Ok, I’m surprised here. The lying little blue weasel actually has something good to say.
Considering all the stuff Monica has gone through, it’s fairly silly for her to obsess over these old issues. If it still bothers her that much, she needs to poit back home, send her demons off to go buy some milk, and maybe even get Bud to help clean the neighborhood buy smashing some refuse into collapsed matter. Bud will have the chance to make up for using Monica as a demon disposal unit, and her family will be better off no suffering any delusions about the nature of reality.
And she could give the “diamonds” to Monica’s Parents and they could pawn them off or so. Or Bud could give a few to people as jewelery. I’m sure she’d find a way to get a string through it.
It’s hard to tell how much Tepoz is shading the truth, how much is him passing along misinformation he’s been told, and how much is him mixing things up or getting them wrong because he forgets important details or wasn’t paying attention. I think the little guy means well, but is extremely unreliable in what he says…
Eee : Absolutely – we have to bear in mind that a great deal of what Tepoz thought he knew was true, originated with Jin, who manipulated the immortals that Tepoz thought of as gods, presenting herself as a time traveler with knowledge of future events. They in turn told the little guy what they thought he should know. He carried out his instructions in regards to Monica, and if you remember, he wasn’t too happy about some of them.
We haven’t had enough time for Paul to fill in all the back story here; no telling what Tepoz now believes or actually knows.
As far as her family, we are speculating without data. Monica doesn’t seem to think they screwed over her.
I’m still curious about those immortals. The only one we’ve seen seems to have manifested and then vanished at will, which would imply some ability to use magic. Something tells me they are not just going to fold their tents and silently steal away….
Well at least Tepoz gave her a bit of a verbal dope slap — go little blue guy! I dunno — seems Monica’s parents had farmed her out to the relatives long before her “run in front of a bus” episode. This is the first we’ve ever even heard about them — they have essentially been nonexistent in Monica’s life, he memories, or her development, except to pitch her into the loony bin. Might just be me, but I’m getting a strong “Oh, like, we just can’t DEAL!” vibe about Monica’s parents.
I’m afraid if I were Monica, one of my top To Do items, right under “do something about the Calendar Machine”, would be “give Mom and Dad a full, all expenses paid welcome-to-my-world trip — and may they choke on it”.
While many would have that reaction, not many would carry through with it. Would you think your life improved if you were “dope slapped” with facts like “The government is running agencies to keep all the supernatural quiet simply so you can carry on with your life as if there was only the natural world.” ? How much panic and danger may be involved in, even SELECTIVELY, informing people that perhaps their beliefs they’ve held from the day they could form thoughts in their head and be impressed upon with beliefs are all wrong? Have Tepoz walk up to the Pope with Bud and Jin and Brandi. Maybe even Phix for the hell of it. That’d go over GREAT!
Ignorance of many things IS blissful. When you feel you have your world in all the neat little boxes, circles, bubbles, whatever you need to classify things as, then you may have some peace, but if someone comes and throws your entire box of stacked up legos all over the floor, you’re going to be pissed, then perhaps go through stages of mourning for the loss of your world view. No one’s life is improved by knowledge of some impending doom they cannot help to solve. As an example from the comic, take Katherine. She handled Tepoz ok, but the why isn’t fully explained. When she met Phix? Not that great. And she’s seemed to completely ignore the Calendar thing. “I’ma go stay off screen, over here to the side. Not like I can do a damned thing to help you, so… uhh… have fun? Here’s to hoping I get to see you all tomorrow.”
I think people are forgetting something. Monica’s parents may not be the big bad guys everyone is assuming they are. Tepoz is an unreliable narrator, sure–but so is Monica. We see many things through her eyes, and they’re not always accurate or realistic.
And if anyone wants to see for themselves what Monica thinks of her family, check the archives. Monica was very happy to go back home for a visit: see the last three months of 2002 and first quarter of 2003.
And for those who haven’t used the archives, they are a bit off in layout – they list by month, in descending order from the last day to the first; as a consequence, the first days of the month are on the second page.
Well that’s her family and who she most wanted to see — she’s very happy there (and seems to have largely grown up there) — but I must point out that it is *not* her parents. When she thinks “family”, she’s not thinking of home with Mom and Dad.
I have to wonder if revelations concerning the supernatural world are best left to the young an d healthy. As we age, we tend to get more and more comfortable in reality as we know it and anything which upsets that world view is very upsetting. It could even be fatal heart-wise if introduced too quickly. I know some of you tink you would love a world in which this stuff is real, but would you? A whole new set of things to worry about. Things even more out of your control than what you have to deal with currently. Talk about Pandora’s box. I’m not sure her parents ever should be made aware for their sake. Better to leave them in ignorance, regardless of the cost to Monica, and let her parents live their lives in quiet peace. It would be entirely self-serving to make them aware. Simply selfish on her part.
There’s a question: Is Pandora’s Box another artifact tied in with the ‘Lanthians’ ?
But yeah, well said. I used more space up above before I saw your post that said everything I said and more in much fewer words.
I think it would depend on the individual, in several qualities: how much belief they had in the supernatural, how flexible they were in accommodating new information, how quickly they needed to accept and respond to the situation, and so on.
Monica shouldn’t sell herself short, so to speak. She made it through the crisis, and in one piece, with her senses and intellect intact. She may have garnered some experience over the past few replays, and chose this one to stay sane in.
Of course, dealing with family will test anybody’s mettle.
Looks to me like she is turned away from us, so they are hidden behind her arm and the side of her chest. Still, I’m surprised that they don’t show at all.
Maybe Monica should take a vacation, and go visit her folks.
Oh geeze. Talk about signs of impending Apocalypse.
Tepoz is making sense and giving good advice.
I thought it wasn’t an actual sign until someone sensible listened and followed his advice
No, that’s the actual beginning of the Apocalypse.
Then how is it good advice at all?!
Once again, Tepoz is the voice of reason.
Yeah, given the nature of this strip it shouldn’t be surprising that the voice of reason is a little blue guy who spent 400 years as a clay figurine.
Not to mention the god of alcohol.
Of course, the ultimate fake-out would be if mom and dad said, “We already knew, dear. We just couldn’t tell you.”
Ok, I’m surprised here. The lying little blue weasel actually has something good to say.
Considering all the stuff Monica has gone through, it’s fairly silly for her to obsess over these old issues. If it still bothers her that much, she needs to poit back home, send her demons off to go buy some milk, and maybe even get Bud to help clean the neighborhood buy smashing some refuse into collapsed matter. Bud will have the chance to make up for using Monica as a demon disposal unit, and her family will be better off no suffering any delusions about the nature of reality.
It’s one of those win/win/win solutions.
And she could give the “diamonds” to Monica’s Parents and they could pawn them off or so. Or Bud could give a few to people as jewelery. I’m sure she’d find a way to get a string through it.
Actually, Tepoz dodn’t – exactly lie.
He just told truths selectively.
Make that:
It’s hard to tell how much Tepoz is shading the truth, how much is him passing along misinformation he’s been told, and how much is him mixing things up or getting them wrong because he forgets important details or wasn’t paying attention. I think the little guy means well, but is extremely unreliable in what he says…
Eee : Absolutely – we have to bear in mind that a great deal of what Tepoz thought he knew was true, originated with Jin, who manipulated the immortals that Tepoz thought of as gods, presenting herself as a time traveler with knowledge of future events. They in turn told the little guy what they thought he should know. He carried out his instructions in regards to Monica, and if you remember, he wasn’t too happy about some of them.
We haven’t had enough time for Paul to fill in all the back story here; no telling what Tepoz now believes or actually knows.
As far as her family, we are speculating without data. Monica doesn’t seem to think they screwed over her.
I’m still curious about those immortals. The only one we’ve seen seems to have manifested and then vanished at will, which would imply some ability to use magic. Something tells me they are not just going to fold their tents and silently steal away….
Well at least Tepoz gave her a bit of a verbal dope slap — go little blue guy! I dunno — seems Monica’s parents had farmed her out to the relatives long before her “run in front of a bus” episode. This is the first we’ve ever even heard about them — they have essentially been nonexistent in Monica’s life, he memories, or her development, except to pitch her into the loony bin. Might just be me, but I’m getting a strong “Oh, like, we just can’t DEAL!” vibe about Monica’s parents.
I’m afraid if I were Monica, one of my top To Do items, right under “do something about the Calendar Machine”, would be “give Mom and Dad a full, all expenses paid welcome-to-my-world trip — and may they choke on it”.
While many would have that reaction, not many would carry through with it. Would you think your life improved if you were “dope slapped” with facts like “The government is running agencies to keep all the supernatural quiet simply so you can carry on with your life as if there was only the natural world.” ? How much panic and danger may be involved in, even SELECTIVELY, informing people that perhaps their beliefs they’ve held from the day they could form thoughts in their head and be impressed upon with beliefs are all wrong? Have Tepoz walk up to the Pope with Bud and Jin and Brandi. Maybe even Phix for the hell of it. That’d go over GREAT!
Ignorance of many things IS blissful. When you feel you have your world in all the neat little boxes, circles, bubbles, whatever you need to classify things as, then you may have some peace, but if someone comes and throws your entire box of stacked up legos all over the floor, you’re going to be pissed, then perhaps go through stages of mourning for the loss of your world view. No one’s life is improved by knowledge of some impending doom they cannot help to solve. As an example from the comic, take Katherine. She handled Tepoz ok, but the why isn’t fully explained. When she met Phix? Not that great. And she’s seemed to completely ignore the Calendar thing. “I’ma go stay off screen, over here to the side. Not like I can do a damned thing to help you, so… uhh… have fun? Here’s to hoping I get to see you all tomorrow.”
So what exactly is he wearing in today’s comic strip?
Looks to me like a grass skirt…
Wonder if he was hiding in Hawaii…:P
I think people are forgetting something. Monica’s parents may not be the big bad guys everyone is assuming they are. Tepoz is an unreliable narrator, sure–but so is Monica. We see many things through her eyes, and they’re not always accurate or realistic.
And if anyone wants to see for themselves what Monica thinks of her family, check the archives. Monica was very happy to go back home for a visit: see the last three months of 2002 and first quarter of 2003.
And for those who haven’t used the archives, they are a bit off in layout – they list by month, in descending order from the last day to the first; as a consequence, the first days of the month are on the second page.
Well that’s her family and who she most wanted to see — she’s very happy there (and seems to have largely grown up there) — but I must point out that it is *not* her parents. When she thinks “family”, she’s not thinking of home with Mom and Dad.
You’re right – I just scanned for the beginning of that arc, and did not re-read it. It was her uncle’s family she went to visit, not her parents.
I have to wonder if revelations concerning the supernatural world are best left to the young an d healthy. As we age, we tend to get more and more comfortable in reality as we know it and anything which upsets that world view is very upsetting. It could even be fatal heart-wise if introduced too quickly. I know some of you tink you would love a world in which this stuff is real, but would you? A whole new set of things to worry about. Things even more out of your control than what you have to deal with currently. Talk about Pandora’s box. I’m not sure her parents ever should be made aware for their sake. Better to leave them in ignorance, regardless of the cost to Monica, and let her parents live their lives in quiet peace. It would be entirely self-serving to make them aware. Simply selfish on her part.
There’s a question: Is Pandora’s Box another artifact tied in with the ‘Lanthians’ ?
But yeah, well said. I used more space up above before I saw your post that said everything I said and more in much fewer words.
I think it would depend on the individual, in several qualities: how much belief they had in the supernatural, how flexible they were in accommodating new information, how quickly they needed to accept and respond to the situation, and so on.
Speaking from an artistic side of things, it looks like Monica lost a couple of pounds… specifically in the chesticles. <_<
I’m so glad someone else noticed, too. 😉
And it’s more like fifteen-to-twenty pounds. Perhaps a quarter of her entire body mass! :O
Monica shouldn’t sell herself short, so to speak. She made it through the crisis, and in one piece, with her senses and intellect intact. She may have garnered some experience over the past few replays, and chose this one to stay sane in.
Of course, dealing with family will test anybody’s mettle.
On a side note, what happened to Mona’s boobs in the first panel? did they deflate or what?
Maybe her stomach is still acting like a vaccuum. The demons get to enjoy them now.
Looks to me like she is turned away from us, so they are hidden behind her arm and the side of her chest. Still, I’m surprised that they don’t show at all.