#106 - December 24, 1995 pt 3
Thursday, January 31st, 2008Wow! So Gary at Fleen thinks I’m Eisner material! I’m curious though, will I always be known as the “Swedish Gabe Lover”? Incidentally I took down the comic where I describe one of many sexual dreams during my first pregnancy with Penny Arcade’s Gabe. That and my contact info because I have been getting creepy phone calls and mail from some people that don’t know when they have crossed the line. I may put the comic up again later once I get used to the attention that has come my way. I’m a shy person here people.
Johan is spray-painting “Merry Christmas” The thoughtful boy.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:01 am
Actually I don’t know any Swedish so I had a horrible time trying to navigate the Swedish site. I think I was seeing an older comic? Anders was talking to baby and discreetly inching his way downwards.. I was just wondering if it was ahead of this or completely different, because they obviously weren’t hating eachother.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:02 am
I’m so addicted to this web comic!
February 1st, 2008 at 2:02 am
Also, little drunk Maria is super cute.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:02 am
Awesome awesome! I love this comic.
What’s he’s writing on her house! Why is he such a hooligan!
I’m going to link you from my site!
February 1st, 2008 at 2:04 am
He wrote “Merry Christmas” actually.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:05 am
Thanks Jamie!
February 1st, 2008 at 2:05 am
Maria’s eyes in panel three are very Scott Pilgrim-esque!
I love this comic! It has quickly become one of my favourites.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:12 am
Rene, you are very much Eisner material. There are many comics I read and enjoy, but your is among the few I love, I get really excited when I see an update has arrived.
Keep up the good work, and try not to let the weirdos get to you.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:34 am
^_^ i love the look on johan’s face when maria falls, priceless. Also I agree with Warlach. Dont let the creepers bother you!
February 1st, 2008 at 2:52 am
When the recent spray painting incident was discovered I was hoping it was really Johan, and Maria didn’t know anything. (I was hopeful for absolution!) Obviously it’s more complicated than that, Rene would never let us off the hook so easy, but there’s more evidence for my naieve and idealistic heart. I believe in these characters as real people.
February 1st, 2008 at 3:18 am
I’m sorry you are getting creepy calls/etc! That’s not right.
If anyone reading this is calling Rene & being weird, please stop. I know it must be easy to feel a connection with her, but let’s be honest here, you just are reading her comic on the internet, okay?
No worries on no more weekend updates! We’ll survive, somehow….
February 1st, 2008 at 3:39 am
*takes Rene off speed-dial*
Awwwwww.
Kidding of course. The long distance would KILL me…erm—I mean that’s totally creepy and weird and who would do that kind of thing?
And streever’s right, I think you’re still a madwoman for managing five updates a week. I dunno how you and Jeph Jacques do it, your significant others must chain you to desks at night and you just don’t tell us about it or something.
February 1st, 2008 at 4:03 am
I agree with Fleen, I definitely think you’re Eisner material, your characters are actually believable, I’ve never cared about or hated someone who wasn’t real this much ever.
February 1st, 2008 at 4:53 am
I’m curious, and I don’t know if this has been asked before because I’m not in the comments very often, but who sides with Anders and who sides with Maria, with regards to the recent kerfuffle? Me, I would tend to side with Anders. I think his cheating on Maria is a really awful thing to do, don’t get me wrong, but I empathize with him and think that Maria was also treating him rather badly.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:17 am
I love the last three panels.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:19 am
Maria’s face-plant into the snow after screaming “Eeee” into the night tickles me seven shades of pink. Johan’s amused face reminds me of my own big bro’s if in a similar situation.
Sarah: Right now I’m not taking any sides but I’m admittedly hard on Anders, more for the cheating-on-preggo-girlfirend part, but understand that this was kind of a last straw thing from Maria’s bad behavior. I have a feeling that I won’t be able to take any sides even when this “kerfuffle” is over. Both parties are equally at fault here.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:25 am
Sarah, as with Christi-Maria I have no side to choose but I was hating on Anders pretty hard for a while there. Nothing gets me fired up like cheating, even if the other person is acting like they are fourteen.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:26 am
Also, Rene, I am planning on trying to do some fan art that isn’t just your characters sharpied out on paper. Sorry if you thought it was dumb, but in my offense it was near 5am here and it sounded like a good idea to me. :]
February 1st, 2008 at 5:41 am
I’m sorry to hear about the weirdo calls R
that’s just horrible.
I’m not sure what I think about these new developments. I had hoped that whatever we would learn about her experiences at the hands of Tina would absolve her of some of her present guilt for acting like a 2 year old and vandalising someone’s house, but it isn’t at all.
These characters are just unbelievably human, full of faults, but never 100% good or 100% bad. It makes it really difficult to choose a side.
February 1st, 2008 at 6:39 am
That’s weird, I was just thinking an hour or so ago about how this storyline could easily lead to an Eisner.
Also, sorry to hear about the creeps. Some people just have nothing better to do with their time and not enough brains to be more creative than just being assholes.
February 1st, 2008 at 6:47 am
Also, Maria liiikes Bjorrrn! Maria liiikes Bjorrrrn!
February 1st, 2008 at 6:48 am
Who calls strangers? Creepy.
I hate talking to people on the phone also. No joke… I make my husband talk on the phone about EVERYTHING… sometimes even if it’s my friends.
Also.. sad that comic is going away for the weekend.. but great that I can be pulled away from the computer for a moment to take my kids to the park or something. haha.
February 1st, 2008 at 7:46 am
this panel made me laugh, this is definitely one of my favorite comics ever. i love that it’s updated every day it always brightens my day when i remember i havn’t checked anders loves maria yet for the day.
anyways i’m loving johan more and more now. he’s such a funny character and he cares for his sister so much. he has weaknesses of course, like all the other characters, but i think he’s hilarious.
February 1st, 2008 at 11:03 am
daaaaamn, look at that beautiful, not-a-day-missed January calendar.
congratulations on an incredible month, my friend.
February 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am
Wow, that must suck to wake up and have “Godjul” spraypainted on your house. Sure, it’s a nice message in a normal context… but not in red paint.
February 1st, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Got linked her by “Sam and Fuzzy’s” Sam Logan just a couple days ago and i’ve totally dived into this - even though I’m not ‘fathering’ quite yet
i still find it a really touching story (and there haven’t even been any conclusions yet!)
I am definitely starting to relate to Johan a lot, as i’m sure many readers do - that funny relationship with siblings ie “i’ll give you plenty of shit, but i’ll be damned if anyone else does!”
BUT: general question to all; is Anders really cheating considering he was about to bail on Maria until he heard she was pregnant and seems to be now doing just what he thinks is the “right thing” by hanging round? and also, are you obliged to marry/not cheat on someone just because you have a child with them? even if there is no love there?
February 1st, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I really love this comic, got it in my favorites
February 1st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Check it! A reader from Brunflo! That warms my heart!
February 1st, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Haha this is fun Rene! Your comic is the best!
February 1st, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement! It is comforting in these nervous times.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Goddamit, and here i totally deleted your number in like October!
Seriously though ren we’re gonna hire some guys to break some thumbs, I get enough creepiness for both of us, and don’t want you shouldering it! Thumb breakers to the rescue!
February 1st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
I too am a shy person.
And happy holidays!
February 1st, 2008 at 9:30 pm
U.S. Reader here….somehwat long time viewer first time comment-er. Just needed to share that ALM has invaded it’s way in to my subconsicence so much so that i had a dream about it. In the dream i was looking at the Webcomics i read and when i clicked on ALM the set up was different and the comic has changed to Anders Loves Tina and Maria Loves Bjorn, and in the dream i was sad when i read it.
Yes my dreams are just that boring. Anyway keep up the wonderful work
-liz
February 1st, 2008 at 9:56 pm
[…] Speaking of evil, we at Fleen are given to understand that some people don’t have a sense of boundaries, and so Rene Engstrom has been forced to take down her contact info and her charming “get to know me” comic, which her nickname referenced; a replacement is now needed — how does The Candianest Viking sound? […]
February 1st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I was always a little confused about why you were leaving such contact info on your main page. I imagined that it was for clients that may want to hire you for illustrations or such. It’s probably best you keep it just to email only, especially as you get more and more readers.
Eisner? Hmm! That’d be awesome. I wasn’t aware they covered webcomics. Certainly for the art style and brutally honest story. I know I enjoy the various style experimentations you did out of necessity (computer ailments leading to ink only comics, etc) but I don’t know if the changes in presentation will hurt or help your work’s presentation.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
HPPH: Yeah I never anticipated people acting this way. Perhaps it’s naive. I try to run an illustration business as well so I would like to be accessible.
As far as my style changes I don’t know how it will affect my chances of being nominated. One of the unique things with webcomics is that they are in a state of constant change. I certainly don’t feel any pressure to change how I do things. If I feel like doing the comic with ink again, I will.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I agree Rene, you don’t expect people to act crazy. Maybe it was naive, but whatever… it’s on them for being creeeeps!
LACH: I don’t know if you’ve correctly interpreted Anders?
Anders WANTED a baby!
I don’t think he was just “sticking it out” to do the right thing, so to speak, I think he wanted a baby, and he wanted one with Maria!
February 1st, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Yeahm I am with streever. I was never under the impression that he hated Maria, he was just upset with her. He is weak at heart when it comes to other opportunities with other girls, it seems, but I think he was happy about Maria being pregnant with his child rather than.. Oh shit I guess I need to stay with this girl…
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:43 am
He doesn’t seems weak to me… I think this thing with Tina was leades by anger and wine, not love.
Anders did love Maria, did want the baby and was VERY happy about it…more than María itself I think.
Rene, sorry to hear about those stupid monkeys… I too was amazed seeing your contact info there…. hope it didn’t affected you…
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:05 am
Ahahaha I’m pleased to see I was so thoroughly wrong in my interpretation
I guess that whole 24 hours before Maria revealing pregnancy in which Anders was quite the pissed with Maria doesn’t quite equate to the however many months/years before that when he wanted a baby with her 
Plus its like ‘free baby’! who wouldn’t be happy with that? haha
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:35 am
“EEEEEE!!!”
Heheh
my new battle cry. Every guy has to have a battle cry, now mine will happen to sound like an ecstatic rabbit (yes, they make noises).
February 2nd, 2008 at 3:16 am
If I’m ever in Sweden, I’m coming to your house.
February 2nd, 2008 at 3:50 am
Voortman is right. Rabbits do scream.
It’s probably one of the most terrible things I’ve ever heard.