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Practicalities And Eventualities (Patreon)

Published:
2023-02-27 02:12:17
Imported:
2026-06

Content

worries

Files

Comments

Jono Hayward

We Stan a self aware Pintsize!

Lucas Werkmeister

how exactly would Bubbles have crushed him though. with any particular part of her body, perhaps

Adam

the warranty on his new body has a specific exclusion for acts of Bubbles

Law the Fox

I love that shirt so much. 😂

Jon

Once again, i love it when we are reminded that Pintsize actually cares.

Andrea Andrew

I hate it when Pintsize is correct. Marten let everyone around him become main characters while he is simply going with the flow. He’s dedicated to his partner and friends, but he has no more goals.

Rob The Mildly Perplexed!

I keep forgetting that Pint Size has changed appearances, it surprises me every time.

Eldritch Insights

We need to know, Jeph, perhaps with visual aides.

Michael Boettger

Perhaps we'll see the 5 of them move there. Faye and Bubbles relocate their shop. Pintsize reintegrates with Marten and Claire to move them to move them along. Who knows?

Captain Button

Would she have consulted with Crushbot?

DemonLordSparda

Well the upside is having no goals is very close to self actualization. Goals help us move in a direction, but if we do tasks purely because we want to that's basically the ultimate goal in life.

Ting

So what you are saying is that Bubbles might at some future point say something like "can we please talk about my butt instead"

Tannerbot

Those moments when pintsize drops how insightful he is <3

Creeperkry

Is Marten directionless? What if he's where he wants to be? Decent job, loving partner. Only thing he may want would be better living conditions. Maybe a house? What actually IS Marten's current opinion on his lifestyle?

Yelling Bird

I demand more in-depth discussion of Bubbles' anal cavity.

Leaflemming

Pintsize unleashes the never-expected insightful and compassionate mode.

TwoRavens

Right? That's a surprising level of self-awareness for him. Character growth, huzzah!

Yelling Bird

I also demand to know if Bubbles can fart.

Rich Holmes

Has Pintsize always talked in a different font than Bubs?

MikeT

betwixt her mighty glutes of course

Viktor

Is the Pintsize font new? Because the lowercase "t" having basically no white space to the left makes it really hard to read.

ValdVin

You realize you've just bounced the Fart Captor signal off a cloud, right?

Pejo

I love both reduced-goblin Pintsize, & his bonkers expression in panel 2

Yelling Bird

Do you know how much electricity that thing burns?

Czarzhan

Some people seem to have a problem if they see somebody who is happy coasting along in their current situation and not stressing out driving to some goal. What if their goal if to be happy to coast along?

Sean Kinlin

She would show Pintsize how assinine he had become.

Sean Kinlin

The conversation got back... to that topic.

TV4Fun

I'm starting to think this story isn't going to be wrapped up by comic #5000.

Finvaara

Pintsize with more nuance and consideration is more pintsize than before rather than less, and I'm here for it.

SpookyPenguin

Possibly one gets a belief that life has to have directions and are then unhappy about one's own, then you'll project onto someone who you think doesn't appear to. Is anyone in QC truly ambitious? Apart from planning a wedding, I don't see a lot of planners among the cast either.

Tudza

As with drinking and gambling, know your limits. You could be crushed.

Absentia

What about Dora and Tai though? Elliot, Clinton, Roko, Yay, Melon, Beeps. There's so many more characters in Northampton to follow still, so the cast would still be split.

Tudza

Only eight more until the surprise singularity event.

Ahmed Tedjini

I've never understood how being directionless, drifting through life as it is, if it makes the person happy, should be a problem

Afunnythinghappedtome

Nuance and consideration are not Pintsize's area of experience (that we've seen), and so I fear he may be talking out of his butthole.

Ahmed Tedjini

I struggle to understand how that's bad. He is content with his life and ultimately being happy is the one goal every other goals lead to

SilverbackRon

Well we don't get to see him very often.

Minzoku Bokumetsu

she would turn the other cheek... and CRUSH HIM WITH IT

Beat

I want that shirt

Captain Button

Sadly, NASA just can't get the dollars needed for a comprehensive Uranus probe...

Vilinda

Just what I was gunna say!

Andrew

Adding in that little dance she did that one time might just help too!

A Winged Potato

Would be fair to argue that one of the few planners is Claire and part of her struggle was coming to terms with not everything going to plan.

Thisguy

Wow. Pintsize with the selfless concern about Marten. I mean, it’s obvious Marten could find a place and job at Cubetown, he has experience with various people and A.I, and as a library admin, and the chill demeanour to be very good in a variety of roles. But Cubetown has already shown that it is very good at letting skilled people slip through the cracks due to neglect through lack of assistance, so it’s a real possibility. I just hope Claire would expertise some nepotism to get Marten a job where he could grow, not just drift.

Bill Marcum

Does Pintsize have a butthole? Do other robots?

legobil

Well he probably is the one who knows Marten best, having lived with him the longest, after all.

Jono Hayward

I was more referring to the comment about saying something rude and getting crushed 😂

legobil

Oh, Captain Button. Bubbles sphincter is far less approachable than Uranus.

legobil

I vote, Marten as Cube Towns new psychologist. I know he hasn’t studied, but with his chill demeanor, does he even need to?

Kyle Sternquist

Love that Pintsize face in the second panel

Bagge

ai whale companion to the rescue

Michele Williams

Actually, I think Marten's going to do just fine at Cubetown. They both are. Claire is fire, activity. She has a monumental task ahead of her, but she's the type of girl who thrives on that. Marten's water. Seemingly pulled with the tide, but adept at slipping in the cracks and going exactly where it needs to be. Cubetown needs someone who can ferret out the LIzs and the Fayes and the Hannelores. It needs Marten just as much as it needs Claire, it just doesn't know that yet.

Dean Reilly

Story-wise, it would be simpler if Cubetown moved to Northampton, maybe to encourage Claire to take the job. Is Northampton on the coast?

Miyaa

If it’s based on Northampton, MA it is closer to Vermont, New Hampshire, than to the coast.

Miyaa

Who is the Airbender and Earthmover of the QC group then? Faye & Bubbles? Tai & Dora? Hannerlore and Marigold?

David Paul

Hanners would definitely be the Airbender (with a built in HEPA filter).

Zak Reichle

Marten should open a shop as a luthier, making and repairing extended range guitars! A bit like Carl Thompson, though he primarily makes bass guitars. It seems like it would be a good fit for him.

David Paul

Is Marten actually directionless, though? Yeah, he seems to be pretty chill floating in the stream of life, but he also has a pretty reliable job that he enjoys doing (there was no mention of him getting sacked or quitting during the time skip, at least), and he is in a healthy and stable relationship with Claire. Even if he does move over there, his time at Smif Library has given him transferrable skills and knowledge.

David Paul

Give him a power drill and a mirror... On second thought, don't.

Michele Williams

Agreed, Hanners is the Airbender lol. I think Bubbles for the Earthmover. Strong and steady and completely capable of holding her own against all comers.

enchantedsleeper

This feels kinda unfair to Marten's happiness about moving away with Claire. So because he's chill with doing something to support her, now he gets second-guessed by his friends because he's too directionless 😅 It also feels like an outdated character assessment of Marten. In the context of his relationship with Claire, he's not directionless. He's happy for them to forge a shared path together. Maybe he doesn't have strong career aspirations, but not everyone does.

enchantedsleeper

I know this is a joke but an unqualified psychologist is the LAST thing that Cubetown needs 😅

enchantedsleeper

Agreed. Because apparently the ideal state is constant existential stress and angst? Like, what exactly is Marten doing wrong by being happy with who and where he is?

enchantedsleeper

Bubbles was trying to talk more casually a moment ago, so she should indeed be saying "butt" instead of "posterior" xD

n.

Exactly! I mean I kinda see them adopting and him beeing a chill SAHD who does music on the side. Or he opens a proper coffee shop (or gets the others to come as well and they open one lol)

enchantedsleeper

NGL, although I don't buy the whole "QC cast moves to Cubetown" theory, the lack of good coffee feels like foreshadowing for SOMETHING xD My favourite prediction is still Coffee of Doom branch with instrument repair on the side.

Diptych

Still, he's dreamed of doing something with his music degree for a long time, and it would be a shame if he never got around to it.

Boots McGoot

excited to see how you resolve this one, our boy's been professionally directionless for a looooong time

David Durant

The singularity happened some time ago in the QC-verse. I'm not one of the folks who can magically find an appropriate strip reference but I'm sure someone will be along soon ;-).

enchantedsleeper

It's a bit early to be saying "never" - I'm not sure how old Marten is but he's not THAT old. But I feel as though he will do something with music; for the sake of argument though, lots of people have degrees that they don't wind up using professionally. Or have dreams that they don't follow through on. On the other hand, when I was doing my backread of QC I was struck by how much emphasis the conversation between Marten and Claire got where she encouraged him to be more proactive and he thought about doing instrument repair - and then that never went anywhere narratively, we got a two-month time skip and it looks like he's still in the same place. I would have expected at least a reference to that. So I think we're overdue to pick back up on that thread.

Todd Ellner

Faye was a bitter alcoholic. Pints use was a nasty little scrote. Hannelore was a borderline psychotic. Sven was a rich asshole. May was a foul mouthed ex con. Why is Marten the only one not allowed to develop?

Nok

I'd say Faye is the earthbender, but Bubbles also qualifies. They've come together to build lots of new little earthbenders.

Sean Kinlin

@Diptych: yeah, I mean what else do you do with a music degree, except perhaps start doing a webcomic?

legobil

But think of his qualifications! All the misfits he have helped! His stellar reputation! And also, it would be right in line with previous policies/shenanigans/attitude of Cube Town 😉🥲😅

legobil

The face of Pintsize in panel 2. Utterly ridiculous.

Mark

Would he have a decent job if he moved to Cubetown with Claire? Of course, Misfit Whisperer could be created for him at great service to the community.

chili sunrise

You know I was worried about Pintsize getting a body, but you’re right Jeph, he IS a chaos twink.

KingAtticus

Pintsize is probably the only main character who has been with Marten the longest, or at least the one who still appears regularly as not a joke, so it only makes sense to have concerns

Thisguy

I suppose he originally was Marten's companion A.I. He always looked out for marten, in his own way.

Marc Ducharme

"Water waits. Water always wins." the Doctor.

William Cole

There can be only one! And I seriously doubt you are a worse grandma than Pintsize!

William Cole

Non-Newtonian guitars. Quantum guitars. Super-symmetrical guitars. He could call his business "String Theory".

Marc Ducharme

Self aware Pintsize is rare, but is it new? I feel like that's been his Thing, lots of silliness and pervyness, but dropping the occasional bit of wisdom from time to time.

Douglas E. Smith

I feel that Pintsize would want his last moments on this mortal coil to be ones where he is compressed into a point by a muscular lady R. Crumbot.

Hugh Eckert

Agreed. Contentment is not a bad thing.

Hugh Eckert

Yes, I was thinking that his Great Power of Chill could be of great service to Cubetown.

Hugh Eckert

Yeah, no-one ever seems to ask Marten what he wants...

Hugh Eckert

I think that Marten will continue to be a catalyst for Good Things to happen to others, while maintaining his contentment and Chill Master powers. And Cubetown should pay him for it.

Hugh Eckert

Why does Marten have to develop? He has catalyzed so many good things. I don't think people respect him enough for that.

Hugh Eckert

Honestly, I'm kind of frustrated that none of Marten's friends seem to respect him very much, or realize that his apparent directionlessness isn't really a problem. Like I pointed out before, he has catalyzed so much good in his friends' lives. Why does he need to change?

Michele Williams

Plot twist: Marten becomes head of HR but no one knows except Claire. He spends his days not in the office, but wandering Cubetown and the surrounding areas looking for unusual people with seemingly unusual (but actually rather mundane) problems and brings them into the fold. Along the way he finds other musicians, at least one of which is an AI, and spends his weekends jamming and experimenting with an entirely new form of EDM that can be projected directly into an AI's CPU for maximum effect.

Nicholas Sturm

The whole nature of being the least seen person is that you underestimate their impact and development. This can either be a detriment (missed promotions, walked on, etc) or an advantage (unexpected preparedness, come from behind victor, etc). Lets see how Martin handles it, and also realize he's capable of pursuing his own happiness his way. So far we've not been given any clues by Jeph of him being upset or neglected. In the background people are worried about him, and possibly with the wrong perceptions. but those can be character development for them. They may see he's happy, and also see what is missing in the background when he's gone. I felt the same way when Hannelore left. Something was missing and her perspective was needed at times. Now she's very different now, but life does that to you. I think Jeph has done a pretty amazing job of orchestrating a series of friends and acquaintances that have a beautiful symphony of a reflection of real life. It's not perfect, but neither is a piccolo trying to sound like a song bird. It's the evocation and the emotion felt that is the art. Butts

Jim Feldman

Or... now that we've seen "alpha" Claire arise, they may not find Marten's directionless all that attractive anymore.

Boots McGoot

i just think Jeph wouldn't frame his state like this unless he planned to do something about it in the next 50 strips or so, but i could be wrong

Elf Sternberg

I'm reminded of an observation about the movie Pacific Rim: Raleigh is technically the protagonist, but his moment of growth is entirely over the moment Pentecost convinces him to sign up. He never changes throughout the film. It's all the Other People who have to follow in his wake, whose lives he upskills one way or another just by being there. Marten is catalytic: things change around him because he wants the world to be less stressful.

TV4Fun

I suppose there's just enough comics to have Claire go insane and burn down all of Cubetown with dragonfire before getting stabbed by Marten and everyone electing King Pintsize.

Opus the Poet
>>102872818

There was the time he had food poisoning/allergy he just discovered that he got upset.

Anonymous
>>102869262

Yeah! Not everybody needs A Purpose or Something With Capital Letters. Marten is there for his friends and doesn't harm anyone.

Phil Crawford

Direction isn't all its cracked up to be. Are they worried about him or the him he could be?

Peter Jensen

But *is* he content ... or is it ... questionable!

Chelsea

I think everyone has some good points here questioning whether Marten truly is "directionless" and pointing out that it's perfectly fine for Marten to focus his energies on things other than his job. However, Marten himself has expressed some frustration with his own directionlessness in the past, so it does beg the question of whether he still feels that way. I agree with folks that that feels outdated and mostly he seems happy to be forging a path forward with Clare, but we haven't heard him speak to the issue in a while, so....will be interesting to see where this goes.

Julia Allen-Hesse

Ok but like Pintsize's derp face in panel 2 is giving me great joy.

Chris Heg

Martin may become the Yoda of Cubetown.

Katt Napp

I hope Cube Town becomes a spin off series. ^~^

awgiedawgie

Relax, kid. You don't know it yet, but Marten has a purpose in Cubetown. Marten finds the people who need help - or rather, they are drawn to him by his chill demeanor - and then he brings them to Claire for guidance. Liz is just the first of many.

PZ Myers

But…but…if Marten acquires focus & direction I won't have anyone to identify with in the comic!

David Durant

Thanks Nicholas, that's one of the best comments I've read in here in a while.

David Durant

It's not Claire's (potential) job and it's *definitely* not her responsibility to look after anyone at Cubetown or anywhere else. I find it concerning that some folks think that it has become her moral responsibility to fix things there - or that she'd necessarily be any good at it or enjoy doing so.

awgiedawgie

I never said it was her job *or* her responsibility to help people. But it's in her nature. She may not always enjoy it, but I think she'd be *very* good at it.

Wild Card

that last panel: when did Pintsize mature like that?? must be the influence of the new body.

Lucas Werkmeister

That reminds me, did Faye and Bubbles ever finish building his dick?

BioGeek42

Agreed. Also, I’ve been a fan of yours for years. I was not expecting to see a name I recognized in the QC comments section.

David Durant

Hey PZ. I used to be a huge fan of Ed Brayton and haven't been around any of the same places as you since he sadly passed away. Great to see you in this forum.

Rich Holmes

Not the same font, though there are resemblances

Diptych

Between his conversations with Claire and his experiences in his new body, he's had a lot to think about in terms of how he behaves.

Photon

May's new body came with a "Human Standard number of holes," if that's any indication.

Photon

He's being rather less chill with the Basement Goblin than I've seen before... go, Marten.