Strip 681

Art:

• That hair annoys me. Either keep it messed, or at least have a panel of him straightening it up.
• You can tell Shive cheated in the third panel with Tedd's giant mitten arm.
• Also...what is up with Justin's hair? It seems to be in a constant state of levitation.

Content:

• Behold! As Shive stereotypes every gay person ever!
• Because everyone has the exact same tastes!
• Everyone!
• Dude, Shive, really? Was the concept of Bishonen nonexistant in 2005?
• Plus, we get to see more of Tedd's informed feminine ability.
• Now, while the concept of traps has confirmed people will willingly fap to males if they look females, those people are still not exactly the majority.
• While some males might be shocked by someone who is female, if all they have to make them look feminine are their eyes do you really think that that is enough to make them confused?

---

Strip 682

Art:

• This is new. On again off again backgrounds.
• How is that couch large enough to hide Sarah and Grace?

Content:

• Her motives are obvious.
• Her douchebaggy, manipulative, rapey motives, are obvious.
• Because as we all know, gays are not accepted in the household of Tedd.
• Justin? Who?
• What do you mean Ellen is bisexual? Lies.
• Tedd likes to be glomped as a girl? Not sexual at all.
• Nanase, where in the world are you getting your priorities?
• Plus, being the straw feminist that she is, why would Susan go along with this?
• Why would she advocate the idea of a man hitting on a female in what can only be described as a "drunken" scenario?
• So, now that Sarah and Grace know, they are obviously going to confront Nanase, and comfort her, like friends do, right?
• Hah. Ahahah. No.

---

Strip 683

Art:

• Does anyone else feel a little cramped in this strip?
• Too much dialogue for a very tiny action?
• And oh god, enough with the side mouth. Grace just looks demonic in that penultimate panel.

Content:

• See, Grace knows what's going on here. Mostly because she is perfect, and shall know EVERYTHING. Oh yeah, she likes to be naked. Almost forgot about that gag.
• Private and mind-blowing. At a party where everyone is going to be turning the opposite sex. Lovely.
• Plus, I am of the philosophy that if you can help someone, YOU HELP THEM.
• Now, obviously you shouldn't meddle, but the fact is, if someone has a crush so huge that they are going to dress their crush in scantily clad clothing, and hit on them as a male, I think someone needs to confront someone about something.

---

Sketchbook Strip 071305

Why so many ^^; emoticons, Shive? HMMMMM?

Also, he seems really preoccupied about this. Especially for a guy who wants to add plenty of sex jokes and include nudity (even if it is without the genitals).

---

Sketchbook Strip 071405

So...they're mormons. Doesn't seem that "freakishly social" to me. Sure, three or four kids is above average, but...it's not exactly freakish. Six kids. That's when you can claim they like kids too much.

I mean, where I live, three kids is pretty common. I'm the oldest of three. Cakman is the middle child of three. Two of our family friends have three kids. Two of my karate teachers have three kids. This is all off the top of my head.

Shive, where the hell do YOU live?

---

Strip 684

Art:

• It's been 12 days since the last strip aaaand...NO BACKGROUNDS.
• THEY ARE FLOATING IN A GRADIENT ABYSS.

Content:

• Cover story.
• Cover story.
• ...
• As opposed to just...talking in another location?
• Looking for something?
• Bathroom?
• This is not rocket science folks.
• I mean, do Nanase and Susan need a coverstory?
• They up and vanished as well!
• And they talk about Star Trek. Nothing wrong with that, but it's the only thing that we know that Justin likes, other than lord of the rings. I don't know about you, but I have tons of interests. Not four.
• Hahah. It's funny because Grace kissed Sarah.

---

Strip 685

Art:

• One background, although this time it's almost used for half the strip. Nice job, Shive.
• —squints at penultimate panel— is that...black hair...on Sarah?

Content:

• Now, this is actually a semi-cute moment. For Sarah and Elliot. And the joke isn't that bad either. Mostly.
• But it bothers me that it supposedly "hides her face" since it doesn't really hide her face until that very panel.
• The title ruins it though. It reminds me so very much of the parody onion comics, where the artist is always inserting his private life into the comics.
• Those, however are actually funny.

---

Strip 686

Art:

• WHY ARE ALL THE PRESENTS THE EXACT SAME SHAPE AND TYPE OF WRAPPING, DAMMIT?
• Nobody even used a BAG?
• Or bought something BULKY?
• WHAT IS THIS.

Content:

• And so EVERYONE ships Ellen Nanase.
• EVERYONE.
• It's not like anyone is indifferent about it, or thinks it's a bad idea, or doesn't see it. THEY SHIP IT BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY TRUE PAIRING.
• It's sickening, really. I swear, I think this is a bleed through from Shive's priorities.
• Not that that's not completely obvious.

---

Strip 687

Content:

• Dear lord. It's like...everything that I'm an irrational purist about coming to snap at me. I LOVE Harry Potter, but do the whole "philosopher stone" thing. As for Nimh, I always thought the book was wayyyy better.
• Personal preferences aside, I love how the super innocent kawaii desu Grace understands drugs, something that never ever occurred to me, or anyone I've ever encountered except this strip.
• Sure, maybe I'm just ignorant.
• But I grew up in normal society! Grace didn't! SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE SEEN THAT DRUG THING AT ALL.
• Also, Secrets of the NIMH is...kinda dark, as a movie. I don't think Grace will like it too much, especially due to its black and white morality.
• ...
• That ISN'T in the book. >:D

---

Strip 688

Content:

• DOES NOBODY USE A BAG ANYMORE?
• Oh god. It's the return of the cat nip gag. That's what we need, to be reminded of the past.

---

Strip 689

Art:

• This table floating in the gradient abyss is REALLY starting to get on my nerves.

Content:

• We get this mono-ness again.
• Tedd is established as weird.
• So even though him and Elliot are friends, from past interactions it stands to reason his interpretation of things would be different than the more vanilla Elliot.
• But nope, completely the same.
• You.
• Lazy.
• Ass.
• Your strength is not characterization, and I highly doubt it ever will be, when you pull stuff like this.

---

Strip 690

Art:

• I get the feeling even SHIVE wanted to get this over with, considering how many panels were put here.
• Mostly because it has nothing to do with Nanase and Ellen.

Content:

• So, at first, I was all AWWW.
• Then, I was all WAIT...
• And now I'm like ಠ_ಠ
• This is not how you should be showing affection. It's really unhealthy, to waste all of your money on someone like that.
• Gifts are a matter of thought. Yes, it's ok to put that extra effort in them...but this is just spoiling. A sort of buying love.
• This is a sweet moment because Tedd gave up everything he had.
• But that's not how relationships work. You don't give up everything you have. That's Twilight Romance. Not real romance.
• Is this a bit of a stretch, even by my standards? Maybe.
• But in the end, I think that there is a certain uncomfortable undertone to this, however obvious it may or may not be.