#125 - Especially Tonight
Friday, February 29th, 2008Man I have to go in and fix those pillows. No depth whatsoever…
Man I have to go in and fix those pillows. No depth whatsoever…
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February 29th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Man, Anders is a jerk.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Aw, now it’s sad again. Love really sucks sometimes.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
very sad, and is it just me or has this night lasted the most panels out of all the days you ever drew?
February 29th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Mo: No. The whole first “chapter” is one day.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
You know I really think that those two have a real future together. I think I can hear wedding bells!
February 29th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Poor Tina, she is so sad!!
February 29th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I want to feel sorry for Tina, I really do - but I just can’t! That comic with her and Anders on the couch while Maria watched through the window gave me nightmares (seriously). I still can’t think about it without getting that awful ‘heart-constricting can’t breathe properly’ feeling.
Anders cheating on his heavily-pregnant girlfriend made me so sad/angry… and that Tina went along with it! oh… now I’ve upset myself again
February 29th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Tapelia I know EXACTLY what you mean! I thought about it for days/weeks after wards. I kept thinking “If that was my boy! I woulda marched right up dere and kicked some kister!”.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
id rather feel sorry for tina than maria. tina hasnt really done anything wrong (anders has though), while maria is a bitch who cant forget/forgive the past.
glad to see you finally got past the analsex. i dont mind that stuff, but i felt it somewhat out of place.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I think it’s a failure for Tina and also Bjorn…
February 29th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
another vote for tapelia! Tina brought it upon herself, no sympathy, rawr!
February 29th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Love the Casablanca reference!
“Of all the gas stations in all the towns in all the world, he walks into mine.”
February 29th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
tina was and is in the wrong, but it’s hard not to feel sorry for her now, stupid as she is…
the lesson here is - all morals & ethics aside - never get involved with someone who’s already in love with someone else bc it will only ever bring you heartbreak and grief. even if you think it’s over - it’s not over. if they still love their old flame, wait until they’re over it bc you’ll relegate yourself to a rebound-only relationship. do this and you’re NEVER more than a rebound.
tina and bjorn should get together and then everything’s solved.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
How can you dislike Tina? She’s so complacent and eager to please. It wasn’t as if she got with Anders just to spite Maria. It’s just a sad situation, overall.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
awwww, i want to give Tina a hug!
silly girl is looking for love in the wrong place.
i know that feeling, trying to be loving when the other person is unconcious only works about half the time
also, turning over in your sleep when passed out drunk doesn’t make you a jerk
February 29th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
grrrrrrr, anders.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
*heart breaks*
February 29th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I want to punch Tina in the fucking face. Stop letting Anders walk all over you and stop attaching importance to a random one-night stand!
February 29th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I really strikes me how many different reactions there are to these characters, that is certainly a tribute to how real and rounded they are Rene. I cannot stay angry with any of them because I recognise so many of their dumb mistakes…. I do feel sorry for almost all of them. This hurts now and I can’t see it getting easier…
February 29th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
This is way more than a random one-night stand. They’re living together after all.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
It’s 10:12 am here, but the post above says 4:11pm. Sorry, I just realized that the posts were in a diff time zone from me.
@ AMC Anyway, I just have to say that when someone has been with you for weeks/months(I forget which one is the case here) I think it’s safe to attach some importance to the relationship. It’s not a one-night-stand anymore. They are living together.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I know they have been living together for months and all, but this is the first time they have slept together since the fateful night. Right? I remember Anders saying something like, “I dont want to hurt you” and Tina saying “I know I was drunk last time…” I thought that was meant to imply that they hadnt been sleeping together all along…Correct me if Im wrong.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
It hasn’t been months, it’s been a couple weeks.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Plus I haven’t shown all this, but they have had lots of sex since that conversation on the couch. Just so you know… not that it is so plot relevant… like Dumbledore being gay…
February 29th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Webcomic characters having sex is ALWAYS relevant.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
” not that it is so plot relevant… like Dumbledore being gay…”
I don’t know why, but that quote makes me so happy. I guess it’s the idea of Dumbledore’s backdoor shenanigans becoming the definition of interesting but unimportant to the story.
Way to go Rene, this work is fantastic.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
aaaaahhhh this made me SO sad! I feel like its not just the fact that anders turned over that made tina so upset. I feel like this is like the straw that broke the camels back. Like it finally made her realize what their relationship is actually about. and that makes me feel HORRIBLE for her!
February 29th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
My husband has done this to me before, ignored or got annoyed by kisses in his sleep. He’s asleep and doesn’t know. He’s not a jerk! And neither is Anders (in this particular strip)!
I hope Tina finally kicks him out. And I’m glad Bjorn is doing a good job comforting Maria.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I was thinking about this, this morning, and I think the grand thing about this comic is that is presents a whole lot of the truth behind the situation that arises when two people aren’t even sure they want to commit to one another, and then all of a sudden a third person is involved (the baby), and then they involve persons four and five, with everyone being linked to everyone through the bond of sex.
Yikes.
But, what do I know? I married my high school sweetheart, and am a member of the clergy. So, my vote must clearly be discounted. *sinister wink*
February 29th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
i love the way tina’s profile is drawn the most, i think.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
i have no forgiveness for women who go after men who are in relationships, regardless of whether the relationship is good, bad, whatever. Obviously the same goes for men going after taken women. What does she expect from a guy who’s wiling to cheat as a solution to his problems? Unconditional love?
February 29th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
I want to feel bad for Tina, I really do. I have friends who have been in her situation, have listened to this story numerous times, but then again I’m just wondering how not even a little part of her expected this. He didn’t show loyalty to Maria so what her think he’d show real interest in her? Bah, ramble ramble. I feel no sympathy for women who have sex with men who are already in relationships, especially who continue to do so after knowing that she’s also pregnant.
On the other hand, I’m starting to really warm up to Bjorn. He turned out to be pretty great since Anders and Tina got “together” behind Maria’s back. Except, I don’t think it’d work out between him and Maria either.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
My bf actually holds me in his sleep no matter how much I turn around. It’s really nice. So uhm, I would probulary get a Tina-like reaction if he got annoyed like that.
Love the expressions. Me and my roomate’s just screaming “NÄEEE!!” while we read this.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
okay, i feel a need to put my two cents in.
love maria ~ doesn’t take bullshit, and seems very true to herself.
anders , well, i don’t see a lot of redeeming factors for him
bjorn… i like him. he’s been hot & horny, now he’s sensitive & sweet (& a little bit cunning), all of which i like.
and tina. i just feel bad for her. i know people like her, “givers” who give and give in hopes that someone will love them, but it never works out like that.
its funny. some people rave about this comic, and i always thought that it was really good, but not necessary “brilliant” until i realized that i have to save this comic for last, because i read the comic, read it again, read some comments, read it again, finish the comments, and read it again. and then go back and play through some of the archives to get my fill. its funny how that sneaks up on you.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
sigh. oh, tina. you know that he’s not that into you, but you keep trying. that’s why i dislike tina. not because she’s a “man stealing slut” or whatever, but because she just won’t give up on this guy who isn’t even very nice to her. and i need girls to have spines in order for me to like them.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Tina Tina Tina, I still dislike her, very much so, I’m with Tapelia, that scene…stuck with me forever, I can’t forgive either of them for that, haha talking about fictional characters like I know them….Anyway things like this just make me feel bad for her, she really deserves someone better than Anders, she should dump him, not just so they’re not together (which is so what I want), but so she can find a guy who wasn’t already attached…which makes things way too complicated.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Oh man, I’ve done that. Feeling insecure enough to read too much into a simple action. But then, who hasn’t?
Rene, you are wonderful at making this still seem realistic, despite everything.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
“despite everything”? such as?
February 29th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
rene,
it shouldnt be so hard to put into words, but for some reason, it is. just wanted to say, i absolutely love your work =] its just. amazing.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
thanks neal!
February 29th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Wow.. just read through the entire archives after finding this comic this morning. I think this is the first webcomic that seriously made me cry at certain points. Amazingly done.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I still don’t feel sorry for Tina. I also don’t feel sorry for Anders. I’m still on team Maria.
I think I feel this way because I’m such a phenomenal bitch when I’m pregnant and my husband had the decency not to sleep with other people. I’m saying that I was a whole different person. My husband and I are very happy but he is unsure if he wants to deal with pregnant me ever again.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
PS. I still love the comic completely and one of my favorite points is arguing points about not real people on here. It’s satisfying.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I like how the heart is grey- I don’t know if it was intentional though!
I may be looking too deeply into this but the anguish in Tina’s eyes remind me of Snorkmaiden’s look when she had a crush on someone
Too cute! (In sad way, obviously… )
February 29th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Caroline: Tove Jansson is probably my biggest source of inspiration.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
So at what point does this whole thing take the standard romantic comedy turn and get Anders and Maria back together, and let Tina and Bjorn hook up? I’m waiting…
February 29th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I love your comic, Rene!
“As time goes by…”
*swoons*
I’m waiting for Tina to grow a spine to stand up to Anders… to make him decide what he wants.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Oooo! Isn’t that sweet, he borked her but still love Maria. If I knew Swedes is so fuck up I would like to be borne there.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Bah. Anders doesn’t deserve Tina.
I’m still waiting for the back story regarding Tina and Maria, Rene.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Tapelia & Mary & Bunnie & Olga - I agree 110% with each of you. I feel like all of your comments sum up how I feel about Anders and Tina as of right now. It’s hard to say how I’ll feel tomorrow, Rene is so good at pulling my heart in different directions.
Margaret- that’s precisely why I find it difficult to like tina at all. There’s no sense of Tina as her own person- just a person who has the word Dormat on her forehead. Besides, we don’t know really why she was so compelled to Anders- I mean they’d only known each other a day or two before she slept with him, it wasn’t as though she was in love, then. Sleeping with someone doesn’t necessarily mean they love you, and while Tina is the people pleasing type I don’t see her as being naive either, though I could be wrong and I just haven’t picked up on it yet.
Tina is simply expecting too much from a man who cheated on his hormonal and slightly imperfect girlfriend, when he himself is also imperfect, too. I think loving someone means you forgive them for being a little crazy and defacing their childhood enemy’s house. It was clear that he was not over Maria with how he reacted to the conversation as well. Come now, Tina, I hope this means she’s realizing now that Anders cannot give her what she is looking for and will stop this sillyness once and for all!
And I’m with Jesse, I really can’t wait to find out more about Tina and Maria’s history together.
Ah Rene I love your comic so much, thank you for being so marvelous!
February 29th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Ha ha! Finally. Maria stays awake thinking about Anders, and Anders turns away from that little floozy Tina. I almost feel bad for her. Just because she’s a major tool doesn’t mean she should have her heart stepped all over. But everything she does is self destructive and therefore she deserves what she gets from her behaviour.
Kudos Rene on the characterization.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
I’ve got to say, I have mixed emotions about Tina, though I think she has good, if misguided, intentions, I see her as being kinda ditsy.. well maybe not ditsy ditsy, but.. more….. ack.. I can’t think of the right word. Whatever, on to my second point. I really like Bjorn and Maria Together… though Anders and Maria are also a good couple, Bjorn and Maria seem to work really nicely, however I guess we don’t know too much about Bjorns past and I’m sure there are factors in there which would make their coupling a bit less compatible, especially taking into account that they’ve broken up before. soo theres got to be something there… Oh I don’t know…. Rene you do such good work!!! ( although I’m quite glad we’ve moved on from the four page anal sex fiasco. fine at first but i was getting a little anxious to get on with the rest of the story..)
February 29th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Any more complaints about the anal week and I just might do a whole month in the future!
No, no I wont.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
That ashley up there is different from this one! :]
I am with Tapelia… I am so drawn to feel “She deserves it, Anders heart has always been in another place, Idiot”
baahaha!!!! @ AMC
Will Anders ever have to witness Maria and Bjorn doing the dirty?
February 29th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
ALSO, its always shitty when you are being held by someone who isnt the right someone. :[
February 29th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
So.. I am the only one that LOVED anal week?
wait.. what?
February 29th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
He obviously has no romantic feelings for her and ha shown this several times. Sh needs to wake up and stop him from using her. Also, a few weeks is not enough time to fall in love with someone or think of someone as “the one”
February 29th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
The best thing about this entire discussion, to my mind, is the fact that is based on the realistic woe that each of these characters feel. How many people to we each know that have done something this spectacularly stupid, if not this exactly spectacularly stupid thing? Many. Each of us know many.
So, as a credit to Ms. Engstrom’s (with an umlaut I don’t know how to do) work, we talk about these things. That is what great art does.
This is great art.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
no, olga, you’re not ^_^
February 29th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
tina does bug me, she has bugged me since she slept with anders fully aware that maria knew she was onto something and warned her through drastic graffiti action not to (i thought maria was being so annoying/paranoid/untrusting about it and then it ended up happening…), fully aware that maria was/is pregnant. but it doesn’t mean i don’t feel bad for her even though that was a morally bankrupt thing of her to do (anders also, but i don’t think she holds no blame, she knew what she was doing and she knew what kind of relationship anders was in).
even though anders couldn’t see her crying at first he clearly knew she was in serious pain. he should have stopped right away (hell, he shouldn’t have gone for it in the first place) and the fact that he didn’t shows how little he actually cares for tina’s feelings. had it been maria i’m sure he wouldn’t have done it in the first place (though maria would have told him not to and tina could never do that)
also now that we know they have been sleeping together for weeks it makes anders seem even more annoying when he got all butthurt over maria and bjorn in the same bed.
and speaking of maria and bjorn i’m liking them more and more now.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Rene, by the way, I just want to let you know:
You seriously scarred me, and evidently a few others, for life with the scene of Anders and Tina. That’s why, no matter if she walked up to a puppy and kitten and made them friends with a duckling and baby bunny, then gave all the above animals to a couple orphans…
I cannot like her.
You have done what all writers seek to do. You have made an idea into a PERSON, and made that PERSON so real, so tangible, that no one can forget her predestined flaws. So real that no one can remember that she is just a construct representing an idea. You have thousands of people howling for blood because they’ve forgotten she’s made of ink.
It’s fantastic. And very addictive.
You’re more than a cartoonist. You ought to win awards for this stuff.
March 1st, 2008 at 12:02 am
I’d just like to ask about the quote that Maria’s listening to on the - radio, is it? I wonder if it’s a song, or a conversation, or something that I ought to recognize but don’t due to a lack of pop culture savvy!
March 1st, 2008 at 12:06 am
@Tinuviel: They are watching Casablanca
March 1st, 2008 at 12:14 am
Madonna.. everyone, You really are all too kind,
March 1st, 2008 at 12:23 am
Rene: it wasn’t so much of a complaint. more a sigh of relief. I didn’t mind it too much, otherwise I wouldnt’ve kept reading, but no worries, something about your charm keeps me coming back
March 1st, 2008 at 12:30 am
Oh, and another thing. I notice people say they can’t respect Tina because she went after Anders during a relationship. But, I recall Anders telling Tina “that’s over now.” So, she went after a guy after his relationship ended. Does this make less offensive now?
March 1st, 2008 at 12:50 am
“Weve all got our own funny moods
Ive got mine, woman youve got yours too
Just trust in me like I trust in you
As long as weve been together it should be so easy to do
Just get yourself together or we might as well say goodbye
What good is a love affair when you cant see eye to eye, oh”
Just because I can and I now how cheesy the lyrics sounds, but still.
March 1st, 2008 at 12:52 am
If you don’t know me by now…
March 1st, 2008 at 12:52 am
Well duh! I knew it was going to be something I ought to recognize! Very appropriate, very lovely. This is the most realistic piece of fiction I can even remember reading.
March 1st, 2008 at 12:58 am
I just wanted to say that this comic is amazing. I love it for the way it, unlike pretty much any other comic in which characters have sex, depicts it as an integral part of a relationship, rather than an incidental one. You’re the only comic artist I know of who captures the emotional content in sex. I, for one, didn’t find the last few comics out of place at all. I thought they were essential. Also, the art is awesome.
March 1st, 2008 at 1:08 am
I personally LOVED the butt sex!! When he went, ‘oh no I slipped’ it was gold!! Who hasn’t been there, I mean, come on!!
As always, it’s compelling and beautiful, my only compaint is that I have to wait to see what comes next, sigh….
March 1st, 2008 at 1:35 am
Here’s a bit of commentary from me on the “butt sex”. A little bonus material for readers who are engaged in discussion in the comment section!
There are several levels and reasons why I chose to write such a “raw” scene. The most important reason was to show what Tina gives to Anders. Take into consideration that Anders considers himself a feminist. He has been raised almost exclusively by his (albeit unknown to him) lesbian mother. His girlfriends and even his best friend have always been very “strong” characters that have a tendency to desexualise Anders and to not really let him “play the man”. And Anders loves playing the man. Tina is perfect for this. She loves the submissive role and this really empowers Anders, whose male ego has taken quite a beating since moving up to Kukträsk.
March 1st, 2008 at 1:45 am
OH MY GOD. I seriously nearly fell out of my chair laughing at the last panel. It was so perfectly timed. After Tina paused, and the scene switched to Bjorn and Maria, I totally didn’t expect the next panel to feature Tina — that made the impact so much greater. It took me by surprise. Effing awesome. God, Tina is so adorable…
I love Tina. May have her please? I promise she’s going to a good home : ) Either that or I demand Tina-on-Maria action. Best of both worlds. If you don’t, I will.
MEN AND THEIR SLEEP. BAH. I distinctly remember bringing KooshKoosh! breakfast while he slept, and kissed his cheek, and he growled at me and rolled over. And I made that EXACT FACE. (Feel free to pelt KooshKoosh! with things the next time you see him.)
March 1st, 2008 at 2:11 am
*still prefers Anders/Tina*
Really, as much as anybody hates on Tina, I’m hatin’ right back on Maria. Well. No, hatin’ is a bit strong. I far prefer Tina’s character type to Maria’s. It seems to me that Maria’s been immature and impulsive from the beginning of things, constantly taking advantage of Anders’ nature (not that Anders has really been scoring points lately). I suppose my instinct is to empathize with the submissive character, which Anders isn’t, anymore. As far as character ranking goes, I’m sorta sitting with:
1) Tina
2) Bjorn
3) Anders
4) Maria
…therefore, I’ma start shipping Tina/Bjorn, and Anders and Maria can just deserve each other.
March 1st, 2008 at 2:21 am
jennifer– it’s not over, ever, because maria is pregnant. breaking up doesn’t make anything over. she’s just wrong for that.
March 1st, 2008 at 2:27 am
I feel really bad that when I saw the final panel, I burst into giggles as opposed to feeling bad for Tina. It’s not that I didn’t feel bad for her (I totally did!), but Tina just.. looks kind of funny “:-[” I can’t explain why. Maybe the bush baby thing is still ringing deeply in my head.
Also how is Anders a jerk if he is sort of unconsciously moved away? People tend to.. really like sleeping. And I know if people interrupt my sleep too early, it will be met with a punch to the head! I really don’t think I would take offense at all to my boyfriend doing that.. I’d find it funny because it’s so.. charactertistic XD Then again maybe it’s because there was one late night where I started crying.. and he just scooped me up in his arms and said “What’s wrong?”.. and the next day when I asked him about that, he said he didn’t remember it. I thought that was so painfully sweet of him to do that I will never imagine getting mad if he pushes me away XD
But anyway enough speaking about MYYYY BOYYYYFRRIIIIIEEEEENDDDDDDDD.
I do agree with many of the people here about it being difficult to completely sympathise with Tina due to the sex scene with Anders for the first time. I guess that’s first impressions for you.. and believe me, that scene STABBED ME. Like I felt that horrible pain that I felt once before when I was “cheated” on.. it’s funny to feel that way with a fictional character, but I think after that, Tina really needed to jump a lot of hurdles for me to look at her differently again. It’s just so hard to get rid of such an empowering scene in your head. I do recognise her as an individual, but also as someone who played that part and sort of lead to this world tumbling down. And I don’t want her to die or anything since she seems.. like a good person, but it’s also hard to look away from that scene in the past “:-[”
BUT THAT’S KIND OF AWESOME. You own at giving people mixed feelings about flawed and human characters. Well done!
March 1st, 2008 at 2:32 am
A thought occured to me while I was on the treadmill earlier (Yes I think about webcomics while I am exercising!) - is Maria the first non-blond Anders has ever been seriously involved with? Anna, Jenny, Tina are all blond girls. And when they first landed in Kuktrask I think he was having a little daydream fantasy about a blond girl in traditional garb being impressed by his manliness.
March 1st, 2008 at 3:41 am
gaah! i just lost my carefully constructed comment that was really terribly interesting!
fuck a bunch of that.
basically, for the first time i think we are really seeing tina- and we are seeing her fucking hurting.
however, as much as i want to feel for her, i actually swallowed some vomit when i saw that first sex scene with maria watching. it just…i just….it still makes me ill. more than that-it makes me angry. angry at tina, angry at anders and fucking FURIOUS at maria for being so childish and enabling this to spiral.
that being said, i am firmly in team maria and i loathe tina and i want anders to stop being such a fucking asshole and not jump into any passing lady at the first sign of trouble or potential slights on his manliness.
also, what is the back story on tina and maria? that is a NEED that i have rene, a need!
March 1st, 2008 at 5:47 am
I identify most with Maria. Like most people my heart wrenched to see her watching Anders and Tina. I actually wasn’t even bothered to remember Tina’s name until just now reading these comments. I also never think it is 1)a good idea for exes to get back together and 2)people to jump right into other relationships when they are ending one.
Also, I think Tina is overreacting. The first night my boyfriend and I slept in the same bed he woke me up by kissing me all over my face and me, being completely unused to that sort of thing…I pulled a pillow over my head and tried to fight him off and fall back asleep. It didn’t mean I didn’t want him to do it, it just meant I don’t wake up well. Luckily he didn’t react like Tina.
Anyway, I really really love this comic, I’ve been both loving the characters more but have been made incredibly sad by the turn of events. Though I do admit “The Knife” stuff that you used made me go download a couple of their albums from itunes. I love that sort of incorporation.
March 1st, 2008 at 6:04 am
Eh, i think no one really is the victim here, they all put themselves in the place they are right now.
Im sick of reading “aw poor Tina”.. she totally did it to herself -_-,
But i just love it, ive been the “submissive one ” in a relationship, i know how it hurts, and i know how hard it is to get away from it, even if you KNOW it is a very unhealthy relationship. Rene you are incredible ^^ you depicted this perfectly!
March 1st, 2008 at 7:59 am
Oh jeez, Tina’s expression in the last panel is heartbreaking. You’re so cold, Anders.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:28 am
This is the first comic that I’ve actually read all the comments before (A
March 1st, 2008 at 10:43 am
Zastrozzi you can’t use the html symbols or the text gets cut off…
March 1st, 2008 at 10:45 am
I simply love the Casablanca reference. It’s my favorite movie…
Maria looks so terribly pale in that panel. I wonder what kind of toll this is taking on her… I mean, she’s always been shown as pale, but with the light from the television, she looks deathly. It just seems worrying.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:54 am
Jessica (ssshhh it’s my favourite movie too)
March 1st, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Now that there’s some sort of (temporary?) closure, I just wanted to say:
Amazing storyline, beautiful characters, altogether: simply perfect (yes, including _that_ part).
I just really hope you don’t let some of the comments (”I hate X so much”, “Y is such a jerk”, “How can Z do that to her?”) influence your writing style. Your comic is among the best three webcomics I know.
March 1st, 2008 at 5:20 pm
I just realized, in my previous comment it should of course say “How can Z do that Phi”.
March 1st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Fnord: The majority of the writing is already done so there is not a whole lot of room for “influence”. But I am ALWAYS questioning what I do and how good it is. I don’t take the personal opinions of readers into account. It doesn’t matter if they hate Anders or Tina or Maria because I absolutely adore all my of them even with their faults. Everyone will interpret this differently and that is good.
March 1st, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Wait.
>The majority of the writing is already done
In order to define ‘majority’, you have to have a finite amount of something. Does that mean your story is not open-ended? I.e. it will end at some point? Noooooo! We want your story to be like a good soap opera: running forever, totally sucking after season 4.
March 1st, 2008 at 8:46 pm
The writing for the first book I should say.
March 1st, 2008 at 11:05 pm
when i first read this, i thought that tina’s eyes were cracking, like her ideal vision of anders was breaking. but then i saw they were tears, and that works too
:)
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:36 am
Oh man, I go out of town for a few days and the comic (unsurprisingly) and the comments section (also unsurprisingly) just explode with awesome.
I WILL NEVER EVER LEAVE THE INTERNET AGAIN FOR ANY REASON
Also: I know I’m way behind on it but uh: “Not like Dumbledore being gay” probably just made my top 100 quotes of all time.
Yeah, that’s right, I just blazed through a ten hour road trip in eight and a half hours to catch up on my much beloved Anders and Maria and company. Yeah. It was totally worth it.
March 2nd, 2008 at 9:10 am
Yes that will teach you to have a life outside of internet! I tried that once and it was very painful.
March 2nd, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Gosh, this comic makes people touchy. Him rolling over like that came at the most appropriate time though… my ex spent the night on Friday, but when I went out to get back in “bed” with him, he grumbled and angrily said all he wanted to do was sleep, so I went and slept on my own. Saturday he asked me why I never came back to bed though
March 2nd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I think it’s cute that you have bed in quotations. It’s like it could be a bed, but it could also be a heap of leaves or anything really.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:53 am
It was a big chair in the living room- i’m in the middle of moving so my room’s pretty well trashed.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:57 am
Ah ok I thought maybe you were making sexy references! That must be a really big chair.
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:18 am
I was really hoping this would have an ending; I absolutely hate stories that drag on and fizzle out.
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:10 am
Rene, if you decide to do a month of anal, I will totally support you.
In fact, if you decide to have all of your character development take place while they all have sex, I would support that also. ^.^
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:41 am
What about a month of DVDA? I’m sure that would be an interesting way of developing the characters.
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:26 am
The comic is awesome. The situation is something like a poo flinging contest,
No character in this strip has clean hands.
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:00 am
There are no innocent parties here. Maria was to blame for her treatment of Anders and of her absolute hatred of Tina. Anders was to blame for cheating on Maria and for letting these actions get to him. The thing is… if you look at the characters, you can tell that there are still strong feelings between Anders and Maria. What they need to do is swallow their pride, agree to meet a counselor together, and talk things out. Whether to get back together or to end the relationship and agree to how they’ll handle Maria’s pregnancy. Still a damn depressing comic though….
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:29 am
Kenya. There will be a definate ending and a possible haitus between the books. And if I can’t get a good enough story down for a “sequel” then it will probably just end. Although fret not, there is a lot more story to come!
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:21 am
Does anyone else find that the fact that Maria is pregnant makes this whole situation far far worse? Don’t get me wrong – it’d be sad even if she wasn’t – but they are all adults and we humans do do rather silly things at time…
But somehow knowing there’s a new life on the way and that he/she is going to land right in the middle of all this…
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:59 am
My heart is breaking for Tina. she desperately wants to be loved by Anders, but it is so clear that he is not interested in that way. poor little girl