Gunnerkrigg Court 6: Fire Away

[Lethologica]

I didn't think that was a positive reaction. Winsbury is making a fist. I think the pranksters are confused about why he's angry. That page didn't seem to have much of a point to me.

Winsbury is doing a fist-pump. The "BEST. FRIENDS. EVER." part makes the meaning pretty darn unambiguous. So your interpretation doesn't hold up, which is why the page seems pointless (although 'pointless' seems a rather, um, pointless accusation to levy at a post-chapter gag page to begin with).

The chaperon didn't believe the story. To me, it seemed as if the kids just didn't care. Winsbury and Janet said that the other kids didn't believe them, but their story was so over the top, they obviously wouldn't have believed that. To me, it wasn't clear if the other kids knew if Winsbury and Janet liked each other now, but they seemed to have gotten tired of the subject.

Bud was part of the audience for Winsbury and Janet's deliberately unbelievable confession, and reacted the same way as the rest of the audience. His explanation to Lindsey is a fleshing out of the general reaction, not a distinction from it. It's the classic "when your deception is threatened, tell the truth so outrageously that they think you must be deceiving them" gambit. There isn't any reason for uncertainty about what happened, even before noting that it explains what's happening in the present scene in a more satisfying way than "Winsbury and Janet had an off-screen breakup."

[eschmenk]

Winsbury is doing a fist-pump. The "BEST. FRIENDS. EVER." part makes the meaning pretty darn unambiguous.

Oh, so you think Winsbury is saying that, I take it? That didn't look like a fist pump to me, either, but I guess it could be one. OK, I'm willing to buy that interpretation. Otherwise, the "best. friends. ever." has no explanation.

[Fawkes]

Honestly, the page makes no sense to me either way.

[eschmenk]

Yeah, that's not one of the better joke pages.

I think the way Winsbury and Janet declared victory, kissed, and then moved away from each other (back to normal) a few pages earlier probably tells us how to interpret the results of their storytelling gambit, though. I would have liked to see more come out of it, but I think Tom was trying to keep it simple and not let it distract from other things.

[eee]

I can't tell if Winsbury is speaking from the heart, and uneasy about it, or speaking from a script, and uneasy about it. The former if he's sincere, the latter if asking Annie to be his girlfriend is about some sort of cover story...

*I'm* uneasy about this, too. I remember how Annie freaked when she thought Mort was trying to sneakily lay a claim on her by giving her the Blinker Stone. Kat was there, she saw that, she has to know Annie's got some sort of hangup about romance. So I don't know why she expects this to go well.

[eschmenk]

To me, it's coming across as creepy. His eyes are dark as if he hasn't been able to get any sleep. It could just be extreme nervousness, but it's as if he's obsessed with her or something. I think he is worrying Annie.

*I'm* uneasy about this, too. I remember how Annie freaked when she thought Mort was trying to sneakily lay a claim on her by giving her the Blinker Stone. Kat was there, she saw that, she has to know Annie's got some sort of hangup about romance. So I don't know why she expects this to go well.

And Windsbury, in particular, acted like a jerk toward Annie in front of Kat in the early chapters, so it would seem to be a particularly bad idea for him to ask Annie out. I wouldn't be surprised if there is something else going on. I have no idea what, though.

[Hiro Protagonest]

"Dragon Ball Dragon Ball Dragon Ball Dragon Ball" - Tom Siddell, 2016

[Lateral]

"Dragon Ball Dragon Ball Dragon Ball Dragon Ball" - Tom Siddell, 2016

I seem to recall Tom referring to him as Vegeta at one point.

Edit: Not Tom. Laser cows. Point stands.

[eschmenk]

And I don't think that look helps matters any...

[Spojaz]

To me, it's coming across as creepy. His eyes are dark as if he hasn't been able to get any sleep. It could just be extreme nervousness, but it's as if he's obsessed with her or something.

I think that's just his eyeshadow. Wins' always looks like that.

[Giggling Ghast]

It was all an Operation Jealousy after all.

His grotesque appearance in the second panel is because he's struggling to spit out the words. He really doesn't want to ask Annie to be his girlfriend.

[Emperordaniel]

It was all an Operation Jealousy after all.

His grotesque appearance in the second panel is because he's struggling to spit out the words. He really doesn't want to ask Annie to be his girlfriend.

I still think it was a plan to draw attention away from William x Janet with a "real" relationship, since the Wilnet (Janiam? Llansbury?) ship is, from the point of view of everyone else, officially Not Happening.

Although it looks like William's and Janet's cover may now be blown this time.

[stsasser]

I still think it was a plan to draw attention away from William x Janet with a "real" relationship, since the Wilnet (Janiam? Llansbury?) ship is, from the point of view of everyone else, officially Not Happening.

Although it looks like William's and Janet's cover may now be blown this time.

Thank you, Janet, for putting a stop to this sick farce.

[Ibrinar]

I don't know why I found this amusing but I found it quite amusing.

[Spacewolf]

Now watch as Annie totally fails to realise what's going on around her.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

If it was all a plot to make Janet jealous, that would be a real jerk move.

If it was to be a fake love affair to draw attention from the real one, that would also be a jerk move, especially if Annie was going to remain clueless about the deception.

I wonder if there's an explanation where nobody's a jerk. Doesn't seem like it though.

[guttering flame]

Janet making him do it so her father won't suspect anything is the only way this makes sense.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Janet making him do it so her father won't suspect anything is the only way this makes sense.

That's the most sensible explanation for this series of events, based on what we already know. If Annie was in on the scam I wouldn't mind so much, but it seems from the way it was being set up that she was to believe his intentions were real. That's just cold, regardless of whether or not she returned his feelings.

[Narkis]

I don't think this was Janet's idea. Or Winsbury's. I'm willing to bet it was Kat who thought to cheer up Annie this way, and Winsbury wasn't willing to hurt anyone's feelings or betray Janet's trust and reveal the truth.

[Lethologica]

Well, finally.

I don't think this was Janet's idea. Or Winsbury's. I'm willing to bet it was Kat who thought to cheer up Annie this way, and Winsbury wasn't willing to hurt anyone's feelings or betray Janet's trust and reveal the truth.

Also, this.

[Spacewolf]

I don't think this was Janet's idea. Or Winsbury's. I'm willing to bet it was Kat who thought to cheer up Annie this way, and Winsbury wasn't willing to hurt anyone's feelings or betray Janet's trust and reveal the truth.

Yea I'd go with this as well, I wonder if Annie getting asked out by people in love with others is going to become a thing.

[Lizard Lord]

I don't think this was Janet's idea. Or Winsbury's. I'm willing to bet it was Kat who thought to cheer up Annie this way, and Winsbury wasn't willing to hurt anyone's feelings or betray Janet's trust and reveal the truth.

That's what I believe as well. Thank you for putting it in an easier to understand way.

[CWater]

My current theory is that Janet & William was almost revealed to the others, and to cover it up one of them claimed something like "No no, Winsbury actually likes Carver!" And then the others got too excited about the idea and pushed him to ask Annie out, and the poor guy couldn't get out of the jam and Janet wouldn't say anything, until now.

[Giggling Ghast]

Are those two into each other? I can't tell.

[hajo]

Are those two into each other? I can't tell.

Janet & Wilsbury have been together for quite some time now

[Yuki Akuma]

Janet & Wilsbury have been together for some time

Sarcasm. Seriously. It isn't always coloured blue.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

I wonder how long before Annie realizes what's up.

The bigger question is, what's next? Looks like maybe the plot is off, but are J&W going to come clean to the others.

[Hytheter]

So Annie is just like "ummmmmm" for two pages straight now

[eee]

So Annie is just like "ummmmmm" for two pages straight now

I'd said it's more like 'Wot? Wot? Wot?"

[stsasser]

Nice extension and lift on that Foot Pop by Janet.