[S.T.O.R.Y. 3/8/02] Shortcuts - ALWAYS a good idea

[Chaos Priest]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020308.html

Out of curiosity, how was it that Grace saw the problem when Sarah didn't here? Well OK, rule of funny and all that, but seriously though Grace was raised in a way that left her extremely ignorant of most things. Was it her training as an assassin that clued her in here that it was a bad idea?

Also, somebody whose better with the whole timeline thing than I am, about when was it decided this comic took place? It seems like it would have to be sometime in the winter for the sun to set that early, as the mall closed at 5:00 and I doubt that they spent hours looking for Sarah's car. Come to think of it since it must be winter and everybody except Tedd is able to get away with just jackets for staying warm then Moperville must be someplace that stays relatively warm in the winter. Too warm for snow to be likely at least.

[Tuitsuro]

Maybe Sarah was just making a joke; knowing the area she could have walked through that alley a few times and never had a problem; plus Moperville does seem to have that Pleasantville-esque quality to it; you know, save for the random villian with a God complex or dimension hoping lord of chaos or some other minor oddity.

[ChronosCat]

== Spring, 2006 ==

Chronos: Ah, never let logic stop a good plot!

== Oct, 2008 ==

Crystal: This was much more forgivable back when I didn't know Dan would eventually take the comic more seriously.

[Illusionist]

It just hit me how rough Moperville is in places. I mean, sure you have Snoot Creek with its mansion lined streets, but you have girls getting mugged and the district with Greg's dojo...it's like Stilwater, but less black!

[The Old Hack]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020308.htmlAlso, somebody whose better with the whole timeline thing than I am, about when was it decided this comic took place? It seems like it would have to be sometime in the winter for the sun to set that early, as the mall closed at 5:00 and I doubt that they spent hours looking for Sarah's car. Come to think of it since it must be winter and everybody except Tedd is able to get away with just jackets for staying warm then Moperville must be someplace that stays relatively warm in the winter. Too warm for snow to be likely at least.

I can't remember which post it was in, but I think the official timeline states that it took place sometime in January or February. As to the position of Moperville, I'd put it someplace between Canada and Mexico.

[ChronosCat]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020308.htmlAlso, somebody whose better with the whole timeline thing than I am, about when was it decided this comic took place? It seems like it would have to be sometime in the winter for the sun to set that early, as the mall closed at 5:00 and I doubt that they spent hours looking for Sarah's car. Come to think of it since it must be winter and everybody except Tedd is able to get away with just jackets for staying warm then Moperville must be someplace that stays relatively warm in the winter. Too warm for snow to be likely at least.

I can't remember which post it was in, but I think the official timeline states that it took place sometime in January or February. As to the position of Moperville, I'd put it someplace between Canada and Mexico.

I think it was slightly later (though still late winter/ early spring) but I could be wrong.

Also, to add to your positioning of Moperville, it's also somewhere between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

[Chaos Priest]

Oh come on, we can be a bit more precise than that. Let's look at what we know. Now then, if the comic is taking place sometime around January at this point, let's look at the temperatures for that time.

Map linked for size. Data obtained form here.

Now then like I said earlier, seeing how the characters can get away with light jackets in the middle of January it probably doesn't get that cold in Mopperville, and I doubt they get much in the way of snow. This basically eliminates most of the Northern part of the US, and I would guess that they are somewhere in the areas on the map highlighted green-yellow. So, are there any cultural things or landscape features (such as a nearby forest) around that we can use to narrow it down any further?

[kyevan]

Oh come on, we can be a bit more precise than that. Let's look at what we know. Now then, if the comic is taking place sometime around January at this point, let's look at the temperatures for that time.

Map linked for size. Data obtained form here.

Now then like I said earlier, seeing how the characters can get away with light jackets in the middle of January it probably doesn't get that cold in Mopperville, and I doubt they get much in the way of snow. This basically eliminates most of the Northern part of the US, and I would guess that they are somewhere in the areas on the map highlighted green-yellow. So, are there any cultural things or landscape features (such as a nearby forest) around that we can use to narrow it down any further?

Uh, that could EASILY be further north. We've seen a portion of one winter - it could just be a warm one. And, well, a lot of people around here wander about in high twenties, low thirties, with a sweatshirt.

<totalyinvalidargument> Also, Sarah seemed familiar with Sporkman, in the NP con strips. This means she MUST be somewhere near Madison. </totalyinvalidargument>

[Illusionist]

Actually, it makes sense that Moperville would be somewhere in the Deep South. For one thing, literal gay bashing. I know, I know, the South ain't all hate-filled rednecks (there are nice rednecks too), but you'd have to admit it's more likely to happen there. Also, one of the only characters I know apart from Elliot and Ellen who calls his parents Ma and Pa is Superman, a good ol' Kansas boy.

Also, I think Dan himself may be from the South. The only real evidence I have for this is his great respect for Religion, which really doesn't tie him anywhere, but it fits in with the whole South thing.

[Tricia]

Uh, that could EASILY be further north. We've seen a portion of one winter - it could just be a warm one. And, well, a lot of people around here wander about in high twenties, low thirties, with a sweatshirt.

Hell, switch that to upper 30s-lower 40s, and that's shorts/t-shirt weather!

Also, I don't think stereotypes are the best way to determine where they live.

[Free Radical]

For one thing, literal gay bashing.

Justin started that fight though. Whether or not attitudes on homosexuality can help work out the geography of the place, is there any particular reason to believe we can work out the local attitudes on homosexuality based on Justin getting beaten up in a fight he started?

[Illusionist]

For one thing, literal gay bashing.

Justin started that fight though. Whether or not attitudes on homosexuality can help work out the geography of the place, is there any particular reason to believe we can work out the local attitudes on homosexuality based on Justin getting beaten up in a fight he started?

No, but the South doesn't have a great reputation for tolerance. Also, good point about Justin starting it, I'd forgotten that.

Now, I'm aware that you can't state where a place is as fact based on the evidence I presented, but until I see evidence otherwise I'm going to imagine the cast speaking with redneck accents, so there.

[Dragonstar]

I believe Dan is of the Midwest and that EGS is set therein. "Ma" and "Pa" tend to be old Midwestern terms. "Mama" is used more in the South. (In fact, my grandmother's nickname was "Ma *lastname*," and she never lived south of eastern Wisconsin)

Also, wasn't the timeline changed from spring semester to fall semester? That way Grace and Ellen have more school time. ("Welcome to school!" followed very quickly with "Summer break!")

ETA: Kansas is in the Midwest, not the South.

[Illusionist]

Well howsaout that. I'd always thought of it as the Northernmost Southern state.

[Dragonstar]

Well howsaout that. I'd always thought of it as the Northernmost Southern state.

Nah, but Missouri is more complicated. Southern Missouri is culturally part of The South, while Northern Missouri is Midwest (the state is "technically" Midwestern). St. Louis is its own separate entity, culturally. I believe West Virginia is the most northern Southern state.

[Man on the Moon]

Well howsaout that. I'd always thought of it as the Northernmost Southern state.

Here's a handy color-coded map for you:



Dark Gray - The Deep South.
Light Gray - The Upper South.
Light Blue - Scalawags (Carpetbaggers in Florida).
Blue - Yankees
Dark Blue - Damnyankees.
Yellow - Thinly populated, largely nomadic. No civilization. (Kansas in dark yellow)
Red - Communists.
Orange - Nutjobs.
Brown - Bears.
Green - It's a state?

[Nightranger]

Well howsaout that. I'd always thought of it as the Northernmost Southern state.

No, Kansas is Midwestern. But it's still pretty conservative, to say the least. I mean, the state voted over 70%, I think, for Huckabee in the primary. Huckabee's the guy who said he wanted to rewrite the constitution to match up with the Bible. They elected Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts as senators.

Also, nice to know I've been alternatively a communist and a nomadic tribesman throughout my life.

[Tuitsuro]

I just assume Moperville is in the same state Dan is; either that or it's like Springfield.

[Nightranger]

Everytown, USA?

[Man on the Moon]

Everytown, USA?

Have they ever referred to a carbonated beverage? Cause we in the South call them "cokes" or "cold drinks".

[nitpicking]

Louisiana calls all soda "cokes" but other parts of the South generally don't. The Midwest and parts of the Great Lakes region say "pop".

Now, if someone in EGS drinks a Moxie, we know they're in Maine or really close by.

[Chaos Priest]

In this comic the word soda is used for carbonated soft drinks. So it's time to link to yet another pointless map who's relevance to the issue will no doubt be contested. Well, if I were right about the temperature thing (which I'll admit is a bit iffy) then comparing the two maps I'd guess that Mopperville is somewhere in either California or Arizona. Although... come to think of it both maps have a bit of area in southern Nevada that would also fit those two, and supposedly that's where Area 51 is. And we know for a fact that there are aliens in Mopperville, and Mr. Verres works in the conspiracy to keep aliens under wraps. He also has Area 51 fact sheets, as seen here.

THAT'S IT! Mopperville is in southern Nevada!

[Man on the Moon]

Nevada has trees?