colouration and style to Roku's uniform, and immediately jumped to the conclusion that Clinton had somehow joined the police force since we saw him last.

I mean, it wouldn't be the first time we saw Clinton in an unexpected situation; I was starting to suspect we were getting another "how did Clinton get here?" flashback story before I finally fully processed the strip and realized my mistake.

The unfortunate thing is that, no matter where Jeph goes with the story now, I don't know if it can compete with the crazy ride I thought we were in for for a moment there.

[SpanielBear]

I occasionally process the things I read in an unusual order, and it happened with this strip. Instead of equating Clinton with the "handsome stranger" Roko predicted would catch her, I saw Clinton (a) calling Roku "ma'am," (b) being told he was late by Roku, and (c) wearing clothing similar in colouration and style to Roku's uniform, and immediately jumped to the conclusion that Clinton had somehow joined the police force since we saw him last.

I mean, it wouldn't be the first time we saw Clinton in an unexpected situation; I was starting to suspect we were getting another "how did Clinton get here?" flashback story before I finally fully processed the strip and realized my mistake.

The unfortunate thing is that, no matter where Jeph goes with the story now, I don't know if it can compete with the crazy ride I thought we were in for for a moment there.

Me too, I think it's cause his clothes are quite dark but I was also thinking "Huh, Clinton's a cop now?" and had to double check.

[themacnut]

C'mon shippers, y'all know Clinton is getting none of that; he never does, and likely never will. There'll just be the usual wacky hijinks, involving Clinton maybe getting close, but then circumstances or his own dweebness will torpedo his chances and he'll end up home alone as usual.

Clinton's going to be one of those people who watches others hook up while he simply can't. And will never be able to figure out why.

[ckridge]

C'mon shippers, y'all know Clinton is getting none of that; he never does, and likely never will.

I don't know about that. Karma is a silly idea, except in personal relations. If you are a right guy long enough, it begins to show on you, and if someone looking for a right guy happens along, they pick up on it. There is no guarantee that someone will come along who wants a right guy bad enough to overlook dweebishness, and if they do, it isn't really karma, but if they do, there you are getting some.

The first rule of helping is that you can't do it with the intent of getting some, though, so it is unlikely that anything will happen here. I don't think the officer has herself anywhere near organized enough to initiate anything. She seems to be somewhere in the early stages of unfocused polymorphous perversity.

[TheEvilDog]

C'mon shippers, y'all know Clinton is getting none of that; he never does, and likely never will. There'll just be the usual wacky hijinks, involving Clinton maybe getting close, but then circumstances or his own dweebness will torpedo his chances and he'll end up home alone as usual.

Clinton's going to be one of those people who watches others hook up while he simply can't. And will never be able to figure out why.

The thing about that is the simple fact it will stop being funny after a while. Its the sign of a lazy storyteller who just tells the same "joke" over and over again, and for all Jeph's faults, he isn't a lazy storyteller.

[Thrudd]

So is "Clinton helps out wacky troubled females near bars" a running theme now?

NO - I am pretty sure he was at a brisk walk at most though more likely at a leisurely stroll.

Just had a brain blast - now I am not sure if anyone has mentioned it before as yet - I remember that there was an action movie pop icon playing the part of a police officer that ended up knitting as a stress releiver - rats were involved in the story at some point but no trash pandas as far as I can recall.

[War Sparrow]

Will this be "Officer Basilisk: Trials of Love"?

Cause I am so down.

Actually, since she works for the Mass State Police, it's Trooper Basilisk.  But I very much agree, they'll make a most, ah, interesting pair.  (I still hope Mrs. Punchbot turns out to be a high level human academic.)

Interesting. That's one way to put it.

[BenRG]

Just had a brain blast - now I am not sure if anyone has mentioned it before as yet - I remember that there was an action movie pop icon playing the part of a police officer that ended up knitting as a stress releiver - rats were involved in the story at some point but no trash pandas as far as I can recall.

You're thinking of Demolition Man. Sylvester Stallone's character had been subliminally programmed to knit as a 'peaceful release of violent impulses' whilst in a cryogenic suspension pod. Other features of the film world were non-contact sex through brain-to-brain wireless networking (which is something I could see happening in QC), printers everywhere spitting out fines for public cussing and toilets that need a BSc in electronics to figure out how they work.

[Tova]

Isn't it a firing infraction for most law enforcement agencies for officers to go out drinking (and getting drunk) while still wearing their uniforms?

O'Malley and Roko aren't wearing their badges. They're in partial uniform but could argued to not be on duty as they don't have their badges or weapons. It's the way actors and actresses get around it - So long as they're not wearing a badge off-set or off-lot, then they're not 'impersonating a police officer'.

I am far from an expert, but if it's against the rules to drink in uniform, then I very seriously doubt that you could get around it this way.

[BenRG]

That's the point: Without the badges, they're not in uniform. The uniform includes the badge; without it, you're just wearing blue clothing.

[Tova]

Do you know whether police are allowed to drink in partial uniform?

[OldGoat]

I see Roko and Clinton tacitly agreeing to forget it happened, and denying any romantic attraction but none the less striking up a friendship centering on their mutual interest in 'droid/cyborg technology.  At some point a blunt, somewhat clinical discussion of AI sexuality ensues and Roko says something like, "Of course, since robot "sex' is accomplished via data transfer, it wouldn't be impossible to involve a human, but it would require his neuromuscular system be fitted with a compatible interface devic..." tapering off as both their eyes land on Clinton's right hand. 

Android versus human blushing contest ensues.

[Zebediah]

Do you know whether police are allowed to drink in partial uniform?

I looked it up. It seems that the State Police have a regulation against drinking on duty (which makes sense), but I saw no rule about drinking in uniform while off-duty.

[zmeiat_joro]

Just had a brain blast - now I am not sure if anyone has mentioned it before as yet - I remember that there was an action movie pop icon playing the part of a police officer that ended up knitting as a stress releiver - rats were involved in the story at some point but no trash pandas as far as I can recall.

You're thinking of Demolition Man. Sylvester Stallone's character had been subliminally programmed to knit as a 'peaceful release of violent impulses' whilst in a cryogenic suspension pod. Other features of the film world were non-contact sex through brain-to-brain wireless networking (which is something I could see happening in QC), printers everywhere spitting out fines for public cussing and toilets that need a BSc in electronics to figure out how they work.

The film in question is Demolition Man, but the "cop knitting" thing goes at least back to Monty Python: https://youtu.be/hcCuBWXd-hc?t=252

EDIT: The "rat thing" is that Stallone's character had some rat burgers when they got in touch with the (literal) underground resistance, and found them delicious.