Pixie Trix Comix & Hiveworks Community

New strip! http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/very-agreeable/

Beautiful in every way.

I think this is the most profound thing he has ever said. Good job Gary.

Wow, Gary keeps surprising me in a pleasant way!

Nice one, Gary, you make us all proud.

Way to go Gary, that's showing maturity in a relationship.

He’s certainly worked out how to say the right thing occasionally, hasn’t he? The issue of whether this character development has been too arbitrary and abrupt... can be left for another day. Peggy meanwhile carries on being the character who spots the obvious and comments on it in a nice way. The interesting question being whether she’s consciously steering him towards Zii at this point.

The facial images remain great, natch, and the question of where Gary got that perfect torso from remains unanswered.

Wow no punchline.
It's getting real up in here.

Yeah, I meant to say — this is one of the 20% of strips which are too crucial to end on an (attempted) funny.

Given the fact that she's one of the most perceptive and rational people in the comic, I'm surprised she hasn't suspected that Gary actually adores her.

I think Gary understands that... While he might have something good with Zii or could... That he knows full well that there’s a lot to deal with/unpack if he could ever try to pursue. Yes he may be attracted to her and see a lot of things he wants in a relationship (friends and lovers in the same breath) he also is very aware that she’s not there yet or in denial or trying to make it work with Didi or any number of things. Oh sure he could do the “selfless”, “agreeable” thing and wait until she’s ready for a relationship or accepts him beyond just bouncing between “you’re like a brother” and “knock the door down” OR just decides they shouldn’t ruin a friendship since she does believe everyone she touches she hurts.

Yet we just saw amidst the small timeskip him and Peggy living in a sort of domestic normalcy. Doing things as well... A couple already does I think. To not tell Peggy that she’s everything he could ask for in all but name alone and realizing that it would be idiotic to wait on a “maybe” and “will she, won’t she” with Zii... I think that’s a good kind of selfish actually.

That is sweet. 'nuff said.

Damn, son. I'm proud of you Gary.

That wasn't tit-for-tat, trying to out-argue Peggy. Nor was it Gary flippantly pointing out Peggy's issues out of some sort of petty jealousy over Bianca & Peggy's date. I get the impression Gary is being serious, and is hoping to be taken serious since all-too-often his desires are usually left to the wayside (due to plot or comedy or his general doormat past still haunting him). His relationship with Peggy is about as close as he has gotten to the normal idyllic life he has been trying to attain. Understandably he'd feel a little hurt after investing time and devotion into Peggy. And he is right, in pointing out that Peggy has been hiding behind FWB relationships for (perhaps) too long due to her not completely resolving her emotions over her previous fiance... enough at least to consider looking at Gary as someone worthy to be Jim's successor.

Peggy is correct in assessing Gary's critical weakness - he cares too much to offend, and as such does some weird shit and gets placed into awkward situations because of it. And Peggy isn't upset at Gary for Gary's 'luck' in these matters (a la being at just the right space-time to be able accidentally spy on her date with Bianca). The last few arcs have been showing him that it is OK to say 'no'. Those detractors will carry on in their own lives, and Gary can go on with his. See Tracy, James, Yuki, and Matt for proof. Gary has confided in Peggy that he has deep feelings for Zii. Holding out for those feelings/desires to be fulfilled might hold Gary back from actual happiness. It is the classic story of "a bird in hand is worth more than two in the bush." Peggy is right there, and the two have learned to mesh rather well. Are they perfect? No, but they are well on the road to accepting the other's quirks.

Zii has baggage, suffers from wandering eye syndrome as well as leaping into situations without considering the ramifications. She has been feeling the weight of those decisions as of late (her band, and losing the dear friendships of Yuki & Sonya; her room at the flat). The classic of "the grass being greener on the other side of the fence" comes to mind, in regards to Zii. Both "grass" and "bird" parables are similar: not being content when a good thing is already within reach. That might just place Zii into the 'detractor' heap with the rest of them.

Peggy and Gary have a good thing going, but Peggy's (reasonably justified) fear of commitment and Gary's 'what if' potential with Zii are holding them back. There's not much romantic about going to the market and picking out breakfast cereal. Domestication is tame, after all. It is up to those in 'domestic bliss' to make sure that the ordinary is treasured and that the romantic side is stoked appropriately. Considering how they have been acting, even those areas have been worked out for the most part. Both Peggy and Gary are responsible employed people with bright futures in the careers they want to be in. They understand the other's needs and are both empathetic to making the other feel better.

As much as I would enjoy Gary & Zii having a tender intimate moment without it being forced, if for no other reason than to know bliss once, I would find it more rewarding for Peggy & Gary to solidify their union and move beyond FWB. It would be some very solid character growth for both of them. Making this decision without knowing what Zii is enduring in her life & with Didi is a challenge, however. But Zii has had plenty of opportunity to be with Gary. Her time might have come and gone. Gary is feeling he is too old to put up with drama and chasing tail. Did Zii help him come out of his shell? Yes, although he had help from other sources as well.

There's nothing wrong with 'what could have been' between two people. In fact, it leads for mature thought-provoking plot discussion and can even make some relationships more meaningful. The romanticism between 'have' and 'have not' is also a classical theme in literature; the tragic poetry of it can be really quite heartfelt... sometimes even more so than the simple "the good guy gets the girl" theme. Read any incarnation of Cyrano de Bergerac or Wuthering Heights for examples of what I mean. I'm sure there has been plenty of 'what if' scenarios should Gary have hooked up permanently with Tracy or Yuki (for example), had the scenarios favored such or if Gary had put his foot down and made his feelings made plain. I think Peggy knew deep down that Gary cared for her, but was blocking it due to her own self-imposed FWB boundary. By her own admission, she likes him and he is good. With his revelation of how deep his feelings truly go for her, is that enough for Peggy to realize that she can come out of her coupling-shell? I feel that Gary isn't lying, so is Peggy enough for him to be forever content too?

sukebe senpai wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 04, 2018 11:45 am

Given the fact that she's one of the most perceptive and rational people in the comic, I'm surprised she hasn't suspected that Gary actually adores her.

It's actually not surprising. We tend to have blind spots with respect to ourselves.

If Peggy were on the outside looking in, I expect she'd have easily seen it. However, she's too directly involved.

Well, let's hope that with Gary finally stating that he would consider being with Peggy to be a Very Good Thing and not a consolation prize, that she'll seriously consider moving beyond FWB with him. They have been living as a couple in all but name after all, as Tuesday's strip showed.

Zii is not really up to being the responsible, level-headed, and most importantly, faithful, girlfriend that Gary is really looking for. She will screw up her relationship with DiDi just like she screwed up all the others (if DiDi doesn't mess it up first, neither of them are really good girlfriend material). But Peggy's reluctance to commit may yet scuttle her 'ship with Gary before it even gets to leave harbor.

sukebe senpai wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 04, 2018 11:45 am

Given the fact that she's one of the most perceptive and rational people in the comic, I'm surprised she hasn't suspected that Gary actually adores her.

Possibly because, well, I’m not sure I’d call it adoration. Gary doesn’t go all calf-eyed in her presence. He just really, really, seriously likes her. Which I’m sure she’s noticed at some level — but she’s probably, without vanity, used to that. She’s a very likeable person.

Note that this doesn’t rule out a serious relationship developing between them. Intense liking may be both more stable and closer to mature romantic love than puppyish adoration is.