El Goonish Shive

[Weimann]

Since the old thread was 10 months dead by now, I figured I'd make a new one as not to anger the forum gods.

For the uninitiated, El Goonish Shive is a long-running character-driven action-dramedy with elements of teen life, magical kung fu, gender-switching and all-around silly stuff happening. If you're just starting with the archives, the art quality develops significantly over the course of the comic, so don't let the first few, uh, years get you down, y'hear! And if so, I guess there's a general spoiler warning from here on out.

A bit has happened since the last thread (at about the Hair part of the Summer chapter). Elliot gets a day job and a movie review show with Susan, Tedd makes watches, Yu-Gi-Oh happens, there's a space whale and most recently Sarah wants to break up with Elliot while Elliot is conflicted with angst. Comments on this?

[Madmal]

Sandra? You mean Sarah.
Also, Yu-gi-oh, seriously? That was a Magic: the Gathering game. (Except maybe for Grace)

I enjoy this webcomic tremendously but i don't have much strong opinions about the current situation. Except that i don't want Diane mixed into this. This whole Sarah/Elliot/Susan situation is tricky enough without her interference.

Also, i want Jerry back; And for Dan to make EGS:NP again so Elliot/"Tess" can be considered a viable option.

[Weimann]

Sandra? You mean Sarah.

Ah bugger. Good eye. Fixed.

I enjoy this webcomic tremendously but i don't have much strong opinions about the current situation. Except that i don't want Diane mixed into this. This whole Sarah/Elliot/Susan situation is tricky enough without her interference.

Diane is a bit of a wild card. She could be interesting, but yeah, the whole thing is plenty interesting in itself.

More than who ends up with who, I'm more looking forward to the way it'll all go down. Honestly, I don't see Sarah/Elliot being unsalvageable. Maybe Elliot will see what he's losing and kick his butt into gear.

Also, i want Jerry back; And for Dan to make EGS:NP again so Elliot/"Tess" can be considered a viable option.

I forgot that was even a thing.

[Neoriceisgood]

Man I used to read this when I was twelve, it's still around?

[Acanous]

yup, but with an Art upgrade.

I remember when I could draw better than Dan XD

....Now I can't >.>

[Ravens_cry]

It took a long time for me to add this one to my favourites list, but I am glad I did. Engaging and interesting characters, unusual and intriguing world with scientifically studied magic. What's not to love?
Oh yeah, and gender bending. Gotta love the gender bending.

[Lord Raziere]

yea, El Goonish Shive is always a good lighthearted comic to enjoy. even if it can be a bit dark at times, it always has heartwarming moments.

and I confess, I do wish I had Tedd's transformation gun.

as for recent developments…. I wonder what will happen when Diane and Susan finally meet? they are so similar yet such opposites. well maybe. sorta opposites. I guess...

[Imgran]

yea, El Goonish Shive is always a good lighthearted comic to enjoy. even if it can be a bit dark at times, it always has heartwarming moments.

and I confess, I do wish I had Tedd's transformation gun.

as for recent developments…. I wonder what will happen when Diane and Susan finally meet? they are so similar yet such opposites. well maybe. sorta opposites. I guess...

They're really not. Personality wise they're strikingly similar. Both highly logical and driven to focus on their goals.

Where they diverge remarkably, is in what their goals are.

[Mando Knight]

By the way, last panel of today's* comic is priceless.

*for varying definitions of "today," by which I mean in this instance, April 4, 2013, as per 00:00 EDT

[sparky9042]

Panel four of this comic is fantastically awesome. Probably one of the best single panels in the entire comic.

[Lord Raziere]

I actually thought they were referencing a Jet Set Radio Future song when they did that. Its a strange testament to my cultural isolation that I thought up of an obscure videogame with "what is love?" as one of the lyrics in its pop/rap soundtrack rather than some well-known song that has been apparently been around for quite awhile, that I only heard AFTER I read that comic…

but to be fair….they were playing a video game at the time. kind of plausible to my perspective.

[Forrestfire]

By the way, last panel of today's* comic is priceless.

*for varying definitions of "today," by which I mean in this instance, April 4, 2013, as per 00:00 EDT

Yeah, I liked it too. I do something similar when I have an important realization

Also, I'm glad to see a discussion thread for this. It never occurred to me to (re)make one, and the EGS forums are... well... what they are. Extremely nasty, that is.

[Landis963]

Ah. The light. It dawns.

[Weimann]

Eh, that's always awkward. They have made out, though, so it's not like it's entirely platonic or anything.

While I can see what their problem is, I can't really see what Susan can offer that is better. I guess she has the unknown going for her; a relationship needs a bit of mystery and curiosity about the other. Too deep friendship beforehand may hamper that. But other than that... not really sure.

From Elliot's point of view, that is. Sarah obviously just doesn't want to be tied any more.

[Somebloke]

Eh, that's always awkward. They have made out, though, so it's not like it's entirely platonic or anything.

While I can see what their problem is, I can't really see what Susan can offer that is better. I guess she has the unknown going for her; a relationship needs a bit of mystery and curiosity about the other. Too deep friendship beforehand may hamper that. But other than that... not really sure.

From Elliot's point of view, that is. Sarah obviously just doesn't want to be tied any more.

From my point of view? Passion.

Which says a lot about Susan's character growth that I can even say something like that.

Seriously though, while Sarah and Elliot clearly loved each other, there was very little chemistry between them- even early on, there wasn't that much of a spark. With Elliot and Susan, their recent interactions ooze chemistry- the scene with Diane watching the videos between the two of them really managed to capture this (and really brought home just how well Shive has matured as a storyteller and artist- I suspect that earlier interactions between Sarah and Elliot suffered as much from his inexperience as a comic writer than as anything else).

...whether either Susan or Elliot could handle a serious relationship is another matter, of course.

As for Diane, I find the most interesting thing about her is that not only is she like Susan in appearance, but her attitudes (towards men- both held men originally in contempt, but they express it in different ways) are the same, which would rule out a simple 'long lost twin scenario'. In fact, one would think that Diane had an exactly similar childhood to Susan...

[Neoriceisgood]

yup, but with an Art upgrade.

I remember when I could draw better than Dan XD

....Now I can't >.>

Art still looks the same as I remember.

Every character still looks the same still too.

Take that both ways.

[Weimann]

Out of interest, how old are you now? You made it sound like it was way back in the day, and you have to admit that this and this are not the same.

[Somebloke]

Out of interest, how old are you now? You made it sound like it was way back in the day, and you have to admit that this and this are not the same.

Yeah, I'm curious about this too. His old stuff made me wince- the new stuff made me applaude some of the more subtle imagery.

[Neoriceisgood]

I'm 25.

I think I quit reading around that dark arc where uh..

What were they fighting? Animal hybrid guys? There was like a harpy dude or something. I know the main character's female clone was around.

Spoiler

Show

I -think- I was around twelve, feel free to prove me horribly wrong though. Especially cause I don't remember at what age I quit.

[Forrestfire]

Wow, that was a while ago. I'd say the art is much, much better than it was. The lines are smoother, the characters are better drawn, and there is much more detail.

That arc ran from October 2003 to July 2004, so you were probably 16. I think. Unless my math is bad.

[Neoriceisgood]

Honestly, I based my entire quick assessment on the faces still looking essentially the same for each character. (Something that always bothered me.)

After looking around a bit it's pretty obvious the anatomy, environments and general cleanness are at a much much higher level than when I last read it.

[Weimann]

So apparently, "no".

That could mean he wants to break up with Sarah on his own. On the one hand, that shows a certain initiative which Sarah is looking for. On the other hand, she might not appreciate that the one thing he takes initiative is breaking up with her. On the third hand, she herself is looking to break up with him, and she's not having an easy time of it either, so she might appreciate it.

Eh, this is hard.

[Pink]

This arc.

I love this arc. The drama. The possibility of Susan getting into a relationship. Yes.

[JusticeZero]

I think I quit reading around that dark arc where uh..
What were they fighting? Animal hybrid guys? There was like a harpy dude or something. I know the main character's female clone was around.

Yeah, that was awhile ago. That arc finished up, with the author going "gawd I never want to have a grimdark arc like that ever again." There's been a few dramatic arcs since then that weren't particularly light and shiney, but nothing near as dark as that.

[Weimann]

Dat face.

So now Sarah knows that both she and Elliot wants to break up, while Elliot only knows that he wants to. I somehow think that this will lead to a row. Yeah, I'm pessimistic. But that might be kind of good for them, though; it might make it easier to move apart.

[Lizard Lord]

Dat face.

So now Sarah knows that both she and Elliot wants to break up, while Elliot only knows that he wants to. I somehow think that this will lead to a row. Yeah, I'm pessimistic. But that might be kind of good for them, though; it might make it easier to move apart.

But will it make it easier to stay friends and keep the group together?

[Weimann]

I'm thinking it'll be better for them to explode and forgive each other later (these people seem like the type who do that) than carrying the "why doesn't she/he want to be with me anymore" around all the time. That way, they can be "fine, if you're gonna yell at me, we're better off apart" and focus on that instead.

I don't know. Does it show I've never had a girlfriend yet?

[Somebloke]

I'm thinking it'll be better for them to explode and forgive each other later (these people seem like the type who do that) than carrying the "why doesn't she/he want to be with me anymore" around all the time. That way, they can be "fine, if you're gonna yell at me, we're better off apart" and focus on that instead.

I don't know. Does it show I've never had a girlfriend yet?

If there's a pain-free formula for breaking up, I've never found it.

Anyway, I believe Sarah is about to show us the difference between breaking up peacefully in theory, and the reality of realizing that your boyfriend never actually loved you like you loved him. Sarah? Proceed.

[Weimann]

Yeah, I was actually expecting more of an explosion there.

C'mon Dan, updaaaate...

I've said it before, but this comic is one that's pretty hard to comment on page by page. If I collect a few weeks' worth at a time, it's easier to say something qualitative.

[Weimann]

Why are they being so reasonable and empathic?! Arrrgh!