Story Friday, July 5, 2018

[Tom Sewell 268]

http://egscomics.com/comic/party-034

 

[Pharaoh RutinTutin 1,619]

Almost as cool as starting a conversation with a random Griffin who shows up in Gym Class.

[Tom Sewell 268]

1 minute ago, Pharaoh RutinTutin said:

Almost as cool as starting a conversation with a random Griffin who shows up in Gym Class.

I think the griffin started the conversation. Of course, Ashley did start a conversation with another griffin, at the mall.

[Darth Fluffy 338]

Not buying panel 2. That's not being a boy scout, that's being unrealistically nonobservant. Although, weirdly, Liz is the only student pictured as smoking. ... at all ... . OK, different universe, tobacco never caught on ... .

Actually, the rebel girl started at sixteen; that's kind of late for the stereotype, ... implies few others smoke.

Definitely plausible, then. People smoke much less than they used to, declining for at least two generations. It was never as popular in the EGS universe, or the decline started earlier.

For that matter, weed is not discussed or implied at all, although the reason I assumed Liz is smoking a cigarette in the goo story is that she is not hiding it; but different universe ... who knows? No mention has been made of what was being smoked. Nah, I'm going to go with, "Assume the norm is similar to our universe unless it's pointed out to be otherwise".

Panel 2 still seems unrealistic, but I can suspend my disbelief.

Edited July 5, 2019 by Darth Fluffy
Fix typo; "No" should have been "Not"

[Scotty 1,061]

Liz should certainly feel lucky, Ashley's reaction to almost being run over by her was much better than Ashley's more recent reaction to almost being run over by another student. Of course, Ashley probably knows the difference between someone having a bad time with something versus someone just being rude.

1 hour ago, Darth Fluffy said:

No buying panel 2. That's not being a boy scout, that's being unrealistically nonobservant. Although, weirdly, Liz is the only student pictured as smoking. ... at all ... . OK, different universe, tobacco never caught on ... .

It's not so much that Elliot's reacting to the fact that Liz started smoking when she was 16, it's the fact that the legal age to buy cigarettes in Illinois was 18 (at least until this past April when they bumped it to 21) so either Liz used a fake ID to buy, or she had other people who were at least 18 buy them for her, which is pretty common, the age to buy tobacco products has been 19 in Ontario for over 20 years now and it hasn't stopped highschoolers from smoking.

1 hour ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Actually, the rebel girl started at sixteen; that's kind of late for the stereotype, ... implies few others smoke.

Definitely plausible, then. People smoke much less than they used to, declining for at least two generations. It was never as popular in the EGS universe, or the decline started earlier.

For that matter, weed is not discussed or implied at all, although the reason I assumed Liz is smoking a cigarette in the goo story is that she is not hiding it; but different universe ... who knows? No mention has been made of what was being smoked. Nah, I'm going to go with, "Assume the norm is similar to our universe unless it's pointed out to be otherwise".

I should point out that Edward also smoked early on in the comic, and supposedly quit at some point later on. I think this has more to do with Dan initially thinking that showing people smoking was an accurate portrayal of what he's observed in real life, but later decided that it didn't feel right because he personally doesn't care for smoking thus his commentary stating that both eventually quit.

I wouldn't assume that because we don't see anyone else smoking in the comic, it doesn't mean no one smokes, there could be lots of smokers off panel and Dan just chooses to not show us.

Weed has been mentioned before, Wolf thought Abraham had a "summon pot" spell when the guard stated he was "a bit stoned". Also Camdin strikes me as a stereotypical stoner as well.

 

We do know for sure though that vaping doesn't exist in EGS, but I suspect it would have if Dan didn't do further research on it while he was creating this page based on his tweets about it yesterday.

[Darth Fluffy 338]

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

It's not so much that Elliot's reacting to the fact that Liz started smoking when she was 16, it's the fact that the legal age to buy cigarettes in Illinois was 18 (at least until this past April when they bumped it to 21) so either Liz used a fake ID to buy, or she had other people who were at least 18 buy them for her, which is pretty common, the age to buy tobacco products has been 19 in Ontario for over 20 years now and it hasn't stopped highschoolers from smoking.

I recall even in junior high (middle school today, slightly different age bracketing), the "bad kids" having cigarettes. Some stores or some clerks might not care that they were under-aged, though I think enforcement and consequences for the store are greater today, at least in the US. Recall the flak in the not so distant past over Joe Camel and cigarettes being marketed to kids. Hell, Flintstones used to have Flintstones cigarette commercials with Fred and Barney smoking, you can watch them on You Tube.

But I doubt that most kids buy them. They are not cheap. Swiping a few at a time from parents is a common source.

By high school, some kids had weed and would get high during school. FWIW, they hid it better than the cigarettes.

Alcohol was not so much a school time thing, but there was alcohol at parties.

 

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

I should point out that Edward also smoked early on in the comic, and supposedly quit at some point later on.

This link was off by one comic.

 

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

I wouldn't assume that because we don't see anyone else smoking in the comic, it doesn't mean no one smokes, there could be lots of smokers off panel and Dan just chooses to not show us.

Yeah, I wasn't assuming cigarette manufacturing for one unique customer.

 

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

Also Camdin strikes me as a stereotypical stoner as well.

You're right, he does.

 

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

We do know for sure though that vaping doesn't exist in EGS, but I suspect it would have if Dan didn't do further research on it while he was creating this page based on his tweets about it yesterday.

Seems odd, doesn't it? Why are they technologically backward in this one specific wean you off smoking technology?

 

If a dragon says, "Mind if I smoke?" it means something different, doesn't it?

 

 

[Tom Sewell 268]

Even before I went back to this comic and read Dan's comment, I knew that panel was a reference to the smoking man from X-files.

And now we know that Ashley has only known Liz for less than a year (Moperville time). And maybe this hints that Ashley's internet girlfriend is also from less than a year ago.

[ChronosCat 158]

2 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Seems odd, doesn't it? Why are they technologically backward in this one specific wean you off smoking technology?

Seeing as now it's becoming a problem in and of itself, and it's not nearly as safe as advertised... Maybe the regulators in the EGS world were a lot more on the ball than the ones in ours?

[Scotty 1,061]

7 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Recall the flak in the not so distant past over Joe Camel and cigarettes being marketed to kids. Hell, Flintstones used to have Flintstones cigarette commercials with Fred and Barney smoking, you can watch them on You Tube.

There's also these:

In Canada at least, the government passed legislation that forbid them from making candy in the form of cigarettes, Popeye candy sticks still exist though but are advertised as candy sticks and no longer have the red colouring on the one end.

7 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

This link was off by one comic.

No, in the last panel you can see the smoke, and the commentary of the page I linked is what mentioned Edward having probably quit later.

7 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

If a dragon says, "Mind if I smoke?" it means something different, doesn't it?

Probably, but we all know Dragons don't exist...lol.

5 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

And now we know that Ashley has only known Liz for less than a year (Moperville time). And maybe this hints that Ashley's internet girlfriend is also from less than a year ago.

Ashley stated that she was communicating with her internet girlfriend when they were "barely old enough to date" would would probably be around junior high maybe, and I would think that Ashley telling Liz about her girlfriend would be a tip off for Liz like "Hey I had one as well."

[hkmaly 490]

10 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Definitely plausible, then. People smoke much less than they used to, declining for at least two generations. It was never as popular in the EGS universe, or the decline started earlier.

For that matter, weed is not discussed or implied at all, although the reason I assumed Liz is smoking a cigarette in the goo story is that she is not hiding it; but different universe ... who knows? No mention has been made of what was being smoked. Nah, I'm going to go with, "Assume the norm is similar to our universe unless it's pointed out to be otherwise".

6 hours ago, ChronosCat said:

8 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

Seems odd, doesn't it? Why are they technologically backward in this one specific wean you off smoking technology?

Seeing as now it's becoming a problem in and of itself, and it's not nearly as safe as advertised... Maybe the regulators in the EGS world were a lot more on the ball than the ones in ours?

Note that both of those observations may be related: if people were smoking less in EGS universe, maybe there was less incentive for more research in the area of electronic cigarettes ...

8 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

9 hours ago, Scotty said:

I wouldn't assume that because we don't see anyone else smoking in the comic, it doesn't mean no one smokes, there could be lots of smokers off panel and Dan just chooses to not show us.

Yeah, I wasn't assuming cigarette manufacturing for one unique customer.

Or at least they used to. It's possible that number of people smoking is going sharply down in EGS universe. Or at least number of people smoking IN PUBLIC - because, well, there can be laws forbidding it.

9 hours ago, Scotty said:

I should point out that Edward also smoked early on in the comic, and supposedly quit at some point later on.

He basically HAD to, as this was obvious reference to Cigarette Smoking Man from X-Files (as confirmed by dialogue on next page, not speaking about the commentary and Tom Sewell already mentioned it ...).

12 hours ago, Pharaoh RutinTutin said:

Almost as cool as starting a conversation with a random Griffin who shows up in Gym Class.

It can be interpreted as Ashley saving Liz's life and therefore Liz is forever in debt with her ...

9 hours ago, Scotty said:

Liz should certainly feel lucky, Ashley's reaction to almost being run over by her was much better than Ashley's more recent reaction to almost being run over by another student.

Are you SURE Ashley didn't managed to calm herself by fantasy transforming Liz to something before she asked her if she's ok?

9 hours ago, Scotty said:

10 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

No buying panel 2. That's not being a boy scout, that's being unrealistically nonobservant. Although, weirdly, Liz is the only student pictured as smoking. ... at all ... . OK, different universe, tobacco never caught on ... .

It's not so much that Elliot's reacting to the fact that Liz started smoking when she was 16, it's the fact that the legal age to buy cigarettes in Illinois was 18 (at least until this past April when they bumped it to 21) so either Liz used a fake ID to buy, or she had other people who were at least 18 buy them for her, which is pretty common, the age to buy tobacco products has been 19 in Ontario for over 20 years now and it hasn't stopped highschoolers from smoking.

Didn't realize it until I read the commentary about minimum age for purchasing but yes, he obviously reacts to her buying the cigarettes illegally.

8 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

9 hours ago, Scotty said:

Also Camdin strikes me as a stereotypical stoner as well.

You're right, he does.

I would also assume it was related to the spell he got. Somehow.

 

[Darth Fluffy 338]

2 hours ago, Scotty said:

There's also these:

In Canada at least, the government passed legislation that forbid them from making candy in the form of cigarettes, Popeye candy sticks still exist though but are advertised as candy sticks and no longer have the red colouring on the one end.

I haven't seen candy cigarettes in the US in ages. I remember hard white candy ones (like a foamed sugar), chocolate foil wrapped ones, and bubble gum cigars when I was little.   

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_cigarette    - not banned in the US but banned in three states and one major city.

https://www.oldtimecandy.com/collections/walk-the-candy-aisle-candy-cigarettes

 

[Tom Sewell 268]

3 hours ago, Scotty said:

Ashley stated that she was communicating with her internet girlfriend when they were "barely old enough to date" would would probably be around junior high maybe, and I would think that Ashley telling Liz about her girlfriend would be a tip off for Liz like "Hey I had one as well."

Are you saying Ashley wants to date Liz?

[Scotty 1,061]

45 minutes ago, Tom Sewell said:

Are you saying Ashley wants to date Liz?

I thought you were implying that Liz was Ashley's internet girlfriend.

[Tom Sewell 268]

On ‎7‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 6:46 PM, Scotty said:

I thought you were implying that Liz was Ashley's internet girlfriend.

I wasn't, until now. My pet theory up until now was that Tedd was the internet girlfriend, but that just got blown out of the water because Tedd was already with Grace when Liz met Ashley. Or did it? Remember the plot of Sleepless in Seattle? It is possible that Ashley and Liz had an anonymous internet relationship before they met in person. Maybe a bit more credible is that Liz started one after they met to test the waters.

The only times Liz has ever been seen in anything other than sweats and a hoodie have been in gym uniforms, in school uniforms before Verrucht's hairbrained scheme was defeated for a change--and in the two flashback panels in the bookstore at the mall, the only time in canon Liz has ever dressed up to be sexy. So there is a little evidence that might support Liz wanting to be more than a friend of Ashley's. Plus this whole thing between Ashley and Elliot could be laid down to jealousy.

On the other hand, we just had the whole Diane-Lucy thing, and Lucy did seem to get back with her so-far-nameless boyfriend.

[Scotty 1,061]

7 minutes ago, Tom Sewell said:

I wasn't, until now. My pet theory up until now was that Tedd was the internet girlfriend, but that just got blown out of the water because Tedd was already with Grace when Liz met Ashley. Or did it? Remember the plot of Sleepless in Seattle? It is possible that Ashley and Liz had an anonymous internet relationship before they met in person. Maybe a bit more credibly is that Ashley started one after they met to test the waters.

My theory is also that it's Tedd. Like I said, Ashley stated that she had her internet girlfriend when they were barely old enough to be dating, if Ashley and Liz became friends towards the end of junior year, then it would have been well after Ashley ended her internet relationship. The idea that Liz might have been Ashley's girlfriend before they met in high school gets blown out of the water by the fact that Liz didn't comment about also having an internet girlfriend after Ashley told her.

12 minutes ago, Tom Sewell said:

The only times Liz has ever been seen in anything other than sweats and a hoodie have been in gym uniforms, in school uniforms before Verrucht's hairbrained scheme was defeated for a change--and in the two flashback panels in the bookstore at the mall, the only time in canon Liz has ever dressed up to be sexy. So there is a little evidence that might support Liz wanting to be more than a friend of Ashley's. Plus this whole thing between Ashley and Elliot could be laid down to jealousy.

The bookstore flashback could have taken place during the summer, and we do know that Liz and Ashley were friends over the summer, Liz seems to be dressed sexy there to, I think considering Ashley's open to being in a relationship with both males and females, she'd likely have no objection to dating Liz, so either Liz has never considered the possibility of dating females, or she was afraid of rejection which really doesn't seem like Liz's style to me. In terms of Liz's behaviour towards Elliot, I wonder how she acted when Ashley dated Bad Tom, maybe Liz didn't see the signs that Bad Tom was manipulating Ashley either, or she felt that if she tried to get Ashley out that it might ruin their friendship, and now she's trying to make up for it by keeping a better eye out for Ashley to make sure she doesn't get hurt again.

23 minutes ago, Tom Sewell said:

On the other hand, we just had the whole Diane-Lucy thing, and Lucy did seem to get back with her so-far-nameless boyfriend.

You mean Liz instead of the second Lucy, I don't really know what kind of relationship she had with her boyfriend-exboyfriend-exexboyfriend beyond what Dan's suggested, it might not have been physical, or maybe it was just convenient for both of them, though maybe the relationship didn't last much past the comment about a goth hero being too apathetic.

[hkmaly 490]

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

2 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

The only times Liz has ever been seen in anything other than sweats and a hoodie have been in gym uniforms, in school uniforms before Verrucht's hairbrained scheme was defeated for a change--and in the two flashback panels in the bookstore at the mall, the only time in canon Liz has ever dressed up to be sexy. So there is a little evidence that might support Liz wanting to be more than a friend of Ashley's. Plus this whole thing between Ashley and Elliot could be laid down to jealousy.

The bookstore flashback could have taken place during the summer, and we do know that Liz and Ashley were friends over the summer, Liz seems to be dressed sexy there to, I think considering Ashley's open to being in a relationship with both males and females, she'd likely have no objection to dating Liz, so either Liz has never considered the possibility of dating females, or she was afraid of rejection which really doesn't seem like Liz's style to me. In terms of Liz's behaviour towards Elliot, I wonder how she acted when Ashley dated Bad Tom, maybe Liz didn't see the signs that Bad Tom was manipulating Ashley either, or she felt that if she tried to get Ashley out that it might ruin their friendship, and now she's trying to make up for it by keeping a better eye out for Ashley to make sure she doesn't get hurt again.

Liz DID considered the possibility of dating females and decided to wait with it to college. The story is not canon but most of it's background is canon so I would assume this is canon.

And I don't think Liz being dressed sexy means she's dating Ashley specifically. Putting aside the possibility she just felt like it, it might be in time when she was looking for new boyfriend. Or maybe she only wears the hoodie when it's NOT summer ... not everyone is ignoring weather when dressing.

Now, regarding Bad Tom ... it definitely seems that compared to how she evaluates Elliot she underestimated him. However, note that she started "investigating" Elliot when she noticed Ashley is in bad mood. Maybe that never happened with Bad Tom until it was too late. Maybe she DID tried to explain it to Ashley and failed. And maybe she really overcompensates because she feels she failed with Bad Tom.

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

2 hours ago, Tom Sewell said:

On the other hand, we just had the whole Diane-Lucy thing, and Lucy did seem to get back with her so-far-nameless boyfriend.

You mean Liz instead of the second Lucy, I don't really know what kind of relationship she had with her boyfriend-exboyfriend-exexboyfriend beyond what Dan's suggested, it might not have been physical, or maybe it was just convenient for both of them, though maybe the relationship didn't last much past the comment about a goth hero being too apathetic.

I think she's not satisfied with him in general (like, we only see them when she's angry at him), so either she failed to find anyone better, or she LIKES arguing with him ... or it IS physical and he's better at it than he seems.

It's possible he was reclassified from boyfriend to exboyfriend and back multiple times already.

 

[Scotty 1,061]

Just now, hkmaly said:

Liz DID considered the possibility of dating females and decided to wait with it to college. The story is not canon but most of it's background is canon so I would assume this is canon.

There is certainly that as well, though that does leave open the possibility of her and Susan hooking up in College too, maybe she's the one that helps Susan be confortable doing "Things"? (I wouldn't take this too seriously though)

Just now, hkmaly said:

And I don't think Liz being dressed sexy means she's dating Ashley specifically. Putting aside the possibility she just felt like it, it might be in time when she was looking for new boyfriend. Or maybe she only wears the hoodie when it's NOT summer ... not everyone is ignoring weather when dressing.

Exactly, though there is this house I drive by on the way to work, there used to be an elderly couple living there several years ago and I'd occasionally see the woman out cutting the lawn on a riding mower in July/August and it would be between 25C and 35C with humidity making it feel like 45C and she's bundled up like it's January and -20C, I can only guess that she had poor circulation and get's cold easily, or she's figured out how to layer in such a way that it's actually cooler under all that winter wear.

Just now, hkmaly said:

Now, regarding Bad Tom ... it definitely seems that compared to how she evaluates Elliot she underestimated him. However, note that she started "investigating" Elliot when she noticed Ashley is in bad mood. Maybe that never happened with Bad Tom until it was too late. Maybe she DID tried to explain it to Ashley and failed. And maybe she really overcompensates because she feels she failed with Bad Tom.

That's pretty much what I was getting at, Ashley was with Bad Tom for 2 months, that couldn't have happened if Liz was as investigative with Bad Tom as she has been with Elliot.

6 hours ago, hkmaly said:

I think she's not satisfied with him in general (like, we only see them when she's angry at him), so either she failed to find anyone better, or she LIKES arguing with him ... or it IS physical and he's better at it than he seems.

It's possible he was reclassified from boyfriend to exboyfriend and back multiple times already.

I think him not being seen with Liz in Senior year so far (I know there's still several months left before they graduate) says something, though maybe he was a year ahead of Liz and has already graduated, but then they probably haven't made any effort to keep the relationship going anyway.

[hkmaly 490]

4 hours ago, Scotty said:

17 hours ago, hkmaly said:

Liz DID considered the possibility of dating females and decided to wait with it to college. The story is not canon but most of it's background is canon so I would assume this is canon.

There is certainly that as well, though that does leave open the possibility of her and Susan hooking up in College too, maybe she's the one that helps Susan be confortable doing "Things"? (I wouldn't take this too seriously though)

I consider more likely the ones helping her with being comfortable with "things" will be Elliot and Ashley.

But maybe there will be some "double date"?

4 hours ago, Scotty said:

there used to be an elderly couple living there several years ago and I'd occasionally see the woman out cutting the lawn on a riding mower in July/August and it would be between 25C and 35C with humidity making it feel like 45C and she's bundled up like it's January and -20C, I can only guess that she had poor circulation and get's cold easily, or she's figured out how to layer in such a way that it's actually cooler under all that winter wear.

Depending on what you mean by "elderly", yes it could be poor circulation ... or she's just not mentally well enough to pay attention to stuff changing as fast as weather (combined with the fact that yes, clothes generally isolates and it is possible she's back home before the heat from outside gets inside).

4 hours ago, Scotty said:

17 hours ago, hkmaly said:

I think she's not satisfied with him in general (like, we only see them when she's angry at him), so either she failed to find anyone better, or she LIKES arguing with him ... or it IS physical and he's better at it than he seems.

It's possible he was reclassified from boyfriend to exboyfriend and back multiple times already.

I think him not being seen with Liz in Senior year so far (I know there's still several months left before they graduate) says something, though maybe he was a year ahead of Liz and has already graduated, but then they probably haven't made any effort to keep the relationship going anyway.

We also need to remember that even if she was still dating him we might not necessary see it, as Liz is not so important character. We can't be sure she's not dating someone ELSE now either.

But assuming they don't date now, yes: they might break up for final before summer either because Liz decided it's time to finally end it OR because he graduated and she decided he's not worth the effort to keep dating when not in same school.