PTC 16-04-19 You seem credible

[Giz]

New PTC strip! http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/you-seem-credible/

[Spidrift]

Ah, the things we do for love...

Fairly low-key start so far; the two carry-over characters we expected, one other (confirmed as an employee now), and one new, about whom we do not yet know much, beyond the fact that she isn't taken by the sight of Aaron in a miniskirt. Presumably Ramona will talk her around. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what sorts of actual plot we eventually get.

[Valkog]

I'm not allowed to say the real opinion I have of Zadie, without being shushed into oblivion by the usual suspects. So, I'll say she seems like a bit of a Judgemental Janet. I'm not sure how she expected this to go, if she can't even handle the sight of a guy in a magical girl outfit.

[brasca]

Well that costume would look better on Zadie, but I can understand her reservations.

[JoybuzzerX]

Guy in a magical girl outfit. An average person would be a Judgemental Janet. I have no doubt if he was a fat guy with a beer gut and neck beard, there would be thoughts on it.

What surprises me most on this, is Ramona interviewing. How long have they been dating, that she'd be giving an interview. It didn't sound like they had been together long in DSB, has a lot of time passed, or did Jung just rush into letting a new girlfriend become important to the business?

[Badman!]

I don't know why, but I feel Zadie is a actually a guy...

[worldshaking00]

Agreed to the slow start of the comic thus far, although I am happy to finally see Jung & Ramona make their debut in this new story.

Not that I think Jung is a super-creeper, but his taste/style for his costumes does require a delicate touch especially considering today's sue-happy culture. Having Ramona vet potential job applicants for combined counter eye-candy/cashier would help to remove the air of him potentially being a sleaze. One would assume Zadie is going to be Zii's full time replacement, so hopefully Zadie is good at retail math and can receive quirky/nerdy customers with a smile... Aaron not withstanding. Considering how she is not comfortable around Aaron's nervous outbursts I am concerned of how the flavor of this comic will be, assuming that Zadie is a new and prominent member of the new cast. Shaming nerdism and geekery, even if indirectly, seems like a poor choice to lead this new comic off with.

I'm more intrigued at Jung handing out $110 in store credit! Sign me up! Hot damn, Jung. My body type is more suited for monster or Youma... or the adorable yet chubby sidekick cosplay though.

[Spidrift]

Not that I think Jung is a super-creeper, but his taste/style for his costumes does require a delicate touch especially considering today's sue-happy culture.

Yep. Whatever anyone thinks of Zadie’s reaction to Aaron — which was obviously exaggerated for comedy, but even with that I’d place her safely on the range from “understandable” to “stone cold sane” — one should also note that the first thing she’s found out about this prospective job is that the boss apparently makes employees wear gender-unorthodox costumes in which they are very clearly not comfortable. Honestly, realistically, that ought to make any sane person run a mile from that interview, very fast.

Even allowing for comic-strip comedy, one imagines that Ramona will have to make reassuring noises and promise that Jung won’t pull anything like that on Zadie. Ever. If he values his testicles.

One would assume Zadie is going to be Zii's full time replacement, so hopefully Zadie is good at retail math and can receive quirky/nerdy customers with a smile...

Well, she’s a new character in a comedy story; a bit of fish-out-of-water confusion, until she gets the hang of the job, would be par for the course. And let’s also remember that Zii was recruited explicitly as “counter candy”; I don’t suppose that Ramona or Jung would be so clumsy as to mention that Zadie’s best qualification for the job is that she’s female and Giz-character-cute, but such may be the case nonetheless.

Considering how she is not comfortable around Aaron's nervous outbursts I am concerned of how the flavor of this comic will be, assuming that Zadie is a new and prominent member of the new cast. Shaming nerdism and geekery, even if indirectly, seems like a poor choice to lead this new comic off with.

Who’s shaming geekery? I’m pretty sure that most geeks I know would be at best be bemused by the sight of Aaron in a miniskirt, and probably either worried or mocking. Hell, Aaron thinks that displaying Aaron in a miniskirt is a really bad idea. And his nervous outbursts merely amplify the fact, making him look not only odd, but loudly odd — and also disinclined to let Zadie out of the room. Outside of comedy, that’d be bloody terrifying, and is nothing to do with geekery.

What surprises me most on this, is Ramona interviewing. How long have they been dating, that she'd be giving an interview. It didn't sound like they had been together long in DSB, has a lot of time passed, or did Jung just rush into letting a new girlfriend become important to the business?

I’m sure that Jung trusts his own judgement, and he may somehow have talked the shop’s owners into letting him make Ramona a part-time assistant manager or something. And Jung, being a smart fellow with an eye for profit, may have recognised that (a) the female geek market isn’t trivial these days, and their money’s good, and (b) he personally may not have completely perfect insights into the tastes and interests of female geeks, so taking on a sidekick who he can trust implicitly to cover that subject may be a smart move.

Plus, if she makes it easier to recruit new counter candy now he’s lost the manipulable Zii — bonus!

[rogermart]

I don't know why, but I feel Zadie is a actually a guy...

What do you mean? female transgender or cross-dressing guy?

[pcj]

I'm not allowed to say the real opinion I have of Zadie, without being shushed into oblivion by the usual suspects. So, I'll say she seems like a bit of a Judgemental Janet. I'm not sure how she expected this to go, if she can't even handle the sight of a guy in a magical girl outfit.

I'm not sure she's shaken by the sight of a guy in a magical girl outfit. For all we know what she's shaken by is that he's reacting so negatively to it, not by the fact that he's wearing it.

[worldshaking00]

Who’s shaming geekery? I’m pretty sure that most geeks I know would be at best be bemused by the sight of Aaron in a miniskirt, and probably either worried or mocking. Hell, Aaron thinks that displaying Aaron in a miniskirt is a really bad idea. And his nervous outbursts merely amplify the fact, making him look not only odd, but loudly odd — and also disinclined to let Zadie out of the room. Outside of comedy, that’d be bloody terrifying, and is nothing to do with geekery.

I'm not doubting that Aaron is second guessing his decision to model for Jung's fashions, nor that others of the clientele would razz him for it. But at least a few of them might have a second thought considering the hefty store credit Jung offered, which is part of how I am taking the joke. Is Zadie uncomfortable around nervous yelling? Or Aaron? Or crossdressing? Or shoujo anime outfits? One would assume she would have done her research into comic pop culture, or already have some inkling of it if she was going to apply for a job at a comic shop (nerds being nerds, etc.). She is applying for a job, so she is being polite despite being a little distressed at the situation she just entered into. Is she tolerating Aaron's frantic antics because of being on good behavior in front of a potential employer? We aren't getting thought bubbles of her wanting to knee Aaron in the groin and make a dash for it. So I am optimistic that she is just getting a healthy dose of geekdom from our friendly local comic shop and reacting 'reasonably'.

As to why Aaron is blocking the door, I have no idea why. I agree that if he is doing it on purpose for the intent of keeping her hostage, that Zadie is in her right mind to flee for the hills. I don't get the impression that Aaron is standing there for that reason. He's more likely nervously rigid and looking for direction from Jung, who isn't helping Aaron save face in front of an apparently attractive stranger.

But as to "shaming", perhaps that was too strong of a word choice. I am curious as to what motivations Zadie has in applying at the comic shop (apart from a pay check), and if she can understand and/or tolerate traditional geek/nerd stereotypes. Her original reactions to a hyper shy geek in an awkward position are not sympathetic, albeit sanely understandable if she is placing focus on not being in a weird/potentially uncomfortable work environment. I also concede that we are only two strips in, and 'voice of feminine reason' Ramona has yet to reign in the male geekerie at the front counter. Is Zadie a relatively normal person who is going to get indoctrinated into the geek culture? How are the creative team going to use Zadie's fresh perspective in this strip? It is up in the air, but I am hoping that her first impressions are smoothed over rapidly so we can get into some juicy plot development rather than dwell on geek discomfort... panel 4 gags being necessary evils of course.

[Jobe00]

Guy in a magical girl outfit. An average person would be a Judgemental Janet. I have no doubt if he was a fat guy with a beer gut and neck beard, there would be thoughts on it.

So you don’t approve of Lar DeSouza’s Sailor Bacon?

[jish55]

Interesting so far, but was hoping that we'd get introduced to this new series the way we were introduced to MA3 (not the same way, but at least give us a little backstory and context for the new main character). Other than that, will wait and see how I feel about this character.

[Bat-dork]

Oh my dear Zadie.. you don't realize the black hole you just stepped into here. You are now part of the store, part of the crew! THE SHOP MUST ALWAYS HAVE A CAPTAIN!!! (Laughs in Pirate)

[Spidrift]

Is Zadie uncomfortable around nervous yelling? Or Aaron? Or crossdressing? Or shoujo anime outfits?

Sigh. She’s a comedy character (though probably in the straight-woman niche, from what we’ve seen so far), who has just been confronted by a guy in a miniskirt — which is automatically going to make most comedy characters go “aargh” and back away. Then, the guy starts yelling hysterically and blocks her exit — which would make a realistic sane person very damn worried. Her behaviour requires no more explanation than that, so far as I can see.

As to why Aaron is blocking the door, I have no idea why.

I thought that was boringly obvious. He’s just been discovered by a stranger while wearing a miniskirt. He finds that acutely embarrassing, as a lot of guys would. What’s more, she’s an attractive woman, and he’s an adolescent male, at precisely the sort of age that he really, really doesn’t want to be embarrassed in front of attractive women, let alone have them think that he’s sexually eccentric.

So he tries to explain, but she tries to leave before he’s finished, so he panics and tries to stop her so he can finish explaining. Very stupid of him, and quite capable of getting him maced or arrested, but utterly understandable.

I am curious as to what motivations Zadie has in applying at the comic shop (apart from a pay check) ...

That’s a ludicrously huge “apart from”. Why do most people ever apply for jobs? Starvation and homelessness are no fun.

... and if she can understand and/or tolerate traditional geek/nerd stereotypes.

That’s funny. I’ve been around geeks and nerds for ... decades now, including getting to a fair number of conventions. In all that time, I think I’ve seen exactly one male geek who decided to go round dressed in an anime-inspired miniskirt costume. And he was clearly regarded as a fucking embarrassment by other geeks, to the point of being the subject of angry parody in professional published cartoons. If that kind of thing is a stereotype, it’s seen as the sort of offensive stereotype that geeks suffer from non-geeks, and that geeks really don’t want reinforced.

But then, I don’t get to anime or furry conventions...