Nerf Now

Well, the Spy did lampshade the amount of drama going on in that world... XP

You have a point...even though that too was subverted given the possible interpretations of the final panel.

edited 3rd Sep '10 10:28:36 PM by wildrow12

I guess the thing that gets me is just how...unnecessary this was.

You have a funny comic and then you bring in random affairs and false relationships and lying friends and basically everything you need to bury the audiences sympathy for these characters. Why?

On top of that, there is no ending. Well, I think one user there said it best: it was an "ambiguous ending". What happened? Why did it happen?

It was such a character shift that I practically got whiplash.

The arc was just so unnecessary, in my honest opinion.

Now don't get me wrong: I love Jo's work. I adore the man, honestly. But that's the thing: this arc was not like him. It just seemed dark and out of place, given his usual uplifting style.

But hey, people liked it too, so I guess your mileage may vary.

edited 4th Sep '10 2:32:23 PM by wildrow12

It's not like that's the only dark arc that was done in the comic. *points to She Was Just Level One*

True. But that was done in an alternate universe setting. I just didn't see that coming from the same universe where we had a demoman break dancing and a female sniper singing Rick Astely's one hit.

Besides, that arc had a definitive ending (and a fairly happy one at that). Not to mention the fact that he was parodying the Noir style of Frank Miller(so the darkness was more a parody of overly serious material) .

This one....just seemed dark for no reason.

edited 4th Sep '10 3:56:03 PM by wildrow12

I fail to see how this was a dark ending considering how the arc that this was a follow up to ended with the Sniper in tears over having slept with the Spy and the Pyro sitting at home, dismal over how he may have ruined the best thing that ever happened to him.

If anything, I'd say that the fact that this one doesn't end in drama (regardless of how much some of the audience might have wanted it to), would seem to be pointing towards a trend of keeping it lighter and softer, considering the drama of any other option that might have been used.

Now, I suppose the question becomes will there ever be a follow up to this arc? That's hard to say, but for the moment, it's a more or less happy ending. Morally correct? Probably not, but happy.

I guess the problem comes in the fact that the issue was not engaged (ie: neither Pyro or Sniper were brought to task for their respective infidelities, thus having to come to grips with the idea that they both acted rashly and immaturely). Thus leaving them both lying to each other and pretending as if nothing was wrong.

I see that as pretty dark.

But then again, I'm a counselor by trade so I suppose I may have a different view of relationships.

edited 4th Sep '10 5:26:31 PM by wildrow12

I actually agree with you on that. I'd have loved to actually have seen them confronted with information of their mutual infidelity, but I think the author might have decided that that was crossing a line into an even darker type of plot, so instead they choose Status Quo Is God for the sake of a "tidy" wrap up.

edited 4th Sep '10 5:29:33 PM by Grahf

Now we're on to Dorf fort.

...Incoming catsplosion.

Yes. I suspected as much myself. Though I do think it could have been handled in such a way to lead to a happier ending....but it probably would have dragged on for at least three added scenes. So yes, I think he definitely chose to wrap it up with a tidy ending with the Spy electing to be the advocate for Pyro and Sniper's son and just backing out, and I do agree that was more time efficient.

The problem is that the ending leaves questions....alot of them. Not the least of which is where is Engie-tan v1 in all of this?

I know Joe said that he preferred to leave them unanswered but...

So you guys are complaining about drama, and proposing that instead there be even more drama. Ah, fandom.

Not drama. Just tone.

You can have drama and still resolve it in a (or towards a) a light hearted or warm manner. He's done that before with his earlier arcs.

But like I said before, Your mileage may vary.

edited 5th Sep '10 2:23:22 AM by wildrow12

So you guys are complaining about drama, and proposing that instead there be even more drama. Ah, fandom.

Excuse me, but I never once complained about the amount of drama present. I do believe that if "more drama" would have been the only answer to the proper resolution of that arc, then I would have welcomed it, because as it stands, it's entirely unsatisfying in terms of anything being resolved.

I'll thank you not to put words in other's mouths.

Flaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmeeeeee baaaaaaaaaiiiiitttt.

Because listening to orders from your military superior is an example of sexist writing.

It took me several seconds to get this one.

I got it.  ^Spoiler

I'm dumb and had to read the rant to get it.

Oh hey, all the people are Shaped like the Tetris Blocks, too.

Okay, I'll bite.

What game (besides TF2) is being referenced here?

... It says right under the strip.

Sometimes there's a serious disjoint between the strip and The Rant. I had to be sure.

Just as planned...

Took me a while to get this one. Is it just because I'm drunk? Or I hang out with furries so much I forget how Acceptable Targets they are.

edited 23rd Sep '10 6:33:09 AM by SabreJustice

I don't quite get it. I mean, I understand that he appears to be tricking the Spy into wearing a disguise mask that makes him look and smell like a female dog in heat, but who is "Max"?

I was thinking Max as in 'Sam and', but the dog in that game is Sam, not Max.

So.... I'm lost.