I reckon Dennis is a closet case. If Brad had been born 15 - 20 years earlier, Dennis is who he would have become. His dream probably came crashing down because he was either found out or the tension of denying who he is drove him to drink. Being the worse for wear of too many drinks at too many practices would see him quietly downgraded or at least shifted sideways.I reckon he gives Brad a hard time because he's envious and bitter that he managed to come out without too many issues.
It's also good to see that being woken in the middle of the night for a drunken pity party allows a few cracks to show in Kyle's normally sympathetic equanimity. I like to see him dole out some no-nonsense home truths occasionally.
I wonder of Dennis is one of those type of people who is still affected by their past failures, drinks a lot to cope with it and if they have a partner will take their frustrations out on them. An abusive person.
....whooo, I slept late today, and the above comments woke me up, but FAST! ...ha-HAAA!!
....We got SHARP readers here; I knew right the 'Bat', that Coach Dennis would 'abuse' of some sort, by how he ragged on Brad at practice....him showing up drunk at 2am (but, unbelievably, calling an Uber), shows the signs of an alcoholic 'venting' to the the next Person in their lives, who's there, to 'fix' them....
Kyle can BE understanding, but Dennis (may) need rehab, some therapy, and may have to stay alone for awhile...a new relationship may bear more temptation to hit the Bottle...
...too bad for Kyle...P.S., since WHEN Kyle started goin' to Bed w/ NO T-Shirt on (panel 8)!?? ...lookit that CLEAVAGE! ...get that act TOGETHER, Coach (Big) D-Wad! ...ha-HAA!!
what happens next is Brad walks in and goes ballistic and then the hockey player calls and says, "Kyle, you were the best thing that ever happened to me, take me back"
Another great episode in the B&B! A wounded soul turns up at Kyle's kitchen door and he is there to dole out some coffee and some home truths!
It's good to see depicted that people's lives today are still being impacted by decisions and circumstances made in the past. Dennis is opening up to Kyle about his past gripes and Kyle is being sympathetic, but firm.
I like that the strip is not sugar coating the reality that a lot of people continually deal with a lot of pressing issues that are weighing them down. On the outside they may look like successful, high achieving coaches or lawyers or cops or whatever, but inside they are hurting. I'm glad to see that the strip is at least hinting at the depths of feeling and hurt behind the buff, muscled, hyper-masculine facades of most of these characters.
...'tis true, I'm SO loving that Greg is finally 'fleshing' out the characters w/ more deep-seated issues, making them more human, than just Speedo / jockstrap clad Hunks, flittin' about...
.. Greg had/ has MANY characters that became interesting, and then just fall...back...for example, Mannis ...does he have anger issues!? ...what about his exes!?
..IS Darren gonna swing at somebody, w/ his (supposed) PTSD issues!? ..does Sergei cry!? ..will Eduardo EVER graduate from College!? ...will Rudy die!? .. will Lance warm up to Marriage to Drew!? ...see what I MEAN!??
...I think we all knew Coach 'D' had some form of trauma, but it brings a welcome excitement back to the B&B....Glad you see what I see, C-Fan...Tits n' Ass ASIDE! ..HA-HAAA!
@RBS7079 Thanks for the perspective! As a relative new comer to this strip, I have no sense of how character developments arc resolve or continue.
Since this strip seems to be leaning towards the "more HAPPY" side of life, I don't see any permanent resolutions like a suicide or a life-ending injury in this stripe's universe!
I could be wrong, but I think most of the acute plot issues tend to be resolvable. [e.g. Someone almost freezes to death; they get shelter] As far as character's longstanding personality quirks, [Mannis' anger?] I'm guessing they are like the character quirks in any long running story - always there to drive the plot along!
Imagine "Peanuts" without Lucy pulling away the football from Charlie Brown every time!!
...Bubby, I've been readin' the strip since it's debut (Fall 1998, in "Genre" magazine), and have all the Books...I LOVE this strip! ...but......
...Greg does have a tendency to wrap it up in a "pretty bow" a lot; the story arc w/ Rudy & Terrence / Robert dying, after trying to kill Rudy, was the BEST arc, in possibly 15+ Years, and possibly the first, when a character dies.....it raised the topic of Older Gay Men dating Younger ones, w/ intentions...
..Other characters share 'traits'(like Coach Dennis), that are unresolved, but never really explored, topically...Mannis is a rouge Scotsman, he should be yellin' at ALL times, fighting w/ Price / Ed / Rich, but, everyone's just.....NICE.....
...I brought up Rudy dying, to indicate what Readers (& characters) would feel if we lost a 'Loved One', and how it would deepen the characters....Price is the 'Villain' here, but now has no BITE to him, anymore....
...DON'T get me wrong, I love it ALL, but to have such a diverse array of Men (& Ladies, what about Lisa!?) and not have conflict at times, makes for a safe, yet DULL... B&B....Greg needs to 'pull the Football', at times.....jus'sayin' ....
God...Do I really love this latest strip. I'm going through the same...a mid-life crisis. What have I done with my life? Am I living on past glories? Please, continue this storyline.
....you and me BOTH, Wrang....I turned 63 (2 weeks ago), and went, "....jeeeeeez...." ...BUT, never worry about the 'past glories',Babe, focus on the ACHIEVEMENT of them...
...to stay on base with the story-line, Coach Dennis IS Brad; it's indicating that Brad is SO focused on going Major League, his time as an open, OUT & Proud Gay Man, may pass him by....much like, Coach Dennis.... and, Coach seems to be hittin' the Bottle, to dilute the pain of REGRET....
..which, may bring MORE pain, if he doesn't solve it...mostly, to People like Kyle, who cares and wants the BEST for him...Brad may be getting an inadvertent 'wake up call' to this, if he looks closely....
...Coach is SMOKIN' HOT w/ those teeny shorts, big hairy Tits, & rugged demeanor, so at this stage in his Life, he'll have NO probs hittin' the "Daddy" crowd, fast n' HARD...so to speak!! ..ha-HAA!!
...let his Story be a wake up call to YOU, too....Don't let the regret of LIFE get to you... "just keep LIVIN'" as Matthew McConaughey often says...
...and, if you can still fill out a pair of short-shorts, even BETTA! ...HA-HAAA!! ...keep LIVIN', Bubby, CHOW!
I'd like to comment on something folks seem to have overlooked. The coach's facial expressions in panels 2 and 3 are perfect for someone who's slightly tipsy, as we used to say 100 years ago. Nice nuanced art!
...Lady DI!! ...I haven't seen you in these parts for awhile! ...nice to see a Lovely LADY give comment about the Boys! ..ha-HAA!!
...well, methinks Coach Dennis is a tad past 'tipsy', He's a MAN, he's 'sh*tfaced!' ...HA-HAA!! ...but you're right, the raised forehead lines, & clear pupils add to the look....
...and dig the nod to Hawaii from Greg, on the Coach's CUP! (panel 5)...had to get past it, to look at the Coach's KNOCKERS! ...ha-HAA!! ...Toodles!
17 comments:
I reckon Dennis is a closet case. If Brad had been born 15 - 20 years earlier, Dennis is who he would have become. His dream probably came crashing down because he was either found out or the tension of denying who he is drove him to drink. Being the worse for wear of too many drinks at too many practices would see him quietly downgraded or at least shifted sideways.I reckon he gives Brad a hard time because he's envious and bitter that he managed to come out without too many issues.
It's also good to see that being woken in the middle of the night for a drunken pity party allows a few cracks to show in Kyle's normally sympathetic equanimity. I like to see him dole out some no-nonsense home truths occasionally.
Great close. I love where this is going. The build has been great.
I wonder of Dennis is one of those type of people who is still affected by their past failures, drinks a lot to cope with it and if they have a partner will take their frustrations out on them. An abusive person.
....whooo, I slept late today, and the above comments woke me up, but FAST! ...ha-HAAA!!
....We got SHARP readers here; I knew right the 'Bat', that Coach Dennis would 'abuse' of some sort, by how he ragged on Brad at practice....him showing up drunk at 2am (but, unbelievably, calling an Uber), shows the signs of an alcoholic 'venting' to the the next Person in their lives, who's there, to 'fix' them....
Kyle can BE understanding, but Dennis (may) need rehab, some therapy, and may have to stay alone for awhile...a new relationship may bear more temptation to hit the Bottle...
...too bad for Kyle...P.S., since WHEN Kyle started goin' to Bed w/ NO T-Shirt on (panel 8)!?? ...lookit that CLEAVAGE! ...get that act TOGETHER, Coach (Big) D-Wad! ...ha-HAA!!
....CHOW!
what happens next is Brad walks in and goes ballistic and then the hockey player calls and says, "Kyle, you were the best thing that ever happened to me, take me back"
and then Kyle has a nervous breakdown
Another great episode in the B&B! A wounded soul turns up at Kyle's kitchen door and he is there to dole out some coffee and some home truths!
It's good to see depicted that people's lives today are still being impacted by decisions and circumstances made in the past. Dennis is opening up to Kyle about his past gripes and Kyle is being sympathetic, but firm.
I like that the strip is not sugar coating the reality that a lot of people continually deal with a lot of pressing issues that are weighing them down. On the outside they may look like successful, high achieving coaches or lawyers or cops or whatever, but inside they are hurting. I'm glad to see that the strip is at least hinting at the depths of feeling and hurt behind the buff, muscled, hyper-masculine facades of most of these characters.
The eye candy never hurts, of course! LOL
ComixFan
@Comixfan:
...'tis true, I'm SO loving that Greg is finally 'fleshing' out the characters w/ more deep-seated issues, making them more human, than just Speedo / jockstrap clad Hunks, flittin' about...
.. Greg had/ has MANY characters that became interesting, and then just fall...back...for example, Mannis ...does he have anger issues!? ...what about his exes!?
..IS Darren gonna swing at somebody, w/ his (supposed) PTSD issues!? ..does Sergei cry!? ..will Eduardo EVER graduate from College!? ...will Rudy die!? .. will Lance warm up to Marriage to Drew!? ...see what I MEAN!??
...I think we all knew Coach 'D' had some form of trauma, but it brings a welcome excitement back to the B&B....Glad you see what I see, C-Fan...Tits n' Ass ASIDE! ..HA-HAAA!
....CHOW-CHOW!!
Is there a store on Long Island that sells all those "hot pants" for men?
@RBS7079
Thanks for the perspective!
As a relative new comer to this strip, I have no sense of how character developments arc resolve or continue.
Since this strip seems to be leaning towards the "more HAPPY" side of life, I don't see any permanent resolutions like a suicide or a life-ending injury in this stripe's universe!
I could be wrong, but I think most of the acute plot issues tend to be resolvable. [e.g. Someone almost freezes to death; they get shelter] As far as character's longstanding personality quirks, [Mannis' anger?] I'm guessing they are like the character quirks in any long running story - always there to drive the plot along!
Imagine "Peanuts" without Lucy pulling away the football from Charlie Brown every time!!
I appreciate the strip history! Many thanks!
I love how Kyle uses a Corningware "Cornflower Blue" coffee pot. We had one growing up.
@Comixfan:
...Bubby, I've been readin' the strip since it's debut (Fall 1998, in "Genre" magazine), and have all the Books...I LOVE this strip! ...but......
...Greg does have a tendency to wrap it up in a "pretty bow" a lot; the story arc w/ Rudy & Terrence / Robert dying, after trying to kill Rudy, was the BEST arc, in possibly 15+ Years, and possibly the first, when a character dies.....it raised the topic of Older Gay Men dating Younger ones, w/ intentions...
..Other characters share 'traits'(like Coach Dennis), that are unresolved, but never really explored, topically...Mannis is a rouge Scotsman, he should be yellin' at ALL times, fighting w/ Price / Ed / Rich, but, everyone's just.....NICE.....
...I brought up Rudy dying, to indicate what Readers (& characters) would feel if we lost a 'Loved One', and how it would deepen the characters....Price is the 'Villain' here, but now has no BITE to him, anymore....
...DON'T get me wrong, I love it ALL, but to have such a diverse array of Men (& Ladies, what about Lisa!?) and not have conflict at times, makes for a safe, yet DULL... B&B....Greg needs to 'pull the Football', at times.....jus'sayin' ....
@jjt:
.....I was gonna MENTION that pot! ..ha-HAA! ...I was worried no One would 'get' it! ...Good eye, Kid....
God...Do I really love this latest strip. I'm going through the same...a mid-life crisis. What have I done with my life? Am I living on past glories? Please, continue this storyline.
@WranglerMan:
....you and me BOTH, Wrang....I turned 63 (2 weeks ago), and went, "....jeeeeeez...." ...BUT, never worry about the 'past glories',Babe, focus on the ACHIEVEMENT of them...
...to stay on base with the story-line, Coach Dennis IS Brad; it's indicating that Brad is SO focused on going Major League, his time as an open, OUT & Proud Gay Man, may pass him by....much like, Coach Dennis.... and, Coach seems to be hittin' the Bottle, to dilute the pain of REGRET....
..which, may bring MORE pain, if he doesn't solve it...mostly, to People like Kyle, who cares and wants the BEST for him...Brad may be getting an inadvertent 'wake up call' to this, if he looks closely....
...Coach is SMOKIN' HOT w/ those teeny shorts, big hairy Tits, & rugged demeanor, so at this stage in his Life, he'll have NO probs hittin' the "Daddy" crowd, fast n' HARD...so to speak!! ..ha-HAA!!
...let his Story be a wake up call to YOU, too....Don't let the regret of LIFE get to you... "just keep LIVIN'" as Matthew McConaughey often says...
...and, if you can still fill out a pair of short-shorts, even BETTA!
...HA-HAAA!! ...keep LIVIN', Bubby, CHOW!
I'd like to comment on something folks seem to have overlooked. The coach's facial expressions in panels 2 and 3 are perfect for someone who's slightly tipsy, as we used to say 100 years ago. Nice nuanced art!
@Diana:
...Lady DI!! ...I haven't seen you in these parts for awhile! ...nice to see a Lovely LADY give comment about the Boys! ..ha-HAA!!
...well, methinks Coach Dennis is a tad past 'tipsy', He's a MAN, he's 'sh*tfaced!' ...HA-HAA!! ...but you're right, the raised forehead lines, & clear pupils add to the look....
...and dig the nod to Hawaii from Greg, on the Coach's CUP! (panel 5)...had to get past it, to look at the Coach's KNOCKERS! ...ha-HAA!! ...Toodles!
@RBS7079...
Thank you!
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