#752 + 753 – that dies hard

39 thoughts on “#752 + 753 – that dies hard

  1. Good for you, Mar.

    1. Also: good for you Jane for being immediately cool with that. It's just the worst when people (especially friends) don't recognise that you're struggling with shit internally, try and put you at ease by enabling you or encouraging you. Bad vibes.

      It's actually the easiest thing in the world o just be, like, you do you, I'll do me, and we can do that near each other and it'll be dope.

  2. Marideth is kicking the expressions into MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE and I couldn't be happier.

  3. I feel like there are three layers of things happening in these panels. Firstly, Jane seems to have some sort of disappointed (almost bored?) expression when she spots Mar. It's as if Jane is realizing she is staring at a different person than the one she used to hang out with, someone alien to her now. On top of that, we have Mar looking fucking psychotic in panel 10 for Jane invading her space. Or maybe reacting to Jane saying she doesn't belong there. Seriously, Mar looks like she's about to snap near the end. I feel like she is trying to stifle who she used to be and reaching a breaking point.

    Welp that's my horribly misguided armchair analysis for the day. Can't wait to we get to the Eve side of this arc.

    1. I think Jane met Mar post-personal revolution, through Eve. I might be mistaken though!

      1. I think Mar was in a transitional stage when Jane came around. Will had broken up with her but she hadn't yet found her job. Then again, I have no idea when we actually start seeing Mar and Jane hanging out at the same time, so I could be wrong.

        1. Oh shoot, you're right! I forgot about the Olly's 'vacation'.

    2. i don't know about that first point. i think jane is just kind of coming back to herself like "ha, shit, i probably looked pretty ridiculous." because she felt silly for panicking and running out of there. and she walks in and sees how calm and composed and /mature/ mar looks, and she remembers "oh yeah. i'm an adult."
      as for mar looking psychotic, well, i don't really see that at all. she looks like she's trying to change, sure, but her expression in ten looks less tense and more giddy or something.at least, that's what i see, anyway

    3. I just assume she couldn’t handle not laughing Jane’s wacky facial expressions.

  4. But where's Eve? Did she get out in time? Is she dead? DDD:

    1. That was my concern, too, but in my panic I kept writing Jane instead of Eve and so I think my comment was rejected for numbskullity. But yes! Has Eve been left to die?

    2. Yep, so was I reading this comic and all the time going "Wait, where is Eve? Is she fine? Why can't we see her out of that hell hole? Can someone please just answer WHERE IS EVE?!" D:

      Yep, I was kind of concerned too. :B

      1. Maybe Eve just got a blanket like suggested.

        1. Furthermore, where is Hanna??? If anyone needs a spa day it's her.

  5. Cigarettes are hella (HELLA) addictive, "just watching" someone smoke is super risky

    Especially if you quit recently, it's like bungee jumping without knowing how long your bungee is

    1. I'm not sure they're talking about cigarettes, though. "I have plenty for both of us" isn't something you usually say about regular smokes, and Mar used to be a stoner.

      1. Although weed is fairly addictive too so it might be the same thing as watching someone smoke cigarettes.

        1. I've always assumed marijuana could be habit forming (quitting is hard) while tobacco is one of the most physically addictive substances out there (quitting is agonizing). You made me curious so I looked it up!

          …and, of course, it's hard to find solid science on marijuana. Go figure. I get the impression everyone agrees tobacco is worse but nobody agrees how much worse. Interestingly, using tobacco seems to considerably increase the potential for marijuana to become habit forming (PMCID: PMC3267894) .

          Anyway, I don't even smoke any stuff, haha. I'm just here to procrastinate my schoolwork 😉

        2. it's true, nicotine is one of the most physically addictive substances. when I remember it correctly from university, it's on place two

      2. Oh, that's a good point. It could be loose tobacco but you're probably correct!

    2. they are definitely talking about pot

    3. If you have a bunch of friends who smoke, and you don't but you do want to partake in the traditional smoke-break camaraderie, I recommend carrying around a packet of sparklers. You've got a reason to have a lighter, something to do with your hands, and hey, sparklers!

  6. The sparkling glow and abstinence made me think: huh. Is Mar pregnant?

    1. The abstinence made me consider that; I just thought the sparkling glow was from the walls of ice. (well, they LOOK like ice)

      1. Oh my god, mind blown!

    2. Oh my god. I never thought of that, but also that would be huge in the scope of Hannah and Marek breaking up because Hannah didn't want to settle down/be a mom. I kind of hope she is!

    3. Really interesting idea, but the spas/saunas I've been to don't recommend being (at least in the hot rooms) there if you're pregnant. And she just told them she goes a few times per month! So maybe she isn't.

  7. This comic portrays unrealistic expectations of stump-sitting.

  8. Mar is that friend who doesn't smoke pot anymore. Jane's really uncomfortable with herself.

    Mid to late twenties.

  9. "I'll come watch you tho"

    Been there Marigold…been there…am there, still, actually.

    Loooove this arc, I admire how you show your characters having moments of profound development, even in situations when nothing necessarily important is happening. And not only that, but also keeping it interesting the entire time, which is a very hard thing to do in stories like this!

    I'm also really glad Mar didn't turn into the stereotypical success snob. All your characters have changed without them completely alienating themselves. Just great.

  10. Culturally, we like to act as though people are static; either you're a drinker or an abstainer, a stoner or a square, omnivore or vegetarian, and if you switch from one to the other then it's meant to be a permanent decision, always. It doesn't need to be that way. Our relationships with our bodies are more fluid than that. Sometimes you give up carbs; sometimes you give up dating; Marigold appears to have (with great reluctance!) given up weed. Maybe it's just not good for her at the moment with where she's at in her head; perhaps it reminds her too much of time spent with Hanna?

    In any case, the victory here is that she's recognizing what's good for her right now. We don't have to paint it as growing up or kicking a habit, any moreso than we would if she'd decided to give up carbs or dating – and there certainly isn't cause to assume that she'll impulsively abandon her resolve just because someone else is making a different decision in her vicinity.

    I imagine we'll find out her reasoning in due time.

    1. Her job, most likely.

    2. Yup! I just quit marijuana myself and completely agree with this. Thank you.

  11. Interesting that Hannah and Marigold both don't smoke right now.

  12. I didn’t smoke pot much in the last few years, but I recently got a Marigold-type job with a huge multinational. And they randomly drug test. It’s a bummer, mostly cause of the paranoia that secondhand smoke at a concert or whatever is gonna pop you.

  13. Maybe her new job drug tests hella hard.
    Or, Octopus Pie being what it is, maybe they have a control chip in her neck that just shocked her a little bit for saying yes to drugs.

  14. Jane comes to realize that being in trouble is a fake idea.

    1. Bless you for this.

  15. 5th panel: "Ah, shit, I'm catching feelings…"

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