18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

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18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by Hogan »

This week on MA3... the classics! See the many aspects of Julius Caesar, now with less stabbing!

dmra
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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by dmra »

Well if this is Zii's idea of a "misunderstanding" it seems she hasn't made quite as much progress as some of us were hoping.
http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/fight-for-her

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TheEighth
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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by TheEighth »

And Yuki is back with the Troublemakers
(Poor Terry)

Now all we need is for her to cheat on Matt with Gary. To hammer home just how badly he's hurt people in the past and so he can finally understand that his sexual prowess doesn't make him a better choice as a lover and he can finally grow as a person.

I figure it'll happen at some point, since their relationship is based on how dangerous she can make things for him. So as she gets used to penises, and her hallucinations and impulse to attack them dies down, so will the risk, which means Matt will look for a new thrill.

We just need Yuki to stray from him, before he strays from her.
Last edited by TheEighth on Thu Oct 18, 2018 10:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by Spidrift »

Well, Yuki has apparently made a lot of progress. In the old bonus strip that's just been taken down, Zii described her as not the best drummer, but good enough and a hot bedmate. Now, Zii and Angel agree that she's "the best drummer in Montreal". So one must assume that she's improved a lot.

She's still an erratic flake, though.

And I can't see this as the start of a simple, too-easy recovery path for Zii's fortunes. On the one side, it's unearned, of course, and on the other, she's still down a bassist, and it doesn't appear that Izz is improving very fast. Plus, she's going to have to sack Terry, which puts her back in some kind of ethical hole in the ground...

Wild-ass guess; Terry and Izz have grown close recently, and this latest turn of the merry-go-round leads to both of them walking out (and wandering off together in their own closing pairing). Zii still lacks a bassist -- or, if she switches to bass herself, she's without a guitarist. Yuki, who has been close to Angel and Zii throughout their stupid feud, contrives to get them talking again. Eventually, that partnership re-forms, with Angel (and/or that nameless sidekick) on lead, Zii on bass, and Yuki on drums.

But I'm probably totally wrong. Anyhow, what's really odd, though not unique to this comic, is the way that stories about rock bands are almost entirely about internal politics, feuds, and membership switches. We've seen a grand total of exactly two actual gigs in the course of the storyline, plus one more in long flashback. There's no signs of them recording anything. These people have far more dreams and issues than they have careers.

(Oh, and it's nice to see that Angel's rather bizarre self-comparison to Julius Caesar was at least a deliberate comedy set-up.)
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SailorDh
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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by SailorDh »

So...in the end Zii wins everything ( without earning it ) and learns nothing.

Typical...

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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by OllieOrOlly »

I suppose the flashback from a prior volume wasn't merely to fill space while conventions took up time, but rather to serve as a bit of a book end for the beginning of Yuki and Zii's dysfunctional relationship, which is now a seemingly harmonious reunion in this update.

In the comic's history of accidental eavesdropping, at least this one prevented a conflict, instead of provoke one or cause someone to do something absurd. Although, conflict might be unavoidable with Angel... Well, it isn't tension between main characters, so it isn't as perturbing.
While it would be good to see a functional non-sexual relationship between Zii and Yuki, hopefully the former properly apologises or makes sincere attempts to atone for her repugnant selfishness; Zii said she regretted a "misunderstanding," but it was really more of a betrayal of trust and a failure to be a team player, so it'd be nice if she offered some sincerity to Yuki.
As it stands, Zii apparently regained Yuki's trust not by effort, but rather inadvertently by a pitiful mewling to her arch-enemy, therefore, the aforementioned apologies and sincerity are needed to salvage some semblance of decency to be seen in Zii.

Probably been noted already, though I appreciate that Angel makes the Caesar comparison again, yet clearly with a more relevant similarity.

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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by OllieOrOlly »

Spidrift wrote:
Thu Oct 18, 2018 10:30 am

And I can't see this as the start of a simple, too-easy recovery path for Zii's fortunes. On the one side, it's unearned, of course, and on the other, she's still down a bassist, and it doesn't appear that Izz is improving very fast. Plus, she's going to have to sack Terry, which puts her back in some kind of ethical hole in the ground...
Yeah, quite true. Regarding Terry - it might be a bit of a cop out, but perhaps a way to prevent yet another Zii-backstab would be that Terry had simply been playing the wrong instrument because Angel forced him to play drums, and he is actually fairly decent at a different instrument that would give him value for the new-old-new band.

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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by worldshaking00 »

Welcome back to the drawing table Giz.

The Julius Caesar reference was cute, if very quick. Something in me always enjoys watching Angel get sucker-punched. Maybe it is their reaction/overreaction.

I am actually surprised Yuki is still in Montreal, after discussing a trip to Tokyo with Matt... impulsive as she is. Good to see Yuki's ninja-girl stealth skills are still present. I had always had the impression that Yuki was reacting rashly, since it was 'technically' Sonya who told Zii that Yuki was quitting the Troublemakers. No doubt, though, that Yuki's reaction and follow through wasn't appropriate for her. Considering Yuki & Zii's past, I gathered it would have taken much more for Yuki to never want to see/be with Zii again. Overhearing Zii's regrets to Angel was all that Yuki needed to hear, provided that Yuki's headspace wasn't being filled with anti-Zii snark or peer pressure.

I agree with everyone here in that Zii hasn't earned Yuki back in her band, but I will concede that Zii realized she made mistakes. Perhaps she did not try to fight to regain Sonya & Zii because of Angel blocking her attempts to contact them? Perhaps Zii was in an emotional whirlwind and just latched onto Izzy & Terry for some sort... any sort... of semblance of normalcy. Perhaps Zii just has a hard time saying she is sorry and begging for forgiveness. I feel some combination of all of those reasons applies. I'd still like to see Zii have a heartfelt discussion with Yuki, apologizing for her actions. Also, explaining to Yuki how she feels about Didi... since Didi and Yuki have always never been buddy-buddy.

As to Terry's fate, we'll have to see. It would be serendipitous that Terry could pick up either type of guitar and be great at it. If they could just write songs that 'worked' with Izzy's ability to jam out, that also might work. I would like to see Zii be compassionate to Terry, as a good bandleader, and work with him rather than kick him out.

As much as I want to see what's been going on inside Peggy's head, I would like to see more of Zii for a while. Mainly, I want to see how she feels about Didi as well as an explanation in her own words behind her longing gaze to Gary.
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Error of Logic
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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by Error of Logic »

I just feel sorry for Terry. :-/

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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by Shinjischneider »

dmra wrote:
Thu Oct 18, 2018 8:46 am
Well if this is Zii's idea of a "misunderstanding" it seems she hasn't made quite as much progress as some of us were hoping.
http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/fight-for-her
Writers Pet.

At least she got the backlash for being a shitty person for a few weeks ;)

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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by brasca »

Welcome back! Although I was hoping we’d get back to Sticky Dilly Buns first.

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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by lordoffiling »

I wanna know what people need from these characters. Seriously, how high are the standards of forgiveness around here?

We already had strips in which Zii realized she’d been shitty to her friends, and we just had her express those regrets in front of Yuki (admittedly not on purpose, although I’m sure she would have given the chance), what more does she need to do in order to be out of the doghouse with you guys?
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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by Antinerd »

SailorDh wrote:
Thu Oct 18, 2018 10:44 am
So...in the end Zii wins everything ( without earning it ) and learns nothing.
As I predicted months back when the breakup happened. I don't think think many people believed me.

People -- particularly young people -- don't gravitate to the relationship that is objectively best for them. They go for the relationship that is most stimulating. One look at Angel vs. Zii settles that pretty solidly.

And career-wise I would argue that Zii is the better choice anyway.

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Re: 18-10-18 Surrounded by traitors

Post by Error of Logic »

Only if she manages to keep her pants on and her mouth lined up with her brain at the right time in the future...

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