Starving for enlightenment...

[Sassy-fras]

I have been itching for DAYS for some closure on EVERY relationship that's going on. What happens when I look at today's comic....

....absolutely nothing (save for the inner vibrations of "AAAHH" and "Cool" and "OMG, I WANT MORE!" ).

*pouts and points fingers at T and Gisele* Why did you have to create such a wonderfully addictive comic?! Why?! These cliffhangers are driving me batty.

*blinks* Okay, I'm done....I'll go hug my P&A plushies now. *Scampers off*

Side Note: O_o Okay, so now we see Rich's dad...but not his mom....could Charisma still BE his mama???? I'm really hoping they aren't married and she's lying to Nick. Seriously thinking if she is Rich's mom, then she "should" be divorced. *mutters* She better be...or I'll pelt her with tomatoes!!

[JK9000]

One would think seeing your son walking into your house like that-- bruised, topless, and arm entwined around the waist of an attractive member of the opposing sex, who is smiling happily-- would elict some form of verbal response.

But no. They just look at each other. At first I thought maybe Rich's dad was just really cool with the idea of his son having sex with his girlfriend, but both his and Rich's facial expressions don't quite jive with that theory.

Also, "FBI narc?" The hell kinda metaphor is that? Then again, Rich is hardly a poet.

Also also, the constant time-jumps in this arc are getting a little disorientating. Just so you know.

[S. Edmund]

there was one strip where he mentioned he didn't want to talk about his father. I thought he was a dead-beat dad or something. guess not. maybe some sort of crazy custody battle that a dad only wanted to win for revenge, not really caring about the kid.

and seriously, why couldn't we have closed one of the more immediate cliffhangers? I thought the whole penny and rich miniarch was over, and I was okay with that. it'll probably be another week before we find out about charisma and nick, let alone marshal and karen. uggh.

but I hope charmisma kid is rich. I want to see him thrown back into the current plot.

[RentACop]

This is one of those arcs that reads better all at once. As it is, the suspense, she is killing me!

[Fen]

know what's sad?
It's Penny's first "real" relationship. Probably Rich's, too. Or at least one in which, at one point, he cared.
That should be special.
They're 16, "in love", etc. But all they're doing is a popularity contest. "Who dominates who?" style. I find that so incredibly sad. I'm glad I'm 16 and not like that. It would suck terribly.

[S. Edmund]

for the record, third panel penny is gorgeous.

[TheTeague]

I think that we won't see Karen and Marshal until after the fact and dealing with the consiquences of the shower incident, not finding out what actually happened in there until a much later flashback storyline like here with Penny and Rich.

[LeonardC]

I have to agree, I'm really enjoying the pacing of this arc. I really didn't have much patience for the constant cuts in "Second Thoughts," because the stories seemed so unrelated to each other. The idea that everybody was having second thoughts was just too abstract to make it all hang together - it was a bunch of separate arcs jammed together, without much real connection. Here, on the other hand, the theme is much more obvious, and seems to really unite the separate threads of the story - you've got all these different characters in all these different situations but each one still makes you ask "will they or won't they?" It's not the same kind of unity as "Celebrity Poker Showdown," where it all turns out to be part of the same story, uniting for a single climax, but it still gels together really well in a way that the earlier arc didn't.

[Sassy-fras]

RentACop
As it is, the suspense, she is killing me!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that's itching for some closure. Woot.

JK9000
One would think seeing your son walking into your house like that-- bruised, topless, and arm entwined around the waist of an attractive member of the opposing sex, who is smiling happily-- would elict some form of verbal response.

But no. They just look at each other. At first I thought maybe Rich's dad was just really cool with the idea of his son having sex with his girlfriend, but both his and Rich's facial expressions don't quite jive with that theory.

Yeah. That was a very odd look they shared. Kind of like "I know what you're doing, but I don't care enough to stop you." If his dad is the non-emotional type, it would explain a lot of Rich's danger seeking interests. To feel something quick, fast, and vibrating with energy...maybe that's the attractive pull he feels with Penny. She's a strong vibrant source of energy...and a little dangerous in her own way. It's odd really...how perfectly matched yet perfectly doomed they are.

[Freemage]

Another possibility is that Rich, as a classic "rebellious teen" has managed to push a wedge between himself and his father (because he doesn't want to turn out like that (note that it's PENNY who thinks he's talking about deadbeat dad syndrome; he's just got the blue-collar blues).

It can be tough when the kid is constantly pushing you away. Fights, long silences. His father doesn't approve of Rich's behavior--but he doesn't know how to stop it, either.

[atristain]

but I hope charmisma kid is rich. I want to see him thrown back into the current plot.

If her kid is rich, why would she need to work, then?

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

[Yuko no Slayer-Dryad]

Another possible scenario is that Rich's dad had or has a drinking problem and was basically a verbally, physically or hybrid abusive parent in the past before Rich got old enough to effectivally avoid his dad when he was drunk and needed someone to pick on. Personally I'm leaning towards the possibility Rich's dad was mostly emotionally/ verbally abusive. Rich would probably be a lot less level-headed if he was abused violently.

But yes, even as early as Uptown Girl, you could tell Penny and Rich were really growing on eachother, but both ruined it with their mutual game of Schoolyard King of the Mountain.

[Sassy-fras]

Yuko no Slayer-DryadBut yes, even as early as Uptown Girl, you could tell Penny and Rich were really growing on eachother, but both ruined it with their mutual game of Schoolyard King of the Mountain.

Heheh. I can see it now....

Rich: I'm King of the Mountain. *poses on top of a jungle gym*

Penny: *Shoves him off* No... I am. *Evil grin*

LOL!

[JK9000]

Another possible scenario is that Rich's dad had or has a drinking problem and was basically a verbally, physically or hybrid abusive parent in the past before Rich got old enough to effectivally avoid his dad when he was drunk and needed someone to pick on. Personally I'm leaning towards the possibility Rich's dad was mostly emotionally/ verbally abusive. Rich would probably be a lot less level-headed if he was abused violently.

Me, I'm leaning toward the possiblity that Rich's dad is just fine, and Rich just has some wierd teenage hang-up. Why? I dunno. I just think it'll be a cool change of pace.