2013/09/11 - Cat's Out Of The Bag

[RioluNation]

A hunk and a prince? Aww you poor male cats, all your girlfriends may soon be booking tickets out of BG

Don't forget those poor dogs who are cat lovers. xD

[valerio]

Peanut is so going to love this visit!

[CHAOKOCartoons]

If fans circulate things enough, they become canon, right?

Correction: they can become canon. Just because something is popular with fans, it doesn't always mean the creator makes it canon. A good example is shipping, no matter how much a large group of fans want a currently un-canon relationship to be cannon, it all depends on what the creator has planned for the characters. But that doesn't mean it may never become canon, because the power of persuasion and influence can sometimes be supprisingly powerful.
I'm sure you already know all this though, so... pancakes!

[Mickey the Luxray]

If fans circulate things enough, they become canon, right?

I think it's called fanon at that point. At least, until it's included in the comic/show/whatever.

[Liam]

So, he's from either the Seychelles or São Tomé and Príncipe?

[copper]

For all of you wondering about Buwara, it is the fan name for a nation of Leopards in Africa that Rick mentioned in a post. Here is the post.

http://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/vi ... 92#p130792

[Argent]

Ah, so it was a game of telephone all along. Pity, I liked the idea of someone playing a con game on the ferrets.

Regarding Rick's referenced post...

I don't think that it *becomes* any more science fiction, the science fiction nature is inherent in the setting... as soon as you take the setting seriously, just as the romance is inherent in the relationships, and so on. Science fiction in this case is simply a tag that has come to be applied, for the lack of a better term, to dedicating the same kind of internal consistency and logic to fantastic elements of a story that mysteries and detective novels apply to quotidian details. As soon as you take the background seriously, if the background isn't "this world, in the present or past or maybe near future if you ignore technological innovations", that's science fiction simply because no better term has evolved to describe it. Which leads to stories similar to Cold Comfort Farm being classified as science fiction now, though when it was written I don't think the distinction between SF and mainstream had become evident.

I once read a science fiction story about what if this kind of "taking fantastic elements seriously" had been adopted by "mainstream" writers, back in the 20th century, so that it became part of mainstream writing while science fiction was only used to describe space opera. Of course, in this world, that is science fiction, in that world, a story about the "success" of science fiction wouldn't be science fiction at all.

[King_Crimson]

i love jata's eyes at the end. he just has this look of "yeah i'm awesome i know it"

[WhoElseButQuagmire]

So is he a cheetah or a lepard.......I CAN'T SPELL

> Lepard


Yeah, defenitively a Def Leppard.

It's Leopard Part 6..... It's really Bill Cosby wearing a 'Mission Impossible' mask! The sweater is a dead giveaway!

[GeckoZY]

A hunk and a prince? Aww you poor male cats, all your girlfriends may soon be booking tickets out of BG

Nope. I bet they'll be too excited and just swim across the Atlantic to get there.

[HundKatzeMaus]

oh boy, let's speculate what else will happen

- I wouldn't be suprised if Daryl and Jata are pen pals, because Daryl celebrates Kwanzaa and they celebrate it in Africa too, so maybe Daryl got the Idea from Jata. That means maybe Daryl will have a role in this Arc

- Every Catgirl and Squeack will chase after Jata.

- Funny Stuff will happen

- Jata will have enough and talks to them

- We learn the true meaning of Kwanzaa

- They all go to the House of the Wolves and we will see how they do a Karaokeversion of "Welcome to the Jungle"

- It will be awesome

I think that could happen. That or I'm completly wrong and the Arc will turn out much different

[Sleet]

They don't actually celebrate Kwanzaa in Africa.

[GameCobra]

Humorous speculation:

Keene: Everyone! Prince Jata has an announcement!
Jata: *coughs* ... I have come from Africa in search for the one known as "Princess Periwinkle"!
Grape: *Drops dead*

[Silly Zealot]

i love jata's eyes at the end. he just has this look of "yeah i'm awesome i know it"

Now I'm thinking of him singing "I'm sexy and I know it."

I prefer "Moves like Jata.", though.
I've got the moves like Jata,
I charm the belles like Jata,
I hunt gazzelles like Jata,
I've got the moooooooooves like Jata!

For all of you wondering about Buwara, it is the fan name for a nation of Leopards in Africa that Rick mentioned in a post. Here is the post.

http://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/vi ... 92#p130792

Thank you ever so much for linking that post!

Regarding Rick's referenced post...

I don't think that it *becomes* any more science fiction, the science fiction nature is inherent in the setting... as soon as you take the setting seriously, just as the romance is inherent in the relationships, and so on. Science fiction in this case is simply a tag that has come to be applied, for the lack of a better term, to dedicating the same kind of internal consistency and logic to fantastic elements of a story that mysteries and detective novels apply to quotidian details. As soon as you take the background seriously, if the background isn't "this world, in the present or past or maybe near future if you ignore technological innovations", that's science fiction simply because no better term has evolved to describe it. Which leads to stories similar to Cold Comfort Farm being classified as science fiction now, though when it was written I don't think the distinction between SF and mainstream had become evident.

I once read a science fiction story about what if this kind of "taking fantastic elements seriously" had been adopted by "mainstream" writers, back in the 20th century, so that it became part of mainstream writing while science fiction was only used to describe space opera. Of course, in this world, that is science fiction, in that world, a story about the "success" of science fiction wouldn't be science fiction at all.

The problem is that, when Rick first created the comic, he simply thought of "Hey, let's draw a talking and bipedal cat and dog goofing around together, it's gonna be comical!" with no backround development behind the setting: It was made for humor, not as a serious, young adult story. The same could be said for when he added the grove arc and Pete (The giant feather was hilarious, I nearly cracked in full laughter!), Joel's transfiguration into King, and the cosmic Dungeons & Dragons parody. It was all for fun, with the characters and events portrayed actually mattering, not the causes and concequences behind them.

However, as Rick grew, so did his mind, and as his mind grew, so did his aspirations and writting and plot development.
That's why, since a few months, I've been suspecting that, if Rick was able to go back in time to 2008, he would not make Housepets!, and make a more serious and elaborate story on a different setting, instead.

[Argent]

I guess where I'm going is that science fiction has expanded in all kinds of directions to label stuff "SF" that isn't really what you;d have thought of as SF in the early 20th century, just because there wasn't any better label.

And I'm glad he didn't, because I really like the way he mixes the jelly of wackiness with the serious taste of peanut butter.

[HundKatzeMaus]

They don't actually celebrate Kwanzaa in Africa.

Sorry, my bad

[max7345]

Humorous speculation:

Keene: Everyone! Prince Jata has an announcement!
Jata: *coughs* ... I have come from Africa in search for the one known as "Princess Periwinkle"!
Grape: *Drops dead*

Hahaha!! I can totally see that happening. xD

[TheOne]

Dissention=Site Admin

Voice of Neo: Oooh, upgrades!

I've been an admin nearly a quarter-year!

Yes, but your text said "devil skirll" before. Now it actually says "site admin."

...Nigerian prince flooding my inbox...

The forum link did say Jata needed help with a bank... Maybe he's in financial trouble? That could also explain the cab. (Limo=$2000, cab=$53?)

My links to the discussion don't really have anything to do with the comic's plot. In this instance, I was making reference to the well-publicized e-mail schemes in which someone receives an electronic note from an alleged "African Prince" saying the sender's assets have been frozen and they'll reward the recipient handsomely for a small, one-time cash infusion of... say... $25,000, just enough to bribe the authorities.

I know the link isn't canon, (or even close) but I figure it's a small step up from most of the WMDG that most of us commenters enjoy. I figure that you might have a better knowledge of what's happening behind the scenes, due to your closer (than mine) ties to Rick.

Dissention=Site Admin
Voice of Neo: Oooh, upgrades!

I've been an admin nearly a quarter-year!

I think Neo (confirmed: TheOne is indeed yet another alias for mister Anderson.) has been away from the forums for a while, as Rick finally decides to place his squirrel alter-ego at his same level.
Next stop, his two personalities merge into one and a wild Rickssenssion the squirret appears!

I don't know about Mr. Anderson... Actually my last name is Jones... I guess I could join MIB...
I've been on the forums recently, just lurking in the background, reading and observing everyone's posts.
*continues lurking*

[Gamewolf67]

Well, Jata sure does enjoy the attention, if his expression in the last panel says anything.

Geeze, a prince, and built like a tank.... even Grape has googoo eyes here!

Second panel Jata face is my favorite by far.

Nah. Fourth panel.

[CHAOKOCartoons]

We learn the true meaning of Kwanzaa

Finaly! my life will be comple--

They don't actually celebrate Kwanzaa in Africa.

Aw man! Now I'll never know!! *says as I sit on my computer that is connected to the internet*

[Silly Zealot]

They don't actually celebrate Kwanzaa in Africa.

And how do you know?

[WhoElseButQuagmire]

Sniffing Peanut is awesome enough for me.

WEBQ sniffsniffsniffs Peanut. "Interesting aroma....but I'm not sure awesome is the word I'd use to discribe it..."

[Nohbody]

They don't actually celebrate Kwanzaa in Africa.

And how do you know?

Because it's a holiday created by someone in the US who mashed together various African beliefs?

[LordWolpertinger]

oh boy, let's speculate what else will happen

- I wouldn't be suprised if Daryl and Jata are pen pals, because Daryl celebrates Kwanzaa and they celebrate it in Africa too, so maybe Daryl got the Idea from Jata. That means maybe Daryl will have a role in this Arc

What Kwaanza really is could be best summed up to taking the tribal traditions of five or so tribes, package it up like Christmas, and sell it to the African descent at a overgenerous mark up.

Mod Edit: Sorry, there's no need to get into racial discussion here.

[Skaikat]

Seems like I'm one of the few (or only) one that doesn't like this guy. Everything about him screams cocky sleaze >.> -Especially- that face in the last panel.

[Silly Zealot]

They don't actually celebrate Kwanzaa in Africa.

And how do you know?

Because it's a holiday created by someone in the US who mashed together various African beliefs?

But what if it went full circle and was introduced into isolated african neighbourghoods who had lost most of it's cultural legacy after generations of European expansionism into the African continent..... in the Housepets! world, that is.

Seems like I'm one of the few (or only) one that doesn't like this guy. Everything about him screams cocky sleaze >.> -Especially- that face in the last panel.

Princes ARE infamous for being smug. Give him the benefit of the doubt until he actually says something.

[Mickey the Luxray]

Princes ARE infamous for being smug. Give him the benefit of the doubt until he actually says something.

First thing he says: "I already have a girlfriend."

Hopes, crushed.

[Render]

Sniffing Peanut is awesome enough for me.

WEBQ sniffsniffsniffs Peanut. "Interesting aroma....but I'm not sure awesome is the word I'd use to discribe it..."

[Nohbody]

Because [Kwanzaa is] a holiday created by someone in the US who mashed together various African beliefs?

But what if it went full circle and was introduced into isolated african neighbourghoods who had lost most of it's cultural legacy after generations of European expansionism into the African continent..... in the Housepets! world, that is.

Even if I was more awake than I am now (that is, not very), I can't imagine anything less productive than throwing out random theories based on wild uninformed speculations and pre-existing notions that may not be supported by facts.