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Author Topic: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)  (Read 32361 times)

Beast_Reborn

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #100 on: 28 Oct 2020, 20:21 »

God damn it, I should have known Clinton was going to fuck this up as soon as he chose this particular evening to pop the question on Brun. I agree that the situation, if not the evening, is hopefully recoverable, perhaps with mediation from Claire and/or Renee, but jeez. He's even beyond early-QC Faye levels of pointless self-sabotaging here.

Edit: Come to think of it, to further the comparison with Faye, remember the time Faye ran into Sven at a bar and was thrown similarly off-kilter (leading up to the "mighty glutes" line mentioned above). I don't think her reaction there was her fault, though, and that situation ended up being resolved better than this one has any right to be.
« Last Edit: 28 Oct 2020, 20:26 by Beast_Reborn »
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Gus_Smedstad

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #101 on: 28 Oct 2020, 20:32 »

And this is what... after two drinks?

Clinton appears to weigh about 50 pounds. Two pint-sized glasses of high-alcohol not-Miller Lite beers affecting him strongly is believable.

Also, I don't think I like Clinton anymore. He's on a date, and talking to Elliot about how he's sniffing around Brun and thrown by how she disinterested she was. That's super hurtful, completely self-absorbed, and feckless. I'm now thinking it's better that Elliot stay away, since he's just going to get hurt if Clinton can't be bothered to think about his feelings.

Sure, it's just one slip, but there are some things that are fundamentally very revealing about a person's inner character. This one says Clinton doesn't think much about other people's feelings, even though he's on a date and should be very focused on them, and is a bit faithless since he was chasing Brun in his head even though he's got something potentially going on with Elliot. It lacks integrity.

It'll probably get papered over and forgotten, or his personality changed in some way, this being a comic strip, but that's my current reaction.

Can we go back to following Roko around for a while? Maybe she'll find love and sex and bread, eventually.
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Beast_Reborn

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #102 on: 28 Oct 2020, 20:42 »

Also, I don't think I like Clinton anymore. He's on a date, and talking to Elliot about how he's sniffing around Brun and thrown by how she disinterested she was. That's super hurtful, completely self-absorbed, and feckless. I'm now thinking it's better that Elliot stay away, since he's just going to get hurt if Clinton can't be bothered to think about his feelings.

Sure, it's just one slip, but there are some things that are fundamentally very revealing about a person's inner character. This one says Clinton doesn't think much about other people's feelings, even though he's on a date and should be very focused on them, and is a bit faithless since he was chasing Brun in his head even though he's got something potentially going on with Elliot. It lacks integrity.
Well, it's not necessarily a "date" in the normal sense, given that Clinton didn't give Elliott an answer beforehand, and Elliott is at work, so they weren't going to spend the whole time talking to each other anyway. But besides that quibble, yes, he's being gratuitously hurtful as well as stupid. I was never quite as pissed off at Corpse Witch as I now am at Clinton, which I suppose says a lot about how I'm reading this story.
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Farideh

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #103 on: 28 Oct 2020, 20:49 »

Agreed. This is not a date: it's Clinton hanging out with Elliot while he's working. Still, for Clinton to then bump into Brun, ask her if she's interested, and then to vent about Brun to his other potential love interest... It's beyond the pale. Clinton'd better GROVEL once he sobers up.
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MrNumbers

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #104 on: 28 Oct 2020, 20:49 »

To be fair it feels like the only reason he managed to ask Brun now was because he was on a date, not because he was pursuing her here.

But, yes, this is very dumb
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Reaver

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #105 on: 28 Oct 2020, 21:29 »

And this is what... after two drinks?

Clinton appears to weigh about 50 pounds. Two pint-sized glasses of high-alcohol not-Miller Lite beers affecting him strongly is believable.

Also, I don't think I like Clinton anymore. He's on a date, and talking to Elliot about how he's sniffing around Brun and thrown by how she disinterested she was. That's super hurtful, completely self-absorbed, and feckless. I'm now thinking it's better that Elliot stay away, since he's just going to get hurt if Clinton can't be bothered to think about his feelings.

Sure, it's just one slip, but there are some things that are fundamentally very revealing about a person's inner character. This one says Clinton doesn't think much about other people's feelings, even though he's on a date and should be very focused on them, and is a bit faithless since he was chasing Brun in his head even though he's got something potentially going on with Elliot. It lacks integrity.

It'll probably get papered over and forgotten, or his personality changed in some way, this being a comic strip, but that's my current reaction.

Can we go back to following Roko around for a while? Maybe she'll find love and sex and bread, eventually.



LMAO! “ On a Date”  He got invited to hang around where Elliot works
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Gus_Smedstad

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #106 on: 28 Oct 2020, 21:29 »

I was never quite as pissed off at Corpse Witch as I now am at Clinton, which I suppose says a lot about how I'm reading this story.

I had to look up that arc again. I'd forgotten who Corpse Witch was, despite remembering the "partitioned memories" plot.

Corpse Witch was a cartoon villain. What she did amounted to slavery enforced by blackmail, and objectively far, far worse. But it was hard to seriously hate her because she was so 2 dimensional, and we never liked her in the first place.

Clinton, on the other hand, is a full-fledged character who has generally been sympathetic. He's a lot more real to us than Corpse Witch.
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Gus_Smedstad

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #107 on: 28 Oct 2020, 21:32 »

LMAO! “ On a Date”  He got invited to hang around where Elliot works

Man, that was rude.

Sneer all you like, both of them built it up significantly. It's not a casual "let's just hang around" event for either of them. Quibbling about labels doesn't change what it actually means.

EDIT: Also, I have to ask - what exactly do you think Elliot is thinking? Are you really unable to read hurt in his expressions in the strip?
« Last Edit: 28 Oct 2020, 21:39 by Gus_Smedstad »
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Reaver

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #108 on: 28 Oct 2020, 21:43 »

LMAO! “ On a Date”  He got invited to hang around where Elliot works

Man, that was rude.

Sneer all you like, both of them built it up significantly. It's not a casual "let's just hang around" event for either of them. Quibbling about labels doesn't change what it actually means.

A real date is not “ Hang out where I work, while I work around you” Dates are for getting to know each other. This whole plan was a mess, everyones messed up here but aways so quick to lower the Boom on Clinton.

Elliots clearly being distracted from his job, which is unfair to his boss who is paying him to work... Clintons drinking is probably also  just so he can stay in the bar and not be loitering and taking space.

Yeah he said a rudeish thing but Meaner and less kind intending things fall out of Mays mouth and even Fayes and thats just met with “‘Well thats just how they are/ you dont understand their trauma” I’m sorry if you felt I was rude, but this is ridiculous.

Clinton clearly thinks right now in his booze stupor “ Well now neither of is have to worry about  knowing! Because we both know”

I certainly can see how Clinton said something dumb, but he ( to me) cleary thinks he’s helping Elliot by preventing him from being told “ I pictured us having sex and its super gross” like he got.
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N.N. Marf

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #109 on: 28 Oct 2020, 22:51 »

Elliot doesn't know, he knows that Clinton told him that Brun said that,.. From Elliot's perspective, this could be seen as psychological manipulation.
Yeah he said a rudeish thing but Meaner and less kind intending things fall out of Mays mouth and even Fayes and thats just met with “‘Well thats just how they are/ you dont understand their trauma” I’m sorry if you felt I was rude, but this is ridiculous.
Faye/May are often crude. It doesn't matter why so, they are. There's a long precedent there. Were you to just meet them, you might be taken aback the first time, and maybe the next few times, too, unless you weren't told that that happens often. It's not an excuse---it's a warning to newcomers, to save them the trouble of dealing with that over an over until they've had enough of it and leave, maybe making a scene that others, too, might have to deal with. (Please point us to the Questionable Content pages that cite `past trauma' to excuse bad behaviuor.)

Clinton is obviously moved after that interaction with Brun, but we don't know whether he's much upset, much relieved, or unsure---though he seems sure that he is, whatever it is.
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Reaver

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #110 on: 28 Oct 2020, 22:55 »

Elliot doesn't know, he knows that Clinton told him that Brun said that,.. From Elliot's perspective, this could be seen as psychological manipulation.
Yeah he said a rudeish thing but Meaner and less kind intending things fall out of Mays mouth and even Fayes and thats just met with “‘Well thats just how they are/ you dont understand their trauma” I’m sorry if you felt I was rude, but this is ridiculous.
Faye/May are often crude. It doesn't matter why so, they are. There's a long precedent there. Were you to just meet them, you might be taken aback the first time, and maybe the next few times, too, unless you weren't told that that happens often. It's not an excuse---it's a warning to newcomers, to save them the trouble of dealing with that over an over until they've had enough of it and leave, maybe making a scene that others, too, might have to deal with. (Please point us to the Questionable Content pages that cite `past trauma' to excuse bad behaviuor.)

Clinton is obviously moved after that interaction with Brun, but we don't know whether he's much upset, much relieved, or unsure---though he seems sure that he is, whatever it is.


The comics never excuse it, the readers typically do, I’m just annoyed that whenever Clinton flubs people are  quick to slam him hard and without mercy( and not in a fun way)

Tbh what I took away from this comic was that Clinton just needs to cease the alcohol.. and maybe not have casual “ hang out dates” at bars.
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Tova

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #111 on: 29 Oct 2020, 00:23 »

You speak as though Clinton is the only one in the comic that gets slammed, and that Faye and May do not.

I assure you that this is not so.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #112 on: 29 Oct 2020, 00:32 »

You speak as though Clinton is the only one in the comic that gets slammed, and that Faye and May do not.

I assure you that this is not so.

Faye and May( Hey!) Often get people defending their character on the grounds of “ Thats how they are/ They mean well” But no such grace typically gets extended to Clinton, its always “ Goddamn Clinton and his stupid damn mouth ruining  everything by being terrible”
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BenRG

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #113 on: 29 Oct 2020, 00:42 »

I honestly underestimated the degree to which Clinton was carrying a torch for Brun and it looks like learning that she's literally incapable of thinking of him that way has pretty much shattered him and he may be shattered for a while! Bad luck for Elliot but I wouldn't blame him for not wanting to try his luck in starting a relationship with someone with whom he'd need to spend time with tweezers and superglue to put them back together on an emotional level!

There are those who have criticised Clinton for just coming out and saying this to Elliot but that ignores two things:
  • He's obviously drunk and isn't fully in charge of what he's doing at the moment;
  • He's also very obviously heart-broken (in a way that Elliot should be familiar with - Person whom he'd never come out and said he likes is out of reach) and I think that a nasty but all-too-human bit of him wants everyone else to be miserable too.
So, yeah, I'm wondering if Jeph is planning a 'surprise hook-up whilst drunk' scenario (May looking for a practice run? Stranger things have happened) or whether Clinton is going to wake up on Elliot's couch with a killer hangover. Yay will be standing there, wearing a poisonous smirk, and will say something like: "Elliot felt that you were not in a safe state to be left unsupervised tonight and, based on your dream-talking, we believe that he was right."


EDIT
Fixed a couple of typos
« Last Edit: 29 Oct 2020, 00:51 by BenRG »
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Tova

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #114 on: 29 Oct 2020, 01:51 »

You speak as though Clinton is the only one in the comic that gets slammed, and that Faye and May do not.

I assure you that this is not so.

Faye and May( Hey!) Often get people defending their character on the grounds of “ Thats how they are/ They mean well” But no such grace typically gets extended to Clinton, its always “ Goddamn Clinton and his stupid damn mouth ruining  everything by being terrible”

Ben has just done so above my post. And I believe you are doing so, also. So.  :-D

There's always someone that criticises. Always someone that defends. Clinton's not special.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #115 on: 29 Oct 2020, 03:06 »

I've been reading this thread with growing puzzlement.
I'm just NOT seeing the same reactions in Clinton's actions that most other's seem to be seeing!

I'm not seeing any heart-break, or sadness, or maliciousness... just a lightweight drinker running his mouth off.
(In Vino Veritas, and all that)

And Elliot? Well.. his face in that last frame looks to me like a "You're half a pint from seeing the doorway from a horizontal plane!"
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Gore17

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #116 on: 29 Oct 2020, 03:11 »

Okay, so, me and my socially-inept ass have once again run into a situation where I fail to understand what problem is happening, or what social faux pas has been made.

So, Clinton has done something mean/cruel to Elliot, but I don't understand what.  The best I can think of is that he phrased him talking to Brun badly, or that his end statement is rude in some way.  Is the end line supposed to be read as Clinton subtly calling Elliot a coward?  That's the best I can come up with.

Honestly, until I saw the title, and then the comments here, I thought Clinton was doing okay/being kind, but apparently not.
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BenRG

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #117 on: 29 Oct 2020, 03:24 »

Bottom line is that Clinton has just said to the guy that he is sort of on a practice date with: "Oh I ran into this girl I like just now and she said that she doesn't feel any sexual attraction to me but, don't worry! If I understand right, she doesn't reciprocate the crush I know that you have on her either! Haha!"

So, firstly, he has implied strongly that he would have dumped Elliot on the spot and left with Brun if she'd returned his feelings. Secondly, he has admitted to basically talking to someone else about their feelings for each other and whether he had a chance with her whilst he was supposed to be going out with Elliot. Finally, he seems to be mocking Elliot's crush on Brun and  taking comfort from the fact she isn't interested in him either. Now, I'm not saying that this is what Clinton is saying or doing. However, it is going to be very, very easy for Elliot to take it that way.
« Last Edit: 29 Oct 2020, 03:33 by BenRG »
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #118 on: 29 Oct 2020, 03:26 »

I'm not seeing any heart-break, or sadness, or maliciousness... just a lightweight drinker running his mouth off.
(In Vino Veritas, and all that)

Now that you mention this, I'm reminded (as I so often am these days) of a previous strip, and its own subsequent debate.

Honestly, until I saw the title, and then the comments here, I thought Clinton was doing okay/being kind, but apparently not.

Yeah, he won't like it, but he'll do his job if and when it comes down to it.
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N.N. Marf

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #119 on: 29 Oct 2020, 04:17 »

The comics never excuse it, the readers typically do, I’m just annoyed that whenever Clinton flubs, people are quick to slam him hard and without mercy (and not in a fun way)
I see it too often in the world---these forums included---that it's absence from the comic would have my compliments to God. I think one of the issues is that we don't see any underlying issues with Clinton, only behaviour, so that's what we criticize, though it would be more effective to merely note the behaviour, and watch for other clues as they might arise---to wait until there's enough data to say something deeper about why, maybe, those behaviours are thus. The second biggest problem I see with Clinton's behaviour in row 3 frame 2, is that he's gesticulating with a glass of beer. Last time, some splashed on a big-guy's shirt, who threatened corporal violence in response. It's a nice detail, actually, because (d) he's kinda doing the same thing---emotionally---to Elliot, and (r) it reminds us that Elliot already displayed to Clinton what Yaaaaaaaay Newfriend proposed to pose for.
The biggest problem is loose talk, but many a character suffers that flaw.
And Elliot? Well.. his face in that last frame looks to me like a "You're half a pint from seeing the doorway from a horizontal plane!"
Well, I think there's some verity to the idea that Elliot's immediate reaction is about finding out that a person he's attracted to is not attracted to him---Clinton reacted similarly---but we'll see if it sticks with him. As for Clinton's being upset about Brun expressing (which may be, as earlier noted, Brun's mistaking something related---a lack of sexual-fantastic pleasure---as) unattraction to Clinton, we have no indication that it stuck with him past that first reaction: he could well be simply relieved. I agree that the speculation has focused too much on that possibility.
So, firstly, he has implied strongly that he would have dumped Elliot on the spot and left with Brun if she'd returned his feelings.
Nuh-uh!---I mean *clears throat* that's not necessarily what would have happened. It's definitely high-grade asshattery---mentioning what may be construed, especially by someone as self-insecure as Elliot, as an attempt to `steal' the other's crush---but I think this could be further set-up for the polycule. I don't think he's making fun of Elliot's attraction, but not recognizing, in that state of mind, that maybe Elliot won't feel the same way about it.

If there are any errors in this message: the keyboard has been drinking---not me.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #120 on: 29 Oct 2020, 06:10 »

It's seems I have read this situation completely differently than most people. Clinton and Elliot both know that the other likes Brun and Elliot doesn't know but we the audience know that Clinton seems to reciprocate Elliot's attraction. I think Clinton asked Brun (both him and "any dudes" but specifically wanting to know about Elliot) because both of their interest in her was the only thing he could see being a reason not to go for it with each other.

She said no and yeah I think he's hurt by her bluntness but rather than him carrying a bigger torch than we thought, I assumed his intense nervousness/followed by downing drinks is that he now feels he has to address the Elliot situation and his answer is actually YES and as we have seen Clinton freaks the fuck out (to monumental levels, including a unwanted tattoo! on first dates)
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #121 on: 29 Oct 2020, 09:00 »

The comics never excuse it, the readers typically do, I’m just annoyed that whenever Clinton flubs people are  quick to slam him hard and without mercy( and not in a fun way)

(click to show/hide)

Also, if you look at the end result of this comic, it's totally different from what May does. Usually, when May is crude or jerkish, there's a couple of grumbles, but people know she's just being May and let it drop. What she says rarely actually hurts people, and when it does, she gets called on it almost instantly.

That's the key difference here. You can tell by Elliot's facial expression and his ignored "I wouldn't know, no" that he's genuinely hurt. To me, it doesn't matter why; if something Clinton says offends Elliot (this applies to any two people, in the comic and the real world), it's Clinton's fault and he needs to do something about it.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #122 on: 29 Oct 2020, 10:29 »

No, he needed to stop at least five minutes ago.

Years ago, if you ask Claire.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #123 on: 29 Oct 2020, 10:40 »

I genuinely read this page as Clinton being a socially awkward dude who's getting drunk because he just got shot down.

Of course it's still a stupid thing to do but I'm not reading any malice into it. I'd actually take him at face value with his explanation of 'well, too bad but at least now you know.'
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #124 on: 29 Oct 2020, 11:11 »

I genuinely read this page as Clinton being a socially awkward dude who's getting drunk because he just got shot down.

Of course it's still a stupid thing to do but I'm not reading any malice into it. I'd actually take him at face value with his explanation of 'well, too bad but at least now you know.'

Intentions are not magic. Lack of malice doesn't mean lack of hurting others.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #125 on: 29 Oct 2020, 11:16 »

I initially read the 5th panel that Elliot doesn't know where he stands with Clinton, and that he necessarily wasn't even thinking about Brun at that moment (or he was thinking both), and then Clinton in 6th panel sounds like he completely forgot that they even had that conversation. "Now you got your answer" isn't even correct. Elliot still doesn't know what the person he actually himself asked thinks.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #126 on: 29 Oct 2020, 13:22 »

Intentions are not magic. Lack of malice doesn't mean lack of hurting others.

True, but as a rule I'm a lot more lenient towards people who seem to be suffering from a bad case of foot down their throat.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #127 on: 29 Oct 2020, 13:31 »

I'm willing to give Clinton some leeway due to the tricky situation he's in (2 potential love interests, coming to terms with his sexual orientation, finding out that one of his love interests wouldn't touch him with a 10 foot pole), but he has made some bad choices here, and I hope he apologizes to Elliot when he sobers up.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #128 on: 29 Oct 2020, 13:32 »

I genuinely read this page as Clinton being a socially awkward dude who's getting drunk because he just got shot down.

Of course it's still a stupid thing to do but I'm not reading any malice into it. I'd actually take him at face value with his explanation of 'well, too bad but at least now you know.'

Intentions are not magic. Lack of malice doesn't mean lack of hurting others.

I didn't read that post as implying otherwise.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #129 on: 29 Oct 2020, 17:57 »

Intentions are not magic. Lack of malice doesn't mean lack of hurting others.
True, but as a rule I'm a lot more lenient towards people who seem to be suffering from a bad case of foot down their throat.
I think the three of us are essentially in agreement; consider Thrillho's phrase contrapositively: hurting other's doesn't imply malice. Of course, I consider others' intentions magic: what I'll never experience, with putative effects, based on traditions of local historical importance.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #130 on: 29 Oct 2020, 18:23 »

And we have another comic.

And Clinton and Elliot are doomed to fail because neither one of them knows how to have a conversation about their goddamned feelings.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #131 on: 29 Oct 2020, 18:43 »

And we have another comic.

And Clinton and Elliot are doomed to fail because neither one of them knows how to have a conversation about their goddamned feelings.

Unfortunately, in our culture at least, men are often not taught/trained to be aware of, examine or accept their feelings, let alone (how) to communicate them to others.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #132 on: 29 Oct 2020, 18:50 »

In Elliot's defense, now is NOT the time to have an in-depth discussion about his feelings, since:

a. he is working
b. he needs some space to process this
c. Clinton is drunk
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #133 on: 29 Oct 2020, 19:49 »

In Elliot's defense, now is NOT the time to have an in-depth discussion about his feelings, since:

a. he is working
b. he needs some space to process this
c. Clinton is drunk
True...

...but knowing Elliot, he's not going to ever bring it up without a sizable push from Renee. What he needs to do tomorrow and what he's going to do tomorrow are two entirely different things.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #134 on: 29 Oct 2020, 20:36 »

I was never quite as pissed off at Corpse Witch as I now am at Clinton, which I suppose says a lot about how I'm reading this story.

I had to look up that arc again. I'd forgotten who Corpse Witch was, despite remembering the "partitioned memories" plot.

Corpse Witch was a cartoon villain. What she did amounted to slavery enforced by blackmail, and objectively far, far worse. But it was hard to seriously hate her because she was so 2 dimensional, and we never liked her in the first place.

Clinton, on the other hand, is a full-fledged character who has generally been sympathetic. He's a lot more real to us than Corpse Witch.

That depends on if you've ever met anyone like corpse witch IRL. A horribly selfish, endlessly manipulative, conniving, lying, sociopath only out for their own gain and any opportunity to screw some else over.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #135 on: 29 Oct 2020, 20:46 »

I DO feel a bit sorry for Clinton, even if he's being a drunken ass.  :-P

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #136 on: 29 Oct 2020, 20:58 »

Clinton isn't being malicious, he seems to honestly think he was being helpful, and Elliot isn't communicating his feelings, so Clinton has no way of knowing that Elliot was hurt.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #137 on: 29 Oct 2020, 21:11 »

I was never quite as pissed off at Corpse Witch as I now am at Clinton, which I suppose says a lot about how I'm reading this story.

I had to look up that arc again. I'd forgotten who Corpse Witch was, despite remembering the "partitioned memories" plot.

Corpse Witch was a cartoon villain. What she did amounted to slavery enforced by blackmail, and objectively far, far worse. But it was hard to seriously hate her because she was so 2 dimensional, and we never liked her in the first place.

Clinton, on the other hand, is a full-fledged character who has generally been sympathetic. He's a lot more real to us than Corpse Witch.

That depends on if you've ever met anyone like corpse witch IRL. A horribly selfish, endlessly manipulative, conniving, lying, sociopath only out for their own gain and any opportunity to screw some else over.

Yep! Corpsewitch literally reminded me of my own mother, hate that character significantly more than Clinton
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #138 on: 29 Oct 2020, 21:15 »

I'm hoping that, perhaps with a gentle push from his mom or a less gentle kick from his sister, Clinton will realize how shitty what he did was and apologize to Elliot.  After all, he is usually a pretty nice guy and wouldn't want to hurt Elliot, but he's also a pretty clueless guy sometimes.  And that when he apologizes to Elliot, he makes it clear that it wasn't "oh if she'd said she was attracted to me I'd have forgotten all about you, I just saw an opportunity to know for sure what options we had and took it."  Elliot's a nice guy too, and as we saw from how he handled Renee's challenge to "ask them out next time you see one of them", well... I'll let Elliot speak for himself.  "I handled that in pretty much the stupidest way possible!"  He knows what it's like to be unsure of himself and therefore make a really boneheaded mistake.

If these two do end up getting together, which I'm still hoping for, they're both going to need a lot of patience and forgiveness with each other and with themselves.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #139 on: 29 Oct 2020, 21:20 »

I'm hoping that, perhaps with a gentle push from his mom or a less gentle kick from his sister, Clinton will realize how shitty what he did was and apologize to Elliot.  After all, he is usually a pretty nice guy and wouldn't want to hurt Elliot, but he's also a pretty clueless guy sometimes.  And that when he apologizes to Elliot, he makes it clear that it wasn't "oh if she'd said she was attracted to me I'd have forgotten all about you, I just saw an opportunity to know for sure what options we had and took it."  Elliot's a nice guy too, and as we saw from how he handled Renee's challenge to "ask them out next time you see one of them", well... I'll let Elliot speak for himself.  "I handled that in pretty much the stupidest way possible!"  He knows what it's like to be unsure of himself and therefore make a really boneheaded mistake.

If these two do end up getting together, which I'm still hoping for, they're both going to need a lot of patience and forgiveness with each other and with themselves.


I’d rather Claire stay out of it, she’s faaaar too intrusive and pushy with Clintons love life as is... This should be a momma thing( We never get to see Clinton with his mom anyways)
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #140 on: 29 Oct 2020, 21:26 »

Elliot is too good... he'd better be preparing to have a serious talk with Clinton though... jeeeeeeez :psyduck:
Maybe Clinton will mention it to Claire and then she'll get him to grovel to Elliot? (or his mom as Reaver suggested I suppose)
I'm sure Elliot realizes that drunkenness and nervousness are factors here, but seriously, don't just bottle things up... You're gonna be resentful and acting weird and then he'll be worried about you! Then when you tell him he'll feel so shitty! And maybe a little irrationally mad because you lied that things were okay, then got him freaked out, and then suddenly put the blame on him! Honestly, Elliot, you should have just said "Pissed is a strong word, but I'm a little upset. We can talk about it when you're sober."
bleh i'm sorry i just ... awkward social scenarios are so awful, especially when there's tension and you don't know what happened or what you did... the flashbacks to 18-year-old me on twitter finding all the dumb things to say and get blocked over :psyduck:
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #141 on: 29 Oct 2020, 21:51 »

I would like to put out a MAYDAY distress call for the two ships that have sank.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #142 on: 29 Oct 2020, 21:55 »

I've been reading this thread with growing puzzlement.
I'm just NOT seeing the same reactions in Clinton's actions that most other's seem to be seeing!

I'm not seeing any heart-break, or sadness, or maliciousness... just a lightweight drinker running his mouth off.
(In Vino Veritas, and all that)

And Elliot? Well.. his face in that last frame looks to me like a "You're half a pint from seeing the doorway from a horizontal plane!"
You're not the only one. I also didn't see any heartbreak or maliciousness in Clinton's behaviour. Running his mouth off as a lightweight drunk - definitely. Unintentionally hurting Elliot's feelings - yep that too.

I was initially rather surprised by comic 4383. I honestly thought that Clinton was fairly sure Brun wasn't interested in him but had decided to ask in order to avoid wondering about the road not taken. Brun has known that Clinton finds her attractive for ages - since https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3497 - and never indicated any interest back. Early Clinton likely would have been oblivious to that pretty clear lack of interest but I thought recent Clinton was more aware of this stuff.

Comic 4383 seemed to suggest otherwise, but then I thought that perhaps Clinton started drinking heavily to help get any lingering mental images from Brun's comments out of his head... (And with probably a bit of "wanting some dutch courage due to nerves about exploring something with Elliot" in there too). Personally I feel like the following comics support this impression, so I'm standing by it.

That said, I can definitely see how Elliot would likely read Clinton's comments in 4384 as hurtful, even though I personally don't think they were intended to be. But good intent doesn't excuse harm so hopefully Clinton will apologize after he sobers up, and also admit that he drunk too much because he was nervous but that he does genuinely want to explore this possibility with Elliot.

I also strongly agree with those who've been saying that this isn't a date and that it was a bit of mess from the start. Going to hang out with someone while they're at work really isn't a great way to explore potential romantic interest. So this evening was probably doomed from the start... but I'm hoping this is just a hiccup in road to their eventual happiness. (Team #HappinessforElliot here)


Unrelated - is it just me or has the site & these forums been down a lot more often than usual recently
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #143 on: 29 Oct 2020, 21:55 »

This was very amusing. Clinton seems to understand Brun and vibe with her unfiltered communication style. If he finds a direct communicator who he can sink his teeth into, and who's difficult enough to keep him from getting bored - a Sven type, if you will - he'll be set. As for Brun, who knows what she's looking for, or if she's looking? For the most part, she seems like a self sufficient ecosystem.

I don't really have a read on Elliot yet. He's graduated from sexy plot device, but his buttery personality makes him a terrible match for pretty much the entire rest of the cast, any of whom would rip him up like loose change in a clothes dryer.

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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #144 on: 29 Oct 2020, 22:41 »

I'm not seeing Elliot as the one who "blew it"...
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #145 on: 29 Oct 2020, 22:47 »

Elliot returns home, wanting to go to sleep and forget what happened, only to find the lock picked, his cat missing, and a note encoded in binary lying on his bed.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #146 on: 29 Oct 2020, 23:11 »

[size=78%]Unrelated - is it just me or has the site & these forums been down a lot more often than usual recently[/size]


Down, how?
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #147 on: 29 Oct 2020, 23:31 »

As in inaccessible. Usually there's some trouble around 10 am my time, but I've noticed some issues on other times as well, lately.
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #148 on: 29 Oct 2020, 23:47 »

Accessibility has actually improved on my end, I used to see a lot more outages
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Re: WCDT strips 4381-4385 (Oct 26th to Oct 30th 2020)
« Reply #149 on: 30 Oct 2020, 00:18 »

Yeah, I think that Elliot is having second thoughts about this whole thing. Not unsurprising, given the sour direction this whole thing has gone. However, maybe a little unfair to expect Clinton to live the illusion instead of being a real person with a hugely overflowing 'flaws' packing box.

I'm expecting two possible outcomes right now:
  • Clinton has a drunken hook-up with an unexpected 'spoiler' character (maybe May looking to take her anthroopomimetic peripherals on a dry run? Stranger things have happened!), thus setting up the transition to "mistakes were made";
  • Clinton wakes up on Elliot's couch tomorrow morning with a killer headache and Yay standing over him with a poisonous smirk on their face. "Elliot thought it unsafe for you to spend the night unsupervised. Based on your dream-talking all night, we are forced to agree with him!"
  • Clinton wakes up in his room at his mothers house with a killer hangover and someone (likely either Brun or Elliot) spooned up next to him; there is going to be a bit explanation required in the morning.
No matter what way it goes, there is a new record set of complications and post-first date rebuilding to do if this is to go anywhere for them.
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