As a bisexual, I have to take offense to what Guesticus said. He’s so ill-informed about what Bisexuality really is, only going off popular media depictions of it. Never mind that popular Media isn’t always accurate about those things… even going outright as to be prejudiced against those who are Gay or Bisexual!!
Sorry, but It really grinds my gears when people assume that: 1)I’m just looking for attention 2)It’s just a phrase I’m going though until I find “the one”, 3)That all bisexual people are highly promiscuous and will hump anything that moves.
It’s like you only see us as some sort of caricature and not as actual beings who actually have preferences in what they would look for in a partner. Just because we swing both ways in terms of gender doesn’t mean that we aren’t picky about everything else. Like wanting the people we date to have some common interest, compatible personalities, etc. I’ve always been a highly monogamous bisexual, and I have never cheated on anybody who I had been seriously dating. I’m actually kind of prudish when it comes to sex, and I will only have sex with people who I’ve invested an considerable amount of time and my emotions into… so I don’t sleep with a woman or a man until We’ve been together for at least 5 months.
and I know plenty of bisexuals like myself out there, so I know I’m not that one unique bisexual who are monogamists.
So you can go suck on your sterotypes and suffer greatly. :P
I think what was meant by “stop being bi” was “only have a spouse of one gender.” I know some bisexuals who have one–but only one–partner of each gender.
Not that your wrong to be offended, but what I think they were trying to say is “become monogamous”, which is definitely not what it came across as. People who find both genders attractive are Bisexual, even in monogamy I can find a model to be beautiful, and my partner can do the same.
I completely agree with you, I just don’t think being offensive was their intent.
<3 the Guildies! One… let's say unfortunate comment and nine persons distancing themselves. That's a better ratio than in some sociology seminars I've been to.
Also speaking as a bi-ish queer-like person, it is a fairly common (and completely asinine) belief that bisexual = bigamist, or bisexual = promiscuous. Bisexuality merely means that you are open to relationships with either gender, not that you have and maintain relationships with both genders.
And I don’t know which universe you come from where a person gets into a monogamous relationship and suddenly never finds any other person attractive ever again. If you’re monogamously in a heterosexual arrangement, that doesn’t stop you from being attracted from both genders, just as having a boyfriend wouldn’t stop a woman from being drawn to, oh I don’t know, Jeremy Renner or Idris Elba.
So I hope you learn and change from our perspectives, and take advantage of our collective offer in a “Get Out Of Ignorance Free” card.
Thank you. When I came to read the comment at 4:30 AM after a really weird day and I saw that comment, it completely ruined my night. Perhaps I was being to sensitive, but I spent the next hour or so crying to my girlfriend before finally falling asleep. As a bisexual trans woman who has been in a very loving relationship for a very long time and is most certainly still attracted to people of both genders, it meant a lot to see one of the creators of the comic calling out ignorance. Thank you.
Heh… that comment cracked me up.
Someone reduced to tears by some off-handed remark on a webcomic. Classic!
At least assuming you’re being honest and literal, which I guess aren’t guarantees.
Really though… people are way too sensitive these days. Cripplingly sensitive. Ruining their own lives and the lives of those around them.
Need to learn that random strangers not getting how things work is not some capital-grade crime. There ain’t ever gonna be enough free respect in the world for seven billion people, so you gotta stop taking it for granted or you’ll just be disappointed.
I hate to be that guy, but the feeling of having your identity invalidated by a stranger is one of those things that is weirdly impossible to really understand except by personal experience. As someone who didn’t figure out his identity to invalidate for two decades, I know how inexplicable it is the first time it hits you.
I think it’s one of those ape-brain things. Personally, I pride myself on being above all those obsolete instincts, but somehow that’s the one that can sometimes slip past my defenses.
Oh come on. Nobody</I. is attracted to Jeremy Renner. :D
I've never known any Bi or Homosexual people who were significantly any more or less promiscuous than some random from the Hetero population. One of my coworkers excepted; he'll try to hit anything with a vagina.
I never thought that Rachel had any sexual feelings Frigg; her actions seem to be out of fangirl-ism and adoration. Rachel idolizes Frigg as a paladin above all paladins, and is more than willing to help her become that all the while waving a “Go Frigg!” flag as she fights alongside her.
Also, I’m pretty sure Frigg is thirsty for the D. So. Yeah.
Feels kind of weird watching a nun do the tongue tango, but then I figure she’s a Paladin of Frigg, which means that chastity is probably not high on her list of vows.
Oh there’s a list. Notches on the mace-handle.
Some say there’s a scroll of “canon boot-knocking places”, too.
So far, “in a cave” might be interruptus for Frigg, but let’s see how it goes.
There is definitely a list – Smiting every-lovin-thing is in there. Fairly often. Like “When thy home is imperiled, smite the danger,” and “when thy home is a-rocking, if they come a-knocking, smite them. With extreme prejudice. Preferably, without stopping said rocking.”
Most famously, there is “If thou art not sure, smite it.”
Love these underground scenes, they gave a new dimension to the characters with their focus on facial expressions. Rachel and Merl seem especially transformed by their circumstance. Merl appears more mature and Rachel feels less like an obnoxious twat. The power of love is great indeed.
As potential last words go, ‘I love you’ and a kiss?
There are far, far worse ones to have.
‘Oh god! Not the kobolds!’
or
‘Who keeps giant spiders in their toilet!?’
or
‘Please just shoot me! Dont cut off my balls with a hedge clipper!’
or (if coming from an enemy of yours)
‘Hastur! Hastur! Hastur!’ (Unless your Old Man Henderson, in which case you just smile)
The art the last 3 days – SOOOOO GOOD! So many new facial expressions, like Rachel in panel 2! And I must say I’m a sucker for life-or-death desperate situations. SUPER KUDOS TO THE TEAM!
Remember kids, always hide your feelings until you’re about to die.
More dramatic that way.
Also, feel free to drop emotional bombshells on anyone you might be dying with, not just people who you would actually sleep with. Men, women, police officers, complete strangers. You’re dying. Have one last laugh.
They still have chastity armor. If they do it now, they’re dead. If not, Rachel’s “I’m not dying till I get laid!” survival instinct / trope will save them.
I really like how this comic doesn’t shy away from emotion in characters like this. The writing is strong enough that the love stories actually feel natural. its pretty strange to think about when you consider e-merl and rachel are players at computer screens though, not for writing, just for the implications at these peoples social lives.
Strange indeed. And not only that:
For some days Guilded Age has it’s own Subreddit – and now they’re underground? Isn’t it the other way round, normally?
Nah, nah, remember – Fr’Nj was with the party performing healer duties just a few pages back. Gravy didn’t come because, you know, these are his people they’re fighting (and Syr’Nj specifically mentioned they didn’t need him as a fighter for this mission).
Byron and Fr’ are the remaining pair. And since romance is highly unlikely but Fr’ is rather… talkative, let’s say…. cue awkward questions about the love life of Byron and her sister.
Anybody else find it a little strange that these two buried pairs we’ve seen so far have so much sexual tension and also look sort of similar? Emerl and Rachel have the largest noses in the party and both this sort of Eastern aesthetic (though Emerl is more Eastern European and Rachel Middle Eastern). At the same time, Frigg and Scipio are both redheads, have dense eyebrows, and strong chins. Not sure what my argument is, here, just something I noticed. Thoughts?
Interesting. I think the similiar-looks thing mostly coincidence (we have only two samples here). But perhaps Scip and Frigg are of the same human subrace; one that commonly produces high-STR, low-BULL, red-haired individuals.
That is, a subrace within the Arkerra game. You know? The whole RPG character creation thing where you get to choose from a race and then possibly a subgroup within that race, and typically there are distinct visible genetic traits to each subgroup, etc. Likely this is similiar for Rach and E-merl; Merl is human-elf and maybe his human-part (was that his father or his mother now?) has an eastern vibe, something like Iwatani’s race. Or something.
Yeah, Frigg’s and Scipio’s players went with the default Human Warrior bodies, in separate genders. Frigg, because she was too anxious to start fighting to care about eye color and all that crap. Scipio, because he’s too laid back (lazy?) to bother changing any attributes.
YES.
I hope this doesn’t lead to a pulling-away and a “WTF was that?” And assuming it doesn’t, I hope they both get out of there alive.
Pulling away won’t happen. She initiated the kiss, as you can see from her hand on his face. Which means this is pretty mutual.
Ah, yeah, you’re right.
So many “sudden first kiss” scenes do involve pull-aways that I do get antsy and tempted to second-guess, sometimes.
Shhhh! Don’t Jinx it!
Actually, from the position of the speech bubbles, it looks like Rachel was the one who said “I love you.”
She did. Now, how much of this turns out to be stress and soul baring…
And now I’m the god wolf. Finally something cool…
The wheel keeps on turning, badger.
Who says he can’t be the one to pull away?
No pulling away though what happens in the hole may stay in the hole.
These are the voyages of the relationship Secondprize!
Bloody shippers.
People do funny things under the influence of adrenaline, y’know.
FINALLY!
EXACTLY WHAT RALANR SAID!
ZERO APPROVES
AS DOES TIM!
BRAINS!
Uh … GARLIC SAUSAGE !
LIGHT DISGESTIF.
SERVED WITH A SIDE OF CANAPES AND A SPARKLING WINE.
*Pulls away*
“But I love Frigg more”
YES! Make it so!
your icon is perfect for your statement.
Picard’s avatar is perfect for that statement
No ! Don’t make it so ! Please … that “twist” would be sooo cliché … :-P Bleagh ! Bah humbug !
“So what you’re saying is that if we have sex, you’ll be thinking about another woman?”
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! *Rachel/Frigg all the way*
Don’t lose heart, Adell. Maybe Rachel’s bi?
No, people who are ‘bi’ are simply not picky who they sleep with until they the ‘one’, then they stop being ‘bi’
I can’t tell if you’re joking but…No.
Just
Just no.
That better be a joke.
Even if it was, it wasn’t a very funny one…
Appropriate avatar is appropriate
They don’t stop being bi, they just probably start being monogamous. Like any other relationship.
Or maybe they don’t. Like any other relationship. ;)
As a bisexual, I have to take offense to what Guesticus said. He’s so ill-informed about what Bisexuality really is, only going off popular media depictions of it. Never mind that popular Media isn’t always accurate about those things… even going outright as to be prejudiced against those who are Gay or Bisexual!!
Sorry, but It really grinds my gears when people assume that: 1)I’m just looking for attention 2)It’s just a phrase I’m going though until I find “the one”, 3)That all bisexual people are highly promiscuous and will hump anything that moves.
It’s like you only see us as some sort of caricature and not as actual beings who actually have preferences in what they would look for in a partner. Just because we swing both ways in terms of gender doesn’t mean that we aren’t picky about everything else. Like wanting the people we date to have some common interest, compatible personalities, etc. I’ve always been a highly monogamous bisexual, and I have never cheated on anybody who I had been seriously dating. I’m actually kind of prudish when it comes to sex, and I will only have sex with people who I’ve invested an considerable amount of time and my emotions into… so I don’t sleep with a woman or a man until We’ve been together for at least 5 months.
and I know plenty of bisexuals like myself out there, so I know I’m not that one unique bisexual who are monogamists.
So you can go suck on your sterotypes and suffer greatly. :P
I think what was meant by “stop being bi” was “only have a spouse of one gender.” I know some bisexuals who have one–but only one–partner of each gender.
Not that your wrong to be offended, but what I think they were trying to say is “become monogamous”, which is definitely not what it came across as. People who find both genders attractive are Bisexual, even in monogamy I can find a model to be beautiful, and my partner can do the same.
I completely agree with you, I just don’t think being offensive was their intent.
Monogamy doesn’t change your sexuality though. Just because your attached to one peraon doesn’t at all mean you atop being attracted to other genders.
<3 the Guildies! One… let's say unfortunate comment and nine persons distancing themselves. That's a better ratio than in some sociology seminars I've been to.
I agree Benedikt. This is much better than Maury Povich. Very entertaining.
Meh… It’d be better if someone started tossing some chairs around… (Although yay for folks calling on prejudice in a polite, non=Povich manner!)
Also speaking as a bi-ish queer-like person, it is a fairly common (and completely asinine) belief that bisexual = bigamist, or bisexual = promiscuous. Bisexuality merely means that you are open to relationships with either gender, not that you have and maintain relationships with both genders.
And I don’t know which universe you come from where a person gets into a monogamous relationship and suddenly never finds any other person attractive ever again. If you’re monogamously in a heterosexual arrangement, that doesn’t stop you from being attracted from both genders, just as having a boyfriend wouldn’t stop a woman from being drawn to, oh I don’t know, Jeremy Renner or Idris Elba.
So I hope you learn and change from our perspectives, and take advantage of our collective offer in a “Get Out Of Ignorance Free” card.
Thank you. When I came to read the comment at 4:30 AM after a really weird day and I saw that comment, it completely ruined my night. Perhaps I was being to sensitive, but I spent the next hour or so crying to my girlfriend before finally falling asleep. As a bisexual trans woman who has been in a very loving relationship for a very long time and is most certainly still attracted to people of both genders, it meant a lot to see one of the creators of the comic calling out ignorance. Thank you.
came to read the comic* Blah.
It’s no trouble, friend.
You’re the friendliest!
Heh… that comment cracked me up.
Someone reduced to tears by some off-handed remark on a webcomic. Classic!
At least assuming you’re being honest and literal, which I guess aren’t guarantees.
Really though… people are way too sensitive these days. Cripplingly sensitive. Ruining their own lives and the lives of those around them.
Need to learn that random strangers not getting how things work is not some capital-grade crime. There ain’t ever gonna be enough free respect in the world for seven billion people, so you gotta stop taking it for granted or you’ll just be disappointed.
I hate to be that guy, but the feeling of having your identity invalidated by a stranger is one of those things that is weirdly impossible to really understand except by personal experience. As someone who didn’t figure out his identity to invalidate for two decades, I know how inexplicable it is the first time it hits you.
I think it’s one of those ape-brain things. Personally, I pride myself on being above all those obsolete instincts, but somehow that’s the one that can sometimes slip past my defenses.
Oh come on. Nobody</I. is attracted to Jeremy Renner. :D
I've never known any Bi or Homosexual people who were significantly any more or less promiscuous than some random from the Hetero population. One of my coworkers excepted; he'll try to hit anything with a vagina.
Curse that trailing markup.
I suppose that this gives a new notion to “rolling in the deep”.
What do you mean, “noooooooooo …” ? Why the hay not, after all ?
Gay is ok, but straight is not bad. So ?
It’s not a matter of one orientation being preferable over another, it’s just a matter of the Rachel/Frigg ship sinking.
Oh ? True, true.
Like your avatar, by the way. :-)
*I like your avatar
I never thought that Rachel had any sexual feelings Frigg; her actions seem to be out of fangirl-ism and adoration. Rachel idolizes Frigg as a paladin above all paladins, and is more than willing to help her become that all the while waving a “Go Frigg!” flag as she fights alongside her.
Also, I’m pretty sure Frigg is thirsty for the D. So. Yeah.
Also, if she were, I doubt she’d be shy about letting Frigg know. Doesn’t really mesh with that whole Open Heart thing she has going.
Still, for all those shippers out there, there’s a magic acronym to keep the faith strong: OT3.
Feels kind of weird watching a nun do the tongue tango, but then I figure she’s a Paladin of Frigg, which means that chastity is probably not high on her list of vows.
I doubt it’s on the list at all.
I doubt there is a list at all.
Touche.
Oh there’s a list. Notches on the mace-handle.
Some say there’s a scroll of “canon boot-knocking places”, too.
So far, “in a cave” might be interruptus for Frigg, but let’s see how it goes.
There is definitely a list – Smiting every-lovin-thing is in there. Fairly often. Like “When thy home is imperiled, smite the danger,” and “when thy home is a-rocking, if they come a-knocking, smite them. With extreme prejudice. Preferably, without stopping said rocking.”
Most famously, there is “If thou art not sure, smite it.”
im just happy to see that rachel and e-merl are mutually smitten.
Awww, YEAH! Boo-yaa!
About damn time. And those last two panels are just awesome.
Love these underground scenes, they gave a new dimension to the characters with their focus on facial expressions. Rachel and Merl seem especially transformed by their circumstance. Merl appears more mature and Rachel feels less like an obnoxious twat. The power of love is great indeed.
I’d say the power of impending death has had as much influence as love in this situaion! ;)
As potential last words go, ‘I love you’ and a kiss?
There are far, far worse ones to have.
‘Oh god! Not the kobolds!’
or
‘Who keeps giant spiders in their toilet!?’
or
‘Please just shoot me! Dont cut off my balls with a hedge clipper!’
or (if coming from an enemy of yours)
‘Hastur! Hastur! Hastur!’ (Unless your Old Man Henderson, in which case you just smile)
I like “wanna see something cool?”
“What does this button do?”
“NO! don’t touch tha-“
Of course theres always “Hold my beer, and watch this!”
“Check it out! I’m going to slam this entire sandwich in ONE BITE!”
or “What’s the worst that could happen?”
“Trust me.”
“Wizards are wimps!”
Whoo-hoo! \o/
The art the last 3 days – SOOOOO GOOD! So many new facial expressions, like Rachel in panel 2! And I must say I’m a sucker for life-or-death desperate situations. SUPER KUDOS TO THE TEAM!
Remember kids, always hide your feelings until you’re about to die.
More dramatic that way.
Also, feel free to drop emotional bombshells on anyone you might be dying with, not just people who you would actually sleep with. Men, women, police officers, complete strangers. You’re dying. Have one last laugh.
Until you don’t die, then you’ve just professed your undying love for a complete stranger.
Or remarks that they have a nice ass.
Or that their deodorant does nothing for their BO, but, last moments alive, you’d sleep with them anyways.
Go me!
Good, the “finally get together while their lives are in danger” trope. Now kill them off. :-)
They still have chastity armor. If they do it now, they’re dead. If not, Rachel’s “I’m not dying till I get laid!” survival instinct / trope will save them.
I really like how this comic doesn’t shy away from emotion in characters like this. The writing is strong enough that the love stories actually feel natural. its pretty strange to think about when you consider e-merl and rachel are players at computer screens though, not for writing, just for the implications at these peoples social lives.
Wait, aren’t they NPCs?
Huh? o.O
We don’t know. I’d lean towards that they are sourced in Arkerra itself, but it’s all too possible that either or both are sepia-world players.
ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DRYHUMPS.
Wait. I was already touching your ball, and now we’re kissing. Did we backtrack a base?
Strange indeed. And not only that:
For some days Guilded Age has it’s own Subreddit – and now they’re underground? Isn’t it the other way round, normally?
Who’s left? Byron and Gravedust, right?
Neither Fr’Nj nor Syr’Nj came on the mission, right?
No, Scipio wants to safe Fr’Nj, if you read the last page again.
Nah, nah, remember – Fr’Nj was with the party performing healer duties just a few pages back. Gravy didn’t come because, you know, these are his people they’re fighting (and Syr’Nj specifically mentioned they didn’t need him as a fighter for this mission).
Byron and Fr’ are the remaining pair. And since romance is highly unlikely but Fr’ is rather… talkative, let’s say…. cue awkward questions about the love life of Byron and her sister.
Well done. That is all.
Well at least Emerl won’t die a complete virgin. :P
Who said he is virgin ? Who knows where he has been before knowing Rachel ? ^^
E-merl just seems to give off the “never been with a girl that wasn’t an illusion” vibe.
Worst timing ever.
Hmm? Frigg hasn’t burst through the ceiling just yet. THEN the timing lamented much more.
*will be lamented much more. -_-
Where did my “will be” go? I swear I typed it. Must have gotten sucked into that kiss vortex.
Please tell me this ends with E-merl and Rachel bouncing down the mountain naked in the Zorb Ball!
Good thing romantic sudden emotional actions can’t distract our mystical hero from holding back several tons of crushing stone!
Why should they, Merl’s becoming rock hard himself.
Oh la laaa … please, capitaine. You’re ruining the romantic moment, vous savez ? ;-)
Or did it distract him? They just kissed in the last frame.
Anybody else find it a little strange that these two buried pairs we’ve seen so far have so much sexual tension and also look sort of similar? Emerl and Rachel have the largest noses in the party and both this sort of Eastern aesthetic (though Emerl is more Eastern European and Rachel Middle Eastern). At the same time, Frigg and Scipio are both redheads, have dense eyebrows, and strong chins. Not sure what my argument is, here, just something I noticed. Thoughts?
Interesting. I think the similiar-looks thing mostly coincidence (we have only two samples here). But perhaps Scip and Frigg are of the same human subrace; one that commonly produces high-STR, low-BULL, red-haired individuals.
That is, a subrace within the Arkerra game. You know? The whole RPG character creation thing where you get to choose from a race and then possibly a subgroup within that race, and typically there are distinct visible genetic traits to each subgroup, etc. Likely this is similiar for Rach and E-merl; Merl is human-elf and maybe his human-part (was that his father or his mother now?) has an eastern vibe, something like Iwatani’s race. Or something.
I see what you’re getting at, Plaintextman, and given the MMO nature of the setting, I think you are probably on to something.
Yeah, Frigg’s and Scipio’s players went with the default Human Warrior bodies, in separate genders. Frigg, because she was too anxious to start fighting to care about eye color and all that crap. Scipio, because he’s too laid back (lazy?) to bother changing any attributes.
I’m so sorry. When unrequited love becomes a love fulfilled, only tragedy can follow. One or both of them are so dead.
HOW IS THIS THE ONE PAGE IN THE ARC I MISSED WHEN I READ IT?