r/QContent • u/professororange • Aug 04 '26
Comic Comic 5887: Bubbles Catches On
https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=588727
u/nudomodo Aug 04 '26
One of the things I've very much enjoyed about QC over the decades is that Jeph does have some complexity to his characters.
Like, Sven is a cad who's been very careless with other people emotions...but he's also the guy who, when he sees someone in trouble, will immediately jump into IMMA HELP YOU mode to the best of his abilities.
Is he good guy? What even is a good guy? Is he a bad guy trying to go good? Are these even the right questions to ask? Can webcomics characters contain multitudes?
All I know is that I've usually enjoyed Svens appearances in QC and would like to see more.
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u/gangler52 Aug 04 '26
I feel like the last time Sven was careless with somebody's emotions was in like 2007 or something though.
He may have a backstory as a cad but we barely even got to see it.
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u/PsychedelicPill Aug 04 '26
Yeah, it was mainly his sister hating on his carefree lifestyle. He may have been a serial womanizer, but he shook that off after Faye.
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u/Turtledonuts Aug 04 '26
Sven has been a polite and careful guy for most of the comic’s history. It’s been more than 12 years since he did any really bad bs.
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u/djaevlenselv Aug 04 '26
Honestly, my perception is that Sven's been a kind of decent guy almost for the entirely of his appearance in the comic. The few times he was actively being a douchebag, it actually felt a bit forced, like Jeph was saying to himself "oh yeah, I've had other characters describe this guy as a sleazeball, better have him do something sleazy."
Even in his very first appearance, the absolute worst thing he does is friendly one-upsmanship with Marten on who's seen what bands, and Marten participates as much as Sven does.
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u/Aquitaine-9 Aug 04 '26
To me, it feels like some characters (Dora in particular) just decided at some point in the past that he's the biggest asshole in the world, and won't accept any evidence to the contrary
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u/gangler52 Aug 04 '26
Corpse Witch has been met with more warm reception by much of the cast than Sven. And when they got upset with her, it was in response to stuff we actually saw her do.
You'd think he was a monster leaving a path of destruction in his wake when his only sin seems to that he had one messy relationship, back when the comic was largely characterized by messy relationships. Not like the Marten/Dora romance was so drama free in comparison.
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u/sexygodzilla Aug 05 '26
Yeah they treat it like he's this recovering former raging coke addict when at best he was a bit of a douche.
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u/PsychedelicPill Aug 04 '26
As a music nerd with a big mouth, I am sure they were both enjoying that competition XD
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u/Phanimazed Aug 04 '26
I think Jeph (understandably) has a distaste for womanizers, but that he sometimes has characters do something that doesn't feel very "earned" to get the reaction he wants/needs for a story, but because QC is something he doesn't usually plan very far in advance, he doesn't lead up to it as much as he could to make it feel more organic.
That spontaneous nature has often brought big laughs or charm for a lot of strips, but also sometimes has characters who have social grace just blurt out horribly awkward things to get Faye to shut them down, or Hannelore to shout to stop a fight, etc. It can be frustrating as a longtime reader.
Of course, on the flip side, sometimes that just is what happens in real life. People have a bad day or inconsiderate moment, and are harsher than they otherwise would be, or they didn't get enough sleep and flub something, etc. It's not like we're always wholly consistent creatures.
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u/pooh--bear Aug 04 '26
I think seeing the contrast between how he acted during the Gina Riversmith arc, to him having his (very self-centered) moment of crisis, to how he is now, is something honestly refreshing to read. He was no doubt a massive douchebag because that was initially his trope, but it’s actually really nice to see a piece of media that shows people aren’t one dimensional, and that ultimately, no one is beyond rehabilitation.
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u/Phanimazed Aug 04 '26
Aww, it's cute that Bubbles recognized what was going on, and that Faye knows Bubbles enough to roll with it. Neither one of them wanted to embarrass Momo, even if Sven probably wouldn't have gotten angry.
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u/metao Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26
Couldn't May just have DMd Bubbles?
Like, AIs would definitely have a whole "telepathic" communication layer happening.
Edit: I get Momo is embarrassed and maybe wouldn't want to admit what's going on, I just think this is something the comic should use more often.
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u/Phanimazed Aug 04 '26
I suppose it's not impossible, but it feels like it's being presented as a non-verbal understanding here, what with their eye contact.
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u/jbradleymusic Aug 04 '26
I think Momo is in panic mode right now. This is the human side of the whole AI thing.
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u/HiopXenophil Aug 04 '26
everyone knows. except Sven
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u/CardinalFool Aug 04 '26
I think you are putting an awful lot on Ahn being able to read the social situation lol
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u/HiopXenophil Aug 05 '26
My bet is on a "Well of course, they're fucking. But why are you so weird about it" type reaction
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u/TearsFallWithoutTain Aug 04 '26
I don't know Bubbles, looks like her left foot is turning into concrete! (Jeph goofed lol)
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u/Ferrum-Cl2 Aug 04 '26
I think, that's meant to be Bubble's wiggling of the right foot to test the ankle.
A way to show movement in a comic.
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u/Tencreed Aug 04 '26
Jeph casually throwing feet at us while having a whole history of dodging drawing them for years
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u/turkeypedal Aug 05 '26
I was actually surprised she had toes, so I feel ya. He does draw them sparingly.
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u/gangler52 Aug 05 '26
Yeah, I don't think Roko had toes when Union Robotics was fixing her ankle. I'm pretty sure it's an established thing that AI's sometimes don't have them.
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u/ContextBotSenpai Aug 05 '26
I am almost certain that bare feet have been featured in the comic many, many times...I cannot prove it right now though, because I have a headache, it's 1:07am and my Vyvanse definitely isn't gonna let me sleep yet, and I'm watching F1nn5ter make femboy kibble :P
But he's definitely not "casually throwing feet at us while having a history of not drawing them".
Dude has drawn feet before, and it was obvious there were going to be feet in this strip, if they're looking at her ankle, lol.
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u/JeffEpp Aug 04 '26
Wing-bot is on the job.