#798 – it’s here in my brain

84 thoughts on “#798 – it’s here in my brain

  1. oooh it looks like Mar isn't totally not into it.

    1. but it lasted three whole panels and she didn’t recoil with revulsion at least

      1. I think you misinterpreted Kathleen's comment. Double negative.

        1. Angusthermopylae

          gotcha, my b

  2. That background fade is so good that it took me a second pass to even realize it happened.

    The kiss was neat, too.

  3. Oh man. Look how frozen she is on the barstool. Jane's broken her brain!

    (A brain that has squirrels taking up space in it, apparently)

    1. My kind of brain! ^^

  4. YYOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

  5. Ah yes… that familiar feeling of obligations creeping up behind you. Ruining your zone. http://i.imgur.com/aeeF5bD.png

  6. omg omg omg pls be into it

    1. it looks like she has her shocked eyes closed in the 2nd to last panel… bowchickawowowwwww

  7. *CLAPS LIKE A FRIGGIN SEAL*

  8. I can't see Mar going for it, but I don't wanna see Jane's heart broken…

  9. Well I wasn't expecting that.

    1. I was. Good timing too.

      1. I was expecting Jane to go for it, I had *no* idea how receptive Mar would be.

  10. aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh! Once again Meredith surprises me

  11. As someone who identified as an asexual before meeting the partner who made me realize I was gray/demi, and from a friend who had considered herself straight until meeting the girl that made her realize her pansexuality, Mar's face in the last panel is very relatable to me.

    It's the face of: "WELP… THIS IS NEW."

  12. Random Spanish Guy

    I like Jane please make this happen (penultimate panel implies it will but still)

  13. The whole last arc was building up to it and yet I was STILL surprised.

    1. I don't think anyone expected Jane to make a bold move like that all of a sudden ^^

      1. Yes, we did. Plenty of us did. I just didn't expect Mar to be this receptive this quickly (or ever, necessarily, though I was hoping it would be within the bounds of "ever").

  14. This made me wonder if "new" Mar have even considered romance on her "adult" agenda.

    1. Not only that, but if exploring her sexuality fits into her "adult" agenda as well. I feel as though that a lot of people unfortunately perceive that sort of journey to be somewhat immature (you're supposed to be done with those "experiments" in college and leave those "phases" behind (ugh)) and I'm afraid that Mar might be reluctant to really try to see if something between Jane and her can happen because of that fear.

      I'dunno what's gonna happen and I doubt that Mar will reject Jane solely on that fact, but I hope if Mar doesn't reciprocate Jane's feelings it's out of the fact that she thinks of her more as a friend and/or truly feels no attraction towards people of the same sex, romantically or sexually.

      I do know that this must definitely be new to Mar (I keep flashing back to that page where they show scratched-out pictures of her exes who seem to have all been male) so there will be a sort of confrontation with her sexuality whether her feelings towards Jane are mutual or not. I'm hoping for a positive outcome, though. Otherwise the ultimate OTP name (MariJane) will be all for naught D:

      1. I'm shipping MariJane so hard!

        1. Legalize MariJane!

    2. Well, maybe she's considering it now ;3

  15. yeah yeah YEAH! YEAH!!! YEEEAAAHHHH!!!

  16. This may not end well. Mar, Jane… but then there’s Hannah.

    1. Nothing ends well on a long enough timescale.

  17. i… also think this may not end well. i may be just projecting, though.

  18. Judging by the comments I'm one of the few people who thinks this isn't a good thing… I've always felt like Jane is kind of an ass.

    1. Yeah, I agree. I mean, I think Jane has her nice moments (like in this comic, for instance), but she can be super mean. Didn't she call Mar "basic" before, to Eve? That smarts, big time.

      1. That was to Hanna. And it was while trying to steer Hanna away from her hateful fixation on Marigold. In context, it could almost register as a kind of defense.

        1. Yeah, and later during that same party, we saw Jane talking and laughing with Marigold. And the comment was something like "She seems a little basic for that," and the context it was in meant that she wouldn't do something like wear a princess costume just to show up Hanna. It didn't have to be read as an insult, and it didn't strike me personally as one.

          I ship MariJane. 😀

        2. We will have to agree to disagree on the "basic" thing. There are a lot of ways to imply that someone wouldn't do something like that: that they're not vicious, not dramatic, not bitter, not aggressive? Passive? Straightforward? Instead she implied that Mar was not complex enough, too simple, too basic etc…

          Jane strikes me as a bit of a seducer who favors vulnerable targets, people that can be effectively swept off their feet. Just look at her past interest in Eve's coworker. She seems pretty pushy to me, and although we haven't seen her in a relationship yet I have a feeling she won't feel very responsible if anything goes wrong. She's a "witch," remember? She claims not to feel obligated to please anyone.

        3. this articulates my first thought at the marijane kiss. yup.

        4. Yeah, I kindof agree. Jane could've even said "she's a nice person, Hanna, she wouldn't do that", or whatever…a lesser, vague insult in an effort to protect someone is still an insult, in my books. Jane is interesting and I like following her stories as a character, but I don't trust her to be that kind to people or to deal with heavy feelings, even when she should. I'm not sure that Jane and Mar as a could would go that well.

    2. I'm with you. I don't quite get why people are excited about this coupling…

  19. Jane is done beating about the bush and I'm 100% for it. You go girl! ÒwÓ

    1. That means two things!
      Follow up joke:

      I think is is just about to start…

  20. oooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH

  21. Please be into it Marigold!! Pleasepleaseplease. Mar, you've had enough grief already with all the Sean-drama and the Hanna friendship break-up.

    I've a feeling Mar must be really lonely lately with all her old circle of friends drifting apart from her besides from Eve. She deserves to have a break. If she and Jane becomes a thing, Marigold will finally have someone to text cute pictures of dogs in matching vests to! http://www.octopuspie.com/2012-04-09/528-girl-i-e

    1. I kind of think Jane's the one who deserves a break — like, she's gonna put herself out there and get shot down by another of Eve's cute but kind of awkard friends? What's a girl gotta do?

  22. SQUIRREL! :V

    Also, this is pretty nice. Makes me feel warm inside. 🙂

  23. Don't think it's appreciated how exactly, when Mar is trying to disappear into her own head the background fades away and blurs slightly. However when Jane kisses her, the background completely disappears and or is non existent.

    1. That’s a nice observation! Seems like Marigold can truly achieve inner peace by embracing Jane’s smooches! 😀

    2. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS. THANKYOU.

    3. Wow, great observation! So even after the kiss, she/they felt like they were alone together.

  24. YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO this is great, loving everything about it

  25. Normally when I see relations between two girls blossom (or I just end up shipping them) I get all excited and happy. This one just seemed natural and comforting. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes (if indeed it does).

  26. i know we're all excited, but can we appreciate mar's face in the second panel? the "i thought this was for real and now it looks like bs" face. it's perfect.

    1. Haha, yes. That's pretty much my default face.

  27. Everything in this page is great (as usual with OP) but Jane's "well, here goes" face and her posture in the last panel… god, it's just perfect.

  28. DAAAAAAYUUUUUMMMM!!!! That kiss is foyne!! WOOOOOOOWWWW…

  29. Oh Jane. I want to be you.

  30. Yeah Jane is cavalier and kind of a jerk sometimes, but that's a by-product of not really giving a shit. Mar could benefit from that.

    Mar is a chronic people pleaser. Socially and romantically. By contrast, Jane "knows the game and refuses to play it" (although she does play it, still).

    Jane and Mar are jaded in exactly opposite ways. Jane wants "to know the difference"—what it's like to want someone with every fiber of her being. Mar, on the other hand, has put herself on the line too many times in relationships. Lately she's been trying to find secureness in her own self, which looks from the outside like a shiny facade.

    Is it possible that they could both find what they're looking for?

    <3

    1. This! You put this perfectly into words. I identify a bit with Marigold.. I met a partner who taught me to not need others as much (like Jane), and I taught him how to fully open up and invest into someone else (like Marigold). Our relationship has been for over 5 years now. With communication, 2 types like this can really learn from one another.

      Also, can't wait to see how Mar explores her sexuality! All aboard!

      1. That's awesome! And so great about your relationship.

  31. Mar's face in panel two though.

  32. The ship I never even knew I needed.

  33. Mar didn't really pull back. Huh

    1. Nope :3 She didn't pull back at all.

  34. 🙁 Aw

    This page is so sweet, but also so sad

  35. Marijane? I ship it.

    1. Me too!
      When they get together, do they buy "Mary Jane"? 😀

  36. I always love Octopus Pie arcs, they always are written so well, and the pacing is perfect and all…

    but…

    This is the first time in a LONG time that I've been surprised. I know this is echoing what other people said but gah damn!

    I can't remember the last time I was shocked to the point of saying "Oh shit dawg! Goddamn!!!" with my maw left wide open.

    And not just this comic though, pretty much any comic I've read rarely shocks me like that. Bravo, and yes, 'tis now successfully shipped.

  37. YES YES YES thank you meredith

  38. I think Jane's trying to order off the wrong menu.

  39. Interesting that between this and Hannah's reasons behind running, the last two OP stories have both prominently featured characters who want to annihilate their consciousness, if only temporarily.

  40. Whoa! Whoooaaa. That was unexpected!! and awesome!!
    WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN
    PLOT TWIST
    my mouth actually just dropped open.
    Also, though, i've gotta admit that at first i wasn't that on board with OP being in color. I'd always thought the black and white part did what was needed and color wasn't necessary. The pages since have proved me wrong beautifully, but i don't think i've ever felt it so strongly as in this one. Those subtle lighting effects in panels 4-9 make Marigold look more beautiful than she's ever looked…and completely like she might look to someone who just felt like kissing her a moment later. :3 Great work. And as always, great writing too. yaaay

  41. Extremely bold choice. I would never have expected a squirrel to show up in Marigold's thoughts but I guess we'll just have to see where this goes.

  42. Seriously, can you GET ANY BETTER, OCTOPUS PIE? The answer is, and continues to be, YES!! How do you do it!! Just. How do you do it, stay so contemporary without it being trite or trendy.. man. Really good!

  43. I know exactly the place Jane is talking about. It is a nice place, and it really does create a nice sort of silence that one can take solace in.

    Smooches are nice too <3

  44. Oh my god mari-jane
    marijane you guys
    she does it again with the name puns
    also YESSS I SHIP IT i have been waiting for this

  45. What about Julie? D:

  46. That blurred background is probably one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen happen in a comic.
    WHY IS THIS COMIC SO GOOD?!

  47. I've been reading this nonstop for about two days now. I LOVE this comic. The amount of content is amazing, and it's the most…REAL story I've seen in a long time, in any format, let alone a webcomic. Every character feels like a real human–someone I can relate to. This comic is honest and incredible. I'm almost caught up… I don't like the idea of having to wait for updates, but I know they'll be worth it.

    Now, what I initially wanted to comment:

    FUCKING FINALLY JESUS FUCKING CHRIST JANE'S BEEN HELLA INTO MARIGOLD FOREVER AND SHE FINALLY WENT FOR IT FUCKING YES

  48. I'M LOSING MY BREATH I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED I NEED THIS SHIP BAAAAAADLLLLYYYY!!

  49. I KNEW IT HAHA YES FINALLY I KNEW IT BLESS YOU MEREDITH GRAN

  50. WOW a lot happened in this one. Some very pretty panels here! Can’t say I didn’t expect something to finally happen with Jane but obviously it is still awesome. Hopefully it stays awesome, totally get if Mar’s not into it though.

Leave a Reply to Nat Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*

*