1188 Brave New World.

by

Okay, if you guys seriously want an Everyone Is Raindrops shirt I’m gonna need some feedback about what you want it to be like. I’ve never had any luck with shirts, so there’s going to have to be significant support shown for me to bother messing with it. So, let’s hear some ideas.

While I was working on these pages I decided to try an experiment of sorts. I took Monday and what was finished of Tuesday and showed them to people who contacted me on skype. Then I asked what they would they do if it was their comic. It was interesting. A lot of people were totally paralyzed by the scenario. Especially if they revealed themselves as dedicated fans. Strangely, the most detached people had the easiest time answering, and the most complete answers. Happily, at least from my perspective, no one exactly nailed what was going to happen. One person came close, but it’s hard to exactly guess what a given person will write. Also, I like to think I have a unique way of presenting this fairly pedestrian work.

Anyway, this seemed to be what Jo wanted. I’m not going to lie, I second guessed it, but ultimately I let her take her chance. For the record, my mother was a bit heartbroken that Jo couldn’t stay a pure, in her words, character. I suspect she won’t be alone in that. Ultimately characters have to change and live, in so far as the fictional can. So here we are. In the rain with them.

131 Comments

Damn it! An actual kiss? Now I can’t have a Now Kiss moment!
. . .
Wait- An actual kiss?? Yayyyyyyyy!!!! Go Brooksie!

Now lets just hope this doesn’t go the way of the Ruth/Billie kiss in DumbingOfAge and Jessie reciprocates and doesn’t throw her off or something. My poor little heart couldn’t take that.

I really couldn’t see that happening. Especially with all the ear nomming happening a while back.

Depends if Jess is okay with being the pursued instead of the pursuer. She might be off balance right now with the being all emotionally intimate. I suspect she’s together enough to get her equilibrium back enough to handle this, but only Crave knows for sure! (Is excited for next comic)

Eh. I’m with your mom on this one. She’s boring now.

What exactly is a “pure” character? She didn’t strike me as a chaste person, not from the dialogue in comic 750. Here: /comics1/750-excellent-hearing

I still think she’s adorable. And taking a cute first step, and I hope it works out.

Actually, the next comic is way more telling, but 750 gets it started. Anyway. Jo is pretty clearly not a cloistered princess. She’s a balanced, realistic character.

I think that it means to just be a character doesn’t need to be romanceable, just be there? I don’t know. I find it hard to put into words.

@Arc: I always assumed she was making fun of John in that exchange. Guess that just shows how well she had everyone fooled.

And you can hear Ed’s soon to be breakdown, fit, or what have you.

Seriously, I think Ed’s about to have his hands full (so to speak) with a walking, talking, charming amusement park. Where he can ride all the rides…

(Crosses fingers for favorable reaction)

Re: shirt. Dark blue of some kind, like for rain? Maybe with a light rain-like pattern in white?

With a break in the rain pattern for the line “Everyone is raindrops,” so it’d be sort of framed by the rain. I think that would look nice.

Rabble rabble consent rabble

My life has turned into a South Park episode! As I always suspected it would…

I thought it was a chowder reference.

If it were chowder, he would have said Radda Radda Radda.

Rada Cutlery is a manufacturer of kitchen knives. I own their Cook’s Utility Knife and their Cheese Knife. I presume Mung Dal and Schnitzel would be familiar with their products.

So, Rada, Rada!

*headdesk* Why oh why every time a character in a comic kisses another character does someone raise the legal issues? Just relax and enjoy the comic.

We know that Brooksie does not do intrapersonal issues well. This just might be the clearest way she can express her feelings.

There is such a thing as “aconsensual.” It is what happens when consent has not been either given or denied.

For example: A friend of mine was telling me today about his group of friends in college. If a guy asked a gal for permission to give her a backrub, it meant he was asking for sex. If he just wanted to give her a backrub, he would just start, and she would either say “no thanks” or “mmmm” and either way was fine with everyone.

… and for the first time I understood why that one dorm-mate of mine was so negative to guys who offered her backrubs (because we had been told that anything not consensual was nonconsensual, so _of course_ we asked) but she would accept them from the one guy who never asked permission. If she came from my friend’s social group, then to her perception, every guy she didn’t know who asked her for a backrub was calling her a slut! In public! Of course she had to shut him down!

Back to the topic… aconsensual means consent was not explicitly given, but not denied either. If everyone involved understands and trusts each other, it can be just fine to act aconsensually. The goal, after all, at least among friends, should be that everyone gets what they prefer – not that everyone is limited to only getting what they have explicitly given permission for.

Also she seems to have mysteriously lost her glasses

And to think, I pictured Jess as the instigator. Then again, I suppose it works both ways.

If you think about it, she kinda did instigate. All that ear nibbling in 1132-1134, on someone like Jo? I s’pose she might not’ve been thinking about it quite on those terms, but… I doubt the conversation/reaction here in the rain would’ve gotten to here without that.

(/comics1/1134-oh-man – look at that face, seriously)

Exactly. Jess has said she’s like that with lots of people – how could she not know it could result in something like this happening?

That’s why I’m worried about Brooksie’s heart being broken…

This^

Jess may have just been playing around with Brooksie, putting on a show to get attention from everyone else for whatever reason. Hopefully, something good comes of this.

I don’t really think of Jo as a “pure” character. She certainly has an innocence about her, but more in the way she finds childlike wonder in things.

I’m one of the people who doesn’t like this development – if only because I think Brooksie’s heart is going to be demolished in the next page.

I am perfectly okay with this, for the moment. However, if Jess breaks her heart, may a pox find its way into her cereal.

I’d have to know what your mom meant by a “pure” character, but it doesn’t seem like any of your characters are necessarily pure, except maybe Mike. Everyone has their demons that awaken when they’re alone or when they let their minds float to darker shores, even Jo. It’s what they do with these demons and how they let them affect their lives that makes them who they are. Some, like Thomas, let theirs control them and poison their worlds. Others, like Carol and Nina, accept them as part of themselves, but know that the demons aren’t all that they are. Brooksie lets the rest of her being overrun these demons, allowing her to be a nearly constant beacon of sunshine, and that seems to be what draws everyone to try and protect her. She’s no more perfect than anyone else, but she doesn’t let that get to her.
That said, I think an “Everyone is Raindrops” shirt would be best displayed on a white or black shirt with grey lettering of the key phrase, with raindrops falling around it. Perhaps a few faces from the cast could be inside the droplets, showing the passing and transient nature of people you encounter. Some of them simply pass by you and you never think of them again, while others pool together to become something more than they are.

Wow, what a great comment! I really like the way you expressed how people deal with their demons, especially Brooksie. I haven’t the faintest what Crave’s mom meant about being “pure”, but if anything, today’s strip makes me feel Jo’s character is “more pure” in that she is following her heart and doing what feels right to her. Maybe Jess is surprised because she wasn’t expecting Jo to be so forward, knowing how shy she can be.

Also, great shirt idea.

Agree, arhazade, about Link’s comment. It’s hard to be sure what Crave’s mom means by “pure,” but it couldn’t rightly be sexual purity because Brooksie makes it quite clear that she’s “experienced” in the story arc that No One referenced earlier. I’m glad, really, because even though I want my food and whiskey to be pure, I think purity, as in sexual purity or ideological purity is overrated, that for most of us, it would be a trap, preventing us from growing, changing and adapting as we move through life. If anything, Brooksie’s innocence means more rather than less extending from experience rather than naivete and ignorance.

I’ll add that I don’t want Jess to hurt Brooksie, either, but I suspect that Brooksie has depths unforseen by the likes of Jess and may prove to be made of sterner stuff than Jess imagined was possible. If and when they split up, Jess may well find herself the one left behind.

Very well done, Sir Crave.
Very well done indeed.

I share Shqiper’s (how in all linguistics do you pronounce that?) sentiment, in that Jess refusing a moment so overwrought with adorable romance, then she will wish to die a thousand deaths rather than face my anger.
(Like that? I’m getting back into my classical swing.)

O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world
That has such people in’t!
-Miranda, The Tempest

Mneeheehee. ^_^

I wasn’t expecting Jo to kiss Jess. Was kind of expecting it the other way around. Jess looks really surprised in that last panel.

ABOUT TIME!!!!! :D :D :D

After the buildup that’s been going on the past few weeks, I’d have been really disappointed if today’s comic *hadn’t* ended with them kissing.

Loved the comic for a long time….but I am now in trepidation. I am all for homosexuality in the real world…but, it always seems, that just about every time that a homosexual couple is introduced into a long running comic that isn’t purely sex based, the story goes straight to hell afterwards. :( So, in saying this, I hope they DON’T become a couple.

Questionable Content seems to be doing quite nicely with a foreground lesbian pairing.

Dora + Tai is so overwhelmingly ‘meh’ to me, that is isn’t even funny.

I mean, kudos to Jeph for working it in and sticking to his guns on it, just doesn’t work for me.

QC is still doing okay…but I have to say that the throwing together of those two seemed forced and is now showing as a large detriment to continuing stories. Might be just me.*shrug*

Hrmmm….and now in recursive mode. Upon reviewing my own thought processes, I think that the overt senses of disquiet I have stem from sensing yet another dating-centric thing. I do have a tendency to glaze over the romance portions of stories. So meh. I’ll just shoosh now.

Perhaps Jezebel I mean Jessica is wise enough to know that there is a whole store full of people who will eat her liver if she hurts Jo. On the other hand, maybe the ‘ship (did I just use that word in a comment?) will have a calming, stabilizing effect on both of them. Only Crave knows…

“Strangely, the most detached people had the easiest time answering, and the most complete answers. Happily, at least from my perspective, no one exactly nailed what was going to happen.”

Ain’t Psychology fun? The folks with the least investment (of time or emotion) aren’t bound by preconceptions or their own desires for the cast — they aren’t shipping.

Like a lot of people on here, I am enjoying Jo being playful/aggressive. I can see Jesse grabbing Jo’s ears and making it a full fledged lip lock.

However, I worry that Jesse will break Jo’s heart.

On the flip side, Jo could end up breaking Jesse’s by not being serious.

Only time – and Crave – will tell.

As Carmilla tempted Laura with her wicked wiles, so did she become ever more enthralled by her prey’s beauty and grace.

Hrm. Seems like calling her “pure” is cutting her short. There’s this notion in our culture that “pure” is better than…what’s the alternative? Passion? Having feelings for another that go beyond hugs? It’s not fair to give someone that label. They feel they have to stick to it and go no further. …not that she’s getting that label within the context of the story.

Anyway: this feels natural to me. Jo has been working out these feelings back and forth, and it was going to come out in some way or another.

My only problem with this is that there was no indication that jo was a lesbian or bisexual prior to this. It’s just kind of sudden. Still hot though.

Not to mention previous indications of attraction to Nina and Carol.

I’m hoping li’l Brooskie experiments with polyamory. She seems like it would suit her.

I went “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE” when I saw this. Kind of like Jo herself might do when she sees something cute.

……I just REALLY, REALLY hope now that it’s reciprocated. Jo is so adorable, I don’t want to see her get hurt.

You write really good characters, man. Look how many people really care about them.

cheers,
Phil

Not trying to be a dick, or troll, but it should be “everyone are raindrops”. “Is” is singular and “are” is plural.

Actually no. You would be incorrect. Everyone refers to a singular group and is therefore singular.

The way it was explained to me as a child was that ‘every’ modifies ‘one’, so ‘every’ doesn’t affect the verb, only ‘one’ does.

Everyone is raindrops. Every single one is raindrops. Adding in another modifier can help to show that it is, in fact, correct, as others have already said.

Grammar is not Crave’s strong point, as I’ve noticed when Carol told Thomas about her heartfelt conversation with Jolene. She described her early life as “an abbreviated Judy Blume novel”, when more accurately, it should be “a condensed Judy Blume novel”.

“Everyone is raindrops” is cuter. ‘Nuff said.

I’m one of them professional grammar nazis, and I agree with you and with Crave’s comment above. Dialog ain’t formal scholarly text, and the rules ain’t the same.

And, Crave? It’s your comic, your characters, your show. Take it wherever you want, that’s the best with art. Thanks for letting us watch.

So, I’m glad that none of you were in my room when I opened up BF today. Because if you were, you might not have any eardrums left.

And…I think the writer in me is showing, because immediately after I squeed in happiness, I was like, “And now Jess is going to say ‘no, thanks,’ because good writing means the characters go through hell over and over and over before they get their happy ending.”

So, as much as I love, love, love Jo, I kiiiiinda want to see her little heart broken.

*is a terrible person, she knows*

Jo is still pure Jo, and that’s what matters, isn’t it? Characters have to grow.

Re: shirt. the phrases “rain isn’t always” “you have to enjoy it now” and “everyone is raindrops” growing larger as they descend through the rain towards a Jo, playing in the rain.

2d. Including the other phrases might be a good idea-especially “rain isn’t always” but I definitely think Brooksie should be on the shirt.

Yes, I was just thinking that the phrase “Everyone is Raindrops” by itself wouldn’t make much sense to someone who wasn’t a regular reader of the comic.

I think the perfect setup would be to have “Rain isn’t always. You have to enjoy it now.” on the front of the shirt, with the picture of Jo and Jess cavorting in the rain from the final panel of 1182, and then “Everyone is raindrops.” on the back of the shirt. I don’t think you’d even need a picture on the back to go with it, especially if you use a sort of swirly fancy font for the words “Everyone is raindrops”. Something like the font on this QC t-shirt, perhaps: http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=QC-BAKING-BLACK&Category_Code=QC

Cue the 90’s kissing scene “WOOOOO” from the audience!

Do they still do that when it’s two girls kissing? I would.

This comic is ruining my life right now with its amazing story. I am legitimately terrified that Jo is gonna get turned down. I can just see it in the eyes.

The suspense will end me. I haven’t become so emotionally involved in a comic situation since Jillian friendzoned Jack (erfworld).

This comic is perfect in every way.

I think Jess’s eyes are so wide not because she’s uninterested, but because she’s surprised that Jo would initiate something. I’m fairly sure Jess is used to being the initiator…

So, I must admit that the idea that a character can only be pure if they don’t engage in romantic or intimate relations with others bothers me on several levels. Partially because it sets a horrible standard, and partially because it makes sex and other intimate and loving acts sound dirty.

Anyway, basically, I don’t see how Jo is no longer a pure character, I think her motivations and thoughts and actions are still as pure as ever. She’s true to herself, and in that way she is pure. She doesn’t lie or sneak around. She’s simple and sweet.

Anyway *coughs* sorry for semi-rant, things like this get to me. I like this page, and the reaction. Curious what comes next!

Well on said Skype Chat. I had two options, I believe this was close to one of them but I may be wrong.

Also Crave is a nice guy to chat to on Skype. :)

NOOOOO! she was supposed to go for Ed. Does no one remember the chart a while back when she was “updating her softwear”? She has the same feelings for Ed as she does for his sister. It was supposed to be Ed, then there would be this whole Ed wanting to be with Brooksie but still have feelings for…crap I forgot her name. But anyways, the drama man. More drama.

Jess has had an epiphany and Brooksie is rewarding her for it. Things are about to heat up between these two big time. Whether lust will grow into love is open to conjecture, but for now they should just go with it.

This is going to end in fire and tears and a sad Brooksie, is my guess. Brooksie seems like someone who’ll want a committed relationship. Jess, by her admission if I recall, isn’t such. I just hope that gets discussed and established next comic and not 30 comics down the road as their relationship falls apart. I don’t think either one deserves that really. (Although I think Jess’s manipulations are honestly appalling.) I don’t want to see Brooksie’s character become bitter and cold like first break ups tend to do to people.

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