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aww! tina is kinda cute! this page is happy and sad at the same time! i think they’ll work it out eventually, warlach. but anders loves maria is like that old moonlighting show. you know they’re not going to work it out straight away no matter what. now i’m thinking that tina is kinda sweet.
This page is so sweet, very emotional. You use color so, so well. ;o; ♥
I wonder if things have changed any between the past and present with Maria and Bjorn. I do not think that Bjorn is a bad person, or a sleazeball, or anything like that. XD He seems like a fairly normal guy to me, and this is even in spite of my ingrained American sensibilities regarding the age difference.
…well, normal except for that whole part with the fingering in front of Johan, I thought that was pretty obnoxious. XD;; But otherwise, in the present… he did seem to want to comfort Maria first and didn’t at all bring up sex until she mentioned it! So I wonder how things are going to turn out.
Wow this is amazing! I am so happy to finally be in the present again! But come on! First Bjorn sexes a 15 year old Maria and now a pregnant Maria! Will he ever have enough! Poor unborn flipper baby.
Maria certainly isn’t that wide-eyed teen anymore. She looks almost sad to me in that first panel. I hope those crazy kids work it out (i’m terribly fond of happy endings, even if they need to take their time)
Ever hear that song “Love the One You’re With”? I think it’s total bull. Unless you’re polyamorous. I adore how your stylized figures express so much in both body language and facial features.
Hmm- I dunno about the last panel being that sweet… I can’t really judge his expression at all (I’m assuming intended!).
Is he looking at the thing/laptop on the table or her irritatingly pretty head?
**
I started reading this before things got hateful and then had to leave it because I had no internet (they had just set off to Maria’s hometown)… I come back late Jan and its gone crazy!
I’m not entirely comfortable how this is mirroring my own status in life, but then I guess thats the true mark of a storyteller- everyone gets a familiar feeling from it, something they can connect with.
Especially when she see’s him bonking, oh my god! Thankfully never been in that situation but man did I feel an agonizing tug in my belly for Maria…
Keep it up Rene- your style has evolved wonderfully!
i agree with caroline, i feel like tina kind went in for some sweet lovin’ to comfort anders but he rejected her because he’s still upset over hearing there is a bjorn in their bed (i’m assuming this is still after “the call”)… the way anders is looking at tina is kind of an “oh fuck, what have i just done with my life” kinda look.
i also don’t feel like bjorn kissing maria in the first panel isn’t as… lecherous as their first time together. it just looks very tender and caring to me on both of their parts, and i get the impression that tina is more tender with anders than he is with her.
but that’s why i love your work, rene, it seems like there are so many possible interpretations until we see the next strip!
i wanna know what happened between maria and tina that makes her hate her… we’ve already seen that maria is jealous of her family but we know there’s something more. so many subplots!
also, i can’t believe how well you’ve developed johan. i didn’t really feel anything for his character at first, but now he’s my favorite next to maria.
You know, in the past week I’ve ended a very long, meaningful, hard relationship, and this comic here shows exactly what I’ve been doing, at least to me.
You can officially say you’ve made someone cry without any dialog.
There’s something about Maria’s face in the first panel that is less tender or more sorrowful and weary the more that I look at it. It may be the dark circles. Poor people..
There’s a little part of me that hopes that the next comic includes neither couple having sex, but I have a feeling I will be wrong Oh, bother.
hmm, yeah, i can see that. i thought she might have been blushing like in this comics: http://reneengstrom.com/comicfolder/2008-02-14.jpg
but the same marking have been used to show a pallete of emotion so i don’t really know D: actually, i’m sure she’s experiencing many emotions right now. i would still be upset about what happened with anders, but she may also have a desire to sleep with bjorn. maybe that’s where the conflicted look on her face is coming from? this could be sealing the deal for her that it’s really over with anders.
i’m sure maria is weary and exhausted from everything that has happened, but i also don’t see her having sex with bjorn unless she really wants to… the girl does what she wants, even when the consequences are not going to be the best for her.
haha i’m reading too much into this. i think it’s hard for us as fans to not project what we want the characters to be feeling when we read this
I might be looking at it wrong, but to me it looks like Anders’ eyes are closed in the last panel and not looking at Tina or the laptop thing. Though…the more I look at it his eyes do look open…
Hey Ashley! The update is late today. I’m sorry. It has been pretty hectic with the children today. I is almost done but I can’t sit down and finish it until the children are in bed (about an hour). Sorry everyone. I promise it’s pretty delicious though!
February 19th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
As glad as I am to be back in the present, I am now dying to see more about what happened in the past!
Excellent work, Rene!
February 19th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Argh, don’t do it Maria! Not that you’re not perfectly within your right, its just I don’t think he’s daddy material. Make up with Anders, please?
Damn you Rene, you’ve got me yelling at fictional characters again!
February 19th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
aww! tina is kinda cute! this page is happy and sad at the same time! i think they’ll work it out eventually, warlach. but anders loves maria is like that old moonlighting show. you know they’re not going to work it out straight away no matter what. now i’m thinking that tina is kinda sweet.
February 19th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Wow, all of these panels are really nice.
February 19th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
What do you think is going on in Maria’s head right now?
February 19th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
ahh yay!
February 19th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
the panels are all beautiful, the way she tries to comfort him was nice but I still really hate tina haha
February 19th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Maria! Nooo!
February 19th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
This page is so sweet, very emotional. You use color so, so well. ;o; ♥
I wonder if things have changed any between the past and present with Maria and Bjorn. I do not think that Bjorn is a bad person, or a sleazeball, or anything like that. XD He seems like a fairly normal guy to me, and this is even in spite of my ingrained American sensibilities regarding the age difference.
…well, normal except for that whole part with the fingering in front of Johan, I thought that was pretty obnoxious. XD;; But otherwise, in the present… he did seem to want to comfort Maria first and didn’t at all bring up sex until she mentioned it! So I wonder how things are going to turn out.
February 19th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Wow this is amazing! I am so happy to finally be in the present again! But come on! First Bjorn sexes a 15 year old Maria and now a pregnant Maria! Will he ever have enough! Poor unborn flipper baby.
February 19th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Hey, hope the fact that the comics are coming up again means your fella’s OK, Rene.
February 19th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Hmm… Jeg lurte på når du skulle begynne å tegne det som foregår nå.
February 19th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
OH COME ON!!! (after looking panel 1)
Awwwwwwww ( after looking the other panels)
February 19th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Those last two panels are unbelievably sweet.
February 19th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Hey Cpt Eduardo del Mango. Yes, Sven is on the mend. 3 more weeks in the hospital and he should be clear.
February 19th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Maria certainly isn’t that wide-eyed teen anymore. She looks almost sad to me in that first panel. I hope those crazy kids work it out (i’m terribly fond of happy endings, even if they need to take their time)
February 19th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Ever hear that song “Love the One You’re With”? I think it’s total bull. Unless you’re polyamorous. I adore how your stylized figures express so much in both body language and facial features.
February 19th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Hmm- I dunno about the last panel being that sweet… I can’t really judge his expression at all (I’m assuming intended!).
Is he looking at the thing/laptop on the table or her irritatingly pretty head?
**
I started reading this before things got hateful and then had to leave it because I had no internet (they had just set off to Maria’s hometown)… I come back late Jan and its gone crazy!
I’m not entirely comfortable how this is mirroring my own status in life, but then I guess thats the true mark of a storyteller- everyone gets a familiar feeling from it, something they can connect with.
Especially when she see’s him bonking, oh my god! Thankfully never been in that situation but man did I feel an agonizing tug in my belly for Maria…
Keep it up Rene- your style has evolved wonderfully!
February 19th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
i agree with caroline, i feel like tina kind went in for some sweet lovin’ to comfort anders but he rejected her because he’s still upset over hearing there is a bjorn in their bed (i’m assuming this is still after “the call”)… the way anders is looking at tina is kind of an “oh fuck, what have i just done with my life” kinda look.
i also don’t feel like bjorn kissing maria in the first panel isn’t as… lecherous as their first time together. it just looks very tender and caring to me on both of their parts, and i get the impression that tina is more tender with anders than he is with her.
but that’s why i love your work, rene, it seems like there are so many possible interpretations until we see the next strip!
i wanna know what happened between maria and tina that makes her hate her… we’ve already seen that maria is jealous of her family but we know there’s something more. so many subplots!
also, i can’t believe how well you’ve developed johan. i didn’t really feel anything for his character at first, but now he’s my favorite next to maria.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Well, crap.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
FUCK noooooooooooooo!
February 19th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
You know, in the past week I’ve ended a very long, meaningful, hard relationship, and this comic here shows exactly what I’ve been doing, at least to me.
You can officially say you’ve made someone cry without any dialog.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
There’s something about Maria’s face in the first panel that is less tender or more sorrowful and weary the more that I look at it. It may be the dark circles. Poor people..
There’s a little part of me that hopes that the next comic includes neither couple having sex, but I have a feeling I will be wrong
Oh, bother.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I am with megs. boo
February 19th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
I agree, maria looks so sad that the one kissing her is not Anders.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
hmm, yeah, i can see that. i thought she might have been blushing like in this comics: http://reneengstrom.com/comicfolder/2008-02-14.jpg
but the same marking have been used to show a pallete of emotion so i don’t really know D: actually, i’m sure she’s experiencing many emotions right now. i would still be upset about what happened with anders, but she may also have a desire to sleep with bjorn. maybe that’s where the conflicted look on her face is coming from? this could be sealing the deal for her that it’s really over with anders.
i’m sure maria is weary and exhausted from everything that has happened, but i also don’t see her having sex with bjorn unless she really wants to… the girl does what she wants, even when the consequences are not going to be the best for her.
haha i’m reading too much into this. i think it’s hard for us as fans to not project what we want the characters to be feeling when we read this
February 19th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
=)
February 19th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Annabeth: I’m sorry. I did not want to make anyone cry.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
eww. Popcorn on the bed is never a good thing? Was it buttery?
February 19th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Nope, regular popcorn. Salted. Buttery popcorn isn’t really done here actually.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Blasphemy! well…maybe not, so long as it’s salty.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:44 am
another amazing strip. The colours and shapes are so emotive..
February 20th, 2008 at 1:16 am
caroline: i think the laptop/thing is his phone and he’s waiting for it to ring or something
February 20th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Well, as promised Rene, since yesterday was a guest strip, I am now prepared to adore this strip TWICE AS MUCH.
Which, by the way, is going to be REALLY REALLY HARD.
Why?
BECAUSE I ALREADY LIKE THIS ONE A LOT!
*bursts with unfettered love for the comic*
Drat!
February 20th, 2008 at 3:03 am
I might be looking at it wrong, but to me it looks like Anders’ eyes are closed in the last panel and not looking at Tina or the laptop thing. Though…the more I look at it his eyes do look open…
February 20th, 2008 at 4:28 am
I’ve updated the image a little so Anders’ eyes are easier to read, also fixed some small things…
February 20th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Wait a minute, Maria is not ‘puckering up’ on the first pannel! I a pretty sure now that the kiss is not being returned. Whoot! =)
February 20th, 2008 at 6:24 am
…or maybe it his lower lip I am seeing and not maria’s mouth…
February 20th, 2008 at 7:17 am
I’m so glad to hear your bf is OK, Rene!
The top panel is beautiful, by the way
February 20th, 2008 at 10:26 am
hec, maybe she’s not puckering up because her mouth is parted for some french kissing
February 20th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Love your guest strip at sam and fuzzy toady….
February 20th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
…god damn you Human…
February 20th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Keep knocking them out of the park, Rene. Amazing work, as always.
Oh, I saw your guest strip over at Sam and Fuzzy today! Absolutely loved it. :^)
February 20th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
xfoo: Of course! Due to the conversation on the phone previously
….Gah why did’nt I realise sooner?
Ho ho ho thats probably what he’s thinking too in a different context :>
Well, thats sort’ve a hope anyway lol…
February 20th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
that would be a very gigantic phone D:
February 20th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
it’s not gigantic, just in the fore ground.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I think Maria is really really depressed at this point and is just sort of letting the kiss happen.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Update?
February 20th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Hey Ashley! The update is late today. I’m sorry. It has been pretty hectic with the children today. I is almost done but I can’t sit down and finish it until the children are in bed (about an hour). Sorry everyone. I promise it’s pretty delicious though!
February 20th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
You know what else is delicious for all those craving more of Rene’s comic-ing action?
Her guest strip over at Sam and Fuzzy. That’s what.