Should Joel Remain King?

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Anthroguy101
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Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Anthroguy101 »

I've loved this comic ever since I first laid my eyes on it. I've seen all of the strips, but am by no means an expert on all the characters. Regardless, I have never seen a more well-written comic of any kind with as much humor as this one. This is the kind of humor comic that people have been waiting years for. There is also well-defined storyline with a plot that keeps getting more interesting as time goes on, some of which may teach us all a lesson about life. The current story arc is by far the most interesting of all. I also like the site on which the comic is formatted, allowing viewers to give input. Many comics just have an interesting story with no discussion whatsoever, a major fatal flaw (see: Sabrina Online), but I think centering it around Wordpress was perhaps the best decision that was made for it. Way to go, Rick!

As you are all aware, the Christmas Carol story has sparked a lot of discussion. Two of the most recent posts have now gotten over 300 comments on them, and the discussion trend is accelerating. The purpose of this post is to find out how people feel about Joel being turned into King, and whether or not people want him to be a permanent character, bringing democracy into the equation. However, since it is Rick's comic he will obviously have the final say regardless of the outcome. Hopefully this will aid him in future stories. So the questions I ask you all are this:

1 - Should Fox find out that King is Joel from PETA? If so, what do you think will be his reaction if he does?
2 - Should Joel remain a permanent canine character in this comic, and if so, what role should he play?

I really want to know what you guys think on the subject.
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Dylan
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Dylan »

I personally think he should remain king. If he turns back into Joel...well, he wins a free trip to jail. Plus, I like him for a character.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Thoth »

I think his remaining King opens up a lot more possible storylines and gags than his becoming Joel again - hence all the discussions over in the comments.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Foldo »

1. Everything will depend on context. If Fox is in good mood and able to see the difference in front, he may renounce to strangle King, or maybe to accept him as a friend. And I think it will take at least a little about how a human has to become a dog (Pete will return).

2. Joel/King is much cuter when he is a pets. xD
Seriously, I think still everything will depend on the context, although I tend to see more interesting situations if he is always a pet. That is my simple writer opinon. ^^"
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Teh Brawler »

1. Yes, but in the Spirit of the holiday, and in realizing the Joel/King is actually very lonely, Fox will forgive him.

2. Yes, cuz it gives him more face time. :P
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by caesalson »

I'm not so sure about "context," but I think that eventually King will confess to Fox and apologize, and Fox will forgive him because...I dunno, because, and King will stay a doggy!
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Thoth »

Well, if Fox actually remembers Joel's dialogue during his petnaping, he may not blame Joel for much beyond being too easily led.
But over-analyzing things is half the fun!

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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Ebly »

Rick probably has one of these already planned, and considering it will have relevance later in the comic I somewhat doubt he'll change his decision on the wing if people want the other one! But that's more on the note of should he be a dog forever or go back to human question. Of course I can't be certain, but still. :V

I personally don't think anyone should really find out that King was Joel. The reason being that though he still obviously considers himself at least vaguely human given how he acts, King and Joel kind of count as separate entities. No, really. The only time they've been mentioned in the tags together, for example, is when there was the actual transition - we saw Joel, and we also saw King (tags used in speculation dur hur). I consider them different people. Er, well, one's a pet, but that only serves to distance them from each other even more.

Hahaha, a funny twist is if Pete was to do some kind of weird thing and Joel ended up owning King.

I'm tempted to say that King should stay, but at the same time the part of me that wants everything 'back to normal' in some kind of vague way is telling me to say that he should go. I dunno. I won't be complaining either way (not like last time).
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by arcict »

well, I say that King should stay, if only because his opinion has a lot of opportunities to add to the jokiness and other plot potentials... I'd say that Pete does too, but mostly as an overpowered player character.

as for Fox/King... well, I've always had this feeling of "something's gotta give" almost every plot arc. everything from the love square (including Tarrot it isn't a triangle, there's four players) with Grape and Peanut; Bino's... well Binoism; Fido and Sabrina are GOING to get found out sooner or later; the Wolves are definately going to cause a stir, even if it's not too plot altering or such they're still going to stir things up; the Ferrets, much the same really; Mr Bigglesworth, I'm still surprized that none of them have gotten a complex like Joey or something over that; Joey... well, Joey is his own set of problems all in one character; and most importantly, what happens in the Pridelands series?!!! :P

would it surprise anyone to know that I started making a story that was somewhat inspired by housepets but mostly by the current story arc? I won't tease/bother anyone with any details until I've got something to show but still, does it surprise anyone?
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Keeshah »

well now that sasha has kept King from killing himself.. I think pete is going to offer to change him back into a human, an he is going to choose to remain a dog, as he is going to deside that he is going to be happier as a dog.

King is going to tell Fox who he was.. that is if he can. he maybe not be able to talk about his past as a human directly, just like he can't say his name is joel.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Dissension »

My feeling has always been that Joel would remain King forever, whether through his own decision or Pete's intervention. I have gone so far as to speculate openly that Pete was slowly erasing all traces of King's past life so that he would never even KNOW he was Joel.

...

I went much farther than that once, but people thought it was too dark so I shall not do so again. *laughs*
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Foxstar »

Nope, he should go back. He does have his old pets to find after all.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Dissension »

That could be interesting, granted. And personally, I want him to go back. I'm just not sure whether that fits with the description of Pete we have. At least, from my perspective. Pete is evil, or at least a jerk, and letting King become Joel again is not that jerk-like!
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by ArgentFlame »

I'm pretty sure his old pets are long gone by now. (Make of that what you will.)

I think he should remain a dog because, as some others have said, there are quite a few storylines to be had this way.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Dissension »

The animals' lifespans are about 30 years or so in Housepets!, so it's possible that they could still be alive. After all, we don't know Joel's age and he doesn't seem that old...
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by ArgentFlame »

If they are still alive who's to say they don't have good homes already? It would probably also be nearly impossible to track down two pets who aren't necessarily even in the same place.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Thoth »

Foxstar wrote:Nope, he should go back. He does have his old pets to find after all.
I suspect the odds on that are poor. Joel-in-memory looks about eight or so. Joel-as-adult looks to be in his 20's or so. His old pets appeared adult - making them 4-6+. Even if we presume that nothing nasty happened to them (Joel's statements during the PETA arc might indicate that he knows what did happen and it wasn't good) mid-to-late 20's is getting kind of old for a pet even with a doubled lifespan.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Dylan »

Looks like he is staying as king
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Dissension »

Validation! My speculation was more on-track than many suspected. *giggles*
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by valerio »

1) If King cared to give out a full explanation to Fox, I think Fox would be at least inclined to understand him for the moment, though their relationship would become difficult. Of course, I think that such disclosure would be done quite in private, so that Fox only knew the truth.
2) YES, Joel has a lot more potential as canine. But, if he was turned a human, at least I hope he can adopt Sasha in the end.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Keeshah »

valerio wrote:1) If King cared to give out a full explanation to Fox, I think Fox would be at least inclined to understand him for the moment, though their relationship would become difficult. Of course, I think that such disclosure would be done quite in private, so that Fox only knew the truth.
2) YES, Joel has a lot more potential as canine. But, if he was turned a human, at least I hope he can adopt Sasha in the end.

Sasha's drunken dad with have to be willing to give her up, or sell her.
before anyone else could adopt her, since he does own her.
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by 2MKc »

Keeshah wrote:
valerio wrote:1) If King cared to give out a full explanation to Fox, I think Fox would be at least inclined to understand him for the moment, though their relationship would become difficult. Of course, I think that such disclosure would be done quite in private, so that Fox only knew the truth.
2) YES, Joel has a lot more potential as canine. But, if he was turned a human, at least I hope he can adopt Sasha in the end.

Sasha's drunken dad with have to be willing to give her up, or sell her.
before anyone else could adopt her, since he does own her.
Maybe a little girl can adopt Sasha, that would be great!
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by The Game »

he should sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo remain King. He kinda has friends, something close to a girlfriend, an enemy, and secret!!! That's everything a character needs.

if he became Joel.....
Bino would probably respect him
Sasha would...never mind
Fox would freak
Pete would haunt him
if he went to jail, bars would keep ostracized from the rest of the world, his life would be a rut; same routines everyday, and he would eventually go mad!!! MAD I SAY!!!!!!!! *mouth foams*
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by caesalson »

I feel the need to stand up and say, "This thread no longer has a point. Thank you. You may resume normal activities."
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by Noir The Sable »

caesalson wrote:I feel the need to stand up and say, "This thread no longer has a point. Thank you. You may resume normal activities."
Oh, I wouldn't say that...

Recall that Joel seemed "genre savvy" when he and Pete first met. If he, as King, believed this change was permanent, his feelings would be more authentic and less driven by the whole "oh, I just need to do this to change back once and for all" mentality/line of thought. Of course, we don't know if he'll want to change back by then...

I dunno. Personally, I'd like to see him change back at the end of all this; not now of course, but a good while later, if not for the plot potentials. If anything, it's mostly because of the whole lifespan bit, and my personal feelings regarding such things (Yeah, yeah, it's fiction, I know, but still.)
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by arcict »

caesalson wrote:I feel the need to stand up and say, "This thread no longer has a point. Thank you. You may resume normal activities."

normal? :P
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Re: Should Joel Remain King?

Post by The Game »

caesalson wrote:I feel the need to stand up and say, "This thread no longer has a point. Thank you. You may resume normal activities."
I think I agree...
did i mention how we really look to deep into this thing????
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