Questionable Content XVI: Yes, Butt

[Vinyadan]

And thus was born... the Nanoplague!

[Morquard]

And for a minute there I was certain Lemon was good at her job...

Same. But in the last panel Roko doesn't seem to be shaking anymore, so I'm withholding ultimate judgement for next strip. Quite possible it worked.

[Cazero]

Well, I'm pretty sure you'd stop thinking about groceries if a mugger pulled a gun on you, so it stands to reason to think that an olfactive death threat would be a very effective distraction from an existential crisis.
The problem is the therapy required for that new trauma.

[Radar]

Well, I'm pretty sure you'd stop thinking about groceries if a mugger pulled a gun on you, so it stands to reason to think that an olfactive death threat would be a very effective distraction from an existential crisis.
The problem is the therapy required for that new trauma.

But now you have developed a general method of treating traumas. The trick is to make sure that the level of trauma is diminishing with each iteration.

[Rodin]

But now you have developed a general method of treating traumas. The trick is to make sure that the level of trauma is diminishing with each iteration.

So you just start presenting less toxic smells? Start with toxic goo, then go to Melon's abomination of a drink, then start removing chemicals until the final one is just Windex.

[Wraith]

Unfortunately this is also how Pavlovian responses are formed. Get her to associate the scent of tulips with dysmorphic episodes and mental trauma, and she'll never be able to walk past a florist again.

[Traab]

Unfortunately this is also how Pavlovian responses are formed. Get her to associate the scent of tulips with dysmorphic episodes and mental trauma, and she'll never be able to walk past a florist again.

It may also be the opposite, associating bad smells with centering yourself and leaving a dysmorphic episode. Keep some smelling salts on hand or something else sharp enough to distract when you start to have an episode.

[Cazero]

Guys, distracting someone from an existential crisis helps them not killing themselves right now. It won't prevent the dark thoughts to resurface later. My idea is terrible and you're just making it worse.

[Radar]

Guys, distracting someone from an existential crisis helps them not killing themselves right now. It won't prevent the dark thoughts to resurface later. My idea is terrible and you're just making it worse.

I think it was established already that people online improve upon ruining everything.

[mucat]

Well, if Roko is saying "Holy f***, Lemon, what did you do to my nose?", then at least at that moment she's thinking of it as her nose, not an alien nose that's established squatter's rights to her face. Progress?

[Traab]

And this isnt an attempt to cure her, just an attempt to stop her from freaking out to the point of potential self harm. You have to get her out of her episode before you can start working on the underlying cause of it.

[Max_Killjoy]

Lemon actually sounds competent in Friday's update.

[Shadow of the Sun]

As someone who has regular panic attacks, the whole "grounding" thing works very well to get your mind out of the fight-or-flight space so that you can apply other strategies.

Melon is doing legit psychology here she's just. Putting dumpster goop into it.

[John Cribati]

And Renee takes the round in this fight against her mom friend instinct, allowing herswlf to be taken care of, for once.

[VoxRationis]

Looks like we're back to complaints about high school from someone who hasn't been there since the '90s at the latest.

[Wraith]

I was thinking the same thing - Jeph really didn't do the math on that reference. Trogdor was a thing in... what, 2002? That would make S!#$$y Dan - and Rene and Brun by association - approximately 35 years old. Even if it's being worn ironically or as a vintage/recycled shirt, it's a blast from the ancient-internet-past.

...Jesus Christ, I'm having flashback to Salad Fingers, Weebl & Bob and Foamy the Squirrel. Please send help.

[Traab]

I was thinking the same thing - Jeph really didn't do the math on that reference. Trogdor was a thing in... what, 2002? That would make S!#$$y Dan - and Rene and Brun by association - approximately 35 years old. Even if it's being worn ironically or as a vintage/recycled shirt, it's a blast from the ancient-internet-past.

...Jesus Christ, I'm having flashback to Salad Fingers, Weebl & Bob and Foamy the Squirrel. Please send help.

All your base are belong to us.

[Willie the Duck]

I was thinking the same thing - Jeph really didn't do the math on that reference. Trogdor was a thing in... what, 2002? That would make S!#$$y Dan - and Rene and Brun by association - approximately 35 years old. Even if it's being worn ironically or as a vintage/recycled shirt, it's a blast from the ancient-internet-past.

That or he didn't think an actually time-appropriate back-in-high-school for (I'm guessing 23-year-olds) would resonate with his audience. When they were 16, apparently Doge and Twirking and 'you had one job' were the hits of the day. That...sounds more like stuff your grand/parents forward you on Facebook (if you are still on it). I'd guess a splitting difference between 40 y.o. author not really being in tune with young adulthood of today, and 'this doesn't feel right' when using an accurate reference. I suspect, in-universe, S!#$$y Dan is wearing the shirt 'nostalgically'/'ironically.' Kind of like what we thought Summer of '69 (a timeframe which seemed like a time when 18 year olds were having failed high school bands, even if Bryan Adams was actually 9 at the time) was about until he explained it was a '69, hurr dee hurr' reference.

[Mechalich]

I was thinking the same thing - Jeph really didn't do the math on that reference. Trogdor was a thing in... what, 2002? That would make S!#$$y Dan - and Rene and Brun by association - approximately 35 years old. Even if it's being worn ironically or as a vintage/recycled shirt, it's a blast from the ancient-internet-past.

Comic time is not real time. QC began in 2003, and it was at most a-few-years-into-the-alternate-future then. Faye uses a flip phone in early strips, among other examples. In-universe it's only actually been a handful of years since then, to the point that if QC started in the 2003 of it's universe it is almost certainly not yet 2010. After all, if comic time was real time, Marten and the other main characters would be breaking into they're 40s at this point.

So the Trogdor reference actually makes sense in-universe, since these characters very probably were in high school during the early 2000s.

[Wraith]

Comic time is not real time. QC began in 2003, and it was at most a-few-years-into-the-alternate-future then. Faye uses a flip phone in early strips, among other examples. In-universe it's only actually been a handful of years since then, to the point that if QC started in the 2003 of it's universe it is almost certainly not yet 2010. After all, if comic time was real time, Marten and the other main characters would be breaking into they're 40s at this point.

So the Trogdor reference actually makes sense in-universe, since these characters very probably were in high school during the early 2000s.

I appreciate the perspective, but I'm honestly not sure that's true. For example, the whole cast own smartphones - very much a post-2012 development - and they all marked a number of key real-world events like the death of Ronnie James Dio and David Bowie. Similarly, during winter months Jeph tends to draw them in winter clothing, and summer clothing in the summer so time is passing, in a way.

It's just comic time. I doubt he's really thought about it because it's really not important and it's just a thing that is assumed to happen in comics. Maybe I'm just slightly envious of a guy who had a mint-condition TROGDOR t-shirt in 2017.

[John Cribati]

So what are the odds of Brun taking Renee's words literally and making the same.meal every time she cooks?

[Maryring]

No your brain didn't slip. That's just your natural awfulness shining through. If Dan has any sense he'll block and forget his old bullies.

[Traab]

With any luck he will respond with an awful nickname she went through school with. "Hey Pees Her Pants Renee! Its been a long time!"

[Max_Killjoy]

I appreciate the perspective, but I'm honestly not sure that's true. For example, the whole cast own smartphones - very much a post-2012 development - and they all marked a number of key real-world events like the death of Ronnie James Dio and David Bowie. Similarly, during winter months Jeph tends to draw them in winter clothing, and summer clothing in the summer so time is passing, in a way.

It's just comic time. I doubt he's really thought about it because it's really not important and it's just a thing that is assumed to happen in comics. Maybe I'm just slightly envious of a guy who had a mint-condition TROGDOR t-shirt in 2017.

I have a mint condition Trogdor T-shirt.

So what are the odds of Brun taking Renee's words literally and making the same.meal every time she cooks?

That is a thing that could certainly happen.

[John Cribati]

Early Tumblr had the same kind of energy as Renee's text. I vividly remember "Send me a "HEY F---FACE" if I'm your tumblr crush"

[Rodin]

I appreciate the perspective, but I'm honestly not sure that's true. For example, the whole cast own smartphones - very much a post-2012 development - and they all marked a number of key real-world events like the death of Ronnie James Dio and David Bowie. Similarly, during winter months Jeph tends to draw them in winter clothing, and summer clothing in the summer so time is passing, in a way.

It's just comic time. I doubt he's really thought about it because it's really not important and it's just a thing that is assumed to happen in comics. Maybe I'm just slightly envious of a guy who had a mint-condition TROGDOR t-shirt in 2017.

I like how Something Positive handles this problem. Time in-universe is always "roughly present day." It might slow down for a storyline but time is always passing. Characters that were in their early 20s at the start are now in their early 40s. They've had kids, and now those kids are teenagers. Characters move away and get on with their lives, and he does an annual "where are they now" series for the most popular ones.

It helps avoid the "How do you do, fellow kids?" effect that sometimes creeps into other webcomics.

[Mordokai]

No your brain didn't slip. That's just your natural awfulness shining through. If Dan has any sense he'll block and forget his old bullies.

I'll say that I never felt anything towards Renee... that's to say, I didn't like her, certainly, but I never felt the almost hate sink levels she seems to attract. That said...

With todays comic, it's almost like Jeph wants us to hate her

[mythmonster2]

Yup, this is totally what "mom friends" do.

[Traab]

Yeah im wondering if this is the start to another "renee sexually harasses someone and gets called on it" arcs. Most of the time she is just fine, no big deal at all and not terrible, but then she randomly just DOES STUFF.

[Wildstag]

I'll say that I never felt anything towards Renee... that's to say, I didn't like her, certainly, but I never felt the almost hate sink levels she seems to attract. That said...

With todays comic, it's almost like Jeph wants us to hate her

Well, when we were first introduced to her and she looked shockingly dissimilar to her current form, she was as bad as Faye with none of the "fun sass" that made Faye likeable. First introductions tend to stick...

Plus, this is supposedly still the Renee that was burned in effigy as "ding dong the witch is dead" was sung. A lovable character like Angus (or Marigold) wouldn't do that if she wasn't unlikeable.