29-07-14 28 is lucky

[Spidrift]

I'm now wondering if Friday will have Ruby calling Dillon on this crap explicitly, and Dillon hastily back-pedaling and claiming that this was just a figure of speech or something, while Ruby looks doubtful. Dillon did just kick the dog rather hard.

[brasca]

That would be nice, but considering Ruby's insecurities he could get back to the subject of what she saw in the restroom and why that makes her blush and she'd crumble just like when he was not interrogating her last Friday.

Quote removed. The DAMNed

[Hurbster]

I'm glad we got this reminder that Dillon is in fact a complete arsehole.

[HylianBelmont]

This is why I don't get why the hell Dillon is a main character in his own series. As we saw in Ma3 and even here, Dillon hasn't grown at all. At least with all the other characters we see struggles and they're trying to be better, some take longer than others, but at least they're trying. This is kind of the same feeling I have as for T. Campbell's QUILT Bag, the series after P&G, both Sara and Lisa just didn't work out as main characters to me.

Despite this, I'm at least supporting the kickstarter at the level to obtain, Ma3 vol 6, SOTR, and this book too, for support.

So am I because I love Ruby and I don't think Amber would be enough of a draw for a spin-off strip.

I can totally identify with Ruby's opinion of relationships and even though I've heard plenty of arguments to the contrary I still look around at all the wrecked marriages of friends and family and remain committed to my decision. And not surprisingly Dillon is no help at all even when he's trying.

Can we ditch this whole SDB comic and replace it with one starring the LaRose sisters?

It kinda feels like Ruby has become the main character recently, imho. Getting caught in whacky antics and putting up with shenanigans from others (Mostly Dill of course) while getting the short end of it or nothing at all.

[Varanus]

I'm now wondering if Friday will have Ruby calling Dillon on this crap explicitly, and Dillon hastily back-pedaling and claiming that this was just a figure of speech or something, while Ruby looks doubtful. Dillon did just kick the dog rather hard.

Given how completely he ignored her attempt to point out what Dillon did here, I don't know if Ruby has the patience left to make the effort necessary to get through to Dillon...

['J']

She'd need a jackhammer and a bundle of TNT to get through to Dillon.

[crimzontearz]

Also....apparently it is A-OK for a gay man to "seduce a straight man away into bisexuality" but you know, god forbid a straight man attempts to do that to a gay woman


-headdesk-

[brasca]

This is why I don't get why the hell Dillon is a main character in his own series. As we saw in Ma3 and even here, Dillon hasn't grown at all. At least with all the other characters we see struggles and they're trying to be better, some take longer than others, but at least they're trying. This is kind of the same feeling I have as for T. Campbell's QUILT Bag, the series after P&G, both Sara and Lisa just didn't work out as main characters to me.

Despite this, I'm at least supporting the kickstarter at the level to obtain, Ma3 vol 6, SOTR, and this book too, for support.

So am I because I love Ruby and I don't think Amber would be enough of a draw for a spin-off strip.

I can totally identify with Ruby's opinion of relationships and even though I've heard plenty of arguments to the contrary I still look around at all the wrecked marriages of friends and family and remain committed to my decision. And not surprisingly Dillon is no help at all even when he's trying.

Can we ditch this whole SDB comic and replace it with one starring the LaRose sisters?

It kinda feels like Ruby has become the main character recently, imho. Getting caught in whacky antics and putting up with shenanigans from others (Mostly Dill of course) while getting the short end of it or nothing at all.

I wouldn't say nothing. While many of the things Dillon did for her were more self-serving than altruistic he did give her some needed advice on dressing for success and the difference between flattery and compliments as well as a date with Andy and access to a rock concert where she got to indulge on some of her yaoi guilty pleasure. Now if she concludes that Dillon is hopeless she could at least be mutually exploitive.

[Spidrift]

I'm now wondering if Friday will have Ruby calling Dillon on this crap explicitly, and Dillon hastily back-pedaling and claiming that this was just a figure of speech or something, while Ruby looks doubtful. Dillon did just kick the dog rather hard.

That would be nice, but considering Ruby's insecurities he could get back to the subject of what she saw in the restroom and why that makes her blush and she'd crumble just like when he was not interrogating her last Friday.

Oh, Ruby can be deflected very easily, and quite likely will be. But in terms of the audience's view of Dillon, this has indeed dropped him right down to "confirmed arsehole" status. (And ducking the issue would just make him look worse.) So I'm wondering if we'll get some kind of qualification on this scene to preserve some level of audience sympathy.

It kinda feels like Ruby has become the main character recently, imho. Getting caught in whacky antics and putting up with shenanigans from others (Mostly Dill of course) while getting the short end of it or nothing at all.

Ruby is a dynamic character, in the sense that there are some pretty obvious paths of character development open to her, and she's consciously looking for some things (a job, peace and quiet) which she may or may not get, and unconsciously looking for others (love, some kind of resolution with Amber) ditto. She has some ideas how to achieve things, and may or may not be willing to learn more. Plus, while most readers here seem to hate to admit it, she's probably very similar to a lot of the audience in a lot of ways. And a lot of the jokes are about her being embarrassed, which either makes her look sympathetic or weak, or gives her an opportunity to develop more.

In other words, she's a classic protagonist, even if she was introduced to be just the anti-Dillon. By contrast, Dillon doesn't want to learn, and is pretty much incapable of getting the one thing he wants (love) with his current attitude. In other words, his plot paths are kind of blocked, apart from some chasing round in circles after Jerzy or other cute guys. Ruby might be able to get through to him and start him moving towards some kind of actual plot, but it seems like it'd take a lot of work, and Ruby doesn't seem inclined to try very hard.

Which leaves Amber as a bit of a spare wheel. She can't communicate with Ruby, and she just enables Dillon's bad habits. She doesn't have much to do in this comic beyond minimal interactions with Ruby, and she's really being much more useful over in Ma3 for now.

Given how completely he ignored her attempt to point out what Dillon did here, I don't know if Ruby has the patience left to make the effort necessary to get through to Dillon...

She might be annoyed enough to try, at least briefly. She has both a temper and a sense of morality (not just ethics, like most of the cast), and Dillon's screaming hypocrisy seems to have got through to her in the last panel. She may well get distracted too quickly, and these comics don't actually like talky scenes (this strip is about as talky as they get, and the writers may revert to wacky hijinks any second), but it would be quite in character for her to try at least one more sarcastic snarl.

I wouldn't say nothing. While many of the things Dillon did for her were more self-serving than altruistic he did give her some needed advice on dressing for success and the difference between flattery and compliments as well as a date with Andy and access to a rock concert where she got to indulge on some of her yaoi guilty pleasure.

Dillon startled Ruby by offering her help with her wardrobe for no apparent reason beyond friendliness. I really don't think that she's got many friends, and that offer got him inside her guard. (She really is Gary-written-right, actually; remember how Zii stunned Gary by offering to help him with his love life out of simple friendliness?) She didn't want most of the other stuff he then offered or did for her, of course, but she's too polite to just tell him to FOAD now. Having classed him as a sort-of-friend, she may feel obliged to point out his mistakes instead of just rolling her eyes and giving him a wide berth - even if the latter was actually possible.

Now if she concludes that Dillon is hopeless she could at least be mutually exploitive.

I don't see Ruby doing cynical exploitation, actually - at least not consciously. She has got that actual, conscious morality problem. (Yes, Amber probably feels exploited by her - but Ruby regards family as sacrosanct, and assumes that that cuts both ways.) If she really found herself despising Dillon, she'd more likely try to avoid him altogether. It's not like his help is reliable (he stopped helping with the job search after one day), and he's a strain to be around for her.

[brasca]

I wouldn't say nothing. While many of the things Dillon did for her were more self-serving than altruistic he did give her some needed advice on dressing for success and the difference between flattery and compliments as well as a date with Andy and access to a rock concert where she got to indulge on some of her yaoi guilty pleasure.

Dillon startled Ruby by offering her help with her wardrobe for no apparent reason beyond friendliness. I really don't think that she's got many friends, and that offer got him inside her guard. (She really is Gary-written-right, actually; remember how Zii stunned Gary by offering to help him with his love life out of simple friendliness?) She didn't want most of the other stuff he then offered or did for her, of course, but she's too polite to just tell him to FOAD now. Having classed him as a sort-of-friend, she may feel obliged to point out his mistakes instead of just rolling her eyes and giving him a wide berth - even if the latter was actually possible.

Now if she concludes that Dillon is hopeless she could at least be mutually exploitive.

I don't see Ruby doing cynical exploitation, actually - at least not consciously. She has got that actual, conscious morality problem. (Yes, Amber probably feels exploited by her - but Ruby regards family as sacrosanct, and assumes that that cuts both ways.) If she really found herself despising Dillon, she'd more likely try to avoid him altogether. It's not like his help is reliable (he stopped helping with the job search after one day), and he's a strain to be around for her.

It's not cynical if Dillon offers to help even though she knows he's just using her for one of his schemes as long as she knows she's getting something out of it too. Unless it's a scheme that really violates some ethics I can see her shrug and go along with it since the previous adventures weren't a total loss. And that help with her wardrobe was not completely altruistic since having her around got some looks from guys so he could see who is and isn't gay. It's not the most self serving thing he's done and seeing as how he bought her some designer jeans a fair trade, but there was a reason for that shopping trip in which he benefited too.

[JoybuzzerX]

And this is why I have little patience for Dillon. Projecting his own tendencies on someone else. It also makes me feel less sympathetic to what happened between him and Matt seeing as how he didn't have a problem facilitating other people's cheating. Glad that Ruby called him out on that in her own way, but you'd actually need a sense of shame to feel bad about it.

Yup. Dillion is as bad s Matt. Really makes you care less for him.

[Fluffy]

It's like he thinks he's a good guy just because he's never screwed over any of his friends, but could care less about everyone else.

Unless you count his getting in the way of Amber hooking up with Gary - she's his BFF, and he's used their friendship as a means to prevent her from pursuing a guy he has a crush on/who wants nothing to do with him sexually.

I'd say that's pretty shitty behavior on his part. (Can you imagine how he'll react when he learns Amber has sought Gary out, regardless?)

[crimzontearz]

Yes I can...I hope he suffers.

A lot

for a LONG time

[FlashD81]

For the love of... Ruby is the only good thing going on in this comic!

So let me get this straight. In Dillon's mind, it is OK for him to seduce men away from their relationship's but not the other way round? You know I think I'm going to go with Crimzontearz on this and hope when he finds out about Amber and Gary that he will suffer. Except that if/when he does it will make Ruby feel bad for him and pull her into another one of his silly ideas.

I'm sorry for the outburst but I'm just frustrated with Dillon's lack of self knowledge.

[crimzontearz]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS flash....let the hate flow through you

Hate him with the same intensity we ALL hate the star brat with