Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Episode # 586 - February 22nd, 2022

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42 comments:

Markeece said...

is it bad that I kinda want them to get together.

Shaun said...

Eduardo and Price are not going to be happy.

Frank said...

Well, we've confirmation Darren is gay (or at least attracted to men). Not sure what the conflict is - Eduardo likes Darren enough to be jealous, and Darren likes Eduardo enough to refrain from further intimacy with Brad - seems like the issue is settled. We know Brad doesn't want Price but despite his looks (or maybe because he doesn't sound so bright) has trouble finding dates. He might want to look outside the B&B - Long Island and nearby NYC combined have 15 million people.

These two make an attractive couple though and it's nice to see Darren developing as a character. For a while, he was presented more asexually than Rudy.

Mi Ci said...

I can't really stand Brad because hes always been portrayed as this innocent flaky kind of guy who doesn't seem to know better but in reality I think that's just a facade and he's really no better than the other players at the B&B

RBS7079 said...

.....Darrrrr-eeeennnn!!! Now that we KNOW that he's Gay (or experimenting, 'because of his apprehension to Brad), WHY is he goin' at SUCH a snail's place....in a GAY B&B!??

...Darren showed NO sexual desire to Ed's burnin' come-ons, why didn't he jump on Ed before!? ..does he want to go as slow as a 1956 Oldsmobile!??

..The "Darren" character has been a welcome addition to the B&B, but he seems SO shy, low-key...& covered UP; We KNOW he's got juicy knockers, a ROUND Ass...and's carryin' a HEAVY piece of knockwurst....

Darren & Brad LOOK amazing together, but I haven't 'seen' anything with him & Ed; ...Oh well, at least he can go jogging in those tight short-shorts again...SOMEONE'LL get a peek at that 'nightstick', soon ENOUGH! ...ha-HAAA!!

...CHOW!!!

Jack said...

I honestly think that Darren has more chemistry with Price but I'd like to see him with Kristian, Matt or Lance. I don't see anything with Ed or Brad. With way price and Ed will not like this....
Jack

Unknown said...

Yay! I'm looking forward to the waves this will cause at the BnB. Hopefully, Darren will do his best to let Eduardo down gently, and then Eduardo and Price can team up to do something really crazy.


-- Thom H.

RBS7079 said...

@ Thom H.:

"... then, Eduardo and Price can team up to do something really crazy...." ...I wouldn't put it past Eduardo to bang Price, to get back at Brad....at least, he gets LAID! ...ha-HAAA!!

....Oh how I wish Greg would 'go for the jugular', at times...Darren blowin' off Ed, because he has a crush on Mannis; Price sabotaging Mannis' work Visa when he finds out..; Jeremy confiding in Lance, about the 'betrayal', then sleeps with him...; Drew finds out, and breaks things off with Lance, only to start messin' with Jeff Olsen, ENRAGING Brad....

...Rich calls Jaime back to the B&B (to help Brad forget), only to find out he's now married to BREYER, but STILL 'loves' Brad, AND,with Kyle ready to jump from top O' The B&B after finding out....

...THAT'S how you do 'Drama'!! ...ha-HAAA!!

CHOW-CHOW!!

jjt said...

I'm kind of glad Brad took the lead on this. It would be nice to see this relationship develop. Put the drama of Eduardo and Price in the past for both of them. I guess I just have a thing for shy jocks and Legion lovers.

Eric G. said...

How old (-ish) is Eduardo at this point? I know he's supposed to be taking night classes at the community college (per his bio on the website). Surely there is a LGBTQIA union at school where he could date someone closer to his own age? Unless he's supposed to be in his early-to-mid twenties at this point, and fits the age range of the rest of the B & B.

RBS7079 said...

@ Eric G.:

...GLAD ya asked THAT! ...Most of the characters look older (due to the MASS amount of body & Muscles), but I've always suspected Eduardo was mid-late 20's; My Age guesses, for the B&B'ers....:

Ed - early (to) mid 20's
Darren / Brad / Jeremy / Mannis - late 20's (to) early 30's
Price / Lance / Dave / Drew / Kyle - early (to) mid 30's
Breyer / Richard - late 30's -Early 40's (w/ Rich, OBVIOUSLY lying)
Sergei / Nick - early (to) mid 50's
Rudy - late 70's (to) early 80's

...Alexei's too new, & Delia's a Girl, & Kristian's gone....what you YOU Kids think!?? ; )

...chow-chow-CHOW!!

Unknown said...

@RBS7079: I would LOVE that domino effect of drama. I'm not sure the strip could sustain itself if Greg burnt the whole place down, narratively speaking. Who would want to live in a place full of exes and bitter rivals? But wouldn't it be so much fun to watch the fireworks?

-- Thom H.

JM said...

Which one of them could possibly be the bottom?

RBS7079 said...

@ Thom H.:

"...But wouldn't it be so much fun, to watch the fireworks?" ...MAN, I'd bring MORE kerosene to TORCH the fucker, if it meant more DRAMA! ...ha-HAAA!!

...THAT'S what I meant by Greg workin' the strip...I clearly don't want ill-will against the characters, but...Greg's a 'softie' at heart, and, as much as I LOVE him...He has a 'Gilmore Girls' like approach to his story-lines, which wrap up FAST, with NO 'drama' involved, whatso-EVER..

...let's continue: ...Kyle gets talked off the ledge by Rudy, who puts in some Money to become a co-owner of the B&B (to help w/ finances), ONLY to find out his cash was siphoned off by his (secret) new Boyfriend...ALEXEI, who blew most of it, on his Sex addiction...

Sergei finds this out, blows his TOP, & confides in Nick to 'rough' Alexei up....In which, finds Serg starting an affair with Nick! ...Dave is devastated, and precedes Divorce proceedings; He goes back to Canada, where Kristian is, and finds out Krist wanted to let Rich down easy, and lied, about going to another Country....

...Dave tell Rich (knowing it would get back to Nick), and Rich EXPLODES and is devastated...

.... see how EASY this is!??? I went for the JUGULAR, and, knew THAT story-arc would be a FUN read! ...ha-HAAA!!

TOODLES!

MelliePh said...

I did not see that coming, but can't wait to find out what happens next.

M.B. said...

@Jack
I agree it would be nice to see Darren and another black resident as a couple being that there are very few representations of black gay couples in comics. I am curious to know if Greg works with gay black men when creating characters like Lance, Darren, Matt,and Kristan

Iclabon said...

As someone who lost nearly all interest and hasn't commented or even closely followed the strip in, well, a long time, I do just have to put it out there for the now rare, and probably last time, that Richard and Price deserve a chance, especially off the back of a narrative choices like Brad rejecting Price at every turn, and now Brad and Darren. I've always identified the most with Richard, and felt like he and Price were evenly matched big personalities and a relationship would make a thrilling and tumultuous and eye opening life changing growth experience for the both of them, and journey for us as readers, but I'm just shouting into the wind again.
I haven't cared about a storyline or new character or exit in so long, Greg. So please. I'm begging. Give me chemistry and fun and good development. It breaks my heart to drop and lose any representative media and creators from my life.

Patrick in Dallas said...

@Iclabon,

I would love to see Richard and Price become a couple. They compliment each other so well as it is.

And to bring just a touch of drama to the house, have Kristian return just as Richard and Price are heating up, and Kristian and Eduardo become a couple and head back to Jamaica :D

Jack said...

Now when I pointed this out earlier a lot of posters on here tried to make a scene as if I was being racist and I'm not. I see whites on white couples quite frequently in this strip and I don't understand why I cannot see an interracial couple that is not white and black Or an all black couple. Look at the posters here at how they tiptoe around the issue And you get my point. Why can't we not see a black and Asian or a black and Hispanic or a Hispanic and Asian or Asian or an Asian and Asian? I don't get that at all. Or better When are we going to see an older and younger relationship? How about a bear is a bear and chaser relationship? Oh we did that already in terms of the beer and chaser and it was disastrous in this strip and it was convoluted. No the focus would rather be on how good someone looks in their tidy whiteys or how good someone looks in a kilt.

Jack

Joule said...

@Jack
I see you deleted you comment about matching Darren up with Kristen Matt or Lance, interesting move...

It's funny to me that you can tell that people read the comic but don't read between the lines because if they did they would have noticed Darren came out a long time ago, they also would have been be able to see the development of Ed & Darren's relationship. It's no surprise that Darren is Brad's type, masculine / athletic, but has anyone ever considered that Brad may not be Darren's type.

Frank said...

I get Jack's point about having two non-white characters depicted in a relationship - it's true we don't see it much (though that seemed to be developing with Darren and Eduardo - time will tell). A pairing with Lance (10 years in relationship with Drew), Matt (seen briefly at Dave/Nick's wedding after nearly a decade absence) or Kristian (overseas, after briefly being with Richard) would be a bit contrived. Darren and Eduardo have some chemistry so that would be a nice pairing.

While Greg has a diverse cast, visually/racially - very different than actual Northport NY - race seems to rarely be addressed in discussion. I remember Lance's conversation with Drew about an ex's racist family, but otherwise the characters are written based on nationality or part of US from where they hail, rather than race. Without changing the tenor of the strip, perhaps Greg could take it into consideration at times (ex: What's it like for Darren on a police force in highly segregated Long Island? Do any characters get backlash from locals as immigrants? Understanding why Price making a false police report on Kristian was a major transgression the strip barely addressed).

I've long thought Richard and Price would be a good match - equally devious and scheming, and their exasperation with each other is a sort of tension. The flaw there is Price is hot and handsome, Richard a bit of a clown. Both have some compassion and sometimes redeeming qualities, though Price's personality negated his - er, talented tongue, and Kristian has fled overseas to homophobic countries rather than stay with Richard. Even wandering Breyer turned Richard down.

Brad - considering how he reacted to Price's overture, I'm surprised to see him boldly kissing Darren. Sure, a kiss is different than a BJ (some would argue kiss is more intimate). A kiss isn't always just a kiss though - as Trump said "I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait". Brad just kissed, he didn't wait.

Thanks for the great comic and stories Greg - looking forward to seeing where this goes, what happens with the can collecting guy, hearing more from Delia, how Jeremy and Mannis will work out immigration issue, will Lance and Drew finally move in / get married.

Iclabon said...

Thank you, Frank and Patrick. And Patrick, your description of Richard and Price's dynamic captures perfectly what's so great about them. I'm sorry Greg, but while Richard and Price's snarky spark may have been unintentional and accidental, if you can't run with lightning when it jumps in the bottle, then what is any of it even for? What's the point of reader feedback?
Give me a great serial about Richard comforting Price after this latest act of rejection from Brad, and Price learning to look for more than a blond blue eyed athlete, and Richard overcoming his own insecurities. Like, why hasn't anyone confronted Price about the fact he doesn't even care about Brad as a person, and like Richard wouldn't have gotten, what, a 'nose job' a looong time ago and stopped dying his hair ridiculous colors? Why is the only flamboyant effeminate character an undesirable joke? That's fair representation?
Why aren't there more weddings for the long established couples? Why, as it's been pointed out, aren't there black couples or pairings not involving anyone white? Where are all the soapy stories and cliffhangers like when Rudy was being scammed? Is nuanced change and evolution for characters and storytelling over the course of a continuous comic strip too difficult to keep thinking up?
But no, only excuses and contexts to have bulges and dickprints and muscles and nakedness on display are what matter, or going in this worn out circle of Price's borderline criminal obsession and harassment. Don't get me started on Breyer randomly betraying the love of his life and blowing up his life for a handjob in the woods...

RBS7079 said...

....Wowza, I disappear for a minute, and, it turns into "The Reader's Forum" 'round HERE!! ...ha-HAAA!!

...But, in all seriousness, some of you Kids DO have valid points, in some of the characters traits, not getting those 'outside the Box' story-lines they SHOULD be getting, to signify change in 2022....

...I (personally) felt that Rich & Price would be good for a "One Nighter", but NOT a relationship, because of their mistrust; They would sabotage each other to DEATH, if One or the other starts cheating, and they both showed immense insecurities within sharing a relationship...

...their insecurities EASILY would get them in Bed together, but it WOULD be creative for Greg to navigate a union with them...Brad's ALWAYS been 'The Get', in the B&B, and frankly...It's tired. I would've LUVED to see him with low-key Darren, but if Darr IS having feeling for Ed, they SHOULD be explored...I (personally) didn't 'see' it, because, Ed has too much sexual bravado, for Darren's low-key Comic Book Geek vibe....

...I've LONG stated that Greg's diversity fairness at the B&B has BEEN justified, But in MY opinion... I feel he has INCREDIBLE characters...that just do NOTHING!

...Rudy's "Rear Window" story-line BLEW MY MIND, and the BJ Brad got from Price (opening up the topic of Gay sexual harassment) remains Greg's GREATEST 'One-Two Punch', and he needs to get back to that 'shock-bang-POW', again...Brey's cheating story-arc was cool, but he was missing for YEARS, So, when he left...there was nothing there, to MISS!

...Look, I adore, adore AD-DORE Greg, and I'm elated we're seeing more (fair-minded) opinions on the direction of the Strip, but he IS One Man....and, does it ALL, Himself.....

..as long as I still get HOT T&A (with a side of 'Knockwurst'), I'm GOOD! ...ha-HAAAA!!

Jack said...

@Joule: I did not delete my post about Darren and men of color hooking up with each other and interracial couples that are non-black/white.

I'm glad that you find it funny but I honestly don't see the joke. You say "read between the lines" but what lines are you referring too exactly. Darren may be Brad's type but does that mean that Brad is Darren's type?

The fact is: we have not seen an all back, all Asian, all Latino gay couple in this strip. In fact, we have not any of those types in bed with each other either. We have not seen OTHER types of interracial or intergenerational couples either. So yes, I guess I can read between the lines afterall.

Jack.

Jack said...

@Frank: It's like the gay community wants our attention and money but they don't want to give us the full autonomy within the gay community. We are tired of being pandered to and then ignored. Now, I agree that Lance/Drew pairing is a smart match but isn't it about time that they met each other's families? I mean they have been together for 10+ years, I think. What about Lance' former dance career? When are we going to see some character development with some of these characters? Oh wait: Here comes Brad in tighty whities again or Price walking around nude. Yep...Stimulating development there. NOT.

So let's look at the more interesting characters that are not there: Kristian: shipped off to Jamaica for no reason. Matt: disappeared without a trace. Jeff Olsen: (See Matt).

I honestly don't think that Price and Richard are a good match. Look: sexually they are not compatible. They....like the same position if you get my drift. I would rather them remain bitchy to each other than to enter into a fake relationship. Also, why is Price even living there? Doesn't he have a ton of money? How about a storyline depicting him as broke? THAT would be interesting.

Jack




Jack said...

@RBS7079

You FINALLY make some sense about his characters. Look: no one is knocking Greg for lack of representation, but it's all about realizing fully fleshed out characters outside of back underwear and dick and ass prints. How about some substance for a change because we can only see that stuff so much because we all become desensitized to it.

He underutilized Rudy, Deliliah, Morgan, Matt and a whole host of FAR more interesting characters. I mean how many times must we see strip after strip dedicated to Brad turning Price down?

Jack

Iclabon said...

See, now Jack, I was agreeing with you actually, on everything else, but I gotta ding you on Price being a bottom, boo. Price may be preppy, but he's not strutting around all dominant and demanding, tall and broad and hairy chested and so perfectly classic movie star handsome and being so smug and self-satisfied about it like he's effing Henry Cavill, lol; not to mention his being insane for Brad... all because he's just gagging to get topped down by the fairest of trade. He didn't zero in on that unstable male ballerina however many issues ago because he's attracted to masculinity and prefers to be penetrated. He's masculine but "refined" (rich white male) privilege personified...

That's why it would be such FUN, and why it would get my vote, for Price to fall so ironically and begrudgingly hard for Richard's, ahem, hidden depths, and for Brad to SPIRAL from not being the big object of lust he's been his whole life. Lmao, identity and existential crises for everyone.

Unknown said...

I love all the different views that people express about the strip in this comments section. I think it's a testament to how much Greg's work resonates with his audience that we can imagine new scenarios involving different combinations of his characters. Like proto-fan fiction.

I also appreciate Greg giving us the space to express our opinions and desires about the strip. Whether intentionally or not, he's pulled together a diverse set of online followers.

-- Thom H.

Joule said...

@Jack...What I found interesting was the fact that your original comment about matching Darren with another black character is no longer posted.

Yes it would be nice to see two ethic men in a relationship together I'd also like it to develop naturally and not because they happen to be of the same ethnicity, by Darren & Eduardo getting together Greg is giving the readers a POC couple, one happens to be Black and other Latino. Per your comment about interracial(Lance & Drew) and intergenerational(Nick & Dave) couples there have been many of those types of couplings throughout the history of the comic as far back as when the strip was published in black & white. As a suggestion you may want to go back and start reading the comic from the very beginning to see Greg has had presentation of interracial & intergenerational couples from the beginning.

Per my comment of "read between the lines" from when Darren and Eduardo first started interacting Greg started developing their relationship. Eduardo's jealousy over Darren hanging out with Brad to Darren acknowledging that there is something between the two of them is proof enough a deeper relationship, something more than a friendship, has occurred between the two of them. Readers have been expecting this big coming out scene from Darren that never happened nor did it need to, for all we know Darren may be pansexual, as I see it Greg has shown an organic attraction between Darren & Eduardo and I hope it plays out for them to be in a long term relationship.

Jack said...

@Joule: First of all, let me apologize if I came off a little harsh to you. That's not my intent. Secondly, we as gay POC are sick and tired of not seeing our reflection not being represented in the gay community. However, I did not delete my post. I made mention of this for a long time within these forums and everyone here attempted to make it seem as if I was (1) racist or worse (2) hated white people (ANOTHER terribly erroneous assumption) when I pointed out certain behaviors of white gay men. I stand by what I said before based on my dating experiences with white men.

Your second paragraph is very interesting. I agree that the two POC should develop naturally but again, this didn't happen with a lot of the gay couples in the strip that were just thrown together simply because they looked good in speedos or underwear. When I state intergenerational, I am referring to Rudy FINALLY having a relationship. Lance and Drew have been together forever, and we STILL don't see any character development in terms of moving forward to meet each other's families and such. No, we still see strip after strip of Brad rejecting Price. I mean come on...

Honestly? I didn't see ANY attraction or chemistry between Darren and Ed. But I did see when Darren put Price in his place and Price obeyed like a little lapdog. That being said, no one is saying that Greg is not showing equal representation within the strip as far as being seen but there is the sense that it's about being seen and not heard and that's the troubling part.

Jack

Joule said...

@Jack

It's all good no need to apologize :-) I get where you're coming from.

Where we may disagree in on the issue of representation, knowing the area of Long Island where the B&B is located I feel Greg has done a great job with representation when it comes to POC. As a reader from episode 1, when the comic was in black & white to now, I can't recall a time when POC weren't represented. It would be fantastic as a POC to see a black couple in the comic, knowing the personalities of each of the Black characters the only two I could even imagine getting together would be Matt & Kristen, my personal disdain for Lance would have him with Price, IMO Drew deserves better and I think him and Kyle should be together but that's for another time. As the comic progressed over the years I get the pairings Greg has made, I don't agree with some of them but I'm just the reader not the artist. With Darren and Eduardo as a couple I think they would be the 1st couple of color in the comic(Darren being Black Eduardo Latino (Puerto Rican I believe).

As far as chemistry between Darren & Eduardo I think if you were to reread episodes 531 where their repour is very apparent even Delia picked up on it in episode 537, 545 where the banter between the two of them shows they have chemistry and episode 586 even though Eduardo isn't in the episode Darren acknowledged that there is something between the two of them that they need to address.

In Greg's comic I don't feel the POC are just thrown in just to show the strip has a diverse cast, the POC in Kyle's B&B are integral to the story like every other character. The best example of equal opportunity in the comic is that fact you have two equally matched assholes Price & Lance.

Jack said...


@Joule

The thing about gay comics is that the authors do not take enough time to do research on actual culture. They live in a nice little bubble and we (POC) are supposed to care about their lives and not our own. There is a difference between featuring POC and actually fleshing out the characters in everyday life. Honestly? I'd MUCH rather see why Lance prefers white men to other ethnicities and I'd MUCH rather see why Ed prefers black men to other ethnicities. That to me is FAR more interesting than the fake Price/Brad drama (when is he going to end that tired storyline anyway?). SPeaking of which: Did Ed EVER graduate? See, we don't know these things because there's been way too moronic episodes devoted to Brad/Price. I would LOVE to see Matt and Kristian together because not only does it show two black characters but they come from two different worlds altogether. I do think that Matt and Kristian would be very hot...Lance and Price would not be a good match to me because Lance has not gone to the depths that Price has. Drew would not be a good match with Kyle because Kyle is just too dull. I DO think that Kyle deserved someone MUCH BETTER than Breyer! I could not stand that penis-challenged character. UGH.

I may have to go back and reread those episodes between Darren and Ed but again, not enough character development to go on. The strip is diverse but the character development and probing just isn't there. Honestly, Morgan, Rudy, Kristian, Matt, Deliliah, Jeff are FAR more interesting than the current crop of characters to me.

Jack

WranglerMan said...

A week late in seeing the latest.

I love it. The kiss was so...exciting!

Darren is hot. Brad's hot, too.

So's Eduardo!

Thruple, anyone???

Joule said...

@Jack

I can't speak to how much research on writing minority character Greg did however I will give him credit for writing fleshed out characters of color, if Greg was writing stereotyped POC characters he would have been called on it years ago. As far as Lance is concerned I don't agree with you that he has a preference for white guys Lance just has a preference for any guy he can get into bed regardless of their race, him being involved with Drew to me comes down to the fact Drew's not for his bullshit and will call him out on it. The Price & Brad drama comes from the fact Price thinks he's Gods gift to man and can't and wont except the fact Brad's just not that into him. Give Eduardo some slack for a kid who got his GED and is putting himself through college on his own dime he'll eventually graduate, that this is a comic that's published every two weeks so it shouldn't be expected for time to process as it does in the real world.

I've come to understand how Greg writes, unlike a TV show he doesn't have 40mins every episode, you get 9 panels, and when you so many characters to work with you have calculate storylines and which character works with that story line, sometimes he'll have multiple storylines in one episode, for example episode 549 where you have Darren's police academy storyline and Price's attempt to get some alone time with Brad. In that one episode from Darren's conversation with Rudy you get a better understanding of him being Black and becoming a cop and how Price's best laid plans to manipulate Brad can backfire on him. As for him and Lance, they're both conniving self-centered assholes that in time will realize the reason they don't like each other is because they're so much alike.

If you do got back and reread the episodes with Darren & Eduardo do so with understanding who each character is, how they interact with one another and I think you'll see the chemistry between the two.

Frank said...

What I find problematic in this wonderful comic we all love is inconsistency in characters.
- We have Breyer, who resisted Richard's drunken pass and promptly told Kyle - suddenly the villan who cheats and gaslights Kyle.
- We have Richard, the man who made the pass at his best friend's boyfriend, suddenly sanctimonious against Drew for merely giving advice to Breyer.
- Brad, who was taken aback and angry when Price was forward and (spectacularly) fellates him now kisses Darren suddenly without asking. The same Brad who violently sucker-punches Breyer.

On POC couples - the Ed/Darren pairing is natural and the two have had chemistry since meeting - Eduardo was the first BnB character Darren met. Matt (who has a partner in Njord) has, excepting that wedding, been out of the strip more than 10 years. Kristian is barely here, again for the wedding, and not a resident. He'd be long forgotten if the "cast and characters tab were gone). Lance has been with Drew 10 years, would be nice to see this advance. Though Lance is a talented professional, intelligent and a great lover, he's an arrogant arschloch. It would be unnatural to pair him with Darren just because they're both Black. Interracial and Intraracial coupling is beautiful - as long as it's a believable pairing.

Greg writes the strip in a way where race and color are just physical traits and not relevant, a utopian ideal but not real life. It's not like the different skin tones are the simply the same - in the real world - as the different shade of hair people natuarally and unnaturally (i.e. Richard) have. I'm not the only one to note Northport is a really racially homogeneous place (92% White in 2020 Census) though leans strongly Democratic. Long Island itself is highly segregated, I spent several years at University in Garden City. So it would be realistic if race is acknowledged in some way - it can be done without being offensive. When Steve the Angel appeared in December he often addressed lonely individuals with heavy hearts owing to circumstances (age, loneliness, homophobia, etc.); that's one opportunity.

Before I shut up, I agree the Price / Brad unrequited affection story is getting old. There are far more interesting characters than he - he doesn't even have the best body since most of the characters are drawn with outrageously developed physiques. Let's work on his brain - maybe let Eduardo graduate and Brad start. I was thrilled Greg improved Jeremy's character from a giggly man-crazy airline twink to a more intelligent character - though I'm not sure the purpose of the NIA storyline.
Perhaps it's time to let go of the dumb blond jock stereotype.

WranglerMan said...

"What I find problematic in this wonderful comic we all love is inconsistency in characters.
- We have Breyer, who resisted Richard's drunken pass and promptly told Kyle - suddenly the villan who cheats and gaslights Kyle.
- We have Richard, the man who made the pass at his best friend's boyfriend, suddenly sanctimonious against Drew for merely giving advice to Breyer.
- Brad, who was taken aback and angry when Price was forward and (spectacularly) fellates him now kisses Darren suddenly without asking. The same Brad who violently sucker-punches Breyer"

@Frank: All valid points, but people are contradictory, send mixed signals, and often act in ways that leave us scratching our heads. Richard is insecure, wants to be this sassy, little queen bee, and wants to screw and be screwed. Unfortunately, it comes across as him screwing others over. Brad may just plain old dislike Price, but find him sexy. Both he and Richard may also just want to protect Kyle...a father figure to them.

And, all in all, it's a soap opera. They're always contradictory. This could be all a dream, and in the next strip we'll see Patrick Duffy stepping out of the shower!

RBS7079 said...

@WranglerMan said...

"...This could be all a dream, and in the next strip we'll see Patrick Duffy stepping out of the shower!"

...Thank GOD, Patrick had a GREAT set of knockers!! ..ha-HAAA!!


...MEOW-CHOW!

Jack said...

@Joule

WHen there is research involved, then it makes the characters much more interesting and it makes the strip more believable. Criticism such as this would only make him (Greg) a stronger writer and illustrator. I have given him credit for even putting in POC but it's his attention to non POC that I find troubling. I don't think that Lance will just get a guy to fall into bed with him, but I see him more as an opportunist, but he gets called out on it MUCH more than Price. Why is that...? However, I DO agree that Drew is not for his crap, and I think that this is one of the many reasons as to why Lance is still with him and is monogamous whereas before, Lance was not but I still think that Lance prefers white men.

The whole Price/Brad drama is just dull after this point. This story needs to just go away or find some type of resolution. Ed got his GED? What episode showed him graduating? He's been in college for a while now and it's time for some growth. I disagree with you that Lance and Price are alike. Price is conniving and evil, but Lance is more career driven. Those are two different things.

I will go back and see the Ed/Darren thing but I think that they both should take some interest in what each other does. I mean, it's time to see a POC gay couple. We're in 2022, not 1970...

Jack

Jack said...

@Frank

I agree with you about inconsistencies in the strip. It's just spotty at best and this is what throws off a lot of readers to a degree. The thing about Breyer is that his sexual position was wreaking havoc with outer "masculine" appearance. He was so quick to tell Kyle when Richard made a pass at him but he didn't want to say what happened when he cheated on Kyle. Brad is just useless to me. He's holier than thou when it suits him but when he's the perpetrator, he doesn't see anything wrong with that. Richard stirs that spot too much but again when called out, he gets all confused.

We don't see Matt and will not see him or Njord. Kristian is MIA and no storyline in view. It's time for Lance and Drew to take that plunge. 10 years(!) is a long time to be with someone and I would like to see more loving moments between them. Obviously, Drew loves being around Lance (Despite readers' dismay). I just feel as if it's time for both an intrarelationship and intergenerational relationship. It's all about progression. Speaking of naturel, you can't tell me that Jeremy and Mannish look natural. They don't. We still don't know how they like to have sex or anything dealing with affection.

Great post on the explanation of the utopian feel of the strip. I am sick to death of the dumb jock routine. I mean really! How many episodes must we see of this? I never thought that Price and Brad made a good pairing. To be honest, I'm not sure why Price is even living there when he comes from extreme wealth. Again, continuity would go a long way...

Jack




Before I shut up, I agree the Price / Brad unrequited affection story is getting old. There are far more interesting characters than he - he doesn't even have the best body since most of the characters are drawn with outrageously developed physiques. Let's work on his brain - maybe let Eduardo graduate and Brad start. I was thrilled Greg improved Jeremy's character from a giggly man-crazy airline twink to a more intelligent character - though I'm not sure the purpose of the NIA storyline.
Perhaps it's time to let go of the dumb blond jock stereotype.

Joule said...

@Jack

I have to disagree with you Price gets called out just as much as Lance does, do I think Lance has a preference for white guys no I just don't think that there's a lot of gay black guys where they live, you could put lance in Atlanta and he'd still be the same shallow person he is just with more black gay men available.

The difference between Lance and Price is the color of their skin, both are conniving and use anyone and anything to get what they want. Sure it would be nice to see a black gay couple but I don't want one just to say there is one in the script, again the area of Long Island where the comic takes place in reality is 92% white so as far as racial representation Kyle is on point with reality plus if you're black & gay in a city that 92% white are you really surprised by Lance being in a relationship with a white guy.

As for Eduardo & Darren their both POC so why are you dead set against them being together, as for Eduardo's education maybe he's working on a dual degree or his masters. Matt moved to Florida to be with Njord and Kristian moved back to Jamaica.


Jack said...

@Joule

I have seen many people here forgive Price because he wears barely next to nothing when he's in the home. A lot of gay men will overlook qualities that are scrupulous if someone looks good on the outside. Lances' preference for white men is something that is more internalized, and I believe that it is "status based." Is he shallow? Yes. But again, those are qualities that are he perceives in a lot of white gay men.

Both are conniving but if memory serves me correctly Price has (1) potentially sexually assaulted Brad (2) tried to break up Drew and Lance (3) attempted to usurp the bed and breakfast from Kyle. This is only just SOME of the things that Price has done. I have not seen Lance do those things. But this doesn't mean that Lance isn't an a@#hole! He is. I am not surprised that Lance is in a relationship while living in a predominately white gay neighborhood, but I am surprised at the lack of awareness of it and his detachment from black gay society and culture.

I am dead set against Ed and Darren because I went back and look at previous episodes and I just didn't see anything. However, even if Ed was working on a dual degree, he would still have graduated by now.

Jack

Joule said...

@Jack

I don't recall Price getting a pass for any of his shenanigans. As for Lance preferring white guys over black guys I have to disagree, before Drew Lance was all about getting his f*ck on and that's it, didn't matter what race the guy was. I feel that you keep negating the fact they they live in an area that is only 3% black so out of that how many do you think are gay men. I understand where you're coming from and feel that not matter what you want to see two black men in a relationship, not saying you're wrong for feeling that way just that the reality in two men of color not of the same ethnicity are more likely to be in a relationship than two men of the same ethnicity. Jeremy is Asian where's the call for him to be involved with another Asian, instead he's in a relationship with Mannis. The chemistry between Eduardo & Darren is there you my be choosing not to see it.