Thanks everyone who have donated to Sketch-a-thon! I can now continue to work on Anders Loves Maria for probably another 3-4 months thanks to you guys! This really means a lot.
I still haven’t processed all the last minute orders that came in on Sunday. If I haven’t mailed to you yet, I will first thing tomorrow morning. Right now it is 5.40 am and I am heading to bed after working aaaalll night. Phew!
Sex and the Suburbs PDF Donate any amount to read a 6 page mini taking place when Anders and Maria went to Uni together and first started dating. (NSFW) You will be automatically redirected after donating. If not email me and I will hook you up. |
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AppearancesMarch 20-22Webcomics Weekend March 28 UK Webcomix Thing April 23-26 SPX 09 Stockholm |
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June 16th, 2009 at 5:45 am
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHA. Oh that is great.
June 16th, 2009 at 5:48 am
Woah, it really hits home how immature both of them are at this point.
Pbbbt.
June 16th, 2009 at 6:12 am
I’m really confused. So Johan has the note–”Are we still together Y/N”–in the beginning. Did he write it and he’s sending it to Tina, or did she write it and he’s returning it? Then we see Tina holding a note and looking surprised. In the last panel, is that the note she received that made her look surprised, or is that what she sent back to Johan? I can’t eve tell who is in the doodle.
June 16th, 2009 at 6:22 am
@Ally: Johan wrote “Are we still together Y/N” and passed it to Tina, Tina circled N and passed it back, in the 1st panel we see Johan when he got the note back. Then Johan wrote the other note about Tina shitting her pants, and passed it to Tina, as we can see in the 2nd panel. Finally, in the last 3 panels we see Tina reading the note about her shit.
Well, that’s how I see it playing out; I can’t be 100% sure either.
June 16th, 2009 at 6:46 am
I think Johan asked her if they were still together, Tina said no, and Johan said “Good!” and made the drawing.
It’s sad. But I agree with the first comment that this really shows how immature at least Johan is being.
I think a lot of people are really harsh on Johan, you have to remember that he probably feels like he almost let Maria die, and he was taken away from his parents from a while (not to mention that his parents aren’t that great to begin with). I think he’d be pretty damaged from all that. Not that it excuses his behavior, but it partly explains it.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:05 am
It really feels like there is a hidden depth to Johan that hasn’t been totally been elaborated on yet, but I can’t wait till it is.
I also, just can’t stop feeling bad for Tina, she seems, even when she was younger, she really just wanted to be loved by someone.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:20 am
If you ask me, it doesn’t seem like Johan hasn’t changed much since back then. His answer to everything is still aggression, anger, and asshole-ishness, just as it is here as a teenager.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:39 am
I still believe Johan doesn’t know how to show his correct emotions. He cared enough to want to know if him and Tina were still together. Got shot down. And he tries to cover it up by poking mean at her.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:54 am
No one seems to get it. He is angry that Tina aborted the child. She didn’t talk to him, didn’t consider any alternatives– just went and had an abort, cut off her relationship with him, and he’s supposed to be ok?
Johan is grieving, I would have thought that was obvious. He wouldn’t be mean to someone he obviously cares about if he DIDN’T still care for her.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:31 am
At least he’s turned from a childish asshole into a noble asshole. I still love that boy and his monobrow.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:40 am
I agree with Faulken. Johan is clearly hurt by Tina’s actions, how else would a teenage boy handle being shot down while trying to be responsible for his actions? He clearly was trying to do what he thought was best.
but who can blame Tina, either? They are still teenagers, and if kids were already spreading rumors from mono to STDs, could you imagine what would happen if she were to show up at school with a baby-bump?
June 16th, 2009 at 11:40 am
What Faulken says. Sure, he’s not handling his emotions in the most mature way, but that’s to be expected.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I don’t agree completely with some of the comments. Johan screamed at Tina that he didn’t want kids anyway (after ignoring her plea to use a condom) so he has no right to be hurt that Tina aborted it. He didn’t defend her to that boy that spread the rumors, and now he is just being an immature brat! Why shouldnt Tina have shot him down?
June 16th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Given what happens later on (chronologically) in strip #70 and #74, I’m not really sure where the idea that Johan evolves from being a childish asshole to a noble asshole came from. He still comes across to me as an adjectiveless asshole.
Ditto on being hurt about the abortion. Didn’t he just make a big, angry deal about not wanting kids in order to get some coitus interruptus action? Even if he’s changed his mind, he really doesn’t have any say in the matter after a tirade like that.
June 16th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
From the looks of this guys this took place a couple of years back, so yeah of course they’re going to immature about it.
I was a little confused about the comic too, haha. I had to reread it a few times.
Still LOVE the comic and I’m glad you got another 3-4 months to keep doing awesome work!
<3
June 16th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I have to respond to Ashley – so if a guy screams at you, then he absolves all his rights? That’s what’s immature. Regardless of how young they were, Tina should have told him about it before she aborted. Plain & simple. Sure he’s being childish but look how young they are. I can see where both of them are coming from – it’s just a sad situation.
June 16th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Ahahahaha, I agree with Twentay. Loving the labeling of the ‘fat ass’, there; Johan has quite the artistic potential. ;p
June 16th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but I figured Johan backed off when Tina insisted on using a condom that time. I took the STD-rumor to mean that she had more… casual boyfriends, getting something of a rumour, which probably wouldn’t happen if she was just seeing Johan.
So whose baby was it?
And who is gonna get the blame?
June 16th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Johan should have been consulted about Tina’s pregnancy?? please. they are both somewhere around 15 yrs old, and neither of them are in any way fit to become parents, even if they are biologically capable of it. besides which, let us keep in mind that this is Tina’s body and Tina’s decision, whether Johan likes that or not. let’s see him rise to the occasion for a change, rather than sink to new lows of asshole behavior.
can you imagine trying to raise a child with someone who’d send you a note about that time you shit your pants, because they were disappointed and angry with you? i think that abortion was the best decision Tina could’ve made under the circumstances.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
@Anna Tina probably didn’t even make the decision, her parents likely did.
They’re both hurt in ways irreparable and they’re handling it like kids. Because they *are* kids. I feel bad for both of them, but Johan far more. He has no one to be there for him; at least Tina has parents.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
I’m confused here by some of the comments (perhaps not confused, but instead surprised).
Johan was given an opportunity to meet and communicate with Tina several strips ago after he became aware of her situation. He made a small attempt to see her, but then took the coward’s way out and walked away. THAT was when he gave up the right to have any say or involvement in her abortion.
And, really, that’s ignoring the fact that it’s her body, that they both are completely ill prepared mentally, physically, and financially to care for and raise a child and host of other concerns.
Johan has absolutely zero defense here, nor do his supporters. He muscled her into sex and had her pay a very serious consequence as a result.
He deserves no sympathy.
Rene, you write and illustrate an excellent webcomic. I’ve been a long-time reader and look forward to every update. Keep it up.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
here here
June 16th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
I scrolled down to write what Alex said but couldn’t say it any better. Johan had a chance to talk to Tina; he didn’t. He may be angry with himself as well as Tina, but he is simply taking it out on her in a very immature way. It may be understandable based on his youth, but he still comes off as a prat.
It certainly helps to explain his later behaviour though.
I still love the imperfect people in this strip. All of them. (:
June 16th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
I don’t believe is anger is stemming from being cut out of the decision making process – I think it has more to do with the situation at large.
I think he is ashamed for impregnating Tina (especially after denouncing her worries) and adding the shame associated with teenage pregnancy/abortion.
I don’t think his gripe has to do with his involvement (or lack of) in the abortion – but with the fact that there has been a huge physical and emotional change that he has created. His attempt at “making things better” is simply to go back to normal. He asks her if she has had an abortion, she dismisses him, so he assumes it’s a taboo subject and carries on.
I don’t believe it’s because Johan is malicious, he’s just a dumb teenage boy. He can’t possibly comprehend the effect the pregnancy (and the follow up abortion) has had on Tina emotionally as well as physically. He’d rather ignore it to save himself the guilt and emotions associated with the current situation.
Ah to be 16 again….
June 17th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Johan was wrong for skipping all prevention. (Condom, Pills, etc) So by that act he is at fault and is responsible for knocking Tina up.
Tina looks out the window when Johan visits. She looks sad, I believe she WANTS to talk to him, but her dad shows up, with a clearly upset expression. I’m sure at this point Tina has already explained to her dad (via the “Princess” strip). There is no way he’s going to let Johan “ruin his daughter’s life” more.
So Tina, at her young age really didn’t have a choice in the matter. (I find this bull by the way. Its her body, that anyone else can decide for her is a pathetic legal statute that should be abolished.)
She comes back school and Johan has only rumors to go on. He’s worried. He knows he’s screwed up and wants to fix it. Tina blows him off.
Now Tina is probably blowing him off for a number of reasons: Johan knocked her up, her dad just made her have an abortion (and the simple fact that she just had an abortion itself), and at the end of the day she is very young.
Johan however is very much a young teen boy. He cares about her as best as he knows how, and I think there was more too their relationship then snogging. He spent this time worrying, and wanting to make it right. When Tina blows him off, he’s hurt. Very hurt. He’s hurt because he still cares and when someone is hurt the common (though less mature) reaction is to hurt the person that hurt you.
Obviously this is a self-destructive downward spiral. However as stated, they ARE very young.
The one sentiment that I am reading repeatedly and despising though is that AGE makes them unfit parents. Maybe where ever you posted from Teen mothers don’t exist or are a taboo.
They are common where I’m from. Whatever you might think about the actions that bring about such a consequence, its still a child. I’m pro-choice for everyone else and pro-life for myself.
Tina did have every right to have an abortion, and the woman’s word should always be final (after consulting with the man in question) because the woman ultimately has to carry the child for 9 months.
However none of THAT makes them BAD PARENTS. I know plenty of adult parents that are idiots and I know a few teen parents that love respect and cherish their children.
So please, the next time you go to post such a pathetic demoralizing and sweeping generalization about a group of people, stick yourself with a pin instead. It will be a much better use of everyone’s time.
Out.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:29 am
Just because they would love the child doesn’t make them fit parents. They would need to be able to provide for it emotionally and financially, and from the looks of the comic neither of them are at a point in their lives where they could do either. Look at their emotional maturity. They blow each other off. They write snide little notes to each other. That doesn’t scream “emotionally mature enough to care for a child who will need a LOT of emotional support for years” to me. As far as financially.. we already know that Johan doesn’t have any money, and you can’t guarantee that Tina’s parents would have helped to support them had she given birth.
I’m not saying that I agree or disagree with the abortion. What happens happens, but I think it’s unrealistic to say that they are mature enough emotionally or financially secure enough to have raised a child together at this point in their lives.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:55 am
Man, it is like two webcomics and a half with these comments! Look at them! They full of that insight!
June 17th, 2009 at 9:01 am
I think a crucial point Johan has been missing in this entire situation is that Tina does have parents who, although they do not make all the decisions, influence her. Johan does whatever he thinks is right because there is nobody to say “hold on a second” or to ask permission.
Johan did NOT just walk away from the window. Tina went to ask her Dad, Johan took that as a sign that she didn’t want to see him and that She walked away from the window. I seriously doubt he can imagine a parent having an influence over anyone’s life because his are ignoring him.
Johan has a completely different perception of Tina’s actions. He also fails to recognize the other factors that have led to Tina being so coldhearted to him. He thinks it’s all what she WANTS, that she just doesn’t like him anymore, because he has done this to her.
And even though he may still be impulsive and violent in present time comics, he has most definetely learned from his mistakes. He did try as hard as he could to protect Maria from suffering the same fate as Tina.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I love your comic, but would you mind adding a latest button so we can go to the most recent comic? It would really be handy.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Why would Tina go to her TOTALLY immature boyfriend, the one who told her that protection was unnecessary in the first place and (unintentionally or not) emotionally manipulated her into having unprotected sex, with this huge problematic situation instead of her stable, loving parents? Should he have had some input? I’m totally in favor of men having a say in pregnancies, but Johan isn’t exactly the person to turn to when having a crisis at age fifteen or so.
And no matter HOW young he is, treating his girlfriend (ex, rather) who just had an abortion like that is abominable.
Poor Tina. :C
June 17th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
@Eve. Just click on the graphic text title header (i,e, “anders love maria by rene engström”).
June 17th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Oh my, I didn’t realize this comic wasn’t finished yet… and now I have to wait for updates! Poo. It’s so addicting!
June 17th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
@Wait what – I dunno; I admire how he finally decided to be there for Tina when he thought she was aborting Anders’ baby, and every time he socks someone across the face for how they treat his sister… not EXACTLY the best way of dealing with feelings, but it shows he has that protective impulse. He’s a good boy at heart, our Johan.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:36 am
To Greensis, who assumes that Tina is a slut simply because the Johan wasn’t man enough to defend her against stupid teenage rumors: Stay classy, man.
June 18th, 2009 at 7:38 am
@Cambiata: I figured Tina for having an “accomodating” personality, doing just anything for love and approval, given what we’ve seen so far on A<3M. That can very easily translate into sluttish behaviour.
I didn’t say she was, I just observed that the possibility is there.
She’s from a stable, middle-class, socially responsible family. It’d take a bit more assumed evidence for that sort of rumour to pop up. Poopy-pants, stoopid, stinky bitch, any of those would be more natural slurs. Girls with Maria’s background would be more vulnerable to the automatic “she’s-a-slut”-preconception,
And I’m speaking from the perspective of having (once-upon-a-time) been through Swedish high school.
June 20th, 2009 at 3:14 am
Johan looks sort of like a spider in the 2nd panel. At least to me. Makes me think of “Boris the Spider”. =)
June 23rd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
If it wasn’t for Batuhan coment I wouldn’t have understand this comic… I got lost on this one >_<
maybe I’m just too stupid…
hmm, btw, I always loved this comic since I found it, it become one of my ‘must check everyday’ favorites ^^
June 25th, 2009 at 7:25 am
insights ho!
(as referral to “lands ho” and NOT a derrogatory term (: )
i don’t think strongly criticizing either character and their actions is exactly how theorising about intentions is the way to go, but whatever floats your boat.
Just to put my two cents in, I think that despite how immature and muscleheaded Johan’s motions were to have sex, he WAS a young boy. So was Tina. She was not exactly forced to do it, and she complied anyway, so is he exactly to blame?
Now think of what you would do- if you cared enough about someone, wouldn’t you want to ask them if they still wanted to stay with you? Especially for Johan, this is a big move. When she blew him off, rejected him and snubbed him, it probably was like a sharp blow in the stomach. He was hurt and lashed out. He’s human, he’s a teenager.
also- teen pregnancy and mothering isn’t some extinct occurence