Tuesday, April 05, 2022

Episode # 589 - April 5th, 2022

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37 comments:

Anthony said...

Uh oh! Darren and Ed might not really be compatible. Although they are in the early stages of getting to know each other better, they may be better off as friends. Seems like the other guy (currently nameless) may just be a better match. Kinda felt intro awhile ago wasn't going to be the last time we saw him.

Anthony said...

His intro.

Unknown said...

I was rooting for Darren and Brad, but I like the look of this new guy.

RBS7079 said...

...OK, Greg wrote this with ME in in mind, 'cause ain't I the One, who called the hot redhead, "Bottle Booty"!?? ...AND, He & Darren are doing Greg's WELL-USED tactic of, "meet hate / cute", and ALREADY, there's sparks between them!

...GREG, if you're readin' this, Bottle Booty better have a PHAT ass, great hairy,red Tits, & be reeeeally good in the sack, 'cause, I'm fallin' in LOVE! ...ha-HAAA!!

...and, SPEAKING of Love, Ed & Darren are obviously NOT, because this Spartacus joint seems to be a boner killer for everyone! ...not crazy about Ed (still) in this 'Party Boy' phase; C-19 seems to have put a kibosh on this (90's) mindset of partying, and ALL the characters have evolved from that, by now...look at Darren's response to it....

...while, I check out the RUMP on "Bottle Booty", in panel 8! ....mmmmmm, looks juicy, AND he collect Daredevil comic Books, TOO!? ...wreck it, Darren, WRECK it......ha-HAAAA!!

..CHOW!!

Patrick in Dallas said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Patrick in Dallas said...

I was hoping for Darren and Ed to have a chance, but I am not sure I see it now. Going to a nightclub for a first date is not a good idea, especially for someone like Darren.

No offense RBS, but Bottle Booty just does not do it for me. There is something there that I am uneasy about.

I'd like to see Kristian come back and he and Richard get back together; also, maybe bring a Jamaican friend for Darren.

RBS7079 said...

@Patrick in Dallas:

...y'know, in hindsight(so to speak), reading it back, it DOES come off a mite lascivious...butt, I AM! ...haa-HAAA!! ...I'm VERY well known (in my circles) to tack on 'nicknames' others are indifferent to...but, Greg is being mysterious about this big-bottomed red-headed Hunk, so "BB" it IS, until we get his name....

...just think of it as, 'Big Booty'...and, Greg BETTER draw it that way! ...ha-HAAA!! ....ooooooh, is this Kid HOT....

- CHOW CHOW!

mwk said...

Personally, I never understood the point of having music so loud that you can't even speak to your date or friends. Although, most people seem to spend all their time on the phone now, ignoring their companions. So maybe it doesn't matter?

Patrick in Dallas said...

RBS ... wasn't complaining about the nickname, I meant his character :D :D

Jack said...

@mwk

I see your point. I can see going out periodically but on the 1st date? No. It's way too shallow and party boyish. There is nothing more rude than to go out with someone and see them looking on their phones, when that happens, I usually just leave them there without a goodbye.

Also, why would Ed take him there to begin with knowing that Darren's a more laid back kind of guy. I know that Darren told him to go back in there but when Ed saw that he was completely uncomfortable, he should've suggested that they just leave and go someplace quieter to get to know each other better. I would've thought that this twinkish go go boy phase was done with him by now. Disappointing but the "bottle guy" seems to have more in common with Darren than Ed (oh look another interracial couple between white and black....again....).

Jack

RBS7079 said...

@Patrick in Dallas:

"... wasn't complaining about the nickname, I meant his character...."

....OH, I see...butt, ya gotta remember, Greg always brings characters on with indifferent attitudes, until he 'warms' them up, and sheds the clothes...THEN, we see someone we wanna bang- I Mean- ...get to know...


....Darren took a long time to gel with this crowd, and I commend Sir Greg for imbuing character traits that define his personality, because, we're now invested; "BB" (for now), comes off as a wise-ass (Dar coulda dropped him in the pokey RIGHT THERE, for telling a Cop to 'lighten up')....

...but, he'll be invited to the B&B, he'll walk into the Kitchen his briefs, he'll say sumpthin' sweet, and we'll ga-ga over him, much like Sergei...who was introduced to us THE SAME WAY, at Spartacus!!

...maybe Spartacus HAS something to it, AFTER all! ...ha-HAAA!!

- CHOWx3!

Joule said...

Greg is the great at the art of mis-direct so I'm not reading too much into this. Not only does Eduardo deserve to be in a relationship with a nice guy Darren needs to be with someone who'll bring him out of his comfort zone. I can't see Greg going through all this to build up something between Darren & Eduardo just to throw a wrench in the mix besides they would be the first two characters of color in a relationship in the comics history. Eduardo & Darren deserve a chance at a relationship, the two of them could end up proving opposites do really attract.

Unknown said...

Huh -- it looks like it's not Brad or Eduardo after all. Nice twist, especially since I'd almost forgotten about this guy. I agree with RBS -- Bottle Booty gets my vote. ;)

-- Thom H.

jjt said...

"You're wearing a Legion flight ring." Someone is observant.

Frank said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed Spartacus is an unlucky spot for dear Eduardo - at least when he takes his dates from the BnB there. It seems Ed dates based upon physical attraction - Lance, Jake, Darren (am I missing anyone?). Even when opposites attract maybe a more neutral place at first. He doesn't seem to pick up that the guys he likes aren't thrilled with that place. Perhaps Eduardo should bring his dates to different places, say - a cafe in Northport, Fire Island, Jones Beach (maybe a concert), the Hamptons, or a crazy thought - how about NYC? Eduardo should leave the guys at the BnB alone - it'd be nice to see him dating a guest character visiting for a few panels or episodes. There are 27000 Stony Brook student he could search amongst (or that lucky sex forest nearby).
"Bottle Guy" could be interesting, an opportunity to bring in new person and touch upon a relevant topic in our communities. With the new BnB Barn wing, there's room and extra work available. I'd like to see that barn wing become student housing and see occasional guys pop up, or have Delia move into a room where she can be the Queen Mother. More Delia please. P.S. to develop her story (and have opportunity for a non-white couple some hope to see), does Delia have a gay brother or cousin who could visit? Just some thoughts. Nice strip Greg, thank you!

Jack said...

@Joule

Dammit, I hate being wrong. LOL. UGH. That being said: you make some interesting points that center around opposites attract kind of thing. It's just that on a 1st date, I think that a bar setting is the least comfortable. That being said. This would be the 1st interracial couple between 2 POC (something that the gay community at large seems allergic to)

Jack

Patrick in Dallas said...

Agree with you on both points Jack. A bar is a bad place for a first date, and I would see Eduardo and Darren get together. At least in Dallas, I do see a lot of interracial couples with both being POCs, so maybe we aren't as allergic :D

Ivan said...

The key to a successful relationship is not that you have to love the same things. It's that you have to hate the same things.

That's why this date will never lead to anything more.

PS: and we all know the bottle guy likely owns a successful recycling company.

RBS7079 said...

@ Ivan:

...THANK YOU, Sir Ivan, for not assuming "BB" is homeless! ....I even stated that right off the bat (in the first meeting of him), BUTT, his juicy ASS I fixated on, IMMEDIATELY! ...I saw several folks say it, on the KB&B Facebook page....

@Frank:

...I'm so LOVING the Barn becoming an opportunity for opportunity, but as I stated, "Bottle Booty" may not even NEED a Job...but, if he DOES need employment, the Barn can bring MORE story-line 'opportunity', for him, and others, if Sir Greg wants to branch out...

...That way, poor Ed won't have to keep pissin' off his Dates at Spartacus! ...ha-HAAA!!

...TOODLES!!

Jack said...

@Patrick in Dallas

The rationale behind what I'm saying is that in gay mainstream, we usually only see the incarnation of (1) white and Asian, (2) white and black. All other spectrums of the rainbow are usually not represented. Maybe I should move or visit Dallas because in California, Asians chase white men like their lives depend on it and then they want to cry racism when those same white men either use them or are not interested. If we saw more POC gay people in relationships then maybe a lot of schism could be avoided.

Jack

Patrick in Dallas said...

Jack, we see eye to eye. The gay community is very fractured, and how can ask for everyone to accept us if we can't even be accepting of one another.

Just my two cents.

Joule said...

@Jack

I don't think it's an issue of you being wrong, I said it before that Greg is the KING of misdirect, he'll present a scenario making the read think he may be going in that direction but several episodes later he goes in an unexpected direction with a character or situation. I would like to think with him having Eduardo & Darren going to the club on their first date as a way of exaggerating their differences with Bottle Guy thrown in as a diversion to what is really coming in future episodes. For me it's episode 529 panels 3&4 where Eduardo & Darren's chemistry 1st sparked, from there each interaction between the two of them build & build, it's not going to be an smooth road but they'll get there. As for being the 1st POC couple in the comic I would love to see that happen.

@Ivan

I have to disagree with you that to people have to hate the same things for a relationship to work, I hate spinach and just because my man hates it too doesn't mean our relationship will work.

@Jack
@Patrick in Dallas

I've lived in Jersey(NYC adjacent), Baltimore/DC, Atlanta, Charlotte all cities with significant minority populations and as a man of color I can say when it comes to POC interracial relationships I've seen mostly Black & Latino (Dominican/Puerto Rican/Cuban) couples and that's because in most major cities with those ethnic communities they tend to congregate together. Central/South American(Columbia/Venezuela/Peru/Argentina(Spaniard/Portuguese colonized countries)) & Mexican gay men tend to congregate with white men as do Eastern/Western Asian & Middle Eastern gay men. Just like with heterosexuals you have a vast number of homosexual POC who perceive white as right and have taken on that ideology, what's even sadder is that you have POC who wont date be in relationships or have friendships with other POC for that same reason.

WCDesign said...

Bottle guy is very cute

Jack said...

@Patrick

The messed up part is that a lot of gay people do not see that. I mean why should I vote yes for Gay Rights and such if I am constantly excluded in the gay community...? It makes no sense

Jack

Jack said...

@Joule

I though about it and I think that Darren is a nerd (like me) and when we get into unfamiliar surroundings that we don't immediately jive with, it makes us uncomfortable. Maybe Ed can help him with that but I don't think that Ed should've just left him outside when he knows that Darren was overwhelmed (despite Darren saying for Ed to go).

I agree with what you told Ivan. Spot on...

I THink that I you are right. It seems that back east (NY, etc.) it doesn't have that same color scheme as it does in California. To be honest with you, I've never been in a POC gay community and I think that I missed out on some really great guys as a result. Your logic makes perfect sense regarding surroundings and who will congregate with who. I still can't understand why POC gay people have to hate on each other just to be seen in a positive light in white gays' eyes. I have seen MANY jet black gay men who will not date other men of color but will settle for some formaldehyde smelling white guy and this is ESPECIALLY that case with Asian gay men in West Hollywood. In California, I've never seen an all Asian couple and the ONLY times that Asian men go for black is (1) the black has a serious amount of money and clout and (2) they want to get their families involved from overseas. However, the crazy part is that white Mexicans go for white men but they want black dick like crackheads. That being said: anyone who thinks that white is right is in for a rude awakening.

Jack

Ivan said...

@Joule. Can't believe I have to spell this out - Of course, I meant important issues. Not something as ridiculous as spinach.

Frank said...

@Jack, the comment you've made that is most puzzling is:

"I mean why should I vote yes for Gay Rights and such if I am constantly excluded in the gay community...? It makes no sense".

When you support issues / candidates relating to LGBT rights, these rights jbenefit people who would like you and dislike you. If I were in a place where I wasn't so welcomed by the extent gay community, I wouldn't support an anti-gay candidate or platform as revenge.

The comment of being constantly excluded in the gay community - are you saying everyone of every race does this? It may be a regional thing. I (am black) and years ago, a black friend from Chicago visited me in NY and expressed shock at seeing so many interracial couples; he stated in Chicago people (at that time) mostly date their same race. Here in NY / NJ I see and know plenty of gay people who date others of their race and different races. That's not to say racism in the LGBT community doesn't happen, as we all may have experienced it, or seen it on apps and sites where someone says no (followed by whatever group they find unappealing).

Sure, Greg could match up POC with attraction and chemistry more often, though pairing people based on shared race would be contrived (Lance and Kristian likely wouldn't get along, nor would he bond with Matt, mainly since Matt's not been around in years). On the other hand, in a world where white men often reject black men out of hand, or are attracted based upon fetish, we see long term interracial pairings. We also see Lance sleeping with several BnB residents, with some eager for a chance (like Price). Incidentally, Lance and Price are very similar and maybe that's part of their tension which could easily escalate. That's not to say pairings amongst POC shouldn't be developed in this strip and more often irl, rather interracial pairings aren't always without substance. I've dated amongst every race, though I'll admit sometimes liking superficial attributes (hairy men, "intact men", liking non-American accents, dislike of NJ/Long Island/Southern accents which may point me in certain directions. Jack if you'll be in the NYC area, send me a note, we'll have drinks some places where an intelligent strong black man like yourself will find similar black men, or men of different races who would like to know you.

Jack said...

@Frank

Can you please explain to me how supporting issues/candidates benefit me if they would like or dislike me? The thing about anti-gay candidates is that you know who they are from the beginning as opposed to the pro-gay ones that smile in your face but won't (1) feature people that look like you and worse, (2) won't even employ you. Which one sounds or is worse...?

I am saying that majority of white gay people either (1) fetishize other minorities and (2) flash their whiteness on a regular basis. Are all white gay people bias/prejudice? That remains to be seen but MY experiences with white gay men have been EXTREMELY EXTREMELY negative! It's to the point to where I am EXTREMELY suspicious when I interact with white gay men because it's been very negative and racially inclined from their side. It's like they totally negate gay POC contributions to gay and trans culture. In California, blacks won't date black people but they like Asians go for these crinkly looking crypt keeper white men regardless of financial status or physicality. In New York, it may be different but here in California, it's the same scheme of things over and over again. A lot of white men KNOW their "superiority" and they FLAUNT it around judiciously.

Now, Greg could match up POC with attraction and chemistry more often and FINALLY give up a break from the whole Jeremy/Mannis pairing and the Brad/Price storyline that's not only boring but misplaced. I say that Lance and Matt would get along because they are opposite but Kristian? No. However, I can GARUANTEE you that we see more white men attracted to fetish (dominant behavior, dick size, etc.) than the actual person than we see long-term interracial relationships that are equally based.

Look, we all have who we are attracted to but I have a deep problem when we fall out of that spectrum and it affects the economic standing of the people not "popular" and in the gay community, this is the norm. Now, when those same people need or request help, I'm MUCH MUCH more likely to decline. I've dated pretty much every race too but I can honestly say that the fetish thing goes deep. To be honest with you, LONG have I had people on this board label me when I tell them my experiences, hell we even have a guy who is black and posts here regularly and he'll interact with everyone else but me (another issue) and I think that you know of whom I speak. I have never been in a gay setting to where similar black men or different races of men wanted to even sit down and have a basic conversation like this. I would love to visit NYC (I've never been and am in desperate need of a vacation) and see if what you say is true because drinks sound great.

Jack

Patrick in Dallas said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Including interracial couples, with one of them being white, in fiction used to be considered seriously progressive. (See the Uhura/Kirk kiss on Star Trek, for example.) And I suppose it still is depending on where you are in the world.

It never occurred to me (a white man) that that arrangement was still privileging white experience. More than one person of color has expressed the viewpoint that seeing two POC in a relationship can be seriously progressive, especially if those two people are queer. (See John Cho's comments about Sulu and his husband in the new Star Trek movies, for example.)

Anyway, I just wanted to say that the discussion here has opened my eyes a bit. Thanks!

-- Thom H.

Joule said...

@Ivan

You don't have to spell it out for me I was making a point using spinach as a metaphor or do I need to spell that out for you :-).

@Jack

I agree with a lot of you said in the feed, just remember no one race or ethnicity is a monolith. Finding those individuals is tasking to find however there are individuals within every community race and ethnicity that can legitimately see beyond a persons esthetics and be attracted to a person of another race/ethnicity without it being a fetish.

@Frank

I'm central Jersey born and raised, have lived up & down the East Coast and after years of living away from Jersey was brought back to Jersey in 2008 due to my job at the time. After having hung out in the City before I moved away and being back in the area I have to disagree with on being a gay POC and dating in New York City. In my experience the dating scene here is as racist now as it was in the late 80's & 90's. When it comes to Black gay men (and this applies in all major cities) Black men are still at the bottom of the totem pole in the gay community except when we're being fetishized. When it comes to men of color that maintain a presence within the larger alphabet community those same men tend to not interact with men of their same identity, they tend to be the ONE POC in the group and should another POC of their same race/ethnicity enter the scene they have an immediate disdain for that person, this is the case not matter what race/ethnicity you are, like in the Highlander movies "THERE CAN BE ONLY 1". I'm a member of ONYX, ONYX New York Northeast Chapter, the largest organized Leather organization/club in the nation, we are a leather organization for ALL men of color with men of all ethnicities and white men included. With Leathermen being a sub-culture with the the alphabet community we are already stigmatized but to be discriminated against within your own sub-culture goes to show the larger alphabet community is not different than the larger society. This is not to say every white man is racist because they're not, its to counter the ideology that dating here is all rainbows & butterflies.

@Thom H.

Thank you for recognizing and understanding the privilege that exist in interracial relationship, keep up the good work and do know your participation in the discussion is appreciated.

Jack said...

@Thom

If this has opened your eyes a little more then that's half the battle. Every show we see 2 white men or a white guy in an interracial relationship, we never see POC gay people in relationships, to me, it's done systematically and on purpose. I mean look at the previous Queer As Folk on Netflix: They didn't have a single POC in anything. No surroundings, nothing. That's not gay reality.

Jack

Jack said...

@Joule

You read my mind and made some very good points. I was seriously thinking about leaving California (I still will for Oregon) someday but it's nice to know that even back east, levels of reality set in.

You say that you're a part of the leather scene called ONYX and it's interesting because the leather gay scene is NOTORIOUSLY racist. I'd be interested to see how that would work. I'm going to check it out, is there someplace online to look at it...?

Jack

Ivan said...

@Joule - Yet, you still miss the point. Sorry, I can't dumb it down any further so that you might comprehend.

Joule said...

@Ivan

If by dumbing it down means taking down to your level there's no need I passed that level in 1st grade....but if you need me to define metaphor I'll be glad to do so.

Joule said...

@Ivan

I will dumb it down for you, I got your point but it's clear mine went way over your head.

met·a·phor
/ˈmedəˌfôr,ˈmedəˌfər/
noun
a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

And so that's it clear, yes helps that people in a relationship have some commonality, they don't have to agree on everything or have the exact same beliefs.

Jack said...

Ouch..

Jack