Questionable Content 10: La Li Lu Le Lo

[Lethologica]

Welcome to the latest installment of discussion threads for Questionable Content (http://questionablecontent.net/), a M-F "slice of life" comic in which life is defined by coffee, robots, Butts Disease (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2016), and spontaneous metal interludes. (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=666)

You have been warned.

Links To The Past
Questionable Content 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140480)
Questionable Content 2: Espresso With Extra Scorn (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176418)
Questionable Content 3: Ironically Quite Popular (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194380)
Questionable Content 4: Attack of the 60-Inch AnthroPC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215953)
Questionable Content 5: Suffers Occasional Outbreaks of Butt's Disease (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242665)
Questionable Content 6: Murder Mode (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280941)
Questionable Content 7: Will Work For Makeouts (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?328150-Questionable-Content-7-Will-Work-For-Makeouts)
Questionable Content 8: OMG I SHIP IT! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?383478-Questionable-Content-8-OMG-I-SHIP-IT)
Questionable Content 9: To Kill a Yelling Bird (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?433481-Questionable-Content-9-To-kill-a-Yelling-Bird)

Who knew christmas reindeer pixie girl would actually kickstart plot?

[Traab]

ello ello ello! Whats all this then?

[Beelzebub1111]

You know, I'll never know why everyone is so violent towards pint-size. Sure he's a tool, but I can't think of anything that warrants the savage beatings he regularly gets. If anything, quick physical retribution only encourages him to think "Oh, I've been hit we're even" whereas if the subject were actually shown to be upset then he'd probably be more likely to quit it.

[AvatarVecna]

Ah, that new thread smell...

Also, really glad to be back to the Bubbles stuff.

[Morquard]

Don't jinx it!

[Keltest]

You know, I'll never know why everyone is so violent towards pint-size. Sure he's a tool, but I can't think of anything that warrants the savage beatings he regularly gets. If anything, quick physical retribution only encourages him to think "Oh, I've been hit we're even" whereas if the subject were actually shown to be upset then he'd probably be more likely to quit it.

Because he can take it. People aren't going to hold back on being violent towards him because it isn't really going to, you know, hurt him. Inconvenience him, maybe, but he does worse to himself all the time.

Plus, it was a reindeer. Why would it hold back?

[rooster707]

Checking in!

I'll be back in... let's see, about 20 pages, probably? :smalltongue:

[Beelzebub1111]

Because he can take it. People aren't going to hold back on being violent towards him because it isn't really going to, you know, hurt him. Inconvenience him, maybe, but he does worse to himself all the time.

Plus, it was a reindeer. Why would it hold back?

I wasn't talking so much about the reindeer, but in general. Bubbles's and Faye's comment was what got me thinking about it. If Bubbles, instead of punching him, got visibly upset and went "Hey, cut it out" it wouldn't be fun for him anymore and he'd actually stop. The posturing is counter-intuitive to enforcing their desired behavior.

[FLHerne]

Do they really want him to stop? He doesn't usually cause much damage, and the main cast seem to find him more amusing than offensive. Anyway, creative and/or violent retribution is great stress-relief. :smalltongue:

Bubbles might be an exception, but she's not great at interpreting normal behaviour, nevermind Pintsize's idiocy.

[Morquard]

Problem is, if Faye hits Pintsize, she hits him with a human fist. A fleshy, soft fits. Maybe dents his chassis a bit but nothing major. Probably hurts her more than him.
When Bubbles hits him, a freaking war droid just attacked him. I'm not sure if his AI core is tripple shielded like the combat bots...

[Keltest]

Problem is, if Faye hits Pintsize, she hits him with a human fist. A fleshy, soft fits. Maybe dents his chassis a bit but nothing major. Probably hurts her more than him.
When Bubbles hits him, a freaking war droid just attacked him. I'm not sure if his AI core is tripple shielded like the combat bots...

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Martin or Pintsize were making frequent backups ever since he nearly erased himself.

[Beelzebub1111]

Do they really want him to stop? He doesn't usually cause much damage, and the main cast seem to find him more amusing than offensive. Anyway, creative and/or violent retribution is great stress-relief. :smalltongue:

That's the rub, innit? If they don't want him to stop, why are they posturing like they do want him to? If they want him to stop, why not make a more effective attempt?

Unless it is just posturing. In which case, what does it say about them if they care more about looking like they want to stop crude behavior than actually stopping it.

[AvatarVecna]

That's the rub, innit? If they don't want him to stop, why are they posturing like they do want him to? If they want him to stop, why not make a more effective attempt?

Unless it is just posturing. In which case, what does it say about them if they care more about looking like they want to stop crude behavior than actually stopping it.

You're acting like the main cast consists of perfect angels with no problems in their heads that would cause them to want a talking punching bag that doesn't actually get hurt.

[Traab]

Meh, its the robot equivalent of a slap to the back of the head. When you go too far your friends tend to give you a swat to bring you back in line.

[Flickerdart]

Obviously, Pintsize has blackmail on the entire cast. If they try to distance themselves from him, everyone finds out Marten's darkest secret - he doesn't actually like indie music, and memorized all the band names just so he could get friends.

[Mith]

This most recent comic gave me a good chuckle.

[eee]

OK, I may be reading too much into this, but Bubbles identified Lady Robocop on sight as a problem, not just an innocent bystander. L.R. immediately realized she was made, and instead of running or standing her ground, hid. Bubbles pulled a harmless but troublesome prank to eliminate the problem.

I think these two know each other.

[Keltest]

OK, I may be reading too much into this, but Bubbles identified Lady Robocop on sight as a problem, not just an innocent bystander. L.R. immediately realized she was made, and instead of running or standing her ground, hid. Bubbles pulled a harmless but troublesome prank to eliminate the problem.

I think these two know each other.

CW also seems to expect her to understand who "that state police unit" is. Bubbles is a military robot, after all. She can probably guess who would be following them even if she didn't know for sure.

Also, does bubbles seem taller in this comic than she did in the last one?

[Flickerdart]

Also, does bubbles seem taller in this comic than she did in the last one?

And has a different looking head. Mid-comic style change!

[halfeye]

Also, does bubbles seem taller in this comic than she did in the last one?
She has always been huge.

She is behind Faye in the first panel, so that makes her look a little taller still.

[Morquard]

Bubbles olfactory sensors are sure weird...

[Rodin]

I giggled at this one. I guess Bubbles is a bit of a tea snob!

[halfeye]

I guess Bubbles is a bit of a tea snob!

Not so. Snobbery is about social climbing, about liking or approving of things that other people, particularly aristocrats, like, whether you would naturally like them yourself or not. Bubbles likes or dislikes tea for what it is.

[Cikomyr]

She is growing into a bit of a Connaisseur, knowing what she likes and what she does not.

Which is fine. She would only turn into a bad person if she disparaged Claire's teamaking abilities in a mean way.

[Kato]

I guess snob is an ambivalent term.
Of course it carries a negative connotation but at some basic level it just means she has a restricted taste for things... if she doesn't like the tea she doesn't have to pretend.

[Mith]

I find Bubbles just gets better and better.

[AvatarVecna]

I agree with Faye, if I saw an army of Bubbles approaching and an army of Pintsize's approaching me, without having any experience with either character, I would probably prefer to face the army of Bubbles.

[SaintRidley]

It's amazing Pintsize didn't ask this sooner.

[Beelzebub1111]

Is it bad that I kind of want to know now? She wears body armor, and has synthetic skin on her face, does she have synth skin on her body as well? I'm asking out of curiosity, not because I have a thing for tall muscular people. But yes also that.

[Flickerdart]

Is it bad that I kind of want to know now? She wears body armor, and has synthetic skin on her face, does she have synth skin on her body as well? I'm asking out of curiosity, not because I have a thing for tall muscular people. But yes also that.

Does she wear body armor, or is she just covered in it?

[eee]

Does she wear body armor, or is she just covered in it?

Wears it. She's indicated she CAN remove her armor, the heavy stuff over her chest and extremities, and the secondary, lighter armor on her abdomen, hips, and joints. But it makes her extremely uncomfortable to be that exposed, so she stays in iron constantly.

If she ever DOES start removing it, that will probably be a sign of increasing mental health.

[Mith]

I had read that her current body is covered in armour and that she could get a civilian chassis if she so chose. She is probably a registered owner of her current chassis. More so than others because of the military grade hardware.

[stsasser]

Wears it. She's indicated she CAN remove her armor, the heavy stuff over her chest and extremities, and the secondary, lighter armor on her abdomen, hips, and joints. But it makes her extremely uncomfortable to be that exposed, so she stays in iron constantly.

If she ever DOES start removing it, that will probably be a sign of increasing mental health.

It would be nice just to see her smile one time.

[Eldan]

Ah, the angel approach.

[eee]

Someone should tally what makes Bubbles blush. It seems to me like her interactions with Faye are causing them more and more.

[John Cribati]

Butts Disease claims yet another comic. (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3339)

[eee]

I wonder what her abs feel like. I wonder how you can feel anything through her armor. I wonder what a slinky full of ball bearings WOULD feel like.

[Beelzebub1111]

Remember, kids, even if comics are a visual medium, telling us things is pretty much the same as showing us. Just as good, if not better. Think of all the time you save not learning how to draw anatomy, or risk defiling your eyes looking at references.

[PhantomFox]

Ok but tactile sensation is a bit harder to convey.

[AvatarVecna]

Remember, kids, even if comics are a visual medium, telling us things is pretty much the same as showing us. Just as good, if not better. Think of all the time you save not learning how to draw anatomy, or risk defiling your eyes looking at references.

:smallfurious: Ugh, I know right? Don't these people know we read webcomics for their stunning visuals, not all this stupid characterization dialogue, or the wacky scenarios?! And it's more common than you think: there's two long-running webcomic that are--I swear by the Nine--freaking stick figure comics! I mean, who the hell do these hacks think they are, focusing more on communicating complex philosophies, sea-deep characterization, and funny jokes at the expense of the art, when we all know that the visuals are the only thing that matters?!! One of those comics has even had a couple "art upgrades", not that it really changed all that much! :smallfurious:

[Beelzebub1111]

We work within the confines of our medium. And for a stick figure comic, Rich manages to convey a lot with action, motion, and expression. We don't really have to "take the character's word for it" like we do in this page, as a blatant example.

[Lethologica]

Are you asking for a shared thought bubble of a slinky full of ball bearings to convey what Bubbles' abs don't feel like? IDGI.

[Yana]

I think that we're just all baffled by the incredibly awkward simile that's been brought up.

[AvatarVecna]

A container full of ball bearings is a weird tactile description regardless, but especially so in this case where the "container" is a slinky...which is not, in fact, a container.

[stsasser]

A container full of ball bearings is a weird tactile description regardless, but especially so in this case where the "container" is a slinky...which is not, in fact, a container.

Can not a coil of wire contain a row of ball bearings?

[AvatarVecna]

Can not a coil of wire contain a row of ball bearings?

Sure, as long as you don't move it. Slinkies don't exactly have a a base capable of keeping balls from slipping. Plus, you'd think a military killbot would have abs a little tougher than a slinkie. And yet that's what Marten was apparently expecting

[Beelzebub1111]

A thought occurs: If it's armor, how can he feel her abs through it? The logistics of how he can feel abs through...whatever it is that covers her stomach, the way he is feeling them baffles me. In order for him to feel abs through it, but not show them, it would have to be made of a loose thin fabric like a t-shirt, but it clearly doesn't move like that, and you could hardly call such a thing armor. I'm also trying to visualize what she looks like under the armor in the third panel, and I'm even more confused. She must lie somewhere between Liefeldian and Lovecraftian proportions.

[Keltest]

A thought occurs: If it's armor, how can he feel her abs through it? The logistics of how he can feel abs through...whatever it is that covers her stomach, the way he is feeling them baffles me. In order for him to feel abs through it, but not show them, it would have to be made of a loose thin fabric like a t-shirt, but it clearly doesn't move like that, and you could hardly call such a thing armor. I'm also trying to visualize what she looks like under the armor in the third panel, and I'm even more confused. She must lie somewhere between Liefeldian and Lovecraftian proportions.

It wouldn't surprise me if her abs are her armor there. I mean yeah, technically she needs them to move, but chances are if her armor was to get busted there her abs would be pretty hosed anyway.

[AvatarVecna]

A thought occurs: If it's armor, how can he feel her abs through it? The logistics of how he can feel abs through...whatever it is that covers her stomach, the way he is feeling them baffles me. In order for him to feel abs through it, but not show them, it would have to be made of a loose thin fabric like a t-shirt, but it clearly doesn't move like that, and you could hardly call such a thing armor. I'm also trying to visualize what she looks like under the armor in the third panel, and I'm even more confused. She must lie somewhere between Liefeldian and Lovecraftian proportions.

Only explanation I can think of is maybe it's graphine armor? I don't know how the progress on that is going, but supposedly it's super-lightweight, super-thin, super-flexible, and is extremely effective armor. Of course, it begs the question of why they're using a super-material like that for her stomach armor when the rest of her armor appears to be more traditional plating and the like, meaning that the only reason to have that particular armor in that particular location is to have her stomach be armored while still letting you feel her sick abs.

[Cazero]

Mobile parts have always been harder to armor up to keep the mobility intact. Sometimes you even have to give up armoring them entirely.
Abs is a mobile part important in crawling, crouching and bending over. Of course the abs aren't heavily plated with rigid materials like the pectorals are.

[Yuki Akuma]

Bubbles has stated that the darker parts of her armour are flexible to allow for a fuller range of motion. It stands to reason that flexible armour would let you feel stuff under it, if it's thin enough.

[Mith]

I would have used the phrase "flexitube full of ball bearings" personally. My thought with using slinky is that Bubble's lower torso does not look like a slinking, since a vertical slinky is smooth, while her lower torso has ridges.

Granted I am not sure if "flexitube" gives the same mental image to everyone else.

[Rodin]

I would have used the phrase "flexitube full of ball bearings" personally. My thought with using slinky is that Bubble's lower torso does not look like a slinking, since a vertical slinky is smooth, while her lower torso has ridges.

Granted I am not sure if "flexitube" gives the same mental image to everyone else.

I don't even know what a flexitube is, so it's really hard to say. My immediate thought is something like a pool noodle.

[Morquard]

I'm just wondering how you can feel anything, abs or ball bearing through what is supposed to be armor. Yes it's more flexible armor, but it's still armor, it's still supposed to stop bullets and whatnot. And to feel through it, it got to be pretty thin, so those two don't work well with each other. If he can feel whats under it just by touching it, then a bullet fired at it can seriously harm those parts.

[John Cribati]

I'm just wondering how you can feel anything, abs or ball bearing through what is supposed to be armor. Yes it's more flexible armor, but it's still armor, it's still supposed to stop bullets and whatnot. And to feel through it, it got to be pretty thin, so those two don't work well with each other. If he can feel whats under it just by touching it, then a bullet fired at it can seriously harm those parts.

Occam's Razor answer: some kind of Nonsense Future MetalTM that's thin enough to feel things through bit can still stop a bullet.

[AvatarVecna]

Occam's Razor answer: some kind of Nonsense Future MetalTM that's thin enough to feel things through bit can still stop a bullet.

Perhaps something similar to impact gel?

[Beelzebub1111]

I'm just wondering how you can feel anything, abs or ball bearing through what is supposed to be armor. Yes it's more flexible armor, but it's still armor, it's still supposed to stop bullets and whatnot. And to feel through it, it got to be pretty thin, so those two don't work well with each other. If he can feel whats under it just by touching it, then a bullet fired at it can seriously harm those parts.


Also if it were thin enough to feel we should also be able to see them. At least with a better outline than a vague tube.

[Yuki Akuma]

I'm just wondering how you can feel anything, abs or ball bearing through what is supposed to be armor. Yes it's more flexible armor, but it's still armor, it's still supposed to stop bullets and whatnot. And to feel through it, it got to be pretty thin, so those two don't work well with each other. If he can feel whats under it just by touching it, then a bullet fired at it can seriously harm those parts.

Materials that harden in response to hard, quick impacts but are soft in response to gentle, slow impacts already exist. You may be familiar with kevlar. And cotton.

Not that I expect Bubbles' flexible armour pieces are made of either of those, but it's probably some sort of fabric or metallic thread. Or it's filled with corn starch and water.

[Morquard]

I wasn't saying flexible armor doesn't exist. Kevlar might be relatively flexible, but I don't think you can actually feel abs through it, and still expect it to protect you.

[Mith]

It could be that it formed impact gel, sort of a military equivalent to Soft Robotics (http://biodesign.seas.harvard.edu/soft-robotics).


I don't even know what a flexitube is, so it's really hard to say. My immediate thought is something like a pool noodle.

This (http://www.cpapplus.com/images/products/large/Fisher%20&%20Paykel%20Aclaim%202%20Nasal%20CPAP%20Mask%20Rep lacement%20Flexitube%20Kit%20900hc412_1.jpg) is what I was thinking in terms of "flexitube". Basically like the flexible portion of a drinking straw.

[eee]

Sherlock and Mr. Darcy? As in Holmes and Pride and Prejudice???

What is this, I don't even... O_O

[Mith]

Sherlock and Mr. Darcy? As in Holmes and Pride and Prejudice???

What is this, I don't even... O_O

The power of the Internet, that's what it is.

As for my thoughts on the comic, I will say that Claire irked me a bit there. But I have problems with people shipping actual people, so there's that.

[AvatarVecna]

The power of the Internet, that's what it is.

As for my thoughts on the comic, I will say that Claire irked me a bit there. But I have problems with people shipping actual people, so there's that.

It's irksome, but at least it's an established character trait, as opposed to just a set-up to a joke.

[stsasser]

I have no problem with fictional characters imagining the motives and feelings of another set of fictional characters.

[Mith]

I get that it is silly and an established character trait. It just didn't work so well for me.

As for Sherlock and Mr. Darcy, I heard that one before.

[Thufir]

The power of the Internet, that's what it is.

As for my thoughts on the comic, I will say that Claire irked me a bit there. But I have problems with people shipping actual people, so there's that.

I have to ask: why? Literally all it is is "Hey, those two look like they're getting pretty close. They'd make a cute couple if they start dating." What's to have a problem with?

[Kato]

I have to ask: why? Literally all it is is "Hey, those two look like they're getting pretty close. They'd make a cute couple if they start dating." What's to have a problem with?

Not rarely it develops into influencing people TO be a couple. When it happens with real people. Or sabotaging other relationships because it is not your ship. Obviously not saying it always happens but it does once in a while.

As for Faye and Bubbles... I don't see it. Maybe I'm old-fashioned but... it takes a lot more for me to start shipping a human and a robot. *insert obligatory Futurama clip*

[Thufir]

Not rarely it develops into influencing people TO be a couple. When it happens with real people. Or sabotaging other relationships because it is not your ship. Obviously not saying it always happens but it does once in a while.

True, but this is not happening here.

And, well, sabotaging other relationships is bad, but that's not something I've ever come across in this context. Trying to set people up with each other though, I also don't really see how that's inherently bad. It can certainly be mishandled (see: Clinton and Emily), but that certainly doesn't invalidate the whole concept, and sometimes it works out much better (see: Marigold and Dale).

[Mith]

I realize that it is silly on my part. Maybe it's because I am not seeing it on my end, and we just had an arc that shows Claire does meddle other people's affairs.

I know it is just an observation at this point. I guess stuff like this has become a personal pet peeve of mine due to other factors within my own life.

[AvatarVecna]

...well then. I can't remember if supernatural elements have been hinted at before in QC, but this would be corroborating evidence, potentially.

[eee]

...well then. I can't remember if supernatural elements have been hinted at before in QC, but this would be corroborating evidence, potentially.

Off the top of my head...

Dora was part of a coven, and she brought in the head of her order to examine Collette and see if she was under a curse, since all the businesses she'd work for before had failed soon after she went to work for them.

Dora and Hanners have apparently been possessed by eldritch spirits and spoken in non-human tongues during periods of extreme irritation.

At least one of Emily's computer projects went so wrong it began to show Etheric manifestations and the government had to send haz-mat suited workers to contain it.

So the supernatural is THERE, but it's not a major element.

So far.

[Cikomyr]

...well then. I can't remember if supernatural elements have been hinted at before in QC, but this would be corroborating evidence, potentially.

Also, the concept of Eldritch Beer is fun to think about.

The word is also cool to say.

[Keltest]

So, my german was never exactly amazing, but is that beer called "Wormfather Death's-head-birthday Dark Brown?"

Oh, yes it is. He left a note.

[Eldan]

Worm-father Skull-birthday dark-brew.

Sounds a bit like random dark-sounding words strong together, really. No one would ever say "Totenkopfgeburtstag".

[Keltest]

Worm-father Skull-birthday dark-brew.

Sounds a bit like random dark-sounding words strong together, really. No one would ever say "Totenkopfgeburtstag".

I mean, stringing smaller descriptive words together is pretty much how the German language names things, so I find it rather plausible actually.

[Morquard]

Yes, you can create some crazy words in german, which technically are correct words, and then there's what people will actually use and say. Also there are still rules to that, and when you string words together, there are implications of which part means what. And "Totenkopfgeburtstag" falls under the "Technically correct but I can't imagine anyone saying that" category.

Not just because it sounds funny, but it doesn't even make a lot of sense either. It's not "the birthday of death's head" same as you'd not say "Frankgeburtstag" for "Frank's birthday" - it would just be "Franks Geburtstag". Yes, we're not stringing everything together. :)
It sounds more like the proper name for a very specific birthday as in "Silberhochzeit" for "silver wedding" aka your 25th anniversary.

[SaintRidley]

Totenkopfgeburtstag is a specific birthday, but not everyone gets to have one. It's the word for when your birthday is also the day you die. True facts totally not pulled out of my ass, nosireebob!

[Morquard]

Fun fact, when I googled for it, I found this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dekoration-Totenkopf-Geburtstag-Kinder-Deko-Party-Kindergeburtstag-Halloween-/400465171003

[Kato]

Fun fact, when I googled for it, I found this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dekoration-Totenkopf-Geburtstag-Kinder-Deko-Party-Kindergeburtstag-Halloween-/400465171003
Well, we Germans have a great sense of humour.

But yeah, I think jeph just had fun putting something metal sounding in google translate... Though I have seen far worse attempts.



True, but this is not happening here.


No, but I think you don't refer to any situation where someone supports a relationship as shipping. It usually only applies when it turns somewhat obsessive... No?

[Morquard]

And Claire does not have a history of sticking her nose into other people's relationship business where it doesn't belong, at all. So I can't see anything going wrong with this...

[eee]

This is an interesting aspect of Brun's personality. Both that she's a fighting - although very bad at it - drunk, and that she didn't warn Elliot of it, first.

And either it WAS a very evil beer, or she has no tolerance for alcohol. Which would be ironic for a bartender.

[Cikomyr]

Brun turned out to be a much more facetted character that Jeph probably intended from his initial shotgun-crazy bartender

[Fawkes]

I'm not really sure 'crazy and violent' is a new facet for Brun.

[AvatarVecna]

I'm not really sure 'crazy and violent' is a new facet for Brun.

One might go so far as to say that it was her first established character trait, regardless of what weapon it was she brought out from under the bar.

[Morquard]

Hmm, just realised over those last two strips, that I don't dislike Brun. She's actually pretty funny and cute with Eliot there. I apparantly dislike Renee so much however, that it rubs off on anyone nearby...

[Ibrinar]

Hmm, just realised over those last two strips, that I don't dislike Brun. She's actually pretty funny and cute with Eliot there. I apparantly dislike Renee so much however, that it rubs off on anyone nearby...

Yeah I have had it that I disliked entire shows because f one character. (The anime kill la kill for instance, I couldn't stand it but realized that scenes without Mako were actually watchable. I don'tthink I would have considered it great anyway, but I might have finished it if she wasn't there. Even if it would just have been because it was popular at the time.)

[Yana]

With regards to today's blurb, I fully support the second alternative.

[Beelzebub1111]

Hmm, just realised over those last two strips, that I don't dislike Brun. She's actually pretty funny and cute with Eliot there. I apparantly dislike Renee so much however, that it rubs off on anyone nearby...

Renee is the worst. Every time she opens her mouth it remeinds me how horrible she is, and at the same time she plays it off like she just said something adorable.

[memnarch]

Renee is the worst. Every time she opens her mouth it remeinds me how horrible she is, and at the same time she plays it off like she just said something adorable.

Well, she's meant to be the secret bakery equivalent of Faye if I remember right, so it makes sense that Renee'd be kinda like that.

[Shadow of the Sun]

It's worth noting that Renee was used to A, establish that Angus has a type (aka girls like Faye) and B, to establish that he and Renee broke up due to Renee being an absolute gorram jerk (his words).

So I think us disliking her could simply be Jeph being too good at writing characters that are terrible people.

[Morquard]

Making her a terrible person is ok, but then taking her and stuffing her down our throats for 3 weeks in a row is not.

[Cikomyr]

....

Ok. First time for everythung. Brun is positively hot in that panel.

[John Cribati]

....

Ok. First time for everythung. Brun is positively hot in that panel.

*opens the comic page*
*squints at panel 2*

Congratulations, you have confused the asexual. Please explain.

[AvatarVecna]

*opens the comic page*
*squints at panel 2*

Congratulations, you have confused the asexual. Please explain.

Visually speaking, Brun has a fairly nice body, and the clothes she's wearing is tight in places that accentuates her physical sexuality while also being loose in places that allows for more skin visible as well as more freedom of motion (tightness that highlights sexuality is visually pleasing, where tightness that does not highlight sexuality and instead restricts movement is not as visually pleasing, although it can be for somebody with fetishes that align with such things). In terms of ideas, many people enjoy things being clean (at least, more than they enjoy them being dirty), but they don't generally enjoy cleaning up themselves; cleaning things is a chore, a job, work, and it's not something you do because you want to, but because you have to. Even Hannalore doesn't seem to enjoy cleaning, it's just that her uncomfortableness with dirty things outweighs her uncomfortableness with cleaning things. Anyway, Brun being willing to clean without being pushed to do so, to the point that she's described as fastidious can be seen as a positive trait if it's believed to be voluntary, since somebody willing to do the work to keep stuff clean makes them seem either highly motivated, hard-working, or proud of their accomplishments, all of which look good on a person and make them seem like a more viable mate/partner, whether sexually or socially. Of course, it looks less appealing if you find out that the positive qualities you see in a person are due to some serious mental emotional issues.

As a very direct example, somebody looking at Hannalore might be quite attracted due to her figure and her cleanliness habits (same as with Brun in this particular case), but that attractiveness is tempered a bit when you find out that the reason for her maintaining her figure and her cleanliness is not due to mental fortitude, but due to mental fragility. It doesn't make you like her less as a person, unless you're an *******, but the mental issues going on there probably make her less sexually appealing to a good number of folk, even if just slightly.

[Kato]

Anyway, Brun being willing to clean without being pushed to do so, to the point that she's described as fastidious can be seen as a positive trait if it's believed to be voluntary, since somebody willing to do the work to keep stuff clean makes them seem either highly motivated, hard-working, or proud of their accomplishments, all of which look good on a person and make them seem like a more viable mate/partner, whether sexually or socially. Of course, it looks less appealing if you find out that the positive qualities you see in a person are due to some serious mental emotional issues.


Dont forget maid fetishes and the view of an attractive woman bent over.

Okay, serious again, that is a surprisingly attractive picture of Brun and while the certain show-of-skin is certainly part of it, I think there is also something more subtle behind it I can't put my finger on...

Anyway... since when was Hanners looking for a roommate?

embarassing sidenote: I had to figure out what fastidious means from context :smallredface:

[Traab]

Dont forget maid fetishes and the view of an attractive woman bent over.

Okay, serious again, that is a surprisingly attractive picture of Brun and while the certain show-of-skin is certainly part of it, I think there is also something more subtle behind it I can't put my finger on...

Anyway... since when was Hanners looking for a roommate?

embarassing sidenote: I had to figure out what fastidious means from context :smallredface:

What makes you think she is looking for a roommate? She probably is just happy to learn there are more hyper clean people out there for her to interact with. While she is way better than she used to be, I would imagine she still gets twinges dealing with people who arent as clean as her ocd likes.

[Cikomyr]

I was more talking about the tightening of clothes that put emphasis on her fiminine features, which were previously seriously underplayed.

Hence, she really "cleaned up" ;-)

[Admiral Squish]

I think it's mostly that she's got an attractive figure, and is... not showing off, really, more like... revealing, said figure. She's not dressed up or wearing make up or really presenting herself in any intentional fashion, she's just cute and attractive in a very natural, casual way. I think part of it is that the image evokes a feeling of... comfortable-ness. I can't help but imagine the image as though I were in the room with her, and she's aware of my presence, but comfortable and familiar with it, entirely un-self-conscious as she casually gets ready to clean. A sort of intimate moment, the sort of thing one might have with one's spouse or very-long-term partner, if that makes any amount of sense.

I support Brun becoming Hanners' roomie. I do like seeing the secret bakery, Elliot in particular, and I actually don't mind Renee... Still, though, I like Hanners a lot more.

[John Cribati]

And once again, I must adjust my understanding of the concept of sexual attraction.

[Traab]

And once again, I must adjust my understanding of the concept of sexual attraction.

There is one simple rule. Everything is sexy to somebody. Everything.

[AvatarVecna]

And once again, I must adjust my understanding of the concept of sexual attraction.


There is one simple rule. Everything is sexy to somebody. Everything.

Seconding this. Rule 34 ("if it exists, there is porn of it") exists for a reason: everything is sexy to somebody, for whatever reason.

[Cikomyr]

Tu is is so cool

[Lethologica]

Someday Jeph will learn to spell! /facetious

[stsasser]

Nothing at Sharper Image. Nothing on Amazon. :smallmad:

[Lethologica]

Nothing at Sharper Image. Nothing on Amazon. :smallmad:
Uh, yeah, give the researchers a few more years to tinker with them and then turn them over to engineering. This is a SF setting, after all. :smalltongue:

[Kato]

I had to google what those are and even now I'm not quite sure. :smalltongue: I AM sure I will never own one, though. But QC is different, so...

Okay, maybe my idea of Hanners looking for a roommate was a bit fast but... so does hanners befriend anyone who is fastidious?

[eee]

Sisters separated at birth! OK, maybe not...

RE sexy Brun: It looks like she's tying a red bow in her hair. It may be that Eliot is a Kiki fanboy; hence his fixation on Brun from the moment he saw her...

[Traab]

When I did a search I kept getting responses talking about atomic clocks for some reason. Maybe there is a connection? Like its some theoretical clock thats even more accurate or some such thing?

[Lethologica]

When I did a search I kept getting responses talking about atomic clocks for some reason. Maybe there is a connection? Like its some theoretical clock thats even more accurate or some such thing?
Somewhat more than theoretical, but otherwise, yeah. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_clock#Optical_clocks) Optical clocks are more advanced atomic clocks that use visible light instead of microwaves as their reference point; the higher frequency improves accuracy. Measuring frequencies of visible light in a clock-relevant way is a hard problem that has recently become easier, so while I wouldn't expect Amazon to carry optical clocks anytime soon, there may be an updating of clock standards and such.

[Mith]

I look forward to the implications of what other tech we have mastered, and likely resource scarcity problems we have solved that optical clocks become mass market.

As for Friday's comic, I cannot say I was expecting it.

[John Cribati]

... I'm not sure how to feel about this

[Eldan]

I now want to write up Starbucks as an Old One for Eldritch Horror.

"As you enter the strange café, a cultist ambushes you, accusing you of cutting in line. If you defeat him, you discover a half-finished screenplay on his corpse (will). If you succeed, you manage to sift through the contents and extract something useful, gain this clue. If you fail, the insane ramblings keep echoing in your head, gain a hallucations condition."

New conditions: undercaffeinated, no wi-fi.

[John Cribati]

Also something something interface.

[Beelzebub1111]

Had to be posted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkJnd9rSAQ8 Warning after 0:40 if you're at work.

[Mith]

Had to be posted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkJnd9rSAQ8 Warning after 0:40 if you're at work.

My guess before clicking on the link was correct! A good song.

[Kato]

I'm not sure what jeph intended and maybe I don't want to know...
Or maybe I should blame pintsize...

[Mith]

It is a logical extension of the previous comic.

[AMX]

Well, what May is doing there is basically sex work.
And her last ark was about being unable to afford urgent healthcare maintenance.

I'm not sure, but there might be some social commentary there :smallfrown:

[Mith]

I think that is looking too much into this. I personally see it as something that May feels no problem about doing anyway, and just lack of any real desire, and being able to make money off it is sufficient reasoning, without it being considered desperate for money.

Such as "Do something goofy that is not recorded in any way, and you don't have any real qualms about...and I will pay you."

[Flickerdart]

Where is Pintsize getting money from, anyhow?

[AvatarVecna]

Where is Pintsize getting money from, anyhow?

Boring (and therefore likely wrong) answer: Marten's wallet.

More interesting answer: Pintsize is running a private server where he hooks up anonymous people with whatever porn it is that their perverted little hearts desire.

[Mith]

I assumed that Pintsize owns a small time website that possesses the largest database of legal porn in the world. So he's not makinging a huge amount of money, but enough to allow him to pay for things.

I say legal porn, because I do not think that Pintsize is really that amoral, he just likes to get on people's nerves. At least nothing he's done has been actually malicious in my recollection.

Tangential thought: Do AI have their own network set up to pay for the resources (if any) they consume? I have always assumed that they had an (improbably) high quality battery that they recharge every so often, so that means electricity bills, or do they have an internal reactor that gives them a set life in their shell?

We have examples of AI that work, but then Pintsize doesn't seem to do work. Momo didn't work before she got her new chassis.

I would assume that the smaller grade chassis do not consume significant amount of power that cannot be covered by a slight increase in power bills. Would these power bills be subsidized due to the equivalence of Human Rights (Sapient Rights)?

[Flickerdart]

More interesting answer: Pintsize is running a private server where he hooks up anonymous people with whatever porn it is that their perverted little hearts desire.
You can't make money just by being a search engine. The way you rake in cash is ads. Perhaps Pintsize is in the endorsement business, using his notorious reputation as a mega-pervert to provide a stream of customers for various film-makers?

[Cikomyr]

I dont remember the original.joke the last two comics have referenced.

Can someone help refresh my memory please?

[Qwertystop]

I dont remember the original.joke the last two comics have referenced.

Can someone help refresh my memory please?

There's no original joke being referenced. They're doing a sex thing, except neither of them have genitals so it's just kinda dull.

[Keltest]

I assumed that Pintsize owns a small time website that possesses the largest database of legal porn in the world. So he's not makinging a huge amount of money, but enough to allow him to pay for things.

I say legal porn, because I do not think that Pintsize is really that amoral, he just likes to get on people's nerves. At least nothing he's done has been actually malicious in my recollection.

Tangential thought: Do AI have their own network set up to pay for the resources (if any) they consume? I have always assumed that they had an (improbably) high quality battery that they recharge every so often, so that means electricity bills, or do they have an internal reactor that gives them a set life in their shell?

We have examples of AI that work, but then Pintsize doesn't seem to do work. Momo didn't work before she got her new chassis.

I would assume that the smaller grade chassis do not consume significant amount of power that cannot be covered by a slight increase in power bills. Would these power bills be subsidized due to the equivalence of Human Rights (Sapient Rights)?

I was under the impression that being a companion AI was Pintsize's job. Momo's, too, and she just has two of them like many people do.

[Kato]

It is a logical extension of the previous comic.

Huh, somehow I totally missed fridays comic... probably too busy.


So... is it just me or does the art look weird today? I mean, not bad but... something is off. Too much space over the characters?
The idea is good but I fail to sing the themes to the proper tune. Then again, I can't sing for ....

[Cikomyr]

There's no original joke being referenced. They're doing a sex thing, except neither of them have genitals so it's just kinda dull.

But.. Pintsize mentions a "feeling of transgression"

[Flickerdart]

But.. Pintsize mentions a "feeling of transgression"
Pintsize is a huge pervert, and his thing seems to be "things other people find perverse." Bumping uglies without the uglies just doesn't cut it.

[Lethologica]

Apropos of nothing, Alice Grove is in some kind of place. :smalleek:

[Cikomyr]

This is a sensible precaution, IMHO

[eee]

They should talk to Momo, she knows about eels! At least she could shoot them out of an orifice in her old body.

Going back a strip, you have to wonder about a theme song that needs a Theremin.

"Good, good, GOOD, good vibrations...!"

[Eldan]

The OoooOOOOOooooo-ooo-ooo sounds in old classic horror movies are made on Theremin. So, probably that.

[Morquard]

I'm not sure if Faye was the only one with an alcohol problem at CoD ...

[Shogo]

This brings back memories.

A friend betting me that they could cut a tiny flash card in half with a katana. Him telling me to hold it for him. Me refusing. Him for some reason deciding that that particular flash card MUST be cut in half and volunteering to be the one to hold it. Me agreeing. Me attempting to cut the flash card with the katana. Me hitting his fingers instead of the flash card.

Fortunately the katana was decorative and not actually meant to be used on anything. That dull blade kept me from having to explain why I cut off a friend's fingers. Also fortunate that all he ended up with was bruised fingers. Explaining how I broke a friend's fingers would also have been pretty bad.

And the best part? We weren't even drunk! Just stupid teenagers still in high school.

[John Cribati]

... Didn't Dora fire Faye for being drunk on the job?

[AvatarVecna]

... Didn't Dora fire Faye for being drunk on the job?

As I recall, Faye was fired not necessarily for being drunk (that happens here with enough regularity to not be an issue), but because Faye was fairly consistently drinking/drunk on the job, to the point that it could be labelled an unhealthy coping mechanism that she'd become addicted to. Demanding sober employees all the time would be asking quite a lot (and would be hypocritical, as shown here and many other times), but there's an ocean of difference between drinking responsibly, drinking irresponsibly, and using your addiction to alcoholic beverages to avoid dealing with a lifetimes worth of psychological issues gradually piling up.

[Cikomyr]

I will not qualify "playing with a sword while drunk" as "drinking responsibly"

[AvatarVecna]

I will not qualify "playing with a sword while drunk" as "drinking responsibly"

Neither would I, hence the inclusion of "drinking irresponsibly" as a medium step between "drinking responsibly" and "full-blown alcoholic in a downward spiral". Mind you, I'm of the opinion that the only kind of responsible drinking is the kind that doesn't involve alcohol at all, so make of that what you will.

[Yuki Akuma]

Dora is an awful person - adding 'hypocrite' to her list of personality flaws isn't changing much.

[Cikomyr]

I remember the discussion here after the Faye Firing.

A big point was made of just how plain dangerous for the employer to have his employees intoxicated on the job. That can lead to lawsuits and insurance premium hikes. Which is why most people who were on Dora's side for the firing event had made that choice.

But then this happens. At least please establish that CoD is closed?!?

[Admiral Squish]

I dunno, it could be argued that Dora's being hypocritical, but I feel there is a line to be drawn between this and Faye's behavior. It's clearly not the consumption of alcohol itself that's the problem, as evidenced by the emergency burboun. The issue isn't even being drunk at work, because they've all done that before, and are doing it now. IIRC, the firing came when Faye came into work in the morning, drunk, not buzzed, but DRUNK. Getting drunk AT work, ALONG WITH your boss is one thing. One presumes Dora to be aware of the context of the situation, and generally responsible enough not to let herself or her employees get drunk right before a busy period or at an otherwise important time. Showing up drunk, or sneaking drinks at work (as implied by stashed booze), when your boss does not approve, suggests that you don't particularly care about doing your actual job.

[Kato]

Well, obviously jeph and the characters are aware of the problem and discuss it... I'm not sure where this is going except an argument against alcohol... And Emily to the hospital, I guess.

[eee]

I'm pretty impressed they can reach this level of intoxication in just 10 minutes.

Maybe that's not alcohol, but some sort of toxin Faye had stored in a bottle.

[Admiral Squish]

I'm pretty impressed they can reach this level of intoxication in just 10 minutes.

Maybe that's not alcohol, but some sort of toxin Faye had stored in a bottle.

QC-verse has some pretty legendary liquors. Wurmvater Totenkopfgeburtstag, Old Panther, Midnight Hobo... I don't remember the name of it, but the liquor store had it in a special case and I believe it caused time-dilation upon consumption.
I think this one's called 'Old Bull Moose', but it's hard to read the label.

[Mith]

Pintsize: A modern day Robin Hood. However, instead of banditry, he resorts to minorly discomforting extortion.

[Flickerdart]

Well, we got our answer to the questions about Pintsize's income stream.

[Cikomyr]

Pintsize: A modern day Robin Hood. However, instead of banditry, he resorts to minorly discomforting extortion.

Its actually a blessing in disguise. He makes the poor feel like they earned the money they got instead of feeling they got handouts.

Pintsize is one true Philantropist. :-P

[Cikomyr]

Okay. Quick reality check.

There is absoluty nothing wrong. Or illegal. Or exploitative by Faye to put the synthetic skin on her face, right?

[AvatarVecna]

Okay. Quick reality check.

There is absoluty nothing wrong. Or illegal. Or exploitative by Faye to put the synthetic skin on her face, right?

Putting it on nobody important? Sure. Putting it on May, potentially giving the ex-con a disguise? Probably not. Potentially viewable as "aiding and abetting" if May actually uses her "disguise" to perform a crime? Potentially, but that's not a thing I expect to happen. Of course, that Faye is associating with May is probably viewed as questionable; it's entirely possible that the agent was following May for some reason and is now suspicious because it lead back to the illegal bot fight mechanic, rather than that she was stalking Faye and happened to witness this meeting.

[Morquard]

We've seen the agent a few times watching the fighting place, and no indication that she's even aware of May.

So suggesting that she was actually following May around is more than just a stretch.

Now May goes in, and never comes back out again (Well she does but with a new face), so she's going to assume they murdered the poor, innocent robot.

[Rysto]

May's on probation, isn't she? Having any connection at all with an illegal operation could easily be a probation violation for her. The robot cop could use that as leverage to get information out of May.

[AvatarVecna]

We've seen the agent a few times watching the fighting place, and no indication that she's even aware of May.

So suggesting that she was actually following May around is more than just a stretch.

Now May goes in, and never comes back out again (Well she does but with a new face), so she's going to assume they murdered the poor, innocent robot.

I was not suggesting it as a probability, but as a (very slim) possibility. Regardless, though, an ex-con vising the illegal robot fights isn't gonna look good on Faye necessarily.

[eee]

For someone who said she had bigger fish to fry, Lady Robocop seems to be spending a lot of time focusing on the Robo-Fights.


May's on probation, isn't she? Having any connection at all with an illegal operation could easily be a probation violation for her. The robot cop could use that as leverage to get information out of May.

More probably out of Faye. May knows squat (and is surly enough to go to jail rather than squeal); Faye knows a lot, and is responsible enough to talk to protect May from being sent back to Robot Jail.

The thing is, it's not clear what L.R. is after. It may be there's more to this than meets the eye.

[Keltest]

For someone who said she had bigger fish to fry, Lady Robocop seems to be spending a lot of time focusing on the Robo-Fights.



More probably out of Faye. May knows squat (and is surly enough to go to jail rather than squeal); Faye knows a lot, and is responsible enough to talk to protect May from being sent back to Robot Jail.

The thing is, it's not clear what L.R. is after. It may be there's more to this than meets the eye.

I suspect that CW is going to get unnecessarily nasty upon discovering Faye doing the face thing again, even (or perhaps especially) for pay, and that is going to trigger Lady Robocop to come in and things will go downhill from there.

[AMX]

Putting it on nobody important? Sure. Putting it on May, potentially giving the ex-con a disguise? Probably not. Potentially viewable as "aiding and abetting" if May actually uses her "disguise" to perform a crime? Potentially, but that's not a thing I expect to happen. Of course, that Faye is associating with May is probably viewed as questionable; it's entirely possible that the agent was following May for some reason and is now suspicious because it lead back to the illegal bot fight mechanic, rather than that she was stalking Faye and happened to witness this meeting.

More simply, do you need a license to perform cosmetic robo-surgery?

[Traab]

Im thinking this is more of a suspicious thing thats being seen out of context. Its possible she is aware of May being an ex con. So seeing one ex con go into a place thats already suspected of performing illegal activities is going to look bad no matter what. Also, if she is staking out the place its possible this is all about her keeping track of every potential accomplice the site has. Now she has a new ai to add to the list.

[Shadow of the Sun]

I'm surprised Jeph is resolving this storyline so soon. Thought he'd drag it out more.

[AvatarVecna]

...so, this lady cop had "robot fights/repair shop" and "getting their face peeled off"...and either came to the conclusion that it was a human face (obviously some kind of crime peeling off a person's face) or came to the conclusion that it was a robot synthetic face (and that's illegal for some reason). The first one seems a weird conclusion to draw, even with the odd way the scene is set up, and the second...why would this be illegal? What does she think is going on here? I hope she has a better explanation for drawing her weapon than she did for threatening to implicate Faye in unspecified illegal activities, or this is going to lead to a very awkward scene.

[Keltest]

...so, this lady cop had "robot fights/repair shop" and "getting their face peeled off"...and either came to the conclusion that it was a human face (obviously some kind of crime peeling off a person's face) or came to the conclusion that it was a robot synthetic face (and that's illegal for some reason). The first one seems a weird conclusion to draw, even with the odd way the scene is set up, and the second...why would this be illegal? What does she think is going on here? I hope she has a better explanation for drawing her weapon than she did for threatening to implicate Faye in unspecified illegal activities, or this is going to lead to a very awkward scene.

Well, presumably if you do that without the consent of the soon-to-be-faceless person, its kidnapping and theft, plus whatever you had to do to kidnap them. Sort of like if you kidnapped a person and shaved them bald to make wigs. Even if shaving someone against their will doesn't sound too bad, you still kidnapped them.

[Traab]

Well, presumably if you do that without the consent of the soon-to-be-faceless person, its kidnapping and theft, plus whatever you had to do to kidnap them. Sort of like if you kidnapped a person and shaved them bald to make wigs. Even if shaving someone against their will doesn't sound too bad, you still kidnapped them.

Maybe destruction of private property mixed with assault? But yeah, cop is not having a good time. My outlook is this is being done to make her look all benny hill kooky wrong and sad to us so we all dismiss her and her case, then BAM, we see CW... I dunno, forcing punchbot to pretend to like fighting or else she will feed another dozen kittens into the facemeat grinder.

But yeah to Avatar, this should officially end badly for her in some way, because only a moron would think that AFTER she identified herself as a cop, the evil bad guy would say, "Hey, we are doing facial reconstructive surgery inside, wanna see?" and take that as a "pull your gun and charge in" moment. But im thinking this is just another random make her look like a fool moment before we eventually learn exactly what cw is up to thats truly deeply illegal and evil and wrong.

[rooster707]

I suddenly find myself liking CW a little bit more.

[AvatarVecna]

I guess it just seems to me like the cop is severely overreacting to an obviously provocative comment. Mybe the cops paranoid freakout is justified, and there's some freaky **** happening here that the audience hasn't seen yet...or maybe the cop doesn't exactly have objective judgement in regards to this place.

Charging into a place with your weapon drawn based on the assumption that the criminal mastermind who just walked up to a cop and casually informed of their nefarious plot was telling the truth...doesn't seem like a warranted reaction based on what we've seen so far.

[PhantomFox]

Now I'm wondering if cw's name is about how she makes bodies disappear

[John Campbell]

Bubbles definitely has some, "Oh no. There is an AI pointing a police issue EMP pistol with a tenth the output of the military-grade ones that my circuitry is hardened against at me," going on.

I don't know what Ms. Robocop expects an EMP pistol to do to Faye, either. Set her pants on fire by blowing up her smartphone? In fact, the only one of the people that she's holding at gunpoint that her gun is likely to hurt is the AI she's allegedly trying to rescue.

[AvatarVecna]

Bubbles definitely has some, "Oh no. There is an AI pointing a police issue EMP pistol with a tenth the output of the military-grade ones that my circuitry is hardened against at me," going on.

I don't know what Ms. Robocop expects an EMP pistol to do to Faye, either. Set her pants on fire by blowing up her smartphone? In fact, the only one of the people that she's holding at gunpoint that her gun is likely to hurt is the AI she's allegedly trying to rescue.

Wait, it's an EMP pistol? I thought it was a taser or something. If you're right...now her actions make even less sense. :smallsigh:

[John Campbell]

Wait, it's an EMP pistol? I thought it was a taser or something. If you're right...now her actions make even less sense. :smallsigh:

Well, according to the footer gag under yesterday's comic. (Does that have a proper name?) I don't know if that's actually canon.

[Kato]

I also think it's an EMP pistol but I don't know where from. But I'm also not sure it's as harmless as people make it out to be. Against Faye, certainly, but CW or Bubbles? IÄm not sure what it could do to them or other robo criminals...

Also: ten bucks say CW is hoinh to Sneak Attack her to get rid of her. Though, fifty bucks say either she's gonna be "see, nothing here" to get rid of her or "it's the humans fault".


sidenote: Obviously I have no idea about QC laws but secret face transplant surgery might be illegal because, you know, people can change their faces. Like, AIs in probation for fraud. Who you might not want to just change faces...

[John Cribati]

: Obviously I have no idea about QC laws but secret face transplant surgery might be illegal because, you know, people can change their faces. Like, AIs in probation for fraud. Who you might not want to just change faces...

Well, she already did have a secret face transplant surgery. It's why her face is white.

[AvatarVecna]

I also think it's an EMP pistol but I don't know where from. But I'm also not sure it's as harmless as people make it out to be. Against Faye, certainly, but CW or Bubbles? IÄm not sure what it could do to them or other robo criminals...

Also: ten bucks say CW is hoinh to Sneak Attack her to get rid of her. Though, fifty bucks say either she's gonna be "see, nothing here" to get rid of her or "it's the humans fault".


sidenote: Obviously I have no idea about QC laws but secret face transplant surgery might be illegal because, you know, people can change their faces. Like, AIs in probation for fraud. Who you might not want to just change faces...

The person who brought up the weapon type (below) pointed out that it could possibly harm the other robots.


Bubbles definitely has some, "Oh no. There is an AI pointing a police issue EMP pistol with a tenth the output of the military-grade ones that my circuitry is hardened against at me," going on.

I don't know what Ms. Robocop expects an EMP pistol to do to Faye, either. Set her pants on fire by blowing up her smartphone? In fact, the only one of the people that she's holding at gunpoint that her gun is likely to hurt is the AI she's allegedly trying to rescue.

And they made a good point about the possibility of Bubbles being hardened against EMP for practical reasons, which leaves "that poor AI" in the room susceptible to Female-Robocop's weapon. Which again, makes it seem really strange that this was the officer's response: she has to know all the people who work here, and yet the weapon she has on her person (or at least the weapon she immediately drew) is a weapon that isn't effective against the people working here...except for Corpse Witch, who she just ran right past? What? My curiosity continues desiring an explanation for lady-cop's train of thought, and unfortunately this comic didn't really give even a bit of that. Here's hoping for tomorrow, I suppose.

At least it was a funny fart joke.

[AvatarVecna]

Also, real people in real life commit fraud too, and yet face transplants/plastic surgery isn't illegal as long as it's done by professionals. Considering the difficulty in becoming skilled at operating on robots is probably lower than that for operating on people, Faye may very well be qualified here. Of course, if that is the issue Lady-Cop has with this situation (that is to say, she heard "we're peeling off faces" and came to the conclusion that Faye was doing the robot equivalent of plastic surgery without a license), her kicking down the door and drawing her weapon is even weirder a reaction.

[eee]

May keeps it classy.

RE Roko's pistol: While it was identified as an EMP weapon, it would have to have offensive capacity against humans as well. Because otherwise the officer would be helpless against armed humans. Maybe it fires bullets as well as energy.

[Ibrinar]

This makes no sense at all.

[AMX]

May keeps it classy.

RE Roko's pistol: While it was identified as an EMP weapon, it would have to have offensive capacity against humans as well. Because otherwise the officer would be helpless against armed humans. Maybe it fires bullets as well as energy.

My guess would be that humans get a nasty taser-like shock from it.

[Flickerdart]

Because otherwise the officer would be helpless against armed humans.

The officer is likely armoured against civilian-grade weaponry. She certainly has nothing to fear from a mook with a bowie knife, and unlike a human police officer can have subdermal kevlar all over her body that will deflect low-caliber bullets. Against AIs, this protection may not be sufficient - they could overpower her with pure strength or exotic weaponry like Pintsize's laser chassis - hence the EMP gum.

[Eldan]

My impression wasn't "Oh no, they are doing illegal surgery". My impression was "Oh no, they are torturing people". Which would make running in with a gun at least make sense.

[AvatarVecna]

My impression wasn't "Oh no, they are doing illegal surgery". My impression was "Oh no, they are torturing people". Which would make running in with a gun at least make sense.

Yes, that's my conclusion as well. The problem with that assumption is the follow-up question "...and the person responsible is telling a cop unprompted, for some reason?" that never even seems to cross her mind. The "illegal surgery" post was in response to other things.

My problem is that I can't figure out what the hell the cop was thinking to come to these conclusions and act the way she's acted. it doesn't make any sense to me to respond to being told by an untrustworthy criminal about their involvement in some kind of face-peeling, assume an AI is being abused somehow, and bust in with a weapon to apprehend the accomplices to...what crime does the cop think was going on here anyway? Face-theft? She clearly didn't think a person with nerve endings and stuff was in danger here, she was worried about the AI, but only crime I can think of is some kind of theft (face-theft is a weird crime I think, but that's irrelevant). The "illegal surgery" post is in response to somebody bringing up a possibility that still doesn't make any freaking sense.

[Cazero]

Ok, time out.
You are a cop. Someone tells you a crime is being commited right there, right now.
Do you :
1) take your time thinking about the exact meaning of the sentence you just heard, wondering why someone obviously complicit in whatever is going on would ever tell that to a cop ?
2) rush in, pulling whatever gun you have on your person out, and shout something like "Police ! Put your hands where I can see them!" ?
She didn't think about it, she reacted in a hurry. That tend to cause mistakes of judgement. It's still better than letting someone dying through inaction.

[AMX]

The "illegal surgery" post is in response to somebody bringing up a possibility that still doesn't make any freaking sense.

Is that aimed at me?
Because that post was made before this scene - doing anything without proper license could be "dirt" she can use to extort "better" info (or just shut the place down immediately, depending on the exact regulations).

Of course, it does not explain "run in with a gun" and CW would probably not have baited her inside if they were currently doing anything illegal, so that theory has been disproven now.

[Traab]

I just think this cop lady is new to the force, over eager, and inexperienced so she is messing up. Like, she tried to go all betty badass on faye, leaning on her for information, then we see her getting easily handled by bubbles in comedic ways when she bumblingly tries to follow them. And now this scene. I get the feeling she really needs an experienced ai cop as a partner to help her avoid this crap.

[AvatarVecna]

Ok, time out.
You are a cop. Someone tells you a crime is being commited right there, right now.
Do you :
1) take your time thinking about the exact meaning of the sentence you just heard, wondering why someone obviously complicit in whatever is going on would ever tell that to a cop ?
2) rush in, pulling whatever gun you have on your person out, and shout something like "Police ! Put your hands where I can see them!" ?
She didn't think about it, she reacted in a hurry. That tend to cause mistakes of judgement. It's still better than letting someone dying through inaction.

My response mostly depends on whether I think I'm being punked or not. Deciding my feelings on this should - assuming I've had decent training - take at most a full second. But I would spend that second taking in the circumstances on an instinctive level, taking into account the trustworthiness of both the information and the person delivering it. It's not a long drawn-out process, but it still takes place. The speed at which this scene progressed flew past implying (both to me and apparently a few others) that this happened almost instantaneously, indicating to me that the cop involved was expecting something like this to happen and was ready to move when necessary...but we haven't seen anything that would warrant "I need to be ready to bust in at a moment's notice just in case" style preparedness; the only quasi-illegal thing that we know goes on here, we were told was small fry stuff.

Now, assuming that I take both the information and the person delivering it seriously in this situation, and I'm positive enough that this place has something shady going on that I'm willing to trust this crime report automatically, my first response is...not to charge into enemy territory you know to contain a military death-bot. Instead, step 1 is "call for backup", or even just "reporting in that I'm checking out a reported crime". Only after I've ensured that somebody not in the immediate vicinity of the criminals is aware of the possibility of a crime that would I potentially charge in while drawing my weapon. Now, maybe if I had reason to believe there was something a lot more seriously harmful going on, I might just charge in without reporting it. Like, if somebody walked up to Cop!Me and said "don't mind us, we're just peeling peoples faces off in here", I would probably bust in because face-peeling isn't exactly harmless in real life, and I think somebody's in immediate danger. But the cop lady here indicated her concern was for the AI, who is not even potentially harmed by the face removal except possibly emotional. In real life, I would be responding to a mutilation/assault/battery/whatever, but in QC world, the lady cop is responding to theft. It's been awhile since I saw Home Alone, but I coulda swore the response to "thief!" wasn't "draw your gun and threaten the perp" in that movie, the cop chased after Kevin. Now, when it was just the previous comic, I figured maybe she thought they were peeling people faces, which might warrant her reaction, but this comic establishes that she thought robo-faces were being peeled, which isn't significant enough of a crime to warrant "charge in guns ready to fire".


Is that aimed at me?
Because that post was made before this scene - doing anything without proper license could be "dirt" she can use to extort "better" info (or just shut the place down immediately, depending on the exact regulations).

Of course, it does not explain "run in with a gun" and CW would probably not have baited her inside if they were currently doing anything illegal, so that theory has been disproven now.

No, it was addressed at somebody who's actually posted since these comics went up.

[Flickerdart]

Cop has probable cause to believe that a crime is being crimed. Cop is legally justified to pull a gun. The end.

[Morquard]

sidenote: Obviously I have no idea about QC laws but secret face transplant surgery might be illegal because, you know, people can change their faces. Like, AIs in probation for fraud. Who you might not want to just change faces...
Well, I doubt that. It was no problem for Momo to change her entire body. They went into the store, bought a new chassis and she walked out in it. If that's allowed, I doubt facial replacement is a big issue.

Also, since those chassis aren't very individual, they're mass produced, they all look the same, within their respective line. So facial recognition is probably the worst way to identify an AI. A wirelessly transmitted serial number of the chassis or the AI itself would do that job far more reliably, kinda like an ID for a person. Faking that signal most likely is a felony. As is faking an ID.

Of course the part where May says "I'm even paying this time" could bite them in the ass. They get paid for a service and don't pay taxes on it.

[AvatarVecna]

Cop has probable cause to believe that a crime is being crimed. Cop is legally justified to pull a gun. The end.

Obviously true, in the same way that it's obviously true that I was never calling into question the legality of the cop drawing their weapon, but rather calling into question the complete lack of thought behind the actions she's taken, including the drawing of said weapon. Definitely not questioning the legality, though.

[AvatarVecna]

Well, I doubt that. It was no problem for Momo to change her entire body. They went into the store, bought a new chassis and she walked out in it. If that's allowed, I doubt facial replacement is a big issue.

Also, since those chassis aren't very individual, they're mass produced, they all look the same, within their respective line. So facial recognition is probably the worst way to identify an AI. A wirelessly transmitted serial number of the chassis or the AI itself would do that job far more reliably, kinda like an ID for a person. Faking that signal most likely is a felony. As is faking an ID.

Of course the part where May says "I'm even paying this time" could bite them in the ass. They get paid for a service and don't pay taxes on it.

...I'm not sure how to feel about the possibility that the "bigger fish to fry" the agent previous referred to was tax evasion.

[Morquard]

Also another thing might be the whole "probable cause" issue. She can't just walk in there and look around etc. But now she got told there's a face-peeling happening. She can easily use that as probable cause to enter and investigate. Of course she had also just been invited inside, so she could have done that anyway...

Edit: Ohj just saw the whole probable cause angle has already been mentioned ;)

[Morquard]

...I'm not sure how to feel about the possibility that the "bigger fish to fry" the agent previous referred to was tax evasion.

Consenting AIs beating each other without any risk to any of them (tripple shielded AI cores etc) or not paying taxes...

[AvatarVecna]

Consenting AIs beating each other without any risk to any of them (tripple shielded AI cores etc) or not paying taxes...

My concern there is less about it making sense as a "bigger crime" and more that I'm not sure how interesting a conclusion that would be to the arc.

[Traab]

My concern there is less about it making sense as a "bigger crime" and more that I'm not sure how interesting a conclusion that would be to the arc.

Hey, it brought down al capone, dont knock tax evasion!

[Lethologica]

Hey, it brought down al capone, dont knock tax evasion!
But emphatically not as the 'bigger crime'.

[AvatarVecna]

Hey, it brought down al capone, dont knock tax evasion!

I understand the importance of tax evasion as a crime, but tax evasion isn't the reason that story is interesting. The story is interesting because Al Capone was so good at avoiding getting caught, they had to pin him with tax evasion. But ultimately, they were using that "lesser crime" as an opportunity to throw the book at him for the things they couldn't really prove he did even though everybody knew he did them.

If the "greater crime" going on here was tax evasion, and it wasn't just something lady cop was using to pin them for all the greater crimes she knows but can't prove they committed, that would be less interesting a conclusion.

[Morquard]

But so far the only crimes we know are being commited are actually only tax evasion...

[AvatarVecna]

But so far the only crimes we know are being commited are actually only tax evasion...

Other than the illegal bot fights, you mean? :smalltongue:

A bit more seriously, I think it would be hard to make tax evasion stick to May's facelifts: the first one didn't involve money at all, it was essentially a free service; as for the second one (the current one that she's paying money for), I'm pretty sure you can't charge somebody with tax evasion because you think they're not going to report the earnings you just witnessed on their taxes next year. Granted, I have no reason to believe one way or the other that this business wasn't committing tax evasion this year by falsely reporting revenue from last year, but unless I'm grossly misundstanding how tax evasion works, you can't be charged for evading taxes until you actually reach the point where you're failing to report your income on your taxes (which they don't need to report this for until next April).

...maybe. Admittedly I'm not too familiar with those laws.

[Traab]

It also might be a hard one to prove as this is a cash only transaction and is likely small enough to be a rounding error in a legit company's tax returns. I was just kidding about the tax evasion thing anyways, im sticking to my theory that she is new to the force, gung ho about getting a big case right off the bat, and is acting like an inexperienced rookie.

[halfeye]

I like that Bubbles calls her a racoon. I hope that's not a general codeword for cop in this milieu.

[AvatarVecna]

I like that Bubbles calls her a racoon. I hope that's not a general codeword for cop in this milieu.

It's a reference to an earlier comic. (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3331)

[John Cribati]

... Did Corpse Witch just admit to some kind of government corruption?

[mythmonster2]

I officially have no idea what to think of Corpse Witch.

[eee]

Is this the first time we've learned that Corpse Witch's name actually is Corpse Witch, or does the little statement under the strip troll us?

Anyway, she's good at manipulation when she's in the groove.

[Morquard]

Is this the first time we've learned that Corpse Witch's name actually is Corpse Witch, or does the little statement under the strip troll us?

Her Name Is CORPSE WITCH (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3007) (title)

And yes, I think she pretty much implied there, that she has Roko's superiors paid off, and if she's not careful that investigation will backfire on her.

[Traab]

Ok so I think my theory on cop lass is the right one at this point. She is a gung ho rookie out to crack a big case and is doing this on her own. If corpse witch is right, then she never would have been assigned this case outright. That explains her total lack of backup, her amateurish actions, etc etc etc.

[halfeye]

It's a reference to an earlier comic. (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3331)

Yes, but it's funnier that she keeps it up when she knows it's not an animal (which she clearly already does in that earlier strip).

[memnarch]

Well that's quite the cliffhanger. :smalleek:

[Cikomyr]

I think it's worth a "that escalated quickly" meme

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/353/279/e31.jpg

[Mith]

Faye has a problem where crime ring is now mad at her.

[Windscion]

Well, it's pretty clear that CW crossed the line (in Faye's opinion) by threatening May. And, I have to say I agree with Faye. Moreover, this is not a good situation for CW, since Faye (and Bubbles) know her operation pretty well. As has been discussed, if the authorities think you've done something really bad and they cannot prove it, they can -- and will -- nail you for the things they can prove.

And what they can prove is pretty damning. IANAL, but threatening May not to contradict what she said to that cop? That smells like some form of obstruction of justice.

[Knaight]

And what they can prove is pretty damning. IANAL, but threatening May not to contradict what she said to that cop? That smells like some form of obstruction of justice.

They can't prove that either unless May gives them that information. That's probably not happening.

[Windscion]

Why? Faye (and Bubbles) witnessed the same things, and CW has no hold on Faye. And unlike May (who, I agree, has reason to be shy of police involvement), the authorities have nothing against Faye.

(As an aside, Faye can get very powerful legal representation if Hannelore has her mother hire a legal team. But it is not at all clear that CW knows this.)

[Gnoman]

The question occupying my mind is what made Faye snap like this. Was it just the casual way Corpse Witch slipped from a fairly reasonable explanation to a rather nasty threat, her escalating the situation by pulling the cop in in the first place, or is it that this represents a final "click" in a pattern of Corpse Witch's behavior that Faye doesn't like. All three are reasonable, but which motive is correct will be a major determiner of where the story goes from here.


Also, punching a (presumably metal-boned) robot with your bare hand that hard? OUCH.

[Admiral Squish]

Also, punching a (presumably metal-boned) robot with your bare hand that hard? OUCH.

I dunno, QC bots seem to involve a lot of polymers, plastics, synthetic muscles, and the like. I imagine a non-combat robot like CW is significantly more plastic than metal. Still wouldn't be pleasant, but you can break your hand on a person just as easy.

Also, hells yeah. This might be stupid as hell, but it feels so right.

[eee]

Ouchie ouchie ouchie. I hope Faye didn't just break her hand. CW's jaw, that would be ok, it can be replaced. But bones are a different matter.

So. Will CW fire Faye, or will Faye quit, or will CW threaten Faye, bringing Bubbles into the fight, or what? This could go several ways,


Her Name Is CORPSE WITCH (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3007) (title)

And yes, I think she pretty much implied there, that she has Roko's superiors paid off, and if she's not careful that investigation will backfire on her.

Ah, thank you. I'd forgotten that, and assumed Corpse Witch's name was a fan given takeoff on Left4Dead's The Witch, or Tim Burton's the Corpse Bride, or some video game I hadn't seen.

The question is, what sane AI would name themselves Corpse Witch? Or is that a corporate title, or a 'family' nickname? Family as in organized crime.

[Ronnoc]

The question is, what sane AI would name themselves Corpse Witch? Or is that a corporate title, or a 'family' nickname? Family as in organized crime.

Similarly what type of AI would name themself Roko Basilisk? I mean I wouldn't want to be known as a questionably logical entity torturing sapient simulations of people for the high crime of not inventing me sooner.

[Morquard]

I think Jeph said at some point that he totally meant the title as a joke since it was one or two strips after the introduction of Bubbles, and he never thought it would stick the way it did. So he decided to go with it.

[Mith]

Perhaps Roko is just trying to save as many people as possible, using questionable tactics to do so?

[SlyGuyMcFly]

Similarly what type of AI would name themself Roko Basilisk? I mean I wouldn't want to be known as a questionably logical entity torturing sapient simulations of people for the high crime of not inventing me sooner.

Any with a sense of humour in line with Culture warships'?

[Traab]

Yeah im pretty sure faye is fired, im just not sure what the total fallout here will be. Will corpse witch try to force bubbles to "take care of this situation"? Will corpse witch remind faye that her body is made of metal and has hydraulics that give her lifting and crushing strength far out of proportion to her slim frame? Will this turn into a 3 way "you try anything and you die" mexican standoff?

[Cikomyr]

I think what we just witnessed is "an AI being abused"

(And not talking about CW, but May)

I think this qualifies of Robocop's criteria.

[Flickerdart]

Faye irrevocably breaks the bones in her arm, gets it replaced with Punchbot's arm, becomes a punch-themed vigilante superhero.

[AvatarVecna]

Faye irrevocably breaks the bones in her arm, gets it replaced with Punchbot's arm, becomes a punch-themed vigilante superhero.

Not really a fan of this concept, but if it meant the comic never had time for the Brun/Renee side-plot again, I'd be all for it.

[Lethologica]

Not really a fan of this concept, but if it meant the comic never had time for the Brun/Renee side-plot again, I'd be all for it.
Brun becomes nautical-themed rival.

Hannelore becomes Iron Man with OCD issues instead of narcissism and Station as Jarvis.

Dora returns to her goth roots and basically becomes Raven, except Raven is already Raven, so Raven and Raven have to fight it out for Raven supremacy. Supravency.

Somewhere, Pizza Girl is rolling her eyes.

[Yuki Akuma]

The last thirteen years of QC have just been the backstory for the inevitable superhero comic?

****, I'd read that.

[Ibrinar]

Sorry Brun becomes a clock themed vigilante. (Which offers a wide variety of names "Tick tock" "Hook's alligator" "The ticking doom" "The great Equalizer" "Secundo" "The broken clock" with her sidekicks who are both named "right") Renee might get eaten by the allosaurus though.

[Flickerdart]

Dora returns to her goth roots and basically becomes Raven, except Raven is already Raven, so Raven and Raven have to fight it out for Raven supremacy.

That's so Raven.

[Eldan]

Surely she just becomes a new generation version of Clock King, the Clock Queen.

[Dorath]

Et tu, Bubbles?

[AvatarVecna]

Et tu, Bubbles?

In this economy? Can't really blame her; I'd probably stick with the job as well, and I don't really have to deal with robo-prejudice. Mind you, I'd still make my displeasure with the boss' attempt at blackmail understood perfectly well, in that if she's willing to resort to it, she shouldn't be surprised that others are willing to rat on her as well (for instance, about the whole blackmailing thing). Hell, if Faye went and told the cop lady about the blackmail thing that happened after she left, she won't even be telling the lady anything about the business, just like CW wanted her to, she'd just be telling her about something completely unrelated.

[Kato]

Damn, I missed Punch-Lady's backstory now... :smallsigh:
Oh well...

Hm... I won't say I don't understand Bubbles here but... it still feels weird. Then again, Faye assuming she can just make decisions for her is WAY out of line.
But... damn, puppy-Faye is heart wrenching.

[eee]

WOW, Faye put a dent in CW's jaw! Either CW's face is made of really soft malleable material or Faye has fists of iron!

Her hand doesn't seem to be broken...

I can understand Bubbles' dilemma. She has found sanctuary in the place, from so much that hurts her in the outside world. To leave it, even for a friend like Faye, is a major step. I'm not sure she's got the inner strength to make that step now.

[Traab]

Meh, this is just the initial hesitation. Im expecting a breaking point soon. Perhaps CW "suggesting" bubbles take care of their newest security leak. Probably using an especially clumsy attempt to play on her issues and what bubbles "owes" her.

[Morquard]

I hope she finds her other friends soon, and makes sure they keep her from crawling back into the bottle now. Because if there was a time when Faye was in danger of a relapse, this is it.

Now, I don't think the Bubbles arc ends like this. Either they can still be friends even with her working there, or there will be a falling out between Bubbles and CW. Well or third option really is Bubbles sides with CW and abandons Faye, but I think that's the most unlikely one. Faye I believe gave Bubbles reason enough to think that not all people are bad and she has started to realize before that CW is very manipulative. So really hoping for that falling out

[Beelzebub1111]

I don't feel sorry for Faye at all. Like, this was a really stupid decision that she made and now she's facing the well deserved consequences. While CW was being inhospitable, I also don't think she was unjustified. And it certainly was not enough to justify assault.

[Traab]

I don't feel sorry for Faye at all. Like, this was a really stupid decision that she made and now she's facing the well deserved consequences. While CW was being inhospitable, I also don't think she was unjustified. And it certainly was not enough to justify assault.

She was threatening may with all sorts of unspecified bad things if she dared breathe a word of her actions to anyone. She deserved a punch in the mouth.

[Kato]

Yeah, this was totally fine. Not to be robo-phobe but presumably a punch in the face to a robot hardly matters. But if CW was human, I also think her behavior would at least given it's a spur of the moment decision, be fine gainst a human.

[Yuki Akuma]

Faye's actions were stupid, impulsive and emotional. They weren't morally unjustifiable - Faye is fundamentally a decent person, even if she is also a violent jerk. Corpse Witch is a terrible, manipulative person who doesn't deserve to be in a position of authority over anyone.

Faye had just better hope Marten's paycheck can cover the rent while she looks for a job. Again.

[Hackman]

Faye has probably earned some valuable work experience there. Too bad she can't put "fixing illegally fighting robots" in her CV. I wouldn't count on a favorable recommendation letter either...


morally unjustifiable.

You've spoken the evil words :smalleek:

[Fawkes]

I generally find that sucker-punching people in the face is a generally poor way of solving problems.

[Keltest]

I generally find that sucker-punching people in the face is a generally poor way of solving problems.

You need to get better problems then.

[Cikomyr]

I generally find that sucker-punching people in the face is a generally poor way of solving problems.

We have clearly established that Robot Prison is pretty bad existence.

Someone threatening to do something that is "way worse" than it is damn evil

[Fawkes]

We have clearly established that Robot Prison is pretty bad existence.

Someone threatening to do something that is "way worse" than it is damn evil

I'm not talking whether or not it's deserved. It's just poor problem solving. Punching CW helps nothing and makes everyone's situation worse, which I find to be generally true of face punches.

[geoduck]

Yeah, Faye choose pretty much the worst possible way to respond to a crummy situation.

[Cikomyr]

It certainly wasn't the smart thing to do.

But i am not 100% sure it was the wrong thing to do. Not sure what Fayes could have done without compromising her ethics, or trying to turn Amateur Machiavelli

[John Campbell]

It certainly wasn't the smart thing to do.

But i am not 100% sure it was the wrong thing to do. Not sure what Fayes could have done without compromising her ethics, or trying to turn Amateur Machiavelli

"Telling Corpse Witch off," might have been a good place to start. If face-punching proved necessary, she could have escalated her way there instead of leaping straight to it. I'm not a pacifist; I'm not fundamentally opposed to violence as a solution to problems that need violence to solve them. But it should be a last resort, not a first. (And if it's not the last resort, you didn't resort to enough of it.)

[eee]

And May comes up with a possible explanation, AND a suggestion Faye apparently hadn't considered and probably won't like.

[Traab]

And of course the OTHER option still hasnt occurred to faye. Bubble is scared (not the right word really, but close enough) of being around people, corpse witch gave her a place to stay and work that keeps her away from people and bubbles feels she owes her for that.

[AvatarVecna]

And of course the OTHER option still hasnt occurred to faye. Bubble is scared (not the right word really, but close enough) of being around people, corpse witch gave her a place to stay and work that keeps her away from people and bubbles feels she owes her for that.

It's almost like she hasn't put any thought into this at all! :smalltongue:

[Fawkes]

And of course the OTHER option still hasnt occurred to faye. Bubble is scared (not the right word really, but close enough) of being around people, corpse witch gave her a place to stay and work that keeps her away from people and bubbles feels she owes her for that.

TBH I'm not 100% sure if that's an option that's occured to Jeph. This arc hasn't exactly been subtle.

[Kato]

And of course the OTHER option still hasnt occurred to faye. Bubble is scared (not the right word really, but close enough) of being around people, corpse witch gave her a place to stay and work that keeps her away from people and bubbles feels she owes her for that.

Didn't CW at one point go "I know things about you, so better stay put" at Bubbles? That seems way more like blackmailing... and I'm willing to give it to Faye she can read people well enough to know Bubbles doesn't really like CW much. She's just not a sympathetic character. It'd have to be some kind of Oslo syndrome.

[Gnoman]

Didn't CW at one point go "I know things about you, so better stay put" at Bubbles?

We've already explicitly seen that Bubbles is suffering from survivor's guilt to a significant degree, which could very well be the foundation of this.

[Traab]

I saw more of an "You want to go outside? You KNOW it will end badly, so why bother?" Then when she came back the next day pissed, "I told you so" said quietly after she was out of earshot.

[AvatarVecna]

"Robiologist" made my day, and it's only just begun. :smallbiggrin: