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Comic

#180 - Okej då!

Saturday, July 19th, 2008

I have a guest strip up for Questionable Content today. I’m easing the load of Jeph Jacques as he recovers from a fantastic nerdfest. I am so so SO jealous.

Also the site is running rather slow due to all the readers from QC. It is nice to have you, New Readers. I wish my site wasn’t running so shitty for your visit.

I’ve had to disable comments on this post Word Press can’t take the QC Pressure. If you want to say hi to me or something, I’ve got an email address you can access by clicking on “contacts” in the above menu. :)

157 Responses to “#180 - Okej då!”

  1. Ul. Says:

    awww :3

    lovely scenario!

  2. Catherine Says:

    YEAH!!!!

  3. Kim Says:

    Yay!

  4. Jason Says:

    Ha!

  5. Tadhg Says:

    Boom! 3rd post!
    Great mini comic to put up tho, well timed!

  6. Oliver Says:

    Hahaha, I love it!

  7. SuperGraffiti Says:

    HOORAY!

  8. roy Says:

    aww, so ridiculously cute. You are made of 100$ awesome Rene!

  9. colleen Says:

    this is pretty darn great

  10. Chris Says:

    Teehee!
    Oh goodie!

  11. Jenocyde Says:

    Thank goodness! :)

  12. francisco Says:

    !!!!!!
    AH!
    *runs around the room and pumps fist a few times*

    *also makes those finger guns*

  13. Katherine Says:

    Hooray!
    I hope she doesn’t change her mind by Monday. :)

  14. Shannon Mc-Mac Says:

    Yay!!!

  15. Burts Says:

    WOOOOOOO!!!!!

  16. jars Says:

    aww! i love how succinct this is!

  17. Nicolas Says:

    This is like “High Fidelity” but with anal sex and pregnancies. Which don’t usually go together, but hey. (also in the movie Laura is Danish, not Swedish)

  18. Ting Says:

    Simple, sweet, and to the point. I like.

  19. Lord Butterfly Says:

    YAYZ!

  20. Ryder Says:

    AAAHHHHH

    *happy dance*

    I knew it would happen all along, of course. Eheh.

  21. Some Dude Says:

    woooooooooo!

  22. jarvis Says:

    nice!

  23. shannon elizabeth Says:

    this was the best news i’ve seen all day. =D

  24. Glenn "Kyhan" Reisher Says:

    Only two panels, but so much within them. not visually, though.

    *sigh* The fact that Maria is giving him another chance makes me envy Anders, as even though he’s done something worse than I, my girlfriend can’t say she loves me anymore.

    I guess this comic’s just giving me a little futile hope before she calls, confirming that she in fact doesn’t love me, and thus sends everything crashing down… and would you believe that what i did was an attempt to make things better, while Anders’ was to make things worse?

    But i digress. Amazing and beautiful comic.

  25. cyn derblock Says:

    eeeeeeee!

    i know complications will arise (rene, you’re a fantastic storyteller, afterall) but yay!!

  26. Indigno Says:

    I must’ve hit the refresh button like 8 times before I scrolled down and read that it was a mini-update.

  27. Sara Says:

    NOOOOOOOOO!

  28. Neodoomium Says:

    Didn’t feel like making us suffer through the weekend, I see! It is appreciated!

  29. Zac R C Says:

    Her expression in the first panel makes me think of Weegee: http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Weegee

  30. Stephanie Says:

    well, and thank god it’s not a weekend of chew chew.

  31. Megan Says:

    YAY!!! :D Despite everything, I’ll be really happy to see Anders and Maria back together.

  32. Miss Maria Says:

    if everything is just happy ever after from now on I can die a happy girl

  33. Renore Says:

    That second panel.

    :awesome:

  34. Sulfura Says:

    hurray!

  35. Nachlader Says:

    This has to be one of the best webcomic pages I’ve ever seen, even though it’s small, but that’s just part of the epic presentation. =D

  36. Angelf Says:

    YES!!!!!!!!!!!! good morning everyone!!! haha

  37. Bex (Edmonton) Says:

    I like it… but she could also very well be telling their server she would like another piece of cake. I expect nothing to be simple in this universe.

  38. charchum Says:

    OMG!!!!! yay!

  39. Hannah Says:

    YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

  40. mayonaise Says:

    huzzahhh!!!! there should be a mini celebration par-tay

    =)

  41. Gill Says:

    My jaw just hit the ground.

    This comic is awesome.

  42. Haunt Says:

    Yay!

  43. sk8brder40 Says:

    YAAAAY!!!!!!

    don’t ruin it renee

    please =p

  44. the-shortcake Says:

    squee!

  45. grace Says:

    truly mini O.o

  46. grace Says:

    i was so sure i left a comment on one of the recent comics after anders cut his hair that he looked more and more like bjorn, but i can’t find it, so i’m reposting! he looks a LOT like bjorn!

  47. Eric Says:

    Something in her expression makes me wonder if she is being sincere, or if the next panel will reveal her yelling at Anders.

  48. bridget Says:

    i know lots of people might not like them getting back together…
    but:: Yay!!

  49. Kiersi Says:

    Wish real life worked out this way. >_>

  50. Rubyservice Says:

    NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

  51. Kaity Says:

    Hi, I haven’t gotten the chance to comment this awesome comic yet, so I picked the perfect time to! I knew this would happen (though I had my doubts, lol) but I love your comic sooo much! This is the best birthday present you could’ve ever given me!

  52. Rebe Says:

    Oh my goodness! Horray!

  53. Hunter Says:

    As much as I want them to get back together, I don’t think she’s saying yes to that. The last thing Anders said to her was “I love you”, so it seems like that’s what she’s responding to. Saying “Alright then” when someone says “I love you” isn’t usually a good sign :(

    It does seem like she wants to get back together with him though, but hasn’t forgiven him yet. Can’t wait to find out.

  54. Athena Says:

    Aw.
    The variety in your art style is so much fun to watch.
    And boy do I love Maria.

  55. JAPONfan Says:

    I counted on some more effort from Anders. Not just lame “for the kids!”. Well Maria could always say “yes, but under conditions”

  56. Dain Says:

    Wohooo!! thank you Rene!!!!

  57. Shannon Mc-Mac Says:

    I’m waiting for her to follow this up with “NOT”!

  58. Withing Says:

    Ha ha! I thought the page hadn’t loaded right (with this wonky old compy, I’m used to all kinds of shenanigans), but then I realized I was seeing the world in a grain of sand. Awesome.

  59. The T.C. Says:

    How succinct.

  60. Ayo Says:

    This is perfectly awesome.

    Just like…the timing, as another poster said. Spectacular.

  61. Anna Says:

    i so knew they were getting back together :D !

  62. michelle Says:

    rene, you are TOO cute!

  63. Timothy Says:

    I love how some people keep regurgitating the same words over and over. End of thought. Succinct indeed…

  64. Graves Says:

    Best page of a comic ever.

  65. july Says:

    THIS CAN’T BE REAL. IT IS TOO SIMPLE. :|

    It was all a dreeeeam!~

  66. Eva Says:

    @Bex (Edmonton): “I like it… but she could also very well be telling their server she would like another piece of cake. I expect nothing to be simple in this universe.”

    Haha, I was thinking the same. With the panels being placed in the middle of the page, it seems as if the previous ones with the cake action are missing. :D

    She looks tiny, with Anders’ huge hands wrapped around her.

  67. Gelsey Says:

    Yay!

  68. Dain Says:

    Rene, will there be a new update today? And how is your thumb, does it ache less?

  69. Rene Engström Says:

    Hey Dain!

    There will be an update. I’m still working on it. It’ll just be late.

    Everything is a lot slower with my hand aching as it does. The thumb is fine now, I think the problem is more related to repetive work. I have to stop a lot and exercise my wrists.

  70. Dain Says:

    Be careful with your wrists! You can always have a holiday, so your wrists can rest. I will mis ALM but it’s better for you! Or look at Workpace com it worked for me.

  71. Lilian Says:

    Best update ever! Thanks ^_^!

  72. Becky Says:

    FINALLY!!

  73. Vanessa Says:

    that is so adorable.

  74. Squee Says:

    You guys sure seem confident that this isn’t like when Anders and Johan kissed on April Fools Day. Then again, it isn’t the day for that.

  75. Paul Says:

    Heh, all right then! :D

  76. pineapple Says:

    you know, i’m always ‘once a cheater always a cheater’ but maria is so cute, and everything is so cute (really, excellent art) that i’m always pulling for these two crazy kids.

    hope your hand is feeling better soon!

  77. Phill Says:

    That was stylish.

  78. JennyB Says:

    A few years back I had problems with aching wrists and fingers, most likely from drawing. A colleague made me try this nice home remedy: use a heat rub, then rest hands in oven mitts. (I used tiger balm)
    At the very least it feels really good, and the mitts make you keep your hands still. :)
    A visit to a physiotherapist might also be a good idea.

  79. Rene Engström Says:

    Thanks Jenny! That’s good advice. It’s getting ridiculous.

    Oh hey, I just re-read your mini comic again the other day. It was a good purchase! Thanks for that!

  80. JennyB Says:

    Tack! ^^

  81. Fiona Says:

    :D

  82. Mark Says:

    Rene, I have the same problem it sounds like as you do. Went to the doctor’s and their recommendation was to put a wrist brace on before i went to bed. Between how you lay on it at night, and doing what Jenny said was the doctor’s best cure. Hope that helps :)

  83. Luke Says:

    There’s something about Maria’s expression in panel 1 that makes me think of Kate Beaton’s Younger Self.

  84. KACC28 Says:

    Hey Rene, I agree with Mark…I had the same problem and after wearing a wrist brace to bed for awhile it started to clear up….on the downside(or upside depending how you look at it) my wrist brace was black with silver latchings and all my friends thought I was suddenly into bondage, haha

  85. adam Says:

    It is becouse of strips like this one that people compare your work to Eisner. Truly, a work of art.

  86. sarah b. Says:

    yay!!

  87. Yamina Says:

    I will kille “little shit” if she tries to come between Anders and Maria. I will do it!

  88. michelle Says:

    heh…little shit poses no threat whatsoever. it’s more - women everywhere wanting anders. it’s kind of like brad pitt. you know, everywhere he goes women must be wetting their pants. only hottie angelina can tame him. does maria have what it takes? we’ll see. the fact that he loves her has already proven to be…not enough. and he does not seem appropriately broken down sorry - how could he with women everywhere throwing themselves at him? anders still needs to shape up!

    still - i’m happy they’re back together - agree this comic is pure genius - and am curious to see if others’ ideas of how these two frames fit into a larger comic pan out - some of you commenters are pretty sharp!

  89. michelle Says:

    btw, i think the brace and the tiger balm suggestions were brilliant for your wrists. combine those with targeted exercises (exercises which you occasionally repeat even when you are not in pain - as long as you continue to draw - your whole life - for prevention) and you should be good.

    http://www.eatonhand.com/hw/ctexercise.htm
    http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/425_carpal-tunnel.htm

    there are tons of these online. find the one that suits your symptoms and do these whenever you get the chance.

  90. neil Says:

    Geez rene, late much? I keed, I keed.

  91. Jenocyde Says:

    neil: Be patient. Patience is a virtue!

  92. Joshua Says:

    Aww, sorry you had a shitty day Rene. Hope you’re feeling better.

  93. Mike Says:

    I’m really sorry to hear about your crummy day. Take care of yourself and feel better.

  94. michelle Says:

    i send you kisses from the holy land!

    jerusalem was fucked up today - fuckity fuck fuck fucked. but! you are still rockin it baby.

  95. Rene Engström Says:

    I send many hugs and kisses to Jerusalem. And the world’s largest band-aid.

  96. Lilian Says:

    Get well soon, Rene! :)

  97. Jill D. Says:

    Feel better, Rene. :)

  98. Neodoomium Says:

    I don’t think anyone would mind if you took the time off to recharge and heal up.

    Or at least, anyone who has any common sense.

  99. Balthier: the leading man Says:

    I’m addicted to you and your work. THIS ONE MADE ME SO HAPPY! you owe us nothing, take all the time you need

  100. Michael Says:

    Feel better! I hope everything gets better and you (and subsequently your hand) heals a-okay.

  101. rosie Says:

    We hope you feel better and heart you all the same!
    We’ll only be that much more voracious come Wednesday:)

  102. DubDub Says:

    It’s not April 1st, is it? *checks calendar* Yay!

  103. Bridget Says:

    Please dont’ be sad =( I hope your days get better.

    I’m really enjoying the current storyline. Your artwork is so interesting and beautiful.

    -B

  104. Kay Says:

    This makes me smile! :D

  105. Zoot Says:

    Bork bork bork..
    Get better miss arteest.

  106. Arilynn Says:

    Just get better, Rene. We can all wait. Your health is what’s most important!!

  107. Dain Says:

    Hope you feeling better today, Rene! Take all the time you need!

  108. Frankie D. Says:

    *Huggles*

  109. Fie Says:

    A support the common motion: Rene, you take that day off- hell, you take this week off- if it facilitates your recovery

  110. Boumama Says:

    Hugs and best wishes from Arizona, USA. Just take care of yourself, and feel better, Rene.

  111. Spencer Says:

    But….I just declared today to be Awesome Day - before I read your comic. Maybe you just had a slow start in the morning?

  112. Katie Says:

    Hehe, that was awesome!!
    I hope you get to feeling better, but the comic looks great all the same, so don’t stress too much.

  113. Arana Says:

    I hope you feel better, Rene. :) I sincerely love your comic.

  114. Ashley Kromarek Says:

    Rene! Stop feeling shitty! I am sorry :[

  115. Rene Engström Says:

    It’s up and down Ashley. After a good talk with a friend last night I was feeling pretty awesome. I ordered pizza, drew my ass off and did a pretty awesome guest comic for Questionable Content.

    This morning I started crying while I ate cold pizza for breakfast. It was a pathetic sight! In hindsight kind of hilarious too. I should have taken a picture and submitted it to the crying while eating thing.

  116. Ashley Kromarek Says:

    Well rene, I am sorry (something) is making you so upset. Hopefully things start looking upward.

  117. Jenocyde Says:

    I hope you heal up and feel better soon. We are here if you need us!

  118. Lucas Says:

    oh man, this strip made me so happy…but I wish I could give my happy to you Rene. (awwww)

  119. Magda Says:

    Greetings from Poland! I sure hope you get better soon, but no rush, just take your time and relax. I just wanted to say that your comic is really great and I’m totally addicted to it. Keep it up!

  120. Mandy Says:

    Whatever’s wrong…. I hope you are okay soon.

  121. Tom Says:

    Yay! *tears of joy*

  122. Gill Says:

    I can’t wait for Friday! But before that, please feel better!

  123. Eric Says:

    Hope you feel better soon. I look forward to seeing your guest strip on QC. Haven’t read that comic in a while.

  124. Arilynn Says:

    I read QC everyday, along with yours.
    And whenever I read that he’d be going away, and we’d be having quest comics… I was disappointed.
    But now knowing that yours will be up there, I’m totally excited! You rock, Rene! You totally rock!!

  125. Joshua Says:

    Oooo, a QC guest comic?!!? You’re something else Rene. I hope you’re feeling better soon.

  126. Enno Says:

    I have had on and off problems with my wrist for almost a year now. It’s getting better, but I think the worst thing I did was that I didn’t take a complete break from everything when it started. I’ll probably never be all well again (I emphasize with crying in the morning. Felt like that a couple of times myself).

    Take plenty of breaks! I found Workrave (http://www.workrave.org/) a good tool to remind me to take breaks, stretch, etc.

  127. Bana Says:

    kyaaaaaa!!!

  128. Carl H Says:

    Rene,

    Cute 2-panel.

    Having had some hand problems (ulnar nerve related) myself I can empathize. Hope you’re 100% soon. Here’s to feeling great -and looking better, as my wife always used to say.

  129. Becky Says:

    1) You did a quest strip for QC! ! ! ! Awesome!

    2) Crying while eating is funny as ever!

    3) I heart you.

  130. Chuck Says:

    D:

    I go away for 3 weeks… AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS!!!

    :3

  131. Ryan Says:

    I am an avid fan. I’ve been reading since entry 1. I couldn’t help but notice that song Be Still My Heart by the Postal Service (on We Will Become Silhouettes EP) totally fits whats goin on with Anders and Maria right now.

    Hope everythings ok btw.

  132. Jake Says:

    God, I’m going through withdrawal! I need my A

  133. Soup Says:

    Hope you feel better soon! I miss the comic, but more importantly, feel better, dammit!

  134. Cristian Avendaño Says:

    Yes, yes, YES!
    You know, I started reading this yesterday. And I couldn’t stop!
    Your comic is amazing, I love it, and I love the characters too.
    Keep going, and thanks for giving us such a beautiful story.
    Take care!

    Hugs from Punta Arenas, Chile! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punta_Arenas)

  135. JennyB Says:

    Rest until you’re better, then rest a bit more.

    Jill Thompson described her drawing injuries last fall on her blog:
    http://jillthompson.blogspot.com/2007/11/dangerous-occupation-cartooning-is.html
    I can tell you that got me a bit scared…

  136. Withing Says:

    Sometimes I can’t tell if I’m having a great idea or just being greedy. Given your willingness to experiment with different looks and media in the past, maybe you could play with doing a few strips in crayon with your off hand or something. It’s supposed to stimulate the other side of the brain or something too.

    Or maybe just take old strips and recaption them (although I guess something like that might work better if you were doing non-sequential strips that didn’t already have a definite storyline mapped out.)

    Ooh! Or maybe just describe the action/dialogue in kind of vague terms, and let the fans try their hand at interpreting the panels.

    All this is slightly-funny-smelling pie-in-the-sky, of course, and perhaps it should be understood that any action in this interim is totally non-cannonical. Just throwing out some ideas in case ya get bored or something.

  137. Reuben Says:

    great guest comic @ QC rene!

  138. Billy Manic Says:

    Your QC strip killed me!

  139. Rachel Says:

    Saw that you did an awesome guest comic at QC, decided to check yours out and LOVING IT! :D Still working my way through the archives, but I love it :]

  140. Kasey Says:

    I love your comic and I’m antitipating an update! I hope your hand/wrist feels better soon though.

  141. Andrew Says:

    Another person linked from QC. I’m either going to be late for work or dead tired tomorrow because I’ve stayed up so late reading. It’s great!
    (Also the parallel between what Maria says in this strip and what Bjorn says to her in the 15 year old flashback is very curious!)

  142. Chuck Says:

    Loved your QC strip. It was like all the awesomeness of your comic condensed into a single strip. Only not quite, because a single strip couldn’t handle so much awesomeness.

  143. Megan Says:

    Found your strip via QC. It’s the best webcomic… um… I’ve ever read. Ever. Read the whole thing straight through in one night. For serious. Never stop writing comics.

  144. berga Says:

    finally, pizza girl returns :D
    cute guest comic, keep up

  145. MJ Says:

    just found it randomly searching though other webcomic links (i read far too many, QC, XKCD, Dr Mcninja, Sam and Fuzzy, CAD, just to name the more popular ones), and found myself enjoying your comic too. Read it in one night, gonna regret that in the morning ;-)

    Keep writing!

  146. Troll Says:

    Just found this from QC. Read it from start to finish in one sitting(Thus why I am posting at 5:00 in the morning) Literaly the best comic I have ever read…ever. I hope you keep writing :) Great job so far !!!

  147. joshua Says:

    yr guest appearance on qc more than makes up for the missing comics of last week…so, so good!

  148. joshua Says:

    oh, and i really hope yr feeling better…! my morning coffee isn’t nearly as fun without you.

  149. VanCanGuy Says:

    I found your comic through Questionable Content… great guest strip, btw! So, just finished reading the ENTIRE archive and it’s 4:45am here in Vancouver. Thanks for the great entertainment! Bookmarked and an instant favourite!

  150. Turbo Says:

    Hey. I’m with VanCanGuy, I found you through QC, loved the guest strip, read the whole archives and have got you on live feed, right next to QC. I was almost going to leave an angry comment asking why things in the comic are still so screwed up, but with this one it seems that things are going back to the way they should be. I like how your comic has a style of it’s own, it has a good story and it’s not afraid to show some skin. Keep up the good work!

  151. ausguy Says:

    found your comic through QC…like thousands of others by the looks!
    i absolutely love it, well done!
    i loved your guest comic at QC very very funny.

  152. Ewigan Says:

    Hi there.

    Actually i just gor here from questionablecontent. I loved your guest strip there btw. And then i cam here, saw those 2 panels and was like “ok what do those two panels with a fat kid mean?”. (no pun intended)
    But then i got curious and started reading from #1 on. now i read ALL of them, got to “those two panels with the fat kid” again and must admit that i love “the fat kid” a lot.

  153. Doraja Says:

    Found it through QC as well, just read all of it. The story, characters and the art amazing, you’re doing a great job Rene!
    Also, it’s nice to see a comic with a Scandinavian touch about it :D

  154. Fara Says:

    Hi!
    I also found your comic through QC (your guest strip was awesome). And I got to say that I love it. So awesome.

    Beside, I always love seeing my hometown being properly depicted (I live in Vasastan).

  155. James Says:

    Hahaha, your guest strip at QC was AWESOME, Rene.

    I hope we get to see further adventures of Hipster Batman!

  156. das Says:

    hey
    i got here from QC too…
    and just read the whole comics from da first strip too this one !
    it made me feel really good ….so thanx :)
    i really like Johan , mm… maybe its more like a crush… :)
    his really my kind of guy….
    pls dont hook him up with that bitch tina :( !
    love your comics!

    das

  157. Brandi Says:

    Hey there! I followed you here off of Questionable Content and I would just like to say I’m so glad I did! I read your entire comic in one night and I absolutely loved it! Your style is so gorgeous and original and your storyline is an emotional rollercoaster that I wanna ride over and over again! I don’t think I’ve every enjoyed reading through a comic as much as I have yours ^_^