04-04-19 I hope the same for you

[Giz]

New strip! http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/i-ho ... e-for-you/

And no, not the last strip!

[OllieOrOlly]

Nice to see the old Autobot T-shirt rolled out on Gary for the little farewell.

I could care less about DiDi's cheap tears, but can't deny the overall strength of the slightly bittersweet feel of the update. For a second, I thought Zii was calling Gary the little bitch, aha, instead of the sassy Lita. Either way, it would be a fitting exchange of seemingly harsh terms of endearment.
Seems the predications of anyone moving out are unlikely to be the case, although the apartment will temporarily become a crowd of three, so technically that detail is right; I mean, Zii is going on tour, not like she is moving away to somewhere else for any permament amount of time, so it is a bit over dramatic. Granted, "over dramatic" is quite clearly DiDi's persona, and being, I guess, "theatrical" is one of Zii's idiosyncrasies, thus the possible melodrama isn't especially out of place.

I still disagree with the pairing of Zii and DiDi, but I suppose there could be an argument that they have a mutually beneficial delusion of a relationship? Hell, it still feels hollow, but it is indeed better than some other pairings that shan't be mentioned to sully the general niceness of this update.

[Spidrift]

This is just doubling down on the "Daw!" ending. I was okay with the previous strip, but this feels too manipulative. We're being told to feel sorry for characters when the emotion is unearned. Or to put it another way -- on Tuesday, replacing the customary punchline with a sentimental kiss worked for me, but today, replacing it with a load of clumsy crying didn't.

And for that matter, why should Gary and Peggy, who are just settling into a contented newly-close relationship, be lumbered with looking after DiDi? They must have better things to do with their time.

And am I also the only one who thinks that Peggy has given up on Sonya, to enable Zii and DiDi's cruelty towards her, a little too easily? Okay, the writers could say that she's followed up on things off-screen, but really -- Peggy was Sonya's friend. Either she doesn't know what's happened to her, in which she should be worried as hell, or she should really know that Sonya has gone off with a crazy and lethally dangerous gun-toting maniac. Sweeping all that under the carpet feels like a hole in the plot to me.

[TheFoolishOne]

Am I the only one heartbroken that Gary and Zii never hooked up (I mean at least once, for you know, completion)

[worldshaking00]

Six months is a pretty large amount of time for any of the core cast to have been apart from the other. They've become friends, let alone the romance. I can understand Didi's tears. Peggy consoling her is Peggy remaining true to form, being the empathetic nurse she is. Having a friend (or two) be able to distract you from an obvious heartache (Zii's tour) is not too difficult of an stretch. Yes, Gary & Peggy of them have agreed to take their relationship to the next level. I don't see that as requiring them to be ignoring their roommate in her time of need. In fact, it would probably be damn inconsiderate of Peggy & Gary audibly doing the nasty while Didi is mourning Zii's absence. I expect that P & G will probably offer Didi sex; although one would have expected the two to have brought it up to Zii if Zii would have been OK with the two of them "keeping Didi company" or "taking good care of her." Perhaps I am reading more into those quoted statements too.

The creative team could have had the tears in this comic be a way to reconcile with the readers the bitterness of the comic ending. Didi could be seen as a representation of the IP itself, in good hands with Peggy & Gary (symbolizing a hopeful future). Gary's tears do seem a little over the top, but then that is the panel 4 exaggeration I suppose. I won't begrudge it. The autobot symbol is a good mark too, especially with their leader's catchphrase of "transform and roll out." That is pretty much what is going on here.

Lita's expression caught my attention. She looks more like the meme grumpy cat there. I was hoping for a little bit more from her, what with my spirit animal theory. But the comic isn't done yet, so we'll have to see there.

As to @Spidrift's question on Sonya & Bianca: yeah, it is a weak and it was a rushed ending for Sonya. Did she abandon her house and job to go gallivanting? I hope Peggy did try to get in contact with her.

[brasca]

This is just doubling down on the "Daw!" ending. I was okay with the previous strip, but this feels too manipulative. We're being told to feel sorry for characters when the emotion is unearned. Or to put it another way -- on Tuesday, replacing the customary punchline with a sentimental kiss worked for me, but today, replacing it with a load of clumsy crying didn't.

I thought of it as an exaggerated reaction. Just like when characters start weeping over broken hearts or annoyances. Besides they've been through a lot and even though it's just 6 months if Zii's career takes off this could be the end.

And for that matter, why should Gary and Peggy, who are just settling into a contented newly-close relationship, be lumbered with looking after DiDi? They must have better things to do with their time.

I don't know maybe because she's their friend and providing emotional support won't take up that much of their time.

And am I also the only one who thinks that Peggy has given up on Sonya, to enable Zii and DiDi's cruelty towards her, a little too easily? Okay, the writers could say that she's followed up on things off-screen, but really -- Peggy was Sonya's friend. Either she doesn't know what's happened to her, in which she should be worried as hell, or she should really know that Sonya has gone off with a crazy and lethally dangerous gun-toting maniac. Sweeping all that under the carpet feels like a hole in the plot to me.

Sonya moved on. What more do you want? Even if Sonya told her who she was running off with and Peggy told her the dangers involved she'd still do it because she's a drama-sexual and a grown woman.

[LarsenSan]

You know what would be hilarious? That the "menage a 3" that gives the comic its name ends being Gary + Peggy + DiDi.

[VoxPopuli]

Am I the only one heartbroken that Gary and Zii never hooked up (I mean at least once, for you know, completion)

Yes, you are.

[Ecchi-Spud]

You know what would be hilarious? That the "menage a 3" that gives the comic its name ends being Gary + Peggy + DiDi.

Methinks it would eventually add up to 4.

[RaeSloane]

Am I the only one heartbroken that Gary and Zii never hooked up (I mean at least once, for you know, completion)

No, you’re not. Though this update sort of soothes my feelings a little. It was good to see a platonic relationship that has stood the rest of time. Doesn’t make up for my rage about Tracey being turned into a racist stereotype or Kiley disappearing or Yuki being saddled with Matt of all people. But this specific update makes me at peace with Gary and Zii never having gone there.

[samtheman]

Judging by the dialog in this strip I'm now thinking if Gary and Peggy do invite a third person into their bed it will be Didi. And we get one last shiptease between Gary and Zii in the last panel. I'm now thinking we'll get two more updates then it's a wrap. The only thing I'm kinda bummed out about is that we won't see Kiley again before the end.

[cheshire86]

L I T A !

Dammit, someone's let the dust gremlins loose again, and the little bastards are chopping onions...

[Spidrift]

Am I the only one heartbroken that Gary and Zii never hooked up (I mean at least once, for you know, completion)

I didn’t feel that they had to hook up, but I did think it would have been more satisfactory if they’d acknowledged the UST, just the once. I’m cool with the idea that not every hook-up that looks possible has to happen — that’s life, it’s realistic. But in fiction, these things should really be acknowledged and noted. A two-panel “funny we never did it” conversation could have been enough.

(Which could still happen, of course.)

In fact, it would probably be damn inconsiderate of Peggy & Gary audibly doing the nasty while Didi is mourning Zii's absence.

The problem, for me, is that that’s exactly the sort of inconsiderate behaviour we’ve so often seen from DiDi herself. So it would give me unpleasant amounts of malicious satisfaction to see it inflicted on her for once. Wrong, but far too symmetrical.

I expect that P & G will probably offer Didi sex; although one would have expected the two to have brought it up to Zii if Zii would have been OK with the two of them "keeping Didi company" or "taking good care of her."

On the one hand, that seems like colossally missing the point about DiDi’s oft-stated psychological issues. She needs an emotional connection — or rather, something that she, in her dim-witted way, can convince herself is such a connection — in order actually to enjoy sex. Not just a bang. And Gary especially should understand that, as he failed to get her off, even with the swirly.

On the other hand, I find DiDi so colossally fucking stupid and self-deceiving that I, personally, could believe any amount of doubletalk BS about her psychology, especially if it got the self-absorbed twit her jollies. I certainly imagine that she’d be a total pain in the arse to Gary and Peggy, perpetually imposing on them just as they’re working on building a serious relationship, coming into their room uninvited at all hours to have another little self-pitying whine. Given that, my imagination says that at least this could produce some porny fanservice. If DiDi decided that being pleasured by Gary’s tongue and Peggy’s stap-on simultaneously represented an “emotional connection”, well, I wouldn’t find it out of character. And if Zii then found out, well, she’ll be on tour with a rock band; plenty of opportunity to console herself...

But I rant.

As to @Spidrift's question on Sonya & Bianca: yeah, it is a weak and it was a rushed ending for Sonya. Did she abandon her house and job to go gallivanting? I hope Peggy did try to get in contact with her.

It’d be incredibly out of character if Peggy didn’t at least call her mobile...

I don't know maybe because she's their friend and providing emotional support won't take up that much of their time.

Is DiDi really anybody’s friend? She’s certainly incredibly high maintenance, emotionally.

Sonya moved on. What more do you want?

I dunno; maybe more of a “Goodbye” than a two-line phone call to a tertiary character from offscreen? And more acknowledgment of Peggy’s friendship for her? I confess to a large soft spot for Sonya, but I felt she deserved a bit more of an exit than she got. Similar comments apply to Kiley, actually, though we've at least had hints that we’ll get a bit more there.

(Hmm. Must get around to some “Sonya in Europe” fanfic...)

You know what would be hilarious? That the "menage a 3" that gives the comic its name ends being Gary + Peggy + DiDi.

You do know what “ménage à trois” actually means in French, don’t you?

[UnsightlyWalrus]

You know what would be hilarious? That the "menage a 3" that gives the comic its name ends being Gary + Peggy + DiDi.

You do know what “ménage à trois” actually means in French, don’t you?

I'd say you are the one who doesn't know.

It's "household of three" which Gary, Peggy and DiDi living together would literally be. I assume you mean the other, implied meaning which is a threesome but that is not what Larsen meant... I think.

[Spidrift]

Please re-read the post to which I was responding. Yes, as I’ve said boringly often in the past, I know exactly what the French means. And of course Gary, Peggy, and DiDi are about to be living in such a household. There’s no “What if?” about it.