SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

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brasca
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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by brasca »

Milnoc wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 1:01 pm
In real life, this relationship might not last very long. Andy's the emotional equivalent of a love doll. Ruby might realise soon enough that her partners need to have as much of an emotional involvement with her as she has with them.
That’s not a very fair assessment. Andy isn’t devoid of emotions, but reacts differently which could be seen as a strength instead of a weakness. Andy is someone whose head isn’t going to turn every time an attractive woman walks by which I’m sure many ladies wish they could have. He responds to touching so as long as Andy and Ruby remain active this could work out. It might not end in marriage, but I’d rate their chances higher than Dillon and Jerzy.

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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by rogermart »

Their chances are higher than most Ma3 couples...
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Spidrift
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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by Spidrift »

Zellgato wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:44 pm
Wasn't there some portion of their conflict (besides their different understanding of their sexual concepts) being that Andy thought she was a former porn star (with the original scene leaving the implication (for a fair long while-until they brought up sexuality)) that part of their conflict was him thinking he wouldn't match up)
The porn star thing was cleared up almost immediately, on their first date. It looks like you need to re-read all the scenes between Andy and Ruby. There haven’t been very many.
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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by worldshaking00 »

rogermart wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 9:56 pm
Their chances are higher than most Ma3 couples...
Yeah. Still not sure about Jerzy and Dillon. Something still seems fishy about their relationship. I can't place my finger on it. Maybe if there was more time left in the comic there could be more brought up about how easy Jerzy seems to be about sex. Dillon seems attracted to the cute but relationship-challenged men. But with the end looming, maybe the creative team are just going to let sleeping dogs lay. Maybe it is just me though, and they are just happy now without Angel muddying things up.
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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by Osaru Sensei »

That Ruby face in panel 2 HHNGHH
Spidrift wrote:
Thu Jul 14, 2016 5:16 pm
She is indeed a wonderful artist who could doubtless turn her hand to anything, but from what I've seen, I don't get the feeling that she's very interested in depicting some of those bits in all their wrinkly Lovecraftian glory.
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worldshaking00
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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by worldshaking00 »

Panel 1 for me. The sincerity in her eyes is quite fetching. Always enjoy how Giz can portray emotion so well.
"Be excellent to each other." - Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
"Like my old grand daddy used to say, 'The less a man makes declarative statements, the less apt he is to look foolish in retrospect.'" - Chester Rush, Four Rooms
Chivalry isn't dead, it just followed wherever being lady-like went.

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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by Devil Girl »

Milnoc wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 1:01 pm
In real life, this relationship might not last very long. Andy's the emotional equivalent of a love doll. Ruby might realise soon enough that her partners need to have as much of an emotional involvement with her as she has with them.
Oh, Andy has the potential to be very interesting (at this point I find him more intriguing than most characters in these strips as he's so non-stereotypical), but his character's lack of personality seems more to do with the low development of his character (which makes sense as he's a background character) than his sexuality. I don't at all fault the writers for this—especially as they have such a short amount of time to wrap things up. I'm so happy they have him as a character.

I'm guessing he is more of a romantic or really loves to please his partner and gets off on that. Men like him do exist, and—man—they can throw us ladies off because it's really weird to end up with someone who loves things like snuggling, romance and foreplay more than you when society pushes that men prefer everything "fast" and "hard" to the end-game. But once you realize people aren't cookie cutters and the guy isn't really a "nice guy," it can be really wonderful finding someone like that.

Stereotypes over how men and women "should" be do us no service in such relationships. This is why I'll never buy a Cosmo. Magazines like that just exist to make you feel insecure about your relationships so feel like you need it for more crappy "advice" about how to have sex and how much you need to "please your man."

Anyhow, I'm absolutely loving this wrap-up and how Ruby (and probably Andy) lost their virginity. It's wonderful to see another portrayal of a woman actually loving her first time (and being in control) as well as a guy showing a little vulnerability and honesty about it.

Hoping Amber doesn't spill the beans, but I'm getting the feeling she won't (or if she does, it won't create chaos for Ruby—fingers crossed)...

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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by Spidrift »

The way Andy has been handled here isn’t bad, but it suffers from the way that the story is being rushed to an end game. Previously, he just seemed to be a pleasant but totally oblivious dimwit, which we all accepted because he was a barely-secondary character in a four-panel joke comic, and “oblivious doofus” was really quite adequate characterisation for that purpose. But now, we’re suddenly being told that he’s more complex than that — he’s a nervous demisexual or thereabouts, with hints of an inner life. Which may well be what Giz intended all along, but wasn’t foreshadowed much, and could be mistaken for a rushed retcon to avoid the impression that Ruby was making do with an idiot.
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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by Devil Girl »

Spidrift wrote:
Fri Dec 07, 2018 4:04 pm
The way Andy has been handled here isn’t bad, but it suffers from the way that the story is being rushed to an end game. Previously, he just seemed to be a pleasant but totally oblivious dimwit, which we all accepted because he was a barely-secondary character in a four-panel joke comic, and “oblivious doofus” was really quite adequate characterisation for that purpose. But now, we’re suddenly being told that he’s more complex than that — he’s a nervous demisexual or thereabouts, with hints of an inner life. Which may well be what Giz intended all along, but wasn’t foreshadowed much, and could be mistaken for a rushed retcon to avoid the impression that Ruby was making do with an idiot.
I agree, but it sounds like the rushing isn't completely the writers' fault. They are doing the best with what they have and decided to do something good (even though it's rushed) with Andy. I really appreciate that. Would love to see more stories that take that direction, but know we will probably not see any more webcomics from them for a long time since they have a lot of mainstream projects pulling them away and aren't making he revenue they need to do this anymore.

This is just like a tiny surprise that redeems the comic a bit further and makes it even more enjoyable and yet a little deeper, too. If SDBs continues this direction, it may actually end stronger than a number of the other Pixie Trix comics.

Khazuki
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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by Khazuki »

I'm just gonna go ahead and say this like a total asshole: Wow. I can't believe this comic actually managed a sweet character moment.
Man, I'm such a bastard lol.

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brasca
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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by brasca »

Devil Girl wrote:
Fri Dec 07, 2018 3:32 pm
Milnoc wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 1:01 pm
In real life, this relationship might not last very long. Andy's the emotional equivalent of a love doll. Ruby might realise soon enough that her partners need to have as much of an emotional involvement with her as she has with them.
Oh, Andy has the potential to be very interesting (at this point I find him more intriguing than most characters in these strips as he's so non-stereotypical), but his character's lack of personality seems more to do with the low development of his character (which makes sense as he's a background character) than his sexuality. I don't at all fault the writers for this—especially as they have such a short amount of time to wrap things up. I'm so happy they have him as a character.

I'm guessing he is more of a romantic or really loves to please his partner and gets off on that. Men like him do exist, and—man—they can throw us ladies off because it's really weird to end up with someone who loves things like snuggling, romance and foreplay more than you when society pushes that men prefer everything "fast" and "hard" to the end-game. But once you realize people aren't cookie cutters and the guy isn't really a "nice guy," it can be really wonderful finding someone like that.

Stereotypes over how men and women "should" be do us no service in such relationships. This is why I'll never buy a Cosmo. Magazines like that just exist to make you feel insecure about your relationships so feel like you need it for more crappy "advice" about how to have sex and how much you need to "please your man."

Anyhow, I'm absolutely loving this wrap-up and how Ruby (and probably Andy) lost their virginity. It's wonderful to see another portrayal of a woman actually loving her first time (and being in control) as well as a guy showing a little vulnerability and honesty about it.

Hoping Amber doesn't spill the beans, but I'm getting the feeling she won't (or if she does, it won't create chaos for Ruby—fingers crossed)...
Agreed. Sticky Dilly Buns and Menage a 3 have introduced us to a lot of people on the Kinsey spectrum and while I'd have liked more development on Andy I don't think he's the product of last minute retconning. I think he's someone who knew he was heterosexual, but didn't react the way other boys did to girls and as a defense mechanism chose to play dumb. It's quite understandable considering peer pressure which exists even beyond high school. I identify with Andy to some extent since I'm not so easily turned on by visual stimulation and require touching. I used to think I just had good self control, but maybe I'm on the asexual spectrum too.

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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by OllieOrOlly »

Spidrift wrote:
Fri Dec 07, 2018 4:04 pm
The way Andy has been handled here isn’t bad, but it suffers from the way that the story is being rushed to an end game. Previously, he just seemed to be a pleasant but totally oblivious dimwit, which we all accepted because he was a barely-secondary character in a four-panel joke comic, and “oblivious doofus” was really quite adequate characterisation for that purpose. But now, we’re suddenly being told that he’s more complex than that — he’s a nervous demisexual or thereabouts, with hints of an inner life. Which may well be what Giz intended all along, but wasn’t foreshadowed much, and could be mistaken for a rushed retcon to avoid the impression that Ruby was making do with an idiot.
Indeed. While it would become actual retcon, hopefully Giz will eventually - like, months or even a year down the road - make an extended version of the story arc as to properly develop the relationship, as well as more clearly display Andy's sexual leanings (not more sex, but rather have some more conversations with Ruby so that there is a better sense of "equal footing," i.e. Ruby is nervous yet assured in her own psychological sexual orientation, while Andy being more focused on athletics, hadn't faced a sexual awakening yet either, which made him similarly nervous, so they both have their first times with nerves manifesting in different ways, yet they both still feel excitement and optimism).

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Re: SDB 06-12-18 Having a secret or two

Post by Spidrift »

Incidentally, a late thought — this strip would explain Ruby’s previously puzzling comment about Amber being more help than she knew.
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Spidrift
"Brevior vita est quam pro futumentibus negotium agendo."
-- Motto of Hogshead Publishing of fond memory, and wise words to set your Foes List by.
Avatar misappropriated from the wonderful XKCD.

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