25-09-18 You miss her

[Giz]

New strip! http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/you-miss-her/

[vampire hunter D]

Hmm, them again


Seems like we're checking in on all the side plots to wrap them all up.

[OllieOrOlly]

Love the expressions (and overly dramatic expressions, too! Heh).
Also really appreciate the little nuances in body language, like how Yuki is fidgeting with her drumsticks to perhaps distract herself from somber feelings that are clearly shown on her face. Final panel had a hilarious cluster of contrasting emotions, with Yuki still being mournful, yet also unnerved by Sonya's anger and maybe being squeezed too tightly.

Good to get an update with plot-relevant characters, aha (I jest, though it has felt like a while); anyways, it's nice that Yuki can still have some kind feelings for Zii (even if Zii deserves none of it), albeit it may be along the lines of absence making the heart grow fonder and/or rose-tinted glasses. Also, amusing and very much in-character for Sonya to be a bit bipolar about the issue, and her final furious face and condemning Zii as a bitch were priceless (and very accurate).

Angel seems... not unbothered but has an underplayed response, so I wonder if this hysterical outburst of both longing and hatred is simply an episode in an ongoing drama saga; wouldn't be surprising if that had been the case.
It seems likely that Yuki doesn't have the same feeling of being scorned as Sonya, or at least not nearly as strong (Sonya's deeper contempt makes sense as it was her apartment in which Zii violated her trust and broke a direct promise); thereby, Yuki may end up returning to Zii's band - and it feels like an appropriate joke for the incompetent replacement guy to be just thrown aside - whether Sonya will go back is less likely, as her tendency for melodrama and the fact Zii truly wounded her heart would make her less inclined to forgive.

[Spidrift]

Huh-hmm. I mean, I quite like all of these three as characters, but I thought that they'd already achieved some kind of closure, at least at the level for which the comic still has time. Plus, Sonya seemed to have achieved some kind of dubious but real inner strength -- and she's had some of the most significant character growth in the comic. I don't want to get the sense that any of them are even slightly crawling back to Zii. I'd rather see Zii putting the self-knowledge together to go to them.

(In fact, I could believe an end game in which Zii makes her peace with these three and joins Angel's band. The current incarnation of the Troublemakers don't give the impression of much real potential in the short or medium term.)

Now, if this sequence turns out to be Sonya saying "It's okay to miss someone like that, but sometimes you've go to rip the bandage off -- she's poison", I'll be impressed. But I don't think that Ma3 characters are supposed to be that robust.

Angel seems... not unbothered but has an underplayed response, so I wonder if this hysterical outburst of both longing and hatred is simply an episode in an ongoing drama saga; wouldn't be surprising if that had been the case.

Angel acted in a remarkably mature and sensible way when last seen, even having an honest-but-kind word for Zii. Which was actually a bit odd, given that Angel's anger at Zii was originally less than rational and Angel has generally been depicted as a self-indulgent drama queen. But it might make sense if having a little bit more distance on the topic makes Angel slightly more rational than the other two.

[SailorDh]

I must be the only one that doesn't miss the sponge slut.
Suprised nobody has killed her by now.

[samtheman]

Lmao at Sonya's mood swing and facial expression in the last panel. And I'm so glad the creative team didn't abandon this plot thread.

[EvilSnack]

I'm just glad it's not about wrestling.

[Pier777]

I could see poor Yuki get cracked in two accidentally.

[OllieOrOlly]

Huh-hmm. I mean, I quite like all of these three as characters, but I thought that they'd already achieved some kind of closure, at least at the level for which the comic still has time. Plus, Sonya seemed to have achieved some kind of dubious but real inner strength -- and she's had some of the most significant character growth in the comic. I don't want to get the sense that any of them are even slightly crawling back to Zii. I'd rather see Zii putting the self-knowledge together to go to them.

(In fact, I could believe an end game in which Zii makes her peace with these three and joins Angel's band. The current incarnation of the Troublemakers don't give the impression of much real potential in the short or medium term.)

That could be an interesting development, in that it would have multiple possible outcomes: Zii crawls to them, but gets rejected, then either grows up to realise she must fix herself, or merely go on another self-pity party; Yuki and a reluctant Sonya accept her into *their* band, but Angel refuses and walks away, or Angel points out that Zii is tossing aside "her little fangirl and my secondhand bandmate," to elaborate on how Zii perpetuates a pattern of abandoning those who stay with her when nobody else does, when she finds *better prospects* which Yuki - using her own experience of becoming more able to deal with men sexually - will say that people can change, but Sonya will deny it.
Regardless of conjecture, it could be intriguing to see the erstwhile duo reunite with the core cast again, without the visceral emotions of the days close to the initial collapse.

[worldshaking00]

Interesting choice to go back to the band, or at least Angel's band. Quite honestly, I am surprised that Yuki is still with them, considering the last time we saw her Matt & her were discussing a trip to Japan.

Equally surprising to me is the fact that we haven't had a moment like this before. Despite all of the horrible things Zii did to Sonya - and a much lesser extent to Yuki - they had fun both in and out of the band, together. Angel is a substitute - a rebound if you will - for their relationship with Zii. Sonya doesn't appear to have ever gotten out of the anger phase of her breaking up with Zii, whereas Yuki seems to be progressing more humanly; the contrast is nice to see and it helps differentiate the caricatures of their personalities. Angel is the worst of them all, having the longest held grudge, and it makes the ex-Troublemakers look much more hopeful.

As the creative team have stated before, they are going to use as many strips as needed to wrap things up to their satisfaction. If that makes a thicker final volume then so be it. Yay for us, especially if it gives us an enjoyable & believable conclusion to the run. It was established that Angel and Zii practice in the same building with their bands. It wouldn't be a large stretch for Zii to have the courage to come forward to Angel/Yuki/Sonya and admit her wrong doing and ask forgiveness. How likely they will be to accept it is another thing all together, considering how the all seem to harbor their anger. And to be honest, these three folks don't need much more closure... as their acceptance of any potential apology from Zii is minor. Any apology would be more for Zii's spiritual & characterization benefit. Angel is Angel, and has their own issues in SDB to deal with. Yuki & Matt are a couple, with future plans. Sonya is the only one who might deserve more of a wrap-up compared to the other two. Granted, she is a stronger woman for the time she has spent in the strip. However, she is just an angry leaf blowing around inside a tornado of drama; she has little direction. She needs to decide what she wants to do with her new freedom and strength of character, instead of just being a rage-fueled angry bitch. I suppose she could go into a death metal band, although that did not seem to be the style of music Angel was writing.

Visually, the strip was lovely. Panel 4 had the desired effect of a smile. Oh, that wacky Sonya.

[OllieOrOlly]

I must be the only one that doesn't miss the sponge slut.
Suprised nobody has killed her by now.

Pardon my uncertainty, which one is the "sponge slut," and what does the sponge aspect mean?

[Spidrift]

Interesting choice to go back to the band, or at least Angel's band. Quite honestly, I am surprised that Yuki is still with them, considering the last time we saw her Matt & her were discussing a trip to Japan.

Characters in Ma3 and SDB periodically talk about going out of town, but we never really see them do so. The only scenes I can even remember set further from Montreal than those ranches on the edge of town were one- or two-panel flashbacks, and the cuts to Sandra in Brazil or Paris. Occasionally, when a character needs to be out of the way for a few strips, they’ll be said to be out of town — but if the plot doesn’t need that, trips away from the city tend to take place in unseen time.

Sonya doesn't appear to have ever gotten out of the anger phase of her breaking up with Zii, whereas Yuki seems to be progressing more humanly; the contrast is nice to see and it helps differentiate the caricatures of their personalities.

I can see it from another angle; Sonya is wise enough to remember why she got angry at Zii. She can admit she misses her without letting that blind her to the fact that Zii acted like a poisonous asshole who she’s better off without.

There’s a fine line between dangerous curdled bitterness and not losing track of a harsh truth. If you’ve walked away from something, though, it’s often better not to look back too much.

Angel is the worst of them all, having the longest held grudge, and it makes the ex-Troublemakers look much more hopeful.

On the other hand, Angel isn’t going all weepy here, and was civilised, polite, and sensible to Zii when they last met. That looks surprisingly mature...

Sonya is the only one who might deserve more of a wrap-up compared to the other two. Granted, she is a stronger woman for the time she has spent in the strip. However, she is just an angry leaf blowing around inside a tornado of drama; she has little direction. She needs to decide what she wants to do with her new freedom and strength of character, instead of just being a rage-fueled angry bitch. I suppose she could go into a death metal band, although that did not seem to be the style of music Angel was writing.

But the whole point with Sonya — the thing she’s discovered about herself — is that drama is her thing. And she’s already doing something constructive with that; she’s joined Angel’s band. Sure, she’ll have a whole lot more to do with her life, but she already seems to be on the right track.

[Antinerd]

(In fact, I could believe an end game in which Zii makes her peace with these three and joins Angel's band. The current incarnation of the Troublemakers don't give the impression of much real potential in the short or medium term.)

Uh, no. Way back when the split happened -- and for justifiable reasons I would say -- I predicted that Yuki and Sonya would eventually come crawling back to Zii. I don't recall if anyone agreed with me but I did get some pushback.

Yeah Zii is the bad girl. She didn't treat everyone just right. Doesn't matter. She has what it takes to stimulate the other girls, makes their life interesting, and leads the way to band-playing excellence. Once all the tragic/cheap drama of who-boinked-who recedes it turns out that what Zii provides is much more important than what Zii doesn't provide.

My read is Zii is probably not as aware of this as her wayward minions are. But there is nothing in the formula that requires her to be self aware to that extent. If she were aware she would probably be more obnoxious than she already is.

I don't know if the band is getting back together again (mission from god!) or not but the path to it is pretty clear if that is what the authors have in store.

[worldshaking00]

On the other hand, Angel isn’t going all weepy here, and was civilised, polite, and sensible to Zii when they last met. That looks surprisingly mature...

True. It could also be that they know they've won. Not necessarily rubbing it in like a poor sport, but not kicking a dog when it is down. Angel's commentary to Zii was true and not filled with expletives. They still told her that she wasn't wanted or welcome.

But the whole point with Sonya — the thing she’s discovered about herself — is that drama is her thing. And she’s already doing something constructive with that; she’s joined Angel’s band. Sure, she’ll have a whole lot more to do with her life, but she already seems to be on the right track.

I don't see 'drama' as a way to pay the bills, and as a hobby it is pretty shifty. It makes for amusing comic strips, or as a form of theater. If she is just going from place to place/person to person, attracted to drama like a fly to excrement, I'm not too sure that is a fulfilling life. Her mileage may vary, true. But she was looking for love & excitement & self-discovery - and drama - and so far she's just got a part in a band (that isn't going anywhere fast) and has surrounded herself with an anti-Zii hate group. If it is her life's goal to troll Zii, she has a decent start. But considering her solid character development, I would like to see her channel her newfound independence into something more productive. I don't expect a "Sandra" level of change. Just me, maybe.

[Spidrift]

I don't see 'drama' as a way to pay the bills, and as a hobby it is pretty shifty.

Well, it doesn't pay the bills in itself, but if she can parlay it into, say, a successful music career, it kind of helps. Sonya is a natural performer.

And yes, her drama addiction on its own is about as healthy as any other addiction. She's learned something about herself since the comic began, and become a stronger, more confident, more interesting person as a result; step 2 is learning to rein the drama in a bit and channel it to best effect.

I don't expect a "Sandra" level of change.

Actually, I think that she's already changed more than Sandra -- or at least, more than Sandra prior to the recent time skip in SotR. The whole problem with Sandra was that she actually failed to change when her life did; she was still the irresponsible booze hound that she was back when she started, which was not a viable option to combine with a high-flying modelling career. Sonya has actually discovered capabilities that were nowhere to be seen before she met Zii.