Date Night: Part Six
Chapter: Season Three
Damn, Sam.
The Date Night story rolls on and it looks like Sam is getting a better handle on The Narrative and what it does. Just like how a DM knows all of the player characters abilities and inner secrets (or some of them), so too does the Narrative. Don’t worry though, I’m going to quality over quantity with the applications of the Narrative to story arcs.
The story continues on Friday!
Brian
Such a fitting move in this storyline. I’m happy for Sam. Grey? Grey’s going to need some therapy. Hopefully Mel will be there for him. Yeah, I said it. Mel and Grey should stay together if Grey manages to get his head out of his ass.
Also, does Grey know what an otyugh even is? Hopefully the narrative reveals things to the “players” as well. Or not hopefully, if Grey doesn’t deserve to find out what it would be like to go ass-to-mouth with a sewer-dwelling garbage disposal.
Homo denial party of one?? HEHEHEHEHE paybacks a bitch. Especially when it’s the truth.
Dun dun DUN. 😀
I had a somewhat similar confrontation (sadly, minus the glowing eyes) during my freshman year in college. I confronted a hall mate about his looking down at the “less cool” contingent. He ended up apologizing, saying he hated people like that, and would be better. I expected a punch in the face and instead he actually improved over time.
Hrmmm…love your comic. I hope this doesn’t become yet another expression of geek gamer homophobia. It’s great that you have a gay character, but the gay character’s actual gender orientation has been the most underdeveloped part of your storyline and has been used as a punchline more than anything. Homophobia is just as rampant among gamers as it is amongst sports fans. Given the lacquering that most gamers received in earlier life, you’d think that us geeks would have a little bit of compassion and not use homosexuality as slander.
Don’t worry, Ryan. It’s not.
The thing with Grey is he is that guy you know who wrestles with his own feelings and has no actual idea how to accept who he is. With this comic, Sam hits him in the face with it and from here we may (or may not) see how Grey handles it. One thing this comic will never do is slander the homosexual community and even if I have an asshole character do so, you can be retribution isn’t too far away.
As for Trevor all I can say is “wait and see” he has a story arc coming up very soon. I will admit fully that I tend to use Trev for snappy quips and such but he has so much more to offer the comic and I agree that I want to showcase that before he becomes one-dimensional.
Great comments, Ryan. Thank you for reading.
Brian,
Thanks for the thoughtful response. It’s something the gaming community needs more of. I have had several gay players in my campaign and I am pretty certain they’ll be happy to see a gay character in your strip develop outside stereotype.
Pretty awesome comic. Very big fan.
And here I thought Trevor was the Jar Jar of the group! :/
That’s hateful.
Awesome comic, just discovered it. Out of curiosity, am I the only one who hears all of Charlies’s dialogue in Jeff Anderson’s voice? Maybe it’s because I had just rewatched Clerks before I started reading.
I hear a few voices in my head for the cast members but I’d hate to skew anyone else’s ideas of how they sound. Jeff Anderson is an awesome choice for Charlie, though.
Wow. This was a surprise. I really expected something darker, but this was better than that. To this, I applaud.
Sam seeing what Grey really is… wow. The homosexuality part of it doesn’t bother me, it’s the amazing fact that he’s calling Grey on his… insecurities. I wouldn’t have thought Sam capable beforehand, but this really works.
I hope that Grey develops into something nicer (if a little rough around the edges) because of this. Even if we never see him again, having him grow from it would be nice and would allow him to redeem himself from all his “bad” behavior towards others.
It reminds me of how the original thundcats toys eye’s would glow. Was that intentional? Either way, awesome.
I dunno… I actually kind of think this is a bit of a cop out. Don’t get me wrong, I love the strip, all that but… why can’t he just be a dick? Why does he need to be a bi-confused self-hater? I feel like I’ve seen that before, but never in real life. You know?
Mostly, I just think it’s strange that I’m fine with the glowing eyes and santa-punching, but THIS is what causes me to suspend my disbelief.
Kilted: I get that. I really do. All I can say is I hope you ride it out. This arc isn’t over yet and as cliche as it sounds, wait and see.
I know things that happen in the comic will not float everyone’s boat and I am cool with that. Everyone likes what they like and while the turn with Grey has been in the cards from nearly Day One, I see how you could feel the reveal to be a little cop-outish (is that a word? Fuck it. It is now LOL)
Have to say Im a little disappointed with how the arc turned out. I liked the third wheel/revelation/Sam finally standing up for himself thing, but I didnt really care for this as the outcome. I cant really put my finger on it, other than just saying Im not a fan of this particular comic.
Doesn’t mean Ill stop reading, of course, because one comic I don’t care for out of the dozens I love won’t keep me from coming on your site every M-W-F. Like you said, not everyone will love the stuff you come up with. As long as some do is what is important, and only having people love your work would get very boring. Incredibly successful, but boring :p.
Hmm…In the midst of marathoning through your glorious, glorious archives (so I can’t imagine this comment will ever even be seen meaningfully) But this ending felt…insufficient.
Well, not just that: that’s the hate talking. But you took what is very close to a real scenario, or at least similar circumstance to something that happens often in reality, and Deus Ex Machina’d it.
Not that I’m the best source – I was rooting for horrible, horrible violence of a decidedly non-fantastic type to happen to dudebro there. But the ending as written (while fully in keeping with the comic and wonderfully illustrated) just…it feels like empty wish fulfillment.
To me, anyway. Still, excellent comic, have to go back to trying to read ALL THE ARCHIVES in a single sitting now.
Come on now! How is (was… had been) everyone jumping to the conclusion that Grey is gay? Where does it say so in the comic? Is self-loathing an exclusively gay thing? Okay, I guess he can be, I’ll find out in a few clicks, but why is this so obvious to everyone? What am I missing? Am I this dim? Is it some obscure usage of the English language that non-natives can’t discern? o.O
Just found your strip after your guest turn on Sidekick Quests and am now in the middle of trying to catch up. Loving every minute of it too! Glew, I am in full agreement with you. I didn’t jump to the conclusion Grey is gay, and self-loathing is not contained to the Gay community. I don’t take antidepressant meds for nothing, and I am a straight arrow.
I think it was the “Rejecting feelings south of the border when you watch football” part. That seems pretty clear to me, although maybe the aphorism isn’t obvious to ESL folks.
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