page 1431 – Soup Solves Things
I’m writing this at around 4:30 Sunday morning. Hopefully, by the time this page goes live on Tuesday morning, I’ll already have page 1432 ready to go up on FRIDAY morning. So if you wonder why there’s specifically no backgrounds in this page, there ya go. I’m in a bit of a scramble. Also, apologies in advance if Friday’s page turns out to also be a bit simplistic (and potentially lacking a new TWC Voting Incentive). This year’s Animazement REALLY snuck up on me. I only just barely got the last of the Conventional Wisdom comics from my LAST convention trip finished before prep work for THIS one started in earnest. So, yeah, I’m really firing on all cylinders right now.
I think that Layla’s opinion of Marshall just went from “Cute, obedient subordinate” to “Actually a good partner”.
Layla LIKES people who’ll do whatever she tells them to do, but what she really WANTS is people she can trust, even when that means correcting her (provided they’re actually RIGHT, of course)
Ichabod is totally trustworthy, and will definitely correct her when she’s wrong!
😉
Ahh, but literally their first interaction resulted in him not just screwing things up but (dun dun duuuuun) being wrong about something in the process! That is most definitely the kind of thing she never forgets!
I’ve always disagreed about him being wrong or having screwed up, but as long as Layla considers him to have been wrong I suppose that’s the important part.
On another note, they claim that people tend to seek out relationships that are like their parents’ relationship, and Marshall fills the Eric role here of being good at his job but excessively nice, and as much as she would not want to admit it, Layla fits into the Patti role perfectly as well. Is it too early to start sending out wedding announcements?
If/When I finally go back and draw a revised version of the opening arc, that’s one of the points in need of some… finessing. At the very least, even if Layla’s downfall is ultimately not Ichabod’s problem, it’s supposed to come across as though he talked himself into a corner by overstating how well he understood the situation.
One of the key traits of both Ichabod and Nitpickers in general is supposed to be how it’s waaaay easier to correctly point out how OTHER people are wrong than it is to actually be right yourself.
Like how health-and-wellness influencers cry fowl about the harm of microplastics & insecticides while ignoring things like Fibre Intake all to sell supplements. When not outright contradicting themselves.
Oh, bugger. I think I just accidentally created an ancestor to the Nitpicker Organisation in the worst way possible.
Also, I disagree on the premise that Ichabod is trustworthy to Layla. Trustable, sure, but not trustworthy, and there is a notable difference in reliability. A trustable person will tell you the truth and will easily abandon you. A trustworthy person will tell you the truth, and won’t easily abandon you. Ichabod is currently showing he isn’t trustworthy by allowing two-to-three people he & his friend/colleague Mariska are empirically responsible for to run off on their own to fix the mistakes of Ichabod & Mariska.
Oh, and, Eric was the face-and-ideas-guy, while Patti was the reliable-stabilising-force. Layla has the confidence and independence of Eric, while also having the reliable competence of Patti. Marshall, meanwhile, has the enthusiasm & optimism of Eric, while lacking his naiveite and incredible obliviousness.