2018/12/24 - Last Exit

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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by TeflonCougar »

Fox, comes looking for Keene, finds growth and self awareness.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by anhedral »

John-056 wrote:Also, fixed a mistake in your Comment.
Gah, how could I have done that?? Anyway, thank you for fixing it!
John-056 wrote:Also, Natalie probably has those issues, because she has a lot of Repressed Emotions, which are most notable when Tarot yanks the Bouquet thrown by Bailey. It's clear she wants a nice male to be with, and the last few she met, One was in a secret relationship with a Cat (Fido), the other was a Time-misplaced Canine who, as we see in 5000 BC, already has a mate (Satau).
Fox and Natalie? Mmm, maybe. Natalie seems to be a bit younger than Fox (until recently she seemed prone to some very youthful crushes, for instance), so perhaps she's matured out of her impetuousness by this point. I think they could actually influence each other in good ways, and a dog - wolf couple would certainly add another bit of spice to the already-rich blend of relationships in the comic. And just think, their cubs would be F1-hybrid wolfdogs! (In other words, supersized and probably uncontrollable.)
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by NHWestoN »

Natalie is a wolf and so far she's been limited to caracaturing shallow teen-age females. She'd need some maturity - but a couple of panels could take care of that....

Did Fox really think "make-out exclusivity" was all Sasha would want or he should expect? That's mildly creepy, to say the least. Nor do I see any reason he could not have been doing for her what Kevin's purportedly doing. Or is Fox that immature?

Oh well, let's bust the ferrets, get Fox back in therapy with Mungo, and be to it.... ;)
Last edited by NHWestoN on Mon Dec 24, 2018 1:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by HundKatzeMaus »

NHWestoN wrote:Did Fox really think "make-up exclusivity" was all Sasha would want or he should expect? That's mildly creepy, to say the least. Nor do I see any reason he could not have been doing for her what Kevin's purportedly doing. Or is Fox that immature?
Immature, Fox's crush on Sasha manifested when she gave him a peck on the cheek. It was already mentioned that the pets have minds like children, which means they're mostly immature, but it also means they can grow up.
I think what some people may forget is Fox is in the state of a young man late teens early twenties.
So Sasha is most likely his first crush and the peck on his cheek made his doggie hormones going crazy.

You know, it maybe just me, but this strip made me look on Sasha's commitment comment from the last time seeing in a new light.
Is she really against commitment or did it just bothered her, someone who is NOT her boyfriend was pining after her?

Also YAY for Kevin. I really like him, but now I have some newfound respect for him.
I admit I was also a bit surprised when he mentioned "boyfriend things" but the next panel was just pure of awesome.
It seems as playfull and airheaded as Kevin and Sasha are, they also have surprisingly mature sides on them. I love it :D

I do feel bad for Fox, but I'm sure he will find what he searches....maybe in form of a rescue romance? :mrgreen:
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by NHWestoN »

Hard to say. The Sasha brain is an unusual place, wise in its own way but not communicated in the clearest fashion. So, from here to where? We'll see.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Twilight »

Fox, if everyone keeps you at arm's length, then there is most likely something wrong with you. One or two people is an incident, but more than that is a trend with a reason.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Looks like Sasha and Kevin are a lot more suited to each other than I have thought.

...


Screw it. I'm still gonna continue my fanfic.

*places sign-ups for new co-writers*
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by NHWestoN »

Yeah, here's to determination, Amayzee! Stay with it... ;)
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by fenrirblack »

I want to point out something, Sasha seems awfully okay with the idea of being "emancipated" because for years she was blindly loyal to her owner. King went out of his way to help her and got nothing but grief. Now Kevin comes in on a white horse and suddenly she's ready to dump Mr. Hartford and escape his abusive grip. I wonder how long it took for Kevin to finally convince Sasha that her home life sucked. They've been dating for close to six years. The other thing that bothers me is why is it taking so long to get Sasha away from there. I feel like in situations like this the police or ASPCA would be breaking down the door to get her out. Again in the HPU pets are similar to children so you would think they would be treated more similarly. I mean you are dealing with intelligent creatures therefore they should be treated as such. But then again, I've read enough comics where just because animals can walk and talk they are still treated like dirt if not less. If Sasha was a human, Child Services would have swooped in long ago.
If you want something really ironic, thinking back Joel and Orwell would have been better off kidnapping Sasha instead of Fox. At least then the crime would have been morally justified and they could have gotten away with it. In some strange way King started making up for that when he started trying to take care of Sasha. I wonder if at some point he came to that same conclusion that he picked the wrong dog that day and in some twisted messed up way Orwell was right?

The other thing that I wanted to talk about is what does happen to Sasha now? What does "Emancipated" really mean because by definition she would be legally on her own without an owner which would put her in the same group as the ECP. I wonder if there is some law for pets to be legally ownerless outside of the ECP that we have never heard about. The same way that the Milton's are more or less independent. In my mind, I'm thinking it's similar to the Emancipation of minors which might be why it's taking so long.

Housepets law is so complicated. Itsuki is another example of just how complicated the laws of this is universe can be. I still want to know how the Japanese laws work for him to come to the states on a student visa and everyone be okay with it. Not to mention his parents want to open their own business so unless his parents are actually human and he's adopted but that's probably not it. UGHHH........ Then he got into an American university and no one seems to care or question his place in society. What is going on over in Japan? Itsuki is definitely one of those characters who needs his own more in-depth chapter just so we can learn more about him.
John-056 wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:Natalie? They have zero in common. She’s a loose cannon with serious anger problems and a sharp tongue (sharper claws) and Fox is laid back and collected. Those two are about as compatible as Bakugo’s parents. As far as where the arc goes, that’s a good question. This arc was about Fox and Mungo. Fox is probably not going to find someone at the spa (maybe but it would be cliche) and Mungo is wrapping up the actual job. So unless we go find out what Fido and/or Ralph are up too this chapter should end by New Years.
Uhhhh, Bakugou's parents aren't that Bad. Sure, the Mother Swears a lot, but they aren't arguing or starting fights for no reason, unlike some families, like say, mine. After all, Katsuki's Mother is friends with Inko Midoriya, you know, One of the sweetest characters in BNHA. She wouldn't be friends with her if she was Bad news.
It's not that they're bad people. You have to admit that entire relationship is beyond strange. She practically screams everything while he is so timid. And they're not exactly parents of the year considering how Bakugo turned out. Her violent disposition is a lot like Natalie while the father is so down to the earth and reasonable like Fox. All Might even asked what is wrong with this family? and now I'm asking the same thing about Natalie and Fox dating.
John-056 wrote:And at This point, Fox's options without Natalie are, 1.) Daisy, who we know is intelligent and has been faking being Dumb, with the problem already given in a previous discussion, 2.) The Twin Angels, and we don't know if they are willing to commit, which will make things worse for Fox if they don't, and 3.) That Wild Single Vixen, whom Fox hasn't even met, and how do we know she hasn't found another mate, or even, if she wants another male mate?
I've said this repeatedly but Daisy is far to tertiary for a real relationship. For them to get together would basically be laziness on Rick's part. He didn't want to create a new character for Fox to date so he stuck him with the only one who seemed remotely available. The Angels are more a joke than a real relationship but if they decided to commit to him then that would be something but clearly they are not interested in reincarnation. Kix is too new and it wouldn't make any sense. Fox has shown zero interest in dating outside his species. I can't see him wanting to raise two cubs especially when one of those cubs was the same lunatic who kidnapped his cousin and tried to destroy the world.
John-056 wrote:Also, Natalie probably has those issues, because she has a lot of Repressed Emotions, which are most notable when Tarot yanks the Bouquet thrown by Bailey. It's clear she wants a nice male to be with, and the last few she met, One was in a secret relationship with a Cat (Fido), the other was a Time-misplaced Canine who, as we see in 5000 BC, already has a mate (Satau).

The other One, Mungo, is probably creeped out by her, is Married to the Job, or already has a Girlfriend, knowing her luck So far.

She's like a Female version of Fox, now that I think about it, only Difference is, she hasn't had the luck to meet Someone like King to help her change, and is basically a much more closed-in version of Fox pre-leaving of GODC.

I mean, remember at the End of the Camping Arc, when Natalie was shown to have a Job, Miles gave a funny use of words:
Miles: "It lets her vent"
Now, Why would Natalie need to Vent? Simple, she has been bottling up her emotions most of the time. I mean, she's always acted quite aloof half the time, as if detached, which is a method of Bottling up.

The few times we saw her loose any aloofness, was during Even more Secrets:

https://www.housepetscomic.com/comic/20 ... e-secrets/

Year Five Epilogue:

https://www.housepetscomic.com/comic/20 ... -epilogue/

And Employment Opportunities:

https://www.housepetscomic.com/comic/20 ... rtunities/

Every other time, she has a flat, detached expression. Those times she showed emotions? It was due to Shock, or anger.
Mungo and Natalie could work. He is so down to earth and sensible that he could be good for her. Honestly he is exactly what she needs considering her emotional issues. I think those issues stem from her mother being killed. (Another bit of information dropped out of the sky for no good and then immediately ignored.) We know so little about her family dynamic other than that Dead-Eye is her grandfather which I don't think was ever really confirmed but still obvious. Without getting to into it I think Rodney is her father who "remarried" Snow which may have caused some resentment.
Last edited by fenrirblack on Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Cesco »

Oh, poor Fox... :| Seems that Kevin made him a bit confused, also because, in appearance, is Sasha who was looking for him just to make out... :roll: Anyway, since Kevin is doing all that for Sasha and knows such things about her, and then we know that her dad/owner isn't one of the best persons around, so, is better that's him her boyfriend. ;) Yeah, Kevin and Sasha fit very well together. :D Our wish is that Fox will finally find a mate, I guess the moment is close. :)
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by NHWestoN »

Natalie strikes me as pretty immature for Mungo. On the other hand, Fen, what you say about Sasha's "transformation" strikes me as very valid - a lot of "off-stage" change there. Some interesting "unknowns" as to legalities there. Sorta like Officer Lundberg's "So who gets the puppies" question.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Bandit1990 »

fenrirblack wrote:The other thing that bothers me is why is it taking so long to get Sasha away from there. I feel like in situations like this the police or ASPCA would be breaking down the door to get her out.
I'm not a lawyer, but I think, based on what we've actually seen on panel, the things that Mr. Hartford does are not actually bad enough to meet the legal qualification for abuse/neglect. On shows like Animal Cops Detroit, the condition of the animal in question is a major factor in both the decision to remove said animal from the owner, and the decision to do a full investigation. Sasha seems generally healthy, and she probably won't directly speak against him either.
fenrirblack wrote:Housepets law is so complicated. Itsuki is another example of just how complicated the laws of this is universe can be. I still want to know how the Japanese laws work for him to come to the states on a student visa and everyone be okay with it. Not to mention his parents want to open their own business so unless his parents are actually human and he's adopted but that's probably not it. UGHHH........ Then he got into an American university and no one seems to care or question his place in society. What is going on over in Japan? Itsuki is definitely one of those characters who needs his own more in-depth chapter just so we can learn more about him.
It was established in his first appearance that Tanuki are full citizens in Japanese law. As such he would have the same rights and protections as all non-citizen residents in the United States. (There's a pamphlet to that effect)
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Argent »

anhedral wrote:You can't write a string of bestselling novels (Res), learn to be an accomplished artist (Joey) or become literate enough to read Tolstoy (Fox) without the ability to plan and concentrate for extended periods.
Yeh, actually, you can. That are many case of intelligent people who are also super dysfunctional, but capable of extended hyperfocus and brilliant work. There's the case of Paul Erdös, who lived out of a suitcase and depended on colleagues and conference planners to do everything for him... down to his laundry. If he wasn't so brilliant that people were willing to do this for him, he'd have been just another homeless bum freezing under a bridge.

Heck, this is the reason for the "starving artist" stereotype.

I could easily see a population of goofball animals unable to keep up with the complexities of human society, with the occasional genius or hard worker.
fenrirblack wrote:I want to point out something, Sasha seems awfully okay with the idea of being "emancipated" because for years she was blindly loyal to her owner. King went out of his way to help her and got nothing but grief. Now Kevin comes in on a white horse and suddenly she's ready to dump Mr. Hartford and escape his abusive grip.
Exactly what I was thinking.

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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Gameb18oy »

Twilight wrote:Fox, if everyone keeps you at arm's length, then there is most likely something wrong with you. One or two people is an incident, but more than that is a trend with a reason.
It’s just how he feels, it’s not necessarily how it is, though he’s probably really lonely as King is now more occupied as a married man
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Obbl »

Bandit1990 wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:The other thing that bothers me is why is it taking so long to get Sasha away from there. I feel like in situations like this the police or ASPCA would be breaking down the door to get her out.
I'm not a lawyer, but I think, based on what we've actually seen on panel, the things that Mr. Hartford does are not actually bad enough to meet the legal qualification for abuse/neglect. On shows like Animal Cops Detroit, the condition of the animal in question is a major factor in both the decision to remove said animal from the owner, and the decision to do a full investigation. Sasha seems generally healthy, and she probably won't directly speak against him either.
Plus, someone would have to report it, and suburban neighbors are often pretty good at ignoring "little things" for the sake of not rocking the boat.
fenrirblack wrote:I think those issues stem from her mother being killed. (Another bit of information dropped out of the sky for no good and then immediately ignored.)
I've never understood why you always seem so cynical about these things. This is a long-form series. Dropping details like that is a great way to give yourself options for expanding later down the road after you've had time to think of a good direction to take it. The comic could easily be here another 10 years. What's your hurry? :P
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Gameb18oy »

I agree with Obbi, I like the analytical side of you Fen, the cynical side a little less so. It’s fine to be critical, but there’s a limit to what’s understandable
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by GameCobra »

Macsen wrote:
GameCobra wrote:Wow, i'm highly impressed how far Kevin is going for Sasha. <3

Poor Fox, though. It was bad to continue pinning for her at this point, but hopefully he'll find someone that's available. Probably Natalie.

Now i'm wondering where the arc goes from here more? Does Fox find someone or not? :(
To be fair, Sasha was the one chasing his tail. She was kinda leading him on. They just had completely different ideas of what they wanted.
That is indeed true. It's just something I thought Fox would've dropped when Kevin started dating her, but here we are =P

Never expected to start a big discussion about Natalie, but I wanted to point out that the reason Fox and Natalie dawned on me as an option is because Natalie has shown interest in buff dogs for awhile now. I'm not sure about Daisy, but what i can't help but notice is that Fox is treated more like the eternal rookie in the K-9's while Natalie has already looked at Fido and Satau. If she's been scoping for boyfriends in the K-9's, why not Fox? Not buff enough? Just a thought on that one. x3
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by fenrirblack »

Gameb18oy wrote:I agree with Obbi, I like the analytical side of you Fen, the cynical side a little less so. It’s fine to be critical, but there’s a limit to what’s understandable
I wouldn't call it cynical to want to know what happened to Natalie's mother. It's like "BTW Natalie's mother was killed possibly by a car. Um, I would like to know more about this. No, we're just going to be move along with Miles and Gale's drama. Okay...."

Let's put it like this, I care too much.

You can't just drop a bomb and expect people to be okay, http://cdn.twokinds.keenspot.com/comics/20130509.jpg
That was basically my reaction "Wait, wait, back up. Natalie's mother was killed by a car?"

It's comes down to a matter to trust. The first thing an author has to do is establish a relationship of trust with the reader. And this entire speech boils down to the fact I don't trust Rick. I don't trust him to follow through with these loose threads.
Bandit1990 wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:Housepets law is so complicated. Itsuki is another example of just how complicated the laws of this is universe can be. I still want to know how the Japanese laws work for him to come to the states on a student visa and everyone be okay with it. Not to mention his parents want to open their own business so unless his parents are actually human and he's adopted but that's probably not it. UGHHH........ Then he got into an American university and no one seems to care or question his place in society. What is going on over in Japan? Itsuki is definitely one of those characters who needs his own more in-depth chapter just so we can learn more about him.
It was established in his first appearance that Tanuki are full citizens in Japanese law. As such he would have the same rights and protections as all non-citizen residents in the United States. (There's a pamphlet to that effect)
When i read that I just assumed he was referring to the fact he was from Japan not the fact that he had full citizenship over there which raises several questions about Japanese culture. What makes the Tanuki so special?
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by RokukeShiba »

You know just get of the humans since they have no point in the comic anymore XP
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by HundKatzeMaus »

fenrirblack wrote:It's comes down to a matter to trust. The first thing an author has to do is establish a relationship of trust with the reader. And this entire speech boils down to the fact I don't trust Rick. I don't trust him to follow through with these loose threads.
But he does. He does often tie up such loose threads.
Actually the fact that they mention the fact of the death of Natalie's mother that casual could hint to the sad fact that it's quite common.
How many times does in our world someone hit a reindeer or some other anima?
Now imagine how it must the in the Housepets world in which the animals are even sentient.

Also while the author should establish some trust, it's also up to us readers to put some trust into the author.
It also isn't helped by the fact that many readers, no matter if they read Housepets or something else, find something small to latch onto that.
Readers and authors often have different perspectives. What could be super important for a author could be something minor for a reader and the other way around.
So again:
It's also up to us readers to put our trust to the author.
Naturally that doesn't mean we don't have the right to criticise a work or some details on a work which we do actually like.

I personally (and I really just speak for myself) don't try to read too much into some things, which helps me to keep a clear sight of things and when the author doesn't highlight a detail so much, I try to think why and often the most obvious answer is the right one. Same for details and story parts which do get into the limelight.

What also should always be remembered is that Housepets isn't just about one or two pets in a certain household. At least not anymore. It's more about the neighbourhood of Babylon Gardens and the pets living their and in the surroundings, which means we also get a large cast of loveable characters from which we can pick our personal favorites.
Sure not everyone may get their own big arc or their day in the limelight. Some of them are just supporting cast and nothing more.
So sometimes we have to take certain information as they come.

It's also important to mention that Rick does follow an important rule, which is:
Every character should be written as if they have their own story no matter how big or small, even if those storys are just coming through small portions through the background.
Not many authors do that.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by NHWestoN »

Rick likes to salt his material with future threads - everyone's favorite example being Tarot predicting Sabrina nearly drowning and that nearly happens many years and stories later at Jata's wedding. And he takes his time about it so maybe Natalie's background will get treated later. Or maybe not, depending on how it fits into an arc at the time.


For my part, there's been a couple of things bothering me recently. After a very extended build up to a violent showdown, I was taken aback by the abrupt ending of the struggle between Gale Puma and Miles' pack. It seemed like little perhaps Rick had painted himself into a narrative corner so, like Felix the Cat in the old cartoons, he just drew himself an escape window and jumped out of it. End of story. Similarly, the sudden transformation of Kevin from his long standing role the dumb muscle-head to "Captain Sensitivity" came out of the blue. Granted it does resolve both the immediate narrative dilemma between the three characters and (for now) the longer theme of Fox's longing to date Sasha, but it comes as abrupt, undeveloped, and terse. How to explain the "New Kevin", especially after a fairly extensive pattern over the years of bone-head jock cartoonish behavior from the over-bearing Doberman and pretty loutish treatment of Fox until this sudden compassion attack? All these actions Kevin is preparing to take on behalf of Sasha hints at a lot of planning, research, and dedication on the part of a fellow whose main role until this strip was a mindless obsession for body-building. There's nothing Kevin's announcing that is beyond Fox's capabilities, yet our awestruck husky caves immediately. Removing Sasha from Mr. Hartford also closes a lot of narrative issues about her relationship with her "Daddy", its origins and evolution, which likely won't get explored. To some folks - well, me, anyhow - that's kinda disappointing, too. Essentially, Fox, all those warm, humane, cultivated traits that you hoped might give an advantage in the game for Sasha's heart … well, Kevin's had a personality transplant, a suave treatment, and now he's better than you at those beguilements, too. Bet Kevin even finished Tolstoy. No wonder Fox and I both felt a bit gobsmacked by the encounter with Kevin as the boyfriend we thought Fox was destined to be.


So, okay. But I still love Housepets - the characters, the stories, the relationshops, the originality, and that jaw-dropping amazing artwork Rick does. If, occasionally, there's something that gives me a scowl, well, it's usually more than balanced off with other aspects of the saga that remain pure delight. And, like Obbi pointed out, this is a continuing long-run story where who knows what "infalicities" in an arc may not be solved or ironed out much later. Think of this as a tapestry that keeps weaving in different colors and directions. Let's face it, too, sometimes a thread, a hint, a character loses Rick's interest. Like "Whatever happened to that guy in Miz Crannit's class with the funny hat?", some things in life just disappear and remain unanswered. Why shouldn't Rick get the same privileges in his world as the fates that govern our own, eh? So... Fox and Diasy... maybe...? ;)
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by fenrirblack »

HundKatzeMaus wrote: It's also important to mention that Rick does follow an important rule, which is:
Every character should be written as if they have their own story no matter how big or small, even if those storys are just coming through small portions through the background.
Not many authors do that.
Back when I was trying to get into grad school, I took a writing course to boaster my chances for acceptance. To say the least I got two things out of it. One was a truly spectacular segment for my second novel (if I do say so myself) and the other was a bit of advice. It was the one thing I actually learned from that class and it was after I was horribly berated by my teacher, she told me that "the author should know everything about their characters no matter how small the details. Their life stories, pasts, and futures. An author should know their interests, their hobbies, their likes and dislikes."

If Natalie's mother was killed just because she was a wild animal and they get hit by cars, that's makes the entire thing even more sad. That would mean that this event had zero importance and wasn't even setting up something down the line. That just takes away the power from that scene and from Natalie's character overall. The more I think about it, the more I think that's what happened. There never was a deeper meaning, she died and Rick mentioned the car for the sake of adding details and expanding the scene. It had nothing to do with anything other than the fact that she's dead. I guess I just wanted it to be more than it really was.

Huh, in a strange way I finally found closure over a lot of things. :|
NHWestoN wrote:Rick likes to salt his material with future threads - everyone's favorite example being Tarot predicting Sabrina nearly drowning and that nearly happens many years and stories later at Jata's wedding. And he takes his time about it so maybe Natalie's background will get treated later. Or maybe not, depending on how it fits into an arc at the time.

So, okay. But I still love Housepets - the characters, the stories, the relationshops, the originality, and that jaw-dropping amazing artwork Rick does. If, occasionally, there's something that gives me a scowl, well, it's usually more than balanced off with other aspects of the saga that remain pure delight. And, like Obbi pointed out, this is a continuing long-run story where who knows what "infalicities" in an arc may not be solved or ironed out much later. Think of this as a tapestry that keeps weaving in different colors and directions. Let's face it, too, sometimes a thread, a hint, a character loses Rick's interest. Like "Whatever happened to that guy in Miz Crannit's class with the funny hat?", some things in life just disappear and remain unanswered. Why shouldn't Rick get the same privileges in his world as the fates that govern our own, eh? So... Fox and Diasy... maybe...? ;)
The Sabrina thing was one thing. Rick clearly intended to follow up on that by the fact he said "three years from now." The problem I'm facing is are the times when he doesn't follow up. Why add it in the first place if it is not relevant then or will be in the future? Why mention it at all if you're not going to expand on it.

The thing about Kevin, bringing this conversation back to the present, is that he was never developed enough to make a final decision on his character. For years he was this violent doberman who was a bit clueless. In a lot of ways Mungo is the same. On the surface you wouldn't think he could be a good cop but then you see that "Wow, he's actually confident." Kevin is the same way, he is caring and good at his job, it's just a side of him we have never seen before because he was always such a background character whose role was limited.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Bandit1990 »

Maybe he does, we don't know. It's a good writing tool to have.

As a reader I like to speculate about these things, but I don't really want to see the full story bible. Giving it out would make it hard to introduce surprises and twists.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

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fenrirblack wrote:The thing about Kevin, bringing this conversation back to the present, is that he was never developed enough to make a final decision on his character. For years he was this violent doberman who was a bit clueless. In a lot of ways Mungo is the same. On the surface you wouldn't think he could be a good cop but then you see that "Wow, he's actually confident." Kevin is the same way, he is caring and good at his job, it's just a side of him we have never seen before because he was always such a background character whose role was limited.
Keep in mind, though, for the sake of comedy and good fun in the comic - Rick does throw in some things that you have to take with a grain of salt. We really can't say what's %100 true in the comic until Rick actually canonizes it. You do eventually go back and find out everytime a reveal happens that there was a hint of it there, but for the most part we're left guessing. The first hint of Kevin's sharp wit was dated way back in the Aztec gold arc. Daisy is an example of a joke waiting for a punch-line someday. Mungo being a loyal K-9 dog despite his destructiveness. Tiger possibly being quite book smart. Sasha I would not argue is one of the most difficult ones to read, but considering how she was introduced to Bino, I would wager that is her personality by default. x3

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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by fenrirblack »

When did reading a comic get so complicated? :?

I don't know what it is about this comic that always sends me into a spiral. None of the other comics do that even though they are twice as complicated and have ten times as many loose threads.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

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When the individual chooses to do so.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

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fenrirblack wrote:When did reading a comic get so complicated? :?

I don't know what it is about this comic that always sends me into a spiral. None of the other comics do that even though they are twice as complicated and have ten times as many loose threads.
Could be plenty of reasons, but you might just like it alot and want to figure everything out to the point you just want to be right! :D
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

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NHWestoN wrote:For my part, there's been a couple of things bothering me recently. After a very extended build up to a violent showdown, I was taken aback by the abrupt ending of the struggle between Gale Puma and Miles' pack. It seemed like little perhaps Rick had painted himself into a narrative corner so, like Felix the Cat in the old cartoons, he just drew himself an escape window and jumped out of it. End of story.
Well Rick does make sudden things where something becomes more comedic or changes the direction.
I think it has to do with the lighthearted direction of the comic or because the arc was already long.

Okay with the Kevin thing I actually agree most of the part.
The reason for me is because I like those physically fit and strong characters, who are really good hearted people inside and inside as strong as on the outside.
Still...I wanna try to explain somethings.
I try to be as objective as I can :)
NHWestoN wrote:Similarly, the sudden transformation of Kevin from his long standing role the dumb muscle-head to "Captain Sensitivity" came out of the blue.
I don't think there is a sudden transformation. Kevin is just easily overlooked. Especielly between characters like Fox, to whom many can relater (myself included), and the ditzy yet on the inside smart Sasha, who has family problems.
Kevin does have qualities, which are shown maybe just not in the extend as the qualities of other characters.
NHWestoN wrote:Granted it does resolve both the immediate narrative dilemma between the three characters and (for now) the longer theme of Fox's longing to date Sasha, but it comes as abrupt, undeveloped, and terse.
I agree, this is very unfortunate.
We saw some oneshots with Kevin and Sasha and they're some of my favorites, but I think if we saw a small arc about the two of them, this situation wouldn't look so abrupt and more consistent.
I don't think Housepets should be just about couples or concentrate too much on it, but a bit more would had been nice, yes.
NHWestoN wrote:How to explain the "New Kevin", especially after a fairly extensive pattern over the years of bone-head jock cartoonish behavior from the over-bearing Doberman and pretty loutish treatment of Fox until this sudden compassion attack?
Don't forget that in "the chase of the aztec gold" Kevin was able to figure out how to use the ghost-powered teleporter spell.
He also treated Fox as far as we saw pretty well and they even seem get along when Kevin trained Fox, when Fox was still in training. I doubt they would let someone who isn't qualified, train a rookie.
Sure Kevin took Fox along to see Sasha singing, but he wanted to celebrate with him and other dogs were also watching here. While Kevin DID call Fox a 'twinkie' it could had just been him, giving someone a silly nickname with no malicious thought behind it.
NHWestoN wrote:All these actions Kevin is preparing to take on behalf of Sasha hints at a lot of planning, research, and dedication on the part of a fellow whose main role until this strip was a mindless obsession for body-building.
But he also does a lot of paperwork. We know Sasha does help him a bit, but it seems mostly because...well his paw writing is awful. Also he is a member of the K9 for a long time and even works with Ralph very often. So it's no wonder he picked a lot of things up. Again we know he trained at least one rookie, so Kevin does know how to do his job.
NHWestoN wrote:There's nothing Kevin's announcing that is beyond Fox's capabilities, yet our awestruck husky caves immediately.
Except Kevin has probably a higher position or at least high enough to do things like that.
Also more experience.
The first assignment Fox had was, to his bad luck, about someone he knew personally and did some things, which weren't 100% the right decisions.
Did he do that, because he wanted to help? Yes.
But the end showed that he wasn't alone with wanting to help and he got himself in a lot of trouble for that.
I think the reason why Fox backed down so fast is because he never came up with ideas like that himself to help Sasha. Even King build Sasha a doghouse, so she could go some place when her daddy wouldn't let her inside. I want to remind everyone that during this time King was still at the beginning of his character development and was still a little ball of anger.
NHWestoN wrote:Removing Sasha from Mr. Hartford also closes a lot of narrative issues about her relationship with her "Daddy", its origins and evolution, which likely won't get explored. To some folks - well, me, anyhow - that's kinda disappointing, too.
Me too. I'm not someone demanding arcs or asking for certain ones, but I would like to see that as a full arc. Maybe one to close the year. Maybe it could be the one, where Fox does the deciding thing to free Sasha from her owner.
NHWestoN wrote:Essentially, Fox, all those warm, humane, cultivated traits that you hoped might give an advantage in the game for Sasha's heart … well, Kevin's had a personality transplant, a suave treatment, and now he's better than you at those beguilements, too. Bet Kevin even finished Tolstoy. No wonder Fox and I both felt a bit gobsmacked by the encounter with Kevin as the boyfriend we thought Fox was destined to be.
While Fox maybe a bit more cultured, or at least it would seem like it since he likes to read, everytime we saw Sasha and Kevin together, the two of them have a lot of fun together.
The first thing Kevin did wanted to do for Sasha was to give her access to the police gym, which is a nice gesture from someone like him. While a bit rough on the edges, he was also friendly to Fox and wasn't very bothered when it came out that Fido was together with a cat. Kevin even agreed to train Max so it seems he doesn't mind cats.
So in short: Kevin being a nice guy isn't so surprising at all.
NHWestoN wrote:So, okay. But I still love Housepets - the characters, the stories, the relationshops, the originality, and that jaw-dropping amazing artwork Rick does. If, occasionally, there's something that gives me a scowl, well, it's usually more than balanced off with other aspects of the saga that remain pure delight. And, like Obbi pointed out, this is a continuing long-run story where who knows what "infalicities" in an arc may not be solved or ironed out much later. Think of this as a tapestry that keeps weaving in different colors and directions. Let's face it, too, sometimes a thread, a hint, a character loses Rick's interest. Like "Whatever happened to that guy in Miz Crannit's class with the funny hat?", some things in life just disappear and remain unanswered. Why shouldn't Rick get the same privileges in his world as the fates that govern our own, eh? So... Fox and Diasy... maybe...? ;)
Same here man, same here :D
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by fenrirblack »

GameCobra wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:When did reading a comic get so complicated? :?

I don't know what it is about this comic that always sends me into a spiral. None of the other comics do that even though they are twice as complicated and have ten times as many loose threads.
Could be plenty of reasons, but you might just like it alot and want to figure everything out to the point you just want to be right! :D
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

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@fenrirblack: As long as you are not PETA =P
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

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I’m worse than PETA. I was born to destroy everything. But then I get it out of my system and wait for it to happen again. ;)
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by biddyfox »

This comic makes me really happy and Fox is my favorite character. Poor eternally single cop boy
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Argent »

fenrirblack wrote:What makes the Tanuki so special?
If they're anything like the mythical versions, tanuki would be more Japanese than the Japanese, super trustworthy, hard working, and practically human. As opposed to, say, the foxes (kitsune) who are like shapeshifting Karishads.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Gameb18oy »

Argent wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:What makes the Tanuki so special?
If they're anything like the mythical versions, tanuki would be more Japanese than the Japanese, super trustworthy, hard working, and practically human. As opposed to, say, the foxes (kitsune) who are like shapeshifting Karishads.
Being completely honest, would we even question it for long if Kari started shapeshifting?
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I know that I probably wouldn't question it much if that had started to happen knowing what I know about him.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Champion Wallace »

fenrirblack wrote:
Champion Wallace wrote:
fenrirblack wrote:Anyone else curious about what Kevin's place is like? Pets like him who we've never seen an owner. I kinda imagine him having his own apartment somewhere.
Wait, what do you mean? Just because we've never seen his owner doesn't mean he doesn't have one or hasn't seen anyone else's. Besides, even if other K-9s don't have owners (which I doubt), we know Kevin has an owner with the last name of Beauregard because Kevin's last name is Beauregard. Are you perhaps mixing up the fact he never knew his biological mother with him not having a human owner?
I never said he didn’t have an owner, I just said I “imagine” him living alone in some bachelor pad somewhere. I’m sure he does have an owner who we’ve never seen or heard of.
Sorry, my bad. I misread your post as saying Kevin's never seen an owner instead of us not seeing his owner.
anhedral wrote:This strip? A world of empathy and heartbreak conveyed in six short panels. Way to go, Rick.

I think we're all going to feel new respect for Kevin from now on. Is this the first time that pet 'emancipation' has been mentioned explicitly? As a pet himself, does Kevin have the authority to take the initiative on that? In any case, Kevin's words suggest there is an established procedure for separating pets from abusive or neglectful human owners. What with that, and with pets (and wolves) now finding independent, gainful employment, surely we're only a short distance from full equality between pets and humans.
dogs can testify against their owners, though they often need another human or several more animals to back them up. No, pets cannot choose a new family as it is the family's decision on whether or not to take in a particular pet... a pet could, if they wanted to, show their distrust by behaving poorly and causing the family to not want them, but if they do it too much they may end up in a shelter.
anhedral wrote:Pet romance seems to be equally diverse. Some, as you say, are fickle; perhaps polyamory is just more frequent and accepted in the HP! world? But for every non-exclusive pairing we can find a more long-term, 'traditional' relationship. Fido and Sasha. The adorable roos. Miles and Lucretia. (OK, the wolves are not technically pets, but the vibe between them is still one of exclusivity and devotion.)
I don't think anyone's mentioned Griswold yet and he's been shown to fall into the polygamous category. The kangaroos and wolfs shouldn't count because the focus of this debate is on dogs and different species have different optimal mating strategies based on stuff like whether they have precocial or altricial young and whether the species is K-selected or r-selected. Wolfs in particular are known in the real world for mating for life.
Obbl wrote:Ooo! This is a good one! So nice to get a plot nod to Sasha's situation. Seems like Kevin was the one to finally get Sasha to agree that "daddy" doesn't deserve her. Good on ya!
I'm not so sure about that. To me this more looks like an example of men doing what they think is best for a woman without taking her opinion into consideration. King took the same stance as Kevin (albeit through different means) and Sasha remained adamantly in favor of her dad. I don't see how this strip confirms Sasha has turned against Daddy; at most she puts up with that aspect of dating Kevin. Notice it's Kevin detailing his own plans while Sasha remains silent.
NHWestoN wrote:Did Fox really think "make-out exclusivity" was all Sasha would want or he should expect? That's mildly creepy, to say the least. Nor do I see any reason he could not have been doing for her what Kevin's purportedly doing. Or is Fox that immature?
Fox knows that dating someone just to make-out exclusively with someone is "mildly creepy, to say the least". Before Kevin confronted him on it, Fox hadn't seriously considered what his long term plan with Sasha would be. Upon thinking deeply about it, he realized Kevin was right and backed down. I don't think Fox is incapable of doing all those "boyfriend things", it's just Kevin got there first (he already has the kinks worked out and has a head start with the investigation) and the fact Fox hadn't thought about doing things like that for her made him believe he's not good boyfriend material for her.
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by Obbl »

Champion Wallace wrote:
Obbl wrote:Ooo! This is a good one! So nice to get a plot nod to Sasha's situation. Seems like Kevin was the one to finally get Sasha to agree that "daddy" doesn't deserve her. Good on ya!
I'm not so sure about that. To me this more looks like an example of men doing what they think is best for a woman without taking her opinion into consideration. King took the same stance as Kevin (albeit through different means) and Sasha remained adamantly in favor of her dad. I don't see how this strip confirms Sasha has turned against Daddy; at most she puts up with that aspect of dating Kevin. Notice it's Kevin detailing his own plans while Sasha remains silent.
You make a very valid point, though if I may counter out of universe, I personally don't think Rick would go that direction, which is why I assumed that Sasha must have at least agreed to this
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Re: 2018/12/24 - Last Exit

Post by NHWestoN »

Griswald strikes me as just an "aspiring Romeo" … and, given the pretenses, probably a remarkably unsuccessful one. He's had fewer walk-ons than Daisy. :|
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