Questionable Content 11: It's Like Seeing a Unicorn

[Mith]

Is there some reason they're "of course" called "sprays"?

Because they would have started with spray paint art? You cannot ink an etching in metal or plastic easily like you would with organic tattoos. At least not in a way that it wouldn't be easier to get a custom made chassis part.

[halfeye]

Is there some reason they're "of course" called "sprays"?

Because that's a stupid name for drawings done in ink on metal, and thus mandatory?

You can do wonderful artistic things with spray paints and sprayed inks, but there doesn't really seem to be a connection between that and felt tip pens which are what was used here.

Also, this customer is an idiot. Which is a huge market, so no doubt this will be the start of a successful business.

[Max_Killjoy]

Because that's a stupid name for drawings done in ink on metal, and thus mandatory?

Is it? Or more importantly was it, before this strip?

If so, that's the piece I'm missing on why it was so "obvious".

[John Cribati]

I think the idea is that it's suppose to resemble spraypainted graffiti.

EDIT: As far as the child labor issue goes, I figure you can sell art at any age, and so long as Sam isn't on the payroll and she's just a kid who hangs out at the shop and draws art for/on the robots if they want her to, it should technically be alright.

[Traab]

Like I said, its basically a word game. If sam and her dad both agree with faye that she totally doesnt work for her as an employee and just enjoys hanging out with her friends there isnt much dcf or whoever would handle this sort of thing can do. Or else every kid who runs a lemonade stand for a weekend would see their parents in jail for child labor law violations.

[Keltest]

Like I said, its basically a word game. If sam and her dad both agree with faye that she totally doesnt work for her as an employee and just enjoys hanging out with her friends there isnt much dcf or whoever would handle this sort of thing can do. Or else every kid who runs a lemonade stand for a weekend would see their parents in jail for child labor law violations.

True, but there are also limitations as to how much they can integrate her into their business. And theyre taking a cut, so its more than just a kid independently operating a little stand.

[Traab]

True, but there are also limitations as to how much they can integrate her into their business. And theyre taking a cut, so its more than just a kid independently operating a little stand.

Yeah but its under the table and after the customer leaves so good luck proving that. And somehow I doubt any police group is going to care about an obviously happy kid at a machine shop when noone but them is complaining to audit them and question them about the extra bits of cash that show up.

[The Glyphstone]

There's always Roko. If she gets wind that they have more cash than their legit business can account for, she might think they are up to something illegal based on previous acquaintance.

[Shadow of the Sun]

Yes. I approve of this development.

[Morquard]

Yeah but its under the table and after the customer leaves so good luck proving that. And somehow I doubt any police group is going to care about an obviously happy kid at a machine shop when noone but them is complaining to audit them and question them about the extra bits of cash that show up.

Those two just went legit after nearly ending up in jail for their previous "under the table" arrangement...

If the kid was just at the shop and painting sprays on random robots who want it, for free, then it probably wouldn't be an issue. But they take money for it, and she does the job. It's work.

As for proving it, it will be enough if Roko walks in there while Sam is working on a robot...

[eee]

If that's Sam's helmet, I'm amazed Bubbles could get it on over her much larger head.

If Bubbles made a Skull Master helmet for herself, that shows an unexpected side to her. Also that she's amazingly fast and sneaky, with Faye being right there and not noticing.

[John Cribati]

If the kid was just at the shop and painting sprays on random robots who want it, for free, then it probably wouldn't be an issue. But they take money for it, and she does the job. It's work.

As long as the robot puts the money directly into Sam's hand (which they actually didn't here, to be fair), the authorities can't charge Union Robotics with a crime, unless charging Sam rent for doing "business" on their property is a crime or something.

Like maybe Sam would need a Vendor license to be doing her sprays on the street, but in a building is fair game.

[halfeye]

Spoiler

Show

If that's Sam's helmet, I'm amazed Bubbles could get it on over her much larger head.

If Bubbles made a Skull Master helmet for herself, that shows an unexpected side to her. Also that she's amazingly fast and sneaky, with Faye being right there and not noticing.

There are so many ways this could go wrong.

[Keltest]

If that's Sam's helmet, I'm amazed Bubbles could get it on over her much larger head.

If Bubbles made a Skull Master helmet for herself, that shows an unexpected side to her. Also that she's amazingly fast and sneaky, with Faye being right there and not noticing.

While it isn't drawn 100% consistently, it looks like the Skullmaster helmet is actually a little large for Sam's head. Presumably there are straps inside to secure it more tightly.

You can see the back of Bubbles' head a little bit whereas that part isn't visible on Sam.

[Honest Tiefling]

If that's Sam's helmet, I'm amazed Bubbles could get it on over her much larger head.

If Bubbles made a Skull Master helmet for herself, that shows an unexpected side to her. Also that she's amazingly fast and sneaky, with Faye being right there and not noticing.

I think she made one, she's literally in a workshop. Bubbles seems too polite to wear gear intended for another person and potentially ruin it. And I don't know if robot speed has ever been discussed in this comic...

[rooster707]

If that's Sam's helmet, I'm amazed Bubbles could get it on over her much larger head.

If Bubbles made a Skull Master helmet for herself, that shows an unexpected side to her. Also that she's amazingly fast and sneaky, with Faye being right there and not noticing.

Here it looks more like a mask than a helmet. Maybe it's stretchy.

[Morquard]

Wasn't it originally supposed to be her face-mask to protect her when fencing?

[Keltest]

Wasn't it originally supposed to be her face-mask to protect her when fencing?

the skull part could just be a stretchy cover that goes over a regular fencing mask, I suppose.

[Morquard]

Oh hadn't thought about that, that could very well be.

[dps]

This child. Oh my god. That is a deadly lack of self preservation. She has been shown to be borderline suicidal three times just now.

She needs help

I get the impression that you aren't used to being around RL children much. At least not to the extent that children now behave the way children did when I was a kid, because I can assure you that the snake incident pales in comparison to some of the stunts we pulled back then.

[Shadow of the Sun]

As mentioned earlier, I almost killed myself dozens of times as a kid. Not on purpose, but just coz I was a dumb kid. My personal favourite involved doing a swan dive off of a trampoline and landing on the top of my head.

[EternalMelon]

So Jeph's introducing a new character soon. Teasing them on twitter.

[Vinyadan]

nice page .

[Keltest]

So Jeph's introducing a new character soon. Teasing them on twitter.

Jeph. Come on man. Your caste is too big by half already.

[dps]

True, but there are also limitations as to how much they can integrate her into their business. And theyre taking a cut, so its more than just a kid independently operating a little stand.

Well, part of it depends on how similar child labor laws in the QC verse are the same as those in real life, which, of course, varies from place-to-place, anyway. But assuming they're more-or-less the same as typical RL restrictions, and depending on her age (I thought that she was supposed to be 12?) they definitely can't hire her as an employee. But in general, there's nothing that would stop her from starting her own business. They can even take a cut of what she charges her customers as long as it's in the form of a charge to her for using their facilities. And if customers sometimes hand their payment to Faye or Bubbles instead of Sam, well you can't really hold them liable for the customers' mistakes.

OTOH, they might be in violation of some laws just by allowing a minor on the shop floor, given some of the industrial equipment they have there.

[EternalMelon]

Jeph. Come on man. Your caste is too big by half already.

Jeph knows and Jeph doesn't care. Intrestingly he says he considers 33 characters "significant" with at least 13 of them "retired".

Anyways, it seems like Jeph is comfortable with his financial situation/does QC because he likes to rather than for his fans. Which explains why the comic is about robots who want to kiss now. Personally I don't care enough about the comic to... care... about the consistency or lack thereof. Although I wish he didn't talk about older era's/themes so negatively.

[Rodin]

Jeph knows and Jeph doesn't care. Intrestingly he says he considers 33 characters "significant" with at least 13 of them "retired".

Anyways, it seems like Jeph is comfortable with his financial situation/does QC because he likes to rather than for his fans. Which explains why the comic is about robots who want to kiss now. Personally I don't care enough about the comic to... care... about the consistency or lack thereof. Although I wish he didn't talk about older era's/themes so negatively.

He seems to have Tito Kube Syndrome, where if he gets writer's block he just adds a new character, then forgets about them as soon as he gets writer's block again and introduces another new character.

The style does have its advantages, and it works a lot better in a slice-of-life story than it does in an epic adventure. I've actually been wondering when we were going to get our latest person since Bubbles's major story arc has finally wrapped up.

I mean, if we go through the major characters there isn't much to talk about for most of them.

Marten and Claire - happy relationship

Dora and Tai - happy relationship

Steve and Cosette - happy relationship

Marigold and Dale - happy relationship

Penelope and...Will? Was that his name? Anyway, happy relationship.

Sven - reformed from his womanizing ways and apparently accepting of Faye's rejection.

Hannelore - has her OCD under control and leading a happy, stable life.

Momo - Stable life as a librarian, no drama there.

Angus - In New York.

Raven - At college, I believe.

Sara - Slowly dissolving in Allosaurus gastric juices.

------

The only people with real stories to tell at this point are Faye/Bubbles and Jim's cafe crowd (Clinton/Brun/Renee/Elliot), and frankly I'd be happy enough to leave them alone. Jeph either needs to shake up the status quo or he needs to introduce somebody new.

[Traab]

So im seeing a skullmaster theme on her artwork. That could be an interesting little symbol to include in her future sprays as a sort of signature. She will just need rpactice at camoflauging it in nonskull related works.

[Vinyadan]

There's that offjacker guy, Dophin Jack! http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3211 :D

[Cikomyr]

Well.. i actually think Samantha being there on an irregular basis for Spraying is actually damn good for Faye and Bubble. It gives them exposure to their niche market.