Strip 570

Art:

• Oh look, we're back to 4x2 panel layout.
• Spoiler. It doesn't last.
• The glowingness is back, but is only used to serve Sarah-to-sky contrast.
• And it took 4 panels to go into all out gradients galore. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say Shive was running short on time.
• Those pants are incredibly form fitting. No, that's not accurate. They are incredibly stiff. Not a single wrinkle or anything.
• Seems like Shive has learned shirt wrinkles, but not pant wrinkles. Maybe it's because of his constant abuse of cutting off panels at waist level.

Content:

• As usual, Shive goes about his character's inner psyche with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
• It's pitiful, he tries very desperately to make them 'dreamy' but they still lack a certain...well, insanity to it.

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Strip 571

Art:

• It's been two years. Why must he still have all these wrist gaffes? Or what about the fact that her bed is a shapeless pile of mush?

Content:

• Man, Nanase gets the BEST wet dreams, hm?

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Strip 572

Content:

• And like nobody saw this one coming, Nanase's dream is fairly standard.
• She's a mermaid.
• Shocking, I know.

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Strip 573

Art:

• Ooooh! Ooooh! I know this one! Shoulders are too small! :D
• Told ya the 4x2 wouldn't last. Back to 3x2 we go.
• Man, what material are these undershirts made out of? I haven't worn thick undershirts in a while, but even the ones I currently wear would NEVER wrinkle that badly.
• It looks like it's soaked or something. Those that do wear undershirts like that, have you ever seen them crumple when not worn properly?
• And surprise surprise, no armpit hair. In the world of El Goonish Shive, hair only grows on the eye brows and top of the head.
• Or maybe hair just stays stagnant.
• I mean, dude, they're 16-17. They would have hair growing in places they want, they don't want and all that stuff.
• And the backgrounds have been completely forgotten

Content:

• I don't care how easily people can lucid dream in real life, the fact that Elliot can do it so easily pisses me off to no end.
• I dunno, it's like if someone suddenly showed to be able to sing pitch perfectly out of nowhere. It's one of those talents that are irrelevant to the plot but annoying as fuck when brought up out of nowhere.

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Strip 574

Content:

• Elliot's dreams are very boring and mind numbingly vanilla.
• And yes. Nanase. Ellen. You know the drill.
• Not even Elliot's own dream can escape from the shipping.

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Strip 575

Art:

• Dots. They haff returned.
• To be fair to Shive, he does draw everyone sleeping in a different pose, so at least he's TRYING to give them some subtle character differentiation.

Content:

• Backstory! Because devoting some time to Susan would just be stupid, since she's not madly in love with anyone.

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Sketchbook Strip 081504

As opposed to the 40s, 30s, 20s, 10s, 00s, 90s, 80s, 70s, 60s, 50s, 40s, 30s, 20s, 10s, 00s, 90s, 80s etc. etc. etc.?

I am fairly sure the people who like the 50s don't really think of the inequality issues as a positive trait.

Also, as I have ranted many many many many many times before, your strip is anything, but equal. But at least with the 50s, I can say that it has inequality issues and no one contests it. With EGS I've had to devote an entire blog to nitpicking every tiny detail.

Really though, are you so concious about the gender issues you feel the need to preface your mentionings of the 50s with it? It just screams 'I'm progressive seeeeeeee?' just like all of your homosexual characters and female characters. You have a need to poke them again and again and yell 'I AM DIFFERENT BE IN AWE!' and it just comes off as self righteous, anal and really annoying. Get over yourself Shive. Please.

Heheh. Umbrella dress.

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Strip 576

Content:

• I don't even think this is much of a dream. This is what happened in real life to the tee.
• Now, I know that people reliving past events via dream isn't unheard of, but I still think this is a bit of a cop out. Plus, it REALLY flattens Susan's character, if that's even possible. She could at least get her own little walk into her super blunt and super obvious psyche.
• Also, ever notice how all the divorces in this series tend to be some super tragic occurance, as opposed to two people who simply aren't working out, and neither are the good guy or the bad guy?

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Strip 577

Art:

• There were dots, then there were not. Now they are back. Make up your farking mind, Shive.

Content:

• Since Justin is male and thus not female and thus not a lesbian, he doesn't get a wet dream. Him, Sarah and Elliot don't dream about sex, for they are not lesbians.
• Justin is feeling useless and hopelessly in love with Elliot. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. For six more years.
• You know, at least the 50s had hilarious videos warning you against evil homosexuals. You don't even have that.

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Strip 578

Art:

• Oh look. A corner.

Content:

• Of course, if Justin ever felt jealous at Nanase due to slutting it up with Elliot is never mentioned or shown. Because Nanase and Elliot going out are irrelevant, since they happened before the actual plot happened.
• It's like EGS is just a self contained little universe.
• I mean, since Nanase was with Elliot for far longer, isn't it possible in-dream that might show up?

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Sketchbook Strip 082204

Oh. I had just assumed it was symbolism.

Guess that means it's someone important. Well, considering how she has a lookalike in Nanase's school, I'm guessing that it will be delightfully soap opera-y.

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Strip 579

Art:

• Y Halo Thar dots. I'm guessing it's some sort of gradient that requires being saved a different way? Gif, is it? Maybe?

Content:

• You know, if it wasn't for the 'why do I feel short' line, I'd almost have labelled this as the first dream that actually feels like a dream.
• Behold! SYMBOLISM!

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Strip 580

Art:

• Whoah. The hair lines. They are slightly more subtle. Either that or it's an odd form of distortion. Maybe he had to shrink the last three panels a bit?

Content:

• How Tedd knows this much about Lord Tedd is beyond me. Just referring to the subtle stuff. The being younger deal, stuff like that.
• Also, I do believe that this dream was probably the 2nd reason Shive decided to do a mini dream arc.
• The 1st reason, since it isn't Nanase, is Ellen.

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